MacRumors

Starting with iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS Sonoma, you can make hand gestures during video calls in the FaceTime app and other video conferencing apps to fill the screen with 3D effects. For example, you can hold two thumbs up to show fireworks on the screen, or make two peace signs with your hands to show confetti.

ios 17 facetime effects
Unfortunately, many users are unaware that this new feature is turned on by default, leading to some awkward and embarrassing moments during important video calls, such as online therapy sessions and business meetings.

Fortunately, Apple has come up with a solution.

Alongside iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4, Apple is releasing a new API that allows video conferencing apps to turn off the gesture-based reactions by default in their apps, according to information obtained by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. We have not yet confirmed if Apple has also made the API available for macOS 14.4.

iOS 17.4, iPadOS 17.4, and macOS 14.4 are currently in beta, and the software updates are expected to be released in March.

Users can already easily turn off the feature on their own end on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Related Forums: iOS 17, iPadOS 17

The Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Devices apps that Apple has been testing for Windows machines have officially launched, ending a long preview period and bringing an end to the iTunes app on some computers.

apple music preview microsoft store
The ‌Apple Music‌, ‌Apple TV‌, and Apple Devices app are part of Apple's effort to split iTunes on PC into multiple platforms to mirror how these apps work on Macs. On Windows 10 and later, PC customers can download the three separate apps to manage devices and access ‌Apple Music‌ and ‌Apple TV‌ content.

Microsoft first announced plans for ‌Apple Music‌ and ‌Apple TV‌ apps for the Microsoft Store back in October 2022, so the split from iTunes has been in the works for more than a year.

Standalone Apple Music, Apple Devices, and Apple TV apps launched in a preview capacity in January 2023, and Apple has been making regular updates since then. As of today, the "Preview" label has been removed from the three Windows apps.

The ‌Apple Music‌ app gives Windows users a way to listen to and manage music from their iTunes library, including iTunes Store purchases, while the ‌Apple TV‌ app allows users to watch and manage movies and TV shows from iTunes. Both of the apps also give access to Apple's streaming services, ‌Apple Music‌ and ‌Apple TV‌+.

The Apple Devices app is designed to allow PC owners to update, back up, and restore and manage their iPhones and iPads, and sync content from their PCs.

Using the standalone apps requires Windows 10 or later, and all three apps must be installed to transition away from iTunes. After the apps have been added to a PC, iTunes is used only to access podcasts and audiobooks. The iTunes library should not be deleted, because it is used by the ‌Apple Music‌ and ‌Apple TV‌ apps.

PC users not able to update to Windows 10 can continue to use iTunes, but the new standalone apps offer a much more modern and simple-to-use experience that closer mirrors Mac interfaces.

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming macOS Sonoma 14.4 update to public beta testers, allowing non-developers to test the software ahead of its launch. The second public beta comes a week after Apple released the first public beta.

macos sonoma 4
Beta testers can opt-in through the Software Update section of the System Settings app. Under Beta updates, simply toggle on the Sonoma Public Beta. Note that you must sign up to participate on Apple's beta testing website.

macOS Sonoma 14.4 introduces some of the features in the iOS 17.4 beta, such as new emoji characters. We don't know what Mac-specific features are included, but nothing new has been found in the developer betas so far.

Related Forum: macOS Sonoma

Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 updates to public beta testers, allowing non-developers to test the software ahead of its release. The second public iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 betas come a week after Apple released the first betas.

iOS 17
Public beta testers can get the beta by opening up the Settings app, going to the Software Update section, tapping on the "Beta Updates" option, and toggling on the iOS 17 or iPadOS 17 Public Beta. Signing up on Apple's beta testing website is required.

The iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 betas introduce a whole slew of changes for users in the European Union, allowing for alternative app stores and alternative payment methods.

There are new options for choosing a default browser, NFC has been opened up to banks and other financial institutions, and browsers aren't mandated to use WebKit.

Along with these changes, the update also brings new emoji characters, Podcast transcripts, tweaks to Safari, hints of what we can expect from the next-generation CarPlay, and more.

Full details on what's included in iOS 17.4 can be found in our features guide. Apple has also released new public betas of tvOS 17.4, watchOS 10.4, and the HomePod 17.4 Software.

Related Forums: iOS 17, iPadOS 17

Apple today shared an ad on its Apple Music YouTube channel promoting the upcoming ‌Apple Music‌ Super Bowl Halftime Show, which is set to feature R&B singer and songwriter Usher.


In the spot, Ludacris, Lil Jon, and Taraji P. Henson are in Vegas, and they FaceTime with Apple CEO Tim Cook. The trio lets Cook know that they've "lost" Usher, and Cook tells them that they'll locate him. The video ends with the tagline "Where's Usher?" and says "Coming Soon on ‌Apple Music‌."

Earlier this week, Apple announced the release of a collection of exclusive content from Usher ahead of his performance at the halftime show. All of Usher's albums are available in Spatial Audio, and there are also Usher-curated playlists available.


Super Bowl LVIII is set to take place at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday, February 11. Usher will perform in the ‌Apple Music‌ Halftime Show.

As part of its compliance with the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) legislation, WhatsApp is putting the final touches to introducing platform interoperability with other encrypted messaging apps.

Whatsapp Feature
In September, EU lawmakers designated WhatsApp parent company Meta as one of six so-called "gatekeepers," along with Google, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, and Microsoft, giving them six months to begin opening up their core platform services to others.

The DMA comes into full effect in March 2024. That leaves just a few weeks for WhatsApp and others to bring their services into compliance. However, Wired reports that WhatsApp has actually been working on interoperability for the past two years, and its work is only partially motivated by the looming DMA.

According to Dick Brouwer, an engineering director at WhatsApp, interoperability will initially focus on (non-SMS) text messaging, sending images, voice messages, videos, and files between two people. Calls and group chats will come in the next few years, as per the EU's rules.

Brouwer says users who opt-in to interoperability will see messages from other apps in a separate section at the top of their WhatsApp inbox. "The early thinking here is to put a separate inbox, given that these networks are very different," Brouwer says. "We cannot offer the same level of privacy and security," he told Wired.

To send messages, third-party apps will need to encrypt content using the Signal Protocol, and then be packaged using XML, in compliance with the platform's existing client-server architecture. Apps will also need to connect to WhatsApp's servers to receive messages.

WhatsApp will also allow other apps to use different encryption protocols if they can demonstrate they reach the security standards that WhatsApp outlines in its guidance. Third-party developers will also have an option to use a proxy between their apps and WhatsApp's servers. This could give developers more flexibility by removing the need for them to use WhatsApp's client-server protocols, but it also increases potential attack vectors, cautions Brouwer.

Third-party chats appearing in WhatsApp could yet be some way off, however. Brouwer says the company is still working on the interoperability features and the level of support it will make available for companies wanting to integrate with it. Messaging companies that want to interoperate with WhatsApp will need to sign an agreement with the company and follow its terms. "Nobody quite knows how this works," Brouwer told Wired. "We have no idea what the demand is."

The full details of the plan, which will apply to both WhatsApp and Messenger, will be published by Meta in March, and the company will have several months to implement it.

"There's real tension between offering an easy way to offer this interoperability to third parties whilst at the same time preserving the WhatsApp privacy, security, and integrity bar," Brouwer admitted. "I think we're pretty happy with where we've landed," he added.

The AirTag 4 Pack is available for $78.99 today on Amazon, down from $99.00. This is just about $4 off from the previous all-time low price on the accessory, and right now it's only available on Amazon.

airtag purpleNote: 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.

If you just want one AirTag, Amazon also has the AirTag 1 Pack for $24.00, down from $29.00. This is another second-best price, and both models have an estimated delivery date between February 9 and February 12.

There are quite a few notable accessory discounts happening on Amazon, and at other retailers, right now, all of which you can read about in our Valentine's Day deals post. Notable deals include the MagSafe Duo Charger for $79.99, MagSafe Charger for $32.99, and various iPhone 15 FineWoven and Silicone Cases at over 50 percent off.

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

The iPhone 16 lineup is set to see notable battery capacity changes across the board, according to the X user known as "Majin Bu."

iPhone 16 Camera Lozenge 2 Perspective Gray
In a new post, Majin Bu claims that the ‌iPhone 16‌ and iPhone 16 Pro Max will feature larger batteries than their predecessors, but the ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus is set to take a significant step back in terms of battery capacity. The X user also noted that the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max is moving away from the L-shaped battery design used on the iPhone 15 Pro Max and earlier toward a standard rectangular battery like the ‌iPhone 16‌ and ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus. The rumored changes are as follows:

‌iPhone 15‌ Lineup (2023) ‌iPhone 16‌ Lineup (2024) % Change
[Standard] 3,349 mAh 3,561 mAh +6%
Plus 4,383 mAh 4,006 mAh -9%
Pro Max 4,422 mAh 4,676 mAh +5%

Majin Bu did not disclose any information about the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌'s battery. It is not clear why the ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus's battery would shrink compared to its predecessor while the ‌iPhone 16‌'s battery grows, seeing as both devices have an identical feature-set and share many of their components.

While Majin Bu often aggregates and shares information related to Apple's plans, they do not have a solid track record. As a result, this part of the rumor should be treated with some skepticism until we know more, but it is worth noting that a smaller battery would not necessarily equate to reduced battery life, since there could be efficiency savings elsewhere that prolong battery life.

Related Roundups: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro
Related Forum: iPhone

iFixit today shared the second part of its teardown of Apple's Vision Pro headset, revealing several new insights about the device's construction, specifications, and repairability. Its initial disassembly provided the first comprehensive look at the device's internals last week.


iFixit examined the Vision Pro's microOLED display panels, also known as OLED on Silicon. Despite not technically having 4K resolution, the displays boast an incredible pixel density, with more than 50 Vision Pro pixels fitting into the space of a single iPhone 15 Pro pixel. This density translates to an estimated 3,386 pixels per inch and 34 pixels per degree, offering a rich visual experience that, while not 4K by conventional standards, exceeds the pixel count of a 4K TV.

The logic board of the Vision Pro houses the M2 chip and R1 co-processor, designed to manage the real-time data from the headset's numerous sensors. This includes outward-facing cameras, TrueDepth sensors, LiDAR sensors, IR illuminators, and IR cameras.

The teardown also highlights the Vision Pro's battery design, which, despite being "over-engineered" and difficult to open without damage, contains a range of hardware features such as temperature sensors and an accelerometer. The bespoke "big Lightning" cable outputs more voltage than a standard USB-C pack to meet the Vision Pro's processing demands. iFixit managed to design its own battery pack to circumvent the restrictions of Apple's design, providing double the battery life of the included pack.

iFixit revealed that the Vision Pro is relatively free from parts pairing, a common practice in Apple products that restricts repairability. This means components can be swapped between headsets without triggering "unrecognized part" warnings, a key benefit for repair enthusiasts and professionals.

The Vision Pro's repairability presents a mixed bag. On the plus side, its battery is modular, and parts that come into contact with the user's skin are easily replaceable. The lens inserts and light seals attach magnetically, simplifying the fitting process. Yet, the headset's front glass poses a significant vulnerability. Its fragility means that even fully functional sensors become useless with a cracked display, affecting the headset's overall durability and user experience. Comparatively, rival headsets from Meta offer a more durable design with exterior shells made of plastic and recessed cameras protected by a separate notch, making them significantly more robust than the Vision Pro. Overall, iFixit awards the Vision Pro a provisional repairability score of 4 out of 10.

Related Roundup: Apple Vision Pro
Buyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro

Apple is actively building prototypes of at least two foldable iPhones following over five years of research and development, The Information reports.

foldable iphone
Citing individuals with "direct knowledge" of the project, the two iPhone prototypes reportedly fold widthwise like a clamshell. The devices are in early development and do not feature in the company's mass production plans for 2024 or 2025, making 2026 the earliest possible launch time frame. The company has, however, approached at least one supplier in Asia for components related to two foldable ‌iPhone‌ models that come in different sizes. The report added that the foldable iPhones could still be canceled if they do not meet Apple's standards.

Apple's interest in offering a foldable ‌iPhone‌ is said to have fluctuated over the years. Apple CEO Tim Cook apparently first asked designers and engineers about a foldable ‌iPhone‌ as early as 2018. Later that year, he responded positively to a demonstration of a foldable ‌iPhone‌ with a 7-inch display. The company is reportedly concerned about technical challenges and offering sufficiently appealing features on the device that would justify its high price point compared to non-foldable devices.

Apple's initial vision for the foldable ‌iPhone‌ imagined the display residing on the outside when the phone is shut, but engineers struggled to address durability problems with this design. The industrial design team also wanted the device to be no thicker than current ‌iPhone‌ models when closed, which became untenable due to limitations with battery and display technology.

The company paused its work on a foldable ‌iPhone‌ around 2020 and pivoted toward an inward folding iPad around the size of the iPad mini, featuring an 8-inch display. Apple purportedly concluded that the device could be thicker than a foldable ‌iPhone‌ since users would not expect to carry it in their pocket and it would not need to pass the high durability requirements of an ‌iPhone‌. An foldable ‌iPad‌ would also enable Apple to publicly test the product category on a smaller scale.

Engineers are currently attempting to eliminate the crease that forms in the middle of the display due to repeated folding, as well as design a hinge that allows the display to lie totally flat, rather than possessing a small bump or dip in the middle, which could inhibit the Apple Pencil. The company is reportedly working with LG and Samsung on displays for the foldable ‌iPad‌.

Apple on Tuesday released the first visionOS 1.1 beta. Along with improved Personas, the update adds iMessage Contact Key Verification to the Vision Pro.

Vision Pro iMessage
iMessage Contact Key Verification is an optional security feature that allows you to manually verify who you are messaging with by comparing verification codes in person or on a phone call. The feature launched on the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac starting with iOS 17.2, iPadOS 17.2, watchOS 9.2, and macOS 14.2 last year.

Vision Pro iMessage Contact Key Verification

Image Credit: @iDeviceHelpus on X

iMessage Contact Key Verification also includes "advanced protections" that can help prevent attackers from impersonating anyone in a conversation, according to Apple. These protections only apply if both parties in an iMessage conversation have turned on the feature. Apple provides more details in a support document.

Thanks to Ryan Isaacs for alerting us to this change.

Related Roundups: Apple Vision Pro, visionOS 2
Buyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro

Apple researchers have released a new open-source AI model that is capable of editing images based on a user's natural language instructions (via VentureBeat).

DALL·E apple logo image editing ai

MacRumors image made with DALL·E

Called "MGIE," which stands for MLLM-Guided Image Editing, it uses multimodal large language models (MLLMs) to interpret user requests and perform pixel-level manipulations.

The model is capable of editing various aspects of images. Global photo enhancements can include brightness, contrast, or sharpness, or the application of artistic effects like sketching. Local editing can modify the shape, size, color, or texture of specific regions or objects in an image, while Photoshop-style modifications can include cropping, resizing, rotating, and adding filters, or even changing backgrounds and blending images.

A user input for a photo of a pizza could be to "make it look more healthy." Using common sense reasoning, the model can add vegetable toppings, such as tomatoes and herbs. A global optimization input request might take the form of "add contrast to simulate more light," while a Photoshop-style modification could be made by asking the model to remove people from the background of a photo, shifting the focus of the image to the subject's facial expression.

Apple collaborated with University of California researchers to create MGIE, which was presented in a paper at the International Conference on Learning Representations (ICLR) 2024. The model is available on GitHub, and includes the code, data, and pre-trained models.

MGIE apple AI model image editing
This is Apple's second breakthrough in AI research in as many months. In late December, Apple revealed that it had made strides in deploying large language models (LLMs) on iPhones and other Apple devices with limited memory by inventing an innovative flash memory utilization technique.

For the last several months, Apple has been testing an "Apple GPT" rival that could compete with ChatGPT. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, work on AI is a priority for Apple, with the company designing an "Ajax" framework for large language models.

Both The Information and analyst Jeff Pu claim that Apple will have some kind of generative AI feature available on the ‌iPhone‌ and iPad around late 2024, which is when iOS 18 will be coming out. iOS 18 is said to include an enhanced version of Siri with ChatGPT-like generative AI functionality, and has the potential to be the "biggest" software update in the iPhone's history, according to Gurman.

Bluesky, the decentralized social media platform conceptualized by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, has now opened registration for everyone.

bluesky
On Tuesday, the emerging X and Threads competitor said it was ending its invite-only system, which has managed to gain it over three million users since it debuted a year ago. The public benefit company, which has just under 40 full-time staff, has been busy building out its moderation features and achieving better stability during is closed beta period.

Users who install the Bluesky Social app or visit bsky.app will be able to sign up and join the conversation platform, which should look familiar to users of the old Twitter – a feed to which people can post messages up to 300 characters long as well as photos and video.

The difference with Bluesky is that its servers use a decentralized Authenticated Transport (AT) Protocol that will allow users to opt-in to a microblogging experience that isn't run by the company, allowing them to create an account under a given domain name and then use their profile in rival apps that use the same network.

Another advantage of the AT protocol is that it can operate based more on a user's preferences than algorithmically driven content, with user-curated feeds that people can use to find other users or topics, with customizable moderation tools also available to them.

AT will rival ActivityPub, the decentralized protocol powering Mastodon, and soon, Meta's Threads enabling interoperability between the two platforms. Later this month, Bluesky will also begin allowing outside developers to host their own servers on the AT Protocol and create their own rules.

In an interview with The Verge, Bluesky CEO Jay Graber said Bluesky's profit stream will eventually include charging users for additional features in its app, as well as taking a commission on purchases like custom feeds that developers will be able to sell as digital products.

The Bluesky Social app is a free download for iPhone and iPad available on the App Store [Direct Link].

Tag: Bluesky

Apple today released the first developer beta of visionOS 1.1 for the Vision Pro, and the update improves the look of Personas.

Persona Prompt visionOS 1 1

visionOS 1.1 prompt to recapture your Persona via Dylan McDonald

After installing visionOS 1.1, Vision Pro users are immediately prompted to recapture their Personas to get the "latest appearance updates" included in the update. Some users shared screenshots of their updated Personas in social media posts today, and the new versions generally appear to be more detailed and lifelike.

Apple still labels Personas as a "beta" feature on visionOS 1.1, and hopefully it will continue to improve the way they look over time.

Quinn Nelson PersonaQuinn Nelson Old Persona

Quinn Nelson's updated Persona (top) and original Persona (bottom)

As a refresher, Apple says a Persona is an "authentic spatial representation" of a person that shows their facial expressions and hand movements in real time. Personas fill in for you during video calls on the Vision Pro, since the headset covers your actual face. When you set up a Persona, your eyes are also captured for the EyeSight feature, which allows others to see a render of your eyes on the Vision Pro's outward display.

In a support document last week, Apple provided tips for capturing an ideal Persona.

Related Roundups: Apple Vision Pro, visionOS 2
Buyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro

An antitrust lawsuit that AliveCor filed against Apple back in 2021 will not proceed, with the judge overseeing the case today filing a summary judgment in Apple's favor.

Kardia Band apple watch
The full ruling is under seal as of now due to confidentiality requests from Apple and AliveCor, but the filing makes it clear that the case went in Apple's favor and the Cupertino company was not found to have engaged in anticompetitive behavior.

AliveCor claimed that its "SmartRhythm" app that worked with its ECG KardiaBand was targeted several times by Apple for App Store rule violations, and then rendered non-functional with a change to the Apple Watch heart rhythm algorithm in watchOS 5.

When watchOS 5 launched, Apple introduced its heart rate neural network (HRNN) that improved heart rate calculations during workouts. AliveCor claimed that Apple changed the algorithm to impact the KardiaBand, and demanded that Apple continue to support the older, less accurate technology that worked with the SmartRhythm app.

AliveCor argued that the watchOS 5 changes were aimed solely at preventing third-party apps from identifying irregular heart rhythms, and that the update "eliminated competition" and deprived consumers of "choice for heartrate analysis." AliveCor was seeking damages and an injunction that would require Apple to "cease its abusive conduct" and continue to support the old heart rate algorithm.

Apple argued that AliveCor did not have the right to dictate Apple's design decisions, and that the request to support the older heart rate technology would require the court to be a day-to-day enforcer of how Apple engineers its products. The court ultimately agreed with Apple.

Apple in a statement to MacRumors said AliveCor's lawsuit attempted to challenge Apple's ability to improve the Apple Watch, with the company thanking the court for its decision.

"At Apple, our teams are constantly innovating to create products and services that empower users with health, wellness, and life-saving features. AliveCor's lawsuit challenged Apple's ability to improve important capabilities of the Apple Watch that consumers and developers rely on, and today's outcome confirms that is not anticompetitive. We thank the Court for its careful consideration of this case, and will continue to protect the innovations we advance on behalf of our customers against meritless claims."

AliveCor in a statement to MacRumors said that it is disappointed with the court's decision and will appeal.

AliveCor is deeply disappointed and strongly disagrees with the court's decision to dismiss our anti-competition case and we plan to appeal. We will continue to vigorously protect our intellectual property to benefit our consumers and promote innovation. The dismissal decision does not impact AliveCor's ongoing business; we will continue to design and provide the best portable ECG products and services to our customers.

Separately, the ITC's findings that Apple has infringed AliveCor's patents still stand. Both the ITC and U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) appeals will be reviewed at the Federal Circuit in the Northern District of California in the coming months. In other recent developments, the PTAB recently ruled in AliveCor's favor by instituting Inter Partes Review (IPR) of Apple's patents and a stay of Apple's countersuit.

AliveCor has also filed several patent infringement lawsuits against Apple, claiming that Apple copied its cardiological detection and analysis technology. These lawsuits are separate from today's antitrust decision.

Over the course of the last few months, Apple has been experimenting with different camera bump designs for the standard iPhone 16 models. We outlined three of Apple's prototype designs back in December, but now Apple has shifted focus once again.

iPhone 16 Camera Lozenge 2 Colors

Apple's latest prototype features a vertical camera arrangement with a pill-shaped raised surface, and we've created a series of mockups based on internal designs to help readers visualize the change.

The pill-shaped camera bump features two separate camera rings for the Wide and Ultrawide cameras, adopting some of the stylistic cues from earlier prototype designs. A vertical camera arrangement has remained consistent throughout the prototyping process, and Apple has not changed the position of the flash or the camera lenses with this latest update.

iPhone 16 Camera Lozenge 2 Perspective

Our findings align with schematics recently shared by Majin Bu on social media website X. Bu's leaked images also feature the same updated design.

The latest camera look that Apple is experimenting with draws inspiration from older iPhone models, such as the ‌iPhone‌ X. The ‌iPhone‌ X also had a pill-shaped camera with a slim bump design. While Apple used a vertical camera for the ‌iPhone‌ 12 as well, it had a wider square bump that also housed the flash and microphone.

With the vertical camera layout, we are expecting Apple to bring Spatial Video recording to the base model ‌iPhone 16‌ and ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus models. Right now, the iPhone 15 models have a diagonal camera arrangement and are not able to capture spatial video, a feature that is so far limited to the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro models and the Vision Pro headset itself.

Apart from the updated camera bump design, more recent ‌iPhone 16‌ prototypes include slight modifications to the Action Button and Capture Button, as we reported previously. The latest prototype units feature a smaller Action Button, akin to the one used on ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro, along with a pressure-sensitive Capture Button that sits flush with the frame of the device. While the camera bump design is largely a cosmetic update affecting the glass backplate, the change to the Action Button during the prototyping phase is more significant. Apple's updates suggest that it has scrapped its initial idea of bringing a capacitive Action Button to the ‌iPhone 16‌ range.

Note that what we've shared here is sourced from pre-production information, and it may not ultimately reflect the design of the final mass-production units that are released this fall. As we've seen with previous ‌iPhone‌ models, Apple creates multiple designs and hardware configurations as part of the development process, and the ‌iPhone 16‌ range is no exception. More tangible information will come to light as the devices move closer to the EVT (Engineering Validation Testing) phase of development.

For additional details on what to expect, check out our dedicated rumor roundup pages for iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro.

Related Roundup: iPhone 16
Buyer's Guide: iPhone 16 (Caution)
Related Forum: iPhone

Eve Systems today announced that its Matter-enabled wall-in Eve Energy Outlet is available for purchase both from the Eve Store and from Amazon.

eve energy outlet
Announced back in December, the Eve Energy Outlet is able to replace any existing outlet in a single or multi-gang installation. It connects to a smart home setup using Thread, and has Matter integration.

There are two receptacles that can be controlled individually, and it offers advanced energy monitoring functionality so users can see how much energy devices are consuming. Energy monitoring is supported in the Eve app.

The Eve Energy Outlet is able to integrate with other HomeKit products thanks to Matter, so it can be used with automations and can be controlled through the Home app and through Siri.

The Eve Energy Outlet is priced at $50.

Cisco today announced the launch of a Webex video conferencing app designed for the Apple Vision Pro. The app is designed to provide an immersive meeting experience that fills the space around the user.

webex vision pro
The Webex app supports Personas, allowing Vision Pro wearers to have a visual representation of themselves in video calls while wearing the headset, and it also works with spatial audio.


Webex for Apple Vision Pro takes full advantage of the powerful capabilities built natively into visionOS. After joining a Webex meeting, you can arrange individual participant videos and a separate shared content window that scale to life-size with intuitive pinch and drag gestures. You can use the infinite canvas of Apple Vision Pro to resize and re-arrange these windows, enabling you to collaborate without being bound by a fixed screen. Your persona is a dynamic, natural representation of your face and hand movements that allows others to see you in Webex while you're wearing Apple Vision Pro. With these flexible layouts, multitasking has never been better.

Webex features such as AI background noise removal, real-time translations, closed captions, and live polling are integrated into the app. Meetings can be transferred between the Vision Pro and the Mac or the iPhone by opening up the Webex app and tapping the join button.

Webex can be downloaded from the App Store on ‌Apple Vision Pro‌.