Microsoft today announced the debut of a native Microsoft Teams app that's been optimized for Apple silicon Macs, with the app coming after several months of development.
Microsoft Teams is a business communication platform that's similar to Slack, offering text-based chat, video conferencing, file storage, app integration, and more. The native version of the app will bring a "significant boost in performance" for a more efficient use of device resources and an optimized Teams experience during calls and meetings.
At Microsoft, we are committed to delivering great product experiences that help our customers work easier and faster on their favorite devices. We heard from our customers who use Mac with Apple silicon that they want Teams to be optimized for their devices. We are rolling out a production grade universal binary version of Teams, which means it will run natively on the entire Mac lineup, including those with Apple silicon.
Microsoft says that all Mac users will be automatically upgraded with the most recent update to Teams, and the generally available version of the native Teams app on Apple silicon Macs will be rolled out to customers in increments over the coming months.
Wemo, Belkin's smart home accessory brand, today announced the launch of the HomeKit-enabled Wemo Smart Dimmer with Thread support. As with the prior Wemo Smart Dimmer, the updated version is designed to allow users to control their lights using the Home app, Wemo Stage app, or Siri voice commands.
The Wemo Smart Dimmer is Thread certified, which means it offers a faster and more reliable connection when used with other Thread devices. For those unfamiliar with Thread, it is a low-latency mesh network for smart home devices that improves interoperability, range, and reliability.
Lights can be dimmed, turned on, or turned off from anywhere with the Smart Dimmer, and it works with neutral or no neutral wiring so it is able to be installed in most homes, though it won't work with three-way switches. The dimmer is exclusive to HomeKit, and in addition to Thread, it also connects to devices using Bluetooth.
The Wemo Smart Dimmer with Thread can be purchased for $60 from the Belkin website, and it is coming soon to Amazon.
Android-based smartphone company OnePlus today announced the launch of its newest device, the OnePlus 10T, which we were able to check out ahead of time. The OnePlus 10T, priced starting at $649, boasts upgraded camera technology, so we thought we'd pit it against the iPhone 13 Pro Max to see just how it measures up.
The OnePlus 10T has a triple-lens rear camera system that includes a new wide-angle 50-megapixel Sony IMX766 sensor with optical image stabilization, an updated Nightscape feature, and improved HDR performance. There's also an 8-megapixel ultra wide camera and curiously, a 2-megapixel macro lens. Most triple-lens camera systems include a telephoto lens, but OnePlus has opted for a macro mode instead.
Comparatively, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is outfitted Wide, Ultra Wide, and Telephoto lenses, all of which are 12 megapixels.
To see raw, unedited photos from each camera, make sure to watch our video so you can see how the 50-megapixel lens compares to the 12-megapixel lens. You might think the OnePlus 10T would outperform the iPhone 13 Pro Max because of the higher megapixel count, but in practice, the two phones output images that are similar in quality.
The iPhone 13 Pro Max seems to be better at balancing shadows and highlights, with images from the OnePlus 10T looking more washed out and with less texture. The iPhone 13 Pro Max's A15 chip does a lot of heavy lifting with Smart HDR 4 and Deep Fusion, which go a long way toward preserving texture and detail.
On the OnePlus 10T, there's a Super HDR feature to improve contrast between the foreground and background lighting, and that effect is visible in the images. The 50-megapixel sensor comes in to play for ultra high quality images, which the iPhone doesn't offer, but you may not notice a lot of difference between the iPhone images and the higher-quality 50-megapixel images in the video.
Portrait mode and night mode work well on both smartphones, though the overall look is slightly different because of differences in software algorithms. 4K video capture is also similar, but the iPhone wins out when it comes to stabilization.
As with most modern smartphones, choosing between photos comes down to personal preference because the quality is almost identical, with software playing a large role in how photos turn out. What do you think of the images from the OnePlus 10T? Let us know in the comments.
OWC today announced that its ultra-fast Envoy Pro FX external storage drive is now available in a larger 4TB capacity, with pricing set at $899 in the United States. The drive was first released in early 2021 in 240GB, 480GB, 1TB, and 2TB capacities.
The Envoy Pro FX is equipped with a Thunderbolt 3 port for ultra-fast data transfer speeds up to 2,800 MB/s when connected to a Mac with Thunderbolt 3 ports, including the 2016 and newer MacBook Pro, 2018 and newer MacBook Air, and many recent iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro models. The drive can also be used with the latest iPad Pro, iPad Air, and iPad mini models, Windows PCs, and many other devices.
With a single Thunderbolt 3 cable that connects to a Mac for data and power, IP67-rated water and dust resistance, and military-grade drop protection, the Envoy Pro FX provides a worry-free plug-and-play experience. Read our review of the Envoy Pro FX from last year for a closer look at the top-of-the-line (and expensive) portable SSD.
Apple's forthcoming iPhone 14 base model will start at $799, the same entry price as last year's 6.1-inch iPhone 13, according to a new rumor coming out of East Asia.
According to a post from the account "yeux1122" on the Korean blog Naver, Apple will not increase the price of its upcoming entry-level flagship device in order to boost sales and offset declining demand amid the global smartphone market slowdown.
The decision to impose a price freeze on the 6.1-inch iPhone 14 this year is alleged to have been made "at the top executive level," despite the company facing increased production costs and continued supply chain unrest.
The source of the rumor is said to come from an unnamed "major U.S. financial institution" with a track record for accuracy, a claim that MacRumors is unable to independently verify.
If Apple does launch the iPhone 14 at the same entry-level price point as last year's iPhone 13, it would be the second year running that the price of Apple's base flagship 6.1-inch iPhone model has remained the same. The base iPhone 12 launched in 2020 with the same $799 price tag.
The big difference this year of course is that iPhone sizes are changing and there will be no 5.4-inch iPhone 14 mini. The iPhone 13 mini was the most affordable flagship option in 2021, starting at $699, but it turned out to be unpopular with customers, therefore Apple is focusing on larger iPhone sizes for its flagship devices in 2022.
Apple's forthcoming iPhone lineup will include a 6.1-inch iPhone 14, a 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro, a 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max, and a 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max. Notably, the non-Pro models are not expected to feature any significant design changes, and rumors suggest they are likely to continue to use the same A15 chip that was introduced in the iPhone 13 series.
That contrasts with the iPhone 14 Pro models, which are expected to be powered by a faster A16 chip. They are also likely to do away with the display notch that has been a staple of Apple's flagship iPhones since 2017's iPhone X. Instead, the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are said to have some combination of a circular hole-punch cutout for the front-facing camera paired with a pill-shaped cutout to house key Face ID components.
The Naver account that today's rumor comes from has been the source of some accurate information in the past, including some details about the iPad mini 6 before it was launched.
The same account, did, however, incorrectly state that Apple would release an "iPad mini Pro" in the second half of 2021, which did not take place, so we are taking this latest rumor with a pinch of salt until other sources can corroborate it.
It's been a few weeks since we last saw a notable discount on the AirPods Max, which happened during Prime Day, but today Amazon has the headphones for $449.99, down from $549.00. This is still one of the best deals we've seen in 2022 on the AirPods Max, and overall it's a second-best price.
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.
Silver, Sky Blue, and Space Gray are available at $449.99, and you won't see this deal price until you reach the checkout screen and an automatic coupon worth $29.01 is applied to your order. Only Amazon has the headphones at this price, and all three colors being marked down are in stock and ready to ship.
Note: You won't see the deal price until checkout.
If you're shopping for other AirPods models, you can also get the AirPods 2 for $99.99 and the AirPods Pro for $179.99. All of these sales are available on Amazon today. We track sales for every model of the AirPods in our Best AirPods Deals guide, so be sure to bookmark that page while you shop around for the wireless headphones.
AppleCare+ with theft and loss coverage is available in three additional countries starting today, including France, Italy, and Spain.
In addition to accidental damage coverage, the upgraded AppleCare+ plan includes coverage for up to two incidents of iPhone theft or loss every 12 months, with each incident subject to a €129 service fee. The plan itself costs up to €229 upfront for a two-year term or up to €11.49 per month depending on the iPhone model.
For example, if a customer's iPhone 13 Pro Max was lost or stolen and they had AppleCare+ with theft and loss coverage, they could file a claim for a replacement iPhone for a €129 fee instead of having to purchase a new iPhone outright for over €1,200. In France, Italy, and Spain, theft and loss claims are handled by insurance company AIG.
AppleCare+ with theft and loss coverage costs up to an extra €60 upfront or up to an extra €3 per month compared to the standard AppleCare+ plan.
AppleCare+ theft and loss coverage requires the customer to have Find My enabled on their iPhone at the time it is lost or stolen, and throughout the claims process, according to Apple. During the claims process, the customer will be asked to erase their missing iPhone, disable it, and transfer ownership before they can be issued a replacement device.
More details are available on the AppleCare+ for iPhone page in France, Italy, and Spain. Apple also has a support document with additional information.
AppleCare+ with theft and loss coverage for the iPhone is also available in the United States, Australia, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom.
With iOS 16, Apple added an iCloud Shared Photo Library to make sharing photos with your friends and family easier than ever. You can create a shared library and then invite any of your friends with an Apple product to view photos, contribute photos, and edit photos.
This guide covers all of the features that you need to know about to use the iCloud Shared Photo Library feature.
Creating a Shared Photo Library
After updating to iOS 16.1 or later, you can set up a Shared Library either through the pop-up interface or through the Set-Up option in the Settings section of the Photos app.
Tap on "Add Participants" to select people to share with, inviting them through Messages or through a link.
You can choose the images that you want to add to the Shared Library from your own iCloud Photo Library. Options include sharing all photos and videos, photos and videos by person or date, or manually selected photos.
You can then preview the content that you've added to the Library before opting to share everything. If it all looks good, tapping on the "Continue" button will create the shared library.
For those who do not have an iPhone or who prefer to work on a Mac or iPad, iCloud Shared Photo Libraries can be created on devices running iPadOS 16.1 or later or macOS Ventura or later as well. On the iPad, the setup can be done by following the iPhone instructions, and on Mac, a Shared Library can be created by opening up the Photos app, selecting "Settings," and then choosing the "Start Setup" option.
Each person invited to participate in an iCloud Shared Photo Library can add, edit, caption, favorite, and delete photos, just as if it were their own photo library. There are no limitations, and all participants have the same permissions.
You can opt to get a notification when someone deletes images from the shared library, with the toggle available in the Shared Library heading in the Photos section of the Settings app. When an image is deleted, the person who originally shared the image has the option of moving the image to their personal library rather than having it deleted, and deleted images are stored in the Recently Deleted folder for easy retrieval.
All tags, metadata, and location information remain accessible on photos added to an iCloud Shared Photo Library, but albums do not transfer over.
iCloud Shared Photo Library Limitations
You can share an iCloud Photo Library with up to five other people, so six people in total can use one library. The person who creates the iCloud Shared Photo Library will be the "host," and their iCloud storage space will be used for the shared photos. You are limited to one iCloud Shared Photo Library and cannot participate in multiple libraries.
It's worth noting that when you add your personal photos from your library to the shared library, the images are moved from the personal library to the shared library, so iCloud storage space/device storage space is not taken up twice and photos are not duplicated. If you have Optimize Storage turned off, your device will download a copy of all shared photos so you can make a backup on a Mac if desired.
Sharing Photos From Camera
If you're at an event with someone who you share a library with, you can opt to share photos from the camera directly to the library, making all of your shots instantly available to all participants.
In the Camera app, you can tap the icon that looks like two people to swap between automatic uploading to the shared library and your personal library.
Sharing can be enabled when participants are nearby using Bluetooth proximity, through the Camera app, or manually, with options available in the Settings app.
The iPhone will also suggest content to share in the For You section of the Photos app, but you can turn it off if you want.
With the Settings app, you can turn off Sharing from Camera altogether to get rid of the toggle, or you can opt in to Sharing Automatically, which will automatically add all photos you take to the shared library. The automatic feature uses Bluetooth to determine when someone you share a library with is nearby, and it only uploads when you're with that person.
There's also an opt-in "Share When at Home" feature that always adds photos and videos from the Camera even when other participants are not there.
If you want to upload every photo that you take to the shared library even when not at home or not with a person you share with, there does not appear to be an option for it.
Swapping Between Personal and Shared Library
To swap from your main iCloud Photo Library to your Shared iCloud Photo Library, you can tap on the three-dot icon in the upper right of the Library view in the Photos app.
From there, you can elect to see your Personal Library, your Shared Library, or both at once.
Deleting a Shared Library
If you are the person who manages the Shared Library, you can opt to delete it in the Settings app. Just go to Photos > Shared Library > Delete Shared Library.
When a Shared Library is deleted, each person who contributed to the library will be able to keep the photos that they added or a copy of all the photos that were in the library at the time that it was deleted.
Photos from the shared library will show up in Memories, Featured Photos, and the Photos widget.
Merging iCloud Libraries
Every person who participates in a Shared Library can upload their entire selection of photos and videos to the library, allowing both people to ultimately have the same images on their devices.
In this situation, if there were already shared photos sent by AirDrop or other means, the built-in iOS 16 "Duplicates" feature will detect the extra images and will provide you with an option to remove them. Duplicates are not removed automatically.
You can open up the Photos app on the iPhone and scroll down to the "Utilities" section to access the Duplicates album to merge photos in the Shared Library.
Shared Favorites
Images that are marked as Favorites in the iCloud Shared Photo Library by any participant will also be shown in the Favorites photo album in the Photos app, which is worth noting.
Device Requirements
iCloud Shared Photo Library requires a minimum of iOS 16, iPadOS 16, or macOS Ventura. On devices running earlier versions of iOS or macOS, iCloud Shared Photo Libraries will not be visible or accessible. If you move your current photo library to a shared library, it will no longer be accessible on older devices.
On unsupported devices, you will see these message: "To access all your photos, update this Mac to the latest version of macOS" or "To access all your photos, update this iPhone to the latest version of iOS."
Guide Feedback
Have questions about iCloud Shared Photo Library in iOS 16, know of a feature we left out, or want to offer feedback on this guide? Send us an email here.
Accessory maker Hyper, known for its range of chargers, hubs, and battery packs, recently introduced the HyperDrive Thunderbolt 4 Power Hub, which it says is the world's first Goshen Ridge Thunderbolt 4 hub with an integrated power source.
Available on Kickstarter, the hub includes a built-in GaN power source that alleviates the need for an extra power brick and allows it to operate with a standard power cable, ultimately resulting in a more streamlined setup.
The Thunderbolt 4 Power Hub includes three 40Gbps/15W Thunderbolt 4 downstream ports for data transfer and accessory charging and one 40Gbps/96W power delivery Thunderbolt 4 port, but there are no other included ports. The Thunderbolt 4 ports support dual 4K 60Hz or single 8K 30Hz display connectivity, though dual displays are not compatible with M1 or M2 MacBooks.
The hub works with with the 2016 MacBook Pro or later, the 2018 MacBook Air or later, and the 2021 iPad Pro or later, as well as Windows and ChromeOS devices.
The HyperDrive Thunderbolt 4 Power Hub can be preordered from Kickstarter for $179, a 40 percent discount off of the planned retail price, and it is set to ship out in November 2022.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Kickstarter. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Apple Maps offers cycling directions along bike lanes, bike paths, and bike-friendly roads as much as possible, complete with details like elevation, how busy a street is, and whether there are stairs along a route. On the Apple Watch, voice guidance and haptic feedback make it easier for users to stay focused on the path ahead.
Apple Maps cycling directions are also available in select other regions, including China, London, Barcelona, Toronto, Montréal, and Vancouver.
Apple is playing catch up here with Google Maps, which began rolling out cycling directions in 2010 and now offers the feature in over 30 countries. However, Google Maps is only just now beginning to roll out granular details for cycling directions, like elevation, how busy a street is, and whether there are stairs along a route.
One of the new features coming with macOS Ventura and iOS 16 is Continuity Camera, which is designed to allow an iPhone to be used as a webcam for a Mac. The feature is enabled in the current betas, but it is designed to be used with special mounts being made by third-party companies like Belkin.
Belkin has designed a MagSafe-enabled Continuity Camera mount that allows an iPhone to be set up in an ideal spot on a Mac to be used as webcam, and while the mount is not yet released, several YouTubers have been able to test it out to give us an idea of how it works.
Brian Tong, iJustine, and ZolloTech have prototype versions of the mount, which is deceptively simple. It attaches to the back of the iPhone and a small plastic lip on the back of the mount rests on top of the MacBook in the ideal position.
When the mount is attached properly to a Mac, Continuity Camera is automatically activated, with the Mac swapping over to the iPhone's camera.
With Continuity Camera, there are a number of options to take advantage of, including Center Stage for keeping someone in the frame, Portrait mode for blurring the background, Studio Light for adjusting the lighting, and Desk View, which is a unique feature that uses the Ultra Wide lens to show off your desktop.
Using your iPhone as a webcam with Belkin's new MagSafe attachment is so easy.. Got a chance to test out an early version of it on iOS and Mac OS Ventura Betas. Desk view is also 🔥🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/Y1AZCS31oT
— iJustine (@ijustine) July 29, 2022
Belkin's Continuity Camera accessory will likely be ready for launch alongside the debut of macOS Ventura and iOS 16 in a few months.
Now that we're in August, back to school season has arrived for many students. In order to prepare for a return to school, we've collected all of the best back to school sales from Apple-related accessory companies like Brydge, ZAGG, Pad & Quill, and more, as well as plenty of discounts on Apple products like the iPhone 13 at AT&T.
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.
ZAGG
ZAGG and Mophie are offering 25 percent in savings this back to school season, with the chance to get discounts on portable batteries, keyboards, cables, and more. This sale doesn't require a coupon code and you can get 25 percent off up to three products, excluding items that have already been discounted.
Adobe Creative Cloud is being marked down by over 60 percent for students and teachers this month, available for $19.99/month, down from $54.99/month. You can also opt for the annual plan at $239.88/year, down from $599.88/year.
This sale is only for the first year of Adobe Creative Cloud, and at the end of that year the subscription will return to the traditional price tag unless you cancel. Eligible students are required to be 13 years or older.
AT&T
AT&T has quite a few back to school promotions happening right now, including the iPhone 13 family of devices for up to $700 off with eligible trade-in this month. This deal is applicable to the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro smartphones.
You can also get the iPhone 12 mini for 50 percent off, and there's a BOGO deal on Apple Watch and Apple Watch SE models. Lastly, AT&T is offering up to 25 percent off select Belkin accessories for back to school.
Brydge
You can get up to 40 percent offBrydge keyboards and other accessories this week, including products compatible with iPad Pro, iPad Air, and MacBook Pro. Brydge's sale prices have been applied automatically and do not require a coupon code, and the retailer offers free shipping on orders shipping to the contiguous United States that reach or exceed $75.
Aukey
Aukey has 30 percent off back to school essentials in its sale this week, including markdowns on USB-C chargers, earphones, portable batteries, keyboards, desks, and more. Aukey's sale will last through August 4 and the company offers free shipping for orders over $25.
At Belkin you can take 15 percent off select chargers, cables, and routers with the code BTS2022. Belkin's sale includes the company's BOOST CHARGE wireless charging pads, surge protectors, USB-C cables, and MagSafe-compatible car mounts.
Apple Watch Edition models are beginning to sell out just weeks before the Apple Watch Series 8 lineup is expected to be announced.
Several of the high-end Apple Watch Series 7 models with titanium casings are listed as "currently unavailable" on Apple's online store in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and select other countries. In the United States, availability of 41mm models is most depleted at this time, but a few 45mm models are out of stock too.
Apple Watch Series 8 models are expected to be unveiled alongside the iPhone 14 in September. In addition to two standard Series 8 models, Apple plans to introduce a "rugged" model with a larger display and a more durable design that would be suitable for hiking and extreme sports, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. While the rugged model is said to feature a titanium case, it is unclear if it would be branded as an Apple Watch Edition.
Apple today removed 15 games from Apple Arcade, just over two weeks after it listed the first batch of titles set to leave the subscription service due to developer contract expirations.
On July 18, Apple added a section to the Arcade area of the App Store titled "Leaving Arcade Soon" and listed the games that would be removed, but it did not specify when they would be gone.
That section of the App Store has now been taken down, and the titles that were included in the first batch no longer show up in a casual search of the Store. Games that have gone from Apple Arcade include Spelldrifter, Projection: First Light, Lifeslide, EarthNight, Cardpocalypse, Dead End Job, and more.
Apple says in a support document that users who downloaded a game before it was removed from Apple Arcade can continue to play the game for "at least two weeks after," suggesting the titles will remain playable until at least August 16 and possibly beyond then.
After such a time, 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, although the game may differ from the version offered on Apple Arcade.
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.
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 the games have been removed.
Amazon has the 41mm GPS Apple Watch Series 7 down to $279.99, from an original price of $399.00. The only color available at this price is the Green Aluminum Case with Clover Sport Band.
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.
At $119 off, today's sale on Amazon is a match of the previous all-time low discount that we tracked on this model during Prime Day. Additionally, Amazon has a bonus promotion where you can save 20 percent on Beats Studio Buds or Beats Fit Pro when purchased simultaneously with an Apple Watch.
You can find the Beats promotion next to the "Extra Savings" banner under the price on the Apple Watch Series 7 page, and add both items to your cart to see the sale. 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.
Apple is dropping its mask requirements for corporate employees at "most locations," according to an internal memo obtained by The Verge.
Apple's COVID-19 Response Team on Monday told corporate employees that the company is updating current protocols "in light of current circumstances," and urged staff to continue wearing a face mask if they feel more comfortable doing so.
Apple also noted in the email that "everyone's personal circumstances are different" and reminded corporate employees to respect every individual's decision to wear a mask or not.
Apple has been shifting its operating policies throughout the pandemic to keep in line with local regulations and to mitigate risk for employees and customers in areas where COVID is spiking.
For example, Apple in March relaxed its mask requirements for its retail employees in the United States due to a decline in Covid-19 cases and a relaxation of local mandates.
The latest move however comes amid a fresh wave of infections in California that were first identified in the Bay Area, due to the highly-contagious Omicron BA.5 subvariant.
Masks were previously still required in “public spaces,” but not at desks. Now requirement dropped altogether. Doesn’t seem like the most ideal time to do so however. See that big case decline between Feb. and March? That was the last time Apple dropped the requirement. https://t.co/vyKX3okvhupic.twitter.com/MfcaumfNq2
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) August 2, 2022
Apple is still operating a hybrid home/office work policy for corporate employees in the United States. Staff began returning to their offices on April 11 for one day a week, ending a two-year work from home policy that Apple implemented during the pandemic.
Apple originally planned to have staff in the office for three days of the week by May 23, but the company reversed the decision after a surge in infections, and a two-day requirement was imposed on May 4.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Spotify is separating its play and shuffle buttons for paying subscribers, the streaming service has announced.
Currently, the Spotify interface uses a combined play and shuffle button at the top of playlists and artist pages, so the change should make things simpler for Premium customers who prefer to listen to songs in the order they are listed.
Writing in a blog post, the company said the individual play and shuffle buttons would be rolling out on iOS and Android devices for Spotify subscribers worldwide over the coming weeks.
This new change will allow you to choose the mode you prefer at the top of playlists and albums and listen the way you want to. Whether you love the joy of the unexpected with Shuffle mode, or prefer listening to tunes in order by simply pressing Play, Spotify has you covered.
Spotify has received criticism in the past for its penchant for shuffling tracks, not just from users, but also artists frustrated that their albums are not being experienced in their proper running order.
Following the release of "30" by Adele last November, the singer thanked Spotify for removing the shuffle button as the default option when playing albums. Artists "don't create albums with so much care and thought into our track listing for no reason," she tweeted. "Thank you Spotify for listening."
Apple has admitted that customers using the Studio Display may experience audio-related issues, including sound unexpectedly and abruptly cutting out, audio playing at a high speed, distorted audio quality, and choppy playback.
In a memo to authorized service providers, obtained by MacRumors, Apple acknowledges that customers may find themselves facing speaker issues with the company's $1599 display. Apple says that customers facing issues should unplug the Studio Display from power, unplug any accessories or devices connected to the display, wait ten seconds, then reconnect the Studio Display to power. Apple explicitly notes this is not a hardware problem and implies that a future iOS update may address the issues.
Apple has heavily boasted about the audio, mic, and camera built into the Studio Display. Apple says the speaker system is the "highest‑fidelity speaker system ever created for Mac" and has touted the controversial 12MP built-in camera with Center Stage and the six-speaker array system.
Customers have been reporting both microphone and speaker-related issues with their Studio Display over the last several months, but reports have become more frequent in recent weeks. Michael Tsai this week chronicled some testimonies from customers facing issues, with one customer writing:
The audio on my Studio Display fails intermittently. The only way I can get it to work again is to unplug the display overnight. That resets the display and resolves the problem temporarily. Until the next time. This is simply unacceptable for a $1600 monitor, and Apple should be ashamed of the poor quality control.
Based on the number of customer reports, audio-related issues with the Studio Display do appear to be relatively widespread. Hundreds of customers have taken to Twitter, the Apple Support (1,2,3,4,5) and MacRumors forums (1,2,3) looking for a permanent solution.
Well I just had to reboot my monitor.
Welcome to the wonderful world of monitors with chips and (presumably) operating systems.
My Apple Display Studio Display was mangling audio this morning. Caused issues for a podcast. Had to reboot the old-fashioned way: power cycling.
— John Koetsier (@johnkoetsier) July 28, 2022
The speakers in my Studio Display have stopped working. It’s been days. Still can’t get them to work again.
— Parker Ortolani (@ParkerOrtolani) July 18, 2022
is anyone else's studio display buggy for video/audio?
I just got one and for some reason youtube/music apps freeze or become frequently choppy
— Kiran (@neuroswish) July 30, 2022
Studio Display Audio Issues — I had the same issues with my… rebooting a monitoring fix the problems. Just weird to have to reboot a display, though.https://t.co/5kNrRWljEj
— A Numeric Citizen (@numericcitizen) July 29, 2022
Since yesterday my Studio Display will only play audio for a few seconds and then it stops. Audio playback works fine on the MacBook Pro that’s connected to the display. Not sure if it’s hardware or software related. I’m running the Ventura beta.
Anyone seeing something similar? pic.twitter.com/u4yO1bFubq
— Simon B. Støvring (@simonbs) July 28, 2022
I have to restart both my Apple Studio Displays. Otherwise, audio gets choppy and eventually just cuts out completely. Rebooting the Mac doesn't help. You literally have to power cycle the entire Studio Display(s). Happens about every 5-6 weeks for me it seems. https://t.co/Y328O82hV9
— Mario Guzmán (@MarioGuzman) July 26, 2022
Audio recording from my Apple Studio Display microphone is still fundamentally broken in every app. Latest OS and display firmware versions.
— Seth Willits (@sethwillits) July 26, 2022
The Studio Display runs iOS and can receive software updates that address problems like this. Apple has attempted to address poor webcam quality with the Studio Display through a software update with mixed results. It seems the company will follow a similar route with audio-related issues. Today's memo offers no timeframe on when a permanent solution may arrive, but in the meantime customers are advised to ensure their display is updated to the latest firmware.
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.
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.
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.
