MacRumors

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through all of the major announcements from Apple's "It's Glowtime" event.

The long-awaited unveiling of the iPhone 16 lineup was the main announcement at the event, so we break down some of the major features coming to the new devices. For the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, this includes the A18 chip with support for Apple Intelligence, the Action button, faster charging, revamped Photographic Styles, and the all-new Camera Control button. The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max take things further with larger display size options with slimmer bezels, a 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera, improved audio recording, and a significant battery life boost.

We discuss the Apple Watch Series 10 and new Satin Black color option for the Apple Watch Ultra 2. The Series 10 features redesigned casings and larger screen sizes, a new wide-angle OLED display with a faster refresh rate for an improved experience in always-on mode, sleep apnea detection, a water temperature sensor and depth gauge, a speaker with media playback, and faster charging.

We also take a look at the fourth-generation AirPods with Active Noise Cancellation and the new hearing protection, testing, and aid features for the AirPods Pro 2. Apple also brought a minor update to the AirPods Max that switches Lightning for USB-C and refreshes its selection of color options.

Finally, we weigh up the event as a whole and take a look forward at some of the early rumors for the iPhone 17 lineup to consider who should upgrade this year and who may be better off waiting until next year. The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips:

You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player.

If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up for our discussion about what we were expecting from the ‌iPhone 16‌ event to see what we got right and wrong.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Kevin Nether, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Jon Prosser, Sam Kohl, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.

Apple has announced it will allow iPad apps to be sold via third-party app stores in the European Union from Monday, September 16, coinciding with the release of iPadOS 18.

The move follows Apple's tolerance in the bloc for alternative app stores on iPhones, which happened earlier this year in compliance with the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA).

Apple's iPad operating system was designated by the European Commission as a "core platform service" in April under the rules of the DMA, joining iOS, the App Store, and Safari.

Although iPadOS user numbers fell below the threshold for inclusion under the DMA, the Commission retains some flexibility in its designations and noted significant lock-in effects, especially for business users. The Commission gave Apple six months to update iPadOS and make it compliant with the DMA. Apple later confirmed that it would bring all of the app ecosystem changes made to iOS in the European Union to iPadOS in the fall.

After installing iPadOS 18, iPad users in the EU will be able to install alternative app stores, while developers will be able to release alternative browsers based on their own browser engines, instead of Apple's WebKit.

Currently there are a handful of third-party app marketplaces available to iPhone users in the EU. One of them, Epic Games, has already said that it plans to bring Fortnite and its other games to iPad. Other enforced changes include allowing users to delete Apple's pre-loaded apps, and choose alternative default apps, including browsers.

Apple has started notifying users about an upcoming revision to its iCloud Terms and Conditions, which takes effect on Monday, September 16.

We compared the text of the upcoming iCloud Terms and Conditions with the current U.S. version from September 18, 2023 and identified four key changes:

• "Apple ID" references have been changed to "Apple Account" throughout.
• iCloud users must agree to not "engage in any activity that exploits, harms or threatens children in any way, including without limitation producing, sharing, uploading or storing Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM)."
• A clause was added about statutory rights under Australian consumer law.
• "Effective October 26, 2024, for users in Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Fiji, Laos, Macau, Maldives, Micronesia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, Palau, Papua New Guinea, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu, 'Apple' means Apple Services Pte. Ltd., located in Singapore. Prior to October 26, 2024, 'Apple' means Apple Distribution International Ltd. for such users."

The list of changes above is not comprehensive, and this article is not intended to provide any legal advice. Please read Apple's revised iCloud Terms and Conditions in full yourself before deciding if you will agree to them.

September 16 is the same day that Apple will be releasing iOS 18, macOS Sequoia, watchOS 11, and other software updates.

Best Buy kicked off a new weekend sale today, and we've already covered all of the big savings you can find on M2 iPad Pro. In addition to these tablet deals, Best Buy has steep discounts on Apple's M3 MacBook Pro and M2 MacBook Air, including a new all-time low price on the entry-level M3 512GB 14-inch MacBook Pro at $1,199.00 for My Best Buy Plus/Total members, down from $1,599.00.

M3 MacBook Pro

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

Across the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro lineup you'll find $400 off a few models on Best Buy, and all of these beat the previous record lows by $100. You'll need to have a My Best Buy Plus or Total membership to see these low prices, otherwise Best Buy is offering solid second-best prices to all customers.

M2 MacBook Air

In terms of MacBooks, the other notable discounts during the Best Buy weekend sale can be found on the M2 MacBook Air. Best Buy has both the 256GB and 512GB models on sale, matching the record low prices on each model. These do not require a My Best Buy Plus or Total membership.

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

The Apple Watch Series 10 is now available for pre-order. The latest models feature 18 upgrades over their predecessors, so here's everything that's changed.

Apple's latest Apple Watch models bring range of small improvements along with the first design refresh in three years. Some of the most significant hardware changes include new display technologies, water temperature and depth sensing, and a reengineered metal back that allows for faster charging.

But beyond these headline features, how much of an improvement does the ‌Apple Watch Series 10‌ really offer? This guide breaks down the differences between the Series 9 and ‌Series 10 models to help you understand all of the changes and determine whether these enhancements are enough to justify making the switch from a Series 9‌.

Apple Watch Series 9	Apple Watch Series 10
Same design as Apple Watch Series 7 and Apple Watch Series 8	Refined design with a thinner casing, display with more rounded edges and a wider aspect ratio, and front glass that extends further over the sides for a higher screen-to-body ratio
41mm and 45mm casing size options	42mm and 46mm casing size options
Available with aluminum or stainless steel casing	Available with aluminum or titanium casing
Aluminum: Available in anodized Silver, Starlight, Midnight, Pink, and (PRODUCT)RED finishes Stainless Steel: Available in polished Silver, Gold, and Graphite finishes	Aluminum: Available in anodized Silver and Rose Gold, and polished Jet Black finishes Titanium: Available in polished Silver (matches previous stainless steel casing, Apple Watch Hermès only), Gold, Slate, and Natural finishes
Ceramic and sapphire crystal back	Metal back with larger charging coil and integrated antenna
41mm: 1.69-inch display 45mm: 1.9-inch display	42mm: 1.89-inch display 46mm: 2.04-inch display
LTPO OLED Always-On Retina display	LTPO3 OLED Always-On Retina display (faster refresh rate in always-on mode, enabling a live ticking seconds hand on select watch faces)
	Wide-angle OLED (up to 40% brighter when viewed at an angle)
	Flux and Reflections watch faces, optimized for the larger display and faster refresh rate
S9 chip	More compact S10 chip
Body temperature sensor	Body and water temperature sensor
	Depth gauge to 6m
	Depth app
	Oceanic+ app for snorkelling (available on the App Store)
Microphone	Microphone with voice isolation
Single, elongated speaker hole	Redesigned speaker with individual holes
Speaker	Speaker with media playback
Fast charging (0–80% in 45 minutes)	Faster charging (0–80% in about 30 minutes)

Dimensions

The Series 10 introduces slight increases in height and width, resulting in a marginally larger screen-to-body ratio. However, the depth is significantly reduced by over 9%, making the Series 10 noticeably thinner. Despite the larger case sizes, the Series 10 is lighter across both aluminium GPS and GPS + Cellular models.

	Apple Watch Series 9	Apple Watch Series 10
Height	41mm: 41mm 45mm: 45mm	42mm: 42mm (+2.44%) 46mm: 46mm (+2.22%)
Width	41mm: 35mm 45mm: 38mm	42mm: 36mm (+2.86%) 46mm: 39mm (+2.63%)
Depth	41mm: 10.7mm 45mm: 10.7mm	42mm: 9.7mm (-9.35%) 46mm: 9.7mm (-9.35%)
Weight (aluminium, GPS)	41mm: 31.9g 45mm: 38.7g	42mm: 30g (-5.96%) 46mm: 36.4g (-5.95%)
Weight (aluminium, GPS + Cellular)	41mm: 32.1g 45mm: 39.0g	42mm: 29.3g (-8.72%) 46mm: 35.3g (-9.49%)

Release Date

The Apple Watch Series 10 is now available for pre-order, with availability beginning Friday, September 20.

Is It Worth Upgrading?

The Apple Watch Series 10 brings several enhancements over the Series 9, but for most users, the differences are incremental. The thinner and lighter design is an improvement, but it doesn't fundamentally alter the device's overall appearance or experience. The slightly larger display and wide-angle OLED, while improving readability, isn't a drastic change.

The improved speaker and microphone on the Series 10 are also worth noting as minor upgrades. The new speaker can playback media for the first time and the microphone now features voice isolation, improving call clarity in noisy environments.

One of the more significant changes is the faster charging. The Series 10 charges to 80% in around 30 minutes, compared to 45 minutes for the Series 9, which could be a noteworthy improvement for users who frequently need quick charges. Additionally, the Series 10 introduces new finishes, including a polished Jet Black aluminum and polished titanium options, offering a more premium aesthetic.

While the Series 10 does bring some useful upgrades, like water depth and temperature sensing, faster charging and improved audio quality, most of these enhancements feel like refinements rather than essential upgrades. Unless you're particularly drawn to the refreshed design and display improvements, the faster charging, new water features, or the speaker and microphone improvements, it's hard to justify upgrading from the Series 9. For most users, the differences won't significantly impact their daily use, making the Series 10 an upgrade only for those with very specific needs or preferences.

Those with a much older Apple Watch will have much better reason to upgrade, with the improvements of successive Apple Watch generations, such as body temperature sensing and the Double Tap gesture, stacking up for a more substantial overall difference.

Best Buy is back this weekend with big discounts on the M2 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro, providing up to $1,000 off select models. A My Best Buy Plus/Total membership is not required to see these discounts.

You'll find both Wi-Fi and cellular tablets on sale at Best Buy, with a particular focus on the larger capacity 1TB and 2TB models. All deals listed below represent record low prices on each iPad Pro model, and many of them can currently only be found at Best Buy.

With such steep savings, these previous generation iPad Pros are worth looking into purchasing for anyone who wants to prioritize saving money over owning the newest M4 iPad Pro. There are some major differences between the two generations, like the M4's support for Apple Pencil Pro and a new nano-texture display option, so be sure to read about which one works best for you in our Buyer's Guide.

11-Inch iPad Pro

Wi-Fi

• 512GB Wi-Fi for $799.00 ($300 off)
• 1TB Wi-Fi for $999.00 ($500 off)
• 2TB Wi-Fi for $1,299.00 ($600 off)

Cellular

• 512GB Cellular for $799.00 ($500 off)
• 1TB Cellular for $1,099.00 ($600 off)
• 2TB Cellular for $1,299.00 ($800 off)

12.9-Inch iPad Pro

Wi-Fi

• 1TB Wi-Fi for $1,199.00 ($600 off)
• 2TB Wi-Fi for $1,499.00 ($700 off)

Cellular

• 512GB Cellular for $1,099.00 ($500 off)
• 1TB Cellular for $1,299.00 ($700 off)
• 2TB Cellular for $1,399.00 ($1,000 off)

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

Apple began accepting pre-orders for all four new iPhone 16 models today, and shipping estimates for the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max on Apple's online store in the U.S. are already beginning to slip into October for many configurations.

As of 6:45 a.m. Pacific Time, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max were facing a 2-4 week shipping delay for some configurations on Apple's online store, with delivery estimates stretching as far out as October 14. The lower-end iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus were largely still available for launch-day delivery on Friday, September 20 as of that time.

Inventory will inevitably continue to tighten for both delivery and Apple Store pickup as the day progresses, so order quickly if you are planning to.

iPhone 16 Pro models have several new features, including larger 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays with thinner bezels, longer battery life, a new Camera Control button for quick access to camera functions, a 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera, a faster A18 Pro chip, Wi-Fi 7 support, faster 5G, faster charging, and more. Both of the devices support Apple Intelligence, which will begin rolling out with iOS 18.1 in October. Apple Intelligence is also coming to the iPhone 15 Pro models, iPhone 16, and iPhone 16 Plus.

Apple has launched pre-orders for the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. If you're looking to place a pre-order on one of these models at a cellular carrier, we've rounded up all of the best deals and offers you can find from the major carriers in the United States.

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.

AT&T

• iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro: No cost with eligible trade-in
• iPhone 16 Plus: Up to $830 off with eligible trade-in
• iPhone 16 Pro Max: Up to $1,000 off with eligible trade-in

Starting with AT&T, you can get the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro at no cost with eligible trade-in, and the iPhone 16 Plus for up to $830 off with eligible trade-in. Finally, the iPhone 16 Pro Max will be available at up to $1,000 off with eligible trade-in.

If you plan on signing up for AT&T Fiber you'll also be eligible to get the iPhone 16 Pro Max at no extra cost. AT&T will also have the Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 available for order this Friday, but the carrier hasn't detailed any offers on those devices yet.

Verizon

• iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max: Up to $1,000 off with eligible trade-in on Unlimited Ultimate Plan

New and existing Verizon customers on the Unlimited Ultimate plan can get the iPhone 16 Pro at no cost, or up to $1,000 off the iPhone 16 lineup when trading in any smartphone in any condition. If you choose the Unlimited Plus or Unlimited Welcome plans you can get $830 off or up to $415 off, respectively.

If you're switching to Verizon from another carrier and add a new line, you can get an iPhone 16 Pro for $10/month for 36 months on Unlimited Ultimate, or $15/month for 36 months on Unlimited Plus.

In terms of watches, you can get the Apple Watch Series 10 for as low as $6/month for 36 months when you buy select iPhone models. You'll also need to trade in an existing Apple Watch to get this offer.

Visible

• New members can save up to $360 via monthly bill credits when purchasing an iPhone 16

Visible has the full lineup of iPhone 16 models available for pre-order, and if you're switching to Visible from another carrier you can take advantage of a new offer. If you join on a new line of service, and purchase an iPhone 16 on the Visible+ plan, you can save up to $360 via monthly service credits.

Visible offers unlimited talk, text, and data for $25/month on the Visible plan or $45/month on the Visible+ plan. The Visible+ plan includes everything in the base plan plus smartwatch service, plus a few upgrades to mobile hotspot and international roaming features.

T-Mobile

• iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro: No cost with eligible trade-in
• iPhone 16 Plus: Up to $830 off with eligible trade-in
• iPhone 16 Pro Max: Up to $1,000 off with eligible trade-in

T-Mobile's offers are nearly identical to AT&T. You can get the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro at no cost when you trade in an old device and purchase the new device on an eligible unlimited plan. Otherwise, you can get the iPhone 16 Plus for up to $830 off and the iPhone 16 Pro Max for up to $1,000 off, both with eligible trade-in on unlimited plans.

Additionally, customers can get $200 back for every new line added to a Go5G Next or Go5G Plus plan (up to four lines). Families can also get four iPhone 16 models at no cost and four new voice lines for $25/line when trading in four eligible devices.

For Apple Watches at T-Mobile, if you buy any new Apple Watch device, you can get $300 off a second model when adding a new watch line to your plan.

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

Apple is now accepting orders for the iPhone 16, ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus, ‌iPhone 16‌ Pro, and ‌iPhone 16‌ Pro Max through its online storefront and through the Apple Store app. The ‌Apple Store‌ app is often the quickest way to get a pre-order in as typically comes online ahead of the website.

Pre-orders are being accepted in more than 58 countries and regions around the world, and if you used Apple's "Get Ready" feature ahead of time, you should be able to get your order in with a few taps.

Pricing on the ‌iPhone 16‌ starts at $799 in the United States, while pricing on the ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus starts at $899. The ‌iPhone 16‌ Pro is priced starting at $999, and the ‌iPhone 16‌ Pro Max starts at $1,199. Note that the ‌iPhone 16‌, ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus, and ‌iPhone 16‌ Pro start with 128GB of storage, but the Pro Max starts at 256GB.

‌iPhone 16‌ prices vary by country, and go up with increased storage space. The 16 and 16 Plus support up to 512GB, while the 16 Pro and Pro Max support up to 1TB storage space. Apple is encouraging customers to use trade-in credits to lower the iPhone's price, and it is promoting carrier deals from AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile in the U.S.

All four ‌iPhone 16‌ models feature the new Camera Control button for taking photos and video, and have chips capable of supporting the Apple Intelligence features coming in a future iOS 18 update. Other features include the Action Button, faster 5G, faster MagSafe and USB-C charging, Wi-Fi 7, longer battery life, and new color options.

The ‌iPhone 16‌ Pro models have been updated with larger displays with slimmer bezels while ‌iPhone 16‌ display size hasn't changed. The ‌iPhone 16‌ Pro has a 6.3-inch display, while the ‌iPhone 16‌ Pro Max has a 6.9-inch display. Other "Pro" features include a more advanced A18 chip, support for ProMotion and Always-On display technology, along with a 48-megapixel Ultra Wide lens and a 5x Telephoto lens, which is now available across both models.

We haven't heard rumors of production shortages, so it is not clear what supplies will look like. It is a good idea to pre-order right away just in case some models sell out, especially in the new Desert Titanium ‌iPhone 16‌ Pro color.

In addition to Apple, U.S. carriers like Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile are accepting pre-orders starting now, as are carriers worldwide. Big box retailers like Best Buy, Target, and Walmart are also selling the new ‌iPhone‌ models.

Customers who pre-order an ‌iPhone 16‌ or ‌iPhone 16‌ Pro can expect to begin receiving their new devices on Friday, September 20, which is the official ‌iPhone 16‌ launch date.

Apple during its iPhone event earlier this week unveiled a significant upgrade to its Voice Memos app, introducing multitrack recording capabilities that appear to be exclusively for the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max models. The new feature marks a notable advancement in mobile audio recording, but it appears it will be unavailable for older iPhones or the standard iPhone 16.

Essentially, the multitrack functionality allows iPhone 16 Pro users to layer one audio track on top of an existing recording, a capability that is likely to be particularly attractive to musicians and songwriters. Users can record an initial track, for example a guitar part, and then add a vocal or another instrument as an overdub.

The way it works is that the Voice Memos app plays the music track through the iPhone's speakers, while simultaneously recording the user's voice. It can then isolate the overdubbed part using what Apple calls "advanced processing" and cancel the background music, leaving a "professional-sounding recording" without the need for headphones. This means users can effectively separate the layers for individual use or editing.

The update addresses a long-standing limitation of the Voice Memos app, which has been a popular tool for quickly capturing musical ideas despite its previously basic functionality. But the feature limitation to Apple's premium Pro models may come as an unwelcome surprise to some.

While Apple hasn't detailed the specific technical requirements that make it exclusive to iPhone 16 Pro models, it's likely that the feature leverages the enhanced processing power of the new A18 Pro chip and the devices' new four studio-quality microphones. The iPhone 16 series launches on September 20, with pre-orders starting on Friday, September 13, but the multitrack recording feature is expected to be available later in the year via a software update.

Ahead of iPhone 16 pre-orders starting on Friday, Apple has shared three videos touting the benefits of iPhone 16 Pro with Apple Intelligence, with special reference to the Mail app, Photos app, and enhanced Siri.

Apple describes the trio of short videos, all of which star English actor Isabella Ramsey, in the following way:

• Custom memory: Create a custom memory movie by entering a description in Photos, and Apple Intelligence will find the best photos and videos to craft a storyline with its own narrative arc.
• Email summary: Tap to reveal a summary of a long email in the Mail app and cut to the chase. You can also view summaries of emails right from your inbox.
• More personal Siri: Equipped with awareness of your personal context, the ability to take action in and across apps, and richer language understanding, Siri will be able to assist you like never before.

Apple plans to introduce the first Apple Intelligence features with the release of iOS 18.1, which is expected to launch in October. Among the new capabilities are writing tools for generating and summarizing text, as well as a feature that provides concise summaries of notifications.

The Messages app will gain the ability to suggest replies, while a new function will allow users to record and transcribe phone calls. The Photos app will benefit from a new "Clean Up" tool, which is designed to swiftly remove unwanted objects from images.

Apple plans to make the Image Playground feature for generating images and the Genmoji feature for generating custom emoji available in iOS 18.2, which will likely be released in December.

Apple's online store is down ahead of iPhone 16 and ‌iPhone 16‌ Pro pre-orders, which are expected to be available at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time in the United States.

"We love that early energy," reads the Apple Store's message when visiting the U.S. website. "Almost ready for you. Pre-order begins at 5:00 a.m. PDT. See you soon." Apple has been doing 5:00 a.m. pre-orders for the last several years instead of the 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time pre-orders that it used to have.

Customers in more than 40 countries and regions, including Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, the UAE, the U.K., and the U.S., will be able to pre-order ‌‌iPhone 16‌‌ models when the store comes back online.

The ‌‌iPhone 16‌‌ and ‌‌iPhone 16‌‌ Plus will be available in black, white, pink, teal, and ultramarine in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage capacities, while the ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ and ‌‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro‌ Max will be available in black titanium, natural titanium, white titanium, and desert titanium, in 128GB (smaller Pro only), 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage capacities.

• Here's When You Can Pre-Order the iPhone 16 in Every Time Zone
• How Much Does Each iPhone 16 Model Cost?
• iPhone 16 Launches on September 20 With These New Features

The ‌‌‌iPhone 16‌‌‌ is priced starting at $799, while the ‌‌‌iPhone 16‌‌‌ Plus is priced starting at $899. The ‌‌‌iPhone 16‌ Pro‌‌ is priced starting at $999, and the ‌‌‌iPhone 16‌ Pro‌‌ Max is priced starting at $1,199. After pre-orders take place, a launch will follow on Friday, September 20.

As reported by WIRED today, a group of six computer scientists this year discovered a security vulnerability with the Apple Vision Pro that allowed them to reconstruct what people were typing, including passwords, PINs, and messages.

When a Vision Pro user was using a virtual Persona avatar, such as during a FaceTime call, the researchers were able to analyze the Persona's eye movement or "gaze" to determine what the user was typing on the headset's virtual keyboard. The researchers created a website with technical details about the so-called "GAZEploit" vulnerability.

In short, the researchers said that a person's gaze typically fixates on a key they are likely to press next, and this can reveal some common patterns. As a result, the researchers said they were able to identify the correct letters people typed in messages 92% of the time within five guesses, and 77% of the time for passwords.

The researchers disclosed the vulnerability to Apple in April, according to the report, and the company addressed the issue in visionOS 1.3 in July. The update suspends Personas when the Vision Pro's virtual keyboard is active.

Apple added the following entry to its visionOS 1.3 security notes on September 5:

Presence

Available for: Apple Vision Pro

Impact: Inputs to the virtual keyboard may be inferred from Persona

Description: The issue was addressed by suspending Persona when the virtual keyboard is active.

CVE-2024-40865: Hanqiu Wang of University of Florida, Zihao Zhan of Texas Tech University, Haoqi Shan of Certik, Siqi Dai of University of Florida, Max Panoff of University of Florida, and Shuo Wang of University of Florida

The proof-of-concept attack was not exploited in the wild, according to the report. Nonetheless, Vision Pro users should immediately update the headset to visionOS 1.3 or later to ensure they are protected, now that the findings have been shared publicly.

Amazon today has a few all-time low prices on the 10th generation iPad and 6th generation iPad mini. Both of these discounts represent all-time low prices on each tablet, and prices start at $299.00 for the 64GB Wi-Fi iPad, down from $349.00.

iPad

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.

For the 10th generation iPad, Amazon provides an estimated September 14 - 17 delivery estimate for most orders placed in the United States. Right now we're only tracking record low prices on the 64GB Wi-Fi model, but you can find a few solid second-best prices on the other configurations as well.

This iPad launched in October 2022 and was completely redesigned compared to the 9th generation model. It features a larger 10.9-inch display, USB-C port, A14 Bionic chip, 12-megapixel camera, Touch ID, and more.

iPad Mini

iPad mini 6 prices start at $379.99 for the 64GB Wi-Fi model, down from $499.00. Similar to the iPad, only the 64GB Wi-Fi iPad mini is seeing a match of its record low price, but you can still find a few second-best prices on other models.

Steep discounts on the iPad mini 6 have become more frequent recently as we're expecting a refresh of the tablet at some point soon, possibly during an event next month. The iPad mini is Apple's smallest tablet device and this model features a slim-bezeled design, the A15 Bionic chip, a USB-C port, and Apple Pencil 2 support.

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

Some iPhone owners who have the iOS 18.1 beta installed appear to be experiencing issues with the Siri personal assistant, which has stopped working sometime over the course of the last couple of days.

There are multiple reports from people experiencing issues on social media, as noted by 9to5Mac, as well as complaints on Reddit and the MacRumors forums. Impacted users are seeing a "‌Siri‌ Not Available" banner when attempting to use ‌Siri‌.

The banner says that "Data for ‌Siri‌ is downloading" or that users need to "Connect to Wi-Fi to complete ‌Siri‌ download." Either way, no download completes as it seems to get stuck at 99 percent, and ‌Siri‌ remains unavailable.

Not all users who are running iOS 18.1 are impacted, and restarting does not fix the problem. Turning off Apple Intelligence allows the old version of ‌Siri‌ to work, but toggling it off and on again also does not address the issue.

It is not clear what happened with ‌Siri‌, but it is worth noting that iOS 18.1 is a beta and there are often bugs in betas, which is why caution should be used when installing beta software. Apple will likely push out a fix for the problem in the near future.

For now, if you need ‌Siri‌ access and are running iOS 18.1, temporarily turn off ‌Apple Intelligence‌.

Apple will soon allow the AirPods Pro 2 to serve as an over-the-counter hearing aid, and the company has now received FDA clearance for the feature.

As noted by TechCrunch, the FDA today announced that it has authorized Apple to add OTC hearing aid functionality to the AirPods Pro 2, and it marks the first product that the FDA has allowed to serve as an over-the-counter hearing aid software device.

An update coming to the AirPods Pro 2 will add the Hearing Aid functionality. Users will take a short Hearing Test using the AirPods and an iPhone, and if hearing loss is detected, a personalized sound profile is created that allows the AirPods Pro 2 to make dynamic sound adjustments to increase sound as needed.

Apple says that the clinical-grade hearing aid feature will help people better engage in conversation and stay connected to the people and environment around them.

Personalized hearing profiles are automatically applied to music, movies, games, and phone calls without the need to adjust any settings. For those with little to no hearing loss, the Hearing Test will also help with specific adjustments at individual frequencies.

Apple plans to roll out the Hearing Aid feature for AirPods Pro 2 this fall.

Apple this week unveiled the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. As always, there were many rumors leading up to the event that gave us an idea of what to expect from the devices, with some proving accurate and others not.

Below, we have recapped some of the bigger hits and misses from the iPhone 16 rumor mill.

Hits

• Larger 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max
• A camera button with swipe controls and pressure sensitivity for all iPhone 16 models
• 8GB of RAM for Apple Intelligence in all iPhone 16 models
• An upgraded 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera for the iPhone 16 Pro models
• 5x optical zoom for the iPhone 16 Pro
• A18 and A18 Pro chips manufactured with TSMC's second-generation 3nm process for the iPhone 16 series
• Internal design changes with improved heat dissipation for iPhone 16 models
• Vertically-aligned rear cameras on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus
• Action button expanded to iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus
• Anti-reflective lens coating for iPhone 16 cameras
• Ultra-thin display bezels on the iPhone 16 Pro models
• Color-infused rear glass continuing to be used for iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus
• Easier battery replacements in response to EU law
• 40W USB-C charging, which seems to be roughly accurate in real-world testing
• 4K video recording at up to 120 FPS on iPhone 16 Pro models

Mixed

• Wi-Fi 7 support was rumored for the iPhone 16 Pro models only, but the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus also support Wi-Fi 7.
• Improved microphones for iPhone 16 Pro models, but Apple did not mention this upgrade being aimed at Apple Intelligence and Siri as rumored.
• The new "Desert Titanium" color name for the iPhone 16 Pro models leaked, but an additional color rumored at the time failed to materialize.
• iPhone 16 models have larger batteries for longer battery life, but the exact battery capacities have yet to be confirmed.
• Some of the leaked dimensions and weights for iPhone 16 Pro models were accurate, including the devices having the same thickness as iPhone 15 Pro models, but some of the figures were slightly off.

Misses

• "Dramatically increased optical zoom" for the Telephoto camera on the iPhone 16 Pro Max
• Increased display brightness, twice rumored for iPhone 16 models
• 2TB storage rumor proved to be wrong yet again
• Polished titanium frame for iPhone 16 Pro models
• 256GB of base storage and $1,099 starting price in U.S. for iPhone 16 Pro
• iPhone 16 pre-orders start on a Friday as usual, not Thursday

With so many rumors leading up to the iPhone 16 event, this list is not comprehensive.

Apple officially releases iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 on Monday, September 16, bringing a host of new features to existing iPhones and iPads, such as new Home Screen customization options, an overhauled Control Center, a revamped Photos app, Mail improvements, and more.

This article covers some of the things you can do to prepare your ‌iPhone‌ or iPad for Apple's latest mobile operating system, including storage maintenance tips, backup advice, and a few other useful tidbits to consider before upgrading. First though, you'll need to make sure your ‌device is compatible with the new software.

Is My iPhone Compatible With iOS 18?

iOS 18 is compatible with the iPhone XR, and therefore also the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max models with the same A12 Bionic chip.

In other words, iOS 18 is compatible with the same iPhone models as iOS 17:

iPadOS 18 drops support for iPad models with the A10X Fusion chip, therefore iPadOS 18 is compatible with the following iPad models:

Note that iOS 18 will come pre-installed on new iPhone 16 models when they launch on Friday, September 20.

Reclaim Device Storage Space

Before you attempt to make the leap to iOS 18, you'll first want to make sure your device has adequate space to download and install the new operating system over the air.

With that in mind, it's worth looking at what apps you currently have installed on your devices and whether you really need them. Swipe through your home screen and check inside your folders to root out any long-forgotten apps that are taking up precious storage space.

You can delete apps by holding a finger on them and tapping the X that appears at the corner of their icon. Alternatively, go to Settings ➝ General ➝ iPhone/iPad Storage, tap any apps you don't use, and select Delete App. Note that this action can't be undone, but be ruthless – you can always re-install removed apps at a later date if you change your mind.

Check on the size of any social media or messaging apps you have installed, such as Facebook and WhatsApp. These apps can often balloon in size after long periods of activity because of chat history, media caching and the like, so you might want to delete and reinstall them to start afresh.

Also, be sure to heed any personal recommendations on the ‌iPhone‌ Storage screen, like keeping high-resolution photos in iCloud and smaller-size versions on your device, or letting iOS automatically offload any apps you don't use often.

Make an Archived Backup of Your Device on Mac

It's best practice to have a local backup of your device stored on your computer in case something goes awry, or the worst happens and installation of iOS 18 fails. If you need to downgrade shortly after installing a new iOS update, making an archived local backup beforehand is necessary, otherwise you won't be able to revert back to ‌iOS 17/iPadOS 17‌ if things go wrong.

1. Plug your iPhone into your Mac using the supplied cable.
2. Allow the accessory to connect by clicking Allow in the dialog prompt.
3. Open a Finder window by clicking the Finder icon in the Dock.
4. Click your iOS device's name in the sidebar.
   
   

5. If this is the first time connecting your device to your Mac, click Trust in the Finder window.
   
   

6. Tap Trust on your device when prompted, then enter your passcode to confirm.
7. In the General tab, click the circle next to where it says Back up all of the data on your iPad to this Mac.
8. If you want to encrypt the backup, check the box next to Encrypt local backup, then enter a password to protect your data.
9. If you don't want to create an encrypted backup, or you've already set up encrypted backups, click Back Up Now. When the backup is finished, you can find the date and time of the last backup in the General tab, just above the Manage Backups button.
   
   

10. Lastly, archive the backup: Select Manage Backups ➝ Select Backup, then right-click the backup and choose Archive. This protects it from being overwritten by the next local backup or automatically deleted if your Mac is low on storage space.

Remember that this backup will not be overwritten when you manually or automatically back up your iPhone in the future, so you can restore it at any time by using the Restore Backup... option in the same Finder screen.

Make an Archived Backup of Your Device on Windows

The iTunes app is still the main tool for managing a connected iPhone on Windows.

1. Plug the iPhone into your Windows PC.
2. In iTunes, click the iPhone button at the top left.
3. Click Summary.
4. If you want to encrypt the data, select the Encrypt local backup option and set a password.
5. Click Back Up Now.
6. Click Manage Backups.
7. Right-click the backup you created and choose Archive. This extra step prevents the backup from being overwritten by the next local backup or automatically deleted if the computer runs low on storage space.

Installing iOS 18

When iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 becomes available (likely around 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time/1:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the official release day, based on past releases) as an over-the-air update, make sure your device is fully charged before you start the process over Wi-Fi, as it may take some time to complete.

To check that the update is available, go to Settings ➝ General ➝ Software Update, and wait a moment for your device to contact Apple's servers. If you're in no rush, you can wait for iOS 18 to be delivered to your iPhone when you next plug it into your computer.

Note that the first release versions of ‌iOS 18‌ and ‌iPadOS 18 don't include Apple Intelligence features, with Apple set to introduce the first Apple Intelligence capabilities in an update coming next month.