MacRumors

The upcoming iOS 18 update for the iPhone includes two new Background Sounds: Night and Fire.

Introduced on iOS 15, the Background Sounds feature allows you to play ambient background sounds on your iPhone to help you focus or rest. Other available sounds include Balanced Noise, Bright Noise, Dark Noise, Ocean, Rain, and Stream.

Background Sounds is a free feature built into the iPhone that offers similar functionality as apps such as Dark Noise. We have a step-by-step guide that outlines how to turn on the feature in the Settings app or in Control Center.

iOS 18 is currently in beta for developers, and a public beta will be available soon. The update should be widely released in September.

The new Backgrounds Sounds are also included in the iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia betas.

Apple is believed to have seen a significant 21% increase in Mac shipments for the second quarter of 2024, the largest growth among global PC manufacturers during this period, as part of an industry-wide recovery.

According to a report by IDC, an industry research firm, worldwide shipments of desktops and laptops increased by 3% year-over-year for the quarter ending in June 2024. Apple and Acer led the growth among major manufacturers, with Acer showing a 14% increase in shipments. This marked the second consecutive quarter of growth for the PC industry, following a period of decline after the pandemic-driven surge in purchases during 2020 and 2021.

Ryan Reith, group vice president at IDC, noted that the combination of two consecutive quarters of growth, market excitement around AI-focused PCs, and a commercial refresh cycle, provided a much-needed boost to the PC market. AI-focused PCs are anticipated to drive a new wave of upgrades, though IDC reports that only about 3% of PCs shipped this year are said to be optimized for AI tasks. Apple's Mac lineup is likely to see further traction with the integration of Apple Intelligence, which positions the company to capitalize on the growing demand for AI-optimized PCs.

Apple's shipments jumped 20.8% from the second quarter of 2023, the largest rise among global PC makers. Acer followed with a 13.7% increase. Dell experienced a 2.4% decline in shipments, making it the only major company to see a decrease during this period. A new report from Gartner shows similar figures.

Despite weak demand in China, which held back overall results, excluding China, global shipments grew by more than 5%, according to IDC. Lenovo maintained the highest market share at nearly 23%, while HP saw a 1.8% increase from the previous year, holding 21% of the market.

Canalys, another market research firm, reported a slightly higher global PC market growth of 3.4% year-over-year, with total shipments reaching 62.8 million units in the second quarter of 2024. Apple secured the fourth position with 5.5 million units shipped, translating to a 9% market share, and marking a 6% increase from the same period last year. Lenovo led the market with 14.7 million units shipped, followed by HP with 13.7 million units, and Dell with 10.1 million units.

Mac cloud services provider MacStadium today unveiled Orka Desktop, a free virtualization tool that allows Mac users to create and manage macOS virtual machines locally via an easy-to-use admin panel.

Orka users can create or download custom macOS images locally for their own personal use, or to collaborate with team members using a familiar workflow, versioning, audit, and review controls. The tool has been designed for iOS/macOS Developers, DevOps Engineers, and IT Admins, as well as students, hobbyists, technologists, and others.

MacStadium claims it is the "ideal tool" for those who want to learn more about Mac virtualization and learn how an image can be built and tested locally, then uploaded to the cloud.

"Orka Desktop provides the tools to allow developers to create many different macOS image versions locally, commit those into a shared repository, and pass them around for collaboration. Developers can also scale further by pulling those resources into an Orka Cluster at MacStadium where you can orchestrate workloads with cloud resources," said Chris Chapman, MacStadium's chief technology officer."

MacStadium says Orka Desktop achieves near-native performance on Apple Silicon, with virtualization overhead as low as 5% in most cases. Orka Desktop also wraps and compresses macOS images with an Open Container Initiative (OCI)-compliant specification, which allows it to reduce a 90GB image by as much as 80%, shrinking it to nearly 15GB, making it much easier to move around.

There are two options for creating a new VM in Orka: Clean Install, where the image is created from an existing IPSW file, and Pull Image, where the image is pulled from an Image Repository. There is also an option to pull the latest IPSW directly from Apple's servers. More information can be found in Orka's documentation.

The new VM application requires macOS Ventura or macOS Sonoma running on an Apple silicon Mac with at least 8GB of RAM and more than 50GB of free disk space. Orka Desktop can be downloaded for free from the MacStadium website.

Best Buy today has Apple's 256GB 13-inch M2 MacBook Air for $799.00, down from $999.00. You'll find all four colors on sale at this price, including Midnight, Silver, Space Gray, and Starlight.

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.

Compared to previous sales, this is a match of the all-time low price on the 13-inch M2 MacBook Air. Right now, only Best Buy has this steep discount, and we aren't tracking any notable deals on the 512GB model.

Although there are now updated M3 MacBook Air computers, Apple does still sell the 13-inch M2 MacBook Air as an entry-level option. The model on sale today features an 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, and 8GB RAM, and it should work perfectly for anyone looking for a reliable machine to do basic daily tasks.

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

Samsung today announced the launch of its latest flagship foldable smartphones, the Galaxy Z Fold6 and the Galaxy Z Flip6, plus it introduced new Galaxy earbuds, new smart watches, and more.

The Galaxy Z Fold6 is Samsung's larger foldable device, featuring a 6.3-inch cover display when folded and a 7.6-inch display when opened up. The new model is the slimmest and lightest to date, with a slightly larger cover screen. Samsung designed a new dual rail hinge that is more durable, and there is a strengthened folding edge that better distributes the shock of external impacts. Enhanced layers on the main display improve the crease while boosting strength, and Samsung says it is using Gorilla Glass Victus 2, all of which make this the most durable Galaxy foldable device to date.

There's a 10-megapixel selfie camera, a 4-megapixel under-display camera, and a triple rear camera setup with a 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens, a 50-megapixel wide-angle lens, and a 10-megapixel telephoto lens. Other features include 12GB memory, up to 256GB internal storage, a 4,400mAh battery, a fingerprint sensor, and Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 mobile chip, which is optimized for AI processing.

Galaxy Z Fold6 AI features include a Notes app with translation, summaries, auto formatting, and Composer for the keyboard that generates suggested text and can mimic your tone by analyzing past content. A sketch to image feature for the S Pen turns sketches into more detailed drawings, similar to how Apple's Image Playground feature works in the Notes app on the iPad.

Samsung partnered with Google to integrate the Google Gemini app into its new smartphones, and accessing Gemini can be done by swiping from the corner of the display. AI photo tools include Portrait Studio for creating a variety of portrait styles for images, and Instant Slow-mo for slowing a video by generating additional frames.

The smaller Galaxy Z Flip6 also has a thinner, more durable display, and the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip. It features a 3.4-inch FlexWindow that unfolds into a 6.7-inch smartphone. There's a 10-megapixel selfie camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and a 50-megapixel wide-angle camera.

An AI-based suggested replies feature can be used on the Z Flip6 to respond to texts from the cover screen. The feature analyzes your latest text messages to suggest tailored responses. The FlexWindow can take advantage of many Galaxy AI features such as Samsung Health, and there's support for additional widgets. An AI-powered Photo Ambient wallpaper is able to change in real-time based on the time and weather, and the FlexCam has a new Auto Zoom feature for finding the best framing for a shot.

Other Galaxy AI features on the new smartphones include instant translation for PDFs, equation solving much like Apple's Math Notes, browsing assist for providing translations and summaries of webpages, interpreter for one-way or continuous transcription, and real-time phone call translation.

Alongside the new smartphones, Samsung introduced the Galaxy Buds3 and the Galaxy Buds3 Pro, which have been redesigned to be more comfortable and more AirPods-like. The Buds3 have an open design, while the Buds3 Pro are in-ear with silicone tips and block out ambient noise.

Both models have ANC, but the Pro model offers adaptive noise control much like Apple's AirPods Pro. Samsung says the Buds3 Pro continually identify surrounding sound and adjust the optimal level of noise and sound. Samsung added Blade Lights LED to the Galaxy Buds3 Pro for swipe-based music and volume control.

There are two new Galaxy watches, the Galaxy Watch7 and the Galaxy Watch Ultra. The Watch7 is available in 40mm and 44mm sizes, while the Ultra model is larger at 47mm. The Ultra model is equipped with a titanium casing. With the Galaxy Watch7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra, Samsung beat Apple to a rumored Apple Watch feature, sleep apnea detection. The feature is able to check for potential sides of moderate to severe sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea detection, ECG functionality, and heart rate monitoring use a new BioActive Sensor that Samsung says is more accurate. The Galaxy Watches includes a feature for measuring the production of glycation end products (AGEs) from the wrist using light sensors. Samsung explains that AGEs are a reflection of the overall biological aging process and an indication of metabolic health.

Samsung also provided more detail on the Galaxy Ring, which was first introduced earlier this year. The Galaxy ring is a smart ring that can be used alongside a Galaxy smartphone in lieu of a smart watch. It is made from titanium, comes in black, silver, or gold colors, and is available in nine sizes starting at size five. The ring has a seven day battery life and 10ATM water resistance, so Samsung says it is durable enough to wear anywhere without worry.

The ring tracks several sleep metrics, including movement during sleep, sleep latency, heart rate, and respiratory rate to provide a nightly sleep score, plus it is able to use Galaxy AI to generate an energy score. The energy score uses sleep, activity, sleeping heart rate, and sleeping heart rate variability to provide health insights. Samsung is not charging a subscription fee for the Galaxy Ring, and it has access to all data and insights from the Samsung Health app.

Samsung's new product lineup will be available on July 24, with preorders available starting today. The Galaxy Z Fold6 is priced starting at $1,900, while the Galaxy Z Flip6 is priced starting at $1,100. The Galaxy Ring is priced starting at $400, the Galaxy Watch7 is priced starting at $300, and the Galaxy Watch Ultra is priced starting at $650. Samsung's Galaxy Buds3 are priced starting at $180, and the Galaxy Buds3 Pro are priced starting at $250.

As part of the launch, Samsung is offering significant discounts with up to $1,200 in enhanced trade-in credit when purchasing a Z Fold6 or up to $650 when purchasing a Z Flip6, free storage upgrades on both models, a free band with either the Galaxy Watch Ultra or the Galaxy Watch7, plus savings on the Galaxy Buds3 series. Customers purchasing the Z Fold6 through our link also qualify for a bonus $100 in savings for the first 72 hours.

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

Google today announced that has added a new passkey set-up option to its Advanced Protection Program, allowing Pixel and iPhone owners to use their device's biometric authentication instead of physical security keys.

For those unfamiliar with the Advanced Protection Program, it's designed for high-profile Google product users who need maximum protection from hacking attempts. It's a feature aimed at journalists, activists, business leaders, and others who feel vulnerable to targeted security breaches.

When it launched in 2017, Google required users to have two physical security keys to activate it, and one of those keys plus a password to log in. Last year, the company changed the feature so that users could sign in with just a passkey, but the physical security keys were still required to set it up.

From today, that's no longer the case. When users get started with Google's Advanced Protection Program, they will have the option to set up with either a passkey or a physical security key.

Passkeys are easier to use and more secure than passwords because they let users sign in to apps and sites the same way they unlock their devices: With Face ID, Touch ID, or a device passcode. Passkeys are also resistant to online attacks like phishing, making them more secure than things like SMS one-time codes.

Apple's forthcoming iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will support 40W wired fast charging and 20W MagSafe charging, claims a rumor currently swirling around China.

Right now, iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models are capable of up to 27W peak charging speeds with an appropriate USB-C power adapter, while official MagSafe chargers from Apple and authorized third parties can wirelessly charge the iPhone 15 models at up to 15W. All four iPhone 15 models can charge up to 50% in around 30 minutes with a 20W or higher power adapter, which is the same as Apple's previous iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 models.

According to ITHome, that's set to change for the Pro models in Apple's upcoming iPhone 16 lineup, with a boost to 40W wired and 20W wireless charging in order to "balance and improve the problem of increasing charging time caused by the increase in battery capacity."

This rationale relates to another rumor that – with the exception of the iPhone 16 Plus – models in Apple's ‌iPhone 16 series will feature larger batteries than their predecessors.

The claim about increased charging wattage resurrects a similar rumor we covered here at MacRumors almost a year ago, when it was reported that the iPhone 16 lineup would adopt stacked battery technology, alongside 40W wired charging and 20W charging via ‌MagSafe‌. Stacked batteries can result in a higher capacity and longer lifespan.

It's unclear why the rumor is again doing the rounds in Asia, but given that we are only two months out from Apple unveiling its new flagship devices, there could be something in it. The iPhone 16 series is expected to be released sometime around mid-September.

Apple will not take an observer role on OpenAI's board as part of a deal to integrate ChatGPT into its devices, according to the Financial Times.

Bloomberg last week reported that Apple Fellow and App Store chief Phil Schiller would to take the position as part of its agreement with OpenAI, which will see ChatGPT integrated into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia.

A board observer is an informal board position where the participant is able to attend and contribute to board meetings, but is not allowed to vote and has no control.

However, FT today reported that both Apple and Microsoft have given up their seats as observers on the board, amid increased scrutiny by regulators of Big Tech's investments in AI startups.

OpenAI will instead host regular meetings with partners as part of "a new approach to informing and engaging key strategic partners," an OpenAI spokesperson said. The meetings will be held with Sarah Friar, the company's chief financial officer.

The European Commission last month said it was exploring the possibility of an antitrust investigation into Microsoft and OpenAI's partnership. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is also looking at investments made by companies including Microsoft, Amazon, and Google into generative AI start-ups.

Apple and OpenAI's deal will see Siri able to hand complicated user requests over to ChatGPT with explicit user permission. OpenAI is not paying Apple to integrate ChatGPT in its operating systems, nor is Apple paying OpenAI. No money is being exchanged under the terms of the arrangement at the current time.

With the third betas of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and tvOS 18, Apple has added InSight to the Apple TV app. InSight was announced as a new addition in the latest software updates at WWDC, but it was not implemented in earlier betas.

Available for some ‌Apple TV‌+ shows and movies, InSight provides details on the actors in each scene and any music that's playing. InSight is located at the bottom of the ‌Apple TV‌ app interface when a show is playing, and it updates dynamically.

Actor names are displayed in a list, and if you tap on one, the show is moved to picture-in-picture mode and the TV app displays other shows and moves that person has appeared in. Tapping on a song name adds it to a "Saved Songs" section in Apple Music.

InSight is particularly useful on an ‌Apple TV‌ running tvOS 18 because if you connect an iPhone running ‌iOS 18‌, you can see InSight information in the Remote app without interrupting the show or movie.

InSight is similar to the Amazon X-Ray feature available for Prime Video content, but it does not provide trivia or full cast information. As of right now, InSight is not available for all ‌Apple TV‌+ shows, and appears to be limited to newer series. Apple will likely bring the feature to additional content prior to when ‌iOS 18‌, ‌iPadOS 18‌, and tvOS 18 launch.

Apple this month refreshed the security support document that provides iPhone, iPad, and Mac users with tips on how to recognize and avoid social engineering schemes like phishing messages and fake support calls.

The updated information follows recent reports of "smishing" attacks targeting Apple IDs. Malicious actors have been sending out SMS text messages that attempt to get users to provide their Apple ID usernames and passwords on a fake iCloud website.

Apple's guidelines provide key information that all users should be aware of to protect themselves, such as a recommendation to ignore messages with suspicious links. Apple says that it will not ask for ‌Apple ID‌ passwords or verification codes, and users should contact Apple directly rather than answering a suspicious phone call or message claiming to be from Apple.

Further, Apple will not ask users to log into any website, to tap Accept in the two-factor authentication dialog, or to enter a two-factor code into a website. Apple will also not request that users disable features like two-factor authentication, Find My, or Stolen Device Protection. Apple's security tips:

• Never share personal data or security information like passwords or security codes, and never agree to enter them into a webpage that someone directs you to.
• Protect your ‌Apple ID‌. Use two-factor authentication, always keep your contact information secure and up to date, and never share your ‌Apple ID‌ password or verification codes with anyone. Apple never asks for this information to provide support.
• Never use Apple Gift Cards to make payments to other people.
• Learn how to identify legitimate Apple emails about your App Store or iTunes Store purchases.
• Learn how to keep your Apple devices and data secure.
• Download software only from sources you can trust.
• Don't follow links or open or save attachments in suspicious or unsolicited messages.
• Don't answer suspicious phone calls or messages claiming to be from Apple. Instead, contact Apple directly through official support channels.

Scammers will go to great lengths to get personal information, so Apple recommends watching out for tricks like creating a sense of urgency through scare tactics like stolen personal information or unauthorized charges. Scammers are after login information and security codes, so that information should not be entered on a website accessed through a link in a text or an email.

Apple also warns against downloading unrecognized, unsafe software and configuration profiles and following instructions on pop-ups. Users who receive a pop-up should ignore the message and close the entire window or tab.

Apple has further instructions on how to spot social engineering schemes, the forms those schemes can take, and how to report suspicious emails, messages, and phone calls. There is a separate support document on what to expect from Apple Support and the kinds of information Apple will not request.

Apple today shared the first trailer for upcoming Apple TV+ series Time Bandits, which is based on the 1981 movie that has the same name. Time Bandits was created by Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clement, and Iain Morris, all of whom are known for popular shows.

Waititi and Clement previously teamed up for What We Do in the Shadows, and Waititi has recently worked on Reservation Dogs and Our Flag Means Death. Morris is known for creating The Inbetweeners.

Time Bandits will see an eleven-year-old history nerd teaming up with a ragtag group of thieves to journey through time and space to hunt down treasure. In the trailer, eleven-year-old Kevin finds a portal in the wardrobe in his closet, and is seen journeying through historic locations across time.

The first two episodes of the 10-episode show are set to premiere on Wednesday, July 24, with two additional episodes to follow each week.

Smart home device maker Aqara today announced the launch of the Smart Lock U200, its latest HomeKit-compatible lock option. The U200 has a number of smart features, including compatibility with home key for hands-free door unlocking.

Aqara's latest smart lock uses the Matter smart home protocol, so it works with HomeKit and other Matter-compatible smart home platforms. Aqara says the Smart Lock U200 is one of the first Matter-over-Thread locks that supports the NFC-based home key feature for the iPhone and Apple Watch.

Home key is designed to allow the U200 to unlock when an ‌iPhone‌ or Apple Watch is tapped against the lock, with a digital key stored in the Wallet app. The feature can be set up to allow for unlocking without authentication thanks to an Express Mode feature for quick entry, and unlocking works even if the user's Apple Watch or ‌iPhone‌ runs out of battery.

Like last year's U100 Smart Lock, the U200 is able to sense if the door is open, sending an alert if someone forgets to close the door. It is also able to lock the door automatically after it is shut, which is a handy option.

Multiple entry methods are supported, including unlocking with an ‌iPhone‌ or Apple Watch, a mechanical key, PIN code, fingerprint scan, Aqara app, or an NFC card. There are options for providing one-time passwords and periodic passwords to guests. When enabled, the U200's Quiet Unlock mode disables all beeping and other notifications that typically accompany an unlock, with noise limited to the whir of the motor.

The U200 is sleeker and less industrial looking than the U100 Smart Lock, and it is designed to fit over existing locks without needing modification. There is a rechargeable battery inside that is designed to last for up to six months, and the keypad is powered by AAA batteries or a hardwired connection.

As a Matter-over-Thread device, using the Aqara U200 with a ‌HomeKit‌ setup will require a home hub like the HomePod, HomePod mini, or Apple TV 4K Wi-Fi + Ethernet.

The Smart Lock U200 is available from Amazon for $270. It comes in either black or silver.

Fans of popular Apple TV+ series Severance have been waiting for news about the second season of the show, and it looks like Apple will soon deliver.

A teaser for the new season was shared on social media today, featuring a dim hallway with a red blinking light. The blinking light is Morse code that appears to translate to "tomorrow." Severance cast members including Adam Scott have also been teasing an upcoming announcement, so all signs point to an imminent news release about the series two premiere date.

Season two finished filming in April, so it is unlikely that the show is ready to debut tomorrow. Apple is probably teasing the first trailer for season two and a possible launch date announcement.

With its mysterious work environment and workers that agree to separate "innie" and "outie" personas, Severance has become one of the most discussed ‌Apple TV‌+ shows.

Apple today released a second beta firmware for the AirPods Pro 2, including both the Lightning and USB-C versions. The updated firmware has a build number 7A5244b and it is available to developers at the current time. This is the second firmware update that Apple has released since announcing new ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 features in June.

There are several new features that are coming to the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 as part of iOS 18, and these features are included in the firmware update.

With head gestures, users can control Siri on the ‌AirPods Pro‌ with a shake or a nod of the head. If you get a phone call, for example, you can shake your head no if you don't want to answer it, or nod to accept the call. ‌Siri‌ interactions can be used for responding to incoming messages, calls, and notifications.

Apple is adding Voice Isolation to the ‌AirPods Pro‌ to cut down on loud background sounds to make you easier to hear, and there is a new Personalized Spatial Audio feature specific to gaming. Game developers will be able to incorporate spatial audio into their games for a more immersive audio experience.

The new firmware requires a device running ‌iOS 18‌ to install, and it won't be available to the public until this fall.

Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming macOS Sonoma 14.6 update to developers, with the software coming a week after Apple released the second beta.

Registered developers can opt-in to the beta through the Software Update section of the System Settings app. Note that an Apple ID associated with an Apple Developer account is required to get the beta.

We don't yet know what might be included in macOS Sonoma 14.6, and no new features have been discovered in the betas so far.

Apple today seeded the third betas of upcoming iOS 17.6 and iPadOS 17.6 updates to developers for testing purposes, with software coming a little over a week after the second iOS and iPadOS 17.6 betas.

Registered developers are able to opt into the betas by opening up the Settings app, going to the Software Update section, tapping on the "Beta Updates" option, and toggling on the iOS 17 or iPadOS 17 Developer Beta. An Apple ID associated with a developer account is required to download and install the beta.

The features Apple promised for iOS 17 have all been implemented, so it is not clear what will be included in iOS 17.6, and no major new additions have been discovered in the betas so far.

With Apple focusing on iOS 18, it is likely that iOS 17.6 will include bug fixes and other under-the-hood improvements.

Apple today released the third beta of an upcoming visionOS 1.3 update to developers, allowing them to test new features ahead of the software seeing a public launch. The third visionOS 1.3 beta comes a week after the release of the second beta.

The visionOS beta can be downloaded by going to the Settings app on the device and toggling on developer betas. A registered developer account is required, and Apple recommends making a backup before installing new software.

Apple may make further improvements to Personas, EyeSight, and other features with visionOS 1.3, as well as implement additional bug fixes. No new features were found in the first two visionOS 1.3 betas.