MacRumors

Alongside the launch of the Apple Watch Series 6, Apple Watch SE, and the new watchOS 7 software update, Apple introduced a Family Setup feature that's designed to allow parents to set up Apple Watches for their children, letting an Apple Watch be used without an iPhone.

While Family Setup is primarily aimed at families with children, it's also useful for setting up an Apple Watch for an older adult or anyone else who doesn't have an iPhone available but wants to take advantage of the fitness and health benefits provided by Apple's wrist-worn wearable.

This guide covers getting started with Family Setup and outlines the available Family Setup features.

Family Setup Requirements

Family Setup is designed to work with a GPS and Cellular enabled Apple Watch Series 4 or later that's running watchOS 7. It is not compatible with earlier Apple Watch models nor with those that do not have a cellular connection.

Cellular Apple Watch models require an accompanying cellular plan, which is generally priced at $10 per month with most carriers in the United States. Note that while a cellular Apple Watch is required to set up a watch under Family Setup, it can be activated without using a cellular plan.

The main person setting up Family Setup must have an iPhone 6s or later with iOS 14 installed, and all participants will need an Apple ID and will need to be part of a Family Sharing setup, though these last two requirements can be worked out during the setup process.

Setting Up Family Setup on iPhone

Prior to launching the Family Setup process, it's best to make sure that each child or older adult that will participate has an ‌Apple ID‌. We have how tos for creating an ‌Apple ID‌ on iPhone or iPad or on a Mac, as well as a tutorial on using Family Sharing. Two-factor authentication is also a requirement for each ‌Apple ID‌, so make sure that's turned on as well.

If you don't have an ‌Apple ID‌ set up for each member in the family and Family Sharing isn't enabled these can be activated during Family Setup, but it will be a faster, smoother process if the prerequisites are completed ahead of time.

1. Turn on the Apple Watch and erase it so it can be set up as new if it hasn't been erased already and isn't already a fresh out of the box device.
2. Open up the Apple Watch app, go to the Apple Watch setup screen, and choose Set Up For Family Member.
3. Pair the Apple Watch with the iPhone by lining up the graphic on the watch's display with the appropriate area on the iPhone using the iPhone's camera. watchOS 7 is required.
4. Tap Set Up Apple Watch.
5. Agree to the Terms and Conditions, select a wrist preference, choose a text size for the Apple Watch, and then select a passcode.
6. Select a family member from your Family Sharing setup that you prepared prior to the Apple Watch setup process. If the person is not a part of the Family Sharing group, you can choose to Add New Family Member and enter their ‌Apple ID‌.
7. If you chose the ‌Apple ID‌ route, you will need to go through some verification steps and enable two-factor authentication if it's not turned on. If you already had Family Sharing set up, enter the family member's ‌Apple ID‌ password to continue.
8. Opt to turn on Ask to Buy or Location Sharing.
9. Set up cellular and WiFi access. Setting up cellular access will require going through your carrier, such as Verizon or AT&T. This is a process that varies by carrier and can't be specifically demonstrated, but Apple and your carrier will walk you through the process on screen.
10. You can also opt to set up cellular access at a later time and rely on WiFi, but cellular is required for continual connectivity without an iPhone. After setting up cellular or skipping it until later, tap to share your WiFi password with the Apple Watch.
11. Go through the additional setup screens for Location Sharing, Siri, analytics, and more.
12. Choose whether to set up Apple Cash Family, the feature that lets parents provide small amounts of cash to kids that can be used with Apple Pay for purchases. Parents can choose who their kids can send money to and receive money from. Agree to the Terms and Services, and confirm the legal name of your child.
13. Continue through the setup process, enabling or disabling additional services such Messages in iCloud, Emergency SOS, Medical ID, Activity and route tracking options, Photos, trusted Contacts, Screen Time limits, Schooltime for limiting access during school hours, and a feature that lets parents view their children's health data, so daily activity can be monitored.
14. After all of these settings are figured out, the Apple Watch will be ready to use and it will be listed under "Family Watches" in the Apple Watch app that belongs to the parent.

Available Features

There are a lot of steps necessary to get Family Setup ready to use because Apple offers parents quite a lot of control over what's enabled and how the Apple Watch functions.

Parents can choose to add Medical ID information, control ‌Siri‌ access, set an activity goal for daily movement, provide an allowance on Apple Watch, monitor their kids' location, control who kids can contact, and more, so plan to spend a good half hour to hour walking through all of the steps.

Apple added some unique Family Setup features that can be activated for kids, and we've outlined some of the most notable options you'll want to be aware of below. For the most part, all Apple Watch functionality is available and Apple Watches for kids work like Apple Watches for adults, but parents have more management options.

Screen Time and Contacts Monitoring

Parents are able to limit Apple Watch usage and the apps that can be accessed on the Apple Watch. Screen Time limits on Apple Watch are identical to Screen Time limits on iPhones and other devices, and can be managed by opening up the Settings app, choosing Screen Time, and selecting the child's name from the list.

For a more in-depth tutorial, check out our how tos for setting up Screen Time on an iPhone or on a Mac.

Parents can set up shared Contacts that will provide a set list of people that children can communicate with, which originate from the parent's own Contacts list.

Screen Time also includes a Communications Limits feature that lets parents dictate who a child can contact from their Contacts list and the times that those contacts can be interacted with on Apple Watch. This too is controlled through the Screen Time settings, with more info available here.

Schooltime

Schooltime is an Apple Watch-specific feature that was introduced with Family Setup. It lets parents lock down the Apple Watch during school hours with the aim of encouraging children to focus on their schoolwork.

Schooltime is different from Screen Time in that it can be deactivated by the child when the child turns the Digital Crown on the Apple Watch, which is useful for emergencies, but parents are notified in that situation.

Initiating Family Setup allows for Schooltime to be activated during the setup process, but parents can access and edit Schooltime features in the Apple Watch app on iPhone.

Schooltime can be set for specific times during school, and breaks during recess and lunchtime can be scheduled, which will let kids access their Apple Watches when school is not in session. When enabled, Schooltime blocks all apps and complications, as well as activating Do Not Disturb. Emergency calls and Notifications are able to break through the Do Not Disturb limitations, however.

• watchOS 7: How to Eliminate Distractions Using Schooltime on Apple Watch
• How to Set a Schooltime Schedule on Apple Watch

Apple Cash Family

Parents can give their children "allowances" on the Apple Watch using the ‌Apple Pay‌ Cash feature, and kids can then use those funds to make ‌Apple Pay‌ purchases in stores that accept ‌Apple Pay‌ payments.

Apple Cash is sent through the Messages app on iPhone, and parents can send cash by typing in their kids' ‌Apple ID‌ email address and then using the built-in ‌Apple Pay‌ Messages feature to make a payment. Money sent to kids is stored in Apple Cash and can be accessed in the Apple Cash card in the Wallet app, where it can be used to make payments in stores.

Money given to kids is limited to the amount provided, and kids cannot make charges on linked credit cards or in any other way without parental permission. Kids can, however, send their available ‌Apple Pay‌ Cash to others, which is something to be aware of.

Purchases that kids make are displayed to parents, and parents can see what kids have bought and how their money has been used through the Wallet app on iPhone.

• iOS 14: How to Set Up and Use Apple Cash Family

Health and Activity

For younger children (age 13 and under), the Activity app on the Apple Watch will show move minutes rather than a calorie-based activity goal, while older kids will still see the standard calories burned metric. Activity works the same as it does for any other Apple Watch, and kids (or older adults) are able to meet Move, Exercise, and Stand goals that are initially set up by the parent.

Outdoor Walk, Outdoor Run, and Outdoor Cycle exercises have been updated with tuning for children, and coaching notifications are tailored to kids' reading levels and enhanced with emoji.

Parents can also view their kids' data in the Health app if the feature is enabled during the setup process, with the info listed in the Health app under "Shared Health Data."

Apps

Kids can download apps and games for the Apple Watch from the Apple Watch App Store. Parents will need to approve purchases before apps can be downloaded, including those that cost money. Kids will get a prompt to "Ask" their parents for permission to download an app, which can be approved or denied. "Ask to Buy" can be turned off using Family Sharing settings in the Settings app.

Content can be controlled through the Content Restrictions feature of Screen Time.

Other Available Features

Here are some of the other things that kids can do with an LTE Apple Watch that uses Family Setup.

• Communicate with Walkie-Talkie
• Make phone and FaceTime audio calls
• Send and receive Messages and emails
• Create Memoji with the Memoji app
• Access a family Calendar
• View photos synced from a parent's phone
• Access Reminders
• Listen to Apple Music with headphones
• Ask ‌Siri‌ questions
• Ask ‌Siri‌ for translations
• Use Maps for navigation
• Access the Workouts app and receive Activity awards
• Participate in Activity competitions with friends
• Access Emergency SOS with the Apple Watch side button

Managing Family Setup Apple Watches

Parents can manage Family Setup Apple Watches through the Apple Watch app on the iPhone. Just open it up, tap on "All Watches" at the top, and then tap on the child's Apple Watch to get to the settings options and controls.

Cellular Connectivity

To initiate Family Setup and add a family member's watch to the iPhone, the watch in question must be a Series 3 or later and it must have LTE connectivity. The LTE connection is required because GPS only Apple Watches without LTE rely on the iPhone for a connection, and with a standalone Apple Watch, there's no iPhone to connect to.

LTE Apple Watches can operate independently without any iPhone, enabling the Family Setup feature. That said, you can set up a cellular Apple Watch with Family Setup and then decline to enable cellular connectivity when prompted, and it will still work when WiFi is available.

Be aware, though, that the Apple Watch will only work with the one known WiFi network used to set it up and it won't otherwise be able to connect for communication and connectivity purposes.

Features for Older Adults

Many of the Family Setup features are aimed at parents with children, but there are also settings for people who want to manage Apple Watches for older adults that do not have an iPhone.

Older adults can take advantage of features like the X-Large watch face that's easy to see, fall detection, Emergency SOS, Medical ID, and irregular heart rhythm notifications.

Family Setup Limitations

Apple Watch Series 6 models that are set up with Family Setup are not able to access the Blood Oxygen app for blood oxygen measurements, a restriction that applies regardless of the Apple Watch owner's age.

Elderly relatives who have an Apple Watch Series 6 may want the Blood Oxygen app, so this is a limitation worth keeping in mind when deciding whether to use the Family Setup feature.

The following limitations also apply:

• High and low heart rate notifications are only available for users aged 13 and older.
• Irregular heart rhythm notifications and ECG are not available.
• Sleep Tracking is not available.
• Fall detection is only available for users aged 18 and older.
• Apple Cash Family is limited to users under the age of 18.
• ‌Apple Pay‌ with a credit, debit, or transit card is not available with Family Setup.
• The Podcasts, Remote, News, Home, and Shortcuts apps are not available.

Battery Life

According to Apple, a watch controlled through Family Setup should last for approximately 14 hours before needing to be recharged. Apple bases that on the following estimated activities:

• 70 time checks
• 45 notifications
• 20 minutes of app use
• 5 minute phone call
• 30 minute workout with music playback

Battery life will, of course, vary based on usage and by each device. The battery life estimates take into account LTE connectivity and operation over a cellular connection.

Guide Feedback

Have questions about Family Setup on Apple Watch or want to offer feedback on this guide? Send us an email here.

The iPhone 12 mini is set to be the smallest iPhone in many years, with a screen size of just 5.4 inches and a body size smaller than anything we've seen since the original iPhone SE. While fans of smaller form-factor devices have craved a modern small iPhone for years, there are five notable features that you'll be giving up if you get the ‌iPhone 12 mini‌, if you believe the current rumors about the upcoming lineup.

Display Technology

The ‌iPhone 12 mini‌ is expected to have a flexible OLED display with Y-OCTA integrated touch, for richer colors and truer blacks than an LCD.

However, the ‌iPhone 12 mini‌'s display is expected to have some slight drawbacks. The iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max will reportedly have 10-bit color for more vibrant, true-to-life colors, and a richer variety of color gradations, as well as XDR classification.

In addition, although rumors have been highly mixed on some iPhone 12 models having a 120Hz ProMotion display, rumors about the ‌iPhone 12 mini‌ not having a 120Hz display have been consistent. If the feature does appear for the iPhone 12 lineup, it is likely to be reserved for the Pro models or even the Pro Max model only.

LiDAR Scanner

The iPhone 12 Pro models are rumored to have a LiDAR Scanner, the likes of which premiered on the iPad Pro earlier this year.

The LiDAR Scanner in the iPad Pro uses reflected light to measure the distance from the sensor to surrounding objects that are up to five meters away. It is essentially able to map the environment around you at the photon level in nanosecond speeds. The rumored LiDAR Scanner for the iPhone 12 Pro is likely to work similarly, if not identically. As a smaller and lower-cost non-Pro model, the ‌iPhone 12 mini‌ is not expected to have the LiDAR scanner.

Telephoto Lens

Much like the iPhone 11, the ‌iPhone 12 mini‌ is expected to have two camera lenses on its rear; a wide-angle lens and an ultrawide-angle lens. However, the ‌iPhone 12 mini‌ misses out on the telephoto lens, which makes up the third lens on the higher-end Pro models.

The high-end 6.7-inch ‌iPhone 12 Pro Max‌ is rumored to be getting sensor-shift image stabilization technology, which could potentially bring image stabilization to the ultra wide-angle lens on those devices. Sensor-shift technology allows the optical image stabilization to be applied to the camera sensor, rather than the individual lenses. This feature is not expected to trickle down to the ‌iPhone 12 mini‌.

The ‌iPhone 12 mini‌ may still benefit from Apple's new "high-end" lens arrays and improved Smart HDR for better low-light performance.

Battery Capacity

As the smallest device in the iPhone 12 lineup, the ‌iPhone 12 mini‌ is also expected to have the smallest battery. Certifications have suggested that the battery capacity of the ‌iPhone 12 mini‌ is 2,227mAh. Apple's current smallest flagship iPhone, the 5.8-inch iPhone 11 Pro, has a battery capacity of 3,046mAh battery, making the ‌iPhone 12 mini‌'s capacity 819mAh smaller.

Although the A14 Bionic processor and OLED display are likely to improve energy efficiency, the fundamental limits of battery size in the ‌iPhone 12 mini‌ are likely to result in an overall smaller battery life.

The 6.7-inch ‌iPhone 12 Pro Max‌ is expected to have a much larger capacity of 3,687mAh, so users concerned about battery life would certainly benefit from getting a larger model.

Faster 5G

Rumors suggest that the ‌iPhone 12‌ Pro Max will also be the only model to have faster mmWave 5G. Sub-6GHz 5G, which is the slower but more widespread form of 5G, is expected to be present on the ‌iPhone 12 mini‌. Only the largest ‌‌iPhone‌‌ in the lineup supposedly has the internal space to accommodate the antenna design needed to implement mmWave at this time, along with the larger battery needed for its higher power usage.

In spite of these missing features, the ‌iPhone 12 mini‌ is still expected to get the latest A14 Bionic processor, an OLED display, and a brand new squared-off design. For many fans of small phones, the ‌iPhone 12 mini‌ will be the device that they have long been waiting for.

For more on what to expect from the 2020 ‌‌‌‌iPhone‌‌‌‌ models, be sure to see our dedicated roundup or read our quick summary of Ten Things to Know About the iPhone 12.

Update: Apple's production lines at Foxconn's Zhengzhou factory in China are said to be running "24 hours a day" in preparation for the ‌iPhone 12‌ mini's launch.

Reports from mobile operators now seem to be pointing toward Tuesday, October 13 for the official unveiling of the ‌iPhone 12‌ lineup. The rumor implies that pre-orders could begin on October 16, with the launch logically following on October 23.

If there is an October 13 event followed by an October 23 launch, we may not see all of the new ‌iPhone 12‌ models at the same time. Rumors have suggested that we should expect a staggered launch with some ‌iPhone‌ models coming out in October and others coming out at a later date, perhaps in November.

It is likely that the 5.4 and 6.1-inch non-Pro iPhones will be available first in October, followed by the Pro models at a later date due to supply and production constraints. There is some confusion over this point, however, as DigiTimes has suggested Apple could release the two 6.1-inch ‌‌iPhone‌‌ models ahead of the 5.4-inch ‌‌iPhone 12‌‌ mini and the 6.7-inch ‌‌iPhone 12‌‌ Pro Max. In the latter instance, there may be a slightly longer wait for the ‌iPhone 12 mini‌.

Update: Apple has announced their October 2020 iPhone event. The iPhone 12 will be announced on October 13, 2020 at 10:0am Pacific time on the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. We are relatively confident about the rumors above, so we do expect Apple to launch the ‌iPhone 12 mini‌ at that time.

Benchmarks leaked over the weekend gave us some insight into the performance of the A14 Bionic chip in the iPad Air that's set to launch soon, and also revealed another tidbit -- Apple's newest tablet has 4GB RAM.

That's 1GB over the prior-generation iPad Air that had an A12 Bionic processor, but less RAM than is available in the iPad Pro models. Apple's 2020 ‌iPad Pro‌ models all have 6GB RAM.

With the jump in RAM and the impressive performance of the A14 chip, the new ‌iPad Air‌ is quite a bit speedier than the prior-generation model, plus it has the all-display design with Touch ID Power button, a first for Apple.

The A14 ‌iPad Air‌ Geekbench result that was leaked featured a single-core score of 1583 and a multi-core score of 4198, a solid improvement over the single-core score of 1112 and multi-core score of 2832 earned by the third-generation ‌iPad Air‌ with A12 Bionic.

Notably, the benchmark results suggest other devices equipped with the A14 chip, such as Apple's iPhone 12 lineup, will also see notable speed improvements. The A14 is a step up in terms of performance and efficiency because it is Apple's first chip built on a smaller 5-nanometer process. Reduced node sizes result in higher power chips that use less power, bringing gains in battery life and speed. The 5-nanometer A-series chips are also expected to be used in upcoming Macs with Apple Silicon, though the Macs may use an upgraded A14X variant that's even faster.

Apple is planning to release the new ‌iPad Air‌ with A14 chip at some point in October, though no launch date has been announced. It's reasonable to expect the new ‌iPad Air‌ to come after the debut of the new iPhone 12 models because the tablet does contain new technology (the A14 chip) that Apple may not want inspected thoroughly ahead of the debut of its flagship iPhone lineup, despite the benchmark leak.

A wide selection of Disney movies are showing as available in 4K on the iTunes Store as of today in the United States and Canada, including many Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars titles. However, not all movies are listed as 4K at this time.

iTunes Store content became available in 4K in 2017 in time for the launch of the Apple TV 4K box, but Disney movies were a notable exclusion.

This isn't the first time that the 4K label has showed up on Disney movies in the iTunes Store, with previous instances proving to be false alarms. In this case, however, the 4K label has shown up on a wider selection of Disney movies across multiple devices, including the iPhone, Apple TV, and even the Apple TV app on third-party platforms like Roku.

Disney movies are not showing up in 4K in all countries. In the United Kingdom and Australia, for example, users are still seeing playback limited to HD.

Disney movies are also available in 4K through Disney+ and Vudu.

(Thanks, Greg Celano!)

Nine years ago today, Steve Jobs passed away from pancreatic cancer at the age of 56, one day after Apple executives introduced the iPhone 4s at a media event on the company's Infinite Loop headquarters campus.

In the days following his passing, Apple started posting comments from fans on its "Remembering Steve" webpage. Apple continues to maintain the page highlighting a few of the over one million submissions from people around the world who "shared their memories, thoughts, and feelings about Steve."

The company marked the first anniversary of his passing with a photo and audio slideshow on its website, and on this day Tim Cook traditionally shares words of remembrance with Apple staff and on social media.

Apple VP of Product Marketing Bob Borchers and VP of Hardware Engineering John Ternus are featured in the latest episode of YouTubers iJustine and Jenna Ezarik's Same Brain podcast where they discuss several aspects of the current iPad lineup and part of the development process that went into the latest fourth-generation iPad Air.

Speaking on the new ‌iPad Air‌, Borchers says that implementing the Touch ID sensor into the top button in a much smaller form factor was "an incredible feat of engineering." Ternus explains that the narrow aspect ratio of the sensor made it quite challenging to implement. The sensor needed to be "incredibly sensitive" and would have to capture a broader view of the fingerprint in the initial enrollment process and over time.

In the cellular model of the ‌iPad Air‌, Ternus notes that the top portion of the enclosure is simply the antenna, and much work was conducted to ensure that the ‌Touch ID‌ sensor and antenna didn't interfere with one another since both are highly sensitive instruments. He adds that much "hardcore silicon and engineering" went into ensuring that the sensor could deliver the same level of security offered by its previous iteration.

With the introduction of the Neural Engine in the ‌iPad Air‌, Borchers notes that an increase in on-device processing brings more powerful capabilities to ‌iPad‌ and offers a greater level of privacy to users.

The current iPad Pro lineup features the A12Z Bionic processor, and notably, the new ‌iPad Air‌ is the first device to implement Apple's latest A14 Bionic processor. Borchers mentions that A12Z is "optimized for pro workflows and experiences, especially those that may be more graphics-intensive." Speaking on the differences between the two, he notes that the A12Z has an advantage on "things that may be more graphically intensive," while the A14 offers "all-around amazing capabilities."

Check out the full nearly 40-minute podcast for more from Borchers and Ternus.

Several rumors have indicated that Apple is working on a refreshed Apple TV, and Fudge, a leaker who goes by @choco_bit on Twitter, today shared some new information on what we can expect.

In a tweet, Fudge claims that Apple is preparing multiple new Apple TV set-top boxes, with a model featuring a variant of the A12 chip and one with an "A14X-like" chip. Fudge also mentions that a new controller is in the works, but it is unclear if the tweet is referencing an updated Siri Remote or a new, Apple-designed game controller.

Fudge mentions that Apple is working with developers to bring console-level games to Apple Arcade as means of bolstering the gaming service. Notably, the tweet points out that some games would only be able to be run on the A13 Bionic chip or later, so an upgraded Apple TV would be necessary to access the new Apple Arcade additions.

Signs of a new Apple TV with an A12 bionic chip were uncovered in the iOS 13.4 beta in February. In addition to an updated processor and a "T1125" codename, previous rumors have indicated that the refreshed Apple TV may feature higher capacity 64 and 128GB storage options.

Leaker Jon Prosser had previously suggested the new Apple TV will be equipped with an A12X Bionic chip, while another rumor had indicated it will use an A14 chip, the same chip in the fourth-generation iPad Air that's expected in the 2020 iPhones.

Apple debuted its A14 Bionic chip alongside the redesigned iPad Air at its September "Time Flies" event, and new benchmarks indicate that the chip offers significant performance improvements over the previous A13 Bionic.

Benchmarks supposedly for Apple's A14 Bionic processor in the iPad Air 4, first spotted by Twitter user "Ice Universe," reveal that the A14 offers significant performance improvements over the iPhone 11's A13 Bionic.

A GeekBench benchmark for an "iPad13,2" with the motherboard number J308AP was uploaded yesterday. According to leaker known as "L0vetodream," J308AP is the iPad Air 4 with cellular, and J307AP is the ‌iPad Air‌ 4 with Wi-Fi only.

The 6-core chip reportedly has a base frequency of 2.99GHz and 3.66GB of memory, achieving a score of 1,583 in single-core and 4,198 for multi-core.

This is markedly higher than the 1,336 in single-core and 3,569 in multi-core for the A13 Bionic. Compared to the A12Z chip from the 2020 iPad Pro, the A14 does better than the A12Z in single-core at 1,118 and slightly lower than in multi-core at 4,564. The A12Z has a extra GPU core compared to the A12x.

While Apple reported during the announcement of the fourth-generation ‌iPad Air‌ that the A14 offers 40 percent faster performance and up to 30 percent faster graphics than the previous ‌iPad Air‌ with the A12 Bionic, these benchmarks provide a more tangible point of comparison. They also offer the best look yet at what performance improvements will likely be seen across the iPhone 12 lineup.

The ‌iPad Air‌ 4 with the A14 Bionic is due to go on sale at some point this month, and as marketing materials arrive at Apple Stores, the launch does not seem to be far away.

The iPhone 12 is almost upon us, and we're continuing to hear rumors about what to expect from Apple's biggest product line. And don't forget about the new iPad Air that will also begin shipping this month.

Other news this week included fresh rumors about Apple's plans for mini-LED display technology, details on the upcoming iOS 14.2 update, some Apple Watch tips and how-tos, and more, so check out our video above and read on below for more!

Leaker: iPhone 12 mini to Start at 64GB, Pro Models at 128GB

We're likely just a few weeks away from Apple unveiling its iPhone 12 lineup, and last-minute rumors continue to surface. The latest word comes from leaker Jon Prosser, who recently claimed that the so-called "iPhone 12 mini" will start with 64GB of storage, while higher-end iPhone 12 Pro models will apparently come with a minimum of 128GB of storage.

Multiple sources have indicated that the next Apple event will likely take place on Tuesday, October 13, with pre-orders for at least some iPhone 12 models expected to begin on Friday, October 16. The devices would then begin arriving to customers on Friday, October 23.

Four new iPhone 12 models are expected, including one 5.4-inch model, two 6.1-inch models, and one 6.7-inch model, all with OLED displays, 5G support, and a new flat-edged design. Rumors have suggested that Apple may opt for a staggered launch, with some models launching later than others, but the exact order of the rollout remains to be seen.

New iPad Air Marketing Materials Hit Retail Stores, Suggesting Imminent Launch

Last month, Apple unveiled a new iPad Air with slimmer bezels, allowing for a larger 10.9-inch display. The device also features a faster A14 Bionic chip, Touch ID integrated in the power button, a USB-C port instead of Lightning, and an improved 12-megapixel rear camera.

Apple says the new iPad Air will be available to order in October, but it has yet to announce a specific release date. However, there are signs that a launch may be imminent, as Apple Stores are reportedly beginning to receive marketing materials for the device. Pricing will start at $599 in the United States for 64GB of storage. Two all-new color options will be available, including Green and Sky Blue.

12.9-Inch Mini-LED iPad Pro Expected in Early 2021, With Mini-LED MacBook Coming Later

Apple plans to launch a new iPad Pro with a Mini-LED backlit display in the first half of 2021, followed by a new high-end MacBook with Mini-LEDs in the second half of the year, according to DigiTimes.

In early 2020, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple was developing up to six Mini-LED products, including a new 12.9-inch iPad Pro with an A14X chip for release in the third quarter of the year. This was before the global health crisis began, however, so it would be understandable if the timeframe has been pushed back due to supply chain disruptions and Apple engineers working from home.

Mini-LED displays, which use on the order of 1,000 to 10,000 individual LEDs, can offer deeper, darker blacks, brighter brights, richer colors, and better contrast compared to traditional LED-based displays, though the technology comes at a significant increase in cost for the time being.

iOS 14.2 Beta 2 Released With Music Recognition Toggle for Control Center and More

Apple this week seeded the second betas of iOS 14.2 and iPadOS 14.2 to developers and public beta testers, with a key new feature being a Shazam-powered music recognition tool built into Control Center.

The second beta introduces dozens of new emoji, including a smiling face with a tear, a ninja, people hugging, a black cat, a bison, a fly, a polar bear, blueberries, fondue, bubble tea, a bell pepper, and more.

The second beta of iOS 14.2 also provides further clues that iPhone 12 models will not ship with EarPods in the box, and introduces a yearly spending activity overview for Apple Card holders.

Apple has also seeded the ninth beta of macOS Big Sur, and the second betas of watchOS 7.1 and tvOS 14.2.

watchOS 7 Tips: Force Touch is Dead, Now What? [Video]

With the release of watchOS 7 last month, Apple added several new features to compatible Apple Watch models, such as new watch faces and sleep tracking, but it also dropped support for the Force Touch gesture that had become second nature for some users.

On our YouTube channel this week, we've shared a video that highlights 10 ways to access some hidden controls that used to be displayed using the Force Touch gesture.

We also shared a few other Apple Watch guides and how-tos this week:

• How to Make a Memoji on Apple Watch
• How to Set a Memoji or Animoji as Your Watch Face on Apple Watch
• How to Share Watch Faces
• How to Use and Troubleshoot Blood Oxygen Monitoring on Apple Watch Series 6

Apple Suggests Restoring iPhone and Apple Watch to Fix Excess Battery Drain or Missing GPS Data

Apple this week shared a new support document with various solutions for users who may be missing Workout GPS routes or Health data after updating their devices to iOS 14 and watchOS 7.

Apple said users might notice any of the following issues after updating to iOS 14 and watchOS 7:

• Your workout route maps are missing in the Fitness app on iPhone for previous GPS-enabled workouts from your Apple Watch.
• The Activity, Heart Rate, or other health-related apps fail to launch or load data on your Apple Watch.
• The Fitness app or Health app fail to launch or load data on your iPhone.
• The Health app or Fitness app is reporting an inaccurate amount of data storage on your iPhone.
• The Activity app is reporting an inaccurate amount of data storage on your Apple Watch.
• Your environmental sound levels data or headphone audio levels data from Apple Watch is missing in the Health app on iPhone.
• Increased battery drain on your iPhone or Apple Watch.

Apple's support document is a helpful troubleshooting resource for these issues.

MacRumors Newsletter

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

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

With the arrival of watchOS 7, Apple introduced headline features for Apple Watch like Sleep Tracking and Handwashing Detection, but it also snuck in a bunch of lesser changes and improvements to the interface that are more likely to have gone under the radar, so we've collected some of our favorites here.

To make the most of them, you'll need to make sure your Apple Watch is up to date with the latest software. You can do that by opening the Watch app on iPhone and selecting General -> Software Update. (Note that you'll also need your iPhone to be running iOS 14 before you can update your watch to watchOS 7).

watchOS 7 is available for Apple Watch Series 3, Series 4, and Series 5, and comes pre-installed on Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Series 6. Note that Apple Watch Series 1 and Series 2 owners are not able to update to watchOS 7.

1. Change Activity Goals

If you want to make your activity goals more challenging or more realistic, now you can. In watchOS 7, you can customize all of the activity goals on Apple Watch, including the stand goal.

Open the Activity app and scroll down to the bottom where you'll find a new Change Goals option. Tap that, and you'll be able to change your calorie, exercise, and stand goals using the plus and minus buttons.

2. Get Siri Translations

Apple improved the translation capabilities of iOS 14 with the new Translate app, and now you can ask Siri for spoken translations right on your Apple Watch.

Raise your wrist and say "Hey ‌Siri‌," or press and hold the Digital Crown to let ‌Siri‌ know you have a query, then say something like "How do you say 'How are you?' in Chinese?" Your answer will be shown on the screen and ‌Siri‌ will also say it to you. ‌Siri‌ can translate 10 languages including Spanish, English, Japanese, Arabic, Chinese, and Russian.

3. Use Multiple Third-Party Complications

In previous versions of watchOS, Apple only allowed native apps like the Weather app to show more than one complication on the same watch face.

In watchOS 7, Apple has made it so that you can have multiple complications from the same third-party app on the same watch face. That means you can use a face like Infograph Modular to present multiple information streams from an app like Heart Analyzer, for example, for a data-rich live health readout.

4. Use the New Workout Types

In watchOS 7, Apple has added four new workout types. Now you can accurately track fitness metrics for Dance, Functional Strength Training, Core Training, and post-workout Cooldown.

Like other workout types, Apple Watch applies unique algorithms to the data gathered by the onboard accelerometer, gyroscope, and the heart rate monitor to accurately measure your exertion.

5. Show Two Time Zones Simultaneously

watchOS 7 brings some new watch faces to the party, one of which is GMT. The watch face has two dials: A 12-hour inner dial that displays local time, and a 24-hour outer dial that lets you track a second time zone.

Just tap the watch face to select the time zone you want to display on the outer dial. This watch face is available only on Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Series 4 and later.

6. Get Cycling Directions in Maps

In watchOS 7, you can now see cycling directions on your Apple Watch. The Maps app presents the desired route along with information such as elevation, traffic, and the availability of bike lanes.

Cycling directions include options to be taken along the quickest route, the most direct path, or routes that avoid steep hills (Fastest, Shortest, and Suggested.) Note that at the time of writing, cycling directions in ‌Apple Maps‌ are limited to New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, Shanghai, and Beijing.

7. Use Siri Shortcuts on Apple Watch

The Shortcuts app is now available on Apple Watch, so you can trigger custom tasks with just a tap on the wrist.

By creating shortcuts on your iPhone, you can quickly get directions home, create a top 25 playlist, control HomeKit accessories, and more. Shortcuts can be run from the Shortcuts app or you can add them as complications to your watch face.

8. Access Camera Remote From Watch Face

Apple has introduced a new complication for the Camera Remote app, so now you can control your iPhone's camera with a quick tap on your watch face.

There's also a new three-second countdown in the Camera Remote app, should you need it.

9. Track Elapsed Time

The new Count Up watch face can be used to track elapsed time. Tap the main 12-hour dial to align the marker on the outer bezel with the minute hand. Turn the Digital Crown to set the length of time, then tap the dial again to start timing.

When you're finished, you can return the face to its default state by tapping the red elapsed time button, or by pressing the Digital Crown.

10. Delete Control Center Buttons

In watchOS 7, you can delete buttons in the Control Center that you don't find useful. To bring up the Control Center on a watch face, swipe up from the bottom of the screen, then tap the Edit button at the bottom.

To remove a button, simply tap the red minus icon attached to it. Any buttons you remove can be reinstated by tapping the Edit button again.

11. Get an Extra Big Complication

If all you're interested in is the time and a single data point, you're in luck – the X-Large face now includes the option to add a rich complication.

It's the biggest complication yet, but it's the only one you get – so choose wisely.

12. Turn Off Blood Oxygen Sensors During Sleep

The Apple Watch Series 6 can occasionally measure your blood oxygen levels in the background and will usually do this when you're not moving. It uses a bright red light that shines against your wrist, which you might find distracting in dark environments.

Happily, Apple includes options to disable these measurements in Sleep Mode and Theater Mode. Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch, tap Blood Oxygen, then scroll down and turn off In Sleep Mode and/or In Theater Mode.

13. Show Your Stripes

Stripes, another new watch face that's unique, lets you select the number of stripes you want (up to 9), choose your colors, and rotate the angle, allowing you to re-create your favorite sports team's colors or your nation's flag.

You can also switch between a full-screen face or a circular face with space for up to four complications. This watch face is available only on ‌Apple Watch SE‌ and Apple Watch Series 4 and later.

14. Eliminate Distractions

An associated feature of Family Setup, "Schooltime," can help make your Apple Watch less of a distraction when you want to focus on something. It's a useful alternative to Do Not Disturb or Theater Mode because it silences notifications and blocks apps, but still lets you check the time.

To add it to Control Center, press the Edit button and tap the green plus symbol on the Schooltime icon. Next time you want to eliminate distractions on your wrist, simply bring up Control Center and tap the Schooltime button to turn it on. When you want to exit Schooltime, just turn the Digital Crown on your Apple Watch, then tap Exit to confirm.

Apple today updated its leadership page to add Greg Joswiak, who is taking over for Phil Schiller as Apple's Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing. ‌Phil Schiller‌'s position on the page has also been moved to reflect his new role as "Apple Fellow."

Apple in August announced that ‌Phil Schiller‌ would be transitioning out of his role as Apple's marketing chief, with Greg Joswiak planning to take on the position instead. At the time, Apple gave no timeline for the leadership shift, but it appears to have taken place recently.

As an "Apple Fellow," Schiller will continue to lead the App Store and Apple Events, but he will no longer be in charge of Apple's marketing decisions. According to Schiller, he decided to step down from his marketing role in order to "make some time" for family, friends, and personal projects.

Schiller is not leaving Apple and has confirmed that he will remain with the company "as long as they will have me." When the transition was announced, Cook said that he was "thrilled" to have Joswiak, also known as "Joz" on the marketing team.

"Phil has helped make Apple the company it is today and his contributions are broad, vast, and run deep. In this new role he will continue to provide the incredible thought partnership, and guidance that have defined his decades at Apple," said ‌Tim Cook‌, Apple's CEO. "Joz's many years of leadership in the Product Marketing organization make him perfectly suited to this new role and will ensure a seamless transition at a moment when the team is engaged in such important and exciting work. I'm thrilled that the whole executive team will benefit from his collaboration, ideas, and energy."

Joswiak is now in charge of Apple's product management and product marketing, developer relations, market research, business management, and education, enterprise, and international marketing. He will report to Apple CEO Tim Cook.

Prior to taking over from Schiller, Joswiak served as vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing and he has been at Apple for more than 20 years.

One of the new tvOS 14 features highlighted by Apple was support for watching 4K videos in the YouTube app, but when tvOS 14 launched, Apple TV 4K users quickly noticed that support wasn't available.

That appears to be changing, as there are reports on Reddit (via FlatpanelsHD) that support for 4K YouTube videos is starting to roll out. Multiple users have reported seeing 4K playback options in the YouTube app on tvOS 14, tvOS 14.0.1, and tvOS 14.2.

4K support has not yet rolled out to all users, however, as in our tests, we were not able to access 4K YouTube content and continued to have a 1080p limitation. While 4K content appears to be available, those with access are still not able to enable HDR, and 4K videos are limited to 30 frames per second.

It's unclear if the lack of HDR is temporary or a limitation on the 4K ‌Apple TV‌, and it's also not known when 4K content will be available for all. It seems to be rolling out though, so there may not be too much longer to wait. YouTube in September said that ‌Apple TV‌ 4K would support 4K YouTube playback "soon."

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Ampere to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a UV sanitizer and wireless charger called Cell, which is designed to kill the germs on the surface of a smartphone within a minute.

Priced at $80, Cell features a Qi-enabled wireless charging base that can charge your iPhone up when needed, but the top pops off and there's an expandable silver-infused antimicrobial shell with UV lights inside that are able to sterilize germs on your iPhone and other small accessories like the AirPods, Apple Pencil, and more.

To use it, you just pull the top off, expand the sides, place your items inside, and let the light do its work. When done, you can collapse it back down into a wireless charger that's also portable enough to go anywhere. The expandable portion of the charger is made from a flexible silicone that can partially expand in landscape mode to create an ideal viewing angle for watching videos, or in portrait mode for FaceTime calls.

There are two 15W wireless chargers in the Cell that offer a large charging surface regardless of placement, and the design of the Cell allows it to charge a smartphone of any size. It will charge the iPhone at 7.5W and Samsung devices at 15W, with a grippy silicone surface keeping the smartphone in place. There's a USB-C output port on the Cell so you can attach a cable to charge a secondary device like an Apple Watch or an iPhone with the appropriate USB-C cable.

For UV sanitizing, the Cell features four 250-280nm UV lights that are able to remove most germs at the DNA level within a minute, which is useful at a time when we're all concerned about sanitation and the cleanliness of the objects we touch on a regular basis. Smartphones can be rife with germs because we touch them so often, and it's not always easy to get iPhones and other small accessories like AirPods clean.

Though designed with its tent-like expanding design to sanitize iPhones and other small objects, the light inside the Cell can also be used while held over larger objects like MacBooks. Cell is available in black, red, or a unique glow-in-the-dark material.

Cell is accompanied by several antimicrobial accessories, including an 18W PD mini adapter for charging, a USB-C to USB-C cable, and a Made for iPhone-certified USB-C to Lightning cable for charging the iPhone with the extra port, plus there are optional add-ons like a travel case, antimicrobial cable organizer, and UV self-cleaning water bottle. Pre-orders are available now, with orders expected to ship out in late October.

We have seven Cell wireless charger and sanitizers to give away to MacRumors readers, with each prize pack to include all of the above listed accessories. To enter to win our giveaway, 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 (October 2) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on October 9. The winners will be chosen randomly on October 9 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.