Apple today acknowledged a BMW wireless charging issue affecting the iPhone 15 series, and promised that it will make a fix available later this year.
In an internal memo shared with Apple Authorized Service Providers, Apple said charging an iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max with a "small number" of wireless phone chargers built into certain recent BMW and Toyota Supra models may temporarily disable the NFC capabilities of the device. The memo does not provide a specific reason for the issue, which we first reported earlier this month.
In an iPhone, the NFC chip powers features like Apple Pay and digital car keys. Users affected by this issue may receive a "Could Not Set Up Apple Pay" error message in the Wallet app, even if they have already set up Apple Pay.
Apple said the issue will be addressed in a software update coming later this year. Given the memo was put out hours after iOS 17.1 was released today, it appears the update will require a subsequent update, such as iOS 17.1.1 or iOS 17.2. In the meantime, Apple advises affected customers to stop using in-car wireless charging.
There are some complaints about this issue across the MacRumors Forums and X, formerly known as Twitter, but it is unclear how widespread the problem is. Affected customers said the iPhone goes into a data recovery mode with a white screen, and the NFC chip is no longer functional after the device reboots. There is no way for customers to fix the problem, so a trip to an Apple Store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider is required.
Apple says technicians can attempt to restart the NFC chip in an affected iPhone by using a software tool part of Apple Service Toolkit 2. If this step does not resolve the issue, Apple advises technicians to initiate a hardware repair.
Tech reporter Jake Krol today shared a brief hands-on video of the new Apple Pencil, which features a USB-C charging port hidden under a sliding cap. The video, shared on Instagram and TikTok, provides a first look at the sliding cap in action.
Priced at $79, the new Apple Pencil is a more affordable option compared to the first-generation and second-generation Apple Pencil models, which remain available for $99 and $129, respectively. It has a similar design as the second-generation Apple Pencil, but it charges with a USB-C cable instead of wirelessly.
The new Apple Pencil will be available to order in "early November," but a specific release date has yet to be announced by Apple. It is compatible with all iPad models equipped with a USB-C port, including the lower-end tenth-generation iPad.
Given its lower price, the new Apple Pencil lacks three key features compared to the second-generation model, including wireless charging, pressure sensitivity, and a double-tap gesture for switching between drawing tools. However, it does support the Apple Pencil hover feature with the latest 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models.
Apple today released iOS 17.1, introducing a range of new features for iPhones that run the iOS 17 operating system. While Apple outlined some of the major new additions in its release notes, there are also several hidden features that were not mentioned.
In this guide, we've rounded up all of the feature additions and changes we found in iOS 17.1.
AirDrop Over Internet
AirDrop transfers can now be completed over a cellular connection or Wi-Fi if you walk out of the range of the person you're sharing with. That means you will not have to stay close to someone if you are transferring a large number of files.
There is a new "Out of Range" toggle in the AirDrop section of the Settings menu that you can toggle to allow or disallow transfers over cellular.
Apple Music Favorites
You can favorite songs, albums, playlists, and artists in the iOS 17.1 Music app. Favorited music is added to the Library and improves recommendations. Favoriting replaces the prior "Love" system and favoriting can be done from the Lock Screen's Now Playing widget.
A star next to a track in an album means that it's a favorite, while a dot is next to the most played track. With the favorites system, the Music app now suggests songs to add to playlists so you don't run out of content.
Eventually, Apple plans to provide a Favorite Songs playlist and offer collaborative playlists, but these features do not appear to be implemented as of yet.
Apple Music Playlists
iOS 17.1 provides color-matched playlist artwork options that can be selected as a new customization option for your playlists. There are eight artwork styles that feature geometric shapes and gradients, with the colors featured pulled from the album artwork of the first song in the playlist.
Double Tap on Apple Watch
Double Tap is enabled in the watchOS 10.1 update that is also in beta testing, and the settings for it can be managed using the Apple Watch app.
Double Tap allows Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 owners to tap their thumb and index fingers together to control the Apple Watch with one hand. The gesture can be used for opening up the Smart Stack, answering/ending calls, playing/pausing music, stopping alarms and timers, and more.
StandBy Display Options
Apple added a new "Display" section to the StandBy section of the Settings app, which houses some new customization options. The display can be set to turn off automatically, after 20 seconds, or never.
The existing Night Mode function that adds a red tint and dims the screen has been relocated to this section, as has the Motion to Wake toggle. The Display section also replaces the prior Always On toggle that limited the display to turning off intelligently.
Action Button Update
In iOS 17.1, Apple changed the functionality of the Action Button to prevent certain actions from being triggered while the iPhone is in a pocket or a bag. The Camera, Flashlight, Voice Memo, Focus, and Magnifier functions will no longer activate when the Action Button is pressed if the iPhone is tucked away in a pocket.
Actions that make sense to trigger in a pocket like the mute function and a shortcut can still be activated while the iPhone is inside of a pocket by long pressing on the Action Button, but other features are disabled.
UK Bank Balances in the Wallet App
UK users can add their UK bank accounts to the Wallet app in iOS 17.1, allowing them to see their account balances, payments, purchases, and deposits.
Wallet App and Discover Cards
U.S. Discover users who add their credit cards to Apple Wallet can see their total card balance and transaction history right on the iPhone with iOS 17.1.
Books App
The "Reading Now" section in the Apple Books app has been renamed to "Read Now."
Dynamic Island Flashlight Indicator
When the flashlight is activated on an iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 15, or iPhone 15 Plus, there is now a flashlight icon in the Dynamic Island that lets you know that It is on. The flashlight icon for the Dynamic Island was previously limited to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Controller Support
iOS 17.1 includes support for the Nintendo Switch N64 Controller.
Extend Wallpaper
When you are setting up a new wallpaper, Apple has added an "Extend" option that can be used if the image does not fit the display.
Photo Shuffle
When you add a Photo Shuffle Lock Screen in iOS 17.1, you can select a specific album of photos that will be shown on the Lock Screen rather than having to rely on Apple's pre-selected options like People, Pets, or Nature.
When selecting any of the main Photo Shuffle images, you're brought into a customization screen where you can choose your Favorites album or opt for any other album you have created, giving you complete control over the images that show up on the Lock Screen. There was previously a tool for manually selecting photos, but being able to choose an entire album is quicker.
Photo Shuffle frequency remains the same at on tap, on lock, hourly, or daily.
Reachability
On iPhones with a Dynamic Island, you'll now see a black background when you use the Reachability feature. In prior versions of iOS 17, a blurred version of the device's wallpaper was shown. The change to a black background prevents the Dynamic Island from being displayed twice when Reachability is used.
Home Key Support for Matter Locks
If you have a Matter-equipped lock that you've added to HomeKit, it can now be added to the Wallet app if it supports the Home Key feature.
Screen Time Syncing
According to Apple, Screen Time settings now better sync across devices. The change addresses complaints from parents who found that Screen Time settings would reset or not sync across devices, giving children more access to their devices than intended.
Journal App
There is no sign of the promised Journal app in iOS 17.1, but there are mentions of Journaling Suggestions in the code, which indicates that it could be coming before too long.
Apple in iOS 17.1 has further optimized the Crash Detection feature in the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 models. Apple has tweaked Crash Detection several times to prevent it from activating accidentally at ski resorts and amusement parks.
80% Charging Limit Fix
With the iPhone 15 models, Apple added a toggle that prevents the devices from charging past 80 percent in order to keep the battery healthy for a longer period of time. In iOS 17, the iPhone could ignore this setting and charge past 80 percent, but that no longer happens following the second beta update.
Messages Bug Fix
iOS 17.1 addresses an issue with the search function in the Messages app in iOS 17. Some iPhone 15 users have been able to search for older messages after transferring their data over from an older iPhone. The Messages search feature only works for recent messages, but the update fixes the issue.
Display Image Persistance Fix
iOS 17.1 fixes an issue that "may cause display image persistence," a problem that has been noticed on multiple iPhone models, most notably the iPhone 15. Several iPhone 15 Pro owners complained that they had seen severe "screen burn-in" following the iPhone's launch, but it turned out to be a software-based image retention issue.
More Bug Fixes
Resolves an issue where the names of incoming callers may not appear when you are on another call
Addresses an issue where custom and purchased ringtones may not appear as options for your text tone
Fixes an issue that may cause the keyboard to be less responsive
Apple today announced that its Shazam app has a new "Concerts" feature, which is designed to allow Shazam users to find concerts that are happening in their local area.
The Concerts section can be found in My Music, with recommendations based on each user's Shazam history. Apple says that Shazam users can browse, search, and filter by artist, date, and location, plus they can explore trending concerts.
Events can be saved in the app with the option to set reminders about upcoming shows, view tickets, and unlock concert exclusives from select artists. These exclusives can include new watch faces and wallpapers, along with behind the scenes video, tour photos, and show set lists.
Shazam's new Concert functionality follows new concert options that were added in iOS 17. Searching for an artist in Spotlight shows information about upcoming concerts with options for purchasing tickets and getting information on venue details.
Shazam can be downloaded from the App Store for free, and the song discovery features are also integrated directly into iOS.
The watchOS 10.1 update that came out today fixes a bug that was causing Weather complications not to load properly on Apple Watch faces. First reported in September, the issue resulted in blank Weather complications even when the Weather app was working as intended.
Apple in a newly published support document says that Apple Watch owners experiencing a problem with Weather complications should update their devices to watchOS 10.1 or later.
If the Weather complications don't show up even after updating the Apple Watch to watchOS 10.1, Apple says that users will need to reset their iPhone's Location settings. In the Settings app under Privacy > Security > Location Services, Apple says that users should scroll down to Weather, tap "Never" under Allow Location Access, then tap the original setting.
Should that not work, Apple recommends that users go to General > "Transfer or Reset iPhone," then tap on Reset > Reset Location & Privacy to reset all privacy and location settings on the iPhone.
After the watchOS 10.0.2 update came out in September, there were reports from some Apple Watch users that the problem had been fixed, but it turned out that any fix was temporary and the Weather complication stopped working again.
Apple yesterday announced that it will be holding an online event on Monday, October 30 starting at 5 p.m. Pacific Time, and there are several reasons to believe that gaming on the Mac will be one of the major focuses of the event.
Below, we have recapped Apple's recent gaming-related efforts on the Mac and other clues heading into the event next week.
Hardware-Accelerated Ray Tracing
Apple silicon chips often have architecture similarities. Like the A17 Pro chip in the iPhone 15 Pro, Apple's upcoming M3 series of chips for Macs will likely feature hardware-accelerated ray tracing for significantly improved graphics rendering compared to software-based ray tracing. M3 series chips are also expected to be manufactured with TSMC's 3nm process for faster performance and improved power efficiency compared to M2 series chips. These advancements pave the way for more AAA games to launch on the Mac.
Apple Hints at More AAA Games on Mac
Apple hinted at more AAA games launching on the Mac in a recent interview with gaming publication IGN. When asked if the new games that Apple announced for the iPhone 15 Pro last month would eventually be compatible with Apple silicon Macs, Apple VP Tim Millet said "the developers are going to work with us to do it." These games include a Resident Evil 4 remake, Death Stranding Director's Cut, and Assassin's Creed Mirage.
Capcom and Sony Hints
Japanese game developer Capcom recently announced that Resident Evil Village will be available on the iPhone 15 Pro and on iPad models with the M1 chip and newer starting October 30, which is the same day as Apple's event next week.
It's possible that the release date lining up with the event is merely a coincidence, but it could hint at additional Mac-related gaming news to come from Apple and Capcom, and perhaps other game developers. A source informed us that Apple is holding its online event at the unusual time of 5 p.m. Pacific Time because it will fall during business hours in Japan, and claimed that the event will include a major tie-in with a Japanese game developer, but we have not independently confirmed the accuracy of this information.
While the App Store says the Resident Evil 4 remake is set to launch on Macs with the M1 chip and newer on December 31, this date is a placeholder, and it is possible the release will be pushed up following Apple's event. The game was already released for Windows PCs, the PS4/PS5, and the Xbox Series X/S in March.
As for Sony, it plans to launch cloud streaming for PS5 games in North America on October 30. Could there be a tie-in with Apple?
Game Mode
macOS Sonoma features a new Game Mode that temporarily prioritizes CPU and GPU performance for gaming. Game Mode also lowers AirPods audio latency, and reduces input latency with popular third-party game controllers by doubling the Bluetooth sampling rate.
Game Porting Toolkit
At WWDC 2023 in June, Apple released a new toolkit that makes it easier for game developers to port Windows games to the Mac. The toolkit provides an emulation environment that allows developers to run their existing, unmodified Windows game on the Mac and quickly evaluate how well the game could run on macOS before writing any code.
Apple today announced significant price hikes for several of its services, including Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and Apple News+. Because of the higher individual prices, the cost of the Apple One bundles have also increased.
In the U.S., Apple TV+ is now $9.99 per month, up from $6.99 per month. Apple Arcade+ is up $2 at $6.99, and Apple News+ is now priced at $12.99 per month, up from $9.99 per month. Apple One Individual and Family are $3 more expensive, while Premier is $5 more. Prices are going up in most countries where Apple services are available.
If you're unhappy with the new price points for Apple's services, it's quick and easy to cancel. Here's how on an iPhone or iPad:
Open up the Settings app.
Tap on your profile picture.
Tap on Subscriptions.
If you have Apple One, tap on "Cancel All Services" to end your subscription for every service. If you want to pick and choose certain ones to keep, tap on "Choose Individual Services."
If you have individual subscriptions, tap on one of the subscriptions and choose the "Cancel Subscription" option.
Tap on "Confirm" to go through with the cancelation.
After your subscription is canceled, your services will continue to be accessible until your next billing date. So if you paid for a year of Apple TV+, for example, it will be available until what you've paid for expires. Apple One can only be purchased on a monthly basis, so you'll have a month at most before access runs out.
If you need to cancel your subscription on your Mac, the process is similar. Open the System Settings app, click on your profile picture, select Media & Purchases, and choose "Manage" under the Subscriptions option. From there, you can follow the same steps listed above.
Apple's increased prices start today for new subscribers, but Apple is offering existing subscribers a 30-day grace period. After that 30 days, existing subscribers will see the new prices on their next renewal date. Apple is likely to send out emails ahead of the price hikes.
Apple today shared a new ad promoting the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, highlighting the A17 Pro chip and the gaming capabilities of the new devices.
In the ad, a gamer deeply immersed in his iPhone game shoots into the air, breaks through the ceiling of his apartment, and ends up in the subway all while still playing.
The description for the video highlights the 2x faster Neural Engine and 20 percent faster CPU in the A17 Pro chip. Apple has been focusing on the gaming performance of the new iPhone models in its advertising, as the A17 Pro offers hardware-based ray tracing for the first time.
The next level of mobile gaming is here. Up to 20 percent faster GPU for the best graphics performance in an iPhone ever. Up to 2x faster Neural Engine. And industry-leading speed and efficiency. The A17 Pro chip on iPhone 15 Pro is a game changer. Literally.
With this functionality, the new iPhone 15 Pro models can play console-quality games, and titles like Resident Evil 4 and Death Stranding are coming to iOS as a result.
Note: This article initially detailed an Apple ad on the filmmaking capabilities of the iPhone 15 Pro models, but Apple removed that ad and replaced it with the A17 Pro ad.
With the watchOS 10.1 update that came out today, Apple has added Double Tap to the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 devices. Double Tap was announced when the new models were introduced, but it took some time for Apple to implement it. With Double Tap, you can activate some Apple Watch functions with just one hand.
Using Double Tap requires you to tap your thumb and index finger together twice, and when you do this, you'll see a little icon on the Apple Watch to let you know that the tap was recognized. Double Tap uses the sensors in the Apple Watch to detect minute movements and blood flow when the fingers are positioned in a certain way.
There are a number of things you can do with Double Tap, and Apple has made it work with some of the most common actions that you might need to perform with one hand.
Open the Smart Stack from the watch face, and then Double Tap again to scroll through widgets.
When you get an iMessage, Double Tap to view it, and then Double Tap again if you need to scroll.
Reply to a Message using dictation and then send it with Double Tap.
Act on notifications - Apple says a Double Tap on an incoming notification will activate the primary action, such as snoozing a reminder or replying to a message.
Pause, resume, and end a timer.
Stop and resume the stopwatch.
Snooze an alarm.
Play and pause music, podcasts, or audiobooks (or skip a track, depending on settings).
Change to the Elevation view in the Compass app.
Start or stop automatic Workout reminders when a workout is detected.
Take a photo with the Camera Remote.
Record a voice memo in the Voice Memo app.
Change Flashlight modes.
In the Apple Watch app under Gestures, you can opt to change the playback option from play/pause to skip, and the Smart Stack option from Advance (swaps through the widgets) to Select (opens a widget's associated app).
While Double Tap can be used with third-party apps through incoming notifications, there is no Double Tap API for third-party apps at the current time. Developers can still customize their apps for Double Tap to an extent by assigning the action that should occur when a Double Tap gesture is used on an incoming notification.
Double Tap is limited to the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 because, as Apple executives said in a recent interview with Tom's Guide, the S9 chip in the new models is the first that is powerful enough for the gesture system.
To use Double Tap, Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch Series 9 owners will need to update their devices to watchOS 10.1 through the Apple Watch app on the iPhone. watchOS 10.1 requires an iPhone running iOS 17 or later.
Note that Double Tap will not work when Low Power Mode, Sleep Focus, Theater Mode, or Water Lock is activated, and you must first raise your wrist to wake the Apple Watch to perform the gesture. Double Tap also does not work on watches that are paired as a Family Setup watch.
Apple plans to begin a major overhaul of its AirPods lineup starting next year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
The standard AirPods and the AirPods Max will see a refresh in 2024, while the AirPods Pro will be updated in 2025. For the AirPods and AirPods Pro, Apple will update the design of the earbuds and the case, while also improving audio quality.
When the AirPods are refreshed, Apple will phase out the second-generation and third-generation models, offering two fourth-generation models at different price points instead.
Both of the fourth-generation AirPods models will look like a cross between the current AirPods and the AirPods Pro, with Apple introducing shorter stems. The higher-end version of the standard AirPods will feature Active Noise Cancellation, a feature that has thus far been limited to the AirPods Pro and the AirPods Max.
Fit will be "improved," but it is unclear if Apple plans to add silicone ear tips. As for the case, it will gain speakers for Find My alerts, similar to the current AirPods Pro, and a USB-C charging port.
The AirPods Max will see the inclusion of a USB-C port for charging purposes instead of a Lightning port, and Apple will also debut new colors. No other notable features are expected at this time.
In 2025, the AirPods Pro will be updated with a new design and a faster chip, plus the earbuds could get some previously-rumored hearing health features. Rumors have suggested Apple is working on functionality that would let the AirPods Pro collect hearing data and better serve as a hearing aid replacement.
There is no clear word yet on when in 2024 and 2025 we might see AirPod refreshes, but Apple typically introduces new models in the latter half of the year around when new iPhones come out. Gurman says that the AirPods will come out "later next year" and the AirPods Max will come out "around the end of next year."
Apple today released iOS 17.1 and iPadOS 17.1, the first major updates to the iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 operating system updates that came out in September.
iOS 17.1 and iPadOS 17.1 arrive as build 21B80 for the iPhone 15 lineup and 21B74 for all other compatible devices, and they can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
In the new updates, Apple has added support for continuing a large AirDrop file transfer over the internet when out of AirDrop range. The Apple Music app includes options to favorite songs, albums, and playlists, and there are now song suggestions at the end of every playlist.
Though not mentioned in the notes, Apple says the update "fixes" iPhone 12 radiation levels in France by disabling a feature that boosts cellular signal when the iPhone is not held by a person, and it improves Screen Time syncing across devices. There are several bug fixes, with iOS 17.1 addressing an issue that could cause display image persistence and a bug that could cause the Significant Location setting to reset when transferring or pairing an Apple Watch for the first time.
On the iPad, the iPadOS 17 update adds support for the USB-C Apple Pencil that was announced last week. Apple's full release notes for the update are below.
AirDrop - Content continues to transfer over the internet when you step out of AirDrop range
StandBy - New options to control when the display turns off (iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max)
Music - Favorites expanded to include songs, albums, and playlists, and you can filter to display your favorites in the library - New cover art collection offers designs that change colors to reflect the music in your playlist - Song suggestions appear at the bottom of every playlist, making it easy to add music that matches the vibe of your playlist
This update also includes the following improvements and bug fixes: - Option to choose a specific album to use with Photo Shuffle on the Lock Screen - Home key support for Matter locks - Improved reliability of Screen Time settings syncing across devices - Fixes an issue that may cause the Significant Location privacy setting to reset when transferring an Apple Watch or pairing it for the first time - Resolves an issue where the names of incoming callers may not appear when you are on another call - Addresses an issue where custom and purchased ringtones may not appear as options for your text tone - Fixes an issue that may cause the keyboard to be less responsive - Crash detection optimizations (all iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 models) - Fixes an issue that may cause display image persistence
Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222
In addition to iOS 17.1, Apple has also released iOS 16.7.2 and iOS 15.8 with many of the same security fixes for those still running older versions of iOS.
More information on the new features in the iOS 17 update can be found in our iOS 17 roundup.
Apple today released macOS Sonoma 14.1, the first major update to the macOS Sonoma operating system that initially came out in late September.
The macOS Sonoma 14.1 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Settings. Apple has also released macOS 13.6.1 and macOS 12.7.1 updates for older machines.
With macOS Sonoma 14.1, Apple has added a new warranty section that lets you see the AppleCare+ status of your Mac and connected AirPods, plus there are now options to favorite songs, albums, and playlists in the Apple Music app. Apple's full release notes for the update are below.
This update provides enhancements, bug fixes, and security updates for your Mac including:
Favorites expanded in Music to include songs, albums, and playlists, and you can filter to display your favorites in the library
Apple warranty status for Mac, AirPods, and Beats headphones and earbuds are available in System Settings
Fixes an issue where the System Services settings within Location Services may reset
Fixes an issue that may prevent encrypted external drives from mounting
Some features may not be available for all regions, or on all Apple devices.
For detailed information about the security content of this update, please visit: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222
In addition to macOS Sonoma 14.1, Apple has also released macOS Ventura 13.6.1 and macOS Monterey 12.7.1 with many of the same security fixes for those still running older versions of macOS.
Apple today released watchOS 10.1, the latest version of the watchOS 10 operating system that was released in September. watchOS 10.1 comes four weeks after watchOS 10.0.2, a minor update that brought bug fixes.
watchOS 10.1 can be downloaded for free through the Apple Watch app on an iPhone running iOS 17 or later by opening it up and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery and it needs to be placed on a charger.
There are several new Apple Watch features enabled in watchOS 10.1, including NameDrop. NameDrop lets you tap an Apple Watch to another Apple Watch or iPhone to exchange contact information with someone.
The update also includes Double Tap, a gesture that is available on the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Double Tap can be activated by tapping the index finger and thumb together twice, and it can be used to answer phone calls, end phone calls, stop alarms, and more.
Along with these two features, there are a handful of bug fixes, including an issue that could cause cities not to sync in the Weather app and a bug that could cause the elevation to be incorrect for some users. Apple's full release notes for the update are below.
watchOS 10.1 includes new features, improvements, and bug fixes, including:
Double tap gesture can be used to perform the primary action in notifications and most apps so you can answer a call, play and pause music, stop a timer, and more (Available on Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2)
NameDrop allows you to exchange contact information with someone new by simply bringing your Apple Watch near their iPhone with iOS 17 or Apple Watch (Available on Apple Watch SE 2, Apple Watch Series 7 and later, and Apple Watch Ultra)
My Card is available as a complication for quick access to NameDrop
Fix for bug that causes the climate section in the Home app to be blank
Addresses an issue that causes a white selection border to be unexpectedly displayed after turning off AssistiveTouch
Fixes an issue where cities may not sync between iPhone and watch in Weather
Resolves an issue where the scroll bar may unexpectedly be visible on the display
Fix for bug that causes elevation to be incorrect for some users For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222
More details on everything new in the watchOS 10 update can be found in our watchOS 10 roundup.
Apple today released the HomePod 17.1 software for the HomePod and HomePod mini, bringing support for Enhance Dialogue to additional devices.
Enhance Dialogue is a feature that boosts the volume of spoken voices to make dialogue easier to hear over effects, action, and music in a movie or TV show. The feature works when a HomePod or HomePod mini is paired to an Apple TV and used as the audio output option.
Prior to today, Enhance Dialogue was available on the second-generation HomePod, and it was a feature that was first introduced in tvOS 17. With tvOS 17.1 and HomePod software 17.1, Enhance Dialogue can be enabled on any HomePod (or set of HomePods) paired to an Apple TV 4K. Apple's full release notes for the update are below.
Software version 17.1 adds support for Enhance Dialogue on HomePod mini and HomePod (1st generation) so you can hear spoken voices more clearly over effects, action, and music in a movie or TV show when paired with Apple TV 4K. This update also includes bug fixes and stability improvements.
Enabling Enhance Dialogue can be done by playing a TV show or movie, bringing up the playback controls with the Siri Remote, and choosing the Enhance Dialogue feature from the Audio Options button. It can be enabled for all content by going to Settings > Video and Audio > Enhance Dialogue.
HomePod software is installed automatically on the HomePod unless the feature is disabled, but the HomePod can also be manually updated in the Home app by following the instructions in our HomePod update how to.
Apple today released tvOS 17.1, the first major update to the tvOS 17 operating system that initially came out in September 2023.
tvOS 17.1 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the Apple TV. Go to System > Software Update to get the new software. Apple TV owners who have automatic software updates activated will be upgraded to tvOS 17.1 automatically.
The Enhance Dialogue feature first announced in tvOS 17 for the second-generation HomePod has expanded to the original HomePod and the HomePod mini in tvOS 17.1, though the HomePods will also need the HomePod 17.1 software that came out today.
tvOS 17.1 also includes a new favoriting option in the Music app on the Apple TV, along with some other minor Music changes.
tvOS updates tend to be minor in scale, focusing on small features and bug fixes rather than notable outward-facing changes. Apple's notes for tvOS 17.1 can be found in its tvOS support document.
Apple may be planning to launch new Mac models announced at its "Scary Fast" event on Wednesday, November 8, MacRumors has learned.
At the start of the month, MacRumors reported that Apple was proceeding with plans to announce at least one new Mac model in October. Apple yesterday announced its "Scary Fast" event for Monday, October 30, featuring a Finder hint, which virtually confirms the arrival of new Macs. Now, related information provided to MacRumors suggests that new Mac models could launch on Wednesday, November 8 – nine days after the "Scary Fast" event.
While Apple product launches often take place on a Friday, there is precedent for Apple opting for the first Wednesday in November following an October event. For example, at its "There's more in the making" event on Tuesday, October 30, 2018, Apple announced new iPad Pro models. The machines launched on Wednesday, November 7 – eight days later.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says that Apple's upcoming event will focus on new MacBook Pro models with M3 series chips, which could include the 13-, 14-, and 16-inch models with the M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips. In addition to these machines, a new iMac featuring the M3 chip is also on the table for announcement at the event.
The M3 chip is widely expected to be fabricated using TSMC's 3nm process for performance and efficiency improvements compared to the current, 5nm-based M2 chip, which debuted in June 2022. It will also likely feature an all new GPU with hardware ray-tracing, first introduced on the iPhone 15 Pro's A17 Pro chip last month.
Apple today announced that it is increasing the prices of some of its subscription-based services, including Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and Apple News+, for new and existing subscribers in the U.S. and many other countries around the world.
The price changes in the U.S. are as follows:
Apple TV+: $6.99 per month → $9.99 per month
Apple Arcade: $4.99 per month → $6.99 per month
Apple News+: $9.99 per month → $12.99 per month
For those who subscribe to Apple TV+ on an annual basis, the price has increased from $69 per year to $99 per year accordingly.
Prices for the Apple One bundles that include these services are also increasing as a result:
Individual: $16.95 per month → $19.95 per month
Family: $22.95 per month → $25.95 per month
Premier: $32.95 per month → $37.95 per month
The price increases take effect immediately for new subscribers, and in 30 days from today for existing subscribers, on their next renewal date after that grace period. Apple should send out emails to existing subscribers notifying them about the changes over time, as it did following price increases to some services last year.
In the U.S., these are the first-ever price increases for Apple Arcade and Apple News+ since the services launched in November 2019, while Apple TV+ had its first price increase from $4.99 per month to $6.99 per month in October 2022.
In a statement shared with MacRumors, Apple said it is "focused on delivering the best experiences possible for our customers by consistently adding high-quality entertainment, content, and innovative features to our services."
There are no price increases for Apple Music and Apple Fitness+ today.
Apple has explored using its Vision Pro headset to diagnose and treat mental health problems, among other health monitoring capabilities, The Information's Wayne Ma reports.
Citing sources with direct knowledge of the matter, Ma explains that Apple has experimented with using the Vision Pro to track a user's facial expressions to detect depression, anxiety, stress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other mental health issues. Specifically, eye-tracking, pupil dilation, and external cameras can measure a person's "affect," a psychological term that refers to how an individual expresses emotions.
A so-called "flat affect," otherwise known as an emotionless facial expression, can be a sign of specific mental health difficulties. Upon detection of such a problem, the Vision Pro would then display relevant images and play sounds that could improve the wearer's mental state. Virtual reality headsets have already been used by researchers to diagnose and treat phobias and PTSD by safely exposing patients to their fears.
Apple has also apparently discussed using the Vision Pro's infrared eye tracking-cameras to detect swelling in the blood vessels of the eyes to spot an early sign of heart failure. The company explored using the headset to detect weight changes and evaluate a user's movement over time, using this data to screen for health issues such as Parkinson's disease, but the feature had a major setback when Apple removed the full body-tracking capabilities from the Vision Pro due to unreliability.
Features that claim to diagnose or treat health issues would need to undergo clinical studies and receive approval from health regulators before being released to the public, but some Apple employees are apparently concerned about the legal liability of making more health-related claims, which could limit the scope of the features. Other employees are said to be skeptical that the Vision Pro will be as effective as other methods of treatment, such as medicine.
Teams and significant individuals inside Apple are said to have extensively discussed or explored health, wellness, and fitness features for the Vision Pro, including Mike Rockwell, the head of Apple's Vision Products Group. The company has reportedly hired health experts to explore features for the device. The Information was unable to learn whether mental health features will arrive on the first-generation Vision Pro headset, or if it will be reserved for future models. The sources added that such features may never launch at all, but the company continues to brainstorm health-related uses for the headset.
Ma added that Apple has also explored the mental health detection capabilities of other devices such as the iPhone, using the front-facing camera to track a user's mood, as well as monitor app usage and typed words to detect early signs of Alzheimer's disease.
