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Woot has been holding a massive Apple accessory blowout sale since the beginning of November, including deals on products like chargers, Apple Watch bands, iPhone cases, and more. They expanded the sale today and are now offering the MagSafe Duo Charger in new condition at $79.99, down from $129.00.

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.

This is a new all-time low price on the accessory, and it beats the previous deal we tracked earlier in the month by about $15. Woot is selling the MagSafe Duo Charger in new condition with a one year Apple manufacturer limited warranty.

The rest of Woot's Apple accessory sale is worth checking out. You can get rock bottom prices on Apple Watch Series 4 and Series 6 models in new condition, USB-C chargers, Siri Remotes, and more. As of right now, the regular MagSafe Charger is not on sale any longer.

You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2023.

Apple on Tuesday seeded a sixth beta of visionOS, the software designed to run on the Vision Pro headset, and it includes two new tutorial videos shown to the user during the setup process.

The first 36-second onboarding video, shared by @M1Astra, is called "Input Training" and demonstrates how the user interacts with visionOS by looking at UI elements and selecting them using a double-tap gesture. The narrator says the following:

Your eyes and hands are how you navigate Apple Vision Pro. You browse the system by looking, and it responds to your eyes. Simply look at an element and tap your fingers together to select it. It's like a click on your Mac. To scroll, pinch your fingers together, and gently flick. You can keep your hands where they're comfortable, such as resting on your lap.

With the Apple Vision Pro headset, the built-in cameras create a customized "Persona" that resembles the user, and this Persona is used in video chat apps like FaceTime. In a second, 50-second video also shared by @M1Astra, "Persona Enrollment," Apple demonstrates how Personas are set up by using the EyeSight display to guide the user:

To set up your Persona, you'll remove Apple Vision Pro to capture your appearance. Take your time getting ready, and ensure nothing is covering your face. To start capturing, hold Apple Vision Pro at eye level. Keep your arms and shoulders relaxed. Then, follow the instructions.

Turn your head to the right, to the left, and tilt up, and down. Then you'll capture your facial expressions. Smile with your mouth closed, smile showing your teeth, raise your eyebrows, and close your eyes. When you're done, put Apple Vision Pro back on to see your Persona.

As we previously reported, the 3D capture process requires users to remove anything that covers the face, such as glasses. There does not appear to be any kind of secondary scanning mechanism to separately capture a user's glasses, and instead, Apple will allow users to "Select Eyewear" from a variety of options.

Personas are one aspect of ‌visionOS‌ that Apple is working on perfecting before the launch of the Vision Pro headset. In September, Apple began surveying developers who have the Vision Pro about their Personas, soliciting opinions on facial expressions, appearance matching, and more.

The Vision Pro headset is set to launch in early 2024 in the United States, and it will be priced at $3,500. The headset will likely be released in the UK and Canada later the same year.

WhatsApp is rolling out a new voice chats feature in groups that lets users start voice calls without disturbing everyone in the group.

Previously in WhatsApp group chats, the only option was to start a voice call, which rings every member in the group. If no-one joins, the call doesn't go ahead.

In contrast, voice chats can be initiated in a group without anyone joining, and users are prompted to join discreetly via a silent push notification. The feature is available for those WhatsApp groups with 33 to 128 members.

Group members not participating in the voice chat can see who is active in the call from the chat header and the Calls tab, and people can join or leave at any time. If the encrypted chat remains empty for 60 minutes, it automatically ends.

As noted by WABetaInfo, the feature is now appearing for users on iOS and Android who have installed the latest WhatsApp update from the App Store and Google Play Store, respectively.

Apple today announced that its Emergency SOS via satellite service is being extended for an additional free year for existing iPhone 14 users. Apple originally gave new ‌iPhone 14‌ owners two free years after device activation, which would have expired in November 2024.

Emergency SOS via Satellite is now free for two more years starting today or at the time of activation of any ‌iPhone 14‌ model. Apple says the free trial will be extended for ‌iPhone 14‌ users who have activated their device in any country that supports Emergency SOS via satellite prior to 12 a.m. Pacific Time on November 15, 2023.

"Emergency SOS via satellite has helped save lives around the world. From a man who was rescued after his car plummeted over a 400-foot cliff in Los Angeles, to lost hikers found in the Apennine Mountains in Italy, we continue to hear stories of our customers being able to connect with emergency responders when they otherwise wouldn't have been able to," said Kaiann Drance, Apple's vice president of Worldwide iPhone Product Marketing. "We are so happy iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 users can take advantage of this groundbreaking service for two more years for free."

Available on all ‌iPhone 14‌ and iPhone 15 models, the feature enables users to send text messages to emergency services via satellite when cellular and Wi-Fi coverage is not available. Users can also share their location via satellite in the Find My app.

With the service, Apple says users can send and receive messages in as little as 15 seconds in clear conditions. Users are prompted to complete a short questionnaire with vital information, and the interface then shows users where in the sky to point their iPhone to connect and send the initial message. This message includes the user's questionnaire responses, location, altitude, ‌iPhone‌ battery level, and Medical ID info if set.

Apple says the service is designed to work outdoors with a clear view of the sky. Apple warns that foliage or other obstructions can result in emergency messages taking longer to send or failing to send, and satellite connectivity might not work in places above 62° latitude, such as northern parts of Canada and Alaska.

Popular repair site iFixit today sent a petition to the United States Federal Trade Commission calling for new Right to Repair rules that would protect consumer interests.

iFixit's petition calls attention to some of the "blocks" that manufacturers have put in place that prevent customers and independent repair shops from repairing their electronics, such as proprietary screws or repairs that require software authentication, which is a method that Apple employs. iFixit wants the FTC to consider the following rules:

• Consumable components should be replaceable and readily available throughout a product's usable lifespan.
• Components that commonly break should be replaceable and readily available as repair parts.
• Consumers should be able to choose to take damaged products to a repair shop of their choice, or perform a repair themselves.
• When a manufacturer discontinues support for a product, its key functions should remain intact, and an independent repair shop should be able to continue to perform repairs.
• Identical components from two identical devices should be interchangeable without manufacturer intervention. (This is not the case with Apple devices).
• Independent repair shops should not be required to report customers' personally identifiable information to the manufacturer.

In France, Right to Repair laws require manufacturers to provide a device repairability score that gives context on how difficult or easy it is to repair, and iFixit says that the FTC should adopt a similar policy in the United States.

"Consider this a request for the FTC to stretch its arm out," reads iFixit's blog post on the petition. The site acknowledges that developing and enforcing any kind of rule could take years, but it is hopeful that the FTC will consider the request.

Apple in August supported California's Right to Repair law, drawing praise from iFixit, but there is no equivalent federal right to repair mandate at this time. Apple in October endorsed a push for nationwide Right to Repair law that "balances repairability with product integrity, usability, and physical safety."

Apple was supportive of California's law in particular because it requires parts to be sourced from the manufacturer, and it does not allow for parts from third-party sources. Notably, California's law does not have some of the specific provisions that iFixit is proposing, such the option to swap components from two identical devices or the option to conduct repairs without tying components to a device's IMEI.

While iFixit has lauded Apple for backing California's Right to Repair law, the site in September lowered the iPhone 14's repairability score from a 7/10 to a 4/10 because of the way that Apple ties repair components to a specific device by requiring validation.

Withings today announced the launch of the Body Pro 2, a cellular-connected smart scale that is able to detect early signs of diabetes and assess the risk of diabetes complications.

Using add-on health modules that are available by prescription, the scale is able to track biomarkers that are usually only available in a clinical setting. The diabetes module monitors Electrochemical Skin Conductance, which allows it to detect signs of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathies that can lead to diabetic foot ulcers. Peripheral neuropathies are one of the most common diabetic complications, according to Withings, and as of now, are checked for only at annual doctor visits.

The scale works out of the box and requires no setup thanks to its cellular connection, which is able to transmit data securely to care teams. In addition to diabetes management, it has a number of other features, including support for tailored messages that can show up on the display, an eyes-closed mode that hides weight readings and instead provides motivational messages, and tools for measuring body composition.

The scale is able to recognize patients using a ProgramMemberID feature that ensures that care teams are getting readings from the right person, plus there is an "engagement score" to allow for tailored coaching.

More information about the Body Pro 2 can be found on the Withings website. As this is designed to be provided through a medical facility, pricing is not available.

Apple today stopped signing iOS 17.1, a move that will prevent iPhone users from downgrading to that version of iOS. Apple is no longer signing iOS 17.1 following the release of iOS 17.1.1, which came out on November 7.

It is not unusual that iOS 17.1 is no longer being signed. Apple routinely stops signing older versions of iOS after new releases in order to encourage customers to keep their operating systems up to date and to prevent users from downgrading to older, less secure versions of the software.

iOS 17.1.1 is the current version of iOS 17 that is available to the public. It introduced several bug fixes, addressing a weather widget bug and fixing issue that could cause NFC not to work in ‌iPhone‌ models charged with a BMW wireless charger.

Apple is also testing iOS 17.2, an update that is expected to come out in December.

Samsung today announced the launch of its latest portable SSD, the T5 EVO with up to 8TB of storage space available. 8TB is the largest capacity size offered by portable SSDs on the market.

The T5 Evo supports USB 3.2 Gen 1 speeds for transferring data at up to 460MB/s. That's much faster than standard hard drives, but slower than NVME SSDs like Samsung's T7 and T9 series.

Samsung designed the T5 with a rectangular body that has a clip able to be attached to luggage and backpacks, and it features drop protection up to six feet thanks to a rubberized surface. Samsung has also included Dynamic Thermal Guard technology to protect against overheating.

The SSD measures in at 3.74 inches in length and 1.57 inches in width, and it weighs 3.6 ounces, so it is portable and ideal for travel.

The 8TB version of the T5 EVO SSD is priced at $650, and it can be purchased from the Samsung website. Samsung is also offering 2TB and 4TB versions, priced at $190 and $350, respectively.

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

Telegram founder Pavel Durov today showed off a brief glimpse at Telegram's upcoming visionOS app, which is one of the first third-party visionOS app concepts that we've seen so far.

In the video, which is available on Telegram and was first noticed by 9to5Mac, the Telegram app has a translucent design that blends into the area surrounding it, which is the design language that Apple is using for visionOS.

The app has a sidebar that lists all of the available conversations that a user has going. Videos that are played pop out of the interface and become more immersive, while emoji characters take over the display and animate in unique ways when shared. Messages can be sent using a virtual keyboard or through dictation via Siri.

As with all visionOS icons on the Home interface, the Telegram icon animates and pops out a bit when it is visually selected, with the animation serving as a visual cue that the app is highlighted. A tap of the fingers launches the app, as the Vision Pro headset uses eye and gesture navigation.

Apple is expected to launch the Vision Pro in early 2024, which likely translates to during or before the month of April. We should soon be seeing many other third-party app visionOS experiences as the debut date approaches.

Apple is continuing on with the beta testing of a new iOS 17.2 update, and the third beta includes new features and refinements for existing features. We are still early in the beta testing process, which means there are new discoveries to make.

iOS 17.2 beta 3 is available to developers right now, but Apple should be making the update available to public beta testers later this week.

Apple Music Favorite Songs

In the Music section of the Settings app, there is now an option to add songs to your Music Library when they are favorited. The feature is toggled on by default, but it can be turned off if desired.

The option to "Favorite" songs was added in iOS 17.1.

Keyboard

Apple has added an option to disable inline predictions when typing. It can be accessed by opening up the Settings app, choosing General, going to Keyboard, and scrolling down to the "Show Predictions Inline" option.

Phone and FaceTime

In the Phone and FaceTime settings, there is a Share Name and Photo option that uses the Contact Poster. Name and Photo Sharing can be toggled off, set to Contacts Only, or set to Always Ask, which prompts you before sharing that information with others.

This setting was previously available for the Messages app.

FaceTime

If you join a ‌FaceTime‌ call that includes a contact you have blocked, you will now get a warning. Apple provides warnings when joining a call with a blocked contact, or when a blocked contact is joining a call you're already on.

Photos

When opening the Photos app after updating to iOS 17.2 beta 3, there is a prompt to allow ‌Photos‌ to access the Apple Music library. ‌Photos‌ is then able to use ‌Apple Music‌ to curate songs for Memories.

‌Photos‌ is listed as an app accessing ‌Apple Music‌ under Settings > Privacy and Security after enabling access. Note that ‌Photos‌ already had this capability, but Apple now offers an option to turn off access.

More iOS 17.2 Beta 3 Features

Know of a feature that we left out in this list? Let us know in the comments below.

Apple today released the first firmware update for the USB-C Apple Pencil that came out last week. The new firmware has a version number of 10M5164.

There is no word on what features, fixes, or updates might be included in the updated firmware, and Apple does not provide release notes for ‌Apple Pencil‌ software releases.

The USB-C ‌Apple Pencil‌ is almost identical in design to the ‌Apple Pencil‌ 2, but it is shorter and has a hidden USB-C port for charging and pairing. It is not able to wirelessly charge, and it lacks some of the features available with the more expensive ‌Apple Pencil‌ models such as pressure sensitivity.

Apple does not have an established procedure for updating ‌Apple Pencil‌ hardware, but in the case of the USB-C ‌Apple Pencil‌, connecting it to an iPad with a USB-C cable and powering on the ‌iPad‌ should be enough to spur the new software to download.

Apple today released the third betas of upcoming iOS 17.2 and iPadOS 17.2 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after Apple released the second betas of iOS 17.2 and iPadOS 17.2.

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

The biggest new feature in iOS 17.2 is the Journal app, which can be used to record daily activities and thoughts. You can write about your day to day life, but Apple also provides topic suggestions based on the music you listen to, the places you visit, and the people you see. Journal entries support pictures, voice recordings, and location information, with the app organized by entry date.

In Apple Music, there's a Favorites playlist that houses everything you've favorited, plus Apple added support for collaborative playlists. You can now share a playlist with multiple people, and each participant can add songs.

Stickers can now be used to reply to iMessages when you long press on a chat bubble in the Messages app, and there's also now support for the extra-secure iMessage Contact Key Verification option. If you have an iPhone 15 Pro, the Action Button supports Translate in iOS 17.2, and there are new Weather and Clock widgets.

More on what's new in iOS 17.2 can be found in our iOS 17.2 beta features list.

Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming macOS Sonoma 14.2 update to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after Apple seeded the second beta of macOS Sonoma 14.2.

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.

macOS Sonoma 14.2 adds an Apple Music Favorites playlist that houses everything you've favorited, plus Apple added support for collaborative playlists. You can now share a playlist with multiple people, and each participant can add songs.

Shazam can also be added to the Control Center or menu bar on the Mac.

Stickers can be used to reply to iMessages when you long press on a chat bubble in the Messages app, and there's also now support for the extra-secure iMessage Contact Key Verification option.

Apple today seeded the sixth beta of visionOS, the software that runs on the Vision Pro headset. The fifth beta came out in late October, so it has been two weeks since Apple last released a visionOS update.

Only a limited number of developers have access to Vision Pro at this time, with the headsets used for app testing purposes. Most people do not have access to the visionOS beta, and it is not entirely clear what Apple is adding in each visionOS update.

Apple is letting developers attend Vision Pro labs around the world, and developers who visit these locations are able to test the Vision Pro in person and get help from Apple engineers on their visionOS apps.

The Vision Pro headset is not expected until early 2024, so Apple still has several months to refine the hardware and software.

Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming watchOS 10.2 update to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming a week after Apple seeded the first watchOS 10.2 beta.

To install the ‌watchOS 10.2‌ 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.

watchOS 10.2 adds support for iMessage Contact Key Verification, 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.

Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming tvOS 17.2 to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming a week after the release of the second tvOS 17.2 beta.

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, but tvOS 17.2 introduces an overhauled ‌Apple TV‌ app.

The app now includes a sidebar that houses content from both Apple's services and streaming services that integrate with the tvOS Watch Now feature. There are dedicated sections for Search, Watch Now, ‌‌Apple TV‌+‌, MLS Season Pass, Sports, the Store, and the Library at the top of the sidebar, along with dedicated sections for streaming services like ABC, CBS, Comedy Central, Hulu, ESPN, Discovery, Peacock, Prime Video, and more.

You can click into each streaming service to see content that's available specifically on that service, and there's also a new My TV section that replaces "My Channels."

Apple today shared its 2023 App Store award finalists, highlighting standout apps chosen by the App Store editorial team. Apple has picked almost 40 apps and games to showcase across 10 different categories.

"We are excited about the achievements of these App Store Award finalists who are helping users around the world to explore their interests in drawing, design, video editing, education, music, time management, working out, hiking, playing games, and so much more," said Phil Schiller, Apple Fellow. "These finalists are all incredibly talented and have put enormous effort into creating these great apps and games. We are inspired by their accomplishments and look forward to announcing the winners of the App Store Awards later this month."

Apple has selected iPhone, iPad, and Mac apps and games finalists, along with top Apple Watch apps, Apple TV apps, and Apple Arcade games.

App of the Year Finalists

• iPhone App of the Year - AllTrails, Duolingo, Flighty
• iPad App of the Year - Concepts, DaVinci Resolve, Prêt-à-Makeup
• Mac App of the Year - Linearity Curve, Photomator, Portal
• Apple TV App of the Year - Bugsnax, FitOn, MUBI
• Apple Watch App of the Year - Planny, SmartGym, Tide Guide

Game of the Year Finalists

• iPhone Game of the Year - Afterplace, Honkai: Star Rail, Vampire Survivors
• iPad Game of the Year - Eggy Party, Lost in Play, Pocket City 2
• Mac Game of the Year - ELEX II, Lies of P, Return to Monkey Island
• Apple Arcade Game of the Year - Cityscapes, Hello Kitty Island Adventure, stitch.

Cultural Impact Finalists

• balance
• Copilot
• Endling
• Finding Hannah
• How to Say Goodbye
• Pok Pok
• Proloquo
• Rebel Girls
• Too Good To Go
• Unpacking

According to Apple, the ‌App Store‌ award finalists were picked for "excellence, inventiveness, and technical achievement." They have helped Apple users "flex their creativity, challenge themselves, and have fun with family and friends."

Apple will pick a winner from each category (and several from the cultural category), with the winners to be announced in a few weeks. Winners receive a physical ‌App Store‌ award modeled after the design of the ‌App Store‌ logo.

TikTok today launched its new "Add to Music App" feature with support for Apple Music, Spotify, and Amazon Music.

The feature allows users to directly save songs they find on TikTok to their preferred music streaming service library via an Add Song button located beside the track name at the bottom of a TikTok video. Users can also use the Add to Music App feature from an artist's Sound Detail page.

The first time a user presses the button, they will be asked to choose their preferred music streaming service and it will default to that service from then onwards. Any added songs will also be saved to a new playlist in the music app and users can select other playlists to add to if they wish. The Add to Music App feature is now available in the U.S. and UK, with more countries to follow.