MacRumors

The third watchOS 10.2 beta that Apple released this week reintroduces an Apple Watch feature for swapping watch faces that was initially removed with the upgrade to watchOS 10.

Users can now choose to use a swipe gesture to switch the active Apple Watch face by enabling the option in the Apple Watch Settings app. With the feature turned on, swiping left or right on the watch face scrolls through the available watch faces that have been set up.

Switching watch faces with a swipe gesture was the default in watchOS 9, but Apple updated the interaction because of complaints that it was too easy to accidentally change watch faces. The current gesture requires long pressing before swiping to change the active watch face.

With watchOS 10.2, Apple Watch owners who preferred the prior method of changing their watch faces can choose to enable the setting if desired. The option is under Settings > Clock in the third beta.

watchOS 10.2 is available to both developers and public beta testers at this time, and it is expected to see a public launch in December.

The iPhone 15 models are equipped with Qualcomm's X70 modem chip that promises faster 5G speeds than the X65 in the prior-generation iPhone 14 models, and testing shared by Ookla confirms that download speeds have notably improved.

Using data collected from its online Speedtest for measuring connection speeds, Ookla has been able to determine that the ‌iPhone 15‌ models support download speeds that are up to 54 percent faster than the download speeds available on the ‌iPhone 14‌ models.

Compared to their equivalent ‌iPhone 14‌ models, the ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus saw 54 percent faster download speeds, the ‌iPhone 15‌ had 45 percent better download speeds, the iPhone 15 Pro Max was 27 percent faster, and the ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ had a 25 percent better download speed.

The ‌iPhone 15‌ models had the fastest download speeds out of all the Apple and Samsung devices included on Ookla's results list. Median download speeds on the ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ Max were at 285Mb/s, and the other iPhones weren't far behind.

The ‌iPhone 15‌ had the slowest median download speed out of Apple's lineup at 249Mb/s, but it still came out ahead of Samsung's latest smartphones, including the Galaxy Z Fold5 and the Galaxy Z Flip5.

Note that Ookla's data covers median download speeds across the entire United States, and connectivity could vary depending on location, proximity to a major city, location of the closest cellular tower, carrier, and more. Data shared for the iPhone was collected from September 22 to October 30.

5G download speeds also improved in multiple other countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, India, South Korea, Spain, the UK, and the UAE, with full results available on the Ookla website.

As part of an effort to promote Apple Music on the PlayStation, Apple is offering PlayStation 5 owners up to six months of free access to the ‌Apple Music‌ streaming service.

PlayStation 5 owners will need to sign into the PlayStation Network, download the ‌Apple Music‌ app, and follow the on-screen instructions to accept the offer. Users will need to sign in with an Apple ID or create one.

The PlayStation website suggests that gamers use ‌Apple Music‌ to create a personalized gaming playlist to listen to before, during, and after gameplay sessions.

The ‌Apple Music‌ promotion is only available on the PlayStation 5, and it has to be redeemed on a PlayStation 5 console. Only new and qualified returning subscribers to ‌Apple Music‌ can get free access, so this is not a deal that is available to current subscribers. New subscribers will receive six months of ‌Apple Music‌, while returning subscribers will get five months.

Apple will be offering the deal until 11/15/24. After the six-month period expires, a subscription can be continued for $10.99 per month.

With the iOS 17.2 beta, Apple added a feature that allows the iPhone 15 Pro and ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ Max to record Spatial Video that's designed for the upcoming Apple Vision Pro headset. As the Vision Pro is not yet available, there's no way to watch Spatial Video in its 3D form on an Apple device.

Spatial Video content can, however, be watched on the Meta Quest 3 and other 3D devices thanks to a workaround shared by YouTuber Hugh Hou. Earlier this week, Hou described how to manipulate Spatial Video to get it to run on Meta's VR headset.

An ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ running the iOS 17.2 beta is required, of course, in order to record Spatial Video in the first place. The beta is available to both developers and public beta testers, and downloading it is as simple as going to the Software Update section in the iPhone Settings app and toggling on beta updates.

Spatial Video recording needs to be enabled in the Camera settings after the iOS 17.2 update, and from there, Hou instructs users to get the "Spatialify" app on TestFlight.

The app has instructions on decoding and exporting Spatial Video in a format that the Meta Quest 3 or other 3D headsets and TVs can view, and there is an extra step involving encoding 3D metadata.

It is not the most straightforward process, but it may be of interest to ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ users who have a VR headset or 3D TV and want to try viewing Spatial Video ahead of when the Vision Pro headset comes out.

Spatial Video is designed to allow Vision Pro headset wearers to view video in a more immersive 3D format. Along with the ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌, the headset will also be able to be used to record Spatial Video content.

Popular social network Instagram was today updated with a number of improvements that are designed to give users more ways to edit their content before sharing it.

Instagram has added more than 20 new filters that can be used to tweak the look of images, and this is the first time in several years that filters have been updated. Some of the filters add subtle color changes, while others change the look entirely by adding blur and other effects. All of the filters have an intensity slider to tweak the final look.

Alongside the new filters, the posting interface has been simplified. It's easier to find specific images from the camera roll thanks to improved previews and the ability to zoom and search by keyword.

Instagram is using its Segment Anything AI model to give users the ability to create custom stickers from their own photos and videos, or from eligible photos and videos shared on Instagram. These features are being tested, and may not be accessible to everyone.

For Reels, Instagram is testing options for scaling, cropping, and rotating individual clips, plus there are options to add from the clip hub for creating "more memeable content." The Reels interface is being updated to make it easier to locate tools like Voiceover, and undo and redo functionality is being added.

There are 10 new English text-to-speech voices to choose from to have Instagram read text content, and there are six new text fonts and styles to work with. Note that these features are rolling out and are not available to all users at this time.

Instagram is a free app, and more information on the changes can be found on the Instagram blog.

Apple today updated its online store to add a range of new accessories from companies that include Mophie, Scosche, Philips Hue, Yale, and others. Some of the accessories are limited to online purchases, while others are available in Apple retail locations worldwide.

Apple is now selling Scosche's BaseLynx 2.0 modular charging system, which allows customers to purchase individual charging modules for the iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac. There is an all-in-one kit that is priced at $279, with the kit able to wirelessly charge the ‌iPhone‌ and AirPods, fast charge the Apple Watch, and charge multiple iPads or MacBooks using the vertical USB-C charging dock.

Up to 60W is available for one ‌iPad‌, 30W when two devices are being charged, and 20W when three devices are plugged in to the USB-C ports. Apple is also offering individual modules at prices ranging from $500 to $100.

Also new to Apple's website is Mophie's latest 3-in-1 Travel Charger, priced at $150. It features the same design as Mophie's prior-generation model, but this time with Apple Watch fast charging capabilities. It can wirelessly charge an ‌iPhone‌ using MagSafe, charge AirPods over Qi, and charge the Apple Watch.

The charger folds down into a compact shape when it is not in use, making it ideal for travel, with Mophie also including a travel charger case. It comes with the cable and 30W power adapter needed to use it.

As for HomeKit devices, Apple is now selling the $210 Yale Assure Lock 2 Plus, which supports Apple's home keys feature. With home keys, a digital key is added to the Apple Wallet app and the lock can be opened over NFC by tapping an ‌iPhone‌ or Apple Watch to the lock.

The lock can be opened and accessed using ‌HomeKit‌, and with DoorSense, the door automatically locks behind you. Note that a separate Yale Wi-Fi Smart Module is required for remote access as the lock is designed to work over Bluetooth.

Apple also offers the latest Philips Hue product from Signify, the Hue Festavia LED string lights. Priced at $220, the Hue Festavia is a 65-foot strand of lights with 250 LEDs, ideal for decorating a tree or for use outdoors during the holidays.

These are gradient string lights that can be set to multiple colors that blend into one another, and they work with the Philips Hue Bridge.

Other new products available from the Apple online store include SanDisk's latest 256GB iXpand Flash Drive, Belkin's $80 Boost Charge Pro 2-in-1 Charger Pad in a range of colors, the Backbone One Mobile Gaming Controller, and other cases, cables, and accessories. The full list can be found on Apple's online store.

Apple today seeded the third public beta of an upcoming macOS Sonoma 14.2 update, allowing non-developers to test out the software ahead of its release. The third public beta comes two weeks after the second public beta.

Beta testers can opt-in through the Software Update section of the System Settings app. Under Beta updates, simply toggle on the Sonoma Public Beta. Note that you must sign up to participate on Apple's beta testing website.

‌macOS Sonoma‌ 14.2 adds Messages sticker reactions, which make it quicker to add a sticker or an emoji to an iMessage. It also includes support for collaborative Apple Music playlists, allowing multiple people to add songs to a single playlist.

There's a new Favorites ‌Apple Music‌ playlist as well, better support for Messages in iCloud syncing, and iMessage Contact Key Verification for people who face extraordinary digital threats.

Apple today seeded the third betas of upcoming iOS 17.2 and iPadOS 17.2 updates to public beta testers, allowing non-developers to try out the software ahead of its release. The third iOS 17.2 and iPadOS 17.2 public betas come two weeks after Apple released the second public betas.

Public beta testers can get the beta by opening up the Settings app, going to the Software Update section, tapping on the "Beta Updates" option, and toggling on the ‌iOS 17 or iPadOS 17‌ Public Beta. Signing up on Apple's beta testing website is required.

iOS 17.2 adds the Journal app, designed to let iPhone and iPad users record their daily activities and thoughts. Apple offers prompts that can be used as inspiration, and journal entries can be outfitted with images, voice recordings, location tags, and more.

Collaborative playlists are now available in Apple Music so you can create playlists that multiple people contribute to, and there's also now a Favorites playlist that has all the music you've favorited. Stickers can be used as tapback reactions in the Messages app, the Action Button on the iPhone 15 Pro models can now be set to a new Translate function, and Apple has implemented support for iMessage Contact Key Verification.

There are new Weather and Clock widgets, tweaks to the TV app, updates to Message syncing across devices, new Memoji options, and more, with the full list of features we've found so far available in our iOS 17.2 beta features article.

Best Buy is offering nearly $200 off the 13.6-inch M2 MacBook Air, coming within just a few dollars of the all-time low price for the 256GB model. This sale requires you to be a My Best Buy Plus or My Best Buy Total member.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Without a membership, you can get the 256GB 13.6-inch M2 MacBook Air for $949.00, down from $1,099.00. Members can add an extra $47.45 off that price and get it for $901.55, which is just about $2 more than the all-time low price on this model.

Best Buy has plenty of more deals going on right now for early Black Friday shoppers, including deals on laptops, video games, Bluetooth speakers, TVs, and more.

You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2023.

The first wireless chargers that support the new Qi2 charging standard are set to launch in time for the holiday season, according to an announcement shared today by the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC).

Announced earlier this year, Qi2 is a next-generation Qi charging technology that incorporates a Magnetic Power Profile. Qi2 devices will work like Apple's MagSafe feature, using magnets for alignment and speedier charging.

The iPhone 15 models are the first of Apple's smartphones that support the Qi2 standard. More than 100 Qi2 device are in testing, according to the WPC, including chargers from companies like Belkin, Mophie, Anker, and Aircharge.

The Magnetic Power Profile was designed based on ‌MagSafe‌ contributions from Apple, and it is being combined with the new Extended Power Profile (EPP) to form what is considered "Qi2."

Qi2 is meant to ensure that phones and other battery-powered mobile products are perfectly aligned with chargers for improved energy efficiency and faster charging. It will allow for new accessories that would not be chargeable wirelessly using existing flat surface-to-flat surface devices.

Qi2 chargers that have already been announced promise to charge devices at up to 15W, but it is not yet clear if Apple's ‌iPhone 15‌ models will support faster wireless charging with Qi2 accessories. Apple's technical specifications page for the ‌iPhone 15‌ says that the devices support Qi wireless charging "up to 7.5W," with no mention of faster charging.

MagSafe-enabled ‌iPhone 15‌ models charge at 7.5W on the current Qi standard, and 15W when using Apple's ‌MagSafe‌ chargers.

Following a pair of deals on the M3 iMac we shared this morning, now B&H Photo is also discounting Apple's new M3 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro. Every discount in this sale represents a new all-time low price for each M3 MacBook Pro model.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with B&H Photo. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

14-Inch MacBook Pro

Starting with the 512GB M3 14-inch MacBook Pro, you can get this computer for $1,449.00, down from $1,599.00. This one requires you to add the notebook to your cart and head to checkout before you see the deal price.

B&H also has the 512GB M3 Pro 14-inch MacBook Profor $1,799.00, down from $1,999.00. You won't see this record low sale price until you add the computer to your cart and head to the checkout screen.

Next, the 1TB M3 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro has hit $2,199.00 on B&H Photo, down from $2,399.00. This one doesn't require you to head to the checkout screen in order to see the deal, as it's been applied automatically on the product page.

16-Inch MacBook Pro

B&H Photo only has one discount on the larger display models. You can get the 512GB M3 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro for $2,299.00, down from $2,499.00. This is another one that requires you to add the computer to your cart before you'll see the deal price, and it's also another all-time low price.

You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2023.

We're tracking a pair of discounts on Apple's brand new M3 iMac today, with as much as $200 off these computers from B&H Photo and Amazon.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

The first discount is on the 8-Core GPU, 256GB iMac at B&H Photo, priced at $1,199.00, down from $1,299.00. This sale is only available in the Silver color option, and will last through November 18.

Secondly, Amazon has the 10-Core GPU, 256GB M3 iMac for $1,299.00, down from $1,499.00. This one is also only available in Silver, and it's another new record low price for the brand new M3 24-inch iMac.

You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2023.

Apple has officially ceased the sale of OS X Lion 10.7 and Mountain Lion 10.8 from its online store.

The change was spotted by @ClassicII_MrMac on X, formerly Twitter. The original release of OS X Lion was available either as a digital download from the Mac App Store or via a USB thumb drive preloaded with the installer. Mountain Lion, on the other hand, was distributed exclusively as a downloadable product, delivered via an emailed redemption code.

Apple's shift from physical to digital distribution became clear upon the release of OS X Lion in July 2011, marking the company's transition to online-only releases. Lion introduced features such as multi-touch gestures, Mission Control, and full-screen apps, but it also posed a challenge for users without access to the ‌Mac App Store‌. This was particularly true for those still running OS X Leopard, as they were unable to upgrade to Lion without first obtaining Snow Leopard or purchasing the Lion installer thumb drive.

OS X Mountain Lion, which debuted in July 2012, continued this trend. Mountain Lion was the last macOS version not initially offered for free. The digital-only approach was solidified with OS X Mavericks (version 10.9) in October 2013, establishing the ‌Mac App Store‌ as the sole avenue for obtaining new macOS versions.

While Apple ceased supporting both Lion and Mountain Lion some time ago, it continued to sell digital copies of these operating systems until now. Apple continues to offer OS X Lion and OS X Mountain Lion as free digital downloads for those who still need them.

Woot has been holding a massive Apple accessory blowout sale since the beginning of November, including deals on products like chargers, Apple Watch bands, iPhone cases, and more. They expanded the sale today and are now offering the MagSafe Duo Charger in new condition at $79.99, down from $129.00.

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 a new all-time low price on the accessory, and it beats the previous deal we tracked earlier in the month by about $15. Woot is selling the MagSafe Duo Charger in new condition with a one year Apple manufacturer limited warranty.

The rest of Woot's Apple accessory sale is worth checking out. You can get rock bottom prices on Apple Watch Series 4 and Series 6 models in new condition, USB-C chargers, Siri Remotes, and more. As of right now, the regular MagSafe Charger is not on sale any longer.

You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2023.

Apple on Tuesday seeded a sixth beta of visionOS, the software designed to run on the Vision Pro headset, and it includes two new tutorial videos shown to the user during the setup process.

The first 36-second onboarding video, shared by @M1Astra, is called "Input Training" and demonstrates how the user interacts with ‌visionOS‌ by looking at UI elements and selecting them using a double-tap gesture. The narrator says the following:

Your eyes and hands are how you navigate Apple Vision Pro. You browse the system by looking, and it responds to your eyes. Simply look at an element and tap your fingers together to select it. It's like a click on your Mac. To scroll, pinch your fingers together, and gently flick. You can keep your hands where they're comfortable, such as resting on your lap.

With the Apple Vision Pro headset, the built-in cameras create a customized "Persona" that resembles the user, and this Persona is used in video chat apps like FaceTime. In a second, 50-second video also shared by @M1Astra, "Persona Enrollment," Apple demonstrates how Personas are set up by using the EyeSight display to guide the user:

To set up your Persona, you'll remove Apple Vision Pro to capture your appearance. Take your time getting ready, and ensure nothing is covering your face. To start capturing, hold Apple Vision Pro at eye level. Keep your arms and shoulders relaxed. Then, follow the instructions.

Turn your head to the right, to the left, and tilt up, and down. Then you'll capture your facial expressions. Smile with your mouth closed, smile showing your teeth, raise your eyebrows, and close your eyes. When you're done, put Apple Vision Pro back on to see your Persona.

As we previously reported, the 3D capture process requires users to remove anything that covers the face, such as glasses. There does not appear to be any kind of secondary scanning mechanism to separately capture a user's glasses, and instead, Apple will allow users to "Select Eyewear" from a variety of options.

Personas are one aspect of ‌‌visionOS‌‌ that Apple is working on perfecting before the launch of the Vision Pro headset. In September, Apple began surveying developers who have the Vision Pro about their Personas, soliciting opinions on facial expressions, appearance matching, and more.

The Vision Pro headset is set to launch in early 2024 in the United States, and it will be priced at $3,500. The headset will likely be released in the UK and Canada later the same year.

WhatsApp is rolling out a new voice chats feature in groups that lets users start voice calls without disturbing everyone in the group.

Previously in WhatsApp group chats, the only option was to start a voice call, which rings every member in the group. If no-one joins, the call doesn't go ahead.

In contrast, voice chats can be initiated in a group without anyone joining, and users are prompted to join discreetly via a silent push notification. The feature is available for those WhatsApp groups with 33 to 128 members.

Group members not participating in the voice chat can see who is active in the call from the chat header and the Calls tab, and people can join or leave at any time. If the encrypted chat remains empty for 60 minutes, it automatically ends.

As noted by WABetaInfo, the feature is now appearing for users on iOS and Android who have installed the latest WhatsApp update from the App Store and Google Play Store, respectively.

Apple today announced that its Emergency SOS via satellite service is being extended for an additional free year for existing iPhone 14 users. Apple originally gave new ‌iPhone 14‌ owners two free years after device activation, which would have expired in November 2024.

Emergency SOS via Satellite is now free for two more years starting today or at the time of activation of any ‌iPhone 14‌ model. Apple says the free trial will be extended for ‌iPhone 14‌ users who have activated their device in any country that supports Emergency SOS via satellite prior to 12 a.m. Pacific Time on November 15, 2023.

"Emergency SOS via satellite has helped save lives around the world. From a man who was rescued after his car plummeted over a 400-foot cliff in Los Angeles, to lost hikers found in the Apennine Mountains in Italy, we continue to hear stories of our customers being able to connect with emergency responders when they otherwise wouldn't have been able to," said Kaiann Drance, Apple's vice president of Worldwide iPhone Product Marketing. "We are so happy iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 users can take advantage of this groundbreaking service for two more years for free."

Available on all ‌iPhone 14‌ and iPhone 15 models, the feature enables users to send text messages to emergency services via satellite when cellular and Wi-Fi coverage is not available. Users can also share their location via satellite in the Find My app.

With the service, Apple says users can send and receive messages in as little as 15 seconds in clear conditions. Users are prompted to complete a short questionnaire with vital information, and the interface then shows users where in the sky to point their iPhone to connect and send the initial message. This message includes the user's questionnaire responses, location, altitude, ‌iPhone‌ battery level, and Medical ID info if set.

Apple says the service is designed to work outdoors with a clear view of the sky. Apple warns that foliage or other obstructions can result in emergency messages taking longer to send or failing to send, and satellite connectivity might not work in places above 62° latitude, such as northern parts of Canada and Alaska.