MacRumors


Satechi today announced the launch of a new USB-C Clamp Hub, an add-on accessory designed to be used with the new 24-inch M1 iMac models.

satechi imac clamp hub
The USB-C Clamp Hub has 3 USB-A ports that support 5Gb/s transfer speeds, a micro/SD card reader, and a USB-C port, and it attaches to the ‌iMac‌ using a single USB-C port at the back of the machine.

A knob at the back of the hub secures it to the ‌iMac‌, and while it is made from an aluminum material that is designed to match with Apple's devices, it is only available in a silver color.

Satechi's USB-C Clamp Hub is available from the Satechi website for $54.99. Customers can get a 15 percent pre-order discount using the promo code IMAC15 at checkout.

Tag: Satechi

Foxconn, one of Apple's largest suppliers, has said it will begin construction of all-electric vehicle plants in the United States and Thailand this year, with hopes of them being operational by 2023, according to a report from Nikkei Asia.

Foxconn Office
From the report:

Foxconn, the world's largest contract electronics producer, on Thursday said it will build electric vehicle manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and Thailand next year, as the key iPhone assembler accelerates efforts to catch the rising EV wave to offset the slowing smartphone industry.

Foxconn has already ruled out Mexico as a location but is in negotiations with three states in the U.S. to build its first EV manufacturing plant in North America, Nikkei Asia has learned. Those include Wisconsin, which just agreed with Foxconn to amend its former plan of investing $10 billion in the state -- a promise Foxconn made in 2017.

At first, Foxconn will use the U.S. plant to build vehicles for its client Fisker, although there could be a potential expansion to serve Apple in the future.

Apple is widely reported to be working on its own vehicle and is thought to be looking for third-party companies to help it launch the Apple Car. One report vaguely referenced Foxconn as a potential candidate for the Apple Car's production, but Apple is also looking at other possible suppliers. Apple is reportedly committed to ensuring that the battery used in the Apple Car is produced in the United States, but Foxconn does not produce batteries.

Apple researchers have discovered that wearable devices like AirPods can be used to estimate a user's respiratory rate, opening up another potential avenue in biometric health sensor smarts.

airpodsincasehands
Respiratory rate (RR) is a clinical metric used to assess overall health and physical fitness. In a paper highlighted on the Apple Machine Learning Research website and spotted by MyHealthyApple, researchers found that "wearable headphones" are able to pick up audible inhalations and exhalations during exertion using the device's on-board microphones.

According to the paper, the appeal of remote estimation of RR is that it offers a cost-effective method of tracking disease progression and cardio-respiratory fitness over time using "accessible, aesthetically acceptable," non-invasive wearable devices.

Data was collected from 21 individuals using microphone-enabled, near-field headphones before, during, and after strenuous exercise. RR was manually annotated by counting audibly perceived inhalations and exhalations.

A multi-level convolutional neural network was used to achieve signal clarity among other things and the results observed show that RR can be estimated with a concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) of 0.76 and a mean squared error (MSE) of 0.2, demonstrating that audio can be a viable signal for passively estimating RR.

[...]

Results presented validate that RR can be estimated from audio captured using wearable microphones, enabling the detection of heavy breathing conditions and the monitoring of RR changes, a measure of cardio-respiratory fitness, over time. The findings show promise for further development of a respiratory health tool with a larger study cohort.

While the paper doesn't name AirPods as such, Apple is known to have explored the potential of adding health monitoring features to the truly wireless earphones. For example, one Apple patent describes an earbud-based fitness monitoring system which integrates an advanced biometric sensor that can detect physiological metrics including temperature, heart rate, perspiration levels and more, through skin contact and via built-in motion sensors.

Meanwhile, DigiTimes has suggested that health sensors could be included in AirPods in one to two years, and Apple's vice president of technology Kevin Lynch in June 2021 said that Apple may one day build health features into the AirPods to provide users with additional health data.

Apple is already expected to add support for respiratory rate tracking via a user's Apple Watch in iOS 15. Code seen by MacRumors suggests that the Health app will be able to display respiratory rate data after a workout or upon waking up, along with blood glucose highlights and heart rate.

The debut of new health monitoring features in ‌iOS 15‌ cannot be taken as concrete evidence that Apple is planning to bring them to the Apple Watch Series 7, but we'll find out soon for sure. The Apple Watch Series 7 is expected to be announced in September, alongside third-generation AirPods that ape the AirPods Pro design.

Related Roundups: AirPods 3, AirPods Pro
Related Forum: AirPods

Zoom has introduced a new feature called Focus Mode that's designed to prevent students from distracting each other during virtual classrooms.

zoom focus mode
When enabled, Focus Mode allows the teacher or lecturer taking the class to see all the students, while each student can only see the teacher.

The setting can be activated at any time by the teleconferencing host, so for example it could be turned on for lecture periods to reduce distractions from students' video feeds and then turned off for group discussion.

Focus Mode is available on the free desktop Zoom client, therefore lending itself to other uses, like business meetings, family gatherings and so on.

zoom focus mode 2
Zoom announced the new feature in a blog post offering other back-to-school tips to get children prepared for virtual or hybrid learning. Version 5.7.5 of Zoom for Mac is available to download from the Zoom website.

Tag: Zoom

Apple is reportedly changing up the way it produces camera modules for its iPhone, now opting to individually produce each of the camera lenses separately, rather than procure them together and have them pre-assembled, according to a report from The Elec.

iPhone 12 cameras
The report notes that up to last year, Apple's ‌iPhone‌ camera lenses were produced by its suppliers LG InnoTek, Sharp, and O'Film. The lenses were "pre-assembled." Now, Apple is consolidating the production of its camera modules to its largest supplier, Foxconn, to save costs.

Up to last year, Apple has procured double and triple camera modules from its suppliers LG InnoTek, Sharp, and O'Film that are pre-assembled.

But it is now procuring these camera modules individually and gave the job of assembly to Foxconn. The measure is being done to save cost.

Foxconn, in preparation for its new camera assembly responsibility, has received new inspection equipment from the South Korean firm Hyvision System. The new system will check whether the wide, Ultra Wide, and Telephoto cameras' lenses, including their optical axis and image sensors, are correctly aligned on higher-end ‌iPhone‌ models. An incorrect alignment could result in drastically reduced image quality.

The new changes are being done to "save costs," but it remains unclear if those savings would be presented to customers. It's also unclear whether the new production methodology and Foxconn's role in camera assembly will be in practice for the upcoming iPhone 13. Given that the new iPhones are already in production, that's unlikely to be the case.

Apple today released a new developer tool that is designed to force devices running iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 to prioritize a 5G connection over a WiFi connection when on an insecure WiFi network or when a WiFi connection is slow.

apple developer app feature

5G devices running iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 can automatically prioritize connecting via 5G instead of WiFi when the performance of WiFi networks you visit occasionally is slow, or when you are connected to captive or insecure WiFi networks. Install the 5G Preferred Over Wi-Fi profile ("profile") on devices running iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 Beta 4 or greater to greatly increase the likelihood of seeing 5G preferred over Wi-Fi connections and to ensure your networking path logic is optimized for situations where 5G will be preferred. For more information, see https://developer.apple.com/5g/.

Apple says that developers who want to prioritize 5G usage on their devices can do so by running the fourth beta of iOS 15/iPadOS 15 or later and downloading the 5G Preferred Over WiFi Profile.

In iOS and iPadOS 15, Apple has already added a new feature that causes 5G devices to automatically prioritize 5G when it provides an improved connection over WiFi, so this developer tool should boost that capability even further.

Apple today seeded the fifth beta of macOS Monterey, the newest version of the macOS operating system. The fifth beta comes two weeks after Apple released the fourth macOS Monterey beta, and it is available to both developers and public beta testers.

macOS Monterey on MBP Feature
Registered developers can download the beta through the Apple Developer Center and once the appropriate profile is installed, betas will be available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences. Public beta testers can install the proper profile from Apple's public beta testing website.

As with all new betas, Apple recommends not installing the new macOS update on a primary machine because it is early release software and could have bugs.

macOS Monterey introduces Universal Control, a feature that lets a single mouse, trackpad, and keyboard be used across multiple Mac or iPad devices, plus there's a new AirPlay to Mac feature.

Safari has been redesigned with a new tab bar (with a toggle for two different designs as of the third beta) and support for Tab Groups, and FaceTime has gained spatial audio, a Portrait Mode on M1 Macs, and Voice Isolation for cutting out background noise. There's also a new SharePlay ‌FaceTime‌ feature that lets Apple users watch TV, listen to music, and share their screens with one another.

Shared With You, a separate feature, keeps track of the music, links, podcasts, news, and photos that people are sent in Messages, highlighting it in the relevant apps. Notes has a new Quick Note feature for jotting down thoughts, and collaboration is easier with mentions and an Activity View.

The Shortcuts app from iOS is now available on the Mac, and Focus helps people stay on task by cutting out background distractions. There's an updated Maps app with a whole slew of new features, and with Live Text, Macs can now detect text in photos or provide details on animals, art, landmarks, plants, and more in images.

Mail Privacy Protection hides IP and prevents tracking through invisible pixels, and iCloud Private Relay keeps Safari browsing protected. There are many other new features in macOS Monterey, with a full rundown available in our macOS Monterey roundup.

Update: While Apple initially also pushed the update to public beta testers, it appears it was pulled soon after.

Related Forum: macOS Monterey

Apple today seeded the fifth beta of the upcoming watchOS 8 update to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming two weeks after Apple released the fourth watchOS 8 beta.

watchOS 8 on Apple Watch feature
To install ‌watchOS 8‌, developers will need to download the configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center. Once installed, ‌watchOS 8‌ can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software update.

To update to new software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life, it must be placed on the charger, and it needs to be in range of the ‌‌iPhone‌‌. It's not recommended to install ‌watchOS 8‌ on a main Apple Watch as the software may be unstable at this early date.

watchOS 8 has several new features that are extensions of new features introduced in iOS 15. There are improvements to Wallet that allow it to hold keys for unlocking hotel, car, and home doors, plus Apple will let U.S. users add their IDs to Wallet later this year.

Apple overhauled the Home app, and for the Workout app, there are new Tai Chi and Pilates workout types, and the Breathe app has been renamed to Mindfulness thanks to a new Reflect session that invites users to get into a positive state of mind. When sleeping, the Apple Watch now measures respiratory rate.

Focus mode from iOS 15 syncs to the watch so users can stay on task, and in the Messages app, Scribble, dictation, and emojis can be combined within the same message, making it easier to communicate. Dictated text can be edited, and GIFs can be sent right from the watch.

There's a new Portrait watch face, and the Photos app has been updated with support for Memories and Featured ‌Photos‌. A new Find My app lets items be located right on the wrist, and there are also new updates for Music, Weather, Timers, and more, along with a new Contacts app.

Related Roundup: watchOS 10
Related Forum: Apple Watch

New bipartisan antitrust legislation that targets Apple's App Store and Google's Play Store was today introduced by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal, Marsha Blackburn, and Amy Klobuchar.

app store blue banner
The Open App Markets Act [PDF] is meant to create "fair, clear, and enforceable rules" that will protect competition and strengthen consumer protections. According to the three senators, Apple and Google have "gatekeeper control" of the two main mobile operating systems and their app stores, allowing them to dictate the terms of the app market.

Under the terms of the bill, which applies to companies that own or control an ‌App Store‌ with more than 50,000,000 users, Apple would not be able to require developers to use its own in-app purchase system, and it would be required to allow developers to distribute apps through alternative app stores.

Apple would need to provide "readily accessible means" for iPhone users to install third-party apps or app stores outside of Apple's own ‌App Store‌, and it would need to let customers choose third-party apps and app stores as their defaults while also hiding standard Apple apps.

Other wording in the bill would prevent Apple from retaliating against developers that decided to distribute apps using alternative means, and Apple would also not be allowed to unreasonably preference its own apps. The company would need to provide developers with access to operating system interfaces, development information, and hardware and software features.

In a statement, Blumenthal said that the legislation would break the competitive hold that Apple and Google have over the app market while providing mobile users with more control over their devices.

"This legislation will tear down coercive anticompetitive walls in the app economy, giving consumers more choices and smaller startup tech companies a fighting chance. For years, Apple and Google have squashed competitors and kept consumers in the dark--pocketing hefty windfalls while acting as supposedly benevolent gatekeepers of this multi-billion dollar market. I'm proud to partner with Senators Blackburn and Klobuchar in this breakthrough blow against Big Tech bullying. This bipartisan bill will help break these tech giants' ironclad grip, open the app economy to new competitors, and give mobile users more control over their own devices."

Blackburn said that Apple and Google's refusal to allow for third-party App Stores is a "direct affront to a free and fair marketplace, and Klobuchar said that the legislation levels the playing field and will ensure an "innovative and competitive marketplace."

In an interview with Reuters, Blumenthal said that he found the "predatory abuse" of the two companies "deeply offensive on so many levels." He said that he expects companion legislation in the House of Representatives "very soon."

Earlier this year, U.S. lawmakers introduced sweeping antitrust legislation that would result in major changes to the tech industry if passed, with the measures coming as the culmination of a 16-month antitrust investigation.

Update: In a statement to MacRumors, Apple reiterated its commitment to ensuring that apps are delivered to customers in a way that is safe and trustworthy.

"Since our founding, we’ve always put our users at the center of everything we do, and the App Store is the cornerstone of our work to connect developers and customers in a way that is safe and trustworthy. The result has been an unprecedented engine of economic growth and innovation, one that now supports more than 2.1 million jobs across all 50 states. At Apple, our focus is on maintaining an App Store where people can have confidence that every app must meet our rigorous guidelines and their privacy and security is protected."

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 has begun selling a new third-party accessory for its MagSafe ecosystem, a folding stand from OtterBox priced at $39.95. The hinged stand includes a recessed area to house a user-provided ‌MagSafe‌ Charger and a slot for routing the cable through the stand and out the back.

otterbox magsafe folding stand
The folding design is convenient for travel and lets you set your desired angle for nightstand viewing, video calls, and more in either portrait or landscape orientation. When folded completely back into a horizontal position, it can serve as a traditional Qi charger for non-MagSafe devices such as AirPods or other smartphones.

At $39.95 for the stand and an additional $39.00 for Apple's ‌MagSafe‌ Charger, it's not an inexpensive charging solution, but the removable charger setup does offer flexibility to only use the stand when needed.

Apple today seeded new betas of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 to public beta testers, allowing non-developers to download and test the new updates ahead of their fall release. The latest public betas come two weeks after Apple released the previous public betas and are equivalent to the fifth developer betas released yesterday.


Public beta testers who have signed up for Apple's beta testing program can download the iOS and iPadOS 15 updates over the air after installing the proper certificate from the Public Beta website.

iOS 15 adds new features for FaceTime, tools for reducing distractions, updated notifications, and privacy enhancements. ‌FaceTime‌ supports SharePlay for watching TV, listening to music, or screen sharing with friends, while a Shared with You feature keeps track of the songs, website links, pictures, and more that friends send you.

Focus is designed to help keep you on task by cutting out notifications you don't want while you're busy, and there's a new notifications summary feature that prevents you from being inundated with unimportant notifications throughout the day.

Safari has a redesigned look with a compact tab bar that's located at the bottom of the screen, plus Tab Groups let users save open tabs for later. Maps has a new zoomed out globe view and a new 3D view in select cities, plus there's more road detail and an AR-based walking direction feature.

The Wallet app will support IDs and more kinds of keys in iOS 15, and Photos gains updates to Memories and a new Live Text feature that uses on-device intelligence to recognize the text in an image, making it searchable and copyable. Spotlight is better than ever, and processing for Siri requests is now done directly on device.

Mail Privacy Protection in the Mail app stops senders from seeing your IP address and knowing if you've opened up an email, and an App Privacy Report gives you details on how often apps use permissions like camera and location access.

There are a ton of other new features available in iOS and iPadOS 15, with full details available in our roundup.

Related Forum: iOS 15

Apple has released a new macOS Big Sur 11.5.2 update, delivering unspecified bug fixes for Mac users running the latest major operating system version. The update comes a little over two weeks after Apple released macOS 11.5.1.

macOS Big Sur Feature Orange
The new ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌macOS Big Sur‌‌‌‌‌‌ 11.5.2 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Preferences.

We'll update this article if we learn more about fixes included in macOS 11.5.2.

Related Forum: macOS Big Sur

Popular to-do app Things reached version 3.14 today and gained several additional note-related features: Bullet Lists, Markdown support, Find in Text, and Things Cloud "Fractus."

1 Bullet Lists
Things has supported bullet lists before now, but you can now nest lists by inserting spaces in front of a bullet, and character lines now line up with the text of the previous line, thanks to the use of a fixed-width font.

When editing bullet lists, Things will now make the process a little easier by automatically stripping out "double bullets" during copy-paste.

Meanwhile, there's a new Find in Text option that augments the existing search by searching specific notes. The option can be activated using the key shortcut Shift-Command-F, and is aimed at making it easier to narrow down a search in particularly long notes.

In addition, Things now recognizes a wide range of commonly used Markdown syntax, making it easier to structure and style notes.

3 Markdown on iOS
Lastly, Things Cloud "Fractus" is a new way of syncing text. Until now, each time the user modified a note – say to insert or remove a few words – the entire note would be synced again across all their devices.

With Things Cloud "Fractus", however, only the fragments of text that are modified get synced, which should improve the speed and efficiency of the sync, and allow for smarter resolution of conflicts.

Things 3.14 can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for $49.99 and from the iOS App Store. The iPad version is priced at $19.99 [Direct Link] while the iPhone version (which includes Apple Watch support) is priced at $9.99. [Direct Link] A 15-day trial of Things for Mac is available on the Cultured Code website.

Samsung today unveiled a series of new products at a virtual event, including the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 foldable smartphones, Galaxy Buds 2 wireless earbuds, and Galaxy Watch 4 smartwatch. We've provided a high-level summary of the new products below for Apple users who are interested in learning about the latest competition.

samsung galaxy z fold 3 z flip 3

Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Flip 3

A key new feature of the Fold 3 is an uninterrupted 7.6-inch inner display with a 4-megapixel camera embedded under the screen, whereas the Fold 2 had a hole-punch camera. This is in addition to a trio of 12-megapixel rear lenses and a 10-megapixel front camera. The outer 6.2-inch display on the Fold 3 now supports up to a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother content, whereas only the inner display was 120Hz capable on the Fold 2.

Samsung said the Fold 3 and the Flip 3 have more durable designs, with both devices featuring stronger aluminum frames, IPX8-rated water resistance, tougher Gorilla Glass Victus display glass, and a new protective display film made with a stretchable PET material, which Samsung says makes the inner display 80% more durable than previous devices.


The Fold 3 is Samsung's first foldable smartphone with support for the S Pen, which comes in two options specifically for the device: S Pen Fold Edition and S Pen Pro. Samsung says both styluses feature a specially engineered retractable tip with "force limit technology" to protect the Fold 3's inner display from scratches and damage.

Powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888, the Fold 3 runs Android 11 and is equipped with a 4,400 mAh battery, 256GB or 512GB of storage, and 12GB of RAM. The device is available in three colors: Phantom Black, Phantom Green, and Phantom Silver.

The smaller and less expensive Flip 3 sports a 6.7-inch inner display that now supports 120Hz, and an expanded 1.9-inch outer display. The device is also powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888 and is equipped with a 3,300 mAh battery, 128GB or 256GB of storage, 8GB of RAM, dual 12-megapixel rear cameras, a 10-megapixel front camera, and more.


The Fold 3 and Flip 3 start at $1,799.99 and $999.99 respectively. Both devices are available for pre-order starting today, and they will launch on August 27 starting with select markets, including the United States, Europe, and Korea.

Apple is rumored to be working on a foldable iPhone, with analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expecting the device to launch in 2023 with an 8-inch display.

Galaxy Buds 2

The key attraction of Samsung's new Galaxy Buds 2 is active noise cancellation for just $149.99, making them much lower priced than the AirPods Pro, which retail for $249 but are frequently on sale for less at some retailers.

samsung galaxy buds 2
Samsung said Galaxy Buds 2 offer up to five hours of battery life with active noise cancellation enabled, and like the AirPods Pro, they are recharged in a wireless case. Galaxy Buds 2 are the lightest and smallest Galaxy Buds earbuds to date and they will be available in four colors: Graphite, White, Olive, and Lavender.

Galaxy Watch 4

Last up is the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, powered by a new version of Wear OS that was jointly developed by Google and Samsung. In many ways, this feels like the best shot at an Android-based competitor to the Apple Watch, with the new user interface seemingly drawing some inspiration from watchOS's honeycomb grid view for apps.

samsung galaxy watch 4
Samsung said the Galaxy Watch 4 comes with an array of health and wellness features, including blood pressure measuring, atrial fibrillation and irregular heartbeat detection, blood oxygen measuring, and the ability to calculate body composition. A new Body Composition feature gives users a better understanding of their general health and fitness, with key measurements like skeletal muscle, basal metabolic rate, body water, and body fat percentage.

Tech specs for both Galaxy Watch 4 models include an Exynos W920 processor, 16GB of internal storage, 1.5GB of RAM, up to 40 hours of battery life, IP68-rated water and dust resistance, Bluetooth 5.0, and more.

The standard Galaxy Watch 4 has an aluminum casing with 40mm and 44mm display size options, while the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic has a more premium stainless steel design with 42mm and 46mm sizes. Both watches are available for pre-order in select markets starting today, with retail availability starting August 27. Pricing starts at $249.99 for the Galaxy Watch 4 and at $349.99 for the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic.

Tag: Samsung

One of the biggest hurdles for customers looking to switch between Android and iOS is their inability to transfer their WhatsApp chats between the two different ecosystems. Now, that's coming to an end, as WhatsApp has officially announced that it will easily allow users to transfer their chats between Android and iOS.

Whatsapp Feature
As reported first by Engadget, WhatsApp used airtime during Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event to announce the new feature. WhatsApp tested the feature for the past few weeks and said it was difficult to implement due to "end-to-end encryption," requiring added assistance to make it work.

The feature will first arrive on Android devices, specifically Samsung smartphones, allowing users to initially transfer chats from iOS to Samsung smartphones. The transfer will include the chat itself, photos, videos, and voice memos, and should be available to Samsung users in the "coming weeks." WhatsApp has not said when the feature will arrive for a wider range of WhatsApp devices and on iOS.

BlueJeans Telehealth has today announced that it will integrate with Apple's Health app to give more contextual information to healthcare providers.

data driven integration apple health app
BlueJeans Telehealth is a HIPAA-ready virtual care system that provides a way for healthcare providers to meet with their patients via a video call, integrating with the workflows of clinical teams to replicate the experience of onsite encounters.

The BlueJeans Telehealth app will now allow patients to share specific categories of health data from Apple's Health app, including heart rate, ECGs, step count, mobility data, sleep, and falls, with their healthcare provider during telehealth appointments, via HealthKit.

Patients can specifically control which encrypted health data they wish to share while supplying healthcare providers with additional information to give more informed advice.

Health data can be selected within the pre-visit patient landing experience or through the televisit tile during the session. Once synced, the healthcare provider will be able to see, expand, and interact with the Apple Health app data, allowing them to observe trends and highlight data on-screen for the patient.

MacRumors and Anker have partnered this week to give our readers a chance to save on six of Anker's best charging accessories. This time, the devices on sale include USB-C chargers, wireless chargers, and a high capacity portable power station.

anker august 11Note: 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.

All of the codes below will expire on Sunday, August 22, so you have about a week and a half to shop our new exclusive sale with Anker on Amazon. All accessories in this sale require a discount code to see the savings, with the exception of the PowerWave Magnetic Pad in the Black colorway, which has an on-page 20 percent coupon that you can clip to get the discount.

Items on sale include Anker's MagSafe-compatible PowerWave Magnetic Pad, which will work with the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max. At just $15.99 in Black and $16.79 in White, this is nearly half of the current price of the first-party MagSafe Charger on Amazon.

Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals
Tag: Anker

Popular password management app 1Password today previewed the "next generation" of its app, 1Password 8, featuring a more contextual user interface, redesigned menus, improved password generation, and more.

1password8
The new update is a considerable update, featuring refinements that make it easier for users to track, manage, and keep an eye on potentially vulnerable passwords. One of the first changes relates to shared password vaults, where 1Password 8 will now offer more visual representation for what passwords are being shared with who.

1password shared vaults

You'll also notice an indicator next to each shared vault, making it easier to see which vaults are private and which are shared. No guesswork. And items show who they're being shared with.

Throughout the app you're in more control, with more contextual information available at all times. Try dragging-and-dropping an item from a personal vault to a shared vault. When you do, 1Password will show you who will gain access to the item so there's no doubt about what's happening.

Taking some inspiration frm macOS Spotlight, 1Password 8 includes a more powerful search bar, allowing users to be more granular with the search terms based on tags, websites, and more. An important aspect of any good password management app is the oversight of your passwords and their vulnerabilities. 1Password 8 is promising more advanced password oversight with an improved version of Watchtower. The new version includes a new editing experience with "a powerful new password generator, smart suggestions, and simpler file attachments."

On top of front-end user refinements, 1Password is promising improved speeds with its upcoming Mac app alongside continued improvements on end-to-end encryption.

You won't see this change but you'll feel it. The app is incredibly responsive across the board, from unlocking to adding accounts to searching your items — especially when combined with native support for Apple Silicon and all the speed improvements that brings. We're talking breaking-the-warp-barrier speed.

1Password 8 for Mac is available in early access for Mac users wishing to try it out.