MacRumors

Apple today released Final Cut Pro 2 for the iPad and Final Cut Pro 10.8 for the Mac, two Final Cut Pro updates that it first announced back in May.

Final Cut Pro for ‌iPad‌ has been updated with new capabilities that are designed for the M4 iPad Pro models that came out earlier this year.

Live Multicam lets users capture up to four different angles of a single scene using connected iPhones and iPads. To make this feature work, Apple has created a Final Cut Camera app that captures video from each of the devices and feeds it into Final Cut Pro.

Users can get a director's view of each connected camera in real time, and the settings can be adjusted from the Final Cut Pro app. There are options for tweaking exposure, focus, white balance, ISO, shutter speed, and zoom to get the perfect shots. Preview clips are passed through to Final Cut Pro and then replaced with full-resolution files so users can quickly move from production to editing.

Final Cut Camera is available as a standalone app as of today and in addition to feeding footage to Final Cut Pro, it can be used as a video capture app for recording video with precise manual controls.

The updated Final Cut Pro for ‌iPad‌ app supports external projects, so users can create or open projects on an external device and import media without taking up ‌iPad‌ storage space. Apple added additional customization options to Final Cut Pro, including 12 color-grading presets, eight basic text titles, 20 soundtracks, and new dynamic backgrounds.

With the M4 chip, final rendering with Final Cut Pro is up to 2x faster, and it supports up to 4x more streams of ProRes RAW than the M1 chip. Final Cut for ‌iPad‌ works with the Apple Pencil Pro, adding support for barrel roll and squeeze, improving access to and control over tools.

As for Final Cut Pro for the Mac, it includes Enhance Light and Color, an AI feature that improves color, color balance, contrast, and brightness in one step. Smooth Slo-Mo, another new feature, blends frames of video intelligently to provide higher-quality movement.

Final Cut Pro for ‌iPad‌ 2 is available as a free update for existing users, with new users able to purchase it for $4.99 per month or $49 per year. Final Cut Pro for Mac 10.8 is also available as a free update for existing users, with new users able to purchase the software for $299.99. Apple has also released new versions of Compressor and Motion.

Today we're tracking a collection of Bluetooth tracker discounts on Amazon, which include low prices on Apple's AirTag and Eufy's SmartTrack Card accessory. There are also a few Anker discounts on Amazon this week, including portable batteries and charging stations.

AirTag

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.

Amazon has the AirTag 4 Pack available for $79.99, down from $99.00. This is a solid second-best price on the accessory, and just about $5 higher than the all-time low price. As of writing, the AirTag 4 Pack can be delivered as soon as June 22 for Prime members.

Eufy

If you want to save more money, Eufy's SmartTrack Card Bluetooth tracker is on sale right now on Amazon. This accessory is designed to fit in your wallet and is priced at $19.99 on Amazon, down from $29.99. The SmartTrack Card is compatible with Apple's Find My app, allowing you to track the device within the app and receive left behind alerts and more.

Anker

Moving to Anker's charging accessories, you can get multiple MagSafe-compatible devices at a discount this week on Amazon, like a portable battery and a wireless charging station. The highlight of the sale is Anker's 24,000 mAh Power Bank with Smart Digital Display for $88.95, down from $149.99. Many of these will require you to clip an on-page coupon before you head to the checkout screen in order to see the sales.

• 10,000 mAh Power Bank With Built-in USB-C Cable - $35.99 with on-page coupon, down from $44.99
• MagGo 10,000 mAh Power Bank with Foldable Stand - $69.99 with on-page coupon, down from $89.99
• MagGo 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station - $69.99 with on-page coupon, down from $99.99
• 24,000 mAh Power Bank with Smart Digital Display - $88.95, down from $149.99
• MagGo 3-in-1 Foldable Charging Stand - $93.49, down from $109.99

Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.

Starting with iPadOS 18, which will be widely released later this year, iPad apps can offer custom drawing tools for the Apple Pencil.

For example, in a WWDC 2024 coding video last week, Apple demonstrated how an app could implement a tool that allows for cat paw prints and other animal-related symbols to be added to a drawing. The custom tools support features on the new Apple Pencil Pro, including the squeeze gesture and barrel roll action.

iOS 18 and visionOS 2 also support custom drawing tools in apps, but the iPhone and Vision Pro do not support the Apple Pencil. As always, any drawing tool can also be controlled with your finger and other input methods.

In addition to custom tools, apps across iPadOS 18, iOS 18, and visionOS 2 are able to change the selection of default drawing tools that appear in the system tool picker. Apple said apps are even able to offer multiple tools of the same type for added convenience, such as two colors of pens or two colors of markers.

iPadOS 18, iOS 18, and visionOS 2 are currently in beta.

The new Beats Solo Buds wireless earbuds are available to purchase at select Apple retail stores and authorized resellers around the world starting today.

Beats Solo Buds feature a more affordable $79.99 price in the U.S., up to 18 hours of battery life, and a compact USB-C carrying case. However, they lack active noise cancellation, and the carrying case does not have a built-in battery. As a result, the earbuds can only be charged when the case is connected to an external power source.

Beats Solo Buds pre-orders began on Tuesday, ahead of today's launch. The earbuds can be purchased on Apple's online store for delivery, or in-store pickup where available. More details can be found in our coverage from a few months ago.

Beats Solo 4 on-ear headphones also launched this year, and a new version of the discontinued Beats Pill wireless speaker is expected to be announced next week.

Apple has previewed its first store in Malaysia, Apple The Exchange TRX, located in Kuala Lumpur's Tun Razak Exchange business district.

The architectural design of Apple The Exchange TRX features a three-dimensional layered roof with horizontal glass panels and sun-shading blades. A central glazed oculus brings natural daylight into the interior and contains a dynamic artificial-lighting system that adjusts based on the time of day. The building connects the mall's central atrium to a rooftop park that wraps around the store's upper level.

Inside, a sculptural quartz and glass staircase connects the three levels. The main floor is a floating deck that sits above the primary display area. The Forum, where Today at Apple sessions take place, is located on this floating deck, providing a central location for workshops and events. The upper level, which connects directly to the rooftop park, brings natural light and greenery into the store through a continuous glass facade. The interior features high-quality materials such as natural stone walls, polished stainless-steel columns, light terrazzo floors, and a timber ceiling.

Apple The Exchange TRX runs on 100% renewable energy and is carbon neutral, in line with Apple's broader environmental goals. The store contains a Genius Bar, a dedicated Apple Pickup counter, and more than 160 retail employees to help customers.

To celebrate the store's opening, Apple will run a special series of Today at Apple sessions called "Jom Discover," running from June 22 through July 6. These sessions will feature some of Malaysia's most celebrated creators, offering insights into their creative processes and showcasing Apple's products and services. Highlights include a performance by De Fam, workshops on iPhone photography with Jason smashpop, video editing on Mac with Adam Lobo, productivity on iPad with Iman Azman, and health and wellness sessions with Nana Mohd focusing on the Apple Watch.

Apple The Exchange TRX opens on Saturday, June 22, at 10 a.m. MYT.

Apple has launched its annual Back to School promotion for college students in the United States. This year's promotion offers a free Apple gift card with the purchase of an eligible Mac or iPad. Apple is also offering students 20% off AppleCare+ plans.

Apple is offering a $150 gift card with any new MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, or iMac, and a $100 gift card with the purchase of any new M4 iPad Pro, M2 iPad Air, or Mac mini. The gift card can be used towards purchases of Apple products and accessories, App Store apps, subscriptions to services like Apple Music, iCloud+ storage, and more.

The offer is available through Apple's online education store and at Apple Store locations for students attending or accepted to a higher-education institution, faculty and staff of higher-education institutions, parents purchasing on behalf of an eligible student, employees of a K-12 institution, and select others.

Here are the promotions:

• iMac ($150 gift card)
• MacBook Air ($150 gift card)
• MacBook Pro ($150 gift card)
• Mac mini ($100 gift card)
• iPad Pro 11-inch / 13-inch, M4 chip ($100 gift card)
• iPad Air 11-inch / 13-inch, M2 chip ($100 gift card)

The promotion runs through September 30 in the U.S., according to Apple's terms and conditions. The free gift card is in addition to Apple's standard educational discounts of around 5% to 10% off most Macs and iPads. The promotion has also gone live in Canada, India, and possibly other countries, and will likely come to Europe and other regions in the coming weeks.

Apple is introducing a notable enhancement to its virtualization framework in macOS Sequoia by enabling Mac users to sign into iCloud within macOS virtual machines (VMs).

Previously, users could not sign into iCloud on macOS VMs, which limited the framework's utility for developers needing to test iCloud features and for users looking to sync their apps with iCloud. As spotted by ArsTechnica, macOS Sequoia removes that barrier, provided that both the host and guest operating systems are macOS 15 or newer.

The feature will be available on Apple silicon Macs, but it has some limitations. Developers aiming to run older macOS versions alongside macOS 15 in a VM or those who upgrade VMs from older macOS versions will not be able to sign into iCloud on the VM. Only brand-new VMs created from a macOS 15 install image (an .ipsw file) can utilize iCloud and services related to Apple Account (formerly Apple ID).

Apple's virtualization framework documentation explains:

"When you create a VM in macOS 15 from a macOS 15 software image… Virtualization configures an identity for the VM that it derives from security information in the host's Secure Enclave. Just as individual physical devices have distinct identities based on their Secure Enclaves, this identity is distinct from other VMs."

Apple says that if someone moves a VM to a different Mac host and restarts it, the Virtualization framework automatically creates a new identity for the VM using the information from the Secure Enclave of the new Mac host. This identity change requires the person using the VM to re-authenticate to allow iCloud to restart syncing data to the VM.

Both Parallels and VMware offer virtualization software, and Broadcom recently made VMware Fusion free for personal use. macOS Sequoia is currently in developer beta, with a public beta set to arrive in July, followed by a general release in the fall.

Apple's online education store has gone down in the United States and Canada, as Apple prepares to launch its annual Back to School promotion for university students.

Apple's back to school sales provide students with a free Apple gift card when purchasing a Mac or an iPad, and this year's promotion could help Apple push the new M2 iPad Air and M4 iPad Pro models.

Last year, Apple offered U.S. students up to $150 when purchasing a Mac and up to $100 when purchasing an ‌iPad‌. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple will this year again offer up to a $150 gift card with every Mac purchase, and it will additionally shave 20% off the price of AppleCare+. Gift cards will also again be offered with iPad purchases, but Gurman did not state an exact value.

Apple began advertising its Back to School sale on social networks in early June, with some Instagram users seeing an ad promoting Macs with discounts to college and university students.

The Apple Pencil Pro has dropped to a new record low price today on Amazon, and we're also tracking a collection of discounts on the M4 iPad Pro.

Apple Pencil Pro

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

Amazon today has the Apple Pencil Pro for $119.00, down from the regular price of $129.00. Although this is only a $10 discount, it's now the lowest price we've tracked on the brand new Apple Pencil Pro among the major online retailers. The Apple Pencil 2 is also at an all-time low price of $79.00 right now on Amazon.

The Apple Pencil Pro launched last month alongside the new 2024 iPad lineup, introducing new gestures and capabilities into the stylus. The Apple Pencil Pro is compatible with the M4 iPad Pro and the M2 iPad Air, and marks the first update to the Apple Pencil since the Apple Pencil 2 in 2018.

M4 iPad Pro

11-Inch

Moving to the iPads, Amazon has all-time low prices on a few models of the 11-inch M4 iPad Pro. Prices start at $944.00 for the 256GB Wi-Fi model, and also include one cellular tablet.

• 256GB Wi-Fi - $944.00, down from $999.00
• 512GB Wi-Fi - $1,124.00, down from $1,199.00
• 256GB Cellular - $1,139.00, down from $1,199.00

13-inch

Similar to the 11-inch models, there are three versions of the 13-inch M4 iPad Pro on sale today at Amazon. Prices for these start at $1,219.00 for the 256GB Wi-Fi tablet, but there aren't any cellular models on sale this time around.

• 256GB Wi-Fi - $1,219.00, down from $1,299.00
• 512GB Wi-Fi - $1,399.00, down from $1,499.00
• 2TB Wi-Fi - $2,144.00, down from $2,299.00

Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

Apple in iOS 17 added a Check In feature to Messages that allows you to let a loved one know when you've made it back home safely. With watchOS 11, Check In is also coming to Apple Watch, but it's not just in the Messages app that you can activate it.

Anyone who has used a Garmin watch will probably be familiar with its LiveTrack feature, which creates a real-time view of your location during an activity, so friends and family can keep tabs on your progress. Strava Beacon offers similar functionality, and now with Check In integration, Apple Watch users can let loved ones know they have successfully completed their workout, too.

Like on iPhone, Apple Watch users can start a Check In from Messages in watchOS 11. But the feature also works within the Workout app. When you start a workout, a swipe right reveals a new Check In option. So if you're walking home after dark or heading out for an early morning run, you can notify someone that you've started out, and Check In will let them know when you return home.

If something unexpected happens and you get delayed, Check In will automatically notify your friend that you haven’t arrived as expected, and tell them your location (if available), the route you took, and your iPhone's battery level and cellular service in case they want to contact you.

There's also a new option in Settings ➝ Workout that lets you turn on Check In Reminders, so Apple Watch can remind you to send a Workout Check In whenever you start an outdoor workout.

Note that watchOS 11 is in developer beta, and some features could always change or be removed before Apple releases the new Apple Watch software to the public in the fall.

iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models running iOS 17.2 or later can record spatial video with 3D depth for playback on Apple's Vision Pro headset. While spatial video recording has been limited to Apple's built-in Camera app until this point, third-party camera apps on the App Store can also offer this functionality starting on iOS 18.

In a WWDC 2024 coding session last week, Apple revealed that it has released an API that allows developers to offer spatial video recording in any app. Apple said the API is built into existing camera-related frameworks, making it easy to implement.

When held in landscape orientation, the iPhone 15 Pro's main and ultra wide cameras combine to record spatial video. In addition to the iPhone 16 Pro models, it is likely that spatial video recording will be expanded to the regular iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, as the rear cameras on those devices are rumored to be vertically aligned.

You will need a Vision Pro to see the added depth in spatial videos, as they appear in a normal 2D format when played on an iPhone.

iOS 18 is currently in beta, and it should be released in September.

With iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, Apple is introducing a new personalized AI experience called Apple Intelligence that uses on-device, generative large-language models to enhance the user experience across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

These new AI features require Apple's latest iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models to work, while only Macs and iPads with M1 or later chips will support Apple Intelligence. Since the news came to light, many users have been asking what the reason is for the cut-off.

In The Talk Show Live From WWDC 2024, Daring Fireball's John Gruber put the question to Apple's AI/machine learning head John Giannandrea, marketing chief Greg Joswiak, and software engineering chief Craig Federighi, and this was the response.

Giannandrea: "So these models, when you run them at run times, it's called inference, and the inference of large language models is incredibly computationally expensive. And so it's a combination of bandwidth in the device, it's the size of the Apple Neural Engine, it's the oomph in the device to actually do these models fast enough to be useful. You could, in theory, run these models on a very old device, but it would be so slow that it would not be useful.

Gruber: "So it's not a scheme to sell new iPhones?"

Joswiak: "No, not at all. Otherwise, we would have been smart enough just to do our most recent iPads and Macs, too, wouldn't we?"

Apple's software engineering chief Craig Federighi said that the company's first move with any new feature is to work out how to bring it back to older devices as far as possible. But when it comes to Apple Intelligence, "This is the hardware that it takes... It's a pretty extraordinary thing to run models of this power on an iPhone," he added.

The iPhone 15 Pro models use the A17 Pro chip, which has a 16-core Neural Engine that's up to 2x faster than the A16 chip found in the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, performing nearly 35 trillion operations per second. Federighi hinted that RAM is also another aspect of the system that the new AI features require, so it is perhaps no coincidence that all the devices compatible with Apple Intelligence have at least 8GB of RAM.

Despite the cutoff, owners of older iPhones still have plenty to look forward to in Apple's upcoming software update: iOS 18 boasts several new features besides Apple Intelligence, and every iPhone that can run iOS 17 is compatible with iOS 18. That includes the iPhone XR from 2018.

If you still want Apple Intelligence in your pocket but don't have an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max, you may want to hold out for the iPhone 16 series, which is expected to launch when iOS 18 is released in the fall.

Your iPhone has multiple touch and gesture capabilities that can enhance how you interact with apps. Some, like pinch and zoom, are well known enough to be considered second nature, but others are less obvious, like the one we're about to explain.

Two-Finger Drag to Select Items

If have apps where you habitually tap on each individual item in a list to select them – emails in your Mail inbox, for example – it's time to dial in some efficiency and embrace this faster method.

This gestural feature allows you to easily select (or deselect) multiple items in apps like Contacts, Mail, Messages, Voice Memos, Notes, and indeed any Apple app that lists multiple items. Here's how it works.

1. Open an app where multiple item selection is supported.
2. Touch and hold the screen with two fingers at the same time.
3. While keeping both fingers on the screen, drag them down (or up) to select multiple items. As you drag, items will be highlighted to indicate they are selected.
4. Once the desired items are selected, you can perform actions such as moving, deleting, or organizing them.

That's all there is to it. This simple yet powerful feature streamlines your workflow, saving you time and effort when handling multiple items. Looking to speed up your ‌iPhone‌ text editing skills? Check out our favorite hidden trick by following the link.

Apple is facing a "number" of "very serious" issues with its Digital Markets Act compliance in Europe, EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager said in an interview with CNBC.

The European Commission opened an investigation into Apple in March to determine if Apple's EU app marketplace changes were complying with DMA regulations. The DMA requires Apple to provide developers with an option to distribute apps outside of the App Store and without ‌App Store‌'s fees. Apple implemented support for app marketplaces with iOS 17.4, but it charges an 0.50 euro Core Technology Fee for each download after the initial 1 million annual installs.

Vestager does not believe that Apple's changes meet the requirements of the DMA. "We have a number of Apple issues; I find them very serious," she said. "I was very surprised that we would have such suspicions of Apple being non-compliant."

She went on to say that this implementation "is not what was expected of such a company" and that the DMA rules will be enforced "exactly with the same top priority as with any other business."

The European Commission plans to reveal the conclusions of its probe "hopefully soon," and if Apple is found to be violating the terms of the DMA, the European Union could levy significant fines up to five percent of its average daily worldwide revenue (upwards of $1 billion).

Last week, Financial Times said that the European Commission is planning to charge Apple for violating the Digital Markets Act. The EC believes that Apple is not complying with its obligation to allow developers to "steer" users outside of the ‌App Store‌ without fees.

Apple does still have time to make changes to iOS before charges are announced by regulators, and the EC is expected to make an announcement in the "coming weeks."

Logitech today announced the launch of the Keys-To-Go 2, a new portable wireless keyboard that's designed for tablets and mobile devices like the iPad, and it works as a lightweight alternative for those who do not want to invest in Apple's Magic Keyboard.

The keyboard is designed to work as a standalone device, so it does not attach to the ‌iPad‌, and you will need to pair it with a stand or smart cover for a Mac-like experience. Available in lilac, pale gray, graphite colors, the Keys-To-Go 2 is just under 10 inches long, four inches wide, and it weighs 7.84 ounces.

There is a built-in cover that protects the keyboard during travel, keeping it safe from scratches and spills. It is equipped with scissor keys that have 1mm of travel for a comfortable typing experience, and there is an option to connect to up to three devices and swap between them quickly.

Logitech designed the keyboard with two layouts, including a Universal layout and a dedicated Apple layout for iPhones, iPads, and Macs. The top key row features several shortcut keys for adjusting volume, media playback, and screen brightness levels, as well as locking the ‌iPad‌'s display.

The keyboard pairs to an ‌iPad‌ using Bluetooth, and there are replaceable coin cell batteries that Logitech says will last up to three years depending on usage.

The Keys-To-Go 2 keyboard is priced at $80 and it can be purchased from the Logitech website.

Apple today debuted a new Mac website that's designed to help potential customers find the ideal Mac. The "Help Me Choose" site asks users a few questions and then suggests the Mac that will best meet the user's needs.

Questions include what the Mac will be used for, necessary day-to-day essentials, info on the user's creative pursuits, the need for portability, which peripherals will be used, and budget.

Apple's algorithm for suggesting a Mac takes all of these factors into account, and it doesn't just present buyers with base configurations. It suggests upgrades to memory and storage that would be useful, and it will also present options if your selected budget is a little flexible.

The Help Me Choose website can be found under the Mac section of Apple's website when selecting the "Compare" option or the "Shop Mac" and then "Shopping Guides" option.

If you were a kid who grew up using the internet in the early 2000s, there is a good chance that you heard of Habbo Hotel. Once a massively popular virtual world with millions of players, the game slowly died out over the years as the young teenagers who played it eventually became adults and moved on with life.

With the modern version of Habbo no longer offering the experience that older players remember, a classic version of the game has long been requested. And today, that wish finally became reality with the launch of Habbo Hotel Origins.

Habbo Hotel Origins is nearly a carbon copy of the game as it existed in 2005, complete with nostalgic features like the console for messaging friends, a purse for in-game credits, and a virtual hand that holds your in-game items (aka furni).

"After discovering an old decrepit server with some long-lost files at the beginning of this year, over the past six months or so long-time Habbo developer and player Macklebee has lovingly restored an old version of Habbo Hotel first released in 2005," said Habbo, in a blog post announcing the launch of the game.

You'll need a new account to play Habbo Hotel Origins. To sign up, go to the origins.habbo.com website, click on the "check-in" link on the left side of the page, download the Habbo client for macOS or Windows, and create an account within the game. Yes, that means you have another chance to secure a rare username that you missed out on as a kid.

Once you have created an account, you can relive classic public rooms like the Welcome Lounge, Habbo Lido, and the Hallway. Many guest rooms have already popped up too, with players discussing their memories on the game.

Just like in the good old days, Habbo Hotel Origins is available on desktop computers only. You must be 18+ to sign up for this version of the game, rather than 13 on regular Habbo, or even 11 in the earliest days. With many players woefully admitting they are in their 30s now, I suspect that isn't much of an issue. It's a fresh start for everyone, with blank rooms just asking to be decorated with Plasto chairs and Yukka plants.

MacBook Pro models with an M4 chip are expected to launch in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to display analyst Ross Young. In a tweet for subscribers, Young said that panel shipments for new 14-inch and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models are set to begin in the third quarter of 2024, which suggests a launch toward the end of the year.

Apple started its M4 chip refresh in May with the launch of the M4 iPad Pro, but the first Macs with M4 chips are also slated for a 2024 launch. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple will refresh both the ‌MacBook Pro‌ and Mac mini lineups this year.

The entry-level 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ is expected to get an M4 chip, while the 14-inch and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models will be updated with M4 Pro and M4 Max chips. The ‌Mac mini‌ will get M4 and M4 Pro chips. The MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro models won't be updated with M4 chips until 2025, and it is not yet clear when the iMac might see an update with the refreshed chip technology.

Apple's M4 chip is built on an upgraded 3-nanometer node, with Apple first introducing 3-nanometer technology with the M3 line. In Geekbench 6 benchmarks, the M4 chip is up to 25 percent faster than the M3 chip when it comes to multi-core performance, so we could see similar gains for the M4 Pro and M4 Max chips.

Aside from M4 chips, the upcoming ‌MacBook Pro‌ models are not expected to have significant feature updates. Apple is working on OLED display technology, but an OLED ‌MacBook Pro‌ is not expected until 2026 at the earliest.