MacRumors

The iPhone 15 will support Wi-Fi 6E, according to a research note shared this week by Barclays analysts Blayne Curtis and Tom O'Malley. The analysts did not specify whether the feature will be available on all models or limited to the Pro models.

Apple has added Wi-Fi 6E support to a handful of devices so far, including the latest 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro, 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini models, while all iPhone 14 models remain limited to standard Wi-Fi 6.

Wi-Fi 6 operates on the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, while Wi-Fi 6E also works over the 6GHz band, allowing for faster wireless speeds, lower latency, and less signal interference. To take advantage of these benefits, the device must be connected to a Wi-Fi 6E router, which are available from brands like TP-Link, Asus, and Netgear.

Wi-Fi 6E was also rumored for iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 models and failed to materialize, but now that Apple has started rolling out Wi-Fi 6E support to its latest devices, it is more likely that the iPhone 15 will finally support the standard.

Apple is expected to introduce the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max in September as usual. Rumors suggest all four models will feature the Dynamic Island and a USB-C port, while the Pro models are expected to gain Apple's latest A17 Bionic chip, a titanium frame, solid-state volume and power buttons, and more.

Apple has a support document with more details about Wi-Fi 6E.

Update: Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has corroborated the report from Barclays, and he too suggests the iPhone 15 models will adopt Wi-Fi 6E.

After announcing new Mac and HomePod models last week, Apple adjusted its trade-in values for select devices in the United States.

iPhone trade-in values decreased by up to $80, and most Android smartphones also went down. Mac trade-in values remained unchanged or increased by up to $40 depending on the model, while some Apple Watch models increased in value and others decreased. Trade-in values were not changed for any iPad models.

Apple's latest trade-in values are listed below.

iPhone

• iPhone 13 Pro Max: Up to $570 (vs. $650)
• iPhone 13 Pro: Up to $470 (vs. $550)
• iPhone 13: Up to $400 (vs. $450)
• iPhone 13 mini: Up to $350 (vs. $380)
• iPhone 12 Pro Max: Up to $400 (vs. $480)
• iPhone 12 Pro: Up to $330 (vs. $400)
• iPhone 12: Up to $300 (vs. $300)
• iPhone 12 mini: Up to $250 (vs. $250)
• iPhone SE (2nd generation): Up to $100 (vs. $100)
• iPhone 11 Pro Max: Up to $280 (vs. $330)
• iPhone 11 Pro: Up to $230 (vs. $250)
• iPhone 11: Up to $200 (vs. $200)
• iPhone XS Max: Up to $200 (vs. $200)
• iPhone XS: Up to $160 (vs. $160)
• iPhone XR: Up to $150 (vs. $150)
• iPhone X: Up to $130 (vs. $130)
• iPhone 8 Plus: Up to $100 (vs. $100)
• iPhone 8: Up to $75 (vs. $75)
• iPhone 7 Plus: Up to $50 (vs. $60)
• iPhone 7: Up to $40 (vs. $40)

iPad

• iPad Pro: Up to $445 (vs. $445)
• iPad Air: Up to $230 (vs. $230)
• iPad: Up to $160 (vs. $160)
• iPad mini: Up to $240 (vs. $240)

Mac

• MacBook Pro: Up to $670 (vs. $630)
• MacBook Air: Up to $460 (vs. $440)
• MacBook: Up to $110 (vs. $100)
• iMac Pro: Up to $600 (vs. $600)
• iMac: Up to $530 (vs. $530)
• Mac Pro: Up to $1,250 (vs. $1,250)
• Mac mini: Up to $340 (vs. $305)

Apple Watch

• Apple Watch Series 7: Up to $160 (vs. $155)
• Apple Watch Series 6: Up to $105 (vs. $105)
• Apple Watch SE: Up to $65 (vs. $70)
• Apple Watch Series 5: Up to $75 (vs. $80)
• Apple Watch Series 4: Up to $45 (vs. $45)

The full list of trade-in values, including those for Android smartphones, can be found on Apple's trade-in website.

(Thanks, Brad P.!)

Smart home company Eve in December began rolling out a firmware update that adds Matter support to the Eve Energy, Eve Motion, and Eve Door and Window. I have been testing the new Matter integration to see how the devices work with a standard HomeKit setup.

I have the Eve Energy, Eve Motion, and Eve Door and Window accessories, all of which have been out for some time but have been updated to work with Matter. If you're not familiar with Matter, it is a newly released smart home standard that's been adopted by Apple, Samsung, Google, Amazon, and other smart home manufacturers. Matter is designed to allow smart home accessories to be added to any smart home platform that supports the Matter standard.

So Matter-enabled devices from Eve can be added to ‌HomeKit‌, or can be used with Google and Amazon's smart home platforms, and iPhone and Android smartphone users in the same household can control the accessories with their respective devices. ‌HomeKit‌, meanwhile, is Apple only and needs to be accessed from an Apple device.

I don't want to go into too much detail on the specifics of the Eve accessories since this review is mostly for the Matter experience, but I'll give a quick rundown. The Eve Motion is a motion detector that is designed to allow you to activate lights and other devices when motion is detected. Eve Door and Window attaches to a door and can let you know when the door is opened, both for alert purposes and to activate other accessories in automations. Eve Energy is a smart plug, so you can plug anything in and then control it with your Apple devices and Siri commands.

All three of these have Matter support, but right now, Matter needs to be added through a firmware update. So if you already own these devices or buy them with the intention of using them with Matter, be prepared to add new software. Assuming new in the box devices, the first step is to add them to ‌HomeKit‌.

Adding them to ‌HomeKit‌ requires opening up the Home app and scanning the QR code, and it's the same as it is for any ‌HomeKit‌ product. Once that's done, the Eve app is required, and you'll need to give it access to your Home setup. Matter support is not yet officially available, but Eve has a TestFlight version of the app that users can sign up for to test Matter through the Early Access Program.

In addition to one of Eve's supported devices and access to the Eve TestFlight app, a device running iOS 16.2 is required, as is a Home Hub, which includes the HomePod mini or Apple TV 4K.

With the TestFlight version of the Eve app and an Eve Door and Window, Eve Energy, or Eve Motion device added to ‌HomeKit‌, the Eve app can download a firmware update to install Matter. Transitioning to Matter is a one-time irrevocable swap, so once you upgrade your Eve device to Matter, there's no going back.

The upgrade process isn't difficult, but it's also not super simple. The Eve app will walk you through the steps, starting off with generating a new Matter QR code. The Matter QR code looks similar to the ‌HomeKit‌ QR code used to set up a ‌HomeKit‌ device, but it is Matter and not ‌HomeKit‌. This code entirely replaces a ‌HomeKit‌ code, so you need to make sure to save a copy of it, which the Eve app reminds you of multiple times.

In fact, you can't go through the setup process without printing or saving a copy of the new Matter code, and you're going to want to hold onto it similar to ‌HomeKit‌ codes. Since the Matter code replaces the ‌HomeKit‌ code, your existing ‌HomeKit‌ code is no good. In the future, Matter codes will be printed on device like the ‌HomeKit‌ codes, but right now for firmware updates, it's important to keep Matter codes extra safe.

Setup will require a printout of the Matter QR code or a secondary device because after getting the new code, you need to scan it with your primary device to connect the Eve product to Matter. After that, there is a ‌HomeKit‌ to Matter migration process, which took about 10 minutes in my testing.

When Matter-compatible devices are on store shelves and don't require firmware updates anymore, setting up devices will be much simpler. In fact, it's basically going to be the same as setting up a ‌HomeKit‌ device right now, so it should be fairly painless if you're already familiar with ‌HomeKit‌ setup.

In the Home app, Matter devices work just like ‌HomeKit‌ devices, and I can't tell a difference in the functionality. In the Eve app, I can see that a device is "Matter" and not "‌HomeKit‌," but the Home app gives me no particular indication.

Controlling a Matter device is indistinguishable from controlling a standard ‌HomeKit‌ device, which is how it's all supposed to work. Automations, scenes, and schedules continue to work as expected, both in the Home app and through the Eve app. I do want to point out that Eve devices are Thread enabled, and are meant to offer better integration with Thread devices than standard Bluetooth.

I've been using the Eve devices with Matter for over a week, and the performance is about the same as I get with ‌HomeKit‌, but I am having an ongoing issue with the Eve Energy. It disconnects every day or every two days, and it stops communicating with my home setup and becomes inaccessible in the Home app. I have this problem with HomeKit-enabled smart plugs too, but not usually with this frequency. I asked Eve about the issue, and was told that it is a known problem that will be solved with upcoming updates.

This is indeed a known problem with the current combination of home hub software versions and our accessories. In most cases the accessory can still be reached for custom functionality, such as ID feature in the Eve app. We’re working closely with Apple to identify what’s wrong, but in the meantime, usually rebooting the home hubs will help for a while. Removing the accessory from home and adding it back may help on the short run, but they will likely drop off after sometime later again. Overall, future updates of iOS and the Eve app with the firmware should alleviate the problem over time.

I'm an Apple user with a ‌HomeKit‌ setup so I don't have insight into how Eve's Matter devices work with other platforms like Google Home and Samsung SmartThings, but for ‌HomeKit‌ users, I can confirm that Matter is essentially the same experience as ‌HomeKit‌, with no major changes to expect from the cross-platform Matter devices.

There is, however, one exception. You can use ‌HomeKit‌ products without a Home Hub (‌HomePod mini‌ or ‌Apple TV‌) but these are required for Matter because Matter devices need a Matter controller. So you shouldn't pick up Matter accessories or upgrade your ‌HomeKit‌ devices to Matter without one.

If you have someone in your home who uses an Android smartphone and hasn't been able to access smart home products, Matter will make a major difference. Likewise, Android users who have wanted access to products like Eve Energy and Eve Motion will now be able to use these devices that were once Apple Home exclusives.

From ‌HomeKit‌, you can add a second platform like Google Home to your home setup to allow your devices to be controlled though Google hubs or Android smartphones. Just open up the Apple Home app, long press on the tile for the Eve product, select the settings, and then tap on "Turn on Pairing Mode." You will need a Matter controller from the other smart home platform, so if you want to use your Matter devices with ‌HomeKit‌ and Google Home, for example, you'll need a ‌HomePod mini‌/‌Apple TV‌ and something like a Nest Mini or Hub Max.

Amazon hasn't implemented full Matter support yet (setup works on Android smartphones), but many Echo devices will work with Matter, so in the future you'll be able to control smart home products with your iPhone and your Amazon Echo/Nest Hub. Matter will be most beneficial to those who use two smart home platforms, but it will expand the number of smart home products available to ‌HomeKit‌ users, and so far, it doesn't look like there will be any major hassles to deal with when transitioning.

Starting in late March, Eve will sell Matter-enabled devices that work right out of the box and that don't need to have their firmware updated before the Matter integration works, which will be more convenient. Later in the year, Eve also plans to update other Thread products with Matter support. Eve's Matter-compatible devices can be purchased from the Eve website or from Amazon.

Apple today began selling a Kensington locking kit for the Mac Studio with everything needed to secure the computer to a desk or other surface, including an adapter, a combination lock, and a braided carbon steel cable with a nylon cover.

Kensington says the kit was "designed specifically for Apple" and can be installed in minutes, with no tools or modifications necessary. The adapter attaches to a slot that Apple built into the bottom of the Mac Studio and does not block any ports on the back of the computer. The kit is available to order for $64.95 on Apple's online store.

Kensington is a well-known brand for laptop security locks. Apple included a slot for a Kensington lock on many MacBooks until the early 2010s, and it appears that the companies partnered again to offer a security solution for the Mac Studio.

Apple first released the Mac Studio in March 2022. The high-end desktop computer is available with M1 Max and M1 Ultra chip options.

Maclocks also sells a variety of Mac Studio security accessories.

Apple this week began selling refurbished iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max models for the first time in the UK, Germany, Italy, and Spain, with prices discounted by 15% compared to the equivalent brand new models. The standard iPhone 13 is not yet available refurbished, but inventory fluctuates regularly.

Availability of refurbished iPhone 13 models should expand to the U.S. soon, as the models are now listed on Apple's refurbished store there, but remain grayed out for now. This is typically a sign that availability will begin within a matter of days.

Apple's refurbished iPhones are unlocked, SIM-free, and come with a new battery, a new outer shell, and a new box with a USB-C to Lightning cable. The devices are also covered by Apple's one-year limited warranty and are eligible for extended AppleCare+ coverage. Apple says its refurbished products are thoroughly tested and cleaned, and in most cases they are virtually indistinguishable from brand new devices.

Apple first introduced the iPhone 13 series in September 2021 and continues to sell the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini as lower-cost options today. Apple no longer sells new iPhone 13 Pro models, which were replaced by iPhone 14 Pro models.

Amazon today is offering a few of Apple's 2021 M1 iMacs at all-time low prices, focusing mainly on 256GB storage options. As of writing, only Amazon has these prices on the 24-inch iMac.

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.

Starting with the 7-core GPU, 256GB M1 iMac, you can get this model for $1,099.99, down from $1,299.00. The price is available on Pink, Blue, Green, and Silver colors, and this deal represents the best price we've ever tracked on this model.

Secondly, you can get the 8-core GPU, 256GB M1 iMac for $1,299.99, down from $1,499.00. This one is available in Pink, Green, Orange, Purple, and Yellow on Amazon, and it's another record-low price on the M1 iMac.

Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.

Update: Amazon has dropped prices even further, knocking $199 off a number of models. This article has been updated to reflect the new pricing.

Microsoft is investigating a networking issue after tens of thousands of users around the world have reported being unable to access services like Teams and Outlook.

In a series of tweets posted on the Microsoft 365 Status Twitter account, Microsoft said it was taking steps to isolate the problem, but did not mention how widespread it was.

"We're investigating issues impacting multiple Microsoft 365 services," said Microsoft, to which it later added: "We've rolled back a network change that we believe is causing impact. We're monitoring the service as the rollback takes effect."

Online outage tracker Downdetector shows almost 4,000 people in India have been impacted and more than 5,000 in the UK reported that Outlook was inaccessible. Australia, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates have also seen spikes in outage reports.

Microsoft Teams is used by more than 280 million people globally across businesses and schools, according to the company. Other services impacted by the outage reportedly include Microsoft Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, and OneDrive for Business.

Microsoft also said it was investigating a connectivity issue with its cloud computing service, Azure, affecting what it called "a subset of users". We'll update this article once we learn more.

Update: Microsoft says it has now "confirmed that the impacted services have recovered and remain stable."

In January 2023, Apple released a HomePod 16.3 software update that adds humidity and temperature sensing to the second-generation ‌HomePod‌ and all HomePod mini models. This article explains how to use the features.

In January 2023, Apple announced a second-generation full-size ‌HomePod‌ featuring temperature and humidity sensors that can be used to measure the indoor climate, but it also released a software update that brought the same functionality to existing ‌HomePod mini‌ models.

Apple's ‌HomePod mini‌ was known to have unused temperature and humidity sensors, but now Apple has updated the software, these sensors are available features on the smaller smart speaker, too. Sadly, these sensors are not included in the first-generation ‌HomePod‌.

To get a readout from the sensors, make sure you have updated your iPhone or iPad to 16.3 or later, which should allow you to update the HomePod software to 16.3, then follow these steps.

1. Open the Home app on your iPhone or ‌iPad‌.
2. Select your home, and then the room in which the ‌HomePod‌ is located. Alternatively, tap the Climate button at the top of the main screen for your home.
3. Look for the Temperature and Humidity readings at the top of the screen. If you have multiple temperature sensors in the room, it will display an average of them. (If you've just updated your ‌HomePod‌, the sensors may need a few minutes to calibrate.)
4. Tap the readout, then tap the sensor button again to access more options.
5. In the menu card that appears, you can change the name of the sensor, change which room it is linked to, check its status, and add an automation.

That's all there is to it. Note that you can also tap the Climate button in the main Home app screen to get a readout Be sure to check out the automation options, which can be handy for activating other devices in the room based on a rise or drop in temperature/humidity.

Apple with the iOS 16.2 update introduced an updated underlying architecture for HomeKit and the Home app, but it was pulled a week after launch because of bugs and installation issues. At the time, Apple said the removal was temporary and that the upgrade option would "return soon."

It appears that Apple is nearly ready to reintroduce the updated Home architecture, as backend code indicates that Apple is preparing a "version 2" and testing it internally.

Other than stating that the architecture would be made available "soon," Apple has provided no timing. We are expecting an iOS 16.4 beta to follow the iOS 16.3 launch, and it is likely that the architecture update will appear in that beta. As of now, we don't know when the beta is coming, but it could be as soon as this week.

With the launch of the second-generation HomePod, Apple did mention that the Sound Recognition feature coming in a spring update would require the revamped Home architecture, but we could see the architecture update ahead of when Sound Recognition is released.

Apple says that the update improves the reliability and efficiency of communication between smart home accessories and Apple devices, and it is something that Apple has been working on since iOS 16 was announced at WWDC in June 2022.

The first release of the new Home architecture caused some ‌HomeKit‌ devices to go missing from ‌HomeKit‌ setups or to be stuck with a "configuring/updating" status. It also resulted in invitations to share the Home with others failing, and it broke ‌HomeKit‌ Secure video recording for some.

The new M2-series MacBook Pro and Mac mini models launched today, marking the debut of the first M2 Pro and ‌M2‌ Max chips. We have the ‌M2‌ Pro ‌Mac mini‌ on hand, and thought we'd take a look at the machine and do a series of benchmarks to see how it fits into Apple's lineup.

Base model ‌Mac mini‌ machines come with either an ‌M2‌ or ‌M2‌ Pro chip, and like the now-discontinued Intel model, the ‌M2‌ Pro has four Thunderbolt 4 ports while the ‌M2‌ version has just two. Other than that distinction, the two ‌Mac mini‌ models are identical externally, offering two USB-A ports, an Ethernet port, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Because Apple transitioned from an older Intel chip to an Apple silicon chip with the high-end ‌M2‌ Pro ‌Mac mini‌, there is no direct comparison that we can make. Other M-series chips already outperformed the prior-generation Intel ‌Mac mini‌, but to give some perspective, we thought we'd share some benchmarks comparing the ‌M2‌ Pro ‌Mac mini‌ to the M1 Max ‌MacBook Pro‌.

The ‌M1 Max‌ ‌MacBook Pro‌ features a 10-core CPU and 32-core GPU, and the higher-end base ‌Mac mini‌ with ‌M2‌ Pro chip features a 10-core CPU and 16-core GPU.

Here are our test results:

Speedometer(Web Responsiveness)

• M2 Pro Mac Mini - 383
• M1 Max MacBook - 319

Cinebench

M2 Pro Mac Mini:

• Multi-core - 11696
• Single-core - 1642

M1 Max MacBook Pro:

• Multi-core - 12240
• Single-core - 1528

Geekbench

M2 Pro Mac mini:

• Single-core - 1886
• Multi-core 11862
• OpenCL - 38712
• Metal - 45831

M1 Max MacBook Pro:

• Single-core - 1787
• Multi-core - 12721
• OpenCL - 55866
• Metal - 67403

Obviously the ‌M1 Max‌ is outperforming the ‌M2‌ Pro when it comes to the GPU because it has twice the GPU cores, but the performance isn't doubled. The ‌M2‌ Pro ‌Mac mini‌ is closer in performance to the ‌M1 Max‌ than you might expect.

The ‌M2‌ Pro ‌Mac mini‌ is priced starting at $1299, a solid price for the performance that it's providing. If you're looking for a desktop machine that's affordable but still able to be used for video editing, 3D rendering, and similar tasks, it's worth looking into. Make sure to watch our video up above to see our full suite of benchmarks, and we'll have an ‌M2‌ Max ‌MacBook Pro‌ video coming tomorrow.

While the new Mac mini with the M2 chip has a lower $599 starting price, the base model with 256GB of storage has slower SSD read and write speeds compared to the previous-generation model with the M1 chip and 256GB of storage.

A teardown of the new Mac mini shared by YouTube channel Brandon Geekabit reveals that the 256GB model is equipped with only a single 256GB storage chip, while the same configuration with the M1 chip has two 128GB chips. This difference explains why the new model has a slower SSD, as multiple NAND chips allow for faster speeds.

We have confirmed with the Blackmagic Disk Speed Test benchmarking app that SSD read and write speeds for the new 256GB Mac mini are each around 1,500 MB/s, which is anywhere from 30% to 50% slower than read and write speeds for the equivalent previous-generation model, although benchmark results and real-world performance can vary.

Customers who are looking for the fastest SSD speeds should ensure they configure their M2 Mac mini with at least 512GB of storage to avoid this issue. A slower SSD can impact file transfer speeds, and overall performance can also take a slight hit since Macs temporarily use SSD space as virtual memory when physical RAM is fully used.

As for the higher-end Mac mini with the M2 Pro chip, the base model with 512GB of storage appears to have two fewer NAND chips than the Intel-based model it replaced, according to a teardown shared by MacStadium's Brian Stucki.

13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models with the M2 chip and 256GB of storage also have slower SSD speeds due to a single NAND chip, and evidently Apple has not decided to change course with the new Mac mini.

In a statement shared with The Verge last year, Apple claimed that M2-based Macs have "even faster" performance for real-world activities, but it's unclear if the statement was referring to SSD performance or overall system performance:

Thanks to the performance increases of M2, the new MacBook Air and the 13-inch MacBook Pro are incredibly fast, even compared to Mac laptops with the powerful M1 chip. These new systems use a new higher density NAND that delivers 256GB storage using a single chip. While benchmarks of the 256GB SSD may show a difference compared to the previous generation, the performance of these M2 based systems for real world activities are even faster.

We have reached out to an Apple spokesperson for additional comment on the matter and will update this story if we hear back.

Update: As noted by 9to5Mac, the new MacBook Pro also has slower SSD speeds when configured with 512GB of storage due to a reduction in NAND chips.

Tapbots, the company behind now-defunct Twitter client Tweetbot, today launched Ivory, an app that is designed to be used with the Mastodon social network.

Available for the iPhone and the iPad, Ivory has been in testing with a limited number of beta testers since late November, but with Twitter officially ending API access for third-party Twitter apps, Tapbots accelerated development and opted to launch an early version of Ivory.

Ivory has a Tweetbot-like layout that will be immediately familiar to Tweetbot users, offering the same general interface with tabs for a home timeline view, mentions, notifications, profile, lists, and more. There's support for multiple accounts, content warnings, muting, and polls, along with bookmarks, trending posts, post statistics, gif access, and options to view local and federated timelines.

Ivory includes different theme and app icons like Tweetbot, and now that it is the sole social network that Tapbots is focusing on, improvements will be able to be implemented at a rapid pace. As of right now, the app is not as full featured as Tweetbot was, but there is a development roadmap available on the Tapbots website.

Profile editing, post editing, improved hashtags, improved notifications, and an improved navigation bar are all on the horizon.

Ivory is free to download, but all features can be unlocked for a $1.99 per month/$14.99 per year subscription fee. [Direct Link]

For those who have transitioned to Mastodon from Twitter, MacRumors has a Mastodon account where all of our stories are shared.

Following the iOS 16.3, iPadOS 16.3, tvOS 16.3, watchOS 9.3, and macOS Ventura 13.2 updates that came out yesterday, Apple today released new 16.3 software created for the HomePod, second-generation ‌HomePod‌, and HomePod mini.

According to Apple's release notes, ‌HomePod‌ software version 16.3 adds a number of new features. It activates temperature and humidity sensing for both the second-generation ‌HomePod‌ and the ‌HomePod mini‌, allowing those readings to be used for home automation.

Ambient sounds have been remastered to be more immersive and can be added to scenes, automations, and alarms in the Home app, and recurring Home automations can be set up using Siri commands. Apple has also added a unique confirmation tone that will play when smart home requests are enacted for accessories that are located in a different room or that do not show a visible change. Find My integration for ‌HomePod‌ also lets you ask ‌Siri‌ for the location of friends and family.

For the first and second-generation larger ‌HomePod‌ models, optimized audio tuning provides improved clarity for spoken content like podcasts and audiobooks, and on the first-generation ‌HomePod‌, there are updated volume controls for more granular adjustments at lower volumes. Apple's full release notes for the update are below.

HomePod software version 16.3 includes support for new features for your HomePod. This update also includes bug fixes and stability improvements.

- Temperature and humidity sensing measures your indoor climate with HomePod (2nd generation) and HomePod mini
- Remastered ambient sounds are more immersive and can now be added to scenes, automations, and alarms in the Home app
- Find My on HomePod now enables you to ask Siri for the location of friends and family, if they have shared it with you
- Recurring Home automations can be set up using just your voice
- Siri confirmation tone will now play to indicate when smart home requests are completed for accessories that may not visibly show a change or are located in a different room
- Audio tuning optimizes spoken content such as podcasts for even greater clarity on HomePod (2nd generation) and HomePod (1st generation)
- Updated volume controls on HomePod (1st generation) give you more granular adjustments at lower volumes

‌‌‌‌‌‌HomePod‌‌‌‌‌‌‌ software is installed automatically on the ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌HomePod‌‌‌ unless the feature is disabled‌‌‌‌, but the ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌HomePod‌‌‌‌‌‌‌ can also be manually updated in the Home app by following the instructions in our HomePod‌‌ update how to.

Apple today released tvOS 16.3, the third major point update to the tvOS 16 operating system that originally came out in September. Available for the Apple TV 4K and ‌Apple TV‌ HD, tvOS 16.3 comes six weeks after tvOS 16.2, an update that added Apple Music Sing.

The tvOS 16.3 update can be downloaded over the air through the Settings app on the ‌‌‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌‌‌ by going to System > Software Update. ‌‌‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌‌‌ owners who have automatic software updates turned on will be upgraded to ‌tvOS 16.3 automatically.

tvOS updates are usually minor in scale, focusing on internal bug fixes and improvements rather than notable outward-facing changes. There is no word as of yet what's included in the tvOS 16.3 update, and no features were found during the beta testing process.

Apple shares information on tvOS releases in its tvOS support document, which is updated after each tvOS launch.

In celebration of Data Privacy Day on January 28, Apple has shared a short film in which actor Nick Mohammed from the hit Apple TV+ comedy series "Ted Lasso" learns about iPhone privacy features. Mohammed is accompanied by Von, who is an actual Specialist at Apple's Tower Theatre store in Los Angeles, according to Apple.

In particular, the video highlights privacy features such as Mail Privacy Protection, Intelligent Tracking Prevention, and App Tracking Transparency.

A new Today at Apple session called "Taking Charge of Your Privacy with iPhone" will help users better understand Apple's privacy features and how they can protect their data. The free session will be available at all Apple Store locations around the world starting January 28, with registration now open on Apple's website. Features covered will include Mail Privacy Protection, Safety Check, Location Services, and more.

"At Apple, we're focused on designing devices, features, and services that keep users in control of their personal data," said Erik Neuenschwander, Apple's director of user privacy. "Over the years we've integrated powerful privacy controls into our operating systems. This film and our new Today at Apple sessions will show users how they can take advantage of some of the features we offer, and understand how privacy is at the center of everything we do."

In its announcement, Apple reiterated its belief that privacy is a "fundamental human right," with more details available on Apple's privacy website.

In 2020, Apple unveiled the HomePod mini as the first addition to the HomePod lineup, with a new spherical design and the S5 chip. With a more affordable price tag of just $99, ‌HomePod mini‌ is a much more accessible and versatile version of Apple's smart speaker in a compact design.

Apple recently reintroduced the full-size HomePod, meaning that there are once again two HomePods to choose from. At three times the price of ‌HomePod mini‌, should you buy the full-size ‌HomePod‌, or choose its junior sibling? Our guide outlines the differences between the two HomePods and helps to answer the question of how to decide which may be best for you.

Similarities

• Design with acoustically transparent mesh fabric and backlit touch surface that illuminates from edge to edge
• Siri and voice recognition
• U1 ultra wideband chip and audio handoff
• Temperature and humidity sensor
• Multiroom audio
• Stereo pair capable
• Smart home hub
• Thread support
• Intercom, Find My, ‌Siri‌ Shortcuts, Ambient sounds, Music alarms, Sound Recognition, Home Theater with Apple TV 4K, and Lossless audio

Differences

Design

At just 3.3-inches tall, the ‌HomePod mini‌ is much smaller than the full-size ‌HomePod‌, which is just under seven inches tall. The ‌HomePod mini‌ also has a compact spherical design, while the original ‌HomePod‌ has a bulkier, capsule-like design. The ‌HomePod‌ is larger than the ‌HomePod mini‌ to accommodate additional audio hardware for a fuller sound.

Both devices are covered in Apple's audio-conductive mesh material and have a backlit touch surface that illuminates from edge to edge. The ‌HomePod‌ and ‌HomePod mini‌ share the ‌Siri‌ waveform that appears on the top display to indicate when ‌Siri‌ is engaged, and integrated touch controls for volume. Both HomePods are also dependent on a wired power cable, meaning that neither is portable.

The ‌HomePod mini‌'s compact spherical design is more discreet than its larger sibling, and will be the preferred device for tables and surfaces where you have limited space or don't want it to stand out. Likewise, the larger ‌HomePod‌ will be more appropriate on TV units and areas with more space.

The larger ‌HomePod‌ is only available in White and Midnight, while the ‌HomePod mini‌ is available in White, Space Gray, Orange, Yellow, and Blue – which might be an important consideration when buying to go with your interior decor.

Audio Hardware

Audio hardware is the most important area of difference between the two HomePods. ‌HomePod mini‌ offers a single full-range driver, powered by a neodymium magnet and a pair of force-canceling passive radiators, which enables deep bass and crisp high frequencies.

On the other hand, ‌HomePod‌ features a large, Apple-designed woofer for deep, clean bass, and a custom array of five beam-forming tweeters that provide pure high-frequency acoustics, each with its own amplifier and with directional control.

Both devices use an Apple-designed acoustic waveguide to direct the flow of sound down and out toward the bottom of the speaker for an immersive 360-degree audio experience. This allows users to place ‌HomePod‌ almost anywhere in a room and hear consistent sound.

The ‌HomePod‌'s larger size allows it to achieve a wider, deeper, and more spacious soundstage. It delivers richer, fuller, and louder sound compared to the ‌HomePod mini‌. The ‌HomePod mini‌ still delivers clean, functional, and surprisingly good sound, but there is no doubt that the added size and audio components in the larger ‌HomePod‌ overshadows it significantly.

Microphones

‌HomePod mini‌ uses a three-microphone array to listen for "Hey ‌Siri‌," and a fourth inward-facing microphone helps isolate sound coming from the speaker to improve voice detection when music is playing. The larger ‌HomePod‌ uses an array of four microphones for the same reason.

These microphones help to cancel echo and enable ‌Siri‌ to understand people whether they are near the device or standing across the room, even while loud music is playing. It is unclear if the added microphones on the ‌HomePod‌ are to counteract its louder, larger sound profile, while the ‌HomePod mini‌ simply doesn't need a four-microphone array due to its smaller size, or if it is a point of material difference between the two models when it comes to sound isolation.

Processor and Software

The ‌HomePod‌ uses the S7 chip from the Apple Watch Series 7, while the ‌HomePod mini‌ uses the S5 chip from the Apple Watch Series 5 and Apple Watch SE. The ‌HomePod‌'s processor allows it to use advanced software for real-time acoustic modeling, audio beam-forming, and echo cancelation.

‌HomePod mini‌ uses its processor to maximize the performance of its less capable audio hardware. In an attempt to achieve big sound out of a compact design, the Apple S5 chip in ‌HomePod mini‌ works with advanced software to analyze the unique characteristics of the music and apply complex tuning models to optimize loudness, adjust the dynamic range, and control the movement of the driver and passive radiators in real-time.

The S7 chip in the larger ‌HomePod‌ likewise performs some unique functions, such as bass management through real-time software modeling that ensures the speaker delivers the deepest and cleanest bass possible, with low distortion.

Ultimately, the ‌HomePod‌'s processor is not a very important consideration when it comes to choosing between the two models. The S5 is an older chip, but the S7 is only marginally more powerful. The S7 is functionally the same as the S6 chip, meaning that it is only one generation newer than the S5 chip in practice. Both S-series chips run the same operating system and deliver computational audio with a comparable level of performance.

Many of the ‌HomePod‌'s operations are not processed locally, so a newer chip does not necessarily guarantee better real-world performance. Nevertheless, for locally processed tasks, the full-size ‌HomePod‌ is likely to perform marginally better, but not to the extent that it is worth choosing one over the other.

Spatial Awareness

The larger ‌HomePod‌ uses spatial awareness to sense its location in the room. This allows it to automatically adjust and optimize the audio based on its location in the room for improved sound quality. The ‌HomePod‌ can detect walls and corners, and uses this information with its directional tweeters to deliver sound evenly across the room, while reducing distortion and echo. Only the original ‌HomePod‌ has spatial awareness, and the ‌HomePod mini‌ does not have this feature.

Stereo Sound

Adding a second ‌HomePod‌ to your setup enables stereo sound to create a wider soundstage for richer, more enveloping sound. Each ‌HomePod‌ is able to play its own channel of either left or right sound, while separating out both the ambient and direct energy. Both devices can perform automatic detection and balance of two speakers using both direct and reflected audio. Even though the two speakers act as one, each ‌HomePod‌ communicates with each other to ensure that only one speaker responds to ‌Siri‌ requests.

While both ‌HomePod‌ and ‌HomePod mini‌ support this stereo pair capability, you cannot pair a ‌HomePod mini‌ and a full-size ‌HomePod‌ together. Instead, you can only pair two HomePods or two ‌HomePod‌ minis as stereo speakers. Both HomePods support multiroom audio and can be mixed together using that functionality, but not to achieve stereo sound.

The soundstage of the ‌HomePod‌ is much more impressive in stereo owing to its larger size, so while the ‌HomePod mini‌ is competent for stereo audio, the experience is undoubtedly much better with the full-size model.

Spatial Audio

Only the full-size ‌HomePod‌ supports Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, a feature that was added via the iOS 15.1 software update in 2021. If you plan to listen to a lot of Dolby Atmos audio, such as via Apple Music or in a home theatre setup, the full-size ‌HomePod‌ is your only option.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it is clear that the ‌HomePod‌ and ‌HomePod mini‌ are products that have different purposes. The ‌HomePod‌ is a more full-featured, high-end speaker focused on outstanding sound quality, while the ‌HomePod mini‌ is intended to be more accessible and versatile.

This is reflected in the ‌HomePod mini‌'s more affordable price. The ‌HomePod mini‌ may be better suited to areas such as hallways or kitchens, while the original ‌HomePod‌ seems to be better suited to larger rooms where audio content is consumed more regularly, such as living rooms.

The main reason to buy the larger ‌HomePod‌ is its better audio fidelity. If you want to use your HomePods to enjoy Spatial Audio, the larger ‌HomePod‌ is the only option, but the stereo experience and home theatre is also much better than with the ‌HomePod mini‌. With its directional audio and spatial awareness, on top of its added audio hardware, the full-size ‌HomePod‌ is the device for when immersive sound is important and worth an additional $200.

In locations where the device may be used for ‌Siri‌ commands or podcasts more than music or TV audio, ‌HomePod mini‌ seems to be the better option. The ‌HomePod mini‌ is better when something more discreet is needed or in areas where it is used in passing. The ‌HomePod mini‌ still performs well in multiroom audio mode and its more affordable price tag allows users to acquire more of them for use around the home.

Apple this week shared a support document with details about its new Security Keys for Apple ID feature, available starting with iOS 16.3, iPadOS 16.3, and macOS 13.2. The document provides an overview of the feature and explains how to use it.

Apple says the optional security feature is designed for individuals who want "extra protection from targeted attacks, such as phishing or social engineering scams." When it is enabled, signing into an Apple ID requires entering your account's password and then using a FIDO Certified security key to complete two-factor authentication, instead of a traditional six-digit verification code from another Apple device.

Those who enable the feature must be very careful not to lose their security keys, as this could result in losing access to your Apple ID account permanently. For this reason, you must set up at least two security keys, with up to six supported in total.

Apple recommends keeping security keys in more than one place. For example, you could hide a key somewhere at home as a backup solution.

"Keep your security keys in a safe place, and consider keeping a security key in more than one place," the document says. "For example, keep one key at home and one key at work. If you're traveling, you might want to leave one of your security keys at home."

To enable Security Keys for Apple ID on an iPhone or iPad, open the Settings app, tap your name, tap "Password & Security," select "Add Security Keys" and follow the on-screen instructions. On the Mac, open the System Settings app, click on your name, click "Password & Security," click "Add" next to "Security Keys," and follow the steps.

Security keys can be removed at any time by repeating the steps outlined above and tapping or clicking on "Remove All Security Keys," at which point your Apple ID reverts to using a six-digit verification code for two-factor authentication.

Many security keys look similar to a USB thumb drive, with some options available with NFC for wireless use and others equipped with Lightning, USB-C, and/or USB-A ports for direct connectivity with iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Apple recommends a few security keys in the document, such as the YubiKey 5Ci with both Lightning and USB-C.

Apple's document provides some other important details, so it is worth reviewing before enabling the feature. For example, you can't sign in to iCloud for Windows when the feature is enabled, and some types of Apple ID accounts are not supported.