Apple today released watchOS 7.6.1, a minor update to the watchOS 7 operating system that was released in September 2020. watchOS 7.6.1 comes two weeks after the release of watchOS 7.6, an update that brought ECG capabilities to new regions.
The watchOS 7.6.1 update can be downloaded for free through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software Update.
To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it needs to be placed on a charger, and it needs to be in range of the iPhone.
According to Apple's release notes, the watchOS 7.6.1 update includes important security updates and it is recommended for all users. An Apple security support document indicates that the update fixes a memory issue that may have been actively exploited in the wild, so Apple Watch users should upgrade as soon as possible. This is the same issue that Apple previously addressed in iOS 14.7.1 and macOS Big Sur 11.5.1.
Panic, a company known for its range of apps designed for Apple's iPhones, iPads, and Macs, today announced the launch of pre-orders for its Playdate handheld gaming system.
Panic had 20,000 Playdate systems available for preorder for shipping in late 2021, but those quickly sold out and orders placed now will ship out in 2022.
Priced at $179, the Playdate is a pocket-sized gaming system that has a unique design. It features a black and white display, bright yellow chassis, a d-pad, A+B buttons, and a crank on the side that serves as a flip-out rotational controller.
The pocketable gaming system will feature pre-installed games from developers like Zach Gage, Shaun Inman, Bennett Foddy, and Keita Takahashi.
There will be several games available at launch, and an additional game will be delivered each week for a few months. The Playdate comes equipped with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a USB-C port for charging, and a headphone jack.
Back in April, Apple announced a $430 billion investment over the next five years to create more than 20,000 new jobs as the company continues to expand. One significant piece of that plan is a new engineering and research center in North Carolina where Apple will be investing over $1 billion and hiring at least 3,000 employees.
Assemblage of seven properties in Research Triangle Park owned by Apple
Apple actually acquired the land for its new North Carolina campus in late 2018, purchasing about 280 acres in Research Triangle Park (RTP) near the state capital of Raleigh for around $50 million, but while Apple announced plans for a new campus in Austin, Texas, around that time, it remained silent on its RTP plans until this year.
It will take several more years for Apple's campus in RTP to get up and running, so the company is moving forward with plans for over 200,000 square feet of temporary space in nearby Cary, MacRumors has confirmed.
Apple will be taking the most recently constructed facility in a three-building complex built over the past eight years for insurance company MetLife. With the global health crisis impacting corporate facility needs around the world, MetLife has consolidated its Cary operations into two buildings on the campus and made the entire third building available for lease.
Apple will be taking Building 3 (at left) on MetLife campus in Cary, North Carolina
Based on plans filed with the Town of Cary, Apple will be taking the entire seven-floor "MetLife III" building, which totals over 220,000 square feet. An initial phase of buildout for Apple includes the first three floors of the building, but documents from the project architect indicate that Apple has the "intent of occupying the entire building in the near future."
Development plans for Apple's renovation were filed with the town at the end of June and were approved on July 8 and 9, clearing the way for construction to begin. Filings indicate that initial renovations will cost nearly $5.5 million and are fairly limited in scope, with Apple largely retaining the open plan already in place and previously used by MetLife.
Second-floor layout (click for larger)
Apple will be doing select demolition of floor and wall coverings in certain areas of the first three floors and reconfiguring some spaces to customize things to its own liking, but Apple will be avoiding major changes and expenses given that its tenancy is expected to be rather short-lived.
There don't appear to be any signs of progress on Apple's future RTP campus yet, but that's not terribly surprising considering the announcement was made just a few months ago and Apple is likely continuing to work with architects and others on finalizing its plans.
Today we're tracking a pair of discounts on Apple's new MagSafe line of accessories, compatible with iPhone 12 models. This includes the MagSafe Charger and MagSafe Duo Charger, and the sales are offered by DailySteals and StackSocial.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Starting with the MagSafe Charger, DailySteals has this accessory for $27.99, down from $39.00 when you use the code DSMAG at the checkout screen. This is a new all-time low price for this accessory, beating the previous low by just over $1.
At StackSocial you can get the MagSafe Duo Charger for $102.00, down from $129.00 when using the code ANNUAL15 at checkout. The MagSafe Duo has been down to $99 in the past, but that deal has been rare and today's sale is a new second-best offer.
Apple today announced that its GarageBand app for iPhone and iPad has received all-new Sound Packs from some of today's top artists and producers, including new Remix Sessions from singers Dua Lipa and Lady Gaga.
The music creation app has also gained seven new Producer Packs with beats, loops, and instruments created by top producers, including Boys Noize, Mark Lettieri, Oak Felder, Soulection, Take A Daytrip, Tom Misch, and TRAKGIRL. Another new Producer Pack provides a companion experience to the upcoming Apple TV+ docuseries "Watch the Sound With Mark Ronson," allowing users to experiment with sounds inspired by the music in the show.
"GarageBand continues to be a catalyst for music creation — making it easy for novices to get started and for seasoned pros to develop their ideas on the go," said Bob Borchers, Apple's vice president of worldwide product marketing. "For this update, we've collaborated with an incredible group of artists and producers to give musicians an amazing collection of new sounds to play with, and we hope even more people will be inspired to tap into their creativity and start making music in GarageBand."
The new Remix Sessions and Producer Packs are available today as a free download from the Sound Library in GarageBand 2.3.11, the latest version of the app for iOS and iPadOS.
Apple today released the trailer for the second season of its Apple TV+ original show "See," which will premiere with one episode on the platform on August 27, with new episodes following every Friday. The second season of the show will run for a total of eight episodes.
"See" was one of the first shows to premiere on Apple TV+ in 2019 and features Jason Momoa, Dave Bautista, and Alfre Woodard. The show follows the story of humanity losing the ability to see, and according to Apple, the second season will tell the story of Baba Voss, played by Jason Momoa, attempting to be reunited with his family.
“See” is set in a brutal and primitive future, hundreds of years after humankind has lost the ability to see. In season two, Baba Voss (Momoa) is struggling to reunite his family while protecting them as the threat of war looms between the Kingdom of Paya and the Trivantian Republic. Despite his best efforts, his wife and sighted children are pulled to the forefront of the conflict, where they come to the attention of his estranged brother, Edo Voss (Bautista), a powerful and cunning Trivantian general, whose long-simmering hatred for his brother imperils them all even further.
The show's second season premiere joins a busy fall season for Apple TV+, with the second season of the hit comedy show Ted Lasso having premiered last week, and upcoming shows, such as "The Morning Show" with their second season premiering in September.
Apple warned leakers that sharing information about unreleased products could mislead third-party accessory makers and disappoint customers, in cease and desist letters sent by legal firms representing the company.
Vice today highlighted that, in an extensive letter sent to a leaker based in China, Apple warned that leaks could give third-party accessory makers the wrong dimensions and details about unreleased products. It has emerged over the past month that June saw a concerted effort by Apple to curtail information coming from a range of individual leakers outside the United States using cease and desist letters.
Despite being sent by various local law firms representing Apple around the world, the letters appear to have featured identical content. An extract of one of the letters, seen by MacRumors, reads:
In addition, premature disclosures about unannounced products can also harm customers worldwide when the relevant information disclosed is inaccurate, and third parties – such as accessory manufacturers – develop and sell cases and other accessories that are in fact incompatible with the unannounced product because, for example, the design or dimensions differ. Such situations are harmful to customers and to Apple. Therefore, it is obvious that when the unpublished information about the design and performance of Apple's products is kept confidential, it has actual and potential commercial value.
The statement is an unusual admission from Apple that some case and accessory makers rush to prepare accessories for new Apple products long before their release based on leaked information. Even if initial dimensions and information that come out as a result of leaks are accurate at that time, Apple may make changes to designs that make accessories ineffective or obsolete by the time of the product's official release.
Apple appears to suggest that ill-fitting accessories harm its brand in the eyes of customers, which apparently proves the commercially sensitive nature of information about unreleased products and the company regards leaks to be "illegal disclosure of Apple's trade secrets." The letter also implied that keeping details about unreleased products secret also has "potential commercial value" for third parties.
As well as misinforming third-party accessory manufacturers, Apple also highlighted the fact that customers may be directly let down by leaks about "rumored" or "unreleased" products.
Apple has made every effort to take strict measures to maintain confidentiality for any information about Apple's products before their official release to ensure that every time Apple releases a new product, it can surprise the public. The secret of Apple's latest technological innovation is an important part of the company DNA.
The implication here is that leaked information may negatively affect customers' expectations, but also that secrecy is a key attribute of Apple's brand itself, so leaks are in turn commercially damaging to the company's image.
The leakers known as "Kang" and "Mr. White" are believed to have been impacted by Apple's recent letters, as well as the render "CConceptCreator," but it is not clear how widespread last month's attempt to silence leakers around the world was.
Earlier this year, Google announced plans to follow in Apple's footsteps and roll out privacy labels for apps on the Play Store next year. The new labels, much like Apple's App Privacy labels, will inform users on what data an app collects about them, allowing them to make a more informed decision on whether to download a specific app.
Google has now shared additional information regarding the upcoming Play Store "safety section." In a blog post, Android's vice president of security and privacy, Suzanne Frey, laid out the company's timeline for when developers will need to adopt the new labels. Android developers will be able to begin adding their app's privacy information in October of 2021 and will be required to by April of 2022. The labels will launch sometime within Q1 of next year.
Google also shared images of what the upcoming safety section will look like for users on an app's specific page. The section will inform users of what type of data points the app will collect about them. Developers will have the ability to specify how some information, like location, is used specifically within their app. On Apple's App Store, developers don't have the ability to provide context as to why their app may need specific information from a user.
Google is taking another approach. The company says that it spoke to developers and learned that they appreciate being able to provide context towards their data collection practices and being able to specify whether some practices are optional.
In designing our labels, we learned developers appreciate when they can provide context about their data practices and more detail on whether their app automatically collects data versus if that collection is optional. We also learned that users care about whether their data is shared with other companies, and why.
Additionally, Apple earlier this year required that all new apps on the App Store provide information within their Privacy Labels and that all existing apps must provide them with their next update. At least for now, Google says that if developers don't provide their privacy information, it "may" reject that app from the Play Store, leaving the door open for developers to possibly decide not to provide their privacy practices.
Undeterred by Apple's recent anti-tracking privacy changes, Facebook continues to rake in billions in advertising revenue, as evidenced by its latest fiscal 2021 second quarter results announced Wednesday.
On the company's Q2 earnings call, the social network revealed it had accumulated $28 billion in ad revenue, representing a 56% year-on-year increase. That saw Facebook more than double its profits from the previous year, earning $10.4 billion, up from $5.2 billion in 2020.
Despite the figures for its main revenue stream, Facebook CFO David Wehner did note that the company expects to feel the brunt of Apple's App Tracking Transparency rules in the third quarter.
"We continue to expect increased ad targeting headwinds in 2021 from regulatory and platform changes, notably the recent iOS updates, which we expect to have a greater impact in the third quarter compared to the second quarter."
Apple in iOS 14.5 introduced App Tracking Transparency, which requires app developers to ask for express permission before accessing the IDFA for tracking users across apps and websites.
Prior to the enforcement of App Tracking Transparency, Facebook launched a campaign attempting to position Apple as an enemy of small businesses, and even took out full page newspaper ads decrying the new feature. "Apple's latest update threatens the personalized ads that millions of small businesses rely on to find and reach customers," reads Facebook's site encouraging small businesses to "add their voice" and speak out against ATT.
However, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in March began downplaying the potential impact of App Tracking Transparency and said that the changes could ultimately benefit Facebook if Apple's new policies encourage businesses to advertise and sell exclusively through Facebook platforms.
According to early data from the ad-measurement firm Branch Metrics, less than 33% of iOS users have permitted apps to track them across other apps. The remaining 67% of iOS users opted not to permit apps to track their activity. As a result, the amount of advertiser spending on Apple's mobile platform has fallen by about one-third between June 1 and July 1, causing advertisers to spend more money targeting Android users instead.
During Wednesday's earnings call, Facebook said the number of active users across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp has increased by 12% year-on-year, with 2.76 billion people now counting as daily active users.
Bang & Olufsen today announced Beoplay EQ, the Danish audio outfit's first true wireless headphones with adaptive active noise cancelation.
To achieve maximum noise cancelation, the buds use adaptive ANC that combines active noise cancellation with passive sealing. Six microphones allow for automatic adjustment of ANC levels and also make use of directional beamforming technology to improve call and speech quality.
The Beoplay EQ will retail for $399 (£349/€399), so they're $150 more expensive than Apple's AirPods Pro, but apart from the premium look, they do pack some solid features, including 20 hours' battery life when used in conjunction with the charging case, and 6.5 hours of playtime with ANC turned on (versus AirPods Pro's 4.5 hours). They also include a fast charge feature, so 20 minutes in the aluminum case gets you two hours of playtime.
The compact case supports both USB-C and Qi wireless charging, while the buds themselves are more reminiscent of Beats Studio Buds than AirPods, with a small profile and an ergonomic fit. They're IP54 dust and water resistant, and come with interchangeable ear tips in different sizes.
Wireless specs-wise, they support the aptX adaptive codec and the latest Bluetooth 5.2, and the set-up process is simplified on both Android and Apple devices thanks to the inclusion of Microsoft Swift Pair and Made for iPhone licenses.
Beoplay EQ come in Black Anthracite and Sand colors and will be available to purchase from August 19 via Bang & Olufsen's website and in Bang & Olufsen retail stores.
Zens today announced the launch of a new 4-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charger that's designed to work with Apple's latest iPhone 12 models.
The 4-in-1 charger offers a magnetic charging puck that is compatible with the iPhone 12. Zens says that it is a 15W magnetic charger, but it's worth noting that third-party chargers that are not using Apple's official MagSafe solution are limited to 7.5W Qi charging speeds.
The magnetic charger can be used with an iPhone in either portrait or landscape mode, and it places the iPhone at an ideal angle for watching videos, FaceTiming, and more.
In addition to the magnetic charging surface for an iPhone 12, there's also a 5W charging pad that can be used for a second iPhone or for the AirPods.
For the Apple Watch, there's an included (and removable) Apple Watch charging puck, and along with these three charging options, there's a built-in USB-A port for charging a fourth device. The 4-in-1 charger comes with a 30W PD power adapter.
The 4-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charger can be purchased from the Zens website for 139.99 euros, which is right around $165. Zens offers worldwide shipping.
There are some major improvements to Siri in iOS 15, with Apple introducing features that iPhone users have long asked for. On devices with an A12 chip or later, Siri can do on-device processing and there's support for offline requests.
This guide highlights all of the new Siri features that are available in iOS (and iPadOS) 15.
On-Device Speech Processing and Personalization
Starting in iOS 15, speech processing and personalization are done on-device. This makes Siri faster at processing requests, but also more secure. Most audio requests made of Siri are kept entirely on the iPhone and are no longer uploaded to Apple's servers for processing.
Siri's speech recognition and understanding of commands improves as a device is used, with Siri learning the contacts most interacted with, new words typed, and topics preferred, with all of this information kept on device and private.
On-device speech processing and personalization is enabled through the Apple Neural Engine and it is available on iPhones and iPads that have an A12 Bionic chip or later.
On-device processing is available in German (Germany), English (Australia, Canada, India, UK, U.S.), Spanish (Spain, Mexico, U.S.), French (France), Japanese (Japan), Mandarin Chinese (China mainland), and Cantonese (Hong Kong).
With on-device processing now available, there are a wide range of Siri requests that can be handled offline. Siri can create (and disable) timers and alarms, launch apps, control audio playback, and access Settings options.
Apple says Siri can also process Messages, sharing, and Phone requests.
When you come across something that you want to share like a photo, web page, Apple Music song, or podcast, you can ask Siri to send it to a friend or family member and Siri will do so.
If it's something that can't be shared, like a Messages thread, Siri will make a screenshot and send that. All you have to do is say "Send this to [person]" and Siri will confirm the request and then send it along.
This feature works with Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, Apple News, Maps, web pages, photos, Messages, and more.
Siri in iOS 15 can better maintain context between voice requests. So if you ask something like "How late is the Taco Bell open?" and then "How long does it take to get there?" Siri will understand that "there" is the Taco Bell from the previous request.
This tends to work only when there's a single option, because in a situation with multiple Taco Bells, Siri needs clarification. For that reason, the contextual improvements are limited.
Contacts
Siri also understands that if there's a contact on the screen, that's the person that you want to talk to.
So if you have the contacts app open to a specific person, are chatting with someone in Messages, get a Message notification, or miss a call, you can say something like "Message them I'm on my way" and Siri will know to send it to the relevant contact that you've just interacted with or have open.
HomeKit Improvements
Siri can now be used to control a HomeKit device at a specific time. So if you want your lights to turn off right when at 7, you can say something like "Hey Siri, turn off the bedroom lights at 7.p.m." This command also works for geolocation, so you can say things like "Hey Siri, turn off the air conditioning when I leave."
When you ask Siri to control a HomeKit product this way, it creates an automation in the Home app under the "Automation" section. If you want to delete an Automation Siri has created, you can do so in the Home app.
HomeKit developers can also add Siri support to their products in iOS 15, but using Siri commands with third-party devices does require the user to have a HomePod to route requests through. With Siri integration, customers will be able to use their HomeKit products for Siri commands like setting reminders, controlling devices, broadcasting messages, and more.
Siri has been able to announce calls and incoming messages when using AirPods (or Beats headphones) for some time now, but in iOS 15, that feature is expanding to all notifications.
Siri can automatically announce Time Sensitive notifications when AirPods are connected if you toggle the feature on in the Settings app (in either the Siri or Notifications sections), and there are also options to have Siri announce notifications on an app-by-app basis if you want to hear notifications from a particular app but those notifications aren't Time Sensitive.
There's now a feature to have Siri announce your incoming messages when your iPhone is connected to a CarPlay setup.
There's an option to turn announcements on or off when a message is read, and Siri will remember your preference. This feature can also be toggled on or off using the Settings app.
Announce Reminders With AirPods
In addition to notifications, Siri can also announced reminders that come up when wearing AirPods or compatible Beats headphones.
Add Siri Suggestions to Safari Start Page
With Start Page customization in iOS 15, there is an option to add a section for Siri Suggestions for websites you might want to visit or content you might want to view.
Language Improvements
Neural text-to-speech voices have expanded to Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, and Finnish in iOS 15.
Apple has also added mixed English and Indic language support. Siri can process commands in a mix of Indian English and native languages, with support for Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Tamil, Bengali, Gujarati, Malayalam, and Punjabi.
Siri for Developers
Apple is tweaking its SiriKit interface and is eliminating some of the Siri commands that developers were able to use with third-party apps.
Starting with iOS 15, customers will no longer be able to use Siri in third-party apps to do things like book a ride with Uber, make a bill payment, or create new task lists in to-do apps. Many of these Siri functions may be replaced by Shortcut options that can be activated with Siri voice commands.
Guide Feedback
Have questions about Siri in iOS 15, know of a feature we left out, or want to offer feedback on this guide? Send us an email here.
Customers who visit U.S. Apple Stores will once again be required to wear masks at most retail locations, reports Bloomberg.
Apple dropped its mask requirement for vaccinated customers and employees back in June, but earlier this month, Apple began requiring employees in select regions to wear masks and encouraged other employees to do so.
Now both customers and employees in areas where the COVID-19 virus is prevalent will need to wear masks when inside an Apple retail location, and this also pertains to those who are vaccinated. Masks will be required in select stores starting on Wednesday, July 29. The Delta variant is more infectious than original COVID-19 strains and cases have been spiking across much of the United States.
Apple informed employees about the change in a memo:
"After carefully reviewing the latest CDC recommendations, and analyzing the health and safety data for your local area, we are updating our guidance on face masks for your store. Starting July 29, face masks will be required in store for customers and team members - even if they're vaccinated." The company added it is making the change "out of an abundance of caution."
In addition to requiring most employees to wear masks, Apple is also asking retail staff to get vaccinated. "Apple encourages everyone who is eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, to take it," reads Apple's memo. At this time, the vaccine is not required.
Apple has not yet shut down any of its retail stores nor does it seem to have plans to, but the company last week announced that its corporate employees will not be returning to offices until October at least. Apple had originally planned to have employees back in the office three days a week starting in September.
Nintendo today announced that it is sunsetting Dr. Mario World for iOS, a game that launched just two years ago. According to Nintendo, service for Dr. Mario World is set to end on Monday, November 1.
As of today, diamonds, the game's in-app currency, are no longer available for purchase. Starting on November 1, Nintendo says an end-of-service notification will be displayed and the game will not be playable.
Players will be able to look back at their player history in "Dr. Mario World Memories," a web page that Nintendo plans to launch later this year. This website will use player history, and customers can avoid being included by deleting their save data in the app.
Dr. Mario World is a puzzle game based on the well-known Dr. Mario Nintendo title. Players are tasked with matching capsules with viruses in order to clear out all the viruses on the board, and Nintendo characters like Peach, Bowser, Koopa Troopa, and Goomba appear in the game.
Like Nintendo's other titles, Dr. Mario World is a free-to-play game that included optional in-app purchases, but apparently the game failed to catch on.
Bloomberglast year said that Nintendo is "retreating" from its mobile game plans, focusing on already-released titles rather than debuting new games. Nintendo has had success with games like Fire Emblem Heroes and Dragalia Lost, but has not been able to maintain sales momentum.
Nintendo previously discontinued Miitomo, Pokémon Duel, and Pokémon Rumble Rush. Fire Emblem Heroes, Dragalia Lost, Super Mario Run, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, and Mario Kart Tour continue to be available.
Since AirTags were just released earlier this year and are expected to have a year-long battery life, it may be some time yet before AirTag users need a replacement battery, but when the time comes for a refresh, Apple is warning customers not to buy batteries with a bitter coating.
AirTags use coin-shaped CR2032 batteries, which happen to be a size that's easy to swallow. Some battery makers like Duracell have begun putting a bitter coating on CR2032 batteries to prevent children from eating them.
According to Duracell, hundreds of lithium coin batteries are accidentally swallowed by children each year, and these batteries can cause a harmful chemical reaction. The non-toxic bitter coating reacts with saliva and is meant to deter swallowing.
As The Loop points out, Apple's AirTag battery replacement support document that was published earlier this month specifically warns against bitterants and says that these coatings might cause the battery not to work.
CR2032 batteries with bitterant coatings might not work with AirTag or other battery-powered products, depending on the alignment of the coating in relation to the battery contacts.
The alignment of the coating in relation to the battery contacts is at issue, so to ensure the battery will work, AirTag users should buy replacement CR2032 batteries that do not have any kind of coating.
Apple's use of the CR2032 battery has been an issue in Australia, and some Australian retailers have refused to sell AirTags because of the easy access to the battery. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission sent out a press release urging parents to keep AirTags out of the reach of children because of safety concerns about the "accessibility and security of the button battery inside the product."
The battery in the AirTag is accessible by pressing and twisting the accessory open, which the ACCC believes is simple enough for children to figure out. In addition to avoiding batteries with coatings, AirTag users should also make an effort to keep them away from kids.
Apple has not decided whether or not it will require vaccines for corporate employees that return to work this October, according to CNBC's Josh Lipton.
Cook reportedly told Lipton that Apple is primarily focusing on when to have employees return, but the company is "monitoring things daily" to determine whether a vaccination requirement "is the right answer or not."
.@tim_cook spoke w/ me yesterday about this same issue at @Apple:
“…our main focus right now is on when to come back…we pushed it from early September to at least October…we are monitoring things daily to really conclude whether that is the right answer or not” https://t.co/zhBqwocynm
— Josh Lipton (@CNBCJosh) July 28, 2021
Google today announced that it is requiring all employees who return to the company's offices to be vaccinated, and it's possible that Apple and other tech companies will also make that decision in an effort to protect employees.
Google has more than 130,000 employees, and the vaccination requirement pertains to anyone who comes into one of Google's offices. Like Apple, Google has delayed a return to work until mid-October.
Apple initially planned to have employees return to work for three days a week starting in September, but earlier this month, the company announced that it would not ask employees to return until "at least October."
Apple and Google have delayed office returns due to the prevalence of the Delta variant, which is more transmissible than original COVID-19 strains and has led to surging infection rates across the United States.
When employees are required to return to Apple campuses, Apple says it will give at least a month's notice.
Apple's return to work plan has been unpopular with some employees who have grown accustomed to working remotely and who have discovered that much of their jobs can be done from home. Many tech companies plan to allow employees to continue to work remotely on a permanent basis, but Apple is eager to get employees back to the office and has argued that in-person collaboration is essential to its culture and to future product development.
Apple today seeded the third public beta of the macOS 12 Monterey beta to public beta testers, allowing non-developers to test the new macOS Monterey software ahead of its public release. The third beta comes two weeks after Apple released the second macOS Monterey public beta.
Public beta testers can download the macOS 12 Monterey update from the Software Update section of the System Preferences app after installing the proper profile from Apple's beta software website.
macOS Monterey introduces quite a few major updates for the macOS operating system. Universal Control, for example, lets a single mouse, trackpad, and keyboard be used across multiple Mac or iPad devices, and it's now possible to AirPlay directly to a Mac from an iPhone, iPad, or even another Mac.
Safari has an updated tab bar and support for Tab Groups to keep tons of tabs organized, and FaceTime now features support for spatial audio, Portrait Mode (M1 Macs only) and Voice Isolation for cutting out background noise. A SharePlay FaceTime feature lets Apple TV users watch TV, listen to music, and share their screens with one another.
Shared With You, another new feature, keeps track of the music, links, podcasts, news, and photos that people are sent in Messages, highlighting it in the relevant apps. Notes has a new Quick Note feature for jotting down thoughts, and the Shortcuts app is now available on the Mac.
A dedicated Focus mode helps people stay on task by cutting out background distractions based on what's going on, and there's an updated Maps app with a whole slew of new features. With Live Text, Macs can now detect text in photos or provide details on animals, art, landmarks, plants, and more in images. The new beta adds Live Text support for Intel Macs.
Mail Privacy Protection hides IP and prevents tracking through invisible pixels, and iCloud Private Relay keeps Safari browsing protected. There are many other new features in macOS Monterey, with a complete overview available in our macOS Monterey roundup.
Apple today seeded the third betas of iOS and iPadOS 15 to public beta testers, allowing non-developers to download and test the new updates ahead of their fall release. The third public betas come two weeks after Apple released the second public betas.
Public beta testers who have signed up for Apple's beta testing program can download the iOS and iPadOS 15 updates over the air after installing the proper certificate from the Public Beta website.
iOS 15 is adds new features for FaceTime, tools for reducing distractions, updated notifications, and privacy enhancements. FaceTime supports SharePlay for watching TV, listening to music, or screen sharing with friends, while a Shared with You feature keeps track of the songs, website links, pictures, and more that friends send you.
Focus is designed to help keep you on task by cutting out notifications you don't want while you're busy, and there's a new notifications summary feature that prevents you from being inundated with unimportant notifications throughout the day.
Safari has a redesigned look with a compact tab bar that's located at the bottom of the screen, plus Tab Groups let users save open tabs for later. Maps has a new zoomed out globe view and a new 3D view in select cities, plus there's more road detail and an AR-based walking direction feature.
The Wallet app will support IDs and more kinds of keys in iOS 15, and Photos gains updates to Memories and a new Live Text feature that uses on-device intelligence to recognize the text in an image, making it searchable and copyable. Spotlight is better than ever, and processing for Siri requests is now done directly on device.
Mail Privacy Protection in the Mail app stops senders from seeing your IP address and knowing if you've opened up an email, and an App Privacy Report gives you details on how often apps use permissions like camera and location access.
Apple has also seeded new public betas of tvOS 15 and watchOS 8 to its public beta testing group. tvOS 15 can be downloaded by opening up the Settings app on the Apple TV, navigating to the Software Updates section under "System," and then toggling on "Get public Beta Updates" after signing up to beta test on Apple's public beta website.
watchOS 8 can be downloaded can be downloaded after upgrading your iPhone to the public beta version of iOS 15. After installing iOS 15, the proper watchOS 8 profile from Apple's beta software website must also be installed. The software can be accessed by going to General > Software Update in the Apple Watch app on iPhone. To update, Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life, it must be placed on the charger, and it must be in range of the iPhone.
Assemblage of seven properties in Research Triangle Park owned by Apple
Apple will be taking Building 3 (at left) on MetLife campus in Cary, North Carolina
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