MacRumors

Apple today seeded the third public betas of upcoming iOS 14.2 and iPadOS 14.2 updates to its public beta testing group, two weeks after releasing the second betas and a day after providing the third betas to developers.

Public beta testers who have signed up for Apple's beta testing program can download the iOS and iPadOS‌ 14.2 updates over the air after installing the proper certificate from the Public Beta website on an iOS device.

Apple in iOS and iPadOS 14.2 is adding new Emoji 13 emoji characters, with options that include smiling face with tear, ninja, pinched fingers, anatomical heart, black cat, mammoth, polar bear, dodo, fly, bell pepper, tamale, bubble tea, potted plant, piñata, plunger, wand, feather, hut, and more, with a full list available here.

iOS 14.2 introduces a new Music Recognition control for the Control Center, deepening the integration of the Apple-owned Shazam app in the iOS operating system. Music Recognition lets you discover music playing around you and it can recognize music playing in apps even when you're wearing AirPods.

The Shazam Music Recognition feature can be added to Control Center through the Control Center options in the Settings app. To use the feature, open up Control Center and then tap on the Shazam icon to initiate a single recognition.

The update brings a redesigned Now Playing widget for the Control Center that lists recently played albums that you might want to listen to when you have no music playing. There's also a redesigned interface for AirPlay, making it easier to play music across multiple ‌AirPlay‌ 2-enabled devices in the home.

For those who have low vision, Apple added a "People Detection" feature in the Magnifier app that uses the camera to let iPhone users know how far away other people are, which can be useful for social distancing purposes.

For Apple Card users, the iOS 14.2 update adds a yearly spending history option so ‌Apple Card‌ holders can see how much they've spent in the current calendar year and how much Daily Cash they've earned. Prior to iOS 14.2, ‌Apple Card‌ offered spending activity information in a weekly or monthly summary.

As for smaller but interesting tweaks, iOS 14.2 brings a new icon for the Apple Watch app, with the watch now sporting one of Apple's new Solo Loop bands.

The new iOS 14.2 beta will likely be in testing for some time as Apple works on releasing new iPhones, with the new iPhones debuting starting next Friday.

iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max models are equipped with 6GB of RAM, while the lower-end iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini models have 4GB of RAM, according to plist files in the Xcode 12.1 beta viewed by MacRumors.

These plist files have accurately revealed the amount of RAM in several generations of iPhones, and for good measure, a seemingly legitimate Geekbench result for the iPhone 12 Pro also lists 6GB of RAM for that device. By comparison, the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max are all equipped with 4GB of RAM.

With the increased RAM and a faster A14 Bionic chip, iPhone 12 Pro models should have significant performance improvements. The benchmark result for the iPhone 12 Pro shows that the A14 chip has roughly the same single-core performance as in the new iPad Air, although its multi-core score is significantly lower. This could be due to Geekbench being run on the iPhone shortly after it was set up, which can result in temporarily lower scores, but we'll have to wait for further benchmark results to know for certain.

iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro pre-orders begin Friday, October 16 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time, with shipments starting Friday, October 23. The smaller 5.4-inch iPhone 12 mini and larger 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max are launching later, with pre-orders beginning Friday, November 6 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time and shipments starting Friday, November 13.

Amazon Prime Day 2020 is now in its final day, and as the event nears its conclusion we're tracking a collection of solid deals on Apple-related accessories. This includes portable chargers, Bluetooth headphones, smart home products, and much more.

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.

If you're still shopping for Apple products, many of the deals that we posted yesterday are still live. We'll share a few of those below, but be sure to check out our full Day 1 post to see all the sales on AirPods, Mac notebooks, iPads, and more.

Many of the Prime Day deals we'll be sharing below are time sensitive, so if you're interested be sure to browse and purchase quickly. As usual, you'll also need an Amazon Prime membership to gain access to the sales.

Headphones

• AirPods - $114.99, down from $159.00 ($44 off, lowest price)
• AirPods Pro - $199.00, down from $249.00 ($50 off)
• Powerbeats Pro - $174.95, down from $249.95
• Solo Pro - $179.95, down from $299.95
• Solo3 Wireless - $169.00, down from $199.95
• Beats EP Wired - $91.00, down from $129.95
• Bose QuietComfort 35 - $199.00, down from $349.00 ($150 off)
• Samsung Galaxy Buds - $89.99, down from $129.99 ($40 off)
• JBL TUNE 120TWS - $39.95, down from $99.95
• Jabra Elite Active 65t - $99.99, down from $139.99 ($40 off)

Charging Accessories

• AmazonBasics - Up to 40% off Lightning cables, surge protectors, and more
• Belkin - Up to 20% off Belkin accessories
• Anker PowerCore 10,000 mAh - $15.99, down from $29.99
• Anker PowerCore 20,100 mAh - $31.99, down from $39.99

Storage

• WD/Sandisk - Up to 35% off data storage products
• Toshiba Canvio 4TB Portable HD - $79.99, down from $99.99
• Samsung 860 Pro 1TB Internal SSD - $199.99, down from $299.99
• Seagate 4TB External HD for Xbox - $87.99, down from $119.99

Smart Home

• Eero - Save 30% on Eero mesh systems
• Ring Video Doorbell Pro - $169.99, down from $249.99
• Echo Studio with Amazon Smart Plug - $154.99, down from $224.99
• Ecobee3 Lite Smart Thermostat - $149.00, down from $179.00
• August Smart Lock - $175.00, down from $199.99

Anti-Prime Day Sales

• Target's Deal Days - Save on home decor, electronics, and more, with many Beats headphones deals matching Amazon prices
• Best Buy's Early Black Friday - Save on computers, video games, and more
• Walmart's The Big Save - Save on home furniture, groceries, and electronics, with a price match on Amazon's Apple Watch Series 3 deal
• Newegg's Fantastech Sale - Save on memory, displays, and more

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.

Belkin today shared details on its first two accessories that are compatible with Apple's new MagSafe charging system. Both of the devices, a 3-in-1 charger for iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods, and a car vent mount, were briefly shown during the ‌MagSafe‌ portion of Apple's event yesterday.

Belkin's BOOST↑CHARGE PRO MagSafe 3-in-1 Wireless Charger includes a flat base with a 5-watt wireless charging spot for AirPods or AirPods Pro, and a chrome stand portion with two arms for charging an ‌iPhone‌ and an Apple Watch.

As with other ‌MagSafe‌ chargers, up to 15 watts of power can be delivered to an ‌iPhone‌, twice what is supported through regular Qi charging. Belkin says the 3-in-1 charger will be available "winter 2020" for $149.99, and it will come in black and white versions.

For traveling in your car, Belkin is introducing MagSafe Car Vent PRO, which offers a slim profile and multiple orientations to easily snap your ‌iPhone‌ into place.

The Car Vent PRO is simply a mount and does not have any charging capabilities of its own, but Belkin says it offers convenient cable management in the back so your charging cable can be kept close at hand. As with the 3-in-1 desktop charger, the car mount will be available this winter, and it will be priced at $39.95.

Finally, Belkin has one non-MagSafe ‌iPhone‌ 12 accessory to announce, which is a set of UltraGlass screen protectors made of lithium aluminosilicate glass for impact and scratch resistance. There are both regular and privacy versions available, with the privacy versions limiting the viewability of the screen from the side.

Apple's new ‌iPhone‌ 12 models come with new Ceramic Shield displays, which are hardened with ceramic crystals that Apple says provide four times greater drop protection, but some users may still be interested in supplemental screen protection. Belkin's UltraGlass screen protectors will be launching this Friday through Apple and will be priced between $39.95 and $44.95.

Sony today announced that the Apple TV app is launching on select 2018 and newer smart TV models, starting with the X900H series through a free software update that will begin rolling out today in the United States.

Sony says the Apple TV app will launch on select 2018 models and most 2019 and 2020 models by the end of the year in multiple regions.

The Apple TV app allows users to stream TV shows and movies from Apple TV+, access à-la-carte Apple TV Channels and their iTunes libraries, as well as buy or rent more than 100,000 shows and movies from the iTunes Store.

The Apple TV app is also available on select Samsung, LG, and Vizio TVs, and it can be accessed through select Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices.

Following a brief beta testing period, Spotify today updated its iPhone and iPad app with a new Home Screen widget that provides quick access to recently played playlists, artists, albums, or podcasts. The widget is available in small and medium sizes.

To access the widget, update the Spotify app to version 8.5.80 or later and open the app. Then, tap and hold a widget or an empty area of the Home Screen until the app icons jiggle, tap the plus sign in the top-left corner, tap on Spotify in the list, and select the size of the widget. Home Screen widgets require iOS 14 or iPadOS 14 or later.

As with other Home Screen widgets, this one only serves as a shortcut to various parts of the Spotify app, as Apple does not allow Home Screen widgets to offer playback controls or toggles due to battery life considerations.

Apple has posted promotional ads on its YouTube channel for all the new products that were announced during Tuesday's Apple event, including the iPhone 12, ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro, and HomePod mini. Check out the embedded videos below.

Hello 5G. A14 Bionic, the fastest smartphone chip ever. Night mode on all cameras. Super Retina XDR display. The first camera ever to record in Dolby Vision. Ceramic Shield that’s tougher than any other smartphone glass. A whole new way to connect accessories with MagSafe. And the world’s smallest 5G phone, iPhone 12 mini.

5G. A14 Bionic, the fastest chip in a smartphone. An all-new design. A Ceramic Shield front cover that’s tougher than any smartphone glass. A custom LiDAR Scanner. The first camera ever to record in Dolby Vision. An advanced Pro camera system for next-level low-light photography. And connect accessories in a whole new way with MagSafe. iPhone 12 Pro, the most powerful iPhone ever.

Room-filling sound, an intelligent assistant, and smart home control. All private and secure. Order 11.6. Available starting 11.16

Apple announced that the 6.1-inch models of the ‌iPhone‌ 12 and ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro will be available to pre-order beginning this Friday, October 16 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time, with deliveries and in-store availability beginning one week later on Friday, October 23.

The smaller 5.4-inch iPhone 12 mini and larger 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max are launching later, with pre-orders beginning Friday, November 6 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time and shipments beginning one week later on Friday, November 13. ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro pricing starts at $999, while the ‌iPhone‌ 12 starts at $799 and the ‌iPhone 12 mini‌ starts at $699.

‌The ‌HomePod mini‌‌ is priced at $99, and pre-orders begin on November 6, with deliveries beginning on November 16.

Below, we've recapped all of the announcements in just seven minutes for our readers who want a no-frills but thorough overview of all the announcements.

Apple added an Apple Pay landing page to its regional Mexico website late on Tuesday, indicating the mobile payment system could launch in the country imminently.

Way back in March there were suggestions that Apple Pay could be coming to Mexico, after reports that some iPhone users in the country had been able to add their Banregio cards to the Wallet app, with only the verification process failing.

Cards from banks other than Banregio were not able to be added to the Wallet app on the ‌‌iPhone‌‌, suggesting ‌‌Apple Pay‌‌ in Mexico could be limited to Banregio at launch.

That's still uncertain, since the ‌Apple Pay‌ page on Apple's Mexican website offers no launch date and doesn't list any banks that will integrate with the service. All it says is ‌Apple Pay‌ will be compatible with "credit and debit cards of the most important payment networks, issued by various banks," which sounds a lot like Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.

When ‌‌Apple Pay‌‌ launches in Mexico, it will be the second country in Latin America to support the payments service. Apple launched ‌‌Apple Pay‌‌ in Brazil in 2018, but has not expanded it to other Latin America countries. ‌‌Apple Pay‌‌ has also been available in the United States and Canada for years.

Apple maintains a complete list of the countries where ‌‌Apple Pay‌‌ is available on its support site, and we have a detailed Apple Pay roundup with everything you need to know about Apple's payments service.

(Thanks, Luis!)

HomePod can be used as an alarm clock replacement to wake you up in the morning or remind you of something, and soon ‌HomePod‌ owners with an Apple Music subscription should be able to set alarms on the smart speaker that play their favorite songs instead of the default alarm sound.

Prior to the original ‌HomePod‌'s release, there were rumors suggesting users would be able to set songs as custom ringtones for the alarm feature of the ‌HomePod‌, but that is not possible without resorting to automations. There is currently no option to change the default sound on the ‌HomePod‌ when setting up an alarm.

However, changes uncovered by MacRumors in the latest ‌HomePod‌ beta software reveal that ‌Apple Music‌ subscribers will soon be able to do just that.

The beta software includes a revised interface for adding alarms to ‌HomePod‌ in the Home app that provides a choice of playing a tone or media as the alarm sound.

As long as you have an active ‌Apple Music‌ subscription, tapping "Play Media" lets you choose a song from your music library. If you don't have a subscription you'll be prompted to get one, or revert to the default alarm tone.

• How to Create Alarms on Your HomePod

The latest ‌HomePod‌ beta software also includes new options to set up Apple's new Intercom feature, as well as the ability to select HomePods as the default home theater speakers for Apple TV.

During the unveiling of HomePod mini at Tuesday's Apple event, Apple introduced an upcoming new feature called Intercom that works across all Apple devices with the exception, it would seem, of Mac.

Intercom will enable family members to communicate with each other wherever they are in the home, with the ability to send and receive spoken messages via HomePod speakers. If a family member is in the garden or away from home, they can still use Intercom on their iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and even CarPlay. Apple explains:

A new Intercom feature offers a quick and easy way for family members to connect with each other at home. One person can send an Intercom message from one HomePod to another — whether in a different room, a specific zone, or multiple rooms throughout the home — and their voice will automatically play on the designated HomePod speaker. Intercom works with iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods, and CarPlay, so everyone in the household can get Intercom notifications and send Intercom messages from the backyard or on their way home.

In the latest ‌HomePod‌ beta software, the setup process explains that users can say "Hey Siri, Intercom," followed by their message, and then choose which HomePods and/or personal devices the message should be sent to. Other options include "Hey ‌Siri‌, tell everyone," and "Hey ‌Siri‌, reply..." to respond to a message.

On personal devices, Intercom messages appear as notifications with the option to listen to the audio message. Users can also choose when Intercom notifications are delivered to their ‌iPhone‌ (Never / When I'm Home / Anywhere), and can select who can use Intercom via the Home app if they have remote access. Apple is also including an accessibility option that transcribes spoken messages on personal devices.

The Intercom feature will arrive in upcoming software updates, which are likely to roll out in step with the launch of ‌HomePod mini‌ on November 16.

Following the HomePod mini announcement at Tuesday's Apple event, The Loop's Jim Dalrymple has answered a key question many people have been asking: Can you pair a ‌HomePod mini‌ with an original HomePod to make a stereo pair?

"The short answer is no," explains Dalrymple. "You can't make a stereo pair of a HomePod and a HomePod mini. You can make a stereo pair of two HomePods or two HomePod minis, but you can't mix and match the two products."

That's not to say the two devices can't be used together at all, however. Dalrymple goes on to explain that if you have a ‌HomePod‌ and ‌HomePod mini‌ in the home, they can be used to play your music in different rooms. Apple's new Intercom feature will also work on both devices.

Dalrymple says an update is on the way for the original ‌HomePod‌ that will add many features that are coming with the ‌HomePod mini‌, including Intercom, personal update, Maps continuity, multiuser support for Podcasts, and support for third-party music services like Pandora and Amazon music.

In another notable tidbit, he says an additional upcoming feature exclusive to the original ‌HomePod‌ will add "an immersive home theater experience when paired with an Apple TV 4K."

To get the 5.1, 7.1 surround, and Dolby Atmos, you need to pair one or two HomePod speakers to the Apple TV. This feature requires the spatial sound support of HomePod, so it isn’t available for the HomePod mini.

It's understood that this ability to select HomePods as home theater speakers for ‌Apple TV‌ will also fix the lingering issue of ‌Apple TV‌ often forgetting that HomePods are the preferred speakers for audio output.

Lastly, Dalrymple notes that a ‌HomePod‌ and ‌HomePod mini‌ can't be connected to ‌Apple TV‌ at the same time, but two ‌HomePod‌ minis connected to ‌Apple TV‌ will provide stereo sound.

The ‌HomePod mini‌ costs $99 and is available in both White and Space Gray. Pre-orders begin on November 6, and deliveries begin on November 16.

Apple today introduced its iPhone 12 lineup, and as was rumored, all four models ship without EarPods or a power adapter in the box. Starting today, the iPhone 11, iPhone XR, and iPhone SE will no longer include these accessories either.

Apple's website encourages customers to use their existing Apple power adapter and headphones or buy these accessories separately, and to help offset the cost, Apple has now lowered the price of its EarPods with a Lightning connector from $29 to $19. Apple's new 20W power adapter for iPhones also retails for $19, down from $29 for its now-discontinued 18W power adapter that was included with the iPhone 11 lineup until now.

Apple touted the environmental benefits of no longer including EarPods or a power adapter with iPhones, noting that the move reduces carbon emissions and avoids the mining and use of rare-earth elements. iPhone 12 models also ship in a thinner box as a result, with Apple claiming that it can fit 70 percent more iPhone boxes on a single pallet during shipping.

Apple added that many customers have switched to wireless headphones like AirPods, and said there are over two billion Apple power adapters in the world, implying that many customers no longer need these accessories.

Last month, the Apple Watch Series 6 and Apple Watch SE launched without power adapters in the box, so it is no surprise that iPhones have followed suit. However, all iPad models are still bundled with power adapters in the box for now.

We've been getting a number of questions from readers about a mysterious "patch" on the edge of all of the iPhone 12 models introduced today. The patch is unlabeled on Apple's specs page, but The Verge has confirmed that it is a window for the mmWave 5G antenna.

mmWave 5G support is only included on U.S. models of the iPhone 12 lineup, and thus the window is only present on those devices, as seen in images shared on Apple's pages for various countries.

The mystery patch was first seen in leaked schematics dating back many months, and was initially speculated to potentially be a Smart Connector or docking site for a small Apple Pencil, given its similar appearance to the magnetic ‌Apple Pencil‌ attachment site on iPad Pro models. That speculation was, however, quickly dispelled as new rumors indicated it was for a 5G antenna.

As disclosed on the specs page for Apple's new HomePod mini, the diminutive speaker is Apple's first to support Thread networking technology.

Thread is a low-power IP-based networking technology for connecting Internet of Things (IoT) devices, offering a secure, mesh-based system that makes it easy to build an ecosystem of devices.

While Thread is essentially agnostic to the application layers that run on top of it, it can support multiple layers and may play a role in Project Connected Home over IP, the alliance of Apple, Amazon, Google, and other companies that is seeking to make it simpler to build devices compatible with multiple ecosystems such as Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant.

For the time being, however, Apple says in a footnote that ‌HomePod mini‌'s Thread support is limited to HomeKit devices, so the technology can't yet be leveraged cross-platform and it remains to be seen how Apple will embrace Thread going forward.

Apple is a noted supporter of the Thread project, with longtime Apple engineer Stuart Cheshire, who developed the Rendezvous/Bonjour zero-configuration standard nearly 20 years ago, serves as a director of Thread Group.

Apple's ‌HomePod mini‌ will be available for pre-order starting November 6, and it will officially launch on November 16.

Following the debut of the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max, Apple is offering pre-approval for the ‌iPhone‌ Upgrade Program ahead of when the first pre-orders begin this Friday.

Existing and new ‌iPhone‌ Upgrade Program members can use the Apple Store app on the ‌iPhone‌ to go through all of the pre-approval steps to get ready to purchase one of the new iPhones on October 16.

Pre-approvals are available until 9:00 p.m. Pacific Time on October 15 for those who want to purchase an ‌iPhone‌ 12 or ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro through the ‌iPhone‌ Upgrade Program. Apple's pre-approval process is designed to make it simple and quick for ‌iPhone‌ Upgrade Program members to purchase their new iPhones right when pre-orders become available.

Those who are part of the ‌iPhone‌ Upgrade Program can select their preferred ‌iPhone‌, confirm their carrier, and get loan approval ahead of time, cutting down on the steps needed to make a purchase on launch date.

‌iPhone‌ Upgrade Program pricing starts at $49.91 per month for the ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro and $39.50 per month for the ‌iPhone‌ 12. AppleCare+ is included in that monthly price.

Pre-orders for the ‌iPhone‌ 12 and ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro kick off at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday, October 16, with the first orders set to arrive to customers on Friday, October 23. Those who want an ‌iPhone 12 Pro Max‌ or ‌iPhone 12 mini‌ will need to wait, as those devices will be available for pre-order on November 6 with a launch to follow on November 13.

Apple today held its annual iPhone-centric event, introducing the new iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, and, as a bonus, HomePod mini and new MagSafe charging options for iPhones.

It took Apple an hour to introduce the new devices during the "Hi, Speed" event, but we've recapped all of the announcements in just seven minutes for our readers who want a no-frills but thorough overview of all the announcements.

All of our event coverage is also available below, so make sure to check out our articles so you don't miss any information about Apple's newest products.

iPhone 12 Lineup

• iPhone 12 Introduced With Flat-Edge Design, 5G, A14 Chip, New Colors, MagSafe, and More
• iPhone 12 Mini Introduced With 5.4-Inch Display, Starts at $699
• Apple Unveils iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max With 5G, Flat-Edge Design, LiDAR Scanner, New Colors, and More
• iPhone 12 Models Ship in Thinner Box Without EarPods or Charger
• iPhone 12 Pre-Order Dates: 6.1-Inch Models on Friday, Mini and Pro Max Models on November 6
• iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini Cost $30 Extra for T-Mobile, Sprint, or SIM-Free Models
• AppleCare+ for iPhone 12 and 12 Mini Priced at $149, AppleCare+ for Pro Models Priced at $199
• iPhone 12 Mini's Battery Life is One to Two Hours Shorter Than iPhone 12 When Comparing Video Playback
• iPhone 12 Lineup's mmWave 5G Support Limited to the United States

MagSafe Chargers and Accessories

• Apple Resurfaces 'MagSafe' Brand for New iPhone 12 Accessories
• Apple Introduces New MagSafe Cases and Accessories for iPhone 12

HomePod mini

• Apple Announces HomePod mini With Spherical Design and S5 Chip for $99
• HomePod Mini AppleCare+ Coverage Costs $15

Other Announcements

• Apple Event: Full Transcript of iPhone 12 and HomePod Mini Announcements
• New Beats Flex Earphones Take BeatsX to the Next Level for Just $49.99
• iPhone XR and iPhone 11 Still Available as Low-Cost Options, iPhone 11 Pro Models Discontinued
• iPhone 11, XR, and SE No Longer Come With EarPods and Power Adapter But USB-C to Lightning Cable Included
• Apple Giving Three Months of Free Apple Arcade Access to Customers Who Purchase New Device
• Apple Now Selling 20W USB-C Power Adapter for $19
• Apple Discontinues urBeats3 After Releasing Beats Flex
• Apple's New MagSafe Charger Offers 15W Charging, Qi Still Limited to 7.5W

Apple Videos

Apple shared several videos during its keynote event highlighting new products. We've embedded them below for those who missed seeing the event live.

The full Apple event livestream can be rewatched on YouTube or on the Apple Event website.

The ‌iPhone‌ 12 and ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro will be available for pre-order this Friday, with a launch to follow on October 23. The ‌iPhone 12 Pro Max‌ and ‌iPhone 12 mini‌ will be available for pre-order on November 6, with a launch to follow on November 13.

Apple today introduced a new MagSafe charging puck that's designed for the iPhone, with a design that's similar to the inductive chargers used for the Apple Watch.

The new MagSafe charging pucks are able to charge the new ‌iPhone‌ 12 models faster than Qi-based charging options, offering up to 15W of power. Apple mentioned the 15W charging on stage during the event, and it's also confirmed on product pages for the new devices.

Qi-based wireless chargers continue to be limited to a maximum of 7.5W of charging power when used with an Apple device, so those who are looking for the fastest "wireless" charging option will want to opt for one of the new ‌MagSafe‌ chargers from Apple.

Apple has designed an Apple Watch-style ‌MagSafe‌ charging puck for iPhones, along with a dual charger that also includes an Apple Watch charger. ‌MagSafe‌ charging specifications are also being made available to third-party companies who will be able to design magnetic chargers for Apple's new ‌iPhone‌ lineup.

The product page for the new charger suggests that it is compatible with all iPhones dating back to the ‌iPhone‌ 8, which is all models that support wireless charging, but the description suggests faster wireless charging is limited to the new models.

Apple's ‌MagSafe‌ charger for ‌iPhone‌ will be available for $39, with pricing on the combo Apple Watch version unknown as of now.

Apple this morning quietly introduced new Beats Flex headphones, marking the launch of the brand's most affordable wire-free headphones to date.

Beats Flex are priced at just $50, and are identical in design to the BeatsX earphones. With lower-cost Bluetooth-based Beats headphones now available, Apple has discontinued the UrBeats headphones that it previously offered under Beats branding.

UrBeats3 were priced at $60 and were available in Lightning and 3.5mm versions, and with their discontinuation, the Beats brand is no longer offering affordable wired headphone options. The $130 wired Beats EP headphones are still available, though.

For those who prefer wired headphones, Apple still sells EarPods with Lightning and 3.5mm connector options for $19 each, but EarPods no longer come free with iPhones.