Apple today announced that music recognition tool Shazam has identified more than 100 billion songs since it launched. Shazam started as an SMS service in the U.K. in 2002, and it became one of the first iPhone apps available on the App Store in 2008.
Apple shared some fun comparisons for this statistic:
- That's equivalent to 12 songs identified for every person on Earth. - A person would need to use Shazam to identify a song every second for 3,168 years to reach 100 billion. - That's more than 2,200x the number of identifications of Shazam's top song ever, "Dance Monkey," with over 45 million tags. - Shazam Predictions 2023 alum Benson Boone's "Beautiful Things" was the first track released this year to hit 10 million recognitions, and the fastest, doing so in 178 days. At that pace, it would take more than 4,800 years for it to hit 100 billion.
Apple acquired Shazam in 2018, and it now powers the Music Recognition feature built into iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. Shazam is deeply integrated across Apple's software platforms, including in Control Center, Siri, as an Action button option on iPhone 15 Pro models and all iPhone 16 models, as a Smart Stack widget on the Apple Watch, and more.
The playlist below includes Shazam's top 100 most-identified songs, with the list currently topped by the 2019 song "Dance Monkey" by Tones and I.
Amazon today has knocked the price off of multiple M3 MacBook Air models, with as much as $300 off select computers. Prices start at $849.00 for the 13-inch M3 MacBook Air (16GB RAM/256GB), and also include multiple 15-inch models as well.
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All of these deals have been applied automatically and do not require an on-page coupon in order to see the final sale prices. Apple introduced the M3 MacBook Air back in March, and last month it increased the starting RAM to 16GB, from 8GB.
You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2024.
Deals Newsletter
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Uber has announced that it will be releasing a Home Screen widget for the iPhone today, allowing users to request a ride in as little as two taps.
The widget can display your saved addresses for home and work, or you can tap on the magnifying glass icon to quickly search for another address.
We do not see the widget yet. It will likely be added in an update to the Uber app later today.
The widget is one of several new features that Uber is introducing ahead of the busy travel season in the U.S., which kicks off with Thanksgiving next week. Other additions include a new UberXXL vehicle option, UberX Share at airports for discounted rides with one other passenger, and more, with complete details outlined in Uber's press release.
UberXXL lets you request a vehicle with larger trunk space for your baggage on rides to and from airports. The feature is now available at more than 60 airports across the U.S., Canada, and select other countries, and it will expand to more airports later.
This article explains how to erase and factory reset your Mac if you plan to give it away, sell it, or trade it in. Apple silicon Macs and Intel Macs with a T2 security chip (2017-2020 models) have an "Erase All Content and Settings" option available in macOS Monterey and later. If you have an older pre-2017 Mac, it's a more convoluted process – follow this link instead to erase and factory reset your machine.
Traditionally, wiping a Mac and returning it to factory settings involved manually signing out of a range of services, erasing your Mac's internal drive, then reinstalling macOS. These steps are quite involved when you consider how easy it is to wipe an iPhone or iPad (Settings -> General -> Transfer or Reset iPhone -> Erase All Content and Settings).
Fortunately, Apple includes the same option on newer Macs running macOS Monterey and later. Erase All Content and Settings in macOS offers a very simple and straightforward way to erase your Mac without needing to reinstall the operating system. Thanks to the way storage is encrypted on Macs with Apple silicon or the T2 chip, the option is able to instantly and securely "erase" all user date by destroying the encryption keys.
Not only does this effectively erase all user data and user-installed apps from your Mac without reinstalling macOS, it also signs out your Apple Account from a range of services, removes any Touch ID fingerprints, purchases, and all Apple Wallet items, and turns off Find My and Activation Lock, making it far easier to restore your Mac to like-new factory settings.
The following steps show you how it's done. Whether you simply want to start fresh with your Mac or are planning to sell or gift your computer to another person, after erasing it using this option, your Mac will display the Setup Assistant and be ready to be set up like new.
Click the Apple () symbol in the menu bar and select System Settings (System Preferences... if you're not running macOS Ventura or later).
If you're running macOS Ventura or later, select General in the sidebar, then choose Transfer or Reset -> Erase All Content and Settings.... Otherwise, select System Preferences -> Erase All Content and Settings from the menu bar.
Enter your admin password in the Erase Assistant dialog prompt and click OK.
If you haven't already backed up your important data, heed the onscreen Time Machine advice. Otherwise, click Continue.
Note all the settings, data, media, and other items that will be removed. Click Continue if you're sure.
Enter the password for your Apple Account to sign out, click Continue, then click Erase All Content & Settings in the prompt to confirm.
After following these steps, allow the erase process to complete. Your Mac may restart more than once during the process. Once finished, you'll see the "hello" message on your Mac's screen, indicating that your Mac has been restored to factory settings and Setup Assistant is ready to start anew.
AT&T has begun displaying "Turbo" in the iPhone carrier label for customers subscribed to its premium network prioritization service, according to reports on Reddit. The new indicator seems to have started appearing after users updated to iOS 18.1.1, but that could be just coincidence.
The Turbo feature provides enhanced network performance through prioritized data access, offering improved speeds and lower latency for activities like gaming and video streaming. Previously, customers had limited ways to confirm the service was enabled beyond checking technical network settings. With the new label, Turbo subscribers can easily verify when the $7 monthly add-on is active on their line.
Some users have said they aren't too happy about the longer carrier text in their iPhone's status bar, but others don't mind it since it gives them a clear visual indicator of their premium network status. AT&T says that the icon can appear sometimes when Turbo is inactive, such as when connected to Wi-Fi or when a customer's hotspot allotment is exceeded.
Remedy Entertainment has announced that Control Ultimate Edition will launch on Mac on February 12, 2025. The award-winning action-adventure game has garnered over 80 industry accolades since its 2019 debut, and two expansions in the intervening years have kept the franchise alive.
The Ultimate Edition includes the base game alongside its two major expansions, "The Foundation" and "AWE," plus all post-launch updates. Inspired by the new weird literary genre, the supernatural third-person action game puts players in the role of Jesse Faden as she explores the mysterious Federal Bureau of Control, wielding telekinetic powers and transforming weapons.
Remedy's announcement was spotted by Engadget during the company's Capital Markets Day presentation to investors. While specific Mac system requirements haven't been revealed, the game will presumably require an M-series chip to run effectively, given its demanding graphics and physics engine.
The developer also confirmed that work continues on Control 2, though no further details about the sequel were shared. Control Ultimate Edition previously launched on Windows PC, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms, so this will be its first appearance on macOS.
Graykey, a forensics tool used by law enforcement officials to break into locked iPhones, has limited access to iOS 18 and iOS 18.0.1, 404 Media recently learned. The site secured documents that describe Graykey's functionality in-depth, giving us a look at what the device is capable of.
Graykey parent company Magnet Forensics does not share information about the tool, and complete details about the devices that Graykey can unlock have not surfaced before.
Most iPhones that run iOS 18 or iOS 18.0.1 are listed as eligible for a "partial" unlock, though the iPhone 11 models can seemingly be unlocked in full. Data on iOS 18.1, a newer version of iOS, isn't included in the document, but iOS 18.1 betas were listed as inaccessible.
It's not clear what "partial" access means or what data can be garnered from iPhones with that access listing, but it might mean that law enforcement are limited to unencrypted files, file size information, and folder structure. On more vulnerable devices, Graykey can unlock an iPhone with a 4-digit passcode in mere minutes, while longer passcodes can take hours.
Graykey takes advantage of iPhone vulnerabilities to unlock devices, and its capabilities can change as Apple patches security flaws. In 2018, for example, Apple disabled Graykey with an update to iOS 12, but new vulnerabilities were found that restored functionality. Eventually, Magnet Forensics may be able to find a flaw that will allow Graykey to get into iOS 18 devices as well.
Earlier this year, a leak from Israel-based mobile forensics company Cellebrite suggested that its tools are unable to unlock iPhones that are running iOS 17.4 or later, but it is now able to access devices running iOS 17.5.1.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News 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.
Instagram parent company Meta today said that it is testing a new tool that's designed to allow users to reset their content recommendations for "a fresh start." Using the reset tool removes prior data that's used to power Explore, Reels, and Feed recommendations.
Recommendations will start to personalize over time, providing content recommendations based on the content and accounts that users interact with. Using the reset option will provide users with an option to review the accounts they're following to unfollow content they no longer want to see, and review ad topics.
The tool is designed for teen users, but Instagram is planning to make it available to all users following the test period. The feature will roll out globally "soon."
Google today revamped its Switch to Android app for the iPhone and iPad, introducing a streamlined interface, a new icon, and changing the name to Android Switch as part of a rebranding effort to lure new iPhone users.
The app is designed to make it easy for iPhone users to swap over to an Android-based device like a Google Pixel. It can transfer contacts, calendar events, photos, and videos, and it includes reminders to turn off iMessage to swap to RCS/SMS.
Google has also changed some of the wording on its Switch to Android website to reflect the new app name. The Switch to Android site walks through some of the common concerns that iPhone users might have about switching platforms, such as texting, sharing files, making video calls, and transitioning accessories.
With RCS, Google says Android users can text iPhone users with no issues, and the company recommends Google Meet as an alternative to FaceTime. There's no Android to iPhone replacement for AirDrop, but Google says that Quick Share can be used to share files with Android, ChromeOS, and Windows PC devices.
Aside from design updates and a new look for the app, the basic functionality of the Android Switch app appears to be the same as before.
Apple's free butterfly keyboard service program for select MacBooks models ended late last week, nearly six and a half years after it launched.
With the program now over, it is no longer guaranteed that customers with affected MacBook keyboards will be able to receive a free repair from Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider. However, exceptions could be made.
Below, we take a look back at Apple's butterfly keyboard problems that led to the program.
The Butterfly Keyboard
For much of the 2000s, MacBook keyboards had a traditional scissor switch mechanism. That changed in March 2015, when Apple released an ultra-thin 12-inch MacBook with a low-profile keyboard that used a new butterfly switch mechanism. While the keyboard fit in the 12-inch MacBook's thin enclosure, it is prone to issues, such as letters repeating unexpectedly or failing to appear when keys are pressed.
It was not until Apple updated the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models with its second-generation butterfly keyboard in October 2016 that customers began to complain about sticky and unresponsive keys in earnest. Apple expanded the butterfly keyboard to the MacBook Air a few years later, leading to even more complaints.
The situation came to a head in May 2018, when Apple was hit with a class action lawsuit in the U.S. alleging that the company knew the butterfly keyboard was defective. An online petition about the issues that year gained nearly 43,000 signatures.
The Program
In June 2018, Apple launched a "Keyboard Service Program" worldwide after it determined that a "small percentage" of keyboards in certain MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro models may exhibit one or more of the following behaviors:
Letters or characters repeat unexpectedly
Letters or characters do not appear
Key(s) feel "sticky" or do not respond in a consistent manner
Apple and Apple Authorized Service Providers had been repairing eligible MacBook keyboards, free of charge, for up to four years after the first retail sale of the affected laptop. That window is now closed, as all eligible models were discontinued more than four years ago.
The butterfly switch mechanism for a 2018 MacBook Pro keyboard (iFixit)
The list of all models that were eligible:
MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2015)
MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016)
MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, 2017)
MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)
MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2019)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)
MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2018, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
"We are aware that a small number of users are having issues with their third-generation butterfly keyboard and for that we are sorry," an Apple spokesperson said, in a statement shared with The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern. "The vast majority of Mac notebook customers are having a positive experience with the new keyboard."
The Fix
Starting with the 16-inch MacBook Pro in November 2019, Apple ditched the butterfly keyboard and returned to using a scissor switch mechanism. The change was extended to the MacBook Air in March 2020, and to the 13-inch MacBook Pro in May 2020, marking the end of the problematic butterfly keyboard era for the Mac. All models of MacBooks with Apple silicon chips have continued to use scissor switch keyboards.
The Settlement
In July 2022, Apple agreed to pay $50 million to settle the U.S. class action lawsuit related to the butterfly keyboard issues. Affected customers who submitted a valid claim by the March 2023 deadline received a payment of between $50 and $395.
Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley and his colleagues recently traveled to Asia to meet with various electronics manufacturers and suppliers. In a research note this week, outlining key takeaways from the trip, the analysts said they have "confirmed" that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. In line with previous rumors, that timeframe suggests the new iPhone SE will be announced in March, just like the current model was in 2022.
The fourth-generation iPhone SE is expected to have a similar design as the base iPhone 14, with rumored features including a 6.1-inch OLED display, Face ID, a newer A-series chip, a USB-C port, a single 48-megapixel rear camera, 8GB of RAM to enable Apple Intelligence support, and the previously-mentioned Apple-designed 5G modem.
Apple is rumored to have been working on its own 5G modem for iPhones since 2018, a move that will allow it to reduce and eventually eliminate its dependance on Qualcomm. Earlier this year, Apple extended its 5G modem supply agreement with Qualcomm for iPhone launches through 2026, so Apple still has plenty of time to complete the transition to its in-house modem. Along with the fourth-generation iPhone SE, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously said the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" will have an Apple-designed 5G modem.
It is unclear if Apple's first 5G modem would unlock any consumer benefits compared to Qualcomm's modems, such as faster speeds.
In 2017, Apple sued Qualcomm over anticompetitive practices and $1 billion in unpaid royalty rebates. The two companies settled the lawsuit in 2019, and Apple acquired the majority of Intel's smartphone modem business that same year. That purchase provided Apple with a portfolio of cellular-related patents to bolster its development. In another four months from now, it seems like we will finally see the fruit of this labor.
Apple announced the third-generation iPhone SE during an online event on March 8, 2022. The device looks similar to the iPhone 8, with outdated features such as a Touch ID button, Lightning port, and thick bezels around the display. In the U.S., the iPhone SE currently starts at $429, but the new model might see at least a slight price increase.
The iOS 18.1.1, iPadOS 18.1.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 updates that Apple released today address JavaScriptCore and WebKit vulnerabilities that Apple says have been actively exploited on some devices.
With the JavaScriptCore vulnerability, processing maliciously crafted web content could lead to arbitrary code execution. The WebKit vulnerability had the same issue with maliciously crafted web content, and it could lead to a cross site scripting attack.
Apple says that it is aware of reports that these two issues may have been actively exploited on Intel-based Mac systems. While the vulnerabilities are only known to have impacted older Macs, other devices are vulnerable to attack because they have the same security flaws.
For that reason, it is a good idea to update your devices to the latest software as soon as possible.
Apple today updated the Apple Developer app that is available to the developer community, introducing a few new features that improve the app usage and navigation experience.
For viewing videos in a topic or event, users can now choose between grid or list views for easier sorting. There are now custom dark and tinted appearances for the Apple Developer app on iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, and the detail view for videos provides an indicator when a video has been fully watched, so it's simpler to keep track of previously-viewed content.
Apple says the app also includes bug fixes and "various other enhancements" that are minor enough not to make it into the app update release notes.
Apple has partnered with select merchants to offer Apple Card users three percent Daily Cash back on their purchases, and two new companies were added to the partner list today. When purchasing goods and services from Booking.com and ChargePoint, Apple Card users will now get more cash back.
Booking.com is a site for reserving flights, cars, cruises, and hotels, while ChargePoint sells charging equipment for electric vehicles and also offers more than 280,000 charging stations across multiple countries.
Apple Card users can get three percent Daily Cash back from Booking.com on eligible prepaid stays and car rentals when purchasing using Apple Card with Apple Pay, though Apple says that its special Apple Card link needs to be used when booking. Eligible stays include those that are paid for using the "Pay Now" rate.
As for ChargePoint, Apple Card users will get three percent Daily Cash when using Apple Card with Apple Pay to pay for electric vehicle charging at ChargePoint charging stations, as well as home charging purchases through the ChargePoint website.
Apple has several other partners that provide extra Daily Cash as well, including Duane Reade, Mobil, T-Mobile, Uber Eats, Ace Hardware, Nike, Uber, and Walgreens.
Panera Bread has also been one of Apple's partners to offer three percent Daily Cash, but starting on February 1, 2025, Panera Bread Daily Cash back will be limited to two percent.
We're tracking a few solid Apple accessory discounts in the lead-up to Black Friday this week, including deals on the Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard for M4 iPad Pro.
Apple Pencil
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.
In regards to the Apple Pencil Pro, you can get this stylus for $99.00, down from $129.00. Amazon also has the USB-C Apple Pencil available for $69.00, down from $79.00.
Moving to the new 2024 Magic Keyboards, you can get the 11-inch model in Black for $249.99, down from $299.00. This is an all-time low price on the accessory and it's only available in Black.
Amazon also has the 13-inch M4 iPad Pro Magic Keyboard on sale, available for $274.99 in White, down from $349.00. This is another record low price on the Magic Keyboard, and you'll find similar delivery estimates of mid-to-late November for this model.
You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2024.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about top deals as we head into the holidays? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.1.1, a minor update for the macOS Sequoia operating system. The 15.1.1 update comes three weeks after Apple released the macOS Sequoia 15.1 update.
Mac users can download the macOS Sequoia update by using the Software Update section of System Settings.
According to Apple's release notes, macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 includes security fixes.
Details on the features that are included in macOS Sequoia can be found in our roundup.
Apple today released visionOS 2.1.1, a minor update to the visionOS 2 operating system that came out in September. visionOS 2.1.1 comes three weeks after the launch of visionOS 2.1.
visionOS 2.1.1 can be downloaded on all Vision Pro headsets by navigating to the Settings app, selecting the General section, and choosing the Software Update option. To install an update, the Vision Pro headset needs to be removed, and there is a software progress bar available on the front EyeSight display.
Today's update focuses on security fixes rather than new features, and it is recommended for all Vision Pro users.
visionOS 2 introduces 2D spatial photos, updates to Persona, a new version of the Guest Mode, and more, with additional information available in our visionOS 2 roundup.
Apple today released iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that debuted earlier in September. iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 come three weeks after the launch of iOS 18.1.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 17.7.2 for devices that are still running iOS 17.
According to Apple's release notes, the iOS 18.1.1 update provides important security fixes. It is recommended for all users.
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The butterfly switch mechanism for a 2018 MacBook Pro keyboard (iFixit)
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.
