Apple TV will stream every MLS game for a decade starting in 2023

After the debut of Friday Night Baseball, Apple is pushing further into live sports streaming. Starting in 2023, Apple TV will be the only place to watch every Major League Soccer game for the next decade. Soccer fans around the world will be able to stream all of the league’s matches through the Apple TV app. Notably, there won’t be any restrictions or regional blackouts.

The 10-year deal also covers Leagues Cup games (though viewers in Mexico will have to watch those and Campeones Cup matches elsewhere), along with select MLS NEXT Pro and MLS NEXT games. ESPN, Fox Sports and Univision currently hold the rights to MLS games, though their deals will expire after the current season.

Fans will need to subscribe to a new MLS streaming service, which will only be available through the Apple TV app, to watch every game. Access will be included as part of MLS full-season ticket packages. Apple also says TV+ subscribers will have access to a “broad selection” of MLS and Leagues Cup matches at no extra cost. Some games will be available for free.

Along with live games, the MLS streaming service will feature replays, highlights, analysis and a weekly whip-around show that will include goals and other key moments. There will be original programming as well. All MLS and Leagues Cup matches will have English and Spanish announcers, and games with Canadian teams will have French announcers too.

Fans will be able to follow news about MLS and their favorite teams in Apple News, and highlights will be featured there too. Along with the Apple TV app, which is available on a variety of platforms and devices, you’ll be able watch games on the streaming service’s website. More details, including pricing, will be revealed in the coming months.

“For the first time in the history of sports, fans will be able to access everything from a major professional sports league in one place,” Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services, said in a statement. “It’s a dream come true for MLS fans, soccer fans, and anyone who loves sports. No fragmentation, no frustration — just the flexibility to sign up for one convenient service that gives you everything MLS, anywhere and anytime you want to watch.”

The company will reportedly pay MLS at least $250 million per year under the pact. After the minimum guarantee is met through subscriptions, MLS will receive extra revenue. Some games may air on linear TV networks as well, according to Sports Business Journal, though those matches will still be available on the Apple/MLS service.

Apple’s push into sports may not end with baseball and soccer. The company has also long been rumored as a potential partner for the NFL. 

Microsoft ends Internet Explorer support in Windows 10 tomorrow

Internet Explorer is bowing out just short of its 27th birthday. As revealed last May, Microsoft will no longer support the Internet Explorer 11 desktop app for Windows 10’s usual Semi Annual Channel as of June 15th. You’ll still receive IE11 support if you’re using Windows Server 2022 or an earlier OS release with a long-term service extension, but this marks the effective end of software updates for most people. Windows 11 doesn’t include an IE desktop app.

The Edge browser’s IE Mode will still receive support through 2029 or later, so you won’t be stuck if you just need compatibility with the older web engine. Microsoft won’t be subtle in pushing you toward its newer browser, however. The company will “progressively” redirect users from IE to Edge in the next few months, and will permanently disable the old software through a Windows update.

The deadline marks the end to a bittersweet chapter in Microsoft’s history. Internet Explorer launched alongside Windows 95, and offered a first taste of the web to many people who hadn’t already used early browsers like Netscape Navigator. It played a key role in popularizing the internet, and for some became synonymous with going online — it had 95 percent of usage share by 2003, and wasn’t eclipsed by Edge until 2019.

However, Internet Explorer was also closely linked to some of Microsoft’s worst practices. While bundling IE with Windows helped web newcomers, it also stifled competition. The US’ 2001 antitrust case against Microsoft revolved around accusations that the company abused IE restrictions to maintain Windows’ market dominance. The browser also developed reputations for poor security (particularly through ActiveX controls) and non-standard rendering that frequently forced website creators to optimize for IE. Microsoft eventually addressed some of IE’s most glaring flaws, but the slow pace of that turnaround helped browsers like Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox rise to prominence — there’s a reason why the current Edge browser is based on Chromium rather than in-house tech.

You probably won’t miss IE much as a result. It’s still hard to ignore the program’s impact, though, and its flaws ultimately led to more browser choices as well as a shift toward true web standards. IE’s legacy may persist for years to come.

Coinbase cuts roughly 1,100 jobs amid fears of a ‘crypto winter’

Coinbase is still struggling with a worsening cryptocurrency market. The exchange has announced that it’s laying off 18 percent of its workforce, or about 1,100 jobs, to help weather difficult economic conditions. There’s a “crypto winter,” according to company chief Brian Armstrong, and the move is purportedly necessary to keep costs down during this dark period.

Armstrong also saw this as a response to excessive optimism about crypto’s future. Coinbase felt it had to grow rapidly in 2021 to compete across numerous sectors and take advantage of crypto’s value surge, but it’s now apparent the company “over-hired” while the market was strong. The exchange started 2021 with 1,250 employees, and will still have roughly 5,000 people employed by the end of the current quarter.

The layoffs have been abrupt. Coinbase cut affected employees’ system access at the same time as the announcement to prevent “rash decision[s]” by outgoing staff. The firm is promising at least 14 weeks of severance pay, four months of US health insurance and help finding new work, but the decision comes after multiple attempts to avoid cutting jobs. Coinbase first paused hiring, and later rescinded accepted job offers as economic conditions soured.

Coinbase isn’t alone in dealing with the effects of crypto’s collapse. Binance is facing a lawsuit over the failed TerraUSD stablecoin, while major lender Celsius has frozen withdrawals to help stabilize assets and honor obligations. The plunge in Bitcoin prices following Celsius’ move led Binance to halt its own withdrawals for several hours. Crypto is very fragile at the moment, and it doesn’t take much for the technology’s largest supporters to suffer.

13-inch MacBook Pro M2 will be available to preorder on June 17th

You won’t have to wait too long to buy a Mac with an M2 chip inside. Apple has announced that it will start taking orders for the 13-inch MacBook Pro M2 on June 17th, with customers getting their orders on June 24th. The system starts at $1,299 ($1,199 for education) with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD.

The new 13-inch MacBook Pro offers a simple performance boost over the M1 model, for better or for worse. You’ll still get the familiar design, the Touch Bar and two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports. It’s still a capable machine with 20 hours of battery life, but this isn’t a major overhaul.

In a sense, its greatest rival will come from Apple: the still-to-be-released MacBook Air M2. You won’t get a cooling fan or the longest possible runtime, but you will get a larger screen, a MagSafe power connection, more free ports and a slimmer, lighter chassis. The 13-inch Pro is best for those who need sustained computing power for long periods, but can’t rationalize the cost of the 14-inch system.

Amazon’s smart thermostat drops back to its all-time low of $48

Amazon’s smart thermostat is once again on sale. The device, which Amazon released in November, has dropped to $48. That’s 20 percent off the regular price.

Buy smart thermostat at Amazon – $48

The smart thermostat is a lower-cost alternative to models from other companies, such as Google’s Nest lineup. It works with Alexa, of course, though there’s no on-board microphone or speaker. You’ll need to use a different Alexa-enabled device to control it with your voice. You can also adjust the settings remotely using the Alexa mobile app, which could be handy for heating up your house on a cold day right before you return home.

The device uses Honeywell Home Thermostat Technology. It’s also Energy Star-certified, meaning it’s required to save users around $50 worth of energy bills per year. As such, the cost of the device should be more or less covered within 12 months of use.

The features aren’t quite as in-depth as what you’d find on a Nest thermostat, but for those on a stricter budget, it could do the trick. Before you buy it, Amazon recommends using its compatibility tool (which you’ll find on the product page) to make sure the smart thermostat will work in your home and to find out whether you’ll need a C-wire power adapter.

Google Maps now shows toll prices on Android and iOS

Google Maps can already help you avoid toll roads, but now it will let you know just how much you’ll pay if you take those (supposedly) quicker routes. Android Policenotes that Google has enabled its previously promised toll pricing in Maps for Android and iOS. Check the route options before you navigate and you’ll get an estimated cost based on when you’re travelling.

You can also tell Maps to show prices with or without toll passes. The app will still let you avoid toll roads whenever possible.

The prices should be available for about 2,000 toll roads in the US, India, Indonesia and Japan. More countries are “coming soon,” Google said. This won’t be the most comprehensive feature at first, then, but it could prove valuable if it saves you money or time on a lengthy trip.

The best smartwatches

Just a few years ago, the case for smartwatches wasn’t clear. Today, the wearable world is filled with various high-quality options, and a few key players have muscled their way to the front of the pack. Chances are, if you’re reading this guide, you’v…