Apple quietly acquired Israeli photography startup Camerai around a year and a half ago for several tens of millions of dollars, with many of its employees joining Apple's computer vision team in Israel, according to Calcalist. A separate source confirmed the story to TechCrunch, but Apple has yet to offer an official statement.
The report claims that Camerai developed photography-related technologies, including advanced capabilities in deep learning and computer vision, that have already become "a significant part of every Apple camera" and "made life easier for developers who wanted to include AR capabilities in their various apps."
TechCrunch listed some of these technologies:
Its tech included the ability to detect different objects in the picture, and outline them with precision to alter them cosmetically; the ability to outline and apply filters across the whole image; a "skeleton tracking" neural network API that could detect and draw body joints in real time overlaid on a picture of a human; and its own version of selective focus for enhanced portrait modes…
Originally named Tipit, the company was founded in 2014 by Aaron Wetzler, Erez Tal, Jonathan Rimon, and Moty Kosharovsky.
While it is possible that the UltraFine 4K is being discontinued, the fact that the product page remains live on Apple's website suggests that LG may be facing supply issues. The UltraFine 5K also remains unavailable from Apple.
Introduced in May 2019, the UltraFine 4K features a 23.7-inch display with a 3,840 x 2,160 pixels resolution, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, three downstream USB-C ports, up to 500 nits brightness, P3 wide color gamut support, and built-in stereo speakers. The display was priced at $699.95 on Apple's online store in the United States.
The original UltraFine 4K featured a 21.5-inch display with a 4,096 x 2,304 pixels resolution prior to being discontinued last year.
Apple continues to sell its high-end, 32-inch Pro Display XDR with a 6K resolution for $4,999.
Mophie today announced three new portable batteries and a new wireless charging stand, all compatible with Apple devices like the MacBook Pro, iPad, and iPhone, and available to purchase today.
The portable batteries include the new Powerstation (10,000 mAh, $49.95) and Powerstation XXL (20,000 mAh, $59.95). The former device can charge two devices simultaneously through one USB-A port and one USB-C port, while the latter can charge three devices at once through two USB-A ports and one USB-C port.
Both accessories support USB-C fast charging at up to 18W output, letting users gain up to 50 percent battery on their iPhone in under 30 minutes. They also both have a premium fabric finish and textured perimeter to help prevent scuffs and scratches. As with most Mophie products, the integrated four-light LED shows current battery life.
The third mobile battery is the Powerstation Wireless XL ($69.95), which includes a 10,000 mAh battery and built-in wireless charging with any Qi-supported smartphone. There's also a USB-A port and USB-C port for wired charging. This device also has a premium fabric finish and four-light LED power indicator on the side.
Lastly, the Powerstation Wireless Stand ($99.95) supports both wired and wireless charging of Qi compatible smartphones. This accessory has a battery capacity of 8,000 mAh and up to 10W of wireless power output, an 18W USB-C power delivery port, and one USB-A port. It includes an ultrasuede finish and can hold an iPhone at an angle, or be folded flat.
If you want to use it as a wired charger, you can simply keep the Powerstation Wireless Stand plugged in at your desk or bedside table. Once it's fueled up, you can unplug the device and use it wirelessly as a portable battery pack, and it supports simultaneous charging of up to three devices with its two extra ports.
Head to ZAGG's website to find more information on the new Mophie products.
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Another class-action complaint has been lodged against Apple, which claims that the company was aware of a MacBook Pro design flaw that caused some devices to have backlight display issues (via Apple Insider).
The so-called "flexgate" problem was present in some MacBook Pro models manufactured between 2016 and 2017. The problem appears as dark patches along the bottom of the MacBook Pro's display. Some users reported that opening their MacBook Pro beyond a certain angle turns off the screen entirely. iFixit discovered that this was because the delicate flex cable which connects to the bottom of the display could wear out and break over time.
The issue has been the subject of multiple lawsuits against Apple, with the last one being filed in May. Since the issue often takes time to manifest, the affected MacBook Pro units can be outside of Apple's one-year warranty period when they start exhibiting symptoms, resulting in an out-of-warranty repair fee of up to $850.
Apple seemingly fixed the issue by extending the length of the flex cable by 2mm in the 2018 MacBook Pro. It also launched a free repair program in May 2019, but the program only applies to 13-inch MacBook Pro models released in 2016.
The first class action lawsuit sought restitution for all costs attributable to repairing or replacing the affected MacBook Pro units, and called for Apple to expand its repair program to cover the 15-inch MacBook Pro. The proposed class was defined as all persons within the United States who purchased a 2016 or newer MacBook Pro.
"Apple was aware of the issues with the backlight screen and the defective flex cable, in light of the comments posted by consumers on Apple's discussion forum and that those comments were deleted after they were posted," the new lawsuit reads.
The second class-action complaint argues for violation of competition, false advertising, and consumer fraud laws. Apple is also accused of violation of the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, and breach of express and implied warranty, in addition to fraudulent concealment and unjust enrichment.
Plaintiffs are seeking a range of relief measures, damages, and court fees. They also hope a judgment will compel Apple to identify and declare all defective MacBook Pros. As there are now two cases against Apple due to "flexgate," both of which are filed with the Northern District of California, it is likely that the cases will eventually be consolidated into one.
Amazon today has Apple's 2020 21.5-inch iMac (8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) for $1,243.55, down from $1,299.00. This $56.44 discount is the first major sale on the 2020 21.5-inch iMac, and it'll appear once you add the desktop computer to your cart on Amazon.
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This iMac is essentially the same device as the 21.5-inch models introduced in 2019, but Apple now ships it with an SSD by default instead of the Fusion Drive of previous generations. It has a Retina 4K display and a 3.6 GHz quad-core 8th-generation Intel Core i3 processor.
There are also a few 27-inch models still on sale this month, including the model with a 3.1 GHz 6-core processor, 8GB RAM, and 256GB SSD for $1,679.92, down from $1,799.00. Lastly, the 27-inch iMac with a 3.3 GHz 8-core processor, 8GB RAM, and 512GB SSD is priced at $1,899.99, down from $1,999.00.
Unlike the 21.5-inch models, these 27-inch iMacs did receive a few internal upgrades in 2020, with Apple introducing 10th-generation Intel processors, more RAM, more SSD storage, faster AMD GPUs, and True Tone support for the 5K display. Across the board, Amazon's sales remain the first notable discounts on these iMacs, and the best overall that we've tracked so far in 2020.
You can keep track of ongoing sales on Apple's iMac line by visiting our Best iMac Deals guide. There, we keep track of the best iMac offers from Amazon, Adorama, B&H Photo, and other retailers, so be sure to check back often if you're shopping for an iMac for the first time, or thinking of upgrading.
VMware today is announcing Fusion 12, the next major update to Fusion, its virtualization software that allows users to run a variety of operating systems on virtual machines within macOS.
Fusion 12 brings several new updates and improvements, including eGPU compatibility, support for container-based applications built with Kubernetes, DirectX 11 and OpenGL 4.1 support, improved security for the sandbox rendering engine, improved accessibility controls, and more.
VMware has also prepared Fusion 12 for the upcoming launch of macOS Big Sur, which will continue Apple's transition toward ending support for kernel extensions. VMware says that Fusion 12 will continue to run with kernel extensions on macOS Catalina, but will also support macOS Big Sur by using Apple's APIs to run its virtual machines and containers.
Finally, with this new version of Fusion, VMware is also shaking up its pricing with a new Fusion 12 Player licensing structure that is free for personal use. Fusion 12 Player users who want to use the software for commercial use will be able to purchase a license for $149, with an upgrade license available for $89 to those currently running Fusion 10 or 11.
A professional-level Fusion 12 Pro offers some additional power-user features and allows you to run on up to three devices (including Windows or Linux PCs running VMware's Workstation Pro), with pricing set at $199 for a new license or $99 as an upgrade. Discounted educational pricing will also be available for Fusion 12, although many students will also be able to take advantage of the free personal use license.
Users who purchased Fusion 11.5 or Fusion 11.5 Pro after June 15 will be eligible for a free upgrade to Fusion 12 Player (commercial license) or Fusion 12 Pro.
VMware hasn't yet announced a specific launch date for Fusion 12 Player and Fusion 12 Pro, other than a general timeframe of later this fiscal quarter, which runs through October for VMware. They will be available through VMware's online store and other outlets.
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Western Digital today launched a new USB 3.2 Gen 2 My Passport SSD under its WD brand, with the new device equipped with NVMe technology that supports read speeds of up to 1050MB/s and write speeds of up to 1000MB/s.
The new My Passport SSD is available in capacities up to 2TB, and like most SSDs, it's small enough to fit in the palm of a hand. It features a metal casing with rounded corners and waved ridges, and it comes in gray, blue, red, and gold.
The My Passport SSD's casing offers shock and vibration resistance, and it is drop resistant up to 6.5 feet. It ships with a USB-C cable and a USB-A adapter, and works with both Mac and PC out of the box.
According to Western Digital, the new My Passport SSD can transfer content twice as fast as the previous version of the drive, and it features password-enabled 256-bit AES hardware encryption.
The My Passport SSD can be purchased from select retailers like Amazon and Best Buy starting today. The 500GB model is priced at $120, while the 1TB model is priced at $190. Other capacities will be available later in the year.
Porsche has collaborated with Apple to bring Apple Music to the upcoming "Taycan". This is the first-ever full integration of Apple Music in any vehicle.
Via the Taycan's "Advanced Cockpit" touchscreen display, Apple Music subscribers can stream over 60 million songs, thousands of playlists, and any Apple Music radio stations. Porsche is offering a complimentary six-month Apple Music subscription with the Taycan, and three years of in-car data streaming.
"Porsche and Apple Music fit perfectly – we share common values, and the same relentless attitude to user experience, to quality engineering, to design, and to innovation," said Detlev von Platen, Member of the Executive Board for Sales and Marketing at Porsche AG. "Together, we bring innovative digital entertainment technologies in our high-performance sports cars, starting with our fully electric Taycan."
Apple's collaboration with Porsche has allowed for a range of unique features to come to the Taycan. The custom Porsche voice assistant will be able to request songs, playlists, or radio stations from Apple Music. Apple Music features, such as creating custom radio stations from any song, will also be available through the Advanced Cockpit user interface.
Apple Music has digitally mastered songs specially for the Taycan's Burmester high-end surround sound system, resulting in "studio-quality sound." There will also be access to exclusive Apple Music playlists curated by Porsche.
The Porsche Taycan is the company's first fully electric vehicle and will launch next month. The vehicle will come with Apple CarPlay and Siri voice control as standard. Apple Music integration is expected to come to other Porsche models in the future.
Update: Porsche's press release is actually from 2019, but the company mistakenly republished it briefly with today's date.
Last year, seven artists led an augmented reality project in Apple Stores around the world. A new free documentary now available on Apple TV highlights the work of each artist and tells the story of pushing "the boundaries of their work by exploring the uncharted territory of augmented reality art."
"Infinite Canvas" is the debut documentary film of award-winning photographer Ryan McGinley, and follows each of the seven artists as they explain their creative approaches to AR. In 2018, McGinley traveled to discuss augmented reality with creatives around the world.
In collaboration with Apple and the New Museum, this project became "[AR]T;" a series of interactive AR installations at flagship Apple Stores across the globe. The [AR]T installations became part of the Today at Apple program.
The documentary focuses on the creative experience of making art for AR, encouraging the artists behind it to talk about their process, motivation, and perspective on the intersection of creativity and technology. McGinley talks with Nick Cave, Nathalie Djurberg, Hans Berg, Cao Fei, Carsten Höller, Pipilotti Rist, Sarah Rothberg, and the celebrated late poet John Giorno.
Enterprising eBay sellers are hoping people who are desperate to play Fortnite will pay high prices for iPhones with the game installed, and there are currently hundreds of iPhone listings on eBay advertising the Fortnite app as a purchase perk.
Many of the prices listed are astronomical, ranging from over $1,000 to up to $10,000 (as noted by Business Insider), but there are some devices available that are reasonably priced. Unsurprisingly, few of the iPhones priced at thousands of dollars have bids, as most people don't appear that desperate to play Fortnite on a mobile device at this time.
There's one iPhone 8 with Fortnite installed that has two bids over $4,000, but those are most likely fake bids. An iPhone SE 2020 with Fortnite is currently priced at $345, which is reasonable, and there's an iPhone XS with Fortnite that's going for $233 at the current time. Given the myriad other ways to play Fortnite, most of these eBay sellers likely won't see purchases.
Apple last week pulled Fortnite from the App Store after Fortnite creator Epic Games introduced an option to purchase in-game currency using a direct payment method, skirting Apple's rules surrounding in-app purchases.
Epic Games filed a pre-planned lawsuit after the app was pulled, and the conflict escalated from there. On Monday, Apple sent Epic a letter threatening to terminate all of its developer accounts by August 28, prompting another lawsuit from Epic to attempt to stop that from happening.
Apple has said that it plans to revoke Epic Games' access to the App Store and all app development tools, including those used for the Unreal Engine that Epic Games makes available to third-party developers. In response to Epic's second lawsuit, Apple said that it has no plans to "make an exception" for Epic Games.
Apple has also made it clear that Fortnite can be returned to the App Store as soon as Epic Games agrees to follow Apple's App Store rules and policies, but it's not known if and when Epic might cave. Right now, Fortnite continues to offer the direct payment purchase option for in-game currency that violates Apple's rules. Regardless of whether Epic makes an effort to get Fortnite back into the App Store, the legal battle that has kicked off could span years.
Epic is hoping to recruit a "coalition of Apple critics" to stand with it to fight Apple's App Store policies, which are already under scrutiny as part of an antitrust investigation in the United States.
While the fight between Apple and Epic rages on, Fortnite continues to be playable on any iPhone or iPad that had the game installed before the app was pulled from the App Store, hence all the eBay listings. It is also still available on Android devices (though it was pulled from the Google Play store), Macs, PCs, and consoles from Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft.
Apple is planning to make a donation to help wildfire relief efforts in California, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced this afternoon.
Image Credit: Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press. Creek Fire near Fresno, California
Fire season in California kicked off earlier this week when a lightning storm ignited fires across the state. Over the last 72 hours, California has experienced close to 11,000 lightning strikes, which have sparked 367 known fires. Governor Gavin Newsom declared a statewide emergency yesterday.
To our employees, friends and neighbors affected by the heatwave and expanding fires across CA, please stay safe and listen to local evacuation orders. Apple will be donating to local wildfire relief efforts.
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) August 19, 2020
Amid the fires, California is also battling an ongoing heat wave that has seen high temperatures and low humidity, conditions that contribute to fire spread. Many Californians in the Bay Area have been forced to evacuate their homes and air quality near Apple's headquarters in Cupertino has been affected by the fires.
California regularly experiences fires between August and November due to high winds and dry conditions. Apple has previously donated to wildfire relief efforts in 2017, 2018, and 2019.
Following the release of iOS 13.6.1 on August 12, Apple has stopped signing iOS 13.6, which means downgrading to that version of iOS is no longer possible.
iOS 13.6 was a major update that introduced Car Keys support Apple News audio, and other features.
Apple routinely stops signing older versions of software updates after new releases come out in order to encourage customers to keep their operating systems up to date.
iOS 13.6.1, a bug fix issue that addressed problems with data storage, thermal management, and exposure notifications, is the only current publicly available version of iOS that can be installed on iPhones and iPads. Apple has also seeded betas of upcoming iOS and iPadOS 14 updates to developers and public beta testers, which can be downloaded instead.
Apple today seeded the fifth beta of the upcoming macOS Big Sur update to developers for testing purposes, two weeks after releasing the fourth beta and over a month after the new update was unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
The macOS Big Sur beta can be downloaded through the Apple Developer Center and once the appropriate profile is installed, subsequent betas will be available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences. According to Apple's release notes for the fifth beta, it is not supported onthe new 2020 27-inch iMac. Those who attempt to install and run into an error will need to reinstall macOS Catalina.
macOS Big Sur introduces a refreshed design to the Mac operating system, overhauling the entire look from the curvature of the window corners to the dock icons to the system sounds. Everything feels fresh but familiar, with a lighter and more modern appearance. There's a new customizable Control Center that mirrors the Control Center on iOS devices, putting key system controls right at your fingertips.
The Notification Center has been redesigned with iOS-style widgets that are available in multiple sizes, plus there are more interactive notifications that are now grouped by app to make it easier to see what's going on. Safari is faster and more battery efficient, plus there's a new start page that can be customized with wallpapers and sections that include Reading List and iCloud Tabs, which makes Safari more tailored to your individual usage needs.
Tabs have been redesigned, there's a built-in language translation feature, Chrome and Firefox Extensions can be ported to Safari, and YouTube supports 4K video playback. There's also an option to choose which sites an extension works with for greater privacy. Speaking of privacy, a new Privacy Report feature lets users know the trackers Safari is blocking when you visit websites.
Messages is more similar to the Messages app on iOS with support for pinned conversations, mentions, inline replies, and Memoji creation, plus the built-in search feature has been overhauled to make it easier to find links, photos, and conversations in the app.
Apple redesigned the Maps app to add support for Look Around, indoor maps, and Guides, which are lists of notable attractions, restaurants, and more created by trusted sources. Maps can also be used to generate directions for cycling routes and electric vehicle trips that can be sent to iPhone, and shared ETA updates are now viewable on the Mac.
Photos includes a better Retouch tool, Apple Music's For You section has been replaced with a Listen Now section, HomeKit Secure Video cameras support Face Recognition and Activity zones, and Siri can answer a wider range of questions than before.
In the future, the macOS Big Sur App Store will help users better understand privacy practices with clear info on the information that an app collects, and after installing macOS Big Sur, you'll see faster updates that begin in the background and then finish more quickly to make it easier to keep your Mac up to date.
Apple in the third beta of macOS Big Sur changed the battery icon for the Battery section in System Preferences, refining the design to make it look more clean and streamlined. There update also brought a new design for the Music app icon (it's red), and some color changes to the buttons and icons inside the music app.
For more on everything that's new in macOS Big Sur, make sure to check out our roundup.
Amazon today has the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad Air (Silver) from 2019 for $549.99, down from an original price of $649.00. This $99 discount is a match of the previous low price seen on this model of the iPad Air, and Best Buy is offering the same discount.
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While the tablet isn't in stock currently, you can place your order today and lock in the savings ahead of the estimated shipping date. iPad Air discounts haven't been frequent this summer, so it's worth the wait for anyone who's been shopping for the 10.5-inch tablet.
Apple in March 2019 launched the new 10.5-inch iPad Air that serves as a middle-tier iPad option between the lower-end iPad and the higher-end iPad Pro models. You can head to our full Best Deals guide for iPad for even more iPad discounts.
The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) today announced that it is launching an investigation to determine whether Apple's mobile devices and Macs violate patents owned by Japanese consumer electronics company Maxell. [PDF]
Maxell filed a complaint with the USITC on July 17, alleging that Apple's mobile devices, tablets, smartwatches, and laptop computers violate patents related to passcode unlocking, WiFi assist, mobile communications, facial recognition in the Photos app, and more.
Notice is hereby given that a complaint was filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission on July 17, 2020, under section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, on behalf of Maxell, Ltd. of Japan. The complaint alleges violations of section 337 based upon the importation into the United States, the sale for importation, and the sale within the United States after importation of certain mobile electronic devices and laptop computers by reason of infringement of certain claims of U.S. Patent No. 7,203,517 ("the '517 patent"); U.S. Patent No. 8,982,086 ("the '086 patent"); U.S. Patent No. 7,199,821 ("the '821 patent"); U.S. Patent No. 10,129,590 ("the '590 patent"); and U.S. Patent No. 10,176,848 ("the '848 patent"). The complaint further alleges that an industry in the United States exists as required by the applicable Federal Statute.
Maxell is asking that the USITC issue a limited exclusion order and a cease and desist order to prevent Apple from importing infringing devices into the U.S.
The USITC plans to make a final determination in the investigation as quickly as possible. Within 45 days after investigation begins, the USITC will set a target date for completion.
Apple has renewed new Apple TV+ show "Ted Lasso" for a second season less than a week after it premiered. Three episodes of the first season are available right now, with the fourth episode set to come out on Friday.
"Ted Lasso" is a comedy series that stars actor and Saturday Night Live alumnus Jason Sudeikis. Sudeikis originally played the Ted Lasso character for the 2013 NBC Sports English Premier League coverage.
The Apple TV+ series revives the original Ted Lasso character, with Sudeikis playing a small-time college football coach from Kansas who's hired to coach a professional soccer team in England even though he has no experience coaching soccer.
Like the first season, the second season will include 10 episodes, and it is set to premiere next year. Apple has renewed many of the shows that have already been released for a second season, including "See," "The Morning Show," "Dickinson," and "For All Mankind."
Apple today seeded new public betas of upcoming iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 updates to its public beta testing group. Today's software releases, which Apple labels as fifth betas to keep them in line with developer betas, are actually the fourth betas that Apple has provided to public testers and they come two weeks after the prior beta releases.
Public beta testers who have signed up for Apple's beta testing program can download the iOS/iPadOS 14 updates over the air after installing the proper certificate from the Public Beta website on an iOS device, with instructions available in our how to.
iOS 14 brings changes to the Home Screen, including widget support. Widgets can now be placed right next to your apps, and with the focus on widgets, Apple has introduced new widgets from default apps and is allowing them to be customized in three sizes.
You can put widgets anywhere on any app page, with new widgets able to be found in the widget gallery. Along with widgets, Apple has introduced an App Library, which is an interface that shows all of the apps on your iPhone both in smart folders that are created automatically and in an alphabetical list.
With the App Library providing access to all your apps, there's now an option to hide entire app pages from your iPhone, so you can avoid a cluttered Home Screen.
Apple has worked to make the iPhone's interface more compact, and incoming phone calls and Siri requests no longer take over the whole screen and are instead presented in a banner style, a feature also available on iPadOS.
There's a Picture in Picture mode for watching videos or using FaceTime while doing something else at the same time on the iPhone. The Messages app has new features focused on group conversations like pinned conversations, mentions, and inline replies.
A new App Clips feature lets you use small bite sized bits of an app without the need to download the whole app, useful for times when you need an app to buy a coffee, rent a scooter, or make a restaurant reservation. App Clips will work through Apple-designed App Clip codes, NFC tags, or QR codes, and can also be shared in Messages or from Safari.
The Health app supports the Sleep Tracking feature added in watchOS 7, and the iPhone will support the Sleep Mode and Wind Down features designed to help you get a better night's sleep. There's also a new Health Checklist that makes it easier to manage health and safety features like Emergency SOS, Fall Detection, and Medical ID.
The Weather app now provides info on severe weather events and minute-by-minute precipitation readings (U.S. only), and the Maps app supports cycling directions for the first time so bike riders can plan routes with info like busy streets, elevation changes, stairs, and more. Maps also now lets electric vehicle owners plan routes with EV charging spots.
The Home app is smarter with automation suggestions and an Adaptive Lighting feature that lets HomeKit lights adjust their color temperature throughout the day, plus there are new features for HomeKit Secure Cameras.
A new Apple-designed Translate app provides text and voice translations to and from 11 languages, and with an on-device mode, translations can be done entirely on your phone.
Tons of new privacy features have been added in iOS and iPadOS 14. Apps need permission before accessing devices on a local network, you get notified when an app accesses the clipboard, and there are little icons in the status bar of the Home Screen when an app is using the camera or the microphone.
There are also new options for limiting access to select photos and providing apps with an approximate location rather than an exact location for better privacy protection. Safari has Privacy Report that tells you which trackers sites are using, and in the future, the App Store will include a summary of developers' privacy practices in an easy-to-read format.
AirPods can now seamlessly and automatically switch between devices, and AirPods Pro gain a new spatial audio feature for surround sound complete with dynamic head tracking.
As for iPadOS 14, it includes most of the new iOS 14 updates, minus the Home Screen redesign. The biggest change is the new Scribble feature that lets you use the Apple Pencil to write on any text field, with the written text converted to typed text.
Scribble works throughout the operating system so you can use the Apple Pencil for Safari searches, adding new items in Calendar and Reminders, sending Messages, handwriting in the Notes app, and more.
Beta 5 for developers introduced a larger Apple News widget option, a scrolling clock wheel for apps like Alarm Clock, an option to turn on Exposure Notifications, and a feature to better hide photo albums, and these new additions are also available in today's public beta.
For more on everything that's new in iOS and iPadOS 14, make sure to check out our iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 roundups, which have a detailed look on all of the new features.
Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming tvOS 14 software update to its public beta testing group, allowing non-developers to try the software ahead of its fall public release. The fifth beta comes two weeks after the release of the fourth beta.
Public beta testers can download the new update 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.
tvOS 14 brings a new Picture in Picture mode so you can watch TV, movies, and videos while using other apps. You can even AirPlay to a Picture in Picture window.
Multiuser gaming support for Apple Arcade lets each tvOS user keep track of game levels, leaderboards, and invitations, and there's now support for the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 and Xbox Adaptive Controller.
A new Home section in Control Center on the Apple TV provides a way for you to control your HomeKit-connected products right on your TV, plus there's an option to view HomeKit camera feeds on the big screen.
You can pick your favorite screensaver family to play rather than having to rely on random choice, and there's now an option to watch YouTube videos in 4K on the 4K Apple TV.
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