MacRumors

Apple in iOS 17 has revised several elements of its stock apps, including the Podcasts app. There are a few noteworthy changes to the functionality and design of the app with the update, as detailed below.

The biggest change is a slick new design for the Now Playing screen, which allows the podcast's full show page art – or any episode chapter images – to take over the entire screen.

The playback controls on the bottom half of the screen have also been rejigged. The play speed button has been moved from the bottom left corner of the screen and now sits next to the rewind button.

The sleep timer button has also been moved from the bottom right corner and is now located next to the fast-forward button, so the main bank of controls is more compact with five buttons in the row instead of just rewind, play, and fast-forward. Some buttons also now take on a neat new glow when activated.

The queue interface has changed, too. Whereas previously you swiped up to see if anything was in the Playing Next list, now there's a dedicated queue button at the bottom next to the AirPlay icon.

Pressing it brings up a whole new screen showing any queued episodes as a list. You can swipe to remove an episode from the queue or clear the list, and if there are no episodes up next it will tell you that nothing is queued.

The Up Next carousel at the top of the Listen Now screen features redesigned cards that add a color shade to go with the podcast's art, and they feature a new three-dot options menu icon, a new compact playback indicator that shows if you have started a podcast but not finished it, as well as the episode's length.

The same indicator can also be found in the Up Next screen, where the "Play Next" and "Play Last" options have been replaced with "Add to Queue."

In iOS 16, if you've completed an episode in a podcast's episodes list, it just says "Played" below the episode summary. In iOS 17, that's been replaced by a replay icon and the episode length. A checkmark now also sits next to the date above the episode title, indicating that you've listened to it.

With the Apple Vision Pro not set to launch until 2024, there's a lot that we don't know about it. Apple has given us a rough overview of the hardware that's inside, but hasn't gone into detail on the different components or specifications.

What the headset weighs is unknown, for example, and there's no word on just how many cameras and sensors are inside. We aggregated the limited information that we do know about the headset's hardware for those who are interested.

Enclosure

• There's a three-dimensionally formed laminated glass display that attaches to a curved aluminum alloy frame.
• There is a thermal system that quietly moves air through the Vision Pro to deliver performance and keep heat down.

Displays

• There are two custom micro-OLED displays that provide "more pixels than a 4K TV" to each eye (23 million total). Apple says they're the size of a postage stamp.
• There is a three-element lens that makes the display feel like it's "everywhere you look."
• An "EyeSight" external display shows other people when you're using a less immersive augmented reality mode by displaying your eyes, or lets them know you're fully immersed and unaware of your surroundings. This display also provides a recording indicator when you're capturing video with the camera.
• There's a 90Hz refresh rate, with a special 96Hz refresh rate available for 24fps video.
• For those who wear glasses, Zeiss Optical Inserts with your prescription can be magnetically attached to the lenses inside the headset.

Cameras

• The headset has 12 cameras and five sensors for monitoring for hand gestures and mapping the environment. There were rumors that the headset would also look at leg movements, but that's not something Apple has mentioned. Two of the cameras transmit more than a billion pixels per second to the display to depict the world around you clearly, while others are for head tracking, hand tracking, and real-time 3D mapping. There are infrared flood illuminators that enhance hand tracking in low-light conditions.
• There's a camera that's able to take 3D photos and videos.
• LiDAR depth sensors can determine the size and location of the objects in the room around you, and can also scan your face to create a digital Persona that's used in FaceTime.
• Inside the headset, there are four infrared cameras and LED lights. The lights project invisible light patterns onto each eye, and this system is used for iris scanning for authentication and also for accurate eye tracking so the headset can tell where you're looking for navigation purposes.

Straps and Bands

• Audio straps on each side include speakers that support spatial audio. They are described as dual-driver audio pods that are positioned next to each ear, with the ability to analyze the room's acoustic properties to adapt the sound to match the space. Six microphones are included as well.
• There's a detachable braided headband that has a fit adjustment dial.
• The magnetic Light Seal, which comes in multiple shapes and sizes, holds the headset to the face and blocks out light.

Buttons

• The Digital Crown on the top right of the headset can bring up the Home View when it's pressed, or control the level of immersion when turned. Immersion level can be adjusted when you're using "Environments," aka virtual reality scenes where you can do things like watch television. You can opt to use a full fake environment that makes the screen larger than life, or have the TV show you're watching overlaid in your real room for less immersion.
• A button at the top left can be used to take spatial videos and spatial photos.

Cables

• There is a single woven braided power cable that attaches to the left side of the headset. The cable can be plugged into a power source or plugged into an external battery for use on the go.
• The headset seems to ship with an external battery so you don't need to be tethered to a power adapter while you use it. The battery is designed to fit in a pocket.

Chips

• There are two chips inside the ‌Apple Vision Pro‌. The M2, which is the same chip that's in the Mac lineup, is the main chip that handles the processing. The ‌M2‌ runs visionOS, executes computer vision algorithms, and provides graphical content.
• A second R1 chip is responsible for all of the information that's coming in from the cameras, sensors, and microphones. It is able to stream images to the displays within 12 milliseconds, and Apple has said this chip is able to provide a "virtually lag-free" view of the world.

As we get closer to launch, we'll likely learn more about the headset's capabilities and the specifics on the components Apple is using, but we may be waiting until after it becomes available for a full teardown and peek inside.

Apple in iOS 17 is adding a new feature to iOS that is designed to automatically block incoming messages and files that may have sensitive content like nudity.

Opt-in blurring can be applied to sensitive images sent in Messages, AirDrop, Contact Posters for the Phone app, FaceTime messages, and third-party apps. The feature will prevent adult iPhone users from being subjected to unwanted imagery. All nudity will be blocked, but can be viewed by tapping the "Show" button.

Sensitive Content Warnings work like the Communication Safety functionality that Apple added for children, with all detection done on device so Apple does not see the content that's being shared. Sensitive Content Warnings are an expansion of the Communication Safety options that Apple introduced for children last year.

Communication Safety detects and blocks nude images before children can view them, and with iOS 17, this too will expand to encompass AirDrop, the systemwide photo picker, ‌FaceTime‌ messages, and third-party apps.

Apple's new Vision Pro headset is controlled with eye and hand movements by default. For those with accessibility needs, however, features like VoiceOver, Pointer Control, and Dwell Control will allow users to interact with visionOS in other ways. In a WWDC session for developers, Apple has provided more details about these features.

Pointer Control will allow the Vision Pro to be controlled based on head, wrist, or index finger position rather than eye tracking. Users will be able to adjust movement sensitivity to further fit their individual needs.

Dwell Control will provide on-screen options for Tap, Scroll, Long Press, and Drag, allowing for users to interact with the interface without using their hands.

There's also Guided Access, an accessibility feature that will promote focus by restricting visionOS to a single app at one time. Apple says the feature aims to minimize distractions by backgrounding other apps, removing non-essential UI elements, and suppressing hardware button events that could be distracting.

Apple's screen reader VoiceOver will be available on the Vision Pro. Users will be able to set up a VoiceOver shortcut in the Settings app on visionOS that allows for the feature to be activated with a triple press of the Digital Crown.

Vision Pro is launching in early 2024 in the U.S. for $3,499, and more details about the headset are available in our Vision Pro roundup. For more details about the accessibility features, check out Apple's WWDC session.

Apple in iOS 17 has introduced a number of changes across its stock apps, including the Weather app. With the update, there are some minor changes to the functionality and design of the app.

Previous Day's Weather

The biggest update is an option to see yesterday's weather in the 10-day forecast. In iOS 16, you can only view the current day and the next 10 days, but in iOS 17, you can view current day, the next 10 days, and the weather from the previous day.

10-day forecasts show the chance of rain each day and offer a "daily summary" instead of a forecast.

Interface Tweaks

The main Weather interface has been updated with large "My Location" text for the weather forecast in at your current location, with the city underneath. In iOS 16, it simply said the city, which could be confusing when navigating through multiple saved cities.

Module Changes

Some of the weather modules have been relocated, with rain and hourly forecasts shown first. News and alerts are shown lower in the app, and there is a new "Averages" weather module that displays how the current temperature deviates from the historical average on that day. Apple has also increased the size of the wind speed module, showing information on gust speed, a daily comparison, and a wind scale.

Moon Module

Apple has added a moon module that shows the current status of the moon, the time until the next full moon, moonset and moonrise times, and a moon calendar.

Daily Comparisons

Daily comparisons are included for UV index, humidity, the "Feels Like" index, and visibility, and there are options to change units for wind speed, precipitation, pressure, and distance.

Data Updates

Apple does not appear to have made any changes to the data that is used for the Weather app, despite complaints of its inaccuracy following the incorporation of the Dark Sky app.

Read More

More information on all of the new features in the iOS 17 update can be found in our iOS 17 roundup.

When creating a list in the Reminders app in iOS 17, you can select a "Groceries" list option that will cause your iPhone to automatically organize every food item added into categories for easier shopping.

Grocery items like produce, milk, and breads are automatically organized under different headers as you add them to your shopping list. Fruits and vegetables, for example, get organized under "Produce," while oatmeal and cereal go under "Breads & Cereals."

Categories include Produce, Breads & Cereals, Frozen Foods, Snacks & Candy, Meat, Dairy, Eggs & Cheese, Bakery, Baking Items, Household Items, Personal Care & Health, and Wine, Beer & Spirits.

Categories are customizable and you can add your own sections, or rearrange the order that sections are shown in the list.

If the iPhone doesn't recognize where an item should go, it remains uncategorized. It does recognize specific brands and types of food like "Sour Patch Kids," but some items like tofu are questionably categorized (Dairy, Eggs & Cheese).

While sections are turned on by default for the Grocery list option, any Reminder list that you create in iOS 17 can have sections added to it. You'll need to manually add sections and organize items into them, but the option exists for better list management.

There is a new column view that lets you see the sections you've created side-by-side, and this is in addition to the standard list view.

With interactive widgets in iOS 17, a reminder can be checked off directly from a widget without having to open the app, which is a convenient change. Other new additions include options to receive early reminders up to six months before a reminder becomes due, and tools for creating reminders from suggestions.

Soccer superstar Lionel Messi today announced his intentions to join MLS club Inter Miami. According to ESPN, Messi's proposed contract terms include a cut of revenue from new subscribers to Apple's MLS Season Pass streaming service.

MLS Season Pass costs $14.99 per month, or $49 for the remainder of the season, but Apple TV+ subscribers can sign up for a discounted rate of $12.99 per month or $39 for the remainder of the season. Every MLS match is streamed live through the Apple TV app, as part of a 10-year partnership between Apple and the MLS.

Messi joining the MLS would be the league's biggest signing since David Beckham signed with the LA Galaxy in 2007, and his popularity could help to boost MLS Season Pass subscriber numbers for Apple in the service's inaugural season.

"We are pleased that Lionel Messi has stated that he intends to join Inter Miami and Major League Soccer this summer," the MLS confirmed in a statement shared on Twitter. "Although work remains to finalize a formal agreement, we look forward to welcoming one of the greatest soccer players of all time to our League."

CarPlay didn't receive much attention during the WWDC keynote, but the iPhone-based software platform did receive a few new features with iOS 17, including SharePlay support in the Music app and real-time electric vehicle charging station availability.

SharePlay support in the Music app allows all passengers in a car to control what music is playing from their own devices, even if they do not have an Apple Music subscription. The primary user can initiate a SharePlay session from CarPlay.

Apple Maps now provides electric vehicle drivers with real-time charging availability information for their preferred charging network, and this feature extends to the Maps app on CarPlay, making it easy to find an available charging location while driving.

CarPlay also includes a new interface for replying to messages, as seen in this screenshot shared by Will Sigmon:

The new CarPlay features are automatically available after updating an iPhone to iOS 17. The software update will be released to the public later this year for the iPhone XS and newer, and it is currently available in beta for developers.

The wait continues for the next generation of CarPlay that Apple announced at WWDC 2022. Apple said the first vehicles with next-generation CarPlay support would be announced in late 2023, so more details should be provided in the coming months. New features previewed last year included integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and climate controls, support for multiple displays, a built-in FM radio app, widgets, and more.

Apple said automakers committed to offering the next generation of CarPlay in future vehicles included Acura, Audi, Ford, Honda, Infiniti, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Polestar, Porsche, Renault, and Volvo.

Andru Edwards and Kevin Nether join us on The MacRumors Show this week from the Apple Podcasts studio in Apple Park to discuss first impressions of the Vision Pro headset and the wave of other announcements the company made at WWDC this year.

We talk through first-hand experience of what the Vision Pro headset is actually like, including comfort, control input, and mixed-reality experiences. We also touch on the Apple silicon Mac Pro, refreshed Mac Studio, and 15-inch MacBook Air, as well as some of our favorite new software features from iOS 17, iPadOS 17, tvOS 17, watchOS 10, and macOS Sonoma.

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, take a look back at our final expectations just before WWDC to see how our predictions about Apple's announcements panned out.

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 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 has been improving password management over the last several years to encourage people to use separate, hard-to-guess passwords for each site, and the latest improvement adds password sharing.

In iOS 17, Family Passwords is designed to let you share your passwords and passkeys with friends and family members. Using the Passwords section of the Settings app, you can create a group of people to share passwords with.

Using a setup process, you can select trusted contacts to share information with. Each person who is in the group can select passwords and passkeys to share with others. You can, for example, share passwords to streaming services and online bill paying sites without having to share the password for your bank.

You can select specific passwords to share after the group is created, and then people in the group can upload their own. Each participant can edit and add passwords, with changes synced across the entire group. There are options to create multiple groups, so you can have a group with a spouse and children and then a separate group with just a spouse, or a group of roommates and friends.

The person who created the group can add and delete people at will, and the entire group can be deleted as well. Adding people to a group requires the person to be in your Contact list, and everyone also must be running the iOS 17 update.

Like regular passwords, shared passwords are stored in iCloud Keychain and are end-to-end encrypted. Passkeys, Apple's device-verified alternative to passwords, can also be shared.

The addition of multi-user password sharing brings Apple's free built-in Password functionality closer to third-party apps like 1Password and LastPass, as there was previously no simple, free, and secure way to share passwords between Apple device users.

Apple Maps is catching up with Google Maps on iOS 17 by finally letting iPhone users download maps for offline use. iOS 17 will be released to the public later this year for the iPhone XS and newer, and is currently available in beta for developers.

Users can download a specific area of Apple Maps to their iPhone and view it while offline, complete with turn-by-turn directions for driving, walking, cycling, and public transit. While offline, users can also see their estimated time of arrival, view information like hours and ratings on place cards, and more.

You can also use downloaded Apple Maps on the Apple Watch when a paired iPhone is turned on and in range of the Apple Watch.

The ability to use Apple Maps without a cellular or Wi-Fi connection is a major improvement to the app. Another useful new feature in Apple Maps on iOS 17 is the ability to view real-time electric vehicle charging station availability.

MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera is in Cupertino this week to attend WWDC on behalf of the site, and today, he was given an opportunity to try the Apple Vision Pro in person.

Dan is one of the first people who has been able to test the headset, as Apple is only providing these demos to select people who were able to attend the keynote event.

While Apple did not allow filming of the headset and the usage experience, Dan did a video to recount his thoughts on what it was like and to answer questions from MacRumors readers and viewers.

Make sure to watch the video to get Dan's full overview of what it was like using Apple's new wearable for the first time.

Amazon is offering $49 discounts on select models of the brand-new 15.3-inch MacBook Air, which will officially launch on June 13. You can get the 256GB model for $1,249.99 in two colors on Amazon, down from $1,299.00.

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.

Given that this MacBook Air hasn't even launched yet, this is the first major discount on the notebook that we've seen. This is a pre-order on Amazon, and orders are estimated to arrive sometime between June 16 and June 20.

Likewise, there's a discount on the 512GB model, which is available for $1,449.99, down from $1,499.00 in select colors on Amazon. You'll find the same delivery estimates for this model, hitting between June 16 and June 20.

The new MacBook Air comes with a 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display, M2 processor, MagSafe charging, two Thunderbolt ports, a headphone jack, and more. For a full rundown on what's new in the MacBook Air, be sure to read our launch post.

If you want to save even more money, this week we've been tracking deals on the 2020 13.3-inch M1 MacBook Air and 2022 13.6-inch M2 MacBook Air, all of which are still live. Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

Apple TV's karaoke feature is about to get more immersive. Starting with the tvOS 17 update launching later this year, Apple Music Sing will support Continuity Camera, allowing users to see themselves on their TV via a wirelessly-connected iPhone camera.

Apple said users will be able to apply all-new camera filters as they sing along to the lyrics of their favorite songs to add to the experience.

Apple previously announced that FaceTime is launching on Apple TV with tvOS 17. This will also be enabled by Continuity Camera, allowing for people to use a wirelessly-connected iPhone or iPad camera to participate in a video call on their TV. FaceTime on tvOS requires a second-generation Apple TV 4K released in 2021 or newer.

The new Apple Music Sing feature was announced in a press release highlighting several services-related features coming to iOS 17, iPadOS 17, macOS Sonoma, watchOS 10, and tvOS 17. Other new features include recurring Apple Cash payments, and the ability for businesses to accept iPhone IDs for proof of age and identity later this year.

Apple today announced that iOS 17 will include an option to set up recurring Apple Cash payments on a weekly, biweekly, or monthly basis, a feature that will be useful for kids allowances and regularly shared expenses, such as rent payments.

Alongside this feature, users will have the option to automatically top up their Apple Cash balance when it runs low, according to Apple.

Apple revealed this addition in a press release highlighting a long list of new services-related features coming to iOS 17, iPadOS 17, macOS Sonoma, watchOS 10, and tvOS 17. Another feature announced was the ability for iPhone users to present an ID stored in the Wallet app at participating businesses later this year.

Apple today announced that iPhone users will be able to present a driver's license or ID stored in the Wallet app at participating businesses and venues starting later this year. Users will simply hold their iPhone or Apple Watch near the business's iPhone to verify their age and identity for things like alcohol, rental cars, and more.

Users will be shown what information is being requested and whether the receiving party will be storing the information, according to Apple. Users will then be asked to authenticate and consent by using Face ID or Touch ID. No additional hardware beyond an iPhone is required for the business to offer this functionality.

Apple announced this feature in a press release covering several new services-related features coming to iOS 17, iPadOS 17, macOS Sonoma, watchOS 10, and tvOS 17 later this year. Another feature announced includes the ability to set up recurring Apple Cash payments in the Wallet app, on a weekly, biweekly, or monthly basis.

The iOS Camera app offers a few optional settings to help you line up your shots, most notably a Grid that can be overlaid on the screen to help apply the rule of thirds.

And for the last few years, the Grid mode has included a somewhat-hidden leveling feature for top-down photos, popping up a floating crosshair to help make sure you're lined up properly above your subject.

With iOS 17, Apple is enhancing the camera leveling functionality, separating it out from the Grid mode to its own option and expanding it to include a horizontal level for more traditional straight-on photos.

Turning the Level option on will pop up a broken horizontal line on the screen when your iPhone senses you're lining up for a straight-on shot and you tilt your device slightly out of horizontal. The line appears white while your phone is out of level and then turns yellow once you achieve a level orientation to indicate success.

The leveling pop-up only appears for a brief time and only within a narrow range of angles close to horizontal (in either portrait or landscape orientation), so it's not intrusively popping up when you're intentionally trying to take a photo at an angle.

The new option appears to be off by default if you don't have Grid mode turned on before upgrading, but is on by default if you're already a Grid mode user. The option can be toggled in the Camera section of the Settings app.

The new Level feature is just one of a number of enhancements to photos in iOS 17, including one-tap cropping, pet recognition, animated sticker creation, and Visual Look Up for recipes from photos.

(Thanks, Jake!)

Apple's new Vision Pro headset can scan a user's face and use advanced machine learning to create a photorealistic "Persona" of them for video calls. And in a future visionOS update, these avatars will become even more realistic.

In its Platforms State of the Union video for developers this week, Apple announced that it is working on "Spatial Personas" that will allow Vision Pro users to "break out of the familiar FaceTime tile and feel more present, like they are gathered in the same physical space." Spatial Personas will have a transparent background and be able to display more movement and body language for a more lifelike experience.

Spatial Personas will be available on FaceTime calls, including for SharePlay sessions.

"In a SharePlay session, Spatial Personas let you feel present with others in a way technology has never enabled before," said Apple, in a related WWDC video. "You can look your friends in the eye, express yourself naturally with movement and body language, and best of all, enjoy a shared activity together using your app."

Apple said a developer preview of Spatial Personas will be available later this year, but it did not indicate when the feature will be publicly released. Vision Pro does not launch until early 2024 in the U.S. and will be priced at $3,499.