MacRumors

iOS 16 was released to the public three weeks ago with a customizable Lock Screen, the ability to edit iMessages, improvements to Focus modes, and much more. And in the coming months, iPhone and iPad users have even more new features to look forward to.

We've rounded up 10 new features coming to the iPhone and iPad later this year, according to Apple. Many of the features are part of iOS 16.1, which is currently in beta testing, but some of the features are not expected until later in the year.

iCloud Shared Photo Library

iCloud‌ Shared Photo Library will make it easier for you to share photos with your family members or friends in the Photos app. The feature will let you and up to five other people add, edit, or remove photos in a shared library accessible via iCloud.

Apple delayed the launch of iCloud Shared Photo Library and now says it is coming later this year.

Live Activities for Third-Party Apps

iOS 16.1 will expand Live Activities to third-party apps in the App Store. The feature allows iPhone users to stay on top of real-time events, such as a sports game or a food delivery order, right on the Lock Screen or in the Dynamic Island.

Live Activities appear at the bottom of the Lock Screen on iPhone 13 models and earlier, as well as on the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. On the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, Live Activities appear in the Dynamic Island when the device is unlocked, or on the Lock Screen when the device is locked or in always-on display mode.

Once the iOS 16.1 Release Candidate is available, developers will be able to submit apps with Live Activities to the App Store.

The feature will also be supported in Apple's TV app for select sports leagues, including the MLB for users in the U.S., Canada, Australia, U.K., Brazil, Mexico, Japan, and South Korea, along with the NBA and Premier League for users in the U.S. and Canada only.

Emergency SOS via Satellite

All four iPhone 14 models include a new Emergency SOS via Satellite feature that is set to launch in November in the U.S. and Canada.

Emergency SOS via Satellite is designed to allow iPhone 14 models to connect directly to a satellite, allowing users to send text messages to emergency services when outside the range of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. When it launches in the U.S. and Canada, Apple says the service will be free for the first two years, which suggests that Apple might be planning to charge for the service at some point in the future.

Apple says that in "ideal conditions with a direct view of the sky and the horizon," a message might take 15 seconds to send via satellite, but it can take over a minute for a message to send "under trees with light or medium foliage."

Apple Music Classical

In August 2021, Apple announced the acquisition of classical music service Primephonic. At the time, Apple said it planned to launch a dedicated classical music app in 2022 that combined Primephonic's user interface with additional features.

Apple continues to prepare for the launch of the Apple Music Classical app, but specific details and an exact release date are still unknown.

Clean Energy Charging

iOS 16.1 includes a new Clean Energy Charging feature that Apple says "aims to decrease the carbon footprint of the iPhone by optimizing charging times for when the grid is using cleaner energy sources." The feature is available in the U.S. only.

Apple Fitness+ Without an Apple Watch

Apple Fitness+ will be available to iPhone users without an Apple Watch starting with iOS 16.1, iPadOS 16.1, and tvOS 16.1. Without an Apple Watch, iPhone users will not see real-time metrics like heart rate and calories burned during a workout.

Launched in December 2020, Apple Fitness+ features a library of over 3,000 workout and meditation videos, with new content added weekly. The subscription-based service is available through the Fitness app on the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV in 21 countries, with U.S. pricing set at $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year.

Freeform

Apple says it will be releasing a new digital whiteboard app called Freeform for the iPhone and iPad later this year. The app is described as a "flexible canvas" that will give users the "ability to see, share, and collaborate all in one place without worrying about layouts and page sizes," complete with full support for the Apple Pencil.

Freeform will allow users to start a session from FaceTime and view updates from others right in an iMessage conversation thread.

Matter Accessories in Home App

Matter is an upcoming connectivity standard that will enable compatible smart home accessories to work together seamlessly across multiple platforms, including Apple's HomeKit, Amazon's Alexa, and Google's Home. On the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, Apple says Matter support is coming in an update to the Home app later this year.

Controlling Matter accessories with the Home app and Siri will require a HomePod, HomePod mini, Apple TV 4K, or Apple TV HD running as a home hub.

Battery Percentage Icon for More iPhones

Apple finally made battery percentage visible in the status bar again on iPhones with a notch, eliminating the need to swipe down. Starting with iOS 16.1, the optional feature is expanding to the iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 mini, and iPhone 13 mini.

Stage Manager for More iPad Pros

Last week, Apple announced that iPadOS 16.1 will expand Stage Manager to iPad Pro models with A12X and A12Z chips released in 2018 and 2020.

Stage Manager will not have external display support on older iPad Pro models, limiting the feature to four apps on the built-in display. Apple has also delayed external display support for Stage Manager on iPad Pro and iPad Air models with the M1 chip and said this functionality will be reimplemented in a software update later this year.

Apple on September 23 officially launched the second-generation version of the AirPods Pro, introducing updated Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive Transparency, improved sound, and more. Right around the same time, Bose introduced new QuietComfort II earbuds with many similar features, so we thought we'd compare the two to see which has the edge.

Both the QuietComfort II and the ‌AirPods Pro‌ feature in-ear designs with silicone tips, but the QuietComfort II earbuds have a short, thick body rather than a rounded body with a stem like the ‌AirPods Pro‌.

The ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 have an excellent fit so it's hard for the QuietComfort II to compete, but they do not move around in the ear and feel secure. Fit will mostly come down to personal preference, of course, but we found the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 to fit better, making them more comfortable to wear.

Sound quality for the QuietComfort II earbuds is neutral out of the box, but there is an EQ app that can be used to tailor the sound, something not available on the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2. The app also allows for pairing with multiple devices (already available with the AirPods), and it allows for customization of the ANC feature.

As for Active Noise Cancellation, the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 win out. ANC on the QuietComfort II earbuds is okay, but it's not as good as the ‌AirPods Pro‌ ANC. Apple also does Transparency better, especially with the new Adaptive Transparency that can cut down on loud sounds like sirens without muting all background noise.

The QuietComfort II earbuds come with a charging case, but it's notably larger than the MagSafe charging case that comes with the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2. The earbuds themselves last for about six hours, the same as the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2, but the charging case adds just 18 hours of battery, while the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 charging case adds up to 24 hours of additional battery life for a total of 30 hours vs. 24 for the QuietComfort II.

Apple sells the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 for $250, while the QuietComfort II from Bose are priced at $299, so they're in the same general price bracket. One major upside to the QuietComfort II - they come in black. Apple is still only selling its ‌AirPods Pro‌ in white, with no black option available for those who would prefer a sleeker color.

Make sure to watch the full video up above for a side-by-side comparison of the ‌AirPods Pro‌ and QuietComfort II, and let us know what you think in the comments.

The AirPods Pro 2 Adaptive Transparency feature is not coming to the original ‌AirPods Pro‌ or the AirPods Max, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The Adaptive Transparency setting that appeared in the third iOS 16.1 beta is apparently a bug.

‌AirPods Max‌ and original ‌AirPods Pro‌ owners noticed an Adaptive Transparency setting that had replaced the original Transparency setting shortly after upgrading to the latest iOS 16.1 and the AirPods beta firmware, and the assumption was that Apple was expanding the feature to additional devices.

Apple does not often tout new features like Adaptive Transparency and bring them to older devices, so it was a curious decision, and it makes sense that it was actually added in error. It's likely that there is no Adaptive Transparency implementation for the original ‌AirPods Pro‌ and ‌AirPods Max‌ at all, and Apple accidentally made the Adaptive Transparency setting visible for devices that do not actually support it.

Adaptive Transparency is an ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 feature that Apple highlighted extensively when introducing the new earbuds, attributing it to the new H2 chip. Adaptive Transparency is designed to allow the ‌AirPods Pro‌ quiet loud sounds, such as sirens, construction work, or loud speakers at a concert without blocking out all noise.

Zillow today announced that it has integrated the Apple Maps Look Around feature into its real estate app, allowing potential home buyers to get a closer look at the neighborhood around a house they are interested in.

Apple with iOS 16 added the ‌Apple Maps‌ Look Around feature to the MapKit API that is available to developers, letting developers add the feature to third-party apps for the first time. Third-party apps are also now able to use MapKit with the new 3D map experience that is available in some areas.

Zillow says that with interactive floor plans and 3D tours, the Look Around integration makes it "easier than ever" to get a "deep sense of your home and community." Look Around can be accessed from Zillow listing pages using the Zillow app for iOS devices.

The Zillow app has already integrated SharePlay, with Zillow also rolling out support for Shared with You. Shared with You will let Zillow app users see listings in the Zillow app that have been shared with them through the Messages app on iOS and Mac devices.

Zillow can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Twitter today announced that Twitter Blue subscribers located in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are now able to use the edit tweet feature that has been in testing since the beginning of September.

An edit option has been in the works for several months now, with the "Edit Tweet" option showing up alongside the already available Delete Tweet, Pin to Profile, Change who can reply, and Add/remove from Lists options. Tweets can be edited for up to 30 minutes after being sent.

Twitter in September said that it would test the edit button with Twitter Blue subscribers before rolling it out more widely. Tweets that have been edited are denoted with an "Edited" tag, and past versions of tweets are visible.

Twitter says that Twitter Blue subscribers in the United States will soon get access to the feature. Twitter Blue is priced at $2.99 per month in the U.S. and it provides access to ad-free articles, various customization options, a bookmarks folder, an undo tweet option, early access to new Twitter features, and more.

Apple's 2021 Siri Remote that was released alongside the second-generation Apple TV 4K originally had a different design, according to filings that Apple submitted to the FCC ahead of the device's launch. In the images, there is shallow oval-shaped divot at the rear of the remote, which may have been intended as a finger rest to improve grip.

The finger rest would have been above the Apple logo on the ‌Siri‌ Remote, but Apple eliminated this design element before introducing the accessory. The version that launched has a smooth back with no finger rest cutout at all.

There are also some other small design differences, including a different design for the IR sensor at the top of the remote and some slight changes to the icons on the buttons. It is not clear why Apple decided to eliminate the divot at the back of the remote, but removing it must have been a last minute design decision.

The updated ‌Siri‌ Remote is a marked improvement over the original ‌Siri‌ Remote, featuring a larger aluminum body and a touch-enabled clickpad with gesture support instead of a smooth touch surface. There is a dedicated power button that was a welcome change, as well as a ‌Siri‌ button on the side of the device.

Multiple rumors indicated that Apple could add Find My to the ‌Siri‌ Remote, but that also did not happen and there is no sign that it was an intended feature in the FCC filing.

An administrative court in Italy today scrapped a €173.3 million ($170.4 million) fine leveled at Apple and Amazon last year for alleged anti-competitive cooperation when selling Apple and Beats products, Reuters reports.

In November 2021, Italy's antitrust watchdog hit Apple and Amazon with a €200 million ($196 million) fine in the culmination of an investigation that began in 2020 over allegations that the two companies had been blocking the sale of Apple and Beats devices to resellers in order to stifle competition and keep prices high.

The regulator said contractual provisions of a 2018 agreement between the two companies meant only selected resellers were allowed to sell the products on Amazon's Italian store, which was in violation of EU rules and affected competition on prices.

Amazon was fined €68.7 million euros ($67.6 million), while Apple received a fine of €134.5 million ($132.3 million). The watchdog also ordered the companies to end the restrictions to give retailers of genuine Apple and Beats products access to the Italian Amazon web store in a "non-discriminatory manner."

Both Apple and Amazon appealed against the fines. "To ensure our customers purchase genuine products, we work closely with our reseller partners and have dedicated teams of experts around the world who work with law enforcement, customs and merchants to ensure only genuine Apple products are being sold," Apple said, denying any wrongdoing. In a separate statement Amazon said it strongly disagreed with the decision of the Italian authority and that the proposed fine was "disproportionate and unjustified."

Earlier this year, the fine was reduced to an overall €173.3 million ($170.4 million) due to a "material error" in the initial calculation. Amazon welcomed today's ruling in a statement, while Apple and Italy's antitrust regulator declined to comment.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

The longer battery life of second-generation AirPods Pro is partly achieved by use of physically bigger batteries, regulatory filings show.

Compared to the first-generation AirPods Pro, Apple says that the second-generation model features an additional 1.5 hours of battery life with Active Noise Cancellation enabled for a total of six hours. Listings on the 3C database spotted by MySmartPrice reveal that the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 earbuds feature a battery capacity of 49.7mAh. This is an increase of 15 percent over the 43.24mAh capacity of the first-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌.

The second-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌'s MagSafe Charging Case features a battery capacity of 523mAh, an increase of just 4mAh over the previous model. According to Apple, the second-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌'s ‌MagSafe‌ Charging Case provides an additional six hours of battery life for a total of 30 hours of listening time with Active Noise Cancellation enabled. As such, it is highly likely that the charging case's longer battery life is actually mostly derived from improvements to the earbuds.

Beyond physically larger batteries, the second-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌'s H2 chips and skin-detect sensors also help to prolong battery life thanks to better efficiency.

iOS 16.0.2 was released last month with several bug fixes for iPhone 14 issues, excessive copy and paste permission prompts, and more. Now, evidence suggests that Apple is planning to release iOS 16.0.3 with additional bug fixes.

Evidence of an upcoming iOS 16.0.3 software update has shown up in MacRumors analytics logs, which have been a reliable indicator in the past.

There are several remaining iOS 16 bugs that iOS 16.0.3 would hopefully address, including an issue with low volume during CarPlay phone calls placed with an iPhone 14 Pro, display flickering on some iPhone models when brightness is set low, a string of text that can crash the Mail app, an error when attempting to edit Cinematic Mode videos shot on an iPhone in Final Cut Pro and iMovie on the Mac, and more.

It's unclear when Apple plans to release iOS 16.0.3, but our best guess is this week or next week given that iOS 16.1 is expected to be released later this month. iOS 16.1 features support for Live Activities in third-party apps, a new Clean Energy Charging option for U.S. users, support for Matter accessories in the Home app, Apple Fitness+ without an Apple Watch, a battery percentage icon for additional iPhone models, and more.

There is precedence for back-to-back iOS updates focused on bug fixes. iOS 15.0.1 and iOS 15.0.2 were released 10 days apart last year, while iOS 11.0.2 and iOS 11.0.3 were released eight days apart following the launch of the iPhone 8 in 2017.

Apple today celebrated reaching the milestone of 100 million songs on Apple Music and commented upon two areas where it is working to improve the service.

Reflecting on the growth of music on Apple's platforms in a press release, ‌Apple Music‌'s global head of editorial Rachel Newman today said:

One hundred million songs.

Twenty-one years on from the invention of iTunes and the debut of the original iPod, we've gone from 1,000 songs in your pocket to 100,000x that on Apple Music. It's phenomenal growth by any metric. The entire history, present, and future of music is at your fingertips or voice command.
More music than you can listen to in a lifetime, or several lifetimes. More music than any other platform. Simply the biggest collection of music, in any format, ever.

One hundred million songs — it's a number that will continue to grow and exponentially multiply. But it's more than just a number, representing something much more significant — the tectonic shift in the business of music making and distribution over these past two decades.

She added that the rise of ‌Apple Music‌ has helped democratize the music industry as a whole amid a massive expansion of content:

Back in the 1960s, only 5,000 new albums were released each year. Today, anywhere in the world, in 167 countries and regions on Apple Music, any artist of any description can write and record a song and release it globally. Every day, over 20,000 singers and songwriters are delivering new songs to Apple Music — songs that make our catalog even better than it was the day before. One hundred million songs is evidence of a more democratic space, where anyone, even a new artist making music out of their bedroom, can have the next big hit.

Looking toward the future, Newman pointed out the two areas of focus for improving ‌Apple Music‌ in the future, starting with human curation to drive recommendation algorithms.

This isn't just an opportunity to reflect on how far we've come, but also a moment to look forward to the work we have left to do. At Apple Music, human curation has always been the core to everything we do, both in ways you can see, like our editorial playlists; and ways you can't, like the human touch that drives our recommendation algorithms. Now more than ever, we know that investment in human curation will be key in making us the very best at connecting artists and audiences.

With such a huge expanse of songs, we know you need someone there to guide you through. Gone are the days of hitting shuffle on your library: Now it's on us to help you discover new favorites and rediscover forgotten gems, whether it's one of our expert radio hosts lighting your path, or a handcrafted playlist.

The statement also pointed out that ‌Apple Music‌ seeks to provide more context for music on the platform, such as via ‌Apple Music‌ Today:

We also know that it's more important than ever that we are elevating artists' voices and providing opportunities for them to tell their own stories and contextualize their music. It is no longer enough to just connect artists and fans, it's about making those connections deeper and more meaningful. And just one of the many ways we are helping to provide context is through the new Apple Music Today series, where we'll be picking a new song every day and diving into its history, because we know that each of the 100 million songs in our catalog has its own story.

After adding Spatial Audio and Lossless Audio in 2021, ‌Apple Music‌ this year gained DJ Mixes in Spatial Audio, concert livestreams, playlist sorting and favorite artists, and exclusive live releases and covers with "‌Apple Music‌ Sessions. It is expected to release an all-new app called "Apple Classical" specially for classical music by the end of 2022.

Apple's 2021 MacBook Pro lineup has seen consistent discounts over the past few weeks, but it's been rare for every model to have all-time low prices at once. Today on Amazon you'll find just that, with both 14-inch and 16-inch versions of the MacBook Pro getting record low markdowns in every configuration.

14-inch MacBook Pro

Starting with the 8-Core M1 Pro/512GB 14-inch MacBook Pro, this model is available for $1,599.00, down from $1,999.00. It's available in both Silver and Space Gray, with the latter color seeing a slight shipping delay.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

The 10-core M1 Pro/1TB SSD model is on sale at $2,099.00, down from $2,499.00. This is the best price we've ever tracked on this model of the 14-inch MacBook Pro.

16-inch MacBook Pro

Secondly, you can get the 10-Core M1 Pro/512GB 16-inch MacBook Pro for $2,099.00, down from $2,499.00. This one is available in Space Gray and Silver as well.

On the higher end, the 10-Core M1 Pro/1TB 16-inch MacBook Pro is on sale for $2,299.00, down from $2,699.00. This is another record low price on the 2021 MacBook Pro, and it's available in Silver and Space Gray.

Finally, Amazon is offering a discount on the 10-Core M1 Max/1TB 16-inch MacBook Pro. You can get this model for $3,099.00, down from $3,499.00. Both colors are on sale at this price, and this is another all-time low price for the MacBook Pro.

You can find even more discounts on other MacBooks by visiting our Best Deals guide for MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. In this guide we track the steepest discounts for the newest MacBook models every week, so be sure to bookmark it and check back often if you're shopping for a new Apple notebook.

Apple's iPhone 14 Plus, its latest 6.7-inch non-Pro iPhone, officially launches this Friday, October 7, and Apple's website is currently showing shipping delays into next week for all models and configurations.

Apple's U.S. order page now gives delivery estimates between Tuesday, October 11 and Thursday, October 13 for iPhone 14 Plus models in Blue, Purple, Midnight, Starlight, and PRODUCT(RED) colors with 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage capacities.

The launch of the iPhone 14 Plus comes three weeks after the other models in the iPhone 14 family became available, and a full four weeks since pre-orders began.

The shipping delay is in stark contrast to a check we made one week after pre-orders opened, when there was no delay for any iPhone 14 Plus model. At the time, delivery estimates for the ‌iPhone 14‌, iPhone 14 Pro, and ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ Max were delayed by days and in some cases weeks.

The ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus is meant for customers who want a larger ‌iPhone‌ without all the features of Apple's high-end models, but demand for the new model has not reached the highs that Apple anticipated.

On the Monday following the start of pre-orders, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the iPhone 14 and ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus had seen "lackluster" pre-order results that were worse than those for the third-generation iPhone SE and the ‌iPhone 13‌ mini, indicating that Apple's positioning of the two new standard models may have failed.

In response to the poorer-than-expected demand, Apple is said to have asked assembly partners to transfer some iPhone 14 production capacity to the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, the latter of which has reportedly seen the highest demand so far.

There have also been reports that Apple has shelved plans to increase production of the two devices. On the other hand, the ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ Max continue to see high demand.

Both non-Pro iPhone 14 models have also already depreciated in value more than twice as much as the iPhone 13 in the same time frame last year, according to one report.

The ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus, like the ‌iPhone 14‌, features the same chip as the iPhone 13 Pro, camera improvements, and other minor enhancements. Reviewers called the iPhone 14 an "iPhone 13S," noting the little improvements and changes compared to its predecessor.

YouTube may make watching videos in 4K quality on the platform exclusive to only YouTube Premium subscribers, according to screenshots posted by users on Twitter and Reddit.

On Reddit (1,2) and Twitter, some users have started to recently notice that on iOS, and presumably across other platforms also, YouTube is now saying that in order to watch videos in 4K, the user must be a paying YouTube Premium subscriber. Not all users are seeing the 4K quality option blocked behind YouTube's paywall, and it's unclear if YouTube plans to move forward with this.

A standard YouTube Premium plan costs $11.99 in the United States and includes ad-free videos, background playback, and the ability to download videos for offline viewing. We've reached out to YouTube for comment on 4K video quality possibly becoming a YouTube Premium feature and we'll update this article if we hear back.

Last week, Apple's third iOS 16.1 beta expanded the Adaptive Transparency feature introduced with the second-generation AirPods Pro to the original AirPods Pro, and several users have now confirmed it works on AirPods Max, too.

Owners of Apple's premium over-ear headphones running the latest 5A304a firmware have reported access to the new Adaptive Transparency toggle in the AirPods Max section of the Settings app in both iOS 16.1 and iPadOS 16.1 betas.

Unveiled with the debut of AirPods Pro 2, Adaptive Transparency is designed to allow the AirPods to block out loud sounds, such loud speakers at a concert, sirens, construction work, without blocking out all noise.

The feature is confirmed to be working on AirPods Max, even though the description beneath the toggle in Settings still only refers to AirPods Pro, so Apple still needs to update the menu. We're still waiting for confirmation that the feature also works on Beats Fit Pro, which like first-generation AirPods Pro include Apple's H1 chip.

(Thanks, Grady!)

In a new interview, Apple's senior vice president of software engineering, Craig Federighi, and Apple's vice president of human interface design, Alan Dye, sat down to discuss the thinking behind the iPhone 14 Pro's Dynamic Island and how it was developed.

During the interview with the Japanese magazine Axis, Federighi, who oversees the development of iOS, said Dynamic Island represents the first major user experience change for the iPhone since the ‌iPhone‌ X five years ago.

It's probably the first major operation change in five years since the iPhone X came out. Five years ago, we lost the home button with iPhone X. This has fundamentally reviewed various iPhone operation methods, such as how to unlock the lock screen, return to the Home Screen, and how to switch apps. This new feature has also changed the appearance of the iPhone, and it made me think again about how to run multiple apps, notifications, and how to manage the ongoing behavior in the background. It was a very exciting challenge for us to consolidate what is happening on our iPhone into this small interactive place.

Dye, who presented Dynamic Island during Apple's "Far Out" event last month, said Dynamic Island further blurs the line between where the hardware ends and the software begins on ‌iPhone‌, calling it an example of "Apple-like development."

For one purpose, our hardware and software partners will come together in the same studio to solve the problem together. This new feature also made it possible to display alerts, notifications, and ongoing operations in real-time without seeing the boundary between hardware and software. I think it's a good example of Apple-like development.

Speaking about where the idea of Dynamic Island originated from, Dye said that the team thought about what the extra space at the top of the display could be used for, thanks to the smaller TrueDepth camera system.

At Apple, it's very difficult to trace the source of ideas. Because our work is based on a huge discussion with different groups of people. However, one of those discussions was that if the sensor area on the screen could be made smaller, what could be done with the surplus space. It's not an argument that has come out in the past year or so, but it's one of the topics that has been discussed for many years.

Dye said the status bar area is a small yet crucially important part of the ‌iPhone‌ experience. "It is an area where our hard work put into every pixel has a very big effect," Dye said. "So, there was a story about doing something more special in this area anyway. Something that is very elegant, yet very useful."

So that this experience feels so smooth and natural, we brushed up with meticulous care and skills from both sides of design and engineering. Our goal was to make them forget that there is static physical hardware and make them think that the whole thing is fluid-like dynamic software.

Federighi noted that during the ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌'s event at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park, there was an audible sense of surprise when Dynamic Island was revealed for the first time, saying that he had the same reaction when he saw it for the first time internally. "Personally, I felt as if there was a new life-saving identity on my ‌iPhone‌," Federighi said. "It's a very delicate animation effect, but it's a little different from anthropomorphism, but I think it gave the ‌iPhone‌ a new strong personality and vitality."

Since its introduction, Dynamic Island has received positive reactions from users and customers online, with some calling it one of Apple's best designs in years. Already, some Android makers are looking to replicate the Dynamic Island experience on other smartphones.

As of October 1, Apple SIM is no longer available for activating new cellular data plans on supported iPad models, according to an Apple support document.

Introduced in 2014, the Apple SIM was designed to allow iPad users to activate cellular data plans from multiple carriers around the world. Initially, the Apple SIM was a physical nano-SIM card, but it was embedded inside later iPad Pro models. Apple SIM was similar to modern eSIM technology, but with more limited carrier support.

A physical Apple SIM card was included with the following cellular iPad models:

• iPad Air 2
• iPad mini 3
• iPad mini 4
• First-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro
• iPad 5
• iPad 6

An embedded Apple SIM was included with the following cellular iPad models:

• 9.7-inch iPad Pro
• 10.5-inch iPad Pro
• Second-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro

All of the iPad models listed above still have a physical SIM card tray. Apple's support document advises customers to contact their carrier for details on how to activate a cellular data plan on these iPad models going forward.

All models of the iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad mini, and iPad released since October 2018 support standard eSIM technology without the need for an Apple SIM.

Image Credit: Le journal du lapin

Apple is developing new iPad Pro, Mac, and Apple TV models, and at least some of these products will be released in October, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. However, Gurman continues to believe that Apple is unlikely to hold an event this month.

In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Gurman said "the big iPhone 14 unveiling last month was probably it for Apple in 2022 in terms of major presentations," suggesting that any iPad, Mac, and Apple TV product launches would be announced with press releases, media briefings, and updates to Apple's online store.

Last week, Gurman reported that new 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro, 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini models with M2 series chips are "highly likely to launch" before the end of 2022. He also said an updated Apple TV with an A14 chip and an increased 4GB of RAM was "getting closer and could potentially launch this year."

Gurman also claimed that Apple has tested under-screen Touch ID in recent years, but he does not expect Touch ID to return for the iPhone 15 or other flagship models in the foreseeable future. Gurman can envision a new iPhone SE with a Touch ID power button on the side, but he hasn't "heard anything about that actually being in the pipeline."

Another tidbit mentioned in Gurman's newsletter is that Apple apparently tested sleep tracking functionality for the HomePod — it's unclear which model — but he does not expect this feature to be rolled out to the public anytime soon, if ever.

While we had been expecting a follow-up October Apple event focused on Mac and iPad announcements, it sounds like we might not be getting another event after all. Instead, the pending updates in those product segments could be considered minor enough that they may be announced via press releases.

It wasn't all bad news, however, with Apple announcing that it will be expanding an on-device version of the upcoming Stage Manager feature to older iPad Pro models rather than limiting it to M1-based models. Other news and rumors this week included the possibility of an "iPhone 15 Ultra" next year, a look at camera performance on the iPhone 14 Pro Max, and more, so read on below for all of the details on these stories and more!

Apple Expands Stage Manager to Older iPad Pro Models

Apple made the surprise announcement this week that Stage Manager is expanding to older iPad Pro models with A12X and A12Z chips released in 2018 and 2020. The multitasking feature is available to test on those models in the latest iPadOS 16.1 beta.

Stage Manager will not have external display support on older iPad Pro models, limiting its versatility. Apple has also delayed external display support for the feature on iPad models with the M1 chip — it will be reimplemented in a software update later this year.

We shared our first impressions of Stage Manager on a 2018 iPad Pro in a recent video on our YouTube channel.

Gurman: Apple Might Not Hold an October Event

In his latest newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said another Apple Event in October "seems unlikely." Instead, he believes Apple is more likely to announce its remaining 2022 products via press releases, updates to its website, and media briefings.

Apple often holds an October event focused on new Macs and iPads, but Gurman believes that new versions of the iPad Pro, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini with the M2 series of chips might not be enough for another iPhone-style keynote.

iPhone 15 'Ultra' Could Replace Pro Max Model Next Year

Another tidbit mentioned in Gurman's newsletter this week was that the iPhone 14 Pro Max might be succeeded by a newly named iPhone 15 Ultra next year.

iPhone 15 Ultra branding could make sense given that analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently claimed that Apple is planning to further differentiate the Pro and Pro Max models in its iPhone lineup by making more features exclusive to the highest-end model going forward.

iPhone 14 Pro Features Live Sports Scores in Dynamic Island on iOS 16.1

Earlier this month, Apple announced that iOS 16.1 will enable a new Live Activities feature that allows iPhone users to stay on top of things that are happening in real time, such as a sports game or a food delivery order, right from the Lock Screen.

On the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, Live Activities also integrate with the Dynamic Island, making it easy to view live sports scores at a glance for MLB, NBA, and Premier League games. iOS 16.1 will be released to all users later this year.

Camera Comparison: iPhone 14 Pro Max vs. iPhone 13 Pro Max

The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max introduce some major improvements in camera technology, adding a 48-megapixel lens and low-light improvements across all lenses with the new Photonic Engine. We've spent the last week working on an in-depth comparison that pits the new ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ Max against the prior-generation iPhone 13 Pro Max to see just how much better the ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ Max can be.

Based on our testing, the ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ Max cameras are a definite improvement over the ‌iPhone 13 Pro‌ Max cameras, but the new features for most people will only be used every now and then rather than on a daily basis. If you've already got an ‌iPhone 13 Pro‌ Max, it's probably not worth upgrading just for the camera alone, but there are of course other features to consider like Dynamic Island, always-on display technology, Emergency SOS via Satellite, and Crash Detection.

10 Things AirPods Pro 2 Tell Us About AirPods Max 2

Upon the release of the second-generation AirPods Pro, the AirPods Max became the oldest current-generation product in the AirPods lineup.

With new features like the H2 chip and Adaptive Transparency, the second-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌ may provide some of the best indications yet of what to expect from the second-generation ‌AirPods Max‌. We've rounded up 10 potential features of the AirPods Max 2 in total.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!