Last September, Apple stopped selling genuine leather accessories in favor of a more environmentally friendly "FineWoven" material, but it did not go down well with customers, and dwindling stock leading up to Apple's iPhone 16 event on September 9 has many people wondering if Apple is about to pull the plug on FineWoven for good.
The company describes FineWoven as "luxurious and durable microtwill," and sells FineWoven iPhone cases at $59, MagSafe Wallets at $59, AirTag holders at $35, and Apple Watch bands at $99. However, many customers consider FineWoven products to be subpar compared to the leather Apple cases they replaced, with various claims that the fabric is prone to scratches, stains, and discoloration.
Back in April, Apple leaker and prototype collector Kosutami claimed that Apple had decided to halt production of FiveWoven accessories over durability concerns, although the leaker did not discount the possibility of one more round of FineWoven products, possibly in a season of new colors. However, FineWoven accessories in new color options were absent from Apple's spring refresh.
Notably, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, stock of iPhone cases and Apple Watch bands in the material is now at an all-time low. That generally means that Apple is either getting ready to kill off FineWoven or plans to update the lineup with different colors and support for new iPhone and Apple Watch models. Will you miss Apple's FineWoven accessories if Apple does discontinue them? Let us know in the comments.
Apple has announced it will finally introduce its popular 'Find My' network to South Korea in the spring of 2025, after apparently overcoming local regulatory hurdles. The launch will bring the full range of Apple's location-based Find My services to South Korean customers for the first time, enabling them to keep track of devices, belongings, and loved ones.
Last July, a petition on Korea's National Assembly Electronic Petition website called for the introduction of Apple's Find My service in the country, garnering over 9,000 signatures. The petitioner highlighted the frustration experienced by Korean users and users from abroad who lost their devices but were unable to use the Find My app to locate them. Apple previously said that the limitation was its inability to export high-precision map data out of the country because of local laws, but Korea also has strict privacy regulations that it may have come up against.
Regardless, the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) apparently responded positively to the petition, and its acting chairman Kim Tae-gyu expressed support for bringing the Find My service to South Korea. The KCC also said it had been in ongoing talks with Apple about the timing of its introduction.
With the Find My network enabled, users will be able to to locate their iPhones, iPads, Macs, and other Apple devices, as well as AirTag-connected personal items and third-party Find My compatible trackers, while maintaining strong privacy protections.
One of the main features of the Find My network is its ability to pinpoint lost devices on a map, providing users with step-by-step directions to retrieve their misplaced items. The app also allows users to trigger a sound on their lost Apple devices, making it easier to locate them when in close proximity.
Find My also lets users stay connected with friends and family by opting to share their location with specific contacts. This can be useful when meeting up in crowded areas, particularly for owners of an iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Pro, who can take advantage of the Precision Finding capability to navigate directly to their friends' exact locations.
The original "Find My iPhone" app was launched in 2009 alongside iPhone OS 3. "Find My Mac" was added to OS X 10.7 Lion in 2011, while "Find My Friends" was released in October 2011. With the release of iOS 13 and macOS 10.15 Catalina, the functionality of Find My iPhone, Find My Mac, and Find My Friends was unified into the app we know today as Find My.
Popular accessory company Anker is launching the latest updates to its MagGo lineup today, showing off a series of five products largely based around Qi2 wireless charging technology that supports magnetic connections and up to 15 watts of charging power, just like Apple's MagSafe standard.
As the name suggests, this is a Qi2 magnetic power bank that sticks onto the back of your iPhone and offers 10,000 mAh of charge. I've been testing this one out for a few days, and the 10K capacity is really handy with my iPhone 15 Pro Max. Most magnetic power banks like this only have 5,000 mAh of capacity, which is generally sufficient to help me get through a busy day but not enough for a full extra charge. The 10K bank offers a full charge for my iPhone with more to spare, so it's great for the longest and most intense days or even an overnight trip where other charging options might not be convenient.
It's unsurprisingly a bit larger than 5K MagSafe/Qi2 banks I've used, which is fine on my Pro Max model but could be less comfortable to hold attached to a smaller phone. It's also quite hefty, weighing in at just over 200 grams (7.25 oz). That's almost as heavy as the iPhone 15 Pro Max itself, so it definitely makes things feel rather heavy if you're using the phone while charging, but it's great when in a pocket or bag. On the plus side, the power bank is remarkably thin for its capacity at just under 1.5 cm, actually coming in a bit thinner than some of the Anker 5K banks I've used in the past.
The design is an obtrusive matte white plastic on both sides, with one side having MagSafe/Qi2 alignment markings and the other having subtle Anker branding. The edges are a matte aluminum, which adds a bit of style. A button on one side activates a series of four LEDs along the bottom edge for a rough gauge of charge level, and there's a USB-C port along that same bottom edge to recharge the power bank. Passthrough charging is supported, so both your phone and the power bank can charge over that single connection.
The MagGo Power Bank (10K, Slim) is priced at $69.99 and is available in black and white, with pink and green options coming soon. A USB-C to USB-C cable is included in the box.
This is a versatile 10,000 mAh power bank that follows a design trend used by several other recent Anker power banks by including a short integrated USB-C cable that doubles as a lanyard for the bank. Part of what differentiates this model is the inclusion of an Apple Watch charging puck that folds nearly flat into the body of the power bank or which can be lifted to any angle up to 90 degrees if you prefer to use Nightstand mode for your watch.
In addition to the integrated USB-C cable, there's a second USB-C port for even more charging flexibility, and both the integrated cable and the port support bidirectional charge flow, so either one can be used to charge devices or to recharge the power bank. The 10,000 mAh capacity can easily recharge an iPhone Pro Max and an Apple Watch from empty and still have charge left over, so it's a great travel companion.
Another neat feature that Anker has been incorporating into its accessories recently is a display, which shows not only the exact charge percentage of the power bank but also an estimate of the time remaining to reach full while it's recharging, and even input and output wattage for each connection. Cleverly, the orientation of the display automatically rotates depending on whether you're using the Apple Watch charging puck, providing an optimal viewing angle regardless of how you're using the power bank.
This is a compact foldable charging station for iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods, delivering up to 15 watts to an iPhone via Qi2, and then 5 watts each to a second Qi pad capable of charging compatible AirPods cases and an Apple Watch charging puck. It comes with a 5-foot USB-C to USB-C cable and a power adapter.
The whole thing folds up tightly for travel and the flexible connectors between the charging modules allow you to either lay your Apple Watch flat or prop it up for Nightstand mode. The MagGo Wireless Charging Station (3-in-1, Foldable Pad) is priced at $89.99 and is available in black or white, with pink and green options coming soon.
This is a simple desktop charging stand with Qi2 charging technology to support up to 15 watts. The minimalist design includes a mechanical rotation system for the charging pad assembly, allowing you to easily fine tune your phone angle without needing to adjust your phone's connection to the charger. The pad itself can rotate 360º, while the angle can be adjusted over a range of 70º.
A 5-foot USB-C to USB-C cable is included in the box, but you'll have to provide your own power adapter. The MagGo Wireless Charger (Stand) is priced at $35.99 and is available in black or white.
An updated version of similar previous products from Anker, this iPhone case includes a swing-out ring that serves as a stand for your phone when watching video or participating in video calls, or as a grip. The ring rotates 360º and folds flush into the rear of the case, allowing MagSafe/Qi2 accessories to connect to your phone even with the case on. Enhanced 12N magnets in the case provide a strong hold, ensuring your phone stays connected to those accessories through the case.
Note: Anker provided MacRumors with several MagGo accessories for the purposes of this news coverage. No other compensation was received. MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Apple today released new firmware for the Beats Studio Buds +, marking the first firmware update to the earbuds since their 2023 launch. The firmware has a build number of 2C318, up from 2A219.
There is no word on what the new firmware includes in terms of features or bug fixes, and Apple does not provide release notes.
The Beats Studio Buds + are Apple's mid-range Beats earbuds, featuring Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode, microphones, battery life, and more. The earbuds come in several colors, including a unique transparent design that shows the internals.
As with most of the latest Beats models, the Studio Buds + do not include an Apple audio chip, and are instead equipped with acustom Beats chip that provides better feature parity between iOS and Android devices. The Beats chip supports one-touch pairing and setup, Find My integration, and Siri support, but automatic switching between devices is not available.
The firmware update for the Beats Studio + are delivered over-the-air. Firmware will be installed while the Beats headphones are charging and are in Bluetooth range of an iPhone, iPad, or Mac that's connected to Wi-Fi.
On Android devices, users will need to download the Beats app for Android and connect the Android device to a power outlet to initiate a firmware update.
Update: MacRumors can confirm that the firmware update added Audio Sharing support to the earbuds.
iOS 18 has been in beta testing for nearly three months, and the software update should finally be widely released later this month.
Below, we outline when to expect iOS 18 to be available on all compatible iPhones.
iOS 18: Beta Testing Wraps Up
In his Power On newsletter last weekend, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said iOS 18 beta 8 will likely be the final developer beta version for the update. This is a reasonable prediction, as previous updates like iOS 17, iOS 16, and iOS 15 each had a total of eight developer betas. iOS 12 was the last update with at least nine developer betas.
If history repeats itself, Apple should release the iOS 18 Release Candidate immediately following the iPhone 16 event on September 9. Apple considers a Release Candidate to be a "near final" version of an upcoming iOS update.
iOS 18: Release Timing
Apple will likely announce a release date for iOS 18 during its September 9 event. The update is most likely to be released on Monday, September 16, but Tuesday, September 17 and Wednesday, September 18 are also possibilities.
Gurman said Apple has already been installing iOS 18 on iPhone 16 models at factories. Those devices will likely be released on Friday, September 20.
iOS 18: Compatible iPhones
iOS 18 is compatible with the same iPhone models as iOS 17 is:
iPhone 15
iPhone 15 Plus
iPhone 15 Pro
iPhone 15 Pro Max
iPhone 14
iPhone 14 Plus
iPhone 14 Pro
iPhone 14 Pro Max
iPhone 13 mini
iPhone 13
iPhone 13 Pro
iPhone 13 Pro Max
iPhone 12 mini
iPhone 12
iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 12 Pro Max
iPhone 11
iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone 11 Pro Max
iPhone XS
iPhone XS Max
iPhone XR
iPhone SE (2nd generation or later)
iOS 18 will be available in the Settings app under General → Software Update.
Apple Music today introduced five new mood stations that allow you to shuffle through songs fitting for a certain mood. The stations are available to Apple Music subscribers worldwide in the Music app under Home → Find Your Mood.
Apple says the mood stations are personalized based on your Apple Music listening history, and they are always updating with new songs.
The new stations:
Feel Good: Happy music with a positive vibe
Energy: Upbeat music to get you moving
Relax: Music that helps you find peace in the moment
Focus: Music to help you lock-in to the task at hand
Feeling Blue: Moody music that helps you lean into feeling down
Beats today teased that new Powerbeats Pro 2 are coming next year, but it did not share a specific release date for the wireless headphones.
MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani can be seen wearing the Powerbeats Pro 2 in a clip shared on social media platforms like Instagram and X. They look similar to the existing Powerbeats Pro released in 2019, but have a more vertical, slimmer design. Beats did not reveal any new features or other specific details about the Powerbeats Pro 2 at this time.
Powerbeats Pro are a sportier, fitness-focused version of AirPods Pro with built-in, adjustable ear hooks for a secure fit. Key features of the current Powerbeats Pro include the H1 chip that debuted in the AirPods 2, IPX4-rated sweat and water resistance, up to nine hours of battery life, and silicone ear tips with four size options.
While we do not know what to expect from the Powerbeats Pro 2 at this time, plausible upgrades based on other Beats headphones models released over the past two years include improved sound, longer battery life, a USB-C charging case, and improved cross-platform compatibility with Android features like Find My Device.
Beats will likely continue to tease the Powerbeats Pro 2 headphones over time, so we should learn more about them in the coming months.
The iPhone 16 succeeds 2023's iPhone 15, introducing over 30 new features and improvements. With many users adopting two-year upgrade cycles, plenty of iPhone 14 owners will be looking to upgrade to the iPhone 16, so this guide outlines some of the major differences you should be aware of between the two generations.
In 2022, Apple unveiled the iPhone 14 as the successor to the popular iPhone 13, introducing an improved main camera with the Photonic Engine, Action Mode, longer battery life, satellite connectivity and Crash Detection, and more. Two years later, the iPhone 16 offers a noticeable upgrade, with the accumulative improvements of two generations stacking up. To get a sense of the entirety of the upgrades, see our other two buyer's guides that set out every difference offered when making the jump from the iPhone 14 to the iPhone 15, and the iPhone 15 to the iPhone 16:
Overall, the iPhone 16 is a fairly significant upgrade over the iPhone 14, introducing meaningful quality-of-life features like the USB-C port, Action button, and Camera Control that change the methods of interaction with the device. The new design with the Dynamic Island and slimmer bezels, frosted back glass, and contoured edges result in a noticeably different aesthetic and feel in the hand.
The iPhone 16 also brings advancements to photography and videography, adding macro photography and revamped Photographic Styles – practical features that most users can take advantage of. There are substantial hardware improvements with the addition of a 48-megapixel Fusion main camera with a 2x optical zoom option, which significantly enhances image quality.
The iPhone 14 does not support Apple Intelligence, Apple's upcoming suite of AI tools. With the A18 chip, the iPhone 16 has full support for Apple Intelligence, including Apple's new Visual Lookup feature, which is exclusive to the iPhone 16 lineup. It is also worth noting that the iPhone 16 offers considerably longer battery life, Roadside Assistance via satellite, Thread networking support, faster charging, new color options, Wi-Fi 7 support, the second-generation ultra wideband chip, and more.
Due to the scale and breadth of these improvements, some iPhone 14 users can justify upgrading to the iPhone 16, especially if they value the new design, USB-C port, Action button, and camera improvements. However, many users will still be able to stick with their device for another year, holding off for an even more substantial upgrade in the future.
The latest version of Bluetooth was released this week, and it includes a new feature that could benefit the Find My app across Apple devices.
Bluetooth 6.0 introduces "Channel Sounding," a feature that will bring "true distance awareness" to billions of future Bluetooth devices and accessories. The organization behind Bluetooth promises that this technology will achieve "centimeter-level accuracy over considerable distances," making it easier and quicker for users to locate lost items.
Apple already offers a Precision Finding feature in the Find My app that leverages Ultra Wideband technology to help users pinpoint the specific location of select accessories. The feature is available on the iPhone 11 and newer, and currently it can be used to find an AirTag or a second-generation AirPods Pro charging case.
Apple could use both Bluetooth 6.0 and Ultra Wideband technologies in unison to improve Precision Finding. Bluetooth 6.0 also paves the way for Precision Finding-like location accuracy for devices that are not equipped with Ultra Wideband chips, such as the Apple TV's Siri Remote and devices released by other companies.
It is unclear when the first devices with Bluetooth 6.0 will be released, but given that the specification is only just now available to hardware manufacturers and developers, the first Apple devices with support are likely at least a year away.
You can still get Apple's 64GB Wi-Fi 9th generation iPad for the all-time low price of $199.00 this week on Amazon, down from $329.00. Shipping dates have slipped into mid-September, but Prime members can still get the tablet as soon as September 10.
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The 64GB Wi-Fi iPad model is available in both Space Gray and Silver on Amazon, but if you're looking for the 256GB Wi-Fi model you'll need to visit Best Buy. That retailer has the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad for $349.99, another $130 discount and record low price.
Best Buy also has the cellular models on sale for best-ever prices this week. The 64GB cellular iPad is on sale for $329.99, and the 256GB cellular iPad is on sale for $479.99. Both of these deals represent $130 discounts on each model.
Although these iPads are a few years old at this point, today's ultra-low prices should make them perfect for anyone looking for a simple and cheap iPad for daily Internet browsing. Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.
Spotify is globally rolling out "Daylist," a personalized playlist that adapts and evolves to your listening habits as you go about your day.
Available to both free and paying users, the playlist has actually been available in English-speaking markets since September of last year, and expanded to 65 more countries in March. Today, the company is adding support for 14 additional languages, making Daylist accessible to all markets in which Spotify is available.
According to TechCrunch, Daylist is now available in Arabic, Catalan, French (Canada), French (France), German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (Spain), Spanish (Mexico), and Turkish.
To access the Daylist in Spotify, navigate to the "Made for You" section in the app, or use this link if you're on the web. According to Spotify, the playlist uses data from "niche music and microgenres" that users listen to at certain times of the day to suggest tracks and update itself. Graphics for the Daylist also adapt throughout the day.
Individual Daylist playlists can also be saved by tapping the three dot menu, selecting "Add to Playlist", and then tapping "New Playlist." Daylists also include a built-in sharing feature designed for social media that comes with a ready-made screenshot, personalized sticker, or customizable sharecard.
Instagram has announced support for leaving comments on Stories, the ephemeral posts that have become almost as popular as regular Instagram posts.
Previously, the only option was to send a private reply, which appeared as a direct message visible solely to the Story's creator. Now, Instagram has introduced a more public option: Comments. These comments are visible to other users, unlike the private replies.
However, the ability to comment comes with restrictions. Only mutual followers (meaning people who follow the Story creator and are followed back by them) can leave comments. Instagram says the new feature aims to offer a more open way to engage with Stories, while still maintaining the original private messaging option for those who prefer one-on-one interactions.
Like the Stories themselves, comments posted about them are temporary and last for up to 24 hours. Users have the option to turn comments on or off when sharing Stories, but Instagram has not said whether they are archived along with a Story when it reaches its end of life.
Last month, Instagram added support for adding text and additional images to photo and carousel posts, which can now include up to 20 photos and videos. It also recently introduced a feature for adding a song to an Instagram profile.
Apple is introducing a new camera-based "Capture" button on at least some iPhone 16 models this year, and a new rumor claims that Apple's own silicone cases will have a design that is specially made so as not to impede the use of the capacitive button's multiple functions.
Several rumors have suggested that the iPhone 16 models are going to have an all-new button that's designed to make it easier to capture photos when the devices are held in landscape mode. Apple plans to put the button on the right side of the iPhone, in the space where the mmWave antenna is on iPhones that are sold in the United States.
As a capacitive button geared towards fine-grained photography controls, it is said to have support for multiple gestures and the ability to respond to pressure. In a new post on X (Twitter), Chinese leaker DuanRui shared an image of unofficial third-party silicone cases with an opening in the expected location of the Capture button.
While these unofficial cases have a cutout for the Capture button, a machine-translated comment on the image by DuanRui claims that "the official protective case of Apple's iPhone 16 series will not have this opening and will be made into an integrated design, which will not affect the normal use of this capacitive button."
The Capture Button has been depicted in CAD renders and dummy models of all four iPhone devices, but Bloomberg's Mark Gurman last week suggested that there is a possibility that it will only be available on the Pro models.
Along with a Capture Button, the iPhone 16 models will feature slightly bigger displays on the Pro devices, a new A18 chip that supports Apple Intelligence, and 8GB RAM for all models, which is necessary to power Apple's AI models. For more on what's expected to be revealed at Apple's upcoming "It's Glowtime" event on September 9, make sure to check out our iPhone 16 roundup.
As Apple's iPhone 16 launch approaches, questions are swirling about a potential leap in storage capacity for the iPhone 16 Pro models. According to a January report, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max will double their maximum storage to 2TB.
This speculation stems from Apple's rumored adoption of Quad-Level Cell (QLC) NAND flash memory. QLC technology could allow Apple to pack more storage into a smaller space while potentially reducing costs compared to the current Triple-Level Cell (TLC) NAND.
However, it's crucial to approach these rumors with caution. Similar claims about 2TB options surfaced for both the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro, which ultimately proved false. Yet despite this history, there are new factors that lend credibility to the latest 2TB rumors.
The iPhone 16 Pro models are reportedly set to receive significant camera upgrades that could justify the need for increased storage. Rumors suggest an improved ultra-wide camera with a 48-megapixel sensor, featuring the same pixel-binning technology as the main camera. This upgrade, combined with a wider f/2.2 aperture, promises substantially better low-light performance and support for 48-megapixel ProRaw photography.
Apple is also said to be introducing a new image format called "JPEG-XL." This addition to the existing lineup of HEIF, JPEG, HEIF Max, ProRaw, and ProRAW Max formats could potentially result in larger file sizes, making increased storage more necessary. The rumored capability to shoot 3K video at 120 frames per second with Dolby Vision on the Pro models would also generate significantly larger files.
Last but not least, Apple is reportedly planning to introduce a dedicated "Capture Button" for the iPhone 16 Pro models, emphasizing the device's role as a serious photography and video capture device. Taken together, this collective push towards professional-grade image and video capabilities could justify the need for increased storage options.
While the prospect of a 2TB iPhone is exciting, especially for content creators and power users, it's important to bear in mind that QLC NAND does have drawbacks. Most notably, it typically offers slower read and write speeds compared to TLC NAND.
As we await official announcements from Apple during its upcoming "It's Glowtime" event on September 9, the possibility of a 2TB iPhone 16 Pro model remains an uncertain prospect. Whether this will be the year Apple finally breaks the storage barrier remains to be seen, but the combination of new hardware features and evolving storage technology certainly makes it a possibility. And if it doesn't happen, there's always hope for next year.
Bitmo Lab today introduced the GameBaby, a case that's perfect for playing retro games on an iPhone. The GameBaby is a clever two-part accessory that adds a d-pad and buttons to the iPhone for gaming, and works as a protective case for day-to-day use.
The lower part of the case can be detached from the upper part and placed on the front of the iPhone, providing a physical interface that's ideal for retro games that have recently been made available on iOS through emulators like Delta. When you're not gaming, it pops off and can be attached to the back of the phone, for protection with added gaming functionality.
The case does not have power and does not connect to the iPhone in any way, which suggests they are capacitive and designed to activate on-screen buttons. According to Bitmo Lab, the case is compatible with Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advanced and NES button layouts, with custom emulator skins that offer "perfect compatibility" across different handheld console layouts.
The GameBaby has specifically been designed to work with the layouts made available through the Delta emulator. It will be available for the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
The GameBaby can be pre-ordered for $20 for the first 1,000 units, with the pre-order price going up to $25 after that. It is expected to start shipping in October.
Intel today unveiled its new "Lunar Lake" Intel Core Ultra 200V processors, designed for thin and light AI PCs. Intel's new chips are meant to compete with Apple silicon chips and the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chips that Microsoft recently adopted for its AI-focused Copilot+ PCs.
According to Intel, the Lunar Lake chips are its most efficient x86 processors ever, built "without compromise." Intel claims that the p-core in the Lunar Lake chip is the "fastest CPU core of any processor in a thin and light laptop," and that its Xe2 graphics architecture is the "fastest built-in GPU in the industry."
Intel says that it tested almost 50 games and the Lunar Lake chips were 16 percent faster than AMD chips and 68 percent faster than Qualcomm chips. The chip has four p-cores (power) and four e-cores (efficiency), similar to the Apple silicon chips, and memory is no longer separate.
Intel didn't compare its new chips to Apple silicon chips, but the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite's CPU performance is not too far off from the M4 chip, so the Lunar Lake chips could be faster. Memory maxes out at 32GB though, so Intel doesn't have chips able to compete with the Pro and Max Apple silicon chips.
Intel says that compared to Qualcomm's chips, Lunar Lake offers a 20 percent improvement in performance per watt, with the chip drawing up to 40 percent less power than its predecessor. Intel says that consumers can expect several more hours of battery life, along with significant gains in performance, graphics, and AI.
Devices with Intel's latest chips are set to be available starting on September 24.
Microsoft's new Copilot+ PCs that offer super fast performance for AI tasks, all-day battery life, and other perks, struggle when it comes to gaming, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.
The Copilot+ PCs are equipped with Arm-based Qualcomm Snapdragon chips that merge the CPU, GPU, and a Neural Processing Unit. Using an Arm chip means Microsoft's PCs now face the some of the same problems as Apple's Macs, such as an inability to run popular PC games designed for x86 chip architecture. Approximately 15 percent of PC laptop users are gamers, and Microsoft users aren't accustomed to having to deal with incompatibilities.
To get around the Arm issue, Microsoft designed Prism, which is basically the equivalent of Rosetta 2 on Apple Macs. It makes it so x86 apps can run on Arm-based Windows machines, but it turns out it's not working well. In a test of 1,300 PC games, only half of them ran without bugs, glitches, or launch issues.
In some cases, anti-cheating software in games like Fortnite and League of Legends can't be translated to run on Arm, preventing even games without significant graphics requirements from running. There is no quick fix for the problem.
Reviews of the Copilot+ PCs highlighted problems with Prism way back in June. The Verge, for example, said that Premiere Pro was "practically unusable" and that rendering projects in Blender was "terrible." Shadows of the Tomb Raider crashed continually, and other titles like Destiny 2, Starfield, Halo Infinite, and Fall Guys would not launch.
Microsoft told The Wall Street Journal that titles with demanding graphics requirements may not play on Copilot+ PCs, and that while it is aiming to make a "quality gaming experience" on the new devices, players who want a high-performance experience should choose an alternate PC.
Accessory maker Zens this week introduced the Quattro Charger Pro 4, a multi-device charging station with a unique design. There are two rectangular charging platforms, each with a pair of magnetic charging surfaces for charging four total devices at one time.
The Quattro is a Qi2 charger, so each of the magnetic charging pucks can charge an iPhone at up to 15W. With Qi2 support and the multi-level design, the Quattro is able to charge four iPhones at once at 15W.
Because the charger is flat, it works with both MagSafe-compatible iPhones and older Qi devices that do not have included magnets. The charging surface can also be used for AirPods and other smartphones, but it does not work with the Apple Watch. Given the orientation of the charger, it is worth noting that StandBy is not supported.
The Quattro Charger Pro 4 can be pre-ordered from the Zens website for $200, with black and white color options available. It will ship out to customers at the end of October.
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