MacRumors

Apple last year agreed to pay $35 million to settle a U.S. class action lawsuit alleging that the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus were prone to audio issues due to a defective chip in the devices, and it has now started notifying eligible customers by email.

You may be eligible for a payment from Apple if you are a U.S. resident who owned an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus between September 16, 2016 and January 3, 2023, and reported audio issues covered by the settlement to Apple, and/or paid Apple out of pocket to have your iPhone repaired or replaced as a result of the covered audio issues.

Those who did not receive a notice, but believe they are eligible to submit a claim, are instructed to email info@smartphoneaudiosettlement.com.

The deadline to select a payment method, object to the settlement, or opt out is June 3, with more details available on the settlement notice website. Those who paid Apple out of pocket could receive up to $349, while others could get up to $125, according to the proposed settlement, which requires approval by a California court on July 18.

Apple was sued over the issue in multiple U.S. states in 2019, with the complaints alleging that the company violated consumer protection laws and breached warranties. Despite agreeing to a settlement, Apple has denied any wrongdoing, and the court hearing the class action has not ruled in favor of Apple or the plaintiffs.

"Loop Disease"

In an internal document, obtained by MacRumors in May 2018, Apple acknowledged a microphone issue affecting some iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models:

Some customers might report that after they've updated to iOS 11.3, the microphone on their iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus doesn't work and the speaker button is grayed out when they make or receive a call.

Symptoms:
- The speaker button is grayed out during calls
- Other people are unable to hear the customer on cellular or FaceTime calls
- If a customer plays back a video or voice memo that they've made after installing iOS 11.3, there is no sound

The alleged defect is informally known as "Loop Disease" online. Despite acknowledging the issue internally, Apple never posted a service program about the issue on its website, and it never responded to our repeated requests for comment.

As far as an underlying cause, the class action lawsuit alleged that "the materials used in the ‌iPhone‌'s external casing are insufficient and inadequate to protect the internal parts," eventually resulting in the audio chip losing electrical contact with the logic board due to "flexion" of the device's external casing during regular use. It's unclear how many iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus units were affected in total.

Apple initially said its service providers could request a "warranty exception" for affected iPhones, which resulted in free repairs for at least some customers, but that abruptly ended in July 2018 after Apple deleted the document. Afterwards, some customers had to pay an out-of-warranty fee of around $300 in the U.S. for a fix.

If the settlement is approved, those customers will finally be able to get at least some of their money back from Apple after years of silence.

(Thanks, Michael Burkhardt!)

Apple today shared the full release notes for iOS 17.3, which will be released to the public next week. The notes reveal that iOS 17.3 allows the iPhone to connect to select hotel room TVs via AirPlay, but details remain slim for now.

"AirPlay hotel support lets you stream content directly to the TV in your room in select hotels," the notes say for the iOS 17.3 Release Candidate.

The feature allows iPhone users to scan a QR code on a supported hotel room TV to establish an AirPlay connection, allowing them to wirelessly stream videos, photos, and music from their iPhone to the TV. Google already offers a similar feature on some hotel TVs, allowing guests to stream content from their smartphone via Chromecast.

In June 2023, Apple said Holiday Inn parent company IHG Hotels & Resorts planned to adopt the feature, but exact availability is unknown. LG previously announced that it would be one of the first hotel room TV manufacturers to support the feature.

Apple originally said the feature would launch last year, but it was delayed until 2024.

Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 17.3 and iPadOS 17.3 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the updates available a week after the release of the third iOS 17.3 and iPadOS 17.3 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.

iOS 17.3 introduces a Stolen Device Protection feature that limits access to your private information in case someone obtains both your iPhone and your passcode. When activated, it requires Face ID or Touch ID identity verification to do things like accessing passwords in iCloud Keychain, turning off Lost Mode, making purchases through Safari with saved payment credentials, and more.

There are also features that require verification and have a one-hour delay to access, such as changing an ‌Apple ID‌ passcode, an ‌iPhone‌ passcode, turning off Find My, and turning off ‌Face ID‌. More details can be found in our article on Stolen Device Protection.

The update also adds collaborative Apple Music playlists, a feature that lets Apple Music subscribers share playlists with others to build shared song lists. Collaborative playlists are simple to use, can be shared with a link, and support emoji reactions.

Finally, the update adds a new Unity Bloom wallpaper for ‌iPhone‌ and iPad.

Release candidate builds of iOS 16.7.5, iPadOS 16.7.5, iOS 15.8.1, iPadOS 15.8.1 with security fixes for older devices are also available.

Apple today said that iOS 17.3 and iPadOS 17.3 will be released next week.

Full release notes for iOS 17.3 are below:

Stolen Device Protection
- Stolen Device Protection increases security of iPhone and Apple ID by requiring Face ID or Touch ID with no passcode fallback to perform certain actions
- Security Delay requires Face ID or Touch ID, an hour wait, and then an additional successful biometric authentication before sensitive operations like changing device passcode or Apple ID password can be performed

Lock Screen
- New Unity wallpaper honors Black history and culture in celebration of Black History Month

Music
- Collaborate on playlists allows you to invite friends to join your playlist and everyone can add, reorder, and remove songs
- Emoji reactions can be added to any track in a collaborative playlist

This update also includes the following improvements:
- AirPlay hotel support lets you stream content directly to the TV in your room in select hotels
- AppleCare & Warranty in Settings shows your coverage for all devices signed in with your Apple ID
- Crash detection optimizations (all iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 models)

Apple today seeded a release candidate version of the upcoming macOS Sonoma 14.3 update to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming a week after the release of the third macOS Sonoma 14.3 beta.

Registered developers can opt-in to the beta through the Software Update section of the System Settings app. Under Beta updates, toggle on the macOS Sonoma Developer Beta. Note that an Apple ID associated with an Apple Developer account is required to get the beta.

Release candidate versions of macOS 13.6.4 and macOS 12.7.3 with security fixes are also available.

Apple plans to release macOS Sonoma 14.3 to the public next week.

Full release notes are below:

macOS Sonoma 14.3 introduces enhancements to Apple Music, as well as other features, bug fixes, and security updates for your Mac.

- Collaborate on playlists in Apple Music allows you to invite friends to join your playlist and everyone can add, reorder, and remove songs
- Emoji reactions can be added to any track in a collaborative playlist in Apple Music
- AppleCare & Warranty in Settings shows your coverage for all devices signed in with your Apple ID

Apple today seeded the release candidate version of the upcoming watchOS 10.3 update to developers and public beta testers, with the beta coming a week after the release of the third watchOS 10.3 beta. The release candidate represents the final version of watchOS 10.3 that will be provided to the public next week when watchOS 10.3 launches.

To install the ‌watchOS 10.3‌ update, developers will need to open the Apple Watch app, go to the Software Update section under "General" in Settings, and toggle on the watchOS 10 Developer Beta. An Apple ID linked to a developer account is required.

Once beta updates have been activated, watchOS 10.3 can be downloaded under the same Software Update section. To install software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life and it must be placed on an Apple Watch charger.

There's no word yet on the new features that might be included in watchOS 10.3 beyond a new Unity Bloom watch face, and no notable new features were found during the beta testing process.

Full release notes are below:

watchOS 10.3 includes new features, improvements, and bug fixes, including new Unity Bloom watch face to honor Black history and culture in celebration of Black History Month.

Samsung today announced the launch of the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, and Galaxy S24 Ultra, its new flagship smartphones that are designed to compete with the iPhone 15, ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus, ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro, and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max.

Artificial intelligence is the focus of Samsung's new S24 devices, with all three offering Galaxy AI. Galaxy AI supports Live Translate for two-way real-time voice and text translation in phone calls, and an Interpreter function translates live conversations on a split-view so two people can converse in different languages.

Chat Assist can help users perfect conversational tones, and AI built into the Samsung Keyboard can translate messages in real-time in 13 languages. Android Auto is able to summarize incoming messages and suggest relevant replies, Transcript Assist uses AI to transcribe, summarize, and translate recordings, and a Note Assist feature in Samsung Notes offers AI-generated summaries and templates. Samsung also partnered with Google to offer "Circle to Search," an option that lets S24 users circle, highlight, scribble on, or tap items on the S24 display to see search results.

Samsung's high-end Galaxy S24 Ultra pairs AI with camera improvements. Samsung has done away with its 10x zoom lens, opting instead for a Quad Tele System with a 50-megapixel 5x optical zoom lens, which is the optical zoom level that Apple settled on.

The S24 Ultra has a larger pixel size and an improved optical image stabilization system to cut down on hand-shake for reduced blur, plus the ProVisual Engine AI system allows for enhanced digital zoom, more light capture in dim conditions, and better noise reduction when recording video. Galaxy AI editing tools allow for edits like erase, recompose, and remaster, and Edit Suggestions suggests tweaks for each photo. Generative Edit can fill in parts of an image background with generative AI when removing an object or correcting a crooked image.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon Gen 3 Mobile Platform, which Samsung says has been optimized for AI processing and requires enhanced thermal control. All three models support 1 to 120Hz adaptive refresh rates for the displays, with the Ultra offering the brightest Galaxy display to date at 2,600 nits peak brightness. Samsung is using Corning's Gorilla Armor for improved durability and scratch resistance on the Ultra, along with reduced reflection. Like Apple's A17 Pro, Samsung's latest chips support ray tracing for gaming.

Samsung tweaked the design of the Ultra and it now offers a 6.8-inch flat display that's optimized for viewing, while the Galaxy S24 now measures in at 6.2 inches and the S24+ measures in at 6.7 inches. The screen size enhancements have been made through reductions in bezel size to keep the device size about the same.

Samsung copied Apple's ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro lineup and the S24 Ultra is available with a titanium frame in gray, black, violet, yellow, green, blue, and orange.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is priced starting at $1,300, the S24+ is priced starting at $1,000, and the S24 is priced starting at $800.

Samsung's Galaxy S24 lineup is available for pre-order as of today, and Samsung is offering several deals. For the S24 Ultra, customers can get up to $750 off with a trade-in, along with an exclusive $50 Samsung credit, a free storage upgrade (doubling storage at no cost), and a $100 eCertificate, plus students can get a 15 percent discount.

For the S24+, up to a $650 trade-in credit is available with a $50 Samsung credit, storage upgrade, $75 eCertificate, and a 7.5 percent student discount. For the S24, up to a $550 trade-in credit is available, along with a $50 Samsung credit, a storage upgrade, a $25 eCertificate, and a five percent discount for students.

Customers can also receive 20 percent off Samsung Care+ with Theft and Loss with the purchase of any Galaxy S24 series device.

Best Buy is offering up to $870 off the S24 series with trade-in and pre-order, with a storage upgrade and up to a $150 Best Buy gift card.

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

Apple's iPhone 15 lineup sets a new standard in value retention, outperforming its predecessors and leading the pack among 2023 flagship smartphones, a new report finds.

New data from SellCell, an aggregator of buyback prices from over 40 vendors, reveals that the ‌iPhone 15‌ range, particularly the 256GB Pro Max model, is depreciating at a notably slower rate compared to other flagship models released in 2023, including those from Samsung, Google, and OnePlus.

Since its launch, the ‌iPhone 15‌ series has shown strong market value resilience. Initially, the range experienced an average depreciation of 28.8% in the first month. Intriguingly, this figure improved to 27.1% in the second month, indicating a regained value before a slight rise to 27.9% in the third month. Currently, the series stands at a depreciation of 27.4%, underscoring a trend of consistent value retention.

In comparison, Samsung's Galaxy S23 series was unable to match Apple's value retention. The S23 range saw a depreciation of 42.4% by the end of the first month, 43.5% in the second, and 44.5% by the third. This sequence highlights a much more significant drop in value than Apple's rival smartphone series, but it does represent a slight improvement over the company's previous S22 lineup.

The OnePlus 11 series demonstrated a depreciation of 51.5% after two months, recovering to 48.5% in the third month. Google's Pixel 8 range struggled more significantly, with the flagship 1TB Pixel 8 Pro model losing 68.1% of its value in the first month and maintaining this level in the subsequent months.

The ‌iPhone 15‌ range is also noticeably stronger in value retention compared to the iPhone 14. Apple's latest devices are depreciating up to 11% less across all models, averaging a 5% better value retention than the ‌iPhone 14‌ range in the same post-launch period. Specifically, the 256GB ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus model shows a remarkable depreciation of only 11.3% less than its ‌iPhone 14‌ equivalent.

Overall, the data reinforces the longstanding trend of the iPhone being the best smartphone for value retention and there are indications that this may even be improving further generation-over-generation. Buyers continue to be better off buying an Apple device if resale or trade-in is an essential future prospect.

A security vulnerability that could allow attackers to access sensitive data has been discovered in some Apple silicon GPUs.

A recent investigation by cybersecurity firm Trail of Bits discovered the security flaw, named "LeftoverLocals," which allows attackers with local access to a device to retrieve data processed in the GPU's local memory. The issue is particularly concerning because of the expanding use of GPUs in processing Large Language Models (LLMs) for AI applications.

According to the firm, the vulnerability enables an attacker to eavesdrop on another user's interactive LLM session, potentially accessing sensitive information. Apple told Wired that newer devices with the A17 Pro and M3 chips have received patches to address this flaw, and Trail of Bits found that the third-generation iPad Air had also received a fix.

Most older models with vulnerable GPUs, including the iPhone 12 and M2 MacBook Air, are still vulnerable. While Apple has taken steps to patch certain devices, it remains unclear if and when all impacted models will receive security updates to directly address the problem.

The nature of the LeftoverLocals vulnerability is such that it requires installation of a malicious app or physical access to the device. As always, Apple encourages users to install the latest available software update to ensure they receive security fixes.

Amazon has nearly every model of the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $749.00 today, down from $799.00. You'll find all band options on sale at this price, including Trail Loop, Ocean Band, and Alpine Loop.

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

You can find the full list of Apple Watch Ultra 2 models on sale below, with the Alpine Loop and Trail Loop getting the most discounts this time around. Most of the wearables are in stock on Amazon and can be delivered between January 21 and January 22, although a few won't be delivered until later in the month.

Compared to past sales, this deal is a solid second-best price on the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and it continues to be the best deal we've tracked so far on the watch in 2024. Because we're unlikely to see those record low holiday discounts come back any time soon, we recommend purchasing now if you've been waiting.

• Indigo Alpine Loop (Small)
• Indigo Alpine Loop (Medium)
• Indigo Alpine Loop (Large)
• Olive Alpine Loop (Small)
• Olive Alpine Loop (Medium)
• Blue Alpine Loop (Medium)
• White Ocean Band
• Orange Ocean Band
• Orange/Beige Trail Loop (M/L)
• Green/Gray Trail Loop (S/M)
• Green/Gray Trail Loop (M/L)
• Blue/Black Trail Loop (S/M)
• Blue/Black Trail Loop (M/L)

Amazon has a few extra Apple Watch deals worth noting, including the Apple Watch SE for $199.00 ($50 off) and the Apple Watch Series 9 for $329.00 ($70 off). Both of these are all-time low prices on each wearable.

Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.

In its press release unveiling a new Black Unity Sport Band for the Apple Watch, Apple confirmed that iOS 17.3 will be released next week. The software update will likely be available on Monday, January 22 or Tuesday, January 23.

Apple's confirmation that iOS 17.3 will be released next week:

The new Unity Bloom iPhone and iPad wallpaper for the Lock Screen will be also be available next week, and requires iPhone Xs or later running iOS 17.3 and iPad (6th generation and later), iPad mini (5th generation and later), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2nd generation and later), 10.5-inch iPad Pro, and 11-inch iPad Pro (1st generation and later) running iPadOS 17.3.

New features and changes for the iPhone in iOS 17.3 include Stolen Device Protection, collaborative Apple Music playlists, and a Unity Bloom wallpaper for the Lock Screen. More details about these additions are outlined below.

Stolen Device Protection

Earlier this year, The Wall Street Journal reported about thieves spying on an iPhone user's passcode before stealing the device, often in public places like bars. With knowledge of the passcode, the thief can then change the victim's Apple ID password, turn off Find My, and more to gain full control of the device. The thief can also use the passcode to gain access to passwords stored in iCloud Keychain and other sensitive information.

Stolen Device Protection is Apple's hopeful solution to the problem. Apple says the feature is designed to add an additional layer of security in the event someone has stolen your iPhone and also obtained the device's passcode.

When the feature is turned on, Face ID or Touch ID authentication is strictly required for the following actions, with a passcode fallback no longer available:

• Accessing passwords or passkeys saved in iCloud Keychain
• Applying for a new Apple Card or viewing an Apple Card's virtual number
• Turning off Lost Mode
• Erasing all content and settings
• Taking certain Apple Cash and Apple Card Savings actions in the Wallet app
• Using payment methods saved in Safari
• Using your iPhone to set up a new device

For especially sensitive actions, including changing the password of the Apple ID account associated with the iPhone, the feature adds a one-hour security delay on top of biometric authentication. In these cases, the user must authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID, wait one hour, and authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID again. However, Apple says there is no delay when the iPhone is in familiar locations, such as at home or work.

Actions that require Face ID or Touch ID authentication, and have a one-hour security delay, when the feature is turned on:

• Changing your Apple ID password
• Updating select Apple ID security settings, including adding or removing a trusted device, trusted phone number, Recovery Key, or Recovery Contact
• Changing your iPhone passcode
• Adding or removing Face ID or Touch ID
• Turning off Find My
• Turning off Stolen Device Protection

Stolen Device Protection is an opt-in feature that can be found in the Settings app under Face ID & Passcode, and it is available for all iPhones that are compatible with iOS 17.3.

Apple Music Collaborative Playlists

A new Collaborative Playlists option for Apple Music subscribers allows multiple people to add, reorder, and remove songs in a shared playlist. Users are able to leave animated emoji reactions next to songs in the playlist.

This feature was initially expected to launch with iOS 17.2, but it was removed from that update towards the end of the beta testing period. The feature was re-added in iOS 17.3, and Apple's website confirmed that it would return in 2024.

Unity Bloom Wallpaper

iOS 17.3 and iPadOS 17.3 include Apple's new Unity Bloom wallpaper for the iPhone and iPad, in support of the Black community. The wallpaper includes an outline of flowers that fill with color when the display is active.

Apple says the "blooming flowers and vibrant colors represent Pan-Africanism and symbolize generations working together to address injustice and dismantle systemic barriers." There is also a new Black Unity Sport Band for the Apple Watch, and an accompanying Black Unity watch face available with watchOS 10.3, which will also be released next week.

Apple today announced that a new Black Unity Sport Band for the Apple Watch is available to order on Apple.com and in the Apple Store app starting today for $49. The band launches in select Apple Store locations on Tuesday, January 23.

Apple says the band's "blooming flowers and vibrant colors" represent "Pan-Africanism and symbolize generations working together to address injustice and dismantle systemic barriers." The band's pin is etched with "Truth, Power, Solidarity."

An accompanying Black Unity watch face will be available for the Apple Watch with watchOS 10.3, which will be released next week, according to Apple. Users can choose between a single-bloom or full-bloom arrangement for the watch face, and when they raise their wrist, the "flowers begin to bloom with vibrant hues."

Apple is also adding a new Unity Bloom wallpaper to the iPhone and iPad with iOS 17.3 and iPadOS 17.3, which will both be released next week. Apple says the wallpaper "presents an outline of flowers that fill with color when the display is active."

More details about this Black Unity collection and Apple's Racial Equity and Justice Initiative can be found in Apple's press release.

iPhone 16 Pro models configured with 1TB of storage could feature slower read and write speeds to reduce costs, DigiTimes reports.

The change is part of Apple's potential switch to higher-density Quad-Level Cell (QLC) NAND flash memory for its 1TB iPhone models, which the company is said to currently be "actively evaluating." Apple currently uses costlier Triple-Level Cell (TLC) NAND.

Using QLC NAND would allow Apple to cram more storage into a smaller space and comes at a lower price, but with the disadvantage of slower read and write speeds. QLC NAND can also be less durable and reliable than TLC NAND, handling constant write operations less effectively. Apple could, of course, seek to mitigate these issues with specific optimizations.

The report adds that adopting QLC NAND could make offering iPhones with up to 2TB of storage viable for the first time. A 1TB iPhone 15 Pro Max is priced at $1,599, $200 more than the 512GB model, so a future 2TB model would need to be cost-effective, as well as contain flash storage that is sufficiently compact inside the device.

New ‌iPhone‌ models with 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB of storage are highly likely to stick with TLC NAND for the foreseeable future. Although TLC NAND is still widespread in the industry, QLC NAND is expected to account for about 20% of all NAND shipments from the second half of 2023 to the first half of 2024, suggesting that its usage is growing despite its drawbacks.

Apple today adjusted its trade-in values for select devices in the United States, with several reductions in value going into effect across the iPhone 14 series, Apple Watch models, select Macs, and some Android smartphones.

Most reductions were slight: iPhone trade-in values decreased by up to $50, and most Android smartphones went down by $5. Meanwhile, select Apple Watch and Mac models saw the largest downward adjustments. The latest trade-in values are listed below.

iPhone 14

• iPhone 14 Pro Max: Up to $620 (vs. $650)
• iPhone 14 Pro: Up to $520 (vs. $570)
• iPhone 14 Plus: Up to $450 (vs. $470)
• iPhone 14: Up to $400 (vs. $430)

Apple Watch

• Apple Watch Ultra: Up to $390 (vs. $425)
• Apple Watch Series 8: Up to $185 (vs. $190)
• Apple Watch SE (2nd generation): Up to $125 (vs. $120)
• Apple Watch Series 7: Up to $155 (vs. $160)

Mac

• MacBook Pro: Up to $990 (vs. $1070)
• MacBook Air: Up to $550 (vs. $570)
• iMac: Up to $440 (vs. $460)

Android

• Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G: Up to $345 (vs. $340)
• Samsung Galaxy S22 5G: Up to $195 (vs. $190)
• Google Pixel 6 Pro: Up to $145 (vs. $140)

The full list of trade-in values, including those for iPads and Android smartphones, can be found on Apple's trade-in website.

Apple wants Epic Games to pay $73.4 million in legal fees after Apple won the antitrust case brought against it by the North Carolinian games maker. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court declined to hear separate requests from both Apple and ‌Epic Games‌ in their long-standing lawsuit against each other regarding App Store rules, effectively closing a case that has run since August 2020.

In multiple rounds of the dispute, Apple has won on every count with the exception of just one regarding Apple's "anti-steering" rule, which the company promptly addressed on Tuesday. As a result of the Supreme Court's decision, the previous rulings stand and Apple is able to continue to disallow third-party payment processing within apps.

Now though, Apple has asked the court to allow it to bill Epic for its litigation expenses, which amount to a whopping $73,404,326. According to gamesfray's Florian Mueller, Apple came up with the number by totaling up the $82,971,401 in legal costs it spent on the case, and then adjusted that number down to $81,560,362. Apple then deducted 10% since Epic prevailed on 1 of 10 counts (Apple's anti-steering rule).

Apple bases the claim on Epic's original violation of its developer agreement, when out of the blue its Fortnite game offered an in-app payment alternative on the ‌App Store‌. Epic previously accepted that it would owe damages if it lost its antitrust claims against Apple. Now that it has, Apple has issued the bill.

For its Notice of Motion, the court has set a date of March 5, 2024 to hear Apple's claim about the fees owed, "plus additional amounts Apple is incurring during this ongoing litigation, under the indemnification provision of the Developer Program License Agreement."

Twelve South today announced the launch of the BookArc Flex, a new stand designed for MacBooks that are used in clamshell mode while connected to a display.

The BookArc Flex has a unique build that features a two legs connected by a flexible interior piece. A laptop is placed in the middle on the flexible part, which pulls the legs together to secure it upright using the weight of the laptop.

Twelve South says that the design was inspired by the Noisette Creek Pedestrian Bridge in Charleston, South Carolina. The bridge has two steel arches that are indeed similar to the design of the BookArc Flex.

We were able to test the BookArc Flex ahead of its launch, and while the design works well, it is important to ensure the laptop goes directly in the center of the stand. It's not difficult to do, and placing the laptop correctly ensures that it remains secure. If it's not placed in the center, however, it can shift out of place, though a misalignment is quickly noticeable.

The construction of the BookArc Flex allows it to work with laptops of multiple sizes without different inserts, and it is compatible with the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro from Apple. The slim size of the BookArc Flex ensures that it does not take up too much room on a desk, and it tucks a MacBook out of the way when used in clamshell mode.

Twelve South's BookArc Flex is priced starting at $50 it is available today from the Twelve South website.

Apple is making major changes to its U.S. iOS App Store policies, and developers are now able to direct customers to a non-App Store purchasing option for digital goods. Apple is allowing apps to feature a single link to a developer website that leads to an in-app purchase alternative, but Apple plans to continue to collect a 12 to 27 percent commission on content bought this way.

Apple's update and the backstory that led to it are a bit complicated, but what iPhone and iPad users need to know is that some apps in the U.S. storefront will soon feature a link to their website where subscriptions and other content can be purchased outside of the ‌App Store‌ in-app purchase system, likely with a discounted price.

Developers who want to offer this option will need to apply for a StoreKit External Purchase Link Entitlement, as Apple has outlined in both updated ‌App Store‌ Review Guidelines and the statement of compliance submitted to the Northern California U.S. District Court. With a Link Entitlement, a developer is able to direct a user to an out-of-app purchasing mechanism using an external purchase link. From Apple's modified ‌App Store‌ rules:

Developers may apply for an entitlement to provide a link in their app to a website the developer owns or maintains responsibility for in order to purchase such items. Learn more about the entitlement. In accordance with the entitlement agreement, the link may inform users about where and how to purchase those in-app purchase items, and the fact that such items may be available for a comparatively lower price. The entitlement is limited to use only in the iOS or iPadOS App Store on the United States storefront. In all other storefronts, apps and their metadata may not include buttons, external links, or other calls to action that direct customers to purchasing mechanisms other than in-app purchase.

If your app engages in misleading marketing practices, scams, or fraud in relation to the entitlement, your app will be removed from the App Store and you may be removed from the Apple Developer Program.

There are several requirements that developers need to adhere to maintain the privacy and security of the ‌App Store‌ ecosystem, and notably, Apple will collect a commission on purchases made using these Entitlement Links. Rather than 30 percent, Apple will collect a 27 percent fee on user purchases or year-one subscriptions made through the link. On the second year of a subscription, the commission fee drops to 12 percent, which is three percentage points lower than the 15 percent fee that Apple collects from second-year or longer subscriptions made through the in-app purchase system. Apps that participate in the ‌App Store‌ Small Business Program will be charged a 12 percent commission rate.

The commission will apply to transactions for digital goods and services that take place on a developers website within seven days after a user taps through an External Purchase Link to an external website.

Several key points about Entitlement Links are listed below.

• All links to outside purchasing methods must use the Entitlement Link system, and developers must apply and get Apple's approval.
• Developers are permitted to have a single plain link on one screen of an app. The link can be at a sign-in screen, in user settings, or elsewhere, but it can only be in one place. The single location may not be an interstitial, modal, or pop-up.
• The link can mention the specific price of content on a website, or that content is discounted on the website from the ‌App Store‌ price. Comparisons are allowed.
• Links cannot be placed directly on an in-app purchase screen or in the in-app purchase flow.
• Developers need to certify that the third-party payment service provider they are using for out-of-app purchasing meets industry standards for payment processors, and that they will offer users processes for managing subscriptions, requesting refunds, and disputing unauthorized transactions.
• Apps that participate in Apple's Video Partner Program or News Partner Program are not eligible for Link Entitlement.
• Apps that use the StoreKit External Purchase Link must continue to offer in-app purchases as an option.
• ‌App Store‌ pages are not able to include information about purchasing on a website or a link to a website.
• Digital purchases that are sold on an app's website through the Entitlement Link must be available for use in that app.
• The StoreKit External Purchase Link cannot discourage users from making in-app purchases or mimic an in-app purchase.
• Links must open a new window in the default browser of the device, and are not able to open a web view.
• No redirecting, intermediate links, or URL tracking parameters are allowed.
• Developers are required to provide a periodic accounting of qualifying out-of-app purchases, and Apple has a right to audit developers' accounting to ensure compliance with their commission obligations and to charge interest and offset payments.

The Link Entitlement process and the ‌App Store‌ changes are applicable only in the U.S. ‌App Store‌. Apps for all other storefronts are not able to include buttons, external links, or calls to action that direct customers to alternative purchasing options.

Apple will provide an in-app warning to customers to let them know that they are leaving the ‌App Store‌ ecosystem to make a purchase on an external website and that ‌App Store‌ protections will not be available.

According to Apple's statement filed with the court, the requirements surrounding links are aimed at minimizing "fraud, scams, and confusion," while also providing developers with an opportunity to "entice users to other platforms" and give customers a choice between non-App Store purchasing and in-app purchases.

The changes today stem from Apple's 2021 legal battle with Epic Games. Apple won the dispute and the court did not find that Apple had violated U.S. antitrust law, but Apple was at the time ordered to remove "anti-steering" rules preventing developers from informing customers about alternatives to in-app purchases. That order has been on hold during the appeals process, but the appeals process ended today.

Both Apple and ‌Epic Games‌ had appealed to the United States Supreme Court, but the Supreme Court declined to hear the case. That means the initial ruling and the appeals court ruling that agreed with it are permanent, and Apple now has to comply with the part of that order that required it to change the ‌App Store‌ rules.

The anti-steering rule was two-pronged, requiring Apple to allow for links to in-app purchase alternatives and to allow developers to communicate with customers outside of the ‌App Store‌ through email and other contact information collected in the app. The outside communication part of the order was already satisfied with a change that Apple made to the ‌App Store‌ rules in 2021 to settle a class-action developer lawsuit.

Apple has already been allowing developers to use communication methods like email to inform customers about payment methods available outside of iOS apps, and Apple makes it clear in its messaging today that there are no limits on developers' out-of-app communications with users. The full statements that Apple provided to the court have been obtained by MacRumors and can be read below.

Update: ‌Epic Games‌ CEO Tim Sweeney criticized Apple's ‌App Store‌ changes and said that Epic plans to contest Apple's "bad-faith compliance plan" in District Court.

Apple received FCC approval for the Vision Pro today in the U.S., and the filing confirms that the headset does not support Wi-Fi 6E.

Wi-Fi 6E extends the capabilities of the regular Wi-Fi 6 standard to the 6 GHz band, enabling faster wireless speeds and reduced signal interference with a compatible device and router. Apple devices with Wi-Fi 6E support include the latest iPad Pro models, iPhone 15 Pro models, and most Mac models released in 2023.

The FCC filing shows that the Vision Pro does not have any approved operating frequencies in the 6 GHz range, confirming that the headset lacks Wi-Fi 6E support. Instead, one of Apple's documents in the application confirms that the Vision Pro supports regular Wi-Fi 6, which operates on the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands.

Apple has yet to share full tech specs for the Vision Pro, so only limited details are available. Apple has so far said the headset is equipped with its M2 chip, an all-new R1 chip that processes camera and microphone input, and 256GB of base storage. MacRumors discovered that the headset is equipped with 16GB of RAM.

In the U.S., Vision Pro pre-orders begin this Friday, January 19 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time, with pricing starting at $3,499. The headset launches on Friday, February 2, and Apple previously said that availability would expand to more countries later this year.

Update: Vision Pro also appears to lack Ultra Wideband support, according to 9to5Mac's Zac Hall.