Apple is hiring Carol Surface as its new chief people officer, with Surface set to report directly to Apple CEO Tim Cook, reports Bloomberg. Apple head of retail Deirdre O'Brien had been handling the "people" role, but Apple has now made a dedicated hire and has removed the duties from O'Brien.
While O'Brien will continue to be Apple's retail chief, Surface will lead the People team, which is known as Human Resources at most companies. That team at Apple is designed to help Apple connect with and care for its employees, handling talent development, recruiting, employee relations, benefits, compensation, inclusion and diversity, Apple University, and more.
Apple is hiring Surface from Medtronic, where she currently serves as Chief Human Resources Officer. She has been with Medtronic for over nine years, and also worked at Best Buy and Pepsi. Surface is set to start at Apple in March.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Netflix today announced an expansion of its crackdown on password sharing, with the streaming service putting a stop to multi-household account use in Canada, New Zealand, Spain, and Portugal.
In these countries, people who share an account with those who do not live with them will need to pay for an "extra member." Prices are as follows:
Canada - $7.99 CAD
New Zealand - $7.99 NZD
Portugal - 3.99 euros
Spain - 5.99 euros
Prices are per person, with up to two additional people able to be added to an existing Netflix Standard or Premium plan. The extra price will provide each person with a profile, personalized recommendations, login, and password. Alternatively, people who share a Netflix account with someone outside of their household at the current time can transfer a profile to a separate paid Netflix account.
Netflix will require customers to set up a primary location, ensuring that anyone who lives in the household can use the Netflix account. Netflix says it will still be possible for subscribers to watch content while traveling, however. The Netflix website has little information on how travel works, and Netflix did not provide details when requested. Part of the process of blocking account sharing requires users to set a Primary Location, and in Canada, Netflix says that for people who have second homes or travel frequently to another location, the Netflix app must be opened on a mobile device while connected to the Wi-Fi network at the Primary Location once per month.
For members with second homes or who travel frequently, open the Netflix app on your mobile device(s) while connected to the Wi-Fi network at your primary location once a month and then when you arrive at the second location.
This suggests Netflix will require monthly checkins at a Primary Location for the streaming service to be accessible if you are not at home.
According to Netflix, more than 100 million households are sharing accounts, which impacts its "ability to invest in great new TV and films." The company says that a Netflix account is "intended for one household," a rule that the company first started enforcing last year.
Netflix has already been testing restrictions for multi-household account access in several countries in Latin America, and it said in a Q4 earnings results release that it plans to enforce rules against password sharing more broadly in 2023.
Password sharing rules will be enforced through IP addresses, device IDs, and account activity. So far, Netflix has not made any announcements in the United States, but the company is well aware that it will not be a "universally popular move," as it said it is anticipating "a bit of a cancel reaction" as the crackdown continues. Given that pricing for an additional person is $7.99 in New Zealand and Canada, Netflix could eventually implement a similar add-on price in the United States.
While the Netflix terms of service have never explicitly allowed for multi-household password sharing, Netflix looked the other way for so long that implementing fees for offering account access to friends and family is likely to upset some subscribers.
Netflix's plan pricing also doesn't help, as subscribers pay for watching on multiple devices. With the Premium plan, for example, Netflix provides Ultra HD 4K streaming and support for watching on four devices simultaneously, now with the caveat that everyone watching has to be in the same home.
iOS 16.3 appears to be impacting the iCloud Backup feature for some people who have upgraded to the new software, based on complaints on the MacRumors forums and the Apple Support communities.
Impacted users have seen automatic iCloud Backup disabled, and attempting to turn on automatic backups results in the following message: "An unknown error occurred. Please try again later." With the error message, the "Back Up This iPhone" toggle under Settings > Apple ID > iCloud remains deactivated.
iPhone owners who are experiencing this problem seem to still be able to manually activate an iCloud backup, but an iOS 16.3 bug appears to be preventing the setting from functioning as expected.
Some users were able to fix the problem by turning on two-factor authentication, leading to speculation that Apple is attempting to force people into using the extra authentication layer, but that does not seem to be the case. Two-factor authentication has not solved the problem for all users, and some people with two-factor authentication initially enabled have also had the same error. From one impacted user on the Apple Support Communities:
Same problem for me - iOS 16.3 on an iPhone and iPad - 2factor is turned on and have tried logging out and in of Apple ID and rebooting.
MacRumors reader GBstoic also complained that iCloud backup was not initially working after installing iOS 16.3, but that two devices were ultimately able to automatically backup even with the backup toggle turned off and no two-factor authentication enabled, suggesting an underlying error.
Two of my iOS 16.3 devices automatically backed up to iCloud when being charged today. This is despite the back up to iCloud option being turned off and me being unable to turn it on. Not sure that 2FA is the problem after all.
Multiple reports have indicated that some devices are continuing to back up even with the error message, but that is not the case for all users, so there could be multiple issues that are impacting iCloud. While most reports are from iPhone owners, this is also a problem that is affecting the iPad as well, and all of the devices that are experiencing issues are running iOS 16.3 and iPadOS 16.3.
Despite speculation that Apple is attempting to force people into using two-factor authentication, there does not appear to be actual evidence that this is the case. The error message is vaguely worded, and if Apple was requiring two-factor authentication for iCloud Backup functionality, there would likely be a much more specific message providing an explanation.
It appears that this is an iOS 16.3 bug that will be addressed in a future update. For now, those impacted can do manual backups to keep their data safe.
Apple is working on an iOS 16.3.1 update that could include a fix for the iCloud issues, but there is no word yet on when that software update might be released.
Insurance provider UnitedHealthcare today announced the launch of UnitedHealthcare Rewards, a program that allows members to use their Apple Watches or iPhones to earn up to $1,000 per year by completing different health goals and activities.
UnitedHealthcare says that eligible members are able to earn rewards by using a smart watch, smartphone, or activity tracker, with the rewards able to be added to a prepaid debit card or deposited into a health savings account. Rewards can be earned by completing the following tasks:
Achieve 5,000 steps or more each day.
Complete 15 minutes or more of activity per day.
Track sleep for 14 nights.
Get a biometric screening.
Complete a health survey.
Select paperless billing.
Some of the payouts include $3.50 per week for walking 5000 steps a day, $10 for tracking 14 days of sleep, $7 a week for 30 active minutes of fitness each day, and $25 for completing a health survey.
Additional activities will be added to the rewards program throughout the year. UnitedHealthcare Rewards is available to select employers with fully insured plans at the start of their new plan year, and additional employers will gain access later in 2023. The program can be accessed through the UnitedHealthcare app or through the UnitedHealthcare website.
Today we're tracking a pair of sitewide sales that you can find on ZAGG and Nomad, offering up to 65 percent off popular accessories like wireless chargers, iPhone cases, MagSafe-compatible car vent mounts, and much more.
ZAGG
At ZAGG, you can get 30 percent off your entire cart when you purchase two or more products. This excludes already-discounted items, and the sale prices for all products will be automatically applied in your cart.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Nomad has a few new items in its ongoing outlet sale today, including wireless chargers, AirTag loops, MagSafe-compatible accessories, AirPods cases, and more. All items sold in the outlet sale are final sale.
In total, you'll find Apple-related accessories at up to 65 percent off in this outlet sale. No coupon codes are required as all discounts have been automatically applied.
Apple plans to release so-called "Apple Watch Series X" and third-generation Apple Watch SE models with larger displays in 2024, according to research shared last week by David Hsieh, an analyst at technology research firm Omdia.
In his research note, Hsieh claimed that the Series X will have 1.89-inch and 2.04-inch display size options, which would be 5% to 10% larger than the Apple Watch Series 8 depending on the case size. These measurements apply to the rectangular display panel, but since the Apple Watch has rounded bezels, the actual viewable area is less.
"Apple Watch Series X" would be similar branding as the iPhone X, but the name is not confirmed. Hsieh is likely using the "Series X" name as a placeholder based on the fact that the model is expected to be the 10th-generation Apple Watch. The original Apple Watch was introduced in September 2014 and released in April 2015.
As for the third-generation Apple Watch SE, Hsieh expects the device to have the same display sizes as the Apple Watch Series 8. If the new Apple Watch SE adopts the same slimmer bezels as the Series 8, this means it would be available in 41mm and 45mm case sizes, compared to 40mm and 44mm for the current Apple Watch SE. He also expects this year's Apple Watch Series 9 to retain the same display sizes as the Series 8.
In line with analysts Ross Young and Jeff Pu, Hsieh believes the next-generation Apple Watch Ultra will feature a larger 2.13-inch display when measured as a rectangle. The current Apple Watch Ultra's display measures 1.99 inches rectangularly.
Hardware prototyping consultant Ken Pillonel has sought to address some of the AirPods Pro's repairability issues with a 3D-printed replacement casing and switching the Lightning charging port for a USB-C port.
In his latest video, Pillonel highlighted that the AirPods Pro are not designed to be serviced or repaired since their charging case is not openable without damage to the device, effectively making them a disposable item. Repair specialists at iFixit gave Apple's first- and second-generation AirPods, as well the AirPods Pro, a repairability score of zero out of 10 because of this. Pillonel found that the AirPods Pro's charging case is easier to open than that of the standard AirPods, even if this is still not guaranteed without damage.
After developing a similar solution for the first- and second-generation AirPods, Pillonel sought to create a solution to give new life to unopenable AirPods Pro charging cases, which currently face inevitable obsolescence due to their three built-in batteries. Pillonel created a downloadable 3D-printed replacement casing (available on GitHub) to allow technicians to purposefully break open the existing case to gain access to the internals and make repairs.
Replacement batteries are available to buy online, but replacement Lightning ports cannot be purchased. This means that Lightning ports cannot be replaced when they break unless they are obtained from other AirPods charging cases, which is not always an option for technicians. To remedy this, Pillonel is now offering a ready-to-install replacement USB-C port with an integrated circuit for the AirPods Pro.
Apple in its upcoming iOS 16.4 update will re-introduce the revamped HomeKit architecture it originally pulled in December due to widespread issues, MacRumors can confirm.
Backend code indicates that Apple is ready to re-introduce the updated Home architecture that was released with the iOS 16.2 update, only to be 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," but new code references discovered by Nicolás Álvarez (@nicolas09F9) indicate that the architecture will indeed return with the release of iOS 16.4, beginning with the first beta that could arrive as soon as this week.
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.
When the Home architecture was first released, it caused some HomeKit devices to disappear from HomeKit setups or to become 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 users.
Samsung's newly announced Galaxy S23 Ultra hasn't quite hit the market yet, but unearthed benchmarks for the device suggest Apple still has the world's fastest mobile processor by a considerable margin.
According to Geekbench scores for single-core performance discovered by CompareDial, the Galaxy S23 Ultra scored 1480, while its closest rival, the iPhone 14 Pro, achieved 1874. That suggests the iPhone 14 Pro is 21.02% faster than the Galaxy S23 Ultra in single-core tests.
When it came to multi-core performance, the difference was smaller, but still considerable. The S23 Ultra recorded a score of 4584, compared to a score of 5384 for the iPhone 14 Pro, indicating that Apple's flagship device is 14.86% faster in multi-core tests than Samsung's latest premium offering.
Samsung has traditionally struggled to keep up with Apple's mobile processor technology and the gap has widened in recent years. For example, last year's iPhone 13 beat the Galaxy S22's single- and multi-core performance even more comfortably, regardless of whether the Galaxy S22 was powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip (used in models sold in the US) or Samsung's Exynos 2200 chip (used in models sold in Europe).
The improvement in performance this year is largely down to the fact that Samsung has stopped using its inferior Exynos chips in the European market, with Qualcomm's faster, more power-efficient tech now being used for the Galaxy S23 in all markets.
In around seven months' time though, Apple will look to extend its lead in performance with an even faster chip for the iPhone 15 series. The iPhone 15 models could be the first to feature an A-series chip built on Apple supplier TSMC's next-generation 3-nanometer node. 3nm chip technology is expected to increase processing performance by 10-15%, while also reducing power consumption by up to 35%.
In the meantime, the Samsung Galaxy S23 series is available to pre-order now, with a general release scheduled for February, 17.
Apple this week made a beta version of its upcoming "Apple Pay Later" feature available to the company's more than 80,000 retail employees in the U.S. for testing, according to a report today from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Announced at WWDC 2022 last June, Apple Pay Later is a "buy now, pay later" financing option that will let qualifying customers in the U.S. split a purchase made with Apple Pay into four equal payments over six weeks, with no interest or fees to pay. The feature will be built into Apple's Wallet app on the iPhone and iPad.
Apple Pay Later was already in testing with Apple's corporate employees, the report states.
Last week, Apple CEO Tim Cook told CNBC that Apple Pay Later would be launching "soon." Gurman previously claimed that the feature could be made available to the public alongside iOS 16.4, which will likely enter beta testing by next week. Apple's website indicates that Apple Pay Later may not be available in all U.S. states at launch.
The report indicates that Apple has also been developing a separate financing feature called "Apple Pay Monthly Installments" in partnership with Goldman Sachs. This service would allow customers to split up the cost of larger transactions over several months, with interest applied. Apple has yet to publicly announce this feature.
Apple today released updated firmware for the MagSafe Duo charger that is designed to work with the Apple Watch and MagSafe-compatible iPhone models. The new firmware is version 10M3063, but in the settings app, you'll see a 256.1067.0 version number, up from 186.0.0.0.
The MagSafe Duo was first released in 2020 alongside the iPhone 12 models, and it has not had a firmware update before. This is the first time Apple has tweaked the MagSafe Duo firmware, and with no notes available, it's not clear what's different.
Apple's MagSafe Duo is meant to charge an iPhone and an Apple Watch, but it does not work well with the oversized Apple Watch Ultra. In fact, Apple published a support document instructing people on how to best adjust the Apple Watch Ultra to charge with the device. In some cases, the band needs to be removed before the Ultra and the Duo can work together, and the Apple Watch Ultra is not listed as a supported device on the MagSafe Duo page on Apple's website.
There is no clear method for updating the MagSafe Duo's firmware, but it needs to be plugged in and connected to an Apple device for a firmware update to initiate. You can check your MagSafe Duo firmware by following the instructions in our MagSafe how to.
Apple's first microLED Apple Watch will launch in 2025, display analyst Ross Young said again today. Young previously suggested the 2025 timeline in January, but he claims that new information from Apple supplier Osram confirms the timeline.
Osram in its 4Q 2022 earnings call said that it plans to begin reporting revenues from its microLED technology in 2025, with Young indicating this information pertains to a future microLED Apple Watch. Osram's full statement:
Let me now provide additional information related to our development and industrialization program for our leading small structure size microLED technology. Based on the latest available information and its assessment, we can add that we currently expect to start reporting relevant revenues from our microLED technology in 2025.
I can also confirm and emphasize that the customer engagement in this area is very deep, significant and active. The market feedback we received clearly confirms that we hold a strategic leadership position in small structure size microLED technology, and that we are the front runner for high volume industrialization of this next generation technology.
Multiple sources have confirmed that Apple is working on a microLED Apple Watch, such as analyst Jeff Pu, but other rumors pointed to a 2024 launch. Young does not believe we will see the new display technology in an Apple Watch until spring 2025.
Young has not offered details on the size of the display, but prior information suggests that it will measure in at 2.1 inches diagonally, which would make it appropriate for the larger Apple Watch Ultra. Introduced last September, the current Apple Watch Ultra features a 1.92-inch display, larger than the 1.77-inch display of the Series 8. microLED is still an emerging technology that display manufacturers are working to perfect, so it makes sense that it would be introduced first in the high-end Apple Watch.
microLED technology uses microscopic LEDs that form pixels, offering more accurate color, high contrast ratio for improved HDR and viewing in suboptimal lighting conditions, support for viewing at wider angles, smaller chance of screen burn-in over time compared to technologies like OLED, fast response times and low latency for higher fps support, and reduced energy usage for improved efficiency.
Apple is still early in the development of a microLED Apple Watch, and so the timelines could shift over the course of the next year. Young often provides accurate information thanks to his connections in the display industry, but sometimes his timing turns out to be off as Apple's plans evolve.
The growing popularity of OpenAI's ChatGPT chatbot has inspired Microsoft and Google to add conversational AI functionality into their search products, with both companies making AI-related announcements this week.
Google yesterday introduced Bard, a chatbot AI project that has been in the works for some time. Powered by Google's Language Model for Dialogue Applications (LaMDA), Bard is an experimental conversational AI service for Google Search that is set to become available to the public in the coming weeks.
According to Google, Bard is designed to "combine the breadth of the world's knowledge with the power, intelligence and creativity of our large language models," providing high-quality responses, which is exactly what ChatGPT does.
Bard will be released with a lightweight version of the LaMDA AI, which Google says will scale well as it does not require much computing power. Bard's initial launch will be in a testing capacity, with Google set to make updates and improvements over time, and it will be rolling out on Google Search in the near future.
Following Google's Bard announcement, Microsoft today held an event where it announced plans to add conversational AI tools to both the Bing search engine and the Edge browser. Microsoft worked with OpenAI on ChatGPT, and an upgraded version of the AI technology that powers ChatGPT is built into Bing and Edge.
"AI will fundamentally change every software category, starting with the largest category of all - search," said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.
Bing allows for complex searches that can help with things like planning a trip itinerary or researching a television to buy. Microsoft says that users can refine their searches by asking for more details, clarity, and ideas. Bing is also able to perform creative tasks like writing an email, creating a quiz for trivia night, prepping for a job interview, and more.
The new Microsoft Edge browser is also available with added AI capabilities. Edge can do things like summarize reports and provide key information, create comparisons between companies and products, and compose content when provided a prompt. It can take into account tone, format, and length with instruction.
Microsoft says that the new OpenAI model that it's using is more powerful than ChatGPT, and it has been customized for search. The AI model is "faster, more accurate and more capable."
The updated Bing search engine with ChatGPT integration is available as of today, though in a limited preview capacity. Users can try sample queries on the Bing website and sign up for the waitlist. Microsoft plans to scale the preview to millions of people in the coming weeks, and a mobile experience will be in preview soon.
With Google and Microsoft both rolling out conversational AI products, it is possible that Apple could be planning to introduce similar capabilities to the Safari browser in the future. For now, AI chatbot functionality will soon be available through the Bing and Google Search engines that can be accessed through the Safari browser.
Awhile back, I took at look at the new infotainment system being rolled out by Toyota and Lexus, spending some time with the Lexus version of the system in the 2022 NX. I've now had a chance to explore the Toyota version of the system optimized for a more heavy-duty vehicle in the form of the 2022 Tundra pickup.
Like the Lexus NX, the Toyota Tundra comes with an optional 14-inch screen that was included in the 1794 trim I was able to test. But rather than having to dedicate a significant portion of the display to software climate controls as in the NX, the Tundra turns its entire screen over to infotainment purposes while offering more traditional hardware climate controls below the screen.
The result is an absolutely massive palette for infotainment, which includes wireless CarPlay. Rather than the relatively extreme widescreen layout of CarPlay on the NX, the Tundra offers a bit more traditional aspect ratio, although the large size and high resolution of the Tundra's screen means CarPlay is still able to be displayed in an information-rich layout with two rows of five icons on the Home Screen, expansive views in Maps, and more.
Overall, Toyota's infotainment system delivers bright, crisp graphics and an overall clean look with both dark and light modes depending on preference. As I highlighted in my review of the NX, the new infotainment system forgoes a home screen or dashboard view, limiting views to one function at a time. A small strip along the left side of the screen makes it easy to change between functions like navigation, audio, phone, vehicle controls, settings, and CarPlay (when connected).
When CarPlay is active, it takes over the entire screen, which is visually pleasing for an immersive CarPlay experience but makes it a bit awkward to switch back to the native system. With as much real estate as there is on the Tundra's infotainment screen, I wish Toyota would have preserved that strip along the left side to be able to quickly access native infotainment functionality.
Toyota is one of an increasing number of automakers to add support for direct streaming of Apple Music content from the native infotainment system. A few other automakers like Porsche and Audi have been rolling this out, and it's nice to see it trickling down to more mainstream brands. Toyota supports direct streaming of Apple Music and Amazon Music content, and while it may seem a bit redundant and unnecessary given that Apple Music can be easily accessed via CarPlay, it doesn't hurt to have options for those who prefer to spend more time in the native system for the features it offers.
Beyond the main infotainment screen, Toyota's vehicles have also extended CarPlay integration to additional screens like the digital cockpit and head-up display. Audio track information from CarPlay has long been supported on additional screens like these, but it's only over the past year or so that support for Apple Maps navigation prompts has similarly begun rolling out.
Apple Maps direction on left side of digital cockpit
It's certainly handy for those navigation prompts to appear in the head-up display to limit driver distraction, and putting them in the digital cockpit helps for those times that you've moved away from CarPlay and Apple Maps on the main screen but still want those turn-by-turn directions.
Apple Maps directions in head-up display
My test Tundra came with a wireless phone charger positioned prominently where the console meets the center stack, making it easy to plop your phone down and still have it visible if needed. The charger is a simple angled surface with a cushioned bottom edge where your phone rests and a plastic ridge to help align your phone and keep it from shifting out of place as the vehicle moves.
Unfortunately, I ran into some of the same finicky charging issues I had with the NX, despite the charger design being completely different. Charging my iPhone 14 Pro Max with Apple's fairly thin leather case did not work on Toyota's charger, only briefly registering a charge for a few seconds before losing the connection. Even without a case, I couldn't get my phone to charge reliably. An iPhone 13 Pro Max similarly did not work with a case on, but did work well without a case.
It appears that flat charging surfaces like those found in the Tundra and NX are struggling with the increasingly large rear camera bumps on Apple's iPhone models. The bumps prevent the phones from sitting flush against the charging surface, and the gap that results in the area of the charging coils significantly interferes with the ability to maintain a charging connection. Apple and many third-party companies have addressed the issue by embracing MagSafe and MagSafe-compatible solutions that focus on small charging surfaces that only contact the phone in the immediate area of the charging coils, avoiding the camera bumps entirely.
Hopefully it's only a matter of time before car manufacturers start embracing MagSafe-like solutions for wireless charging, as the magnets would offer a number of advantages when it comes to initial alignment and fit between the phone and charger and stability while the vehicle is in motion. That prospect is looking more feasible with the next-generation Qi2 charging standard adopting MagSafe's power profiles and magnetic alignment, meaning car manufacturers will be able to offer a single wireless charger in their vehicles that can magnetically dock various brands of phones.
Not all iPhones support MagSafe and it will take a while before Qi2 spreads throughout the user bases of various brands, so it remains to be seen how things will play out. But for all the promise of a wireless phone experience in the car, the phone charging aspect remains the weakest link in the chain in my experience.
Charge-only USB-A and USB-C ports in center console
If you prefer a wired USB connection, the Tundra offers a number of options for you, although the only data port you'll find for using wired CarPlay is a USB-A port sitting rather prominently on the dashboard, which means your cable will definitely be left dangling. If all you need is charging, you'll find more options throughout the cabin, including a USB-C port and a USB-A port inside the spacious center console compartment and another set of USB-C/USB-A ports for rear passengers on the back of the console. My Tundra also came equipped with a 120V power outlet in that location for larger power needs.
Charge-only USB-A and USB-C for rear passengers
Overall, I really appreciate that the Tundra has maintained hardware climate controls, keeping them intuitive and simple to use largely by feel while also freeing up space on the main display for infotainment uses. Full-screen CarPlay on the 14-inch display is really a treat, though as I mentioned, I would have preferred just a bit of the screen real estate had been held back from CarPlay and used as a control strip for the native system to make it easier to hop around.
One of the advantages of modern infotainment systems is that many of them like Toyota's can receive over-the-air updates to refine them and add new features over time, so hopefully we'll see some tweaks to improve things for users wanting to access both CarPlay and the native system.
As with most pickups, the Tundra is available in a number of trims with various options that span a wide price range. It starts at under $40,000, but that only gets you a much smaller 8-inch Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system with no ability to upgrade to the 14-inch screen. In order to get the 14-inch screen, at a minimum you'll need either the SR5 trim with the $9,000 TRD Sport Premium Package or the Limited, both of which push pricing above $50,000. Other features like the head-up display and rear USB ports require even higher-level packages and/or trims.
Chinese smartphone company OnePlus today announced the official debut of the OnePlus 11 5G, which is the company's latest flagship smartphone. The device was already announced in China, but today marks the global launch so we thought we'd compare the OnePlus 11 5G to the iPhone 14 Pro Max to see how the camera measures up.
Apple's iPhone 14 Pro Max is equipped with an f/1.78 48-megapixel Wide lens that uses a Sony sensor, while the OnePlus 11 5G is equipped with an f/1.8 50-megapixel main camera that also uses a Sony sensor. Both smartphones include optical image stabilization, along with additional cameras.
The OnePlus 11 5G has a 48-megapixel 115-degree ultra wide camera, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max has a 12-megapixel 120-degree field of view camera. The iPhone 14 Pro Max has the wider field of view, but it can't compete with the higher megapixel count on the OnePlus. Both devices support macro photos using their respective ultra wide lenses.
The OnePlus 11 5G has a more advanced telephoto lens in some ways, as it is equipped with a 32-megapixel portrait telephoto lens that uses Hasselblad technology, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max is limited to a 12-megapixel telephoto lens. It is worth noting, though, that the OnePlus 11 is limited to 2x zoom, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max supports 3x zoom. For those unfamiliar with the brand, Hasselblad is a Swedish camera maker that has been developing camera technology for OnePlus smartphones since the OnePlus 9.
OnePlus says that the device features DSLR-like depth tracking, natural bokeh, and light flare, simulating professional portraits captured by an actual Hasselblad camera. All three lenses are advertised as using Hasselblad color calibration for a more natural look, and OnePlus has also included a "13 channel multi-spectral sensor for light-color identifying," which is supposed to provide more accurate color and white balance.
As for camera quality, the telephoto lens produces portraits with excellent background lighting and blur, but there is a skin smoothing algorithm for people that can make images look unnatural. There's too much post-processing going on, which means side-by-side, the iPhone portrait pictures turn out more true to life.
With the standard camera in good lighting, you're not going to see much difference in image quality between the OnePlus 11 and the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which is typical of smartphone cameras these days. Images are sharp and detailed, with a neutral color palette, but the ultra-wide lens trends toward yellow tones, while the telephoto lens is cooler, which ultimately means images can look inconsistent across the three cameras.
There are useful Hasselblad-designed filters that you can apply to photos, and there's a pro mode for DSLR-style customization. Night photos are fine, but nothing impressive, and the same goes for video. The iPhone definitely produces better quality video.
Other OnePlus 11 5G features include a 6.7-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate, always-on display technology, the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 platform used in Samsung's latest S23 devices, up to 16GB RAM, 5G connectivity, Wi-Fi 7, and a 5,000mAh battery. It runs "OxygenOS," which is based on Android 13, and is available for pre-order starting today.
Make sure to check out the video to see the full camera comparison, and let us know what you think about the OnePlus 11 5G in the comments below.
Apple today redesigned its website on both desktop and mobile devices. The changes make it easier to find individual product pages and other helpful links.
On the desktop, there are new drop-down menus that appear when you hover over the categories in the top menu bar, including Store, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Watch, AirPods, TV & Home, Entertainment, Accessories, Support, Search, and Bag. The new Entertainment category replaces "Only on Apple" and continues to highlight Apple's services.
On mobile devices, an all-in-one drop-down menu is now located on the right side of the top menu bar. When you tap on a category in the menu, a submenu opens with individual product pages and other helpful links, similar to the desktop experience.
All in all, these changes make navigating Apple's website more convenient and surface helpful resources that some customers might not have been aware of.
Apple released macOS Big Sur version 11.7.3 in late January with security fixes, but the software update also introduced a new bug that prevents icons from appearing in Safari's Favorites section, according to widespread complaints online.
Affected users have complained about the issue across the Apple Support Community, Twitter, Reddit, and other online platforms since the update was released last month. In one of the Apple Support Community threads, nearly 300 users have hit the "Me Too" button to indicate they are also experiencing the issue as of this writing.
For affected users, many of the websites in the Favorites section that would normally display an icon simply appear blank or show a letter only.
Image via Apple Support Community
It's unclear if Apple is aware of the issue or if an additional macOS update will be necessary for a fix. In the meantime, updating to macOS 11.7.3 is still recommended due to the important security fixes implemented. The latest versions of macOS Monterey and macOS Ventura do not appear to be affected by this Safari bug.
Anyone shopping for Apple's 2021 MacBook Pro notebooks can save plenty of money this week on Amazon, which has up to $500 off select models of the previous-generation MacBook Pro. This includes sales on both 14-inch and 16-inch models of the 2021 MacBook Pro.
14-Inch MacBook Pro
First is the 14-inch MacBook Pro (10-Core M1 Pro, 1TB) for $2,099.00, down from $2,499.00. Amazon only has this sale available in Silver, and this is an overall second-best price on the MacBook Pro.
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Moving to the 16-inch MacBook Pro (10-Core M1 Pro, 512GB), Amazon has this model for $2,099.00 in Space Gray, down from $2,499.00. Compared to previous sales, it's a second-best price on the notebook.
The 16-inch MacBook Pro (10-Core M1 Pro, 1TB) is on sale for $2,299.99 in Space Gray and Silver, down from $2,699.00. This is another second-best price on the MacBook Pro.
Lastly, the 16-inch MacBook Pro (10-Core M1 Max, 1TB) is available for $2,999.00, down from $3,499.00. Amazon has this sale available in Silver, and it's a match of the lowest price we've ever tracked on this model of the 2021 MacBook Pro.
You can find even more discounts on other MacBooks by visiting our Best Deals guide for MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. In this guide we track the steepest discounts for the newest MacBook models every week, so be sure to bookmark it and check back often if you're shopping for a new Apple notebook.
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Apple Maps direction on left side of digital cockpit
Apple Maps directions in head-up display
Charge-only USB-A and USB-C ports in center console
Charge-only USB-A and USB-C for rear passengers
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.
