MacRumors

Apple has previewed Apple Al Maryah Island, a new retail store from the company in Abu Dhabi's financial district that is set to open this Friday.

Elevated above steps of cascading water, Apple Al Maryah Island introduces several new store design elements that are reflective of its surroundings. "Absolute Black" granite stone has been used to pave two ramps that cut through the water and lead inside the store, while a golden carbon fiber roof, vaguely reminiscent of a MacBook lid, can be seen from above.

Visitors who enter from The Galleria Al Maryah Island Mall walk through a mirrored stainless steel portal surrounded by water jets that cascade over the exterior glass walls, while a 72-foot-long mirrored foil ceiling creates a kaleidoscopic effect, with water falling down the walls, and reflections seen above.

"We couldn't be more thrilled to open the stunning Apple Al Maryah Island this Friday," said Deirdre O'Brien, Apple's senior vice president of Retail + People. "Our talented team is ready to welcome and delight customers from this vibrant community to our newest location in the Emirates."

The store opens to first visitors on Friday, February 25, at 5 p.m. local time, and Apple has planned three special Today at Apple sessions that draw inspiration from the surroundings and creative culture of Abu Dhabi, including a Photo, Music, and Art Walk. For those seeking a closer view, YouTuber Emkwan has a first-look video of the store.

A leaked roadmap by Intel suggests that the company is developing a new lineup of CPUs that are targeted at outperforming Apple's 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips by late 2023, or early 2024, which would be almost two years after the new chips and laptop made their debut.

The roadmap by Intel, initially leaked by AdoredTV and interpreted by Wccftech, explicitly states that Intel wants to compete with Apple's 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ with its Arrow Lake series. According to the roadmap, Intel's 15th generation Arrow Lake processors could be ready to ship by late 2023, or early 2024 with a priority on delivering high-performance while using minimal energy.

With Arrow Lake, it looks like Intel is prioritizing mobile over desktop first and while there will be both Arrow Lake-S and Arrow Lake-P CPUs, the company is aiming to specifically produce its 15th Gen mobility CPUs first to tackle Apple's next-generation MacBook 14" laptops. Based on the leaked roadmap, it looks like we will see the first engineering samples ready by late 2022 and early 2023 with QS chips shipping out in Q3 2023 and final production beginning the same quarter. And lastly, the CPUs will be ready for RTS (Ready To Ship) in Q4 2023. So this means we are looking at a late 2023 or early 2024 launch for the next-generation Arrow Lake mobility CPU lineup.

The roadmap also says that Intel will utilize TSMC's 3nm process. Apple currently utilizes the 5nm process for its latest chips and is expected to adopt the 3nm chip architecture in 2023 with the "M3" Apple silicon chip and A17 chip in the iPhone 15.

Intel has already beaten Apple's ‌M1 Max‌ chip on paper if you ignore high-energy consumption and poor battery life. Benchmarks show that Intel's latest Core i9 processors received a higher score than Apple's ‌M1 Max‌ chip in tests, but that 4% increase in performance is offset by a marked reduction in battery life compared to Apple's chips. Tests show that a laptop with Intel's latest i9 Core chip only lasts six hours for video playback. In comparison, Apple advertises the latest 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ as getting up to 21 hours of battery life for offline video playback.

Ever since Apple announced its transition away from Intel during the summer of 2020, it has been slowly transitioning its Macs to custom-made chips. So far, Apple has released four laptop computers with Apple silicon, alongside two desktop computers. In just a few weeks, Apple is expected to announce at least one new Mac with Apple silicon, with possibilities being a new high-end Mac mini and an update to the low-end 13-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌.

Amid reports of Apple working on a notebook with a foldable display, how exactly could such a device be implemented?

Earlier this week, Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) analyst Ross Young claimed that Apple is exploring the possibility of offering notebooks with foldable displays. The company is said to be discussing such devices with displays around 20-inches in size with its suppliers. This display size could allow for 4K resolutions or higher, Young added.

Young has revealed a wide range of accurate insights into Apple's plans, such as the iPhone 13 Pro's ProMotion display, the display size and bezels of the sixth-generation iPad mini, the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro's mini-LED displays with ProMotion, and more, so his reports are worth taking seriously. He says that the foldable notebook could compose a whole new product category for Apple, but with so little known about the mysterious new form factor at this very early stage, there appear to be three main options for how Apple could conceive of the device.

All-Screen MacBook

Perhaps the most obvious implementation for a foldable Apple notebook is an all-screen MacBook with a display that spans the entire interior of the clamshell design. Young appeared to speculate that this implementation could result in a dual-use product, saying that it may be able to work as a notebook with a full-size on-screen keyboard when folded and as a monitor when unfolded and used with an external keyboard.

There are several drawbacks to the likelihood of this design, including Apple's well-known reticence to offer a touchscreen-based Mac, with company executives often publicly shooting down the possibility of it ever offering such a device. For example, former Apple design chief Sir Jony Ive has said that a touchscreen Mac would "not be a particularly useful or appropriate application of Multi-Touch."

macOS is heavily optimized for indirect trackpad or mouse input, rather than touch. In 2020, Apple engineering chief Craig Federighi said that Apple designed and evolved the look of macOS in a way that felt comfortable and natural across a family of devices, and something like touch is not remotely considered. This is not to mention the potential ergonomic issues of a touchscreen keyboard and trackpad. As a result, an all-touchscreen MacBook seems to be very much out of step with the company's thinking in recent years.

Foldable Display With Physical Keyboard

A more out of left field form factor could be a MacBook with a vertically longer display that folds at the hinge and meets the device's physical keyboard. This solution could offer the benefits of a larger display with room for peripheral on-screen content, while still retaining the benefits of a physical keyboard and trackpad.

The design could also offer a way to revive the Touch Bar without sacrificing physical function keys. In another interview, Federighi explained that the ‌MacBook Pro‌ form factor with the Touch Bar avoids the ergonomic problems caused by other touchscreen laptops:

We really feel that the ergonomics of using a Mac are that your hands are rested on a surface, and that lifting your arm up to poke a screen is a pretty fatiguing thing to do.

Regardless of whether or not the Touch Bar is revived, extending the MacBook's display in this way would abide by Apple's ergonomic demands of not lifting one's arms to touch the screen while offering a new location for touch input.

In this instance, the 20-inch display size could be more plausible, potentially offering an even larger ‌MacBook Pro‌ to sit above the 16-inch model in the lineup, akin to the 17-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ that the company offered between 2006 and 2011.

Just a Foldable iPad Pro?

While Young described the device as a "foldable notebook," there is a chance that, if it is an all-screen device, it could actually be a foldable iPad Pro. After all, a touch-based all-screen notebook running macOS would likely cannibalize the ‌iPad Pro‌, so the device running iPadOS could make more sense.

This thinking would also seemingly line up to Apple's current outlook. When asked about touchscreen Macs last year, John Ternus, Apple's senior vice president of hardware engineering, pointed to the iPad:

We make the world's best touch computer on an iPad. It's totally optimized for that. And the Mac is totally optimized for indirect input. We haven't really felt a reason to change that.

There have been sketchy rumors of Apple working on a foldable iPad Pro in the past, so the idea would not be totally unheard of.

It is also noteworthy that this implementation could also line up with rumors of a larger iPad Pro. Last summer, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggested that Apple was working on even bigger iPad models that could further "blur the lines" between tablet and laptop:

I'm told that Apple has engineers and designers exploring larger iPads that could hit stores a couple of years down the road at the earliest. They're unlikely for next year—with Apple's attention on a redesigned iPad Pro in the current sizes for 2022—and it's possible they never come at all. But a big iPad would be the perfect device for many people, including me, and would continue to blur the lines between tablet and laptop.

Now, at least two Apple suppliers, BOE and LG Display, are preparing to supply Apple with OLED displays in larger sizes for future iPad models.

Larger display sizes may bring the ‌iPad‌ closer the Mac than ever before, but there would likely also need to be software improvements to properly take advantage of the larger display. Apple last updated the ‌iPad Pro‌ in April 2021, but some users have complained that iPadOS does not take full advantage of the hardware the ‌iPad Pro‌ has to offer, making it more challenging to replace a Mac than it could be.

Gurman opined that Apple will ultimately need to allow Mac apps and a Mac-like multitasking experience with more flexible arrangements of app windows on the ‌iPad Pro‌. By the time even larger iPads come to market, it is likely that further iterations of iPadOS may improve the experience to take better advantage of the ‌iPad‌'s hardware.

Release Date

Young said that the launch timeframe for Apple's foldable notebook is "likely later" than 2025, with 2026 or 2027 being floated as reasonable possibilities, but there is still a chance Apple discontinue the project long before then.

Meanwhile, Young said that Apple's long-rumored foldable iPhone has been delayed until 2025, a significant delay compared to previous predictions that the device would launch in 2023 or 2024.

Amazon today expanded its sale on the 24-inch M1 iMac (8-core GPU, 256GB) to include more colors, available for $1,349.99, down from $1,499.00. This sale price won't be seen until you add the iMac to your cart and receive an automatic coupon.

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.

Colors available at this sale price include Blue, Green, Silver, Pink, Orange, Purple, and Yellow. If you don't see the coupon on the listing, be sure the iMac is sold by Amazon on the right side of the screen. If not, you can switch to Amazon's listing by clicking on the "New and Used" button to see every listing.

This sale is a match of the previous all-time low price seen on the 8-core GPU, 256GB M1 iMac, and it's the first time we've seen every color available at a discount.

The entry-level 7-core GPU, 256GB M1 iMac is also on sale for $1,229.00, down from $1,299.00. This is a second-best price, and it's only available in Silver as of writing. You can find the same sale matched at B&H Photo this week as well.

You can keep track of ongoing sales on Apple's iMac line by visiting our Best iMac Deals guide. There, we keep track of the best iMac offers from Amazon, Adorama, B&H Photo, and other retailers, so be sure to check back often if you're shopping for an iMac for the first time, or thinking of upgrading.

Apple would rather pay a maximum of €50 million in fines than address concerns brought forward by the Dutch competition authority regarding developer access to third-party payment methods on the App Store, the EU's head of digital policy, Margrethe Vestager, has said.

During a speech about the digital economy and privacy (via TechCrunch), Vestager said that Apple "essentially prefers paying periodic fines, rather than comply with a decision of the Dutch Competition Authority on the terms and conditions for third parties to access" the ‌App Store‌.

Effective enforcement, which includes the Commission having sufficient resources to do so, will be key to ensure compliance. Some gatekeepers may be tempted to play for time or try to circumvent the rules. Apple's conduct in the Netherlands these days may be an example. As we understand it, Apple essentially prefers paying periodic fines, rather than comply with a decision of the Dutch Competition Authority on the terms and conditions for third parties to access its App Store. And that will also be one of the obligations included in the DMA.

Last month, in compliance with a ruling from the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM), Apple announced it would allow dating apps on the Dutch ‌App Store‌ to use third-party payment methods for in-app purchases. In order to do so, developers are forced to keep two separate app binaries, one for their Dutch customers and another for customers elsewhere.

Additionally, Apple says it will collect a 27% commission on all purchases made with third-party payment methods, 3% less than the typical 30% cut the company takes when developers use the ‌App Store‌'s in-app purchase system. Apple's 27% commission is in addition to developers paying for a third-party payment processing platform, and any related charges of that process.

Shortly after Apple announced its plan, the authority said it would investigate the changes and determine whether or not Apple was abiding by the ruling.

The agency ultimately ruled that Apple's plans are not sufficient in addressing its concerns around the App Store. Consequently, the authority said it would fine Apple €5 million per week up to a maximum of €50 million until it complies. Apple has so far been fined five times, equating to a total of €25 million.

Apple has "refused to put forward any serious proposals," the ACM has said. The ACM added that Apple’s behavior is "regrettable" and it has "clearly explained to Apple how they can comply with ACM’s requirements." Apple's announced plans create "too many barriers for dating-app providers that wish to use their own payment systems," and it must "set reasonable conditions for the use of its services," the ACM continued.

Following a few deals on the cellular models of the iPad mini 6 earlier this year, Amazon now has the entry-level 64GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 6 for $459.00, down from $499.00. This sale is only available in Space Gray, and it's in stock and ready to ship from Amazon today.

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.

Compared to previous sales, this is an all-time low price on this model of the iPad mini 6. The Starlight color is also being discounted on Amazon, but its sale isn't as steep and is priced at $474.00.

Anyone looking for more storage can get the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 6 for $599.00, down from $649.00. This is another sale that we started tracking a few weeks ago, and it's the best price we've ever seen on this model as well.

For even more iPad deals, head to our full Best Deals guide for iPad. In that guide we track the best discounts online for iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro.

Update: The deal on the 64GB iPad mini has now expired.

Apple has praised Dutch police as well as customers and staff at an Amsterdam store where a hostage situation yesterday came to a close with no injuries to the public and the suspect detained in custody.

In a statement obtained by TechCrunch, Apple said that all employees and customers are safe after the "terrifying experience" at Apple Amsterdam in Leidseplein on Tuesday.

"We want to thank local law enforcement for their exceptional work and ongoing investigation," said the statement, provided by an Apple spokesperson. "Our teams and customers took swift action and showed incredible strength and resolve today, and we are so thankful for the support and care they've shown each other under such challenging circumstances."

The statement came hours after local police resolved the hostage situation at the flagship store, which saw a man in camouflage gear and a balaclava fire a gun at least four times and then hold at least one person hostage for several hours before being apprehended.

A photo shared by local newspaper Het Parool showed the hostage taker sitting opposite the hostage, who appeared handcuffed with his hands behind his back. Several other people were also reported to have been inside when the incident began, but managed to escape unharmed.

The attack, which lasted from around 5:30 p.m. local time until 10:45 p.m., saw the store cordoned off and people in surrounding buildings ordered to stay indoors. According to police, the hostage-taker contacted authorities during the incident and demanded 200 million euros ($227 million) in cryptocurrency and a safe exit from the Apple store.

AT5 Echt Amsterdams Nieuws reported that the standoff came to an end when the hostage-taker requested water which was taken into the store by a robot, at which point the hostage attempted to run to safety. As the suspect chased after the hostage, police on the scene hit the running suspect with an armored BMW X5 and then checked him for explosives using a robot, which confirmed none were present.

According to the police, the suspect is a 27-year-old Amsterdam resident who sent selfies to the local press during the incident that appeared to show him wearing a bomb vest. The suspect was in possession of both an automatic weapon and a handgun. It's still unknown what prompted the incident, but he is believed to have acted alone.

Apple has added Dutch language voice recognition support for Siri in the latest HomePod 15.4 beta, further preparing the HomePod mini for release in the Netherlands in the near future.

The addition of voice recognition, spotted by iCulture, means ‌HomePod‌ or ‌HomePod mini‌ will be able to identify who is talking to it in a Dutch-speaking multi-person household so they can make personal requests based on their own data. The feature builds on the inclusion of Dutch language support for ‌Siri‌ in December.

In addition to the Netherlands, the ‌HomePod mini‌ will likely launch in at least four more countries in 2022, including Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, and Russia, as the speaker also gained support for languages spoken in those countries in the December update.

The previous ‌HomePod‌ 15.3 software update added ‌Siri‌ voice recognition support for up to six users in a home in English (India) and Italian.

First released in October 2020, the ‌HomePod mini‌ is currently available in the United States, Australia, Austria, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.

Apple began offering the ‌HomePod mini‌ in yellow, orange, and blue colors in November 2021.

Apple is in preliminary talks with new suppliers about backend orders for its first in-house 5G modem chips for iPhones, according to a new report from DigiTimes.

Apple is reportedly negotiating with ASE Technology, which owns Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE) and Siliconware Precision Industries (SPIL), to package some of its first self-designed 5G modem chips.

The report notes that ASE and SPIL have both been Qualcomm's partners for packaging 5G modem chips for iPhones, including its latest Snapdragon X65 5G modem-RF system now being manufactured at Samsung Electronics.

Apple is estimated to ship at least 200 million new iPhones in 2023, and will surely rely on multiple partners to handle backend processing of its in-house 5G modem chips and RF transceiver ICs, based on its regular supply chain management policy for its devices, the sources added.

Apple has already lined up its main chip manufacturing partner TSMC to begin producing the majority of its new in-house modem chips, which are expected to appear in the 2023 iPhone.

Apple and TSMC are currently trialing production of Apple's in-house modem designs using TSMC's 5-nanometer process, but that they will shift to the more advanced 4-nanometer technology for mass production.

TSMC is already aiming to use 4-nanometer technology for the main A-series chip in the 2022 ‌‌iPhone‌‌ lineup, with 2022 iPads and 2023 iPhones moving to 3-nanometer technology for their A-series chips.

The move, which has been under development for several years and enhanced by Apple's 2019 acquisition of the majority of Intel's modem business, will allow Apple to shift away from Qualcomm as a supplier for the important chips that support cellular connectivity.

Apple is no longer requiring customers to wear masks when visiting Apple Stores in many locations across the United States, reports Bloomberg. Apple has dropped mask mandates following changes in local guidelines and a reduction in COVID-19 cases.

Employees have been informed of the mask updates, and Apple has also updated its website to provide details on which locations are no longer requiring masks. Apple is still recommending that customers wear masks, and Apple employees need to continue to wear masks at this time.

Masks are still required in states and regions with stricter mask guidelines, such as Hawaii, Illinois, Oregon, Washington, and select areas in California. Apple will continue to update its mask mandates as local requirements change.

Apple's store website says that "face masks are required while visiting this location" if customers need to wear a mask. For stores where it's optional, Apple's messaging says that face masks are recommended, and in other areas where vaccines are required for visiting indoor locations maskless, Apple makes it clear that masks are optional for those who are vaccinated.

According to Bloomberg, Apple is also preparing for the return of in-person "Today at Apple" classes at its retail stores. In some locations, in-person classes will be available as early as this week, while other stores will restart classes in March.

In iOS 15.4, Apple has introduced a fifth "American" Siri voice, which can be selected from the Settings app by going to ‌Siri‌ & Search and then selecting ‌Siri‌ Voice. The new voice is the fifth option, which joins the original four American ‌Siri‌ voices.

The "American" voice is the only new voice that was added today for users in the United States, and there appear to have been no other updates to ‌Siri‌'s voice options.

Those running the latest iOS 15.4 developer beta can listen to the new voice, which is distinct from prior voice selections.

Today's beta update also introduces the AirTags anti-stalking changes that Apple announced earlier this month.

The newly released fourth beta of iOS 15.4 introduces the anti-stalking AirTag changes that Apple announced earlier this month, providing a setup warning that using an ‌AirTag‌ or another Find My-linked item to track someone without consent is a crime.

"You can locate this item using the Find My network," reads the setup screen. "Using this item to track people without their consent is a crime in many regions around the world. This item is designed to be detected by victims and to enable law enforcement to request identifying information about the owner."

With this warning, Apple wants to make it clear to those who would use AirTags and Find My-compatible devices from third-party companies as stalking tools that such a use case is illegal and has criminal repercussions. Apple earlier this month said that the warning would be added to an upcoming update.

Apple also said that it would address a bug that was causing confusion around unwanted tracking, a change that is also likely in the new beta. AirPods can cause an "Unknown Accessory Alert" warning that some people were interpreting as a notice from an ‌AirTag‌. ‌AirTags‌ are not able to display the "Unknown Accessory Detected" messaging, which is caused by AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, third-generation AirPods, and in some cases, a ‌Find My‌ network accessory.

Going forward, Apple is making sure that all accessories properly identify themselves so there is no more confusion about non-AirTag devices.

We have confirmed the messaging changes are in the current iOS 15.4 beta, and Apple has also made some other minor tweaks as well. In the ‌Find My‌ app, there is no longer an option to toggle off "Item Safety Alerts," with Apple instead offering "Customize ‌Find My‌ Notifications" and "Customize Tracking Notifications" options.

At the current time, both of these options redirect to the Notifications options for the ‌Find My‌ app, and it's not clear if Apple will change that in the future with more granular settings to select from.

Later this year, Apple plans to introduce additional anti-stalking measures that include support for Precision Finding for unknown AirTags, display alerts that pop up whenever a sound is played, and louder ‌AirTag‌ sounds.

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming macOS macOS Monterey 12.3 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new software coming a week after the release of the third macOS Monterey 12.3 beta.

Registered developers can download the beta through the Apple Developer Center and after the appropriate profile is installed, betas will be available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences.

macOS Monterey 12.3 is a major update that introduces Universal Control, a feature that Apple first teased at WWDC and then delayed for several months. ‌Universal Control‌ is designed to allow you to use a single mouse/trackpad and keyboard across multiple Macs and iPads (with iPads running iPadOS 15.4).

After updating your devices to macOS 12.3 and iPadOS 15.4, ‌Universal Control‌ works automatically, allowing your Mac's cursor and keyboard to work on the iPad and vice versa. It's simple and intuitive to use.

macOS Monterey 12.3 adds support for updating the AirPods firmware when the earbuds are connected to a Mac, plus it deprecates kernel extensions used by Dropbox and Microsoft OneDrive, and it eliminates Python 2, with Apple instructing developers to use an alternative scripting language like Python 3 going forward.

There are also new emoji characters, including melting face, biting lip, heart hands, bubbles, beans, face with diagonal mouth, palm up hand, eggs, troll, low battery, coral, lotus, and more.

Apple today seeded the fourth betas of upcoming iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the new software coming one week after Apple seeded the third betas of iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4.

Developers can download iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 through the Apple Developer Center or over the air after the proper profile has been installed on an iPhone or iPad.

iOS and iPadOS 15.4 introduce some of the most significant changes we've seen in an update since iOS 15 launched. On the ‌iPhone‌ 12 and 13 models, there's now an option to use Face ID while wearing a mask with no Apple Watch required for authentication. It works just like Face ID, but it scans the area around your eyes when you're wearing a mask.

On ‌iPad‌, iPadOS 15.4 brings the long awaited Universal Control feature. Paired with a Mac running macOS Monterey 12.3, Universal Control allows multiple Macs and iPads to be controlled with a single cursor and keyboard. It's a feature that works seamlessly after installing the updates, and it is simple and intuitive to use.

There are 37 new emojis with the addition of Emoji 14 characters, so you can now use emojis that include melting face, biting lip, heart hands, bubbles, beans, face with diagonal mouth, palm up hand, eggs, troll, low battery, coral, lotus, and more.

The second beta added support for the "Tap to Pay on ‌iPhone‌" feature that is designed to allow NFC-compatible iPhones to accept payments through Apple Pay, contactless credit and debit cards, and other digital wallets, without requiring additional hardware.

Tap to Pay on ‌iPhone‌ is enabled in the iOS 15.4 beta, but it does require third-party providers to add support, so it is not yet available for use.

There are also signs that Apple may be planning to roll out support for digital IDs and driver's licenses in iOS 15.4. There isn't a ton of evidence for this at the current time, but there was a mention of the feature in the PassKit code in beta 2. "Find out when your driver's license or state ID is ready to use and get important updates about your ID," it reads.

Other new features include full 120Hz ProMotion support for app animations on ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro models, EU vaccine certificates in the Wallet app, the ability to turn off notifications for Shortcuts automations, keyboard brightness controls in Control Center on the ‌iPad‌, an Apple Card widget, iCloud Keychain notes, support for adding custom email domains to ‌iCloud‌ Mail right on device, and a SharePlay option in the share sheet.

We have a full list of all of the features introduced in iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 in our dedicated guide highlighting everything new in the update.

Update: Apple has also made the iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 betas available for public beta testers.

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming watchOS 8.5 update to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after the release of the third watchOS 8.5 beta.

To install ‌‌‌watchOS 8.5, developers will need to download the configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center. Once installed, ‌‌‌watchOS 8.5‌‌‌ can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software update.

To update to new software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life, it must be placed on the charger, and it needs to be in range of the ‌‌‌‌‌iPhone‌‌‌‌‌. You'll also need the accompanying iOS 15.4 update before you can install watchOS 8.5.

watchOS 8.5 introduces support for Emoji 14 characters, with new additions including melting face, biting lip, heart hands, bubbles, beans, face with diagonal mouth, palm up hand, eggs, troll, low battery, coral, lotus, and more.

Police officers are surrounding Apple Amsterdam in Leidseplein following reports that a gunman entered the store. A video shared on Twitter showed a man in a balaclava holding a gun while gripping a possible hostage, and Amsterdam police have confirmed that there is indeed a hostage situation.

People in surrounding buildings have been ordered to stay indoors, and the area around the store has been cordoned off. The attack happened at 5:40 p.m. local time, and Amsterdam police are not providing additional information to ensure the safety of all people involved.

More detail on what's going on can be sourced from local Amsterdam news sites such as Het Parool, De Telegraaf, NOS, and AT5, which are providing updates.

Update: Police have confirmed that several people that were being held hostage at the Amsterdam Apple Store have been freed. No other information has been shared. "Since the start of the hostage situation in the Apple Store on Leidseplein, several people have been able to leave the building. We do not want to share any information about the situation in and around the building at the moment."

Update 2: The remaining hostage is safe and the hostage taker is now in police custody.

Spotify's first hardware device, the "Car Thing," is now available to purchase in the United States for $89.99.

Announced in April last year, the Car Thing is an in-car dash-mounted music and podcast player designed to provide a more seamless and personalized listening experience, especially in the large number of cars that do not support modern in-car infotainment systems or Apple CarPlay.

The Car Thing is aimed at Spotify Premium subscribers with these needs and features a touchscreen, a knob for navigation, voice control features, and four user-configurable buttons for fast access to areas such as favorite music, podcasts, or playlists.

The user interface takes cues from the Spotify mobile app so that it is familiar to users, and there is the choice of touch controls, "Hey Spotify" voice commands, or physical navigation via the knob. The Car Thing works over Bluetooth, or via an AUX or USB cable, and it comes with three different dash and vent mounts to ensure that it fits to the dashboard securely, as well as a car charger and a USB-C cable.

The Car Thing is compatible with iOS and Android devices, and connects to a user's smartphone for data and linking to the Spotify app. The Car Thing was initially only available to selected users who requested an invite during the device's testing period, but now the device is now publicly available in the United States for $89.99 including shipping.