MacRumors

Back to school season is already upon us, and in order to prepare students for a return to school we're collecting all of the best back to school sales from popular Apple-related accessory companies. These include Nomad, Twelve South, Nimble, Brydge, and more, with plenty of discounts to make a dent in your shopping list, whether it be for a return to in-person school or remote learning.

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.

Nomad

We've got a few exclusive sales lined up for our readers during back to school season, starting with 20 percent off sitewide on Nomad through Monday, August 2. You can shop across Nomad's website (sale items excluded) and use the code MR20 to save 20 percent.

Nomad has a wide array of popular Apple related accessories, including Base Station wireless chargers, titanium Apple Watch bands, leather iPhone 12 cases, AirPods cases, and more. You can also save on the company's charging cables and useful USB-A to Lightning Carbon Carabiner, perfect for backpacks.

Nimble

Our second exclusive can be found at Nimble, where you can get 25 percent off any order by using the code MACRUMORS25. This code will also last through the end of August.

At Nimble you can shop for a variety of portable chargers, wireless chargers, and other charging accessories. Nimble's portable chargers start at $18.72 (regular $24.45) for the 5,200 mAh CHAMP Lite Portable Charger, and rise to $37.47 (regular $49.95) for the 10,000 mAh model and $74.97 (regular $99.95) for the 20,000 mAh model.

For wireless chargers, you can get the MagSafe-compatible APOLLO Duo Wireless Pad for $59.97 (regular $79.95). And for cables, there's the 1m PowerKnit USB-C to Lightning for $18.72 (regular $24.95).

Twelve South

Twelve South is offering our readers a chance to take 12 percent off sitewide with the code MacRumors. This is another sale that will last for the entire month of August and end on August 31.

For back to school related items, Twelve South has a new landing page dedicated to products like the SuitCase for MacBook, BookBook Case for iPad, AirSnap, and Curve Riser for iMac. Of course, our exclusive code works sitewide at Twelve South, so you can browse anywhere on the company's website and take 12 percent off for the next month.

Brydge

Brydge's back to school sale has a large collection of the company's iPad keyboards at notable discounts, including those compatible with iPad, iPad mini, and iPad Pro. You'll also find USB-C accessories, a MacBook dock, and more.

• Brydge 7.9 (for iPad mini) - $59.99, down from $99.99
• Brydge Pro (for iPad Pro) - $89.99, down from $169.99
• Brydge 10.2 MAX+ (for iPad) - $99.99, down from $129.99
• Brydge 10.2 (for iPad) - $99.99, down from $129.99
• Brydge Pro+ (for iPad Pro) - $119.99 - $139.99, down from $149.99 - $169.99
• Stone II USB-C Dock - $119.99, down from $149.99
• MacBook Vertical Dock - $129.99, down from $169.99

Hyper

Hyper is discounting USB-C hubs and docks that are compatible with the MacBook Pro and will help anyone working on Apple's notebook this semester to expand their productivity. The 4-in-1 USB-C Hub has USB-C, HDMI, USB-A, and a 3.5mm audio jack for $39.99, down from $49.99.

The PRO 8-in-2 USB-C Hub has HDMI, MicroSD, SD, Mini DisplayPort, 2x USB-A, and 2x USB-C for $99.99, down from $119.99. Lastly is the 4K HDMI 3-in-1 USB-C Hub with HDMI, USB-A, and USB-C at $39.99, down from $49.99.

You'll also find a pair of multi-purpose sterilization solutions on Hyper's sale this week, including a UV-C LED Sterilizing Box ($199.99) and UV-C LED Sterilizing Wand ($79.99). These accessories aid in eliminating germs and bacteria from any number of products, including tech items.

Adorama

Adorama is hosting a wide variety of discounts on computers, keyboards, mice, printers, headphones, and more, all perfect for those returning to remote learning this fall.

• Lexar 2-Pack JumpDrive 64GB Flash Drive - $24.99, down from $33.98
• Epson Expression Wireless Printer - $79.99, down from $149.99
• HP Chromebook - $189.99, down from $299.99
• LG 27-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - $399.00, down from $449.00

ZAGG/Mophie

ZAGG is still offering an ongoing deal that lets you take 30 percent off your entire cart when you purchase two or more products on ZAGG's website. This includes all ZAGG brands, like InvisibleShield, Mophie, gear4, and Halo.

Mophie's portable chargers are perfect backpack accessories, for anyone going back to school or if you still have a few trips planned before the summer ends. The only exclusions for the sale are already-discounted items.

Belkin

If you're on the hunt for surge protectors, bedside Qi charging mats, Lightning cables, headphones, and other college dorm essentials, Belkin's sale is a good place to start. You'll find plenty of new accessories on sale, as well as some certified refurbished products at steeper discounts.

• 6-Outlet Surge Protector (2-pack) - $9.99, down from $12.99
• 12-Outlet Surge Protector - $24.99, down from $29.99
• Soundform Headphones with Lightning connector - $24.99, down from $29.99
• 3-Outlet Mini Surge Protector (with 2x USB-A) - $29.99, down from $34.99
• Wall Mount Surge Protector (2x USB-A, 3x AC outlet) - $29.99, down from $34.99
• USB-C + USB-A Wall Charger (with USB-C to Lightning Cable) - $44.99, down from $49.99
• Soundform True Wireless Earbuds - $49.99, down from $59.99

Office Depot, OfficeMax, and Staples

Of course, some of the all-around best school supply savings can be found at Office Depot and OfficeMax, which are both hosting a four day flash sale in anticipation of kids around the country going back to school soon. You can save up to 40 percent on backpacks, up to 70 percent on crayons, and up to 65 percent on Office Depot branded school essential storage items.

Staples has many competing prices on these school supply essentials. One inch three ring binders start as low as $1.88, while art supplies like a box of twelve colored pencils starts at $0.97.

Pad & Quill

Pad & Quill's Summer Clearance Sale has notable discounts across a collection of iPad Pro and iPhone cases. For iPhone, prices start at $39.45 for the Bella Fino iPhone 12 mini Wallet Case (originally $69.95).

iPad Pro cases start at $58.85 for the Seconds Oxford Leather iPad Pro 11-inch Case (originally $129.95). You can also get the Seconds Oxford Leather iPad Pro 12.9-inch Case at $79.90 (originally $159.95).

Speck

At Speck you can take 30 percent off sitewide through July 31 at 11:59 p.m. PST, during the company's friends and family event. Speck has a large collection of cases compatible with Apple products like iPhone 12, iPad Pro, MacBook Pro, AirPods, and much more.

Other Sales

• Best Buy - Shop tech for fitness, studying, productivity, and more.
• eBay - Save up to 50 percent on back to school products, including certified refurbished items.
• JBL - Get up to 40 percent off headphones, earbuds, and more.
• Moment - Save on gimbals, backpacks, tripods, and more.
• Newegg - Save up to 40 percent on gaming monitors and PCs.
• OWC - Save on USB-C docks, storage, power accessories, and more.
• SENA Cases - Get up to 25 percent off select iPhone cases with code LEGACY.
• Target - Save on back to school tech and other essentials like kids' headphones, tablets, and calculators.

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

A few years ago, Apple announced that it would be revamping its Maps app with more detailed maps, better road coverage, and faster and more accurate navigation. The improvements have since rolled out in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Portugal, and Spain, and Apple is focusing on Italy next.

According to Apple Maps enthusiast Justin O'Beirne, Apple recently started testing its revamped Maps experience across the Italian Peninsula, including San Marino and Vatican City. The updated maps appear to be limited to devices with the iOS 15 developer or public betas installed for now, but at WWDC 2021 last month, Apple announced that its revamped Maps experience would be expanded to all users in Italy and Australia later this year.

In early 2020, Apple said it would begin rolling out the revamped Maps experience across Europe in the coming months, so other countries should soon follow. The updated maps provide more comprehensive views of roads, buildings, parks, airports, shopping malls, sports venues like baseball fields and tennis courts, and other details.

July was a busy month for Apple Arcade, with eight new titles joining the library of almost 200 games on Apple's growing mobile gaming subscription service, including some familiar, fan-favorite games.

Last month, "Legends of Kingdom Rush," "Game Dev Story+," "Frenzic: Overtime," "INKS.+," and "Leo's Fortune+" arrived on Apple Arcade. In July, eight new games joined the platform in the card, sports, puzzle, action, simulation, and racing genres.

July 2: Solitaire Stories

The first game to arrive on ‌Apple Arcade‌ this month was "Solitaire Stories," putting a new spin on the classic card game with a narrative focus, a range of deck designs, daily challenges, and global leaderboards.

Solitaire Stories features a progressive journey through increasingly difficult levels. Each story has a different theme with its own deck design, gameplay environment, level map, and soundtrack. There is also a quick play mode for a classic game of solitaire.

July 9: Ultimate Rivals: The Court

Next was "Ultimate Rivals: The Court," an action basketball game featuring more than 140 athletes from the NHL, NBA, WNBA, MLB, NFL Players Association, WWE, and U.S. women's soccer national team. Players can create a squad of their favorite athletes to compete with friends and family in three-on-three matches.

The game features unique player moves, short sessions, a "Gauntlet" arcade mode that allows players to play through bracketed tourneys to unlock new athletes, four battle environments, and more.

July 16: Alto's Odyssey: The Lost City, Angry Birds Reloaded, and Doodle God Universe

Mid-July saw three fan-favorite titles join ‌Apple Arcade‌. "Alto's Odyssey: The Lost City" is an endless runner set in the desert, where the goal is to sail across dunes, canyons, and temples to unearth the secrets of the Lost City. The game offers simple tap controls that are easy to learn but tough to master, and players are tasked with building up combos and meeting goals.

"Angry Birds Reloaded" builds on the physics-based bird slingshotting action from the original Angry Birds game, introducing new characters from the Angry Birds movie universe, a new game mode, new power ups, and all new levels.

In "Doodle God Universe," players start out on an empty planet with four elements, and the goal is to combine these different elements to create hundreds of new elements to make the planet thrive and grow.

July 23: Jetpack Joyride+ and Neko Atsume: Kitty Collector+

"Jetpack Joyride+" is another classic App Store Game that originally launched in 2011. The popular game consists of a character embarking on a journey with a jetpack, with the player controlling them to avoid obstacles. It features a wide range of jetpacks, missions, outfits, obstacles, and power-ups.

"Neko Atsume: Kitty Collector+" is a simulation game that encourages players to attract cats to a yard with food and toys. The game features over 40 varieties of cat, and players can entice rare cats with particular items. Each visiting cat is logged in a book and players strive to collect as many cats as they can.

July 30: Detonation Racing

"Detonation Racing" is the final game to come to ‌Apple Arcade‌ this month. The racing game allows players to tactically collapse and disintegrate the track to open up new routes and hazardous shortcuts to gain a competitive advantage.

The game can be played in solo, online, and local modes, and features six tracks, nine cars, and a variety of unlockable vehicle paint jobs.

Coming Soon: Super Leap Day, Monster Hunter Stories+, Super Stickman Golf 3+, wurdweb, Tetris Beat, Baldo, and Asphalt 8: Airborne+

There are seven games slated to arrive on Apple Arcade soon, of which at least four are due to arrive in August, in the action, roleplaying, sports, word, puzzle, adventure, and racing genres. "Super Leap Day," "Monster Hunter Stories+," and "Super Stickman Golf 3+" are the first set to launch next on Friday, August 6. You can tap "Get" on any of these upcoming games on the App Store to be notified when they are available and set them to automatically install.

Solitaire Stories, Ultimate Rivals: The Court, Alto's Odyssey: The Lost City, Angry Birds Reloaded, Doodle God Universe, Jetpack Joyride+, Neko Atsume: Kitty Collector+, and Detonation Racing are available on the ‌App Store‌ now. Keep an eye out throughout August for more new games.

‌Apple Arcade‌ is priced at $4.99 per month with a one-month free trial available to test it out. Apple also has a one-year subscription option available for $49.99 per year, a savings of $9.89 over the monthly price, and it is also available as part of all tiers of Apple One, starting at $14.95 per month.

The most important TSMC factory that manufactures Apple's chips destined for next-generation iPhone and Mac models has been hit by a gas contamination, according to Nikkei Asia.

The factory, known as "Fab 18," is TSMC's most advanced chipmaking facility. TSMC is Apple's sole chip supplier, making all of the processors used in every Apple device with a custom silicon chip.

Industry sources speaking to Nikkei Asia said that all of the processors for Apple's upcoming ‌iPhone‌ and Mac devices are produced at this facility. This presumably translates to the ‌iPhone‌ 13 lineup and redesigned MacBook Pro models with Apple silicon, containing the "A15" and "M1X" or "M2" chips.

Gas used in the production of these chips was found to be contaminated on Thursday night. TSMC told Nikkei Asia: "Some TSMC production lines in the South Taiwan Science Park received certain gases from suppliers that are believed to be contaminated. These were quickly replaced with other gas supplies." Employees who had gone home were called back to the factory to bring the situation under control.

The company said that it is carrying out follow-up operations to ensure that product quality is not affected, and the incident is not believed to have caused a "significant impact on operations." Sources speaking to Nikkei Asia said that the gas contamination had affected the chip manufacturing process, but only in a limited way.

The contamination comes at a particularly bad time for Apple, as the company and its suppliers are currently said to be finalizing components for the final assembly process of new ‌iPhone‌ and Mac models by the end of August.

The ‌iPhone‌ 13 lineup is expected to launch in Apple's normal September timeframe. Redesigned ‌MacBook Pro‌ models featuring Apple silicon chips are also still expected to arrive this year, either alongside the iPhone 13 in September or at a separate event around October.

Apple has started accepting App Store and iTunes payments in India using UPI and Rupay cards and Net Banking.

The acceptance of RuPay and Unified Payments Interface (UPI) cards means Apple users in India will be able to use the domestic payment systems as alternatives to regular credit/debit card payment methods to add funds to their Apple ID balance.

They can then use their ‌Apple ID‌ balance to buy apps, games, music, iCloud storage, and more in Apple's online stores.

RuPay was launched in India in 2012, and facilitates real-time electronic payments at all Indian banks and financial institutions. The massively popular instant payments network UPI followed in 2016.

Apple today sent out emails letting customers know about the latest Apple Pay promotion, which offers discounts for SONIC, ParkWhiz, and HotelTonight.

From now until August 4, customers can get a free SONIC cheeseburger, 10 percent off three parking reservations with ParkWhiz, and 10 percent off hotel reservations with HotelTonight.

To get the SONIC deal, customers must be logged into their MySonic account, and the free cheeseburger will become available in a future order after any SONIC purchase. For ParkWhiz, customers will need to use the promo code APPLEPAY10 when checking out, and for HotelTonight, customers will need to use promo code APPLEPAYHT when reserving a room. For all of these deals, ‌Apple Pay‌ must be used as a payment method.

Apple today released watchOS 7.6.1, a minor update to the watchOS 7 operating system that was released in September 2020. watchOS 7.6.1 comes two weeks after the release of watchOS 7.6, an update that brought ECG capabilities to new regions.

‌‌The watchOS 7.6.1 update‌‌ 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, the watchOS 7.6.1 update includes important security updates and it is recommended for all users. An Apple security support document indicates that the update fixes a memory issue that may have been actively exploited in the wild, so Apple Watch users should upgrade as soon as possible. This is the same issue that Apple previously addressed in iOS 14.7.1 and macOS Big Sur 11.5.1.

Panic, a company known for its range of apps designed for Apple's iPhones, iPads, and Macs, today announced the launch of pre-orders for its Playdate handheld gaming system.

Panic had 20,000 Playdate systems available for preorder for shipping in late 2021, but those quickly sold out and orders placed now will ship out in 2022.

Priced at $179, the Playdate is a pocket-sized gaming system that has a unique design. It features a black and white display, bright yellow chassis, a d-pad, A+B buttons, and a crank on the side that serves as a flip-out rotational controller.

The pocketable gaming system will feature pre-installed games from developers like Zach Gage, Shaun Inman, Bennett Foddy, and Keita Takahashi.

There will be several games available at launch, and an additional game will be delivered each week for a few months. The Playdate comes equipped with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a USB-C port for charging, and a headphone jack.

Those interested in the Playdate can pre-order it today it from the Play.date website.

Back in April, Apple announced a $430 billion investment over the next five years to create more than 20,000 new jobs as the company continues to expand. One significant piece of that plan is a new engineering and research center in North Carolina where Apple will be investing over $1 billion and hiring at least 3,000 employees.

Apple actually acquired the land for its new North Carolina campus in late 2018, purchasing about 280 acres in Research Triangle Park (RTP) near the state capital of Raleigh for around $50 million, but while Apple announced plans for a new campus in Austin, Texas, around that time, it remained silent on its RTP plans until this year.

It will take several more years for Apple's campus in RTP to get up and running, so the company is moving forward with plans for over 200,000 square feet of temporary space in nearby Cary, MacRumors has confirmed.

Apple will be taking the most recently constructed facility in a three-building complex built over the past eight years for insurance company MetLife. With the global health crisis impacting corporate facility needs around the world, MetLife has consolidated its Cary operations into two buildings on the campus and made the entire third building available for lease.

Based on plans filed with the Town of Cary, Apple will be taking the entire seven-floor "MetLife III" building, which totals over 220,000 square feet. An initial phase of buildout for Apple includes the first three floors of the building, but documents from the project architect indicate that Apple has the "intent of occupying the entire building in the near future."

Development plans for Apple's renovation were filed with the town at the end of June and were approved on July 8 and 9, clearing the way for construction to begin. Filings indicate that initial renovations will cost nearly $5.5 million and are fairly limited in scope, with Apple largely retaining the open plan already in place and previously used by MetLife.

Apple will be doing select demolition of floor and wall coverings in certain areas of the first three floors and reconfiguring some spaces to customize things to its own liking, but Apple will be avoiding major changes and expenses given that its tenancy is expected to be rather short-lived.

There don't appear to be any signs of progress on Apple's future RTP campus yet, but that's not terribly surprising considering the announcement was made just a few months ago and Apple is likely continuing to work with architects and others on finalizing its plans.

Apple today announced that its GarageBand app for iPhone and iPad has received all-new Sound Packs from some of today's top artists and producers, including new Remix Sessions from singers Dua Lipa and Lady Gaga.

The music creation app has also gained seven new Producer Packs with beats, loops, and instruments created by top producers, including Boys Noize, Mark Lettieri, Oak Felder, Soulection, Take A Daytrip, Tom Misch, and TRAKGIRL. Another new Producer Pack provides a companion experience to the upcoming Apple TV+ docuseries "Watch the Sound With Mark Ronson," allowing users to experiment with sounds inspired by the music in the show.

"GarageBand continues to be a catalyst for music creation — making it easy for novices to get started and for seasoned pros to develop their ideas on the go," said Bob Borchers, Apple's vice president of worldwide product marketing. "For this update, we've collaborated with an incredible group of artists and producers to give musicians an amazing collection of new sounds to play with, and we hope even more people will be inspired to tap into their creativity and start making music in GarageBand."

The new Remix Sessions and Producer Packs are available today as a free download from the Sound Library in GarageBand 2.3.11, the latest version of the app for iOS and iPadOS.

Apple today released the trailer for the second season of its Apple TV+ original show "See," which will premiere with one episode on the platform on August 27, with new episodes following every Friday. The second season of the show will run for a total of eight episodes.

"See" was one of the first shows to premiere on ‌Apple TV‌+ in 2019 and features Jason Momoa, Dave Bautista, and Alfre Woodard. The show follows the story of humanity losing the ability to see, and according to Apple, the second season will tell the story of Baba Voss, played by Jason Momoa, attempting to be reunited with his family.

“See” is set in a brutal and primitive future, hundreds of years after humankind has lost the ability to see. In season two, Baba Voss (Momoa) is struggling to reunite his family while protecting them as the threat of war looms between the Kingdom of Paya and the Trivantian Republic. Despite his best efforts, his wife and sighted children are pulled to the forefront of the conflict, where they come to the attention of his estranged brother, Edo Voss (Bautista), a powerful and cunning Trivantian general, whose long-simmering hatred for his brother imperils them all even further.

The show's second season premiere joins a busy fall season for ‌Apple TV‌+, with the second season of the hit comedy show Ted Lasso having premiered last week, and upcoming shows, such as "The Morning Show" with their second season premiering in September.

Apple warned leakers that sharing information about unreleased products could mislead third-party accessory makers and disappoint customers, in cease and desist letters sent by legal firms representing the company.

Vice today highlighted that, in an extensive letter sent to a leaker based in China, Apple warned that leaks could give third-party accessory makers the wrong dimensions and details about unreleased products. It has emerged over the past month that June saw a concerted effort by Apple to curtail information coming from a range of individual leakers outside the United States using cease and desist letters.

Despite being sent by various local law firms representing Apple around the world, the letters appear to have featured identical content. An extract of one of the letters, seen by MacRumors, reads:

In addition, premature disclosures about unannounced products can also harm customers worldwide when the relevant information disclosed is inaccurate, and third parties – such as accessory manufacturers – develop and sell cases and other accessories that are in fact incompatible with the unannounced product because, for example, the design or dimensions differ. Such situations are harmful to customers and to Apple. Therefore, it is obvious that when the unpublished information about the design and performance of Apple's products is kept confidential, it has actual and potential commercial value.

The statement is an unusual admission from Apple that some case and accessory makers rush to prepare accessories for new Apple products long before their release based on leaked information. Even if initial dimensions and information that come out as a result of leaks are accurate at that time, Apple may make changes to designs that make accessories ineffective or obsolete by the time of the product's official release.

Apple appears to suggest that ill-fitting accessories harm its brand in the eyes of customers, which apparently proves the commercially sensitive nature of information about unreleased products and the company regards leaks to be "illegal disclosure of Apple's trade secrets." The letter also implied that keeping details about unreleased products secret also has "potential commercial value" for third parties.

As well as misinforming third-party accessory manufacturers, Apple also highlighted the fact that customers may be directly let down by leaks about "rumored" or "unreleased" products.

Apple has made every effort to take strict measures to maintain confidentiality for any information about Apple's products before their official release to ensure that every time Apple releases a new product, it can surprise the public. The secret of Apple's latest technological innovation is an important part of the company DNA.

The implication here is that leaked information may negatively affect customers' expectations, but also that secrecy is a key attribute of Apple's brand itself, so leaks are in turn commercially damaging to the company's image.

The leakers known as "Kang" and "Mr. White" are believed to have been impacted by Apple's recent letters, as well as the render "CConceptCreator," but it is not clear how widespread last month's attempt to silence leakers around the world was.

Earlier this year, Google announced plans to follow in Apple's footsteps and roll out privacy labels for apps on the Play Store next year. The new labels, much like Apple's App Privacy labels, will inform users on what data an app collects about them, allowing them to make a more informed decision on whether to download a specific app.

Google has now shared additional information regarding the upcoming Play Store "safety section." In a blog post, Android's vice president of security and privacy, Suzanne Frey, laid out the company's timeline for when developers will need to adopt the new labels. Android developers will be able to begin adding their app's privacy information in October of 2021 and will be required to by April of 2022. The labels will launch sometime within Q1 of next year.

Google also shared images of what the upcoming safety section will look like for users on an app's specific page. The section will inform users of what type of data points the app will collect about them. Developers will have the ability to specify how some information, like location, is used specifically within their app. On Apple's App Store, developers don't have the ability to provide context as to why their app may need specific information from a user.

Google is taking another approach. The company says that it spoke to developers and learned that they appreciate being able to provide context towards their data collection practices and being able to specify whether some practices are optional.

In designing our labels, we learned developers appreciate when they can provide context about their data practices and more detail on whether their app automatically collects data versus if that collection is optional. We also learned that users care about whether their data is shared with other companies, and why.

Additionally, Apple earlier this year required that all new apps on the ‌App Store‌ provide information within their Privacy Labels and that all existing apps must provide them with their next update. At least for now, Google says that if developers don't provide their privacy information, it "may" reject that app from the Play Store, leaving the door open for developers to possibly decide not to provide their privacy practices.

Undeterred by Apple's recent anti-tracking privacy changes, Facebook continues to rake in billions in advertising revenue, as evidenced by its latest fiscal 2021 second quarter results announced Wednesday.

On the company's Q2 earnings call, the social network revealed it had accumulated $28 billion in ad revenue, representing a 56% year-on-year increase. That saw Facebook more than double its profits from the previous year, earning $10.4 billion, up from $5.2 billion in 2020.

Despite the figures for its main revenue stream, Facebook CFO David Wehner did note that the company expects to feel the brunt of Apple's App Tracking Transparency rules in the third quarter.

"We continue to expect increased ad targeting headwinds in 2021 from regulatory and platform changes, notably the recent iOS updates, which we expect to have a greater impact in the third quarter compared to the second quarter."

Apple in iOS 14.5 introduced App Tracking Transparency, which requires app developers to ask for express permission before accessing the IDFA for tracking users across apps and websites.

Prior to the enforcement of App Tracking Transparency, Facebook launched a campaign attempting to position Apple as an enemy of small businesses, and even took out full page newspaper ads decrying the new feature. "Apple's latest update threatens the personalized ads that millions of small businesses rely on to find and reach customers," reads Facebook's site encouraging small businesses to "add their voice" and speak out against ATT.

However, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in March began downplaying the potential impact of App Tracking Transparency and said that the changes could ultimately benefit Facebook if Apple's new policies encourage businesses to advertise and sell exclusively through Facebook platforms.

According to early data from the ad-measurement firm Branch Metrics, less than 33% of iOS users have permitted apps to track them across other apps. The remaining 67% of iOS users opted not to permit apps to track their activity. As a result, the amount of advertiser spending on Apple's mobile platform has fallen by about one-third between June 1 and July 1, causing advertisers to spend more money targeting Android users instead.

During Wednesday's earnings call, Facebook said the number of active users across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp has increased by 12% year-on-year, with 2.76 billion people now counting as daily active users.

Bang & Olufsen today announced Beoplay EQ, the Danish audio outfit's first true wireless headphones with adaptive active noise cancelation.

To achieve maximum noise cancelation, the buds use adaptive ANC that combines active noise cancellation with passive sealing. Six microphones allow for automatic adjustment of ANC levels and also make use of directional beamforming technology to improve call and speech quality.

The Beoplay EQ will retail for $399 (£349/€399), so they're $150 more expensive than Apple's AirPods Pro, but apart from the premium look, they do pack some solid features, including 20 hours' battery life when used in conjunction with the charging case, and 6.5 hours of playtime with ANC turned on (versus ‌AirPods Pro‌'s 4.5 hours). They also include a fast charge feature, so 20 minutes in the aluminum case gets you two hours of playtime.

The compact case supports both USB-C and Qi wireless charging, while the buds themselves are more reminiscent of Beats Studio Buds than AirPods, with a small profile and an ergonomic fit. They're IP54 dust and water resistant, and come with interchangeable ear tips in different sizes.

Wireless specs-wise, they support the aptX adaptive codec and the latest Bluetooth 5.2, and the set-up process is simplified on both Android and Apple devices thanks to the inclusion of Microsoft Swift Pair and Made for iPhone licenses.

Beoplay EQ come in Black Anthracite and Sand colors and will be available to purchase from August 19 via Bang & Olufsen's website and in Bang & Olufsen retail stores.

Zens today announced the launch of a new 4-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charger that's designed to work with Apple's latest iPhone 12 models.

The 4-in-1 charger offers a magnetic charging puck that is compatible with the ‌iPhone‌ 12. Zens says that it is a 15W magnetic charger, but it's worth noting that third-party chargers that are not using Apple's official MagSafe solution are limited to 7.5W Qi charging speeds.

The magnetic charger can be used with an ‌iPhone‌ in either portrait or landscape mode, and it places the ‌iPhone‌ at an ideal angle for watching videos, FaceTiming, and more.

In addition to the magnetic charging surface for an ‌iPhone‌ 12, there's also a 5W charging pad that can be used for a second ‌iPhone‌ or for the AirPods.

For the Apple Watch, there's an included (and removable) Apple Watch charging puck, and along with these three charging options, there's a built-in USB-A port for charging a fourth device. The 4-in-1 charger comes with a 30W PD power adapter.

The 4-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charger can be purchased from the Zens website for 139.99 euros, which is right around $165. Zens offers worldwide shipping.

There are some major improvements to Siri in iOS 15, with Apple introducing features that iPhone users have long asked for. On devices with an A12 chip or later, ‌Siri‌ can do on-device processing and there's support for offline requests.

This guide highlights all of the new ‌Siri‌ features that are available in iOS (and iPadOS) 15.

On-Device Speech Processing and Personalization

Starting in iOS 15, speech processing and personalization are done on-device. This makes ‌Siri‌ faster at processing requests, but also more secure. Most audio requests made of ‌Siri‌ are kept entirely on the ‌iPhone‌ and are no longer uploaded to Apple's servers for processing.

‌Siri‌'s speech recognition and understanding of commands improves as a device is used, with ‌Siri‌ learning the contacts most interacted with, new words typed, and topics preferred, with all of this information kept on device and private.

On-device speech processing and personalization is enabled through the Apple Neural Engine and it is available on iPhones and iPads that have an A12 Bionic chip or later.

On-device processing is available in German (Germany), English (Australia, Canada, India, UK, U.S.), Spanish (Spain, Mexico, U.S.), French (France), Japanese (Japan), Mandarin Chinese (China mainland), and Cantonese (Hong Kong).

• iOS 15: How to Use On-Device Siri

Offline Support

With on-device processing now available, there are a wide range of ‌Siri‌ requests that can be handled offline. ‌Siri‌ can create (and disable) timers and alarms, launch apps, control audio playback, and access Settings options.

Apple says ‌Siri‌ can also process Messages, sharing, and Phone requests.

• iOS 15: How to Use Siri Offline

Sharing via Siri

When you come across something that you want to share like a photo, web page, Apple Music song, or podcast, you can ask ‌Siri‌ to send it to a friend or family member and ‌Siri‌ will do so.

If it's something that can't be shared, like a Messages thread, ‌Siri‌ will make a screenshot and send that. All you have to do is say "Send this to [person]" and ‌Siri‌ will confirm the request and then send it along.

This feature works with ‌Apple Music‌, Apple Podcasts, Apple News, Maps, web pages, photos, Messages, and more.

• iOS 15: How to Share Whatever's On Your Screen Using Siri

Improved Context Between Requests

‌Siri‌ in iOS 15 can better maintain context between voice requests. So if you ask something like "How late is the Taco Bell open?" and then "How long does it take to get there?" ‌Siri‌ will understand that "there" is the Taco Bell from the previous request.

This tends to work only when there's a single option, because in a situation with multiple Taco Bells, ‌Siri‌ needs clarification. For that reason, the contextual improvements are limited.

Contacts

‌Siri‌ also understands that if there's a contact on the screen, that's the person that you want to talk to.

So if you have the contacts app open to a specific person, are chatting with someone in Messages, get a Message notification, or miss a call, you can say something like "Message them I'm on my way" and ‌Siri‌ will know to send it to the relevant contact that you've just interacted with or have open.

HomeKit Improvements

‌Siri‌ can now be used to control a HomeKit device at a specific time. So if you want your lights to turn off right when at 7, you can say something like "Hey ‌Siri‌, turn off the bedroom lights at 7.p.m." This command also works for geolocation, so you can say things like "Hey ‌Siri‌, turn off the air conditioning when I leave."

When you ask ‌Siri‌ to control a ‌HomeKit‌ product this way, it creates an automation in the Home app under the "Automation" section. If you want to delete an Automation ‌Siri‌ has created, you can do so in the Home app.

‌HomeKit‌ developers can also add ‌Siri‌ support to their products in iOS 15, but using ‌Siri‌ commands with third-party devices does require the user to have a HomePod to route requests through. With ‌Siri‌ integration, customers will be able to use their ‌HomeKit‌ products for ‌Siri‌ commands like setting reminders, controlling devices, broadcasting messages, and more.

• iOS 15: How to Ask Siri to Control Your HomeKit Devices at a Specific Time

Announce Notifications

‌Siri‌ has been able to announce calls and incoming messages when using AirPods (or Beats headphones) for some time now, but in iOS 15, that feature is expanding to all notifications.

‌Siri‌ can automatically announce Time Sensitive notifications when AirPods are connected if you toggle the feature on in the Settings app (in either the ‌Siri‌ or Notifications sections), and there are also options to have ‌Siri‌ announce notifications on an app-by-app basis if you want to hear notifications from a particular app but those notifications aren't Time Sensitive.

• iOS 15: How to Have Siri Announce Your Notifications

Announce Messages in CarPlay

There's now a feature to have ‌Siri‌ announce your incoming messages when your ‌iPhone‌ is connected to a CarPlay setup.

There's an option to turn announcements on or off when a message is read, and ‌Siri‌ will remember your preference. This feature can also be toggled on or off using the Settings app.

Announce Reminders With AirPods

In addition to notifications, ‌Siri‌ can also announced reminders that come up when wearing AirPods or compatible Beats headphones.

Add Siri Suggestions to Safari Start Page

With Start Page customization in iOS 15, there is an option to add a section for ‌Siri‌ Suggestions for websites you might want to visit or content you might want to view.

Language Improvements

Neural text-to-speech voices have expanded to Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, and Finnish in iOS 15.

Apple has also added mixed English and Indic language support. ‌Siri‌ can process commands in a mix of Indian English and native languages, with support for Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Tamil, Bengali, Gujarati, Malayalam, and Punjabi.

Siri for Developers

Apple is tweaking its SiriKit interface and is eliminating some of the ‌Siri‌ commands that developers were able to use with third-party apps.

Starting with iOS 15, customers will no longer be able to use ‌Siri‌ in third-party apps to do things like book a ride with Uber, make a bill payment, or create new task lists in to-do apps. Many of these ‌Siri‌ functions may be replaced by Shortcut options that can be activated with ‌Siri‌ voice commands.

Guide Feedback

Have questions about ‌Siri‌ in iOS 15, know of a feature we left out, or want to offer feedback on this guide? Send us an email here.