Alongside macOS Ventura, iOS 16.1, and iPadOS 16.1, Apple has introduced Safari 16.1, which brings a number of new features to Safari on Apple's platforms. Safari 16.1 is built right in to iOS 16.1, iPadOS 16.1, and macOS Ventura, but it is also available on macOS Monterey and macOS Big Sur.
The update includes Web Push for macOS Ventura, allowing websites and web apps to send notifications using the same standards as other browsers. Notifications can be delivered even when Safari isn't running, and managed in the Notifications Center.
Web Push functionality that has already been implemented for a web app or website will automatically work in Safari, and it uses the same Apple Push Notification service that powers native push on Apple devices.
With Safari 16.1, passkeys can be used on iPads and Macs running iPadOS 16, macOS Ventura, macOS Monterey, and macOS Big Sur in addition to devices running iOS 16. Passkeys are designed to replace passwords, and websites like PayPal are already implementing support.
For new iPad Pro models, Safari 16.1 adds support for hover with Apple Pencil, a feature that allows the iPad Pro's display to detect the Apple Pencil when it is up to 12mm away. In Safari 16.1, users will be able to see hover states for links, animations, and more.
Apple today released macOS Ventura, the latest version of the company's Mac operating system. macOS Ventura is a significant update that introduces a new multitasking experience in the form of Stage Manager, overhauls multiple stock apps like Mail and Messages, and adds updated capabilities across the platform.
Below, we've selected 50 new features and lesser-known changes that are worth checking out if you're upgrading, and we've put together a video highlighting 25 of them. Note that macOS 13 is compatible with 2017 and later Macs.
Have you seen any other improvements not listed here? Let us know in the comments.
1. Undo Send Email
In Apple Mail, if for whatever reason you regret sending a message immediately after you pressed Send, you can now unsend the email – as long as you act quickly.
After sending the email, an Undo Send option will appear at the bottom of the sidebar (if you don't have the sidebar showing, select View -> Show Sidebar in the menu bar). By default, you have 10 seconds to click it before the option disappears, after which the message cannot be unsent, but the interval can also be set to 20 or 30 seconds or turned off entirely for immediate sending.
2. Use Nearby iPhone as Microphone Input
Ventura's new Continuity Camera feature lets you use your iPhone's camera as a webcam for your Mac, but it also allows you to choose your nearby iPhone as a microphone input, sans video.
To enable it, go to System Settings -> Sound, then click the Input tab under "Output & Input," and you should be able to see and select the name of your iPhone, listed as type "Continuity Camera."
3. Mail Follow-up
If you send an email querying something with someone and you haven't received a reply for a while, Mail will intelligently surface the message in your inbox and ask if you want to "Follow Up" the email.
If you don't need a response to the email in question, swipe left on the trackpad to dismiss it, or right-click the message and select Ignore Follow-Up in the contextual menu.
4. Remind Me to Respond to Email
If you receive an email that you would rather respond to at a later time, Mail can remind you so you don't forget.
Simply right-click on the message in your inbox, then select Remind Me from the dropdown menu. You'll see options including Remind Me in 1 Hour, Remind Me Tonight, Remind Me Tomorrow, and Remind Me Later.... The last option will bring up a clock and calendar for you to set a specific time and date. Once you've done that, click Schedule.
5. Scheduled Send Email
Now you can compose messages in Mail whenever it suits you and schedule them to be sent at a future time and date.
In the compose window, click the chevron next to the send icon. From the dropdown, select Send Now, Send Tonight/Tomorrow, or Send Later.... Clicking the last option will bring up a clock and calendar for you to set a specific time and date. Once you've done that, click Schedule.
6. Spotlight Quick Look
In Ventura, you can preview recognized files with Quick Look, just like you can in Finder.
Simply press the Space bar on a result to open a preview window. Text-based documents also include full Copy selection support.
7. Spotlight Quick Actions
In another turbo-charging enhancement to Spotlight, you can now perform quick actions from the search field without opening the corresponding app.
For example, you can create a timer by typing "start a timer," and the Clock app will show a dialog box asking "For how long?" Other quick actions include set an alarm, turn on a Focus, run a shortcut, find the name of a song with Shazam, and more.
8. Pinned Tabs in Tab Groups
When Apple first introduced the Tab Groups feature for Safari, one disadvantage of using them was that you couldn't pin tabs to the left side of the tab bar. In Ventura, however, you can now drag the tab of a website in a Tab Group to the leftmost side of the tab bar, and it will stick.
Pinned tabs are particularly useful if you like to have certain websites open that you tend to visit frequently throughout the day.
9. Wi-Fi Passwords in Network Settings
Oddly enough, in previous versions of macOS, if you were connected to a Wi-Fi network but couldn't remember the password you used to connect to it, there was no way to access it in network preferences, which meant you had to locate it in Keychain Access.
Thankfully, Apple has corrected this problem in Ventura by adding a convenient new Copy Password option in System Settings -> Wi-Fi.
10. Strong Password Editing
Safari browser's built-in password suggestion feature just got more convenient, as there's now an option to edit a strong password that is suggested by Apple, which allows it to be tailored to site-specific requirements.
Websites sometimes have password creation requirements that include special characters, don't allow for special characters, need a specific length, or ask for other customizations not met by the strong password requirements, which can now be fixed with the edit option.
Click a suggested password, then choose Other Options to access the Edit Strong Password dropdown. From here, you can change the characters that have been suggested. You can also opt for a quick-access Easy to Type or No Special Characters option.
11. Share Safari Tab Groups
In a Tab Group, you can easily collect and save related tabs, whether the webpages are being used to help you plan a trip or to work on a project. And in macOS Ventura, you can share those tabs with colleagues, friends and family, allowing multiple people to contribute links and work together.
To share a Tab Group, open Safari's sidebar, then click the ellipsis button (three encircled dots) next to a Tab Group in the list and select Share Tab Group. A Share Sheet menu will be displayed for you to choose the desired sharing method.
12. Edit Sent Messages
The Messages app has inherited the option seen in iOS 16 to edit sent messages. You can edit a message up to a maximum of 15 minutes after it was sent. Simply right-click on the message in question, then select Edit from the contextual menu.
The feature only works with iMessages, not SMS messages, so both people need to have an Apple device running the latest software for it to work effectively. People on earlier versions of macOS or iOS (and those on Android) will see text that says "Edited to [text]" when receiving an edited iMessage.
Note that when you edit a message, the edit history is sent to the recipient along with the edit, so the original content is still visible.
13. Mark Messages as Unread
Email programs have long given users the ability to mark messages as unread. The feature is useful because it means if you get a message and don't have time to read it or address its contents, you can mark it as unread so that it appears as a new message again.
In Ventura and iOS 16, Apple has finally brought the same feature to its Messages app, so you can mark an SMS message or iMessage as new, thereby returning the blue dot to the message to remind you to return to it.
14. Missing Email Attachment?
Most people have experienced the embarrassment of sending an email that refers to an attachment, only to realize when it's too late that they've completely forgotten to include it.
Thankfully that's unlikely to happen anymore, because Mail is now intelligent enough to notify you if you forget to include an attachment before the message is sent. Mail will also alert you if it thinks you've missed recipients from the To field.
15. Undo Send Message
In Ventura, like in iOS 16, it's now possible to unsend an iMessage for up to two minutes after it's been delivered. If more than two minutes have elapsed since you sent the message, you can no longer unsend it (although you may still be able to edit the iMessage).
To use the feature in Messages, simply right-click on the message bubble and select Undo Send. Note that if you try to use the undo send feature on a message sent to someone running an earlier version of macOS or iOS 15 or earlier, it will not work and the message will not be unsent.
16. Add Stage Manager Icon to Menu Bar
If you like to be selective in your use of the new Stage Manager app window management feature in Ventura, you can enable a menu bar item that gives you quick access to an on/off toggle.
Go to System Settings -> Control Center, find the Stage Manager entry, then select Show in Menu Bar in the dropdown menu beside it.
17. App Sets in Stage Manager
When using Stage Manager with multiple sets of apps, you can bring individual apps from inactive sets into the active set that's front and center.
Either drag app windows from parked sets, or better, shift-click them to bring them into the active set.
18. Continuity Camera
In Ventura, Continuity Camera lets you use your iPhone (XR and later models) as your webcam in FaceTime, Photo Booth, Zoom, and any other app that can use a camera, including web browsers.
It works wired or wirelessly, and your Mac will automatically switch to using iPhone as a camera input when you bring it close to your Mac. Just make sure both devices have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled, and that they are both signed in using the same Apple ID.
19. Continuity Camera Video Effects
As if Continuity Camera wasn't impressive enough, it also brings the gamut of video effects to Macs, including Portrait mode (iPhone XR and later), Studio Light (iPhone 12 and later), Desk View that mimics an overhead camera (iPhone 11 and later), and Center Stage (iPhone 11 and later), which adjusts the framing as you move to keep you centered in the frame.
With Continuity Camera active, open Control Center from the menu bar, then click Video Effects to switch between the different modes.
20. Lock Hidden and Recently Deleted Albums in Photos
In previous versions of macOS, the Hidden album in your photo library can easily be made visible via a menu bar option in the Photos app, while any recently deleted photos are available for anyone to peruse while your Mac is unlocked.
In Ventura, however, the Hidden and Recently Deleted albums in the Photos app are locked by default and can only be unlocked using your login password or Touch ID.
21. Rapid Security Response Updates
In the past, some of Apple's most important point releases of macOS have been linked to critical security updates that are designed to keep you and your private data safe and secure online.
In Ventura, however, the new Rapid Security Response feature allows you to get important security updates without having to update the entire operating system, and you can opt to get them automatically between standard software updates. You can control the associated toggle in System Settings -> General -> Software Update. Tap the circled "i" icon to toggle the requisite switch.
22. Background Sounds
In iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, one of several new accessibility features that Apple introduced was Background Sounds, which is designed to help you stay focused, stay calm, and minimize distractions. You can now access the same Background Sounds in Ventura's System Settings, under Accessibility -> Audio.
The sounds on offer include balanced, bright, and dark noise, as well as natural sounds like ocean, rain, and stream. All of the sounds can be set to play in the background to mask unwanted environmental or external noise, and the sounds mix into or duck under other audio and system sounds. Once you've downloaded a background sound, you can also add the Hearing item to Control Center or the menu bar for quicker access to them (System Settings -> Control Center).
23. Clock App on Mac
Finally, the Clock app on iPad and iPhone is now available on the Mac. It shows the current time when placed in the Dock.
As you'd expect, it includes not only time zone options but also alarm, stopwatch, and timer, all accessible via four tabs in the Clock app interface.
24. Live Text Selection in Video
In Ventura, Apple's Live Text feature can be used in paused video frames, so you can use functions like copy and paste, Look Up, and translate.
Live Text works in Photos, Quick Look, Safari, and other apps that support video. Apple has also added language recognition of Japanese, Korean, and Ukrainian text.
25. Multi-stop Routing in Maps
In Ventura, the Maps app allows you to plan a route that has multiple stops instead of just a single destination. While Google Maps has had this feature for some time, this is the first version of Apple's Maps app to include support for it.
When entering a destination, Apple Maps allows you to add up to 15 locations to stop at en route, and the app will show you the route to each stop in turn.
26. Photos Duplicate Detection
Apple has added a new Duplicates album as a sidebar item in the Photos app, which will automatically detect any duplicates in your library and collate them together for your inspection. (Bear in mind that the album only appears if you have duplicate images on your library.)
Inside the Duplicates album, you'll see duplicates listed in chronological order, with a Merge button beside each set. You can tap this button to merge duplicate sets into an individual photo. Even if you take two photos together that are very similar, Apple's merging feature will intelligently keep the highest detail and the most metadata, creating the best possible image.
27. Copy and Paste Photo Edits
If you have multiple photos that you want to edit in the same way, or if you've made changes to one photo that you want to replicate in another photo, you can use the new copy and paste edits tools in the Photos app.
To use the new option, first open an image, click Edit, then make your changes. When you're done, choose Image -> Copy Edits from the menu bar, then select the image (or images) you want to paste them to. Finally, choose Image -> Paste Edits from the menu bar.
28. Pin Lists in Reminders
In Reminders, you can now pin your favorite list to get to them quickly. Pinned lists appear as panels below your Today, Scheduled, All, Flagged, and Completed lists.
To pin a list, right-click it in the sidebar and select Pin List from the contextual menu.
29. Multiple Watchlists in Stocks
In the Stocks app, you can now create multiple custom watchlists, allowing you to better organize the tickers you follow.
You can also group symbols using the criteria of your choice, such as sector, asset type, ownership status, and more. Stocks will even provide the date for a company's upcoming earnings report, which you can add to your calendar at the click of a button.
30. Lift Image Subject From Background
Like in iOS 16, you can lift the subject from an image or isolate the subject by removing the background.
The feature works in Photos, Screenshot, Quick Look, Safari, and more. Just right-click on the image and select Copy Subject from the contextual menu. You can now paste the isolated subject from the clipboard into any app with an input field, such as Messages.
31. Weather App
Previous versions of macOS included a Weather widget, but that's as far as it went, which is why the new dedicated Weather app in Ventura is worth checking out.
If you're coming from an iPhone or iPad, the Mac app will look familiar. It has all of the features of the iOS app, including animated weather backgrounds that change based on the weather at your location, severe weather notifications, air quality monitoring, weather maps, and forecasts.
32 Mail Rich Links
Previously in Mail, if you pasted a URL into a message, it would only display the web address. In Ventura, however, rich link previews display a preview of the website being linked to, offering recipients an idea of the content they can be expected to see if they visit the webpage.
If you don't want to use a rich link when you're composing a message, click the down arrow in the corner of the preview and select Convert to Plain Link.
33. Preview Form Filler
In Preview, there is a new Form Filler toolbox that makes inserting text into forms much easier.
You could previously do this using Markup's text insertion functionality, but that was clunky, and it involved several more clicks to get to and always positioned the text insertion in the middle of whatever page you were on, necessitating a drag of the text to the desired location.
34. Time Machine Backup Frequency
When enabling Time Machine backups, a perpetual little niggle in previous versions of macOS is that you can't change the frequency of backups from the hourly default.
Thankfully, Ventura's Time Machine options now include Manually, Once every hour, Once every day, and Once every week, giving you more flexibility and control over your backups.
35. Favorite Music Artists
In the Music app, you can now add artists to a "Favorite Artists" list by navigating to their artist profile and clicking a new star button on their page.
Apple says that you'll get better recommendations and notifications about new releases from that artist. Apple Music originally had a similar feature where you could follow artists and receive updates about their music and updates about upcoming releases, but the new Favorite Artists feature is more streamlined and focused on improving push notifications and recommendations surrounding your favorite artists.
36. My Sports Section in Apple News
Apple News includes a new "My Sports" section that can be customized to aggregate news and developments related to your favorite teams, leagues, and athletes.
You can find it below For You in the Today section. Click Get Started to set it up.
37. Lock Notes With Login Password or Touch ID
In the Notes app, locking a note required you to come up with a separate password for your notes and remember it if you wanted to access them again.
In Ventura, you no longer have to remember a password for your locked notes. They can now be encrypted with your Mac's login password or Touch ID. Simply right-click the note in question and click Lock Note, and you'll be give the option to Use Login Password.
You can also access locked notes on any device with your iCloud account by using the passcode or password for that device.
38. FaceTime Handoff
FaceTime in macOS Ventura works with Handoff, so a FaceTime call can be accepted on the iPhone and then transferred over to the Mac, or vice versa.
FaceTime Handoff works seamlessly between your devices, and when a call is handed off, if you have a Bluetooth headset connected, it will also transition to the new device.
39. AirPods Settings Menu
Previously in macOS, whenever you connected AirPods to your Mac, you could control Transparency, Noise Cancelation, and Spatial Stereo from the Sound menu bar item, but that was it.
In Ventura, connecting AirPods gets you a complete menu of options in System Settings, where you can control everything from Ear Detection to charging case sounds.
40. USB-C Accessory Security
Ventura includes a new USB-C security feature designed for Apple silicon Macs. Now, new USB and Thunderbolt accessories require user approval before the accessory can communicate with macOS for connections wired directly to the USB-C port.
You can change the security configuration in System Settings -> Security and Privacy -> Security. The default configuration is "Ask for new accessories." Configuring an accessibility Switch Control sets the policy to always allow accessory use. Approved devices can connect to a locked Mac for up to three days.
41. Complete Smart List in Reminders
In the Reminders app, there's a new Completed Smart List pane where you can view all of your completed reminders over the previous seven days, previous month, and over the years.
The list includes the time of completion and any other details that were originally filled in for each completed reminder.
42. Game Controller Menu in Settings
In System Settings, there is a new game controller menu in the app for managing game controllers connected to a Mac. The menu allows macOS Ventura users to map a controller's buttons and thumbsticks to a Mac's keyboard, adjust haptic feedback levels, create profiles with presets for multiple controllers, and more.
macOS Ventura features newly added support for some of the most popular racing wheels, pedals, and shifters for use in racing games on the Mac, including Logitech's G920 and G29 racing wheels, according to Apple's developer website. Apple also says that macOS Ventura supports many additional Bluetooth and USB game controllers, with users discovering that this includes the Nintendo Switch's Joy-Cons and Pro Controller.
43. Lockdown Mode
A new macOS security feature in System Settings -> Privacy & Security is Lockdown Mode, which is aimed at protecting a small number of high-profile users who are at risk of targeted cyberattacks from state-sponsored spyware, such as journalists, activists, and government employees.
It is not for the everyday user, and it restricts many iPhone features. In Messages, for example, attachments other than images are blocked, and in FaceTime, calls from people you have not previously contacted are blocked. Complex web technologies and browsing features are blocked in web browsers, shared albums are removed from the Photos app, wired connections are blocked, and configuration profiles cannot be installed. Use wisely.
44. Safari Tab Group Start Pages
In Safari, individual Tab Groups can now include dedicated Start Pages containing select favorites from your bookmarks, as well as a specific background wallpaper.
With a Tab Group open, open a new Start Page tab, then scroll to down and click the Settings button in the bottom-right corner. Check the box next to Tab Group Favorites. This will create a space at the top of the Start Page for adding your favorites. Click the Open Bookmarks in Sidebar button to start adding them.
45. Turn Off Featured Content in Photos
A notable change to the Photos app is that you can now disable featured content like Memories. It's a handy option to have if you don't appreciate what the feature digs up from your past.
Click Photos -> Settings in the menu bar, select the General tab, then in the "Memories" section, uncheck the box next to Show Featured Content. The Memories option in the sidebar will disappear.
46. Multi-Window Support in Stage Manager
In early beta versions of macOS Ventura, Stage Manager would only let you view a single app window, even if multiple windows from the same app were open.
In the final version, however, you can opt to display two or more windows from the one app overlapping or side by side. Go to System Settings -> Desktop & Dock, switch on the toggle for Stage Manager if it's not already active, then click Customize.... Finally, click the dropdown menu next to Show windows from an application and select All at Once.
47. Focus Schedules
Apple has improved the Focus feature in macOS Ventura with an easier setup mechanism and the addition of Focus schedules, which allow a Focus to turn on automatically at a set time or location while using a certain app.
Apple has also added filter options, so apps like Calendar, Mail, Messages, and Safari can have boundaries that allow only parts of the app to show. In Calendar, for example, a Focus can be set to only show a work calendar, or in Safari, you can set a certain Tab Group to be visible.
48. Enhanced Smart Folders in Notes
Notes in Smart Folders can be automatically organized based on new filters in macOS Ventura. Rules are available for Date Created, Date Modified, Shared, Mentions, Checklists, Attachments, Quick Notes, Folder, and more.
Apple has also made it so notes are grouped by chronological categories like Today and Yesterday for quick reference, plus there are filter options for Smart Folders and the Tag Browser.
49. Web Page Image Translation
Next time you're browsing in Safari and you come across an image containing a language that you'd like to translate, try selecting the text with your mouse pointer.
Then right-click and select Translate from the contextual menu to get a translation in the supported language of your choice.
50. Recover Recently Deleted Messages
In the Messages app, you can now recover recently deleted messages for up to 30 days after deleting them.
Select View -> Recently Deleted from the Messages menu bar, select the message conversation you'd like to recover in the sidebar, then click Recover.
Apple today released an iTunes 12.12.6 update for windows, with the software adding support for the new iPad Pro and iPad and addressing security vulnerabilities.
The updated version of iTunes comes ahead of the Wednesday launch of the updated iPad and iPad Pro models. The iPad features an all-new design that does away with the Home button, bright chassis colors, an updated A-series chip, and a Touch ID power button, putting it nearly on par with the iPad Air.
The iPad Pro features an updated M2 chip, WiFi 6E, and a new Apple Pencil "hover" function that allows the display to detect the Apple Pencil when it is up to 12mm away.
Apple has delayed a new feature that will provide Apple Card users with the option to have their Daily Cash earnings deposited into a high-yield savings account.
During the iOS 16.1 beta testing process, the feature was mentioned as a new Wallet app addition in the release notes for the Release Candidate version of the update, but in the notes for the final version of iOS 16.1, the mention is missing.
"Savings account enables Apple Card customers to grow their Daily Cash by depositing it in a high yield savings account," read the RC release notes.
Apple announced plans for the Apple Card savings account in mid-October, and while the company did not provide specific information on a launch date in the announcement other than suggesting it would be available "in the coming months," it was believed that the savings account would launch alongside iOS 16.1 given the mention in the RC notes for the update.
With no sign of the feature in iOS 16.1, it will now be coming at a later date. When Apple does implement the Apple Card savings account, it will have no minimum fees, no minimum deposits, and no minimum balance requirements. Apple will offer the account through Apple Card partner Goldman Sachs, but Apple has not yet said what the interest rate will be.
Apple Card users will be able to manage their savings accounts through the Wallet app, and once set up, all Daily Cash will be automatically deposited.
Apple today announced that a new version of its privacy-preserving SKAdNetwork framework is now available in iOS 16.1 and iPadOS 16.1.
SKAdNetwork enables advertisers to measure the success of ads by attributing app installations to specific ad campaigns — in other words, it allows advertisers to know how successful an ad is at getting users to download an app from the App Store.
With the launch of SKAdNetwork 4.0 today, Apple says the framework now provides more performance insights and is now available for web ads:
• Hierarchical source identifiers: Identify which campaign an installation was attributed to, as well as additional attribution information. • Coarse conversion values: Receive less specific attribution information when the privacy thresholds for conversion values are not met, or more detailed attribution information when additional privacy thresholds are met. • Multiple conversions: Receive up to three postbacks to better understand how often someone who installed an app from a campaign engages with the app over time. • SKAdNetwork for web ads: Attribute web advertising that directs to App Store product pages.
Apple today released macOS 13 Ventura, the latest version of the operating system designed to run on Macs. macOS Ventura comes after several months of beta testing and feature refinements, and it is compatible with the 2017 iMac and later, the iMac Pro, the 2018 and later MacBook Air, the 2017 and later MacBook Pro, the 2019 and later Mac Pro, the 2018 and later Mac mini, and the 2017 MacBook.
The macOS Ventura update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Preferences, and it is also available through the Mac App Store.
macOS Ventura brings Stage Manager, an all-new way of focusing on a task while having other apps ready to go. Stage Manager is designed to put your main app front and center on the desktop, and tucks your other apps at the side for quick access when they're needed. Apps and windows can be grouped together, so you can set up your desktop in the right way for your workflow.
A new Continuity Camera feature does away with the need for a poor quality built-in Mac camera because it allows you to use your iPhone as a webcam for your Mac. The iPhone can be positioned on top of the Mac using a stand, and it is designed to connect automatically. A Desk View uses an Ultra Wide view to show off your desk if you need to demo something, plus there's Center Stage support and Studio Light, an effect that illuminates your face while dimming the background.
Handoff has expanded to FaceTime, allowing you to take calls on the Mac and transfer them seamlessly to the iPhone or vice versa. Messages has new undo and edit buttons to fix errors in or recall a recently sent iMessage, and there is an option to mark messages as unread. Accidentally deleted messages can be recovered, and there are new collaboration features.
SharePlay works in Messages in addition to FaceTime in macOS Ventura, so you can watch TV shows and use apps with others while chatting with them in the Messages app.
The Mail app has been overhauled in macOS Ventura, and the search feature is more relevant and accurate than ever before. When you click into search and start typing, you'll see relevant emails, contacts, documents, photos, and more. Emails can be scheduled, and if you make a mistake you can undo an email for up to 30 seconds after it's sent.
Apple is bringing new apps to the Mac in macOS Ventura, including a dedicated Weather app and a Clock app, both of which mirror their iOS counterparts. System Preferences has been renamed System Settings, and it has a design that's more like the Settings app on iPhone and iPad.
Apple is planning to make Safari safer through Passkeys, a next-generation credential that replaces the password. Passkeys stay on device and are never on a web server, which makes them far more secure than passwords. Passkeys are easy to use, with sign-ins authenticated through Touch ID or Face ID, plus they sync across devices through iCloud Keychain and can be used on non-Apple devices with iPhone authentication.
Spotlight's design has been updated with simpler navigation and Quick Look support for previewing files with a click. Photo Library integration is available for searching for images in the Photos app by location, people, scenes, and objects. Spotlight can even find Live Text in images, and it supports actions like creating a document, running a shortcut, or starting a timer.
There's a new iCloud Shared Photo Library that allows up to six family members to share a photo library that is separate from their personal libraries, for easier enjoyment of family photos. Photos offers intelligent sharing suggestions for relevant photo moments that family members have participated in, and every Shared Photo Library user can add, edit, delete, or favorite shared photos and videos.
To keep Macs more secure, there's a new Rapid Security Response feature for installing security updates without a system update, and it doesn't even require a reboot. Apple's release notes for the update are below:
Alongside iOS 16.1, Apple today released iPadOS 16.1, with the update coming after several months of beta testing. This is the first version of iPadOS 16 that has been available for Apple's tablets, as iOS 16 was released on its own back in September. iPadOS 16 was delayed in order for improvements to be added to the Stage Manager feature.
The iPadOS 16.1 update can be downloaded on eligible iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
Those who have already updated to iOS 16 will be familiar with many of the features introduced in iPadOS 16.1 as the iPadOS 16.1 software adds the Mail, Messages, Safari, and other app updates that first debuted in iOS 16.
It introduces iCloud Shared Photo Library for easier sharing of photos and videos with friends and family, plus it brings Stage Manager. Stage Manager is compatible with the A12Z, A12X, M1, and M2iPad Pro and iPad Air models. Stage Manager was originally limited to M1 iPads, but during the beta testing process, Apple was able to expand it to additional iPad Pros.
As a result of the expansion, the feature that allows it to work with a connected display has been removed and will be reintroduced in a later update. When that feature is re-added, it will only be available for the M1 and M2 iPad models.
Today's update brings the Weather app to the iPad for the first time, plus it adds new Maps, Game Center, and Safari features, such as Passkeys. It also includes desktop-class apps with customizable toolbars, menus with better context, Find and Replace availability across apps, and more. Apple's full release notes for the iPadOS 16.1 update are below.
iCloud Shared Photo Library - Separate library for seamlessly sharing photos and videos with up to five other people - Setup rules allow you to easily contribute past photos based on start date or people in the photos when you set up or join a library - Library filters for quickly switching between viewing the Shared Library, your Personal Library, or both libraries together - Shared edits and permissions let everyone add, edit, favorite, caption, and delete photos - Sharing toggle in Camera lets you choose to send photos you take straight to the Shared Library, or enable a setting to share automatically when other participants are detected nearby using Bluetooth
Messages - Edit a message for up to 15 minutes after sending it and recipients see a record of edits - Undo send allows you to recall any message up to 2 minutes after sending it - Mark as unread makes it easy to come back to a conversation later - SharePlay in Messages lets you enjoy activities like watching movies, listening to music, playing games, and more with friends while messaging - Collaboration provides a simple way to invite others to collaborate on a file via Messages and get activity updates in the thread when someone makes an edit to a shared project
Mail - Improved search delivers more accurate, complete results and provides suggestions as soon as you begin to type - Undo send allows you to cancel delivery of a message within 10 seconds of hitting send - Scheduled send for sending an email at a specific day and time - Follow‑up surfaces sent emails that have not been replied to, to the top of your inbox so you can quickly follow‑up - Remind me lets you schedule a date and time to be reminded about an email
Safari and Passkeys - Shared Tab Groups let you share a set of tabs with others and see the Tab Group update instantly as you work together - Tab Group start pages can be customized with different background images and favorites for each Tab Group - Pinned tabs in Tab Groups enable you to pin frequently visited websites for each Tab Group - Safari web page translation adds translation for web pages in Turkish, Thai, Vietnamese, Polish, Indonesian, and Dutch - Passkeys offer support for an easier and safer sign‑in method to replace passwords - Passkey syncing through iCloud Keychain makes your passkeys available across all your Apple devices while keeping them end-to-end encrypted
Stage Manager - A new way to multitask on iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later) iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later) and iPad Air (5th generation) - Overlapping and resizable windows allow you to adjust the size of your apps and arrange your ideal workspace - Recent Apps arranged on the left of the screen allow you to quickly switch between apps - App groups allow you to create sets of apps that you can quickly get back to
New Display Modes - Reference Mode delivers reference color for popular color standards and video formats on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro with Liquid Retina XDR display and with Sidecar, use it as a reference display for your Apple silicon Mac - New display scaling setting that increases the pixel density so you can view more in your apps on iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th generation and later) and iPad Air (5th generation)
Weather - Weather app on iPad is optimized for the larger display, including immersive animations, detailed maps, and tappable forecast modules - Weather maps show precipitation, air quality, and temperature alongside the location view or in full screen - Tappable modules reveal more detail such as hourly temperature or precipitation forecasts for the next 10 days - Air quality displays a color coded scale for air quality, level and category, and you can view air quality on a map to see related health recommendations, pollutant breakdown, and more - Animated backgrounds represent the sun position, clouds, and precipitation with thousands of variations - Severe weather notifications let you know when a severe weather alert has been issued near you
Game Center - In-Game Dashboard Activity shows you what your friends are accomplishing in this game, and what they are playing and achieving across all games in one place - Game Center Profiles highlight your achievement and leaderboard activity across all of the games you play - Contacts integration shows your friends' Game Center profiles and lets you see what they are playing and accomplishing in games
Live Text - Live Text video support allows you to interact with text in a paused video frame so you can copy, translate, lookup, share, and more available on iPad (8th generation and later), iPad mini (5th generation and later), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later) and iPad Pro 11-inch all models - Quick actions let you take action on data detected in photos and videos with a single tap, so you can track flights or shipments, translate foreign languages, convert currencies, and more, available on iPad (8th generation and later), iPad mini (5th generation and later), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later) and iPad Pro 11-inch all models
Visual Look Up - Lift subject from background isolates the subject of an image so you can copy and paste it into apps like Mail and Messages, available on iPad (8th generation and later), iPad mini (5th generation and later), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later) and iPad Pro 11-inch all models - Visual Look Up adds recognition of birds, insects, spiders, and statues in your photos available on iPad (8th generation and later), iPad mini (5th generation and later), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later) and iPad Pro 11-inch all models
Siri - Easy Shortcuts setup makes it possible to run shortcuts with Siri as soon as you download an app with no upfront setup - A new setting allows you to send messages without Siri asking you to confirm before sending - "Hey Siri, what can I do here?" helps you discover Siri capabilities in iPadOS and apps just by asking, available on iPad (8th generation and later), iPad mini (5th generation and later), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later) and iPad Pro 11-inch all models - Call hang up option for ending Phone and FaceTime calls with Siri by saying "Hey Siri, hang up", available on iPad (8th generation and later), iPad mini (5th generation and later), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later) and iPad Pro 11-inch all models - Emoji support lets you insert emoji using your voice when sending messages on iPad (8th generation and later), iPad mini (5th generation and later), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later) and iPad Pro 11-inch all models
Dictation - All-new Dictation experience supports using your voice along with keyboard or Apple Pencil to enter and edit text, available on iPad (8th generation and later), iPad mini (5th generation and later), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later) and iPad Pro 11-inch all models - Automatic punctuation inserts commas, periods, and question marks as you dictate - Emoji support lets you insert emoji using your voice available on iPad (8th generation and later), iPad mini (5th generation and later), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later) and iPad Pro 11-inch all models
Maps - Multi-stop routing supports adding up to fifteen stops along your driving route in Maps - Transit fares show you how much your journey will cost in the San Francisco Bay Area, London, New York, and more
Home - Redesigned Home app makes it easier to navigate, organize, view, and control your smart home accessories - Home tab now integrates all your accessories, rooms, and scenes into a single tab for a whole-house view, allowing you to see your entire home at a glance - Categories for lights, climate, security, speakers and TVs, and water let you quickly access all the relevant accessories organized by room, and displays more detailed status information - New camera view displays up to four cameras front and center in the Home tab, scroll to see any additional camera views in your home - Redesigned accessory tiles feature more visually recognizable icons that are color-matched to their category, and new behaviors for more precise accessory controls - Matter, the new smart home connectivity standard, is supported enabling a wide variety of smart home accessories to work together across ecosystems
News - My Sports enables you to easily follow your favorite teams and leagues and watch highlights right in the News app - Favorites give you easy access to the channels and topics you read the most, in a consistent place near the top of your Today feed - New homepages deliver visually updated and easier to navigate topic feeds for local news locales, sports teams and leagues, and more
Family Sharing - Improved child account setup makes it easier to create an account for a child with the right parental controls, including age‑appropriate media restrictions - Device setup for a child lets you use Quick Start to easily set up a new iOS or iPadOS device for your child with your selected parental controls in place - Screen Time requests in Messages make it even easier to approve or decline requests from your child - Family Checklist gives you tips and suggestions like updating a child's parental control settings, turning on location sharing, or just reminding you to share your iCloud+ subscription with everyone
Desktop-Class Apps - Customizable toolbars allow you to add the features you use most often in your apps - Menus provide additional context for actions such as close, save, and duplicate, making it easier to edit documents and files in apps like Pages and Numbers - Find and Replace is available in apps across the system, including Mail, Messages, Reminders, and Swift Playgrounds - Availability view in Calendar shows availability of invited participants when you create meetings in Calendar
Safety Check - Safety Check is a new section in Settings to help people in domestic or intimate partner violence situations quickly reset the access they've granted to others - Emergency reset lets you quickly take action to reset access across all people and apps, including disabling location sharing via Find My, resetting privacy permissions for apps, and more - Manage sharing and access helps you review and customize which apps and people can access your information
Accessibility - Door detection in Magnifier locates a door, reads signs and symbols around it, and gives you instructions for how to open the door - Live Captions (beta) automatically converts audio into text for users who are Deaf or hard of hearing to follow along more easily with calls and media content - Buddy controller helps users with cognitive disabilities get support from a caregiver or friend while playing a game, by combining inputs from multiple game controllers into one - VoiceOver is now available in over 20 new languages and locales, including Bangla (India), Bulgarian, Catalan, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese - Voice Control spelling mode gives you the option to dictate names, addresses, or other custom spellings letter by letter
This release also includes other features and improvements: - New Watercolor, Monoline, and Fountain pens in Notes - AirPods Pro (2nd generation) support, including Find My and Precision Finding for the MagSafe Charging Case as well as Personalized Spatial Audio for a more precise and immersive listening experience, also available on AirPods (3rd generation), AirPods Pro (1st generation), and AirPods Max - Handoff in FaceTime allows you to move FaceTime calls seamlessly from your iPad to your iPhone or Mac, and vice versa - Memoji updates include more sticker poses, hairstyles, headwear, noses, and lip colors - Translate camera lets you translate text around you using the camera in the Translate app - Duplicate detection in Photos identifies duplicate photos so you can quickly clean up your library - Pinned lists in Reminders helps you quickly navigate to your favorite lists - Search on the Home Screen enables Spotlight to be accessed directly from the bottom of the Home Screen, making it easy to open apps, find contacts, or get information from the web - Rapid Security Response gets important security improvements to your devices even faster, as they can be applied automatically between standard software updates
This release includes even more features and improvements. For more information, please visit this website: https://www.apple.com/ipados/ipados-16/features/
Some features may not be available for all regions or on all iPad models. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222
iPadOS 16.1 addresses a long list of vulnerabilities, including a kernel issue that Apple says may have been actively exploited. More information is available in Apple's security support document.
Additional information on all of the new features that are available in iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 can be found in our dedicated roundups.
Apple today released iOS 16.1, the first major update to the iOS 16 operating system. iOS 16.1 comes more than a month after the launch of iOS 16, which was released in September.
The iOS 16 update Apple's can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. It can take a few minutes for the updates to propagate to all users due to high demand.
With this update, Apple is adding several features that did not make it into the launch version of iOS 16. There is support for iCloud Shared Photo Library for managing a photo library with friends and family, plus it adds Live Activities to the Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island on iPhone 14 Pro models.
Apple Fitness+ can now be used on iPhone without an Apple Watch, and the update adds support for Matter, among other features. Apple's full release notes are below.
This update introduces iCloud Shared Photo Library making it easy to keep your family photos up to date. This release also adds support for third party apps in Live Activities, support for Apple Fitness+ on iPhone even if you don't have an Apple Watch, and includes other features and bug fixes for your iPhone.
iCloud Shared Photo Library - Separate library for seamlessly sharing photos and videos with up to five other people - Setup rules allow you to easily contribute past photos based on start date or people in the photos when you set up or join a library - Library filters for quickly switching between viewing the Shared Library, your Personal Library, or both libraries together - Shared edits and permissions let everyone add, edit, favorite, caption, and delete photos - Sharing toggle in Camera lets you choose to send photos you take straight to the Shared Library, or enable a setting to share automatically when other participants are detected nearby using Bluetooth
Live Activities - Live Activities from third party apps are available in the Dynamic Island and on the Lock Screen for iPhone 14 Pro models
Fitness+ - Apple Fitness+ is supported on iPhone even if you don't have an Apple Watch
Wallet - Key sharing enables you to securely share car, hotel room, and other keys in Wallet using messaging apps such as Messages and WhatsApp
Home - Matter, the new smart home connectivity standard, is supported enabling a wide variety of smart home accessories to work together across ecosystems
Clean Energy Charging - New setting that can try to reduce your carbon footprint by selectively charging when lower carbon emission electricity is available
Books - Reader controls are automatically hidden as you start reading
This update also includes bug fixes for your iPhone: - Deleted conversations may appear in the conversations list in Messages - Dynamic Island content is not available when using Reachability - CarPlay may fail to connect when using a VPN app
iOS 16 addresses a long list of vulnerabilities, including a kernel issue that Apple says may have been actively exploited. More information is available in Apple's security support document.
iOS 16.1 is accompanied by iPadOS 16.1, the first launch of the iPadOS 16 software. Apple delayed iPadOS 16.1 because it wanted to do additional work on Stage Manager, a new multitasking feature. More information on all of the features introduced with the iOS 16 update can be found in our roundup.
Apple today released watchOS 9.1, the first major update to the watchOS 9 operating system that came out in September. watchOS 9.1 has gone through several rounds of beta testing, and it accompanies the macOS Ventura launch, and the debut of iOS 16.1 and iPadOS 16.1.
watchOS 9.1 can be downloaded for free through the Apple Watch app on the iPhone by opening it up and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it needs to be placed on a charger, and it needs to be in range of the iPhone.
Today's update introduces an extended battery life option when using Outdoor Walking, Running, and Hiking Workouts. You can opt to reduce the frequency of heart rate and GPS readings if you have an Apple Watch Ultra, a second-generation Apple Watch SE, or an Apple Watch Series 8.
Music can now download on the Apple Watch using WiFi or Cellular when it is off the charger, and the update adds support for the Matter smart home connectivity standard. Apple's full release notes for the update are below:
This update includes improvements for your Apple Watch.
- Battery life extended during Outdoor Walking, Running, and Hiking Workouts with the ability to reduce the frequency of heart rate and GPS readings on Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) and Apple Watch Ultra - Music can download while Apple Watch is off charger using Wi-Fi or cellular - Matter, the new smart home connectivity standard, is supported enabling a wide variety of smart home accessories to work together across ecosystems
This update also includes bug fixes for your Apple Watch.
Alongside iOS 16.1, iPadOS 16.1, macOS Ventura, tvOS 16.1, and watchOS 9.1, Apple today released new software that's designed for the HomePod and the HomePod mini.
According to Apple's release notes, HomePod software version 16.1 includes support for the Matter smart home standard.
Software version 16.1 adds support for Matter, the new smart home connectivity standard that enables a wide variety of smart home accessories to work together across ecosystems. This update also includes performance and stability improvements.
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 16.1, the first major update to the tvOS 16 operating system that initially came out in September. tvOS 16.1 is available for the Apple TV 4K and the Apple TV HD.
The tvOS 16.1 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 16.1 automatically.
While tvOS updates are often minor in scale compared to other operating system updates, there are a few new features available in tvOS 16.1. Apple Fitness+ can be used with an iPhone, no Apple Watch required, and there is support for iCloud Shared Photo Library.
The update adds a more compact Siri interface that lets users see their request results in the bottom right corner of the TV's screen rather than in the bottom middle of the display. The new look takes up less space. There is also a new option to enable "Hey Siri" commands when using the Apple TV with AirPods. The toggle can be found in the Settings app under General.
As with the iOS 16.1, iPadOS 16,1, macOS Ventura, and watchOS 9.1 updates, tvOS 16.1 introduces support for the Matter smart home standard that will allow smart home products from different companies to interact with one another. Apple's full release notes are below:
tvOS 16.1 introduces a completely redesigned Siri experience, brings Shared Photo Library to the biggest screen in the home, and lets you work out and meditate with Apple Fitness+ with iPhone.
Siri All-new design for Siri makes it even easier to find movies and shows to watch, play the latest music, discover new apps, get sports scores, and more. Say "Hey Siri" to enjoy hands-free control when wearing AirPods that are connected to your Apple TV.
Photos Shared Photo Library support lets you see your favorite moments from the entire family. Create a Shared Photo Library on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, then select Shared Library in the Photos app.
Apple Fitness+ Work out and meditate with Apple Fitness+ on Apple TV — now all you need is iPhone to receive onscreen coaching, timers, and trainer callouts while also tracking your estimated Move ring progress.
Home hub Matter, the new smart home connectivity standard, is now supported, enabling a wide variety of smart home accessories to work together across ecosystems.
Apple provides additional details on tvOS releases in its dedicated tvOS support document, which is updated after each new iteration of tvOS.
YouTube today announced a number of updates that are designed to improve the look and performance of the popular video player on desktop and on mobile devices.
An "ambient mode" changes the background color of the app in a subtle way to match the video that is playing, an effect that YouTube says is meant to draw viewers into the content. Ambient mode will be available on the web and on mobile when the dark theme is enabled.
The dark theme has also been updated to be even darker than before, a change made due to user feedback.
As for the video player, YouTube links in video descriptions will turn into buttons, and actions like share and download have been updated to minimize distractions. The subscribe button has an updated shape and color, with YouTube doing away with the red shade.
On iOS and Android devices, a pinch to zoom feature that's been in testing is rolling out as of today. Users can zoom in and out of a video, and when the zoom in function is used, the rest of the video stays zoomed until the user zooms back out.
Precise seeking has also been implemented to make it easier to rewind to a specific spot in a video. Users can drag or swipe when looking through a video to see a row of thumbnails that will help them find the exact part of the video they're looking for.
YouTube says that all of these changes will begin rolling out gradually over the course of the next few weeks.
Popular payments service PayPal today announced that it is introducing support for passkeys, providing an easier and more secure login method for PayPal accounts. Apple integrated passkeys into iOS with the launch of iOS 16, and it is also available in iPadOS 16.1 and macOS Ventura, coming today.
Passkeys are an industry standard developed by the FIDO Alliance and the World Wide Web Consortium, so PayPal's passkey integration will work on Apple devices as well as on other devices that support the feature.
PayPal says that passkey logins will be available to iPhone, iPad, and Mac users on the PayPal website, and it will expand to other platforms in the future. Passkeys replace passwords, and will allow users to log in without remembering a password.
To create a passkey, PayPal users can log in to the website and then choose the "Create a passkey" option. Passkeys on iOS and Mac devices sync with iCloud Keychain for security purposes, and logins are authenticated with Face ID or Touch ID.
While PayPal is one of the first companies to implement passkeys support, there are other apps and websites that it works with, including Best Buy, eBay, Dashlane, and Kayak.
Apple today announced pricing increases for several of its services, including Apple Music, Apple TV+, and the Apple One bundles that include those services.
Apple Music is increasing in price by $1 for individual users and $2 for the family plan, while Apple TV is increasing in price by $2. All Apple One prices will also rise accordingly, according to information obtained by 9to5Mac. Full pricing is as follows:
Apple Music
Individual plan - $10.99/month, a $1 increase
Family plan - $16.99/month, a $2 increase
Annual plan for individuals - $109/year, a $10 increase
Apple TV+
Monthly plan - $6.99/month, a $2 increase
Annual plan - $69/year, a $20 increase
Apple One
Individual plan - $16.95/month, a $2 increase
Family plan - $22.95/month, a $3 increase
Premium plan - $32.95/month, a $3 increase
Apple says that prices are going up as of today due to increased licensing costs. For Apple Music, the increase will provide artists and songwriters with additional money for their music. The price of Apple TV+ is rising now that it has more content, according to Apple.
The pricing increases listed pertain to the United States, but prices will be going up in most countries. Current Apple Music, Apple TV+, and Apple One subscribers will receive notifications about the price increase 30 days ahead of when it is enacted, giving them time to cancel if they do not wish to pay the higher price.
The completely redesigned 10th-generation iPad will start arriving to customers and launch in stores on Wednesday, October 26. Ahead of time, the first reviews of the new iPad have now been shared by select media publications and YouTube channels.
Key new features for the 10th-generation iPad include a larger 10.9-inch display with slimmer bezels, flat edges, the A14 Bionic chip, a USB-C port, a Touch ID power button, a landscape-positioned FaceTime camera, 5G support on cellular models, Wi-Fi 6, and a new two-piece Magic Keyboard Folio accessory with a row of function keys. Pricing starts at $449, with the ninth-generation iPad remaining available for $329.
The new iPad is available in Blue, Pink, Silver, and Yellow finishes, bringing some vibrant new colors to the lower-cost iPad range. iJustine shared a video unboxing of all of the new colors, providing a first hands-on look at the options in the real world.
Here's a look at all of the new color options side by side:
We have rounded up written and video reviews of the new iPad below.
Written Reviews
The Verge's Dan Seifert said the 10th-generation iPad sits in an awkward position between the iPad Air and the ninth-generation iPad:
In a vacuum, there's very little to complain about with the 10th-gen iPad. It's an excellent tablet that does all of the things you expect from a tablet very well. Even though its screen isn't as good as other iPads, it's still good enough, and its performance is unimpeachable. If this was the only iPad Apple sold, many people would buy it and be perfectly happy with it.
But in context with the many other iPads that Apple sells, I'm not sure why you'd pick this one. If cost is a factor, you're buying an iPad for a kid, or need a headphone jack, the still-available and much less expensive ninth-gen model is the one to go with. For a lot of people, the ninth-gen model is the better iPad for their needs. If you want the bigger screen and more modern design, the iPad Air is right there with its better display, even faster processor, and better accessory landscape, and you can frequently get it for less than $100 more than the new iPad.
When you crunch the numbers, reality sets in. The affordable and plenty-capable iPad that used to start at $329 has now been hiked up to $449. That's without the added cost of accessories (Apple charges $249 for the Keyboard Folio). It's tough to justify a $120 price hike over its predecessor—especially when one of the "upgrades" is the removal of the headphone jack. It doesn't help that Apple is continuing to sell the ninth-gen iPad for $329, and you can typically find the iPad Air for roughly $519 at retailers like Amazon. The 10th-gen tablet sits in an odd spot.
The one big thing I wanted from the iPad arrived, like a magic wish granted: The weirdly placed front camera on the iPad is now on the landscape edge. This is great. Why is this great? Because I work on iPads in landscape mode, in cases and stands and keyboard docks. When I Zoom or FaceTime on other iPads, my face looks weirdly off-angle with my eyes looking elsewhere. That's fixed now. Combined with the auto-zooming Center Stage tech, this iPad's video chat camera is absolutely perfect.
Tom's Guide's Mark Spoonauer shared benchmark results showing that the A14 Bionic chip in the new iPad is up to 30% faster than the A13 chip in the previous model:
On Geekbench 5, which measures overall performance, the iPad 2022 scored 1,580 on single-core and 4,400 on multi-core, which is a marked improvement over the 1,384 and 3,387 turned in by the 9th gen iPad. However, the iPad Air with its M1 chip scored a much higher 1,707/7,151.
TheStreet's Jake Krol pointed out that beyond the 10th-generation iPad requiring an adapter to charge and pair the first-generation Apple Pencil, the device is a good buy, but he still recommends considering the ninth-generation iPad for its value:
The oddities come with the first-generation Apple Pencil support. I'm all for the move to USB-C, but it's not the most Apple-like experience for charging it. There's also the fact that the adapter is pretty hard to come by right now.
But if you can look past that, it's an excellent iPad and if you're someone who’s looking to swim between iPad tasks and more advanced ones, this is an excellent choice. The $449 price tag also includes 64GB of storage which is clutch. It can also be paired with the $249 Magic Keyboard Folio for a laptop-like experience that really lets you get work done here. And when it's time to play just detach the keyboard.
Of course though, you have to consider the 9th Gen iPad which still offers stellar performance and frequently falls below the $329 price tag. If you're not after the modern build of the 10th Gen or the new folio covers, that might be the best option for you.
Best Buy today announced a new financing and upgrade program called "Upgrade+." The program involves a combination of interest-free financing through Citizens Pay and an option to upgrade to a new Mac laptop after three years.
As an example, Best Buy cites a base M1MacBook Air priced at $999.99. Through the Upgrade+ program, a customer can pay $19.99 per month for 36 months toward the machine. At the end of 36 months, the user has the option to make the remaining $280.35 payment and keep the machine, return the machine and leave the program, or upgrade to a new Mac laptop. If they return the machine, either to leave the program or upgrade to a new Mac, no final payment is required.
Examples of base Mac laptop configurations with Upgrade+ pricing terms:
M1 MacBook Air ($999.99): $19.99/month with final payment of $280.35
M2 MacBook Air ($1,199.00): $25.98/month with final payment of $263.78
M2 13-inch MacBook Pro ($1,299.00): $28.15/month with final payment of $285.78
M1 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro ($1,999.00): $43.32/month with final payment of $439.78
M1 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro ($2,499.00): $54.15/month with final payment of $549.78
AppleCare+ and select Apple accessories can also be folded into the program and financed over the 36-month term. Members of the Best Buy Totaltech program (priced at $199.99 per year) will also receive their normal membership benefit of AppleCare+ at no cost for up to 24 months while participating in the Upgrade+ program.
Best Buy notes that Best Buy Totaltech member pricing and other promotional discounts may not be used with the Upgrade+ program, but it may still be a reasonable option for customers who prefer a small monthly payment to spread out the cost of the machine over three years rather than having to pay for it entirely up front.
Customers may also be able to obtain more money for their used Mac after the three-year period by selling it through other channels rather than accepting the forgiven final payment from Best Buy, but customers who wish to do that could simply make that final payment and then sell the machine on their own.
Best Buy says the Upgrade+ program will also help to reduce e-waste, as Mac laptops returned at the end of the program will find their way to Best Buy's other programs for giving used machines second lives.
The Apple Pencil 2 has hit a new all-time low price on Amazon today, available for $89.00, down from $129.00. The accessory is in stock and available to deliver as soon as October 26 for Prime delivery, or October 29 for free delivery.
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.
The Apple Pencil 2 is compatible with the following iPads: iPad mini (6th generation), iPad Air (4th generation and later), 12.9-inch iPad Pro (3rd generation and later), and 11-inch iPad Pro (1st generation and later). The second generation Apple Pencil can also magnetically attach and pair to the iPad Pro, iPad mini, and iPad Air.
If you have the newest iPad Pro models, the second-generation Apple Pencil can now be detected while hovering up to 12mm above the display. This allows users to see a preview of their drawing before they make it, and with Scribble text fields automatically expand when the pencil gets near the screen.
Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.
The new iPad Pro with the M2 chip will start arriving to customers and launch in stores on Wednesday, October 26. Ahead of time, the first reviews of the new iPad Pro have now been shared by select media publications and YouTube channels.
Key new features for the 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro include the M2 chip, Wi-Fi 6E support, new hover functionality for the Apple Pencil, and support for ProRes video recording. The device also has Smart HDR 4 and supports Bluetooth 5.3.
We have rounded up both written and video reviews of the new iPad Pro below.
Written Reviews
The new iPad Pro is able to detect the second-generation Apple Pencil while it hovers up to 12mm above the display, allowing users to see a preview of their drawing before they make it. Federico Viticci at MacStories called the feature a "very nice surprise," as he found it useful for interacting with iPadOS as a whole:
I'm here to tell you, however, that Apple Pencil Hover goes beyond enhancing the typical iPad drawing experience: it's also a neat way to control the iPadOS UI, adding a new dimension to touch interactions. I was not expecting to use Apple Pencil Hover at all because I'm no artist; its native integration with interface elements across the system turned out to be one of my favorite additions to iPadOS this year – definitely more so than Stage Manager.
For example, Viticci said Apple Pencil hover can be used to preview and scrub through videos on the YouTube website in Safari.
Jason Snell of Six Colors expressed disappointment that the iPad Pro still has a 2018 design and said the device would benefit from some features that the new 10th-generation iPad received, such as a landscape FaceTime camera and a Magic Keyboard with function keys:
That makes the fourth revision for this design without any substantial exterior changes. It's a good design, yes, but it's a little frustrating that it's been in stasis for four full years. The 10th-generation iPad's repositioned FaceTime camera would be welcome on a new iPad Pro. A revised version of the Magic Keyboard introduced in April 2020 with that extra row of function keys like the Magic Keyboard Folio would also be nice.
But while the low-end iPad points the direction to the future, the M2 iPad Pro remains in stasis. The display is unchanged from the M1 generation, meaning only the 12.9-inch model gets the excellent Liquid Retina XDR display, and the 11-inch model remains left out. There are several iPads available at the 11-inch size, so it would be nice if the iPad Pro were a bit better differentiated from (for example) the iPad Air. It's not.
Apple says the new iPad Pro has up to 15% faster CPU performance and up to 35% faster GPU performance compared to the previous model with the M1 chip. Engadget's Nathan Ingraham said the 12.9-inch iPad Pro with the M2 chip was "far more responsive" in his initial testing than his 11-inch iPad Pro with the A12Z chip from 2020:
In the short time that I've been testing the latest 12.9-inch iPad Pro, I can say that it's far more responsive than my personal 11-inch iPad Pro from 2020 as well as the new iPad I've also been testing. Those other devices aren't slow by any stretch of the imagination, but the M2-powered iPad Pro responds to everything almost instantaneously. Of course, the same can be said about the M1 iPad Pro, especially given my modest workflow.
Mac Otakara shared Geekbench 5 results for the new iPad Pro that confirm about a 15-16% increase in multi-core performance over the previous model (8,516 score for 12.9-inch model with M2 chip vs. 7,326 for the 12.9-inch model with M1 chip):
Mashable's Stan Schroeder said iPadOS 16's new Stage Manager feature remains "buggy" on the new iPad Pro and is "far from perfect":
Stage Manager was also buggy. For example, invoking it with the Keyboard's trackpad, which you do by moving the cursor to the left of the display, occasionally wouldn't work. Some apps, including Facebook and Apple's own Weather (which is new to the iPad) would sometimes look messy when resized inside Stage Manager. Having the app windows stubbornly cling to a certain size when you need them to be just a little bit bigger or smaller is annoying. I do think it's better than both Slide Over and Split View as a multitasking tool, but it's still far from perfect.
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