Top Stories: New Music Icon in iOS 14, iPhone 12 Rumors, Face ID Macs, Favorite macOS Big Sur Features

Apple's beta train kept on rolling this week with the third beta versions of all of the major operating system updates coming later this year. The new beta of iOS 14 includes some interesting tweaks like a new color theme for the Music app icon, new informational pop-ups for some of the new features, a new clock widget, and more.


In other news, we heard some more rumors about the upcoming iPhone 12 lineup, the potential for some new hardware that's "ready to ship," and the possibility of Face ID coming to Macs in the future.

Read on below and check out our video above for more of this week's biggest stories.

Everything New in iOS 14 Beta 3: New Music Icon, Clock Widget and More

Apple is continuing its cycle of beta releases for its next major operating system updates, and this week saw the third set of developer betas for iOS 14, macOS Big Sur, watchOS 7, and tvOS 14.

newmusiciconios14
The third beta of iOS 14 features some interesting changes, including a striking one that sees the Music app icon changed back to a red and white color theme from the white and multicolor one seen since Apple Music launched in iOS 8.4.

Make sure to click through to check out our overview of everything new we've found in the third beta, and if you're a member of the public beta program, there's an equivalent iOS 14 update now available for you.

Apple's 2020 5G iPhones to Support Both Sub-6GHz and mmWave, But That Might Change in 2021

5G is the big buzzword for smartphone technology these days, and there are two flavors of it: mmWave 5G that delivers the fastest speeds but has short range and is only suitable for dense urban environments, and sub-6GHz 5G that isn't quite as fast but offers much broader coverage.

iPhone 12 5G New 1
Apple's iPhone 12 lineup launching later this year is said to be including support for both 5G technologies, but a new report says that in 2021 Apple may introduce some iPhone models that only support one of the technologies, depending on which one is most prevalent in specific markets.

In other iPhone 12 news, we've once again heard that the new models may not be available until the October/November timeframe, we've seen a new battery leak that might shed some more light on the capacities for each iPhone 12 model, and we've seen some new photos of a white braided Lightning to USB-C cable that could come with the iPhone 12.

Leaker Suggests New Apple Products Are 'Ready to Ship' Amid Rumors of Intel-Based iMac Refresh

WWDC came and went without any significant new hardware launches, but a frequent leaker has cryptically claimed that some new products are "ready to ship."

MR Future Products 2020 Jul Dark
We don't know exactly what products these are, but we've been waiting on an update for the iMac, and there have been other rumors of a refreshed Apple TV being ready to go. Other product rumors floating around have included a smaller, cheaper HomePod, new over-ear headphones, and AirTags item trackers.

Best macOS 11 Big Sur Features: Control Center, Safari Updates, Notifications Overhaul, Design Changes and More

macOS Big Sur is a major update for Apple's Mac platform, and it brings not only a host of new and updated features, but also a design overhaul.

Big Sur Best Features Feature
In one of our most recent videos, we took a look at some of our favorite features in Big Sur, including the new Control Center, a revamped Notification Center, updates for Safari, Messages improvements, and more.

Code in macOS Big Sur Suggests Face ID Could Be Coming to Macs

Apple's Face ID feature that allows a device to be unlocked with a facial scan is limited to the iPhone and the iPad at the current time, but code found in the latest macOS Big Sur beta suggests that Face ID may come to Macs in the future.

FaceID iMac REREREREMIX
References to a "PearlCamera" function that matches the "Pearl" codename of Face ID for iOS devices have been discovered, including mentions of "FaceDetect" and "BioCapture" that strongly hint at Face ID coming to the Mac.

There no word yet on when Face ID might make its debut on the Mac, but we'll likely hear more as work on the feature progresses.

Apple Lining Up Periscope Telephoto Lens Suppliers for 2022 iPhone

2022 is a long way off, but Apple is already looking far ahead with its iPhone roadmap, and a new report from noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims that Apple is working to find suppliers that can provide periscope telephoto camera lenses for those phones.

periscope iPhone feature2
Periscope lenses typically use prisms or mirrors to refract light onto the lens sensor for improved optical magnification within the constraints of a thin smartphone body. A few manufacturers like Samsung and Huawei are aggressively pursuing periscope lenses in their phones, and it looks like Apple is working on its own implementation.

Apple Glasses Patent Suggests Any Surface Could Become a Virtual Touch Interface

While we've heard lots of tidbits about Apple's augmented/virtual reality headset projects, we still don't have a detailed picture of what the products will ultimately look like and how they will function.

apple touch patent maps
A newly published patent application reveals, however, that Apple has been looking at how it could turn everyday surfaces into virtual touch interfaces. Apple proposes that icons and buttons could be projected in AR onto a table, for example, where the user could reach out and interact with them. Apple's patent suggests that infrared heat sensing could be used to determine where on the surface the user has touched.

A separate patent application describes how a future Apple Pencil might include a color sensor that would let it sample colors from the real world that could then be transmitted to a paired device such as an iPad. The feature would be great for art-focused applications, making it easier to capture accurate colors of real-world objects.

MacRumors Newsletter

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.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

Top Rated Comments

AngerDanger Avatar
35 months ago

The phone icon looks like it should be attached to a rotary dial. What would a modern voice call icon look like? I don't know.
A modern phone icon on a modern phone should be a modern phone… with its own modern phone icon… with i—oh, no…



Attachment Image
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Lestdog Avatar
35 months ago
Red music icon will make Apple Music so much easier to use. Now where did that album go again?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple_Robert Avatar
35 months ago

Red music icon will make Apple Music so much easier to use. Now where did that album go again?
Why don’t you save your complaint until iOS 14 is released? For all you know, Apple is working on the very problem you mentioned. Changing an icon doesn’t mean other work isn‘t going on.

Your cheap shot at Apple missed the mark.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple_Robert Avatar
35 months ago

Whoever created this mockup is seriously getting my hopes high on a potential iMac redesign!
If I was in the market for a new iMac, that potential look would definitely have me eager for release.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ElectricPotato Avatar
35 months ago
The phone icon looks like it should be attached to a rotary dial. What would a modern voice call icon look like? I don't know.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sheppard Avatar
35 months ago


Whoever created this mockup is seriously getting my hopes high on a potential iMac redesign!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17 on Phone Feature

Gurman: iOS 17 to Provide Several 'Most Requested Features'

Sunday March 26, 2023 6:05 am PDT by
Apple changed the strategy for iOS 17 later in its development process to add several new features, suggesting that the update may be more significant than previously thought, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. In January, Gurman said that iOS 17 could be a less significant update than iPhone updates in previous years due to the company's intense focus on its long-awaited mixed-reality...
iOS 16

iOS 16.4 Will Add These 8 New Features to Your iPhone

Sunday March 26, 2023 8:06 am PDT by
Following nearly six weeks of beta testing, iOS 16.4 is expected to be released to the public as soon as this week. The software update includes a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone 8 and newer. To install an iOS update, open the Settings app on the iPhone, tap General → Software Update, and follow the on-screen instructions. Below, we have recapped eight new features and...
apple mixed reality headset concept by david lewis and marcus kane

Some Apple Employees Seriously Concerned About Mixed-Reality Headset as Announcement Draws Closer

Sunday March 26, 2023 8:25 am PDT by
Some Apple employees are concerned about the usefulness and price point of the company's upcoming mixed-reality headset, The New York Times reports. Apple headset concept by David Lewis and Marcus Kane Initial enthusiasm around the device at the company has apparently become skepticism, according to eight current and former Apple employees speaking to The New York Times. The change of tone...
iOS 16

Apple Releases iOS 16.4 With New Emoji, Safari Web Push Notifications, Beta Changes, Voice Isolation for Calls and More

Monday March 27, 2023 10:03 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 16.4, the fourth major update to the iOS 16 operating system that initially came out last September. iOS 16.4 comes two months after the launch of iOS 16.3, an update that added Security Keys for Apple ID. iOS 16‌.4 and iPadOS 16.4 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. It can take a few minutes...
Steve Jobs Theater dusk

Apple Reportedly Demoed Mixed-Reality Headset to Executives in the Steve Jobs Theater Last Week

Sunday March 26, 2023 5:53 am PDT by
Apple showcased its mixed-reality headset to the company's top 100 executives in the Steve Jobs Theater last week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained that the "momentous gathering" is a "key milestone" ahead of the headset's public announcement planned for June. The event was intended to rally Apple's top members of...
top stories 25mar2023

Top Stories: iPhone 15 Pro Design Leak, iOS 16.4 Coming Soon, and More

Saturday March 25, 2023 6:00 am PDT by
We're still almost six months away from the official unveiling of the iPhone 15 lineup, but it seems like every day we're learning more about what to expect from the next-generation models. Notably, this week gave us our clearest look yet at what appear to be some changes for the volume and mute control hardware. iOS 16.4 and associated releases are also right around the corner with some new ...
apple tv 4k red image

Apple Releases tvOS 16.4 for Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD

Monday March 27, 2023 10:00 am PDT by
Apple today released tvOS 16.4, the fourth major point update to the tvOS 16 operating system that came out last September. Available for the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD, tvOS 16.4 comes two months following the release of tvOS 16.3. The tvOS 16.4 update can be downloaded over the air through the Settings app on the ‌‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌‌ by going to System > Software Update....