MacRumors

Best Buy's Prime Day-like sale is the headline of this week's best Apple deals, featuring up to $400 off the 16-inch M3 Pro MacBook Pro and other MacBook discounts. Additionally, this week you'll find great sales on AirTag, Apple Pencil Pro, and Anker accessories.

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.

Best Buy Member Deals Days

• What's the deal? Members can save sitewide at Best Buy this weekend
• Where can I get it? Best Buy
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Best Buy's "Member Deals Days" sale kicked off this week, and it will run all weekend. Only My Best Buy Plus and Total members can save during this event, which includes notable discounts on Apple products, PCs, smart home products, video games, TVs, and more. In terms of Apple products, the best deals available during this event are on the 13-inch M2 MacBook Air and 16-inch M3 Pro MacBook Pro, with up to $400 in savings on these computers.

Bluetooth Trackers

• What's the deal? Save on AirTag and Eufy SmartTrack Card
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Bluetooth tracker discounts were in abundance this week, and you can still get some of the best discounts today on Amazon. The AirTag 1 Pack is on sale for $24.99, down from $29.00, the AirTag 4 Pack is available for $78.99, down from $99.00, and the Eufy SmartTrack Card is discounted to $19.99, down from $29.99.

Apple Pencil Pro

• What's the deal? Take $10 off Apple Pencil Pro
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Last week we saw the Apple Pencil Pro drop to a new record low price of $119.00 on Amazon, and this $10 discount is still available this week. Although only a $10 discount, this is still the best deal we've seen to date on the newest Apple Pencil. For more savings, you can get the Apple Pencil 2 for $79.99, down from $129.00.

Anker

• What's the deal? Save on Anker accessories
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Moving to Anker's charging accessories, you can get multiple MagSafe-compatible devices at a discount this week on Amazon, like a portable battery and a wireless charging station. The highlight of the sale is Anker's 24,000 mAh Power Bank with Smart Digital Display for $109.99, down from $149.99. Many of these will require you to clip an on-page coupon before you head to the checkout screen in order to see the sales.

• MagGo Power Bank 10,000 mAh - $69.99 with on-page coupon, down from $89.99
• Nano Power Bank with Built-In USB-C Cable - $38.24 with on-page coupon, down from $49.99
• Prime Power Bank 20,000 mAh with 100W Charging Base - $164.99 with on-page coupon, down from $184.99
• MagGo 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station - $84.99, down from $99.99
• MagGo 3-in-1 Folding Charging Station - $93.49, down from $109.99
• Portable Power Station with Smart Display + Retractable Light - $129.99 with on-page coupon, down from $149.99
• 3-in-1 MagSafe Charging Cube - $129.99, down from $149.99

Jackery

• What's the deal? Save on Jackery accessories
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Similar to the Anker discounts, Amazon this week introduced a new selection of markdowns on Jackery batteries and other accessories. Jackery is known for its reliable portable battery stations, and the best deal this time around can be found on the Explorer 100 Plus with Solar Panel for $199.99, down from $229.99.

• Explorer 100 Plus with Solar Panel - $199.99 with on-page coupon, down from $229.99
• Solar Generator 300 Plus - $499.00, down from $579.00
• Expansion Battery Pack 1000 Plus - $549.00 with on-page coupon, down from $799.00
• Expansion Battery Pack 2000 Plus - $1,259.00 with on-page coupon, down from $1,599.00
• Explorer 2000 Pro - $1,299.00 with on-page coupon, down from $1,899.00
• Explorer 3000 Pro - $2,499.00, down from $2,799.00
• Solar Generator 2000 Plus + Explorer 2000 Plus + Battery - $3,599.00 with on-page coupon, down from $4,999.00

Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

Apple's online store went down this morning in Germany, France, Australia, the UK, and Canada, as the company prepared to begin taking Apple Vision Pro pre-orders in the five regions.

Pre-orders begin at 5.00 a.m. Pacific Time, or the following local times. The starting prices given below in local currency are for the 256GB model minus prescription lenses and other accessories.

• Australia – 10:00 pm AEST – $5,999
• Canada – 5.00 a.m. PT – $4,999
• France – 2.00 p.m. – €3,999
• Germany – 2.00 p.m. – €3,999
• United Kingdom – 1.00 p.m. – £3,499

‌Apple Vision Pro‌ will launch in the five countries on Friday, July 12, and interested customers can currently book a 30-minute demo of the device in their local Apple Store from launch day up until Thursday, July 18.

The Vision Pro is unquestionably Apple's most technically advanced product and a remarkable engineering achievement that impresses at first glance. However, potential buyers should visit an ‌Apple Store‌ to try it out and thoroughly research its capabilities before making a purchase. Be sure to check out our dedicated Vision Pro roundup to learn more.

Apple is expected to produce fewer than 400,000 Vision Pro headsets in 2024 due to the complexity of manufacturing, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. However, Apple is said to be already working on a new version of the ‌‌Apple Vision Pro‌‌ for 2025 that will be priced more affordably.

Apple's Vision Pro spatial computing headset today arrived at Apple Store locations across China mainland, Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore. The launches mark the first time the Vision Pro has been officially available outside of the United States, where the device has been on sale since February.

Consumer interest in the $3,499 headset has reportedly waned at home, where sales are said to have slowed in the five months since its launch. Apple Vision Pro is set to launch in the United Kingdom and Canada on July 12.

The headset will also launch on the same day in Australia, France, and Germany, as part of a staggered release in additional markets, which may be just what the company needs to reinvigorate enthusiasm for the device.

Reviews for the device have been mixed overall. For the most part, users have been impressed with the hardware and the technology introduced by the Vision Pro, but there are questions about the actual function of the device, the intuitiveness of the gesture-based control, the weight and comfort, and VR in general.

During WWDC earlier this month, Apple announced visionOS 2, the first major update to the Vision Pro's operating system. ‌visionOS 2‌ includes several new features and changes, including a redesigned Photos app with SharePlay support, the ability to turn existing 2D photos into spatial photos, a larger ultra-wide version of Mac Virtual Display that is equivalent to two 4K monitors side by side, plus support for a physical mouse.

Samsung today announced that it will be rolling out AirPlay support for its series of hotel room TVs, allowing iPhone and iPad users to wirelessly stream videos, music, photos, and more from their device to the TV in their room.

The feature allows you to scan a unique QR code on the hotel room TV to establish an AirPlay connection, allowing you to wirelessly stream content from your iPhone or iPad. After the pairing process, your device will also automatically be connected to the hotel's Wi-Fi network. The device must be updated to iOS 17.3 or iPadOS 17.3 or later.

AirPlay on hotel room TVs works with apps and services like Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade for games, Apple Fitness+ for workouts, and much more.

Samsung said no personal info is ever stored or saved for this AirPlay feature, and the paired device is automatically removed when you check out of the hotel.

Samsung did not reveal which hotel chains will be offering its AirPlay-enabled TVs. The feature launched earlier this year on LG hotel room TVs at select IHG Hotels & Resorts properties in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, with more locations to follow.

Google has long offered a similar Chromecast streaming feature on many hotel room TVs that works with both iPhones and Android devices.

The M4 iPad Pro models that Apple released earlier this year have a display upgrade option that allows you to purchase nano-texture display glass, which is supposed to cut down on glare.

We've already reviewed the ‌iPad Pro‌, but we thought we'd revisit the nano-texture glass upgrade to see if it's worth the purchase price.

First introduced with the Pro Display XDR, nano-texture glass is etched at a nanometer scale, which is meant to preserve image quality while scattering ambient light to cut down on glare. It is the most matte display type that Apple makes, and Apple claims that it is useful for high-end, color-managed workflows or demanding ambient lighting environments.

The ‌iPad Pro‌ is the first iPad with nano-texture as an option, and it's previously been reserved for the Studio Display and Pro Display XDR. Nano-texture is a premium feature, so it costs an additional $100 over the standard glass. It's also only available on 1TB or 2TB ‌iPad Pro‌ models, so you do need to shell out at least $1,600 to get it on the 1TB 11-inch ‌iPad Pro‌.

Nano-texture on the larger ‌iPad Pro‌ will cost at least $1,999, which is the price of the 1TB model plus an extra $100 for the glass upgrade. It is an upgrade targeted at pro users and those with specific needs, and not everyone is going to want to opt for the matte design. The grippier texture of the nano-glass does feel better for writing on with an Apple Pencil, but if that's a factor for you, you're better off checking out something like Astropad's Rock Paper Pencil.

While nano-texture does a good job cutting down on glare, it does impact the contrast and crispness of the display, so it is serving a specific purpose for select workflows where mitigating light is important.

As with the nano-texture versions of Apple's displays, the nano-texture ‌iPad Pro‌ requires some special care. Apple recommends only cleaning it with the polishing cloth that's included in the box as other cleaning cloths can cause damage.

Given the caveats and the high price tag, the nano-texture display isn't for everyone, but it is a good option for those who know they need extra help addressing glare.

Best Buy has opened up a new "Member Deals Days" sale, featuring thousands of discounts available exclusively to My Best Buy Plus and Total members. New deals will appear every day of the event, which ends this Sunday, June 30.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

In order to gain access to these deals, you'll need to be a My Best Buy Plus or Total member. These services are available starting at $49.99 per year, and offer free two-day shipping, an extended 60-day return window on most products, exclusive access to certain sales like Member Deals Days, and more.

In terms of Apple products, the best deals available during this event are on the 13-inch M2 MacBook Air. You can get the 256GB model for $849.00 and the 512GB model for $1,049.00, both of which are $150 off original prices and solid second-best discounts.

There are also a few noteworthy 16-inch MacBook Pro discounts at Best Buy this week. The retailer has the 12-Core M3 Pro/18GB RAM/512GB model for $2,149.00, down from $2,499.00, and the 12-Core M3 Pro/36GB RAM/512GB model for $2,499.00, down from $2,899.00. These are both all-time low prices on the 16-inch MacBook Pro, and although Best Buy has more MacBook Pro discounts during its new sale, these are the best you'll find.

Of course, the Member Deals Days sale has many discounts other than Apple products, including TVs, video games, PCs, headphones, home appliances, and more. Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.

There appears to be an ongoing outage with international roaming across multiple cellular networks, with Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile customers abroad complaining about the issue on social networks and cellular community forums.

Customers traveling internationally have been without service since late Wednesday for hours at a time, with many losing cellular, text, and data. That has left many users unable to call their cellular provider hotline or access online chat help without a Wi-Fi network.

Based on feedback from customers that have managed to contact support, the providers are aware of the issue with international roaming and are actively working on resolving it, although there have been reports that this could take several hours. We'll update this article as soon as we learn more.

Update 1: There are reports that AT&T and T-Mobile customers abroad are also being affected by the outage, suggesting it could be the result of a wider network problem. We have updated the story headline to reflect the development.

Update 2: Bloomberg reports that a Verizon customer service representative who was contacted from the UK on Thursday said that it's an ongoing issue that engineers are working to address.

Update 3: The multi-network outage is related to issues at international connection partner Syniverse, according to a person familiar with the situation. The company says the estimated time of restoration is 12 hours up to 24 hours.

Apple Pay is malfunctioning in Hungary, according to reports from several Hungarian news sites. Apple device owners are seeing surprise, unexpected charges without making purchases.

Some users are seeing multiple mistaken transactions, and it is a problem that appears to be affecting most banks in Hungary. Impacted users are being charged small amounts several times in a row. One user saw almost $1,500 USD pulled from his account across 74 rapid fire transactions.

Hungarian news sites say that banks are being slammed with requests for help, and that it appears to be a problem on Apple's end. OTP Bank in Hungary said that "massive, unjustified debits" were made to cards at several banks, with the situation still being analyzed to determine what happened. A statement on Raiffeisen Bank's website says that Apple is working to resolve the problem.

We inform our customers that due to a technical problem with an external partner, the bank cards of some of our customers may have been incorrectly charged by the Apple App Store. Our colleagues have contacted Apple officials, the problem is being resolved.

Some of the charges appear to be linked to subscriptions that were canceled previously, and some of the amounts match prior transactions. Some customers have been able to have their banks block their cards, preventing further charges.

(Thanks, Lorinc!)

Apple today published a lengthy whitepaper that highlights the company's approach to device repairability and longevity. In the document, Apple revealed that iPhones will better support third-party displays and batteries later in 2024.

First, Apple said True Tone will work with third-party iPhone displays later this year:

True Tone requires precise calibration to function properly, and it is not possible to engage a default calibration for third-party displays, which can result in unexpected behavior. For this reason, Apple disables the True Tone feature when third-party displays are used, but enables all other aspects of the display. In an effort to offer more complete support for third-party parts, starting later in 2024, Apple will allow consumers to activate True Tone with third-party parts to the best performance that can be provided.

They will be able to deactivate True Tone in Settings if the display does not perform to their satisfaction.

True Tone automatically adapts the color of the display to match the light in your environment.

Second, Apple said battery health metrics such as maximum capacity and cycle count will work with third-party iPhone batteries later this year:

Currently, battery health metrics such as maximum capacity and cycle count are not presented to consumers whose devices have third-party batteries. This is because the accuracy of these metrics cannot be verified by Apple. In fact, an Apple internal analysis has found that some third-party batteries sold as new are actually secondhand, with battery health metrics manipulated to appear as new. In an effort to improve support for third-party batteries, starting later in 2024, Apple will display battery health metrics with a notification stating that Apple cannot verify the information presented.

Apple said the third-party battery metrics are not guaranteed to be accurate.

These changes will presumably be rolled out with iOS 18 updates later this year, but Apple did not provide more specific timing in its document.

Apple recently created a new section of its online store showcasing accessories with "Colors That Pop," and this week Nimble and Belkin have launched new products as part of this colorful lineup. You can find this section by visiting Apple's accessories page and scrolling down a bit.

Starting with Nimble, there's a new USB-C charging collection available online, and it's the company's first set of products released on Apple.com and in Apple retail stores. This collection includes a portable charger and various USB-C cables, all of which you can find below.

• PowerKnit FLEX USB-A to USB-C Cable - $19.95
• PowerKnit Travel Kit 2-Pack USB-C to USB-C Cables - $29.95
• PowerKnit Travel Kit 3-Pack USB-C Cables (multiple connectors) - $39.95
• PowerKnit FLEX 3-Pack USB-C to USB-C Cables - $59.95
• CHAMP 10K Portable Charger - $79.95

Belkin's product release includes two new MagSafe-compatible portable batteries, both available on Apple.com. First is the BoostCharge Pro Magnetic Power Bank 5K, which comes in a range of colors and can fast charge iPhone 12 models and later up to 15W with Qi2 when the battery pack is plugged in and up to 7.5W when using it wirelessly.

In total, the power bank provides up to 16 hours of additional battery life, comes with a USB-C port, and includes a USB-C to USB-C cable. This one is priced at $59.95 on Belkin's website and on Apple.com.

Secondly, the BoostCharge Pro Magnetic Power Bank 10K can fast charge ‌iPhone‌ 12 models and later up to 15W with Qi2, or up to 20W with the integrated USB-C cable. It can provide up to 35 hours of additional battery life, comes in just one color (black), and is priced at $99.95.

Apple's Colors That Pop section also features accessories from Tech21, SanDisk, and Herschel. The accessories all share a colorful neon hue and are built for products including iPhone 15, AirPods, MacBook Air, AirTag, and more.

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.

Discounts on Apple's AirTag have expanded to include the 1 Pack this week, and also still cover a sale on the 4 Pack of the Bluetooth trackers at Amazon. We're also seeing a record low discount on an AirTag alternative from Eufy, as well as savings on Apple Pencil 2 and Apple Pencil Pro.

AirTag

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.

Starting with the AirTag 1 Pack, Amazon has this accessory on sale for $24.99, down from $29.00. This AirTag 1 Pack isn't on sale as often as the 4 Pack option, so even at just $4 off it's still a solid discount at its second-best price.

Amazon also has the AirTag 4 Pack available for $78.99, down from $99.00. This is another second-best price, and just about $4 higher than the all-time low price. As of writing, the AirTag 4 Pack can be delivered as soon as June 28 for Prime members.

Eufy

If you want to save more money, Eufy's SmartTrack Card Bluetooth tracker is on sale right now on Amazon. This accessory is designed to fit in your wallet and is priced at $19.99 on Amazon, down from $29.99. The SmartTrack Card is compatible with Apple's Find My app, allowing you to track the device within the app and receive left behind alerts and more.

Apple Pencil Pro

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.

Amazon today has the Apple Pencil Pro for $119.00, down from the regular price of $129.00. Although this is only a $10 discount, it's the lowest price we've tracked on the brand new Apple Pencil Pro among the major online retailers. The Apple Pencil 2 is also at an all-time low price of $79.00 right now on Amazon.

The Apple Pencil Pro launched last month alongside the new 2024 iPad lineup, introducing new gestures and capabilities into the stylus. The Apple Pencil Pro is compatible with the M4 iPad Pro and the M2 iPad Air, and marks the first update to the Apple Pencil since the Apple Pencil 2 in 2018.

Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.

Apple today announced that it now offers a diagnostics tool for self-service iPhone, Mac, and Studio Display repairs in Europe. This software lets customers complete the System Configuration process following self-service repairs by placing the device into Diagnostics Mode and following the on-screen prompts, without needing to contact Apple.

Apple says the diagnostics tool is now available in 32 countries in Europe, including the U.K., France, Germany, the Netherlands, and others. The tool, which was previously limited to technicians at Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers, first became available for self-service repairs in the U.S. last year.

Launched in 2022, the self-service program provides customers with access to genuine Apple parts, tools, and manuals to repair select iPhone, Mac, and Studio Display models, allowing for some do-it-yourself repairs.

Google is reportedly scrapping continuous scrolling of search results on desktop and mobile, with the company returning to the old method of dividing results into several pages (via The Verge).

Google introduced continuous scrolling on mobile and desktop in 2021 and 2022, respectively. The change was reminiscent of a social media feed, although Google's version was never quite the "infinite scroll" that social network users will be familiar with. Search has typically returned the equivalent of six pages of results in a single scroll, before offering users a "More results" button that keeps the scroll going.

Google originally claimed that continuous scroll would make browsing results quicker and easier, although some users likely missed how the old pagination system often acted as a natural breaker that allowed them to consider whether they had all the information they needed.

A Google spokesperson reportedly told Search Engine Land that continuous scroll would be removed from desktop search results from June 25, while the feature will be removed from mobile results "in the coming months." Google said that the change is needed to allow it to serve search results faster, instead of automatically loading results that users haven't explicitly requested.

In iOS 18, Apple's Podcasts app now shows chapter segments of a podcast when you scrub through a currently playing episode, making it easier to browse through the audio content.

As spotted by Redditor "Wristnut," navigating the timeline across the chapter segments shows the chapter name above the line. Note that this behavior appears in the Podcasts app proper, and it is not currently reproducible on the Lock Screen media controls in ‌iOS 18‌ beta 2.

While the ability to scrub through chapter segments is new, chapters themselves are not. Some podcast listeners may not be familiar with them because creators have to manually add chapters, and many shows have not adopted them. Creators must specify chapters in the header of an MP4 file or by modifying the ID3 tags of MP3 or AAC files using third-party tools.

When creators do support chapters, listeners can find them by swiping up on the Now Playing screen on iOS and iPadOS or by clicking the Chapters button located in the top-right corner of the Podcasts app for macOS. Creators can also provide chapter-specific artwork that is displayed on the Now Playing screen and on the Lock Screen on iOS and iPadOS, providing a timely visual supplement to the podcast.

Apple Podcasts supports chapters for MP4, MP3, and AAC files, whether they are available from the directory or manually added to the Library via an RSS feed. Some of the tools used to add chapters include Ferrite on iOS and iPadOS, Forecast by Overcast, Podcasts Chapters on macOS, and Vizzy on the web.

‌iOS 18‌ is currently in its second developer beta, with a public beta expected in July, followed by a general release in the fall.

In iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, Apple has added a new "Keep Downloaded" option when browsing items in iCloud, allowing users to designate which files and folders should remain permanently available locally on their device.

In previous versions of iOS and macOS, users had limited control over which files and folders were kept offline. iCloud's automatic management system would offload files from the device to free up space, potentially removing files that you might want to keep available at all times.

Apple offered no straightforward way to prevent this – until now. In macOS Sequoia, when browsing iCloud Drive in Finder, right-clicking a file or folder reveals the new "Keep Downloaded" option. When enabled, the cloud symbol next to the item is opaque instead of transparent, indicating that it will remain on the device.

In iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, the same option can be found in the Files app when a file or folder is long pressed to bring up the contextual menu. Users can now explicitly mark files to remain on their device, regardless of how much storage they take up.

The ability to prevent iCloud items from being offloaded should be particularly welcomed by users who need to frequently access documents or files during travel or in areas with poor connectivity. macOS Sequoia, iOS 18, and iPadOS 18 are available in a beta capacity right now, and are limited to developers. The new option should be available to all users when the software launches to the public this fall.

Apple is rumored to be planning a revamp of the Apple Watch for the device's tenth anniversary, and 91mobiles claims to have sourced CAD renders of what could be the "Apple Watch X" or Apple Watch Series 10 from industry insiders.

The site claims that the renders are of a "larger" model featuring a 2-inch display. The current Apple Watch Series 9 has a 1.7-inch display, while the Apple Watch Ultra has a display size of 1.93-inches, so this would be the biggest screen on an Apple Watch so far.

That said, its dimensions are said to measure roughly 46 x 39.7 x 11.6mm, which would make it bigger overall than the Series 9 but smaller than the Ultra. Otherwise, the renders suggest a design similar to the Series 9, with a Digital Crown and Side button, and a square display.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said a significantly overhauled "Apple Watch X" would launch in either 2024 or 2025, to mark the tenth anniversary of the device, so this could be the anniversary device, or it could be the Apple Watch Series 10. The original Apple Watch was announced in September 2014 and released in April 2015.

Gurman said the "Apple Watch X" would be equipped with a thinner case. The Bloomberg reporter also said it would potentially have a magnetic band attachment system, although there's no evidence of that in the renders.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently claimed that Apple Watch Series 10 will be thinner and come in larger screen sizes than previous models. Kuo said the screen size options on the next-generation Apple Watch will increase from 41mm to 45mm, and from 45mm to 49mm, while being encased in a thinner design. For reference, the Apple Watch Ultra has a 49mm case.

It's unclear at this point whether the CAD renders are accurate, but either way Apple typically launches new Apple Watch models around September alongside its latest iPhone lineup. Apple is said to be planning to incorporate blood pressure monitoring this year, with the watch able to detect hypertension, while sleep apnea detection is also said to be coming to the 2024 Apple Watch model.

While Apple's release notes for AirPods firmware typically offer few details on included changes, the company has published a separate support document outlining a security issue that was fixed in today's firmware updates for AirPods, AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, Powerbeats Pro, and Beats Fit Pro.

According to the document, today's firmware updates address a security issue that could have allowed an attacker within Bluetooth range to spoof the details of a device you've previously connected your headphones to, allowing the attacker to gain access to your headphones.

Apple usually mentions in its support documents if a security issue is known to have been exploited in the wild, but the company has not indicated that this is the case with this issue. Still, it's a good idea to update the firmware on your headphones as soon as possible as others could be inspired to attempt to replicate an exploit of the issue now that its existence has been publicized.

There is no straightforward mechanism for initiating a firmware update for AirPods and Beats headphones, with Apple simply stating that the updates are "automatically delivered while your headphones are paired with and in Bluetooth range of your iPhone, iPad, or Mac."

With the second beta of iOS 18 that came out yesterday, Apple added an RCS toggle, but RCS messaging was not working at that time. ‌RCS‌ support appears to now be rolling out, based on reports from ‌iOS 18‌ users.

Some testers who have ‌iOS 18‌ installed have confirmed that they are able to send ‌RCS‌ messages to Android users, with ‌RCS‌ features available. Texts that are RCS-based instead of SMS/MMS-based are denoted with an ‌RCS‌ label.

‌RCS‌, or Rich Communication Services, allows iPhone and Android users to exchange higher quality photos and videos, audio messages, and larger file sizes. Features like read receipts and real-time typing indicators are supported too, with a full list of what's new available below.

• Support for higher resolution photos and videos.
• Support for larger file sizes and file sharing.
• Audio messages.
• Cross-platform emoji reactions.
• Real-time typing indicators.
• Read receipts.
• Ability to send messages over cellular or Wi-Fi (SMS is cellular only). There is no cost to send an ‌RCS‌ message over Wi-Fi.
• Improved group chats.

‌RCS‌ messages can be enabled in the Messages section of the Settings app, and are toggled on by default. At the current time, ‌RCS‌ messaging is only available to those in the United States who have a carrier that supports ‌RCS‌. T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon users running ‌iOS 18‌ should have the ‌RCS‌ toggle available, but those with MVNOs and smaller carriers will not be able to use the feature yet.

Not all ‌iOS 18‌ users with T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon are seeing ‌RCS‌ enabled, so it appears that support is still rolling out.

‌iOS 18‌ is available in a beta capacity right now, and it is limited to developers. ‌RCS‌ will be available to all ‌iOS 18‌ users when the software launches to the public this fall.