Apple with the introduction of the Apple Watch Ultra showed off a redesigned and more expansive Compass app, which, as it turns out, is available to existing Apple Watch models in watchOS 9.
Available today, watchOS 9 adds the redesigned Compass app to the Apple Watch Series 5 and later and the Apple Watch SE, though select features are limited to the Apple Watch SE and the Series 6 and later.
The redesigned Compass app features an analog compass that displays a digital view of your current bearing and direction. You can tap into a zoomed view that shows your bearing, elevation, incline, latitude, and longitude for more information.
If you have an Apple Watch Series 6 or later, you can mark points of interest in the Compass app using the Waypoints feature, which has customizable colors and symbols. The Waypoints app adds a little marker to your current coordinates, and all Waypoints show up on the main Compass view so you can find your way back to them.
You can also use a new "Backtrack" feature if you have a Series 6 or later. Backtrack uses GPS to record the path that you take, so if you get lost, you can find your way back later. watchOS 9 is available on the Apple Watch Series 4 and later and it can be downloaded now.
Apple in iOS 16 introduced a customizable Lock Screen, complete with widgets. You can have up to five separate widgets on your Lock Screen, including four below the time and one above the time. There are several widgets available from Apple for apps like Weather, Calendar, Clock, Fitness, and Reminders, but third-party app developers are also able to create widgets for the Lock Screen.
We've rounded up a bunch of third-party apps that have implemented widget support as of today, so you can see some of the widget options available to you. Note that if you're planning on getting an iPhone 14 Pro, widgets will be available even when your screen is off thanks to the Always-On display.
Flight tracking app Flighty offers several different widget options. You can see a countdown to your trip before you go, and when you're ready to travel, you can see your gate code, seat number, and take off time. When the flight's in the air, you can see an in-flight progress bar, and then when you land, you can view your arrival gate, weather, and baggage carousel information.
Reddit app Apollo has added several fun widgets that you can choose from. There's a widget to get you right to trending posts, a distance scrolled widget, a karma widget, and an inbox widget so you can see if you have any unread messages. There are also widgets that show you how your most recent post or comment is performing, and an option to get to a favorite subreddit or a random subreddit.
With Fantastical's Lock Screen widget, you can see your upcoming events and a mini calendar. Fantastical also supports Focus Filters, another iOS 16 feature.
Scanner Pro's simple widget lets you tap to get right to the camera for scanning documents.
Gmail, Chrome, and Maps
Google added a number of new widgets across its apps, as we highlighted earlier this morning. There are widgets for Google Maps Chrome, Google News, Gmail, and more.
Google: Initiate a search via text, voice, or the camera by opening up the app
Gmail: View the number of messages in your inbox
Chrome: Initiate a search, including by voice or in incognito mode
Google Drive: Quickly access starred files and folders
Google Maps: View real-time traffic updates and estimated travel times to frequently traveled places like home and work
The Things widget allows you to set up a widget that takes you directly to your Today list, Inbox, Deadlines, and more. You can set up a widget for any list that you use. Things has a rectangular widget below the clock that shows three tasks, and a smaller widget that can be added above the clock that shows a single to-do.
There are also widget options for adding a new to-do and showing the progress that you've made with your daily to-do list.
The Halide widget lets you access the Halide camera app from the Lock Screen. Tapping it opens up the Halide app so you have quicker access to the Halide camera.
CARROT Weather has more than a dozen weather widgets to choose from. You can select a Snark widget that shows typical snarky comments, or opt for different widgets that include conditions, high and low, daily forecast, wind, UV index, humidity, visibility, and more. Many of the widgets require a Premium subscription.
As expected, Apple has published a new support document with release notes for standard AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max firmware updates. Going forward, Apple says the page will outline new features and changes included in AirPods firmware updates.
The latest firmware version for AirPods is 4E71 and was released in May. Sadly, Apple's support document is not particularly helpful for this version, with the release notes only mentioning "bug fixes and other improvements," without any specific details. Hopefully the release notes are more detailed for future firmware versions.
On an iPhone updated to iOS 16, a link to Apple's support document for AirPods firmware updates can be found by opening the Settings app, navigating to General → About → AirPods, and tapping on Firmware Version. The support document is similar to one that Apple has maintained for AirTag firmware updates since earlier this year.
There is still no manual way to update AirPods, with new firmware installing automatically over time while the AirPods are charging and in Bluetooth range of an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. There are some tips and tricks that may help with the process.
It appears that there is an issue with the App Store, as some iPhone users who have updated have found themselves unable to install apps. MacRumors has received several reports from people who are running into an issue that seems to be caused by an updated Terms and Conditions page.
After installing iOS 16, attempting an app update directs affected users to a new Terms and Conditions page. When accepting the Terms and Conditions, it loads momentarily and then pops up an error alert. "There was an error. Please try later," reads the notification.
Apple's servers may be having problems at the current time, which is likely what's leading to the error message. There is no word yet on when the problem will be fixed, and it does not appear to be affecting all users.
Most people who are running into issues have installed iOS 16, but it may also be impacting some people who are still running iOS 15 or who have updated to iOS 15.7 or iPadOS 15.7.
Update: Apple has fixed the problem and apps are now able to be downloaded.
Apple today released the new iOS 16 update to the public, so there are dozens if not hundreds of new features for you to learn about. Some of these options must be set up ahead of time, so we've developed a getting started with iOS 16 guide that walks you through what you should do after upgrading.
The Lock Screen has been overhauled in iOS 16, with Apple introducing customization options so you can personalize your Lock Screen. You can customize colors, pick a font for the time, choose a wallpaper, use emojis as a background, and select widgets.
To edit your Lock Screen, unlock your iPhone and then long press on the Lock Screen. From there, tap on the "+" button to create a Lock Screen. Choose your wallpaper and then tap on "Add Widgets" to select your widgets. You can also tap on the time to select a font and a color for the time.
You can create multiple Lock Screens and swap between them much like Apple Watch faces, just long press on the Lock Screen to get to your collection and swipe to change them.
After you've created a Lock Screen, you can link it to one of your existing Focus Modes or create a new Focus Mode to use with it. To do so, long press on the Lock Screen to get to the customization interface and then on your chosen Lock Screen, tap on the "Focus" icon.
Choose a Focus to use with the Lock Screen, and then whenever you use that Lock Screen, it'll activate that Focus Mode. If you want to create a new Focus, you can do so in the Settings app, with additional information on the iOS 16 Focus Mode changes available in our iOS 16 Focus Mode guide.
Set Up Focus Filters
Focus Modes can filter out more specific kinds of content in iOS 16, letting you set up a Focus that displays select information from apps like Calendar, Mail, Safari, and Messages. You can, for example, set up a Focus that shows only your work calendar, work tabs, and your work email when in "work" mode.
To set up Focus Filters, open up the Settings app, select a Focus mode, scroll down, and then choose the "Add Filter" option under Focus Filters. From there, you can customize your Focus to meet your needs, and over time, filters will get more advanced because Apple designed an API for developers.
More on setting up Focus Filters can be found in our guide and our Focus Filter how tos.
Bonus tip: You may also want to set up Silence and Allow lists, a new Focus feature in iOS 16. You can select people and apps that are not allowed to notify you when a specific Focus is active, rather than simply allowing them. Silence and Allow Lists can be found in the Focus section of the Settings app.
Add Your Medications to the Health App
Apple in iOS 16 added a new feature for tracking medications, which can be found in the Health app. Medication tracking lets you add all of your medications and vitamins that you take, and it sends you notifications so you can make sure you're taking them regularly and on time.
It lets you know about potential drug interactions with anything that you're taking, and if you have an Apple Watch, it's super simple to mark a medication as taken right from your wrist (but it's not required).
To use it, open up the Health app, tap over to Browse, and select the Medications interface. You can manually add medications or scan your pill bottles, and choose a custom look for each one. More information on how to set up and use the new Medications feature can be found in our dedicated Health guide.
Try Out the New iMessage Features
In iOS 16, you can edit an iMessage for up to 15 minutes after it's sent, as long as you're communicating with other iMessage users who also have iOS 16.
There are also options for undoing a sent message, marking a message as unread, and recovering deleted messages. Note that editing and unsending iMessages has time limitations and it can't be used with those who have Android devices. More information is available in our Messages guide.
The SharePlay feature that was once limited to FaceTime is also now available in Messages, so you can watch TV shows, movies, or use apps with friends while you chat using the Messages app.
Bonus tip: Undo send is also available in the Mail app, plus there are other useful new features like Scheduled Send and reminders to Follow Up on a message you haven't heard back on.
Pin Your Favorite Tabs and Set Up Tab Group Start Pages
Safari in iOS 16 supports pinned tabs, so if you have tabs that you regularly use, you can pin them for easy access. Just open up a website, long press on the URL bar, and choose the "Pin Tab" option to pin a tab.
If you use Tab Groups, you can now customize a Start Page for each and every one, allowing for different favorites, wallpapers, frequently visited sites, and more. Open up a Tab Group and scroll down to the bottom of the screen to get to the "Edit" button where you can customize your home pages.
iOS 16 has a fun feature that lets you drag subjects right out of images, and it works in apps like Photos, Safari, and more. Just open up any image, long press on it, and choose the "Copy Subject" option or drag it out of the image.
From there, you can paste it into another app like Messages or Mail.
Clear Duplicate Photos
If you have duplicate photos on your device, iOS 16 can detect them and clean them up. You might need to wait for a bit after installing iOS 16 for your device to scan your photos, but once it does, it'll detect anything that's a duplicate.
To see duplicates, open up the Photos app, tap on "Albums" and scroll down to Utilities. If there are duplicate photos, you'll see a "Duplicates" album and will have the option to merge them. If not, you won't see the album at all.
Clear Duplicate Contacts
Have a Contacts app riddled with duplicates you haven't been able to fix? iOS 16 has a solution. In the iOS 16 Contacts app, if you have more than one contact card for the same person, the app will detect the duplicate and let you know that multiples were found.
To use this feature, just upgrade to iOS 16 and open up Contacts. If there are duplicates, you'll see a notice right at the top and will be able to merge contacts.
Do a Safety Check
The iOS 16 Settings app has a new "Safety Check" feature that's meant to make it simple for people to reset all of the data and location access that's been granted to people and apps. It's technically aimed at people in domestic or intimate partner violence situations, but it provides a good overview of privacy settings for all users.
Open up the Settings app, select the Privacy and Security section, and scroll down to Safety Check to get to it. From there, tap on Manage Sharing & Access to get an overview of everything you're sharing and who you're sharing it with. More information can be found in our privacy and security guide.
Try the New FaceTime Handoff Feature
If you're on a FaceTime call with someone, you can now hand off calls to a different device like a Mac or an iPad. Calls and video chats transfer over seamlessly, and it's worth checking out if you're a regular FaceTime user and want to swap from one device to another.
More on iOS 16
These are just a handful of the many, many features that are available in iOS 16. Make sure to check out our iOS 16 roundup for a full walkthrough on all of what iOS 16 has to offer.
We also have an iOS 16 forum where you can discuss the new features with other MacRumors readers.
Apple today released Safari 16, with the new update bringing some macOS Ventura features to macOS Monterey and macOS Big Sur while we wait for the October launch of the new operating system.
Safari 16 includes Tab Group start pages, support for pinned tabs in Tab Groups, and Tabs in the sidebar. The update also includes cross-device syncing for website settings, and strong password editing for adjusting your passwords to meet various site-specific password requirements.
Safari 16 introduces new features, even faster performance, and improved security, such as:
- Tab Group start pages let you add different background images and favorites for each Tab Group - Pinned tabs in Tab Groups enable you to pin frequently visited websites for each Tab Group - Tabs in the sidebar let you see a list view of your open tabs - Settings you've set for specific websites now sync across devices - Strong password editing lets you adjust strong passwords to meet website-specific requirements - Some features may not be available for all regions, or on all Apple devices.
The update also addresses several WebKit vulnerabilities that could track users through web extensions, lead to arbitrary code execution, and lead to UI spoofing. None of these vulnerabilities were known to have been actively exploited, but it is still worth updating to the new browser to get the Safari 16 functions.
Apple today announced that watchOS 9's new AFib History feature will be available in more than 100 countries and territories beyond the United States, including Canada, the UK, other European countries, Hong Kong, Mexico, South Africa, and others. Apple said the feature will also be available in Australia starting later this year.
Apple revealed this information in fine print at the bottom of its press release announcing the release of watchOS 9 today:
The first-of-its-kind AFib History feature in watchOS 9 has received a number of local clearances and approvals from health authorities around the world, and will be available in more than 100 countries and territories, including the US, Canada, Europe, Hong Kong, Mexico, South Africa, the UK, and more. AFib History is coming to Australia later this fall.
AFib History is now listed as a feature on the watchOS 9 page on Apple's website in Canada, but still not in the UK, so it's not immediately clear which countries the feature is available in as of today beyond the United States.
Apple says individuals diagnosed with atrial fibrillation can turn on AFib History to view an estimate of how frequently their heart is in this arrhythmia. Apple says the feature, available on the Apple Watch Series 4 and later, is only for users 22 years or older who have been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation.
In an update coming to iOS 16 later this year, Apple plans to add a new "Clean Energy Charging" option in the United States. The information was shared in Apple's iOS 16 press release, and it says that clean energy charging will optimize charging times for when the grid is using cleaner energy sources.
With Clean Energy Charging, Apple is aiming to decrease the carbon footprint of the iPhone. This is the first we've heard of clean energy charging, and it's not a feature that Apple has previously highlighted.
There are several other features that are not available in iOS 16 and will be coming in a later update, including iCloud Shared Photo Library, Live Activities, and support for the Matter smart home standard.
Apple also has not implemented Game Center SharePlay support and Contacts integration, the Freeform app, key sharing, or easy Shortcuts setup.
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.
Apple today released iOS 16, the newest operating system designed for the iPhone. As with all of Apple's software updates, iOS 16 can be downloaded for free. iOS 16 is available on the iPhone 8 and later, with Apple this year dropping support for the iPhone 6s, iPhone 7, and the original iPhone SE.
iOS 16 is typically accompanied by iPadOS 16, but Apple is still working on iPadOS 16 features like Stage Manager, and so iPadOS 16 has been delayed and an iPadOS 16.1 update will be launching alongside iOS 16.1 in the near future.
Apple's updated software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. It can take a few minutes for the updates to propagate to all users due to high demand.
An updated Lock Screen experience is the most notable change in iOS 16, and you can now customize what your Lock Screen looks like. You can choose wallpapers, fonts, and even widgets that you want to display. Specific Focus modes and Apple Watch faces can even be linked to your Lock Screens, and you can set up several to swap to throughout the day.
iMessages can be edited, deleted, and marked as unread, and for Mail, you can schedule emails, undo emails, and get follow-up reminders. FaceTime calls can now be handed off to other devices, and in the Health app, there are new features for sleep tracking and keeping track of the medications and vitamins that you're taking.
Coming in an update to iOS 16 later this year, iCloud Shared Photo Library makes it easier to share images with family through one library, plus the Photos app supports copy/pasting edits and it locks sensitive albums like recently deleted. In the Maps app, there's now multi-stop routing, and in Safari, Apple is aiming to replace passwords with passkeys.
The Home app has been overhauled with a new design, and with the Activity app, you can track steps and calories burned even if you don't have an Apple Watch. The Weather app has been improved with new modules that offer more data, and there are also updates for Books, Stocks, Music, Reminders, Notes, Translate, and more.
Apple's full release notes for the iOS 16 update are below:
Lock Screen - Redesigned Lock Screen gives you all new ways to personalize your Lock Screen by showcasing favorite photos, customizing font styles, displaying widgets, and more - Multiple Lock Screens can be created and you can easily switch between them - Lock Screen gallery offers personalized suggestions along with Apple curated collections for your Lock Screen - Font and color options for customizing the look of the date and time on your Lock Screen - Widgets on the Lock Screen display information at a glance like the weather, battery levels, upcoming calendar events, and more - A new effect places the subject of the photo in front of the time (iPhone XS and later) - Photo styles change the color filter, tinting, and font style of photos on the Lock Screen to complement each other - Notifications appear at the bottom of your Lock Screen and can be displayed in an expanded list view, stacked view, or count view
Focus - Lock Screen linking connects your Lock Screen to a Focus, so you can activate a Focus by switching to the corresponding Lock Screen - Focus filters hide distracting content in apps like Calendar, Mail, Messages, Safari and third party apps - Streamlined setup makes it easier and faster to get started with Focus, with personalized Lock Screen and Home Screen suggestions that include apps and widgets that are relevant to the Focus you’re setting up
Messages - Edit a message for up to 15 minutes after sending it and recipients see a record of edits - Undo send allows you to recall any message for up to 2 minutes after sending it - Mark as unread makes it easy to come back to a conversation later - SharePlay in Messages lets you enjoy activities like watching movies, listening to music, playing games, and more with friends while messaging - Collaboration provides a simple way to invite others to collaborate on a file via Messages and get activity updates in the thread when someone makes an edit to a shared project
Mail - Improved search delivers more accurate, complete results and provide suggestions as soon as you begin to type - Undo send allows you to cancel delivery of a message within 10 seconds of hitting send - Scheduled send for sending an email at a specific day and time - Follow‑up surfaces sent emails that have not been replied to, to the top of your inbox so you can quickly follow‑up - Remind me lets you schedule a date and time to be reminded about an email
Safari and Passkeys - Shared Tab Groups let you share a set of tabs with others and see the Tab Group update instantly as you work together - Tab Group start pages can be customized with different background images and favorites for each Tab Group - Pinned tabs in Tab Groups enable you to pin frequently visited websites for each Tab Group - Safari web page translation adds translation for web pages in Turkish, Thai, Vietnamese, Polish, Indonesian, and Dutch - Passkeys offer support for an easier and safer sign‑in method to replace passwords - Passkey syncing through iCloud Keychain makes your passkeys available across all your Apple devices while keeping them end-to-end encrypted
Live Text - Live Text video support allows you to interact with text in a paused video frame so you can copy, translate, lookup, share, and more (iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR and later) - Quick actions let you take action on data detected in photos and videos with a single tap, so you can track flights or shipments, translate foreign languages, convert currencies, and more (iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR and later)
Visual Look Up - Lift subject from background isolates the subject of an image so you can copy and paste it into apps like Mail and Messages (iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR and later) - Visual Look Up adds recognition of birds, insects, spiders, and statues in your photos (iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR and later)
Siri - Easy Shortcuts setup makes it possible to run shortcuts with Siri as soon as you download an app with no upfront setup (iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR and later) - A new setting allows you to send messages without Siri asking you to confirm before sending - “Hey Siri, what can I do here?” helps you discover Siri capabilities in iOS and apps just by asking (iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR and later) - Call hang up option for ending Phone and FaceTime calls with Siri by saying “Hey Siri, hang up.” (iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR and later)
Dictation - All-new Dictation experience supports using your voice and keyboard together to enter and edit text (iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR and later) - Automatic punctuation inserts commas, periods, and question marks as you dictate - Emoji support lets you insert emoji using your voice (iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR and later)
Maps - Multi-stop routing supports adding up to fifteen stops along your driving route in Maps - Transit cards in Maps let you see low balances and replenish your card when you add transit cards to Wallet, all without leaving Maps - Transit fares show you how much your journey will cost in the San Francisco Bay Area, London, New York, and San Diego
Apple Pay and Wallet - Apple Pay Order Tracking allows you to receive detailed receipt and order tracking information in Wallet for Apple Pay purchases with participating merchants - ID cards in Wallet lets you share verified information with apps that require identity verification (iPhone 8 and later) - Apple Account supports topping-up your account balance from your Apple Account card in Wallet
Home - Redesigned Home app makes it easier to navigate, organize, view, and control your smart home accessories - Home tab now integrates all your accessories, rooms, and scenes into a single tab for a whole-house view, allowing you to see your entire home at a glance - Categories for lights, climate, security, speakers and TVs, and water let you quickly access all the relevant accessories organized by room, and displays more detailed status information - New camera view displays up to four cameras front and center in the Home tab, scroll to see any additional camera views in your home - Redesigned accessory tiles feature more visually recognizable icons that are color-matched to their category, and new behaviors for more precise accessory controls
Health - Medications feature helps you track and manage your medications, vitamins and supplements by creating a list, custom schedules and reminders, and then viewing logging over time - Add medications using your iPhone camera (iPhone XS, iPhone XR and later) - Interaction alerts inform you if there is a critical interaction when you add a new medication - Cycle deviation notifications alert you if your logged menstrual cycles show a pattern of infrequent periods, irregular periods, prolonged periods, or persistent spotting - Invitations for Health Sharing allow loved ones to easily and securely share their health data with you - Health Sharing reminders give you transparency and control over the health data you are sharing with loved ones
News - My Sports enables you to easily follow your favorite teams and leagues and watch highlights right in the News app - Favorites give you easy access to the channels and topics you read the most, in a consistent place near the top of your Today feed - New homepages deliver visually updated and easier to navigate topic feeds for local news locales, sports teams and leagues, and more
Family Sharing - Improved child account setup makes it easier to create an account for a child with the right parental controls, including age‑appropriate media restrictions - Device setup for a child lets you use Quick Start to easily set up a new iOS or iPadOS device for your child with your selected parental controls in place - Screen Time requests in Messages make it even easier to approve or decline requests from your child - Family Checklist gives you tips and suggestions like updating a child’s parental control settings, turning on location sharing, or just reminding you to share your iCloud+ subscription with everyone
Safety Check - Safety Check is a new section in Settings to help people in domestic or intimate partner violence situations quickly reset the access they’ve granted to others - Emergency reset lets you quickly take action to reset access across all people and apps, including disabling location sharing via Find My, resetting privacy permissions for apps, and more - Manage sharing and access helps you review and customize which apps and people can access your information
Accessibility - Door detection in Magnifier locates a door, reads signs and symbols around it, and gives you instructions for how to open the door (iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro) - Apple Watch mirroring provides full control of Apple Watch from iPhone and supports use of Switch Control, Voice Control, or any other assistive features on iPhone to get the most out of your Apple Watch - Live Captions (beta) automatically converts audio into text for users who are Deaf or hard of hearing to follow along more easily with calls and media content (iPhone 11 and later) - Buddy controller helps users with cognitive disabilities get support from a caregiver or friend while playing a game, by combining inputs from multiple game controllers into one - VoiceOver is now available in over 20 new languages and locales, including Bangla (India), Bulgarian, Catalan, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese - Voice Control spelling mode gives you the option to dictate names, addresses, or other custom spellings letter by letter
This release also includes other features and improvements: - Fitness app lets you track and meet your fitness goals even if you don’t yet have an Apple Watch, using iPhone motion sensors to give you an estimate of your calories to contribute to your daily Move goal - AirPods Pro (2nd generation) support - Personalized Spatial Audio uses the TrueDepth camera on iPhone to create a personal profile for Spatial Audio that delivers a more precise and immersive listening experience on AirPods (3rd generation), AirPods Pro (1st and 2nd generation), AirPods Max - Handoff in FaceTime allows you to move FaceTime calls seamlessly from your iPhone to your iPad or Mac, and vice versa - Memoji updates include more sticker poses, hairstyles, headwear, noses, and lip colors - Quick Note adds support for taking a note in any app on your iPhone and adding links to create context and easily find content - Translate camera lets you translate text around you using the camera in the Translate app - Duplicate detection in Photos identifies duplicate photos so you can quickly clean up your library - Foreground blur for portrait photos in Camera blurs objects in the foreground for a more realistic-looking depth-of-field effect (iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max) - Pinned lists in Reminders helps you quickly navigate to your favorite lists - Search on the Home Screen enables Spotlight to be accessed directly from the bottom of the Home Screen, making it easy to open apps, find contacts, or get information from the web - Automatically send messages in CarPlay to skip the confirmation step when sending messages - Rapid Security Response gets important security improvements to your devices even faster, as they can be applied automatically between standard software updates
- This release includes even more features and improvements. For more information, please visit this website: https://www.apple.com/ios/ios-16
Some features may not be available for all regions or on all iPhone models. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222
Apple today released watchOS 9, the latest version of the watchOS operating system designed to run on newer Apple Watch models. watchOS 8 is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 4 and later.
watchOS 9 can be downloaded for free through the Apple Watch app on the iPhone by opening it up and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it needs to be placed on a charger, and it needs to be in range of the iPhone.
Apple added four new watch faces in watchOS 9. Lunar shows the relationship between the Gregorian calendar and lunar calendas, while Playtime offers animated and personified numbers created in collaboration with artist Joi Fulton. Metropolitan is a classic type-driven watch face and Astronomy is a revamped version of the original astronomy watch face with a remastered design and new star map and cloud data.
Apple updated several existing watch faces with a more modern look and added new complications, plus Focus modes can now be associated with a specific watch face. Sleep tracking in watchOS 9 now includes sleep stages, allowing users to detect when users are in REM, Core, or Deep sleep.
A new Medications app on the Apple Watch is designed to help users manage and track their medications, vitamins, and supplements. The app keeps a list of medications, sends reminders when it's time to take them, and watches out for any drug interactions (U.S. only).
For the Workout app, there's a new option to make custom workouts that can include work and rest intervals, and Heart Rate Zones can be created to monitor the intensity of a workout, and there are new alerts for pace, power, heart rate, and cadence that can guide users through workouts.
Swimmers, runners, and triathletes have new Activity options that take into account new metrics, and Fitness+ users who don't have an Apple TV can use AirPlay to stream workouts and meditations to compatible third-party TVs for use without an Apple TV.
The ECG app's atrial fibrillation (AFib) warnings have been updated, with Apple adding a new AFib History feature. Patients with AFib can turn on AFib History to track AFib frequency for deeper insight into their heart condition that can also be shared with medical professionals.
Apple redesigned notifications on the Apple Watch to feature slimline banners that are less interruptive when the watch is in active use, and Family Setup now supports the Home app so kids can control smart home accessories from their wrists. Quick Actions on the Apple Watch allow users to do more with a double-pinch gesture, including answering/ending phone calls, playing/pausing media, and starting or pausing a workout.
Apple's release notes for the update are below:
watchOS 9 brings great new ways to keep you active, healthy, and connected with Apple Watch. You have more ways to train and measure your workouts, a completely redesigned compass app, a new app to track your medications, more powerful sleep tracking with sleep stages, and better insights and support for your heart health if you have been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation.
Watch Faces - Astronomy now displays current cloud coverage and star map - Lunar includes a Chinese, Hebrew, or Islamic lunar calendar wrapped around a moon with a live rendering of moon phases - Playtime includes animated numbers designed by Chicago artist Joi -Fulton with editing options for background colors - Metropolitan features a type-driven watch face with numbers that dynamically change in style and weight as you turn the Digital Crown - Nike Analog, Nike Bounce, Nike Compact, Nike Digital, and Nike Hybrid, all with a tappable Nike Swoosh that launches Nike Run Club, are now available for more models of Apple Watch - Rich Complications, Chinese script options, and background color editor available on Breathe, California, Modular, Typograph and more - Portraits now supports portraits of dogs and cats and landscapes with the ability to customize the color of the background or entire photo - Ability to choose the watch face displayed when a Focus is active
Workout - Ability to customize and scroll through multiple Workout Views during a workout including Splits, Segments, Activity Rings, and more - Heart Rate Zones view uses max and resting heart rate to create personalized zones and shows time spent in each zone - Elevation view displays current elevation and elevation gain and visually maps your elevation progress during Outdoor Run, Outdoor Cycle, Outdoor Wheelchair Run Pace, Hiking, Outdoor Walk and Outdoor Wheelchair Walk Pace - Running Power view, measured in watts, shows an instantaneous measure of how much power is generated during your run (Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Series 6 and later) - Running Form Metrics including Stride Length, Ground Contact Time, and Vertical Oscillation available in Workout Views to monitor and trend running efficiency (Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Series 6 and later) - Custom Workout enables you to create Workouts with repeating sets of intervals that can be based on a time, distance or an open goal with automatic or manual advancement to your next set - Pacer provides a training experience to help you sustain a desired pace using alerts and a dedicated workout view - Multisport Workout supports duathlon or triathlon training with automatic detection of Open Water/Pool Swim, Indoor/Outdoor Cycle, Indoor/Outdoor Run, and transitions to the next leg - Workout alerts can be customized for metrics like pace, power, cadence, and heart rate zones - Pool Swim workouts automatically detect kickboard - SWOLF swimming efficiency metric calculated as stroke count plus time to complete lap
Fitness+ - Trainer guidance displayed on-screen including targets for Intensity, strokes per minute for Rowing, revolutions per minute for Cycling, and incline percentage for Treadmill - Trainer guidance and personal fitness metrics displayed on-screen for compatible third party TVs and devices
Compass - Redesigned compass app with more in-depth information and zoomable views (Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Series 5 and later) - Primary face supports both an analog compass dial and a digital view of current bearing and direction - Zoomed view provides analog view of bearing plus your elevation, incline and coordinates - Compass Waypoints allow you to mark your position or point of interest (Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Series 6 and later) - Backtrack uses GPS to track your historic path in case you get lost or disoriented (Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Series 6 and later)
Sleep - Sleep stage tracking using data from the accelerometer and heart rate sensor to detect time spent in REM, Core, and Deep sleep, as well as awake - Comparisons chart provides a view of heart rate and respiratory rate alongside time asleep in the Health app on iPhone
Medications - Capabilities to log as-needed and scheduled medications, including the amount and time taken - Ability to view medication schedule and what you have logged for the day - Reminders to log scheduled medications - Medications complication to see your schedule or quickly open the app - AFib History - Weekly notifications with estimate of the percentage of time spent in atrial fibrillation during previous calendar week - Highlights show which day of week and time of day when AFib is highest - Tracking of lifestyle factors that may influence time spent in AFib including Exercise, Sleep, Weight, Alcohol Consumption, and Mindful Minutes in the Health app on iPhone - Sharable PDF for richer conversations with healthcare providers - Support for users 22 years or older with diagnosis of atrial fibrillation
Family Setup - Podcasts app is now available and includes ability to search, download, follow shows, and explore curated content - Third party email support extended to Yahoo and Outlook - Editing and sharing contact photos now available
Accessibility - Expanded Quick Actions with AssistiveTouch for play and pause in Now Playing, pause and resume in Workout, take a photo using Camera Remote, and toggle between map view and turn-by-turn directions in Maps - Bluetooth keyboard pairing with Apple Watch - Apple Watch Mirroring lets you control Apple Watch remotely from your paired iPhone via AirPlay with support for assistive technologies like Voice Control or Switch Control as an alternative to tapping the Apple Watch display
Other features and improvements: - Low Power Mode maintains core features of Apple Watch while temporarily disabling select background features such as always on display and heart health notifications to extend battery life - Support for international roaming allows you to stay connected to your cellular network while traveling abroad (Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Series 5 and later) - Expanded keyboard languages including French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish available on Apple Watch Series 7 and later - Communication safety setting in Screen Time gives parents the ability to enable warnings for children when they receive or attempt to send photos that contain nudity in Messages - Cycle deviation notifications alert you if your logged menstrual cycles show a pattern of infrequent periods, irregular periods, prolonged periods, or persistent spotting - New Cardio Recovery metric estimated by Apple Watch available in the Health app - Reminders app updated to support editing so you can add key details like location, tags, and due times - Calendar app redesigned to support creation of new calendar events with ability to switch to day, list, and week views - Enhanced Podcast experience with support for search, ability to follow and unfollow shows, and discover new content in Listen Now - Dock updated to show apps running in background at the top - Notifications redesigned with streamlined slimline banner when actively using Apple Watch
Some features may not be available for all countries or all areas, for more information visit: https://www.apple.com/watchos/feature-availability/
For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222
Apple today released tvOS 16, the newest version of the tvOS operating system that is available for the Apple TV 4K and the Apple TV HD.
The tvOS 16 update can be downloaded over the air through the Settings app on the Apple TV by going to System -> Software Update. Apple TV owners who have automatic software updates turned on will be upgraded to tvOS 16 automatically.
Apple TV software updates are more minor in scale than updates for other platforms like the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, but there are a few new features in tvOS 16 to be aware of.
The update brings game controller support for the the Nintendo Joy-Cons and the Nintendo Pro Controller. When Matter launches, the Apple TV with tvOS 16 installed will support it, for improved interoperability between smart home accessories from different companies.
tvOS 16 brings cross-device connectivity, a feature that lets developers integrate Apple TV apps with iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch apps to unlock new experiences on Apple TV. Multi-user profiles have also been improved through the use of a shared keychain, which means users won't need to sign in and choose their profile when launching an Apple TV app.
Alongside iOS 16, watchOS 9, and tvOS 16, Apple today released new software that's designed for the HomePod and the HomePod mini.
According to Apple's release notes, software version 16 includes general performance and stability improvements.
HomePod software is installed automatically on the HomePod unless the feature is disabled, but the HomePod can also be manually updated in the Home app by following the instructions in our HomePod update how to.
While we have to wait a bit longer for the macOS Ventura launch, Apple today released macOS Monterey 12.6. macOS Monterey 12.6 is the sixth major update to macOS Monterey and it comes a couple months after the launch of macOS Monterey 12.5.
The macOS Monterey 12.6 update can be downloaded on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Preferences.
Apple says that it is aware that one kernel vulnerability was actively exploited, which means that it is important for all macOS Monterey users to update to the new version of the operating system as soon as possible.
Apple has also released a macOS Big Sur 11.7 update with security fixes.
Alongside iOS 16, Apple has released new versions of iOS 15.7 and iPadOS 15.7. The iOS 15.7 update is aimed at those who are not able to upgrade to iOS 16, while iPadOS 15.7 is available while we wait for the launch of iPadOS 16 in October.
The software updates can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
The iOS 15.7 and iPadOS 15.7 updates address multiple kernel vulnerabilities in addition to fixing security issues with Contacts, Maps, Safari, Safari Extensions, Shortcuts, and WebKit.
Apple says that one of the kernel vulnerabilities was actively exploited, so those who cannot update to iOS 16 should install iOS 15.7 as soon as possible, and iPad owners should update to iOS 15.7.
Today marks 10 years since Apple introduced the iPhone 5 with an all-new Lightning connector, which replaced the previous 30-pin dock connector that originated on the iPod. Apple's former marketing chief Phil Schiller described Lightning as a "modern connector for the next decade," and this milestone has now been achieved.
Apple already offers USB-C ports on every Mac and nearly every iPad that it sells, along with the Studio Display, Pro Display XDR, some Beats headphones, and a few other accessories. Rumors suggest the upcoming 10th-generation entry-level iPad will also adopt USB-C, followed by AirPods charging cases and the MagSafe Battery Pack next year.
In June, the European Union announced that it reached an agreement to introduce a new law that would make USB-C the common charging port across all new smartphones, tablets, headphones, and many other electronics by fall 2024. iPhone 15 models are expected to launch around September 2023, ahead of the European Union's deadline.
While the Lightning cable was the first reversible charging cable, USB-C has become a very popular charging standard across a countless number of devices. A major benefit of USB-C for the iPhone would be faster data transfer speeds, as Lightning on the iPhone 13 and earlier tops out at 480 Mbps, while USB-C can achieve up to 5 to 10 Gbps depending on the spec, or even up to 40 Gbps if the iPhone supported Thunderbolt 3.
Today marks the fifth anniversary of Apple introducing the iPhone X during its first-ever media event at Steve Jobs Theater.
iPhone X introduced an all-new design that replaced Touch ID and the Home button with Face ID and swipe-based navigation. It was the first iPhone with an OLED display, a notch, dramatically thinner bezels around the display, a polished stainless steel frame, and animated emoji known as Animoji. Alongside the iPhone 8, the iPhone X also ushered in wireless charging support and the Neural Engine for machine learning.
"For more than a decade, our intention has been to create an iPhone that is all display," said Apple's former design chief Jony Ive, in a September 2017 press release. "The iPhone X is the realization of that vision."
"iPhone X is the future of the smartphone," added Apple's former marketing chief Phil Schiller.
Apple CEO Tim Cook teased the introduction of the iPhone X as "one more thing" before Schiller took the stage to discuss the device's new features.
As the first event at Steve Jobs Theater, Apple began its presentation with a touching tribute to Steve Jobs, who passed away in 2011.
Apple said the iPhone X represented "the beginning of the next ten years for iPhone." While the notch has been replaced with a new pill-shaped Dynamic Island cutout on the iPhone 14 Pro models, the overall design of the iPhone X and Face ID live on.
After months of rumors, speculation, and leaks, Apple last week finally unveiled the iPhone 14, the iPhone 14 Pro, the all-new Apple Watch Ultra, the Apple Watch Series 8, and the second-generation AirPods Pro.
While the majority of iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, and Apple Watch rumors turned out to be accurate, including last-minute rumors on the iPhone 14 Pro, there were some that ultimately didn't pan out. We've rounded up five of the most notable rumors that did not turn out correctly for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro below.
Prosser: No Camera Bump, Round Volume Buttons, and More
On September 8, 2021, Apple leaker Jon Prossershared renders he claimed to have been for the "iPhone 14 Pro Max," days before Apple was set to unveil the iPhone 13 lineup. In his renders, Prosser claimed that the iPhone 14 Pro Max would feature a flat back with no camera bump, round volume buttons, a single hole-punch notch replacement, and redesigned speaker and microphone grilles with elongated mesh cutouts instead of individual holes on the bottom of the device.
The renders turned out to be an inaccurate depiction of the iPhone 14 Pro Max, with Apple enlarging the camera bump to make room for more advanced cameras, Apple instead opting for a hole punch and pill-shaped notch replacement, and no change to the volume buttons or the speaker and microphone grilles.
2TB Storage Option
A rumor early in the rumor mill suggested that the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max would be offered in a 2TB storage configuration alongside the existing 1TB option. The rationale was that with the more advanced cameras, Apple would offer a larger storage option for photographers and videographers to store high-res content. That did not turn out to be the case as Apple is continuing to offer a 1TB option as the highest capacity ever in an iPhone with the iPhone 14 Pro series.
Premium Titanium Model
A rumor had suggested that the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max would be offered in an all-new titanium model. That also did not turn out to be the case, with Apple using the same materials on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max as their respective predecessors.
WiFi 6E Support
Rumored for the iPhone 12, then the iPhone 13, and again for the iPhone 14, Apple has yet to bring the latest WiFi standard to its iPhone lineup. WiFi 6E, compared to WiFi 6 supported on all of Apple's latest products, includes better support for crowded areas and better latency. It remains unclear why Apple has not yet adopted WiFi 6E support, but we could see it on the iPhones next year.
Upgraded Ultra Wide Camera
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuostated in November of 2020 that all iPhone 14 models would feature the same improved Ultra Wide camera with f/1.8, 6P and autofocus. While the iPhone 14 did get some camera improvements, those specifications did not turn out to be accurate. The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus feature an Ultra Wide camera with an f/2.4 aperture and a five-element lens. The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max's Ultra Wide camera has an f/2.2 aperture and a six-element lens.
Apple's AirPods Max over-ear headphones have returned to their lowest-ever price on Amazon, priced at $429.00, down from $549.00. In a rare occurrence, we're tracking every single color of the AirPods Max at this price, and all are in stock and ready to ship out today.
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.
Amazon Prime members can receive the AirPods Max as soon as this Wednesday, September 14, while free delivery for everyone else in the United States has an estimated arrival day of September 17. As of writing, only Amazon is offering this steep of a discount 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.
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.
