MacRumors

Apple today began selling a certified refurbished iPhone 12 mini model in the U.S. for the first time since the device was released in October 2020.

Apple's online refurbished store currently has a refurbished iPhone 12 mini available with 128GB of storage in a Black finish for $579. It's worth noting that Apple still sells a new iPhone 12 mini with 128GB of storage for $649, so the refurbished model does not offer significant savings, and the device is also nearly two years old.

The refurbished iPhone 12 mini model is unlocked and SIM-free. All refurbished iPhones come with a new battery, a new outer shell, and a new white box that includes all manuals and a USB-C to Lightning cable. All refurbished iPhones are covered by Apple's standard one-year warranty and are eligible for extended AppleCare+ coverage.

Apple says its refurbished iPhones are thoroughly tested and cleaned, and in our view, they are virtually indistinguishable from brand new iPhones. One of the only notable differences with a certified refurbished iPhone is that it comes in a plainer box.

iPhone 12 mini features include a 5.4-inch OLED display, A14 Bionic chip, 5G, dual 12-megapixel rear cameras, and more. Apple went on to release an iPhone 13 mini last year, but rumors suggest there will not be an iPhone 14 mini this year.

A few refurbished iPhone 12 Pro configurations also remain in stock.

Apple prototyped at least three larger iMac models with Apple silicon chips last year, according to information shared by MacRumors forum member Amethyst back in March. The forum member said they obtained the details from an acquaintance.

We've elected to share this iMac information given that Amethyst accurately revealed details about the Mac Studio before anyone else, including the name of the computer and that it would be available with a doubled-up version of the M1 Max chip with a 20-core GPU and 48-core GPU. Amethyst also shared accurate details about the Studio Display.

The three iMacs that Apple prototyped were as follows, according to Amethyst:

• The first one prior to August 2021 used the same design as the discontinued Intel-based 27-inch iMac from 2020 with an M1 chip
• The second one around August 2021 used the same design as the 24-inch iMac, but with a 27-inch display and an M1 chip
• The third one around November 2021 used the same design as the 24-inch iMac, but with a 27-inch XDR display, black finish, and M1 Max chip

As of March, Amethyst's source said they were not aware of any other larger iMac models having been prototyped by Apple since the aforementioned three.

The most interesting prototype described was a 27-inch iMac with the same design as the colorful 24-inch iMac, but in a sleeker black finish and with an XDR display, which likely would have meant a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio and high brightness.

While the forum member has a proven track record given the accurate Mac Studio information, there is no guarantee that this iMac-related information is accurate or that Apple plans to release any of the larger iMac models that it allegedly prototyped, especially given that the prototyping is said to have occurred last year.

Apple discontinued its Intel-based iMac Pro and 27-inch iMac models over the last year and a bit, leaving the 24-inch iMac with the M1 chip as Apple's sole all-in-one desktop computer right now. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo have both claimed that a larger iMac powered by Apple silicon could make a comeback as early as 2023, but details about the computer's design and chip options are not entirely clear.

Mac Pro

Earlier this month, citing the same source, Amethyst also shared details about an alleged pre-production Mac Pro logic board that includes an Apple silicon chip with a 40-core CPU (32 performance cores, eight efficiency cores) and a 128-core GPU. This prototype Mac Pro board is also said to include at least one PCIe x16 slot.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported on the exact same core counts for a future Apple silicon version of the Mac Pro back in May 2021, so it possible that the logic board is for an older Mac Pro prototype based on the M1 series of chips, and it may never be released. In his newsletter last month, Gurman said the new Mac Pro will be available with M2 Ultra and "M2 Extreme" chips, but he did not reveal the core counts for those chips.

Amethyst's forum post about the Mac Pro was recently surfaced by YouTube channel Max Tech.

Apple today seeded the second betas of iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 to public beta testers, opening up the iOS 16 beta testing process to the general public. Today's beta comes a little over two weeks after the first public beta, and it corresponds with the fourth developer beta.

Public beta testers who have signed up for Apple's free beta testing program can download the second iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 betas over the air after installing the proper certificate from the Public Beta website.

For new features and changes in the second public beta of iOS 16, check out our list of everything new. There are updates to the iMessage edit/undo send features, enhanced Lock screen notification settings, new Home app and CarPlay wallpapers, and more. Apple has also released an ActivityKit beta for developers to test the Live Activities feature.

iOS 16 brings an overhauled Lock Screen with customizable wallpapers, time, and widgets, plus notifications have been updated to roll in from the bottom of the display. Multiple Lock Screens are supported and can be linked with Focus modes.

The Messages app supports editing and deleting messages as well as marking messages unread. SharePlay is no longer limited to FaceTime, so Messages can be used for communication between people sharing content with one another. ‌FaceTime‌ calls can be handed off from one device to another, and the Health app gains a new Medications feature for tracking the vitamins and medicine that you take.

Apple is replacing passwords with Passkeys, and Safari now supports Shared Tab Groups for collaborating. In the Mail app, you can schedule emails, cancel sending, and receive follow-up reminders, and the Maps app supports multi-stop routing.

iCloud Shared Photo Library offers a convenient way to share a photos with family members, and Apple Pay Later will let users pay for ‌Apple Pay‌ purchases in fee-free installments. For the iPad, iPadOS 16 brings a Weather app and a new multi-tasking system called Stage Manager, but it's only for iPads with Apple silicon chips.

There are tons more features in iOS 16 and iPadOS 16, with a full rundown available in our dedicated roundups.

Apple today seeded the second beta of macOS Ventura to its public beta testing group, allowing non-developers to test the new macOS Ventura operating system ahead of its release. The second beta comes a little over two weeks after the first public beta and it corresponds with the fourth developer beta.

Public beta testers can download the macOS 13 Ventura update from the Software Update section of the System Preferences app after installing the proper profile from Apple's beta software website.

macOS Ventura introduces Stage Manager, a new multi-tasking option for focusing on a task while having other apps waiting in the wings. ‌Stage Manager‌ puts your main app front and center, tucking your other apps to the side for quick access.

Continuity Camera allows you to use your iPhone as a webcam for your Mac, offering much better camera quality than the built-in Mac camera. Apple is building special stands to hold the iPhone with a Mac, and there are neat features like Desk View, which uses the Ultra Wide lens.

Handoff now works with FaceTime so you can answer calls on the Mac and then transfer them over to another device, and Messages is gaining undo, edit, and mark as unread features. SharePlay now works in Messages in addition to ‌FaceTime‌, and the Mail app has been overhauled. Search is more relevant, emails can be scheduled, and there's even an option to undo an email for up to 10 seconds after it's sent.

Apple brought the Weather and Clock apps to the Mac, redesigned System Preferences and renamed it System Settings, and added support for Shared Tab Groups. Passwords are being replaced with more secure Passkeys in iOS 16 and macOS Ventura, and there are updates to Spotlight, Visual Lookup, Live Text, and more.

There are a ton of other features in macOS Ventura, and we have a full rundown available in our dedicated macOS Ventura roundup.

Apple today seeded the second beta of tvOS 16 to its public beta testing group, allowing members of the public to download and test the new update on Apple TV HD and ‌Apple TV‌ 4K models. The second beta comes a little over two weeks after the first public beta and it corresponds with the fourth developer beta.

Public beta testers can download the tvOS 16 beta update by opening up the Settings app on the ‌Apple TV‌, navigating to the Software Updates section under "System," and then toggling on "Get public Beta Updates" after signing up to beta test on Apple's public beta website.

tvOS 16 adds cross-device connectivity, which will let developers integrate ‌Apple TV‌ apps with iPhone and iPad apps to unlock new experiences on the ‌Apple TV‌. Multiple user profiles have also been improved through a shared keychain feature that cuts down on logins.

Game controller support has been expanded to the Nintendo Joy-Cons and Nintendo Pro Controller. In the future, the ‌Apple TV‌ will support Matter, an upcoming smart home standard that will improve interoperability between accessories from different companies.

tvOS 16 is set to come out this fall, and it will go through several rounds of beta testing before launch.

Apple today released the second HomePod Software 16 update for its public beta testing group, with the new software coming a little over two weeks after the first public beta. This is the first ‌HomePod‌ beta that Apple has provided to public beta testers.

The ‌HomePod‌ Software 16 update can be downloaded from Apple's beta site after installing the iOS 16 or iPadOS 16 software updates. From there, users will need to go to the Home app, select the Settings option, and choose Software Update.

‌HomePod‌ users with the iOS 16 or iPadOS 16 update can then enroll their HomePod mini in the beta program. It is worth noting that the beta is only available on the ‌HomePod mini‌, and it cannot be installed on the larger and now-discontinued ‌HomePod‌.

Backbone today announced the release of a new PlayStation Edition of its popular game controller for the iPhone. There is also a new dedicated section inside the Backbone app for iOS with new releases and updates from PlayStation.

The new controller was created in partnership with Sony and inspired by the design of the PS5's wireless DualSense controller, including transparent button faces. The controller is priced at $99.99 in the United States and is available to order starting today in a white color matching the PS5 console, in addition to a black option.

Backbone says the controller is compatible with all iPhones, with an adapter included in the box for the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max. Users can simply snap an iPhone into the controller and begin playing PlayStation games via the PS Remote Play app, or games on the App Store, Apple Arcade, Xbox Remote Play, and more.

The controller connects to and is charged by the iPhone via Lightning, and there is an additional Lightning connector for pass-through charging. The controller also has a 3.5mm headphone jack, a button for capturing screenshots and game clips, and a button to open the Backbone app. The controller can be collapsed/folded when not being used.

Customers who purchase the Backbone One PlayStation Edition controller can receive some perks, such as a free one-month subscription to Apple Arcade if they have not already subscribed to the service, along with three months of Discord Nitro for free and more.

iPhones have already supported PS5 DualSense and Xbox Series X/S controllers via Bluetooth since the release of iOS 14.5 last year.

Roughly a week after the last Beats Studio Buds collaboration launch involving Twitch streamer NICKMERCS, Apple's Beats brand is launching a new special-edition version of the earphones in partnership with design firm Futura Laboratories.

The new collaboration comes almost a decade after the original collaboration between Beats and Futura Laboratories founder FUTURA, with the first having been for Solo HD headphones back in 2013.

The new Futura X Beats Studio Buds feature the artist's signature "atom" motif and will be available starting Saturday, July 30, at 7:00 a.m. Pacific Time from Futura Laboratories Online, END Clothing, and Beats' WeChat store. Pricing will be at the usual Beats Studio Buds price point of $149.99, £129, or ¥1099 RMB.

As with the NICKMERCS collaboration, FUTURA has also developed a custom Apple Music playlist featuring songs that are "reflective of his New York City background" and which resonate with him.

Today we're tracking a pair of deals on the AirPods Pro and AirPods 3, available at Amazon and B&H Photo respectively.

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

Starting with the AirPods Pro with MagSafe, you can get this model for $179.99 on Amazon, down from $249.00. This price is about $10 higher than the price we tracked during Prime Day, making it a solid second-best deal on the 2021 AirPods Pro.

Secondly, you can get the AirPods 3 for $159.99 at B&H Photo, down from $179.00. Stock on the AirPods 3 has been low at many retailers in late July, with only B&H Photo offering a solid deal as well as free expedited shipping.

We track sales for every model of the AirPods in our Best AirPods Deals guide, so be sure to bookmark that page while you shop around for the wireless headphones. If you want a breakdown of all the differences and similarities between each model, be sure to read our AirPods 3 vs AirPods Pro Buyer's Guide.

Apple is erroneously sending emails to users asking them to update their iTunes Connect banking information, but the users receiving the emails often have no content being distributed via the service.

Users have flocked to Twitter to share their confusion over the email, which reads, "we're reaching out because your banking information in iTunes Connect is invalid and needs to be corrected to ensure the successful payment of any amounts owed to you."

For many users, the email is signed by the Apple Music Team, which would imply those receiving the email are artists with content on ‌Apple Music‌. For reference, iTunes Connect is what producers, artists, writers, and more use to distribute their content across Apple's platforms.

"Once your banking information is corrected, it may take up to two payment cycles to send your payment. If you have any questions, contact us," the email continues. For users who do not use iTunes Connect, it's probably safe to simply ignore the email.

Apple is opening a new development site in Jerusalem, Israel, to develop new Apple silicon chips for future Macs.

Elad Wertheimer, responsible for Apple silicon talent sourcing, made the announcement in a post on LinkedIn (via the Times of Israel). The Apple development facility will participate in several Israel-led flagship projects, with "future processors for the Mac" being at the forefront, according to Wertheimer. Engineers are already being recruited for the new site.

Apple already operates two research and development sites in Herzliya and Haifa. Johny Srouji, senior vice president of hardware technologies at Apple is from the country and was responsible for setting up the Israeli development centers where the company now employs around 2,000 people. Last month, he told Globes:

Through Israeli development, Apple manages and streamlines the data storage technology in a range of devices: Wireless communication components for the Apple Watch, as well as the integrated circuits that were developed in Israel, and the jewel in the crown: the Israeli team played a central role in developing the premium version of the company's flagship M1 processor, including the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips designed to support premium Mac computers such as MacBook Pro and MacBook Studio. These chips were built here in Israel while working with other teams worldwide, including at the headquarters in Cupertino.

Apple has significantly expanded its presence in Israel since 2011, with a focus on silicon and semiconductor design, testing, and engineering. Earlier this year, the Times of Israel reported that Apple's Israeli teams were directly behind the development of the M1 chip.

Apple has once again delayed the opening of its first physical retail store in India, The Economic Times reports.

The store was originally planned to open in 2021, but the global health crisis and economic uncertainty forced Apple to delay the opening. Now, Apple has decided to delay the launch until early 2023, with today's report saying the company is aiming for a launch between the January and March timeframe. The store in Mumbai is set to be 22,000 square feet and will be a "landmark" store known for its iconic design.

Apple is also planning a second, smaller store in New Delhi that will measure 10,000-12,000 square feet. Beyond those two stores, Apple is also looking at other possible locations in malls and high-end shopping districts across India with the intent of making retail a large part of its presence in the country.

In 2020 Apple opened its online store in India, offering Indian customers a direct way to purchase products directly from Apple without having to go through an authorized premium reseller. Apple executives have repeatedly stressed the importance of the Indian market. Most notably, Apple began production of the iPhone 13 in the country earlier this year.

After what may have seemed like an endless wait for Sky customers in the U.K. and elsewhere across Europe, the Sky Go app is now available to download on Apple TV.

The availability of the Sky Go app means that subscribers will be able to stream live Sky's broadcast content on their Apple TV HD and ‌Apple TV‌ 4K devices, rather than having to rely on Sky's set-top box or the equivalent app on their iPhone or iPad.

Over 100 channels can be streamed through the Go app, as well as on-demand access to box sets of popular TV series, all through the familiar blue Sky programming interface. However, it doesn't include the full gamut of Sky channels, and there are some other restrictions to be aware of.

The Go app is only available for Sky Q Multiscreen and Sky Glass Whole Home customers, and allows them to access content included in a Sky Cinema or Sky Sports package, but the app can't be used on ‌Apple TV‌ to stream content if the Sky Go account subscription was an add-on purchase for a mobile device.

The availability of Sky Go on ‌Apple TV‌ will be a welcome addition for many customers, given that the app has been on iPhone and ‌iPad‌ for years. Last December, Apple's own TV+ app rolled out to Sky Glass TV and Sky Q set-top boxes, allowing subscribers to access ‌Apple TV‌+ movies and shows on Sky's platform.

Twitter is testing a new status feature that lets users tag posts with pre-defined labels, similar to the statuses that the old LiveJournal and MySpace platforms allowed.

Several users this morning began reporting that they could post Twitter statuses with an accompanying emoji, and the company has since confirmed to TechCrunch that it is currently testing the feature with a select group in the U.S. and Australia.

"For a limited time, we are testing a feature that allows you to add a status topic from a predetermined list to your Tweets to provide more context for your followers," a Twitter spokesperson said. "So whether you are about to drop a hot Tweet thread, share your shower thoughts, or have a bad case of the Mondays, your Tweets can better convey what you are up to."

By the looks of it, Twitter intends for the statuses to replace certain common pre-ambles that people often add to their tweets, thereby saving valuable characters. For example, some of the statuses in the test include "Shower thought," "Picture of the day," "Spoiler alert," "Hot take," and "Unpopular opinion."

The statuses, which appear underneath the user's name, only apply to singular tweets and are non-editable, while clicking on a status badge also displays what other posters have shared using the same status.

It's unclear how many users have access to the statuses, and Twitter hasn't said how long the test will last for or what the likelihood is that the feature will stick around.

Currently Twitter is testing a number of other features designed to improve the usability of the social network, including Twitter Circles for sharing tweets with a small group of people, and a downvote button.

Following the launch of iOS 15.6 last Wednesday, Apple has stopped signing iOS 15.5, the previously available version that came out in mid-May. Since iOS 15.5 is no longer being signed, it is not possible to downgrade to that version of iOS after installing iOS 15.6.

Apple routinely stops signing older versions of software updates after new releases come out in order to encourage customers to keep their operating systems up to date, so it is not unusual that iOS 15.5 is no longer being signed.

iOS 15.5 was a relatively small-scale update, with improvements to Apple Cash in the Wallet app and a new setting that lets Podcasts users limit the number of episodes stored on their devices.

Released on July 20, iOS 15.6 was a similarly minor update and introduced a handful of features including an option to restart, pause, rewind, and fast-forward a live sports game that's in progress. It also addressed some small bugs, including an issue that could cause the Settings app to continue to display that device storage is full even when it's not.

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of iOS 16 to developers for testing. The latest beta contains a handful of new features and changes involving the Messages app, Home app, Mail app, Lock Screen notifications, CarPlay, and more.

iOS 16 is currently in beta for developers and members of Apple's free public beta testing program, and the software update will be released for all users with an iPhone 8 or newer in September. A second public beta of iOS 16 that corresponds with today's fourth developer beta is also now available.

We've outlined notable new features and changes in iOS 16 beta 4 below. Thanks to Steve Moser and @AppleSWUpdates for their contributions.

iMessage Edit/Undo Send Changes

You can now tap on the small "Edited" label below an edited iMessage bubble to view the original version of the message and any other previous edits. In addition, iMessages can now only be edited a total of five times before the "Edit" option disappears.

While there's still a 15-minute window for editing an iMessage, Apple has reduced the time limit for unsending an iMessage to two minutes after it is delivered.

Live Activities API

Apple has released ActivityKit in beta, allowing developers to begin testing the Live Activities feature on the Lock Screen in their apps on the iOS 16 beta. For now, apps that implement the feature will only be available via TestFlight.

Live Activities will provide real-time glanceable information on the Lock Screen. For example, a sports app might allow the user to start a Live Activity for a live sports game. In that scenario, the Live Activity would appear on the Lock Screen for the duration of the game and offer the latest updates about the game at a glance.

Apple says Live Activities will not be included in the initial publicly released version of iOS 16, with the feature to be enabled in an update later this year — perhaps iOS 16.1. At that time, apps offering Live Activities will become available in the App Store.

New Wallpapers in Home App

The fourth beta of iOS 16 adds new Wildflowers and Architectural wallpapers to choose from in the Home app, alongside existing wallpapers.

New Time Limits for Undo Send in Mail

In the Mail app on iOS 16, it is briefly possible to unsend an email in the Mail app. In the first three betas, the time limit for unsending an email was 10 seconds, but the fourth beta provides users with options of 10, 20, or 30 seconds.

Lock Screen Notification Settings

Apple has enhanced the look of Lock Screen notification options in the Settings app. In the fourth beta of iOS 16, Apple now includes images that visualize the Count, Sack, and List options for how Lock Screen notifications are displayed.

New Lock Screen Customization Interface

Apple has revamped the interface when customizing the Lock Screen, with options for colors, gradients, photos, and more at the bottom.

Bolder Music Player on Lock Screen

Apple has updated the music player on the Lock Screen with bolder elements.

New Wallpapers for CarPlay

A static version of the iOS 16 wallpaper for the iPhone is now available for CarPlay, with multi-colored, blue, and gray options to choose from.

Other Changes

• Apple has made numerous bug fixes in iOS 16 beta 4, according to the release notes.
• There is a new "Add Widgets" prompt displayed when customizing the Lock Screen to indicate where the widgets are placed.

If you spot any other changes, let us know in the comments section.

A former Lamborghini executive has joined Apple to work on the company's long-rumored electric vehicle, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

The report notes that Apple hired Luigi Taraborrelli, a 20-year veteran of Lamborghini, to help lead the design of the vehicle. Taraborrelli oversaw chassis and vehicle dynamics engineering/R&D at Lamborghini, according to his LinkedIn profile. Taraborrelli helped lead the design of suspension components, rims and tires, steering and brake systems, exhaust systems, fuel systems, driver assistance technologies, and more.

"For over twenty years I have been in the automotive business working on designing amazing cars and simultaneously adapting and re-shaping my team's organization in order to meet company's vision and mission," wrote Taraborrelli on his LinkedIn profile. He also said technology is one of his passions, which makes Apple an ideal fit for him.

Apple has been rumored to be working on an electric vehicle since 2014. The project remains under the leadership of Kevin Lynch, who is also has a lead role on the Apple Watch team, and John Giannandrea, the company's head of machine learning.

Earlier this month, The Information's Wayne Ma reported that Apple's vehicle design goals included four seats facing inwards, a curved ceiling that resembles the roof on a Volkswagen Beetle, and a trunk that automatically rises for easy access. The report also claimed Apple has pushed for exemptions from the U.S.'s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to release a vehicle without a steering wheel and brake pedal.

Gurman and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo have both claimed that Apple aims to begin mass production of the vehicle by 2025, but the project has faced numerous leadership changes and other technical challenges, so the launch timeframe may continue to be pushed back.