The Wall Street Journal floated the same rumor back in January, and now, yet another source suggests 3D Touch is on the chopping block. Namely, Taiwanese supply chain publication DigiTimes today claimed that Apple "may" remove 3D Touch hardware from all 2019 iPhones, citing unnamed industry sources.
Specifically, "Quick Actions" menus that float above app icons on the home screen and "Peek" previews of emails, links, messages, and more are now supported on any iPhone or iPad that can run iOS 13 or iPadOS. These features were previously exclusive to iPhones with pressure-sensitive 3D Touch hardware.
Both features rely on a long press, aka pressing and holding, meaning this is effectively an expansion of the Haptic Touch functionality that debuted on the iPhone XR last year, although Apple's developer documentation refers to it as the "system-defined touch and hold gesture" on other devices.
The ability to invoke Quick Actions menus and Peek previews with a long press in iOS 13 likely foreshadows the removal of 3D Touch from 2019 iPhones, as most of 3D Touch's features will be possible without needing pressure-sensitive 3D Touch hardware in 2019 iPhones, reducing production costs for Apple.
3D Touch is still functional in iOS 13 on existing iPhones that support the feature, and will likely continue to be in future software updates. This includes the iPhone 6s through iPhone XS Max, excluding the iPhone SE.
Ookla, the company behind the popular Speedtest bandwidth measurement service, today released its 2019 Speedtest Mobile Performance Report, leveraging over 11.5 million speed tests from over 4 million unique devices to rank the network performance of the major U.S. carriers during the first half of 2019.
Overall, Ookla found that the mean mobile download speed rose to 33.88 Mbps during the first half of the year, up 24 percent compared to the same period in 2018. That improvement allowed the U.S. to rise from 43rd to 40th in the global rankings of mobile download performance. Mean upload speeds rose 13 percent to 9.75 Mbps, which actually resulted in a drop of 21 spots to 94th in the global rankings.
Looking at the four major U.S. carriers, AT&T came out on top in this year's survey with a Speed Score (a weighted rating of 90% download and 10% upload speeds) of 32.91, with T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint following behind. That marks a significant improvement for AT&T, which placed third in last year's survey.
Delivering LTE service over seven licensed frequency bands and increasing the amount of seeded devices capable of four and five carrier aggregation has been paying off for AT&T. Over the past year, AT&T has managed to leapfrog the competition to produce the fastest download speeds across the country.
AT&T’s addition of FirstNet spectrum meant a required maintenance visit to cell sites and the addition of brand new hardware at those locations. AT&T wisely used this opportunity to also upgrade the existing radio access infrastructure, including replacing the aging Alcatel-Lucent equipment with Nokia in some areas and adding the 2.3 GHz WCS spectrum for additional capacity. This strategy, combined with a slew of Category 15-20 LTE smartphones, meant a tremendous boost in coverage, speeds and overall capacity.
But beyond raw download and upload speeds, Ookla also looked at several other metrics including Acceptable Speed Ratio, which is the percent of samples from a given carrier that measured at least 5 Mbps. By this metric, Verizon maintained its spot atop the rankings from last year, with 87.3 percent of samples meeting the 5 Mbps standard in 2019. T-Mobile and AT&T were fairly close behind at 86.9 percent and 85.9 percent respectively, with Sprint trailing at 81.2 percent.
Verizon also topped the rankings in 4G LTE support, with 95.9 percent of time spent on what is currently the fastest mainstream standard. T-Mobile, Sprint, and AT&T rounded out the rankings, with AT&T users still seeing 7.4 percent of time spent on 3G technology.
Looking ahead toward 5G technology that's just starting to roll out, Ookla has opted not to release performance data at this point due to the very limited geographies where it's available and lack of widespread device support for now, but the company has seen speeds in excess of 2 Gbps in some real-world consumer speed tests.
Ookla has plenty more data on its page dedicated to this year's study, including a state-by-state breakdown where you can see how the major carriers rank on a more localized basis.
Mass production of a new iPad will begin in July, followed by mass production of a new 16-inch MacBook Pro in the fourth quarter of this year, according to a supply chain report from Taiwan's Economic Daily News today.
The report, relayed by Japanese blog Mac Otakara, claims that Taiwanese manufacturer Radiant Opto-Electronics will be the exclusive backlight module supplier for both the new iPad and the 16-inch MacBook Pro. No further details were provided.
The new iPad likely refers to the rumored 10.2-inch model that is expected to succeed the low-cost 9.7-inch iPad. Apple introduced the low-cost iPad in March 2017, and refreshed it in March 2018, but March 2019 came and went without an update as Apple instead launched the 10.5-inch iPad Air and a new iPad mini.
Both iPad 7 (10.2”) and the “new” iPad (10.5”, non-Pro) are coming. But not at the same time.
— CoinX (@coiiiiiiiin) March 13, 2019
The source of the 10.2-inch iPad rumor, CoinX, has an accurate track record. The mystery account previously tweeted the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR names of the 2018 iPhones before anyone else, and was also accurate about the 10.5-inch iPad Air, the 2018 iPad Pro being 5.9mm thick, and more.
If mass production of the new iPad begins this month, a release is likely on the horizon, but it is unclear if it will be a summer or fall product.
A serious zero-day vulnerability in the Zoom video conferencing app for Mac was publicly disclosed today by security researcher Jonathan Leitschuh.
In a Medium post, Leitschuh demonstrated that simply visiting a webpage allows the site to forcibly initiate a video call on a Mac with the Zoom app installed.
The flaw is said to be partly due to a web server the Zoom app installs on Macs that "accepts requests regular browsers wouldn't," as noted by The Verge, which independently confirmed the vulnerability.
In addition, Leitschuh says that in an older version of Zoom (since patched) the vulnerability allowed any webpage to DOS (Denial of Service) a Mac by repeatedly joining a user to an invalid call. According to Leitschuh, this may still be a hazard because Zoom lacks "sufficient auto-update capabilities," so there are likely to be users still running older versions of the app.
Leitschuh said he disclosed the problem to Zoom in late March, giving the company 90 days to fix the issue, but the security researcher reports that the vulnerability still remains in the app.
While we wait for the Zoom developers to do something about the vulnerability, users can take steps to prevent the vulnerability themselves by disabling the setting that allows Zoom to turn on your Mac's camera when joining a meeting.
Note that simply uninstalling the app won't help, because Zoom installs the localhost web server as a background process that can re-install the Zoom client on a Mac without requiring any user interaction besides visiting a web page.
Helpfully, the bottom of Leitschuh's Medium post includes a series of Terminal commands that will uninstall the web server completely.
Update: In a statement given to ZDNet, Zoom defended its use of a local web server on Macs as a "workaround" to changes that were introduced in Safari 12. The company said that it felt running a local server in the background was a "legitimate solution to a poor user experience, enabling our users to have seamless, one-click-to-join meetings, which is our key product differentiator."
Update 2: Zoom is no longer taking a defensive stance and has now released a patch.
JP Morgan analyst Samik Chatterjee expects Apple to reignite its growth next year with the launch of four new iPhones featuring key selling points like OLED displays, 5G modem support, and new rearward-facing 3D sensing AR/VR capabilities.
As quoted by CNBC, JP Morgan's Monday report says it expects Apple to release three top-of-the-line OLED 5G iPhones in 5.4-inch, 6.1-inch, and 6.7-inch sizes, two of which will feature advanced rear camera 3D sensing tech. In addition, analysts expect a fourth lower-cost model to be launched that's the same size as the iPhone 8 but without a 5G modem or OLED display.
"Our positive volume outlook for 2020 is driven by our current expectation for the launch of four iPhone models ... and more significant spec upgrades," Samik Chatterjee, an analyst at J.P. Morgan, wrote in the report.
[...]
"Our expectations include all three Sep-2020 iPhones (5.4"/6.1"/6.7" screen sizes) will adopt OLED displays and 5G baseband modems (with support for mmWave frequencies), and at least two of the three models adopting world facing 3D Sensing (Time of Flight) driving industry leading AR/VR capabilities which can be leveraged by custom built applications (including games)."
Apple's current iPhones have TrueDepth 3D-sensing cameras on the front, but the expectation is clearly that some of the 2020 iPhones will be equipped with similar cameras on the back. The report also says that Apple's lower-cost iPhone model will be aimed at "a much more 'value' category than it has been used to with its recent launches."
Some of the details in the report line up with previous predictions, notably from respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo has said Apple plans to release three new iPhones in the second half of 2020, including high-end 5.4-inch and 6.7-inch models with OLED displays and a lower-end 6.1-inch model, which he believes will also have an OLED display.
According to Kuo, the 5.4 and 6.7-inch iPhone options will support 5G speeds, while the lower-end 6.1-inch iPhone in 2020 will continue to work with LTE.
Bloomberg reported in January that Apple isplanning to add a laser-powered time-of-flight 3D rear camera that will result in significant improvements to AR experiences to its 2020 iPhones.
The camera is said to be able to scan areas up to 15 feet from the device. Apple's front-facing TrueDepth camera uses 3D technology but because it's infrared and not laser-powered, it only works at distances of 25 to 50 centimeters.
JP Morgan's Chatterjee says he expects the fresh line-up will help Apple sell 195 million iPhones in 2020, up from an estimated 180 million in 2019. Later this year, Apple is expected to release three new iPhones with triple-lens rear cameras, but without 5G connectivity.
Alongside the second public beta versions of iOS 13 and iPadOS, Apple today also released a revised third beta version of the operating systems for developers.
The reason for the new version isn't entirely clear, but the original third developer beta was not available for the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus for some reason. Today's update, build 17A5522g, is only a very minor increment from the 17A5522f build of the original release, but Apple appears to be pushing it out for all devices, not just the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus that had not originally received it.
Registered developers will need to download the profile for the iOS 13 and iPadOS betas from Apple's Developer Center. The revised Beta 3 can be downloaded over-the-air once the proper profile has been installed.
Apple today released the second public betas of iOS 13 and iPadOS to its public beta testing group, two weeks after seeding the first public betas and a week after the third developer beta. The public beta gives non-developers a chance to test out iOS 13 ahead of its upcoming fall launch date.
Beta testers who have signed up for Apple's beta testing program will receive the iOS 13 beta update over-the-air after installing the proper certificate on an iOS device.
Those who want to join the beta testing program can sign up on Apple's beta testing website, which gives users access to iOS, macOS, and tvOS betas. Before installing a beta, make sure to create a full encrypted iTunes backup or an iCloud backup. It's best to install iOS 13 on a secondary device because beta software is not always stable and can include bugs.
iOS 13 is a major update to the iOS operating system that runs on the iPhone and the iPad, but this year, iOS 13 and iPadOS, the version of iOS 13 that runs on the iPad, are separate downloads as they've been split up.
iPadOS is identical to iOS 13 in almost every way, though there are some iPad-specific features such as new multitasking capabilities. For the most part, the two operating systems share the same features.
iOS 13 introduces a long list of new features. Dark Mode changes the entire look of the operating system, shifting it from light to dark, while an overhauled Photos app makes it easier to relive your memories with new Days, Months, and Years viewing options.
There's a new photo editing interface that makes it easier to edit photos than ever before, plus there are new tools to work with and options to edit the intensity of the built-in filters. You can edit video right in the Photos app for the first time, and on the newest iPhones, there's a new High-Key Mono lighting effect and an option to adjust the intensity of Portrait Lightning effects.
There's a less obtrusive volume HUD, a new Find My app that combines Find My iPhone and Find My Friends and lets you track your devices even with they don't have an LTE or WiFi connection. A Sign In with Apple feature (not yet active) gives you a convenient and data safe way to sign into apps and websites, providing an alternative to Facebook and Google sign in options.
Maps has a new street-level "Look Around" mode and a Collections feature for making lists of places, Reminders has been entirely overhauled to make it more functional, there's a profile feature in Messages along with new Memoji and Animoji stickers, and Siri has a new voice.
There are a ton of additional new features and changes coming in iOS 13, and for a full rundown of what you can expect, make sure to check out our iOS 13 roundup.
As noted by 9to5Mac, version 2.0 of the game was released on the App Store today. Apple says it has completely redesigned, rebuilt, and re-rendered the game to use high-resolution graphics, as well as added new characters, more challenging gameplay, and many other new features.
Apple's release notes:
Apple's Texas Hold'em is back! To celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the App Store, we've brought back one of its first games, a popular classic. Originally created for iPod, then brought to iPhone, fans will love the polished redesign, featuring new characters, more challenging gameplay, and stunning graphics for the newest iPhone and iPod touch.
Texas Hold'Em is a variation of poker. In the game, players bet and bluff as they attempt to advance through 10 distinctive locations, including Las Vegas, Paris, and Macau. The new version is entirely free-to-play with multiplayer support for up to eight players via Wi-Fi or offline playback against 24 computerized opponents.
The new version requires a device running iOS 12 or later and is optimized for the latest iPhone and iPod touch models.
Apple is widely expected to introduce three new iPhones in September, and ahead of time, photos of an alleged logic board for at least one of the upcoming devices have surfaced on Slashleaks.
The logic board has a rectangular design, so we assume it belongs to the 2019 successor to the iPhone XR, as the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max have L-shaped logic boards. The board appears to have been manufactured in early March based on its "1019" date code, which corresponds to the 10th week of 2019.
Only one side of the logic board is printed. While the layout of the chips and circuitry looks quite different from the current iPhone XR logic board, we cannot gather any specific changes from the photos.
Back in 1976, Apple released its first computer, the Apple I. Over a span of about ten months, Apple co-founders Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs produced about 200 of the computers and sold some 175 of them, making it a valuable collector's item that has fetched up to $905,000 at auction in recent years.
As a testament to just how rare the computer is, an "extremely rare" Apple I operation manual alone is estimated to fetch over $10,000 at auction this week, with a most recent bid of $9,422 on the Boston-based RR Auctions website.
The vintage manual features Apple's original logo on the front cover, which depicts scientist Isaac Newton seated beneath a tree with a shining apple dangling overhead. The manual explains how to set up and use the Apple I and its monitor and includes a fold-out schematic of the system.
"Very few of the original Apple-1 operating manuals—perhaps 65 or so—are known to exist today," said Bobby Livingston, Executive VP at RR Auction. He added that this makes the manual a "highly collectible piece from one of the most valuable and successful companies in the world."
The manual is said to be in "very good to fine condition," with light irregular grid-shaped toning to the front cover, a short tear to the top edge of the front cover, and a light circular stain inside the front cover.
Perhaps most interesting of all is the owner's message to prospective bidders:
I truly hate to sell it as The Manual is one of God's, I mean one of Woz's greatest gifts to nerdkind. Now I am not a greedy man and have enjoyed The Manual for nearly two decades, surviving two longer-than-they-should-have-lasted marriages and about 5 or 6 moves all over California. Alas, my time with this beautiful artifact has reached its end and I am now passing the torch to you.
Bids are open until July 10 at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Update July 11: According to RR Auction, the manual sold for $12,956 to a technology entrepreneur who wishes to remain anonymous.
"Steve Jobs" biographer Walter Isaacson was on Squawk Box this week, and in an interview he mentioned that he "softened" parts of the book when it came to certain Jobs quotes (via CNBC).
Particularly, Jobs was said to have criticized current Apple CEO Tim Cook for not being a "product person." According to Isaacson, "Steve says how Tim Cook can do everything, and then he looked at me and said, 'Tim's not a product person.'"
Isaacson said that he wanted to soften certain things that he thought were too harsh in his biography of Steve Jobs. The book first launched in October 2011, just 19 days after Jobs died from pancreatic cancer.
“Sometimes when Steve was in pain ... and he was angry, he would say more things that [Cook] was not a product person,” recalled Isaacson. “I felt I would put in the specific things that were relevant to the reader but not the complaints.”
Cook was also mentioned in a recent piece by The Wall Street Journal, which focused on Jony Ive, who reportedly became "dispirited" because of Cook's lack of interest in the product development process. Ive announced that he will leave Apple later this year and start his own design studio, with Apple as one of its primary clients.
Isaacson has been critical of Apple as a whole in the past, believing in 2014 that Amazon and Google had overtaken Apple to become the most innovative technology companies of the modern day. At the time, he specifically referenced virtual assistants as a space where Apple needed improvement.
Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs went on to be the basis for Aaron Sorkin's screenplay of the Danny Boyle-directed film "Steve Jobs." The film was well received by critics, earning four Golden Globe Award nominations and two Academy Award nominations.
Apple's latest iPhone ad humorously demonstrates how Face ID is more convenient and secure than Touch ID for user authentication.
Timed with midsummer, the 30-second spot depicts a man napping on a reclining lounger in a backyard. After receiving a trio of iMessage notifications on his iPhone XR, he slowly raises the lounger to line up his face with the iPhone and unlocks the device with Face ID, all while continuing to lay down.
The messages come from a friend named Craig, who asks the man if he still plans to come around, suggesting that the two had made plans together. Instead, the man promptly returns to his nap alongside his dog. The ad is aptly titled "Nap" and features the song "Nice" by Grammy Award-winning DJ Latroit.
Face ID debuted on the iPhone X in 2017. At the time, Apple said the probability that a random person could unlock someone else's iPhone X was approximately one in 1,000,000, versus one in 50,000 for Touch ID.
The ad is part of Apple's ongoing "That's iPhone" marketing campaign promoting both hardware and software features of the device, such as iMessage encryption, App Store privacy, iPhone material recycling, and water resistance. "Face ID is even easier and more secure than Touch ID. That's iPhone."
Update 1:40 pm: Apple has also released a new short feature-focused ad with a similar tagline emphasizing that Face ID is more secure than Touch ID.
The BBC Sounds mobile app has been updated with CarPlay support, meaning users can now listen to the broadcaster's extensive library of live and on-demand radio, music, and podcasts from their in-car infotainment systems and dashboards.
As noted by Pocket-lint.com, CarPlay and Android Auto support was originally available for iPlayer Radio, which the Sounds app replaced, but this version has extra options and an improved in-car experience.
Here's what you'll see in the new car-friendly view of the BBC Sounds app:
Browse: Have a look through our simplified Podcasts, Music Mixes and Recommended for You menus
Stations: Listen live to all of the BBC’s national and local radio stations across the UK
My Sounds: Easy access to all of the radio programmes, podcasts and music mixes you're subscribed to or added to your Bookmarks
Downloads: Offline playback of programmes you've downloaded onto the app BBC Sounds was launched in June last year to introduce a more personalized listening experience and bring a new look and feel to the site.
BBC Sounds was launched in June last year to introduce a more personalized listening experience and bring a new look and feel to the site.
The BBC app is designed to learn from the user's listening habits and introduce them to shows and podcasts that they might not otherwise know about.
Apple is celebrating the United States' women's national soccer team victory in the 2019 World Cup with a Memoji-themed tribute on its Apple.com website.
USA defeated the Netherlands 2-0 in the World Cup Final on Sunday. The victory saw the holders retain the trophy and win it for the fourth time in the competition's history.
Apple's short animation appears briefly on the company's homepage, and features three Memoji heads – colored red, white, and blue – seen cheering the nation's victory, complete with iMessage-style confetti effect and bouncing soccer balls.
The animation finishes with the message of "Job well done," and then vanishes to return Apple's website to its usual style of showcasing the latest products.
In iOS 11, Apple introduced animated emoji characters called Animoji, which are designed to mimic your facial expressions. Later in iOS 12, Animoji grew to encompass Memoji, which are customizable humanoid Animoji characters that you can design to look just like you.
Animoji/Memoji stickers let you express yourself using classic emoji-like poses and faces, such as heart eyes, brain exploding, shushing face, laughing with tears, crying, shrugging, face palm, and more.
Memoji and Animoji are limited to Apple's iPhones with TrueDepth technology, but in iOS 13, coming in the fall, Apple has added several different Animoji and Memoji stickers that can be used on all Apple devices with an A9 chip or later.
To learn more about how you can use Animoji and Memoji stickers in iOS 13, click here.
Apple is testing a new way of signing into the iCloud website as part of its beta program for iOS 13, iPadOS 13, and macOS Catalina.
A tipster informed MacRumors over the weekend that users running a beta version of one of the above operating systems can now sign in with their Apple ID accounts using Face ID or Touch ID, depending on the device being used.
A new Face ID sign-in screen for iCloud.com on a 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2018)
For instance, the screenshot above was taken in Safari browser on a 12.9-inch iPad Pro (3rd generation) running the latest iPadOS 13 Public Beta.
Visiting icloud.com, the user is redirected to beta.icloud.com and is then prompted to sign-in to the site using the Apple ID associated with the device.
Tapping "Continue" automatically signs in the user in a matter of seconds by activating the iPad Pro's Face ID authentication feature, meaning no Apple ID password input is necessary.
Users on devices with Touch ID, including the 2018 MacBook Air and Touch Bar-equipped MacBook Pro models, are being met with a similar sign-in process that uses their fingerprint to authenticate without requiring two-factor authentication.
Apple's testing of this simpler way of signing in to the iCloud website is likely related to its forthcoming Sign In with Apple feature, which allows users to sign in to apps and websites using their Apple ID.
The feature is being touted as a more secure alternative to similar sign-in services offered by Facebook, Google, and Twitter, since it authenticates the user with Face ID or Touch ID, and doesn't send personal information to app and website developers.
In an additional privacy boon, Sign In with Apple also lets users create a randomly-generated email address that hides their own email address when signing up for a third-party app or service.
The new sign-in feature is coming with Apple's new operating systems when they're released this fall and will be available across macOS, iOS, and through websites.
Following last week's big news that Jony Ive will be departing Apple, this week saw a slew of Mac-related rumors including evidence of an upcoming MacBook Pro model, word that Apple is abandoning the troublesome butterfly keyboard used on its notebooks for the past several years, and logic board problems with a "very small number" of MacBook Air units.
Read on for all of the biggest news of the week, including a clever new iOS 13 feature to make your FaceTime video calls feel more natural and another controversy surrounding Xiaomi copying Apple.
Apple Receives FCC Approval for Unreleased MacBook Pro
The A2159 model number was one of seven recently registered with the Eurasian Economic Commission, but this was the only one to appear at the FCC. Based on the machine's power requirements, it appears to be a 13-inch MacBook Pro, which could be a new version of the non-Touch Bar model that wasn't updated alongside the other MacBook Pro models in May.
New machines typically appear in the FCC's database just about at the moment of launch, which could mean a debut is imminent, although it appears to have been a premature publication by the FCC as Apple has yet to release the new model and the documents were quickly pulled from the FCC's website.
Kuo: Apple to Use New Scissor Switch Keyboard in Future MacBooks, Starting With 2019 MacBook Air Refresh
Apple's much-maligned butterfly keyboard on its notebooks may be headed out the door, with prominent analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claiming Apple will be including a new scissor-style keyboard on future models, starting with a MacBook Air refresh later this year.
Kuo says the scissor style keyboard is likely to be a bit thicker than the butterfly design, but would be cheaper and could offer a better user experience including greater key travel and a glass fiber-reinforced structure that's more durable and less sensitive to dust and debris preventing keys from working.
Attention Correction Feature in iOS 13 Beta Enables Appearance of Eye Contact During FaceTime Calls
The feature uses ARKit to capture a depth map of your face during FaceTime video calls and adjusts the position of your eyes to make it seem like you're looking at your device's camera when you're actually looking at the screen.
We went hands-on with the feature, which is only available for the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR, as well as the latest iPad Pro models, and can be toggled off in Settings if you prefer not to use it.
Apple Identifies Logic Board Issue With 'Very Small Number' of 2018 MacBook Airs, Will Fix Free of Charge
Apple this week notified its retail stores and authorized repair centers that it has identified a logic board issue affecting a "very small number" of 2018 MacBook Air units and will repair affected computers free of charge for up to four years from the date of purchase.
The program hasn't been announced publicly, so it seems that it should affect only a limited number of machines, and Apple will be notifying users with affected machines.
The internal repair program for the latest MacBook Air comes shortly after a more significant recall and repair program for 2015 15-inch MacBook Pro units that could experience overheating and even fire safety issues with their batteries. Dramatic photos showing the aftermath of one of these incidents demonstrate why owners of affected machines should take this recall seriously.
Xiaomi Clones Apple's Memoji With New 'Mimoji' Avatars
These 3D avatars are incredibly similar to Apple's Memoji introduced with iOS 12, with even the Mimoji name bearing a remarkable similarity to Apple's feature. Incredibly, Xioami was even caught using Apple's own Memoji ads to promote the Mimoji feature, allegedly by accident.
This isn't the first time Xiamoi has been accused of cloning a feature from Apple, as the company's animated emoji from last year were similar to Apple's Animoji, and they debuted on a phone that looked nearly identical to Apple's iPhone X. Xiaomi has also released wireless earphones that have some strong similarities to Apple's AirPods.
Five Mac Apps Worth Checking Out - July 2019
Over on our YouTube channel, we've released the latest installment of our popular series looking at some of our favorite third-party Mac apps.
This month's list includes Pock for customizing your MacBook Pro's Touch Bar, One Switch for adding toggles for various options and settings to your menu bar, Microsoft To-Do for keeping track of tasks across your devices, Flotato for turning some of your favorite websites into web apps, and Spotmenu for accessing information on your Spotify and iTunes content from the menu bar.
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.
Apple in iOS 13 and iPadOS merged the Find My Friends and the Find My iPhone apps into one app that's just called "Find My," because it's used for finding whatever you need to find. Since then, Apple has made continual improvements to the Find My app, adding features like tracking when an iPhone has no connection, when an iPhone is powered off, and when an iPhone has been erased.
This guide is designed to walk through all of the Find My features on iPhone and iPad, including those introduced with the iOS 15 update.
Locating Lost Devices
The Find My app is organized into several sections, accessible by tapping the tabs at the bottom. On the left, you can find people, in the middle, you can find your own devices, AirTags, and Find My-enabled Bluetooth items, and on the right, there's a "Me" tab with all of your settings and info.
As with the prior Find My iPhone app, all of your Apple products are listed. Devices where you're signed into iCloud and have the Find My feature enabled are locatable through the Find My app.
All of your devices are displayed on a map, and you can zoom in or out to get a better picture of their location. Tapping on a single device provides you with options to get directions to its location in Apple Maps, Play a Sound for locating a nearby lost device, or get a notification when it's found if it's offline.
There's an option to mark a device as lost, which locks the lost device, disables Apple Pay, and allows contact information to be put right on the lock screen, and as a last resort, there's a tool for deleting all of your data.
Almost all Apple products are Find My compatible, including iPhone, iPad, Macs, Apple Watch, AirPods, AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, and the MagSafe Wallet.
Separation Alerts
Apple in iOS 15 added Separation Alerts to the Find My app, which are designed to let you know if you leave an Apple device, a device attached to an AirTag, or a Find My-enabled third-party device behind.
You can set up Separation Alerts in the Find My app, so if you want to make sure your iPhone is always with you or that you don't leave the house without the keys, this is the feature to use.
If you have Family Sharing enabled, all of your family's devices are listed in Find My right alongside your own, so you can also find devices from your partner or children through the Find My app.
Locating Friends
The Find My app allows you to locate friends and family members that have shared their location with you. You can view their location using the "People" tab within the Find My app.
The Find My app lists people who have shared their location with you and, if you haven't shared your own location, offers up an option to do so.
If you press the "Share My Location" button, you can share your own location with any of your contacts even if they haven't shared a location with you. Tapping on a person's name in the list provides an option to bring up their Contacts card for sending a message or an option to get directions to their location.
You'll also find tools for removing friends and turning off your own location sharing with the person if it's a mutual location sharing contact. You can opt to share your own location permanently, for an hour, or until the end of the day.
For any person who's sharing a location with you, you can turn on notifications to get notifications when they leave or arrive at a specific location. There's also an option to notify your friend when you leave or arrive at a specific notification.
The "Me" tab in the Find My app displays your current location and includes toggles for sharing location, allowing friend requests, choosing who to receive location updates from, and naming a specific place.
Locating Devices Without a Connection
Apple in iOS 13 added a Find My Network option that lets your lost devices be located even when not connected to WiFi or LTE by leveraging Bluetooth and proximity to other nearby Apple devices.
When your lost device is offline but close to another device, it's able to connect to that other device over Bluetooth and relay its location. That means that your devices are more trackable than ever, and there's a better chance you can find a device that's been lost.
The iPad Pro and MacBook in this screenshot are locatable without a connection. The iPad Pro has WiFi turned off while the MacBook was closed.
Tracking a device in this way requires Bluetooth to be enabled because location is shared with another device using Bluetooth. Turning off Bluetooth or power makes your device untrackable, but if it's on, has Bluetooth, and is near another Apple device, it can be tracked even if it can't connect to WiFi or LTE.
You're not going to notice a difference in the Find My app when tracking a device over Bluetooth rather than a cellular or WiFi connection -- it simply shows up in the list of devices like any other device that does have a standard connection. Offline devices do have their distance from you listed in gray instead of blue, and you can tell when the location data was last updated by the time listed.
In testing, setting an iPad into Airplane mode and enabling Bluetooth continued to allow the iPad to be tracked thanks to another nearby iPhone, but turning off Bluetooth prevented it from being found even from a device to device connection.
Enabling/Disabling Offline Mode
Offline Finding is enabled on your devices by default, but you can disable it in the Settings app. Open up Settings, tap on "Find My," select "Find My iPhone" and then choose the "Enable Offline Finding" option.
How It Works
Implementing the device to device location feature while preserving privacy was quite a feat and the technical details of how it works are quite complicated, but Apple has given a high level overview of how it functions.
Basically, it's been designed with an encryption system that prevents people from abusing the feature for doing things like tracking you. That encryption system makes your personal location unavailable to people aiming to intercept your device's Bluetooth signal and from Apple itself.
Find My requires Apple users to have at least two devices. Each of your devices emits a constantly changing public key that nearby Apple devices pick up, encrypt, and upload with your geolocation data.
To decrypt that location signal, you need a second Apple device logged in with your Apple ID credentials and protected with two-factor authentication. Essentially, only your own devices can decrypt the encrypted location signal that's being sent from a lost device, no one, not even Apple, can intercept it and locate you or your devices.
As an example scenario, if you were on an airplane, had your iPhone in Airplane Mode with Bluetooth on, and then left it behind on the plane accidentally, it would potentially still be trackable. In this situation, a flight attendant or an airport worker with an iPhone might come across it. The flight attendant's own iPhone would connect to your lost iPhone over Bluetooth by picking up your public key.
The flight attendant's iPhone would then upload your device's encrypted location and a hash of your public key (for identification purposes) to Apple's servers, where one of your own devices can receive the encrypted info and decrypt it to make the offline device able to be tracked.
Because the entire Find My system is end-to-end encrypted, other people can't get the location of your devices using Bluetooth, nor can Apple. Lost devices are trackable only by you.
Device Impact
According to Apple, Find My's background Bluetooth location tracking feature uses just tiny bits of data piggybacked on existing network traffic so there's no impact on device battery life, data usage, or privacy.
Locate Lost Devices That Are Off
Devices that have been turned off can still be tracked by the Find My network starting in iOS 15. If a device was low on battery power or turned off by a thief, it can still be found when it's close to another Apple device.
The Find My network is a feature that Apple introduced with iOS 13, and it enabled Apple devices to be located even without a WiFi or cellular connection by leveraging other nearby iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
In iOS 15, Apple has extended the Find My network to work with devices that are turned off as well. Apple has not outlined just how this feature works, but either the U1 chip, Bluetooth, or NFC continues to be powered in the background even when your device is off or out of battery, though in the case of battery, tracking may last a limited number of hours.
Apple has a similar feature for Car Keys that uses NFC, and it lasts for about five hours after an iPhone's battery dies. In this case, it lets you continue to unlock your car if your iPhone is dead.
For this feature to work, the Find My network feature must be enabled. It's on by default, but you can double check by going to your profile, tapping on Find My, selecting Find My iPhone, and then making sure "Find My network" is toggled on.
Tracking Devices That Have Been Erased
If someone steals your iPhone and then erases it, in iOS 15, it's still going to show up in the Find My app, and it will be trackable even after it's been wiped.
The feature is tied to Activation Lock, which prevents someone from using your iPhone without your Apple ID and password. In iOS 14 and prior iOS updates, erasing a device would leave Activation Lock on so no one could use your iPhone without your password, but erasing a device did prevent Find My from functioning.
A wiped iPhone would not show up in the Find My app, but now, erasing an iPhone no longer works that way. If Activation Lock is on (i.e., it wasn't wiped using your username and password to disable Activation Lock), it's tied to your account and locatable using Find My. Combined with the feature for tracking a device that's turned off, the Find My app serves as a much stronger theft deterrent.
To prevent someone from being tricked into purchasing a device that's tied to your account, the Hello screen on a newly erased iPhone makes it clear that the device is locked, locatable using Find My, and the property of someone else.
Help a Friend Find a Lost Device
To help a friend find a lost device, you can tap on the "Help a Friend" option under the "Me" tab. This opens up iCloud.com on the web, where a friend can sign into their account using iCloud. There is no option to sign out of Find My to let another person sign in like you could with Find My iPhone.
Apple in April 2021 introduced AirTags, which are small, circular, Bluetooth-enabled item trackers designed to be attached to items like keys and wallets to allow them to be tracked right alongside Apple devices in the Find My app.
AirTags can be tracked through the "Items" tab and have all of the tracking features available to Apple devices like iPhones and iPads. There's a Lost Mode, and AirTags can also take advantage of the Find My network that allows them to be tracked by billions of iPhones, iPads, and Macs when they're out of range of your own devices.
For everything you need to know about AirTags and how they work, we have a dedicated AirTags guide.
Tracking Third-Party Bluetooth Devices
In iOS 14, Apple introduced Find My support for third-party Bluetooth products. Bluetooth devices that use Apple's Find My Network Accessory Program can be tracked right alongside Apple devices using the Find My app.
The Find My Network Accessory Program launched in April, and the first three devices include Belkin earbuds, Chipolo item tags, and VanMoof electric bikes. These items can be added to the Find My app and tracked on the Find My map, with other features like Lost Mode and Play a Sound also available.
The Find My Network Accessory Program is separate from AirTags, but it will allow third-party accessories to be tracked in the same way as AirTags.
With the release of the Find My Network Accessory Program and AirTags, Apple added an "Items" tab to the Find My app. The Items tab is designed for AirTags and products that participate in the Find My Network Accessory Program. Bluetooth items that have Find My integration can be tracked using this Items tab, as can the AirTags.
Find My Tracking Safety and Anti-Stalking Measures
To prevent AirTags and other Find My-compatible Bluetooth accessories from being used to stalk or track a person, the Find My app has a feature that lets you know if there's a Bluetooth item near you. You will receive a notification when an unknown item is found and moving with you, so you can make sure no one slips an AirTag or other Find My Bluetooth device into your things to track you.
Lost or misplaced AirTags will also play a sound when they are nearby you, so if you hear a mysterious chirping, it could be an AirTag that can be located using an iPhone or iPad.
Tracker Detect for Android
In December 2021, Apple released "Tracker Detect" in the Google Play Store, with the app designed to allow Android users to scan for AirTags and other Find My-enabled items.
With this app, Android users can make sure that no AirTags or Find My-enabled accessories are being used to track them. The app will locate any nearby AirTags, and Android users will be able to cause the AirTag or Find My-enabled accessory to play a sound so it can be located. The app also provides instructions on how to disable an AirTag by removing the battery.
If You Find a Lost Item
If you come across an item that has an AirTag attached to it, the person who owns it can likely see its location. You can scan the AirTag with any smartphone to see information on who it belongs to, and iPhone users can open up the Find My app to find an "Identify Lost Item" scanning option in the Items tab.
Guide Feedback
Have questions about Find My, know of a feature we left out, or want to offer feedback on this guide? Send us an email here.
For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Nomad to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win one of the company's Battery Cables, which combines a Lightning cable with a battery pack.
Priced at $49.99, the Battery Cable combines a high-quality Lightning cable made from braided 500D nylon woven in a ballistic weave pattern with a 2,800mAh battery that's built right into the cord.
The built-in battery is meant to allow the cable to work even when you don't have a power source, and it's convenient because you don't need to have a separate battery pack -- it's all one device that you can bring with you.
At 2,800mAh, the Battery Cable won't quite charge your iPhone to full if it's an XS, XS Max, or XR, but it will give you some extra juice in a pinch.
A light on the Battery Cable will let you know what the charge level is, and for traveling, there's an integrated silicone cable tie to keep it from getting tangled up.
When charging your iPhone with the Battery Cable, it will charge up your iPhone before charging up the included battery pack. The battery pack itself is made from a durable aluminum while the kevlar construction of the cable will ensure that the Battery Cable lasts for a long time to come.
We have 10 of the Battery Cables from Nomad to give away to MacRumors readers. To enter to win, use the Gleam.io widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumorsFacebook page.
Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.
The contest will run from today (July 5) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on July 12. The winners will be chosen randomly on July 12 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
The BBC Sounds mobile app has been 
