For Formula 1 fans, there's a new app called Lapz that is designed to provide an immersive F1 experience on the Apple Vision Pro headset. Users can watch multiple race feeds from different angles, see stats, and view a 3D version of the track that has icons that show where each driver is located in the race.
Different windows can be arranged in the virtual space around the Vision Pro wearer for a customizable experience focusing on what's most important to each user.
The app was created in part by John LePore, who created a concept of an interactive experience back in 2018, and won second place in the F1 Innovation Prize contest that year. What was then just a concept is now a functional app that only became possible after Apple launched the Vision Pro. LePore is also known for working with Marvel Studios to create futuristic interfaces and gadgets for movies like Iron Man and Black Panther.
Forbes highlighted a demonstration video from a Vision Pro user, and called the app "the best reason yet to buy a Vision Pro."
Lapz is available as a TestFlight beta right now, and those who want to try out the app can sign up for the TestFlight on the Lapz website.
Apple today seeded the sixth beta of an upcoming visionOS 2.1 update to developers for testing purposes. The sixth beta comes just days after Apple released the fifth beta.
visionOS 2.1 can be installed by going to the Software Update section of the Settings app on the Vision Pro and opting into Beta Updates.
No major new features have been found in visionOS 2.1, though there are likely minor feature changes and bug fixes that we'll learn about when release notes become available.
visionOS 2.1 is expected to see a launch alongside iOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1 on Monday, October 28.
Apple this week announced the seventh-generation iPad mini. Key upgrades include the A17 Pro chip, Smart HDR 4 and a new True Tone flash, a faster USB-C port, Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil hover support, a 512GB storage option, and support for Apple Intelligence. We discuss our initial thoughts on the product refresh, the significance of the upgrades, and who should consider buying the new device.
With Apple Intelligence being a tentpole feature of the new iPad mini, we ponder on whether Genmoji will actually be a popular feature among users when it eventually debuts. Finally, with the first of Apple's October product releases taking place via press release, we appraise whether the next expected products, which include new MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini models, will follow suit. Until now, reports suggested that there would be an October Apple event to unveil the new devices before their debut in early November.
The MacRumors Show is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
Best Buy today introduced new all-time low prices on a few models of the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro exclusively for members. Non-members can still find solid second-best prices on these computers, but My Best Buy Plus/Total members can get an extra $200 off select notebooks this week.
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.
The highlights of the sale include the 8GB/1TB 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro for $1,299.00, down from $1,799.00, and the 16GB/1TB model for $1,499.00, down from $1,999.00. Both of these represent $500 discounts and are new record low prices for each model.
Note: Select deals available only to My Best Buy members.
If you're shopping for the bigger model, the steepest discount at Best Buy is on the 48GB/1TB M3 Max 16-inch MacBook Pro, available for $3,299.00 for members, down from $3,999.00. In addition to this model, Best Buy has every other 16-inch M3 MacBook Pro on sale right now for solid second-best prices.
Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.
Apple at some point in the past week or so discontinued the Powerbeats Pro, around five and a half years after the wireless earbuds launched.
Powerbeats Pro are a sportier, fitness-focused alternative to AirPods Pro with built-in, adjustable ear hooks for a secure fit. Key features of the original 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.
In a short teaser video last month, Apple revealed that it will be launching new Powerbeats Pro 2 next year. The earbuds look similar to the original Powerbeats Pro, but they have a more vertical, slimmer design. MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris later discovered iOS 18 code revealing that the Powerbeats Pro 2 will feature heart rate monitoring during workouts, and gain support for Active Noise Cancellation, Spatial Audio, and Adaptive Audio.
Powerbeats Pro 2 images in iOS 18 code
The leaked iOS 18 code also revealed new orange, purple, black, and beige color options for the Powerbeats Pro 2 and their charging case.
Based on other recent Beats headphones, other potential upgrades for the Powerbeats Pro 2 include improved sound quality, longer battery life, a USB-C charging case, and improved cross-platform compatibility with Android features like Find My Device.
Apple did not reveal a specific release date in 2025 for the Powerbeats Pro 2.
Just like iPhone 16 models, the new iPad mini is likely to launch without Apple Intelligence, but the features should be available on the device soon.
Geekbench results for the iPad mini with the A17 Pro chip list the device as running iPadOS 18.0, instead of iPadOS 18.1 with Apple Intelligence.
Last month, a private account on social media platform X with a proven track record of sharing upcoming iOS versions mentioned a special build of iPadOS 18.0 for the iPad mini 7, and it appears that the device will indeed come preinstalled with iPadOS 18.0 out of the box when it begins arriving to customers on Wednesday, October 23.
Fortunately, new iPad mini owners shouldn't have to wait too long for Apple Intelligence. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman this week reiterated his expectation that iPadOS 18.1 will be released on Monday, October 28, so Apple Intelligence should be available on the new iPad mini merely five days after the device launches.
Apple's press release for the new iPad mini had already mentioned that the first Apple Intelligence features would be available on the device starting with an iPadOS 18.1 software update this month, and now the situation is fully clear.
The first Apple Intelligence features include writing tools, notification summaries, and more.
The seventh-generation iPad mini has now appeared on Geekbench, confirming that it has 8GB of memory and revealing how the 5-core GPU version of the A17 Pro chip performs.
The new iPad mini, identified as iPad 16,2 on the Geekbench database, includes the same A17 Pro SoC first introduced in the iPhone 15 Pro series last year. The six-core chip is clocked at 3.78 GHz, which matches the iPhone version, but with a key distinction—a five-core GPU, which is one core less than the version found in the iPhone. This suggests that the iPad mini 7's A17 Pro chip is likely a "binned" version.
The new iPad mini's Geekbench scores reveal a range between 2,710 and 2,840 in single-core performance and 6,274 to 6,982 in multi-core performance, positioning it slightly below the iPhone 15 Pro in both metrics. For comparison, the iPhone 15 Pro's A17 Pro typically scores around 2,888 in single-core and 7,169 in multi-core tests.
Nonetheless, the benchmarks confirm that the new iPad mini offers a substantial performance upgrade over its predecessor. The sixth-generation iPad mini from 2021 achieved approximate single-core scores of 2,121 and multi-core scores of 5,367.
Chip
GPU cores
Memory
Single-Core CPU Score
Multi-Core CPU Score
Metal GPU Score
iPad mini 6 (2021)
A15 Bionic
5
4GB
2,121
5,367
19,486
iPad mini 7 (2024)
A17 Pro
5
8GB
2,840
6,982
25,895
iPhone 15 Pro (2023)
A17 Pro
6
8GB
2,888
7,169
27,144
The Geekbench listings also confirm the seventh-generation iPad mini's adoption of 8GB of memory. While this was expected due to Apple Intelligence's 8GB memory, it was not actually known until now. The previous-generation iPad mini featured just 4GB of memory, marking a substantial upgrade on the latest device.
Some iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro users have been experiencing excessive and unexplainable battery drain, according to complaints on Reddit, the Apple Support Communities, and the MacRumors forums. While many of the reports are from iPhone 16 users, older iPhones running iOS 18 may also be experiencing battery life issues.
There is a long-running iOS 18 battery life complaint thread on MacRumors that was started while the update was still in beta, but there have been a fresh wave of complaints following iOS 18's launch and the debut of the iPhone 16 models.
Affected iPhone 16 owners have seen significant battery drain even when the iPhone is not in use. From MacRumors reader T1aaj:
Yes I own the 16 pro and battery life goes down to almost 60% from 100% halfway through the day, through no heavy use. Definitely needs to be fixed, should've kept my 15 pro!
I'm getting horrible battery life with my new 16 Pro Max. I upgraded from a 15 Pro Max - upgraded to iOS 18 and with battery health of 99% when I sold it. With Apple quoting better battery life spec for the 16 I was excited to see how much more run time I would get. The answer? I now get 50 to 60% of time between charges vs what I got with my 1 year old 15 Pro Max. Really disappointing. All Settings the same including background refresh globally disabled, screen max refresh set to 60Hz and data locked to 4G (because for my use I see absolutely no difference in how my phone functions when I set all those settings so I might as well set them for optimal battery life). I got my 16PM on launch day so it's 19 days old now; any early days indexing and other background setup stuff should be well and truly over by now.
In some cases, much of the battery drain happens in standby mode when the iPhone isn't in use, suggesting a background activity could be causing problems for some users. Using the phone seems to cut the battery drain in these instances.
The 16 Pro has horrible standby battery life when sleeping (it is not connected to my Apple Watch), and as you can see from the graph, it runs background activities like crazy. But, guess what, I turned off AOD(but this shouldn't be the case when in sleep mode it was off anyways) and turned on frame limit in accessibility (not low power mode) to turn off ProMotion, boom, the background craze disappeared! However, the battery drain wasn't fixed, 4hours and 20minutes it drained 11%, from 70% to 59%.
Clearly, something isn't right on Apple's end. The idle battery drain is excessive. This morning, I unplugged my phone at 9 a.m., and it held at 95% (my charging limit) for only 20 minutes before starting to drop rapidly. Every five minutes, I lost a percentage until I finally picked it up to use it. Now it seems to have stabilized a bit, but I'm really puzzled by this behavior.
There are similar complaints about the iPhone 16 models and older iPhones running iOS 18 on Reddit, and while we always see reports of battery life issues when a new version of iOS comes out, there seems to be a definite uptick in the number of people having problems.
I upgraded from my iPhone 12 and got new 16 Pro. I upgraded mostly because of battery and speaker issues but I observed that even though 16 has "better battery" and more battery life, it drains around 10-15% overnight doing nothing just laying on my bedside table.
On Reddit, one user did an experiment with an iPhone 16 Pro and an iPhone 14 Pro, and claimed to have used both in the same way. The iPhone 16 Pro dropped to 58 percent battery life within 36 hours, while the iPhone 14 Pro was at 85 percent.
Battery drainage issues are difficult to diagnose because iPhone usage habits vary so much from person to person and from day to day. Impacted users have tried turning off ProMotion, disabling the Always On display, turning off background app refresh, removing widgets, turning off cellular, and entirely resetting their iPhones. Some people have seen improvement with some of these methods, but not all have, and the battery life issues persist for many despite troubleshooting.
Some users reported improvement with iOS 18.0.1 and the iOS 18.1 beta, but software updates have not worked for everyone. It is not clear exactly what's going on to impact battery, but it's sounding like there is an underlying bug that Apple will need to fix in a future iOS 18 update.
Apple is working behind the scenes to get ready to add new Apple Intelligence features to iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15. We'll get the first set in the iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS 15.1 updates, but Apple is preparing for the next batch, too.
In backend code, MacRumors has discovered new references to Siri's ChatGPT integration as Apple prepares to implement ChatGPT support. Siri code mentions options for ChatGPT-generated text and ChatGPT-generated images, two features that Apple plans to implement soon.
ChatGPT integration with Siri was announced as part of the Apple Intelligence feature set highlighted at the Worldwide Developers Conference, and it is functionality that Apple plans to introduce before the end of the year. ChatGPT integration is not in the current software that Apple is testing, but we are expecting it to come in iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2.
Mentions of Siri with ChatGPT integration first surfaced earlier in October, and we've also seen references to Visual Intelligence, another AI feature that Apple is working on. The separate mentions of images and text are new today, and it's clear that Apple is continuing behind-the-scenes work to get these features ready for launch.
With ChatGPT integration, when users ask Siri a complicated question that the personal assistant is unable to handle, Siri will suggest handing the query off to ChatGPT. ChatGPT will provide relevant information, which will be relayed through Siri.
ChatGPT will be able to generate both text and images, and while Apple Intelligence includes some of this functionality, ChatGPT is more advanced. Apple's Writing Tools, for example, can offer spelling and grammar assistance or change the tone of something that's already written, while ChatGPT will be able to generate text from scratch with a simple prompt.
Image Playground and Genmoji will allow for the creation of cartoon-like images and custom emoji, but ChatGPT's image generation features will be able to be used for more realistic images. Siri will reference the latest GPT-4o model, and ChatGPT integration will be free with no account creation required. Apple and OpenAI will not store ChatGPT requests made from Apple devices, and IP addresses will be hidden.
As for Visual Intelligence, it is an iPhone 16 feature that uses the Camera Control button. iPhone 16 users will be able to point their camera at objects or locations around them, with the iPhone providing information about what's being viewed when the Camera Control button is pressed and held.
iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 are expected to see a release on Monday, October 28, and we'll likely get the first betas of iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 shortly after. If testing follows other .2 updates, the software will be released at some point in December.
Along with ChatGPT integration and Visual Intelligence, iOS 18.2 could bring support for the Image Playground image generation feature, Genmoji, and Image Wand, a Notes app feature for generating images from text or basic drawings.
Apple TV+ today announced it has partnered with Major League Baseball and Imagine Documentaries on a three-part documentary that will offer "behind-the-scenes coverage" of the upcoming 2024 World Series. Production on the currently-untitled docuseries is already underway, but a release date has yet to be disclosed.
Apple said the docuseries will explore the "dramatic, high-stakes world" of the World Series and each team's battle to win the championship, and offer interviews with players and their family members, coaches, fans, and journalists. New York Yankees legend and five-time World Series champion Derek Jeter will serve as an executive producer.
The 2024 World Series is expected to begin in late October, but the two teams who will compete for the championship have yet to be determined. In the American League Championship Series, the New York Yankees have a 2-0 lead over the Cleveland Guardians in the best-of-seven series. In the National League Championship Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers have a 2-1 advantage over the New York Mets in that best-of-seven series. The winning teams in those series will face each other in the World Series.
Apple TV+ has been the home of MLB's "Friday Night Baseball" for three consecutive seasons, and the service has also offered documentaries about the NFL's New England Patriots, NBA star Stephen Curry, Argentinian soccer star Lionel Messi, and more.
As Apple celebrates the 10th anniversary of Apple Pay, Apple Pay and Apple Wallet chief Jennifer Bailey today did an interview with The Points Guy, providing some insight into current and future Apple Pay-related features like car key and ID integration in the Wallet app.
Apple Pay wasn't an immediate hit with consumers, but Bailey said that Apple "worked really hard" to establish a "great customer experience" over the last decade. As mobile payments via Apple Pay have become widely available and more well-known, Apple and Bailey are focusing on expanding the capabilities of the Wallet app to make it more useful.
Back in 2020, Apple introduced support for car key, an implementation of the Digital Key standard that uses NFC. The feature is designed to allow iPhone and Apple Watch users to store a key for a compatible vehicle in the Wallet app, and multiple manufacturers have implemented support. Apple is working with more than 30 car manufacturers on car keys.
As support for car keys expands, Bailey sees a future where digital keys are available for rentals.
Being able to book a car rental, confirm your authentication and identity ... you can imagine that a car rental company is going to issue you a digital key, and that key could be used to unlock and use a car.
Some hotel chains have already implemented support for accessing a hotel room with a key stored in Wallet, so it's not hard to imagine this kind of functionality also expanding to cars at some point.
Apple Pay's transit usage is "just fantastic," according to Bailey, and "people absolutely love it." Apple in 2022 launched Wallet support for Digital IDs and driver's licenses, and while that's taken some time to take off, Bailey is confident adoption will pick up because the option for a digital ID is "really profound."
It'll be a long-term journey like we had with Apple Pay. It's helping states understand how our approach is privacy-protected and highly secure, how we don't have the data, and how we don't keep any association with where you're presenting your ID.
Bailey told The Points Guy that Apple is only at the beginning of its "long-term vision to replace the wallet," but the core Apple Pay technology that kicked off the effort "is perfect."
Apple today reminded developers that the EU trader requirement in the European Union is now being enforced. Developers who distribute apps in the EU will now need to share information that includes address, phone number, and email address on the EU App Store.
Submitting updates for apps on the App Store in the European Union now requires trader information that's added via App Store Connect, with those details shared on each developer's App Store page. App updates can no longer be submitted without trader information, and starting on February 17, 2025, apps that do not have a trader status set will be removed from the App Store in the EU until trader status is provided and verified.
The Digital Services Act (DSA) in the European Union requires Apple to verify and display trader contact information for all "traders" who are distributing apps on the App Store in the European Union. Developers who make money from the App Store through either an upfront purchase price or through in-app purchases are considered traders, regardless of size.
Contact information for each developer that is considered a trader will be publicly available, and there will undoubtedly be some developers that are unhappy with the requirement. Independent developers and small companies may not have dedicated business addresses and phone numbers to provide, and will likely be reluctant to provide their personal contact information.
Apple warned developers about the upcoming trader status requirement earlier this year. As of now, trader information has to be provided before an app can be submitted for review.
Displaying trader status is a Digital Services Act requirement in the European Union, which means Apple has to implement the feature. Developer contact information will be displayed on the App Store product page when an app is distributed in any of the 27 territories in the EU.
More information on determining who is a trader and who needs to provide contact details can be found on Apple's website.
Apple today introduced a new feature that allows all artists to create Apple Music playlists based on their concert set lists. The playlists will appear on the artist's page in Apple Music, on their concert page in Shazam, and in Spotlight Search on iOS.
The feature is built into the Apple Music for Artists tool.
"Turn a set list from your latest show into a playlist on Apple Music for Artists on the web," said Apple, in a blog post explaining how artists can use the feature. "Share your Set List playlist with fans on Apple Music and social media to promote upcoming tour dates, let fans relive your concerts, and connect with listeners."
Apple Music has already featured more than 450 set lists for popular artists like Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Sabrina Carpenter, and Post Malone since last year, and now all artists can create set list playlists to promote their past or upcoming concerts.
Apple this week began selling certified refurbished 2022 iPad Pro and iPad Air models through its online store in additional countries, including France, Germany, Japan, and the UK. Availability in the U.S. and Canada began last month.
The fourth-generation 11-inch iPad Pro with the M2 chip, sixth-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro with the M2 chip, and fifth-generation iPad Air with the M1 chip are each available in a variety of storage capacities and color options. The refurbished models are discounted by approximately 15% compared to the original pricing of these iPads.
Apple first introduced this particular iPad Air model in March 2022, and the iPad Pro models followed in October of that year.
Apple says its refurbished iPads include a new battery and outer shell, a new white box, and all manuals and accessories, including a USB-C charging cable and power adapter. Apple says it puts refurbished devices through a "thorough cleaning process and inspection," and it performs full functionality testing to ensure there are no defective units.
All refurbished iPads are covered by Apple's one-year limited warranty and 14-day return policy, and eligible for AppleCare+ coverage.
Anker this week is hosting a big fall sale on Amazon, coinciding with the early Black Friday event it's hosting on Anker.com. Additionally, we're tracking some deals on Jackery portable power stations, which are high-capacity portable batteries that can provide backup power to a wide variety of devices, from laptops to RVs.
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.
For the Anker deals, you'll need to have a Prime membership in order to see some of these discounted prices, but only one requires an on-page coupon this time around. Similarly for the Jackery discounts, you'll find that every deal has been automatically applied on Amazon with the exception of one requiring an on-page coupon.
In June, Apple discontinued its "buy now, pay later" service called Apple Pay Later, which let qualifying customers split a purchase made with Apple Pay into four equal payments over six weeks, with no interest or fees. Instead, Apple said customers in the U.S. would be able to apply for loans from select other "buy now, pay later" services when they check out with Apple Pay on the web and in apps on iOS 18 and iPadOS 18.
Affirm payment plans have been available through Apple Pay since last month, and competing service Klarna announced that it is integrating with Apple Pay in the U.S. and the U.K. starting today, and in Canada in the coming months.
iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 users can select "Other Cards & Pay Later Options" when checking out with Apple Pay to access payment plans available from Klarna and Affirm. For example, Klarna offers an interest-free "Pay in 4" payment plan for purchases totaling between $35 and $2,000, which is similar to what Apple Pay Later offered.
Apple also announced an upcoming integration with PayPal.
Starting next year, customers in the U.S. will be able to see their PayPal balance when using their PayPal debit card in the Wallet app on the iPhone, according to Apple.
Apple today shared a letter celebrating the upcoming 10-year anniversary of Apple Pay, which launched in the U.S. on October 20, 2014, as part of iOS 8.1.
Apple Pay has since become available in over 75 countries and regions, and the vast majority of retailers in the U.S. now accept contactless payments, with one notable exception being Walmart. Two other longtime holdouts that are finally rolling out contactless payments in the U.S. include The Home Depot and Texas-based grocery store chain H-E-B.
Starting today, eligible customers in the U.S. and U.K. have access to financing through "buy now, pay later" service Klarna when checking out with Apple Pay on the web and in apps on iOS 18 and iPadOS 18. And starting next year, customers in the U.S. will be able to see their PayPal balance when using their PayPal debit card in the Wallet app on the iPhone.
Here is the full letter from Jennifer Bailey, Apple's vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet:
When we started our journey with Apple Pay 10 years ago, we saw a unique opportunity to leverage Apple's hardware and software to make a meaningful impact on the financial health and lives of our customers. From the outset, we envisioned a world where you could use your iPhone to seamlessly pay for everything — from groceries to train tickets, in person and online, across the globe — all while keeping your personal and financial information safe and private.
Today, Apple Pay is used by hundreds of millions of consumers in 78 markets, at checkout on millions of websites and apps, in tens of millions of stores worldwide, and is supported by more than 11,000 bank and network partners. We hear from customers every day about how much they love the ease, security, and privacy protections Apple Pay provides in their daily lives, and how much they enjoy using it across their devices — including iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac.
One of my earliest memories of realizing how Apple Pay was positively impacting consumers' lives was when we rolled out Apple Pay for transit in Tokyo, which is used by millions of travelers every day. I watched in awe as people quickly tapped their iPhone or Apple Watch to pay while passing through the turnstiles — no need to fish out any cash, cards, or coins from their wallets, or even unlock or wake their device. It's a great example of how Apple Pay's seamless and secure customer experience delivers convenience and peace of mind to consumers around the world, whether they're commuting to work, shopping online, or picking up their morning coffee.
We know how important it is for customers to feel secure and trust that their financial transactions are private when making a payment. That's why we're always working to safeguard consumers, while also enabling banks to have industry-low levels of fraud for Apple Pay transactions. And it's also why Apple Pay was designed to protect users' highly sensitive personal and financial information, like their card number, which is never shared with merchants. Our customers trust that when they use Apple Pay anywhere, they can have the peace of mind that their payments are protected.
Looking ahead at what's next for Apple Pay, we are excited to now bring our users more ways to pay, including the option to redeem rewards and access installment loans from Apple Pay-enabled issuers and lenders right at checkout with Apple Pay online and in-app on iPhone and iPad. This gives consumers greater flexibility in how they pay with the easy and trusted Apple Pay experience they already know and love. It also provides Apple Pay-enabled issuers and lenders with new ways to connect with their customers, and make their rewards and installment offerings even more accessible.
Beyond payments, we're also advancing our broader vision of replacing users' physical wallets with an easy, secure, and private digital wallet — Apple Wallet. Today, users can seamlessly and securely add and access eligible event tickets, transit cards, keys, government IDs, and more all from Apple Wallet. And we're always looking for new ways to make using Apple Wallet convenient while delivering unparalleled security and peace of mind.
The last decade was an incredible journey, and we're thrilled that so many people around the world are enjoying the experience that Apple Pay and Apple Wallet provide. I can't wait to see what the next 10 years have in store.
Bailey also sat down for an interview with Frank McShan:
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced a final "click to cancel" rule that aims to simplify the process of ending subscriptions and memberships for US consumers.
The new rule will require businesses to make cancellation processes as straightforward as sign-up procedures, and companies will be prohibited from forcing customers to use chatbots or speak with agents to cancel subscriptions that were originally initiated online or through an app. For memberships started in person, businesses must offer cancellation options by phone or online.
In a statement accompanying the Commission's press release, FTC Chair Lina M. Khan said: "Too often, businesses make people jump through endless hoops just to cancel a subscription. The FTC's rule will end these tricks and traps, saving Americans time and money. Nobody should be stuck paying for a service they no longer want."
The rule will apply to almost all negative option programs across all media. It also requires sellers to provide clear information before obtaining billing details and to secure informed consent for negative option features prior to charging customers.
The move follows a significant increase in consumer complaints about subscription practices, according to the FTC. In 2024, the government agency received an average of nearly 70 complaints per day related to negative option and recurring subscription issues, up from 42 per day in 2021.
The Commission voted 3-2 to approve the final rule, with two Republican commissioners opposing it. Some initially proposed measures were dropped, including requirements for businesses to send annual reminders about recurring charges. The new regulation is set to take effect 180 days after publication in the Federal Register.
The regulation is part of the FTC's efforts to modernize its 1973 Negative Option Rule and address unfair practices, and follows recent legal actions against major companies like Amazon and Adobe over their subscription practices.
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Powerbeats Pro 2 images in iOS 18 code
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.
