MacRumors

It's been a few days since Apple announced macOS Monterey, and we continue to dig through new features that weren't mentioned during the WWDC keynote, including a much more convenient way of erasing a Mac.

Following in the footsteps of the iPhone and iPad, the Mac has gained an "Erase All Content and Settings" option on macOS Monterey. The option allows you to erase all user data and user-installed apps from your Mac without needing to reinstall the macOS operating system, making it far easier to restore a Mac to like-new factory settings.

From the macOS Monterey features page on Apple's website:

Erase all contents and settings
System Preferences now offers an option to erase all user data and user-installed apps from the system, while maintaining the operating system currently installed. Because storage is always encrypted on Mac systems with Apple silicon or the T2 chip, the system is instantly and securely "erased" by destroying the encryption keys.

In the macOS Monterey beta, the new option can be found by opening the System Preferences app, clicking on System Preferences in the menu bar at the top of the screen, and clicking on "Erase All Content and Settings" in the drop-down menu. An administrator password is required to proceed with restoring the Mac to factory settings.

Erasing a Mac running an earlier version of macOS requires formatting the startup disk and reinstalling macOS, so this new option will make it far more convenient to restore your Mac to factory settings, whether you simply want to start fresh with your Mac or are planning to sell or gift the Mac to another person. After erasing a Mac, it will display the Setup Assistant and be ready to be set up like new.

macOS Monterey is available now in beta for developers, with a public beta to follow in July.

One of the key new features of macOS Monterey is the ability to AirPlay content to a Mac from other Apple devices, such as an iPhone, iPad, or another Mac. According to the macOS Monterey features page, AirPlay to Mac works works both wirelessly or wired using a USB cable, with Apple noting that a wired connection is useful when you want to ensure that there's no latency or don't have access to a Wi-Fi connection.

AirPlay to Mac also allows users to extend or mirror an Apple device's display to a Mac, and we've confirmed this works on a Mac-to-Mac basis. This makes it possible for supported Macs to use another Mac as an external display, and with AirPlay to Mac working both wirelessly or with a wired connection, Apple has come close to reviving Target Display Mode, which allowed 2009 to 2014 iMac models to serve as another Mac's external display.

It's worth noting that these new AirPlay features do not serve as a complete Target Display Mode replacement, as we've been told that AirPlay compresses video sent from one Mac to another, and at least some latency might still be possible.

Starting with macOS Monterey, a supported Mac can also function as an AirPlay 2 speaker source, allowing users to wirelessly stream music or podcasts from an Apple device to a Mac or use the computer as a secondary speaker for multi-room audio.

AirPlay to Mac works with a 2018 or later MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, a 2019 or later iMac or Mac Pro, an iMac Pro, and the 2020 Mac mini.

macOS Monterey is available now in beta for developers, with a public beta to follow in July. The software update will likely be publicly released for all compatible Macs at some point between late September and early November.

Facebook has been working on a new smart watch for the last several months, and The Verge today unveiled new details about the device, which will compete with the Apple Watch.

The Facebook smart watch will have a detachable display with two built-in cameras for taking pictures and videos to share on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

A camera on the front of the watch's display will be available for video calls, while a 1080p camera at the back can be used for capturing photos when the watch body is detached from the stainless steel watch frame.

Facebook is planning to work with other companies to create accessories that can be attached to the camera hub portion of the watch, like backpacks. Facebook is hoping that people will use the watch in the same ways that smartphones are used now to circumvent Apple and Google's control over mobile Facebook users.

Prior rumors about the smart watch suggested it will feature a cellular connection that does not require a smartphone, and wearers will be able to send messages with Facebook services like Messenger and WhatsApp. It's also expected to have built-in health tracking features like a heart rate monitor, and it will run a custom version of Android.

There have been rumors that Apple might one day add a camera to the Apple Watch, but it so far has yet to happen. Given Facebook's poor track record when it comes to data collection and privacy, people may be hesitant to use a Facebook-designed smart watch, especially one equipped with multiple cameras and a microphone.

Future iterations of the Facebook smart watch will serve as a key input device for augmented reality glasses that Facebook also has in the works. Facebook is aiming to launch its new smart watch next summer, and it could be priced at around $400.

With iOS 15, Apple is introducing more granular control over the people and places that show up in your Photos Memories, letting you fine tune just who makes random appearances in the ‌Photos‌ app and the ‌Photos‌ widget.

You've already been able to select "Suggest Fewer Memories Like This" when viewing a memory in the "For You" section of ‌Photos‌ or remove a photo from photo suggestions entirely, but now you can choose to feature a specific person less often.

When viewing the For You section of the ‌Photos‌ app, you can long press on an image with a person and select the "Feature This Person Less," option to prevent that person from popping up as often. The Remove From Featured ‌Photos‌ option prevents a specific photo from reappearing.

These new controls for better managing what shows up as a featured image will come in handy when an unpleasant memory pops up, perhaps one featuring an ex-partner or a place that has a negative association.

Over the years, people have complained about the Memories feature in the ‌Photos‌ app and some of the people that it opts to feature.

The prior "Suggest Fewer Memories Like This" option that was available in iOS 14 for memory slideshows has been renamed "Feature Less," and you can select specific people, dates, and places to feature less often in Memories.

It's also worth noting that in a memory slideshow that Apple suggests, you can also now tap on the grid button on toolbar to enter into a view that shows you all of the photos at once. Just long press on it to get a "Hide from Memory" option that makes it disappear.

These new features are available in the ‌Photos‌ app in the current iOS 15 beta. iOS 15 will be in beta testing for several months, with a launch to come in the fall.

iPadOS 15 includes most of the new changes that were introduced in iOS 15, but there are also some iPad-specific features designed specifically for Apple's larger-screened iOS devices. One of these new features is an update to multitasking, which we've highlighted in our latest YouTube video.

Multitasking can be done the same way as it was before, but there's also a new multitasking menu that streamlines the multitasking experience, offering quick-tap options for entering into Split View or Slide Over with two apps. In the App Switcher view, you can also get into a quick Split View mode by dragging one app's window onto another, which is handy.

Apple also added a "Shelf" feature for managing multiple windows of the same app, so if you have multiple Safari windows, you can use the Shelf to swap between them for multitasking purposes.

There are multiple keyboard shortcuts that are available for multitasking to make it easier to swap between windows without your fingers having to leave the keys. Many of the shortcuts use the Globe key on an attached keyboard.

These new multitasking features will take some time to get used to, but overall this seems to make multitasking more intuitive to use. Have you tried iPadOS 15? Let us know what you think in the comments.

Additional signs of the Beats Studio Buds are continuing to pop up ahead of their release, with new images and details found in a Taiwan's NCC (National Communications Commission) database.

We've already seen multiple pictures of the Beats Studio Buds, which feature a wire-free in-ear stemless design that sets them apart from prior Beats headphones and the AirPods. The database photos give us some insight into size.

The Beats Studio Buds fit into the ear and feature silicone tips, and there's likely to be multiple size options available to ensure a snug fit. There's a small body that houses electronics, with a Beats logo visible.

For charging purposes, the Beats Studio Buds come with an oval-shaped charging case made from matching plastic material. The photos have all featured black Beats Studio Buds and a black case, but there will be white and red versions available too, presumably with matching cases.

The Beats Studio Buds use a USB-C cable for charging, according to the database, which means there's a USB-C port on the case rather than a Lightning port. So far, AirPods and past Beats headphones like the Powerbeats Pro have charged over Lightning, so this could signal a further shift to USB-C.

The design of the Beats Studio Buds has sparked interest because it is similar to the rumored design of the AirPods Pro 2, which are expected later this year. The next-generation AirPods Pro are rumored to have a compact, rounded design that's also stemless, which sounds a lot like the new Beats.

There is no word yet on when the Beats Studio Buds might launch, but they've already been spotted out in the wild in the ears of various athletes like LeBron James, so Apple may be planning to release them soon.

Apple will make Podcasts subscription options available starting on Tuesday, June 15, Apple said today in an email that was sent out to podcasters (via The Verge).

Support for Podcasts Subscriptions was introduced with the iOS 14.6 update, but in late May after releasing the update Apple said that the rollout of the feature would be delayed until June to make sure that the "best experience" is being provided to creators and listeners.

Podcast Subscriptions were first announced at Apple's April event and will see podcast creators able to offer paid subscription options with access to exclusive content, ad-free listening, and other perks.

Apple likely delayed the subscription feature because Podcast app users have been unhappy with the changes that were implemented in an iOS 14.5 update. There were multiple complaints about the usability of the app, which Apple began to address in iOS 14.6. When delaying the Podcast Subscriptions launch, Apple said that further improvements to the Podcasts app are in the works.

International Day of Yoga takes place on Monday, June 21, and Apple is celebrating with a new Activity Challenge that will let Apple Watch users earn a new yoga badge and a set of animated yoga stickers.

Earn this award inspired by the International Day of Yoga. On June 21, do a yoga workout of 20 minutes or more. Record your time with any app that adds workouts to Health.

To earn the award, Apple Watch users will need to complete a yoga workout that lasts for 20 minutes or more on June 21. The award for completing the challenge looks similar to the award provided for past Yoga Day challenges, and there are several sticker options for various yoga poses like tree pose, crow pose, and warrior 2 to side angle.

Apple holds Activity Challenges for various holidays and events throughout the year, and began offering awards for International Day of Yoga in 2019.

Any yoga workout will fulfill the requirement, so long as you select the yoga workout type from the Workout app on the Apple Watch or use an app that adds yoga workouts to the Health app. Apple's Fitness+ service, available for $9.99 per month, offers built-in yoga workouts that you can do.

While there are many great new features in macOS Monterey, several of them are not available on Intel-based Macs, according to Apple.

On the macOS Monterey features page, fine print indicates that the following features require a Mac with the M1 chip, including any MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac model released since November 2020:

• Portrait Mode blurred backgrounds in FaceTime videos
• Live Text for copying and pasting, looking up, or translating text within photos
• An interactive 3D globe of Earth in the Maps app
• More detailed maps in cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, and London in the Maps app
• Text-to-speech in more languages, including Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, and Finnish
• On-device keyboard dictation that performs all processing completely offline
• Unlimited keyboard dictation (previously limited to 60 seconds per instance)

Apple has not explained why any of these features are not available on Intel-based Macs. For what it's worth, Google Earth has long offered an interactive 3D globe of the Earth on Intel-based Macs both on the web and in an app.

Apple is currently in the midst of a two-year transition from Intel processors to its custom Apple silicon chips in Macs, with the changeover slated to be completed by WWDC 2022. Macs with the M1 chip have proven to be much faster than their equivalent Intel-based predecessors, with even the base model MacBook Air with the M1 chip outperforming a maxed-out Intel-based 16-inch MacBook Pro in benchmarks.

Apple is widely rumored to be planning redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models powered by a faster iteration of the M1 chip for later this year.

macOS Monterey is still compatible with a wide variety of Intel-based Macs, and is available now in beta for developers. The software update will likely be publicly released to all users at some point between September and November.

Update: According to Rene Ritchie, Intel-based Macs lack the Neural Engine that many if not all of these features require.

Before WWDC, rumors largely driven by leaker Jon Prosser suggested that Apple would announce redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros during the conference. Those rumors, however, did not come to fruition. Interestingly, though, Apple lists "m1x MacBook Pro" as a tag for the WWDC keynote uploaded on YouTube.

The tag, first spotted by Apple YouTuber Max Balzer on Twitter, is among other tags Apple has added to the video, including iOS 15, M1X, iOS, developers conference, and more. Apple released the M1 Apple silicon chip in November, and speculation has suggested that the next chip, expected in the redesigned MacBook Pros, would be called "m1x."

The inclusion of the tag, while not totally indicative, may suggest that Apple does plan to call the upcoming chip "m1x," or, more likely, is simply using the rumor mill as a way to bump up the WWDC keynote in YouTube search results. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has stated that the new MacBook Pros could debut as soon as early this summer.

Apple announced macOS Monterey this week, and one small but convenient feature that went unmentioned during the WWDC keynote is automatic window resizing.

As explained on the macOS Monterey features page, windows now automatically resize when they are moved from a Mac's built-in display to a secondary display, including an external monitor, another Mac, or an iPad using Sidecar.

This feature should prove to be particularly useful when moving windows between a smaller MacBook display and a larger external monitor.

Another new window management feature in macOS Monterey is the option to display the menu bar at all times when an app is in full-screen mode, making it easy to view an app's various menus and other glanceable information at any time.

macOS Monterey is available now in beta for developers, with a public release likely to occur at some point between September and November.

In iOS 15 and macOS Monterey betas, Apple has quietly included a new audio feature called "Spatialize Stereo" that takes any non-Dolby stereo mix and creates a virtual spatial audio environment out of it.

The addition was first discovered by a Reddit user, who had this to say about it:

I assumed that if they ever did this it would warrant at the very least a mention in a Keynote, but unless I completely missed it today I don't think they said anything about it!

The greatest thing about this is that it supports EVERY audio track. Sure I'd pick Atmos Spatial Audio mixes over Spatialized Stereo every time, but for the moment there are only a dozen or so options for Atmos available on Apple Music, so this is such an amazing feature to have!

It's worth reiterating that Spatialize Stereo is different from Spatial Audio, which Apple brought to Apple Music subscribers earlier this week. Spatial Audio with support for Dolby Atmos creates a three-dimensional experience by moving sound all around you.

Spatialize Stereo meanwhile appears to be Apple's attempt to simulate the effect of having sound coming at you from different directions in a virtual environment. It doesn't utilize Dolby Atmos, but on the other hand it works with basically any content, although you do need AirPods Pro or AirPods Max headphones to access it. Here's how it works in the latest iOS 15 beta:

1. Connect your AirPods Pro or ‌AirPods Max‌ to your iPhone or iPad.
2. Play some non-Dolby audio content on your iOS device.
3. Bring up the Control Center.
4. Long press on the volume slider.
5. Tap the Spatialize Stereo button to enable it.

The same option can be found in macOS Monterey in the Control Center's Sound pane. In terms of sound quality, your mileage may vary, but it at least allows users to enjoy some of the benefits of spatialized sound on anything they listen to, and not just content that officially supports Spatial Audio. If you've been able to compare the two different modes, let us know what you think in the comments.

Apple this week released the first iOS 15 beta to developers, and away from the brouhaha surrounding its many tentpole features, many notable tweaks and improvements are continuing to be uncovered. Here, we've pulled out a few that we think are worth highlighting.

Bear in mind that Apple hasn't mentioned all of these changes in its iOS 15 marketing, and there's no guarantee that they'll make the final cut when iOS 15 is released to the public in the fall.

Original Wheel Picker Returns

In iOS 14, Apple removed the original large wheel-style dial picker used for selecting times, and replaced it with a smaller dial picker that's sort of hidden behind a boxed number input field. This new design was supposed to unify the two selection modes, but it also made it somewhat slower to wheel through numbers.

Happily, iOS 15 sees the return of the larger dial picker, but with a neater, more modern design. You can also tap the wheel to input digits with the number pad, so it basically retains the added functionality of the less-coveted version seen in iOS 14.

Custom Text Size Per App

In iOS 14, you can add a button to the Control Center that allows you to change the text size on the screen on the fly. Any change that you make is reflected systemwide regardless of your preference, but in iOS 15 that's no longer the case.

Bring up the Text Size selector in Control Center, and you'll see new options to apply the text size adjustment to the system, or just the app that's currently open. iOS 15 will also remember your selection, so you can exit out of the app to do something else and then return to it with your chosen text size for that particular app intact.

Text Selection Magnifier Returns

After its removal in iOS 13, Apple has reintroduced a new version of the magnifying glass for text selection. The new magnifier is a little smaller than the original one, but the fact that it has reappeared is likely to be welcomed.

From a user perspective, removing the loupe felt like an odd decision on Apple's part, as it makes it harder to see where the cursor is situated under your finger. Fortunately, this tweak is likely to stay, since Apple lists it as a feature on its iOS 15 page.

Drag Apps From Spotlight to Home Screen

In iOS 14, the functionality of app icons that appear in Siri Suggestions and Spotlight search results is limited to opening the app. In iOS 15, however, it's possible to drag an app from Spotlight and place it right onto the Home Screen, which means you no longer need to continually drag app icons between ‌Home Screen‌ pages to rearrange them.

You can also now directly delete apps from within Spotlight via a long-press Quick Action that wasn't available in previous versions of iOS, meaning you can make short work of any apps that have lain forgotten in your App Library.

HBO Max has updated its Apple TV app to fix problems with its video playback interface that came to the fore last week following its introduction of a custom video player.

The new update reinstates the native tvOS video player UI, which means users should no longer face the issues with fast-forwarding and rewinding video that the custom player was seemingly responsible for.

"We just released an update to our ‌Apple TV‌ app, restoring the native tvOS video playback experience you know and love, with more improvements to come," HBO Max announced in a tweet. "Ensuring HBO Max viewers have a quality experience is our top priority and we missed the mark here. Thank you for your patience."

As pointed out by The Verge, some users on the HBO Max subreddit are still reporting some other issues to do with subtitles and thumbnail previews after updating, but the general consensus is that reverting to the native video player interface has made the app a lot more responsive to ‌Apple TV‌ Siri Remote inputs.

A shortage of mini-LED components has reportedly been the cause of delays to the production of the redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros, according to a published report today by DigiTimes.

Yesterday, ‌DigiTimes‌ provided a snippet of today's reporting outlining that shipments of the redesigned Apple silicon MacBook Pros are forecasted to begin in the third quarter of the year. According to the full report published today, Apple had planned to produce these new MacBook Pros in the second quarter of 2021, but a shortage of mini-LED display components forced it to push it into the next quarter.

The sources revealed that Apple originally planned to mass-produce the two notebooks in the second quarter, but has pushed the schedule back due to the weaker-than-expected yield rates for miniLED modules.

Apple on Monday held its annual Worldwide Developers Conference keynote, and despite some rumors suggesting the new MacBook Pros could be announced, no hardware at all debuted during the event. Reliable Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman continues to report that these new MacBook Pros could launch as soon as early this summer.

The redesigned MacBook Pros are expected to come in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes and will feature an Apple silicon chip with improved performance and energy efficiency over the M1, announced this past November. They'll also feature updated designs, including removing the Touch Bar, more squared-off edges, and a mini-LED display which recently launched in the ‌M1‌ 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

Apple on Monday previewed iOS 15 as the next major update to iOS, and already, despite the new software being in the hands of developers for just a few days, a plethora of hidden features continue to be discovered. One new hidden tweak is a change in behavior in the App Store, where now screenshots for already installed apps are hidden in ‌App Store‌ search results.

The new change, spotted on Twitter, will make it easier for users to discover new or currently uninstalled apps on their device. Previously, all apps would display their screenshots inline within the ‌App Store‌ search page. On iOS 15, that's been changed only to show the app name, icon, and "Open" button for installed apps. As a result, apps that were previously only seen by scrolling are now visible right away due to the new compact format.

iOS 15 includes several noteworthy features, including completely redesigned notifications, a new Focus mode, improvements to Maps, significant new FaceTime features, and more. Learn more about everything new in iOS 15 using our guide.