In addition to a new Photos app and emoji improvements, yesterday's developer release of the first OS X 10.10.3 beta also includes new direct support for Google's 2-Step Verification when setting up Google services in the Internet Accounts section of System Preferences.
2-Step Verification is an optional security setting that requires users to enter not only their account password but also a unique code sent by Google via phone app, text message, or voice call to a previously registered device or phone number, greatly enhancing account security.
Not all devices and apps support Google's 2-Step Verification, however, and as a backup Google also allows users to generate app-specific passwords to register a unique password for that device or app. The app-specific password can be revoked at any time by logging into the user's Google account for another time, making it easy to disable access on a device that has been lost or stolen.
On OS X 10.10.2 and earlier, users setting up their machines to access Google accounts with 2-Step Verification enabled have had to use this app-specific password option. Users trying to log in with their standard Google account passwords are met with error messages informing them they need to use this option.
OS X 10.10.2 requiring an app-specific password for a Google account protected with 2-Step Verification
But as noticed by developer Jonathan Wight, the new OS X 10.10.3 beta now fully supports 2-Step Verification, allowing users to log in with their standard passwords and unique verification codes.
OS X 10.10.3 requesting verification code after logging in with standard password
The change makes logging in with 2-Step protected accounts much simpler and increases security by making sure the user attempting to log in has a secondary trusted device to provide the verification code.
Monday December 22, 2025 11:30 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple hasn't updated the Apple TV 4K since 2022, and 2025 was supposed to be the year that we got a refresh. There were rumors suggesting Apple would release the new Apple TV before the end of 2025, but it looks like that's not going to happen now.
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Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said several times across 2024 and 2025 that Apple would...
Tuesday December 23, 2025 8:36 am PST by Joe Rossignol
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another nine months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models.
The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras
Under-screen Face ID
Front camera in...
Apple reportedly tested a version of the first-generation AirPods with bright, iPhone 5c-like colored charging cases.
The images, shared by the Apple leaker and prototype collector known as "Kosutami," claim to show first-generation AirPods prototypes with pink and yellow exterior casings. The interior of the charging case and the earbuds themselves remain white.
They seem close to some...
Monday December 22, 2025 8:47 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Earlier this month, Apple released iOS 26.2, following more than a month of beta testing. It is a big update, with many new features and changes for iPhones.
iOS 26.2 adds a Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. Below, we have highlighted a total of eight new features.
Liquid Glass Slider on Lock Screen
A new slider in the Lock...
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from MacRumors! News in the Apple world has unsurprisingly been relatively slow over the past week, but Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone managed to make its way back into the news, while we also shared updates on current and future Apple TV news.
iOS 26.3 will be bringing some new features, particularly for users in the EU, so we'll look for additional...
Wednesday December 24, 2025 8:40 am PST by Joe Rossignol
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps.
The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future.
To set up the...
Wednesday December 24, 2025 9:27 am PST by Juli Clover
2026 is almost upon us, and a new year is a good time to try out some new apps. We've rounded up 10 excellent Mac apps that are worth checking out.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Alt-Tab (Free) - Alt-Tab brings a Windows-style alt + tab thumbnail preview option to the Mac. You can see a full window preview of open apps and app windows.
One Thing (Free) -...
Support for Apple Car Keys may now be more likely to come to Tesla vehicles, amid new evidence that the automaker is embracing native, system-level digital car keys.
According to Not a Tesla App, 4.52.0 of Tesla's mobile app contains multiple code references to Harmony Wallet Key Cards. The discovery is notable because it represents a shift in how Tesla appears to be approaching mobile...
I have an Apple Airport Extreme router. After my iMac wakes from sleep, I often cannot connect to Wi-Fi, even with OSX 10.10.2. And yet my iPad and iPhone connect perfectly every time. What does this tell you? Apple gets it right with iOS, but they are no longer putting the resources into Macs and OSX. It shouldnt take this many months to get the bugs out of a new OS.
Not to berate you, or knock your complaints... But not sure what this has to do with the article (2-Step Verification)...
The "webpage-inside-a-sheet" look looks pretty lazy, but it is a beta.
I could be wrong but I think it needs to be that way to hand control over to Google to do the authentication. That's the same thing you'll see in any application that supports their 2-factor setup.
The "webpage-inside-a-sheet" look looks pretty lazy, but it is a beta.
I have an Apple Airport Extreme router. After my iMac wakes from sleep, I often cannot connect to Wi-Fi, even with OSX 10.10.2. And yet my iPad and iPhone connect perfectly every time. What does this tell you? Apple gets it right with iOS, but they are no longer putting the resources into Macs and OSX. It shouldn’t take this many months to get the bugs out of a new OS.
It doesn't tell you anything. Everyone has different experiences...for me, iOS 8 is way buggier than OS X, especially Safari.
I have an Apple Airport Extreme router. After my iMac wakes from sleep, I often cannot connect to Wi-Fi, even with OSX 10.10.2. And yet my iPad and iPhone connect perfectly every time. What does this tell you? Apple gets it right with iOS, but they are no longer putting the resources into Macs and OSX. It shouldnt take this many months to get the bugs out of a new OS.
