MacRumors

Twitter in February 2023 announced that text message two-factor authentication (2FA) is set to become a premium feature for Twitter Blue accounts. Here's why the company's logic behind the decision doesn't make any sense from a security perspective, and why you don't need the feature anyway.

Twitter has said that it will soon be removing text message-based 2FA from non-paying accounts and turning it into a feature that will only be available to subscribers of its premium Twitter Blue offering, which costs $8 per month. This means that any users who don't pay for a Blue subscription and rely on Twitter to send them an SMS text message code to complete the login process will have the feature turned off and removed from their accounts by March 20. Their account password will become the only barrier to access.

Aside from purely financial reasons (presumably it costs Twitter to send you a text), making text-based 2FA a paid-for perk is an odd decision on Twitter's part.

Twitter has justified the policy change by saying, rightly, that SMS 2FA can be abused by bad actors. And there have indeed been "SIM swap attacks" where hackers convinced cell providers to assign a victim's phone number to a device they control, and by taking control of a person's phone number, the hacker can impersonate the victim, as well as receive text message codes to their account. But making SMS 2FA available only to Twitter Blue subscribers simply makes them more susceptible to attacks of this nature.

Twitter says that it is "committed to keeping people safe and secure on Twitter," and it's true that SMS 2FA is better than no 2FA at all, but its policy does nothing to encourage users to switch to a more secure form of 2FA – perhaps because doing so means paying Twitter absolutely nothing.

Switching to App-Based 2FA is the Solution

Rather than rely on SMS-based 2FA, Twitter users should be using a mobile authentication app, like Duo, Authy, or Google Authenticator, or the password authenticator built-in to iOS. App-based 2FA is a far more secure alternative, as it never leaves your device and doesn't involve you receiving a code sent to your phone via text message.

To use this method to secure your Twitter account, first ensure that you have your authenticator app of choice installed on your iPhone. Then follow these steps:

1. Launch the Twitter app or log in to the Twitter website.
2. Go to your account's Settings and privacy, found in the Settings and Support dropdown menu.
3. Select Security and account access -> Security.
4. Select Two-factor authentication.
5. Check the mark next to Authentication app.
6. Follow the prompts, entering your account password when requested.

When you've completed the above steps, you should be able to log in to your Twitter account using your password, accompanied by a code generated by your authenticator app. Just be sure to keep a backup of your codes – if you don't have one and you lose your phone, you'll find it a lot harder to access your 2FA accounts.

The Biden administration has declined to overrule a U.S. International Trade Commission decision that the Apple Watch infringes patents from medical device company AliveCor, potentially paving the way for an import ban on Apple's smartwatch depending on how the appeals process pans out.

California-based AliveCor said in a statement that it was informed the Biden administration would not overrule a December decision from the ITC that found the Apple Watch infringed AliveCor health monitoring patents related to electrocardiogram technology. From AliveCor's press release:

"We applaud President Biden for upholding the ITC's ruling and holding Apple accountable for infringing the patents that underpin our industry-leading ECG technology," said Priya Abani, CEO of AliveCor. "This decision goes beyond AliveCor and sends a clear message to innovators that the U.S. will protect patents to build and scale new technologies that benefit consumers."

In the December ruling, the ITC recommended a limited exclusion order and a cease-and-desist order for Apple Watch models with ECG features. Were it to be enforced, Apple would no longer be able to import new Apple Watch models that support the ECG app. Apple plans to appeal the ITC's decision in a federal courthouse.

While the ITC decision could end up in an Apple Watch ban, the US Patent and Trademark Office in December also invalidated some of AliveCor's patents, which the medical tech company says it will appeal. At the time, Apple said the ITC's decision confirms that the patents AliveCor asserted in the ITC against Apple cannot be infringed.

AliveCor and Apple are embroiled in several legal battles, as AliveCor has also filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple and Apple has sued AliveCor for patent infringement. Apple is also battling a patent infringement case brought by medical technology company Masimo, which asserts Apple Watch models that use light sensors to measure blood oxygen levels infringe its pulse oximeter patents.

With almost every iOS and macOS update, Apple includes a host of security improvements to address major vulnerabilities. iOS 16.3 and macOS Ventura 13.2, released back in January, were no exception. Both updates included fixes for a long list of issues, including two that were highlighted today in a report from Trellix.

Trellix Advanced Research Center discovered a new class of privilege execution bugs within iOS and macOS, which could be exploited to delve into an iPhone or Mac user's messages, location data, photos, call history, and more.

In a blog post highlighting how the bug was found, Trellix explains how mitigations that Apple introduced for the FORCEDENTRY zero-click exploit in September 2021 could by bypassed, allowing for a "huge range of potential vulnerabilities."

Trellix found its first vulnerability in the coreduetd process, which could be used to give an attacker access to a person's calendar, address book, and photos. Vulnerabilities in OSLogService and NSPredicate were able to be exploited to achieve code execution within Springboard, providing attackers access to the camera, microphone, call history, and more.

Data about these vulnerabilities was relayed to Apple, and the company fixed the exploits in iOS 16.3 and macOS 13.2 Ventura. Security support documents for both updates were refreshed yesterday to reflect the addition of the patches.

Trellix is credited with two vulnerabilities (CVE-2023-23530 and CVE-2023-23531) that Apple patched with improved memory handling. Trellix said that it thanks Apple for working quickly to fix the issues.

Apple's AirPods 2 have dropped to $99.00 today on Amazon, down from $129.00. Amazon is expecting a delivery estimate of late February for most locations in the United States as of writing.

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 is an overall second-best price on the AirPods 2, but we of course haven't tracked record low deals since the holidays. If you're shopping for a cheaper pair of AirPods in 2023, this will be your best bet.

This model of the AirPods comes with the Lightning Charging Case. 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.

Following leaks earlier this month, Apple's Beats by Dre brand is today announcing three new colors of its popular Beats Fit Pro earphones: Tidal Blue, Volt Yellow, and Coral Pink. Originally launched in late 2021, Beats Fit Pro are an alternative to Apple's AirPods Pro which offer many of the same features such as active noise cancelation (ANC) and an H1 chip for Apple-specific features like "Hey Siri" and Find My support and automatic device switching, but in a more fitness-focused design.

As part of the refreshed color launch coming this Thursday, February 23, Beats is debuting a new "LOCK IN. WORK OUT." marketing campaign featuring singer/songwriter Chlöe Bailey and tennis player Frances Tiafoe.

Rather than the iconic stems of AirPods, Beats Fit Pro offer a lower-profile look that emphasizes an in-ear design but includes flexible wingtips on top for increased stability. With no stems for force sensors like on AirPods and AirPods Pro, Beats Fit Pro controls are on the main body of each earbud with essentially the entire outer surface of each bud being a clickable button with the "b" Beats logo on it.

The onboard buttons offer the standard set of audio controls, with a single press allowing for play/pause for audio or answer/hang up for phone calls. A double press skips forward to the next audio track, while a triple press skips backward.

Each earbud also supports a press-and-hold function that can be configured independently for each side, such as using one side to activate ‌Siri‌ if you don't wish to use the "Hey ‌Siri‌" trigger phrase and the other side to cycle through listening modes (ANC, Transparency, and off). Alternatively the press-and-hold function can be used for onboard volume control with one bud raising the volume and the other lowering it.

Battery life for Beats Fit Pro checks in at around six hours with ANC or Transparency mode turned on and up to seven hours with those features turned off. The USB-C charging case lets you carry another 21 hours of battery life with you.

Overall, Beats Fit Pro have proven very popular with users, as many find the buds more comfortable to wear than AirPods Pro, especially when working out or otherwise being active, and they offer solid sound quality and ANC. For more on Beats Fit Pro, be sure to check out our original hands-on coverage.

Offered at the same $199.99 pricing as other colors, the three new Beats Fit Pro colors join the existing Stone Purple, Sage Gray, Beats White, and Beats Black options that were part of the original launch, as well as the neutral skin-tone Moon, Dune, and Earth colors launched last August in collaboration with Kim Kardashian. Orders placed through Apple can be personalized with free engraving on the charging case.

The next-generation iPhone 15 series will feature RAM improvements, according to a new report from Taiwanese research firm TrendForce.

Apple will "bump up the capacity and specifications" of RAM for iPhone 15 models, the report claims. Based on this wording, there could be improvements to both RAM amounts and speeds across the iPhone 15 series, but no specific details were provided.

TrendForce previously said iPhone 15 Pro models would likely be equipped with 8GB of RAM, compared to 6GB for iPhone 14 Pro models. The standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will likely remain at 6GB of RAM, but it is possible these models could be upgraded to faster LPDDR5 RAM, as iPhone 14 Pro models were last year.

Increased RAM can benefit multitasking on the iPhone by allowing more apps to be open in the background simultaneously. Together with the rumored A17 Bionic chip for iPhone 15 Pro models, the RAM improvements would boost overall performance.

If the iPhone 15 Pro is bumped up to 8GB of RAM, it would be the first increase since the iPhone 12 Pro was released with 6GB of RAM.

Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 15 series at a September press event as usual. For more details about the devices, read our iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro roundups linked below, which are updated regularly with the latest rumors.

Younger Americans prefer Apple over rival companies by significant margins, driving a generational shift toward Apple devices and social pressure, the Financial Times reports.

According to the report, younger consumers are concerned about being socially ostracised for not having an iPhone – a phenomenon that is driving young people to buy other Apple products and services, leading to growing market share across multiple product categories.

Those born after 1996, also known as Gen Z, compose 34 percent of all iPhone owners in the U.S., compared to just 10 percent for Samsung. For older generations, there is a relatively even split between iPhone and Android users. The ramifications of this shift toward Apple devices among younger people extends beyond iPhones, with these users being much more likely to purchase AirPods, Apple Watches, and Macs.

For every 100 iPhones Apple sells around the world, it also sells 26 iPads, 17 Apple Watches, and 35 pairs of AirPods, according to research by Canalys. For Samsung, every 100 smartphone sales leads to fewer than 11 tablets, six smartwatches, and six pairs of wireless earbuds being sold. This is in spite of the fact that the average selling price of an iPhone is almost three times that of an Android device.

Researchers who advise companies about the preferences of Gen Z consumers told the Financial Times that these customers are the most online of any age group, spending up to six hours a day on their smartphones. As a result, Apple's ecosystem is shaping social decision-making, with particular emphasis on the importance of iMessage as a social signal, necessitated by inferior experiences messaging and using group chats via SMS.

In Europe, where iMessage is less prevalent and Android has a bigger market share, the same trend is similarly visible. Canalys research indicates that 83 percent of Apple users in western Europe under 25 years old plan to keep using an iPhone. As Gen Z gets older, this trend is likely to grow and further entrench Apple's market share, making it increasingly difficult for rival companies to capture new customers and make inroads.

Popular speaker company Sonos is preparing to launch new high-end "Era" smart speakers to compete with Apple's HomePod range, and The Verge has obtained marketing images of the products as well as some rough pricing information ahead of their release next month.

The Era 300, shown in the picture above, will be the new Sonos flagship speaker, designed to highlight music in spatial audio. Other features will include USB-C line-in, Wi-Fi 6 support, Bluetooth playback, and AirPlay 2 support. The Verge's Chris Welch says the Era 300 is expected to be priced "in the ballpark of $450."

The size of the Era 300 is said to fall in between the Sonos One and Sonos Five, and includes a total of six drivers that direct sound forward, left, right, and up. A stereo pair of Era 300s, when used with either the Arc or second-generation Beam, will deliver rearward surround sound including upward-firing audio.

Despite the Era 300 being designed for spatial audio, the Dolby Atmos songs in the Apple Music catalog are "unlikely to be supported at this time," according to Welch, which suggests that Apple and Sonos have yet to reach an agreement. "This could always change in the coming weeks or by the time the Era 300 hits shelves," he adds.

The Era 100, shown below, has a rounder shape and won't come with upward-firing drivers, as it's not geared for spatial audio like the other product. Welch calls the new speaker "an evolved Sonos One with (ideally) better performance," thanks to the addition of a second tweeter for true stereo sound and an enlarged mid-woofer for more bass.

Like the other new speaker, the Era 100 features Wi-Fi streaming, ‌AirPlay‌ 2, Bluetooth, and USB-C. The Era 100 is expected to cost around $250 and is likely to replace the Sonos One, which currently sells for $219.

Both speakers are expected to include Sonos Voice Control and Amazon Alexa voice assistants, but support for Google Assistant may be lacking. Welch says Sonos will separately sell a line-in adapter for USB-C audio and a "combo adapter" for plugging in over Ethernet, as there's no built-in jack on either speaker.

Sonos has reportedly set a late March release schedule for both speakers, which will be available in white and black colors, while the company is also said to be planning to launch a device in a brand new product category by the end of the year.

Apple has released a testing app for vehicle manufacturers who are working on integrating its digital Car Keys software (via 9to5Mac).

Apple's digital car key feature allows users to unlock and start a compatible vehicle by bringing an iPhone or Apple Watch near the driver-side door. The car keys are stored in the Wallet app, just like a credit card. The feature is currently limited to select BMW, Kia, and Genesis vehicles.

Called "Car Keys Tests," the new app allows licensed MFi developers to test and validate their own integration of the digital car keys technology, which Apple announced in July 2022.

Apple describes the developer tool in the following way:

For use by MFi Licensees only. Use the Car Keys Tests app to test and validate connection, performance, and other key requirements for the certification process of the vehicles you develop that incorporate Apple digital car keys technology.

"Car Keys Tests" isn't listed on the App Store, but there is a direct link to view and download the app. However, only developers with MFi licenses will be able to get past the login screen.

Apple today updated its Apple Store app for iOS and iPadOS with several improvements, led by changes to saved item lists.

Apple says the update now lets you share your lists of saved items with friend and family, making it easier to share gift ideas or collaborate on shopping lists using a share sheet icon on saved list pages. Along with that, your saved items can now be accessed from more places in the app.

For those looking to visit an Apple retail store, the update also enhances the information displayed on store pages, offering more detail about each store and its surroundings.

The ‌Apple Store‌ app is a free download from the App Store.

Following the launch of iOS 16.3.1 on February 13, Apple is no longer signing iOS 16.3, the previously available version of iOS. Now that Apple has stopped signing iOS 16.3, it is no longer possible to downgrade to that version of iOS after installing the iOS 16.3.1 update.

Apple routinely stops signing older versions of iOS after new releases come out in order to encourage customers to keep their operating systems up to date, so it is not unusual that the iOS 16.3 update is no longer being signed.

iOS 16.3 was a relatively minor update that introduced support for physical security keys for Apple IDs, expanded Advanced Data Protection globally, added support for the second-generation HomePod, and more.

While iOS 16.3.1 remains the current public version of iOS, Apple released the first beta of iOS 16.4 last week with support for new emoji characters, web push notifications, and more.

(Thanks, Aaron!)

Apple's mobile software has supported so-called "web apps" for years now. But what is a web app, and how do they differ from typical apps used on iPhone and iPad? Here's your short explainer.

What is a Web App?

When Apple talks about "web apps," it's referring to "Progressive Web Apps," or PWAs for short. Apple prefers to call them web apps either because it was Google that first promoted the term "Progressive Web Apps," or because there is no official PWA specification. Regardless, generally speaking, PWA is shorthand for a flexible, adaptable app created using only web technologies.

From a user perspective, think of a PWA as a website that can be installed to your home screen without having to download it from the App Store. Some examples of popular web apps include Google Maps, Starbucks, Tinder, Uber, and Instagram.

Ironically, iOS was actually the first platform to support the concept of PWAs. When Apple originally released the iPhone, the first apps were HTML5-based, which allowed users to add them manually to the home screen for a full-screen, app-like experience. Back then, the App Store wasn't even a thing.

While Apple initially let support for web apps wither on the vine after the emergence of its App Store, Google Chrome continued to help improve the associated web technologiess, and by 2018 all of the major web browsers including Safari had pledged to support web apps. Since then, Apple has continued to help evolve the web app experience, it just hasn't been very vocal about it. That's why many were surprised when Apple announced its intention to support push notifications for web apps at WWDC 2022.

Web App Pros and Cons

Unlike "web apps" that function as simple home screen bookmarks (see below), PWAs can be downloaded in advance and can work offline, as well as use regular web APIs. This allows them to provide an app-like experience while having access to things like geolocation, camera, and Apple Pay.

From a developer perspective, going down the PWA route means you avoid the potential hassle of getting your app through Apple's App Store review process. This can make web apps more discoverable than native apps that go through the App Store. It's also easier and faster to visit a website than to install an app, and users can also share web apps simply by sending a link.

On the other hand, native apps enjoy better integration with iOS and provide a more seamless user experience (although that is slowly changing as the web technology behind PWAs evolves). For example, web apps can only store offline data and files totaling a maximum of 50MB. They don't have access to some hardware features, such as Bluetooth and Touch ID/Face ID, and they can't execute code while in the background. They also lack access to in-app payments and other Apple-based services.

How to Add a Web App to Your Home Screen

1. Open Safari on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Navigate to the website that offers a WPA/web app (many are listed here).
3. Tap the Action button (often called the Share button).
4. Scroll down the share sheet past the rows of contacts and apps, then select Add to Home Screen.
5. Give the web app a name, then tap Add.

Your new web app will appear in the next available space on your device's home screen. If you tap it and you're kicked back to the standard website, force quit Safari, then launch the web app again.

How to Set Up Web Push Notifications

In iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4, both currently still in beta, Apple has added a new feature that allows web apps added to the home screen to send web push notifications to iPhone and iPad users.

Thanks to the new feature, web apps added to a user's home screen can request permission to receive push notifications through a "subscribe" button or another similar option in the web app's settings. Such notifications work exactly like notifications from other apps, showing up on the Lock Screen, in Notification Center, and on a paired Apple Watch.

1. Open the web app that you added to your home screen.
2. Find and enable the setting that turns on push notifications.
3. When the permissions prompt appears, tap Allow to permit the web app to send you notifications, just as if it was a typical app.

Once you've done that, you'll be able to control alerts and icon badges for the web app from within the Notifications section of the Settings app.

Adding Website Bookmarks to Your Home Screen

For websites that don't have a dedicated mobile app or a web app for accessing their content, you can still add what is essentially a bookmark of a website to your home screen using the same Add to Home Screen option in Safari's Share menu.

Creating a bookmark on your home screen lets you use it as a one-tap portal to access specific online content, instead of having to open a browser and then select a bookmark or type in a website's URL address.

When you tap a website bookmark on your home screen, it opens in Safari on the specific page you selected. Even though it's not a web app, if the site you're linking to has a dynamic mobile-friendly layout (MacRumors, for example), accessing it from your home screen can feel like an app-like experience.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg over the weekend announced the upcoming launch of a new "Meta Verified" subscription service that's designed for Facebook users, which will provide verification for $11.99 per month on the web or $14.99 per month on the iPhone or the iPad.

Zuckerberg described Meta Verified as a subscription that lets individuals verify an account with a government ID, get a blue badge, and get "extra impersonation protection" against accounts that are "claiming to be you." It also comes with "direct access to customer support, exclusive stickers, and a news release describing the feature says that it will include "access to increased visibility and reach." A full list of announced features:

• A verified badge, confirming you're the real you and that your account has been authenticated with a government ID.
• More protection from impersonation with proactive account monitoring for impersonators who might target people with growing online audiences.
• Help when you need it with access to a real person for common account issues.
• Increased visibility and reach with prominence in some areas of the platform- like search, comments and recommendations.
• Exclusive features to express yourself in unique ways.

The service is "about increasing authenticity and security" across Meta services, and it follows Twitter Blue, Twitter's $8 per month subscription service that provides a blue checkmark and provides access to features like Edit Tweet.

Meta also plans to make the same verification process available on Instagram, but separate subscriptions will be required for each platform, so an individual or business that wants to be verified on both Facebook and Instagram will need to pay separate subscription fees.

Instagram and Facebook are monetized through advertising at the current time, but changes like Apple's App Tracking Transparency can make ads an unreliable revenue stream. Subscription payments will give Facebook a steady monthly income.

Meta Verified will roll out in Australia and New Zealand this week before it expands to additional countries. Meta says that as it tests and learns, there will be no changes to accounts on Instagram and Facebook that were already verified, but the meaning of the verified badge is "expanding."

Earlier this month, we noted Apple was working to expand its Communication Safety feature to additional countries, and it appears the next round of expansion will include six new countries.

Communication Safety is an opt-in feature in the Messages app across Apple's platforms that is designed to warn children when receiving or sending photos that contain nudity. In the coming weeks, it will be expanding to the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Japan, South Korea, and Brazil.

The news was shared by Apple in a briefing with news outlets in the relevant countries and was reported by Dutch site iCulture [Google Translate].

The Communication Safety feature initially launched only in the United States in late 2021 before expanding to the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand a few months later. Within the past few months it has expanded further to France, Germany, Italy, and Spain.

When the feature is enabled, photos containing nudity are blurred and the child will be warned, presented with helpful resources, and given the option to message someone they trust for help if they choose, according to Apple. Scanning of photos takes place entirely on-device with Apple not gaining access to the messages, which remain end-to-end encrypted. No notifications are automatically sent to parents or others.

Communication Safety is one aspect of Apple's efforts to help protect children online. In December, Apple abandoned previously announced plans to detect known Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) stored in iCloud Photos after criticism from a wide range of parties including security researchers, policy groups, and politicians over issues such as the potential for false positives or the creation of "backdoors" that could let governments or law enforcement agencies surveil users by scanning for other types of photos.

Today on Amazon we're tracking a couple of discounts on Apple's M2 iPad Pro, with as much as $200 off select tablets. These deals mainly focus on the models with higher storage of 1TB and above. Across the board, all of the deals shared below are all-time low prices on the 2022 iPad Pro.

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.

11-Inch iPad Pro

Starting with the 11-inch M2 iPad Pro, you can get three models at a discount this week on Amazon. There's only one Wi-Fi model at a notable discount, and it's the 2TB Wi-Fi model for $1,699.00, down from $1,899.00.

If you want cellular, you can get the 1TB cellular tablet for $1,499.00, down from $1,699.00. The 2TB cellular model is discounted to $1,899.00, down from $2,099.00. All three of these sales represent all-time low prices on the 11-inch iPad Pro.

12.9-Inch iPad Pro

For the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, there are four models seeing all-time low prices right now on Amazon. You can get the 1TB Wi-Fi tablet for $1,599.00, down from $1,799.00; and the 2TB Wi-Fi tablet for $1,999.00, down from $2,199.00.

For cellular devices, Amazon has the 1TB cellular model for $1,799.00, down from $1,999.00. You can also get the 2TB cellular model for $2,199.00, down from $2,399.00.

Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

A sealed original iPhone model from 2007 has sold at auction for over $63,000 – the most ever for the device to date.

The lot, held by LCG Auctions, opened on February 2 and ended on February 19. After receiving 27 bids, the iPhone sold for $63,356.40, over 105 times the device's original $599 retail price.

According to Business Insider, the iPhone's original owner was given the device as a gift from her friends in 2007, but never used it since iPhones at the time could only be used on AT&T's network. She simply left the phone unopened for the following 15 years. The auction listing read:

Highly desirable factory sealed first-generation original Apple iPhone from 2007.

One of the most important and ubiquitous inventions of our lifetime, the iPhone was first introduced by Steve Jobs on January 9, 2007 at MacWorld San Francisco. Just over five months later it was released at retail for $499/$599 on June 29th. The original iPhone included 4/8 GB of storage, an innovative touchscreen, a 2-megapixel camera, and a web browser. The iconic box featured a life-size image of the iPhone with 12 icons on the screen. It quickly became Apple's most successful product, forever changed the smartphone industry, and was named the Time Magazine Invention of the Year in 2007.

The original first-release iPhone in factory sealed condition is widely regarded as a blue-chip asset amongst high-end collectors. Impressive public sales of $35,414 in August and $39,339 in October of last year resulted in widespread media coverage from major outlets including the Wall Street Journal, CNBC, Fox Business, and others. There's little doubt that interest in culturally relevant collectibles is rapidly increasing, and despite the impressive sales numbers, many believe the space is still in its infancy.

We are pleased to present an iconic factory sealed, first-release iPhone in outstanding condition. Our offering was consigned by the phone's original owner, Karen Green, and is coupled with a great backstory that was first shared on the Treasure Hunt segment of the syndicated television show "The Doctor & The Diva". Almost 16 years old, the phone presents magnificently, showcasing sharp corners front and back, rich color, and "case fresh" features. The labels on the reverse are pristine beneath the seal and shelf wear is minimal. This is the first original iPhone in acceptable condition to hit the auction block since the record-breaking sale in October. A truly remarkable piece with great appeal to both collectors and investors alike.

In August and October last year, a similar original iPhone sold for $35,000 and $39,000 at auction, becoming of the highest ever sums paid for the device. The $63,356.40 selling price of the latest listing is therefore a record-breaking new high for a sealed iPhone at auction.

Starting with the iOS 16.4 beta, the iPhone has a new "Beta Updates" menu in the Settings app under General → Software Update. This menu will allow members of Apple's Developer Program to enable iOS developer betas directly on an iPhone, without needing to install a configuration profile from the Apple Developer website.

The menu will only appear if a user's iPhone is signed into the same Apple ID they used to enroll in Apple's Developer Program. In future iOS releases, Apple says this menu will be the only way to enable developer betas, as profiles will stop working.

This change will prevent iPhone users who aren't enrolled in Apple's Developer Program for $99 per year from installing the iOS 17 developer beta for free when it is released at WWDC in June. Until now, anyone could easily install iOS developer betas for free by downloading the profiles from websites such as BetaProfiles.dev.

Apple already cracked down on websites sharing developer beta profiles last year. BetaProfiles.com shut down in August to avoid a "legal battle with Apple," while Apple lawyers provided Twitter with DMCA takedown notices for over a dozen tweets containing links to IPSW.dev. BetaProfiles.dev remains live and appears to be a carbon copy of BetaProfiles.com, but it's unclear if the website has the same ownership.

iPhone users who don't want to pay $99 per year for Apple's Developer Program will have to wait for the public beta of iOS 17, which will likely be released in July. Users can enroll in Apple's public Beta Software Program for free.

Users may still be able to install the iOS 17 developer beta for free using an IPSW file, but it remains to be seen if this will be an option. Many years ago, Apple only allowed beta IPSW files to be installed on devices registered to an Apple developer account, and Apple could choose to reintroduce this former policy. At a minimum, the elimination of configuration profiles will make the task more tedious in the future.

Apple news and rumors continue to fly about, with this week seeing fresh reports about the iPhone 15 lineup, a rumored 15-inch MacBook Air, and Apple's AR/VR headset.

This week also saw the release of iOS 16.3.1 with some bug fixes and security updates, while Apple started a new round of beta testing with iOS 16.4 and associated releases with some significant changes, so read on below for all the details!

Everything New in iOS 16.4: Emoji Characters, Web Push Notifications, Beta Installation Simplification, and More

More than three weeks after releasing iOS 16.3 and related updates to the public, Apple has finally begun seeding its next set of beta releases for testing. iOS 16.4 includes a number of new features and enhancements such as new emoji characters, web push notification support, updates to the Podcasts app, and more.

In addition to iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4, Apple also provided developers with the first beta versions of macOS Ventura 13.3, watchOS 9.4, and tvOS 16.4, and a public release for everyone should come in a month or two.

iPhone 15 Pro Again Rumored to Feature Ultra-Thin Bezels Like Apple Watch

A recent iPhone 15 rumor reiterates the claim that the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models will include ultra-thin display bezels similar to those seen on recent Apple Watch models. The bezels may also curve down at the edges of the device, although the display itself will remain flat.

A fresh set of renders of the alleged iPhone 15 Pro based on a case manufacturer's leak supports the claim of thinner bezels and shows a slightly thinner overall design but with a thicker camera bump. A leaked photo also appears to show the device's USB-C port that will replace Lightning.

15-Inch MacBook Air Rumored to Launch in April as Display Production Begins

We've been hearing for a number of months about a potential 15-inch MacBook Air model, and a recent rumor suggests it may be launching in relatively near future.

Display analyst Ross Young says Apple's supply chain partners have started production of display panels for the new model, while DigiTimes claims the machine will launch next quarter and include Apple's M2 chip.

Apple Delays Debut of AR/VR Headset Until June

With Apple's internal timeline for debuting its long-rumored AR/VR headset having been pushed back multiple times, it looks like it's been delayed once more. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says the company is now planning to show it off for the first time at WWDC in June rather than at an April event.

Apple had been planning to give the headset a high-profile unveiling at an April event before giving developers more detailed information at its developers conference, but it now appears the introduction will take place all at once in June due to continued issues with both hardware and software. Apple is reportedly still aiming to have the headset on sale before the end of year.

Apple Releases iOS 16.3.1 With iCloud Fix, Crash Detection Optimizations and More

Ahead of the iOS 16.4 beta release, Apple this week released an iOS 16.3.1 update for all users, delivering a handful of bug fixes for iCloud settings, Siri requests in Find My, and Crash Detection on iPhone 14 models, as well as some important security updates.

One of the security fixes in iOS 16.3.1 and macOS Ventura 13.2.1 is an important one, as it addresses a vulnerability that may have been actively exploited.

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