MacRumors

With the announcement of new Apple products this week in the iPad Pro and iPad, we saw new record low prices hit previous generation tablets. Right now, these best-ever sales are still available for many 2021 12.9-inch iPad Pro devices, and we're also tracking solid deals on iPad Air, MacBook Air, and AirTag and MagSafe accessories.

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.

iPad Pro

• What's the deal? Take $200 off 2021 12.9-inch iPad Pro
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

This week Apple introduced new iPad Pro tablets, and in the wake of this announcement we tracked record low prices on numerous models of the previous generation 2021 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Prices start as low as $899.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi iPad Pro, and include both cellular and Wi-Fi models. You can see the full list of deals in our original post.

MacBook Air

• What's the deal? Take $200 off M1 MacBook Air
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Another big discount this week focused on the 2020 256GB M1 MacBook Air, available for $799.00 on Amazon, down from $999.00. This is a solid deal for the two-year-old notebook, and great for anyone okay with an older generation MacBook Air who wants to save money.

iPad Air

• What's the deal? Take $80 off iPad Air
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Another deal Amazon introduced this week was on Apple's 2022 iPad Air, and it's still available at $519.00 for the 64GB Wi-Fi model, down from $599.00. You can also get the 256GB Wi-Fi model for $669.00, down from $749.00.

AirTag Accessories

• What's the deal? Take up to $20 off AirTag accessories
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon brought back best-ever prices on a few AirTag accessories this week, including just $9.00 for the AirTag Loop and $19.00 for the AirTag Leather Key Ring. Only a few colors are available for each accessory at these prices.

MagSafe Accessories

• What's the deal? Take 25% off MagSafe accessories
• Where can I get it? Verizon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Verizon has great discounts on three of Apple's MagSafe accessories. You can get the MagSafe Charger for $29.99, down from $39.00. The MagSafe Duo Charger is down to $96.74, from $129.00; and the MagSafe Battery Pack is down to $74.24, from $99.00.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

Capcom today announced that the Mac version of survival horror game Resident Evil Village is set to launch on Friday, October 28. The game will be available on Macs that are equipped with Apple silicon chips.

Resident Evil Village first launched in 2021, but it has been limited to PCs and consoles. As with prior Resident Evil games, Resident Evil Village is a first person game that requires players to explore their surroundings in the hopes of discovering items and equipment to progress.

The game is set in a snowy Eastern European village, and there is a deeper focus on action and combat than the prior title, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. Village is set approximately three years after Biohazard.

Capcom says Resident Evil Village is built on the first Mac version of the RE Engine Capcom game engine, and it is compatible with M1 and M2 Macs that are running macOS Monterey or macOS Ventura.

The Mac version of Resident Evil Village comes with the Trauma Pack DLC, raccoon weapon parts, and a Survival Resource Pack. It does not, however, include Resident Evil: RE:Birth, but Capcom says the Winters' Expansion will be coming in the near future. Winters' Expansion will introduce a new third-person mode along with new game content.

Resident Evil Village will be available from the Mac App Store when it launches on October 28.

Smart lock maker Level today announced the official launch of its Level Lock+, which is now available for purchase from Apple's online store. The Level Lock+ has been in Apple retail stores since last week as part of a soft launch, but those who do not live near a store location can now order it online.

Level Lock+ is an Apple exclusive product, as it is designed to work with the Home Keys feature from Apple. With Home Keys, users can tap an iPhone or Apple Watch on the lock to unlock their homes, with the device serving as an alternative to a key.

Smart locks that are HomeKit integrated have worked for some time, but Level Lock+ shows up in the Wallet app and it has Home Key features such as the ability to use power reserve to unlock a door even when the iPhone's battery is dead.

The Level Lock+ is equipped with a powerful NFC antenna, and the company says that it is BHMA AAA certified, which is the highest industry standard for safety and durability. Like the original Level Lock, the Level Lock+ has a sleek design that looks more like a standard door lock than a smart lock. Installation requires a screwdriver and Level claims that it takes less than 15 minutes to set up.

With the Level app, there are options for sharing access with guests, and auto locking and unlocking as a keyed iPhone approaches. There are also tools for setting up keycards that can activate the Level Lock+, activating the lock through the Level app, and an optional $79 Level Keypad that allows for entry through a key code.

The Level Lock+ is available in Satin Nickel and Matte Black and it can be purchased from Apple for $329.

The new Apple TV 4K hasn't even launched yet, but Amazon is already offering a small $4 discount on the streaming device as a pre-order deal. You can get the 64GB Wi-Fi model for $124.99 when pre-ordering, down from $129.00.

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.

While not a massive discount, this is still a notable deal given it's the first pre-order discount on the 2022 Apple TV 4K. We don't expect much steeper discounts than this to come out any time soon; for those types of deals you'll need to shop for the 2021 models, which are as low as $99.99 today on Amazon.

The Apple TV 4K will launch on November 4, along with the 128GB Wi-Fi + Ethernet model, which is not seeing a pre-order discount on Amazon.

Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.

The 10th-generation iPad is now available for a starting price of $449, but its predecessor, the ninth-generation ‌iPad‌, remains available from Apple for the same $329 starting price.

The 64GB and 256GB ninth-generation ‌iPad‌ models continue to be available for $329 and $479, respectively. They are still offered in the same Silver and Space Gray color options, meaning that there has been no change to the pricing or available configurations of the device.

The entry-level ‌iPad‌ is an important device in Apple's lineup, particularly for the education market, because it provides an accessible on-ramp to basic computing on the ‌iPad‌ at a low price point. Despite being successive generations of the same device, there are substantial differences between the ninth- and 10th-generation ‌iPad‌ that justify their $120 difference in price, which may make it difficult to choose which device is best for you.

So should you consider buying the ninth-generation ‌‌iPad‌‌ to save money, or do you need the ‌10th-generation ‌iPad‌ instead? This breakdown serves as a clear way to see all the similarities and differences between the two devices.

Similarities

• Touch ID
• Retina display (264 ppi) with True Tone and 500 nits max brightness (typical)
• Apple silicon chip with 6-core CPU (2 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores) and 4-core GPU
• Digital zoom up to 5x, 3x video zoom, slo-mo video support for 720p at 120 fps, and time-lapse video with stabilization
• 12MP Ultra Wide front-facing camera (ƒ/2.4 aperture) with 2x zoom out, Center Stage, Retina Flash, Extended dynamic range for video up to 30 fps, Cinematic video stabilization, and 1080p HD video recording up to 60 fps
• Two speaker audio
• Up to 10-hour battery life
• 64GB and 256GB storage options
• First-generation Apple Pencil support

Differences

Overall, the 10th-generation ‌iPad‌ will be the more suitable device to buy for most people. With a faster chip and more memory, the 10th-generation ‌iPad‌ will be the better long-term purchase through annual software updates, not to mention 5G connectivity on the cellular models. Apple appears to be gradually transitioning to USB-C across all of its devices, so buying a device with this port instead of Lightning may be helpful in years to come. The design of the 10th-generation ‌iPad‌ is also considerably more future-proof, fitting in well with any of Apple's modern ‌iPad‌ or all-screen designs.

The larger display, better performance, USB-C port, and Magic Keyboard Folio support may also make the 10th-generation a more useful productivity-focused device. The landscape front-facing camera will be better for video calls, while the rear camera offers more advanced photography and videography capabilities. It is also worth noting that some users may simply prefer the 10th-generation ‌iPad‌'s modern design and vibrant array of color options.

By comparison, the ninth-generation ‌iPad‌ offers a good balance of the most important basic ‌iPad‌ features, but in an older design with slightly less advanced technologies. Prospective customers that simply need a new ‌iPad‌ at the lowest possible price are unlikely to care about many of these differences, so it may not be worth the extra $120 in some cases. Generally, where possible, it will be worth the upgrade to the newer model – especially if you plan to use the ‌iPad‌ heavily for years to come.

Woot today has Apple's Magic Trackpad 2 on sale for $84.99 in new condition, down from $129.99. This is one of the best prices we've ever tracked on the accessory, and only Woot has the deal.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Woot. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

The Magic Trackpad 2 is in new condition and is in stock and ready to ship from Woot, with free shipping options available for Amazon Prime members. The Magic Trackpad 2 is compatible with Macs and iPads (running iPadOS 13.4 or later), and only the white color option is on sale today.

This appears to be the model that ships with a USB-A to Lightning cable, instead of the more current models that ship with USB-C to Lightning cables. If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

Apple's vice president of industrial design Evans Hankey plans to leave the company next year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple confirmed the report in a statement, but her successor has not been named yet.

"Apple's design team brings together expert creatives from around the world and across many disciplines to imagine products that are undeniably Apple," an Apple spokesperson said in a statement shared with Bloomberg today. "The senior design team has strong leaders with decades of experience. Evans plans to stay on as we work through the transition, and we'd like to thank her for her leadership and contributions."

Hankey succeeded Jony Ive as Apple's de-facto design chief after he left the company in 2019, reporting to Apple's operations chief Jeff Williams. She will remain at Apple for at least the next six months, and Apple's software design lead Alan Dye is also staying at Apple and will continue to report to Williams, according to the report.

With this week's announcements of new iPad Pro, iPad, and Apple TV models out of the way, attention now turns to the Mac. Rumors suggest Apple plans to launch new high-end MacBook Pro and Mac mini models with M2 series chips later this year.

In his newsletter this week, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the initial version of macOS Ventura launching on Monday, October 24 will include support for new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, which he expects to be released in the "near future." The oft-accurate reporter said the new MacBook Pro models will be available with M2 Pro and M2 Max chip options, but he believes there will be minimal other changes to the laptops.

As for the Mac mini, Gurman has previously claimed that new models with both M2 and M2 Pro chip options were in development.

At this point, it seems likely that the new Macs will be announced in November with press releases on the Apple Newsroom site. As noted by Gurman, Apple has launched new Macs in November multiple times in recent years, including the original 16-inch MacBook Pro in 2019 and the first three Macs with the M1 chip in 2020.

The current 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips were released in October 2021 and featured a complete redesign with a notch in the display and additional ports like HDMI, MagSafe, and an SD card reader. Apple last updated the base model Mac mini with the M1 chip in November 2020, and it continues to sell higher-priced Intel configurations with Core i5 and Core i7 processor options.

As for the Mac Pro, Gurman now believes that the high-end desktop tower will not be updated with Apple silicon chips until 2023. He has previously reported that the next Mac Pro will be available with M2 Ultra and M2 Extreme chips. The next MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and 24-inch iMac models are also expected to launch next year.

The new 10th-generation iPad features a USB-C port instead of Lightning, but the device remains compatible with the first-generation Apple Pencil only, meaning that an adapter is now required to pair and charge the Apple Pencil with the iPad.

The adapter is included in the box with the first-generation Apple Pencil, but for customers who already own an Apple Pencil, they must purchase the adapter separately for $9. While the new iPad is set to launch October 26, the adapter is already facing a 3-4 week shipping delay on Apple's online store in the U.S. for orders placed today.

The Apple Pencil plugs into one end of the adapter and a USB-C charging cable plugs into the other end of the adapter and the iPad. This setup looks quite humorous and led to the adapter becoming a meme on social media after the new iPad was announced.

Despite being redesigned with flat edges like other iPad models, the 10th-generation iPad is not compatible with the second-generation Apple Pencil, likely due to the device having a new landscape FaceTime camera occupying the area where the magnetic connector would normally be for charging the second-generation Apple Pencil.

Apple's 2021 32GB Apple TV 4K has hit a new all-time low price today on Amazon, available for $99.99, down from its original price of $179.00. This beats the previous record low price that we tracked during Prime Early Access by about $5.

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.

Apple announced a new model of the Apple TV 4K earlier this week, and it starts at just $129 for 64GB. While this makes the 2021 64GB model harder to recommend (it's currently $119.99 on Amazon), if you're okay with a previous-generation device and want to save money, today's sale on the 2021 32GB Apple TV 4K is a great deal.

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

The iOS 15.7.1 Release Candidate made available earlier this week appears to prevent Face ID from working on at least some iPhones, according to user reports across Reddit and Twitter. Affected devices include iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro models at a minimum, but it is quite possible that other models are impacted too.

Affected users who attempt to reset Face ID on their iPhone receive a "Face ID Is Not Available" error, resulting in facial recognition being completely broken. It is unclear what the cause of the issue is or whether Apple is aware of the problem. We have reached out to Apple for comment on the matter and will update this story if we hear back.

Release Candidates usually end up being identical to the final release for iOS updates, but it's possible that Apple could release a new Release Candidate with a fix ahead of iOS 15.7.1's expected release to the public next week.

Some users are not interested in updating to iOS 16, so it is important that Apple addresses this issue in iOS 15.7.1. There are also some devices that are compatible with iOS 15 but not iOS 16, including the iPhone 6s, iPhone‌ 6s Plus, first-generation iPhone SE, seventh-generation iPod touch, ‌iPhone‌ 7, and ‌iPhone‌ 7 Plus.

(Thanks, @AppleSWUpdates!)

While we noted yesterday that Apple had cut prices on refurbished units of some older iPad models alongside the introduction of updates for the iPad Pro and ‌iPad‌ lines, the company also reduced refurbished prices for some other product lines that did not see updates.

Most notably, Apple has cut prices on its refurbished 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, offering customers additional savings ahead of updates expected as soon as next month. From their April debut through earlier this week, refurbished ‌M1 Pro‌ and ‌M1 Max‌ ‌MacBook Pro‌ models were priced at roughly 10% off compared to corresponding brand-new models, but they have now been reduced to approximately 15% below brand-new pricing.

For example, the entry-level 14-inch model normally priced at $1,999 was originally available refurbished for $1,799, but as of this week the price has dropped to $1,709. Similarly, a stock high-end configuration of the 16-inch MacBook Pro is priced at $3,499 brand-new and was initially offered refurbished for $3,149 but has now dropped to $2,989.

Refurbished older ‌MacBook Pro‌ models have dropped even more, such as with the 16-inch 2.6GHz Core i7 model from 2019 that was previously priced at $1,949 for a 15% discount compared to its original $2,299 pricing for a brand-new unit. As of this week, that refurbished model is now selling for $1,749, an almost 25% discount compared to its original price.

It's worth noting that we've frequently seen steep discounts from Amazon and other retailers for brand-new units, sometimes exceeding the savings you can get buying refurbished from Apple. But for those who need to buy when one of those sales isn't running and would like the peace of mind of purchasing directly from Apple, refurbished units can be a good option for saving some money.

All of Apple's refurbished Macs feature the same one-year warranty available with brand-new products, along with all accessories. Every refurbished device from Apple goes through a rigorous testing, repair, cleaning, and repackaging process. Standard one-year warranties can be extended with AppleCare+, making Apple's refurbished products virtually indistinguishable from new products.

(Thanks, Matt!)

Since the Apple Watch launched in 2015, Apple has released numerous watch bands in a variety of colors and materials. In fact, more than 620 official Apple Watch bands have been released, and there is a beautiful iPhone app for browsing through them all.

Bandbreite is an app that provides comprehensive information about every official Apple Watch band ever released, including details such as color, release date, model number, and price. The app also lets you keep track of bands that you already own, complete with stats and insights about your collection, such as which colors you prefer most.

The app was updated this week to version 1.7 with several new features, including galleries of images for nearly every band, the ability to share stats and insights about your Apple Watch band collection with others, and many other improvements. Bandbreite is free on the App Store, and if you like it, you can consider buying the developers a coffee.

Bandbreite was first released in September 2020 by Filip Chudzinski and other Apple Watch band collectors, designers, and software engineers from multiple countries. The idea for the app stemmed from an ongoing MacRumors forum thread tracking every Apple Watch band and there is also a handy chart of bands available alongside the app.

Apple today seeded another release candidate version of macOS 13 Ventura, the next-generation version of the Mac operating system, to developers ahead of the public release scheduled for Monday, October 24. The release candidate version comes a little over one week after Apple provided the eleventh beta to developers.

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

macOS Ventura introduces Stage Manager, a new feature that lets Mac users focus on a task while keeping other apps at the ready for easy swapping between tasks. The update adds Continuity Camera, which is designed to let you use the iPhone as a webcam for your Mac. It supports Center Stage, Desk View (for showing off your desk), and Studio Light.

Handoff is now available for FaceTime so you can transfer calls between iPhone, iPad, and Mac at will, and Messages supports features for marking an iMessage as unread, unsending an iMessage, and marking as unread. SharePlay also now works in the Messages app.

The Mail app supports scheduling and undoing emails for up to 10 seconds after they're sent, and there are now Weather and Clock apps that are available on the Mac. System Preferences has been renamed System Settings, and it features an iOS-like design.

Safari supports Shared Tab Groups and Apple is working on Passkeys, a next-generation credential that replaces the password. There are updates to Spotlight, Photo Library has new features, and Metal 3 is included in macOS Ventura for better graphics in games.

For everything new in macOS Ventura, we have a dedicated roundup that goes through all of the features. macOS Ventura is set to see a public release later in October.

Google today announced that Android users will be able to add emoji reactions to SMS texts received from iPhone users in Google's Messages app. This feature and other improvements to the app will begin rolling out in the coming weeks.

Given that the Messages app on iOS lacks support for the Rich Communication Services (RCS) protocol, emoji reactions from Android users will appear as annoying follow-up SMS text messages on the iPhone, according to CNET. For example, the message will say something along the lines of "Joe reacted with Heart to 'let's go to the movies tonight.'"

Google's head of its Messages app Jan Jedrzejowicz told CNET that it will be up to Apple to decide whether or not to parse those texts into the appropriate Tapback reaction on the iPhone, similar to how Tapbacks now appear properly on Android.

The feature seems to be at least partly an attempt at Google encouraging Apple to support RCS on the iPhone, as this would eliminate the annoying follow-up SMS messages. Google launched a campaign earlier this year pushing for Apple to adopt RCS, but Apple CEO Tim Cook suggested the feature has not been highly requested by iPhone users.

Following the announcement of new iPad Pro, entry-level iPad, and Apple TV 4K models earlier this week, on the latest episode of The MacRumors Show podcast we talk through our immediate reactions to the new devices.

We discuss the details of Apple's latest product announcements, including the more powerful Apple TV 4K with the A15 chip, and explore the significance of switching to USB-C on the Siri Remote. We weigh up features like the M2 chip and Apple Pencil hover that headline the new iPad Pro, and take a deep dive into where the 10th-generation iPad now sits in the lineup amid features like its landscape front-facing camera, range of vibrant color options, support for the Magic Keyboard Folio, and support for the first-generation ‌Apple Pencil‌ and the adapter required to charge it.

Listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ using apps like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Castro, Google Podcasts, or subscribe by copying our RSS feed directly into your podcast player. You can also watch a video version of the podcast on the MacRumors YouTube channel.

If you haven't already listened to the last episode of The MacRumors Show, be sure to catch up for a discussion about how Google's new Pixel Watch, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, and Pixel Tablet devices compare to Apple's offerings.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for more episodes, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by exciting guests like Sarah Dietschy, Luke Miani, Sam Kohl, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, iJustine, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, Jon Rettinger, Rene Ritchie, Andru Edwards, Jon Prosser, and Mark Gurman. Remember to rate and review the show, and let us know what subjects you would like the podcast to cover in the future.

Amazon today has a few cellular stainless steel Apple Watch Series 8 models at a discount, headlined by a big $100 discount on the 45mm stainless steel Apple Watch Series 8 with Graphite Milanese Loop for $699.00, down from $799.00.

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.

Only the Graphite is available at this discounted price, and it's in stock and sold by Amazon with a delivery estimate between October 23 and 25. To date, this is the lowest price we've ever seen on this model of the Apple Watch Series 8.

There are a few smaller discounts on the 41mm stainless steel Apple Watch Series 8, which is on sale for $659.00, down from $699.00. This one is available in a few colors and both the M/L and S/M band sizes have this deal. You can find the band size options below the color selection on Amazon.

Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.

As expected, Apple today confirmed in a press release that iOS 16.1 will be released on Monday, October 24 alongside iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura.

iOS 16.1 includes at least eight new features for iPhone users, such as iCloud Shared Photo Library and Live Activities support in third-party apps on the App Store, along with several bug fixes. Below, we have recapped everything new in iOS 16.1 and shared complete release notes for the update ahead of its release next week.

iCloud Shared Photo Library

iCloud‌ Shared Photo Library makes it easier for you to share photos with your family members or friends in the Photos app. The feature will let you and up to five other people add, edit, or remove photos in a shared library accessible via iCloud.

Live Activities for Third-Party Apps

iOS 16.1 expands Live Activities to third-party apps in the App Store. The feature allows iPhone users to stay on top of real-time events, such as a sports game or a food delivery order, right on the Lock Screen or in the Dynamic Island.

Live Activities appear at the bottom of the Lock Screen on iPhone 13 models and earlier, as well as on the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. On the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, Live Activities appear in the Dynamic Island when the device is unlocked, or on the Lock Screen when the device is locked or in always-on display mode.

Clean Energy Charging

iOS 16.1 includes a new Clean Energy Charging feature that Apple says "aims to decrease the carbon footprint of the iPhone by optimizing charging times for when the grid is using cleaner energy sources." The feature is available in the U.S. only.

Apple Fitness+ Without an Apple Watch

Apple Fitness+ is available to iPhone users without an Apple Watch starting with iOS 16.1, iPadOS 16.1, and tvOS 16.1. Without an Apple Watch, iPhone users will not see real-time metrics like heart rate and calories burned during a workout.

Launched in December 2020, Apple Fitness+ features a library of over 3,000 workout and meditation videos, with new content added weekly. The subscription-based service is available through the Fitness app on the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV in 21 countries, with U.S. pricing set at $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year.

Matter Accessories in Home App

iOS 16.1 includes support for Matter, an upcoming connectivity standard that will enable compatible smart home accessories to work together seamlessly across multiple platforms, including Apple's HomeKit, Amazon's Alexa, and Google's Home.

Controlling Matter accessories with the Home app and Siri will require a HomePod, HomePod mini, Apple TV 4K, or Apple TV HD running as a home hub.

Apple Card Savings Account

Starting with iOS 16.1, Apple Card users will be able to open a new "high-yield" savings account from Goldman Sachs and have their Daily Cash cashback rewards automatically deposited into it, with no fees, no minimum deposits, and no minimum balance requirements. Users will be able to manage the savings account in the Wallet app.

Reachability Support for Dynamic Island

iOS 16.1 adds Reachability support for the Dynamic Island on iPhone 14 Pro models, making it easier to access with one hand.

Reachability is an optional feature that lowers the top half of the screen so it's within easy reach of your fingers. The feature can be enabled in the Settings app under Accessibility → Touch → Reachability. To use the feature, simply swipe down on the bottom edge of the screen. To return to a regular view, tap the upper half of the screen.

Key Sharing in Wallet App

iOS 16.1 allows you to securely share keys stored in the Wallet app for cars, hotel rooms, and more via messaging apps such as Messages and WhatsApp.

iOS 16.1 Release Notes

Apple's full release notes for iOS 16.1:

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
- Savings account enables Apple Card customers to grow their Daily Cash by depositing it in a high yield savings account

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 16.1 should be released around 10 a.m. Pacific Time on Monday.