MacRumors

Google's Android team today launched a new "Get the Message" website that again calls on Apple to adopt Rich Communication Services or RCS for the Messages app. Google has been pushing Apple to adopt ‌RCS‌ for months now, with no response from Apple.

‌RCS‌ is designed to replace the current SMS messaging standard. It offers support for higher resolution photos and videos, audio messages, bigger file sizes, improved encryption, emoji reactions, more reliable group chats, and more.

The "Get the Message" website is aimed at addressing the "green/blue bubbles" issue between iPhone and Android users along with problems in cross-platform messaging such as low quality photos and videos, issues with group chat, end-to-end encryption, read receipts, and typing indicators, pointing out that these issues could be addressed if Apple adopted ‌RCS‌. "It's time for Apple to fix texting," reads the website.

It's not about the color of the bubbles. It's the tiny photos and videos, no texting over wifi and no read receipts. Apple creates these problems when we text each other from iPhones and Android phones, but does nothing to fix it.

The website says that iPhones downgrade photos and videos from Android users, prevent people from leaving group chats with Android users, stop ‌iPhone‌ users from texting Android phones over WiFi, make messages from Android users difficult to read, and leave messages between iOS and Android users unencrypted. The site encourages people to help Apple get the message through tweets, plus it highlights news articles about Android/‌iPhone‌ communications.

Alongside the website, the Android team has also provided a blog post that explains the how Rich Communication Services works and why text conversations between ‌iPhone‌ and Android users sometimes experience issues. The blog post says that group chats "feel outdated" because iPhones are still using SMS and MMS for conversations.

iPhones still rely on SMS and MMS for conversations with Android users, which is why your group chats feel so outdated. Think of it like this: If you have two groups of people who use different spoken languages, they can communicate effectively in their respective languages to other people who speak their language, but they can't talk to each other. And when they try to talk to one another, they have to act out what they're saying, as though they're playing charades. Now think of RCS as a magic translator that helps multiple groups speak fluently -- but every group has to use the translator, and if one doesn't, they're each going to need to use motions again.

RCS could "connect all smartphone users" and bring a "secure, modern messaging experience" to everyone," according to Google's blog post. The article echos several prior Google attempts to get Apple to acknowledge ‌RCS‌, all of which have been unsuccessful.

As of mid-2021, Google and all major carriers have swapped over to RCS, but Google has not been able to convince Apple to adopt the standard. Senior vice president of Android Hiroshi Lockheimer has been tweeting about ‌RCS‌ and Apple's lack of support for months now, and Google has even resorted to sarcastic explainer videos.

There continues to be no word on when Apple might adopt Rich Communication Services, nor information on whether Apple is considering it.

Apple's Beats brand today is announcing a collaboration with Kim Kardashian for three new colors of Beats Fit Pro wireless earbuds. The three new neutral colors will be available online at Apple.com/kim starting next Tuesday, August 16, and via select Apple Store locations and authorized resellers as of the following day.

Images of the new Beats Fit Pro colors were discovered late last month, but they are being released under different names than were seen in the image files: Moon (light), Dune (medium) and Earth (deep).

"I wanted to break away from the idea that headphones have to be colorful to make a statement," said Kim Kardashian. "This collaboration is special because it allows you to blend in or stand out, and Beats is known for creating products that showcase individuality."

Beats Fit Pro have been well-received since their original launch late last year, with users citing a comfortable fit thanks to flexible wingtips and multiple sizes of silicone ear tips. The earbuds also offer Active Noise Cancellation with Transparency mode, spatial audio support, and an H1 chip for one-tap pairing, "Hey Siri" support, and automatic switching among Apple devices.

Alongside the launch of the new colors, Beats is also debuting a new "Beats x Kim" ad campaign.

"Kim brought her signature minimalist style to the first-ever Beats Fit Pro custom headphones," said Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Services. "We're excited to offer Beats' most innovative headphones in a whole new, gorgeous color palette to music fans and fashion lovers alike."

The new Beats Fit Pro colors will be available from Apple's online stores in the US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, and Japan, with Amazon also carrying them in the US and Canada. They will be priced at $199.99, the same as other Beats Fit Pro colors.

‌Apple Store‌ locations carrying the new colors will be limited to The Grove, Tower Theatre, and Third Street Promenande in the Los Angeles Area, Fifth Avenue and SoHo in New York City, Aventura in Miami, Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Regent Street in London, Champs-Élysées in Paris, and Kurfürstendamm in Berlin.

Authorized resellers will include SSENSE in Canada, Selfridges in the UK, Galeries Lafayette in France, Zalando in Germany and Switzerland, David Jones in Australia, and Crawford and WeChat in China.

Apple's second-generation AirPods Pro may still have a Lightning charging case, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a tweet today, Kuo predicted that Apple will switch to a USB-C charging case for all AirPods models in 2023.

Kuo said the new AirPods Pro will be released later this year. Several new features have been rumored for the earbuds, including an upgrade to the H1 chip that powers features like active noise cancellation, support for Apple Lossless audio playback, updated motion sensors for expanded fitness tracking capabilities, a new charging case that can emit a sound when lost, a skin-detect sensor for improved in-ear detection, and more.

Apple reportedly tested a more compact design for the new AirPods Pro that would eliminate the stems that drop below the earbuds, similar to Apple's Beats Studio Buds, but recent rumors suggest the earbuds will not have any significant design changes.

In May, Kuo predicted that other iPhone accessories would switch to USB-C in the future as well, such as the MagSafe Battery Pack.

Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake, known for designing Steve Jobs' iconic black mock turtleneck sweater and an unused Apple employee uniform, has died at the age of 84, his company has announced (via Reuters).

Born in Hiroshima in 1938, Miyake built a prolific global high fashion brand and developed a unique relationship with late Apple co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs. According to biographer Walter Isaacson, Jobs was impressed by Sony's corporate uniform, something the company had imposed since 1946 to encourage a professional look and forge a bond with colleagues.

In 1981, for its 35th anniversary, Sony commissioned Miyake to design a jacket to add to the uniform. The futuristic taupe rip-stop nylon jacket featured unzip-able sleeves that allowed it to convert into a vest and had no lapels.

Jobs apparently admired Miyake's jacket for Sony and asked him to design a similar vest for Apple employees. Miyake's jacket for Apple hit a stumbling block when Jobs returned with samples and pitched the idea of an Apple corporate uniform to employees in Cupertino, California. "Oh, man, did I get booed off the stage," Jobs told Isaacson. "Everybody hated the idea."

Jobs went on to opt for a uniform for himself to reduce decision fatigue and form a visual identity, deciding upon Levi's 501 jeans and New Balance 991 sneakers. He asked Miyake to supply him with a large number of black turtleneck sweaters, on sale from Issey Miyake Inc. at the time for $175. "He made me like a hundred of them," Jobs told Isaacson, adding, "I have enough to last for the rest of my life."

Sales of the black mock turtleneck spiked after Jobs' death in 2011 before it was retired from the fashion brand's clothing line in 2017. A revised version of the sweater returned later that year for $270.

Miyake died of liver cancer on Friday and a private funeral has reportedly already taken place.

AgileBits today announced the release of 1Password 8 for iOS and Android, completing the rollout of the new version and bringing parity to the desktop and mobile apps.

1Password 8 for mobile takes into account customer feedback gathered during the early access launches earlier this year, and includes a new customizable home screen.

Users can personalize the home screen in several ways, such as by highlighting favorites, reordering sections, viewing recently created items, pinning specific fields from a login, and adding quick actions.

First seen in 1Password 8 for desktop, the new Watchtower dashboard has also made it to mobile. The dashboard is designed to provide actionable alerts and a holistic view of security risks and vulnerabilities, with a view to making it easy for 1Password admins and users to protect themselves by quickly identifying and updating weak passwords, inactive 2FA and compromised passwords that put them at risk.

An updated always-on navigation bar also allows users to quickly access the home screen, search for items, and open Watchtower or app settings. It also includes new item icons, typography, detailed views for items and vaults, and more.

1Password 8 for iOS is available to download on the App Store. A subscription is required, with individual pricing set at $3.99 per month for unlimited access across several platforms, including iOS, macOS, Windows, Android, and others. A 30-day free trial is available.

Apple's 24-inch iMac (8-Core GPU, 256GB) has dropped to $1,349.99 on Amazon today, down from $1,499.00. This sale is available in three colors, which are all in stock and ready to ship: Yellow, Orange, and Purple.

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.

The deal price will not appear until you add the iMac to your cart and head to the checkout screen, at which time Amazon will apply a $100 coupon to the order. Compared to previous sales, this is a match of the all-time low price on this model.

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 is to again be investigated by South Korea's telecommunications regulator, alongside Google and One Store, over suspected violations of in-app payment rules.

In a statement (via Reuters), the Korea Communications Commissions (KCC) said that it conducted an inspection of Apple, Google, and One Store since May 17 to determine if they have violated in-app payment laws, and concluded that all three companies may have done so. Such contraventions could include unfairly delaying the review of mobile content, or refusing, delaying, restricting, deleting, or blocking the registration, renewal, or inspection of mobile content that uses third-party payment methods.

If the new probe discovers malpractice, the KCC may issue correction orders and impose fines up to as high as two percent of the average annual revenue from relevant business practices, but there is as yet little detail on the specific violations of the law the regulator suspects may have occurred.

In January, Apple announced that it would comply with a new South Korean law that bans app store operators from requiring developers to use their own in-app purchase systems. In late June, the change came into effect, enabling developers to offer alternative payment systems in South Korea.

It is unclear exactly why Apple is under investigation, given that it now allows developers to offer third-party payment systems on the South Korean App Store. One explanation could be that the KCC deems Apple to have taken too long to comply with the change in the law, since it came into effect in March, but Apple only began informing developers that they could use third-party payment systems in late June.

Intel, AMD, and Nvidia are all reportedly bracing for a possible decline in shipments as well as a possible drop in revenue for the remainder of 2022 while the Mac is expected to continue to grow in popularity.

Citing industry sources, DigiTimes reports that Intel, AMD, and Nvidia have revised and lowered their own expectations for how many chips and products they'll ship in 2022 and their revenue goals.

Apple is the only company that's expected to see continued momentum for its Mac, such as the new M2 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, the report says.

Intel has lowered its revenue goals for 2022 by roughly $11 billion and expects PC chip shipments to drop 10% compared to 2021 due to lower demand. AMD expects its shipments to drop between 14% and 16% in 2022, compared to a 7%-9% drop it was originally expecting.

Specific laptop makers are also bracing for a rough 2022 and early 2023. Companies such as Dell, Acer, HP, and Asustek Computer have all cut their expectations and projections for shipments and revenue.

Apple, on the other hand, is expecting to ship around 29 million MacBooks in 2022, an estimate higher than in the past three years, according to ‌DigiTimes‌.

Apple has nearly completed its transition away from Intel processors in the Mac to its own custom-made Apple silicon chips. The company most recently announced the all-new ‌M2‌ chip, promising 1.4 times faster performance than its M1 counterpart and up to 15 times faster than an Intel-powered model.

Apple has so far announced the ‌M1‌, M1 Pro, M1 Max, M1 Ultra, and ‌M2‌ chips for its Mac lineup. The highest-end Mac Pro and a low-end Mac mini are the only Macs that remain in Apple's lineup with Intel processors. Both are expected to be replaced as soon as this fall.

Apple is on a mission to get rid of traditional passwords for good, and a step towards that future is something called "Passkeys." Passkeys aim to entirely replace passwords in both apps and on the web and instead use either your finger or face as the password.

Passkeys are part of iOS 16 and macOS Ventura but also work on non-Apple devices and platforms such as Android and Windows. Apple's goal with Passkeys is to eliminate the need for users to ever type out, remember, or use a password again.

There are two scenarios for Passkeys: when you're using an Apple device and when you're on a Windows or Android device.

On an Apple Device

When you go to a website on your iPhone or iPad running iOS 16 or a Mac on macOS Ventura that supports Passkeys, the website will not prompt you to enter a password as you may expect it to. Instead, you'll simply be asked to authenticate with Touch ID or Face ID.

On a Windows or Android Device

On non-Apple devices, when you go to a website that supports Passkeys, you'll be asked to scan a QR code with your ‌iPhone‌ and then proceed to use ‌Touch ID‌ or ‌Face ID‌ as your actual password.

Passkeys will be more widely supported by apps and websites when iOS 16 and macOS Ventura are released to all users this fall, but there are already some websites that support Passkeys. Here are just a few apps and websites that are starting to roll out support:

• eBay
• Best Buy
• Cloudflare
• Microsoft
• Nvidia
• PayPal
• Carnival

In an interview earlier this month, Apple's director of platform product marketing Kurt Knight said, "This isn't a future dream to replace passwords. This is something that's going to be a road to completely replace passwords, and it's starting now."

Passkeys is just one of several new changes and features coming to iOS 16 and macOS Ventura which you can learn about in our respective roundups.

WhatsApp is rolling out two new privacy updates this month, including the ability to adjust the visibility of your "Last Seen" status on a contact-by-contact basis, and a way to silently leave group chats without all members of the group being notified when you do.

As regular WhatsApp users will know, the "Last Seen" status of a contact sits atop the conversation thread, informing you when that contact last opened and was active on the app.

Currently, you can disable your "Last Seen" status so that other contacts can't see when you were last online, but the setting's options are limited to "Everyone," "My Contacts," and "Nobody," and there's no way to make exceptions for individual contacts.

But that's about to change. In the Privacy settings, WhatsApp is adding the option "My Contacts Except..." which will let you select specific contacts so that they don't see when the last time was that you were active on the messaging network.

The second privacy update is coming to group chats, or more specifically when you leave them. Traditionally, when someone leaves a group chat, WhatsApp announces their exit to the entire group, making the act of leaving very public and potentially awkward.

WhatsApp officially allows up to 256 people to join a single chat group, so these announcements can also lead to a lot of coming and going during a conversation, which can cause a distraction to other members.

To ameliorate the situation going forward, when you leave a group chat, only the administrators of the group are notified. When a group member opts out, a dialog appears that says "Only you and group admins will be notified that you left the group."

Looking ahead, another privacy feature on its way to the massively popular messaging platform is a way to block users from taking screenshots of "view once" messages. Unlike disappearing messages, view once messages don't get deleted after a specific time limit, but instead go away after the recipient has seen it once.

The idea is that by blocking screenshots, recipients won't so easily be able to save or share sensitive information with other users. WhatsApp is still testing this feature, but says it will start rolling out to users soon.

Apple this week brought back one of the most highly requested features from iOS users since the launch of the iPhone X in 2017: the ability to see your battery percentage directly in the status bar.

Ever since the launch of the iPhone X with the notch, Apple has not allowed users to show their battery percentage directly in the status bar, forcing them to swipe down into Control Center to glance at their current battery level.

With the launch of iOS 16 in just a few weeks, that's set to change. The fifth developer beta of iOS 16 includes a new toggle that allows users to always show their battery percentage in the status bar.

When Low Power Mode is enabled, the battery glyph and the percentage turn yellow, and when low on battery, it turns red. When charging your iPhone, it turns green. The battery percentage is visible in the status bar across the system, including on the Lock Screen.

All flagship iPhones since the iPhone X have had a notch, yet not all customers with notched iPhones will gain this new feature.

Here is the list of iPhones that will gain the ability to display the battery percentage directly in the status bar:

• iPhone 13 Pro Max
• iPhone 13 Pro
• iPhone 13
• iPhone 12 Pro Max
• iPhone 12 Pro
• iPhone 12
• iPhone 11 Pro Max
• iPhone 11 Pro
• iPhone XS Max
• iPhone XS
• iPhone X

All other iPhones, including the smaller iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 12 mini, the iPhone 11, and the iPhone XR, do not have the battery percentage option. As iOS 16 is still in beta testing, Apple may decide to expand the list to include other iPhones in the future so we'll have to wait and see.

• iOS 16: How to Display iPhone Battery Percentage in Status Bar

While it's not entirely clear why Apple has chosen to limit the availability of this feature, it may be due to space constraints on the smaller displays.

Parallels for Mac has announced Parallels Desktop 18, a new update that brings full support for the ProMotion displays in the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros, improved performance on the M1 Ultra chip, easier Windows 11 setup, and more.

Parallels Desktop 18 is designed to take full advantage of the latest Mac hardware, including the highest-end ‌M1 Ultra‌ Apple silicon chip. With the ‌M1 Ultra‌ in the Mac Studio, Parallels Desktop 18 "delivers up to 96% faster Windows 11" performance compared to previous versions of Parallels.

Full support for Apple's ProMotion display with automatic refresh rate changes and unleashed Apple M1 Ultra performance allowing users to assign more resources and get up to 96% faster Windows 11.

Parallels Desktop 18 also brings with it an improved Windows 11 installation experience and the ability to use a game controller on Windows 11 on the Mac.

Enhanced Windows game-play experience on a Mac: Users can now simply connect a game controller to their Mac, switch to Windows, and start playing. Enjoy smooth Windows UI and video playback, a higher frame rate, and much more.

Ahead of release later this fall, Parallels Desktop 18 includes support for new macOS Ventura features and functionalities. Additional new features include improved USB 3.0 support, improved compatibility of Intel (x86) applications, and more.

The Standard Edition of Parallels 18 for Mac is priced at $99.99 per year or $129.99 for a one-time perpetual license to the current version, with students eligible for a discounted price of $49.99 per year. The Pro Edition is priced at $119.99 per year, while the Business Edition is priced at $149.99 per year.

The HBO Max app for the iPhone and iPad is this week receiving a notable update that will overhaul the interface and add several new features that will improve the viewing experience on iOS devices.

According to the press release announcing the changes, the app offers a more intuitive navigation system, a refined design, and performance and stability improvements to bring it in line with the updated HBO Max Apple TV app that came out back in April.

U.S. HBO Max users who have an ad-free plan can use SharePlay on the ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌ to watch HBO content with friends and family over the FaceTime and Messages (iOS 16 only) apps, plus there is now a Shuffle button.

Previously available on the desktop, the Shuffle button lets users randomize the first episode that plays for select shows on the platform. On the ‌iPad‌, Split View works with other apps so you can watch HBO while doing other things at the same time.

There's a dedicated home interface for downloaded content, tablet support for portrait and landscape orientations, and an enhanced screen reader experience with updated navigation elements and functionality.

The updated HBO Max app does not appear to be available for all ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌ users at this time, but WarnerMedia has said that it is rolling out.

Apple today seeded the fifth beta of iOS 16 to developers for testing purposes, introducing some small but notable changes to the iOS operating system.

We've rounded up everything new in the fifth beta below.

Battery Percentage in Status Bar

The battery icon in the status bar now displays the exact battery percent, a feature that can be toggled on in the Battery section of the Settings app.

Battery level is available on the iPhone 12 and ‌iPhone‌ 13 models, with the exception of the 5.4-inch iPhone 12 mini and ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini. It is also available on the ‌iPhone‌ X and XS, but not the ‌iPhone‌ 11 or the ‌iPhone‌ XR.

Battery percent has not been available on iPhones that have a notch for years now because of space constraints, so this is a welcome change for many ‌iPhone‌ users. Prior to now, checking for exact battery percentage had to be done by swiping into Control Center or using the battery widget.

New Find My Sound

When you use the "Play Sound" option in the Find My app for one of your devices, ‌iPhone‌ models have a new sound that plays. It's a bit louder and it is distinct from the sound available with prior versions of iOS 16.

New Sound When Pinging iPhone from Apple Watch

When you swipe up on the Apple Watch to get to the Control Center, if you tap on the ‌iPhone‌ icon to ping your ‌iPhone‌ to locate it, you'll hear a new sound. It is the same sound as the new ‌Find My‌ sound.

Lock Screen Now Playing Visualizer

The third beta of iOS 16 added a full-screen music player, and the fifth beta introduces a live mini visualizer.

Perspective Zoom

The Perspective Zoom feature has been removed for Lock Screen wallpapers. The toggle to disable it has also been removed.

It may be re-added in a future beta, as it is a feature that has been available on iPhones for some time.

Music App

Apple has slightly tweaked where Dolby Atmos and Lossless indicators are displayed. The information is now right next to genre, rather than below the Play and Shuffle buttons.

Screenshots

When you take a screenshot, edit it, and then tap on "Done," there is a new option to "Copy and Delete" the screenshot rather than just delete it.

Emergency Call

When you press and hold on the side button or rapidly press to get to the emergency screen, "Emergency SOS" has been renamed "Emergency Call."

Other New Features

Know of a new feature in iOS 16 beta 5 that we left out? Let us know in the comments below.

With the fifth beta of iOS 16, Apple has updated the battery icon on iPhones with Face ID to display the specific battery percentage rather than just a visual representation of battery level. The new battery indicator is available on iPhone 12 and ‌iPhone‌ 13 models, with the exception of the 5.4-inch ‌iPhone‌ 12/13 mini. It is also available on the ‌iPhone‌ 11 Pro and Pro Max, XS and XS Max, and ‌iPhone‌ X.

Battery percent has not been present on iPhones that have ‌Face ID‌ because of the lack of space on either side of the notch that houses the TrueDepth camera hardware. The new design adds the specific battery level to the battery icon, providing a better idea of battery status at a glance.

In iOS 15 and earlier versions of iOS, the battery icon shows a visual of the battery level, but it does not provide a specific percent. To get that information, ‌iPhone‌ users need to swipe down into Control Center or swipe over to the Today center view to see the battery widget.

The battery icon changes colors based on the status of the battery, and the color of the ‌iPhone‌'s wallpaper. When charging, for example, the battery icon is green and shows a charging indicator.

Battery percentage can be toggled on and off in the Settings app in the Battery section. The battery percentage feature appears to be available on most iPhones that have a notch, but it is not an option on the iPhone 12 mini, ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini, ‌iPhone‌ 11, or ‌iPhone‌ XR perhaps due to space constraints and/or display quality.

iOS 16 beta 5 is available to developers at the current time, and Apple will be releasing a public beta in the near future.

Apple today seeded the fifth beta of macOS 13 Ventura, the next-generation version of the Mac operating system that's set to launch this fall. The fifth beta comes approximately a week after Apple provided the fourth beta to developers.

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.

macOS Ventura introduces Stage Manager, a new feature that lets Mac users focus on a task while keeping other apps at the ready for easy swapping between tasks. The update adds Continuity Camera, which is designed to let you use the iPhone as a webcam for your Mac. It supports Center Stage, Desk View (for showing off your desk), and Studio Light.

Handoff is now available for FaceTime so you can transfer calls between ‌iPhone‌, iPad, and Mac at will, and Messages supports features for marking an iMessage as unread, unsending an iMessage, and marking as unread. SharePlay also now works in the Messages app.

The Mail app supports scheduling and undoing emails for up to 10 seconds after they're sent, and there are now Weather and Clock apps that are available on the Mac. System Preferences has been renamed System Settings, and it features an iOS-like design.

Safari supports Shared Tab Groups and Apple is working on Passkeys, a next-generation credential that replaces the password. There are updates to Spotlight, Photo Library has new features, and Metal 3 is included in macOS Ventura for better graphics in games.

For everything new in macOS Ventura, we have a dedicated roundup that goes through all of the features. macOS Ventura is set to see a public release this fall.

Apple today seeded the fifth betas of upcoming iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the updates coming a little over a week after Apple released the fourth developer betas. The new beta has a build number of 20A5339d.

Registered developers can download the iOS and iPadOS 16 profiles from the Apple Developer Center, and once installed, the betas will be available over the air.

iOS 16 introduces a revamped Lock Screen that offers a new level of personalization and customization through widgets, a notification redesign, and adjustable fonts and colors for the time. Multiple Lock Screens are supported, similar to watch faces, and can be associated with Focus modes.

Focus is easier to set up than before and more customizable, with Focus filters available to cut out distracting content within apps. The Messages app now features tools for editing a iMessage, unsending an iMessage, and marking messages as unread, plus it supports SharePlay, much like FaceTime.

The Mail app has improved search and tools that include undo send, schedule send, and follow up so you can get a reminder to check up on an email if you haven't gotten a response. Safari supports Shared Tab Groups and Apple is working to replace passwords with Passkeys, a more biometrically secure way to log in to accounts.

iCloud Photo Library allows users to more easily share photos with family members, and Live Text is supported in video. There's a neat new feature for lifting the subject from a background with a tap, which is part of Visual Lookup.

Dictation has improved, Maps now supports multi-stop routing, Apple Pay Later lets you split up purchase payments, and the Home app has been entirely overhauled with a new look. On the iPad, the update adds a new Stage Manager feature for more Mac-like multitasking, but it's limited to M1 iPads.

There are tons of other new features in iOS 16 and iPadOS 16, with a full rundown on everything available in our dedicated roundup.

Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming watchOS 9 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new beta coming a week and a half after Apple released the fourth beta to developers.

To install ‌watchOS 9, 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.

watchOS 9 introduces four new watch faces, including Lunar, Playtime, Metropolitan, and Astronomy, plus it includes updates to some existing watch faces and complications. The ECG app now supports AFib History for tracking how long a person has been in atrial fibrillation.

The sleep tracking feature now includes sleep stages, letting the Apple Watch track when users are in REM, Core, or Deep sleep, and Apple has added a Medications app. The Medications app lets users manage and track their medications, vitamins, and supplements, with reminders when it's time to take them.

Updates to the Workout app add custom workouts and improvements for runners, triathletes, and swimmers. Fitness+ workouts now support streaming to certain third-party TVs for those who don't have an Apple TV, and notifications have been redesigned to be less obtrusive when the watch's screen is active.

Other new features include a CallKit API that allows VOIP calls to be answered on Apple Watch, Apple Watch Mirroring for controlling the Apple Watch with an ‌iPhone‌, Quick Actions for doing more with a double pinch gesture, and updates to the Reminders and Calendar apps.