Apple has released two firmware updates for its AirTag item trackers since November, but at the time the company didn't provide any information on what was changed. Earlier this week, Apple finally updated a support document explaining what's new.
According to Apple, firmware update 2.0.24 allows AirTag owners to use Precision Finding to help locate an unknown AirTag with their iPhone.
Also introduced in update 2.0.24, if a user's iPhone is awake, a new notification alerts them when an AirTag that's been separated from its owner is nearby and emitting a sound to indicate it has been moved. It can then be tracked down by sound or Precision Finding if the feature is available. Apple says that this change will also help if the AirTag sound is hard to hear or if the speaker has been tampered with.
In addition, Apple says the latest firmware update, 2.0.36, resolves an issue with the AirTag accelerometer not activating in certain scenarios. All the features outlined above require iOS 16.2 or later, while the features that use Precision Finding require an iPhone 11 or later models with the U1 Ultra Wideband chip.
It is not possible to force an AirTag update, as it's something that's done over-the-air through a connected iPhone. To make sure the update happens, you can put your AirTag in range of your iPhone, but you have to wait for the firmware to roll out to your device. You can check your current AirTag firmware version through the Find My app, with instructions available in our how to.
WhatsApp has rolled out a new group chat feature that lets you undo the "Delete for Me" action, to avoid potentially embarrassing scenarios where you accidentally delete a message only for yourself instead of removing it from the conversation for everyone.
Called "Accidental Delete," the new feature adds a five-second window to let users reverse an unintentional Delete for Me action and completely delete it from the group chat.
Previously, if you accidentally tapped Delete for Me, there was no way to undo it, leaving the message inaccessible to you but freely viewable to everyone else. By introducing a small time window to roll back the action, Accidental Delete aims to help users avoid such situations.
WhatsApp says the new feature is available to all users on Android and iOS.
WhatsApp introduced the ability to delete and revoke messages up to seven minutes after they've been sent in October 2017. WhatsApp later extended the time window in which users can delete a message they already sent to a person or group to over an hour.
Apple plans to begin producing MacBook models in Vietnam for the first time next year, according to a new report from Nikkei Asia.
Citing sources briefed on the matter, the report says that Apple has tapped Foxconn to start making MacBooks in the country as early as around May.
Taiwan's Foxconn was granted a license in January 2021 to construct a $270 million plant in Vietnam for the express purpose of manufacturing MacBooks and iPads.
The new plant, developed by Fukang Technology, will be located in the northern Vietnamese province of Bac Giang. Upon completion, the location is projected to be able to produce eight million laptops and tablets annually.
Apple has been working to add production sites outside of China for all of its major product lines to diversify its supply chain, with Vietnam becoming a major benefactor.
MacBook production has taken longer to transfer due to the complex supply chain involved. Alongside Apple Watch and MacBook production moving to Vietnam, Apple is also said to be potentially moving HomePod production to the country.
The French Commercial Court in Paris today fined Apple $1 million for abusive App Store practices, reports Reuters. Apple imposed unfair commercial clauses on French app developers for access to the App Store, according to the ruling.
The decision is the result of a multi-year investigation by France's consumer affairs and fraud watchdog (DGCCRF), overseen by the French ministry of finance. French finance minister Bruno Le Maire has been championing the rights of developers, and he believes that Apple and Google's app stores take advantage of software developers. His investigation found that there are "significant imbalances" in the relationships between Apple and Google and the developers that sell apps on those stores.
In a statement, Apple said that it will look into the court's decision and will continue to work with French developers. The company also said that it believes in "vibrant and competitive markets" that allow innovation to flourish.
We will review this French court decision closely and will continue working hard to deliver support for developers and a safe experience for users.
Through the App Store, we've helped French developers of all sizes share their passion and creativity with users around the world while creating a secure and trusted place for customers.
The fine that Apple has been hit with is minuscule in terms of the company's income, but it could potentially lead to orders for App Store rule changes.
Apple is dealing with several other inquiries into its App Store and business practices in France, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, and the United States, to name a few.
We're now under one week away from Christmas, making it harder to find holiday gifts online with guaranteed delivery dates before December 25. With that in mind, in this article we've collected a list of Apple-related accessory companies that are still guaranteeing Christmas delivery on their websites.
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 list is largely focused on charging and protection accessories for Apple products like iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and MacBook Pro. There are still one or two Apple products with Christmas delivery on sites like Amazon, so we've listed those below as well.
Shoppers should note that not all of the shipping methods shared below will be free; some retailers are only providing their fastest shipping tiers at higher prices.
AirPods Pro 2
One of the last remaining Apple products that you can get delivered before the end of the week is the AirPods Pro 2 on Verizon, and they're on sale at nearly their all-time low price of $199.99, down from $249.00.
Verizon offers free two-day shipping, or you can opt for same-day pick-up at your local Verizon store (depending on stock in your location).
Apple Pencil 2
Amazon has the Apple Pencil 2 for $89.00, down from $129.00, which remains the best price we've ever tracked on the stylus. It can be delivered by December 23 with the fastest delivery options.
For MagSafe accessories, Verizon this week returned with all-time low prices on all three chargers. Verizon offers free two-day shipping and you can also choose to pick up your order in store to get your holiday gifts even faster.
Specifically, you can get the MagSafe Charger for $29.99, down from $39.00. The MagSafe Battery Pack is down to $74.24, from $99.00, and the MagSafe Duo Charger is down to $96.74, from $129.00.
iPhone 14 Cases
Similar to the MagSafe chargers, Verizon is the best place to shop for iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro cases this week. Many are seeing all-time low prices and there are numerous colors available for each model of the iPhone 14, all with Verizon's free two-day shipping option.
Anker has some of the best charging accessories on the market, and they make for great last-minute holiday gifts. Amazon is holding a sale on a variety of Anker accessories this week, with notable discounts on USB-C cables, wall chargers, portable batteries, wireless chargers, and more.
Shoppers should note that many of these sales require you to clip an on-page coupon in order to see the discount at the checkout screen, so be sure to watch out for those when browsing on Amazon. You can find all of the Anker accessories on sale below, all of which have guaranteed delivery dates before December 25.
Samsung's 32-inch Smart Monitor M8 is on sale for $399.99 in Spring Green, down from $729.99. Samsung promises that this monitor can arrive by December 22 if ordered soon, and only Spring Green is still available at this all-time low price.
Nomad's cutoff for Christmas Eve delivery is quickly nearing: you'll need to order by 12 p.m. PST today, December 19, using FedEx Expedited Shipping in order to get your items by December 24.
Nomad isn't running much of a sale this week, but as always there are deep discounts in its Outlet Sale section. These products are final sale, and include Lightning cables, wireless chargers, AirTag loops, and more.
Pad & Quill
Pad & Quill has free two-day FedEx shipping across its website, guaranteeing arrival for the holidays.
Not all of Pad & Quill's accessories are on sale, but you can get 35 percent off with our exclusive code MR15 on the checkout screen. This code works sitewide and can be used on iPhone cases, iPad folios, Apple Watch bands, and more.
Adorama
If you're shopping for a photography enthusiast, Adorama is offering free overnight shipping on a wide selection of cameras, drones, lenses, bags, and much more.
B&H Photo
B&H Photo is promising delivery by December 24 on most in-stock items that are delivered within the contiguous United States. Additionally, a large assortment of products on B&H Photo can be delivered with free next day shipping.
B&H Photo offers a very wide range of products, making it a great place to do some last-minute holiday shopping. You'll find headphones, smart speakers, monitors, charging accessories, and much more.
Twelve South
Twelve South is giving its shoppers free two-day shipping for the next few days in order to help everyone get their presents in time for the holidays.
Similar to retailers like Pad & Quill, there isn't a particularly massive sale happening on Twelve South this week, but if you look you can find a few discounts. We've listed some of these below, and you can save even more by using our exclusive code MacRumors20 at checkout to get an extra 20 percent off.
At ZAGG you can get free one-day shipping when entering the code FREERUSH in your cart and selecting Next Day Shipping at checkout. This offer will only last for two days and expires on December 20 at 11:59 p.m. ET, and is valid for online purchases in the United States only.
Similar to other large retailers, Best Buy has a wide selection of electronics and Apple-related products on sale this week, with multiple ways to deliver before Christmas.
You can choose in-store pick-up to guarantee you get your gifts as soon as possible. For shipping, Best Buy provides free shipping on numerous products and same- and next-day delivery options as well.
JBL
JBL is guaranteeing Christmas delivery if you order by December 20 at 12 p.m. PST, and you'll get free two-day shipping. The items that fall under this promotion are smaller devices like portable speakers and wireless headphones, which make perfect stocking stuffers.
Moment also caters to photographers and videographers, and it's promising Christmas Eve delivery if you order by December 20 and choose two-day shipping.
There's a sale going on right now with up to 60 percent off holiday gift picks. This mainly focuses on cameras, lenses, camera bags, gimbals, and more.
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.
Today marks the sixth anniversary of Apple releasing the original AirPods. The wireless headphones were first introduced alongside the iPhone 7 in September 2016, and they became available to customers on December 19, 2016 after being delayed.
While there were already some wireless headphones on the market, AirPods helped to popularize the category thanks to deep integration with Apple devices.
"AirPods are simple and magical to use, with no switches or buttons, automatically connecting to all your Apple devices simply and seamlessly, and letting you access Siri with just a double tap," touted Apple's former marketing chief Phil Schiller. "We can't wait for users to try them with iPhone 7 and Apple Watch Series 2."
Priced at $159, the first-generation AirPods introduced many core features, including one-tap pairing with Apple devices and in-ear detection for automatic playing and pausing of music. The headphones were powered by Apple's custom W1 chip, offering improved audio quality compared to Apple's wired EarPods headphones.
"This revolutionary experience is enabled by the new ultra-low power Apple W1 chip, which enables AirPods to deliver high-quality audio and industry-leading battery life in a completely wireless design," said Apple's press release for AirPods.
Apple went on to release second-generation and third-generation AirPods in March 2019 and October 2021 respectively, with better audio quality, longer battery life, hands-free "Hey Siri" support, an optional wireless charging case, and other improvements added over those years. Apple also launched the higher-end AirPods Pro in October 2019 with active noise cancellation, followed by the over-ear AirPods Max in December 2020. The latest AirPods are the second-generation AirPods Pro, released in September.
Apple has quit negotiations for the NFL Sunday Ticket package after having once been regarded as the frontrunner for the streaming rights, claims a new report.
According to Dylan Byers at Puck News, Apple has backed out of negotiations because it no longer sees the deal as worthwhile given the limitations that would be placed on it.
Rumors have suggested for months that Apple would be the "likely winner" of the NFL Sunday Ticket package, but signs of negotiation issues emerged earlier this year when CNBC reported that Apple wanted more contractual flexibility than the NFL was interested in providing.
Apple was said to have had no interest in simply acting as a conduit for broadcasting games, and instead was seeking more comprehensive partnerships with sports leagues.
In June, for example, Apple announced that its TV app will exclusively stream every live MLS match beginning in 2023, without any local blackouts or restrictions. MLS highlights, analysis, and other content will also be available across the TV app and Apple News.
In contrast, restrictions on the NFL Sunday Ticket package deal would have included local blackouts and no global rights. Pricing is also said to have been a sticking point, with Apple wanting to fold Sunday Ticket access into the $6.99 cost of an Apple TV+ subscription.
However, NFL reportedly considered that price point too low, given it needs to "protect the interests" of CBS and Fox, its Sunday afternoon broadcast partners.
Apple has been ramping up its sports offerings in recent months in an effort to draw more subscribers to Apple TV+. The company partnered with the MLB for "Friday Night Baseball," and it has inked a 10-year deal with Major League Soccer that is set to kick off next year. As things stand, it appears NFL Sunday Ticket streaming won't be added to the list.
Apple launched the controversial "trashcan" Mac Pro nine years ago today, introducing one of its most criticized designs that persisted through a period of widespread discontentment with the Mac lineup.
The redesign took the Mac Pro in an entirely new direction, spearheaded by a polished aluminum cylinder that became unofficially dubbed the "trashcan." All of the Mac Pro's components were mounted around a central thermal dissipation core, cooled by a single fan that pulled air from under the case, through the core, and out the top. The fan could spin more slowly than smaller fans and keep the Mac extremely quiet, even during intense operations.
Apple announced the radically redesigned Mac Pro at WWDC in 2013. During the announcement, Apple's Phil Schiller infamously remarked "Can't innovate anymore, my ass." The comment was directed at armchair critics who pointed at the previous Mac Pro's lack of updates and claimed Apple had largely abandoned its pro user base and was out of ideas.
Phil Schiller unveiling the redesigned Mac Pro in 2013
Apple said that the new Mac Pro offered twice the overall performance of the previous generation while taking up less than one-eighth of the volume, thanks to its unified thermal core. The Mac Pro twinned Intel Xeon processors with dual AMD FirePro workstation GPUs, enabling it to deliver seven teraflops of computing power.
While the striking design was undoubtedly ambitious, users were unhappy with the way that almost all expansion had to be served externally by Thunderbolt 2 ports. Professional users who were reliant on powerful hardware could not get past the Mac Pro's lack of internal slots to add graphics cards and memory.
The result was a device that was unable to adapt to changing hardware trends. Even Apple seemed unsure how to offer a meaningful hardware update for the Mac Pro – as recently as 2019, it was possible to buy a trashcan Mac Pro from Apple, with no upgrades coming to the device during the six years since its release.
Days since Phil Schiller said “Can’t innovate anymore, my ass” and revealed a new Mac Pro: 1,351
Days since the last Mac Pro update: 1,351
— Marques Brownlee (@MKBHD) February 20, 2017
This led Apple to make a rare admission of the product's failure during a meeting with reporters in April 2017, explaining in detail why the device didn't succeed in the way it had hoped. In 2019, Apple's full mea culpa came in the form of yet another Mac Pro redesign, which took the machine back to a highly modular tower form factor with eight PCIe slots and three impeller fans.
Yet in many respects, what the 2013 Mac Pro set out to achieve – a small, powerful computer for professionals, with external expansion only – lives on and has been executed more effectively by 2022's Mac Studio.
Availability of iPhone 14 Pro models are beginning to improve on Apple's online store as the holidays continue to approach, a sign that the company has possibly largely caught up with demand following production disruptions.
As we've reported previously, both the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max were estimated to begin shipping in three to four weeks, according to Apple's online store. Apple warned that production disruptions in China would impact supply and said it was doing everything possible to improve supply conditions.
As the holidays continue approaching, both models are seeing improved estimated shipping dates on Apple's online store. In specific configurations, the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are estimated to begin shipping in just one to two weeks. Under the current estimations, customers looking to gift an iPhone 14 Pro are unlikely to receive the iPhone in time for Christmas, though that would depend on the specific location and the model.
Apple is working on multiple new external monitors, including an updated version of the high-end Pro Display XDR that launched alongside the Mac Pro in December 2019, according to the latest information shared by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In his newsletter today, Gurman said the new monitors will be powered by Apple silicon, just like the Studio Display has an A13 Bionic chip. He did not share any additional details, or a timeframe for the monitors launching, but noted that an all-new Mac Pro is further along in development compared to the updated Pro Display XDR.
It's unclear if one of the new monitors would include an updated Studio Display. In October, display industry consultant Ross Young said Apple was planning to launch a new monitor with a 27-inch mini-LED display in the first quarter of 2023. Based on those specs, it's possible this monitor could be a new Studio Display with ProMotion.
Introduced alongside the Mac Studio in March, the Studio Display starts at $1,599. The display features a 27-inch screen with 5K resolution and a 12-megapixel Ultra Wide camera. The higher-end Pro Display XDR starts at $4,999 and is equipped with a 32-inch display with 6K resolution, but it does not have a camera.
Apple plans to release new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M2 Pro and M2 Max chip options "early next year," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The laptops were originally expected to launch this year, but reportedly faced delays internally.
No major changes are expected for the next 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models beyond the upgraded chip options and possibly faster RAM.
The current 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M1 Pro and M1 Max chips were released in October 2021 and featured an all-new design with a notch in the display and the return of an HDMI port, MagSafe, and an SD card reader. Macs often go several years between redesigns, so a mere spec bump in 2023 makes sense.
Gurman also said a new iMac with an M3 chip will "probably launch at the end of 2023 at the earliest," without sharing any further details. The current iMac launched in April 2021 with the M1 chip and a slim, colorful design, and Gurman previously said Apple planned to skip releasing an iMac with the M2 chip. He added that Apple remains interested in a new iMac Pro with Apple silicon, but that it has faced delays internally.
Apple also continues to test new Mac mini models with M2 and M2 Pro chip options, according to Gurman, but he did not share a launch timeframe.
Apple continues to test an all-new Mac Pro with an M2 Ultra chip, but the company has likely abandoned plans to release a higher-end configuration with a so-called "M2 Extreme" chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In the latest edition of his newsletter today, Gurman said the Mac Pro with the M2 Ultra chip will be available with up to a 24-core CPU, up to a 76-core GPU, and at least 192GB of RAM. Like the current Mac Pro, he expects the new model to remain expandable, allowing for additional memory, storage, and other components to be inserted.
The higher-end model with the M2 Extreme chip would have been available with up to a 48-core CPU and up to a 152-core GPU, according to Gurman, but he believes that this configuration was scrapped due to cost and manufacturing complexities.
"Based on Apple's current pricing structure, an M2 Extreme version of a Mac Pro would probably cost at least $10,000 — without any other upgrades — making it an extraordinarily niche product that likely isn't worth the development costs, engineering resources and production bandwidth it would require," he wrote.
The current Intel-based Mac Pro was released in December 2019 and starts at $5,999 in the United States. Barring any further delays, the new model will presumably launch at some point in 2023, but Gurman did not provide an updated timeframe.
With the holidays right around the corner now, this week saw Apple push out the last of its updates for 2022 in the form of iOS 16.2 and associated operating system updates for other platforms. The updates include a number of new features, with attention on the software side now turning to iOS 16.3 for early next year.
Other Apple news and rumors this week included word that Apple is looking to satisfy European regulators by working to support alternative app stores starting with iOS 17, rumors of a larger 15.5-inch MacBook Air coming next year, and more, so read on below for all of the details!
iOS 16.2 Released With These New Features
Apple this week released iOS 16.2 for the iPhone 8 and newer following two months of beta testing. The software update has over a dozen new features, including the Freeform app, Apple Music Sing, an option to expand end-to-end iCloud encryption, and much more.
Apple also released iPadOS 16.2 this week with external display support reenabled for Stage Manager on compatible iPads, along with macOS 13.1, watchOS 9.2, and tvOS 16.2.
The report said Apple is aiming for the changes to be introduced as part of iOS 17, which is expected to be announced at WWDC next June. It's unclear if third-party app stores would be allowed globally.
15-Inch MacBook Air Expected to Launch in Spring 2023
Two unreleased Mac models have been spotted in Steam's monthly device survey — they are likely the next 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips.
The same Macs seem to have appeared in Geekbench results a few times, offering a closer look at the performance of the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips. The laptops are expected to be released in 2023.
AirPods Max 2: Everything We Know About Features and Launch Date
There are many features that AirPods Max 2 could adopt from the second-generation AirPods Pro, such as Adaptive Transparency, IPX4-rated sweat and water resistance, skin-detect sensors, and the U1 chip.
iPhone Features We're Still Waiting For Following iOS 16.2's Release
Following the release of iOS 16.2, we've recapped five upcoming iPhone features that Apple has previously announced but yet to launch, such as an Apple Pay Later financing option and an Apple Card savings account for earning interest on Daily Cash.
One of the features mentioned in the list has since been introduced in the iOS 16.3 beta, while some others might not appear until iOS 16.4 or later.
MacRumors Newsletter
Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.
After the introduction of the Mac Studio and Studio Display in Apple's product lineup, and with mixed signs of a larger Apple silicon iMac on its product roadmap, will there ever be another iMac Pro?
Five years ago this week Apple launched the iMac Pro – presented at the time as "the most powerful Mac ever made". In March 2021, Apple announced that it was discontinuing the iMac Pro. By that time, the machine had been surpassed by the 2019 Mac Pro, a significant final update for the 27-inch iMac, and the first Apple Silicon Macs. In April 2021, Apple introduced the 24-inch iMac as its first all-in-one desktop Mac with an Apple silicon chip. Apple discontinued the Intel-based 27-inch iMac in March 2022, leaving the junior iMac with an entry-level chip as the only all-in-one in Apple's lineup.
Display Supply Chain Consultants analyst Ross Young has said since 2021 that Apple is working on an iMac with a 27-inch mini-LED display with ProMotion, but rumors about this device have faded since the launch of the Mac Studio and Studio Display in March this year. When Apple introduced these two new machines, it lauded their "modularity" and collective positioning between the iMac and the Mac Pro. As such, the location of the Mac Studio in Apple's product lineup aroused suspicion that there was simply no place for a "Pro" iMac anymore. Other reports suggested that Apple had no plans to release an new iMac Pro or an iMac with a larger display anytime soon.
I also still believe that Apple is working on a larger-screened iMac aimed at the professional market. I'd imagine this will use a variation of the M3 chip, likely an M3 Pro and M3 Max. That would match the chips inside of the MacBook Pro. I don't think the combination of a Mac Studio or Mac mini plus an Apple Studio Display cuts it for many pro users who want more screen real estate.
Beyond a rumor from Young explaining that the iMac Pro will have fewer mini-LED zones than the iPad Pro or MacBook Pro, little else is known about what it could feature. It seems likely that a larger, ~27-inch mini-LED display with ProMotion, M3 Pro and M3 Max chip options, and a slew of ports brought over from the MacBook Pro are on the cards for the iMac Pro based on what we are aware of at the current time.
With Young, Kuo, and Gurman all coalescing around the idea of a new high-end iMac, likely set to launch next year, it seems that the chances of Apple releasing a new iMac Pro are still relatively high, regardless of the presence of the Mac Studio and Studio Display.
December is coming to an end and 2023 will be upon us in just a couple of weeks. With holiday breaks and vacations coming up, the end of the month is a great time to sit down and do a little bit of iPhone maintenance to get ready for the new year.
If you're like many of us here at MacRumors, you have a lot of cruft in the form of photos that need to be cleaned up, old apps to be deleted, contacts to clear out, and more, so we thought we'd round up some useful suggestions on iPhone organization and optimization that can save space and make your device feel less cluttered.
Clear Out Old Photos
I bought a house this year, and I have about a thousand photos of peeling paint on the ceiling, marks on the floor, downed trees, efflorescence in the crawl space, rain gutters overflowing, and dozens of other little home issues that one photographs. If you're in the same situation, now's a good time to organize those images into albums, pull them off of the iPhone into a dedicated album on your Mac or other device, or delete them.
On iPhone, just open up the Photos app, select everything that's unnecessary, and add it to an album with the Share Sheet or delete it. You can also move it over to something like the Files app to keep a copy that doesn't clutter your Photos app, which is what I'm going to do.
Get Rid of Old/Duplicate Contacts
iOS 16 added a handy feature for merging contacts if you have duplicates. Just open up the Contacts app and it will let you know right at the top if there are duplicates, which can be merged with a tap.
If you have old contacts you no longer talk with, this is also a good time to go through and delete anything that's irrelevant to clean up your Contacts list.
Delete Unused Apps
Apple gives you a bunch of ways to get rid of apps you're no longer using, but perhaps the most efficient way is to simply open up the Settings app, go to General, and choose iPhone Storage. From there, you can see what's taking up a lot of room and you can get rid of what you're no longer using to save both Home Screen space on your iPhone and storage space.
Delete Old Messages
Old iMessages, especially those with a lot of images, can take up a surprising amount of space. While you're deleting apps, check out Settings > General > iPhone Storage > Messages to see what's eating up the most space in the app. From there, tap into a category like photos or videos to delete old content.
Note that it can take some time to load your photos and videos.
Clean Up Old Reminders and Notes
While going through photos, messages, and unused apps, it's probably also a good idea to clear out old Notes and Reminders from those apps, respectively.
I'm not good at keeping on top of Notes in particular, and it can get cluttered with content that I no longer need. It's not a big deal, but it feels refreshing to empty it out every now and then. Deleting notes is as simple as opening up the Notes app and swiping to the left, and the same is true of Reminders.
Review Your Notification Settings
Over the course of the year, it's easy to download apps, forget about them, and brush off the excess notifications you start receiving that you don't really need. Deleting apps solves the problem, but you may have apps you want to keep that you don't need notifications from.
In Settings > Notifications, you can manage all of your apps, deciding which can send notifications and which can't. Clearing out notifications can lead to less distraction, and it's also useful to add apps to App Summary so you only hear from them once a day.
Check Up on Battery Usage
It's a good idea to look in on your battery usage every now and then so you can see what apps are eating battery life and where you're spending your time to see if there are areas where changes can be made.
Under Settings > Battery you can see the last 24 hours and the last 10 days of app usage, with a breakdown of which apps used the most battery life. It lets you know if battery was drained through active use or background activity, which can be helpful if you're looking to maximize battery.
If you have apps like Photos or Weather that are updating in the background when you don't really need them to, you can turn off background updates. Go to General > Background App Refresh to toggle on background refresh on a per app basis.
More Tips
There are plenty more management categories you can delve into, with some suggestions for organization and updating below.
Go through your files in iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Box, or any other cloud service that you use.
Clean up your email inbox, deleting old emails to save space and to get to inbox zero.
Do a checkup on 1Password or your password management app to update any old passwords, close out old accounts, or get rid of data you no longer need.
Rearrange apps into folders for a more organized Home Screen.
Go through your Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets to make sure everything is still relevant and nothing is there that's not in use.
Update locations in the Weather app to clear out old vacation spots or other weather information you don't need.
A fully functional Apple-1 computer that was hand-numbered by Apple co-founder Steve Jobs sold for $442,118 at auction this month, exceeding the estimate $375,000 price tag.
Just 200 Apple-1 computers were produced by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak back in 1976, and it is believed that only 60 to 70 remain, making the machines the ultimate collector's item for Apple fans. The #78 Apple-1 that was sold was in working condition, restored to a working state in 2018 by Apple expert Corey Cohen.
It was accompanied by a letter of authenticity confirming Steve Jobs' handwriting on the board, plus it came with the original Apple Cassette Interface, original operation manual, a surplus ASCII keyboard from the same time period, and an open frame Sanyo 4205 monitor.
Apple-1 computers have sold for up to $815,000 in the past, depending on the history of the machine and the condition. The most expensive Apple-1 that we have seen sold to date was the "Celebration" Apple-1, which features a blank green PCB board that was not sold to the public and was not part of a known production run.
Alongside the hand-numbered Apple-1 that sold for over $440,000, auction site RR Auction also sold a Steve Jobs-signed NeXT brochure for $18,210, an early production 1988 NeXT computer for $6,094, and a Tim Cook-signed Auburn University football for $5,681.
In a press release this week, Apple said the iPhone 14's life-saving Emergency SOS via Satellite feature will be supported in additional countries next year. However, Apple did not provide a list of countries where the feature will be expanding to next.
Emergency SOS via Satellite first launched in November in the U.S. and Canada and requires an iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, or iPhone 14 Pro Max running iOS 16.1 or later. The service became available in France, Germany, Ireland, and the UK earlier this week, with iOS 16.2 required for some local emergency service numbers. The service is free for two years starting at the time of activation of an iPhone 14 model.
In the U.S. and Canada, call or text 911. In France, call or text 112, 15, 17, 18, 114, 119, 191, and 196. In Germany, text 112 and 110. In Ireland and the U.K., call or text 999 or 112.
You need iOS 16.2 to connect to emergency services via satellite when you call or text 15, 17, 18, 114, 119, 191, and 196 in France, 110 in Germany, and 999 in Ireland. The availability of these additional emergency numbers might also depend on your cellular carrier.
The feature allows iPhone 14 models to connect to a Globalstar satellite, enabling users to send text messages to emergency services when outside the range of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. Apple says a text message might take 15 seconds to send via satellite in "ideal conditions with a direct view of the sky and the horizon," but foliage or other obstructions can result in messages taking longer to send or failing to send. Apple says satellite connectivity also might not work in places above 62° latitude, such as northern parts of Alaska and Canada.
Already, there have been reports of Emergency SOS via Satellite helping first responders rescue people in places like Alaska and California.
Meta-owned social networking app Instagram continues to be limited to the iPhone, with no sign of an iPad app on the horizon. That's a major source of frustration for iPad users who prefer to have an app to access the social network, as there isn't a full feature set available on the web.
As of iPadOS 16, some Instagram users who access the iPhone version of the app on their iPad have noticed that it's not working properly on the iPad's display, making it impossible to post stories, see the full content of images, access polls, and more.
MacRumors reader Phil shared images highlighting the issue. On a 12.9-inch iPad Pro, there is no available button to post a story from the app as the interface cuts off at the bottom.
Story text from others is cut off depending on the layout of an image, and there are graphical errors with interactive Instagram post elements like polls and text entry boxes.
There are multiple other complaints on the MacRumors forums and on Reddit about display issues with the Instagram app for iPhone used on an iPad when running iPadOS 16, some that date back to when the software was being beta tested.
Instagram is not having issues on all iPad models, with the problem seemingly limited to the larger 12.9-inch iPad Pro, but it is a frustrating situation for iPad owners who are experiencing issues. Instagram has made it clear that an iPad app is not a priority because there simply aren't enough people who want the feature.
Instagram head Adam Mosseri said earlier this year that there's "not a big enough group of people to be a priority," though he did say that the company hopes to provide an Instagram app at some point. Since the iPad is not a priority, it is not clear if Instagram will fix the display issues that some iPad owners are experiencing with the iPhone app, but it seems to be an optimization that needs to be made on Instagram's end.
There is no solution until Instagram fixes the app, but some users have been able to address the issue by going to Settings > Display > Display & Brightness > Display Zoom and selecting the option for larger text. The web interface is also an alternative, as Instagram can be accessed from any browser.
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Phil Schiller unveiling the redesigned Mac Pro in 2013
