MacRumors

It is already Friday, September 22 in New Zealand and Australia, which means customers in those countries who pre-ordered an iPhone 15, ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro, Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2, or AirPods Pro with USB-C case are beginning to receive their devices.

Apple fans receiving new ‌iPhone 15‌ and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro are now sharing photos and first impressions on Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, the MacRumors forums, and other social networks. If you've already received your new iPhone, let us know in the comments below and make sure to share pictures and your first impressions!

There are no Apple retail locations in New Zealand, which means customers in Australia are always the first to be able to pick up new devices or purchase an ‌iPhone‌ in an Apple Store. Available in-store stock in Australia will provide insight into what we can expect in other Apple Stores around the world.

‌iPhone 15‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max models sold out during the pre-order period, and orders placed now from Apple's online store will not ship out until late October or even into November for some devices. The standard ‌iPhone 15‌ models are not as hard to come by.

If you missed out on pre-orders, purchasing at an ‌Apple Store‌ or another location like Target, Walmart, or Best Buy is the only way to get a new ‌iPhone‌ on launch day. While retail stores are expected to have stock, popular ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max models could be in short supply and may sell out quickly.

Following New Zealand and Australia, sales and deliveries of the new ‌iPhone 15‌ models and the new Apple Watches will begin in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and finally, North America. Many Apple Stores worldwide will be opening up early at around 8:00 a.m. local time to allow customers to pick up reserved devices and make walk-in purchases.

Make sure to stay tuned to MacRumors, as we'll have a hands-on and unboxing tomorrow, followed by deep dives into the feature set of the new devices, camera comparisons, and more.

Apple in iOS 17 added interactive Home Screen widgets for the first time, and developer Christian Selig is using the new functionality to make his Pixel Pals app better than ever.

With Pixel Pals 2.0, you can adopt a digital pet that lives on your ‌Home Screen‌, and you can interact with it in all new ways without the need to open up the app.

You can feed and play with your Pixel Pals, and add your friends so their Pixel Pals can visit your ‌Home Screen‌. Two Pixel Pals together can battle one another, and in StandBy mode, your Pixel Pal can hang out next to you or you can use a new sheep counting feature.

You can also plant seeds on a farm to grow food for your pet, and there are new animals and morphs to unlock. As your friendship with your Pixel Pal grows, you will unlock more morphs. Selig has also added in full games that can be played on the ‌Home Screen‌ in a widget, including PixelQuest, 2048, and Eternal Scroll.

Christian Selig is the developer behind the now-defunct Apollo app for Reddit, which was removed for sale earlier this year. He is now focusing his attention on Pixel Pals.

Pixel Pals is free to download, but unlocking the app's full feature set requires Pixel Pals Premium, priced at $9.99 per year or $1.49 per month.

The new Double Tap gesture for the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 will be enabled starting with watchOS 10.1, according to Marques Brownlee, host of the popular tech-focused YouTube channel MKBHD.

The first beta of watchOS 10.1 will likely be available by next week, and Apple announced that the software update will be released next month.

Brownlee shared his impressions of the Series 9 and Ultra 2 in the video below, which was highlighted by @M1Astra on X, formerly Twitter.

Double Tap will allow users to tap their watch hand's index finger and thumb together twice to perform common actions on the Apple Watch, such as stopping a timer, playing and pausing music, snoozing an alarm, answering and ending a phone call, opening the Smart Stack, and more, all without touching the screen.

Apple says Double Tap is enabled by the S9 chip's faster Neural Engine, so the feature is only available on the Series 9 and Ultra 2. Apple said it developed an algorithm that detects the "unique signature" of tiny wrist movements and changes in blood flow when the index finger and thumb are tapped together.

A similar but more limited accessibility feature called AssistiveTouch is already available on the Apple Watch Series 4 and newer.

Both new Apple Watch models launch this Friday, but Double Tap will require watchOS 10.1. For now, the latest version is watchOS 10.0.1, released today.

Google is continuing on with its relentless #GetTheMessage marketing campaign in an attempt to get Apple to adopt the RCS messaging protocol. In its latest ad, Google shows off the "iPager," which Google describes as a device that "uses outdated messaging tech" like Apple uses "when texting with Android."

‌RCS‌, or Rich Communication Services, is a communication protocol designed by and adopted by Google. Google has been pushing Apple to implement support for ‌RCS‌, but Apple devices continue to support the older SMS protocol. Google claims that Apple is responsible for all the issues that Android and iPhone users have texting one another, including lack of encryption, broken group chats, pixelated pictures and videos, and the green bubbles.

"iPager isn't real, but the problems that Apple causes by using SMS are. Let's make texting better for everyone and help Apple #GetTheMessage and upgrade to ‌RCS‌," read's Google's video.

Major U.S. carriers and other carriers worldwide have adopted support for ‌RCS‌, but Apple has no plans to do so despite Google's multi-year effort. Google has used billboards, ads, websites, social media campaigns, and more to get Apple's attention and to try to convince ‌iPhone‌ users to request the feature from Apple, but so far, it hasn't worked.

In September 2022, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that ‌RCS‌ is not a priority for Apple. "I don't hear our users asking that we put a lot of energy in on that at this point," he explained. To one reporter who said he was having an issue texting his mother on an Android device, Cook said "Buy your mom an ‌iPhone‌."

It is not clear if Apple will ever adopt ‌RCS‌, but so far, it does not sound like the company has any interest in doing so. If Apple did adopt ‌RCS‌, it would allow for end-to-end encryption for conversations between ‌iPhone‌ and Android users, as well as higher quality media. Apple already offers these features for the iMessage service that works from ‌iPhone‌ to ‌iPhone‌.

Apple today released iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1 updates for the iPhone and the iPad, adding bug fixes to the new software. The iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1 updates come just a few days after Apple launched iOS 17 and iPadOS 17.

The software, which is build 21A340, can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. There is a separate iOS 17.0.2 update (build 21A350) that will be available for iPhone 15 and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro models.

According to Apple's release notes for the ‌iPhone‌, the update provides bug fixes and important security updates for all eligible devices.

Apple's security support document confirms that the update addresses several security vulnerabilities that may have been actively exploited against versions of iOS before iOS 16.7.

Apple has also released iOS 16.7 (build 20H19) for those who have not yet updated to iOS 17, or those who are unable to update.

Apple today released macOS Ventura 13.6, the sixth major update to the macOS Ventura operating system. macOS Ventura 13.6 comes almost two months after the launch of macOS Ventura 13.5.

The ‌‌‌‌macOS Ventura‌‌‌‌ 13.6 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Settings.

According to Apple's release notes, ‌macOS Ventura‌ 13.6 introduces important bug fixes and security updates. Apple recommends that all users install the software.

Apple's security support document confirms that the update addresses several security vulnerabilities that may have been actively exploited against versions of iOS before iOS 16.7.

macOS Ventura will soon be replaced with macOS Sonoma, the newest version of macOS that Apple plans to release on September 26. Apple has also released macOS 12.7 for those who are not able to update to Ventura.

Apple today seeded a second release candidate version of the upcoming macOS 14 Sonoma update to developers for testing purposes. The software update comes over a week after the launch of the first RC.

Registered developers can download the beta through the Apple Developer Center and after the appropriate profile is installed, with the betas available through the Software Update mechanism in System Settings.

macOS Sonoma introduces new Apple TV-like screen savers that also serve as wallpapers after you log in, plus it moves widgets to the desktop. You can use the new widget gallery to choose from a range of widgets, and then drag them to your Mac's desktop.

Widgets can be arranged in any way that's useful, and when you're using an app, they are designed to fade into the background so they're less distracting. ‌Widgets‌ are more interactive than before, so you can use them to do things like play music, turn off the lights in your home, and more. Through Continuity, your iPhone's widgets can also show up on your Mac's desktop.

Video conferencing has improved with a new Presenter Overlay view that shows your desktop or project in new ways, plus Safari now supports web apps for the Dock and the option to create Profiles so you can separate personal browsing from work browsing.

Other new features include improved search that's faster and more responsive, password and passkey sharing, a revamped stickers interface for the Messages app, PDF integration in notes that makes it easier than ever to manage PDFs, and more.

macOS Sonoma is set to see a launch on September 26.

Apple today released watchOS 10.0.1, a minor update to the watchOS 10 operating system that initially came out on Monday.

According to Apple's release notes for the update, watchOS 10.0.1 includes bug fixes and important security updates for the Apple Watch.

watchOS 10‌.0.1 can be downloaded for free through the Apple Watch app on an iPhone running iOS 17 by opening it up and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery and it needs to be placed on a charger.

Apple has also released watchOS 9.6.3 for those who are unable to update to watchOS 10.0.1 or who have not yet had a chance to install the watchOS 10 update.

Apple today updated its suite of iWork apps for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, adding new features to Pages, Keynote, and Numbers.

On the ‌iPhone‌ and the ‌iPad‌, the three iWork apps now support 3D objects in the USDZ file format. Apple says that these can be added to documents to "bring new dimensions" to your work. In Keynote specifically, embedded animations within USDZ files can be played, or Magic Move can be used to animate 3D objects across slides.

The apps support Stickers through the updated emoji interface that allows both stickers and emoji to be used throughout the iOS operating system, plus there are inline predictions for text as you type with iOS 17 or iPadOS 17 installed.

Other new features include options to collaborate on documents over FaceTime, the ability to find and open suggested documents when using Spotlight, and an option to drag documents to the Keynote/Pages/Numbers icon on the Home Screen to import them. Pages also supports new paragraph style options and has a Minimalist Report template, while Keynote has new dynamic themes and live video slide layouts.

On the Mac, Pages, Numbers, and Keynote also now support USDZ files, and the same themes and templates have also been added to Pages and Keynote.

• Pages for iOS [Direct Link]
• Keynote for iOS [Direct Link]
• Numbers for iOS [Direct Link]
• Pages for macOS [Direct Link]
• Keynote for macOS [Direct Link]
• Numbers for macOS [Direct Link]

The iWork apps for iOS and Mac are available for free from the App Store and Mac App Store.

YouTube channel PBKreviews today shared a teardown of the iPhone 15 Pro, providing a look inside the device. Overall, the iPhone 15 Pro has a similar internal design as the iPhone 14 Pro, but with a redesigned mid-frame chassis that allows for the back glass panel to be easily removed from the device during repairs.

The teardown confirms that the iPhone 15 Pro is equipped with a 3,274 mAh battery, as revealed in a regulatory database last week. While the iPhone 15 Pro has a slightly larger battery than the 3,200 mAh battery in the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple says both devices have the same battery life, with up to 23 hours of offline video playback.

Since this is an iPhone 15 Pro teardown, there is no look at Apple's new tetraprism lens system, which enables 5x optical zoom on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

The video provides a brief look at the iPhone 15 Pro's logic board with Apple's new A17 Pro chip, but few other details can be garnered. Repair website iFixit will likely share a more in-depth teardown of the device by next week.

Teardown spotted by 9to5Mac

Amazon today has a few first-generation Apple Watch Ultra models available for as low as $698.99, down from $799.00. The last time we tracked this deal was about one month ago, and it is still the best price we've ever seen on the first-generation Apple Watch Ultra.

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.

Shoppers should note that only one model has hit $698.99 (the small size Orange Alpine Loop), but all others listed here are priced at or around $699.99, which is still $99 off the Apple Watch Ultra. Models on sale include the Green Alpine Loop (medium), Orange Alpine Loop (all sizes), and the Yellow/Beige Trail Loop (M/L).

Most models are available to ship and arrive before the end of the month, but the Green Alpine Loop has stretched into early October. Apple is set to release the new version of the wearable, the Apple Watch Ultra 2, on Friday, September 22. The second-generation device will be priced similarly as the first at $799.

Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.

Following over three months of beta testing, iOS 17 was released on Monday for the iPhone XS and newer. The free software update includes a wide range of new features, but not all of them are available right away.

Below, we have listed features that Apple says are coming "later this year" in a future update, such as iOS 17.1 or iOS 17.2.

Journal App

An all-new Journal app will allow iPhone users to reflect on their day and memories, complete with text, photos, music, audio recordings, and more. The app will provide personalized suggestions based on recent on-device activity.

Collaborative Apple Music Playlists

A new Collaborative Playlists feature for Apple Music will allow multiple people to add, reorder, and remove songs in a shared playlist.

AirDrop Transfers via Internet

If you send content like an image or video to another user via AirDrop, the transfer will be able to continue over an internet connection if you leave AirDrop range, so long as both you and the recipient are signed in to an iCloud account.

iMessage Contact Key Verification

In December 2022, Apple previewed a new iMessage Contact Key Verification security feature and said it would launch globally in 2023.

iMessage Contact Key Verification will allow users who face "extraordinary digital threats," such as journalists, human rights activists, and government officials, to further verify that they are messaging only with the people they intend. In conversations between users who have enabled iMessage Contact Key Verification, users are alerted if a state-sponsored attacker or other malicious actor were ever to succeed breaching cloud servers and inserting their own device to eavesdrop on the conversation.

As an additional layer of security, iMessage Contact Key Verification users will be able to compare a Contact Verification Code in person, on FaceTime, or through another secure call to further verify they are communicating only with whom they intend.

Next-Generation CarPlay

At WWDC 2022, Apple previewed the next generation of CarPlay, which will feature support for multiple displays, widgets, and integration with vehicle functions like the instrument cluster, climate controls, and FM radio.

Apple said the first vehicles with support for the next-generation CarPlay experience would be announced in late 2023, with committed automakers including Acura, Audi, Ford, Honda, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche, Volvo, and others.

More iOS 17 Features Coming Later This Year

• React to a message with any sticker through the Tapback menu in the Messages app.
• A catch-up arrow for group conversations in the Messages app.
• Sync additional settings with Messages in iCloud, such as Text Message Forwarding, Send & Receive accounts, and SMS filters across devices.
• Play or pause a podcast or Apple News+ audio story in the Apple News widget.
• Favorite Songs playlist in Music app.
• Intelligent form detection and enhanced AutoFill for PDFs.
• Audio Focus feature for Apple Fitness+ that prioritizes the volume of either the music or the trainers' voices depending on your preference.
• Apple ID proximity sign-in with an existing signed-in and trusted iPhone or iPad when setting up a new Apple device.

The first iOS 17.1 beta should be available by next week, and the update will likely be released in late October or early November.

Apple's new AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C/MagSafe Charging Case haven't even launched yet, and Amazon already has a $49 discount on the earbuds. You can get them for $199.99, down from $249.00 as a pre-order on Amazon.

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 very quick discount on the new AirPods Pro 2, matching one of the most consistent deals we've tracked for most of the year on the Lightning/MagSafe Charging Case model. The new AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C/MagSafe Charging Case will launch on Friday, September 22.

There are a few minor changes to the AirPods Pro 2 besides the addition of USB-C, including additional dust resistance and support for lossless audio with the Vision Pro headset. Apple doesn't sell the USB-C/MagSafe Charging Case separately, so if you want USB-C support you'll have to purchase a full new set of earbuds.

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

Apple recently unveiled the iPhone 15 and ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus as the successors to the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, featuring the Dynamic Island, a 48-megapixel main camera, a USB-C port, and more. Following the discontinuation of its "mini" devices, this is the second time Apple has offered offering a standard model with a 6.7-inch display – a display size that used to be exclusive to the high-end iPhone "Pro Max" lineup.

The ‌iPhone 15‌ starts at $799 and the ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus starts at $899. Although the two phones share the vast majority of features, there are a small number of differences between the devices that are worth considering. Our guide highlights the differences between the ‌iPhone 15‌ and ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus, and helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these two ‌iPhone‌ models is best for you.

The ‌‌iPhone 15‌ and ‌‌iPhone 15‌ Plus share virtually all of the same key features beyond physical size. Both phones have the same OLED Super Retina XDR display, A16 Bionic chip, and "advanced" camera setup, and both are available in the same selection of color options. Nevertheless, there are still some important differences:

‌iPhone 15‌	‌iPhone 15‌ Plus
6.1-inch OLED Super Retina XDR display	6.7-inch OLED Super Retina XDR display
2556-by-1179-pixel resolution	2796-by-1290-pixel resolution
20-hour battery life (during video playback)	26-hour battery life (during video playback)
5.81-inch (147.6mm) height	6.33-inch (160.9mm) height
2.82-inch (71.5mm) width	3.07-inch (78.1mm) width
6.02-ounce (171 grams) weight	7.09-ounce (201 grams) weight
$799, $899, or $1,099 for 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB storage	$899, $999, or $1,199 for 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB storage

Unlike some ‌iPhone‌ models offered with different display sizes like the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max, there are no additional camera improvements to be gained with the larger model when it comes to the ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus. In fact, there are no standalone features to be gained by buying the bigger device at all. Six additional hours of battery life is the only real feature to consider beyond the larger display.

The most important decision point to weigh up when considering the ‌iPhone 15‌ and ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus is undoubtedly screen size, but comfort, pocketability, and weight, are also noteworthy considerations. The added $100 in price for the ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus seems fair for the added display area and battery life, but it is crucial to weigh up these additional aspects for your personal use case.

The ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus represents the most you can get out of a non-Pro ‌iPhone‌ model to obtain the best possible battery life, but that does not necessarily translate into a worthwhile purchase for all users. A larger and heavier 6.7-inch ‌iPhone‌ is not for everyone. Some may find the ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus's size excessive or uncomfortably large to hold, while others will love the larger display for consuming media. Screen size is ultimately a matter of personal preference, and since the ‌‌iPhone 15‌ and ‌‌iPhone 15‌ Plus almost all features other than battery life, it comes down to individual taste.

Apple has stopped selling leather accessories, and the company claims its "FineWoven" range of iPhone cases and accessories are overall more environmentally friendly. But in the court of public opinion, early reactions to Apple's alternative material choice appear to be trending towards the negative end of the spectrum.

Apple calls the new fabric option a "luxurious and durable microtwill," and has priced FineWoven iPhone cases at $59, MagSafe Wallets at $59, AirTag holders at $35, and Apple Watch bands at $99.

The quality of the iPhone cases in particular seems to have riled some customers, with several MacRumors forum members stating they have returned the cases. "After holding it in person", said poster inducecurrent, "it feels more like a $10 cheapo case from Amazon rather than Apple-quality, especially at this price point."

"Received and returned," said another forum member. "Felt cheap almost like cardboard." EvanEiga replied: "The case itself is nice IMO, but I'm not sure if the premium cost is worth it. Leather cases felt so much nicer. I am all for mother nature but when it comes to bang for the buck, FineWoven case is just subpar." Most respondents to a MacRumors forum poll thus far seemed to agree.

Positive customer reactions are just as hard to find on Twitter (X). "I've been using Apple's cases for my phones since the iPhone 7," said X user @eggbutspam, "but I've never returned a case so fast like I did with the FineWoven case I preordered last Friday. FineWoven looks like absolute trash."

"Just got mine in the mail," reported one Reddit user. "It's basically like a polyester pillowcase sandwiched in a plastic shell. I don't hate it, but $60 is kind of insulting."

"Same here," replied another Redditor. "The material looks and feels pretty nice, although it's 0% like leather or suede and definitely not worth $60."

Perhaps the most vehement criticism has come from The Verge's Alison Johnson, who called the new iPhone cases "really bad" and described Apple's FineWoven accessory line in general as "categorically terrible."

When I popped the MagSafe wallet out of its box, I could clearly see some places where it was already showing wear along the edges. Little bits of lint immediately caught on the fabric, too. And then there’s the fingernail test.

...When you scratch FineWoven, the results are seemingly permanent. When we first inspected the cases after picking them up at Apple Park, Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel picked one up and ran his fingernails across it five times — and that was all it took to leave a trail of indelible scuffs on the fabric. The scratches are still there a week later, no matter how many times I've tried "buffing" it out by rubbing my finger over it.

Considering many iPhone 15 and Apple Watch Series 9 customers have yet to pick up their FineWoven accessories, it's too early to conclude that these early adopter opinions reflect a broad consensus, but so far it has not been the best advert for Apple's new FineWoven accessory range. Have you bought one of the new cases or bands? Let us know what you think of them in the comments.

Apple has announced the launch of Tap to Pay on iPhone in Brazil, allowing independent sellers, small merchants, and large retailers in the country to use ‌iPhones‌ as a payment terminal.

Introduced in February 2022, the feature allows compatible iPhones to accept payments via Apple Pay, contactless credit and debit cards, and other digital wallets, using only an ‌‌‌‌iPhone‌‌‌ - no additional hardware or credit card machine is required‌.

Tap to Pay on ‌‌‌‌iPhone‌‌‌‌ uses NFC technology to securely authenticate the contactless payments, plus the feature also supports PIN entry, which includes accessibility options.

"Tap to Pay on iPhone has helped companies around the world and of all sizes — from freelancers to large retailers — to offer new payment experiences, and we are excited to bring an easy, secure and private payment solution to Brazilian merchants,” said Jennifer Bailey, Apple's vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. "Brazil is a nation of great entrepreneurship, and now companies will have the possibility to accept payments by approach in all places of operation."

Cloudwalk is the first payment platform to offer Tap to Pay on ‌iPhone‌ to their Brazil-based business customers, with Stone, Nubank, SumUp, and Granito coming soon.

Tap to Pay on ‌‌‌‌iPhone‌‌‌‌ requires ‌‌‌‌iPhone‌‌‌‌ XS or newer models, and works for customers as any normal ‌‌‌‌Apple Pay‌‌‌‌ transaction would. Sellers just need to open up the app, register the sale, and present their ‌‌‌‌iPhone‌‌‌‌ to the buyer, who can then use an appropriate contactless payment method.

Tap to Pay on ‌‌‌‌iPhone‌‌‌‌ is available to over 700,000 additional businesses across the United States, and Apple Stores in the U.S. have also rolled out the feature. Brazil is the sixth region to support Tap to Pay, following similar rollouts in the U.K., Australia, Taiwan, and the Netherlands earlier in the year.

In the last few years, Apple has spent billions of dollars attempting to develop its own modem chip to replace the Qualcomm modem chips that it uses in iPhones, but a new paywalled Wall Street Journal report suggests Apple's approach to the project has been dogged by unrealistic goals, a poor understanding of the challenges involved, and completely unusable prototypes.

Apple's plan to design its own in-house modem led to the hiring of thousands of engineers: Apple acquired the majority of Intel's smartphone modem business in 2019, and as it filled the project's ranks with Intel engineers and others hired from Qualcomm, company executives set a goal to have the modem chip ready for fall 2023.

The modem chip project was codenamed Sinope, after the nymph in Greek mythology who outsmarted Zeus.

However, "it soon became apparent to many of the wireless experts on the project that meeting the goal was impossible," according to the report.

The obstacles to finishing the chip were "largely of Apple's own making," according to former company engineers and executives familiar with the project who spoke to WSJ. Teams working on the project were "slowed by technical challenges, poor communication and managers split over the wisdom of trying to design the chips rather than buy them."

From the report:

Apple had planned to have its modem chip ready to use in the new iPhone models. But tests late last year found the chip was too slow and prone to overheating. Its circuit board was so big it would take up half an iPhone, making it unusable.

Teams were siloed in separate groups across the U.S. and abroad without a global leader. Some managers discouraged the airing of bad news about delays or setbacks from engineers, leading to unrealistic goals and blown deadlines.

Apple's ability to design its own microprocessors for iPhones and iPads reportedly caused the company to think it could build modem chips. However, such chips transmit and receive wireless data from various types of wireless networks, and must comply with strict connectivity standards to serve wireless carriers around the world, making them a significantly more challenging undertaking.

"Just because Apple builds the best silicon on the planet, it's ridiculous to think that they could also build a modem," said former Apple wireless director Jaydeep Ranade, who left the company in 2018, the year the project began.

Executives reportedly better understood the challenge after Apple tested its prototypes late last year. The results were so poor that the chips were "essentially three years behind Qualcomm's best modem chip," and using them threatened to make iPhone wireless speeds slower than its competitors, according to people familiar with the tests who spoke to WSJ.

Apple was forced to settle its lawsuit with Qualcomm and has since used Qualcomm 5G modem chips for its latest ‌iPhone‌ and iPad lineups. As it stands, 2025 may be the soonest that the technology is finally advanced enough for Apple to phase out Qualcomm, according to the report's sources.

"These delays indicate Apple didn't anticipate the complexity of the effort," said Serge Willenegger, a former longtime Qualcomm executive who spoke to WSJ. "Cellular is a monster." Underlining the significance of Apple's setback, the company last week extended its agreement to obtain modems from Qualcomm for three more years.

Lux, the developers behind popular camera app Halide, today announced the launch of Orion Video System, an app that is designed to turn the iPad into an external HDMI monitor that can be used with computers, gaming consoles, cameras, and other devices.

Using the Orion app requires iOS 17, an ‌iPad‌ that has a USB-C port, and a USB-C Video Capture Card. USB-C Capture Cards can be purchased from websites like Amazon for around $15 to $20.

The app is able to work with any device that supports HDMI, including Macs, PCs, game consoles like the Nintendo Switch, retro consoles, and cameras. According to the developers, Orion Video System will upscale Nintendo Switch gameplay to 4K in realtime. When used with a camera, Orion allows an ‌iPad‌ to be used for checking framing, focus, and color for video capture and stills.

Orion is free to download, and there is a demo mode that allows users to test the app without a Capture Card. There is an optional one-time $5 upgrade purchase to unlock AI-powered 4K upscaling, CRT Emulation, and Picture Adjustment.