MacRumors

The new Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores on Friday. Ahead of time, select media outlets and YouTube channels have shared the first reviews of the watches.

Key new features for both Apple Watch models include brighter displays, up to a 30% faster S9 chip, a "Double Tap" gesture for interacting with the watches without touching the screen, an increased 64GB of internal storage, and more.

Many reviews agree that the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 are iterative upgrades that likely aren't worth upgrading to from a Series 8 or the original Ultra.

The Verge's Victoria Song on upgrading to the Series 9 or Ultra 2:

If you have a Series 7 or later, you don't really need to update. For owners with a Series 5 or earlier, it might be worth it since you'll get a bigger screen, several new sensors, and a processing bump. Series 6 owners are the ones I see being most on the fence — and to those folks, I mostly encourage upgrades if your battery life isn't cutting it anymore. For folks with an Ultra, seriously. Cool your jets. You're getting the Modular Ultra watchface with watchOS 10, and 3,000 nits vs. 2,000 nits doesn't make a huge difference.

CNBC's Kif Leswing on Double Tap:

In testing, I didn't find the double tap to be an indispensable daily gesture for me, although it was fun to play around with, and the haptic feedback when it works is satisfying.

Nor did I find the "smart stack" widget that the double tap brings up to be that useful — I generally don't like widgets, and the suggestions it made by default were not helpful, like a card with tips for my new Apple Watch. The individual widgets are selected through machine learning, so it could get better with use.

The gesture also requires the Apple Watch interface to be activated, with its backlight on. You can't just double tap when your arm is at your side. Instead, you have to raise your arm to wake the display first, then tap your fingers twice, which makes it feel like a much more exaggerated motion.

CNET's Lexy Savvides said the Apple Watch Ultra 2's brighter display with up to 3,000 nits peak brightness benefits the flashlight feature:

But it's the flashlight that gets a bigger boost. It's able to illuminate a small dark room, light your way if you drop your keys, and even cast a spooky glow if you're reading your kids a bedtime story. I took the Apple Watch Ultra 2 into a cave and it lit up the rockface much better than the first Ultra when I compared the two.

MobileSyrup's Patrick O'Rourke on the S9 chip:

Next, there's the new S9 chip. Given Apple has stuck with the S8 chip since the Series 6, the smartwatch is long overdue for a processor bump. That said, I didn't run into slowdown issues with the S8, and while the S9 is clearly more powerful, I haven't noticed much of a performance boost in day-to-day use. On the other hand, Apple says the S9 chip powers the Series 9's on-device Siri processing, allowing the smartwatch to quickly respond to requests like starting a workout or setting a timer.

Videos

Apple and Goldman Sachs planned to launch a built-in stock trading feature for the iPhone last year, CNBC reports.

According to three individuals familiar with the matter talking to CNBC, the feature would have served as a rival to trading apps like Robinhood, allowing users to buy and sell stocks directly from their ‌iPhone‌ in a convenient way. One ability apparently pitched by executives was the ability to invest in Apple shares using spare cash. The feature would have bolstered the collaboration between Apple and Goldman Sachs, which now includes Apple Card, Apple Pay Later, and Daily Cash Savings.

Work on the project reportedly began in 2020, when interest rates were low and there was record interest in trading shares. Apple developed the feature and planned to roll it out at some point in 2022. When markets worsened last year, Apple and Goldman Sachs shelved the project due to fears over backlash if users lost money in the stock market, and refocused attention on a high-interest savings account for ‌Apple Card‌ users.

The infrastructure for the investing feature is apparently mostly built and ready to launch if Apple eventually decides to proceed with it, but there are no immediate signs that it has plans to do so.

iPhone 15 users will be able to check their battery's cycle count for the first time, according to information shared on X (formerly Twitter).

Previous methods to check an ‌iPhone‌'s battery cycle count were unofficial (via third-party apps) or complicated, such as copying and pasting analytics into Notes and searching for "last_value_CycleCount." According to a screenshot shared by @Tech_Reve, battery cycle information is visible on ‌iPhone‌ 15 models by navigating through Settings, General, and About. A new "Battery" section is present toward the bottom of the page. In addition to the number of battery cycles, it also lists production date and the date of its first use.

While battery health has been visible on the ‌iPhone‌ for several years in the form of "Maximum Capacity," the ability to see its specific number of cycles is a valuable additional metric to determine its condition. A charge cycle is registered every time you deplete all of the battery's capacity. Battery cycle information can easily be accessed on MacBooks by navigating to System Information. From Apple's battery information webpage:

Apple lithium-ion batteries work in charge cycles. You complete one charge cycle when you've used (discharged) an amount that equals 100% of your battery's capacity — but not necessarily all from one charge. For instance, you might use 75% of your battery's capacity one day, then recharge it fully overnight. If you use 25% the next day, you will have discharged a total of 100%, and the two days will add up to one charge cycle. It could take several days to complete a cycle. The capacity of any type of battery will diminish after a certain amount of recharging. With lithium-ion batteries, the capacity diminishes slightly with each complete charge cycle.

Yesterday, it emerged that all of the ‌iPhone‌ 15 and ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro models feature a new battery health setting that prevents the devices from charging beyond 80% at all times when enabled. Apple says all of the ‌iPhone‌ 15 models have the same battery life as their ‌iPhone‌ 14 predecessors. The devices launch this Friday.

Matter support is now being rolled out to Philips Hue Bridge owners via a software update, according to the company, enabling the smart home system's interoperability with third-party lights.

Matter is a connectivity standard that enables smart home accessories to work together seamlessly across multiple platforms, including Apple's HomeKit, Amazon's Alexa, Google's Home, and others. For households with multiple smart home platforms or different smartphone brands, it means the Matter lights can be controlled from any device.

For Hue Bridge owners who control only Philips Hue lights via Apple's Home app or the Hue app, nothing changes. For Android and iPhone users who own third-party lights with Matter support, they will now be able to set up and control these accessories via the Hue Bridge, provided they own a Matter border router, such as an Apple TV 4K, ‌Apple TV‌ HD (fourth generation), Apple HomePod, or HomePod mini.

Pairing codes for Matter-compatible accessories can be requested in the Hue app by tapping the plus button in the Settings -> Smart Home screen.

When Matter was officially launched in November 2022, Philips Hue declared itself a supporter of the new smart home standard. At the time, parent company Signify said a software update that would bring compatibility to its Philips Hue lineup would be available to all users in the first quarter of 2023, but the update was delayed.

Apple added support for Matter on the ‌iPhone‌, iPad, and ‌Apple TV‌ with iOS 16.1, iPadOS 16, and tvOS 16.1 last year, with a ‌HomePod‌ or ‌Apple TV‌ required to control Matter accessories in the Home app or with Siri.

WhatsApp for iPad finally appears to be nearing a release. In the latest version of WhatsApp Beta for TestFlight, Meta has introduced an option to use WhatsApp on an iPad independently of an iPhone, thanks to an update to its Link a Device feature.

WhatsApp currently allows users of the encrypted messaging platform to link up to four devices to their account even when their main smartphone is not connected to the internet. Each linked device connects to WhatsApp independently, ensuring that personal messages, media, and calls are end-to-end encrypted. The feature also supports Macs, but not iPads – until now.

As spotted by code researcher WABetaInfo, WhatsApp has started testing a facility to use iPads as a linked device in the latest beta. The new companion mode also means that any messages sent or received on iPad are synced to the account's primary phone, regardless of whether it is an iPhone or an Android device.

In order to test the companion mode, WhatsApp previously released a native iPad app built with Catalyst so that users could start testing the feature and the app. A beta version compatible with iPad can now be installed via the TestFlight app by all testers with the iOS beta app.

• How to Use Your WhatsApp Account Across Multiple Phones

WhatsApp parent company Meta has made Facebook available on ‌iPad‌, but WhatsApp and Meta's Instagram app have never had native ‌iPad‌ availability, despite many users asking for the feature. It's not clear exactly when WhatsApp for iPad will be available to the general public, but its inclusion in the beta is a good indicator that it will arrive soon.

Satechi today announced the launch of a new Magnetic Wallet Stand that is designed as an accessory to be used with the new iPhone 15 models that are releasing this Friday.

The Magnetic Wallet Stand attaches to the back of any MagSafe ‌iPhone‌, and Satechi says that it was created to have a "strong and reliable attachment" to keep the wallet from coming off of the ‌iPhone‌. Up to four credit cards, debit cards, or ID cards can be stored in the wallet, and there is a cutout for quickly showing an ID.

NFC passthrough is available from the front pocket, enabling Tap to Pay functionality without the need to remove a card from the wallet.

In addition to serving as a wallet, the accessory can be unfolded and used as a secure stand to prop up the ‌iPhone‌ for FaceTime calls, watching videos, playing games with a Bluetooth controller, and more. It can attach to the ‌iPhone‌ in either horizontal or vertical orientation when used as a stand accessory.

Made from a leather alternative, the Magnetic Wallet Stand can be purchased in seven colors. Black, brown, navy blue, and orange are available from the Satechi website, and Apple is selling the Wallet Stand in black as well as three exclusive colors, including forest green, purple, and blue.

Satechi's new Magnetic Wallet Stand is available starting today and it is priced at $40.

All of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models feature a new battery health setting that prevents the devices from charging beyond 80% at all times when enabled, as confirmed by The Verge's Allison Johnson during a Q&A session today.

The new setting is separate from the pre-existing Optimized Battery Charging feature on iPhones, which intelligently delays charging past 80% until a more appropriate time by learning the device's daily charging routine. When the 80% hard limit is enabled, the iPhone will never charge past that point whatsoever.

On all iPhone 15 models, there are three options under Settings → Battery → Battery Health & Charging → Charging Optimization:

• Optimized Battery Charging
• 80% Limit
• None

As with Optimized Battery Charging, the 80% hard limit can improve an iPhone battery's lifespan by reducing the time that the battery is fully charged.

The new setting was previously discovered in iOS 17 code by software researcher Steve Moser.

Apple says all of the iPhone 15 models have the same battery life as iPhone 14 models. The devices launch this Friday.

As Apple was announcing new iPhone models last week, the Unicode Consortium was officially approving new emoji characters that are set to be added to smartphones starting in 2024.

Approved Unicode 15.1 emoji include phoenix, lime, an edible mushroom, shaking head vertically (as in a "yes" nod), shaking head horizontally (a "no" head shake), and broken chain.

There are four new family emoji combinations, along with updates to six people emoji that now have direction specifications such as facing right or facing left. The direction options can be used with person walking, person running, person kneeling, person with white cane, person in manual wheelchair, and person in motorized wheelchair.

Unicode updates often include quite a few emoji characters, so the 15.1 update is smaller in scale than a typical year. Unicode 15.1 does, however, add a number of new non-emoji characters for use in China.

Following the approval of new emoji characters, it takes smartphone makers like Apple several months to design artwork for the emoji and add them to iOS. We can expect to see the emoji updates in a future version of iOS 17.

Last year, Apple added new emoji to the iOS 16.4 update that was released in February 2023, so the company might follow a similar timeline in 2024. Last year's emoji additions included shaking face, pink heart, light blue heart, donkey, moose, goose, wing, jellyfish, hyacinth, pea pod, ginger, flute, maracas, and black bird.

Apple today updated its Final Cut Pro, Motion, Compressor, and iMovie apps for the Mac with support for log-encoded video shot on iPhone 15 Pro models.

On the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, you can choose between HDR, SDR, or Log color encoding when recording ProRes video. Log footage typically has a higher dynamic range and more color grading flexibility than linear footage.

Apple also updated Final Cut Pro for the iPad with the same support.

Apple's 128GB Wi-Fi 12.9-inch iPad Pro from 2022 is available for $999.00 today at both Amazon and B&H Photo, down from $1,099.00. At $100 off, this is a match of the all-time low price on this version of the pro-level Apple tablet.

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.

Amazon has a delivery estimate ranging between September 27 and September 30. B&H Photo has faster options with free two-day shipping and availability for around September 21. Both retailers only have the Space Gray color at this price.

The iPad Pro deal today follows in the footsteps of a few other iPad deals we tracked yesterday. This includes the 10th generation iPad for $399.00 and the 9th generation iPad for $269.99, both of which are still available.

Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.

Apple today added the M2 Ultra Mac Pro models to its online store for refurbished products in the United States, offering the newest version of the desktop machine at a discounted price for the first time since its launch.

A refurbished version of the base ‌M2‌ Ultra ‌Mac Pro‌ with 24-core CPU, 60-core GPU, 64GB RAM, and 1TB SSD is priced at $5,949, $1,050 off of the regular $6,999 price for a 16 percent discount.

Apple has multiple ‌M2‌ Ultra ‌Mac Pro‌ configurations available for purchase at the current time, all with similar discounts and up to $1,500 off of the standard price. Supplies of the ‌M2‌ Ultra ‌Mac Pro‌ models will shift over time as Apple adds new machines, so if you're after a specific configuration, you may need to check the refurbished site often.

Introduced in June 2023, the ‌M2‌ Ultra ‌Mac Pro‌ models were the final Macs to transition to Apple silicon. Aside from the new Apple chip design, the ‌Mac Pro‌ models have the same design as the prior-generation Intel ‌Mac Pro‌. Refurbished ‌Mac Pro‌ models ship with power cord, a mouse, and a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID.

All of Apple's refurbished Macs are close to identical to new products. They are subject to a refurbishment process that includes full functionality testing, with any defective modules replaced, as well as a thorough cleaning and inspection. Refurbished products are eligible for AppleCare+ and have the same 14-day return period as new Apple devices.

Repair website iFixit today announced that it has retroactively lowered its iPhone 14 repairability score from 7/10 to 4/10 due to Apple's post-repair parts pairing requirement, just over a year after the device launched.

When purchasing parts from Apple's Self Service Repair Store, a customer must enter a device's serial number or IMEI, and any parts ordered need to be paired with the same device after installation in order to function correctly. iFixit said lots of independent repair shops have business models that are threatened by this requirement.

iFixit initially praised the iPhone 14's internal redesign with a more repair-friendly mid-frame, which has since extended to the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, but it decided to revise its score in light of feedback from the repair community.

"Although we enthusiastically awarded it a solid score at launch last year, thanks to its innovative repair-friendly architecture—of which we remain big fans—the reality for folks trying to fix these things has been very different," said iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens, in a blog post. "Most major repairs on modern iPhones require Apple approval. You have to buy parts through their system, then have the repair validated via a chat system. Otherwise, you'll run into limited or missing functionality, with a side of annoying warnings."

iFixit is referring to Apple's post-repair System Configuration software tool, which "authenticates genuine Apple parts, updates firmware, and calibrates parts to ensure maximum performance and quality," according to Apple. In June, Apple announced that customers completing their own repairs can now initiate System Configuration by placing their devices into Diagnostics mode and following the on-screen prompts.

iFixit's blog post provides an overview of the various functional issues and warnings that can arise when System Configuration is not completed.

All in all, while iFixit acknowledges that Apple has made some progress in the Right to Repair area, it has decided that it needs to hold the company to a higher standard, and it has adjusted its repairability scoring system accordingly.

Apple recently unveiled the iPhone 15 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro Max as the successors to the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, featuring a new titanium design, an Action button, a USB-C port, the A17 Pro chip, and more. As Apple's premium flagship offerings, the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro Max are the most fully-featured iPhones available.

The ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro starts at $999 and the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro Max starts at $1,199. For the Pro Max model, this is a $100 price increase over last year's model, but there is also no longer a 128GB storage configuration available for this device, meaning that it is effectively only a price hike if you normally buy this model.

Both phones have the same OLED Super Retina XDR always-on display with ProMotion and the Dynamic Island, the A17 Pro chip, 5G connectivity, a "Pro" rear camera setup, and are available in the same color options. Although the two phones share the vast majority of features, there are ten important differences between the devices. Our guide highlights the crucial differences between the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro Max, and helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these two ‌iPhone‌ models is best for you.

‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro	‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro Max
6.1-inch OLED Super Retina XDR display with 2532-by-1170-pixel resolution	6.7-inch OLED Super Retina XDR display with 2778-by-1284-pixel resolution
12-megapixel Telephoto camera with ƒ/2.8 aperture	12-megapixel Telephoto camera with ƒ/2.8 aperture and larger sensor
Telephoto camera with second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization	Telephoto camera with folded tetraprism design and autofocus 3D sensor-shift module
0.5x, 1x, 2x, 3x optical zoom	0.5x, 1x, 2x, and 5x optical zoom
23-hour battery life (during video playback)	29-hour battery life (during video playback)
5.77-inch (146.6mm) height	6.29-inch (159.9mm) height
2.78-inch (70.6mm) width	3.02-inch (76.7mm) width
6.60-ounce (187 grams) weight	7.81-ounce (221 grams) weight
128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage	256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage
$999 (128GB), $1,099 (256GB), $1,299 (512GB), or $1,499 (1TB)	$1,199 (256GB), $1,399 (512GB), or $1,599 (1TB)

Just like some previous ‌iPhone‌ models offered in two sizes, such as the ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max, there is a major additional camera feature to be gained with the larger model. This year, that's 5x telephoto optical zoom, which is ideal for sports or wildlife photography since it can get even closer to a subject.

iPhone 15 Pro Max provides the longest optical zoom ever on iPhone: 5x at 120mm. Great for close-ups, wildlife photos, and catching the action from further distances, the new Telephoto camera on iPhone 15 Pro Max has an innovative tetraprism design with a combined optical image stabilization and autofocus 3D sensor-shift module, Apple's most advanced stabilization system yet.

The ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro has a maximum optical zoom of 3x and lacks the hardware enhancements of the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro Max's telephoto camera. The Main and Ultra Wide cameras, are, however, identical between the two devices.

The ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro Max represents the most you can get out of an ‌iPhone‌ with the best possible battery life, but that does not necessarily translate into a worthwhile purchase for all users. Some users may prefer a 3x optical zoom over a 5x optical zoom, in which case the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro is a better choice. Ultimately, the alternative photography capabilities of the devices come down to this single difference. If you are more likely to use your new ‌iPhone‌ to take portrait photos, the 3x telephoto of the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro is a better choice, while the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro Max is unrivalled for sports and wildlife photography where you are looking to shoot subjects that are much farther away.

Combined with longer battery life and a larger display, the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro Max differs from the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro relatively significantly. The added $200 in price for the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro Max seems fair for its additional display area, battery life, storage, and camera technology but it is important to weigh up these factors in your personal use case. This shrinks to a $100 price difference if you normally buy a 256GB model.

If you normally purchase a 128GB ‌iPhone‌ "Pro Max" model, it may be time to look at the smaller model this year, since getting the larger model will necessitate spending $100 more than usual and getting 256GB of storage, which you may not use up. On the other hand, if you always purchase an ‌iPhone‌ with 256GB of storage, you may be more inclined to buy the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro Max.

Likewise, a larger, heavier 6.7-inch ‌iPhone‌ is not for everyone. Some may find the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro Max's size excessive or uncomfortably large to hold, while others will love the larger display for consuming media. Screen size is ultimately a matter of personal preference, and since the ‌‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro and ‌‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro Max share most of their other features, it comes down to individual taste.

The most important decision point when choosing between the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro Max is undoubtedly screen size, but comfort, pocketability, weight, battery life, and camera technology are also important considerations that will depend based on your personal needs and preferences. If you are hesitant about the size and weight of the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro Max, it may be better to stick with the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro, but it otherwise unlikely to disappoint, especially if price is not an issue.

Starting on iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS Sonoma, Apple encrypts the titles of Voice Memos stored in iCloud, in addition to the recordings themselves.

As a result of this change, Apple says the titles of existing Voice Memos might only show the date and time of the recording on devices running older software versions.

Apple explains in a new support document:

Because of this additional encryption, when you update one of your Apple devices to iOS 17, iPadOS 17, or macOS Sonoma, your devices that you haven't yet updated—with older versions of Voice Memos—may display the date and time of the recording (for example, "2023-08-11T07:53:31Z") as the title, rather than the previous title of the recording.

Apple already encrypted Voice Memos recordings in transit and stores them in an encrypted format, according to the support document.

Anker has returned today with a large array of deals on Amazon and on its own website. One highlight of the sale is the return of all-time low prices on the Eufy brand of Bluetooth trackers. You can get the SmartTrack Link in various packs, including $26.99 for a 2-pack and $48.99 for a 4-pack. You will need to be a Prime member to get these discounts.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon and Anker. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

These trackers work with Apple's Find My app and are perfect for keeping track of luggage and other necessities while traveling. Compared to previous sales, these are some of the best prices we've tracked on the Bluetooth trackers, although this time we aren't seeing any deals on the SmartTrack Card.

Another highlight is the Eufy Security SmartDrop Package Box, which is down to $199.99 for Prime members on Amazon, from $399.99. We last tracked this deal in August and it's a match of the all-time low price on the product.

The Eufy package box provides a secure location for your packages to be delivered, and sends notifications to your smartphone when items arrive. Right now it has an estimated delivery date of September 26 from Amazon.

In addition to the SmartDrop Package Box there are a few other Anker accessories on sale today, both on Amazon and on Anker's website. On the Anker website, you'll find both individual deals on charging accessories as well as a few bundle offers.

Shoppers should note that for both websites, most of the deals below will require you to clip an on-page coupon. On Amazon, you can do this by simply clicking the box near the green text under the price of the accessory, and then you'll see the price at checkout. On Anker, you can hit the "copy code" button then proceed to "buy now" in order to get the discount.

Cables and Wall Chargers

• USB-C to USB-C Cable (6ft 2-Pack) - $9.99, down from $16.99
• 100W USB-C Charger - $26.59 with on-page coupon, down from $35.99
• 100W USB-C Power Adapter (2-Port) - $36.79 with on-page coupon, down from $45.99
• Nano 65W USB-C Charger (3-Port) - $39.99, down from $55.99
• Compact 65W USB-C Charger (3-Port) - $39.99, down from $59.99
• 100W USB-C GaN Wall Charger (3-Port) - $76.49, down from $84.99

Portable Batteries

• PowerCore 10,000 mAh - $10.80 with on-page coupon, down from $21.98
• PowerCore Essential 20,000 mAh - $34.99, down from $41.99
• Portable Charger 20,000 mAh + 45W Wall Charger (2-Port) - $39.99, down from $59.99
• Portable Power Station - $629.98 with on-page coupon, down from $899.99

Hubs and Charging Stations

• 7-in-1 USB-C Power Strip - $41.99 with on-page coupon, down from $65.99
• 11-in-1 USB-C Hub - $89.99, down from $99.99
• MagGo Magnetic Charging Station - $69.99 with on-page coupon, down from $99.99
• 3-in-1 MagSafe Station - $110.49 with on-page coupon, down from $139.99
• 12-in-1 Docking Station + Monitor Stand - $199.99 with on-page coupon, down from $249.99

Bluetooth Speakers

• Soundcore Motion Boom Plus - $149.99 with on-page coupon, down from $179.99

Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.

Starting with the iOS 17 and tvOS 17 software updates released on Monday, any Apple TV HD or Apple TV 4K model experiencing problems can be restored with a nearby iPhone, according to a new Apple support document.

If a black screen with an iPhone appears on the TV, users can unlock their iPhone, hold it close to the Apple TV, and follow the on-screen recovery steps on the iPhone. When the recovery process is completed, the Apple TV will reboot.

On the Apple TV HD, there is a USB-C port that allows the device to be restored with a Mac over a wired connection. However, there is no USB-C port on any of the Apple TV 4K models, so Apple advised customers to contact Apple support to restore those models. With the new iPhone-based restore method, that is no longer necessary.

Read our tvOS 17 release post for an overview of other new Apple TV features, such as a FaceTime app and a redesigned Control Center.

Apple's new iPhone 15 and ‌iPhone‌ 15 Plus begin arriving to customers and launch in stores on Friday, September 22. Ahead of time, the first reviews of the devices have been shared by select media outlets and YouTube channels.

The ‌iPhone‌ 15 and ‌iPhone‌ 15 Plus offer a new design, the Dynamic Island, a USB-C port, the A16 Bionic chip, a 48-megapixel main camera, Smart HDR 5, Apple's second-generation Ultra Wideband chip for Precision Finding with Find My friends, and more.

• iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 15 Buyer's Guide: 20 Upgrades Compared

Reviewers are generally in agreement that the ‌iPhone‌ 15 represents a significant update of Apple's standard ‌iPhone‌ models, sporting bigger and more useful upgrades than in many previous years. We've rounded up both written and video reviews of the ‌iPhone‌ 15 and ‌iPhone‌ 15 Plus below.

Written Reviews

The ‌iPhone‌ 15 features a new design with contoured edges, frosted back glass, and the ‌Dynamic Island‌. It is also available in a refreshed selection of color options, including Black, Blue, Green, Yellow, and Pink. Pocket-Lint's Britta O'Boyle on the ‌iPhone‌ 15's revamped design:

There's a matte glass back in place of the coloured glossy finish we've been accustomed to since the iPhone XR and its vibrant, colourful back. The iPhone 15 completely pivots on this design feature, opting for a much more subtle, pastel finish. The colours - of which there are six to choose from - have been infused into the glass and the result is a very, light shade of colour. And I mean very light, almost non-existent.

The aluminium frame - no titanium here like on the Pro models - does have a stronger colour presence however, matching the colour within the glass rear and complimenting it beautifully. It's not just the softness in colour that makes the iPhone 15 stand out though. Like the iPhone 15 Pro models, the rear of the iPhone 15 is almost soft-to-touch with a lovely smooth finish that makes this phone really rather delightful to hold - trust me on this. The edges are also slightly contoured, removing the sharpness where the rear met the frame on the iPhone 14.

[...]

Flip the iPhone 15 onto its silky soft matte back and you'll notice some big changes to the front. The bezels have reduced slightly - not as much as the iPhone 15 Pro, but enough to make a noticeable difference if you look close enough. You probably won't though, because it will be the lack of notch at the top of the display that will likely capture your attention first.

The Verge's Dan Seifert on the ‌iPhone‌ 15's USB-C port, which is limited to USB 2.0 speeds, just like the Lightning connector:

The other big hardware change this year is the swap from Lightning to USB-C for charging and data transfer. This change has been a long time coming, and I applaud it, even if Apple is literally years late to doing so. It does mean that the piles of Lightning cables and accessories you’ve accumulated are obsolete now (Apple gives you a new braided cable in the box with the phone), but it also means you don’t have to carry multiple charging cables for your iPhone, iPad, laptop, and other accessories. And hey, you can now use the same charging cable as your Android-toting friends and loved ones, which will certainly come in handy at some point.

The USB-C port supports wired charging up to 27W and can output to a display at 4K60 resolution. But it's limited to USB 2.0 data transfers: just 480Mbps, 20 times slower than the USB 3 data speeds available on an iPhone Pro or an iPad Air and 80 times slower than what comes on all Macs at this point. Most people will never plug their phone into a computer to transfer data off of it, but the limitation shows up in other areas, like when I plugged a USB-C ethernet adapter into the iPhone 15 and only got half of my gigabit internet speed. Or when switching to a new phone and using a cable to move your data over and having to wait as gigabytes of data are squeezed through the USB 2 connection. It just feels like a stingy limitation on an $800-plus phone considering faster USB speeds have been out for 15 years.

MobileSyrup's Patrick O'Rourke on the A16 Bionic chip, first introduced in last year's ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro models:

It’s important to note that the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus feature the same A16 Bionic chip as the iPhone 14 line. It looks like this is Apple’s new cadence of release; the top-tier phone features the high-end chip, while the base-level device gets last year’s processor. Does this matter anymore when Apple’s chips are so far ahead of the competition? It doesn’t, and at this point, Apple knows it.

[...]

During my time with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, I didn't encounter any slowdown, whether I was running high-end apps or being an internet power user in Firefox. Would I prefer Apple to stick with including its most powerful chip in all of its new smartphones? Definitely, especially as the promise of console-level gaming looms on with the iPhone 15 Pro and its A17 Pro chip, while the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are stuck with the A16. However, this likely won't matter to the iPhone 15's audience.

Wired's Lauren Goode on the ‌iPhone‌ 15's multitude of camera improvements:

The entire camera system on the iPhone 15 does offer more granular control over your photos than the iPhone 14 does, even if some of the resulting images aren't stunningly better than the prior generation's. The biggest update is that the iPhone 15 has the ability to capture both 24-megapixel and 48-megapixel images, which can be preset under "Resolution Control" in your phone's camera settings. But this feature is optimized for shooting at 1X in decent light, whereas if you shoot at .5X, or ultrawide, the camera will default back to 12-megapixel captures.

The iPhone 15 now has an additional 2X optical zoom option, whereas the iPhone 14 only offered .5 and 1X zooms. Portrait mode on iPhone 15 can be activated automatically when the camera detects a portrait-worthy image, though in my experience, the iPhone 15 has yet to deem any of my subjects worthy of portraiture. Also, in Portrait mode, you can now control the depth of the image and zoom out to capture even more data from the scene. This is admittedly a nice feature add.

Video Reviews

Apple's new iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores this Friday, September 22. Ahead of time, the first reviews of the devices have been shared by select media outlets and YouTube channels.

Key new features of the iPhone 15 Pro models include a USB-C port, lightweight titanium frame, customizable Action button, faster A17 Pro chip, an increased 8GB of RAM, thinner bezels around the screen, and several camera improvements, including an upgraded Telephoto lens with up to 5x optical zoom on the Pro Max model.

• iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Buyer's Guide: 30+ Upgrades Compared

We've rounded up both written and video reviews of the iPhone 15 Pro models below.

Written Reviews

The Verge's Allison Johnson on the USB-C port:

I know we all have a lot of mixed feelings about USB-C, but let me tell you about a beautiful thing that happened: the 15 Pro Max's battery was low, so I unplugged the USB-C charging cable from my MacBook Air and plugged it right into the phone. No searching for another cable. No dongles. Just a USB-C charger powering a USB-C iPhone.

Johnson says the Action button can function as a physical shutter button when the Camera app is open, instead of the volume buttons:

I set the Action Button on the 15 Pro Max to open the camera, which I thought I'd really like. It even acts as a shutter when you use the Action Button to open the camera, and I love a physical shutter button. But it’s a bit of a reach, and after the first week, I’m not finding it any easier than swiping the homescreen to launch the camera and pressing the volume down button to snap shots. I have some other ideas for the Action Button, though, and the beauty is you can experiment with it until you find something you like.

CNBC's Kif Leswing on the titanium frame:

Apple says that the 6-inch iPhone 15 Pro is 187 grams, or 9% lighter than last year's model. The iPhone 15 Pro Max, with a bigger 6.7-inch screen, weighs 8% less. But in practice, it feels like an even bigger reduction. Going back to my old iPhone 14 Pro, it feels like a brick. The weight difference between this year's Pros and last year's is noticeable even with a case.

Tom's Guide's Mark Spoonaeur on battery life:

On our battery test, which involves continuous web surfing at 150 nits of screen brightness, the iPhone 15 Pro lasted 10 hours and 53 minutes. That’s 40 minutes longer than the iPhone 14 Pro and nearly 2 hours longer than the Pixel 7 Pro. We consider 11 hours or more to be excellent.

TechCrunch's Matthew Panzarino on the iPhone 15 Pro Max's new 5x optical zoom capability:

And we haven't even started talking about the 120mm tetraprism-enabled 5x telephoto lens. This thing is an incredible achievement in every way. It doesn't just work, it's probably the best camera Apple has ever made.

An example of a photo shot at 5x by Panzarino:

Video Reviews