MacRumors

Twitter is rolling out a new feature on iOS and Android that lets users extract short audio clips from Twitter Spaces for easier sharing on the platform, the company has announced.

Anyone in a live audio discussion room can make a clip for sharing elsewhere on Twitter, allowing others to listen to the best parts of a livestream without them having to listen to the whole thing, and the clips expire after 30 days.

Widespread rollout of the feature follows limited testing that began in March. At the time, only Spaces hosts were able to generate the clips, but now any listener can make their own for sharing on the platform. Currently the feature is limited to users of Twitter's apps on iOS and Android, but the company says it is coming to Twitter web users further down the line.

Twitter has gradually been adding features to Spaces over the last year, such as the ability to listen to recordings of Spaces that have already taken place, and the introduction of Ticketed Spaces that allow creators to charge for access to a live discussion.

Eve Systems today announced the launch of a second-generation version of its Eve Motion sensor, which is designed to detect motion to activate other HomeKit-enabled devices.

The updated version of the Eve Motion includes an integrated light sensor and support for the Thread mesh networking standard that is designed to improve the connectivity and interoperability of smart home devices.

Eve Motion is equipped with replaceable AAA batteries and can be placed anywhere inside or outside the home to be used alongside HomeKit products. According to Eve Systems, the new Eve Motion has been designed with a more compact body and IPX3 water resistance so it can stand up to splashes of water and rain.

A 120-degree field of view detects motion within a nine meter range, and with the new light sensor, the Eve Motion can detect motion and changes in lighting to activate ‌HomeKit‌ devices. It can, for example, turn on the lights in a room when a person enters, plus it pairs with the Eve MotionBlinds to raise or lower the blinds based on the ambient lighting in the room.

All of Eve's Thread devices, the Eve Motion included, will be able to receive an over-the-air firmware update that will allow them to work with upcoming smart home protocol Matter, which will be supported by Apple, Amazon, Google, Samsung, and more. Matter is set to launch later this year.

The second-generation Eve Motion is priced at $40 and it can be purchased from the Eve website starting today.

Apple today published a new support document that clarifies what happens when games are removed from its Apple Arcade subscription service.

Apple said that users who download a game before it is removed from Apple Arcade can continue to play the game for "at least two weeks after." Users who launch an Apple Arcade game that is no longer playable will receive a "No Longer Available" message.

Apple says that after a game has been removed from Apple Arcade, the developer might choose to make their game available on the App Store for all users. Apple says the App Store version of a game may differ from the version that was offered on Apple Arcade. For example, while Apple Arcade games are not allowed to offer in-app purchases or display ads, these limitations do not apply to games available to all App Store users.

If a developer chooses to allow users to load their saved progress in the App Store version of the game, users can continue playing right where they left off in the Apple Arcade version. Otherwise, users must start the game over again.

Apple recently shared a list of 15 games that will be removed from Apple Arcade soon. A source informed MacRumors that when ‌Apple Arcade‌ first launched, Apple signed three-year deals with a number of developers, and some of these contracts are apparently nearing expiry and not being renewed, which is why some games will be removed.

In an internal memo obtained by MacRumors earlier this month, Apple said it was investigating an issue where some sixth-generation iPad mini units may fail to charge after being updated to iPadOS 15.5. Now, the issue has been fixed with a software update.

Apple today released iPadOS 15.6 with a fix for an issue where the sixth-generation iPad mini may not detect a charger or other USB-C accessories, according to the release notes for the update. iPadOS 15.6 was released earlier today alongside iOS 15.6, macOS 12.5, watchOS 8.7, tvOS 15.6, and HomePod software version 15.6.

The full release notes for iPadOS 15.6:

iPadOS 15.6 includes enhancements, bug fixes and security updates.

- TV app adds the option to restart a live sports game already in-progress and pause, rewind, or fast-forward
- Fixes an issue where Settings may continue to display that device storage is full even if it is available
- Fixes an issue that may cause braille devices to slow down or stop responding when navigating text in Mail
- Fixes an issue in Safari where a tab may revert back to a previous page
- Fixes an issue where iPad mini (6th generation) may not detect a charger or other USB-C accessory

For users who choose to remain on iPadOS 15.5 for now, restarting the iPad mini and/or disconnecting and reconnecting the charger may temporary solve the issue, but updating to iPadOS 15.6 is necessary for a permanent fix.

Apple today released iOS 15.6 and iPadOS 15.6, the sixth major updates to the iOS and iPadOS 15 operating systems that were initially released in September 2021. iOS 15.6 and iPadOS 15.6 come around two months after the launch of iOS 15.5 and iPadOS 15.5.

The iOS 15.6 and iPadOS 15.6 updates can be downloaded for free and the software is available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the new software, go to Settings > General > Software Update.

As Apple is wrapping up development on the iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 operating systems, iOS 15.6 is minor in scale and introduces a handful of new features and bug fixes.

The update includes an option to restart, pause, rewind, and fast-forward a live sports game that's in progress, plus it addresses an issue that could cause the Settings app to continue to display that device storage is full even when it's not.

Apple's full release notes for the update are below.

iOS 15.6 includes enhancements, bug fixes and security updates.

- TV app adds the option to restart a live sports game already in-progress and pause, rewind, or fast-forward
- Fixes an issue where Settings may continue to display that device storage is full even if it is available
- Fixes an issue that may cause braille devices to slow down or stop responding when navigating text in Mail
- Fixes an issue in Safari where a tab may revert back to a previous page

Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222

iPadOS 15.6 also includes a fix for an iPad mini 6 charging issue.

It's possible that iOS 15.6 and iPadOS 15.6 will be some of the last updates to the iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 operating systems as Apple is now focusing on iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 updates that are set to launch this fall.

Apple today released macOS Monterey 12.5, the fifth major update to the macOS Monterey operating system that launched in October 2021. macOS Monterey 12.5 more than two months after the launch of macOS Monterey 12.4.

The ‌‌‌‌‌macOS Monterey‌‌ 12.5 update can be downloaded on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Preferences.

According to Apple's release notes, macOS Monterey 12.5 adds a bug fix for a Safari tab issue and it adds the option to restart, pause, rewind, or fast-forward a live sports game that's in progress. Apple's release notes for the update are below.

macOS Monterey 12.5 includes enhancements, bug fixes and security updates.

- TV app adds the option to restart a live sports game already in-progress and pause, rewind, or fast-forward
- Fixes an issue in Safari where a tab may revert back to a previous page

Some features may not be available for all regions, or on all Apple devices.

For detailed information about the security content of this update, please visit: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222

macOS Monterey 12.5 could be one of the last updates to the Monterey operating system as Apple is now working on macOS Ventura, the next-generation version of macOS set to be released this fall.

Apple today released watchOS 8.7, the sixth major update to the watchOS 8 operating system that launched in September 2021. watchOS 8.6 comes around two months after the launch of watchOS 8.6, an update that expanded ECG functionality to Mexico.

watchOS ‌8.7 can be downloaded for free through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by 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.

According to Apple's release notes, there are no new prominent features in watchOS 8.7. Instead, the software focuses on under-the-hood "improvements," along with bug fixes and important security updates.

Expercom has restocked Apple's 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro, allowing shoppers a chance to get a few configurations at a discount. This version of the MacBook Pro was introduced at WWDC last month.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Expercom. 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 256GB model, Expercom has this 13-inch MacBook Pro for $1,234.05, down from $1,299.00. You can also get the 512GB 13-inch MacBook Pro for $1,424.05, down from $1,499.00.

Expercom also has a few custom configuration variants of the 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro at a discount, with the option of boosting memory up to 16GB and 24GB options. Additionally, there's a high-end 2TB model on sale for $1,994.05, down from $2,099.00.

Expercom is the only retailer online to currently offer any markdown on these notebooks. Most of the MacBook Pro models are in stock and ready to ship within three to seven business days. Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.

Alongside iOS 15.6, iPadOS 15.6, macOS Monterey 12.5, and tvOS 15.6, Apple today released a new 15.6 update for the HomePod and the HomePod mini. The ‌HomePod‌ 15.6 update is the sixth major ‌HomePod‌ software update since version 15 was released, and it comes around two months after the launch of HomePod software 15.5.

Apple's release notes say ‌HomePod‌ software version 15.6 adds Siri voice recognition support in Mandarin, Cantonese, and Japanese. The update also includes performance and stability improvements.

Software version 15.6 adds Siri voice recognition support in Mandarin Chinese (China mainland, Taiwan), Cantonese (China mainland, Hong Kong), and Japanese (Japan). 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 15.6, the sixth major update to the tvOS operating system that first launched in September 2021. tvOS 15.6 comes more than two months after the release of tvOS 15.5.

tvOS 15.6 can be downloaded over the air on the Apple TV through the Settings app by going to System > Software Update. ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌‌‌‌‌ owners who have automatic software updates enabled will be upgraded to tvOS 15.6 automatically.

Apple's tvOS updates are typically minor in scale, focusing on bug fixes, performance updates, and small tweaks rather than major outward-facing changes. There were no new features discovered in tvOS 15.6 during the beta testing process.

Apple's release notes say tvOS 15.6 includes "general performance and stability improvements."

Apple's Beats brand this week is launching a new special-edition version of its Beats Studio Buds earphones in partnership with Twitch esports streamer and FaZe Clan co-owner Nick "NICKMERCS" Kolcheff. Beats previously partnered with FaZe Clan on special-edition Powerbeats Pro and Studio3 Wireless.

Designed to pay homage to the professional Twitch streamers' loyal community, each bud features the 'MFAM' logo and arrives in a Spartan-emblazoned case to reflect Kolcheff's Greek heritage. [...]

Kolcheff has a lengthy partnership with Beats, collaborating on two drops with FaZe Clan (the lifestyle and media platform rooted in gaming and youth culture, in which he takes part as a co-owner) as well as promoting the launches of Beats Fit Pro and Beats Studio Buds in several Twitch activations. This is the first official product release solely between Beats and Kolcheff.

The new NICKMERCS Beats Studio Buds are launching this Friday, July 22, and will be available exclusively from Best Buy for $149.99. Apple Music also has a training playlist curated by NICKMERCS.

As part of WWDC last month, Apple announced that iOS 16 will allow third-party accessories with U1 chip integration to interact with iPhone apps even when the app is running in the background, enabling new "hands-free user experiences."

In a press release today, chipmaker Qorvo said this new functionality will allow U1-enabled accessories to work in tandem with iOS 16 apps to trigger real-time actions based on your precise location, such as turning on lights or playing music when you enter a room, even if you aren't actively using the apps at the time.

Qorvo also announced that its Ultra Wideband chips are now certified by Apple's MFi Program, which should pave the way for MFi-certified U1-enabled accessories from third-party brands. Accessory makers can use Qorvo's chips to create accessories that are compatible with U1-equipped iPhone and Apple Watch models.

Apple's own accessories also offer precise, directionally-aware experiences. For example, users can hold a U1-equipped iPhone near a HomePod mini to "hand off" music playback, complete with visual, audible, and haptic effects. U1-enabled iPhones can also take advantage of the Precision Finding feature that makes it easier to locate an AirTag.

Built into iPhone 11 models and newer, Apple Watch Series 6 models and newer, the HomePod mini, and the AirTag, Apple's U1 chip uses Ultra Wideband technology for ultra-precise spatial awareness within close distances.

More details are available on the Nearby Interactions with U1 page on Apple's developer website.

Apple's 64GB Wi-Fi iPad Air (2022) is down to $559.00 in three colors on Amazon, from $599.00. This deal has been applied automatically and does not require a coupon code of any kind.

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 64GB Wi-Fi iPad Air is available in Pink, Purple, and Space Gray at this price; the other two colors are slightly higher at $569.99. Compared to previous sales, the $559.00 price tag is a second-best price on the 2022 iPad Air, and each model is in stock and ready to ship from Amazon today, with a delivery estimate of July 23.

Apple updated the iPad Air lineup this past March, with the M1 chip, new color options, Touch ID, and a 10.9-inch edge-to-edge display. Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.

Engineering and robotics student Ken Pillonel has sought to address some of AirPods' repairability issues with a 3D-printed replacement casing and switching the Lightning charging port for a USB-C port.

In his latest video, Pillonel highlighted that AirPods are not designed to be serviced or repaired since no hardware components can be accessed without damage to the device, effectively making it a disposable item. Repair specialists at iFixit gave Apple's first- and second-generation AirPods a repairability score of zero out of 10 because of this.

Pillonel sought to investigate a solution to give new life to unopenable AirPods charging cases, which face inevitable obsolescence due to their built-in battery. Pillonel created a 3D-printed replacement casing, which is now available for download, to allow technicians to purposefully damage the existing case to gain access to the internals and make repairs.

In the process of the modification, Pillonel also successfully swapped the charging case's Lightning port for a USB-C port. The reasoning for this is because replacement Lightning ports for AirPods cannot be purchased individually, meaning that they have to be obtained from other AirPods charging cases.

As a standard port, USB-C on AirPods increases the possibility of long-term repairability, Pillonel suggests. Pillonel is also responsible for similar modifications that added a USB-C port to the iPhone and a Lightning port to a Samsung Galaxy A51.

Pillonel's 3D printing files and PCB files for AirPods repairability are available for free on his website, and he is considering selling kits in the future depending on interest.

Impending EU legislation will force Apple to switch AirPods to USB-C by late 2024 and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple could make the change sometime after releasing the first iPhone models with a USB-C port next year. Apple launched the Self Service Repair program earlier this year in an effort to address criticisms around the repairability of its devices.

Apple today is releasing a detailed new report highlighting the ways its ecosystem of products and services are impacting human health, from helping users keep track of their own personal health to supporting medical research and care.

"We believe passionately that technology can play a role in improving health outcomes and encouraging people to live a healthier day, and we are excited about the many ways users are benefiting from our health and fitness features, and by the ways third-party developers, institutions, and organizations are using Apple technology to advance health and science," said Jeff Williams, Apple's chief operating officer. "Our vision for the future is to continue to create science-based technology that equips people with even more information and acts as an intelligent guardian for their health, so they're no longer passengers on their own health journey. Instead, we want people to be firmly in the driver's seat with meaningful, actionable insights."

The 59-page document is split into two main sections, with the first one focused on empowering users with convenient access to their own health data while delivering health and fitness features to help maintain or improve their health. Apple outlines its commitment to privacy with secure storage of health data, the Apple Watch's role in health monitoring and as a health and fitness companion, and the HealthKit framework that opens up the ecosystem to third-party apps.

With the release of iOS 16 and watchOS 9 later this year, there will be even more health-related features available to users, including medication tracking, AFib History, and sleep stage tracking.

The second section of the report examines how Apple's health initiative integrates with the medical community, including features like ResearchKit and the Apple Research app. Other aspects include how Apple supports physician-patient relationships with technology and data and how it helps health organizations and insurance companies promote healthy lifestyles with Apple Watch.

The report concludes with an Extensions and Spotlights section that highlights a number of examples of developers and organizations that are leveraging Apple's health-related features and services to drive innovation.

Apple has expanded its smartphone market share in China on the back of strong iPhone 13 sales, despite a slowdown in the Chinese mobile market as a whole this year.

According to Strategy Analytics, 14 million smartphones were sold during the country's annual "6.18" online shopping festival in June, down 25% year on year. Chinese brands including Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo all experienced substantial shipment drops, but iPhone sales remained relatively stable.

Apple outperformed its rivals, selling nearly 7 million iPhones during the festival, and the company was ranked top by revenue share across all major merchant platforms. "Apple solidified the leadership at the expense of Chinese brands," said the industry analyst firm.

The market in China reflects a global trend: According to a recent Canalys report, worldwide smartphone shipments fell 9% year on year in the second quarter of 2022, and yet Apple achieved 17% market share, up by 3% year on year. While Samsung also increased its share to 21% by the same amount, Chinese vendors Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo all saw their share of the market drop to drop to 14%, 10% and 9%, respectively.

The data shows surprisingly resilient iPhone 13 demand in China despite the widespread supply chain issues and economic headwinds affecting the tech industry. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes iPhone 14 demand is expected to maintain Apple's momentum, particularly given Huawei's exit from the Chinese high-end 5G smartphone market, which Apple now dominates.

All in all, Apple's position in the Chinese market is looking like good news for the iPhone 14, which is expected to launch this September. The lineup is expected to include the 6.1-inch iPhone 14, 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max, 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro, and 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Netflix in the second quarter of 2022 lost 1.3 million subscribers in the United States and Canada, according to new data shared today during the company's earnings call. Netflix had 73.28 million paid memberships during the quarter, down from 74.58 million in the first quarter of 2022.

With subscriber additions in some other areas, Netflix in total dropped 970,000 subscribers worldwide. That's more than the 200,000 customers that it lost in Q1 2022, but it is ultimately a win because Netflix was expecting to lose as many as 2 million subscribers.

Netflix has been raising its prices, which has resulted in some customers turning away from the service. In January, Netflix increased the prices for all of its plans. The basic standard definition plan went from $8.99 to $9.99, the Standard HD plan went from $13.99 to $15.49, and the 4K plan went from $17.99 to $19.99.

Despite the U.S. subscriber loss, revenue was up nine percent year over year, which Netflix says is the direct result of an increase in average revenue per membership. In the third quarter of 2022, Netflix is expecting to add one million subscribers.

Netflix blames its subscriber loss on connected TV adoption, account sharing, and competition, and to continue to improve revenue growth, the company says that it is focusing on evolving monetization.

A lower-priced ad-supported tier is in the works and is set to launch in early 2023, and the lower-cost plan could draw in some of the subscribers that have abandoned Netflix because of the rising costs. Netflix says that it is also working to monetize the 100 million+ households that are "currently enjoying, but not directly paying for, Netflix."

The company is aiming to find an "easy-to-use paid sharing offering" that can be rolled out in 2023. Right now, Netflix is experimenting with a $3 fee to add an additional household to a Netflix plan in Latin America.

With the M2 MacBook Air now available for purchase, repair site iFixit picked one up and decided to do one of its traditional teardowns on the machine to give us a look inside.

A prior teardown already revealed the biggest potential issue with the base model 256GB ‌M2‌ ‌MacBook Air‌ - a single storage chip, which is confirmed in iFixit's teardown. Rather than using two 128GB NAND storage chips like the prior-generation 256GB M1 ‌MacBook Air‌, the new machine has a single 256GB NAND flash chip.

The 256GB NAND flash chip in the ‌M2‌ ‌MacBook Air‌ demonstrates 30 to 50 percent slower SSD speeds in benchmark testing than the prior-generation ‌MacBook Air‌ with two 128GB NAND chips, but Apple has claimed that despite the benchmark results, overall real-world performance is "even faster."

Along with the 256GB NAND storage chip, iFixit's teardown revealed other logic board components that include the 64-bit 8-core ‌M2‌ chip, an Apple-designed Thunderbolt 3 driver, a USI Bluetooth and WiFi chip, and curiously, an accelerometer. There's no word yet on what the accelerometer might be for.

iFixit did not find a heat spreader, and the site is unclear on the passive cooling mechanism that Apple might be using for the ‌M2‌ ‌MacBook Air‌.

How does this thing cool down? Sure it has a lot of thermal paste and graphite tape, and yeah the M2 is efficient, but this shield is super thin, so it's not helping much, and the case is lighter than last year. Maybe the M2 Air is secretly an iPad, or maybe Apple is just letting it run hot.

Like the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, the ‌M2‌ ‌MacBook Air‌ features easy access adhesive pull tabs to secure the battery, making it simpler and quicker to remove. The ‌M2‌ ‌MacBook Air‌ includes a 52.6-watt‑hour battery, up from the 49.9-watt-hour battery offered in the ‌M1‌ version of the ‌MacBook Air‌.

All of the ports in the ‌MacBook Air‌ are modular and not glued down, but the SSD and the ‌M2‌ chip are soldered, as expected, and cannot be easily upgraded or replaced. iFixit's full teardown can be watched on YouTube, and includes additional details on the battery and the build of the ‌MacBook Air‌.