Apple today released watchOS 8.4, the third major update to the watchOS 8 operating system that launched in September. watchOS 8.4 comes over a month after the release of watchOS 8.3, an update that added support for the Apple Music Voice Plan.
watchOS 8.4 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.
The watchOS 8.4 update is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 3 and later like all watchOS 8 updates.
According to Apple's release notes, watchOS 8.4 fixes a bug that could cause some Apple Watch chargers not to work as expected with the Apple Watch.
Since the watchOS 8.3 update, there have been complaints from Apple Watch Series 7 users who have noticed that their third-party chargers (and in some cases, Apple-branded chargers) are not able to charge their Apple Watches.
In some situations, the Apple Watch would not charge at all with an affected charger, and in other cases, it would charge for a few minutes and then stop. Today's update should fix both issues.
As with iOS 15.3, the HomePod 15.3 software is a minor update that focuses on bug fixes rather than new features. According to Apple's release notes, the update adds Siri voice recognition support for up to six users in a home in English (India) and Italian (Italy). It 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 15.3, the third major update to the tvOS operating system that first launched in September 2021. tvOS 15.3 comes more than a month after the launch of tvOS 15.2, an update that added support for Photos Memories, Apple Music Voice Plan, and new screen savers.
tvOS 15.3 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 15.3 automatically.
Apple's tvOS updates are typically more minor in scale, focusing on under-the-hood bug fixes, performance updates, and small tweaks rather than major outward-facing changes. There were no new features discovered in tvOS 15.3 during the beta testing process, so it's not yet clear what's included in the update.
Apple does not provide detailed release notes for its tvOS updates, but the company does offer some tvOS information through the tvOS support document.
Some of Apple's iCloud services appear to be experiencing an outage, based on a multitude of reports that MacRumors has received and hundreds of complaints on Twitter.
According to the Apple System Status page, there are issues with iCloud Backup, iCloud Mail, iCloud Storage Upgrades, iCloud.com, iMessage, and Game Center. Some users are unable to log into the iCloud website, and others are having trouble with app-specific passwords or are seeing a message about an issue with connecting to Apple ID servers.
There are reports about the iCloud issues from multiple countries, though it is not clear if all users are affected at this time. The iCloud outage has been ongoing since yesterday afternoon.
Apple earlier this morning said that the iCloud outage had been fixed and the company updated the System Status page, but after continued complaints from users and ongoing connectivity problems, Apple again changed the System Status page to note several issues. We'll update this article when Apple is able to address the iCloud outage.
Benchmark results have started to surface for MSI's new GE76 Raider, one of the first laptops to be powered by Intel's new 12th-generation Core i9 processor.
Intel previously said that its new high-end Core i9 processor is faster than Apple's M1 Max chip in the 16-inch MacBook Pro and, as noted by Macworld, early Geekbench 5 results do appear to confirm this claim, but there are several caveats as usual.
Geekbench 5 results show that the GE76 Raider with the Core i9-12900HK processor has an average multi-core score of 12,707, while the 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 Max chip has an average multi-core score of 12,244. This means the Core i9 processor is around 4% faster than the M1 Max chip in this particular comparison.
One of the biggest caveats is power efficiency. PCWorld measured the new GE76 Raider's power draw from the wall while running a CPU-only Cinebench R23 benchmark and found the Core i9 was consistently in the 100-watts range, and even briefly spiked to 140 watts. By comparison, when running the same Cinebench R23 benchmark on the 16-inch MacBook Pro, AnandTech found the M1 Max chip's power draw from the wall to be around 40 watts.
With the Core i9 consuming much more power, battery life takes a considerable hit, with PCWorld finding the new GE76 Raider achieved nearly six hours of offline video playback. Apple advertises the latest 16-inch MacBook Pro as getting up to 21 hours of battery life for offline video playback. Even with potential differences in display brightness and other factors, the 16-inch MacBook Pro clearly runs longer on battery.
Design is also a factor, with the GE76 Raider being a 17-inch gaming laptop that is just over an inch thick and weighs nearly 6.5 pounds. By comparison, the new 16-inch MacBook Pro is 0.66 inches thick and weighs 4.8 pounds.
All in all, it appears that Intel's claim that its new Core i9 processor is faster than the M1 Max chip holds up, but Apple likely has no regrets with switching to its own power-efficient chips for thin-and-light notebooks like the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. And with the M2 chip expected later this year, Apple is only just getting started.
Moment is best known for its line of lenses designed for iPhones, but the company also makes all kinds of other accessories that are designed to improve the iPhone experience. With the launch of MagSafe, Moment designed MagSafe friendly cases and accessories that are useful for those who want to use Moment lenses or photography equipment like tripods with their iPhones.
Moment's MagSafe-Compatible iPhone 13 Cases
Moment makes a range of MagSafe-compatible iPhone 13 cases that are both MagSafe-compatible and are able to work with Moment's lineup of lenses. Cases are priced at $50, and are made from a soft touch polycarbonate material.
As a standard MagSafe case, Moment's cases are not my favorite. There is a texture to the case, but it is not as grippy and easy to hold as Apple's own silicone cases and I'm continually worried that it might slip out of my hand.
There is a nice microfiber lining inside, along with protection for the camera area, bottom ports, and a lip for keeping the display safe. Moment says the cases offer six-foot drop protection, and while I'm not going to toss my iPhone on the ground to test it out, that seems about right given the protective features and the case thickness.
Volume and power buttons are covered but are still easy to press, and the mute button and all ports remain accessible. I didn't have a problem using this case with wireless chargers, both Qi and MagSafe. There are wrist strap attachment points at the bottom if you want to add a wrist strap for an extra grip when taking photos.
While this isn't my favorite standalone case, it is one of the only cases that's compatible with Moment's lineup of lenses, so if you have Moment lenses, you'll need a Moment case to use them. You will have to pair the Moment case with a Drop-in Lens Mount, which is an extra $4.99. I'm not sure why Moment isn't selling this as an all-in-one bundle or with an option to have the mount already attached in the case, but for now it's standalone.
If you have the case and the lens mount, you basically just need to pop out the standard lens bracket that comes with the case and the pop in the lens mount version. All of the built-in cameras work fine with the lens mount in place, and you can screw in Moment's lenses.
Moment makes a fisheye lens, a wide-angle lens, a telephoto lens, a macro lens, and an anamorphic lens, and all of the M-series lenses work with the case and the mount. It's worth noting that Moment lenses are designed to be used with the wide-angle camera and will block the telephoto lens and the ultra wide lens. This is my first choice case if you have Moment lenses, but I still prefer other MagSafe cases like Apple's if you don't.
Car Vent Mount
The $40 Moment Car Vent Mount is more general use than some of the other Moment accessories. It's simple and straightforward, designed to attach to the vent of a car and stay firmly in place.
In my experience, it worked fine, and the mount stayed attached to my iPhone during multiple car rides, even going over bumps and with sudden stops. I've tried a few other magnetic mounts, and I think that Moment's version has one of the strongest magnets that I've encountered to date. There is no charging, though, so this is strictly for mounting for maps usage and other in-car purposes.
There's a soft grip texture where the mount attaches to an iPhone so you can use it naked or without a case, and the mount itself is made of aluminum. The same is true for all of Moment's mounting options - they feature the same aluminum design with a rubber barrier between the mount and the iPhone.
Wall Mount
Like the vent mount, the $15 Moment Wall Mount is multi-purpose. It has the same circular shape featured with many of Moment's accessories, with a magnet on one side and adhesive on the other.
It's designed to allow you to attach your iPhone to any surface where the mount is stuck, so you can attach it to a wall in the kitchen for viewing recipes, or in an office for FaceTime and other purposes. Using the mount is as simple as peeling off the 3M adhesive and sticking it against a flat surface and then attaching your iPhone to the magnet, which is super strong.
I didn't have an issue with the adhesive in the month that I tested these accessories, but I am concerned about its long term viability. Adhesive can sometimes fail and this mount is relatively heavy, so I am concerned that it could just slip off the wall at some point.
To be clear, that hasn't happened to me, but I'd definitely recommend using the wall mount with a case so should it come unattached from the wall, your iPhone won't suffer damage from a high fall. If you need to reposition the mount, you can do so with the extra adhesive pad that's included. I didn't have wall damage removing it, but it's going to vary based on wall material.
Multi-Threaded Mount
Moment's $40 Multi-Threaded Mount can be affixed to all manner of accessories because it comes with five different female threads in 3/8" and 1/4"-20 sizes. It can be threaded onto tripods, rig mounts, ball heads, and other accessories that you might have.
I tested it with a tripod, and it screwed right in. On the side opposite the threads, there's a magnetic plate that attaches to a MagSafe iPhone. As with MagSafe's other mounts, the magnet is surprisingly strong and I feel confident that my iPhone 13 Pro Max is going to stay secured in place even with a decent amount of movement.
All of the attachment points for this accessory are at the back, and I would have preferred to have one or two connection points on the side, which would make this Multi-Threaded Mount even more versatile.
This is definitely one of Moment's most versatile MagSafe accessories and it's a solid choice if you have a tripod you want to use your iPhone with or another similar accessory that uses one of the standard mount sizes.
Tripod Mount
The $40 Tripod Mount works with any standard 1/4"-20 tripod that you might already have on hand. The mount is made from aluminum (as are all of these Moment mounting options) and it's lightweight but offers a super strong magnetic grip on the iPhone.
There's basically a round magnetic pad that attaches to the iPhone and an arm that can be screwed on to any tripod or handle that you already have, making it a useful way to add MagSafe compatibility to your photography accessories. You can use the Tripod Mount in either portrait or landscape mode, and make subtle adjustments to the angle by just rotating the iPhone on the magnetic attachment. It's simple and effective.
I didn't have the "pro" version with an included cold shoe mount, but that's an option for those who want to add a light or a microphone for filming purposes. The Pro version is $60, so $20 extra.
Prior to MagSafe I used a clamp mount accessory to attach my iPhone to a tripod, but Moment's MagSafe tripod mount is much quicker and easier to use in comparison for portrait shots, long exposure shots, and other situations where a tripod is useful.
Cold Shoe Mount
The $30 Cold Shoe Mount is useful for attaching a light or a microphone to the iPhone. I didn't have a compatible accessory on hand to try, but the design is close to identical to the tripod mount without the arm.
The magnetic pad attaches to the iPhone and then there's an adjustable cold shoe mount at the back. A thumbscrew can be used to lock the cold shoe arm in the position that you want for attaching accessories. This is a great option if you want to add a light or microphone while using your iPhone in handheld mode.
This may be one of the more niche accessories and I'm not sure that most people are going to want a standalone cold shoe mount. The Pro version of the Tripod Mount that comes with a cold shoe mount is more expensive at $60, but it also has the option to attach the iPhone to a tripod.
Bottom Line
Having tested quite a few MagSafe accessories, I was impressed with the magnet strength that Moment has achieved. For all of these mounts, my iPhone 13 Pro Max felt well-secured and I was not worried about it detaching or coming loose when mounted in the car, on a tripod, or on the wall.
I think most people looking for MagSafe-compatible accessories are going to be satisfied with Moment's lineup given the magnetic strength and the affordable price points. As for the cases, I'd recommend them if you need something to use with the Moment lenses that you own.
All of these accessories work with Moment lenses when used with Moment's cases and case mounts, but I do want to point out that you won't want to pick up these accessories if you have Moment lenses and intend to use them with an iPhone 12 mini or iPhone 13 mini. You can't use these accessories and a Moment Lens at the same time on one of Apple's smallest iPhones because of space constraints.
Amazon is offering fresh discounts across the entire Apple Watch Series 7 lineup today, with $50 markdowns across the board on 41mm and 45mm GPS and cellular models. Every model is shipped and sold directly by Amazon, with stock available for shipping today for most devices.
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41mm GPS Aluminum
The sales start with the 41mm GPS Apple Watch Series 7 for $349.00, down from $399.00. This version of the Apple Watch has the most colors on sale, and at this price it's just about $10 off from the lowest price we've ever seen on the Apple Watch Series 7.
You can also get the 45mm GPS Apple Watch Series 7 on sale, available for $379.00, down from $429.00. Similar to the smaller model, this is a second-best price and one of the best prices that we've tracked on the wearable so far in 2022.
You can also get the Apple Watch Series 7 cellular models on sale this week, with both 41mm and 45mm devices available at $50 off on Amazon. These sales aren't as extensive as the GPS Series 7 models, so you'll only find two colors marked down for the 41mm cellular option.
For the 45mm Cellular option, only the Green Aluminum Apple Watch Series 7 with a Clover Sport Band is available at a discount on Amazon. For all Apple Watch sales listed in this article, only Amazon is currently offering these discounts, so be sure to check out the offers soon if you're interested.
GlobalData analyst Emma Mohr-McClune today expressed her belief that Apple will not switch to eSIM-only iPhones entirely right away, but rather offer an eSIM-only variant of an iPhone 14 through its own stores and give carriers an option to sell the eSIM-only model alongside more traditional models with both eSIM and a nano-SIM card tray.
There are still many carriers around the world that do not support eSIM, so Mohr-McClune's prediction about iPhone 14 models with nano-SIM card trays remaining available certainly makes sense. eSIM adoption is expanding rapidly, though, with over 100 carriers offering eSIM service worldwide and more planning to roll out support this year, including Three in the UK and Vodafone in New Zealand.
An eSIM is a digital SIM that allows users to activate a cellular plan without having to use a physical nano-SIM card. Apple first introduced eSIM technology with the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR in 2018.
iPhone 13 models already support multiple eSIM profiles, allowing users to subscribe to several cellular plans digitally and switch between them, and this functionality could pave the way for an eSIM-only variant of an iPhone 14 in at least some markets. Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 14 lineup in September as usual.
Apple today announced the Black Unity Braided Solo Loop for the Apple Watch, as well as a new downloadable watch face, to celebrate Black History Month.
Following the launch of the limited edition Black Unity Apple Watch Series 6 and Sport Band in 2021, Apple today launched the Black Unity Braided Solo Loop as part of its celebrations for Black History Month this year.
Apple is launching a special edition Apple Watch Black Unity Braided Solo Loop and matching Unity Lights watch face inspired by Afrofuturism, a philosophy that explores the Black experience through a narrative of science, technology, and self-empowerment. As part of this launch, Apple is supporting organizations focused on advancing inclusion in science and technology for communities of color through its Racial Equity and Justice Initiative.
Designed by members and allies of the Black creative community at Apple to celebrate Black history and culture, the Apple Watch Black Unity Braided Solo Loop and matching Unity Lights watch face honors generations of Black people across the African diaspora. This design symbolizes a communal belief in the necessity for a more equitable world. The vibrant red and green colors of the Pan-African flag appear like speckled light across the black band.
To accompany the Black Unity Braided Solo Loop, Apple today released the special edition "Unity Lights" watch face. Like many of Apple's other watch faces, Unity Lights comes in full screen and circular dial versions, and includes a black and white option, tick marks, up to four complications, and a monogram.
The band is complemented by the Unity Lights watch face, which is designed using 2D ray tracing, a technology never before implemented for a watch face. Each pixel on the screen simulates the light and shadow falling across it and the movement of the clock hands simultaneously reveal and hide the light, changing dynamically throughout the day.
The Black Unity Braided Loop is available to order today for $99, and it will be available in select retail store locations starting Tuesday, February 1. The Unity Lights watch face is available to all Apple Watch users with a Series 4 or newer in the Apple Watch app. Apple is also making a range of Afrofuturism-inspired wallpapers for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac available on its website.
The Black Unity Braided Solo Loop and Unity Lights face celebrate Black History Month alongside a number of other events across Apple's services and platforms, including a campaign on Apple Music and Apple Music TV, workouts in Apple Fitness+ and Time to Walk, Apple Podcasts, the App Store, Apple Books, Apple Maps, the Apple TV app, Apple News, and the company's latest Shot on iPhone campaign titled "Our Stories."
Apple became the top smartphone brand in China for the first time in six years in the fourth quarter of 2021, Counterpoint Research reports.
While smartphone sales in China declined nine percent year on year for the third consecutive quarter in the fourth quarter of 2021, and smartphone sales declined two percent in 2021 for the fourth consecutive year, Apple finally surpassed Vivo to become the country's top smartphone brand. In total, Apple captured 23 percent of the Chinese smartphone market in the fourth quarter of 2021, its highest ever market share in the country.
The Chinese homegrown brands Vivo, Oppo, Honor, and Xiaomi took second, third, fourth, and fifth place, respectively. Counterpoint Research analyst Mengmeng Zhang commented:
Apple's stellar performance was driven by a mix of its pricing strategy and gain from Huawei's premium base. Apple rose to first place in China right after the iPhone 13 was released (week 39) in September. Afterwards, it remained in the leading position for most of the fourth quarter. The new iPhone 13 has led the success due to a relatively lower starting price at its release in China, as well as the new camera and 5G features. Furthermore, Huawei, Apple's main competitor in the premium market, faced declining sales due to the ongoing U.S. sanctions.
The fourth quarter of 2021 was the first time Apple has been the top smartphone brand in China since the fourth quarter of 2015, when the iPhone 6's upgrade supercycle was at its height. Counterpoint says that Apple's success at the premium end of the market will encourage Chinese brands to strengthen their offerings in this segment.
Samsung is set to hold its first "Unpacked" event of the year on Wednesday, February 9, and the South Korean company is expected to unveil new flagship smartphones that will compete with Apple's iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro models released in September.
"Join us as we break the rules to set the epic standard," reads Samsung's tweet about the event. An included graphic references the S22, which is the next-generation device that we're likely to see launch. Samsung's YouTube video also mentions breaking "through the night," suggesting camera improvements.
Samsung's Galaxy S22 lineup is expected to feature a trio of devices in size options that will be mostly on par with the 5.4-inch iPhone 13 mini, the 6.1-inch iPhone 13 and 13 Pro, and the 6.7-inch iPhone 13 Pro Max. Samsung is working on an 6.1-inch S22, a 6.5-inch S22 Plus, and a 6.8-inch S22 Ultra.
Multiple leaks, rumors, and mockups have provided insight into what we can expect from Samsung's newest smartphones. The two smaller smartphones will feature rounded corners and triple-lens cameras, and the high-end flagship will have a boxier design similar to the Galaxy Note, a built-in S-Pen holder, and a four-lens camera setup.
From right to left: Samsung Galaxy S22, S22 Plus, and S22 Ultra (credit: Unbox Therapy)
Samsung's updates are expected to be fairly modest, but the two more affordable smartphones will offer updated 50-megapixel main cameras plus ultra wide and telephoto lenses. We are expecting Apple to add 48-megapixel cameras to the iPhone 14 Pro models, but as of right now, Apple's iPhone 13 camera lenses are 12 megapixels.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra could have a 108-megapixel main camera with a Super Clear lens for reduced glare and reflections, plus an ultra wide lens, a telephoto lens, and a periscope lens for zoomed in shots. Apple is working on periscope lens technology, but rumors suggest a periscope lens won't come to the iPhone until 2023.
Hole-punch camera designs are expected for the front display of the S22 lineup, as are new body colors and performance improvements. We'll learn more about how Samsung's new flagship smartphones compare to Apple's iPhone 13 devices when February 9 rolls around.
Apple today released a firmware update for the Beats Studio Buds, and MacRumors has since learned about several new features that were added to Apple's $150 Noise Cancelling earbuds, including instant pairing, easier access to battery status, and more control over volume.
After installing the new firmware, Beats Studio Buds owners have access to instant pairing with all of the Apple devices tied to a user's iCloud account. On Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and TV, pairing can now be done with a single tap.
When holding the Beats Studio Buds case near an iPhone, there's now a battery pop-up that displays the current battery life of both the earbuds and the case right on the Home screen, similar to how AirPods function.
Apple has also added a new volume customization option for the "b" button on the Studio Buds. It can be configured to control volume up/down using either the iOS Bluetooth menu or the Beats app for Android devices.
In addition to these changes, Apple this week introduced product personalization for the Beats Fit Pro and the Powerbeats Pro. When ordering these devices from the Apple website, there is now an option to add an engraving on the charging case.
Dropbox today announced that users who update to macOS 12.3 once that software version becomes available may temporarily encounter issues with opening online-only files in some third-party apps on their Mac.
In a support document and an email to customers, Dropbox said it is actively working on full support for online-only files on macOS 12.3 and will begin rolling out an updated version of its Mac app to beta testers in March. In the meantime, Dropbox users who update to macOS 12.3 will still be able to open online-only files in Finder.
Dropbox did not provide any further details, but Microsoft recently said macOS 12.2 will be the last version that supports its own cloud storage service OneDrive's current online-only files implementation. Microsoft said OneDrive will be getting a new online-only files experience that is "more integrated with macOS" and "will have long-term support from Apple," adding that the current version is built on several technologies that are "now deprecated."
Altogether, it appears likely that Apple has given cloud storage services like Dropbox and OneDrive advanced notice about system-level changes that will affect online-only files starting with macOS 12.3. We've reached out to Apple and Dropbox for further details, but so far have not received any additional information.
Apple will likely release macOS 12.2 within the next week or so, and then macOS 12.3 beta testing should begin shortly after that.
Apple today released a new 10M359 firmware update for the Beats Studio Buds that came out back in June. Prior to today's firmware update, the Beats Studio Buds had 9M6599 software installed. Note that this is Apple's internal numbering, and the firmware version seen in the Settings app can be different and will likely show up as 1B56 after updating.
There's no standard way to upgrade the Beats software, but firmware is generally installed over-the-air while the earbuds are connected to an iOS device. Putting the Beats Studio Buds in the case, connecting them to a power source, and then pairing them to an iPhone or an iPad should force the update after a short period of time.
Beats Studio Buds were the first Beats-branded earbuds to compete with the AirPods with a wire-free design and no earhook. Beats Studio Buds are similar in design to the AirPods Pro and feature Active Noise Cancellation, but the earbuds have a stemless design that we could see in future Apple products.
If we find notable changes after the firmware updates are installed, we'll share details, but the software likely includes performance improvements and bug fixes.
Apple has two new Apple Watch Activity Challenges on the horizon, one of which will celebrate Lunar New Year and one that will celebrate Black History Month.
For the Lunar New Year, Apple is asking Apple Watch owners to do any workout for at least 20 minutes between February 1 and February 15 to win the award. It is not clear if this is a worldwide challenge or a challenge that will be limited to countries where Lunar New Year is celebrated.
Apple Watch owners can earn the "Unity" award in honor of Black History Month by closing their Move ring seven days in a row in February.
As with all of Apple's Activity Challenges, the New Year challenge will be accompanied by an award that can be viewed in the Fitness app as well as a series of animated stickers that can be used in the Messages app.
Nvidia is no longer planning to acquire chip maker Arm after failing to win approval for the venture, reports Bloomberg. Nvidia will "quietly" abandon the purchase because it has made no progress in gaining support from regulators and is facing an FTC lawsuit blocking the deal.
Nvidia in September 2020 announced plans to purchase Arm from SoftBank for $40 billion, but it was clear from the beginning that the purchase would be subject to regulatory scrutiny as Nvidia is a customer of Arm and Arm has many licensing deals with Nvidia competitors.
In December 2021, the United States Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit to prevent Nvidia from acquiring Arm as the purchase would give Nvidia control over computing technology and designs that rival firms rely on to develop competing chips. The FTC said that allowing the acquisition to move forward would stifle "innovative next-generation technologies" and would "unfairly undermine" Nvidia's competitors.
Chipmaker Qualcomm was one of the Nvidia competitors that objected to the purchase, and in February 2021, the San Diego-based company told the FTC, the European Commission, the UK Competition and Markets Authority, and China's State Administration for Market Regulation that the acquisition would allow Nvidia to become the gatekeeper for Arm's technology, preventing other chipmakers from using it.
With the deal looking unlikely to be approved, Nvidia is now telling partners that it does not expect the transaction to close. SoftBank is preparing for an initial public offering in case the Nvidia takeover does not happen, but Bloomberg says that both companies are continuing to speak with regulators at this time in the hopes that something might change.
Apple today shared an updated Personal Safety User Guide that serves as a resource for anyone who is concerned about or experiencing technology-enabled abuse, stalking, or harassment, the company said. The new guide is available on Apple's website, complete with a table of contents and a search tool, and as a downloadable PDF.
The guide outlines the personal safety features that are built into Apple devices, with a new section added for the AirTag following recent news stories about Apple's small item tracking accessory being used to track people without their permission.
While much of the information in the guide may be common knowledge to experienced Apple users, it is still a worthwhile read, with helpful tips for controlling who can access your location, blocking unknown sign-in attempts, avoiding fraudulent requests to share info, setting up two-factor authentication, managing privacy settings, and more.
Offering quick checklists and in-depth feature tasks, this resource is designed to help customers experiencing technology-enabled abuse, stalking, or harassment understand the options available across the Apple ecosystem that can help you protect your personal safety. It includes step-by-step instructions on how to remove someone's access to information you previously granted—like location data in the Find My app, meetings you've shared in Calendar, and more. It also highlights features You can use to enhance your personal safety—like how to automatically let a friend know when you've arrived home safely and how to quickly engage Emergency SOS.
Apple said the guide will continue to be updated on a regular basis, so it may be worth bookmarking to stay up to date with the latest personal safety tips.
Back in October, Apple agreed to pay $95 million to settle an ongoing class action lawsuit that accused the company of violating various U.S. laws and regulations by providing customers with refurbished replacement devices instead of new devices when repairs were required under AppleCare.
Administrators handling the case have now updated the "Replacement Device Lawsuit" website with details on the settlement, and have started sending out emails to customers who might be eligible for a payment after the settlement is finalized.
Customers who purchased an AppleCare Protection Plan or AppleCare+ for an iPhone or iPad between July 20, 2012 and September, 30, 2021 and who received a refurbished replacement device from Apple are included in the lawsuit.
Apple's Repair Terms and Conditions in the United States make it clear that the company might use "parts or products that are new or refurbished and equivalent to new in performance and reliability" when repairing or replacing a device, but the lawsuit claimed that refurbished devices are "not equivalent to new in performance and reliability."
The lawsuit was seeking compensation for iPhone, iPad, and iPod owners who purchased AppleCare or AppleCare+ coverage and were unhappy with receiving an "inferior" refurbished device instead of a device that works "like new."
Apple has opted to settle the lawsuit with a $95 million payment because it has already spanned six years and would only result in additional legal fees, but the company has admitted no wrong doing and "vigorously" denies that refurbished devices are inferior to new devices.
The $95 million settlement has already received preliminary approval, and Apple customers now have an option to exclude themselves from the settlement or object, which can be done on the lawsuit website. The website also includes a form for those who are interested in making sure that they're included in the settlement.
A final fairness hearing is set to take place on April 27, 2022, and after that is when class members can expect to begin receiving payments. After attorneys' fees and other expenses, the class members could receive somewhere between $63.4 million and $68.1 million, with that amount split up between those affected.
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