Apple today released Swift Playgrounds 4, an update to the Swift Playgrounds app that's been in the works for some time. The newest version of the app allows iPhone and iPad apps to be created directly on an iPad without the need for a Mac.
Swift Playgrounds 4 includes App Store Connect integration for uploading a finished app to the App Store, plus there is an App Preview feature that shows live updates as you make changes. Apple's release notes for the update are below:
Swift Playgrounds 4.0 features: - Build iPhone and iPad apps with SwiftUI right on your iPad (requires iPadOS 15.2 or later) - App Store Connect integration lets you upload your finished app to the App Store - App Preview shows live updates as you make changes to your app - Full-screen preview lets you see your app edge-to-edge - Smart, inline code suggestions help you write code quickly and accurately - App Projects make it easy to move projects to Xcode and back - Project-wide search finds results across multiple files - Snippets Library provides hundreds of SwiftUI controls, symbols, and colors - Swift Package support lets you include publicly-available code to enhance your apps
Designing and uploading an app on the iPad requires the iPadOS 15.2 update that was released earlier this week. Swift Playgrounds can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Apple Fitness+, Apple's paid fitness subscription service, officially turned one year old this week. The service was announced in September 2020 and launched on December 14, 2020.
Fitness+ was initially only available to customers in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, and the US, but last month Apple expanded the service to many more countries. Apple Fitness+ is centered around the Apple Watch, which tracks critical metrics during workouts and displays them alongside the workout on the iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV. New workouts are added every week.
There are currently 11 categories, including meditation, HIT (High-Intensity Training), yoga, core, strength, pilates, dance, cycling, treadmill, rowing, and mindful Cooldown. Each category includes its own set of trainers, with some types requiring equipment, such as dumbells, while others require no equipment at all. Depending on the category, workouts can be as short as 5 minutes long, with other ones being up to 45 minutes.
In October, Apple added new capabilities to Fitness+, including allowing friends and family to work out together using SharePlay. Since its launch, Apple has also introduced "Time to Walk," a new offering of Fitness+ which features audio stories from influential people that Apple Watch users can listen to with AirPods or other wireless headphones while walking.
In celebration of the service's one-year birthday, Fitness+ is offering a "Best of 2021" section within the Fitness app. Fitness+ is also celebrating the milestone on its Instagram. "Thank you for an incredible year. Here's to all that we've accomplished, and how far we've come together. Ready for Year 2? Let's Go!," the post reads.
We're just four days away from Christmas, placing us firmly in the last-minute holiday shopping season. Over the past few weeks MacRumors has been tracking all of the best Apple-related deals going on this season, and although many have now expired, there are a few left that you still have a chance of receiving before the 25th.
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.
Shoppers should note that most of the deals listed below are available from third-party retailers like Amazon and B&H Photo. The deadlines for ordering directly from Apple have come and gone for many products due to demand and supply shortages. You can see the full list of items still offering Christmas delivery on Apple.com.
In regards to the deals listed below, also take note that while these are all discounted, they may not be the best sales we've ever seen. However, if you missed Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals on these products and need them in time for Christmas, these are the absolute best deals you'll find right now.
Lastly, in regards to shipping and delivery dates, remember that these are constantly shifting and being updated across every retailer. What was in stock and delivering before the 25th when this article goes live may be pushed past a Christmas delivery mere hours later. If you see something you want, now is the time to buy. Also remember that the closer we get to the 25th, the more you may have to pay in shipping to guarantee a good delivery date.
AirPods Pro
Apple's AirPods Pro with MagSafe Charging Case are available for $179.00 on Amazon, down from $249.00. Although not a record low price, this is only a $20 difference from the Black Friday sale we saw this year, and $70 off is still a great deal for the updated AirPods Pro with MagSafe Charging Case.
These can currently be delivered as fast as Friday, December 17, and regular delivery will see them arrive on Tuesday, December 21 for most places in the United States. This is one of only two pairs of AirPods that currently have a delivery window before Christmas.
AirPods Max
The second model available to deliver before the 25th is the AirPods Max, available for $479.00, down from $549.00. Amazon has every color at this price, and all will arrive before Christmas.
Most colors are showing a delivery date between December 21 and December 24, so estimates are beginning to close in on the 25th.
MagSafe Accessories
You'll find a large number of MagSafe accessories discounted on Amazon this week, including iPhone 13 Silicone and Leather Cases, as well as the MagSafe Charger and MagSafe Battery Pack.
Amazon has been discounting numerous models of the Apple Watch Series 7 over the past few days, taking $50 off these devices and introducing new record low prices across the board. Starting with the 41mm GPS Apple Watch Series 7 in Green Aluminum with a Clover Sport Band, this model is available for $339.00, down from $399.00. The only other 41mm GPS model on sale at this price is the Blue Aluminum with an Abyss Blue Sport Band.
Lastly, there is only one Cellular device being discounted this week on Amazon. You can get the 41mm Cellular Apple Watch Series 7 for $439.00, down from $499.00. As with the GPS models, only a few colors are available for Christmas delivery.
Apple TV 4K
Amazon has the 32GB Apple TV 4K for $169.99, down from $179.00. The only way you can currently ensure that this one arrives before Christmas is to pay for the fastest delivery option (free for Prime members).
Amazon and B&H Photo have the 128GB Wi-Fi 12.9-inch iPad Pro for $999.00, down from $1,099.00 and with Christmas delivery. Although there are some other iPad Pro models being discounted, few others will arrive before the 25th.
You can also pair your new iPad Pro with the Apple Pencil 2, available for $99.00, down from $129.00. This continues to be one of the best deals we've seen this year on the accessory.
AirPods Max are Apple's first AirPods branded over-ear headphones and are undoubtedly a premium option for customers looking for over-ear headphones in the market. Rumors had initially indicated the headphones would be called "AirPods Studio," and their launch was deemed "imminent" for the majority of 2020.
AirPods Max feature a knit mesh canopy that's flexible to fit various head sizes. The headphones themselves are entirely metal, resulting in a heavy overall footprint. AirPods Max come in five colors: silver, space gray, pink, green, and sky blue.
Borrowing innovations from the Apple Watch, AirPods Max feature a Digital Crown for volume adjustment and a press to invoke Siri, as well as a Side Button for toggling on or off Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode. Like all AirPods and select Beats headphones, AirPods Max feature Apple's H1 chip, which powers tight integration with Apple devices, such as easy pairing and automatic device switching.
Priced at $549, AirPods Max are not an inexpensive purchase for customers, and other options such as Apple's own Beats line offer significantly more affordable over-ear headphones. Along with their hefty price tag, however, reviews of AirPods Max have been favorable, applauding the headphones for being "more than enough to compete with other high-end headphones."
AirPods Max initially saw very high demand that saw shipping estimates stretch out into months, but since the initial backlog was cleared, they've become much more readily available with third-party retailers sometimes even offering even discounts of $100 or more.
Amazon currently has Apple's 2020 27-inch iMac (3.1GHz 6-Core, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) for $1,399.99, down from $1,799.00. You'll see this sale price after an automatic coupon worth $299.01 is applied at checkout.
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 is now the best price we've ever seen on this model of the 27-inch iMac, and it's likely your last chance to get the iMac shipped in time for Christmas. Amazon currently has an estimate of December 21 for most places in the United States.
Final price includes $299.01 taken off at checkout.
You can keep track of ongoing sales on Apple's iMac line by visiting our Best iMac Deals guide. There, we keep track of the best iMac offers from Amazon, Adorama, B&H Photo, and other retailers, so be sure to check back often if you're shopping for an iMac for the first time, or thinking of upgrading.
Disney today announced that it has updated its Disney+ app with support for SharePlay across the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, as reported by TechCrunch.
SharePlay allows users running iOS 15.1, iPadOS 15.1, tvOS 15.1, or later to watch Disney+ series and movies in sync with friends and family while on a FaceTime call together. Disney said SharePlay is available globally for the entire Disney+ catalog of content from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and more.
Once everyone has joined the FaceTime call, any user can start SharePlay by opening the Disney+ app and tapping play on the content that you want to watch. SharePlay sessions offer shared playback controls like play, pause, fast forward, and rewind.
SharePlay sessions can include up to 32 people and offer each participant in the FaceTime call the ability to choose audio and subtitles in their preferred language, Disney said in a press release announcing the update. Disney also said its native GroupWatch co-viewing feature will continue to be available globally to subscribers.
SharePlay support requires the latest version of the Disney+ app that is rolling out now on the App Store for the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. SharePlay is also available on the Mac starting with macOS 12.1, but Disney+ does not offer a Mac app.
Other apps that support SharePlay include Apple TV+, Apple Music, TikTok, Twitch, Paramount+, SHOWTIME, the NBA app, and more. Last month, Apple said SharePlay support was also coming to BET+, ESPN, HBO Max, Hulu, MasterClass, Pantaya, Pluto TV, and Starz.
The free and open source 3D creation tool Blender this week began testing Metal GPU rendering for its Cycles renderer on M1 Macs running macOS Monterey. Blender said Metal support for Macs with Intel and AMD GPUs is under development.
Blender said Metal GPU rendering in the Alpha build "is in an early state" and no timeframe was provided for the final release of Blender 3.1.
Apple's support for Blender has been praised by users of the 3D creation tool, as it marks the return of macOS as a completely supported Blender platform. Blender had not supported GPU rendering on Macs since Apple implemented its Metal framework.
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This offer is only available to new customers of 1Password. To redeem it, you'll just need to create an account on this landing page, no coupon code is needed for the deal. This offer is only for a 1Password Families subscription; there is no discount for the individual 1Password subscription. Our exclusive deal with 1Password expires on December 31.
When your first year of 1Password Families ends, it'll renew at the regular price, or you can cancel before that time. This version of 1Password supports five family members on unlimited devices, shared vaults among members, advanced security with authenticated encryption, and alerts for compromised websites and vulnerable passwords. It's available on Mac, iOS, Windows, Android, Chrome OS, and Linux.
There are a few of our exclusive sales still happening this month, including offers from Twelve South and Pad & Quill. Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.
With the release of tvOS 15.2 earlier this week, Apple added nine new high-resolution screen savers to Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K, including three featuring Scotland's Isle of Skye and Loch Moidart, and six offering various views of Iceland's stunning landscapes.
Traveling along the coast of the Isle of Skye, Scotland
Apple TV downloads new screen savers on a regular basis depending on your Apple TV settings (daily, weekly, or monthly via Settings -> General -> Screen Saver -> Download New Video), so you may not see them immediately. But when you do, and if you like them, you'll be happy to learn that you can get them on your Mac, too.
Created by developer John Coates and maintained by Guillaume Louel, Aerial is a free and open source app for macOS 10.12 and later (including Monterey and Apple silicon) that lets you view the same high-quality Apple TV screen savers on your Mac.
The app periodically scrapes the screen savers from Apple's servers and lets you choose your favorite videos so that they play more often. So while it's not possible to choose a specific screensaver on Apple TV once it's downloaded, you can on your Mac, thanks to Aerial.
In addition, Aerial has some additional options, including the ability to filter video themes, overlay weather data, and adapt the videos that are played to the time of day, plus it offers an additional library of over 100 different videos.
The easiest way to get it on your Mac is to download the Aerial Companion from Coates' GitHub page, drag the app to your Applications folder, launch it, and then follow the quick setup process.
You can choose whether updates should happen automatically in the background, or if you prefer to be notified. You can also pick whether you want an icon in the menu bar to notify you or not.
Aerial 2 also introduced Community Videos, including 20 screen savers donated at no charge by Joshua Michaels and Hal Bergman. And if you like the Aerial app, you can always buy the developers a coffee.
iOS 15.2, released this week, introduces the ability for customers to reset and erase their locked iPhone or iPad without needing to connect to a Mac or Windows PC.
As outlined in a support document (via 9to5Mac), iOS and iPadOS 15.2 add a new "Erase Device" option for when a device is locked out as a result of multiple failed attempts to enter the device's password. By pressing "Erase Device," users are prompted to confirm their identity with their Apple ID password, which results in the device being entirely erased and reset.
The new option is a welcome addition and a departure from the previous method, which required customers to put their iPhone or iPad into DFU mode and restore via Finder on the Mac or iTunes on Windows.
One caveat is that under the new method in iOS 15.2, the device must already have an active Wi-Fi or cellular connection before it is locked out. If not, users cannot connect to a network and will be forced to revert to the prior technique.
iOS 15.2 and iPadOS 15.2 include a host of new features, including a new App Privacy Report, the Apple Music Voice Plan, Legacy Contacts, and more. Catch up on all the latest features and additions with our round-up.
Apple has quietly nixed all mentions of CSAM from its Child Safety webpage, suggesting its controversial plan to detect child sexual abuse images on iPhones and iPads may hang in the balance following significant criticism of its methods.
Apple in August announced a planned suite of new child safety features, including scanning users' iCloud Photos libraries for Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), Communication Safety to warn children and their parents when receiving or sending sexually explicit photos, and expanded CSAM guidance in Siri and Search.
The majority of criticism was leveled at Apple's planned on-device CSAM detection, which was lambasted by researchers for relying on dangerous technology that bordered on surveillance, and derided for being ineffective at identifying images of child sexual abuse.
However, despite Apple's efforts, the controversy didn't go away. Apple eventually went ahead with the Communication Safety features rollout for Messages, which went live earlier this week with the release of iOS 15.2, but Apple decided to delay the rollout of CSAM following the torrent of criticism that it clearly hadn't anticipated.
Apple said its decision to delay was "based on feedback from customers, advocacy groups, researchers and others... we have decided to take additional time over the coming months to collect input and make improvements before releasing these critically important child safety features."
The above statement was added to Apple's Child Safety page, but it has now gone, along with all mentions of CSAM, which raises the possibility that Apple could have kicked it into the long grass and abandoned the plan altogether. We've reached out to Apple for comment and will update this article if we hear back.
Update: Apple spokesperson Shane Bauer told The Verge that though the CSAM detection feature is no longer mentioned on its website, plans for CSAM detection have not changed since September, which means CSAM detection is still coming in the future.
"Based on feedback from customers, advocacy groups, researchers, and others, we have decided to take additional time over the coming months to collect input and make improvements before releasing these critically important child safety features," Apple said in September.
Over the course of the last 10 years, the Apple Employee Giving donation program has raised more than $725 million for various organizations, Apple said today.
With the Employee Giving program, Apple workers can volunteer their time or donate money to a cause, and Apple matches the donation. Apple provides money for every hour an employee volunteers and matches monetary donations dollar for dollar.
The Employee Giving program is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, and the $725 million that's been raised has been provided to 39,000 organizations around the world. Over 68,000 employees have logged close to two million volunteer hours since 2011, and more than $120 million was raised in 2021 alone.
In addition to the Employee Giving program, Apple has a Community Investment team that provides donations to nonprofit organizations worldwide, and the company donates through the Strengthen Local Communities grant program. Apple also regularly provides donations to communities impacted by natural disasters.
Third-party apps are continuing to adopt support for Apple's SharePlay FaceTime feature on iOS devices and Macs, and as of this week, MasterClass is offering SharePlay integration.
For those unfamiliar with MasterClass, it is an online subscription platform that provides tutorials and lectures from a range of people considered to be experts in their fields, including best-selling authors, celebrities, musicians, scholars, politicians, athletes, fashion designers, directors, business executives, and more.
With SharePlay integration, two or more people who subscribe to MasterClass can watch lessons together. As with other apps that offer SharePlay, participants need to be subscribed to the MasterClass service, which is priced at $30/month, though there is a 2-for-1 discount at the current time.
As with all SharePlay apps, all MasterClass participants will have media controls to play content, pause, and skip forward/backward as needed, with playback synced for everyone in real time. Participants will be able to watch the video playback and discuss the content with one another.
MasterClass was one of the apps that Apple announced as planning integration when SharePlay first debuted as part of iOS 15.1, and the feature is now available for those who want to use it.
Volkswagen has been working on rolling out support for wireless CarPlay across its lineup, and the carmaker recently invited me out to Asheville, North Carolina, for a look at the redesigned Mk8 Golf GTI and Golf R hatchbacks, as well as the refreshed Jetta and the rest of the 2022 lineup.
2022 Golf R
Given that I've previously looked at VW's MIB3 infotainment platforms with wireless CarPlay in both the 2021 ID.4 and 2021 Tiguan, this is more of an overview of what some of the 2022 models are offering in the infotainment department for the new model year than an in-depth review.
Golf GTI and Golf R
The new Golf launched in a number of international markets a couple of years ago, but it's taken until now for it to come to the U.S. with only the more performance-oriented Golf GTI and Golf R versions joining the U.S. lineup.
2022 Golf GTI
On the infotainment side, the Golf GTI and Golf R both come with VW's latest MIB3 platform, although that arrives in a couple of different flavors.
The GTI S trim includes an 8.25-inch infotainment screen with VW's Composition Color system that supports wired CarPlay, while moving up to the SE or Autobahn trim upgrades to a 10-inch screen with VW's Discover Pro system that I'm focusing on here. That system includes a completely different look, onboard navigation, wireless CarPlay, SiriusXM with 360L, and voice control. The 10-inch Discover Pro system is also standard on Golf R, as that model is available in only a single high-end trim.
The Discover Pro system has seen some criticism since its debut on the ID.4 for bugs and sluggishness, but VW has been working to improve it and over-the-air software updates will allow for continued refinement. I actually didn't have a lot of issues with it in the ID.4, and I still found it working well in the Golf. The system has a modern smartphone-like look with familiar home screen icons and a CarPlay-like dashboard screen showing widgets from multiple apps.
As with the ID.4, volume and climate controls are located in a capacitive strip below the main screen and are operated by swiping left or right. My initial feeling was that it was a creative way to implement streamlined and unobtrusive controls, but the more I've used them, the less enamored I am of them. They can be a bit finicky, and I'd really just prefer to use a hardware knob or buttons with a tactile response. The strip is also a natural place where you might want to brace your hand to operate the touchscreen, but then you have to be careful not to mess up your audio or A/C.
That said, CarPlay looks good on the system, which retains a strip of the native interface along the left side that makes it easy to hop out of CarPlay with a home button icon, as well as offer access to climate and heated/ventilated seat settings.
VW's 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro screen is standard across all trims, which offers great flexibility for displaying the information you want including navigation prompts, and the Golf GTI Autobahn trim and the Golf R add a head-up display for even more glanceable information.
All GTI and R trims include a wireless phone charger standard, which is always great to have alongside wireless CarPlay. The charger is a simple cubby tucked under the center stack, and it had no problems charging my iPhone 13 Pro Max in an Apple leather case.
All trims also include four USB-C ports, with two up front supporting both charging and data while two second-row ones on the rear of the center console are charge-only.
Jetta and Jetta GLI
The 2022 Jetta includes a combination of the MIB3 and older MIB2 systems, with lower-level S, Sport, and SE trims featuring MIB2 Composition Color systems with a 6.5-inch display and support for wired CarPlay only. The higher-level SEL and GLI Autobahn trims come with upgraded MIB3 8-inch systems that support wireless CarPlay and are paired with wireless phone charging. The GLI's system is known as Composition Media and lacks built-in navigation, while the SEL's Discover Media system includes navigation.
2022 Jetta GLI
I spent some time in the GLI with Composition Media, which features not only the 8-inch screen but also several fixed buttons surrounding the display that make it easy to hop between functions, including in and out of CarPlay. The 8-inch screen really feels like the bare minimum for infotainment systems these days, so it's unfortunate that the lower trims still come with only a 6.5-inch screen.
As I noted in my 2021 Tiguan review, performance of the MIB3 system is solid, although the simple interface lacks visual interest. That can be a good thing, with understated dark themes being easy on the eyes and limiting distraction, but it's definitely not as modern looking as the Discover Pro systems on the ID.4 and Golf.
CarPlay integrates well with the system, and turn-by-turn Apple Maps guidance can also be displayed in the digital cockpit for some second-screen flexibility.
The wireless charger is a rubberized pad inside a nook at the base of the center stack, and it worked well as my phone stayed in place and it had no trouble delivering a consistent charge. For wired connectivity, there's a pair of USB-C data-and-charge ports adjacent to the phone cubby, and another charge-only one in the center console compartment.
Taos
The final 2022 VW I spent significant time in was the Taos, which features the 8-inch MIB3 system on the higher-end SE and SEL trims, with the SEL's Discover Media including onboard navigation to distinguish it from the SE's Composition Media unit. The base S trim features the older MIB2 Composition Color system on a 6.5-inch screen, which again is difficult to recommend these days due to its small size and lack of wireless CarPlay.
2022 Taos
The MIB3 Discover Media system on the Taos SEL trim I drove is essentially the same as the one in the Jetta at this event and the 2021 Tiguan I previously tested, so there's not a lot else to report. As with the Jetta, the Taos SE and SEL trims include a well-designed rubberized wireless phone charging pad, as well as the same pair of data-and-charge USB-C ports up front. A third charge-only port is located on the rear of the center console for second-row passengers.
Wrap-up
Overall, VW is making some nice strides in the infotainment department, pushing things forward with the MIB3 platform with wireless CarPlay and wireless phone charging. Unfortunately, the lineups can still be a bit confusing, with lower trims still featuring the older MIB2 system while higher trims on the same vehicle get MIB3.
Even within the MIB3 system, there's significant variation in the overall look depending on the vehicle, with the large-screen Discover Pro systems found in vehicles like the ID.4 and Golf bearing essentially no similarity in looks to the Discover Media and Composition Media systems found in other vehicles like the Jetta and Taos. And the MIB3 interfaces in the Jetta and Taos look closer in appearance to MIB2 systems than they do MIB3 Discover Pro systems, but with improved performance and some extra features like wireless CarPlay.
It obviously takes time for automakers to roll out updated systems like these, generally requiring some level of interior refresh to accommodate changes to the hardware, so there will always be a staggered rollout across a lineup, but I feel like there's a bit more confusion than there needs to be right now.
So if wireless CarPlay is important to you, make sure you're closely checking the specs for your desired trim. On the Golf and Taos, everything but the lowest-level S trims include it, while the Jetta requires either the SEL or GLI level at the higher end. Other models will vary.
Adobe today updated its Photoshop for iPad app, introducing two tools that were previously unavailable to bring the iPad version of the app more in line with Photoshop for desktop.
With the new Smudge tool, Photoshop for iPad users can blend colors in their images, and with the Sponge tool, different areas of an image can be saturated or desaturated.
According to Adobe, the Smudge tool is able to mimic the effect of a finger running through wet paint, and it can also be used to smudge lines and blend two or more colors together. The Smudge tool can be accessed from the Adjustment tool options.
The Sponge tool can be used to enhance the vibrancy of colors in specific areas of an image, or mute the colors. As with the Smudge tool, the Sponge tool is available by tapping on the Adjustment tools icon.
Today's update also introduces options for adjusting the white balance for Camera Raw images and there are now labels for the tool icons that can be seen when you over over them.
Both tools work well with either a finger or an Apple Pencil, with Adobe recommending an Apple Pencil for the best results.
Photoshop for iPad is available through Adobe's Creative Cloud plans, which are priced starting at $9.99 for the Photography plan. The Photography plan includes Lightroom for desktop and mobile, Lightroom Classic, Photoshop on desktop and iPad, and 20GB of cloud storage. A Photoshop-only subscription is also available for $20.99 per month, and that plan includes 100GB storage.
Apple is planning to offer a new "Ring in the New Year" Apple Watch Activity Challenge starting on Saturday, January 1.
The Activity Challenge will require users to close all three of their Fitness rings for seven days in a row in January. That means meeting all stand, exercise, and move goals for a week.
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.
Apple has hosted a New Year challenge for many years running now, and it is one of many Activity Challenges that Apple offers throughout the year to encourage people to meet their Fitness goals.
Apple's latest updates, including iOS 15.2, iPadOS 15.2, macOS Monterey, and HomePod 15.2 introduce support for the Apple Music Voice Plan, a cheaper version of Apple Music that's only able to be activated through Siri.
In our latest YouTube video, we tested the Apple Music Voice Plan to see if it's worth subscribing to for $4.99 per month (U.S. pricing), or if you're better off upgrading to the full Apple Music plan.
If you're not already an Apple Music subscriber, signing up for the voice plan is as simple as saying "Hey Siri, start my Apple Music Voice Plan," or activating it through an iOS device or Mac.
Those who are new to Apple Music will get the first seven days of access free to try it out, but if you turn on auto-renewal and sign up to pay a monthly fee, you can get a three-month free trial. That seven day option is if you don't sign up and don't allow it to renew after you test it out, and you won't be automatically billed.
The $4.99 per month Apple Music Voice Plan is entirely separate from the $9.99 per month full Apple Music subscription, which already includes all of the features of the Apple Music Voice Plan. If you already subscribe to Apple Music, you have full Siri access and won't also need the Apple Music Voice Plan.
Apple designed the Apple Music Voice Plan as a more limited version of the standard Apple Music subscription. It's primarily designed to allow you to ask for songs and albums from the Apple Music catalog by Siri request rather than through the Apple Music app interface.
So to find music, you'd just go ahead and ask Siri to play something instead of looking it up in the Apple Music app. You do need to have Siri enabled on your devices, and Apple Music Voice works well on all devices that support Siri - iPhone, iPad, Mac, and HomePod. It's particularly useful with CarPlay in the car and on the HomePod where the natural inclination is to use voice control.
Apple Music Voice Plan has a limited interface in the Apple Music app, but it does offer full access to Apple's song catalog and radio stations, as well as playlist suggestions. You can actually search for artists, albums, and songs using the Apple Music app, and you can listen to previews of songs, but not the full song. If you find a song in Apple Music that you want to play after hearing the preview from tapping it, you'll need to ask Siri to play the full version.
With the Apple Music Voice Plan, there is no option to add songs or albums to the Library, nor can you create playlists or save music for offline listening. If you want those features, you need to upgrade to the full Apple Music subscription.
Playing a song on an iOS device will give you the standard playback controls for playing, pausing, and skipping to the next track, plus you can also use features like AirPlay. It does use the continuous play option, so if you ask Siri to play one song, Siri will keep the music going with similar songs.
There is no support for Spatial Audio or Lossless Audio, both features that require the $9.99 per month Apple Music plan, nor is there an option to view lyrics, watch music videos, or see what friends are listening to.
All in all, it's not a bad idea to choose Apple Music Voice if you're going to use Siri exclusively on something like a HomePod and want to save some money, but there are a lot of additional features that you get with the extra $5 for the full $9.99 per month Apple Music plan.
Alongside iOS 15.2, iPadOS 15.2, macOS Monterey 12.1, and watchOS 8.3, Apple yesterday introduced an updated version of Xcode, Xcode 13.2. Developers who are updating should be aware that there's a bug with the Mac App Store version of the software at this time, and it should be avoided.
According to a thread on the Developer forums, updating to Xcode 13.2 from the Mac App Store results in projects that will no longer compile and package errors. Many developers are seeing the following message: "Internal error: missingPackageDescriptionModule," and there appears to be no fix at this time.
Other developers have received errors related to Github certificate validation and when attempting to add packages from Github.
Apple says that it is investigating the issue, and that in the meantime, Xcode 13.2 should be downloaded directly from the Releases section of the Apple Developer website.
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2022 Golf R
2022 Golf GTI
2022 Jetta GLI
2022 Taos
