Apple today introduced new firmware for both the AirPods Pro 2 with Lightning port and the AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C port. The new firmware is 6A303, up from the 6A301 update that was released in September.
Apple does not provide details on what features might be included in the refreshed firmware, so it is unclear what's new. Apple added multiple new AirPods Pro 2 features in iOS 17 such as Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, and Personalized Volume, so there could be refinements to those updates.
Apple does not offer instructions on how to upgrade AirPods software, but firmware is generally installed over-the-air while the AirPods are connected to an iOS device. Putting the AirPods in the case, connecting the AirPods to a power source, and then pairing the AirPods to an iOS device or Mac should force the update.
You can check your AirPods Pro firmware by following these steps:
Connect your AirPods Pro to your iOS device.
Open the Settings app.
Tap General.
Tap About.
Tap AirPods.
Look at the number next to "Firmware Version."
If we learn more about what's new in these firmware releases, we'll update this article.
Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days event is in full swing today, and you can get the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $749.99 in multiple styles, down from $799.00. This is a new all-time low price on the wearable.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Amazon has nearly every model of the new Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $749.00 during Prime Day, down from $799.00. This version of the wearable just launched in September and this sale beats the previous low price by about $20.
We will continue to track Prime Day deals as the event continues, so be sure to keep an eye on our front page for more news. We'll also be regularly updating this article as prices have been fluctuating and several products have gone in and out of stock throughout the event. Remember that you can sign up for Amazon Prime for free for one month to take advantage of the deals.
Apple today said that the upcoming iOS 17.1 software that is set to be released later in October will lower iPhone 12 radiation levels.
France in September ordered Apple to cease iPhone 12 sales and implement a "fix" for devices that would bring them into compliance with European electromagnetic radiation standards. Apple in a support document said that it is disabling the off-body detection feature that allows for slightly higher transmit power when an iPhone is not held or in a pocket.
The detection feature is going to be disabled only in France, and Apple says that it is being turned off despite the fact that the country's Agence Française Nationale des Fréquences or ANFR regulatory group made an error when doing its radiation tests.
ANFR used a testing protocol that did not account for the iPhone's off-body detection mechanism, which Apple says has been "thoroughly tested and verified internationally to be an effective mechanism to comply with SAR requirements."
iPhone has sensors that can detect when it is sitting on a static surface, like a table, as opposed to being held in the hand or placed in a pocket. This off-body detection mechanism, which has been used in all iPhones for over a decade, allows the device to increase transmit power slightly in off-body scenarios to optimize performance.
The specific test protocol used by ANFR requires that devices meet the on-body SAR limits, even when the device is tested off-body on a static surface. This decision is not consistent with international standards, which allow for independent testing of power control mechanisms that may not be activated during standard SAR tests.
According to Apple, the iPhone 12 is safe to use "and always has been." The company's iPhones must meet international energy transmission standards for health and safety to ensure limited energy transmission when a device is in contact with the human body.
With the iOS 17.1 update, iPhone 12 models in France will no longer increase their allowed power when the off-body state is detected, so coverage in areas where cellular signal is low may cause slightly lower cellular performance in some off-body use cases, though most users are not expected to notice a change.
Prime Day deals have been appearing throughout the day, and now we're highlighting the best price of the year on Apple's 10.2-inch iPad. You can get the 64GB Wi-Fi tablet for $249.00, down from $329.00. This is a record low price, and it's accompanied by numerous best-ever prices across the 2021 iPad lineup.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The 256GB Wi-Fi iPad is available for $389.00 ($90 off), and you'll also find both cellular tablets on sale at all-time low prices. It's been months since we last tracked deals this steep on the 10.2-inch iPad, so now's a great time to buy for anyone who has been waiting for a good deal.
We will continue to track Prime Day deals as the event continues, so be sure to keep an eye on our front page for more news. We'll also be regularly updating this article as prices have been fluctuating and several products have gone in and out of stock throughout the event. Remember that you can sign up for Amazon Prime for free for one month to take advantage of the deals.
Apple today seeded the third betas of iOS 17.1 and iPadOS 17.1 to developers for testing purposes, with the betas coming one week after Apple released the second betas of iOS 17.1 and iPadOS 17.1.
Registered developers are able to opt into the betas by opening up the Settings app, going to the Software Update section, tapping on the "Beta Updates" option, and toggling on the iOS 17 or iPadOS 17 Developer Beta. An Apple ID associated with a developer account is required to download and install the beta.
iOS 17.1 adds the option to favorite songs, albums, playlists, artists, and more, with favorited content added to the Library and used for suggestions. Favoriting can be done from the Lock Screen using the Now Playing widget, plus when starting a playlist, you'll now see Song Suggestions.
AirDrop transfers can be finished over the internet so close proximity does not need to be maintained, and an Apple Watch running watchOS 10.1 can now use NameDrop with an iPhone running iOS 17.1.
Apple today released iOS 16.7.1 and iPadOS 16.7.1, new software updates that can be downloaded on iPhones and iPads that are not able to run iOS 17, or those that have not yet been updated to the new operating system. iOS 16.7.1 comes a few weeks after Apple released iOS 16.7.
The software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
With iOS 17 now out, iOS 16 updates are limited to security improvements and performance optimizations. New features will be added to iOS 17 rather than iOS 16.
The iOS 16.7.1 update likely addresses the same kernel vulnerability that Apple fixed in iOS 17.0.3 last week. The issue was exploited on versions of iOS before 16.6, according to Apple.
Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming macOS Sonoma 14.1 update to developers for beta testing, with the update coming one week after the launch of the second 14.1 beta.
Registered developers can opt-in to the beta through the Software Update section of the System Settings app. Under Beta updates, toggle on the Sonoma Developer Beta. Note that an Apple ID associated with an Apple Developer account is required to get the developer beta.
macOS Sonoma 14.1 includes updates for the Music app, introducing an option to favorite songs, albums, artists, and more, plus there's a new Coverage section in System Settings for keeping track of AppleCare+. No other major new additions have been found in the beta as of yet, but there are several promised features that did not make it into the macOS Sonoma launch.
Apple says that these features are coming in an update later this year, so we could begin seeing some of them in this beta.
Additions we are waiting on include interactive Music widgets, iCloud Sync improvements, the option to use Stickers through the Tapback menu in Messages, Intelligent form detection and Enhanced AutoFill for PDF documents and forms, an option to complete words by pressing the space bar, collaborative playlists in the Music app, and a favorite songs playlist.
Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming watchOS 10.1 update to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming a week after the release of the second watchOS 10.1 beta.
To install the watchOS 10.1 update, developers will need to open the Apple Watch app, go to the Software Update section under "General" in Settings, and toggle on the watchOS 10.1 Developer Beta. An Apple ID linked to a developer account is required.
Once beta updates have been activated, watchOS 10.1 can be downloaded under the same Software Update section. To install software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life and it must be placed on an Apple Watch charger.
watchOS 10.1 adds NameDrop support for sharing contact information with another Apple Watch or an iPhone, plus it includes Double Tap.
NameDrop can be used by tapping into the Apple Watch Contacts app, selecting your profile, and tapping on the "Share" option. From there, touching the Apple Watch to another Apple Watch running watchOS 10.1 or an iPhone running iOS 17 will initiate a contact transfer.
Double Tap is a gesture exclusive to the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra, and it allows users to tap their thumb and index fingers together to do things like bring up the Smart Stack, start a call, pause a song, and more.
Apple has researched a MacBook keyboard that features a removable key designed to be used as a precision mouse, according to a newly granted patent application.
The patent envisages a seemingly conventional MacBook scissor-system keyboard that features a hidden removable key. This key would be designed to be used as a pointing device and contain a position sensor. Apple describes the system as providing a "comfortable, portable, and precise pointer input for a computer input system."
The filing argues that some precise tasks, such as graphic design, computer-assisted design and modeling, and editing large and complex documents, are better suited to a handheld mouse than a trackpad. Apple acknowledges that carrying a separate mouse with the computer can be burdensome and may be "redundant when the computer already has built-in pointing devices."
The removable key is a viable solution to this issue, according to Apple. In some embodiments, the key would be able to work as normal on the keyboard when it is not deployed and feature a small internal battery.
Apple outlines various mechanical systems to facilitate the removable key, including sliding a single or set of multiple keys out of the housing vertically, as well as sliding a key out from the side of the machine horizontally. The patent's illustrations show the deployable key located toward the edge of the keyboard so that it would not be a key that sees near constant use.
Patent filings cannot be taken as evidence of Apple's immediate plans, but they do indicate areas of interest for the company and what it is considering developing behind the scenes. While the prospect of a removable key may seem like an outlandish potential MacBook feature, Apple is clearly interested enough in the prospect as to patent the concept. It may be less obtrusive than other unusual features such as the Touch Bar and could appeal to certain pro-users who require maximum portability but could still benefit from occasional precise input.
Samsung's all-new 27-inch ViewFinity S9 5K Display has received its first discount today, now available for $1,299.99, down from $1,599.99. This markdown is available on Samsung's website and on Amazon for Prime Day, and it's the first major deal we've ever seen for this monitor since its launch in August.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Samsung. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The ViewFinity S9 is a 27-inch display with a Thunderbolt 4 port, three USB-C ports, and a Mini DisplayPort, and it includes 90 watts of power for machines connected through the Thunderbolt 4 port. A removable 4K SlimFit webcam supports tilt adjustments, as well as Auto Framing of subjects in the shot, similar to Apple's Center Stage feature. Built-in speakers with an Adaptive Sound+ option to automatically adjust noise levels are also included.
Samsung also has the 32-inch Smart Monitor M8 on sale for $499.99, down from $699.99. This is a match of the all-time low price on this new 2023 model of the Smart Monitor M8 and it's available in multiple colors.
Amazon's second major discount event of the year has kicked off, and in this article we're focusing on accessory discounts for smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and more that are available during Prime Big Deal Days. You'll need an Amazon Prime membership to access the sale, and you can sign up for Prime on Amazon. There's a 30 day free trial, and the service costs $14.99/month thereafter, or $139/year.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
As is typical for Prime Day deals, these markdowns are very time sensitive, so sales listed below may disappear fast, and new ones may appear even faster. With this in mind, we'll keep this article updated throughout the event, and keep an eye on the MacRumors front page as we'll be posting particularly great deals in separate articles this week.
Visit our article on The Best Apple Deals for discounts on AirPods, iPad, MacBook Air, and more.
Anker
As always, some of the best overall deals you'll find during Prime Day will be on Anker accessories. This season, the highlight of the sale is Anker's new MagSafe 3-in-1 Charger Stand, which is on sale at $112.46, down from $149.95. This is a new all-time low price, beating the deal we tracked last month by about $7. Remember you'll need to be signed into a Prime account to see this deal.
This accessory can simultaneously charge an iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch; it includes a 30W USB-C wall charger and a 1.5m USB-C to USB-C cable. Besides the MagSafe Charger Stand, you'll find portable batteries, solar generators, headphones, earbuds, Bluetooth speakers, and more on sale below for Prime Day.
Jackery has a few of its portable power stations at a discount on Amazon during Prime Day this month, with as much as $400 in savings on select devices. Some require you to clip an on-page coupon, while others are only available to Amazon Prime members.
Explorer 1000 - $899.00 with on-page coupon, down from $1,199.00
Satechi has a large array of accessories discounted during Prime Day, including up to 25 percent off wall chargers, portable batteries, USB-C hubs and docks, keyboards, and more. We've collected all of Satechi's Prime Day deals below.
Raycon is offering up to 30 percent off a selection of its best earbuds, headphones, and portable speakers during Prime Day. The highlight of the sale is Raycon's popular Everyday Earbuds for $55.99, down from $79.99, but you can find all of the deals below.
Withings has a few different options for Prime Day savings this time around, including up to 30 percent off its smart scales and up to 25 percent off its smartwatches. You can find a full list of what Withings has on sale right now on its Amazon storefront.
Ecobee has its Smart Thermostat, Smart Camera, Smart Sensor, and more on sale during Prime Day this season. You'll find as much as $40 off these accessories below.
Jabra has a few earbuds on sale during Prime Day this October, starting at just $69.99 for the Elite 4 Active Earbuds and totaling up to $80 off select models.
We will continue to track Prime Day deals as the event continues, so be sure to keep an eye on our front page for more news. Remember that you can sign up for Amazon Prime for free for one month to take advantage of the deals.
Amazon is hosting another Prime Day event this year, called Amazon Prime Big Deal Days and offering shoppers the first chance to save on holiday shopping from a major retailer. Similar to the first Prime Day, it will last for two days and you'll find a large selection of deals and offers across Amazon's storefront, covering savings on tech, clothing, video games, groceries, and much, much more.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
For our coverage, we're focusing entirely on Apple and Apple-related discounts that can be purchased during this 48-hour event on Amazon. As of today, this includes deals on AirPods, Apple Watch, iPad, and MacBook Air. Visit our article on The Best Tech Accessories for related discounts.
As is typical for Prime Day deals, these markdowns are very time sensitive, so sales listed below may disappear fast, and new ones may appear even faster. With this in mind, we'll keep this article updated throughout the event, and keep an eye on the MacRumors front page as we'll be posting particularly great deals in separate articles this week.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, Amazon Prime Big Deal Days requires you to have an Amazon Prime membership to take advantage of the discounts. Amazon Prime offers a one month free trial, and otherwise costs $14.99 per month or $139.00 per year.
AirPods
AirPods are always a hot item during holiday discount events, and Amazon is bringing this trend back for 2023 with solid markdowns on AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 2, and AirPods 3. The highlight this time around is the new AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C at $189.00, $60 off and their best price ever.
Most of the deals on the new Apple Watch Series 9 are smaller $10 discounts on Amazon right now, but there is one steep markdown on the 45mm GPS Apple Watch Series 9. You can get the Pink Aluminum model for $389.99, which is a $39 discount and a new all-time low price.
You can get the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for the new all-time low price of $749.00 during Prime Day, down from $799.00. This version of the wearable just launched in September and nearly every model is available at this record low price on Amazon.
Prime Day has the best deals of the year on the second generation Apple Watch SE, starting at just $199.00 for select 40mm GPS models, down from $249.00. You can get three models at this price, including Midnight Aluminum, Silver Aluminum, and Starlight Aluminum.
Apple's 10.2-inch iPad has hit multiple all-time low prices during Prime Day, starting at $249.00 for the 64GB Wi-Fi model, down from $329.00. You'll find every model on sale below, including Wi-Fi and cellular tablets.
Solid deals have emerged for the 2022 iPad Air as well, including the 64GB Wi-Fi model for $499.99 and the 256GB Wi-Fi model for $649.99. Both of these represent $99 discounts and all-time low prices on each tablet.
A few of Apple's iPad mini 6 tablets have dropped during Prime Day, starting at $399.99 for 64GB Wi-Fi and rising to $539.99 for 256GB Wi-Fi. These are both solid second-best prices on each tablet, and some of the first deals we've tracked in a few weeks.
One of the best MacBook discounts during this Prime Day is a $250 markdown on every model of the 15-inch M2 MacBook Air. Prices start at $1,049.00 for the 256GB model and increase to $1,249.00 for the 512GB model, both of which are matches for all-time low prices on this notebook.
Apple's 13-inch M1 MacBook Air is available for $749.99 during Prime Day, down from $999.00. This is a match of the all-time low price on the notebook.
Best Buy has Apple's 256GB 13.6-inch M2 MacBook Air for $899.00 in all four colors, down from $1,099.00. This is the best price we've ever seen on this model of the MacBook Air, and right now it's only available at Best Buy. You'll also find the 512GB on sale below.
We will continue to track Prime Day deals as the event continues, so be sure to keep an eye on our front page for more news. We'll also be regularly updating this article as prices have been fluctuating and several products have gone in and out of stock throughout the event. Remember that you can sign up for Amazon Prime for free for one month to take advantage of the deals.
Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days has ended, but a major discount is still available on a popular model of AirPods. You can get the AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C/MagSafe Charging Case for $199.99, down from $249.00.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Apple just launched these earbuds last month and their headlining new feature is the addition of a USB-C port on the MagSafe Charging Case, replacing the Lightning port. This price is now a solid second-best deal on the earbuds.
There are a few minor changes to the AirPods Pro 2 besides the addition of USB-C, including additional dust resistance and support for lossless audio with the Vision Pro headset. Apple doesn't sell the USB-C/MagSafe Charging Case separately, so if you want USB-C support you'll have to purchase a full new set of earbuds.
We will continue to track Prime Early Access deals as the event continues, so be sure to keep an eye on our front page for more news. Remember that you can sign up for Amazon Prime for free for one month to take advantage of the deals.
Update: On October 10, Amazon provided an even steeper discount on the AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C, so this article has been updated to reflect that new price. Update 2: On October 12, the price of the AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C returned to $199.99, and this article reflects that change.
Apple is rumored to be launching a new seventh-generation iPad mini soon, but the new model will not feature a 120Hz ProMotion display, claims a leaker with alleged supply chain sources.
According to the Twitter account @Tech_Reve, the iPad mini 7 "still doesn't have 120Hz," with only the A-series processor expected to receive an upgrade.
Suggestions that Apple could conceivably adopt ProMotion for a next-generation iPad mini began to receive attention when the "jelly scrolling" phenomenon was identified shortly after the iPad mini 6 was released in September 2021.
"Jelly scrolling" refers to screen tearing, which can cause text or images on one side of the screen to appear to be tilted downwards because of a mismatch in refresh rates. It can cause one side of the display to look as if it's responding faster than the other side, a visual disturbance that's hard to miss once you notice it.
Apple says the phenomenon is normal behavior for LCD iPads. Since LCD screens refresh line by line, there is a tiny delay between when the lines at the top and lines at the bottom are refreshed. But while this may be normal behavior for LCD screens, it can appear more obvious when observed on the iPad mini's smaller screen.
Late last year, a rumor on Korean forums suggested Apple was testing a Samsung-supplied display for a future iPad mini that would allow for up to 120Hz refresh rates, but no such model has been forthcoming, and Apple's plans for the iPad mini are still unclear, and rumors of an update have only gathered pace over the last couple of months.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman earlier this year reported that an iPad mini update with a minor "spec bump" is not out of the question in 2024. More recently in August, the leaker known as "ShrimpApplePro" suggested a seventh-generation iPad mini was in the works at Apple, and said that they had seen evidence that at least one new iPad model is coming this year. A DigiTimes report last month said Apple plans to release a "small-sized iPad" in the fourth quarter, while 9to5Mac just last week said that its sources believe the iPad mini 7 is coming "soon."
If anything happens before the holidays, a chip upgrade may be the most likely feature of a new iPad mini. The sixth-generation iPad mini currently contains the A15 Bionic chip, while the new iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro use the A16 and A17 Pro chip, respectively. A minor spec bump could also include upgrades to the front and rear cameras, potentially bringing features like Photonic Engine to the iPad for the first time.
EU antitrust regulators have asked Apple's users and rivals to rate the importance of Apple's iMessage and Microsoft's Bing versus competing services, reports Reuters.
According to people familiar with the matter, the European Commission sent out the questionnaires earlier this month, asking if there was anything specific to iMessage and Microsoft's Bing, Edge, and Microsoft Advertising that business users rely on and how they fit into the companies' ecosystems. The survey also asked for the number of users making use of the services.
The survey comes after Apple and Microsoft contested the EU regulator labeling them as "gatekeepers" ahead of the publication of the first list of services to be regulated by the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Apple last month argued that iMessage does not meet the number of users required for the DMA's rules to apply, and should not be obliged to comply with it.
The legislation introduces new rules that apply to services considered to be core platform services and forces them to open up their various services and platforms to other companies and developers. For example, Apple could be forced to allow third-party companies and rival apps like Meta's WhatsApp to integrate directly with iMessage.
Analysts estimate that iMessage has as many as one billion users around the world, but Apple has not disclosed any official numbers about the service for several years. Whether iMessage will be included on the EU's initial list of gatekeeper services will depend on how it defines the market in which it operates.
Apple is expected to add support for sideloading apps from outside the App Store on iPhones and iPads in Europe via an update to iOS 17 due to the DMA's requirements, which could ultimately force similar major changes to the way in which the App Store, FaceTime, and Siri work on Apple devices.
Survey respondents were given less than a week to provide feedback, and the Commission wants to complete its investigation "within five months," according to the report.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Valve on Monday said it has no plans for a macOS version of the recently released game Counter-Strike 2, the follow-up title replacing the hugely popular FPS Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
Valve confirmed its decision and gave its reasons in a newly published Steam support FAQ:
As technology advances, we have made the difficult decision to discontinue support for older hardware, including DirectX 9 and 32-bit operating systems. Similarly, we will no longer support macOS. Combined, these represented less than one percent of active CS:GO players.
Moving forward, Counter-Strike 2 will exclusively support 64-bit Windows and Linux.
Last month's release of Counter-Strike 2 forced a 26GB update for everyone with CS:GO, including Mac users, but after installation those on macOS soon discovered that the update makes the original game as well as the update unplayable because of the lack of support and no rollback option.
Valve now says Mac players will be eligible for a Prime Status Upgrade refund if most of their CS:GO playtime was on macOS and they played CS:GO on a Mac between the announcement of the Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test (March 22, 2023) and the launch of Counter-Strike 2 (September 27, 2023), regardless of when they purchased their Prime Status Upgrade. Valve will offer the refunds until December 1, 2023.
Valve added that those who wish to continue playing CS:GO on macOS will be able to access a legacy version or "frozen build" of the game, which has all the features of CS:GO except for official matchmaking. Support for this version of CS:GO will end on January 1, 2024. After this date, the game will still be available, but certain functionality that relies on compatibility with the Game Coordinator (e.g., access to inventory) may degrade and/or fail, according to Valve.
Despite Valve's refund offer to Mac users, the news that a macOS version of Counter-Strike 2 is not in active development will come as a bitter blow to many players. Though CS:GO launched all the way back in 2012, it's still one of the most popular FPS games available today, with tens of millions of players logging in each month. So even if less than 1 percent of the user base is on Mac, that could still account for hundreds of thousands of players.
Regardless of numbers, one of the reasons Valve is reluctant to develop CS2 for Mac is that Apple devices do not provide native support for the Vulkan API that the game is based on. Vulkan was designed to succeed OpenGL and address some of the latter's shortcomings, and while there is an open-source library called MoltenVK that provides a Vulkan implementation on top of Apple's Metal graphics API, it still lacks some of Vulkan's advanced features.
The Vision Pro headset that Apple plans to release next year has displays that support up to a 100Hz refresh rate, according to code in the latest beta of visionOS.
Apple says that the Vision Pro headset runs at a 90Hz refresh rate most of the time, but in an online WWDC session, the company revealed that it is also able to switch to 96Hz to support video content filmed at 24 frames per second.
Code found by M1 Astra confirms that the actual maximum Vision Pro refresh rate is 100Hz, but 100Hz is a mode that only activates to "compensate for detected 50Hz flicker from artificial lighting."
Apple Vision Pro refresh rate revealed according to visionOS beta 4. There seems to be refresh rate modes, 100Hz, 96Hz, and 90Hz. "Adjusted to 100Hz to compensate for detected 50Hz flicker from artifical lighting." "Travel mode requires 90Hz at all times." More in the images. pic.twitter.com/KatDpjxIha
— M1 (@M1Astra) October 4, 2023
The headset will be able to switch between the 90Hz, 96Hz, and 100Hz modes, but for the most part, it will work at 90Hz. In "Travel Mode," which is a mode that can be set when the headset is used on the go such as on a flight, 90Hz is the maximum.
The two displays in the Vision Pro headset are custom micro-OLED screens with a total of 23 million pixels, more pixels than a 4K TV for each eye. The Vision Pro headset is set to come out next year.
Device insurance provider Allstate Protection Plans today shared the results of one of its annual device drop tests, and this time around, the company broke some of the most expensive smartphones on the market, including the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
The drop and dunk tests included the $1,200 iPhone 15 Pro Max, the $1,200 Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, the $1,799 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5, and the $1,799 Google Pixel Fold. These are the most expensive smartphone options from Apple, Google, and Samsung, and all of these phones are constructed from glass.
For these tests, Allstate dunked each smartphone in water for 30 minutes and then dropped them onto a sidewalk from six feet up using an apparatus to drop them from the same height and angle.
As all of these smartphones have decent water resistance ratings, they were working fine following the dunk test, but glass and concrete sidewalks don't mix well, so no smartphone fared well on the drop test.
In the front screen-down drop test, the iPhone 15 Pro Max shattered on the first drop and was unusable with shards of raised and loose glass. The same thing happened to the Galaxy S23.
The Z Fold5 and the Google Pixel Fold were able to withstand two screen-down drops with frame damage, screen dents, and scuffing, which Allstate attributes to the raised lip around the interior edge of each display. Screen down in this case refers to the "main" screen visible when the device is opened. When the two smartphones were dropped on their closed outer displays, they both shattered.
In back-down drop tests, the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra both shattered immediately. The iPhone 15 Pro Max remained functional, but two of the cameras were no longer working because of damage to the camera glass.
Allstate Protection Plans has been doing these tests for years now on each iPhone generation, and there hasn't been a lot of improvement despite Apple's glass upgrades. Apple is using a stronger back glass and a "Ceramic Shield" material for the front, but glass is glass and it continues to break.
Drop tests are variable and the results depend on the angle the smartphone happens to fall at, the material it hits, the speed of the drop, and more. While Allstate Protection Plans uses the same variables for its tests, there's always an element of unpredictability and these experiments don't reflect real-world results.
It should come as no surprise that it's best not to drop a smartphone made of glass onto concrete. Apple sells a range of iPhone cases for customers to choose from, plus it offers AppleCare+, covering two incidents of accidental damage each year for a $29 deductible. AppleCare+ is a good idea if you plan to go caseless.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Samsung. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
