MacRumors

California State University today announced the launch of a new CSUCCESS program that is designed to provide equitable opportunities to students through the use of technology.

The first phase of the initiative will see CSU providing a 64GB iPad Air, Apple Pencil, and Apple Smart Keyboard Folio to all incoming first year and transfer students at eight participating campuses in Fall 2021. Students will need to register to participate, and the CSUCCESS website says that with a keyboard attachment and pencil, the ‌iPad Air‌ is "comparable to a laptop."

CSU Chancellor Joseph I. Castro said that the initiative will "assure that students have immediate access to innovative, new mobile tools they need to support their learning," with the ‌iPad Air‌ serving as a "powerful tool" that will prepare students for their future careers.

Susan Prescott, Apple's Vice President of Education and Enterprise Marketing, said that Apple is "thrilled" about the ‌iPad Air‌ rollout at CSU campuses.

"At Apple, we believe that education is a powerful force for equity and opportunity, and that technology can empower all students to achieve their goals," said Susan Prescott, Apple's Vice President of Education and Enterprise Marketing. "We're thrilled that iPad Air and the incredible education apps in the App Store will be central to the experience at CSU campuses across California, and will play a part in the learning and career development of students from Humboldt to San Marcos."

Students at the CSU campuses located in Bakersfield, Channel Islands, Fresno, Humboldt, Los Angeles, Maritime Academy, Northridge and San Marcos will be participating in the first phase of the program.

Apple today released a new beta version of the HomePod 15 software, and it appears that the update introduces Lossless Audio support for the ‌HomePod‌ and the HomePod mini.

Back in June, Apple added higher-quality Lossless Audio and Spatial Audio support to Apple Music, but at launch, Lossless Audio was not available on the ‌HomePod‌ or the ‌HomePod mini‌. Apple in a support document clarified that Lossless Audio would come to the ‌HomePod‌ and ‌HomePod mini‌ in the future, and it appears the higher quality audio will be available this fall when the new ‌HomePod‌ 15 software is available to the public.

According to 9to5Mac, those who have the ‌HomePod‌ 15 beta software can enable Lossless Audio by opening up the Home app, tapping the Home icon in the upper left corner, selecting "Home Settings" and then tapping the user profile.

From there, scroll down to "Media" and select the "Apple Music" tab, toggling on "Lossless Audio." When playing a song that supports Lossless quality, the ‌Apple Music‌ player will feature a Lossless icon to make it clear that you're listening to the Lossless tier.

It is not clear if there are other features in the ‌HomePod‌ 15 beta, but the prior updates have led to complaints about sudden failures and overheating, which may have been caused by the new software.

The ‌HomePod‌ 15 beta is available on an invite-only basis from Apple and it is not widely available to developers or public beta testers.

Apple's 2021 iPhone models aren't expected to launch until September, but thanks to rumors, CAD drawings, and renderings, we already know what to expect. Dummy models are now circulating, and we got our hands on a set to give MacRumors readers an overview of the leaks that we've been seeing for months now.

We have dummy models of the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max, and mockups like these are often created for case manufacturers. There's a lot of money in being first to release a case for a new device, with dummy models created based on specifications and details that leak from Apple's manufacturing partners.

In our experience, dummy models are most often accurate and are generally reliable representations of new devices that Apple plans to release. These dummy models in particular appear to line up with many of the rumors that we've heard about the new iPhones. That said, there's always a possibility that some of these design tweaks and changes could be off.

We're not expecting any major design changes this year, and the dummy models look similar to the iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, and 12 Pro Max, coming in the same sizes. We may see some very small differences in thickness in some of the models, but for the most part, the iPhone 13 lineup will look a lot like the iPhone 12 lineup.

Apple is rumored to be cutting down on the size of the notch in the iPhone 13 lineup and there are changes that are noticeable on the dummy model. The microphone has been relocated to the top bezel of the device, which is perhaps the design change that will allow for a slimmed down front-facing camera module. The dummy models are designed for case makers and don't have an accurate display setup that demonstrates notch size, so we have to rely on rumors for that.

The general body design may be the same, but there are notable changes to some of the camera designs. Apple is introducing some new camera features, such as Sensor-Shift Stabilization across the iPhone 13 lineup as well as improvements for the iPhone 13 Pro, so the rear camera setups of these dummy models are not identical to the iPhone 12 lineup.

Apple is bringing the iPhone 13 Pro in line with the iPhone 13 Pro Max, so the camera bump is much bigger than the iPhone 12 Pro camera bump. It's on par in size with the camera bump of the iPhone 13 Pro Max, so iPhone 12 Pro cases are not going to fit the iPhone 13 Pro.

That's abundantly clear when putting an iPhone 13 Pro case on an iPhone 12 Pro. We have iPhone 13 cases from Armadillotek that are designed using some of the same specifications that likely went into the dummy models, and the camera cutout is much larger.

The iPhone 13 Pro Max looks nearly identical to the iPhone 12 Pro Max, though the camera bump is a bit larger. The dummy model has different lens sizes with slightly larger lenses, but other than that, there are no changes. Case makers don't necessarily need spot-on lens size accuracy for developing a case, but there could be some changes to the lenses as some camera upgrades are expected.

As for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini, Apple is rearranging the camera lenses into a diagonal layout that features a flash at the top right of the camera module and a microphone at the bottom left, with the Wide and Ultra Wide lenses positioned diagonal to one another. This may be a change introduced to support the rumored Sensor-Shift Stabilization feature, which is currently limited to the Pro models.

The dummy models suggest the iPhone 13 will feature a repositioned SIM tray and slight changes to the location of the volume buttons, while the SIM tray may be slightly shifted on other models.

We may not be getting major design changes this year, but Apple is rumored to be adding improved 5G, a faster A15 chip, and a 120Hz ProMotion display for Pro models, so there's still a lot to look forward to in the iPhone 13 lineup.

Apple today released a new version of the HomePod 15 beta software that's designed to go along with the iOS 15, iPadOS 15, tvOS 15, and macOS Monterey betas.

The new software comes as multiple ‌HomePod‌ owners running the original ‌HomePod‌ 15 beta have complained of sudden failures and heat issues that have rendered their HomePods non-functional.

‌HomePod‌ beta software is distributed on an invite-only basis to select users, so there is no update that can be downloaded by developers or the general public.

There are ways to get the ‌HomePod‌ software if you're not a part of Apple's testing group, but because it's designed for a small number of users on an invite-only basis, we do not recommend using any alternate method to obtain the update.

It is beta software and can be unreliable, as the multiple reports of hardware failures demonstrate. These issues have also affected those with the 14.6 release software, but there does not appear to be a new public version of the ‌HomePod‌ software at this time.

The release notes for the ‌HomePod‌ 15 update do not offer any information and do not indicate whether the failure issue has been addressed.

Apple has been fighting an antitrust lawsuit against Blix, the developer of BlueMail, an app that was removed from the App Store in June 2019 after violating Apple's ‌App Store‌ guidelines.

Blix accused Apple of manipulating search results in its ‌App Store‌ to suppress third-party competition, and it also claimed that Apple had copied its patented messaging technology for the Sign In with Apple feature.

Blix had its lawsuit dismissed in December, but then refiled. Apple asked the judge to toss out the case, and the motion was granted, with the case being dismissed a second time on Friday. In a statement, Apple said that Blix had "alleged false conspiracy theories and anti-competitive claims," and that the judge's decision confirms that Apple has "consistently acted legally."

"Blix, a member of the Coalition for App Fairness and frequent complainer to press and regulators, alleged false conspiracy theories and anti-competitive claims against Apple. The court correctly rejected these claims and threw out Blix's case. This case demonstrates that Apple has consistently acted legally by introducing its own innovative products and features that promote competition."

According to the judge, Blix was unable to prove in court that Sign In with Apple restricted competition or that Apple's actions were harming competition.

Apple's current policy of requiring Sign In With Apple whenever any SSO product is offered permits new competitors and competition (including Blix) because it does not foreclose the use of other SSOs. Allowing competition is the opposite of unlawfully constraining competition, so, again, Blix has failed to state a claim.

Blix is one of several major developers that have joined the anti-Apple Coalition for App Fairness, a group that is against Apple's alleged anti-competitive policies and ‌App Store‌ fees. Other members include Spotify, Basecamp, Corellium, Epic Games, and Tile, all companies that have also had legal issues with Apple.

Update: In a statement, Blix said that it is disappointed by the court's decision.

Blix accurately described Apple’s monopoly power in mobile OS, and Apple chose not to contest that in court. At the same time, we are disappointed by the court's decision to somewhat signal that Apple can put sand in the gears to competitors and change its developer guidelines as it sees fit. This includes kicking BlueMail off the App Store for 8 months, stonewalling BlueMail for many weeks a year later and various other bullying tactics. These are facts that Apple did not refute in court.

We are glad that the fairness movement we’ve started for app developers to speak out the truth against Apple continues to gain momentum and we have high hopes that the Biden administration, the EU Commission, Australia and other countries will limit Apple's disproportionate power.

Blix will continue to fight for the fundamental and essential app developers’ rights and will stand firm in allowing fair and balanced competition. The digital markets would be much more innovative had Apple allowed for true competition. The ability to innovate by small businesses continues to be at stake.

Shipments of Macs increased by almost 10 percent in the second quarter of 2021 compared to the same time last year, as the surge in demand for computers continued, according to IDC data.

The IDC Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker shows that worldwide shipments of personal computers, including desktops, notebooks, and workstations, reached 83.6 million units in the second quarter of 2021. This is an increase of 13.2 percent from the second quarter of 2020, in spite of component shortages across the industry that constrained supply.

IDC analysis noted that while annual growth remains high, it has begun to taper off as the 13 percent growth rate in the second quarter of 2021 is far lower than the 55.9 percent growth in the first quarter of 2021 and 25.8 percent growth in the fourth quarter of 2020. Neha Mahajan, senior research analyst with IDC’s Devices and Displays Group, commented:

The market faces mixed signals as far as demand is concerned With businesses opening back up, demand potential in the commercial segment appears promising. However, there are also early indicators of consumer demand slowing down as people shift spending priorities after nearly a year of aggressive PC buying."

Apple remained the fourth-largest PC vendor, tied with Acer, surpassed only by Lenovo, HP, and Dell, of which each had over double the number of shipments compared to Apple.

Apple does not disclose exact Mac shipment figures, meaning that the data provided by IDC is estimated. An equivalent report from Canalys placed Apple's annual growth at 19.8 percent, but showed shipment estimates in a similar range.

Apple's fiscal second quarter earnings call showed steady growth of Mac revenue broadly in line with IDC's estimates, but Apple has not yet reported on this period. Apple is set to hold its third quarter earnings call on July 27.

Update: Gartner has also shared its PC and Mac shipment estimates for the second quarter of 2021. According to Gartner's data, Apple sold six million Macs worldwide during the quarter, up from five million in in the year-ago quarter for an increase of 19.7 percent.

In the U.S., Apple sold an estimated 2.4 million Macs, up from 2.3 in the year-ago quarter for a 4.4 percent increase.

iCloud Mail is experiencing an issue and is currently down for some users, according to Apple's system status page. The outage was noted by author Dan Moren and is also impacting one of our MacRumors editors.

Affected users may be unable to access their iCloud inbox, send or receive emails, or complete other tasks through the Mail app across Apple devices and the web.

Update: Apple's system status page says the issue has been resolved.

Lawyers representing Apple have suggested that the company could exit the UK market if the terms of an ongoing patent dispute are "commercially unacceptable" (via This is Money).

UK patent holder Optis Cellular Technology is suing Apple for patent infringement after it refused to pay license fees worth around $7 billion for using "standardized" smartphone technology in its devices.

Last month, a British High Court judge ruled that Apple had infringed two Optis patents relating to technology that enables devices to connect to cellular networks. Optis has also made a number of additional claims about patent infringements from Apple. Kathleen Fox Murphy, a lawyer representing Optis, commented that "everyone thinks about Apple as the market leader in smartphones, but Apple has to buy in most of the technology in an iPhone."

Optis Cellular Technology and its sister companies, PanOptis, Optis Wireless Technology, Unwired Planet, and Unwired Planet International, are non-practicing entities that hold patents and generate revenue through patent litigation, otherwise known as patent trolls.

Last year, a Texas court fined Apple $506 million for willfully infringing on a handful of PanOptis patents related to 4G LTE technology.

Apple now faces a trial in July 2022 over how much it should pay to Optis for patent infringements in the UK. Last year, the UK Supreme Court ruled that a UK court can set the rate Apple should pay for all of its patents worldwide, even though the court considers the infringement of UK patents only.

At a hearing earlier this year, Mr. Justice Meade hinted that Apple "might be disappointed" by the rate ultimately set by a judge that it will be expected to pay. Apple would be able to avoid the sanction if it exits the UK market, but Meade suggested that this was unlikely, saying "There is no evidence Apple is really going to say no [to paying the rate set by the judge], is there? There is no evidence it is even remotely possible Apple will leave the UK market?"

In spite of this, the response from Apple's legal representation firmly laid out that leaving the UK market may become an unavoidable option for the company if the terms set by the court are "commercially unacceptable." Marie Demetriou, Apple's lawyer, said:

I am not sure that is right... Apple's position is it should indeed be able to reflect on the terms and decide whether commercially it is right to accept them or to leave the UK market. There may be terms that are set by the court which are just commercially unacceptable.

The unprecedented threat highlights the possibility of Apple ending its sales in the UK, perhaps shuttering retail stores and curtailing services to existing customers. Nevertheless, it is highly unlikely that Apple would follow through with the threat, not least because the UK is one of the company's biggest and most important markets. The App Store alone supports more than 330,000 jobs in the UK.

There will be a separate court case later this month to determine if Apple should make a legally binding commitment to abide by the payout rate decided at the trial next year. Should Apple refuse to make undertakings to the court, it may also be banned from selling infringing devices, such as the iPhone, in the UK.

The dispute appears to be getting surprisingly heated for what would ordinarily be a fairly common patent troll case where companies acquire broad, standard-based patents with the hope of extorting money from other companies. Global pressure to rein in powerful big tech companies may have also escalated hostilities. Indeed, in the UK, Apple is currently being investigated for multiple allegations of anti-competitive conduct.

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.

Apple looks increasingly unlikely to expand its LiDAR Scanner to the entire iPhone 13 lineup this year, despite some rumors to the contrary.

The LiDAR Scanner is a small sensor that uses 3D sensing to measure the distance to surrounding objects up to five meters away. This technology allows for enhanced augmented reality experiences and other unique capabilities, such as the ability to measure a person's height instantly.

Apple introduced the LiDAR scanner on the iPad Pro in March 2020, and later expanded it to the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max. Since then, there have been conflicting rumors about whether Apple will bring the feature to all iPhone 13 models in 2021.

A DigiTimes report in January first suggested this was part of Apple's plans for its next flagship lineup, and that we could expect LiDAR in the iPhone 13 mini and standard iPhone 13. Apple frequently introduces new features or specs on higher-end devices before trickling them down to lower-end devices in later years, so the claim seemed credible at the time.

Two months later, however, reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the rear LiDAR Scanner would actually remain limited to iPhone 13 Pro models, a claim which was quickly corroborated by sources who spoke to Barclays analysts.

Despite that pushback, Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives has twice claimed this year that all iPhone 13 models will feature LiDAR, but support for that idea now seems more elusive than ever.

Leaker "Dylandkt," who has been accurate in the past about Apple product details before they were launched, said today that LiDAR is "only coming to the Pro iPhone models," regardless of hints earlier in the year suggesting otherwise.

Even if LiDAR doesn't come to the non-Pro variants of the iPhone 13, we do still expect other camera-related feaures being expanded across the entire iPhone lineup, including sensor-shift stabilization, which will introduce improvements in low light performance and stabilization by reducing camera shake.

There's also the possibility that all iPhones will receive an upgraded Ultra Wide camera lens with a wider f/1.8 aperture, although Kuo believes this upgrade will be exclusive to the Pro models. Lastly, display analyst Ross Young believes the entire 2021 iPhone lineup will use the same camera sensors as the iPhone 12 Pro Max, bringing overall improvements to the lower-end models.

A larger redesigned, Apple silicon-powered iMac to replace the current 27-inch Intel model is still "en route," according to Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman.

Writing in the latest instalment of his Power On newsletter, Gurman says the fact that Apple recently increased the screen size for the smaller ‌iMac‌ from 21.5 to 24 inches suggests to him that the 27-inch model could see an equivalent size increase.

I absolutely still believe that a larger, redesigned iMac to replace the Intel 27-inch models is en route. Apple increasing the screen size of the smaller model from 21.5 inches to 24 inches seems to indicate that the 27-inch model could see a size increase as well. I don't think, however, that Apple will launch the larger model with the same M1 chip that's in the smaller model. It likely will be an M1X, the beefier version of the current M1, or an M2X.

Apple has been working on a larger ‌iMac‌ with in-house processors for some time, but development of that version was reportedly paused to let Apple focus on releasing the redesigned 24-inch model, which was announced in April.

The 27-inch Intel models that remain in Apple's lineup launched in August 2020, suggesting they are reaching the end of their production cycle.

A new larger ‌iMac‌ would likely ape several changes that debuted in the latest 24-inch model, such as a thinner overall design, studio-quality microphones, and of course more powerful Apple silicon processors replacing Intel.

In a separate newsletter tidbit, Gurman also played down the idea that Apple could bring Touch ID to the Apple Watch one day. Gurman conceded that he could see the utility of ‌Touch ID‌ in the Apple Watch to approve app and media download payments, but said he didn't see that happening "any time soon, if ever."

Apple plans to release its sixth-generation iPad mini this fall with a new design that features slimmer bezels, a larger display, and improved performance, Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman reports.

In the latest edition of his weekly "Power On" newsletter, Gurman says the new ‌iPad mini‌, which is rumored to include an 8.4-inch display, an increase from the current 7.9-inch screen size, is a "go for this fall." Apple last updated its ‌iPad mini‌ in 2019 with Apple Pencil support, and Gurman calls the upcoming update the ‌iPad mini‌'s "biggest redesign" since it launched.

Last fall, Apple updated its baseline iPad with an improved processor, followed by a major redesign to the iPad Air. The updated ‌iPad Air‌ features no Home Button and an-all screen design. Gurman says the ‌iPad mini‌ 6 will feature a design "similar" to the current latest ‌iPad Air‌.

Apple leaker Jon Prosser recently shared renders of what he claims to be the upcoming ‌iPad mini‌. According to the leaker, the ‌iPad mini‌ will feature a Touch ID sensor embedded into the power button, a hardware change first introduced in the ‌iPad Air‌. He also claims it will feature an A14 chip and a USB-C port rather than a Lightning port.

Apple is said to be releasing multiple products this fall, which alongside the annual iPhone and Apple Watch revamp, we're also expecting redesigned MacBook Pros and the sixth-generation ‌iPad mini‌.

The upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro will feature an upgraded 1080p webcam, compared to the current 720p "FaceTime HD" camera in Apple's latest MacBook Air and ‌MacBook Pro‌, according to a leaker who goes by the name "Dylandkt."

In a tweet, the leaker says that the upcoming 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros will be receiving "an updated, improved 1080p webcam" alongside the "entire Mac lineup." Apple's most recent Mac, the 24-inch iMac, features a 1080p webcam; however, its ‌MacBook Air‌ and ‌MacBook Pro‌ continue to feature a 720p camera. While the quality of the webcam itself hasn't changed, Apple says that thanks to M1 and its latest image signal processor, image quality is improved on the MacBooks.

It's worth noting that "‌Dylandkt‌" has provided accurate information in the past. In November, five months before Apple announced its new iPad Pro, the account stated that Apple would bring the M1 chip to its next-generation iPad, which turned out to be accurate.

A few days before Apple's "Spring Loaded" event, which included the release of the redesigned 24-inch ‌iMac‌, the account posted that the new Mac would feature an ‌M1‌ chip, rather than an upgraded "M1X" iteration.

More recently, the account claimed that the "M2" chip will debut in updated and colorful MacBook Airs next year. The account added that the "M1X" chip is being reserved for high-end "Pro" Macs. Apple is expected to announce its redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro with an upgraded Apple silicon processor, a new design, and more this fall.

The mid-year rumor season is in full swing, with this week seeing a host of reports about not only the upcoming iPhone 13 but also next year's "iPhone 14," as well as the 2022 iPad Pro lineup and the upcoming redesigned MacBook Pro.

There's also some controversy over a Facebook-commissioned study showing that preinstalled apps from Apple and Google dominate usage on their respective platforms, so read on for details on these stories and more!

All iPhone 14 Models May Feature 120Hz ProMotion Displays

While rumors suggest only the two iPhone 13 Pro models will feature 120Hz "ProMotion" displays this year, a report this week claimed that the higher refresh rate is coming to all iPhone 14 models next year, allowing for smoother content and scrolling on the devices.

In March, reputable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that at least some iPhone 14 models will also abandon the notch in favor of a hole-punch display, similar to some of Samsung's Galaxy smartphones.

iPhone 13 Rumored to Feature Larger Wireless Charging Coil, Possibly for Reverse Wireless Charging

iPhone 13 models will be equipped with a larger wireless charging coil under the back glass for improved heat management, increased wattage, and possibly even a long-awaited reverse wireless charging feature, according to reporter and leaker Max Weinbach.

Reverse wireless charging has been rumored for iPhones for a few years now, but the feature has yet to materialize. Earlier this year, an FCC filing from Apple revealed that iPhone 12 models might have an inactive reverse charging feature.

Redesigned 14-Inch and 16-Inch MacBook Pro Still on Track for Mass Production in Third Quarter

Apple is still on track to begin mass production of the upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro with mini-LED displays in the third quarter of this year, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

With production kicking off sometime between now and late September, rumors are indicating we could see an introduction of the new machines around the end of that timeframe, perhaps in October to provide a bit of separation from the iPhone 13 launch in its traditional September launch window.

Apple Likely to Debut Next-Gen 3nm Chip Technology in 2022 iPad Pro

Apple will reportedly launch a new iPad next year featuring a processor based on TSMC's next-generation 3nm process, resulting in faster performance and improved power efficiency.

If the report is accurate, this would be the second time in recent years that Apple has debuted new chip technology in an ‌iPad‌ before an iPhone. In September 2020, the fourth-generation iPad Air was announced with the A14 Bionic chip, around one month before the iPhone 12 lineup was unveiled with the same chip.

The 2022 iPad Pro lineup is also rumored to see the mini-LED display technology from the current 12.9-inch model extended to include the 11-inch model.

Massive New iPad Pro Could Finally Replace the Laptop

Apple has engineers and designers exploring future iPad models with larger display sizes that could be released within a few years from now, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The current iPad Pro is available in 11-inch and 12.9-inch sizes.

Larger display sizes would help further blur the lines between the iPad Pro and the MacBook Pro, which is available with up to a 16-inch display. However, some customers continue to feel underwhelmed about the iPadOS software platform.

Apple Calls Facebook-Backed Study on Preinstalled Apps 'Seriously Flawed'

The majority of apps used by iPhone users are made by Apple, according to a study commissioned by Facebook. However, an Apple spokesperson fired back, claiming that the survey's methodology was "seriously flawed in a number of ways."

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has previously admitted that iMessage is his company's "biggest competitor by far," and Facebook also took issue with Apple's new requirement for apps to receive a user's permission to track them.

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Apple today shared a new "In the Dark" ad focusing on the Night mode feature that's available in the iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, and 12 Pro Max.

The spot focuses on night mode selfies, showing a man taking photos of himself in various low lighting situations. "Now you can take amazing selfies in the dark," reads the tagline of video, which also uses the song "In The Dark" by YG.

Night mode was first introduced with the iPhone 11, but it was previously limited to the rear-facing camera. With the launch of the iPhone 12 lineup, Apple expanded Night mode to the front-facing camera and added a feature for taking Portrait mode shots in the dark.

• How to Take Night Mode Selfies on iPhone 12

Apple earlier today shared another new ad spot titled "Haystack," which focuses on locating a lost iPhone using the Apple Watch.

Apple's FaceTime app was the main focus for many of the iOS 15 updates that were introduced, but the Messages app wasn't entirely forgotten. Apple introduced a new Shared with You feature and streamlined several interface elements to make the Messages experience more pleasant.

This guide outlines all of the new features that Apple added to the Messages app in iOS 15 and iPadOS 15.

Shared with You

The main new feature in the iOS 15 Messages app is Shared with You, which aggregates content that people share with you in Messages into the proper apps. So if someone sends a photo, it shows up in a Shared with You section in the Photos app.

This isn't strictly a Messages addition because it's actually other apps that have this new section, but it does make Messages content much more accessible and less likely to be forgotten. There are multiple Shared with You integrations, as outlined below.

• Photos - When someone sends you a photo in Messages, it automatically appears in the Shared with You section of the ‌Photos‌ app, which is located in "For You." Tapping on an image lets you save it to the photo library, and it has a record of who sent it. If you tap on the name of the person that sent it, it automatically opens up the Messages app so you can have a conversation.
• Safari - Any link sent to you in Safari is stored in the Shared with You section of the main start page that's opened when you open up a new tab. Safari shows a preview of the link so you can see what it's about, and tapping the link opens up the website.
• Apple News - A link to an Apple News story that's sent to you will be stored in the Shared with You section that's located in the Today and Following tabs in ‌Apple News‌. Stories that are found in News and Safari show up in Shared with You in both apps.
• Apple Music - Music links sent in Messages are shown in the Shared with You section of Apple Music, which is located under Listen Now.
• Apple Podcasts - If you're sent an episode of a Podcast or a link to a show, it's listed in the Shared with You section of Listen Now in the Apple Podcasts app.
• Apple TV App - When a friend sends a movie or a TV show link over Messages, the TV show or movie will appear in the Shared with You section of Watch Now so you can find it quickly.

Shared With You is an optional feature and for those who do not want to use it, it can be disabled. Just go to Settings > Messages and tap on "Shared With You." From there, you can turn off Shared With You entirely or choose the specific categories where you want to see Shared With You content. Options include Music, TV, Safari, ‌Photos‌, Podcasts, and News. Any category toggled off will prevent the accompanying app from featuring a Shared With You section that includes content from the Messages app.

Shared With You - Continue Conversations

In all apps that have a Shared with You section, content in these sections makes it clear who sent it to you. There are name labels that you can tap to go right to the Messages app so you can have a conversation about what was shared. Tapping the name label on an item shared with you also opens right up to the associated message so you can see the original conversation.

Shared With You - Pinning Content

If someone shares something with you that you definitely don't want to forget about, such as a photo or a link, you can long press on it and choose the "Pin" option. Pinned items are shown first in Shared with You, in Messages search, and the Details view of a Messages conversation.

• iOS 15: How to See All the Photos People Have Shared With You in Messages
• iOS 15: How to See All the Web Links Shared With You in Messages

Photo Collages

Multiple images sent in the Messages app now show up as a little photo collage of images stacked on top of one another. You can tap the collage and swipe through it to see each image in the stack. At the top left of the full screen interface, you can tap to see all of the images in a grid view, and there are also quick access tools for replying, adding a tapback response, downloading an image, or sharing it.

Improved Photo Saving

All images you're sent in the Messages app have a little download icon next to them that can be tapped to save them, which makes it much easier to save a photo that you're sent to the photo library on your device.

Updated Photos Image Picker

The ‌Photos‌ image picker, including in the Messages app, now allows you to select photos in a specific order for sharing.

International Updates

Apple added a few country specific features to address issues with spam. In Brazil, on-device intelligence filters out unwanted SMS messages and organizes them into Promotional, Transactional, and Junk folders to keep clutter out of the main Messages inbox.

In India and China, there are options to turn notifications on or off for unknown senders, transactions, and promotions so users have more control over which types of messages are able to send notifications.

New Memoji and Memoji Stickers

Memoji, which are used in the Messages and ‌FaceTime‌ app, have been updated in iOS 15 with 40 new outfit choices, an option to choose two different eye colors, new glasses options, new headwear options, and new accessibility options that include cochlear implants, oxygen tubes, and soft helmet.

Apple has also added nine new Memoji stickers like hand wave and lightbulb moment, heart hands, and more.

Other Messages Tweaks

• Group Message Access in FaceTime - In ‌FaceTime‌, there's an option to access a group Messages thread with the people you're chatting with.
• Focus Message Status - If you have Focus mode on and someone tries to send you an iMessage, they'll see a status update letting them know that you're in Focus mode. Friends and family can break through the Focus mode message with an urgent message.
• Messages Photo Search - If you do a search with a contact name included, you can use Spotlight to find photos that person has sent you.
• Announce Messages in CarPlay - Siri can now announce your incoming messages in CarPlay.

Guide Feedback

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For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Throwboy to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win one of Throwboy's plush pillows, all of which are modeled after classic Apple products and icons and are perfect for Apple fans.

Throwboy's pillows are plush, squeezable versions of Apple products like the first iPhone, Classic Macintosh, iMac G3, first iPod, Finder Icon, Spinning Wheel, and more. Pillows are priced at $30 to $40, and the main Iconic collection features designs modeled after five of the most iconic Apple products to date.

Each Throwboy pillow features intricate embroidery to match the detailing on the Apple product it's modeled after. The 1998 Pillow, for example, looks just like an ‌iMac‌ G3 with bright Bondi Blue fabric and embroidered details that include a CD slot, power button, handle, and more.

The 1984 Pillow designed to look like the Classic Macintosh has a rainbow logo, floppy disk drive, and iconic square shape, while the 1977 Apple II Pillow features embroidered keys, a rainbow logo, and other detailing to make it unmistakable as a plush Apple II.

Throwboy's 2001 Pillow is modeled after the original iPod with click wheel embroidery, while the 2007 Pillow looks just like the 2007 iPhone with a silver body, a home button, and thick black bezels.

There's even a plush version of Apple's classic Finder Icon, and the multi-colored Spinning Wheel pillow is a life size version of the classic Mac icon that we're all familiar with.

All Throwboy pillows are soft, huggable, and ideal for use as a throw pillow on a couch, bed, or chair. These pillows also make great gift ideas for Apple enthusiasts, and they brighten up any office space.

We have 10 of Throwboy's pillows to give away, and each winner will be able to pick their favorite pillow: ‌1977 Pillow, 1984 Pillow, 1998 Pillow, 2001 Pillow, 2007 Pillow, Finder Icon, or Spinning Wheel. To enter to win, use the Gleam.io widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

The contest will run from today (July 9) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on July 16. The winners will be chosen randomly on July 16 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.