USB-C Spec Update Could Support Up to 240W

The USB Implementers Forum introduced a version 2.1 update to the USB Type-C specification. We could see the standard support power levels of up to 240W.

Cables supporting 240 watts will have additional requirements to accommodate the new levels. And USB-IF will require the cables to bear specific icons “so that end users will be able to confirm visually that the cable supports up to…240W,” USB-IF said in the specification document.

Tidal and Spotify Now Support Music Downloads on Apple Watch

Apple Watch music fans who use Spotify and/or Tidal can now download tracks and listen to them via the wearable. (The feature is already available with Apple Music.) iMore summed up the recent developments.

Tidal says the app will bring music streaming and playback control to Apple Watch independent of your iPhone, and you can even listen offline, downloading your favorite songs for playback anywhere. Spotify added the same feature to its app earlier this week. Spotify is today rolling out downloads to Apple Watch so that users can listen to content without their phone.

Ambient Noise App ‘Dark Noise’ Updated for M1 Macs

Ambient noise app Dark Noise updated to version 2.4, and this brings support for M1 Macs with other improvements: 2.4 is a minor update with optimizations for running on the new M1 Macs; On a Mac unsupported features should no longer show up in settings; The volume slider on the player page will now work by only changing the audio of Dark Noise while running on a Mac.

Patent Suggests Apple Looking to Make iPhone Display Glass Thinner

Apple is looking to make the glass used for the iPhone’s display thinner. That’s according to a patent spotted by AppleInsider.

In a patent granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Tuesday titled “Insert molding around glass members for portable electronic devices,” Apple says you can have the same glass cover that can stick out from the rest of the enclosure like curved glass, but while also maintaining the thinness of the main glass sections across the screen. Apple’s solution is to incorporate a glass structure around the edge of where the glass cover will sit. This glass section acts as an intermediary between the main enclosure and the thin glass cover.

Merino Wool Felt and Leather iPad Pro and iPad Air Sleeve: $79.99

We have a deal on the Hampshire iPad Pro (11″) and iPad Air (10.9″) sleeve. This sleeve is made from Merino Wool felt and leather, and it features a pocket and a loop for your Apple Pencil, too. It’s also designed to hold the Magic Keyboard with your iPad, and the front flap closes with a magnetic clasp. It’s $79.99 through our deal.