MacRumors

Photographer Austin Mann, who often goes hands-on with new iPhone models in exotic locations to test their capabilities in real world situations, has taken a first look at the iPhone XS and shared some images captured with the new device.

Mann took the iPhone XS to Zanzibar to test it out, and shared the images with PetaPixel.

The iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are using the same 12-megapixel dual-camera system that was in the iPhone X, with an f/1.8 wide-angle lens and an f/2.4 telephoto lens, both of which feature optical image stabilization, but Apple has made some serious improvements that result in better-than-ever iPhone photos.

Apple has introduced a new image signal processor that integrates with the Neural Engine to introduce Smart HDR, a feature that offers up more detail in the highlights and shadows of images. The image signal processor also offers up more sophisticated bokeh (aka background blurring) to better match the results you can get from high-end DSLRs, and there's a new Depth Control feature.

Depth Control is a new Portrait Mode option that lets you adjust the depth of field after you shoot, an impressive function that allows you to choose just the right amount of blur to bring out the subject of your photo. The Depth Control feature is available for both the front and rear-facing iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max cameras.

A bigger sensor with deeper, larger pixels lets in more light, which leads to better low-light photos, and sensor improvements paired with Smart HDR and no shutter lag result in sharper action shots.

We'll get a better look at what the new cameras are capable of when iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max reviews hit later this week, and customers who pre-ordered the device will also be able to try it out when shipments start arriving this Friday.

The full range of images captured by Mann can be seen in high resolution via a Flickr album, which can be accessed here.

Multiple popular password management apps for iOS devices have been updated with support for a convenient new iOS 12 feature, Password AutoFill.

With Password AutoFill, logins and passwords stored in third-party password management apps will be available throughout the iOS 12 operating system right alongside iCloud Keychain, letting you log into websites, apps, and more much more quickly.

1Password, LastPass, Dashlane, Keeper, and Remembear all now support Password AutoFill features.

Setting Up Password AutoFill

Setting up a password management app to work with Password AutoFill will require you to go to Settings > Passwords & Accounts > AutoFill Passwords to toggle on the AutoFill Password option while also making sure your password management app of choice, such as 1Password, is selected.

How it Works

The Password AutoFill feature lets a third-party app function just like iCloud Keychain, with your sensitive data protected but easily accessible within apps when you need your login information.

When you encounter a login field in an app or on the web, tapping in the entry field will display the stored username and password from your password management app if you've saved one right above the keyboard.

From there, you can tap the information to enter it into the app or website's login window, such as in the Spotify example below.

There are instances where your password management app does not have saved information entirely right or where you have multiple logins, like if you have multiple Twitter or Instagram accounts.

With Instagram, for example, when logging into the Instagram app, I see my two Instagram accounts listed in 1Password (my password app of choice) and I can tap either one to enter my login information.

For apps that your password management app cannot automatically identify, you will be able to access your entire password vault to find the login information that you need.

Where it Works

What's great about the Password AutoFill API is that it does not require developers to implement any kind of integration with your password management app to function, as was required in previous versions of iOS for this kind of functionality.

It works automatically in most apps and websites, with your password archive available no matter where you're logging in.

One-Time Passwords

When logging into apps and websites that require two-factor authentication, using a one-time password is also simplified.

If your two-factor authentication setup is linked to a password management app like 1Password, when you log into an app or website that requires two-factor authentication, your password is entered in the field and your one-time authentication password is automatically copied to the clipboard for easy pasting.

For apps that use your phone number for authentication purposes, iOS 12 introduces a feature that takes a code from an incoming iMessage and copies it to the clipboard, so two-factor authentication is simplified no matter the method.

Password AutoFill on Apple TV

Password AutoFill extends to the Apple TV using the continuity keyboard that permits the iPhone to be used to enter passwords and login information on the Apple TV.

For this to work, both the Apple TV and the iOS device need to be signed into the same iCloud account, and from there, the process is identical to using Password AutoFill on the iPhone.

In a text entry field, when prompted to use the iPhone to enter login information, passwords stored in a password management app and linked to Password AutoFill will be able to be entered on the Apple TV.

Note: tvOS 12 and iOS 12 are required for Password AutoFill to work on the Apple TV.

The Password AutoFill feature in 1Password, Dashlane, LastPass, and Keeper is available starting today so long as you've downloaded and installed iOS 12 and updated your apps.

Have you tried Password AutoFill? What do you think of the new feature? Let us know in the comments.

Apple this morning released iOS 12, and following the update, hundreds of apps are introducing support for the new features, including Siri Shortcuts. Siri Shortcuts let you create multi-step automations using first and third-party apps that can be activated through Siri voice command.

Below, we've rounded up some of the more notable apps that have been introducing support for Siri Shortcuts. Siri Shortcuts can be created in the Shortcuts app in iOS 12, but are available for use in iOS 12, in watchOS 5 and on the Siri watch face, on HomePod, and with CarPlay.

ETA - ETA is a navigation app that offers up directions, traffic conditions, and travel time. With the new update, ETA introduces shortcuts for adding a location, calculating and displaying travel time, and getting turn-by-turn directions.

TripIt - TripIt, a travel organization app, is introducing Siri Shortcuts that let users access flight information and upcoming travel plans that are stored within the app.

Bear - Note taking app Bear includes Siri Shortcuts designed to let you create new notes on iOS and use Siri to search through your notes without opening the Bear app. There are also new navigation options, enhanced header linking, new iMessage stickers, and more transparency surrounding syncing. Bear for macOS has also been updated with features like Dark Mode support.

Halide - Photography app Halide is introducing Siri Shortcuts support that's designed to let you trigger a shot using a Siri voice command. With the Shortcuts integration, Halide can also show up as a contextual suggestion if you take photos at specific times or places. Halide's latest update also includes support for iPhone XS Max, wide color, and a new feature called "Technical Readout" that creates a report with system-level details about the iPhone's camera. There are performance improvements.

Sky Guide - Sky Guide has introduced Siri Shortcuts for identifying objects in the sky with commands like "Hey Siri, what star is that?" with the iPhone pointed at a specific star or planet. Sky Guide's shortcut will let Siri tap into Sky Guide's info to provide the answer, with no need to open up the Sky Guide app.

Things 3 - To-do app Things is gaining full support for Siri Shortcuts, which will also enable Siri suggestions for Things tasks. There's are Shortcuts integrations for adding new items to a Things to-do list, opening up a list you refer to often, and creating repeat lists for tasks you do more than once, such as packing for a trip. Password AutoFill, Landscape Mode, and Dynamic Snooze Notifications are also included. Things will now appear on the Apple Watch on the Siri watch face thanks to Shortcuts integration.

Pandora - Pandora includes support for Siri Shortcuts, with a new option that lets you ask Siri to play a favorite station. Siri is also able to keep track of your favorite Pandora stations and present them as suggestions on the Lock screen.

PCalc - Popular calculator app PCalc introduces support for Siri Shortcuts with options like rounding to a certain number of decimal places when making a calculation or converting currencies or measurements. All of PCalc's app features can be turned into shortcuts that are designed to run in the background or open up PCalc to perform an action. PCalc users should read MacStories' complete overview of the PCalc shortcut update for details.

WaterMinder - With WaterMinder's new Siri Shortcuts, you can create shortcuts for logging a drink, showing the last logged drink, showing your remaining hydration goal for the day, or showing your current daily hydration level.

Carrot Weather - With Siri Shortcuts support, you can get weather reports and forecasts without needing to open the Carrot Weather app. There are options for current weather, weather forecast, rain reports, and more. Today's Carrot Weather update also supports Apple's new iPhones and complications on Apple Watch Series 4, and it shows as a data source on the Siri watch face.

Day One - Day One's iOS 12 update brings Siri Shortcuts that can do things like create a new entry, camera, or audio recording specific to an individual journal, so you can create new content for each of your journals via voice command. The update also introduces a new filter for checklist entries and it includes support for typing Markdown links.

Focus 5 - Pomodoro-based time management app Focus 5 includes Siri shortcuts for doing things like adding new tasks or accessing the app through Siri predictions. The app also includes a new task lit feature for better organizing tasks and it offers a Dark Mode.

Monster Job Search - The app for job search site Monster now supports Siri Shortcuts for your favorite search queries, preventing you from needing to repeatedly type in the same search terms.

For those who are just getting started with Shortcuts, Apple has shared a detailed Shortcuts User Guide, which is a great way to get acquainted with all of the things that the Shortcuts feature is able to do.

The user guide is organized into sections that include Shortcuts basics, creating and using Shortcuts, managing Shortcuts, using advanced Shortcuts, and frequently asked questions.

Know of other apps that have introduced support for Siri Shortcuts and other iOS 12 features? Let us know in the comments. We'd also love to hear the most useful Siri Shortcuts features you've found so far in iOS 12.

The Apple Watch, AirPods, and some other Apple products will be exempted from a proposed $200 billion tariff on Chinese goods, reports Bloomberg.

An updated list of products affected by the tariffs is expected to be released today, and it will not include a product category that covers Apple Watch, AirPods, and other smart watches and fitness trackers. Five separate sources have confirmed to Bloomberg that the Trump administration will exempt many of Apple's products.

The product code covers wireless devices, and it was included on a preliminary list the administration released in July. Other Apple products under the code include the HomePod speaker, BeatsWL headphones, and AirPort and Time Capsule internet routers. The value of such imports from China is about $12 billion, according to one of the people.

A preliminary tariff list released earlier this year did include wireless devices like the AirPods and the Apple Watch, and Apple in early September said that several of its products would be affected.

Apple sent a letter to the Trump administration urging it not to apply the tariffs that would affect Apple products, asking the government to instead find "other, more effective" solutions. Apple said implementing the tariffs would lead to lower U.S. growth and competitiveness, along with higher prices for U.S. consumers.

Back in July, Apple CEO Tim Cook commented on the tariffs, saying that Apple was "optimistic" the issue would be sorted out, with the company hoping "calm heads prevail."

This fourth round of tariffs will cover $200 billion in Chinese goods and it joins several other tariffs that have already been put in place on products like steel, aluminum, and billions of dollars worth of goods.

Update: The new list of tariffs has been released and Apple's devices are indeed excluded.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues 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.

Apple today officially released iOS 12, the latest operating system designed for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. iOS 12 is available on all devices able to run iOS 11, which includes the iPhone 5s and later, the iPad mini 2 and later, the iPad Air and later, and the 6th-generation iPod touch.

The update is available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the update, go to Settings --> General --> Software Update. It could potentially take a few minutes for the update to propagate to all users due to high demand. As with all iOS updates, iOS 12 is free to download.

iOS 12 is a major update that brings several new features and upgrades to Apple's iOS devices, along with some significant performance improvements. Apple has revamped the operating system from top to bottom to make iPhones and iPads, especially the older models, faster and more responsive.

Apps open more speedily than before, the keyboard pops up faster, and the Camera launches much quicker. Apple has also introduced optimizations for when the system is under load, making iOS devices faster when you need performance most.

On the iPhone X (and upcoming XS and XS Max models), there are new Animoji characters (Ghost, Koala, Tiger, and T-Rex) along with "Memoji," which are customizable, personalized, humanoid Animoji that can be used both in Messages and in FaceTime, plus there are fun new camera effects in both of those apps.

Apple originally planned to introduce Group FaceTime support in iOS 12, but the feature was removed during the beta testing period. It will be reintroduced later this fall in a future iOS 12 update.

Siri is smarter than ever in iOS 12 with a new Shortcuts feature designed to let you create multi-step customized automations using first and third-party apps that can be activated with Siri voice commands. Shortcuts can be created through the Shortcuts app, which Apple is releasing alongside iOS 12.

Apple built comprehensive time management and monitoring tools into iOS 12 with Screen Time, allowing you to keep track of how much time you're spending in apps on your iPhone and iPad. App limits can help you cut back on iOS device usage, and robust parental controls are included for families.

Updated Do Not Disturb options make activating Do Not Disturb more intuitive and simple, and a new Do Not Disturb at Bedtime feature cuts down on nighttime distractions and sleep interruptions by hiding notifications at night.

Grouped Notifications make incoming notifications easier to view and manage, while a new Instant Tuning feature lets you tweak your notification settings right on the Lock screen on a notification-by-notification basis to cut down on the number of notifications you receive.

Apple News has a new Browse feature, the Stocks app has been redesigned and brought to the iPad, iBooks has been overhauled with a new look and a new name -- Apple Books -- and Voice Memos has been revamped with iCloud support and an iPad app.

ARKit 2.0 introduces new capabilities like shared experiences that let two people see the same AR environment on separate devices, and persistence, which allows AR experiences to be saved across multiple sessions. There's also a new Apple-built Measure app for measuring objects using AR functionality.

iOS 12 includes a revamped and rebuilt Maps app that uses a new Apple-designed Maps engine that displays foliage, pools, buildings, pedestrian pathways, and other map elements more accurately. The new Maps also includes significant improvements to traffic, real-time road conditions, construction, and more, plus it lets Apple push out changes and fixes more quickly.

The updated Maps app is available in the Northern California area during beta testing and at launch. Following iOS 12's public release, Apple plans to continue rolling out the new Maps app to additional U.S. locations.

For a complete rundown on all of the features that are included in iOS 12, make sure to check out our iOS 12 roundup. Apple's full iOS 12 release notes are also listed below.

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Apple today released watchOS 5, the newest version of the operating system designed to run on the Apple Watch. Today's software update follows several months of beta testing, with Apple having seeded 10 betas and a GM.

watchOS 5 can be downloaded for free through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General --> Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it needs to be placed on a charger, and it needs to be in range of the iPhone.

watchOS 5 is a significant update to the watchOS operating system, introducing Activity Competitions so you can compete with friends to earn points, reach fitness goals, and win awards. There's a new Walkie-Talkie app with push-to-talk functionality for quickly communicating with the people you talk to most, and auto workout detection has been included to make it easier to start and stop workouts if you forget to do it yourself.

Siri Shortcuts, the new iOS 12 feature that allows you to create Siri-activated automations and shortcuts with both first and third-party apps, is available on Apple Watch through an improved Siri watch face that shows more information than ever.

The Siri watch face offers up predictive and proactive Shortcut suggestions based on your personal routines and the time of day, while Maps integration lets you see turn-by-turn directions and estimated travel times. Heart rate measurements like resting rate, walking average, and recovery rate are now displayed on the Siri watch face, as are live sports scores and info on upcoming games.

On newer Apple Watch models, you no longer need to hold down the Digital Crown to activate Siri thanks to a new built-in "Raise to Speak" feature that lets you speak right into your wrist, and there's a dedicated Podcasts app for listening to Podcasts on Apple Watch.

There are several new watch faces available in watchOS 5, including a Breathe face for walking you through stress-relieving breathing exercises, new motion faces that animate when your wrist is raised (Fire & Water, Vapor, and Liquid Metal), and options to display curated moments from your photo library on the Photos watch face. There are also new complications for Podcasts and Walkie-Talkie.

iOS 12 features that include grouped notifications, Deliver Quietly, Instant Tuning, and Do Not Disturb have been expanded to the Apple Watch, and there are options for getting a notification if your heart rate falls below a specified threshold during a 10-minute period of inactivity.

Other new features include new Workout types that include Yoga and Hiking, new features for runners, WebKit support for viewing some web content on Apple Watch, metrics like UV index, wind speed, and air quality in the Weather app, an option to answer a FaceTime video call as audio on Apple Watch, and an updated interface for choosing emoji in Mail and Messages.

The watchOS 5 update runs on all Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3 Apple Watch models, but it is not available for the first-generation "Series 0" Apple Watch models.

For more information on all of the new features coming in watchOS 5, make sure to check out our watchOS 5 roundup.

Apple has announced that its iPhone display calibration process no longer requires specialized hardware, according to an internal service-related document obtained by MacRumors today.

Starting today, Genius Bars and Apple Authorized Service Providers can calibrate the display on a repaired iPhone 6s or newer by simply connecting the device to a Mac mini or MacBook Air running Apple's calibration and diagnostics software, without the need to use a so-called 3D Touch Calibration Fixture.

Apple says this change will result in three benefits for service providers and customers:

1. More flexible workspaces for service providers, as the calibration fixture takes up quite a bit of space.
   

2. Reduced wait times for customers, suggesting that the software-based calibration process is faster.
   

3. Later this year, more Apple Authorized Service Providers around the world will have an opportunity to expand their in-store repair offerings to include iPhone display repairs.

Apple will outline the required steps for service providers to transition from the hardware to the software process later today, according to the internal communication, which was earlier reported by iMore's Rene Ritchie.

Apple Authorized Service Providers with a 3D Touch Calibration Fixture will be required to return the hardware at a later date to be announced.

iPhone display calibration ensures that a replacement display is fully integrated with the device's logic board at the system level. The process has been required since the arrival of Touch ID on the iPhone 5s in 2013, followed by 3D Touch on the iPhone 6s and newer, and Face ID on the iPhone X and newer.

Touch ID and Face ID calibration was already completed in software, and now 3D Touch calibration will be too, completely eliminating the need for hardware. If the display on an iPhone is replaced, but the calibration process is not completed, then Touch ID, Face ID, and/or 3D Touch will not function.

Apple only provided a handful of third-party service providers with its calibration fixture, so this change should result in faster, more flexible, and more widely available iPhone screen repairs in many countries.

Since Apple made Horizon machines available to Authorized Service Providers, there are more AASPs that can provide screen fixes than Apple Stores worldwide, making it quicker and faster for customers to get a screen repair. With change to a software-based calibration process, thousands more AASPs will be able to provide in-store screen fixes without the need to send devices off for repair.