An unreleased iPhone, an entry-level iPad, and what is likely to be the next-generation iPad Air have been imported into India ahead of their expected announcement this spring.
Last month, Apple filed two new iPad models and one new iPhone in the Eurasian Economic Commission database with model numbers that do not correlate with any currently released product. Those same model numbers have since been cross-referenced by "industry sources" cited in a new 91mobilesreport that indicates Apple has begun importing the devices into India for "testing purposes."
Apple is widely rumored to revamp several of its products in the spring, with the iPad Air and iPhone SE expected to receive modest updates. The iPad Air, Apple's mid-tier model starting at $599, is thought to be gaining 5G connectivity on cellular models, the A15 Bionic chip, and Center Stage support. The iPhone SE, which starts at $399, is expected to gain 5G support, the A15 Bionic, and the same 4.7-inch display as the current model.
Apple's AirPods Max headphones have dropped to $449.99 in all colors on Amazon, down from $549.00. All models are in stock and ready to ship out today, except for Space Gray which has a shipping delay of about a week.
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.
We've seen a few colors of the AirPods Max drop to $449 in 2022, but this is one of the first times where all color options have been discounted by $99. In comparison to previous discounts, this is the second-best Amazon price we've ever tracked on the AirPods Max.
AirPods Max feature Active Noise Cancellation technology and the same Transparency mode, Adaptive EQ, and spatial audio features that are in the AirPods Pro. For charging, the headphones come with a Smart Case made out of a soft material that puts AirPods Max in an ultra low-power state to preserve battery charge when not in use.
We track sales for every model of the AirPods in our Best AirPods Deals guide, so be sure to bookmark that page while you shop around for the wireless headphones.
If you weren't a fan of Apple's Smart Case that comes with the AirPods Max, high-end luxury brand Gucci is here for you with its own case for the headphones priced at $980.
Gucci's "Ophidia case for AirPods Max" is an online exclusive that brings "vintage and contemporary together through its archive-inspired design elements. Playing with the contrast between past and present, the inside of the accessory is printed with 'Hodiernum'—a Latin word that means 'belonging to the present day.'"
Gucci says the case is made from environmentally friendly materials, features a shoulder strap, brown leather details, and a snap button to secure the AirPods Max in place. Like many AirPods Max accessories, Gucci's case exposes the AirPods Max's canopy allowing for easy carrying.
AirPods Max is priced at $550, meaning Gucci's case is nearly double the cost of the product it is designed for. Gucci does offer another case for standard headphones that costs $920, but it isn't designed for the AirPods Max specifically.
Changes to the way OneDrive syncs files and folders on Mac has caused upset among users of the cloud storage service, following Microsoft's rollout last month of a new "Files On-Demand Experience" for Macs running macOS 12.1 and later.
In a change coming with macOS 12.3, currently still in beta, Apple is deprecating the kernel extensions originally used by OneDrive's syncing features, so the Mac client is now using Apple's File Provider extensions instead. Microsoft says this new technology stack should make the feature "much better integrated with the operating system compared to the first version." Judging by feedback though, that has not been the experience of many users, with slowdowns and bugs variously reported.
Worsening matters, in tandem with the new macOS extensions integration, Microsoft has also made Files On-Demand the default behavior of its OneDrive client. The Files On-Demand feature is designed to allow users to access files in the cloud without having to download them and use storage space on their Mac. Previously, it was an optional feature and users could disable it. However, the latest update has controversially removed the original user setting to disable it, further angering customers who now have no way of keeping local copies of their synced files.
What this has meant in practice for many users is that any local copies of files synced to OneDrive have been summarily wiped from their Mac since the update was rolled out. Responding to the change on Microsoft's community answers forum, one customer complained:
What is going on? Why would you enforce Files On-Demand on your customers, isn't it enough to enable it by default? My 70GB of cloud data is not local anymore, sometimes I have no internet, you are locking me away from my files. Also making it impossible for me to do full text searches. Files On-Demand is also too slow, waiting a second to display folder contents is too much when you organize things in deep folder structures.
How I can disable Files On-Demand? Will you please stop knowing the best for your customers? We aren't toddlers. Thanks!
If Files On-Demand is enforced by policy, I will leave your cloud service once and for all.
Responding to the question, another user wrote:
You could have asked instead of just deleting everything so I have to download all of my files again. So angry at Microsoft over this. Returning my files to local has been a gigantic pain in the rear end. I have far better things to do than to painstakingly select each folder and choose "always keep on this device".
Microsoft includes an ability in OneDrive's Finder integration to mark synced files as "Always Keep on This Device" (internally referred to as "pinning"), and some users have resorted to exhaustively re-downloading all their files and folders using this option, but not without a high degree of syncing fails. Another user writes:
The proposed solution of doing this on the root doesn't work. If I select this option for more than a couple of folders, I am greeted with a Finder error citing "cannot communicate with the helper." I've been working on this for hours and it appears I have several hours to go. Already provided feedback via the option on OneDrive. Bad form, Microsoft.
On top of these errors, some users are also experiencing problems with files refusing to download or open correctly in their default application. One Redditor posts:
Prior to today, when I double clicked a Word document, PPT, etc. in the Finder that resided in my OneDrive folder, the Office app would open the OneDrive version and autosave my changes. Today, when I do that, it just treats it as a local file and won't sync it with OneDrive. I still have the setting "Use Office applications to sync Office files that I open" enabled, but the new version seems to have broken that.
Hundreds of similar complaints about the enforced changes and associated bugs can be found on Microsoft's OneDrive blog, the MacRumors Forums, and scattered over Reddit, with many users saying they will move to a rival cloud storage syncing solution unless the ability to store synced files locally is brought back and the syncing bugs are fixed. We've reached out to Microsoft to provide more clarity on the situation and will update this article if we hear back.
The new Black Unity Braided Solo Loop for the Apple Watch is available starting today at select Apple Store locations around the world.
Priced at $99 in the United States, the special edition Black Unity band is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 4 and later. In addition to Apple Stores, the band can be ordered online through Apple.com or the Apple Store app for a limited time.
Featuring the colors of the Pan-African flag, the Black Unity Braided Solo Loop is designed by Black creatives and allies at Apple to celebrate Black history and culture, the company said. The band is complemented by a new Unity Lights watch face with lighting that changes dynamically throughout the day thanks to 2D ray tracing. The watch face can be downloaded on the Apple Watch Series 4 or later running watchOS 8.3 or later.
Designed for a precise fit with no clasps or buckles, the Braided Solo Loop comes in nine sizes, with a measuring tool available on Apple's website.
February is Black History Month, and Apple is honoring the occasion by spotlighting Black voices and businesses with special content across its services, including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, Apple Books, the Apple TV app, and more.
Apple is working on bringing web-based notifications to iOS, addressing a long-time concern of developers of web-based apps who have been unable to send notifications to users on Apple mobile devices, severely limiting the user experience and effectiveness of apps made on the web.
With the first betas of iOS and iPadOS 15.4 released last week, Apple added a "Push API" toggle in the Experimental settings page for Safari, as spotted and explained by developer Maximiliano Firtman. As noted by Maximiliano, while the toggle is visible, the API itself is not yet enabled, and Apple has yet to implement a UI prompt into Safari on iOS to ask users for permission to display web-based notifications.
Unlike on macOS where web-based notifications are common, only apps downloaded through Apple's App Store can send notifications on iOS. With the inclusion of the "Push API" toggle in iOS 15.4, Apple is seemingly laying the groundwork for bringing web-based notifications to its mobile devices.
Web-based applications are designed entirely on the web, accessible through any browser with a URL. Web-based apps are not new, but the Epic Games v. Apple lawsuit has brought the experience of web-based apps on iOS and iPadOS into the spotlight. A key cornerstone of Epic's argument against Apple's control of the App Store and iOS ecosystem is the lack of choices for users on where to download apps.
In a submission to the ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) in February of last year, Apple rebuffed Epic's claim that iOS users are limited in options for where to download apps. Specifically, Apple said that "the whole web is available to them," and iOS and iPadOS users have "unrestricted and uncontrolled access" to web-based apps.
"Web browsers are used not only as a distribution portal, but also as platforms themselves, hosting "progressive web applications" (PWAs) that eliminate the need to download a developer's app through the App Store (or other means) at all. PWAs are increasingly available for and through mobile-based browsers and devices, including on iOS," Apple said in a section of its submission titled "Distribution alternatives within the iOS ecosystem."
In a court filing dated May 2021, Epic specifically took issue with the limitations of WebKit, the framework on which all iOS and iPadOS browsers are based. Epic noted that web-based apps accessed through the browser lack access to APIs offered by native apps distributed through the App Store, such as PushKit, which enables notifications.
Safari prompt on macOS for web-based notifications
In the same filing, Epic claimed that in testimony, Apple's former vice president of developer relations, Ron Okamoto, could "not name a single developer that withdrew an app from the App Store because the developer could substitute to distributing a web app."
By bringing PushKit to WebKit for iOS and iPadOS, Apple could be seeking to bolster its argument that web-based applications are an alternative to apps from the App Store. The Epic vs. Apple lawsuit concluded in September with U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruling that Apple must allow apps to link to external payment methods for in-app purchases. Epic wanted the court to force Apple to support third-party App Stores, but that didn't happen.
While Apple is seemingly laying the early groundwork for implementing PushKit into WebKit for iOS and iPadOS, it remains unclear when we could see the API go live. We've reached out to Apple for more information.
Apple is currently testing iOS and iPadOS 15.4, the largest update to iOS and iPadOS 15 since its launch last fall. The first beta of iOS 15.4 includes the ability to use Face ID while wearing a mask, Universal Control, improved support for ProMotion on iPhone 13 Pro models, and more.
In celebration of Heart Month, Apple is offering all customers who trade in an Apple Watch $25 extra in credit to encourage owners of older Apple Watch models to upgrade to one of the newer models.
Heart Month is celebrated during February, and Apple this week shared some of the ways it's celebrating across its services.
The $25 Apple Watch trade-in credit is valid until February 28 in the US, Canada, the UK, Italy, Spain, Germany, and the UAE. Apple allows customers to trade in Apple Watch models from Series 1 through Series 6, including the Apple Watch SE. More information on Apple's trade-in program can be found on its website.
Apple is unhappy with the "Apple-Man" title that indie film director Vasyl Moskalenko is planning to use for a comedy film that's in development, with the Cupertino company opposing Moskalenko's "Apple-Man" trademark registration application. (via iPhone in Canada).
Moskalenko in 2020 launched a successful Kickstarter project for "Apple-Man," an action comedy film that's about a part-human part-apple superhero who can levitate apples, and now that the film is in post-production, Apple is taking issue with the "Apple-Man" name. In a YouTube video, Moskalenko explains that Apple opposed the Apple-Man trademark and "initiated trial proceedings," sending him a 467-page document "full of lawyer terminology."
"My film has nothing to do with Apple corporation," Moskalenko says in the video. "I've never mentioned anything about MacBooks, iPhones, iPads and so on. Not a single word." Moskalenko says that his movie is about apples, "the fruits." Apple appears to be concerned that consumers will think "Apple-Man" is associated with or approved by Apple.
In an appeal to Apple, Moskalenko says that he has "nothing but respect" for the company, and that his film is in no way related to the iPhone, MacBooks, or other Apple products.
Dear Apple company, I understand that you want to protect your business and your product from any negative impact in any possible way, but under no circumstances do I have any intent to harm your brand with my movie. There are no negative associations or negative connotations with this production.
And I would be happy to forward you a final cut to judge for yourself. I'm not going to produce cell phones, computers, software, anything that might be deemed to conflict with your brand. I just want to make a comedy movie about a superhero with a super power that is related with everyone's favorite fruit.
Moskalenko says that he is "open to any negotiations" and hopes that he can reach an agreement with Apple. He also told iPhone in Canada that he is worried he'll have to spend his Kickstarter money on litigation.
Should his trademark registration be denied, Moskalenko is also concerned that Apple would be able to demand that the film is deleted following its release. "It actually looks like trademark bullying," he said to iPhone in Canada.
Apple has gotten involved in other major trademark disputes over designs that seem to have little relation to the company. Last year, Apple opposed the trademark of Prepear because the pear-shaped logo looked too much like Apple's own logo. Prepear and Apple were able to settle the issue after Prepear made small tweaks to the leaf design of the pear.
The New York Timestoday announced that it has purchased popular web-based game "Wordle" for low-seven figures. Created by Josh Wardle, Wordle has gained millions of users over the past several months and has become well-known on the internet thanks to its simple score sharing features and straightforward gameplay.
Wardle said in a January interview with TechCrunch that "part of the point" of Wordle was that it was free to play and that he had no interest in monetizing it, but at the time, he also said it would be "foolish" not to speak with those interested in investing in Wordle in some capacity.
The New York Times says that Wordle will be free to play for new and existing players "at the time it moves" over to the NYT site, but there is no word on whether it will be monetized and locked behind a paywall at a later date. Specific wording in a New York Times story says "the game would initially remain free to new and existing players," so the "initially" could imply future changes.
In a letter announcing the acquisition, Wardle said that he is working with The New York Times to ensure that wins and streaks will be preserved during the transition.
Wordle made headlines in early January because as it rose to popularity, multiple app developers attempted to capitalize on its success and created clone apps in the App Store. Wordle has always been a web-based browser game and is not available on iOS devices through an official app, so these clone apps capitalize on the Wordle idea and charging people money.
Apple ultimately decided to remove all of the Wordle clones that used the Wordle name from the App Store, and to date, there have been no additional Wordle clones released for sale on Apple's platform. With Wordle now owned by The New York Times, we could possibly see an official Wordle app in the future as the NYT does already offer an app for its crossword puzzles.
The release of popular Tom Hanks movie "Greyhound" saw a major jump in Apple TV+ subscribers when it launched, but most of those subscribers did not stick around, according to data compiled by subscriber measurement service Antenna and shared by The Wall Street Journal.
Apple TV+ saw around 60,000 sign-ups when Greyhound was released on July 10, 2020, with that number not counting those who signed up for free long-term trials for purchasing an Apple TV product. Fewer than 50 percent of those new users remained subscribed at the six month mark after the "Greyhound" launch, with 30 percent of subscribers who signed up for the movie debut dropping within the first two months.
Apple is not alone in finding it difficult to retain subscribers who sign up specifically for a major new TV show or movie launch. Similar trends were seen with the Disney+ launch of "Hamilton," and the HBO Max premiere of "Wonder Woman 1984."
All streaming services see a portion of U.S. customers unsubscribe every month and have been signing up more users than they lose over time. But viewers who join a service right after a big release tend to leave significantly faster than the average streaming customer, according to an analysis of Antenna data.
TV shows like "Ted Lasso" have the potential to keep subscribers for a longer period of time because they are released on a week to week basis, unlike movies that can be watched in one sitting.
Streaming services that want to retain customers need to continually produce popular content to keep subscribers engaged and paying out monthly subscription fees. It's important for streaming services to have a "couple big, nice theatrical movies every quarter to make it feel like it's really valuable," Moffett Nathanson analyst Michael Nathanson told The Wall Street Journal.
Apple has never provided details on how many Apple TV+ subscribers that it has, but the numbers are likely to be far behind popular services that include Disney+, Hulu, and Netflix. Disney+ in particular has seen incredible success since its November 2019 launch, and in November, the streaming service had over 118 million subscribers.
Disney+, Netflix, and Hulu all have much more expansive content offerings, as these services include TV shows and movies sourced from third-party production companies and television networks. Apple TV+ includes almost all original content, and it has not been around long enough for Apple to build up a significant back catalog.
Antenna's data is aggregated from third-party apps that help users manage their email inboxes or stick to a monthly budget, and it includes information from a sample of five million U.S. users.
Apple is planning to expand the sports content available in its Apple News app, based on code MacRumors found in the first beta of iOS 15.4. To offer a more tailored news experience, users will be able to select their preferred sports leagues and their favorite teams, with Apple then providing the appropriate news.
Code suggests that it's possible the feature will sync with the team selections feature in the Apple TV app, as there is a "Sync Sports Favorites" mention. The Apple TV app provides up-to-the minute scoring information, and it's looking like Apple will also bring sports scores and highlights directly to the News app.
This functionality would allow sports fans to get a more in-depth overview of upcoming games, game results, and news relevant to their interests. It would also bring Apple News in line with other publications that already allow readers to get news specific to their favorite teams.
As noted by 9to5Mac and confirmed by MacRumors, Apple is developing an internal "SportsKit" framework for iOS and tvOS, which integrates with the Apple TV app, Siri, and Home Screen widgets. SportsKit is likely to tie in with Apple News, with the framework supporting sports features across the TV app, Apple News app, and more.
Apple is aiming to significantly bolster its sports-related content, according to investment firm Wedbush, which could explain the SportsKit content push. In a recent report, Wedbush said that Apple is on an "aggressive hunt" for potential deals that would allow it to broadcast live sports content on its TV+ streaming service as part of a wider effort to boost subscription numbers.
Apple is, for example, rumored to be seriously pursuing a deal with Major League Baseball. Apple is in talks that would see it able to broadcast some MLB games with the next season.
Apple has confirmed it no longer provides customers with complimentary EarPods in the box with every iPhone sold in France, citing the environmental benefits of having a thinner iPhone box thanks to the lack of a charger and earphones.
In an update on Apple's French website, the company no longer states that EarPods will be included in the box for any of its iPhones. Apple now lists only the iPhone itself and a USB-C to Lightning cable.
Earlier in the month, notices posted by French carriers indicated that starting January 24, Apple would no longer include EarPods in the box with iPhones sold in France. Under previous French law, Apple was lawfully obligated to include EarPods in the box based on the precautionary principle, because the risks of exposing developing brains to electromagnetic waves are not clearly known.
Newly passed law in the country no longer requires that smartphones makers such as Apple and Samsung include headphones in the box. Instead, they must ensure compatible headphones are available separately as an optional accessory.
Apple removed EarPods and the power adapter from all iPhone boxes starting with the iPhone 12 in 2020. Apple's decision has been controversial in several countries, with the tech giant facing a fine of $2 million in Brazil.
A new all-time low price on the M1 iMac (8-core GPU, 256GB) has hit Amazon today, available for $1,349.99, down from $1,499.00. This sale price won't be seen until you add the iMac to your cart and receive an automatic $100 off coupon.
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.
Colors available at this sale price include Green, Pink, Orange, and Yellow. This sale beats the previous record low price for this version of the M1 iMac by about $50, and it's only available on Amazon as of writing.
In another sale, Expercom via Amazon has the 7-Core GPU, 256GB version of the M1 iMac for another record low price of $1,229.91, down from $1,299.00. This model is sold by Expercom on Amazon and it's available in Silver.
We've been tracking discounts on this 24-inch iMac model throughout January, and it's continued to drop throughout the month.
You can keep track of ongoing sales on Apple's iMac line by visiting our Best iMac Deals guide. There, we keep track of the best iMac offers from Amazon, Adorama, B&H Photo, and other retailers, so be sure to check back often if you're shopping for an iMac for the first time, or thinking of upgrading.
Apple's rumored iMac Pro will launch in the summer rather than in the early months of the year, according to display analyst Ross Young.
Young, who often provides accurate insight into Apple's display plans, said that he no longer expects the iMac Pro to launch in the spring, and that a "summer" launch seems more likely at this point. Panel shipments are expected to begin in June, and a release could follow in August or September.
We expect panel shipments from June, but the product may not launch till August or September.
— Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) January 31, 2022
Back in December, Young said that the iMac Pro with mini-LED display was going to launch in the spring, and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman had also floated the machine as a possibility for a spring debut at an event that's expected to take place in March or April.
According to Gurman, Apple's spring event will focus on the iPhone SE with 5G connectivity, a refreshed version of the iPad Air with an updated A-series chip, and at least one new Mac powered by Apple silicon chips. Gurman suggested that this Mac might be either the new mini-LED iMac or the Mac mini, and with Young's new data, it's looking like we might see the new Mac mini ahead of the refreshed iMac if Gurman's information pans out.
Rumors suggest that Apple is working on a 27-inch iMac that will be sold alongside the smaller 24-inch iMac. The new iMac will feature a mini-LED backlight, but Young said today that he believes it will have fewer mini-LED zones than are available in the mini-LED iPad Pro and MacBook Pro models.
The 27-inch iMac is expected to see Apple revive the "iMac Pro" name to distinguish the device from the 24-inch iMac and to bring it in line with the naming of the MacBook Pro models. The iMac Pro will include the same M1 Pro and M1 Max chips that are in the MacBook Pro models, along with a refreshed design that features slimmer black bezels and perhaps new color options.
We have a full rundown on what to expect from the 27-inch iMac Pro coming in 2022 in our iMac Pro guide.
Some Meta employees are being aggressively pushed to apply for other jobs at the company and embrace the recent drive toward augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), while others are choosing to defect to competitors such as Apple, The New York Times reports.
Since Facebook rebranded as Meta and lauded the future of the "metaverse," the company is said to have undergone a sweeping transformation, creating thousands of new jobs to develop hardware and software for AR and VR. More than 24 percent of Meta's open job listings are for roles in AR or VR, but the company has ramped up its internal recruitment in recent months.
Meta is reportedly pushing its employees in products, engineering, and research to apply for new positions in the company's expanding AR and VR teams, suggesting that employees should move in order to succeed. Other workers have been elevated from their jobs in the company's social networking divisions to lead the same functions with an emphasis on AR and VR. Moreover, employees have purportedly been expected to adopt a positive attitude toward the metaverse and innovation in the AR and VR space, or leave the company.
Meta has also sought to poach talent from Apple and Microsoft amid the rush to bring a compelling, mainstream AR and VR experience to market. In an effort to dissuade staff from leaving, Apple has offered some of its engineers up to $180K in stock bonuses.
The result of this transformation has been severe internal disruption at Meta, according to current and former employees speaking to The New York Times. While some workers were excited about Meta's new direction, others have taken issue with the company's approach toward employees and questioned whether the company was sidelining existing problems.
One former Instagram employee resigned from his role after feeling that his work would no longer be of value to the company, while another said that they thought Meta was not best placed to create the metaverse and was looking for a job at a competitor as a result.
What Meta's pivot toward AR and VR means for Facebook and Instagram seemingly remains in flux, but the teams working on these two social media platforms are said to have shrunk over the past four months and are facing budget cuts. A spokesperson for Meta said that there have been no "significant" job cuts to existing teams because of the company's new direction.
Around five years ago, when it was rumored that Apple was moving from the long-standing iPhone design with a round Home Button and thick top and bottom bezels to an all-screen design, there were significant questions around how Apple would implement user biometric authentication. Apple ultimately unveiled Face ID, but initial rumors suggested that the company would stick with Touch ID and implement it under the display or place it on the rear of the device.
Retrospectively, the widespread and detailed nature of the alleged iPhone chassis has aroused suspicion that Apple itself was behind the rumor, seeking to lower customer expectations and flood the rumor mill with false information. It is also possible that the chassis were used internally at Apple for an early iPhone X prototype.
Why do I think that Apple itself made it? It’s too detailed.
As if this was one of the prototypes, but I think it's clear that Apple never really considered this design with Touch ID, having an iPhone X with Face ID in its sleeve 👌 pic.twitter.com/zyAFU7JNNT
— Ben Geskin (@BenGeskin) January 31, 2022
Whether Apple was behind the wave of false leaks that briefly captivated the rumor community five years ago remains unknown, but the mysterious iPhone design continues to arouse discussion.
Amazon is offering the 2021 32GB Apple TV 4K for $159.99, down from $179.00. This discount will be seen after a $10 coupon is automatically applied at the checkout screen.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Today's sale is about $10 off from the all-time low price for the 32GB Apple TV 4K, and it's a match for the best deal seen so far in 2022. The Apple TV 4K is available for the usual free Prime shipping options, and it's in stock and ready to ship today.
You can also get the 64GB Apple TV 4K for $189.98, down from $199.00. We've seen this Apple TV 4K discounted by an additional $10, so this sale is a second-best price. This model is also sold by Amazon, and it's in stock and ready to ship today.
Although the sales on these Apple TV models aren't particularly steep, they are the best offers around and worth checking out if you're still on the market for the newest Apple TV 4K. You can keep an eye out on Apple TV deals in our Best Apple TV 4K Deals guide.
Apple today announced that it will be offering a new Heart Month Activity Challenge next month. Apple Watch users can complete the Activity Challenge by completing 30 minutes in their Exercise ring on February 14 to earn a special award and custom iMessage stickers.
Also starting February 14, Apple Fitness+ will feature a special section of 30-minute energizing workouts, along with a new Time to Walk episode featuring former mixed martial arts champion Georges St-Pierre, according to Apple.
In celebration of Heart Month this February, Apple will also be offering themed content across the App Store, the Apple TV app, Apple Podcasts, and Apple Books.
"We're strong believers at Apple that if you can empower people with information about their health, you can change the trajectory of their well-being," said Apple COO Jeff Williams, who oversees the Apple Watch team. "Keeping your heart healthy requires a holistic approach — something we've focused on since the first generation of Apple Watch with the inclusion of activity and workout apps, in addition to heart rate."
Apple also shared preliminary analysis of activity data from its Apple Heart and Movement Study. Researchers found that after analyzing more than 18 million workouts logged using Apple Watch during the pandemic, study participants relied on getting their activity minutes in by walking, cycling, and running the most, according to Apple.
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.
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.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
