Apple today released a new firmware update for the AirPods Pro 2, including both the Lightning and USB-C versions. The firmware has a build number of 7A5290a, up from 7A5266c, and it is available to developers at the current time. This is the fourth firmware update that Apple has released since announcing new AirPods Pro 2 features in June.
There are multiple 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 is limited to developers at the current time, but it will be available to all iOS 18 users following the public launch of the new software.
Apple today began sending out emails to customers letting them know about upcoming changes that are being made to the Apple Cash Terms and Conditions.
iOS 18 and watchOS 11 introduce Tap to Cash, a feature that allows users to exchange Apple Cash in person by holding an iPhone or Apple Watch near another iPhone or Apple Watch. As part of this feature implementation, Apple is changing the identity verification rules surrounding Apple Cash.
Starting on October 4, Apple will require that iPhone and Apple Watch users verify their identity to send more than a total of $500 in peer-to-peer transfers, which includes sending Apple Cash via Messages and making Tap to Cash payments. Identity verification is required whether sending money from an Apple Cash balance or from a supported card in the Wallet app. Prior transactions will count toward the limit that will trigger identity verification.
Apple already requires identity verification for Apple Cash for those who use the feature frequently. Apple's support document says that users cannot add or receive $500 or more in total without identity verification, so it sounds like verification will also be required when sending large amounts of money as of October.
Identify verification for Apple Cash involves taking photos of a driver's license or ID card, as well as answering personal history questions and providing information like home address, date of birth, and social security number.
Identity verification for sending payments makes sense as Tap to Cash will allow money to be exchanged without being accompanied by personal information like phone number. Tap to Cash is designed for private in-person transactions where Apple Cash is exchanged.
Apple's email to customers also says that it is adding the Vision Pro as a supported device for Apple Cash and that weekly peer-to-peer transfer limits will apply to transfers that are sent as well as received. Apple allows users to send or receive a maximum of $10,000 within a 7-day period.
The iPhone 16 lineup will feature a significant number of new camera features and capabilities, AppleInsider reports.
Both the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models are rumored to step up the iPhone's photography and videography functions, including upgraded hardware such as 48-megapixel sensor on the Pro models' ultra wide camera and software such as macro photography for the standard models and an all-new image format. Reiterating some previous rumors, the report claims that:
The iPhone 16's main camera will remain the same as that of the iPhone 15 with a 48-megapixel sensor and a f/1.6 aperture, and there are unlikely to be changes to the unit on subsequent generations through to 2026.
The iPhone 16's ultra wide camera will gain a f/2.2 aperture, up from the f/2.4 aperture on the previous generation, to improve low-light performance.
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus may support macro photography for the first time. The feature is currently exclusive to the Pro models.
The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will continue to feature a 48-megapixel main camera with an f/1.78 aperture.
The iPhone 16 Pro will gain the 5x tetraprism telephoto camera introduced on the iPhone 15 Pro Max last year, replacing the current 3x telephoto camera.
The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will feature an upgraded ultra wide camera with a 48-megapixel sensor, with the same pixel-binning feature as the main camera. It will have an f/2.2 aperture, up from f/2.4, for significantly improved low-light performance and support 48-megapixel ProRaw photography.
Apple will introduce a new image format called "JPEG-XL," sitting alongside HEIF, JPEG, HEIF Max, ProRaw, and ProRAW Max.
The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will support 3K video at 120 frames per second with Dolby Vision.
A new capacitive "Capture" button will be introduced on all four models, designed to be used exclusively by camera apps. Users will apparently be able to select which camera app the button opens, including third-party ones.
The Capture button offers a force-sensitive half-press tied to a developer API that could, for example, lock exposure and focus, before fully depressing the button to take a photo.
Sliding along the capacitive button will also perform different actions. This gesture will tout a developer API.
The iPhone 16 lineup is expected to be announced in just a matter of weeks. The Pro models are expected to feature larger display sizes and a faster chip, while the standard models are set to offer the Action button and a redesigned rear camera array. See our comprehensive roundup for more information.
Apple today shared new ads focusing on Final Cut Pro 10.8, the latest version of the Apple-designed app for professional video editing. The first ad highlights Final Cut Pro for the Mac, while the second covers Final Cut Pro for iPad.
Both videos walk through the different features that are available in Final Cut Pro on the Mac and the iPad. The Mac video walks through different tools for adding effects and organizing footage, while the iPad ad shows off the touch-based gestures and Apple Pencil integration.
With Final Cut Pro 10.8, which came out in June, Apple added Enhance Light and Color, an feature that improves color, color balance, contrast, and brightness in one step. Slo-Mo, another AI feature, blends the frames of video intelligently to provide higher-quality movement.
Apple also introduced Final Cut Camera, an app that can capture video from multiple iOS devices and feed it into Final Cut Pro for a multicam experience.
Final Cut Pro is priced at $300 for the Mac version, and $49 per year or $4.99 per month for the iPad version. Apple offers a free 90-day trial.
Apple is making additional changes to its app ecosystem in the European Union to comply with the terms of the Digital Markets Act. The default browser selection experience that's already in place will be updated, Apple will allow EU users to set defaults for more types of apps, and core iOS apps like Messages and the App Store will also be deletable.
iPhone owners in the EU can already set different defaults for the browser, mail app, app marketplace, and contactless payments, but Apple is going to allow users to select new defaults for phone calls, messaging, password managers, keyboards, call spam filters, navigation, and translation. That means, for example, that EU users will be able to choose an app like WhatsApp instead of Messages to be their default texting app, or a mapping app like Waze to be the default instead of Apple Maps.
Apple has not yet provided insight into just how setting a new default will work for messaging apps, navigation, password managers, and more, and the company plans to provide more information as the launch date for these features approaches. New defaults for phone calls, messaging, password managers, spam call filters, and keyboards will be able to be set starting with an update to iOS 18 coming later this year, while the option to set different navigation and translation defaults will be implemented in spring 2025.
To handle the multitude of new default apps that can be set, Apple is adding a Default Apps section to the Settings app. It will list all of the defaults available to each user for easy management.
Along with setting new apps as defaults, Apple will let users delete core apps. The App Store, Messages, Camera, Photos, and Safari apps will be able to be deleted, so it's essentially just the Settings and Phone apps that will not be able to be removed in the EU. If a user deletes the App Store app, it will be able to be reinstalled from the Settings app if desired, while the other apps can be reinstalled from the App Store.
With iOS 17.4, EU users were able to select a default browser from a randomized list of the top 12 browsers in their country. In a future update to iOS 18, the browser choice window will pop up again if a user has Safari set as their default. The new browser selection experience will include a descriptive line about the browser, as well as the option to set a default browser right from the choice window. If a user selects a browser that is already installed on their device, it will open automatically, otherwise there will be a downloading icon and the browser will open after it's downloaded. Users will also need to scroll through the full list of available browser options before being able to make a selection.
Note that the option to set a default browser will only show up again for users who have Safari as the default, so if an EU user has already selected Chrome, the choice window will not pop up again with the iOS 18 update coming later in the year. Users will also see the selection interface on all of their devices rather than just one, and it will show up when Safari is opened for the first time after updating. Setting a new default when Safari is on the user's Home Screen or Dock will see the new default browser replace the Safari icon.
The browser default popup will also be displayed when migrating to a new device if the user previously had Safari set as the default.
The changes that Apple is making are applicable for iPhone and iPad users in the European Union with updates to iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, and will not be available in other countries like the United States.
Amazon today has the Apple Studio Display for $1,299.99, down from $1,599.00, which is a match of the all-time low price on the monitor. This is the standard glass version of the Studio Display with the tilt adjustable stand, and Amazon also has a few other models on sale as well.
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You can get the standard glass model with the VESA Mount Adapter for $1,299.99, down from $1,599.00, but there isn't currently a sale on the tilt- and height-adjustable stand model. In regards to the VESA model, this is a match of the all-time low price on the display.
If you want to upgrade to the nano-texture glass option, Amazon also has this model of the Studio Display on sale. It's available for $1,599.00, down from $1,899.00, which is a second-best price on the Studio Display with nano-texture glass.
The Studio Display features a 27-inch 5K retina display with a 5120 x 2880 resolution and up to 600 nits of brightness. Apple says that the standard display is engineered for "extremely low reflectivity," but for rooms where there is a lot of glare, Apple suggests the nano-texture glass option with even less reflectivity.
Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.
Apple's rumored foldable MacBook won't arrive until the end of 2027 or 2028 at the earliest because of technical challenges, according to the latest prediction by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
When folded, the laptop was rumored to be a full-size on-screen keyboard that seamlessly integrates the typing experience into the display itself. When completely unfolded, the device was said to function as a standard monitor. Paired with an external keyboard, it would essentially transform into a large-screen desktop setup.
Kuo in May said that LG Display was aiming to begin mass production of display panels for a MacBook with a 20.2-inch or an 18.8-inch foldable screen in the fourth quarter of 2025. However, his latest post on X (Twitter) claims that Apple has canceled the 20-inch design and has now settled on a display size of 18.8 inches.
"Some market participants previously expected Apple to launch the foldable iPad in 2025," said Kuo in his latest post. "But the current supply chain survey indicates that the foldable iPad has no visibility. This may also be because some call this foldable MacBook a foldable iPad."
Apple has been experimenting with various devices with foldable displays, including a foldable iPad and MacBook. Obviously the MacBook is already foldable, but Apple has reportedly been exploring an all-display MacBook form factor that has no standard keyboard.
Display analyst Ross Young said in July 2022 that Apple could bring some kind of foldable laptop to market in 2026 or 2027, and it remains unclear if such a device would be classified as a Mac, an iPad, or something in between.
In a May report, Haitong analyst Jeff Pu said Apple's first foldable devices would reach mass production in 2025 and 2026, following increasing evidence of foldable devices in Apple's supply chain. At the time, the analyst said Apple would likely release a large-screen foldable iPad or MacBook in that timeframe before launching a higher-volume foldable iPhone in late 2026.
Pu had claimed one Apple foldable with a 20.3-inch display would start production in late 2025, which was sooner than previously expected. However, Pu later said he believed Apple would join the foldable market in the second quarter of 2026 due to "display durability issues," reflecting Apple's intention to perfect a foldable design. It seems Apple is still in the prototyping stage of a foldable device. Would you be interested in such a product? Let us know in the comments.
Yesterday marked the fifth anniversary of the Apple Card, which saw an official release on August 20, 2019. The Apple Card is Apple's first and only Apple-branded credit card, made available in partnership with Goldman Sachs.
At launch, the Apple Card was only available in the United States, and today, five years later, it is still limited to the United States and has not expanded to additional countries. Just a month after the Apple Card's debut, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that Apple was interested in expanding the Apple Card to multiple countries, but that it would take time due to various regulations around the world.
There have been rumors of Apple Card talks in Europe, and Apple trademarked Apple Card in Europe, Hong Kong, and Canada, but no deals have emerged. Apple Card expanding to additional countries is even more up in the air with Apple's upcoming decoupling from Goldman Sachs.
Apple is planning to end its partnership with Goldman Sachs in 2025, and it will need to find a new Apple Card provider in the United States. Apple and Goldman Sachs ran into trouble with customer service issues for disputed Apple Card transactions, as well as complaints with wait times for Apple Savings account withdrawals.
Goldman Sachs even ended up being investigated by the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau because of customer complaints, which led to a souring of the bank's relationship with Apple. Goldman Sachs now plans to get out of consumer banking entirely.
The Apple Card is a no-fee credit card with no annual fees, no international fees, no fees for making a late payment, and no fees for exceeding a credit limit. There aren't consumer protections like one might get with an American Express card, but there is deep integration with the Wallet app for tracking spending.
Apple provides 1 percent Daily Cash back on all purchases, 2 percent for Apple Pay purchases, and 3 percent for Apple Pay purchases from the Apple Store. Daily Cash is sent to customers each day, hence the name.
Apple has not commented on the possibility of expanding Apple Card to additional countries in some time, and there is no word on whether that's still the plan.
Google last week introduced the Pixel 9 smartphone lineup, with a selection of new devices that are focused on AI. All of the Pixel 9 phones support Gemini AI, and Google has also added AI-based image generation and editing tools. Reviewers have been testing the new smartphone features, and the AI image generation is probably going to turn into a PR nightmare for Google based on what's come out so far.
Google introduced an AI image generation app for the Pixel phones, called Pixel Studio. It's designed to create stickers and images using text-based prompts, and it looks and sounds a lot like Apple's planned Image Playground. So far, reviewers have been able to create all manner of questionable images with Pixel Studio, ranging from a Nazi version of Spongebob to Elmo with an AK47.
Image via Digital Trends
Digital Trends had no trouble getting Pixel Studio to make images of beloved cartoon characters doing questionable activities. Guns, drugs, and alcohol were not off-limits, nor were offensive situations like school shootings. Pixel Studio did not generate these kinds of images unless asked, but that's most likely what people will immediately do with the feature rather than generating images of cute cats and bunnies.
Google said that there were "safety checks" in place to keep Pixel Studio from being "used nefariously," and there are some. Pixel Studio will not create images of humans, and Google is tweaking the AI in response to reviews. After speaking with Google, Digital Trends was no longer able to get Pixel Studio to create cartoon characters using cocaine or dressed as German soldiers.
Even more concerning than Pixel Studio is Google's "Reimagine" tool, which can add objects to photos that you've already taken. The Verge used it to add corpses, bombs, drugs, and disasters to images, and objects included in photos look so realistic that it's difficult to tell when an image has been edited. Google is able to do a pretty good job matching lighting and perspective to the original photo, and there are no watermarks or flags on social media. Google does add a metadata tag, but that's easy enough to eliminate with a screenshot.
You can, of course, use Reimagine for adding sunsets and rainbows to your image, just like you can use Pixel Studio for creating fun pictures, and both AI features work great, so these tools aren't all bad. Android Authority shared a post with Oreo pizza, a giraffe surfing, and kittens playing basketball, for example. As The Verge points out, you could always add a body to an image or create a picture of Elmo with a gun, but it would take some Photoshop skill and time to do so. With the Pixel phones, it takes just a thought and a few seconds to create that kind of image, and it's right there on the smartphone for anyone to use.
In statements to The Verge and Digital Trends, Google said that it designed its generative AI tools to "respect the intent of user prompts" which can lead to the creation of content "that may offend" when the user asks for it. But Google claims that there are "Terms of Service" on what content is not allowed, and that safeguards will be continually refined.
Apple hasn't yet introduced its image generation tools, Image Playground or Genmoji, and the media surrounding the Pixel 9 launch gives us some insight into what the response might be like if Apple doesn't get it just right. With AI, it's likely that people are going to be able to find workarounds even if Apple puts numerous safeguards in place. Apple so far has shied away from photorealistic AI images, but Google is going all in, and it's going to be much harder to trust photos on social media and the internet going forward.
App Store vice president Matt Fischer is set to leave the company as Apple prepares for an App Store reorganization to deal with regulatory changes, reports Bloomberg.
Apple plans to split its App Store group into two teams, one that handles the App Store and a second team that oversees alternative app distribution. As of earlier this year, Apple has supported iOS app downloads from alternative app stores and from websites in the European Union, a change that the company had to make to comply with the Digital Markets Act.
To handle ongoing compliance with EU regulations for app distribution and alternative payment methods, App Store chief Phil Schiller is changing the App Store's hierarchy.
Fischer joined Apple in 2003 to oversee iTunes marketing, but he has served as the vice president of the App Store since 2010. In an email to Apple employees today, Fischer said that he had been thinking about leaving Apple for some time, and the reorganization provided the right opportunity.
With Fischer leaving, App Store senior director Carson Oliver will oversee the App Store, and Ann Thai, a director who oversees App Store features, will head up the team that handles alternative app distribution.
There is a new character bug that can result in a respring on the iPhone or iPad, reports TechCrunch. Typing "":: in the search field after swiping over to the App Library will cause the Springboard to reset, dropping you back at the iPhone's Lock Screen. A respring is not a full reset, and it only takes a few seconds for the iPhone to be functional again.
Typing the same characters into the Settings app search interface will cause the Settings app to crash, but putting it in a Spotlight search doesn't seem to impact anything. The respring seemed to only happen on devices running iOS 17 when we tested, but putting those characters into a search interface on a device running iOS 18 does result in some odd behavior, such as the characters disappearing and the Settings app crashing.
You can actually type in just "": and any other character to cause the respring to happen, so it's something related to the first three symbols in a four character sequence.
Character bugs have in the past spread though Messages and have allowed users to crash the iPhones of others, but this is a much more insignificant issue because the iPhone owner needs to manually type (or paste) the characters into a search interface. There does not appear to be a way to affect an iPhone through Messages or another texting platform.
It's likely Apple will address the issue with an iOS update in the near future.
It's been almost a year since the iPhone 15 models were released, so MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera decided to do a one-year check-in review on the iPhone 15 Pro Max to see how it's performed over the last 12 months.
Unsurprisingly, Dan has seen some iPhone battery degradation, and it's dropped to 89 percent. That's with regular CarPlay usage, running betas, and standard day-to-day use. Even at 89 percent, the battery can still last for a full day without needing a charge.
As for the titanium chassis, it's held up well. There are a few nicks due to minor drops, but the display has seen a lot more damage with several scratches, some of which are deep.
The transition to USB-C has been a little tough just because there are still people with Lightning iPhones. If someone wants to borrow your charger, you may not have the right cable if you've switched to USB-C and they're still on Lightning.
Dan uses the Action Button for opening up the Camera app, but there's so much more that the Action Button can do in iOS 18, and it's going to get a lot more useful in the future. You can set Control Center controls to the Action Button, and developers can make new controls for apps that you can use.
There's not too much to say about the triple-lens camera setup, which is great. The 5x zoom lens is excellent for taking portrait pictures of people, and it's been a solid improvement. Otherwise, the cameras are fantastic with a lot of focal length versatility thanks to the new zoom option.
Overall, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has held up well, and if you have one (or a Pro), there's no real need to upgrade to the iPhone 16 models. The A17 Pro in the iPhone 15 Pro is incredibly fast and there's no way most people are even reaching the limits of its capabilities at this time, and Apple isn't adding too much more than an extra Capture Button and a slightly larger display in 2024. You can already use Apple Intelligence if you have an iPhone 15 Pro model, so there's not a lot to get out of a year-over-year upgrade.
If you have an older iPhone, it's worth looking at the iPhone 16 models, or even an iPhone 15 Pro when prices drop and they're discontinued. All of the iPhone 16 models will have a chip compatible with Apple Intelligence, a Capture Button, and an Action Button, so there's a lot to gain coming from an iPhone 14 or earlier.
How has your iPhone 15 held up if you have one? Let us know in the comments below.
Apple today released the fourth beta of watchOS 11 to public beta testers, allowing non-developers to give the new features a try ahead of when the software launches this fall. The fifth beta comes a week after the fourth beta.
watchOS 11 can be downloaded after signing up on Apple's beta software website and upgrading your iPhone to the public beta version of iOS 18. You'll need to open up the Watch app on iPhone, go to General, select Software Update, and choose the watchOS 11 Public Beta option under Beta Updates.
With watchOS 11, Apple added a new Vitals app that can be used to give you a daily overview of your health metrics, letting you know if anything is out of the ordinary. It compares information collected at night like heart rate, sleep, respiratory rate, and oxygen level to your levels over the previous weeks.
Smart Stack has new widgets like Translate and Shazam, plus it's smarter because it is able to suggest widgets based on time, date, location, and daily routine. Interactive widgets let you access app features from the Smart Stack, and it also supports Live Activities.
Training Load is a new way of measuring how the intensity and duration of workouts impact the body over time, with Apple providing an effort level for cardio-based workouts to help you know when to rest and when to push harder.
You can now customize your Activity Ring requirements for different days of the week, and Apple added support for rest days. Taking a break from activity will no longer ruin a streak because you can pause for a day, a week, a month, or more.
Other new features include more workout types, Check In for Messages, a revamped Photos watch face, improvements to Double Tap, and more, with additional information available in our watchOS 11 roundup.
Nomad today introduced its latest multi-device charger, debuting a new version of the Stand One Max with Qi2 support. Rather than continuing to use MagSafe, Nomad is transitioning to Qi2, the latest Qi charging standard that is able to charge iPhones at MagSafe speeds.
The Stand One Max can charge an iPhone at up to 15W, and we were able to test the charger out ahead of launch. An iPhone 15 Pro Max charged from 0 to 39 percent in an hour, which is essentially identical to MagSafe charging speeds.
The Stand One Max features an upright charging base for the iPhone with a small charging arm for the Apple Watch and a Qi-based platform for charging the AirPods. It's a compact design that takes up little room on a desk, and as with all Nomad products, it is well-made. Nomad had a prior version of the Stand One Max, but the new version moves the Apple Watch charger lower to allow for compatibility with the iPhone's StandBy mode.
The Stand One Max is crafted from solid metal and it has a shiny glass cover panel. It can be purchased in silver or carbide colors, and the close to 2 pound weight adds stability, as does the rubber bottom. An iPhone can be positioned on the magnetic base in portrait or landscape mode, so StandBy is supported. The angle of the charging base cannot be adjusted, but it is tilted back slightly for a comfortable viewing position on a desktop or nightstand.
In addition to charging a MagSafe-compatible iPhone at up to 15W, the Stand One Max has an Apple Watch fast charger so that it can charge the Series 7 or later at the fastest possible speed. The position of the Apple Watch charger allows for Night Stand mode to be used, which also wasn't possible with the prior iteration. The AirPods charger charges at 5W, and there is a small indentation to guide positioning.
The relocated position of the Apple Watch charger is convenient because it no longer prevents the iPhone from charging in landscape mode, and there is no loss of functionality. The AirPods charger is pushed back behind the Apple Watch charger, and the overall footprint is about the same. It is a better design than the prior Stand One Max, and it is less expensive with the transition to Qi2.
The new Stand One Max is priced at $150, which is $30 lower than the price of the prior MagSafe version. You will need to supply your own 30W power adapter, but a USB-C power cable is included. The Stand One Max can be purchased from the Nomad website as of today.
Nomad is also offering a flash sale on its Base One Max chargers this week, discounting them by 30 percent with the promo code BM130. The Base One Max has a flat charging base so it can charge non-MagSafe smartphones.
Today we're tracking a big collection of discounts on Bluetooth trackers and portable power stations, including Apple's own AirTag, Anker's more affordable brand of Eufy SmartTrack accessories, and power stations from Jackery. All of these deals can be found on Amazon.
AirTag
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Starting with the AirTag, you can get the 1 Pack for $24.99 and the 4 Pack of trackers for $79.99 on Amazon, down from $99.00. These are both solid second-best prices on the AirTag.
Anyone who needs a Bluetooth tracker but wants to save a bit of money should look at Anker's Eufy brand of trackers, which are on sale on Amazon right now and compatible with Find My on Apple devices. These start at just $15.99 for one tracker and raise to $48.99 for a 4 Pack.
If you want a tracker that you can fit in a wallet, Eufy's SmartTrack Card is a great solution at $19.99, down from $29.99. Most of Eufy's trackers can be delivered between August 22 and August 27, and none of these deals require a coupon code in order to see the final sale prices.
Finally, Jackery has a large collection of discounts on its best portable power stations on Amazon this week, starting at $199.99 for the Explorer 100 Plus Power Station, down from $229.00. Most of these deals require you to clip an on-page coupon in order to see the final deal price at checkout.
Paid iCloud storage overwhelmingly remains the most popular Apple service in the United States, according to a new report from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP).
Nearly two-thirds of Apple customers in the United States opt for paid iCloud storage, surpassing other services like Apple Music, Apple TV+, and AppleCare in terms of user adoption. In comparison, Apple Music and Apple TV+ have achieved moderate penetration rates among Apple customers, with 42% and 32% adoption, respectively. AppleCare, the company's extended warranty service, sees even lower adoption, with only 17% of iPhone buyers opting for the additional coverage.
These other services, while significant contributors to Apple's Services revenue, operate in highly competitive markets, unlike the cloud storage market where no service is able to offer such a deeply integrated experience with Apple devices as iCloud. Many users opt for just one music service and multiple video subscriptions, which limits the growth potential for Apple's subscription offerings. As Apple's hardware sales growth slows, the company has increasingly turned to its services segment as a source of revenue.
Paid iCloud subscriptions start at $0.99 per month for 50GB of storage, $2.99 per month for 200GB, and $9.99 per month for 2TB. These standalone iCloud storage plans can also be bundled with other Apple services through Apple One, which offers three tiers: the Individual plan at $16.95 per month includes 50GB of iCloud storage, Apple Music, Apple TV+, and Apple Arcade; the Family plan at $22.95 per month includes 200GB of iCloud storage and extends those services to up to six family members; and the Premier plan at $32.95 per month includes 2TB of iCloud storage and adds Apple News+ and Apple Fitness+.
The UK's Competition and Market Authority (CMA) today announced it had closed an investigation into Apple's App Store policies, as it expects to consider the concerns under a new digital markets competition regime which is expected to come into force later this year.
Originally initiated in March 2021, the CMA's investigation set out to determine whether or not Apple has a dominant position in connection with the distribution of apps on Apple devices in the UK – and, if so, whether Apple imposes unfair or anti-competitive terms on developers using the App Store, such as by charging a 30% commission on transactions.
The watchdog opened a similar probe into Google, which it believed breached UK competition law by making app developers use its own billing system for in-app purchases. The CMA now says it has closed the Competition Act cases into Google's Play Store and Apple's App Store on the grounds of administrative priorities and has not taken any decisions as to whether the Competition Act 1998 has been infringed.
Despite both investigations being closed, the competition regulator says it may use new powers given to it via the UK's new Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act to address its concerns "more holistically" with a view to boosting competition in the app market. From the CMA's press release:
In light of recent developments, in particular the passing in May of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA), the CMA has assessed its existing Competition Act investigation into Google's Play Store and its parallel case into Apple's App Store rules against its administrative priorities and decided to close these cases at this point. Should Apple or Google each or both be designated as having 'strategic market status' in connection with any digital activities in the mobile sector, the CMA will be able to use its new powers to consider the range of issues raised by parties more holistically than it otherwise could under these specific Competition Act investigations. This will also enable the CMA to consider what, if any, interventions may be needed following any designation.
Published in January 2024, the new digital markets competition regime paper gives the CMA the ability to impose requirements on the conduct of firms in digital markets where those firms have been designated as having Strategic Market Status (SMS) – and to impose significant fines against firms if those requirements are breached.
In that paper, the CMA also confirmed it expects to launch around three to four SMS investigations within the first year of the new digital markets competition regime coming into force, which is expected later this year.
Sonos won't be able to re-release its old app to appease customers that have been dissatisfied with the new version of the app, Sonos CEO Patrick Spence today said on Reddit (via The Verge).
Spence said that he was "hopeful" the old app would be able to be re-released up until "very recently" as an alternative for people having issues, but Sonos found that doing so would ultimately make the issues worse because of backend updates to cloud servers and the software that runs on speakers.
Everything has been on the table in terms of finding the fastest path to fixing your systems. In fact, until very recently I'd been hopeful that we could re-release the old app (S2) as an alternative for those of you that are having issues that we've not yet resolved.
The trick of course is that Sonos is not just the mobile app, but software that runs on your speakers and in the cloud too. In the months since the new mobile app launched we've been updating the software that runs on our speakers and in the cloud to the point where today S2 is less reliable & less stable then what you remember. After doing extensive testing we've reluctantly concluded that re-releasing S2 would make the problems worse, not better. I'm sure this is disappointing. It was disappointing to me.
Earlier this month, The Verge reported that Sonos was considering bringing back the original version of its app, and Sonos was reportedly hopeful that allowing customers to revert to the old app would provide an interim solution as the company works to improve the new app. It sounds like that plan has been scrapped, which is unfortunate for customers who are having problems with the redesign.
Sonos released a redesigned version of its app back in May, and it has turned out to be a disaster for the company. Sonos customers quickly found that the new app lacked several key features and was riddled with bugs, and there have been ongoing complaints for months.
Sonos issued an apology in July and shared an outline of future update plans that will see missing features returned in September and October. In August, Sonos said that it would delay two upcoming product launches planned for 2024 to focus on improving the app.
In today's Reddit post, Spence said that the "original architect of the Sonos platform" has been put back in charge, and that the company has also "pulled together the very best and most experienced engineers" that it has to work on the app until it is fixed.
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