Apple customers in Australia and New Zealand are always the first to get their hands on new devices on launch day because of time zone differences, and the iPhone XS, XS Max, and Apple Watch Series 4 are no exception.
It's just after 8:00 a.m. in New Zealand, and customers who pre-ordered one of Apple's new devices are beginning to receive their shipments and have started sharing the first customer photos of the new device on Twitter, Instagram, reddit, and the MacRumors forums.
There are no Apple Stores in New Zealand, so customers in Australia will be the first to be able to purchase devices from an Apple retail location. Available stock in Australia should give us an idea of what we can expect in other retail stores as it rolls around to September 21 across the globe.
Following New Zealand and Australia, iPhone XS, XS Max, and Apple Watch Series 4 sales will kick off in Asia, Europe, and finally, North America. Apple Stores globally are opening up at 8:00 a.m. local time to allow customers to pick up reserved devices and make walk-in purchases.
Image via Dan
Apple is likely to have stock available for walk-in customers at most of its retail locations around the world, but supplies of some devices, like the Apple Watch Series 4, could be limited. As always, customers hoping for a new device on launch day should try to get to the Apple Store early.
Other retailers, including carriers and big box stores, are stocking the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and Apple Watch Series 4 and could also have some supply available for launch day purchase.
In the United States, the first new device deliveries will take place on the east coast starting at 8:00 a.m.
Make sure to stay tuned to MacRumors both tomorrow and throughout next week, because we'll have plenty of iPhone XS, XS Max, and Apple Watch Series 4 coverage to share.
Rain Design, a maker of accessories for Apple products, released three laptop stands made of anodized aluminum to match Apple's MacBook and MacBook Pro models earlier this year: the mBar, mBar Pro, and mBar Pro+. The mBar is a minimalist MacBook stand with fixed arms that's not meant to be portable, and the mBar Pro and Pro+ have folding arms for easy portability.
A laptop stand can be a critical accessory for a home or office workstation to elevate your laptop to a more comfortable and ergonomic position for extended use. But a portable laptop stand is more of an option than a necessity, and size and weight are crucial factors in determining if it's worthy of adding to your bag.
I received the mBar Pro to review and tested it with a 15-inch MacBook Pro. I've personally owned several Rain Design stands, including the iLap, mStand, and iLevel (which is a permanent fixture at my treadmill desk at home).
Design and Materials
All three mBar models are made of anodized aluminum and come in silver or space gray. All have rubber strips on all contact points to protect your laptop, as well as rubber feet for stability.
The mBar Pro folds up into a rectangle with two nubs that stick out on one side. It measures 9.6 inches (243 mm) wide, 3.6 inches (91mm) tall, and 1/2 inch (12.4 mm) thick when folded. The nubs are on the extendable legs and prevent your laptop from sliding off. It folds up tightly though it takes a little trial and error to figure out which leg flips out which way to set it up.
When the legs are extended, it measures 9.6 inches from front to back and it and raises the rear of a MacBook Pro by 3 inches. It feels solid yet light, weighing in at 4.6 ounces (130 grams). I found that my MacBook Pro felt stable and didn't wobble at all while on it.
Overall, the mBar Pro feels solid and well-designed. It's definitely an attractive accessory that complements Apple's laptop line.
Usage
It's compact when folded and is light enough to not be noticeable as extra weight in my laptop bag. The mBar comes with a lightweight microfiber case with a snap closure. While the stand doesn't have any sharp edges, it feels like it could mark my laptop if placed next to it in the laptop bag I use the most. With the included carrying case—or if you use a protective sleeve for your laptop—this won't be an issue for you, of course.
I used the mBar while working at coffee shop tables and standing at kitchen counters. General ergonomic principles for laptop use dictate that you should keep your wrists in as neutral a position as possible. Depending on your height or chair position, the height of the table or counter, the mBar may or may not help with that. When standing at a counter, I tend to rest my wrists right on my laptop below the keyboard and have to focus on keeping them neutral while using the mBar Pro.
When sitting at a table, the mBar Pro raises my MacBook Pro to a level that allows me to keep my neck in a more neutral position. If you've heard about "text neck," which is neck strain that results from looking down at a phone (or your favorite electronic device), the mBar Pro can definitely help avoid this, at least while you're using your laptop. As an avid iPhone user, I definitely want to avoid neck strain as much as possible and I'm all for a product that helps me with that.
The height of the mBar Pro isn't adjustable, so if that's a feature you need, you'll need to look elsewhere (or use magazines, books, or other impromptu items on hand to add some height).
An added benefit of the mBar Pro's minimalist design allows for excellent air flow around your laptop. If you're doing processor-intensive work, it can help keep your MacBook Pro a little cooler since heat can dissipate more quickly.
Bottom Line
The mBar Pro is a lightweight, attractive, and functional portable laptop stand that aesthetically matches Apple's MacBook line. It can help relieve neck strain, though without any height adjustments, its ability to help will vary based on the furniture you use and your own habits.
However, it's not cheap at just under $55. At this price point, I can't recommend it as a must-buy but if you have the cash and need a light, easy solution to elevate your MacBook Pro, it's one of the nicest portable stands I've seen.
Amazon held a big hardware event today at The Seattle Spheres, located at Amazon's headquarters campus in Washington state. The event was notable for Amazon, with senior vice president of Amazon Devices Dave Limp stating that it marked the largest number of devices and features that Amazon has ever debuted in one day.
The first product unveiling was a new and upgraded Echo Dot, which includes a brand new mic array for better performance. The company says the driver is much larger -- increasing from 1.1" to a 1.6" driver -- resulting in more powerful sound with lower distortion, enhanced bass reproduction, and increased overall max volume.
Echo Dot
Through all of the upgrades, Echo Dot's footprint still hasn't increased and the price will remain at $49.99, just like previous generations. The new Echo Dot ships in October, and pre-orders go up today.
There's also a new mainline Echo device, the new Echo Plus. This generation has more powerful sound with stronger bass and clearer playback. There's a new equalizer feature that lets you use your voice to adjust the bass and treble through Alexa, a built-in smart home hub so you can set up devices by stating "Alexa, discover my devices," and an integrated temperature sensor so you can trigger routines based on how cool or hot the room is.
As part of its digital health initiative in iOS 12, Apple has introduced some improvements to the way app notifications can be managed, enabling users to more easily reduce the number of daily distractions their iPhone or iPad throws their way.
One of these new features is called Instant Tuning, which allows you to quickly adjust the future behavior of app notifications whenever they appear in the Lock Screen or the Notifications Center. Here's how to make the most of it.
How to Use Instant Tuning in iOS 12
Next time an alert appears in your device's Notifications Center or on the Lock Screen, swipe left on it, then tap Manage. Alternatively, if your device supports 3D Touch, hard press on the alert and then tap the three dots in the upper right corner of the expanded notification.
A Manage Notifications pop-up will appear on the screen featuring two blue button options. Deliver Quietly ensures future alerts from this app only appear in the Notification Center (accessed by swiping down from the top of your device's screen).
Note that selecting this option means alerts will no longer show in the Lock Screen and you won't see any banner notifications on any other screens. Deliver Quietly also turns off any sound or vibration alerts set for the associated app.
If you tap Deliver Quietly and then decide you'd rather not stick with the setting, open the Manage Notifications pop-up again in the same way and tap the Deliver Prominently button to reinstate the previous settings.
The second option, Turn Off..., completely disables all notifications for the related app. Tap this button and you will be prompted to confirm it's what you want.
Below the two large blue buttons is a less prominent Settings button that takes you to the individual app's various notification options, usually accessed via the main Settings app.
From here you can adjust where alerts should appear (if at all), enable or disable sounds and badges, select alert preview options (Always, When Unlocked, Never) and choose how notifications should be grouped (Automatic, By App, Off).
Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming tvOS 12.1 update to its public beta testing group, two days after providing the beta to developers and three days after releasing the tvOS 12 update.
The tvOS 12.1 public beta can be obtained by going to the Settings app on the Apple TV and navigating to the Software Updates section under "System." "Get Public Beta Updates" will need to be toggled on, and once it is, the Apple TV will download the beta software.
We don't yet know what fixes and changes the tvOS 12.1 update might bring, but it likely focuses on bug fixes for issues that have been discovered since the release of tvOS 12.
Apple's tvOS updates have historically been minor in scale and Apple does not often provide us with detailed notes outlining what's new. No obvious outward-facing changes were found in the first developer beta.
Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming iOS 12.1 update to its public beta testing group, two days after releasing the beta to developers and three days after the launch of iOS 12, a new major version of the iOS software.
Beta testers who have signed up for Apple's beta testing program will receive the iOS 12 beta update over-the-air after installing the proper certificate on an iOS device.
Those who want to join the beta testing program can sign up on Apple's beta testing website, which gives users access to iOS, macOS, and tvOS betas.
The iOS 12.1 update reintroduces Group FaceTime, a major iOS 12 feature that was pulled during the beta testing period because it needed more work. Apple promised to deliver the feature in an upcoming update, which looks like it will be iOS 12.1.
Group FaceTime is designed to let you audio or video chat with up to 32 people at one time on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Calls can also be answered in an audio-only capacity using an Apple Watch or the HomePod.
There are other features that Apple has said are coming in future betas, including eSIM support and the ECG functionality and app, but those do not appear to be present in iOS 12.1, nor do new emojis that have been promised for the fall.
Hulu today is rolling out a new update for Hulu.com, bringing it in line with the design and user interface that users should be familiar with if they use Hulu on smartphones and TVs, like iOS and tvOS. The company is launching the new update to coincide with fall television premieres, which typically kick off around this time, in mid to late September.
The company says that subscribers can expect all of the usual options they need on Hulu.com, including Playback, Show Details, Add to My Stuff, Recording, and Stop Suggesting all featured in the Home section. When watching a video, navigational controls will allow you to skip ahead to the next episode by clicking an "Up Next" button.
The main change is that Hulu.com no longer has a "Watchlist" and now supports the service's new "My Stuff" feature, which is where you can add shows to watch later. When in My Stuff, it's easier to track all of the shows you're watching, and Hulu will notify you when new episodes of a show are added. On Hulu.com's new splash screen, the company notes that you can sync all of your existing My Stuff shows to the new Hulu.com using a sync option in account settings.
For sports fans using Hulu with Live TV, you can watch multiple games on multiple windows on Hulu.com, and a basic picture-in-picture feature is also supported for other programs. This way, you can keep watching a show while browsing other parts of Hulu on the web, and the small player can be moved anywhere on the screen while multitasking.
Hulu explains that some Hulu with Live TV subscribers have had these updates on the web for a while, and the company has taken feedback from these users for the public launch:
Some of you may be familiar with the new look and feel of Hulu.com. We launched an early version of the new experience just over a year ago to provide our Hulu with Live TV viewers access to all the big games and live TV coverage from their browsers. Since then, we’ve continued to evolve and refine the new Web experience to incorporate user feedback and new, compelling features, updates and configurations that make the most out of the wide range of motion you have with your mouse and how quickly you’re able to point and click.
Hulu first began rolling out its new experience and updated UI in May 2017, launching first on Apple TV, iOS, Xbox One, Android, and Chromecast. The new Hulu design on these apps -- now on Hulu.com -- includes large pieces of artwork for each show, a curated home screen of show suggestions, and more.
There's nothing worse than waking up in the middle of the night, glancing over at your iPhone to check the time, and seeing a bunch of notifications that demand your attention and distract you from getting back to sleep.
Apple is aiming to prevent this in iOS 12 with a new Do Not Disturb at bedtime feature that prevents notifications from being displayed on the iPhone's Lock Screen during your downtime, removing the temptation to start opening up apps in the middle of the night.
Enabling Bedtime Mode
Open up the Settings app.
Scroll to the "Do Not Disturb" section and tap on it.
In the Do Not Disturb section, tap on "Scheduled" to toggle it on.
Select your Do Not Disturb time period, which, for most people, should be from when you go to bed until when you typically wake up.
Tap on Bedtime Mode to toggle it on.
With Bedtime Mode enabled, when you activate the display on your device, the entire screen is dimmed and black, offering up only the time, the current device charge, and a notice that Bedtime Mode is turned on.
In this mode, all incoming calls are silenced as are all incoming notification messages. Your notifications are still listed in the Notification Center, accessible by swiping down from the top of the display, but you won't see them on the Lock Screen.
Bedtime Mode vs. Do Not Disturb
With Do Not Disturb turned on without Bedtime Mode, all of your incoming calls and notifications are still silenced, but the notification messages themselves will all be visible right on the Lock Screen.
Enabling Calls From Certain People
If you want family members to be able to contact you even with Do Not Disturb and Bedtime Mode turned on in case of emergency, there's a setting for that.
Open the Settings app.
Tap "Do Not Disturb."
Scroll down to the Phone section where it says "Allow Calls From."
Select Everyone, No One, or "Favorites," which can be set up in the Contacts app.
You can also toggle on "Repeated Calls" in the same section of the Settings app so a second call from the same person within three minutes won't be silenced. This is an ideal way to screen out unwanted calls while still allowing for potential emergencies as most people will try again if you're unreachable in a crisis.
Waking Up
When it's time to wake up, and when Bedtime Mode is scheduled to go off, your iPhone or iPad will display a "Good morning!" message and it will let you tap to reveal all of the notifications that were silenced during the night.
Turning Off Bedtime Mode
If Bedtime Mode isn't for you, you can turn it off in the Settings app where it was enabled.
Open the Settings app.
Tap on "Do Not Disturb."
If you want to turn off your scheduled Do Not Disturb session entirely, toggle off "Scheduled."
If you want to leave Do Not Disturb on but disable Bedtime Mode, tap the Bedtime Mode toggle to turn it off.
Note: To quickly access Do Not Disturb settings, swipe to open up the Control Center and then 3D Touch or long press on the little moon icon.
This will provide you with options to enable Do Not Disturb for an hour, a few hours, until the end of an event, or until you leave a specific location, and it also offers up a "Schedule" option at the bottom that opens straight into the Do Not Disturb toggles in the Settings app.
Apple Maps now supports transit in New Zealand, enabling users to navigate with public transportation in most populated areas of the country.
In the largest city of Auckland, directions are available for NZ Bus routes, AT Metro trains, or the SkyBus shuttle to the Auckland Airport. In the capital area of Wellington, directions are available for Metlink buses and trains.
Between select destinations in New Zealand, Apple Maps can now provide directions for InterCity buses and Great Journeys trains and ferries.
The feature can be accessed by selecting the Transport tab or button in Apple Maps on iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch.
Apple Maps has supported transit since 2015, with an initial rollout in Baltimore, Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, Mexico City, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Sydney, Toronto, and China. Since then, Apple has expanded the feature to many other regions around the world.
Google Maps has supported transit directions for several years now, but Apple Maps is steadily catching up with detailed routing information.
iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and Apple Watch Series 4 orders are now shipping to customers around the world, with the first deliveries set to arrive at doorsteps tomorrow, Friday, September 21.
There were concerns earlier today after some customers noticed their iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max order had been updated with a "Shipment on Hold" status, indicating that "there is an issue with your delivery." MacRumors has been informed this was in error. Apple has since corrected order statuses.
These customers who saw a "Shipment on Hold" status are now seeing a "shipped" status indicating "your item is on the way," with initial shipments scheduled to arrive starting this Friday as expected.
As of writing, it's around 3:00 a.m. in New Zealand, where lucky customers will be among the first to receive their orders in just hours from now. iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and Apple Watch Series 4 will also be available to purchase at Apple Stores and select resellers around the world beginning Friday.
Those planning to line up for the chance to buy one of the new devices at an Apple Store tomorrow should arrive early, as queues can get quite long, and supplies are limited. Most locations are set to open two hours early, at 8:00 a.m. local time, so be sure to check Apple's store list for details.
As a reminder, customers can click "Track shipment" to track their specific order via Apple.com, or by entering a tracking number on the UPS website in countries where that courier is handling deliveries.
The Apple Watch Series 4 has multiple new watch faces for users to choose from, including Fire, Water, Liquid Metal, and Vapor faces that were custom-designed for Series 4 to interact with the edges of its larger display. Apple briefly showed off these faces during its September 12 keynote in Cupertino, but more information about the making of the watch faces has been shared today in a new behind-the-scenes video by Cool Hunting.
Left image via Cool Hunting
Alan Dye, vice president of user interface design at Apple, revealed that the visuals seen in each Fire, Water, Liquid Metal, and Vapor Apple Watch face were not rendered through a computer, but were shot using high resolution video capturing real fire, water, liquid metal, and vapor elements. The watch faces were captured in one of Apple's design labs, which can be seen in the video below.
Dye said that while the design team could have gone digital for the faces, they opted for the live effects recorded in a studio:
Talking to Alan Dye, Vice President of User Interface Design at Apple, about this particular project he shared that “it’s more of a story about the design team. We could have done this digitally, but we shot this all in a studio. It’s so indicative of how the design team works—bringing our best and varied talents together to create these faces.”
...When asked about how these face concepts were chosen Dye shared that “in terms of design in general, for every thing we do there’s probably 100 things we don’t do and that’s just part of the design process.”
The visual faces aren't the only new watch faces on Series 4. You'll also be able to choose from the Infograph face, which supports up to eight complications, as well as a redesigned Modular watch face. watchOS 5 also has a few new watch faces, including one for the mindfulness app Breathe.
Apple Watch Series 4 launches tomorrow, September 21, and ahead of its debut reviews for the smartwatch have already emerged. Most reviewers say that this generation is definitely worth an upgrade if you're on an older model Apple Watch, thanks to the new screen, haptic digital crown, improved health tracking, speed, and more.
A few days after unboxing videos for the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max were shared online, some of the same YouTubers have now provided a glimpse into the unboxing experience of the Apple Watch Series 4. Unlike this year's new iPhones, the Apple Watch Series 4's packaging is noticeably different from previous generations.
To start off, iJustine unboxed the Apple Watch Series 4 40mm Gold Stainless Steel Case with a Milanese Loop, as well as the Hibiscus Sport Loop and Lavender Sport Band. Apple changed up the packaging for the Series 4, and instead of a square box for stainless steel cases, this year the higher-end Apple Watch models also come in a rectangular box.
The outer packaging opens up to reveal Apple Watch artwork, and inside there are two separate boxes: one holding the Apple Watch, charging cord, power brick, and paperwork, and the second holding the Apple Watch band.
The Apple Watch case itself is also protected by a small fabric sleeve. Previous stainless steel Apple Watches were protected in a large, square plastic case that also held the Apple Watch band.
YouTuber Emkwan Reviews unboxed the same Apple Watch as iJustine, but in 44mm instead of 40mm.
Spanish YouTuber Victor Abarca unboxed the Apple Watch Series 4 with the 40mm Space Gray Aluminum Case, showing off packaging that mimics the stainless steel Series 4's packaging. Aluminum owners will see the same pull tabs on the back of the packaging that opens up to two separate boxes inside, one holding the Apple Watch and another holding their band of choice.
Additionally, it appears that if you get the Space Gray Apple Watch, the small fabric sleeve protecting the case will also be Space Gray.
Apple's decision to package each version of the Apple Watch the same in 2018 is a big difference from previous Apple Watch generations. For the Apple Watch Series 3 and prior versions, the aluminum Apple Watch models came in slimmer, rectangular boxes, while the premium stainless steel models were encased in larger, square boxes that included the plastic case.
The Apple Watch Series 4 will launch tomorrow, September 21, so the first pre-order customers can expect to receive their Series 4 devices throughout the day on Friday. After reviews for the Apple Watch Series 4 praised the smartwatch's display and health benefits, Apple highlighted some review snippets on its website.
This likely means that Apple has submitted an application with Health Canada for clearance to sell the Apple Watch Series 4 with the ECG functionality enabled. Health Canada has similar requirements as the FDA in the United States for medical devices to be sold in the country.
In the meantime, Apple says the ECG functionality will be limited to the United States, where it has received clearance from the FDA. However, the ECG app for watchOS 5 won't be available until later this year.
Apple Watch Series 4 models include a new electrical sensor on the rear that's designed to take an electrocardiogram using Apple's ECG app, the built-in sensor, and the electrode built into the Digital Crown. This allows the Watch to display a single-channel ECG, similar to a Lead I ECG, according to the FDA.
To take an ECG reading from the Apple Watch, users will need to place a finger on the Digital Crown while wearing the watch. The reading is completed in 30 seconds, allowing users to determine whether their hearts are beating in a regular pattern or if there are signs of atrial fibrillation.
As a potentially life-saving feature, Apple surely wants the ECG functionality to be available in as many countries as possible, so it's likely the company is working with public health agencies in other countries too.
Dutch repair site FixjeiPhone today shared a teardown of the iPhone XS, providing us with our first look inside the 5.8-inch model.
A side-by-side comparison shot with the iPhone X reveals that the internal layout of the iPhone XS has not changed significantly, with the most obvious difference being a new single-cell L-shaped battery with a capacity of 2,658 mAh.
The battery was also L-shaped in the iPhone X, but it was a two-cell configuration, instead of a single lithium-ion battery pack.
While the iPhone XS's battery has around 2.2 percent less capacity than the 2,716 mAh battery in the iPhone X, Apple says the iPhone XS gets up to 30 minutes longer battery life than the iPhone X per charge cycle, presumably due to efficiency gains from the A12 Bionic chip and other components.
FixjeiPhone shared a photo of the iPhone XS almost completely disassembled, but it has not labeled any components or manufacturers.
Their video teardown, which can be watched with English subtitles on YouTube, indicates that the display is a bit harder to remove due to stronger seals that help the iPhone XS achieve its improved IP68-rated water resistance.
Repair site iFixit should have more detailed iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max teardowns soon after the devices launch in stores tomorrow.
In iOS 12, Apple's digital health push includes a couple of special new features for iPhone and iPad users who want to cut down on their app usage: App Limits and Downtime. In this article, we'll show you how to use them.
App Limits allows you to set specific time limits on a particular app category (games, for example). When you've spent the designated time using the app category, iOS sends you an alert notifying you of the fact. Of course, you're free to ignore these alerts, but the idea behind them is that they'll help you manage your time better.
The second feature, Downtime, enables you to set a daily schedule for when you'd rather not use your iOS device at all. Once activated, the feature restricts device usage to phone calls and any apps you've specifically exempted from Downtime. Like App Limits, you can override these restrictions – they're more like good guidance than anything else, and can still help if you honestly want to self-regulate your mobile usage.
Jon M. Chu, best known for directing hit movie "Crazy Rich Asians," was provided with one of Apple's new iPhone XS Max models by WIRED, which he used to shoot a short film in 4K to test out the device's capabilities.
Chu's video was shot handheld using available light using only the native camera app and stabilizer, without any additional equipment or lighting. The video was edited on a computer, but no color correction or post-production tricks were used.
Chu told WIRED he was impressed with how well the iPhone handled moving shots, and to challenge himself, he shot in a garage under fluorescent lights.
"I'm moving around a lot, and the focus was adjusting as I was moving, but it was finding the subject really well," he says. "There's a shot at the end where I'm rushing toward the garage--that's using the built-in stabilizers. It's pretty smooth."
Chu also said the device's color accuracy was notable, as it accurately depicted the real-world colors of the garage where he was filming. "You can see the colors, they really pop," he said."
After the testing, Chu says he's going to upgrade to the iPhone XS Max from the iPhone X, "no question." iPhone XS Max, he says, is lighter than the 8 Plus and "doesn't feel like a plus phone." "The weight, the density -- it doesn't feel like an inconvenience to hold it," he said.
Chu's full two minute video can be watched on YouTube. Called "Somewhere," it focuses on dancer Luigi Rosado's rehearsal space.
In iOS 12, Apple has given users the tools to cut down on disturbances to get more time away from their devices if desired, and one of these new tools is an expanded set of Do Not Disturb options.
Thanks to these changes, there are more convenient options for using Do Not Disturb in iOS 12, and it's also a lot smarter.
How to Get to the New Do Not Disturb Options
Your Do Not Disturb options in the Settings app are largely the same, with the new Do Not Disturb features housed in Control Center.
Open Control Center, through a right-side swipe downwards on the screen of an iPhone X or iPad or by swiping upwards from the Home button on other devices.
3D Touch or long press on the Control Center icon that looks like a moon, which is the icon for Do Not Disturb.
A 3D Touch or a long press brings up all of the Do Not Disturb options, which can be selected with a tap.
Do Not Disturb is a default widget within the Control Center and it's always available, so it's not an option that needs to be enabled through the Control Center customization options.
All of the Ways You Can Use Do Not Disturb in iOS 12
There are multiple new limited-time settings for Do Not Disturb in the Control Center, which automatically turn off after the specified time elapses.
For one hour
Until this evening (or afternoon/morning depending on the time - it's generally a few hours)
Until I leave this location
Until this event ends (if you have a timed event set in your calendar)
A single tap on the icon without selecting an option turns on Do Not Disturb until you tap it again.
Not all of these options will be visible at all times. If you're not in a set location or you don't have any events scheduled, these two options won't appear. The first two, allowing you to set Do Not Disturb for an hour or until the evening/afternoon/morning are always available.
Underneath these options, there's a "Schedule" button (see screenshot at top) that will open up the Settings app so you can set a specific time period for when you want Do Not Disturb to turn on. This is also where you can turn on Do Not Disturb at Bedtime, a feature that prevents notifications from displaying on the iPhone's display at night.
Your general Do Not Disturb settings are available in the Settings app, which can be accessed by going to Settings > Do Not Disturb or through the above mentioned "Schedule" section of the No Not Disturb Control Center widget.
Most of these settings aren't new, but we thought it would be useful to offer a quick primer on Do Not Disturb's other settings alongside what's new in iOS 12.
In the Settings app, you can enable or disable Do Not Disturb, set a specific time for Do Not Disturb to turn on and off, or enable Bedtime Mode.
You can also choose whether Do Not Disturb should mute calls and notifications only while the iPhone is locked or at all times, and there are options to select whether calls from certain people should bypass your Do Not Disturb settings. This section is also where you'll find your Do Not Disturb While Driving options.
Following the release of iOS 12, which brought a few new Apple Music features, Apple has updated its Apple Music app for Android to introduce feature parity.
Today's update brings support for searching by lyrics, an iOS 12 feature that's designed to let you locate songs and artists using song lyrics rather than a song name.
To use the feature, all you need to do is type in a sentence from the lyrics of a particular song and Apple Music will try to find it. This doesn't work with all songs, but it does work with those that offer lyrics in the Apple Music app.
Apple Music for Android is also gaining the new Artist Pages that were introduced in iOS 12, allowing an artist's music to be played with a single tap, and there's support for the Friends Mix.
Friends Mix is a playlist of songs gathered from the people that you're following on Apple Music. Android users can also discover new music through the inclusion of a new Top 100 list that offers up the daily top 100 songs from countries around the world.
After installing the 2.6.0 update, Android users will also be able to use Apple Music with Android Auto for the first time thanks to new Android Auto support.
Following the release of iOS 12, which brought a few new Apple Music features, Apple has updated its Apple Music app for Android to introduce feature parity.
