MacRumors

Mozilla has released a new version of Firefox that promises improved browsing performance on displays running at 120Hz and higher refresh rates, which should appeal to owners of 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with ProMotion displays.

Launched last October, Apple's redesigned ‌MacBook Pro‌ models with M1 Pro and M1 Max chips feature Liquid Retina XDR displays with ProMotion technology for adaptive refresh rates ranging from 24Hz to 120Hz.

When viewing a static webpage that doesn't require a high refresh rate, the ‌MacBook Pro‌'s display adopts the lower refresh rate to preserve battery life, but when gaming, scrolling, or doing other activities where a higher refresh rate will result in smoother content, the higher frame rates will kick in.

According to Mozilla's release notes, the latest Firefox 103 update brings improved performance on displays capable of refresh rates upwards of 120Hz, suggesting the 14-inch and 16-inch Macs with ProMotion stand to benefit.

As some readers will recall, soon after Apple launched 14-inch and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models with Apple silicon last October, many users began reporting issues with stuttering, janky scrolling when browsing in Apple's Safari.

While some users reported noticing smoother Safari scrolling and performance on these Macs after upgrading to macOS Monterey 12.2, Apple has never officially confirmed that ProMotion is functional in its native browser for Mac. Therefore, anyone still unconvinced that they are seeing optimal refresh rates in Safari now at least has an alternative option to use a browser that should be capable of running ProMotion at full tilt.

In addition to the above, Firefox 103 also offers improved responsiveness on macOS during periods of high CPU load, which it achieves by switching to a modern lock API, according to the release notes.

Also new in this update is the ability to change the subtitles font size directly from within a Picture-in-Picture window, as well as support for subtitles on platforms including Funimation, Dailymotion, Tubi, Hotstar, and SonyLIV.

In other tweaks, required fields in PDFs are now highlighted, and there are a number of bugs and security vulnerabilities that have also been fixed. Firefox 103 for macOS is available now from the Mozilla website, where users can find a full list of changes.

Google is rolling out some new Maps features to its iOS and Android apps for the summer, including new location sharing options, cycling directions enhancements, and photorealistic aerial views of famous city landmarks.

First, location sharing. Google says it wants to make it easier to see when someone who has shared their location with you arrives or leaves a place, "so you can more easily coordinate schedules" and meetups. To that end, it's introducing location sharing notifications, which work similarly to the equivalent feature in Apple's Find My app.

Google offers the following use case:

Say you're headed to a concert with a group of friends. If they've already chosen to share their location with you, you can set a notification for the concert venue's address so you can see when they've arrived and meet up quickly. You could also set a notification to see when they've left the venue — just in case you get split up.

Google says it has built the feature with privacy in mind, which is why notifications can only be set for someone who has already chosen to share their location with you. In addition, that person will receive multiple reminders to let them know they are sharing their location, in the form of push notifications and recurring monthly emails, and users can stop sharing their location anytime.

Next up, Google is adding more granular information to cycling directions in the more than 100 cities where they are available, including things like whether a particular route involves a major or a minor road, if the route suggested includes stairs or steep hills, and when you should be prepared to encounter heavy traffic.

Lastly, Google is bringing photorealistic aerial views of "nearly 100 of the world's most popular landmarks" in cities including Barcelona, London, New York, San Francisco, and Tokyo. Google says the aerial views are a "first step" toward integrating its immersive view feature for cities that the company previewed in May and which is scheduled to roll out later this year.

Google says the aerial views of landmarks and location sharing notifications are rolling out now globally on Google Maps on Android and iOS, with cycling route information launching in the coming weeks in those cities where cycling directions are available.

Meta is in a "very deep, philosophical competition" with Apple over the future of technology and the metaverse, the social network's CEO Mark Zuckerberg told employees in an internal meeting last month, reported by The Verge.

It's no secret Meta and Apple have been competitors for several years, with the rivalry ramping up in recent years over privacy and the different approaches to user tracking. The competition is expected to heat up as both companies take seemingly different approaches to the "metaverse" and AR/VR. While Meta has begun its journey into the "metaverse," revealing its vision for the future of the internet and releasing accompanying VR headsets, Apple has yet to make a big entrance into the AR/VR space.

That is all set to change, however, as Apple is nearing the launch of its first AR/VR headset for early next year. Responding to a question from an employee over how Apple's launch of an AR/VR headset could impact Meta's plan, Zuckerberg responded by saying it's "pretty clear that Apple is going to be a competitor for us." Zuckerberg continued, saying the competition will go beyond simply offering the best AR/VR hardware and will also play out "philosophically."

I think it's pretty clear that Apple is going to be a competitor for us, not just as a product but philosophically. We're approaching this in an open way and trying to build a more open ecosystem. We're trying to make more stuff interoperable with Android. We're trying to develop the metaverse in a way where you can bring your virtual goods from one world to another. We created the Metaverse Open Standards Group with a bunch of other folks that you just mentioned, and Apple didn't join.

This is a competition of "ideas," Zuckerberg went on to claim in the June 30 meeting. Apple believes in "doing everything themselves and tightly integrating that to build a better consumer experience," he said. On the other hand, Meta sees the need for a "larger ecosystem to exist."

Zuckerberg admits, however, that it's unclear whether a "closed ecosystem," which he claims Apple to have, or an open ecosystem from Meta, would be better suited for the metaverse.

One of the things I think is interesting is that it's not really clear upfront whether an open or closed ecosystem is going to be better. If you look back to PCs, Windows was clearly the one that had a lot more scale and became the default and norm that people used. And Mac did fine, but I think PC and Windows were, I think, the premier ecosystem in that environment.

On mobile, I would say it's more the other way. There's more Android devices than there are iOS devices, but I think in developed countries and places like the US or Western Europe in kind of the high end, [and] a lot of the culture-setters and developers, I do think that skews quite a bit more towards iPhone and iOS. So I'd say on mobile, Apple has really carved out quite a good position for themselves, and that's why they're the most valuable company in the world, or maybe one of the couple most valuable companies in the world.

Zuckerberg said that Meta's north star should be, and is, whether it will be able to get over a billion people into the metaverse, shopping and spending hundreds of dollars in digital commerce.

Our north star is can we get a billion people into the metaverse doing hundreds of dollars a piece in digital commerce by the end of the decade? If we do that, we'll build a business that is as big as our current ad business within this decade. I think that's a really exciting thing. I think a big part of how you do that is by pushing the open metaverse forward, which is what we're going to do.

Wrapping up his response to the question, Zuckerberg summed up Meta's competition with Apple as going beyond simply the metaverse but also the future of the internet as a whole.

So yeah, Apple is going to be a competitor. I think that that's pretty clear, but it's actually a very deep competitor. It's not just [that] they have a device that has some more features than us. It's a very deep, philosophical competition about what direction the internet should go in. And I am proud of the investments that we're making to help push forward the open metaverse on this and hopefully make the next version of computing a bit more open.

You can learn more about Apple's AR/VR plans by visiting our comprehensive roundup.

Apple is facing quality control issues with the rear iPhone 14 camera lens, causing some lenses to crack due to a coating, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today on Twitter. The issue has resulted in Apple reallocating iPhone 14 camera orders to a different supplier, helping mitigate the impact on device shipments later this fall.

Kuo said the impact on iPhone 14 shipments will be minimal thanks to a new supplier stepping in and hopefully addressing the issue. iPhone 14 shipments are expected to be higher than the iPhone 13 with Samsung reportedly preparing 80 million iPhone 14 display shipments for the third quarter of this year.

Mass production of the iPhone 14 series, which will include the 6.1-inch iPhone 14, 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max, 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro, and 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max, is set to begin in August ahead of a launch in September. The iPhone 14 is expected to be a noteworthy upgrade on the higher-end models, which rumors suggest will feature a new pill-shaped cutout and hole to replace the notch, a 48MP rear camera, faster RAM, and an always-on display.

Google last week launched the Pixel 6a, a $449 budget smartphone that's designed to compete with more affordable smartphones like Apple's iPhone SE. We picked up a Pixel 6a to see how it measures up to the iPhone SE in terms of design, performance, and camera technology.

The Pixel 6a has a 6.1-inch 1080p OLED display, which means it's quite a bit larger than the 4.7-inch ‌iPhone‌ SE. The Pixel 6a's display is higher quality as well because the ‌iPhone‌ SE is still using years-old LCD technology.

Compared to the Pixel 6a, the ‌iPhone‌ SE looks dated. It has thick bezels at the top and bottom, while the Pixel 6a is using a much more modern hole punch design for the camera, with minimal bezels. The ‌iPhone‌ SE does have a Touch ID Home button that's superior to the under-display fingerprint sensor in the 6a, which was slow and inaccurate in our testing.

With its glass back panel, the ‌iPhone‌ SE supports Qi-based wireless charging, but it does not have the MagSafe technology that's in more modern iPhones. The Pixel 6a has a plastic back that's not as premium feeling, and it does not work with wireless charging, but the smartphone does have a much higher battery capacity at 4500mAh.

Apple put its latest A15 chip in the ‌iPhone‌ SE, while the Pixel 6a is using a Google-designed Tensor chip. It's difficult to make a one-to-one comparison because of the software differences between the two devices, but both felt fast with no performance issues or hiccups.

As for the camera setups, the ‌iPhone‌ SE has a single Wide lens, while the Pixel 6a has both a standard wide-angle lens and an ultra wide-angle lens. We did a photo session with both smartphones, and as we often find with modern devices, both cameras performed admirably with just a few differences between them.

In lower lighting situations indoors, the Pixel 6a produces images that are more in line with the real look, while the ‌iPhone‌ SE will brighten things up a bit more. The ‌iPhone‌ SE trends warmer, with photos from the Pixel 6a coming out more neutral in tone.

With images that have bright colors, the ‌iPhone‌ SE tends to have more vibrancy and sharpness, but when it comes down to it, both are high quality and choosing one is a matter of preference.

As for Portrait mode, the Pixel 6a just does a better job. There's strong bokeh with sharp edges, better color accuracy, and no blurring of parts of the photo that aren't meant to be blurred. Both smartphones also have selfie cameras that offer similar performance.

If you're not locked into Apple's ecosystem and are looking for an affordable smartphone with a modern feature set, the Pixel 6a wins out over the ‌iPhone‌ SE hands down, with perhaps the exception of the processor. The Pixel 6a runs Android, though, so it's not ideal for those who are Apple device owners, and it's also not the best choice for those who prefer smaller smartphones because of its 6.1-inch size.

What do you think of the Pixel 6a? Let us know in the comments.

While the iPhone still uses the Lightning connector for now, Apple has been transitioning many of its devices to USB-C in recent years.

Apple now offers USB-C ports on every Mac that it currently sells, ranging from the MacBook Air to the Mac Pro. Other devices with a USB-C port include the 2018 and newer iPad Pro, 2020 and newer iPad Air, sixth-generation iPad mini, Studio Display, and Pro Display XDR. Apple also includes a USB-C port on the Magic Keyboard for iPad, on the Beats Flex, and on the charging cases for the Beats Studio Buds and Beats Fit Pro.

Rumors suggest that at least five other Apple products and accessories will also switch to USB-C in the future, as outlined below.

iPhone 15

While the iPhone 14 is expected to stick with the Lightning connector, at least one new iPhone 15 model will feature a USB-C port, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Shortly after Kuo shared this information, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple was indeed testing prototype iPhone models with USB-C ports.

Last month, 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.

Entry-Level iPad

Apple plans to update its entry-level/lower-cost iPad with a USB-C port, according to both 9to5Mac's Filipe Espósito and Gurman. Apple could release the 10th-generation iPad in September as it did with the last three generations of the device.

The launch of the 10th-generation iPad would complete Apple's transition to USB-C across its entire iPad lineup after four years.

AirPods Charging Cases

Once the iPhone switches to USB-C, Kuo said he expects other Apple accessories to adopt USB-C in the foreseeable future, including AirPods charging cases.

Apple is expected to announce second-generation AirPods Pro later this year, but rumors have been conflicting about whether the new charging case will continue to use the Lightning connector or switch to a USB-C port.

MagSafe Battery Pack

Another accessory that Kuo expects to switch from Lightning to USB-C in the future is the MagSafe Battery Pack for the iPhone 12 and newer.

Magic Mouse/Trackpad/Keyboard Trio

Last, Kuo expects Apple's trio of Magic Keyboard, Magic Trackpad, and Magic Mouse accessories for the Mac to adopt USB-C ports in the future. All three accessories are currently equipped with a Lightning connector for charging.

Beyond the iPhone 15 launching in the second half of 2023, there is no clear timeframe for other Apple products switching to USB-C.

Belkin in June debuted an upgraded version of the Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Stand, introducing fast-charging support for the Apple Watch Series 7. The Boost Charge Pro is one of the only multi-device charging solutions on the market that supports both MagSafe and Apple Watch fast charging.

Design wise, the updated Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Stand is identical to the prior-generation version that came out in early 2021 for the iPhone 12 models. Made from a white plastic material coated in a soft silicone, there is a round circular base with a T-shaped arm that has a 15W ‌MagSafe‌ charger on the left and an Apple Watch charging puck on the right, along with a 5W wireless charger in the middle.

Because there are no notable body changes I won't go into detail about the look of the charger (see here for prior review), but this is a design that I've been using for more than a year now. The base is sturdy, it doesn't take up too much room on a desk, and the angle of the charging bases is ideal for glancing over at an ‌iPhone‌ or Apple Watch in the middle of the night. I have no complaints with the 3-in-1 Boost Charge Pro, and it is actually my favorite multi-device charger of those I've tested.

Belkin stuck to a tried and true design for the new charger, but with a notable update - the upgraded Apple Watch Series 7 charging puck. With the Series 7, Apple introduced a new Apple Watch Magnetic Fast Charger that's able to charge an Apple Watch Series 7 to 80% within 45 minutes and 100% within an hour and fifteen minutes, and accessory makers have only recently begun updating their devices with support.

For reference, a Series 6 Apple Watch would take an hour to get to 80%, and it would take two hours for a full charge. The Series 7 is able to charge about 33% faster, so long as it is paired with one of the new fast charging pucks. Belkin is sourcing the charging pucks that it's using in the Boost Charge Pro from Apple, so you're getting the same fast charging speeds.

In my tests, from 0% battery, the Series 7 was able to charge to 49% in 30 minutes on the Belkin charger, and it got close to a full charge at the 60 minute mark. Comparatively, an Apple Watch Series 6 tested at the same time was limited to standard charging speeds and reached 33% in 30 minutes and 62% in an hour. The difference between standard charging and fast charging on the Series 7 is noticeable, and it can be an important factor for those who wear the Apple Watch all day.

I've been using the charger for a couple of weeks now, and I have been able to keep my watch functional with two charging sessions that top out at about 30 minutes each, usually shorter. I wear my Apple Watch to bed and do a 30 minute+ workout every day, so if you have similar usage conditions, the fast charging can be a real benefit.

Along with fast charging the Apple Watch Series 7, the Boost Charge Pro can charge a ‌MagSafe‌ ‌iPhone‌ at up to 15W, and it provides 5W of power for another device like AirPods.

It's worth noting that Belkin includes a 40W power adapter with the Boost Charge Pro, which is enough power to charge all of your devices at the top speeds. I appreciate the power adapter, because if you're using Apple's charging solutions, you need to provide your own 20W+ charger.

Bottom Line

The updated Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Stand is worth buying if you have an Apple Watch Series 7, need faster charging speeds, and want the convenience of a 3-in-1 charging station.

Someone who wears the Apple Watch all day and all night and is often struggling to find an ideal time to charge the device will benefit from the quicker charging speeds. Someone who charges overnight or otherwise finds time during the day to adequately charge the watch will not benefit from the faster charging specifically, but the Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Stand is still a solid multi-device charging option.

Belkin is one of the only accessory companies producing multi-device chargers that support the fastest possible wireless charging speeds on ‌iPhone‌ and Apple Watch with official hardware from Apple (the fast charging puck and ‌MagSafe‌ connector), making it one of the better choices for future proofing if you're shopping for a 3-in-1 charger.

How to Buy

The Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charger is available from the Belkin website or from the Apple online store for $150.

Facebook parent company Meta today announced that it is raising the price of its Meta Quest 2 virtual reality headsets by $100, making the 128GB version $400 and the 256GB version $500. The price change is set to go into effect on August 1.

Meta is adding no new features to the Quest 2 to justify the price increase, and the company says that it is adjusting the price in order to "continue investing in moving the VR industry forward for the long term."

We've been all-in on VR since the early days of PC and mobile, all the way through to today's premium standalone 6DOF headsets--and we've invested billions of dollars to help nurture a thriving VR ecosystem. Now, we're making a change that will help us continue to invest for the long term and keep driving the VR industry forward with best-in-class hardware, action-packed games, and cutting-edge research on the path to truly next-gen devices.

The costs to make and ship Quest 2 VR headsets have increased, which is why Meta is raising its prices. The extra funds will allow Meta to invest in "groundbreaking research and new product development." One such product is a new high-end headset called Project Cambria, which will presumably compete with Apple's own rumored AR/VR headset that's set to come out in 2023.

Apple is expected to charge upwards of $2000 for its headset, so it is not a device that's going to be on par with the Quest VR, and will instead compete with much higher-end devices when it launches.

Meta says that it plans to increase the prices for Meta Quest 2 accessories and refurbished units too, but to soften the price hike, every new headset purchase will include VR game Beat Saber for free. Meta claims that even with the pricing changes, the Meta Quest 2 is "the most affordable VR headset with a comparable feature set on the market," and it will "keep getting better after you buy."

Apple will be reporting its earnings results for the third quarter of the 2022 fiscal year on Thursday, July 28 at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time. Apple will then host a conference call shortly afterwards to discuss the results.

Keep reading for some key things to know about Apple's third quarter, including analyst expectations for revenue and more.

New Products

Apple's third quarter ran from March 27 through June 25, according to its 2022 fiscal calendar. The only device that Apple released during this period was an updated 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M2 chip. Apple also unveiled a redesigned MacBook Air with the M2 chip in June, but orders did not begin until after the quarter ended.

Apple also released its first power adapters with dual USB-C ports and two new Pride Edition bands for the Apple Watch during the quarter.

Revenue Slowdown

Apple is estimated to report revenue of $82.6 billion in the third quarter, according to Yahoo Finance's average of 26 analyst estimates.

Apple reported revenue of $81.4 billion in the third quarter of 2021, so $82.6 billion would be year-of-year growth of approximately 1.5%, which would be a significant slowdown for Apple. By comparison, Apple's year-over-year revenue growth between the third quarters of 2020 and 2021 was 36%, as the COVID-19 pandemic greatly increased demand for Apple products and services as many people worked and learned from home.

Conference Call

Apple's CEO Tim Cook and CFO Luca Maestri will hold a conference call at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Thursday, July 28 to discuss the company's third quarter earnings results. The call should be around one hour long and will include a Q&A segment with analysts.

A live audio stream of the conference call will be available on Apple's Investor Relations page, and a recording will be shared at a later time for replay.

Investors will be listening for any potential commentary surrounding the economy, as concerns mount over reduced consumer spending amid high inflation, the continued COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, and other factors. Apple reportedly plans to slow hiring and spending across some teams in 2023 amid increased economic uncertainty.

What's Next

Apple's fourth quarter began June 26 and runs through September 24. The quarter has already included the start of orders for the new MacBook Air with the M2 chip, and it will likely include at least a few days of iPhone 14 pre-orders as well.

Apple has not provided revenue guidance since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but slower revenue growth is expected to continue.

Apple shares are trading at around $152, down around 17% from a 52-week high of $182.94.

Instagram parent company Meta has been pushing the social media app further into video content in order to compete with TikTok, but many Instagram users have been unhappy with the continued focus on video.

Celebrities have spoken out against the change, and a petition to "Make Instagram Instagram Again" has garnered more than 1.7 million likes, leading Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri to share a video on Twitter explaining Instagram's plans.

Mosseri confirmed that "more and more of Instagram is going to become video over time," which he claims will happen "even if we change nothing." He said that what people share on Instagram is already shifting to videos over time, and Instagram will "have to lean into that shift while continuing to support photos."

Instagram is experimenting with a "number of different changes to the app," according to Mosseri. The full-screen version of the feed that some users are seeing is a test to a "few percentage of people." Mosseri says that Instagram is aiming to determine whether a full-screen experience for photos and videos might be "a more fun and engaging experience." If the feature ships to the rest of Instagram, it will be improved first.

Instagram users have also been unhappy with recommendations, which are posts that Instagram inserts into a feed based on other accounts followed. Mosseri says recommendations can be snoozed for up to a month, but Instagram is going to try to get better at recommendations because it is "one of the most effective and important ways to help creators reach more people."

Mosseri said Instagram will ultimately continue to support photos, but that the app "needs to evolve because the world is changing quickly" and Instagram has to "change along with it."

Apple had a Mac Pro featuring the M1 Apple silicon chip ready to ship and launch to customers "months ago," but has ultimately decided to wait for the "M2 Extreme" ‌Mac Pro‌ later this year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has revealed.

In an interview with YouTuber Max Tech, Gurman said that Apple likely held off on the ‌M1‌ ‌Mac Pro‌ to wait for the more high-end and powerful version with the "‌M2‌ Extreme" chip set to launch later this year. Gurman predicts that a preview of the high-end Apple silicon ‌Mac Pro‌ will happen later this year with a launch in early 2023. Gurman notes Apple had originally planned to announce the ‌Mac Pro‌ during this year's WWDC but those plans obviously did not pan out.

In the interview, Gurman also said he does not expect the Mac mini, which previous rumors have indicated could get a facelift, will be redesigned. Gurman points out the similarities between the ‌Mac mini‌ and the Mac Studio, saying a refreshed ‌Mac mini‌ will simply be a spec bump to the ‌M2‌ chip.

Apple's AirPods 2 are available for $99.99 this week on Amazon, down from $129.00. There's currently a slight shipping delay for the headphones, with the earliest delivery date estimated for August 1.

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.

This price is just about $10 off from the previous all-time low price on the AirPods 2, which we saw earlier this month during Prime Day. Now that the event has ended, we haven't seen this all-time low price return, so Amazon's deal today is a solid second-best option.

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.

Apple today shared a preview of its new Brompton Road store in London, which opens to the public this Thursday, July 28 at 4 p.m. local time.

Apple Brompton Road is the first Apple Store in the UK with a dedicated Apple Pickup area for customers to pick up their products ordered on Apple's online store.

Apple has rolled out a dedicated pickup area in a handful of stores since late 2021, including Apple The Mall at Bay Plaza in New York City, Apple The Grove in Los Angeles, Apple Rosenthaler Straße in Berlin, Apple Myeongdong in Seoul, and a few others.

Other design aspects of Apple Brompton Road include floor-to-ceiling windows along the facade, a unique curved timber ceiling, terrazzo flooring, a mirrored ceiling above the Forum area for Today at Apple sessions, a dozen Sicilian ficus trees with seating at the base of each planter, and more. Apple says the store is powered by 100% renewable energy.

Apple Brompton Road is located in London's busy Knightsbridge neighborhood alongside many other flagship retailers, including the department store Harrods. Apple says the store has over 200 employees who collectively speak more than 45 languages.

"We are thrilled to open Apple Brompton Road in London, a city teeming with energy, history, and cultural diversity," said Apple's retail chief Deirdre O'Brien. "The store's focus on creativity gives our incredible team members the perfect space to share their passion and expertise with Londoners and visitors from around the world."

On July 30, four Apple Fitness+ trainers will join Apple's head of fitness technologies Jay Blahnik for an in-store Q&A session at Apple Brompton Road, followed by a three-kilometer walk and five-kilometer run in nearby Hyde Park.

The iCloud Keychain password manager in Apple's ‌iCloud‌ for Windows app now supports two-factor authentication codes, according to user reports posted on Reddit.

Two-factor authentication, or 2FA, acts as an additional layer of security for online accounts, by requesting a code generated by a password manager when the account owner logs in.

Apple includes support for the generation of 2FA codes in ‌iCloud‌ Keychain in iOS 15 and macOS Monterey, thereby avoiding the need for a third-party two-factor authentication app. Now it appears that Apple has brought parity to the password manager that is included in its ‌iCloud‌ for Windows utility by including a 2FA generator, according to Redditors.

Apple debuted the ‌iCloud‌ Keychain password manager app last August, allowing Windows users to access their ‌iCloud‌ Keychain passwords for cross-device functionality. Apple in November also added an option to let uses generate strong passwords in ‌iCloud‌ for Windows.

With the password management option, those who are running Windows can access their ‌‌iCloud‌‌ Keychain passwords and can add, edit, copy and paste, delete, and look up usernames or passwords.

‌‌iCloud‌‌ password extensions for Microsoft Edge and Windows Chrome work in tandem with the password feature, letting ‌‌iCloud‌‌ passwords be autofilled on a Windows machine just like in Safari. ‌‌iCloud‌‌ for Windows Passwords is part of ‌‌iCloud‌‌ for Windows, and Windows users can download it from the Microsoft Store.

(Via 9to5Mac.)

Amazon is increasing its Prime membership subscription prices across Europe in September by up to 43% a year, the company has announced just days before its Q2 earnings results.

In an email to customers, Amazon said the annual Prime subscription price will increase by 20% in the United Kingdom from £79 to £95 from September 15.

Customers in France will face a 43% increase from 49 euros to 69.90 euros, while subscribers in Germany will see a 30% increase, from 69 euros to 89.90 euros a year.

In Italy the price will rise from 36 euros to 49.90 euros, and in Spain it will go up from 36 euros to 49.90 euros, a 39% increase in both countries.

It's the first Prime price rise in the UK, Amazon's third-biggest market behind the United States. Amazon is also increasing the monthly cost of Prime in European markets, by £1 or 1 euro per month.

An Amazon Prime subscription includes "free" one-day shipping on purchases made on Amazon, access to Prime Video, Prime Music, and other Amazon digital platforms and services.

The move follows a similar price hike in the US in February, when the price of Prime increased to $139, up from the previous $119 annual rate.

The changes take effect starting September 15 when members join or next renew. Amazon told Reuters the price increases are a result of increased inflation and operating costs as well as faster delivery and more content to stream in the impacted countries.

In April, Amazon posted its first quarterly loss in seven years. The company cited headwinds including higher wages, rising gas costs, and a loss from its stake in Rivian Automotive.

In the M2 MacBook Air, Apple has replaced an Intel-made component responsible for controlling the USB and Thunderbolt ports with a custom-made controller, meaning the last remnants of Intel are now fully out of the latest Mac.

Earlier this month, the repair website iFixit shared a teardown of the new ‌MacBook Air‌, revealing a look inside the completely redesigned machine. One subtle detail that went largely unnoticed was that unlike previous Macs, the latest ‌MacBook Air‌ introduces custom-made controllers for the USB and Thunderbolt ports.

iFixit mentioned it in their report, noting they located a "seemingly Apple-made Thunderbolt 3 driver, instead of the Intel chips we're familiar with." The new component was shared on Twitter earlier today, where it received more attention.

Few details are known about the controllers, including whether they're custom-made by Apple or a third party. In May 2021, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple planned to "replace the last remaining Intel part with an in-house version. Apple's current M1 Macs still use an Intel component known as a USB Retimer, which helps power the USB-C and Thunderbolt ports on its computer."

Apple has settled an AirPods-related patent infringement lawsuit with audio manufacturer Koss, according to a court filing submitted on Saturday that was highlighted by Reuters. Koss had accused Apple of infringing on its wireless headphone technology patents with AirPods and Beats products.

Koss said that AirPods and Beats wireless headphones violated a handful of patents related to wireless headphone technology, which Koss claims to have pioneered. When Koss first filed the lawsuit in 2020 the company said that Apple was aware of its patents and that they met on several occasions to discuss using them.

Apple ultimately opted not to license any Koss technology, leading Koss to sue and demand an unspecified amount of damages for the alleged infringement. After Koss levied a lawsuit at Apple, Apple countersued and said that the allegations were "baseless," the patents were invalid, and that the lawsuit itself broke a 2017 confidentiality agreement that said Koss would bring no litigation against Apple.

Apple and Koss were set to go to trial today, but the two companies on Saturday said they had resolved the allegations that Apple infringed on Koss' wireless audio patents. As a result, the case was dismissed.

There are no details on the settlement at this time, but the filing indicates that "all matters in controversy" have been resolved. Koss has also sued other headphone brands that include Bose and Skullcandy, and those lawsuits are still pending.

Apple has filed for and published a total 248 automobile-related patents since 2000, according to research conducted by Japanese news site Nikkei and Tokyo analytics firm Intellectual Property Landscape.

Patents cover self-driving technology, riding comfort, seats, suspensions, navigation, battery management, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) connectivity for car-to-car communication, and more. Apple has filed the most patents related to communication and navigation, followed by autonomous driving.

After Apple submits a patent application, it takes around 18 months for it to be published. Apple has so far had eight car-related patents published from 2021, but additional patents should be granted later this year, and the number of 2021 patents published is expected to exceed the number of patents Apple had published in 2020.

Car-related patent filings began picking up in 2016 after fewer than 10 per year in the 2010s, with Apple filing for 44. Patent filings ticked up even further in 2017, when Apple filed for a record 66 applications.

News of Apple's work on some kind of self-driving vehicle first surfaced in 2014, and since then, we've heard regular rumors about Apple's progress. The work on the car has shifted several times and there were moments when it looked like a full car was not going to happen, but in recent years, changes to the project indicate Apple is indeed pushing for some kind of electric autonomous vehicle to be released by the end of the decade.

Apple has been speaking with various vehicle manufacturers and part suppliers for the last couple years, but it is still not clear who exactly Apple plans to partner with (if any company) for its electric vehicle. Apple's many patents related to windows, seats, suspension, and other physical car components reinforce speculation that Apple is going to release a car rather than simply focus on autonomous driving software.

Recent rumors indicate that Apple has ambitious plans for its self-driving vehicle, with the aim of changing the car market the way the iPhone changed the smartphone market. Apple is exploring a design with four seats that face inward, with no steering wheel or brake pedal.

There is no word on when the Apple Car will be launching, but reliable sources like Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo have suggested that Apple is aiming for a 2025 release.