In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter shared over the weekend, Gurman said that supplies of the 13-inch MacBook Pro were running low and indicated that it could be replaced next week.
He now says that the new machine likely won't appear at Apple's upcoming event. The new entry-level MacBook Pro, codenamed "J504," apparently remains in the works and features a "base version of the M3 chip." Gurman has reported the existence of the device since April.
This means that the main models in the running for announcement at the event are the iMac and the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro, all with M3-series chips. Gurman added that he is not expecting to see any other refreshed devices at the event, including iPads or AirPods.
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) on Thursday ordered a ban on Apple Watch imports into the country after finding that Apple violated pulse oximetry company Masimo's patents with the devices (via Reuters).
The ban is now subject to presidential review, so it does not take effect immediately, and Apple can take the ban to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit after the 60-day review period ends. Presidents have rarely vetoed bans in the past.
"Masimo has wrongly attempted to use the ITC to keep a potentially lifesaving product from millions of U.S. consumers while making way for their own watch that copies Apple," an Apple spokesperson said. "While today's decision has no immediate impact on sales of Apple Watch, we believe it should be reversed, and will continue our efforts to appeal."
Masimo Chief Executive Officer Joe Kiani said the decision "sends a powerful message that even the world's largest company is not above the law."
Since 2021, Masimo has been embroiled in an ongoing battle with Apple over several health capabilities found in some Apple Watch models, and Masimo has been pushing to have the models banned in the United States. The ITC decision did not specify which models of Apple Watches would be affected by the ban, but Masimo's original complaint said the Apple Watch Series 6, released in 2020, infringed its patents.
Masimo accuses Apple of having illegally poached Masimo employees and stole trade secrets when developing the Apple Watch. The company is seeking over $1.8 billion in damages and co-ownership of five Apple pulse oximetry patents that Masimo says use its technology.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ended up invalidating all but two of the patents, but the ITC in January said that Apple had infringed on a Masimo patent relating to light-based technology for reading blood-oxygen levels.
Apple is also facing an Apple Watch import ban in a separate patent court battle with medical technology company AliveCor. The ITC issued a ban in February, and the Biden administration declined to overrule the decision, but the ban has been placed on hold while proceedings over the validity of AliveCor's patents are completed.
Apple today released the first beta of an upcoming iOS 17.2 update, and it adds a whole slew of features. You can now access the Journal app that Apple has been working on, and share playlists with friends so they can add songs.
iOS 17.2 is limited to developers right now, but it should soon be coming to public beta testers. We're expecting to see iOS 17.2 released to the public around November or December.
Journal App
iOS 17.2 includes the Journal app that Apple announced as part of iOS 17. With the Journal app, users can record their daily activities and thoughts, with Apple providing optional prompts that can be used as inspiration.
A Journal entry can be added by tapping on the "+" button in the Journal app, and from there, users can choose a suggestion as the basis for their writing or just opt for "New Entry" to write anything at all.
Entries are automatically tagged with a date for organizational purposes, but there are options for bookmarking, too. Journal entries can include images, voice recordings, and location tags.
Messages App Sticker Tapback Reactions
You can now long press on any chat bubble in the Messages app to add a sticker response that serves as an alternative to a tapback reaction. Tapping on "Add Sticker" lets you choose either a sticker or an emoji to apply to the corner of an iMessage.
There was already an option to drag a sticker or an emoji onto any message bubble, but this is a much quicker method of quickly responding to an incoming message with a quick graphic that is more expressive than a tapback reaction.
Collaborative Apple Music Playlists
There is now an option to create a playlist in Apple Music that multiple people can add to. In a playlist you have made, tap on the three dot icon in top right of the app.
From there, select the Collaborate option and choose "Start Collaboration." You'll be able to create a link to the playlist, and anyone who has access to that link can add to it. You can also invite people to join via QR code, and if you want, you can approve each person that asks to join.
Favorites Apple Music Playlist
Songs that you have favorited in the Apple Music app are now aggregated into a Favorites playlist.
Apple Music Listening History Focus Filter
There is a Focus Filter for the Apple Music Listening History feature, so if you want to let someone else use your device to listen to music, you can activate this to turn off the Listening History so their song choices won't affect your recommendations.
When the Action Button is set as Translate, pressing to hold causes the iPhone to pop up a Translate window that listens for spoken text. It is able to translate from one set language to another, using the languages that you have previously set up in the Translate app.
iMessage Contact Key Verification
First previewed in December 2022, iMessage Contact Key Verification is a feature designed for those who face "extraordinary digital threats," such as journalists, human rights activists, and government officials.
Users can ensure that there is no "man in the middle" snooping on iMessage conversations, and there is a Contact Verification Code so that iMessage users can verify that they're speaking to the correct individual during in-person meetings or on FaceTime calls.
Messages in iCloud Syncing
The "Messages" section in iCloud in the Settings app has been renamed to "Messages in iCloud." It shows the total amount of storage that messages are taking up, the number of messages synced to iCloud, and the time of the last sync. There's also a "Sync Now" option to force an update.
Apple previously said that additional settings would be synced through Messages in iCloud in iOS 17, like Text Message Forwarding, Send & Receive accounts, and SMS filters across devices, so this may see those additional settings syncing.
Apple TV App
Apple has removed the separate tabs for Movies and TV shows in the Store section of the Apple TV app on the iPhone and the iPad. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said that Apple also plans to remove the option to purchase TV shows and movies from the iTunes app as part of a TV app redesign, but that has not yet happened.
Emergency Alerts Local Awareness
Under Notifications > Emergency Alerts in the Settings app, there is a new "Local Awareness" option that can be turned on. Apple says that Local Awareness uses your approximate location to improve the timeliness, accuracy, and reliability of emergency alerts.
Weather Widgets
There are new Details, Daily Forecast, and Sunrise/Sunset widgets. Detail shows information like precipitation chance, UV index, wind speed, and air quality, while Daily Forecast offers the weather for the next few days in a small widget size. Sunrise/Sunset shows the sunrise and sunset times for each day.
Digital Clock Widget
There is a new Digital Clock widget that can be added to the Home Screen or Lock Screen.
Contact Posters
You can now select a rainbow-colored text for your name when setting up a Contact Poster in the Contacts app.
Books Page Turning Animation
There's a new "Fast Fade" option for the page turning animation in the Books app. Apple has also removed the icon that you could turn on to scroll through content quickly.
AirPlay
There's a new "AirPlay Receiver" setting that will allow the upcoming Apple Vision Pro headset to stream or share content to an iPhone.
It also looks like the AirPlay feature for hotels that Apple announced earlier this year is live or will be live soon. It is designed to let you AirPlay content from your iPhone or iPad to an AirPlay-equipped smart TV.
Memoji
Apple added a "Body" section for Memoji where users can customize waist, bust, shoulders, and arms.
News App
The News app now supports Live Activities for following news-related events such as elections.
More iOS 17.2 Beta 1 Features
Know of a feature that we left out in this list? Let us know in the comments below.
Apple today released the first iOS 17.2 beta, and it has the long-awaited Journal app that Apple initially announced as part of iOS 17. We've installed iOS 17.2 and thought we'd go hands-on with the Journal app to give MacRumors readers a first look at how it works.
The Journal app has a simple, straightforward UI. When you open it up, you're presented with a "+" button, and tapping on it lets you start a new entry. When you first open the app, you can decide what information the Journal app can pull from your phone for writing prompts. Options include workout activity, media like podcasts and music, photos, and significant locations.
There is a setting to prefer suggestions with others when you're around your contacts or large groups, and an option to be discoverable by others to help prioritize the suggestions of other people. Journal options can be toggled on and off in the Settings app under Privacy & Security > Journaling Suggestions.
You can opt to write whatever you like, or choose from one of Apple's prompts that are based on your device usage. Prompts include invitations to reflect on your day, recall a new idea, think of what made you smile, think about what you could do to improve your life, and more.
Journal entries can be customized with images, location information, and voice recordings. Entries are organized by date, and can also be bookmarked so you can save your favorite entries. To keep your Journal secure, you can set it up so you need a Face ID scan to unlock it.
Will you use the Journal app? Let us know in the comments below.
Apple in the tvOS 17.2 beta has updated its Apple TV app, making it easier to navigate and find content to watch. There is a dedicated sidebar that houses content from different apps and streaming services, including Apple TV+.
The sidebar has dedicated sections for Search, Watch Now, Apple TV+, MLS Season Pass, Sports, the Store, and the Library.
In a separate "Channels and Apps" area, users can access content from specific streaming services that integrate with the TV app. Options include ABC, CBS, Comedy Central, Hulu, ESPN, Discovery, Peacock, Prime Video, and more.
Tapping into a channel like Hulu shows content and watch suggestions just for that service.
Up Next in Watch Now has not changed, but Apple has added a new "My TV" section below the top charts that houses TV suggestions from multiple networks as a replacement for "My Channels." There isn't any dedicated Channels section in Watch Now, but a Channels and Apps feature has been added to the Store.
Apple has also made tweaks to the Apple TV app on the iPhone and the iPad. In the Store section, there are no longer separate tabs for Movies and TV Shows, with everything integrated together.
The changes to the Apple TV app come after a report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman that said Apple would introduce a new design in December. Gurman's report said that Apple would remove standalone iTunes Apple TV apps that are available for renting and purchasing TV shows and movies, but that has not yet happened.
iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max users can select a new "Translate" option for the Action Button with the new iOS 17.2 beta. Apple promised that a Translate option was coming for the Action Button, but said that it would not be available right when the new iPhones launched in September.
When the Action Button is set as Translate, pressing to hold causes the iPhone to pop up a Translate window that listens for spoken text. It is able to translate from one set language to another, using the languages that you have previously set up in the Translate app.
The languages you translate between can be changed by selecting different languages in the Translate app. The Translate app supports Chinese, English, Dutch, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Spanish, Korean, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.
To choose the Translate option for the Action Button, open up the Settings app, scroll down to Action Button, and then swipe through until you get to the Translate function.
In addition to the new Journal app, the iOS 17.2 and macOS 14.2 updates add support for iMessage Contact Key Verification, a feature that Apple first previewed in December of last year.
Designed for those who face "extraordinary digital threats," such as journalists, human rights activists, and government officials, iMessage Contact Key Verification allows people to verify the identify of the person they're corresponding with. It is available today in the iOS 17.2, iPadOS 17.2, macOS Sonoma 14.2, and watchOS 10.2 betas.
iPhone, iPad, or Mac users who have iMessage Contact Key Verification enabled will be notified if a malicious entity somehow succeeds in breaching cloud data servers and is able to eavesdrop on a conversation.
The feature also includes a Contact Verification Code that can be used in person or on FaceTime.
With iMessage Contact Key Verification, users can choose to further verify that they are messaging only with the people they intend. Contact Key Verification uses Key Transparency to enable automatic verification that the iMessage key distribution service returns device keys that have been logged to a verifiable and auditable map. When a user enables Contact Key Verification, they will be notified about any validation errors directly in the Messages conversation transcript and Apple ID Settings.
For even higher security, iMessage contact key verification users can compare a Contact Verification Code in person, on FaceTime, or through another secure call. They can also choose to create or edit a contact and save a public key to turn on CKV with that person.
To use iMessage Contact Key Verification, all devices signed into an iCloud account must have the iOS 17.2 beta, macOS 17.2 beta, and/or watchOS 10.2 beta.
The iOS 17.2 beta that Apple seeded to developers today includes the first iteration of the Journal app that Apple announced way back in June when iOS 17 was initially previewed.
Apple's Journal app will let iPhone and iPad users record their daily thoughts and activities. It incorporates data like photos, music listened to, workouts, and more, plus it suggests topics to write about.
Entries can have integrated photos, music, and audio recordings, and important moments can be highlighted.
The Journal app is passcode and Face ID protected for privacy purposes, and all of the suggestions are done on-device. Entries are end-to-end encrypted.
Apple today released the first betas of upcoming iOS 17.2 and iPadOS 17.2 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming one day after the launch of iOS 17.1 and iPadOS 17.1.
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.
There's no word yet on what's included in the iOS 17.2 beta yet, but we are waiting on the Journal app that Apple has said is coming in a later version of iOS 17. We are also still waiting on the option to use stickers as a tapback reaction in Messages, an arrow for catching up on missed Messages conversations, and a favorite songs playlist in Apple Music.
We'll update our article when we learn what's new in the iOS 17.2 beta.
Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming macOS Sonoma 14.2 update to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a day after the release of macOS Sonoma 14.1.
Registered developers can opt-in to the beta through the Software Update section of the System Settings app. Under Beta updates, toggle on the Sonoma Developer Beta. Note that an Apple ID associated with an Apple Developer account is required to get the beta.
There is no word on what's new in the macOS Sonoma 14.2 beta, but we'll update this article when we find out what's been added.
Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming watchOS 10.2 update to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming a day after the launch of watchOS 10.1.
To install the watchOS 10 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 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 what might be included in watchOS 10.2, but we'll update this article if we find new features.
Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming tvOS 17.2 to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming a day after the release of tvOS 17.1.
Registered developers are able to download the tvOS 17.2 update by opting in to the beta through the Settings app on the Apple TV. A registered developer account is required.
tvOS updates are often minor in scale compared to other operating system updates, focusing primarily on bug fixes and smaller improvements rather than notable outward-facing changes. There is no word yet on what's included in tvOS 17.2.
Apple shares some information on tvOS releases in its tvOS support document, which is updated after each tvOS launch, but Apple does not provide notes during beta testing.
Though we don't often know what's new in tvOS betas, we let MacRumors readers know when new updates are available so those who are developers can download new software upon release.
B&H Photo today has the second generation HomePod for $279.99, down from $299.00. This sale is only available in the White color, and it's just $0.99 away from being a match of the all-time low price on this HomePod.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with B&H Photo. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
It's been nearly six months since we last tracked a record low price on the 2023 HomePod, so if you've been waiting for a good deal this is the time to jump on a sale. B&H Photo provides free two-day shipping in the contiguous United States.
Apple introduced the new HomePod back in January, and it features new temperature and humidity sensors, improved sound and microphone technology, and HomeKit and Matter support. Today's discount at B&H Photo is the just the second time we've seen a near all-time low price on the 2023 HomePod.
We track the best deals on HomePod every week, so be sure to bookmark our guide if you're on the hunt for solid HomePod discounts. You can also visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.
There are currently no signs of an "Apple Watch Ultra 3" being in development within Apple's supply chain, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today. As a result, he believes the likelihood of a new Apple Watch Ultra being released in 2024 is "decreasing."
"If Apple doesn't officially kick off the Apple Watch Ultra 3 project by December, it's almost confirmed that we won't see a new Apple Watch Ultra in 2024," said Kuo.
If the Apple Watch Ultra is not updated next year, Kuo believes it is likely because Apple "needs more time to develop innovative health management features" and "address issues" related to micro-LED production. A new Apple Watch Ultra with a larger 2.1-inch micro-LED display is rumored to launch in 2025 or 2026.
This prediction comes just over a month after the Apple Watch Ultra 2 was released. Key new features of the Ultra 2 include a 50% brighter display with up to 3,000 nits of peak brightness, a faster S9 chip, a "Double Tap" gesture for interacting with the watch without touching the screen, on-device Siri, an increased 64GB of internal storage, and more. The original Apple Watch Ultra was released last year, so the models launched one year apart.
Apple is actively developing new 12-inch and 13-inch MacBook models for sale at a planned price point of around $700 or less, claims a rumor out of Korea.
According to the operator of news aggregator account "yeux1122" on the Naver blog, supply chain sources have "consistently" seen evidence that Apple has low-cost MacBooks in two different sizes in ongoing development.
The account's sources suggest that while Apple has yet to fully commit to mass producing the low-cost Macs, they are now "more likely than ever" to make it to market because of a sharp fall in iPad and MacBook sales.
The latest rumor comes after Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo this week claimed that Apple is considering launching a low-cost MacBook series next year to boost ailing MacBook shipments, with a target of 8-10+ million units per year.
A DigiTimes report last month also said Apple could launch a more affordable MacBook series in late 2024 to differentiate from the company's existing MacBook Air and Pro lines, and to help the company compete with Google's popular Chromebook models.
The number of educational institutions that have adopted Chromebooks over the last few years has seen rapid growth, especially when compared to Apple's iPads, sales of which have declined in the education market.
Apple's attention is said to be increasingly focused on the sector as a possible avenue to boosting flagging MacBook sales, and is considering offering cheaper and more compact student-friendly machines to claw back its market share. Higher-performance Chromebooks can be picked up for around $700, hence the ~$700 figure Apple is targeting, according to the latest rumor.
The Naver blog account has a mixed track record for forecasting Apple's plans, but some of its claims last year proved to be significant. For example, in March 2022 it accurately revealed some details about the third-generation iPhone SE ahead of Apple launching the model. In October of the same year it also accurately predicted that Apple would delay the release of new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models until early 2023.
Apple today acknowledged a BMW wireless charging issue affecting the iPhone 15 series, and promised that it will make a fix available later this year.
In an internal memo shared with Apple Authorized Service Providers, Apple said charging an iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max with a "small number" of wireless phone chargers built into certain recent BMW and Toyota Supra models may temporarily disable the NFC capabilities of the device. The memo does not provide a specific reason for the issue, which we first reported earlier this month.
In an iPhone, the NFC chip powers features like Apple Pay and digital car keys. Users affected by this issue may receive a "Could Not Set Up Apple Pay" error message in the Wallet app, even if they have already set up Apple Pay.
Apple said the issue will be addressed in a software update coming later this year. Given the memo was put out hours after iOS 17.1 was released today, it appears the update will require a subsequent update, such as iOS 17.1.1 or iOS 17.2. In the meantime, Apple advises affected customers to stop using in-car wireless charging.
There are some complaints about this issue across the MacRumors Forums and X, formerly known as Twitter, but it is unclear how widespread the problem is. Affected customers said the iPhone goes into a data recovery mode with a white screen, and the NFC chip is no longer functional after the device reboots. There is no way for customers to fix the problem, so a trip to an Apple Store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider is required.
Apple says technicians can attempt to restart the NFC chip in an affected iPhone by using a software tool part of Apple Service Toolkit 2. If this step does not resolve the issue, Apple advises technicians to initiate a hardware repair.
Tech reporter Jake Krol today shared a brief hands-on video of the new Apple Pencil, which features a USB-C charging port hidden under a sliding cap. The video, shared on Instagram and TikTok, provides a first look at the sliding cap in action.
Priced at $79, the new Apple Pencil is a more affordable option compared to the first-generation and second-generation Apple Pencil models, which remain available for $99 and $129, respectively. It has a similar design as the second-generation Apple Pencil, but it charges with a USB-C cable instead of wirelessly.
The new Apple Pencil will be available to order in "early November," but a specific release date has yet to be announced by Apple. It is compatible with all iPad models equipped with a USB-C port, including the lower-end tenth-generation iPad.
Given its lower price, the new Apple Pencil lacks three key features compared to the second-generation model, including wireless charging, pressure sensitivity, and a double-tap gesture for switching between drawing tools. However, it does support the Apple Pencil hover feature with the latest 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models.
Apple today released iOS 17.1, introducing a range of new features for iPhones that run the iOS 17 operating system. While Apple outlined some of the major new additions in its release notes, there are also several hidden features that were not mentioned.
In this guide, we've rounded up all of the feature additions and changes we found in iOS 17.1.
AirDrop Over Internet
AirDrop transfers can now be completed over a cellular connection or Wi-Fi if you walk out of the range of the person you're sharing with. That means you will not have to stay close to someone if you are transferring a large number of files.
There is a new "Out of Range" toggle in the AirDrop section of the Settings menu that you can toggle to allow or disallow transfers over cellular.
Apple Music Favorites
You can favorite songs, albums, playlists, and artists in the iOS 17.1 Music app. Favorited music is added to the Library and improves recommendations. Favoriting replaces the prior "Love" system and favoriting can be done from the Lock Screen's Now Playing widget.
A star next to a track in an album means that it's a favorite, while a dot is next to the most played track. With the favorites system, the Music app now suggests songs to add to playlists so you don't run out of content.
Eventually, Apple plans to provide a Favorite Songs playlist and offer collaborative playlists, but these features do not appear to be implemented as of yet.
Apple Music Playlists
iOS 17.1 provides color-matched playlist artwork options that can be selected as a new customization option for your playlists. There are eight artwork styles that feature geometric shapes and gradients, with the colors featured pulled from the album artwork of the first song in the playlist.
Double Tap on Apple Watch
Double Tap is enabled in the watchOS 10.1 update that is also in beta testing, and the settings for it can be managed using the Apple Watch app.
Double Tap allows Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 owners to tap their thumb and index fingers together to control the Apple Watch with one hand. The gesture can be used for opening up the Smart Stack, answering/ending calls, playing/pausing music, stopping alarms and timers, and more.
StandBy Display Options
Apple added a new "Display" section to the StandBy section of the Settings app, which houses some new customization options. The display can be set to turn off automatically, after 20 seconds, or never.
The existing Night Mode function that adds a red tint and dims the screen has been relocated to this section, as has the Motion to Wake toggle. The Display section also replaces the prior Always On toggle that limited the display to turning off intelligently.
Action Button Update
In iOS 17.1, Apple changed the functionality of the Action Button to prevent certain actions from being triggered while the iPhone is in a pocket or a bag. The Camera, Flashlight, Voice Memo, Focus, and Magnifier functions will no longer activate when the Action Button is pressed if the iPhone is tucked away in a pocket.
Actions that make sense to trigger in a pocket like the mute function and a shortcut can still be activated while the iPhone is inside of a pocket by long pressing on the Action Button, but other features are disabled.
UK Bank Balances in the Wallet App
UK users can add their UK bank accounts to the Wallet app in iOS 17.1, allowing them to see their account balances, payments, purchases, and deposits.
Wallet App and Discover Cards
U.S. Discover users who add their credit cards to Apple Wallet can see their total card balance and transaction history right on the iPhone with iOS 17.1.
Books App
The "Reading Now" section in the Apple Books app has been renamed to "Read Now."
Dynamic Island Flashlight Indicator
When the flashlight is activated on an iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 15, or iPhone 15 Plus, there is now a flashlight icon in the Dynamic Island that lets you know that It is on. The flashlight icon for the Dynamic Island was previously limited to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Controller Support
iOS 17.1 includes support for the Nintendo Switch N64 Controller.
Extend Wallpaper
When you are setting up a new wallpaper, Apple has added an "Extend" option that can be used if the image does not fit the display.
Photo Shuffle
When you add a Photo Shuffle Lock Screen in iOS 17.1, you can select a specific album of photos that will be shown on the Lock Screen rather than having to rely on Apple's pre-selected options like People, Pets, or Nature.
When selecting any of the main Photo Shuffle images, you're brought into a customization screen where you can choose your Favorites album or opt for any other album you have created, giving you complete control over the images that show up on the Lock Screen. There was previously a tool for manually selecting photos, but being able to choose an entire album is quicker.
Photo Shuffle frequency remains the same at on tap, on lock, hourly, or daily.
Reachability
On iPhones with a Dynamic Island, you'll now see a black background when you use the Reachability feature. In prior versions of iOS 17, a blurred version of the device's wallpaper was shown. The change to a black background prevents the Dynamic Island from being displayed twice when Reachability is used.
Home Key Support for Matter Locks
If you have a Matter-equipped lock that you've added to HomeKit, it can now be added to the Wallet app if it supports the Home Key feature.
Screen Time Syncing
According to Apple, Screen Time settings now better sync across devices. The change addresses complaints from parents who found that Screen Time settings would reset or not sync across devices, giving children more access to their devices than intended.
Journal App
There is no sign of the promised Journal app in iOS 17.1, but there are mentions of Journaling Suggestions in the code, which indicates that it could be coming before too long.
Apple in iOS 17.1 has further optimized the Crash Detection feature in the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 models. Apple has tweaked Crash Detection several times to prevent it from activating accidentally at ski resorts and amusement parks.
80% Charging Limit Fix
With the iPhone 15 models, Apple added a toggle that prevents the devices from charging past 80 percent in order to keep the battery healthy for a longer period of time. In iOS 17, the iPhone could ignore this setting and charge past 80 percent, but that no longer happens following the second beta update.
Messages Bug Fix
iOS 17.1 addresses an issue with the search function in the Messages app in iOS 17. Some iPhone 15 users have been able to search for older messages after transferring their data over from an older iPhone. The Messages search feature only works for recent messages, but the update fixes the issue.
Display Image Persistance Fix
iOS 17.1 fixes an issue that "may cause display image persistence," a problem that has been noticed on multiple iPhone models, most notably the iPhone 15. Several iPhone 15 Pro owners complained that they had seen severe "screen burn-in" following the iPhone's launch, but it turned out to be a software-based image retention issue.
More Bug Fixes
Resolves an issue where the names of incoming callers may not appear when you are on another call
Addresses an issue where custom and purchased ringtones may not appear as options for your text tone
Fixes an issue that may cause the keyboard to be less responsive
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