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."
The iPadOS 15.4 and macOS Monterey 12.3 betas that Apple released today introduce support for Universal Control, the long-awaited feature that's designed to allow multiple Macs and iPads to be controlled with a single mouse and keyboard.
There are Universal Control settings available on both the Mac and the iPad, and the feature is enabled by default after updating to the new betas. On the Mac, the settings can be found under Displays > Advanced, and on the iPad, the AirPlay & Handoff section under General has a new "Cursor and Keyboard (Beta)" option.
With Universal Control, you can use the same cursor and keyboard on any nearby Mac or iPad that's signed into your iCloud account. So, for example, if you have a MacBook and an iPad next to it, your MacBook's trackpad and keyboard can be used right on the iPad.
Apple introduced Universal Control in June at the Worldwide Developers Conference and initially said that it would be introduced this fall, but the company was not able to meet that deadline and ultimately delayed the launch.
In December, Apple updated its macOS Monterey feature page with a "spring 2022" release date for Universal Control, which is aligned with when we are expecting to see iPadOS 15.4 and macOS Monterey 12.3 launch.
The iOS 15.4 beta that was introduced today added a new feature designed to allow Face ID to be used with a mask and without an Apple Watch for authentication.
Apple says that the feature can "recognize the unique features around the eye" for authentication purposes. If you opt to use this feature during setup, you will need to rescan your face for Face ID. From there, Face ID will be able to unlock your iPhone even when you're wearing a mask.
In the Settings app, there's a new "Use Face ID with a Mask" toggle that can be turned on or off if you change your mind about the mask, and there's a new feature to "Add Glasses" to make Face ID more accurate when you're wearing glasses and a mask at the same time.
Apple warns in the Settings app that Face ID is "most accurate" when it's set up for full-face recognition only. For Face ID with a mask to work, you must be looking at your device to get it to unlock, and it does not work when wearing sunglasses. Face ID with a mask can authenticate Apple Pay payments and it can be used in lieu of a login and password in apps that support Face ID, unlike the prior Apple Watch Face ID feature.
It looks like the Face ID with a mask feature requires an iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 model, as the feature is not available for users who have the iPhone 11 at this time.
Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming macOS Monterey 12.3 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new software coming just a day after the release of macOS Monterey 12.2.
Registered developers can download the beta through the Apple Developer Center and after the appropriate profile is installed, betas will be available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences.
Universal Control is designed to allow a single mouse and trackpad to be used with multiple Macs and iPads, and Apple has said it will be launching this spring.
Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the new software coming just a day after the launch of iOS 15.3 and iPadOS 15.3.
Developers can download iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 through the Apple Developer Center or over the air after the proper profile has been installed on an iPhone or iPad.
Universal Control will let multiple Macs and iPads be controlled with the same keyboard and mouse, and in December, Apple updated its website to let us know that Universal Control is expected in the spring.
According to Bloomberg, Apple is developing a new payments service that will allow the iPhone to accept debit and credit cards without additional hardware. This feature will let small business owners take payments over NFC without needing hardware like the Square Reader.
Apple is also working on adding support for IDs in the Wallet app so people in participating states can use a digital ID instead of a physical ID. Arizona, Georgia, Connecticut, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Oklahoma, and Utah are expected to be the first states to implement digital ID support, and Florida is also in talks to support the feature.
Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming watchOS 8.5 beta to developers for testing purposes, with the new software coming just a day after the release of watchOS 8.4.
To install watchOS 8.5, developers will need to download the configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center. Once installed, watchOS 8.4 can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software update.
To update to new software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life, it must be placed on the charger, and it needs to be in range of the iPhone.
We don't yet know what's included in the watchOS 8.5 update, but if if we find new features after installing the beta, we'll update this article.
Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming tvOS 15.4 update to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a day after the release of tvOS 15.3.
Developers can download the new tvOS 15.4 beta by downloading a profile onto the Apple TV using Xcode.
tvOS updates are typically minor in scale, focusing primarily on under-the-hood bug fixes and improvements rather than major outward-facing changes.
Though we don't often know what's new in tvOS during the beta testing process, we let MacRumors readers know when new updates are available so those who are developers can download it upon release.
For the first time in a while, Apple has started selling a refurbished iPhone 8 model for $359 through its online store in the United States.
For the time being, this is now the cheapest iPhone model that can be purchased directly from Apple, but the device is nearly four and a half years old and we strongly recommend considering the second-generation iPhone SE in this price range. Released in April 2020, the iPhone SE is available with 64GB of storage for $399 or 128GB for $449.
An even better option may be to wait for the third-generation iPhone SE, which is expected to launch around March or April with an A15 chip and 5G.
There are many downsides to the iPhone 8, including that the device will likely stop receiving iOS updates at least a few years before the second-generation iPhone SE due to its age. The second-generation iPhone SE also has a newer A13 chip, compared to the A11 chip in the iPhone 8, and has several features not available on the iPhone 8, including Portrait Mode photos, QuickTake video, Wi-Fi 6, Gigabit-class LTE, and eSIM/Dual SIM.
The refurbished iPhone 8 is available in space gray and is an unlocked device. All refurbished iPhones come with a new battery, a new outer shell, and a new white box. Included with the iPhone 8 is EarPods with a Lightning connector, a Lightning to USB-A cable, and a 5W power adapter. All refurbished iPhones are also covered by the same one-year warranty as a new iPhone, and AppleCare+ can be purchased for the device.
The 27-inch iMac with a nano-texture display is unavailable from Apple in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and several other key markets until late March, possibly due to more advanced manufacturing processes needed to achieve the glass coating.
The updated 27-inch iMac released in 2020 offers customers a nano-texture glass option that helps reduce reflectivity by etching the display with a nano-texture at a molecular level. Apple says this coating results in "beautiful image quality that maintains contrast while scattering light to reduce glare to the barest minimum."
Upon checking Apple's online store in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and elsewhere, the 27-inch iMac configured with a nano-texture display shows an estimated delivery date of seven to eight weeks, or in other words, towards the end of March. The standard display option with certain storage and memory configurations is estimated to ship in two to three weeks.
Given the anomaly that only the nano-texture display option is significantly back-ordered, it's plausible that Apple and its suppliers are experiencing production issues with the more advanced display coating. Due to the ongoing chip shortage and pandemic-related restrictions, Apple is struggling to keep up with demand for the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros.
For customers looking to purchase Apple's largest all-in-one Mac desktop computer, it might be a safe bet to wait a little bit longer anyway. Apple is expected to be holding an event sometime in March or April to announce a slew of new products, including an updated iPhone SE, a new iPad Air, and possibly a completely redesigned iMac to replace the existing Intel-based 27-inch model.
The iMac family was last updated in April 2021 with the 24-inch model sporting a colorful new design and the first all-in-one desktop Mac computer to feature an Apple silicon chip. The 27-inch iMac has kept the same overall design for almost ten years, and rumors suggest the upcoming redesign could resemble the Pro Display XDR, feature a mini-LED ProMotion display, and start at around $2000. Learn more about what we expect to see in the 2022 iMac redesign using our guide.
Apple is exploring methods to bring user authentication to AirPods, a newly published Apple patent application shows.
In a patent application titled "User Identification Using Headphones," filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and spotted by Patently Apple, Apple explains how it can authenticate AirPods users using other nearby devices, ultrasonic signals, voice recognition, and even a wearer's gait.
The filing seeks to address the issue of AirPods being unable to determine whether a wearer is the authorized user of a connected device. Apple suggests that this can be a problem since any user can place headphones into their ear while they are connected to a device belonging to another person, which risks the connected device releasing personal information, such as via notifications announced by Siri.
The system is able to bypass the need for Face ID, Touch ID, or any other kind of biometric authentication on a separate device, instead using a "similarity score" to verify a user's identity. This similarity score may be based on multiple variables, such as the proximity of other nearby devices belonging to the connected device's owner. Nevertheless, Apple says that biometrics could still be used to increase the accuracy of the similarity score. To authenticate a user based on biometrics with AirPods themselves, Apple proposes playing and receiving ultrasonic sounds inside the headphones:
For example, various characteristics of the user's ear provide an echo of the ultrasonic signal which is unique to the user. Variations in the surface of the user's ear canal may cause the ultrasonic signal to reflect off the surface and generate an echo having a signature that is associated with the user. For example, a user having a larger ear canal may result in an echo having a longer reverberation time than a user having a smaller ear canal.
Apple adds that AirPods could also use information gathered about a user's gait and voice from the AirPods' gyroscopes, accelerometers, and microphones to determine if they are the owner of the connected device. Collectively, these various data points provide an overall similarity score that could authenticate users if it reaches the required threshold.
Apple often adds new features to existing AirPods devices using firmware updates, such as support for the Find My network, Conversation Boost, and Spatial Audio, so seems it plausible that AirPods user authentication could theoretically be added in a future update. Patent filings are not representative of Apple's immediate plans, but they do show some of the company's specific areas of research and development.
Today you can get the Beats Studio Buds for $109.95, down from $149.95 on Amazon. Only the white color option is available at this price, and as of writing only Amazon is offering the discount.
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.
This price is about $10 higher when compared to the record low price that we saw over the holidays. That discount was rare and has yet to return to any retailer, so if you missed out Amazon's offer today is a good second-best price.
If you're shopping for AirPods, be sure to check out our post from earlier this week. All of these deals are still live, and you can save up to $100 on AirPods Max, AirPods 2, and AirPods Pro. Our full Deals Roundup has more Apple-related discounts as well.
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.
