Comprehensive Apple Store guide Facades received a major update today, with developer Michael Steeber introducing version two of the app. If you're unfamiliar with Facades, it has everything you would ever want to know about Apple's retail locations.
The app has always had a directory of every worldwide Apple Store with details like store features and trends, but Steeber has added a timeline that provides a wealth of additional information. The Timeline button on each store detail page has the earliest photo of the store, grand opening art, and gifts distributed at openings, along with info on renovations, anniversaries, and more.
The option to log visits to stores has an added "receipt" animation to mark the occasion, along with tools for sharing on social media. Custom store lists can also be created, with the stores selected visible on a map. For example, if you're going to a city with multiple stores, you can compile them in a list and view them on the map to plan stops.
Other new additions include search filters for finding stores and store information, Shortcuts for things like searching for nearby stores, and Chinese localization.
Smart home company Eve Systems today announced several new Matter-enabled smart home devices, including the new Eve Energy Outlet and updated versions of the Eve Light Switch and Eve Motion Blinds. With Matter integration, all of the devices work with HomeKit.
Eve Energy Outlet connects to a smart home setup using Thread. It includes two receptacles that can be controlled individually, and it provides advanced energy monitoring functionality so users can see just how much energy devices are consuming.
Eve Energy Outlet is able to replace any existing outlet in a single or multi-gang installation. It will integrate with other HomeKit products, allowing for automations and control via the Home app and Siri. Energy monitoring will be available in the Eve app.
Eve also announced the upcoming launch of Matter versions of the Eve Light Switch and the Eve Blinds Collection. The Light Switch replaces traditional switches and adds smart functionality, while the Eve Blinds Collection is a lineup of made-to-measure smart blinds.
Eve Energy Outlet is set to launch in February, and it will be available from the Eve Store and from Amazon. It will be priced at $50. The Matter-enabled Eve Light Switch will launch in the second quarter of 2024 for $50, while the Eve Blinds Collection will be available in the Eve Store on February 1.
Apple's well-publicized decision to shut down iMessage for Android app Beeper Mini has attracted attention from U.S. lawmakers concerned that the Cupertino company is suppressing competition.
Senators Amy Klobuchar and Mike Lee along with Representatives Jerry Nadler and Ken Buck on Sunday penned a letter to Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter calling for an investigation into the Beeper Mini dispute. The letter suggests that Beeper Mini reduced Apple's iMessage "leverage" over iPhone users, leading Apple to shut it down.
As you know, interoperability and interconnection have long been key drivers of competition and consumer choice in communications services, from telephones to email. Startups and small businesses drive innovation, create jobs, and can disrupt entrenched incumbents when allowed to compete. But consumers will never benefit from competition if dominant firms are allowed to snuff out that competition at its incipiency.
We are therefore concerned that Apple's recent actions to disable Beeper Mini harm competition, eliminate choices for consumers, and will discourage future innovation and investment in interoperable messaging services. We also fear these types of tactics may more broadly chill future investment and innovation from those that seek to compete with existing digital gatekeepers. Thus, we refer this matter to the Antitrust Division to investigate whether this potentially anticompetitive conduct by Apple violated the antitrust laws.
Though Beeper Mini's developers have tried to push the privacy angle by pointing out the encryption its app offered for Android to iPhone communications, Beeper Mini launched using a reverse engineered version of iMessage that surreptitiously registered Android phone numbers as Apple device owners. It took advantage of Apple's own iMessage servers with fake credentials, so it is not surprising that Apple viewed Beeper Mini as a security risk.
Apple said that it shut Beeper Mini down because the app "posed significant risks to user security and privacy, including the potential for metadata exposure and enabling unwanted messages, spam, and phishing attacks."
Apple put a stop to Beeper Mini's full functionality just days after it launched, but the Beeper Mini team was able to come up with a workaround shortly after. The updated version of the app requires an Apple ID unlike the first version, and it only works with email addresses, not phone numbers.
In a CBS News interview, Beeper CEO Eric Migicovsky said that he is simply trying to provide a secure service for Android users, and he decried Apple's iMessage monopoly.
As of now, Beeper Mini continues to experience outages as Apple tweaks the iMessage service. Beeper Mini engineers are aiming to keep the app up and running, and for now, it is free to use.
Apple may be facing scrutiny over Beeper Mini, but the pressure may ease after the company adopts Rich Communication Services, or RCS in 2024. RCS will be used for chats between iPhone and Android users, and it includes support for high quality video and images, emoji reactions, typing indicators, read receipts, and more, providing Android users with many of the same features available to iMessage users.
Encryption for iPhone to Android chats will be missing until Apple is able to work with the GSM Association that developed the RCS protocol to add end-to-end encryption. Google's version of RCS, Google Messages, supports end-to-end encryption on Android devices, but Apple is adopting the RCS Universal Profile and not the version of RCS that was modified by Google.
It is worth noting that there are many cross-platform apps that iPhone and Android users can download to communicate privately, including WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, and more.
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.
Yet another industrial designer that worked under Jony Ive is leaving Apple, reports Bloomberg. Peter Russell-Clarke has stepped down from his role at Apple after 17 years, and he plans to join space technology company Vast.
Under Ive, Russell-Clarke worked on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Park campus. He left Apple earlier in the year in order to "pursue passion projects," according to a press release put out by Vast.
As Bloomberg points out, almost all of the designers who worked under former Apple design chief Jony Ive have departed. Ive left Apple in 2019 to start his design firm LoveFrom, but he continued to work with Apple as a consultant until 2022. Apple paid Ive more than $100 million to be LoveFrom's primary client, but Ive was not able to work on projects that Apple felt were competitive, leading to the dissolving of the partnership.
Several Apple designers that worked with Ive opted to join LoveFrom, and in February 2023 when Ive replacement Evans Hankey left, Apple opted to drop the Product Design Chief role, restructuring its product design team under operations chief Jeff Williams.
The next-generation version of the iPad Pro that's set to come out in 2024 might include support for MagSafe charging, MacRumors has heard. The information comes from a source that is familiar with companies that manufacture magnets for Apple products, and while it's not confirmed at this time, there have been past rumors pointing toward Apple's work on wireless charging for the iPad.
Back in 2021, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that Apple was considering a glass back for the 2022 iPad Pro, allowing for wireless charging capabilities. Gurman specifically said that Apple was testing a MagSafe system for the iPad Pro. The 2022 iPad Pro models did not feature wireless charging, a glass back, or notable design changes, but it is possible that Apple tabled the feature for a future launch.
New 11.1 and 13-inch iPad Pro models with OLED displays are planned for 2024, and the devices are expected to get design updates as part of that refresh. Apple has not updated the look of the iPad Pro in several years, so it is due for an overhaul.
It is possible that Apple could be planning for a glass-backed iPad Pro in 2024 as part of the OLED refresh, but that has not been confirmed. A glass back would make the iPad Pro more vulnerable to damage when dropped, similar to the iPhone, but it would also allow for new wire-free accessories and a common MagSafe charger that would work for both the iPhone and iPad. The iPad would also presumably work with the 15W magnetic Qi2 chargers that third-party manufacturers are working on.
15W MagSafe charging would be slower than wired charging over USB-C, which is also the case with the iPhone, but it would provide Apple device owners with more charging options in a pinch.
There is also a chance that the MagSafe charging for the iPad that we're hearing about refers to a Mac-like magnetic charger rather than an iPhone-style magnetic charger. Apple is working on a more Mac-like aluminum Magic Keyboard for the 2024 iPad Pro launch, and the new iPads will also use the same M3 chips that are in the MacBook Pro.
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All of these Apple Watches can be delivered before December 25 if ordered soon, thanks to Best Buy's free shipping options. You can also opt for in-store pick-up if a location near you has stock available for the Apple Watch you're looking to purchase.
Apple Watch Series 9
Starting with the 41mm GPS Apple Watch Series 9, this model is on sale for $329.00, down from $399.00. This is a match of the previous all-time low price, and it's available in all five colors on Best Buy.
Additionally, Best Buy has all-time low prices on the 45mm GPS model and both cellular models of the Apple Watch Series 9, all at $70 off. These sales are available to all shoppers and do not require the My Best Buy Plus or Total membership.
At Amazon you can buy the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for the all-time low price of $699.00 with an on-page coupon. This is a $100 discount on the Blue/Black Trail Loop model, and you'll need to clip the on-page coupon and then head to checkout in order to see the final sale price.
This deal has been fluctuating somewhat on Amazon, so if you don't see the $50 off coupon you can still get most other Apple Watch Ultra 2 models at the second-best price of $729.99 right now on Amazon. These will also require an on-page coupon.
Note: You won't see the deal price until checkout.
Best Buy is taking $50 off nearly every model of the Apple Watch SE, starting at $199.00 for the 40mm GPS device. You'll also find both cellular models on sale in multiple colors, and all of these discounts represent record low prices for the Apple Watch SE.
Best Buy has opened up a last-minute holiday sale event, and it has some notably low prices across Apple's iPad lineup. If you need these delivered by Christmas, the deadline for free shipping is Thursday, December 21 at 11:30 a.m. EST, but there are still in-store pick-up options as well.
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.
Some of the deals shared below require you to have a My Best Buy Plus or Total membership, which start at $49.99 per year. These grant members access to exclusive sales and deals, free two-day shipping, extended return windows, and more.
9th Gen iPad
Starting with the cheapest entry-level iPad, Best Buy has the 64GB Wi-Fi 10.2-inch iPad for $249.99, down from $329.99. Additionally, the 256GB Wi-Fi model has hit $399.99 for all shoppers and $379.99 for My Best Buy Plus and Total members, down from $479.99.
Moving up a generation, Best Buy has an all-time low price on the 10th generation iPad. You can get the 64GB Wi-Fi 10.9-inch iPad for $349.00, down from $449.00. Likewise, the 256GB Wi-Fi model is at $100 off, as are both cellular models in every color, making every model of the 10th generation iPad at a record low price right now on Best Buy.
iPad mini prices start at $399.99 for the 64GB Wi-Fi model, down from $499.99. Similar to the 10th generation iPad, every model of the iPad mini 6 is on sale at Best Buy right now, so you can get $100 off the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad mini as well as both cellular devices.
iPad Pro deals include low prices on both 11-inch and 12.9-inch tablets, and you'll need a My Best Buy Plus or Total membership to see all the deal prices listed below. 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $699.00 for 128GB Wi-Fi ($100 off) and 12.9-inch iPad Pro starts at $949.00 for 128GB Wi-Fi ($150 off).
Apple today said it will be pausing sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 in the U.S. later this week due to an ongoing patent dispute with medical tech company Masimo related to blood oxygen sensing.
In a statement shared with 9to5Mac, Apple said the Series 9 and Ultra 2 will no longer be available to purchase on Apple's online store in the U.S. starting December 21 (after 12 p.m. Pacific Time), or from Apple retail stores in the U.S. after December 24. The devices will remain available to purchase in other countries.
In October, the ITC ordered a ban on some Apple Watch imports into the U.S. after finding that Apple violated Masimo's patents related to non-invasive blood oxygen sensing, also known as pulse oximetry. U.S. President Joe Biden has until December 25 to review the order, but presidential vetoes of ITC import bans have historically been rare. In the meantime, Apple said it is preemptively taking steps to comply should the ruling stand.
Apple added that it "strongly disagrees" with the ITC's order and is "pursuing a range of legal and technical options" to ensure that availability of the Series 9 and Ultra 2 resumes in the U.S. as soon as possible. Apple told 9to5Mac that it plans to appeal the ITC's order with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on December 26 if necessary.
Apple's full statement:
A Presidential Review Period is in progress regarding an order from the U.S. International Trade Commission on a technical intellectual property dispute pertaining to Apple Watch devices containing the Blood Oxygen feature. While the review period will not end until December 25, Apple is preemptively taking steps to comply should the ruling stand. This includes pausing sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 from Apple.com starting December 21, and from Apple retail locations after December 24. The decision does not impact sales of the devices in other countries at this time.
Apple's teams work tirelessly to create products and services that empower users with industry-leading health, wellness, and safety features. Apple strongly disagrees with the order and is pursuing a range of legal and technical options to ensure that Apple Watch is available to customers.
Should the order stand, Apple will continue to take all measures to return Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 to customers in the U.S. as soon as possible.
Since 2020, Masimo has accused Apple of poaching its employees and stealing trade secrets in order to develop the blood oxygen sensing feature available on the Apple Watch Series 6 and newer. In January, an ITC judge ruled that Apple had infringed on a Masimo patent relating to light-based technology for reading blood-oxygen levels.
In a statement today, Masimo said "the decision to exclude certain foreign-made models of the Apple Watch demonstrates that even the world's most powerful company must abide by the law," and it believes the ITC's order should be respected.
Chipmaker Qualcomm has claimed that its new Snapdragon X Elite PC processor is 21% faster than Apple's latest M3 chip in multi-core performance, although questions remain about its thermal profile.
Demoing PCs with the new chipset, the San Diego manufacturer told Digital Trends that the Snapdragon X Elite records a multi-core Geekbench score of 15,300, whereas Apple's M3 obtains a score of 12,154. What Qualcomm did not mention however is the Snapdragon-powered machine's power consumption as a benchmarking vector, which is an important indicator of efficiency performance.
Qualcomm's upcoming range of 2024 Windows PCs are expected to be offered in different thermal design profiles. The performance-focused 80W profile runs faster but generates more heat and requires active cooling (fans), while the efficiency-focused 23W profile is made to be used in thinner laptops with passive cooling systems. For comparison, Apple's base M3 MacBook Pro houses a single fan, similar to the discontinued 13-inch MacBook Pro, but the M3 Pro and M3 Max use dual-fan designs to allow the additional cores to reach maximum performance under load.
The Snapdragon X Elite was announced in late October, just before Apple announced its new MacBook Pro lineup powered by M3 series chips. Despite the claims of better performance offered by the Elite chip over Apple silicon, Qualcomm conceded that "hardware... is the only thing we can control," and therefore the user experience between the rival machines is "not going to be the same," because "they're running macOS and we're running Windows."
The iPhone 16 Pro could feature an upgraded Ultra Wide camera with a 48-megapixel sensor, according to a Weibo leaker.
The rumor comes from Weibo user "Instant Digital" and suggests that 2024's iPhone 16 Pro models will be the first to feature more than one 48-megapixel sensor, leaving the Telephoto camera as the only rear-facing lens with a 12-megapixel resolution. The Ultra Wide camera's upgrade to a 48-megapixel sensor should allow it to capture more light, resulting in enhanced photos when shooting in 0.5× mode, especially in low-light environments.
The iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 15, and iPhone 15 Pro models already have a 48-megapixel Main camera that uses "pixel binning" to merge data from four pixels on the sensor into one "super pixel" for improved low-light capture. With the iPhone 16 Pro models, this technology is expected to expand to the Ultra Wide lens, which is currently a 12-megapixel lens.
This also means that iPhone 16 Pro models should be able to shoot 48-megapixel ProRAW photos in Ultra Wide mode. These photos retain more detail in the image file for more editing flexibility, and can be printed at large sizes.
The Weibo rumor corroborates a forecast from Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu, which said that the iPhone 16 Pro will feature a 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera and support for Wi-Fi 7. In 2025, the iPhone 17 Pro is expected to complete the rear camera array's transition to 48-megapixel sensors, bringing the technology to the Telephoto lens.
Instant Digital has a mixed track record in terms of revealing accurate information about Apple's plans. The source was first to report the iPhone 14's Yellow spring refresh, Spatial Video on the iPhone 15 Pro, and the Apple Watch Series 9's minor hardware update, as well as being the only source of the only rumor claiming that the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus would feature frosted back glass. However, they also made claims about several iOS 17 features and the release of a new iPad Air in October 2023 that did not pan out.
Apple has announced an App Store pilot program called "contingent pricing" that lets app developers offer discounts to customers with multiple subscriptions.
Developers can offer contingent pricing to customers who already have subscriptions "from one developer or two different developers." For example, a developer could attract customers to a subscription by offering discounted pricing if they have an active subscription with another developer.
Contingent pricing for subscriptions on the App Store — a new feature that helps you attract and retain subscribers — lets you give customers a discounted subscription price as long as they're actively subscribed to a different subscription.
As noted by 9to5Mac, the discounts can be used in App Store advertising and marketing outside of the store, in addition to within the app itself.
Apple says it is starting the pilot with a select group of participants before rolling it out to more developers in the coming months. Developers interested in contingent pricing can sign up to get notified when more details are available in January.
With iOS 17.2, iPadOS 17.2, and tvOS 17.2, Apple removed the option to purchase TV shows and movies from the iTunes Store apps, redirecting customers to the Apple TV app instead. Unfortunately, Apple's move to consolidate purchasing and viewing in the Apple TV app has done away with wishlists, and customers who used the feature got no warning about their elimination.
Removing the wish list is a really bad move by Apple. I had a bunch of movies I was working my way through. That list is just gone now. I won't be renting or buying anything from Apple TV any more. Bad move Apple.
In the iTunes Store app on the iPhone and iPad, and the separate iTunes TV Shows and iTunes Movies apps on the Apple TV, there were options to add TV shows and movies to a dedicated wishlist when browsing, which consumers used to save the content for later and watch for sales.
The wishlists did not transfer over to the Apple TV app with these updates, so some customers who had compiled long watch lists are unable to access those curated lists or copy them over to a new location. Some users are able to open up the iTunes Store app on iOS devices and tap on the hamburger button in the upper right corner to see their wishlists, but this does not appear to be working for everyone. Those who compiled lists on the Apple TV appear to have no way to access them. From Reddit:
I've looked on iOS, and my wishlist has completely disappeared. I've been building it for about 10 years, and it had a little over 400 movies on it. I wish Apple would've thought this through more before just springing such a drastic change on us.
In tvOS 17.2, iOS 17.2, and iPadOS 17.2, there is a "+" button that can be used for saving content for future watching, but this adds it to the Up Next feature, which can be rather more cluttered than a traditional wishlist.
With tvOS 17.2, Apple disabled the separate iTunes Movies and iTunes TV Shows apps during the beta testing process. The option to purchase TV shows and movies from the iTunes Store app on the iPhone and the iPad was removed at the time iOS 17.2 and iPadOS 17.2 were released through a server side update.
It is not clear if Apple will reimplement wishlists in some way given the number of upset customers, but it seems unlikely. There were similar complaints when Apple removed App Store wishlists way back with iOS 11, but that feature did not return.
Apple made few updates to the Apple Watch lineup in 2023, but the 2024 Apple Watch models are expected to include a new feature set that will make them much more appealing to consumers, Bloomberg's Mark Gurmansaid today in his Power On newsletter.
At least one Apple Watch model will feature an updated look, and while Gurman does not specify, it could be the standard Apple Watch that's getting a design update. Apple just introduced the Apple Watch Ultra in 2022, and while there are rumors of a larger microLED display for that device, current information suggests Apple won't be ready to add microLED until 2025 or 2026.
In prior reports, Gurman has said that Apple is working on a significant update for the tenth anniversary of the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch was announced in September 2014, but it did not launch until April 2015, so it is a little unclear whether the "tenth anniversary" falls in 2024 or 2025. We are due for the "Apple Watch Series 10" in 2024, and with Gurman pointing to a design update next year, that could be the "anniversary" model.
The updated Apple Watch could include a thinner design as well as a new magnetic mechanism for connecting bands, but the health features may be more appealing to customers. Gurman says that we can expect the next-generation version of the Apple Watch to detect hypertension and sleep apnea, conditions that affect millions of people.
Hypertension will be detected through blood pressure monitoring done on the wrist, which is a notable feat of engineering. Gurman said in November that the Apple Watch will be able to tell the wearer if their blood pressure is trending upward so they can report the findings to a medical professional, but it will not provide specific systolic and diastolic measurements. A future version of the technology may be able to provide exact readings.
Sleep apnea will be detected through sleep measurements and breathing patterns, letting users know if the condition is present. Detecting sleep apnea often requires a sleep study in an overnight sleep center, so the Apple Watch could relieve some of the friction in getting a diagnosis. More mild cases of sleep apnea may go unnoticed, which means at-home warnings about the condition could allow people who don't know they are afflicted to get help and improve their sleep.
Apple refreshes the Apple Watch on an annual basis, so we can expect the new model to come out right around September 2024 alongside the iPhone 16 lineup.
Apple in 2024 will introduce a fourth-generation version of the AirPods with a number of new features to make the earbuds more appealing to consumers, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reiterated today in his weekly Power On newsletter.
There will be two versions of the AirPods 4 that are available at two different price points, with Apple aiming to replace both the AirPods 3 and the lower-priced AirPods 2 that it continues to sell. As of now, there is little difference between the AirPods 2 and AirPods 3 beyond the design, which Gurman says is confusing to customers and costs Apple money when consumers opt for the cheaper model.
AirPods 4 will streamline the available AirPods options. The earbuds will feature an updated design, which Gurman outlined in October. The new AirPods are expected to look like a cross between the current AirPods and the AirPods Pro, with shorter stems. Fit is expected to be improved, but it is as of yet unclear if Apple will add silicone ear tips.
A redesigned case will include speakers for Find My alerts, and a USB-C charging port rather than a Lightning port. The higher-end version of the AirPods will feature Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), which has to date been limited to the AirPods Pro. It will allow customers to get ANC at a more affordable price point.
In a software update coming later next year, Apple will add hearing aid functionality, allowing AirPods to serve as an over-the-counter (OTC) hearing alternative to traditional hearing aids. The FDA in 2022 approved OTC hearing aid options, paving the way for Apple to market the AirPods for hearing loss. Gurman has said that Apple also plans to offer hearing tests that would tell AirPods users if they are experiencing hearing loss.
The AirPods 4 will launch in 2024, perhaps around September when Apple unveils new iPhone models. Apple is also planning for a new version of the AirPods Max in 2024, but the update will be limited to new colors and the addition of a USB-C charging port.
Apple's more expensive AirPods Pro will be refreshed in 2025, with Apple set to introduce an updated design "focused on comfort" and a faster chip.
MacRumors has shared multiple details on the iPhone 16's design, including the unveiling of a new button that is planned for the devices, the Capture Button. While we've known the name and location of the button, the internal information that we've obtained does not detail what it will be used for.
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the Capture Button will be able to record video. In this week's Power On newsletter, Gurman says that the iPhone 16 models will include a "new dedicated button for taking video." The Capture Button's function is, of course, hinted at in the name, but this is the first time we've heard confirmation of its purpose.
As we explained in a recent look at early iPhone 16 prototypes, the Capture Button will be located on the bottom right side of the iPhone 16. It will replace the mmWave antenna on U.S. iPhone models, with the mmWave antenna to be relocated to the left side of the device below the volume and Action buttons. Non-U.S. models do not have a mmWave antenna that needs to be relocated in order to accommodate the Capture Button.
The Capture Button will be a capacitive button with haptic feedback rather than a mechanical button, and it is expected to include a force sensor that can recognize pressure. The location of the button may make it easy to trigger, but if it is activated via pressure, it could be that holding it down will launch into the camera and allow video recording to start. The different pressure levels could also open up the camera for either a photo or a video (specifically a spatial video), but that's just speculation at this point.
The Capture Button is coming to all four iPhone 16 models, and with spatial video and the Vision Pro headset, it makes sense for Apple to make video recording quicker and more accessible. The Vision Pro headset can play 3D spatial videos that can be recorded with the iPhone.
Right now, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max can record spatial video using the Wide and Ultra Wide cameras in tandem, with this functionality added in iOS 17.2. The standard iPhone 16 models will feature a new vertical lens arrangement that will allow them to capture spatial video as well, so the feature won't be limited to the Pro models in the future. Spatial video can only be viewed on the Vision Pro headset, and it is meant to make users feel immersed in their memories.
For more on what's expected for the iPhone 16 lineup, we have dedicated iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro roundups that aggregate all of the rumors we've heard to date.
We're into the thick of the holiday season now, and Apple has been busy wrapping up its software work for 2023 with this week's public release of iOS 17.2, macOS Sonoma 14.2, and other updates, plus the first round of betas for iOS 17.3 and friends.
On the hardware side, Apple released a standalone USB-C case for AirPods Pro 2 owners looking to make the switch from their original Lightning case, while we shared some details on Apple's design work for next year's iPhone 16, so read on for all the details on these stories and more!
What's New in iOS 17.2
After around six weeks of beta testing and refinement, Apple this week officially released iOS 17.2 and related updates for its other platforms.
iOS 17.2 is a fairly substantial update that brings the new Journal app first previewed at WWDC back in June, spatial recording capabilities for iPhone 15 Pro ahead of the Vision Pro headset launch in early 2024, a new Translate option for the Action button on iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, Music app improvements, and more.
Other top additions in macOS 14.2 include new AutoFill capabilities for PDFs, new Weather widgets for the Mac desktop, support for multiple timers in the Clock app, and Shazam music recognition improvements.
iOS 17.3 Beta Adds New Stolen Device Protection Feature to iPhone
With iOS 17.2 and related updates out the door, Apple has moved on to beta testing for the next round of updates, led by iOS 17.3.
iOS 17.3 includes an optional new Stolen Device Protection feature that is designed to add an additional layer of security in the event someone has stolen your iPhone and also obtained the device's passcode.
The update also brings back a collaborative Apple Music playlists feature that was in early betas of iOS 17.2 but pulled prior to public release. The feature lets multiple people contribute to a single playlist, complete with animated emoji reactions to express how you feel about certain songs.
iPhone 16 Early Prototypes: What Apple's Next-Generation iPhone Will Look Like
With the launch of the iPhone 15, Apple introduced design changes like a curved frame and a frosted glass back. Information acquired by MacRumors suggests that Apple's next-generation iPhone 16 will build on these updates with modifications to the buttons and the camera layout.
We have details on early pre-production designs for the iPhone 16, including a look at the variants and hardware configurations that Apple has considered so far. Our information comes early in the design process, so things have yet to be finalized, but it's interesting to see the designs Apple has been considering.
Apple Now Selling Standalone USB-C AirPods Pro Case for $99
Apple introduced a new version of the AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C Charging Case in September, but at the time, there was no option to buy a USB-C case on its own. Customers with the Lightning-based AirPods Pro 2 had no upgrade path, but those who want to have USB-C charging across all of their devices can now pay a $99 fee to get the new version.
Apple Expands Self Service Repair in Europe, Now Covers iPhone 15 and M2 Macs
Apple has been gradually expanding its Self Service Repair program that allows customers and independent repair shops to obtain authorized parts and tools, and this week saw another significant expansion.
The iPhone 15 lineup and M2-powered Macs are now included in the program, while users in 24 additional European countries are now eligible to participate. Finally, users in the U.S. now have access to Apple Diagnostics to help test devices and identify parts that may need repair.
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.
Apple is working on an updated version of the AirPods Pro, and the new earbuds are expected to see a launch in 2025, likely at the September 9 iPhone event. There are several exciting new features that are rumored for the AirPods Pro 3, and we've rounded up what we know so far.
The AirPods Pro 3 are going to get an updated design. Exactly what will be changing remains a mystery, but Apple is expected to update both the earbuds and the case to accommodate new features that are planned.
The AirPods 4 were updated with a smaller case last year, and Apple is rumored to be planning a similar change for the AirPods Pro 3. The case could be slimmed down, and the earbuds could also get a design tweak. Apple could make the stem smaller, or remove it entirely, plus the earbuds could be made smaller to make them more comfortable. The case will get a capacitive button that is not visible, much like the AirPods 4.
Better Audio Quality
Apple tends to boost audio quality with each new iteration of the AirPods, and rumors suggest that the AirPods Pro 3 will see audio improvements with better sound quality. We're also expecting further improvements to Active Noise Cancellation, and with Apple's focus on the Vision Pro headset, audio quality will be more important than ever.
The current USB-C version of the AirPods Pro 2 are designed to pair with the Vision Pro and offer lossless audio, so further feature additions for the Vision Pro and subsequent headsets are a good bet.
Improved ANC
The next-generation AirPods Pro could include "much better" Active Noise Cancellation capabilities compared to the AirPods Pro 2, according to rumors. No information about how Apple will improve ANC is available at this time.
Updated Chip
The AirPods Pro 2 use the H2 chip, and the next-generation version of the AirPods Pro are expected to get an even faster chip, which Apple could call the H3 if it sticks with that naming scheme.
The current H2 chip powers everything from Active Noise Cancellation to Hey Siri, fast switching, and Adaptive EQ, so the H-series chips are key to AirPods functionality. The H3 chip's processing power could be important for health-related features rumored for the AirPods Pro, and it could bring improved range and connectivity.
Hearing Health Improvements
The AirPods Pro 2 have a Hearing Assistance feature that includes a hearing test and the option to use the AirPods Pro 2 as hearing aids for mild to moderate hearing loss, and this functionality will also come to the AirPods Pro 3. In the future, Apple might improve upon these features.
Health Features
The third-generation version of the AirPods Pro are expected to include health-related features like heart rate monitoring and temperature sensing. Heart rate monitoring will allow more people to access heart data for health and fitness purposes without the need for an Apple Watch, while temperature sensing can be more accurate in the ear.
AirPods 4 Features
Apple removed the physical pairing button on the AirPods 4, replacing it with a hidden capacitive button at the front. The light was also moved under the plastic of the casing, so it's more subtle when it's turned on and invisible when the LED is off.
Apple is expected to make the same change to the AirPods Pro 3.
Release Date
Apple is planning to hold an event on Tuesday, September 9 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time to debut new iPhones, and we expect to see the AirPods Pro 3 introduced as well.
The Flipper Zero is a device that can interact with other electronics. It can emulate, read, and copy RFID and NFC tags, digital access keys, remotes, and more. Its capabilities allow it to unlock cars, skim RFID chips, and do other nefarious things, such as spamming iPhones.
Running third-party firmware from Xtreme, the Flipper Zero was able to use a BLE Spam app to create a huge number of Apple TV Keyboard popups on an iPhone, causing the device to lock up. As ZDNET puts it, Flipper Zero was able to perform a denial of service (DoS) attack on all iPhones in a 30-foot radius of the attacker.
Restarting the iPhone was able to fix the issue, but it was still an annoyance. Following the iOS 17.2 update, ZDNET found that an iPhone running the software was not able to be exploited by the Xtreme firmware. Popups still appear, but not a deluge of popups capable of disabling an iPhone.
iOS 17.2 was released earlier this week and is recommended for all devices capable of running iOS 17. It includes the Journal app and multiple new features for Messages, Apple Music, Weather, and other apps.
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