MacRumors

The iPhone 15 Pro models that are set to be introduced this September will be available in a unique dark blue color that has a gray tone, according to Unknownz21, a source that has provided multiple details on what we can expect from the next-generation iPhones and accurate information on other Apple devices like the Vision Pro.

Available in a new titanium material, the blue shade will have a brushed finish that is unlike the stainless steel that Apple has had in the past. The color is similar to the blue that Apple used for the iPhone 12 Pro models, but it appears to be darker and with more gray to better complement the titanium finish. We've created a series of images that show the expected blue shade.

Blue is expected to accompany silver, space gray/space black, and titanium gray shades, with the latter color a lighter silver-gray than the space gray/space black shade.

We've seen multiple rumors of a deep red color for the iPhone 15 Pro models, but Unknownz21 has not seen signs that this color is in development. The blue color, however, has been used on iPhone 15 Pro prototype devices, suggesting that the blue could be the final color that Apple is working on.

There is always a chance that Apple is using the blue to test PVD coating on the new titanium material and will transition to a different color the launch version of the iPhone 15 Pro, but the blue being used for prototyping likely indicates that it is one of the color options that Apple plans to provide for the next-generation smartphones. MacRumors has seen extensive evidence confirming that Apple has used the blue color for prototype versions of the iPhone 15 Pro.

As for the iPhone 15 models, colors that we know of so far include a bright pink shade, a bright blue, and a green color.

When it comes to design, the iPhone 15 Pro models will look similar to the iPhone 14 Pro models, but with some minor design tweaks. Slimmer bezels around the display are expected, and the mute switch will be replaced by a multi-function mute button. There will be a USB-C port instead of a Lightning port, and the volume and power buttons could be in slightly different locations.

The camera lens layout will see an update on the iPhone 15 Pro Max to accommodate the periscope lens that's exclusive to that device, and with the new titanium frame finish that's less shiny, the iPhone 15 Pro models will stand out compared to the iPhone 14 Pro models.

For more on what to expect from the iPhone 15 Pro, we have a complete iPhone 15 Pro roundup where we highlight all of the rumors we've heard so far.

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we catch up on the latest rumors about Apple's iPhone 15 lineup.

Apple's iPhone 15 lineup is expected to be announced in around two months. A growing pool of rumors about the devices present an increasingly clear picture of what to expect: The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are set to gain the Dynamic Island, the A16 Bionic chip, a USB-C port in place of Lightning, and support for 15W wireless charging with third-party chargers. The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are expected to offer even further upgrades with features like a new titanium frame, thinner bezels, the A17 Bionic chip, a new periscope telephoto camera with 6x optical zoom on the Pro Max, and a mute button in place of the existing switch. The Pro models could also see a price increase compared to their predecessors.

We also discuss the launch of Threads, Meta's new Twitter competitor, our current perspective on iPhone cases, and the state of foldables following the debut of the Google Pixel Fold. Listen to The MacRumors Show in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castro, Google Podcasts, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player. Watch a video version of the show on the MacRumors YouTube channel.

If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, where we ponder some of the devices and apps we wish Apple would make.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for more episodes, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by exciting guests like Andru Edwards, Kevin Nether, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Mark Gurman, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Jon Prosser, Sam Kohl, Quinn Nelson, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Sara Dietschy, Luke Miani, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, iJustine, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, Jon Rettinger, and Rene Ritchie. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the show, and let us know what subjects you would like the podcast to cover in the future.

Apple suppliers will begin mass production of new 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro models with OLED displays in the first quarter of 2024, according to research firm Omdia. The information was shared in a report from Korean website The Elec.

Benefits of OLED technology for iPad Pro displays would include increased brightness, higher contrast ratio, greater color accuracy, and lower power consumption compared to existing models with LCD panels. Apple already uses OLED displays for the latest iPhone and Apple Watch models, excluding the lower-end iPhone SE.

iPad Pro models released in 2017 and later support ProMotion, allowing for a variable refresh rate between 24Hz and 120Hz. The switch to OLED would likely allow for the refresh rate to drop down even further to 10Hz or lower to save battery life. iPhone 14 Pro models can reach as low as 1Hz while in always-on display mode.

Apple will reportedly be using very thin hybrid OLED displays with a combination of flexible and rigid materials, which could allow for the iPad Pro to have a slightly thinner design. The panels will be costly to manufacture, according to Ross Young of Display Supply Chain Consultants, so the next iPad Pro models will likely be more expensive.

The current iPad Pro models were released in October 2022 and feature Apple's M2 chip, support for faster Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, and hover functionality for the second-generation Apple Pencil. iPad Pro updates are often around a year and a half apart, so an early 2024 launch for the next models would make sense.

iPad Pro display sizes are expected to see a slight increase from 11 and 12.9 inches currently to 11.1 and 13 inches with the next models.

Omdia expects the first MacBook Pro with an OLED display to be released in 2027.

Former Apple design chief Sir Jony Ive has revealed his latest project, a collaboration with British audio brand Linn to design a 50th anniversary edition of its Sondek LP12 turntable.

The luxury $60,000 record player is the first non-Apple hardware project Ive is known to have been involved in since he and four other colleagues left the company in 2019 to found the design firm LoveFrom.

The premium piece of audio technology features many of the classic hallmarks of an Ive-approved product, right down to the smoothed off aluminum edges, circular elements, and neutral, minimalist aesthetic.

Speaking to Fast Company, Ive said he had owned multiple Linn products over the years, explaining that "music has always been profoundly important to me." He continued:

"So you can imagine, I think the first consequential music player that I designed was the first iPod, and that began a journey of multiple generations of iPod, and multiple AirPods and music accessories. I feel really fortunate to have gone the full circle... so many years on from my first visit to the factory."

Ive describes the LP12-50 as "a very gentle and modest project for us that was really motivated by our love and respect for Linn." Indeed, according to Fast Company, LoveFrom completed the work pro bono, and has no contract or other financial arrangement with the company.

"There's a substantial percentage of our work which we do purely for the love of doing it," Ive told the website, which noted that the design firm relies on its longer-term contracts with the likes of Airbnb and Ferrari to make money.

Since leaving Apple to found LoveFrom, Ive and fellow designer Marc Newson have designed a typeface, an emblem for the coronation of King Charles III, and a red clown nose for British charity Comic Relief.

Apple said in 2019 that Ive would continue to be involved in design at Apple and that it would be one of LoveFrom's primary clients. For example, Ive was reportedly involved in the creation of the 2021 iMac. It's unknown whether LoveFrom has worked with Apple since, and the design firm tends to keep a low profile.

When Apple unveiled the Vision Pro at WWDC in June, members of the press invited to try out the headset were able to use an optional secondary head strap that sits across the top of the head. The strap was spotted in Apple's promotional videos for the mixed reality device, but its marketing material made no mention of the accessory.

The braided headband that goes around the back of the head has a fit adjustment dial, but the one headband may not be comfortable or secure enough for some users, especially if the device is going to be worn for extended periods of time, which is where the secondary over-the-head strap comes in.

But Apple has apparently not yet fine-tuned the secondary head strap. According to a new report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the secondary strap was introduced after testing determined that some people with smaller body sizes and heads struggle to wear the headset for more than half an hour or thereabouts. However, the design of the strap has "yet to be finalized," says Gurman.

One member of the press who got to try the headset in person at Apple Park was MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera. "A lot of people probably didn't know this just by looking at some press images, but there is another band that goes over the top of your head," said Dan in his initial impressions video.

In his opinion, with the additional strap attached, the Vision Pro is "not that far off from other headsets in terms of weight," but it does "a really good job of dispersing that weight" and making it not so front-heavy. "I do think most people will want to use it," he added.

Apple has not revealed the weight of the Vision Pro, but Apple's decision to offload the battery to an external pack highlights the need to keep the headset as light as possible. Apple is also apparently aware that some customers may not wear clothes with pockets capable of storing the battery pack, so it is considering asking accessory makers to create shoulder-worn pouches.

Other accessories could eventually be sold to protect the device, according to Gurman:

The company has found that the front of the headset could be prone to scratches, but it will likely outsource screen protectors to third-party makers as it does with its other products. Another concern: the front glass cracking if a user walks into a wall or an object. To help prevent such incidents, Apple has built in alerts to deter people from wearing the device while walking at certain speeds.

Gurman's latest report also reveals that Apple plans to launch the Vision Pro headset in the U.K. and Canada by the end of 2024, with preparations for the device's complex retail launch in the U.S. early next year already at an advanced stage.

Apple's Vision Pro is set to launch in the United States early next year, and Apple is discussing the United Kingdom and Canada as two of the first international markets to get the mixed reality headset by the end of 2024, although "a final decision hasn't been made," according to sources cited by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

In his latest report, Gurman says Apple is looking at bringing the Vision Pro to Europe and Asia soon after, with Apple engineers working to localize the device for France, Germany, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Korea.

Apple will also sell the Vision Pro through its U.S. online store in early 2024 before expanding online elsewhere, according to the report.

Apple is said to be already preparing the retail launch of its Vision Pro headset in the U.S., with plans in place for special areas in stores where customers can become accustomed to the new $3,500 device. Most stores are initially expected to have only one to two demo units due to limited supply and the high cost of the devices, and Apple is expected to stock head bands and light seals in multiple different sizes. From the report:

The company will designate special areas in the stores with seating, headset demo units and tools to size accessories for buyers. While the device will be sold at all of Apple’s roughly 270 US locations, the company is planning the sections for the Vision Pro initially at stores in major areas — such as New York and Los Angeles — before rolling them out nationwide, according to people with knowledge of the plans.

According to Gurman, Apple will ask in-store buyers to make an appointment to purchase the Vision Pro, similar to the strategy it used for the Apple Watch in 2015. During the appointment, staff will ensure the device is the correct fit for them, and users will be asked in advance for any ophthalmic prescriptions via an online portal so that the right lens inserts can be made available.

Apple is also said to be developing an iPhone app that scans a person's head, in addition to a physical machine that will calculate similar measurements. Online purchasers will also be asked to upload any eye prescription data and use the face scan app to work out the right accessory sizing, reports Gurman.

Apple does not anticipate partnering with third-party resellers to offer the Vision Pro until at least 2025, due to the complex supply chain logistics and staff training involved in handling the device and advising customers, adds the report.

Apple has shared a new action-packed film called "Huracán Ramírez vs. La Piñata Enchilada" on its YouTube channel as part of its Shot on iPhone series. The 13-minute video, filmed by acclaimed director couple Tania Verduzco and Adrián Pérez, also known as "Los Pérez," was shot entirely on the iPhone 14 Pro with the use of additional accessories and software.

The film retells the fortunes of Lucha Libre legend Huracán Ramírez, who is forced to come out of wrestling retirement to defeat an evil piñata that is terrorizing all of Mexico. The monster is unwittingly created by a boy when he uses extra spicy chili powder as a replacement for sugar during the piñata-making process, bringing chaos to the country.

In addition, Apple has shared a video titled "The making of Huracán Ramírez vs. La Piñata Enchilada" to its YouTube channel, showing how Los Pérez set out to modernize the Mexican wrestler movie genre using iPhone 14 Pro.

Apple has partnered with film directors in the past to showcase the capabilities of its smartphones in professional film settings. The ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ models feature a 48-megapixel Wide lens and offer a new Action Mode with smooth-looking video that ignores shaking, motion, and vibrations.

At this point though, customers interested in purchasing an iPhone 14 Pro should consider waiting for the iPhone 15 Pro, which is expected to launch in September. Various camera improvements are expected for the next iPhones, including an improved sensor from Sony and a periscope lens on the iPhone 15 Pro Max that will enable up to 5-6x optical zoom.

Twitter appears to be unhappy with the runaway success of Threads, Meta's Twitter alternative that launched last night. Threads has amassed more than 30 million users in under 24 hours, making it the biggest threat to Twitter to date.

According to Semafor, Twitter lawyer Alex Spiro yesterday sent Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg a letter [PDF] accusing Meta of "systemic, willful, and unlawful misappropriation of Twitter's trade secrets and other intellectual property."

Twitter claims that Meta hired "dozens" of former Twitter employees that "had and continue to have access to Twitter's trade secrets and other highly confidential information." The company further says that the employees "improperly retained Twitter documents and electronic devices," and that Meta took advantage of this to have those workers develop the "copycat" Threads app on an accelerated timeline.

When Elon Musk took over as CEO of Twitter, he fired thousands of employees who then had to look for work. It is likely that some of those employees transitioned to Meta, but hiring people actively looking for a job is not typically considered poaching.

Twitter's letter says that it plans to "enforce its intellectual property rights," with the company demanding that Meta "take immediate steps to stop using any Twitter trade secrets." Twitter threatens that it reserves the right to seek "civil remedies and injunctive relief" to prevent Meta from using its intellectual property.

Along with claims that Meta poached Twitter employees to develop Threads, Twitter says that Meta is "expressly prohibited" from scraping Twitter's followers or following data. Twitter is asking Meta to "preserve any documents" that could be relevant to a future dispute, suggesting that Twitter might be planning to file a lawsuit in the future.

Twitter has not gone after other Twitter-like social networks that include Bluesky and Mastodon, but Threads is a newly-launched app that is built off of Instagram, giving it a notable user base from its debut. Mastodon and Bluesky have far fewer users. In February, for example, Mastodon had 1.4 million active users, while Bluesky had 50,000 users at the end of April.

Following Twitter's accusations, Meta's communications director Andy Stone said that no one on the Threads engineering team is a former Twitter employee. "That's just not a thing," he wrote.

Apple today updated the TestFlight app to support apps designed for the first visionOS beta, which means that developers may soon be able to use TestFlight for testing apps designed for the Apple Vision Pro headset.

"TestFlight now supports visionOS apps for internal and external testing, as well as testing iOS and iPadOS apps on visionOS," reads Apple's developer update on the functionality.

Of course, no one has an ‌Apple Vision Pro‌ headset to use at this point in time, but Apple has said that it plans to offer Apple Vision Pro developer kits at some point this month.

Apple has not provided details on how the developer kits will work, but Apple says that they will help developers bring their creations to life on Vision Pro, providing an opportunity to build, iterate, and test on the headset.

Kits will be offered starting in July, with Apple planning to allow developers to apply to get a kit. Apple may require developers to purchase an ‌Apple Vision Pro‌ headset to create apps for it, but the purchase price will include access to beta software, developer labs, discussion forums, technical support, and other resources if the ‌Apple Vision Pro‌ development kit is similar to the Apple silicon development kit.

The last developer kit that Apple offered was a Mac mini with an Apple silicon chip inside in 2020, and it was provided to developers to help them transition from Intel to Apple silicon. Apple sold the Mac mini machines for $500, but developers had to return them at the end of the testing program.

Apple also plans to soon let developers visit ‌Apple Vision Pro‌ developer labs that will be available in Cupertino, London, Munich, Shanghai, Singapore, and Tokyo.

The latest version of TestFlight also now supports apps built with the third Xcode 15 beta for iOS 17, iPadOS 17, macOS Sonoma, tvOS 17, and watchOS 10.

Apple today updated its Shazam music recognition app to allow it to recognize and identify songs that are playing in third-party apps like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

According to Apple, users can open up Shazam, tap the blue button, and switch back to the app that was in use to see what's playing. The Shazam app engages the iPhone's microphone to hear the song, and it is able to listen while the other app is in use. After a few seconds, the song will be identified and swapping back to Shazam will show the song name and information.

It is simpler to use the built-in Song Recognition feature in the iPhone's Control Center to identify a song. With Song Recognition, you can open up an app like YouTube, play a song, swipe into Control Center, and tap the Song Recognition icon to determine what's playing.

Using this method does not require you to exit out of the YouTube app. Once a song is identified, it shows up as a notification or in the Dynamic Island, and you can tap into the Shazam app to get more information.

Identifying a song with Shazam adds it to a Shazam playlist in Apple Music so you can listen to it in full at a later time. For those who don't have ‌Apple Music‌, the Shazam app also keeps track of recent Shazams.

Shazam can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Whether your iPhone or iPad is long overdue a battery replacement, or you just want to get more juice out of a single charge, here's a way to keep your device's Low Power Mode on all the time.

Most ‌iPhone‌ and iPad users will be familiar with the way their device throws up a prompt to turn on Low Power Mode when the battery falls to 20 percent. The special mode conserves what remaining battery life the device has left by limiting some features, but by default the mode automatically turns off when a charging iPhone or iPad reaches 80 percent. If that irks you, don't worry – there is a solution.

Perhaps you're running the latest version of iOS or iPadOS on an older device and you've found that the battery life is inadequate to get you through the day. Or maybe you just want to reduce the amount of times you have to charge your iPhone or iPad. Either way, you can keep Low Power Mode enabled regardless of the battery level with the help of an automation.

iPhone/iPad Features Disabled by Low Power Mode

Before you follow the steps in this article to create the automation, it's worth highlighting which of the features it disables to reduce your device's power consumption. According to Apple, Low Power Mode turns off the following:

• 5G (except for video streaming) on iPhone 12 models
• Auto-Lock (defaults to 30 seconds)
• Display brightness
• Display refresh rate (limited up to 60 Hz) on iPhone and iPad models with ProMotion display
• Some visual effects
• iCloud Photos (temporarily paused)
• Automatic downloads
• Email fetch
• Background app refresh

If you're happy to live without the above features for as long as Low Power Mode is on, follow the steps below to create your automation.

Creating an Always-On Low Power Mode Automation

1. Launch the Shortcuts app on your iPhone, then tap the Automation tab at the bottom.
2. Tap the + button in the top right, then select Create Personal Automation.
   
   

3. Scroll down and choose Low Power Mode.
4. Deselect the Is Turned On option and select the Is Turned Off option instead, then tap Next.
   
   

5. Tap Add Action.
6. Tap inside the search field and search for the Set Low Power Mode script, then select it below.
   
   

7. Make sure the Turn and On options in blue are selected, then tap Next.
8. Toggle off the switch next to Ask Before Running, then tap Don't Ask in the prompt to confirm.
   
   

9. Tap Done to finish.

Low Power Mode can be turned on and off manually at any time by going to Settings -> Battery and toggling on the switch next to Low Power Mode. Just bear in mind that if you want to turn it off, you'll have to disable your automation. You can do this in Shortcuts by selecting the automation and toggling off the switch next to Enable This Automation.

There is now a "low" chance that the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be equipped with solid-state volume and mute buttons, according to Jeff Pu, a tech analyst at Hong Kong-based investment firm Haitong International Securities. Pu shared this prediction in a research note today alongside some details about the more imminent iPhone 15 lineup.

Solid-state buttons were initially rumored for iPhone 15 Pro models, but Apple reportedly faced "unresolved technical issues before mass production" and had to revert to mechanical buttons. Pu previously said the solid-state buttons would be postponed until iPhone 16 Pro models, but he now believes even those devices are unlikely to have them.

Apple supplier Cirrus Logic hinted at the solid-state buttons in a shareholder letter last year, but seemingly confirmed the plans were scrapped in May.

With a solid-state design, the buttons on the iPhone 15 Pro would not have moved when pressed. Instead, it was rumored that two additional Taptic Engines inside the iPhone would have provided haptic feedback to simulate the feeling of movement, similar to the Home button introduced with the iPhone 7 and the Force Touch trackpad on newer MacBooks.

iPhone 15 Pro models are still expected to feature a mechanical Action button in place of the Ring/Silent switch. It is likely that users will be able to assign the button to various system functions, such as Ring/Silent or Do Not Disturb.

With solid-state buttons now considered unlikely through 2024, it remains to be seen if Apple will ever move away from mechanical buttons on the iPhone. A benefit of solid-state buttons would be fewer moving parts that can break, and there is also potential for improved water resistance given there would be fewer points of ingress.

iPhone 16 Pro models are still over a year away from launching, so Apple's plans for the devices remain subject to change.

Apple's next-generation iPhone 15 Pro Max will likely be more expensive than the previous Pro Max model, according to Jeff Pu, a tech analyst at Hong Kong-based investment firm Haitong International Securities.

In his latest research note, Pu predicted Apple's larger of the two upcoming Pro models will see a price increase higher than the $1,099 starting price of the current iPhone 14 Pro Max. Pu has previously suggested price increases for the iPhone 15 Pro models, but this is the first time he has singled out the Pro Max as costing more.

Pu doesn't specify why, but apart from a larger battery and display, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is widely expected to feature one major difference compared to the 6.1-inch iPhone 15 Pro – a periscope lens. Both Pro models will include telephoto lens technology as part of their three-camera array, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max is likely to exclusively feature a periscope lens that will enable 5x to 6x optical zoom, a notable improvement over the 3x zoom on the iPhone 14 Pro models.

A periscope lens system generally uses a primary lens to capture a photo, with an angled mirror or prism reflecting the light 90 degrees toward a second lens that then sends it to the image sensor. The image sensor and secondary lens are positioned sideways inside the smartphone to extend focal length, and that takes up valuable surface area.

In his latest note, Pu also said he expects the iPhone 15 series to enter mass production in August, which would be in line with previous years when Apple's iPhone lineup has been announced in September. Pu believes Apple will mass produce around 84 million units for the second half of 2023, with the two Pro models likely to be the most popular devices in the lineup in the first few months after launch.

All four iPhone 15 models are rumored to feature a USB-C port, the Dynamic Island, and a slightly more curved frame, while 12 additional features and changes are rumored for the Pro models.

Threads, Meta's alternative to Twitter, has officially launched. But users thinking of installing the social media app just to check it out should be aware that you can't delete your Threads profile without also deleting your Instagram account.

Meta describes Threads as "Instagram's text-based conversation app," and there's purpose in that precise phrasing. It doesn't just mean that your Instagram username ports over to Threads and that you have the option to follow the same people you follow on Instagram. It also means that once you create a Threads profile, there's no way to delete it unless you're prepared to delete your Instagram account wholesale.

If you want out of Threads but you're not prepared to delete your Instagram account, the only other alternative is to "temporarily" deactivate your Threads profile. This is Meta's way of encouraging you to keep both. Threads' privacy policy makes it pretty clear: "You may deactivate your Threads profile at any time, but your Threads profile can only be deleted by deleting your Instagram account."

The moral of the story for Instagram fans is that if you don't want an eternal Threads profile on Meta's servers, then don't sign up to Threads. If it's too late for that, the less-than-ideal alternative is to deactivate your Threads profile, which you can do by following the steps below.

1. In the Threads app, tap the profile icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
2. Tap the two-line menu icon in the top right of your profile.
3. Tap the Account icon, then tap Deactivate profile.
4. Tap Deactivate Threads profile, then confirm your choice.

When you deactivate your profile, your posts and interactions with others' posts won't be visible until you reactivate your profile. That said, those posts will still live on Threads' servers unless you manually delete them one by one.

If you change your mind after deactivation, you can re-activate your Threads profile simply by logging back into the Threads app using your Instagram account. Just bear in mind that you can only deactivate your profile once a week.

Apple in the iOS 17 beta has changed the text that provides details on the Automated Clearing House (ACH) transfer time for Apple Savings account holders.

In iOS 17 beta 2, it now reads "Funds are typically available for withdrawal by the 5th business day" when a transfer is made. Prior to the beta, it said that transfers "typically take 1-3 business days to complete." The 1-3 day wording still exists in iOS 16.

The transfer time clarification comes after a number of complaints from Apple Card owners who opted into the Savings account when it became available. Apple Savings account users have had issues with long wait times when attempting to withdraw funds.

A June report from The Wall Street Journal shared stories from several customers who faced unexplained delays when making a withdrawal from an Apple Savings account. One customer even experienced a shocking 17-day delay before receiving their funds, with Goldman Sachs citing anti-fraud efforts.

The Apple Savings account initially launched in April as an extension of the ‌Apple Card‌, in partnership with Goldman Sachs. The account promised a high-yield 4.15% savings option to customers, attracting many who wanted to capitalize on earning interest while staying in the Apple ecosystem. The account is managed through the Apple Wallet app, offering seamless integration with other Apple services.

It's unclear whether the extended transfer time is a permanent change or a temporary measure while Apple and Goldman Sachs work on resolving the issues behind the scenes.

Meta today officially launched Threads, the new social media app that it has been working on as an alternative to Twitter. Threads was meant to launch on Thursday, but the company pushed it live early due to the excitement surrounding its debut.

Threads is described as "Instagram's text-based conversation app," and it is unmistakable as a Twitter clone. With the app, users can post "Threads" that other users can reply to, with Threads from followers showing up in a main timeline.

Meta is linking Threads to Instagram, which means Instagram usernames port over to Threads and Instagram users have the option to follow the same people they follow on Instagram.

Threads is where communities come together to discuss everything from the topics you care about today to what'll be trending tomorrow. Whatever it is you're interested in, you can follow and connect directly with your favorite creators and others who love the same things -- or build a loyal following of your own to share your ideas, opinions and creativity with the world.

Twitter over the last few days introduced rate limits for Twitter users, cutting down on the number of tweets that are visible per day. With this decision, Twitter spiked interest in alternative apps. Mastodon and Bluesky are already positioned as Twitter alternatives, but have not widely taken off as of yet.

Bluesky has been slowly ramping up and is not yet widely available to join, which is the issue with that app, while Mastodon's federated setup can be confusing to people who are seeking a simple social media experience.

Threads has the potential to replace Twitter because onboarding will be simple due to the Instagram integration, and it will also have Instagram's user base. The app will not be limited like Bluesky, nor as difficult to use as Mastodon. Threads supports posts that are up to 500 characters in length, with photos, videos, and links supported.

There have been concerns about the data that the app is collecting, and the App Store entry suggests information like usage data, location, contacts, identifiers, purchases, health & fitness, browsing history, and more will be collected and linked to users, but it has the same disclosures as Instagram. Twitter collects and utilizes similar data as well.

According to Meta, the app does not appear to be using any data to track users across websites and apps owned by other companies at this time, which makes it more private than Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Threads and Instagram share a privacy policy, with more information available on the Instagram website.

Threads is launching in the United States, UK, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and 100 other countries, but it will not be available in European Union countries at this time because of the Digital Markets Act.

Threads can be downloaded from the ‌App Store‌ for free. [Direct Link]

Apple today released a third Studio Display 17 firmware beta, with the update coming two weeks after the release of the second beta.

All ‌Studio Display‌ models are able to receive over-the-air firmware updates, but this firmware update is limited to Macs that are running the new macOS Sonoma operating system at the current time. ‌Studio Display‌ owners running macOS Sonoma can go to System Settings > Software Update to install the firmware.

Apple has not provided details on what's included in the firmware update and no new features were found by those running the betas. Release notes will be available when the beta sees a launch this fall alongside macOS Sonoma.

Spotify will no longer allow customers who previously subscribed to the Spotify streaming music service through the App Store to continue to pay using Apple's platform, reports Variety. Spotify has started sending emails to subscribers who pay using an ‌App Store‌ subscription to let them know that they'll need to make changes.

Spotify has not allowed customers to sign up for a Spotify Premium subscription through the ‌App Store‌ for the last seven years. ‌App Store‌ Spotify subscriptions were in fact only available for a two-year period between 2014 and 2016, but some longtime subscribers have continued to pay for Spotify through the ‌App Store‌ since that time.

In emails to customers, Spotify says that it is no longer accepting Apple's billing service as a payment method.

"We're contacting you because when you joined Spotify Premium you used Apple's billing service to subscribe. Unfortunately, we no longer accept that billing method as a form of payment."

At the end of the final billing period, Spotify customers who have a subscription through the ‌App Store‌ will have their accounts transitioned to the free ad-supported service. Customers will then need to resubscribe to Premium using the Spotify website.

There is no mechanism for subscribing to Spotify through the Spotify app, as Spotify has restricted signups to its website in order to avoid paying Apple's fees. "You can't upgrade to Premium in the app," reads Spotify's "Premium" section in its iOS app. "We know, it's not ideal." For customers who have been continuing to pay through the ‌App Store‌, Apple has been taking a 15 percent cut, which Spotify no longer wants to pay.

Given that Spotify has not allowed signups through the ‌App Store‌ for multiple years, this change is not likely to impact many Spotify customers.