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Apple is offering $75 in Daily Cash to customers who open a new Apple Card through February, but they must open the account through a referral page at apple.co/referdailycash and make their first purchase within 30 days in order to qualify.

apple card 1 iPhone 13
The $75 in Daily Cash is applied to the new Apple Card account's Apple Cash balance after the first transaction posts to the account, according to Apple.

Apple has run similar limited-time promotions several times in the past. For example, in September, Apple offered a higher $100 in Daily Cash to customers who opened a new Apple Card through the referral page at the time. This latest promotion began on November 30, 2022 and runs until February 28, 2023.

Apple previously announced that customers who sign up for an Apple Card between December 1 and December 25 are eligible for an increased 5% Daily Cash on Apple products purchased with the card between those dates at Apple Stores and on Apple.com.

Accessory company Native Union today announced the launch of the Belt Cable Duo, a dual-headed charging cable that offers both Lightning and USB-C charging ports, so it can be used with all of your devices.

native union belt cable duo
These types of cables are not uncommon, but charging options that include both Lightning and USB-C chargers are generally USB-A cables, rather than USB-C. The Belt Cable Duo has an MFi-certified Lightning charging connector, a USB-C charging connector, and a USB-C connector to plug into a power adapter rather than a USB-A connector. Native Union says this is an "impossible" cable design that was not previously available until the launch of the Belt Cable Duo.

Though the cable has two heads, it is meant for charging a single device, so it is not a dual charging cable. It can charge a USB-C device or a Lightning device, and the cable can be used to provide up to 60W, so it can be used to fast charge the iPhone and iPad with an appropriate charger.

The cable has a braided design for durability, and a leather strap for winding it up when it is not in use. Available in black/white, black, and a gold shade, the cable is priced at $50 and it can be ordered from the Native Union website.

Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser Apple first introduced in March 2016. Apple designed the ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ to test features that may be introduced into future release versions of Safari.

Safari Technology Preview Feature
‌Safari Technology Preview‌ release 160 includes bug fixes and performance improvements for Web Inspector, CSS, Rendering, Web Animations, SVG, Media, JavaScript, WebAssembly, Service Workers, Accessibility, Editing, and Web API.

The current ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ release is version 16.4 and is compatible with machines running macOS Ventura and macOS Monterey.

The ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ update is available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences or System Settings to anyone who has downloaded the browser. Full release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website.

Apple's aim with ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download.

Two people involved in a serious accident that occurred yesterday afternoon were rescued and located through new features available on the latest iPhone 14 models, including Emergency SOS via Satellite and Crash Detection.

Emergency SOS via Satellite iPhone YT
The incident took place on the Angeles Forest Highway in the Angeles National Forest in California, with a vehicle careening over the side of a mountain to fall approximately 300 feet into a remote canyon. An ‌iPhone 14‌ model in the car detected the crash, and as there was no cellular signal, information was provided to rescuers using Emergency SOS via Satellite.


The victims sent an Emergency SOS via Satellite text message to one of Apple's relay centers, and a relay center employee then called the LA County Sheriff's department for help. The two people involved in the crash were located by the Montrose Research and Rescue Team and lifted out with a helicopter. They were brought to a local hospital and were treated for mild to moderate injuries, with the whole rescue caught on video.

The Montrose Search and Rescue Team confirmed that Emergency Satellite service from Apple was used to get help, and tweets shared show the extensive damage that the vehicle suffered when it fell down the mountain. The Search and Rescue Team said that Apple's call center was able to provide "an accurate latitude and longitude for the victims."


Apple's Emergency Satellite via SOS feature was recently used to rescue a man stranded in a remote area of Alaska, and the Crash Detection feature has been successfully used several times, including once for a Redditor who was able to get to his wife minutes after she suffered a serious accident thanks to the alert.

Crash Detection and Emergency Satellite via SOS are available to all ‌‌iPhone 14‌‌ users. The SOS feature can be activated when an emergency situation occurs and there is no WiFi or cellular connection available.

As of right now, Emergency SOS via Satellite is available in the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, and the UK. It is free to use for two years, and Apple has not yet provided detail on how much it will cost going forward.

Related Roundup: iPhone 14
Related Forum: iPhone

Apple in September released the iPhone 14 models, so it's been three months since launch. MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera has been using the ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro Max as his main phone since it came out, and he has some long term usage thoughts to share with those still undecided about upgrading.


In terms of durability, the ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro Max is holding up well, even through several drops. There is a deep scratch on the display, but that tends to happen with no case. The stainless steel coating in black is prone to scratching, but it seems to be more durable than the coating on the 13 Pro Max.

Always on display and the Dynamic Island are nice features to have, especially with iOS 16.2 updates that let you hide wallpaper. ‌Dynamic Island‌ isn't being taken advantage of well as of yet, but Live Activities are still new and haven't been widely adopted by third-party apps.

The 48-megapixel upgrade to the Main camera on the ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro models makes a major difference in quality, but it's not something that's for day to day use because of the file sizes. The sensor upgrade does bring improvements to all photos, and the new 4K 24fps option for Cinematic Mode results in great videos.

If you're still unsure about upgrading, it's well worth the purchase if you're coming from an iPhone 11 or older, but it's not really worth going for one of the standard 14 models over the Pro models just because of the huge number of features Apple made exclusive to the 14 Pro and Pro Max. To see all of Dan's thoughts on Apple's latest flagship, make sure to watch the video up above.

Related Forum: iPhone

The iOS 16.3, iPadOS 16.3, and macOS Ventura 13.2 betas that were provided to developers today introduce support for physical security keys that can be used as extra protection for an Apple ID.

ios 16 3 security keys info
Apple announced the new feature last week, and said that it would be introduced in 2023, which lines up with when we are expecting the launch of iOS 16.3 and its sister updates. Security Keys for ‌Apple ID‌ will provide users with the option to add a third-party security key to their account, which will be needed for authentication when logging into a new device or otherwise accessing an ‌Apple ID‌.

The Security Key is designed to replace the verification codes that are sent to Apple devices when logging into another device, which is the standard method of authentication that Apple uses. Apple says that physical security keys provide strong protection against phishing and unauthorized account access.

ios 16 3 security keys
Security Keys can be set up on devices running the beta by going to ‌Apple ID‌ > Security Keys and following the instructions. The iPhone, iPad, and Mac support FIDO Certified security keys.

Related Forum: iOS 16

Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming macOS Ventura 13.2 update to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming one day after the release of macOS Ventura 13.1 and more than a month after the official launch of macOS Ventura.

Ventura Macs Feature Red
Registered developers can download the beta through the Apple Developer Center and after the appropriate profile is installed, betas will be available through the Software Update mechanism in System Settings.

We don't yet know what new features or changes are included in macOS Ventura 13.2, but should we find anything in the beta, we'll update this article.

Related Forum: macOS Ventura

Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 16.3 and iPadOS 16.3 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the new betas coming one day after the launch of iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2.

iOS 16
Registered developers can download the iOS 16‌.3 and iPadOS 16.3 profiles from the Apple Developer Center, and once installed, the beta will be available over the air.

There is no word yet on what's included in the betas, but it is possible that this is an emoji update as Apple has not introduced new emoji for some time. When we install the update and find out what Apple has added, we'll update this article.

Related Forum: iOS 16

Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming watchOS 9.3 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new beta coming just one day after the launch of watchOS 9.2.

watchOS 9 Feature
To install the new ‌watchOS 9.3 update, developers will need to download the configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center.

Once installed, ‌watchOS 9.3 can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software update. To update to new software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life, it has to be placed on the charger, and it will need to be in range of the ‌‌iPhone‌‌ it is paired with.

We don't yet know what's included in the watchOS 9.3 update, but we'll update this article if anything notable is found in the beta.

Related Roundups: watchOS 10, watchOS 11
Related Forum: Apple Watch

Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming tvOS 16.3 update to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming one day after the launch of tvOS 16.2.

apple tv 4k design blue
Developers can download the tvOS 16.3 beta by downloading a profile onto the Apple TV using Xcode.

tvOS updates usually minor in scale, focusing on internal bug fixes and improvements rather than notable outward-facing changes. There is no word as of yet what's included in the tvOS 16.3 update, but we'll update this article if we find anything new.

Apple shares some information on tvOS releases in its tvOS support document, which is updated after each tvOS launch, but it does not provide details on betas.

Though we don't often know what's new in tvOS during the beta testing process, we let MacRumors readers know when new updates are available so those who are developers can download it upon release.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Caution)

Popular Meta-owned messaging app WhatsApp today announced several improvements to video and audio calling, putting it on par with other platforms that support video calls.

Whatsapp Feature
WhatsApp video calls on mobile devices now support up to 32 people, four times more than the previous eight person limit. Audio calls have supported 32 people for some time, but now video calls will as well. Apple's own FaceTime app supports 32 person video calls, so WhatsApp will now be able to better compete with ‌FaceTime‌ for large group video chats.

Long pressing on a participant in the call will enlarge the audio or video feed so you can mute people on a case by case basis or message them privately, and there's now an option to share a call link with people, something that's also an existing ‌FaceTime‌ feature.

There are new in-call banner notifications to alert users when someone new has joined a call, and for those with their camera off, waveforms are more colorful to make it easier to see who is speaking.

WhatsApp is also testing an iOS picture in picture feature that will allow WhatsApp users to multitask and use other apps while remaining on a video call, with this option set to roll out more widely in 2023.

WhatsApp for iOS can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Amazon is discounting a collection of Beats headphones today, including all-time low prices on the Beats Fit Pro and Beats Studio Buds. All of the accessories shared below can be delivered before December 25 on Amazon.

beats fit pro lightsNote: 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.

Starting with the Beats Fit Pro, you can get these headphones for $159.95, down from $199.95. All four colors are available at this price point, with the average delivery window estimated between December 19 and 21.

The Beats Studio Buds are on sale for $89.95, down from $149.95. This one is also available in every color, but Moon Gray and Ocean Blue have delivery dates after Christmas.

There are plenty of other Beats-related deals on Amazon as well, like the Powerbeats Pro for $149.95, down from $249.95 and the Beats Studio3 Headphones for $169.99, down from $349.95. On the lower end, you can get the Beats Flex for $49.95, down from $69.95.

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

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

As part of a larger story about Apple's plans to allow third-party app stores on the iPhone and iPad in EU countries, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman claimed that Apple is also considering removing its requirement for iPhone and iPad web browsers to use WebKit, the open source browser engine that powers Safari.

safari icon blue banner
Gurman said this potential change comes in response to the EU's Digital Markets Act. It's unclear if Apple would drop the requirement in other regions.

"Currently, third-party web browsers, including ones like Chrome from Alphabet Inc.'s Google, are required to use WebKit, Apple's Safari browsing engine," wrote Gurman. "Under the plan to meet the new law, Apple is considering removing that mandate."

Gurman did not provide any additional details or a potential timeframe for Apple dropping this requirement, but the move would allow for web browsers and in-app browsers on the iPhone and iPad to use alternative browser engines like Google's Blink (used by Chrome and Microsoft Edge) and Mozilla's Quantum (used by Firefox). As a result, these browsers would no longer be tied to WebKit's features and development schedule.

Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and other popular web browsers like Opera and DuckDuckGo are all currently forced to use WebKit on iOS, resulting in limited differentiation with Safari. Apple has previously stated that the WebKit requirement is enforced primarily due to security and privacy considerations, but some find the policy anti-competitive.

Earlier this year, a group of software engineers from the UK and other countries said Apple banning non-WebKit browsers on iOS is "deeply anti-competitive" and encouraged the company to remove this limitation. The group also complained that Safari has several features unavailable to third-party web browsers on iOS that do use WebKit.

Gurman's report also said that Apple is not currently considering adopting the RCS standard alongside iMessage, and said that the company is working to provide third-party apps with limited access to the iPhone's NFC chip, but he did not elaborate.

When it comes to present-buying for a friend or family member who is a staunch Apple fan, one common problem is that they often already own all the latest Apple devices they could want. That's where third-party accessories become a top choice for gift givers.

Gift GuideNote: 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.

In this article, we've rounded up some worthwhile bits of kit that should help that special person get even more use and enjoyment out of their favorite Apple gear over the holidays.

Ugreen 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station

ugreen

For anyone with multiple Apple device charging needs, Ugreen's MFi-certified 25W wireless charging station fits the bill. The sleek and compact white 3-in-1 charger can deliver power to an iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods at the same time via a single USB-C cable.

In contrast to multi-device charging pad designs, Ugreen's charger features a magnetic 15W MagSafe stand for your ‌iPhone‌ with adjustable viewing angle, a tiltable Apple Watch stand, and a Qi-enabled well to keep your AirPods case neatly in place.


iWalk Portable Apple Watch Charger

iwalk

Apple Watches don't have the best battery life compared to most other smartwatches, which means if you're going away for a couple of nights, you really need to pack your charger. Or, you could throw this compact power bank in your bag instead and charge on the go, no power outlet required.

The iWalk features an integrated magnetic charger module and a huge 9000mAh battery, which means it can boost your Apple Watch to full capacity about 20 times on a single charge. It also includes a built-in Lightning cable, so you can charge your ‌iPhone‌ and Apple Watch simultaneously. Available in Black, White, Pink, and Green.


Zugu iPad Case

zugu

Keeping a new iPad in perfect condition isn't easy without attaching a durable case, and Zugu's slick wraparound design for ‌iPad‌, iPad Pro, iPad Air, and iPad mini is easily up to the task. Available in a variety of colors, the outer of the Zugu case is made of a soft pleather material and contains a hard TPU and polycarbonate shell that provides excellent defense against knocks and bumps.

Thick bumpers around the edges ensure added screen protection, while a recess on the edge of the case allows a second-generation Apple Pencil to be attached for charging (there's even an elastic holder on the side to keep it from getting lost when you're traveling). The Zugu also features a landscape easel mode with eight different angles to choose from, plus it's magnetic so you can even attach it to the door of your fridge.


Comply Foam Eartips for AirPods Pro

comply

Arguably one of the simplest ways to improve your AirPods Pro listening experience, Comply Foam eartips use ear-conforming memory foam for extra comfort and provide an excellent seal, which reduces external noise and allows you to listen to audio at lower volumes.

They're easy to attach, while the compact design ensures they fit in the AirPods case without interfering with charging. And if you pick the wrong size, Comply will help you find the correct one, no questions asked.


Logitech Crayon for iPad

Logitech Crayon USB C

If someone you know wants to take notes on their ‌iPad‌ but the price of the ‌Apple Pencil‌ makes you wince, consider the Logitech Crayon as a lower-cost alternative. The drawing and writing tool features a slim aluminum body and an Apple Pencil-like tip, with the same latency, tilt, and palm rejection that you get with the ‌Apple Pencil‌. (Unlike the ‌Apple Pencil‌, however, the Crayon lacks pressure sensitivity.)

The Logitech Crayon is compatible with the 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ (third generation and later), 11-inch ‌iPad Pro‌, ‌iPad Air‌ (third generation and later), ‌iPad mini‌ (fifth generation and later), and ‌iPad‌ (sixth generation and later).


Superone Headphones Stand for AirPods Max

AirPods Max stand

Specifically designed for the AirPods Max, this unique aluminum stand securely holds your headphones in ultra-low power mode when placed inside the dormant arch arm, and also makes docking and picking up the cans a cinch.

Despite the minimalist appearance, the stand ensures the headphones stand up safely with no possibility of tipping over, while a soft microfiber material lines the base and arch, so it poses no risk of scratch damage. Easy access to the headphones' Lightning port also means you can charge ‌AirPods Max‌ in the stand.


Ugreen Nexode 140W USB-C Wall Charger

ugreen

As an alternative to the 140W USB-C charger included with Apple's 16-inch MacBook Pro, Ugreen's Nexode charger stands out. It offers the latest Gallium Nitride technology, allowing for better power efficiency that results in the smaller travel-friendly design, with the added benefit of extra ports for multi-device charging.

The main 140W port can charge a 16-inch MacBook Pro to 56 percent in 30 minutes, while the secondary USB-C port delivers a maximum of 100W, with a handy 22.5W USB-A port included for legacy devices. The Nexode features a built-in "Power-X" power delivery system that allows the charger to adjust the power provided to each port based on what's plugged in, and it offers wide compatibility with both Apple and non-Apple devices.


Gamevice FLEX Controller for iPhone

gamevice

Since the ‌iPhone‌ is now a true gaming device, avid players are sure to appreciate being gifted a Gamevice Flex. Not only does it fit all ‌iPhone‌ sizes, it also accommodates protective cases thanks to its flexible back panel, meaning users can attach the controller with a minimum of fuss.

Most gamers seem to agree that its responsive sticks, action buttons and shoulder triggers make gaming on the ‌iPhone‌ a much more enjoyable experience than merely relying on onscreen touch controls, enabling them to transfer their console skills to their smartphone. It even has a 3.5mm audio jack to plug in headphones and listen to the action with zero latency.

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

Apple's 256GB M2 MacBook Air has hit a new best-ever price today, available for $999.00 on Amazon and B&H Photo, down from $1,199.00. On Amazon, only the Midnight color is available at this price.

m2 macbook air candycanes blueNote: 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.

B&H Photo has all four colors at $999.00, including Space Gray, Midnight, Silver, and Starlight. The retailer offers free expedited shipping to most locations in the United States.


The 512GB M2 MacBook Air also remains at its all-time low price of $1,299.00 on Amazon and B&H Photo. Similar to the 256GB model, Amazon only has one color at this price while B&H Photo has all four models on sale.

Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

Apple's online store is currently down for many users around the world, as reflected on DownDetector.com. The store section of Apple's website and many individual product pages for the iPhone, iPad, and other devices are failing to load.

Apple Online Store 2022
Apple's system status page does not yet indicate any issues with the online store. We'll update this story when more information is available or the outage is resolved.

Between late Tuesday and early Wednesday, a handful of Apple services experienced issues or outages that have since been resolved, including the App Store, Apple Arcade, Apple Music, Apple TV+, iCloud Calendar, and others, according to the system status page.

Update: Apple's online store appears to be coming back online.

Apple released iOS 16.2 this week with many new features, including the digital whiteboard app Freeform, Apple Music Sing, Advanced Data Protection for U.S. users, and more. Attention now turns to iOS 16.3, which should enter beta testing this week.

ios 16 lock screen feature
Below, 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. It's possible that some of the features will be part of iOS 16.3, while others might not appear until iOS 16.4 or later.

Advanced Data Protection in More Countries

Apple advanced security Advanced Data Protection screen Feature greenblue
Apple recently introduced an optional Advanced Data Protection feature that expands end-to-end encryption to many additional areas of iCloud when enabled, including iCloud Backups, Photos, Notes, Reminders, Voice Memos, and more. The feature was enabled in iOS 16.2 and other software updates released this week for U.S. users only and will start rolling out to the rest of the world in early 2023, according to Apple.

It's unclear exactly when Advanced Data Protection will be available in additional countries, but given the early 2023 timeframe, it's possible that the feature will be enabled in upcoming betas, such as iOS 16.3 or iOS 16.4 for the iPhone.

Apple Pay Later

Apple Pay Later Quick Green Feature
Announced at WWDC 2022 in June, Apple Pay Later is a financing feature that will let qualifying customers in the U.S. split a purchase into four equal payments over six weeks, with no interest or fees to pay. The feature will be built into the Wallet app and will be available for purchases online and in apps on the iPhone and iPad.

On the iOS 16 features page, Apple says Apple Pay Later is coming in a future software update for qualifying applicants in the U.S. and may not be available in all states. Apple Pay Later was not included with the release of iOS 16.2 and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has suggested that the feature might not launch until iOS 16.4 next year.

Security Keys for Apple ID

Apple advanced security Security Keys screen Feature crop
Apple recently previewed a new Security Keys for Apple ID feature that it said will be available globally in early 2023. The feature gives users the option to use hardware security keys to further protect their account. For users who enable this feature, Security Keys strengthens Apple's two-factor authentication by requiring a hardware security key as one of the two factors instead of a verification code from another Apple device.

Apple does not plan to release its own hardware security keys. The feature will rely on third-party security keys available from brands like Yubico.

Update: The first iOS 16.3 beta enables the Security Keys for Apple ID feature.

Apple Card Savings Account

Apple Card Savings Account JPG
In October, Apple announced that Apple Card users would soon be able to open a new high-yield savings account from Goldman Sachs and have their Daily Cash cashback rewards automatically deposited into it, with no fees, no minimum deposits, and no minimum balance requirements. The account would be managed through the Wallet app on the iPhone.

The savings account was listed in the release notes for the iOS 16.1 Release Candidate, but it did not end up launching with that update. The savings account did not launch with iOS 16.2 either, so it's unclear when it will be available.

Once the account is set up, all Daily Cash received from that point on would be automatically deposited into it and start earning interest, unless a user opts to continue having Daily Cash added to their Apple Cash balance. Apple Card provides 2-3% Daily Cash on purchases made with Apple Pay and 1% on purchases made with the physical card.

Launched in 2019, Apple's credit card remains exclusive to the United States.

Apple Classical

apple music
In August 2021, Apple announced the acquisition of classical music service Primephonic. In a press release, Apple said it planned to launch a dedicated classical music app in 2022 that combined Primephonic's user interface with additional features, but the year is nearly over and the company has not commented on the plans since.

Earlier this year, code-level references to an "Apple Classical" app were discovered in betas of the Apple Music app for Android and iOS 15.5. These references were never made visible to the public, but it could reveal that Apple is or at least was planning to name the app "Apple Classical" instead of Apple Music Classical. Even more references to the classical music app were discovered in an XML file on Apple's servers in late September.

If the Apple Classical app ever launches, it's unclear if the app would be built into iOS or made available through the App Store only.

Related Forum: iOS 16

Apple has officially released iOS 16.2, the second major update to the iOS 16 operating system, which introduces a number of new features, functions, and customizations for iPhones, including a karaoke-style mode for Apple Music, end-to-end encryption for iCloud backups, new options for Live Activities, and more.

iOS 16
This article summarizes what's new and provides links to how-to articles that aim to help you make the most of all the new features. Keep reading to learn more.

Freeform App

freeform 1
Freeform is a digital canvas app that is designed to let iPhone, iPad, and Mac users work together collaboratively in real time. Multiple people can contribute images, notes, scribbles, documents, web links, PDFs, and more, with content added visible to everyone.

Apple's Freeform app is designed to work with the Apple Pencil on ‌‌iPad‌‌, and it can be used with FaceTime for visual feedback between Freeform participants.

Apple Music Sing

Apple Music Sing Thumb 1
With the release of iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, and tvOS 16.2, Apple is introducing ‌Apple Music‌ Sing, a new Karaoke experience for ‌‌Apple Music‌‌ subscribers that lets users sing along to their favorite songs by adjusting the volume of the vocals in tracks.

Available on ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, and Apple TV 4K (2022), ‌‌Apple Music‌‌ Sing works with ‌‌Apple Music‌‌'s real-time lyrics feature, and gives you control over a song's vocal levels. This means you can sing along with the original artist vocals or turn the vocals down and take the lead.

iCloud Enhanced Data Protection

Apple advanced security Advanced Data Protection screen Feature
With the release of iOS 16.2 and macOS 13.1, Apple is introducing Advanced Data Protection for ‌iCloud‌, which uses end-to-end encryption to provide Apple's highest level of cloud data security yet. ‌iCloud‌ already protects 14 sensitive data categories using end-to-end encryption by default, including passwords in ‌iCloud‌ Keychain and Health data. For users who enable Advanced Data Protection, the total number of data categories protected using end-to-end encryption rises to 23.

The new security feature ensures users now have the choice to protect more of their important ‌iCloud‌ data, including ‌iCloud‌ Backup, Photos, Notes, and more. Note that the feature is currently only available to users in the US. Apple says it will launch globally in early 2023, but a precise date is not known.

iPhone 14 Pro Always-On Display Customizations

iphone 14 pro always on display
When Apple debuted iPhone 14 Pro and ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro Max devices, some users criticized the Always-On Display's lack of customization options. For example, in iOS 16.1, there is no way to hide the wallpaper or notifications when an ‌iPhone‌ is locked and not in use.

Fortunately, Apple has listened to feedback, and in iOS 16.2 it has added options to let users adjust the level of detail presented on their ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro's Always-On display.

iCloud Private Relay Temporary Bypass

icloud private relay ios 15
Apple's paid-for ‌iCloud‌+ service includes a feature called ‌‌‌iCloud‌‌‌ Private Relay, which is designed to encrypt web traffic leaving your device so that no one can intercept it or read it.

Private Relay hides your IP address from websites in the process, but Apple realizes that there may be times when you actually want your IP address to remain visible in certain situations, which is why it has added a new temporary bypass option.

Live Activities Updates

iOS 16 Live Activities Sports MLB
Despite the introduction of Live Activities support for third-party apps in iOS 16.1, Live Activities integration for select sports games via Apple's built-in TV app was pushed back to iOS 16.2. Now you can enable Live Activities for Apple's TV app, as well as opt to receive more frequent updates from the feature on a per-app basis.

Note that Live Activities in the TV app are available for MLB games for users in the U.S., Canada, Australia, U.K., Brazil, Mexico, Japan, and South Korea, in addition to NBA and Premier League games for users in the U.S. and Canada only. The feature will likely be expanded to other sports leagues in the future.