Amazon today introduced a new low price on the 64GB cellular iPad mini 6, available for $599.99, down from $649.00. This sale is only available in purple, and it's shipped and sold directly from Amazon.
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.
The previous low price on this model sat around $630, and Amazon is currently the only retailer offering the cellular iPad mini 6 at this price. Delivery estimates provide a window between January 29 and February 2 for most United States residences.
For even more iPad deals, head to our full Best Deals guide for iPad. In that guide we track the best discounts online for iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro.
Apple will no longer bundle Python 2.7 with macOS 12.3, according to developer release notes for the upcoming software update. Python 2 has not been supported since January 1, 2020 and no longer receives any bug fixes, security patches, or other changes.
Apple says that developers should use an alternative scripting language going forward, such as Python 3, but it's worth noting that Python 3 also does not come preinstalled on macOS. Developers can run the stub /usr/bin/python3 in Terminal, but it prompts users to install Xcode developer tools, which includes Python 3.
Apple warned that future versions of macOS would not include Python 2.7 in macOS Catalina's developer release notes back in 2019. At the time, Apple said Python 2.7 was included in macOS for compatibility with legacy software.
"If your software depends on scripting languages, it's recommended that you bundle the runtime within the app," said Apple.
Apple is stifling competition with its monopoly on app distribution through the App Store, attorneys general for 35 states told a California appeals court on Thursday.
The joint statement was submitted into the appeals process that is ongoing following the judge's decision in the Epic v. Apple lawsuit, with the attorneys general siding with the "Fortnite" video game maker on the issue, reports Reuters.
"Apple's conduct has harmed and is harming mobile app-developers and millions of citizens," the states said.
"Meanwhile, Apple continues to monopolize app distribution and in-app payment solutions for iPhones, stifle competition, and amass supracompetitive profits within the almost trillion-dollar-a-year smartphone industry."
According to the Financial Times [paywalled], the US Department of Justice also challenged last year's ruling, saying in its own submission that the court had "committed several legal errors that could imperil effective antitrust enforcement, especially in the digital economy."
The DoJ said the court had interpreted the Sherman Act, an 1890 law prohibiting anti-competitive behavior, "narrowly and wrongly, in ways that would leave many anti-competitive agreements and practices outside their protections."
The judge's decision in the Oakland, California case mostly ruled against Epic last year, although both Apple and Epic Games have decided to appeal the original ruling as neither company was satisfied with the outcome. Epic Games wanted the court to force Apple to support third-party App Stores, which did not happen.
U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that the 15% to 30% commission that Apple charges some app makers through its in-app payment system did not violate antitrust law.
Along with the states, professors and activist groups also weighed in through court filings that described legal arguments in support of Epic, according to Reuters.
The states said in their filing that the lower court erred when it decided that a key antitrust law did not apply to non-negotiable contracts Apple makes developers sign, a claim Epic also made when it first filed its appeal earlier this month.
"Paradoxically, firms with enough market power to unilaterally impose contracts would be protected from antitrust scrutiny — precisely the firms whose activities give the most cause for antitrust concern," they said in the joint statement.
Apple, which is expected to reply in March, said on Thursday it was confident Epic's challenge would fail, and that it remained "committed to ensuring the App Store is a safe and trusted marketplace for consumers and a great opportunity for developers."
Beats Fit Pro launch worldwide today after pre-orders began earlier in the week in the UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Sweden, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and elsewhere. The wireless earbuds were first released in the United States last November.
Designed with fitness and athletes in mind, the Beats Fit Pro feature flexible wingtips for a more secure fit in the ear. The wireless earbuds have many of the same features as the AirPods Pro, including active noise cancellation with a "Transparency" mode, spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, an H1 chip for one-tap pairing and automatic switching between Apple devices, hands-free "Hey Siri" support, and more.
Other features and specs include up to six hours of listening time per charge, compatibility with Android devices, IPX4-rated water and sweat resistance, a USB-C charging case, customizable silicone ear tips with three size options, and more. For more details about Beats Fit Pro, read our hands-on coverage of the earbuds from last year.
Beats Fit Pro can be ordered through Apple's online store where sold, with black, white, stone purple, and sage gray color options.
With the release of iOS 14.5 and watchOS 7.4 last year, Apple added the ability for users wearing a mask to unlock their iPhone when wearing an Apple Watch, eliminating the need to enter a passcode instead. However, while "Unlock with Apple Watch" allows users to unlock their device while wearing a mask, other features that rely on Face ID, such as Apple Pay and in-app authentication, do not work.
That will change when iOS 15.4 is released to the public, after which users will also be able to make Apple Pay purchases and use Face ID within apps when wearing a face covering. That said, Apple is warning that using Face ID with a mask is less secure, and the biometric authentication system remains "most accurate" when used with full-face recognition.
To enable Face ID while wearing a mask, an iPhone "can recognize the unique features around the eye area to authenticate," according to Apple. The feature in the first beta is limited only to the iPhone 12 and later, meaning users of older iPhone models will miss out. Alongside Face ID with a mask, Apple has also added the ability to configure Face ID while wearing glasses.
iOS and iPadOS 15.4 are likely to be released to the public later this Spring and include new emojis, an Apple Card widget, Universal Control, and more. Check out everything new in the first beta with our roundup.
Apple on Thursday seeded the first beta of iOS 15.4, and one of the software update's new features will be the ability for COVID-19 vaccination records in the EU Digital COVID Certificate format to be added to the Health and Wallet apps.
When iOS 15.4 is released, users will be able to add a EU Digital COVID Certificate to the Health and Wallet apps by opening the Camera app, scanning the certificate's QR code, tapping on the yellow Health app notification that appears, and tapping the "Add to Wallet & Health" button. Vaccine cards in the Wallet app display a person's name, the type of vaccine they received, the date that each dose was administered, the issuer, and a digitally signed QR code. More detailed immunization records are accessible through the Health app.
The feature is partially live in the iOS 15.4 beta, as MacStories editor-in-chief Federico Viticci was able to add his Italian vaccination record to the Health app, but not the Wallet app. Apple's release notes indicate that EU Digital COVID Certificates issued by Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Cape Verde, North Macedonia, and Palestine also currently can't be verified or added to the Wallet app on the iOS 15.4 beta.
Big news for EU citizens:
iOS 15.4 will bring support for adding EU Digital COVID Certificates in the Health and Wallet apps.
I tested my Italian vaccination record and it worked with Health. Not in Wallet yet. These will show up under Immunization records in the Health app. 💉 pic.twitter.com/0UFndDFncO
— Federico Viticci (@viticci) January 27, 2022
Apple first rolled out the ability to add COVID-19 vaccination records to the Health and Wallet apps in the United States with iOS 15.1, and the feature is also supported in Canada. With support for EU Digital COVID Certificates, the feature will expand to a long list of countries in Europe, including Austria, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and others.
The iOS 15.4 beta that was introduced today expands support for the custom email domain feature available for iCloud+, adding an option to set up a custom domain with iCloud Mail directly on the iPhone.
If you go to Settings > Apple ID > iCloud, "iCloud Mail" is now a tappable option and it includes a section for setting up a Custom Email Domain.
Prior to now, custom domains were able to be set up with iCloud Mail, but Apple's iCloud.com website was required to get it working and there was no option to set it up right on the iPhone or iPad.
Setting up a custom email domain requires a paid iCloud+ storage plan, which is priced starting at $0.99. The feature is designed to allow a custom email address like "johnny@appleseed.com" to be used for sending and receiving emails using iCloud Mail. Though the custom domain feature uses iCloud Mail, emails will be addressed to and sent from the custom domain.
Each iCloud user can add up to five custom domains to iCloud Mail, and members of a Family Sharing group can also use those domains. Email addresses that are currently used with the custom domain are supposed, and there's also an option to set up new email addresses with the domain.
Custom Email Domain settings on the iPhone and iPad will make it much easier to use custom email addresses. It's worth noting that this same feature is also available on the Mac under the System Preferences > Apple ID > iCloud Mail, but it does not yet appear to be functional.
After the launch of the iPhone 13 Pro models with 120Hz ProMotion, it became clear that most third-party app animations were limited to 60Hz and were unable to take advantage of the 120Hz maximum refresh rate of the new devices. At the time, Apple said there was a Core Animation bug that would be fixed in a later update.
Apple appears to be addressing the Core Animation issue in the iOS 15.4 beta, introducing a change that will see apps automatically offering 120Hz refresh rates for all animations on iPhones that offer ProMotion support for more streamlined usage experience.
Apollo developer Christian Selig today said on Twitter that someone at Apple informed him that a fix has been implemented in iOS 15.4, and he was able to confirm the change himself.
Yay, got a little message from someone at Apple today that this is fixed in the iOS 15.4 betas and all apps automatically get 120 Hz animations on supported iPhones going forward, and just confirmed myself. (See attached, 1/120 = 8.33 ms) 🥳🥳🥳 https://t.co/EtZ9zkrM6Spic.twitter.com/04cl8uLb11
— Christian Selig (@ChristianSelig) January 27, 2022
With the full 120Hz ProMotion support, there should be no discernible difference between the various animations in an app, and everything should operate as expected. 120Hz refresh rates are designed to provide for a smoother viewing experience for scrolling through content, gaming, and more.
Apple today released new developer betas of iPadOS 15.4 and macOS Monterey 12.3, and the updated software adds the long awaited and highly anticipated Universal Control feature. We tested out Universal Control, and even in an early beta form, Universal Control is an easy to use and convenient multi-device control option.
To use Universal Control, the iPadOS 15.4 beta and the macOS Monterey 12.3 beta must be installed on your iPad and Mac, respectively. When you update, the feature is enabled by default and should work automatically, but we did run into an issue where we needed to restart the Mac to get it to work.
Settings for Universal Control on the Mac can be found under Displays > Advanced if you want to turn it off for some reason or change the functionality, and on the iPad, you can find the toggle under General > AirPlay & Handoff.
After updating, if you have a Mac and an iPad next to each other, or even multiple Macs and iPads, you can use the keyboard and cursor on one device across all of them. So, for example, if you have a MacBook Pro and an iPad Pro on your desk as we do in our video, the MacBook Pro's trackpad can be used over on the iPad just by swiping across, as can the keyboard. The same is true of the iPad if you have a keyboard attached. Universal Control works between multiple Macs and between multiple Macs and iPads.
You can drag files from the Mac to the iPad and vice versa, but on iPad, you will need to have the appropriate app open. So if you're dragging a photo from Mac to iPad, you need to open Photos -- it can't go on the Home screen. Trackpad gestures for Mac do not appear to work on the iPad, which is also worth noting.
It's an intuitive and simple-to-use feature because you can just swipe right over from one display to the next with no lag or other hindrances. You can use Universal Control on any Mac or iPad that's signed into your iCloud account, and it's a great example of an Apple feature that "just works."
Have you tried out Universal Control? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Apple is developing a new trade-in tool that will be used to scan the iPhone for cosmetic damage, likely with the aim of generating a more accurate trade-in estimate.
Code for the feature was discovered in the iOS 15.4 beta by MacRumors contributor Steve Moser, and it was also highlighted by 9to5Mac. There's not a lot of detail right now, but in a Diagnostic Services section, there are mentions of a Trade-In Tool and Cosmetic Scan, which will also involve a QR code.
We don't know how it works as of yet, but it may allow an iPhone user to take an image scan of their trade-in device to get a close look at scratches, dings, and other cosmetic damage, with the results sent to Apple.
There are no outward-facing signs of this feature available at the current time, but since it's linked to trade-ins, it might be something that we'll see when the iOS 15.4 update is released to the public.
Apple now has over 1.8 billion active devices worldwide, a new record, Apple CEO Tim Cook said during today's earnings call covering the first fiscal quarter of 2022.
Apple's active install base includes iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Watch, and it has grown from 1.5 active billion devices in January 2020 and 1.65 active billion devices in January 2021.
Cook did not break out numbers for individual devices, but last year said that Apple had more than billion active iPhones worldwide.
Apple faced significant supply constraints across all devices during the first fiscal quarter of 2022, but product supplies are expected to improve in the March quarter, Apple CEO Tim Cook told The Wall Street Journal ahead of today's earnings call.
"We saw supply constraints across most of our products," Mr. Cook said in an interview Thursday as the company released its results. "We're forecasting that we will be less [constrained] in March than we were in the December quarter."
Cook said that Apple expects to see year-over-year revenue growth in the March quarter, but he stopped short of providing details about when he thinks the supply chain issues facing the tech industry will ease.
"We're not projecting that," Mr. Cook said. "You need to know a lot of things to be able to make an accurate forecast there, like how are other people's demands in addition to what kind of supply we can squeeze out."
Even with the supply issues that Apple faced in the holiday quarter, the company today announced record revenue earnings of $123.9 billion. The iPhone and Mac set all-time quarterly revenue records as did wearables (Apple Watch and AirPods) and Services.
Apple today reported its earnings results for the fourth quarter of 2021, which corresponds with the first quarter of the 2022 fiscal year. Overall, Apple reported revenue of $123.9 billion, which is an all-time quarterly record for the company.
On a category-by-category basis, Apple also set all-time quarterly revenue records for the iPhone, Mac, Wearables, and Services:
iPhone: $71.6 billion, up from $65.5 billion in the year-ago quarter
Mac: $10.8 billion, up from $8.6 billion in the year-ago quarter
Wearables, Home, and Accessories: $14.7 billion, up from $12.9 billion in the year-ago quarter
Services: $19.5 billion, up from $15.7 billion in the year-ago quarter
Wearables, Home, and Accessories includes the Apple Watch, Apple TV, HomePod mini, iPod touch, AirPods, Beats headphones, accessories, and more. Services includes the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple TV+, Apple Fitness+, iCloud, and more.
iPad revenue was $7.2 billion for the quarter, down from $8.4 billion in the year-ago quarter. Speaking on Apple's earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook said iPad supply was "significantly" constrained during the quarter. Cook forecasted that the supply constraints for the iPad and other products will begin to improve during the March quarter.
"This quarter's record results were made possible by our most innovative lineup of products and services ever," said Cook. "We are gratified to see the response from customers around the world at a time when staying connected has never been more important. We are doing all we can to help build a better world — making progress toward our goal of becoming carbon neutral across our supply chain and products by 2030, and pushing forward with our work in education and racial equity and justice."
For more coverage of Apple's earnings results, follow along with our live blog.
Apple today announced financial results for the first fiscal quarter of 2022, which corresponds to the fourth calendar quarter of 2021.
For the quarter, Apple posted revenue of $123.9 billion and net quarterly profit of $34.6 billion, or $2.10 per diluted share, compared to revenue of $111.4 billion and net quarterly profit of $28.8 billion, or $1.68 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter.
Despite headwinds from chip shortages and other supply chain issues that Apple had previously said would hamper its ability to meet customer demand during the quarter, Apple's revenue and earnings for the quarter were all-time records. Apple's iPhone, Mac, Wearables, and Services segments also recorded all-time highs for revenue.
Gross margin for the quarter was 43.8 percent, compared to 39.8 percent in the year-ago quarter. Apple also declared a quarterly dividend payment of $0.22 per share, payable on February 10 to shareholders of record as of February 7.
“This quarter’s record results were made possible by our most innovative lineup of products and services ever,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We are gratified to see the response from customers around the world at a time when staying connected has never been more important. We are doing all we can to help build a better world — making progress toward our goal of becoming carbon neutral across our supply chain and products by 2030, and pushing forward with our work in education and racial equity and justice.”
As has been the case for well over a year now, Apple is once again not issuing guidance for the current quarter ending in March.
Apple will provide live streaming of its fiscal Q1 2022 financial results conference call at 2:00 pm Pacific, and MacRumors will update this story with coverage of the conference call highlights.
In today's iOS 15.4 beta that's available to developers, Apple added a useful new feature that changes the way Face ID works. There's now a Face ID with a Mask option that allows the iPhone to be unlocked when you're wearing a mask, but you need to have an iPhone 12 or newer.
Right now, an iPhone can be unlocked with a mask if you have an Apple Watch for authentication to add an extra layer of security, but the new option removes the need for an Apple Watch. Face ID with a Mask works by recognizing the area around the eye when a mask is worn, which is less secure but more convenient. Unlike Face ID with the Apple Watch, the mask version works with Apple Pay and can be used to authenticate third-party apps.
Unfortunately, Face ID with a Mask is limited to some of Apple's newest iPhones, even though Face ID has been available since 2017 with the launch of the iPhone X. As noted on our forums, Face ID with a Mask is only an option on the iPhone 12 and later, so you'll need an iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max or an iPhone 13, 13 mini, 13 Pro, or 13 Pro Max.
If you have an iPhone 11 or earlier, you will not see the Face ID with a Mask setup screen when updating to iOS 15.4, nor will you have the option to toggle it on in the Settings app.
It is not clear why Apple has limited Face ID with a Mask to the iPhone 12 and newer, but there may be some differences in Face ID hardware over the years that allow it to work for some devices and not others in terms of reasonable security. It's also possible that Apple will expand Face ID with a Mask to older iPhones in future betas.
Apple is working on new iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 updates for the iPhone and the iPad, adding a slew of new features to the latest iOS operating systems. iOS 15.4 is the biggest update that we've had to iOS 15 to date, and it brings Universal Control, Face ID with a mask, new emojis, and tons more.
With iOS 15.4, there is now an option to unlock your iPhone while wearing a mask. Apple warns that full face ID is the more secure option, but mask Face ID is now available.
Face ID with a mask can be enabled after updating to iOS 15.4, and it is designed to use the area around your eyes for authentication purposes. It works with glasses, but it is not compatible with sunglasses, and you must be looking at the iPhone to unlock it with a mask on. Face ID with a mask looks to be limited to the iPhone 12 and newer, but it can be used to authenticate Apple Pay transactions and third-party app logins.
Universal Control
iPadOS 15.4 and macOS Monterey 12.3 enable the long-awaited Universal Control feature, which is designed to allow you use a single cursor and keyboard to control the iPads and Macs that are signed into your iCloud account.
Universal Control is super easy to use and enabled by default once you upgrade to iPadOS 15.4 and macOS Monterey 12.3. If you have a MacBook and an iPad, for example, the MacBook's trackpad and keyboard can also be used right on the iPad's display.
There are new settings for Universal Control on the iPad and the Mac, and on the iPad, the option to toggle it on or off is listed under Handoff & Airplay.
Emojis
Spring iOS updates often bring new emoji characters, and iOS 15.4 is no exception. The beta introduces support for Emoji 14, adding 37 emoji and 75 skin tone additions for a total of 112 new characters.
New faces include melting face, saluting face, face with open eyes and hand over mouth, face with peeking eye, face with diagonal mouth, and dotted line face, while new emojis include biting lip and bubbles.
There are several new hand emojis, such as heart hands, rightwards hand, leftwards hand, palm down hand, palm up hand, hand with index finger and thumb crossed, index pointing at the viewer, along with an update to the handshake emoji.
Nest with eggs, empty nest, x-ray, crutch, playground slide, wheel, ring buoy, hamsa, mirror ball, jar, identification card, and low battery are new items, while plants and animals will include coral and lotus. As for fantasy characters, we can expect a new troll emoji, and eggs, beans, and pouring liquid make up new food items.
Turn Off Notifications for Personal Automations in Shortcuts
For Personal Automations that are set up in the Shortcuts app, there's a new "Notify When Run" option that lets you toggle notifications for Shortcuts that are activated on or off. With this option, you can choose not to be notified when a Shortcut activates, something that wasn't possible with earlier versions of iOS 15.
Notify When Run only shows up when you disable the "Ask Before Running" setting.
Apple Card Widget
There is a new Apple Card widget in the Today view, which can be added to the Home screen. The Apple Card widget shows your current balance and your daily spending in different categories.
Keyboard Brightness
In iPadOS 15.4, there's a new Keyboard Brightness option that can be added to the Control Center to allow you to adjust the brightness of a connected keyboard with backlighting.
It works for Apple's Magic Keyboard, but it does need to be added to Control Center by going to Settings > Control Center and tapping the "+" button next to Keyboard Brightness.
iCloud Keychain Notes
iCloud Keychain users can now add notes to any password entry, bringing iCloud Keychain more in line with other password storing options like 1Password.
On iPhone and iPad, iCloud Keychain can be accessed in the Settings app under "Passwords."
Hiding Password Alerts in iCloud Keychain
Apple provides security recommendations for weak or compromised passwords that are stored in iCloud Keychain, but in some situations, you might not be able to change those passwords.
If that's the case, in iOS 15.4, you can dismiss those alerts by tapping on the "x" button next to the alert. The action will hide the security recommendation so that it doesn't show up in the main Passwords section of the Settings app.
If you need to view the alert again, it can be found under Hidden Security Recommendations in Password settings.
iCloud Keychain Password Saving Update
Apple in iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 is adding a minor quality of life improvement to the way Safari saves passwords, preventing a password from being saved without a username.
When you are prompted to save a password to iCloud Keychain in iOS 15.4, iPadOS 15.4, or macOS Monterey 12.3 and Safari has only detected a password, Safari will pop up a window asking for a user name. "To save this password, enter the username for your [website] account," reads the alert.
In iOS 15.4 beta and macOS 12.3 beta, when Safari isn’t sure, it’ll prompt you for the username for a password, rather than silently save it sans user name. Sometimes Safari will prefill its best guess here.
And we didn’t sneak it in. We intentionally addressed a pain point. 😎 https://t.co/mfrcXk9GT6
— Ricky Mondello (@rmondello) February 16, 2022
120Hz Animations in Third-Party Apps on iPhone 13 Pro
After the iPhone 13 Pro models came out, users noticed that third-party apps were not displaying all animations at the full 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate. Apple said there was a Core Animation bug that would be fixed in a future update, and it appears that iOS 15.4 is that update..
With iOS 15.4, all animations in an app will display at 120Hz for a much smoother and more streamlined app usage experience.
Custom Email Domains
iOS 15.4 beta expands support for the custom email domain feature available for paid iCloud+ plans, adding an option to set up a custom domain with iCloud Mail directly on the iPhone.
If you go to Settings > Apple ID > iCloud, "iCloud Mail" is now a tappable option and it includes a section for setting up a Custom Email Domain.
SharePlay
In apps that support SharePlay, there's now an option to activate it directly from the share sheet.
iPadOS Notes App
In the Notes section of the Settings app on iPad, there's a new "Corner Gestures" section under "Quick Notes." In this section, you can select functions for the left corner swipe and the right corner swipe.
Options include Quick Note or Screenshot, and there's also an option to turn corner swipes off.
TV App Customization
In the TV section of the Settings app under "Preferences," you can now choose "Still Frame" or "Poster Art" options for the Up Next Display in the app. Still Frame shows still frames from what you're watching, while Poster Art shows the main title images for shows or movies.
Passkey Website Sign-in
Apple says that the iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 betas add a new passkey feature that allows users to sign into passkey-compatible websites and apps on Mac and iPad using an iPhone with a saved passkey.
That means that on websites that allow for authentication via Face ID or Touch ID, you can authenticate with an iPhone instead of having to enter a password.
Game Controllers
According to Apple's release notes, support is available for new DualSense adaptive trigger firmware features.
Vaccination Records in the Health App
Verifiable health records now support adding vaccination records in the EU Digital COVID Certificate format to the Health and Wallet apps, so those in the EU can add their vaccine cards to the Wallet app for easy access.
Push Notifications for Web Apps
There's a new "Push API" toggle in the Experimental settings page for Safari in iOS 15.4, suggesting that Apple is planning to add support for push notifications from web-based apps.
The API is not functional and Apple has not yet added an interface in Safari to ask users for permission to display web-based notifications, but the underlying framework is in place.
Trade-In Cosmetic Scan
Code in iOS 15.4 suggests that Apple is working on a "Cosmetic Scan" feature that will be used when trading in an iPhone. Cosmetic Scan will likely be used to check an iPhone for damage like scratches and dings to provide a more accurate trade-in value estimate.
Tap to Pay on iPhone
With the second beta of iOS 15.4, Apple introduced support for the "Tap to Pay on iPhone" feature that is designed to allow NFC-compatible iPhones to accept payments through Apple Pay, contactless credit and debit cards, and other digital wallets, without requiring additional hardware.
Tap to Pay on iPhone is enabled in the iOS 15.4 beta, but it does require third-party providers to add support, so it is not yet available for use. There are no outward-facing signs of it that are visible to end users, but there's a new "PaymentReceived" sound file and images that show off the Tap to Pay interface.
Preparations for Digital IDs in Wallet
Apple may be planning to roll out support for digital IDs and driver's licenses in iOS 15.4. There isn't a ton of evidence for this at the current time, but there is a mention of the feature in the PassKit code.
"Find out when your driver's license or state ID is ready to use and get important updates about your ID," it reads.
Captive WiFi Network Support on HomePod
Graphics found in the iOS 15.4 code confirm that Apple is adding support for captive WiFi networks on the HomePod, allowing them to be used in situations where there's a web portal or an additional sign-up step to access WiFi.
This is common in hotels, dorms, and similar situations where logins are required for WiFi.
Podcast Filters
When viewing a show in your library, you can filter episodes by played, unplayed, downloaded or saved. There's also an option to go to any show and filter for a specific season.
New Siri Voice
iOS 15.4 adds a new Siri voice for American users, which can be elected from the Settings app by going to Siri & Search and then selecting Siri Voice.
Anti-Stalking AirTags Update
Apple in iOS 15.4 is adding anti-stalking AirTag changes that were announced in February. When setting up an AirTag or a Find My accessory, there is now a warning that the device is locked to an Apple ID and that using it to track someone without consent is a crime.
"You can locate this item using the Find My network," reads the setup screen. "Using this item to track people without their consent is a crime in many regions around the world. This item is designed to be detected by victims and to enable law enforcement to request identifying information about the owner."
With this warning, Apple wants to make it clear to those who would use AirTags and Find My-compatible devices from third-party companies as stalking tools that such a use case is illegal and has criminal repercussions.
Apple is also fixing a bug that was causing confusion around unwanted tracking. AirPods can cause an "Unknown Accessory Alert" warning that some people were interpreting as a notice from an AirTag. AirTags are not able to display the "Unknown Accessory Detected" messaging, which is caused by AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, third-generation AirPods, and in some cases, a Find My network accessory.
Other Features
Know of a feature that we left out? Let us know in the comments.
With the iOS 15.4 update that was introduced today, Apple has added support for Emoji 14, introducing a selection of new emoji like melting face, biting lip, heart hands, and more. There are 37 new emoji and 75 skin tone additions in Emoji 14, resulting in a total of 112 characters.
New faces include melting face, saluting face, face with open eyes and hand over mouth, face with peeking eye, face with diagonal mouth, and dotted line face, while new emojis include biting lip and bubbles.
There are several new hand emojis, such as heart hands, rightwards hand, leftwards hand, palm down hand, palm up hand, hand with index finger and thumb crossed, index pointing at the viewer, along with an update to the handshake emoji.
Nest with eggs, empty nest, x-ray, crutch, playground slide, wheel, ring buoy, hamsa, mirror ball, jar, identification card, and low battery are new items, while plants and animals will include coral and lotus. As for fantasy characters, we can expect a new troll emoji, and eggs, beans, and pouring liquid make up new food items.
The new emoji are available on the iPhone and iPad with iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4, plus the Mac with macOS Monterey 12.3.
Apple today seeded the first beta of macOS 12.3 to developers for testing. In the release notes for the update, Apple confirms that it has deprecated kernel extensions used by Dropbox and Microsoft OneDrive and notes that both cloud storage services have replacements for the functionality currently in beta.
Earlier this week, Dropbox announced that users who update to macOS 12.3 may temporarily encounter issues with opening online-only files in some third-party apps on their Mac. Dropbox did not provide a reason for this issue, but it is now clear that it relates to the kernel extensions that enabled this functionality being deprecated by Apple.
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.
Microsoft is also working on a new online-only files experience for OneDrive that is "more integrated with macOS" and "will have long-term support from Apple."
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