Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming iOS 13.7 update to developers to introduce new COVID-19 Exposure Notification options. The iOS 13.7 beta comes more than a month after the release of iOS 13.6, which introduced Car Keys and Apple News+ audio features.
The iOS 13.7 beta can be downloaded from the Apple Developer Center or over the air once the proper developer profile has been installed
According to Apple's release notes, the iOS 13.7 beta allows users to opt-in to the Exposure Notification system without the need to download an app that supports the functionality, which is how the feature works on in iOS 14. In iOS 14, there's a toggle to "Turn on Exposure Notifications" which then lets you know if the feature is available in your country, state, or region through a contact tracing app.
Using Exposure Notifications continues to require an app, and Apple says that System availability still depends on support from the local public health authority, but iOS 13.7 makes it easier to figure out whether an app is available to you. It also adds a dedicated Exposure Notification section to the Settings app, rather than burying the feature in the Privacy section of Settings.
There's also a new iPadOS 13.7 beta that has been released alongside iOS 13.7, and as iPadOS does not support Exposure Notification, that update focuses on bug fixes and performance improvements.
Monday September 15, 2025 12:00 am PDT by Eric Slivka
Update 10:06 a.m.: iOS 26 is rolling out now, though it may take a bit for all users to see it, so keep checking!
Today's the day! Apple is about to release iOS 26, which will deliver the biggest redesign since iOS 7 and bring a range of new features and improvements to iPhones worldwide. It's Apple's biggest software update of the year, and Apple announced at last week's iPhone event that...
Monday September 15, 2025 10:56 am PDT by Juli Clover
In the iOS 26 release notes, Apple is warning iPhone users that installing the new software might have a temporary impact on battery life, which is normal.
A new support document explains that major iOS updates require background setup like indexing data and files for search, downloading new assets, and updating apps.
Further, Apple says that new features could require more resources,...
Sunday September 14, 2025 8:45 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple's annual September event is now in the rearview mirror, with the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air, Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, Apple Watch SE 3, and AirPods Pro 3 set to launch this Friday, September 19.
As always, there is more to come. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple plans to release many products in the...
Monday September 15, 2025 10:50 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today released updated firmware for the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4, introducing support for the new AirPods features that are included in iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe.
The firmware has a build number of 8A356, and it replaces the current 7E93 firmware.
With Apple's new software updates, the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4 support better audio quality for phone calls and...
Monday September 15, 2025 5:45 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Following three months of beta testing, iOS 26 was released today, September 15. The update is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and newer, and it is available to install via the Settings app, under General → Software Update.
Below, we have highlighted eight new features included in iOS 26. Even more new features and changes are outlined in Apple's release notes for the update.
Some of ...
Friday September 12, 2025 7:58 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 lineup and ultra-thin iPhone Air in stores on Friday, September 19, and the company has already shown off the new devices at its fall event, which ran with the the tagline "Awe dropping."
The iPhone 17 series brings a host of new features and enhancements. Here's a rundown of the biggest upgrades and changes:
iPhone 17
Display Changes
The iPhone...
This is surprising. I kind of thought 13.6.1 (with perhaps another minor update to 13.6.2) would be the end of the line for iOS 13, especially with iOS 14 coming to all devices that support iOS 13. Maybe a sign that iOS 14 won’t be released until late September or October?
Is there even any mass use of this? Not to mention who would actually use it? By the time all this becomes even remotely useful the pandemic will most likely be behind us.
The U.S. has at least a couple more years before this thing is resolved.
Other countries beat this thing and have hosted pool parties for the past couple weeks.
