MacRumors

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Apple's new FineWoven accessories, some of our favorite iPhone 15 features, and who should consider upgrading.

Apple's FineWoven material replaces leather across iPhone cases, AirTag accessories, and Apple Watch bands. Many early reviews of the FineWoven items have been negative, criticizing the material's feel, quality, and durability, so we talk over our early thoughts on the new accessories. The ‌iPhone 15‌ and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro introduce over 30 new capabilities and improvements, including USB-C and Dynamic Island across the lineup, as well as a new titanium design and Action button on the high-end models. We dive into some of our favorite standout features and weigh up who should consider upgrading to the latest devices.

Listen to The MacRumors Show in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castro, Google Podcasts, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player. Watch a video version of the show on the MacRumors YouTube channel.

If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, take a look back at our discussion with iJustine where we talk through our immediate reactions to the announcement of the ‌iPhone 15‌, ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro, Apple Watch Series 9, and Apple Watch Ultra 2.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for more episodes, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by exciting guests like Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Kevin Nether, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Jon Prosser, Sam Kohl, Quinn Nelson, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Sara Dietschy, Luke Miani, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the show, and let us know what subjects you would like the podcast to cover in the future.

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Lululook to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a 256GB iPhone 15 Pro from Apple. Apple's new ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro models just launched today, and Lululook has a range of accessories that are designed to go with it.

For some extra power while on the go, the Lululook 10,000mAh Power Bank for $38 offers an extra charge for your ‌iPhone 15‌. It has a USB-C port and can also charge the ‌iPhone 15‌ wirelessly, holding it in place with magnets. Up to three devices can be charged at one time, and it charges at up to 22.5W. If you want to use it as a desktop charger or to hold up your iPhone for a FaceTime call or a video, there's a built-in stand. Lululook has a deal right now that drops the price by 40 percent.

Lululook will soon be launching another 10,000mAh Power Bank for the iPhone, and this one features a unique silver design. It has the same 22.5W Max, but a more stylish kickstand that holds the ‌iPhone‌ up for watching videos and making calls in vertical or horizontal orientation. There's an LED display that shows you the current charge level, and with its slim size, it fits easily into a pocket.

If you need an affordable stand for video calls, watching movies, and using StandBy mode, Lululook has the $22 Magnetic Stand for iPhone. With its sleek, slim design, the Magnetic Stand fits anywhere on your desk, and the arm rotates 180 degrees so you can put your ‌iPhone‌ in at the exact angle that's most useful to you. Lululook has a 10 percent off coupon for the ‌iPhone‌ Stand right now.

For an affordable multi-device charging solution, Lululook has the $50 Ultra-Nano 2-in-1 Portable Charging Station for ‌iPhone‌ and Apple Watch. There's a magnetic charging interface for the ‌iPhone‌ that charges it at 7.5W, and a 5W charger for the Apple Watch. The Charging Station is able to fold in half so that it can be used for travel, plus it has a 360-degree adjustable angle so you can do things like orient it in a position for vertical charging. Lululook has the charger for 50 percent off right now, dropping the price to $25.

Lululook has other accessories as well, like power adapters, iPad stands, Apple Watch bands, laptop stands, and more, which can be found on Amazon or the Lululook website.

We have one 256GB ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro to give away, with the winner able to pick the color of their choice. To enter to win, use the widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner(s) and send the prize(s). You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older, UK residents who are 18 years or older, and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. All federal, state, provincial, and/or local taxes, fees, and surcharges are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

The contest will run from today (September 22) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on September 29. The winner will be chosen randomly on or shortly after September 29 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.

Are you skipping the iPhone 15 Pro and waiting another year to upgrade? If so, we already have some iPhone 16 Pro rumors for you.

Below, we recap new features rumored for the iPhone 16 Pro models so far:

• Larger displays: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be equipped with larger 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays, respectively, according to Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants. The devices are expected to have taller aspect ratios as part of this change. By comparison, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max have 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch displays, respectively.
• 48-megapixel Ultra Wide lens: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will feature an upgraded 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera lens for higher-resolution photos with more detail when shooting in 0.5× mode, according to Jeff Pu, a tech analyst at Hong Kong investment firm Haitong International Securities.
• Wi-Fi 7 support: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will also support Wi-Fi 7, according to Pu. This would enable the devices to send and receive data over the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands simultaneously, resulting in faster Wi-Fi speeds, lower latency, and more reliable connectivity. Wi-Fi 7 is expected to offer peak data transfer speeds of over 40 Gbps, a 4× increase over Wi-Fi 6E.
• 5x optical zoom on Pro model: The iPhone 15 Pro Max's tetraprism lens system with 5x optical zoom will expand to both the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, according to supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

iPhone 16 Pro models should launch in September 2024, so there is still plenty of time to go, and additional details will surface over the coming months.

Today is the launch day of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, and we're already tracking the first discounts on both wearables. Available at Amazon, you can get $9 off the Apple Watch Series 9 and $19 off the Apple Watch Ultra 2, with no coupon code required.

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

Although not particularly steep discounts, given that it's launch day these are pretty solid deals for anyone who planned on picking up one of the new Apple Watch models today. If you want a bigger markdown, and are okay with buying a previous generation device, Amazon has the original Apple Watch Ultra at $99 off in select colors right now.

A few of the Apple Watch Ultra 2 models are temporarily out of stock right now, but Amazon notes that you can place your order at the discounted price and they will email you when they have an estimated delivery date. Otherwise, most models of both the Ultra 2 and Series 9 will deliver between September 24 and September 27.

Apple Watch Series 9 (GPS)

• 41mm (PRODUCT)RED Aluminum - $389.99, down from $399.00
• 41mm Midnight Aluminum - $389.99, down from $399.00
• 41mm Silver Aluminum - $389.99, down from $399.00
• 45mm (PRODUCT)RED Aluminum - $419.99, down from $429.00
• 45mm Midnight Aluminum - $419.99, down from $429.00
• 45mm Silver Aluminum - $419.99, down from $429.00

Apple Watch Series 9 (Cellular)

• 41mm (PRODUCT)RED Aluminum - $489.99, down from $499.00
• 41mm Midnight Aluminum - $489.99, down from $499.00
• 41mm Silver Aluminum - $489.99, down from $499.00
• 41mm Starlight Aluminum - $489.99, down from $499.00
• 45mm (PRODUCT)RED Aluminum - $519.99, down from $529.00
• 45mm Midnight Aluminum - $519.99, down from $529.00
• 45mm Pink Aluminum - $519.99, down from $529.00
• 45mm Silver Aluminum - $519.99, down from $529.00
• 45mm Starlight Aluminum - $519.99, down from $529.00

Apple Watch Ultra 2

• Blue Alpine Loop - $779.99, down from $799.00
• Indigo Alpine Loop - $779.99, down from $799.00
• Olive Alpine Loop - $779.99, down from $799.00
• Blue Ocean Band - $779.99, down from $799.00
• Blue/Black Trail Loop - $779.99, down from $799.00
• Green/Gray Trail Loop - $779.99, down from $799.00
• Orange/Beige Trail Loop - $779.99, down from $799.00

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

The Apple Watch Series 9 is available in a range of color options and finishes, with an entirely new hue available alongside some popular classics.

The Apple Watch Series 9 is available in a total of nine colors, one of which is a brand new shade, and two distinct finishes. With an aluminum casing, the Apple Watch Series 9's five available color options are:

• Pink
• Starlight
• Silver
• Midnight
• (PRODUCT)RED

Starlight, Silver, Midnight, and (PRODUCT)RED were all available on last year's Series 8 models. The only difference with this year's aluminum models is a new soft pink color.

Apple's Silver anodized aluminum finish has been available on the company's devices for well over a decade, while Starlight is a warmer shade of silver that subtly angles toward gold or champagne. Midnight is effectively black with a hint of dark blue or navy. Each of the color options has a matching Apple Watch band, except for silver, since it is easily matched with so many other Apple Watch bands.

The Apple Watch Series 9 is also available with a polished stainless steel casing in four different color options:

• Silver
• Gold
• Graphite
• Space Black (Apple Watch Hermès only)

This selection of stainless steel finishes is identical to the previous generation's offerings. While stainless steel is heavier than aluminum, it is much harder and more durable. It may be more liable to scratch due to its polished finish, but they can be buffed out like a conventional watch or an item of jewelry.

The stainless steel Apple Watch offers a more high-end, fashion-forward aesthetic, especially when paired with a premium band like the Modern Buckle. The Apple Watch Hermès takes the stainless steel Apple Watch to the next level with exclusive watch faces and ultra-premium bands.

The aluminum Apple Watch Series 9 starts at $399, while the stainless steel model costs $699. The only difference between the casings other than their material and weight is the front crystal, which is upgraded from Ion-X strengthened glass to sapphire crystal on the stainless steel model.

How to Decide on an Apple Watch Color

It is important to consider which band you plan to use with your Apple Watch to ensure that they complement each other. You may prefer more neutral tones such as Midnight or Silver, and then use a more colorful band. Alternatively, you could choose a more striking device color like Pink, and then use a more neutral band. This is also a key consideration if you plan to switch bands regularly.

Silver on both the aluminum and stainless steel models may age better over time as new devices are released since they are more neutral, monochrome shades, and have been offered across multiple Apple Watch generations.

Pink could be a good choice, especially when combined with the Pink Sport Band, for a bold look, especially if you also have a Pink iPhone 15 or ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus. If you want an Apple Watch in a brand new shade, Pink is also the only option. It is the color that is most noticeably new and indicates that you have the latest-generation device.

Your choice of color may also be dependent on how often you upgrade your ‌Apple Watch. If you upgrade every year or two, you may be more confident in buying a more striking new color. If you upgrade more often, it can be a good idea to get a different color every time since a new color can certainly add some novelty to purchasing a new ‌Apple Watch and make it feel more different from your previous device. Alternatively, if you plan to keep your ‌Apple Watch for many years and upgrade less often, it may be wiser to consider a neutral color or one that is more similar to one you have enjoyed previously.

Customers with multiple Apple devices may also want to get an Apple Watch color that complements their other devices. For example, if you have a Midnight HomePod and MacBook Air, it will be best complemented by the Midnight Apple Watch Series 9. If you already have a Gold iPhone 14 Pro, it will likely be best accompanied by a Gold stainless steel Apple Watch Series 9. Likewise, if you have a Starlight Apple Watch, it will obviously match the Starlight ‌iPhone‌ 14 and iPad mini.

Anker has returned today with a collection of discounts on Amazon that offer sales on USB-C accessories perfect for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. These deals can only be found on Amazon and many of them require you to clip an on-page coupon before you'll see the savings.

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

Accessories on sale include a few of Anker's portable batteries with USB-C ports, a MagSafe-compatible charger stand, and a few USB-C wall chargers. This includes a Compact Power Strip with two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, and two AC outlets.

Another highlight of the sale is Anker's MagSafe Charger Stand, which includes space to simultaneously charge an iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch. This one includes a 30W USB-C wall charger and a 1.5m USB-C to USB-C cable.

• 3-Port Compact USB-C Charger - $47.99 with on-page coupon, down from $59.99
• 6-in-1 USB-C Compact Power Strip - $93.49 with on-page coupon, down from $109.99
• Power Bank 24,000 mAh with Smart Digital Display - $99.99, down from $149.99
• Power Bank 20,000 mAh - $110.49 with on-page coupon, down from $129.99
• MagSafe Charger Stand - $119.96 with on-page coupon, down from $149.95

Earlier in the week, we tracked a few other Anker discounts on Amazon, many of which are still live. This includes sales on Eufy Bluetooth trackers, Bluetooth speakers, USB-C hubs, and more.

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

In a video interview with Brian Tong, Apple's VP of Sensing and Connectivity Ron Huang explained why only the updated second-generation AirPods Pro with a USB-C charging case support lossless audio with Apple's upcoming Vision Pro headset.

Huang revealed that the H2 chip in the USB-C AirPods Pro supports the 5GHz band of wireless frequencies for ultra-low latency and less interference, while the H2 chip in the original second-generation AirPods Pro with a Lightning case is limited to the 2.4GHz band. Apple says it is this 5GHz support that enables the updated AirPods Pro to support lossless audio with the Vision Pro, which is slated for release in the U.S. in early 2024.

The topic is briefly discussed at around the 26-minute mark of the video, as highlighted by 9to5Mac's Zac Hall earlier today:

The updated second-generation AirPods Pro began arriving to customers and launched in stores today. The earbuds are regularly priced at $249 in the U.S., but they are already on sale for $199.99 on Amazon with the USB-C charging case.

Amazon has all-time low prices on Apple's new 15.3-inch MacBook Air notebooks, with the highlight of the sale being a new $250 discount on the 512GB model. You can get the 512GB 15.3-inch MacBook Air for $1,249.00, down from $1,499.00.

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

This sale is available in all four colors: Space Gray, Midnight, Starlight, and Silver. All models are in stock and have an estimated delivery date between September 24 and September 28. These notebooks debuted in June and this is a new all-time low price on the 512GB model.

Additionally, Amazon has the 256GB 15.3-inch MacBook Air on sale for $1,049.00, down from $1,299.00. This one is available in two colors (Midnight and Starlight), and has an estimated delivery date between September 24 and September 28 as well. At $250 off, it's another all-time low price.

The new MacBook Air features a large 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display, M2 processor, six-speaker system, two Thunderbolt ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and MagSafe. The 15.3-inch MacBook Air is mostly similar to the 2022 13.6-inch MacBook Air, but there are some key differences that we highlighted in our buyer's guide.

Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.

Update: Amazon has further discounted the 256GB 15-inch MacBook Air, now available for $1,049.00, down from $1,299.00, and this article now reflects that price change. This is a new record low price.

If you are unboxing an iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max today, make sure to update the device to iOS 17.0.2 before transferring data to the device from another iPhone, or else you might encounter issues.

iOS 17.0.2 is only available for the iPhone 15 lineup. Apple says the update fixes an issue that may prevent transferring data directly from another iPhone during the device setup process, so installing it is very important. The update should appear during the setup process, or it can be installed via the Settings app under General → Software Update if you proceeded to set up the device as new and transfer data later.

If you already attempted to transfer data from another iPhone before updating to iOS 17.0.2, and your iPhone 15 is now stuck showing an Apple logo, Apple has shared a new support document with steps on how to restore the iPhone:

1. Connect your new iPhone to a computer with a cable.
2. Press and quickly release the volume up button. Press and quickly release the volume down button. Then, press and hold the side button.
3. Continue to hold while the Apple logo appears and don't let go until an image of a computer and cable appears.
4. On your computer, locate your new iPhone in the Finder or in iTunes.
5. Choose Restore when you see the option to Restore or Update.

After restoring the iPhone 15 and updating it to iOS 17.0.2, the process of transferring data from another iPhone can be restarted.

Happy launch day! The new iPhone 15, ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus, ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro, and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max devices are in the hands of Apple customers as of today. We'll have a full unboxing coming later, but we thought we'd take a quick look at the star of today's launch, the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max.

Of the four new iPhones that Apple made available today, the 15 Pro Max has the best feature set and it's the device to choose if you want top-of-the-line capabilities. Here's why it stands out:

• USB-C Port - With USB-C, you can charge your iPhone, iPad, and Mac with the same USB-C to USB-C cable. The ‌iPhone‌ can also be used to charge devices like the AirPods and the Apple Watch, and on the Pro and Pro Max, you can transfer content at up to 10Gb/s with an appropriate cable.
• Action Button - The Action Button replaces the mute switch on the Pro models. It can be set to do all kinds of things like activate a Focus mode, turn on the camera, turn on the Flashlight, activate a Shortcut, and more.
• A17 Pro Chip - The A17 Pro chip enables console gaming on the ‌iPhone‌ for the first time with support for hardware-accelerated ray tracing. You'll be able to play games like Resident Evil 4 and Death Stranding, and it's going to be just blazing fast for checking email, sending text messages, and scrolling social networks.
• Titanium - The ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro and Pro Max have a titanium chassis that's lighter than the stainless steel chassis, so even though these iPhones are the same size as last year's iPhones, they'll feel less weighty in the hand. As a bonus, Apple changed the design to make them more repairable so it's less expensive if you break the back glass. Other design changes include more contoured edges and slimmer display bezels.
• 5x Telephoto Lens - The 5x telephoto lens is a Pro Max exclusive feature, with the standard 15 Pro limited to 3x optical zoom. 5x optical zoom was made possible with Apple's new tetraprism technology so you can zoom in further than ever before. You'll get 25x zoom in total, and Apple also made a bunch of other improvements to the camera that you can see detailed in our iPhone 15 Pro roundup.

With all of the features available in the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro plus a larger battery because of more physical space, a larger 6.7-inch display, and the 5x Telephoto lens, the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max is hard to beat. Did you get a Pro Max? Let us know in the comments below.

Apple's iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max launched today in markets around the world. If you're the new owner of one of Apple's latest models, then keep reading. Whether you're upgrading from an older iPhone or completely new to the devices, this article will help you get the most out your iPhone 15.

With the first round of pre-ordered devices now being delivered to customers and availability in stores, MacRumors has put together the following series of dedicated iPhone 15 how-to articles explaining all the new features that can be found on Apple's newest models.

All iPhone 15 Models

• Dynamic Island Explained: What It Does and How to Use It
• How to Take Portrait Mode Photos
• How to Turn Photos into Portraits After Shooting
• How to Find Your Friends With Precision Finding
• How to Strictly Prevent Charging Beyond 80%
• How to Charge Apple Watch, AirPods, or Another iPhone
• How to Check Your Device's Battery Cycle Count
• How to Hard Reset or Force Reset All iPhone 15 Models

iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max

• How to Switch Between Silent/Mute and Ring Mode
• How to Get Rid of the Silent Mode Icon in the Status Bar
• Action Button: What It Does and How to Customize It
• How to Assign Two Functions to the Action Button
• How to Transfer Data Over USB-C at 10Gbps USB3 Speed
• How to Adjust Camera Focal Length
• How to Enable and Disable Camera Focal Length Presets
• How to Set a Default Camera Focal Length

iPhone 15 Pro Max

• Everything You Need to Know About 5x Optical Zoom

iOS 17

All iPhone 15 models come with iOS 17 pre-installed. During the iOS 17 beta testing process from June to September, MacRumors wrote a series of in-depth feature guides highlighting every major new addition, plus how tos that walk you through using the new features. Be sure to refer to our ultimate walkthrough, and our special AirPods Pro 2 guide for iOS 17, to get yourself up to speed.

• Ultimate iOS 17 Walkthrough: Guides and How Tos for Every New Feature
• How to Use All the New AirPods Pro Features in iOS 17

Forgot to Pre-Order?

For customers who forgot to pre-order one of the new models or simply decided to wait, most configurations ordered online are now estimated for delivery in October, but the good news is that same-day or next-day pickup is now an option at select Apple Store locations around the world.

Apple's retail employees are receiving raises between two and five percent this year, which is a smaller pay increase than Apple provided during the pandemic, reports Bloomberg. Annual raises are at about four percent on average, with the increases applying to retail employees and AppleCare technical support employees.

Raises are provided alongside employee reviews, which are done in the fall. Last year, Apple was offering bigger raises of eight to 10 percent to combat labor shortages and employee unionization efforts, but as Bloomberg notes, unionization campaigns have not gained traction and wage growth in the United States is down.

Most of Apple's retail employees in the United States earn now $22 to $30 per hour, and are given restricted stock units valued at up to $2,000 annually.

In a support document updated today, Apple indicates that fingerprints might "temporarily alter the color" of the titanium frame on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Fortunately, Apple says this is not a permanent condition, as the fingerprints can be wiped off just like on any other iPhone to restore a clean finish.

"For iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, the oil from your skin might temporarily alter the color of the outside band," says Apple. "Wiping your iPhone with a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth will restore the original look."

Photos of iPhone 15 Pro models with visible fingerprints on the titanium frame have been circulating on social media since the devices were announced last week, but customers should not be concerned about permanent damage. None of this information should be a surprise, but now it is on the record from Apple.

All of the iPhone 15 models launch this Friday, with orders already beginning to arrive to customers in Australia and New Zealand.

It is already Friday, September 22 in New Zealand and Australia, which means customers in those countries who pre-ordered an iPhone 15, ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro, Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2, or AirPods Pro with USB-C case are beginning to receive their devices.

Apple fans receiving new ‌iPhone 15‌ and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro are now sharing photos and first impressions on Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, the MacRumors forums, and other social networks. If you've already received your new iPhone, let us know in the comments below and make sure to share pictures and your first impressions!

There are no Apple retail locations in New Zealand, which means customers in Australia are always the first to be able to pick up new devices or purchase an ‌iPhone‌ in an Apple Store. Available in-store stock in Australia will provide insight into what we can expect in other Apple Stores around the world.

‌iPhone 15‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max models sold out during the pre-order period, and orders placed now from Apple's online store will not ship out until late October or even into November for some devices. The standard ‌iPhone 15‌ models are not as hard to come by.

If you missed out on pre-orders, purchasing at an ‌Apple Store‌ or another location like Target, Walmart, or Best Buy is the only way to get a new ‌iPhone‌ on launch day. While retail stores are expected to have stock, popular ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max models could be in short supply and may sell out quickly.

Following New Zealand and Australia, sales and deliveries of the new ‌iPhone 15‌ models and the new Apple Watches will begin in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and finally, North America. Many Apple Stores worldwide will be opening up early at around 8:00 a.m. local time to allow customers to pick up reserved devices and make walk-in purchases.

Make sure to stay tuned to MacRumors, as we'll have a hands-on and unboxing tomorrow, followed by deep dives into the feature set of the new devices, camera comparisons, and more.

Apple in iOS 17 added interactive Home Screen widgets for the first time, and developer Christian Selig is using the new functionality to make his Pixel Pals app better than ever.

With Pixel Pals 2.0, you can adopt a digital pet that lives on your ‌Home Screen‌, and you can interact with it in all new ways without the need to open up the app.

You can feed and play with your Pixel Pals, and add your friends so their Pixel Pals can visit your ‌Home Screen‌. Two Pixel Pals together can battle one another, and in StandBy mode, your Pixel Pal can hang out next to you or you can use a new sheep counting feature.

You can also plant seeds on a farm to grow food for your pet, and there are new animals and morphs to unlock. As your friendship with your Pixel Pal grows, you will unlock more morphs. Selig has also added in full games that can be played on the ‌Home Screen‌ in a widget, including PixelQuest, 2048, and Eternal Scroll.

Christian Selig is the developer behind the now-defunct Apollo app for Reddit, which was removed for sale earlier this year. He is now focusing his attention on Pixel Pals.

Pixel Pals is free to download, but unlocking the app's full feature set requires Pixel Pals Premium, priced at $9.99 per year or $1.49 per month.

The new Double Tap gesture for the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 will be enabled starting with watchOS 10.1, according to Marques Brownlee, host of the popular tech-focused YouTube channel MKBHD.

The first beta of watchOS 10.1 will likely be available by next week, and Apple announced that the software update will be released next month.

Brownlee shared his impressions of the Series 9 and Ultra 2 in the video below, which was highlighted by @M1Astra on X, formerly Twitter.

Double Tap will allow users to tap their watch hand's index finger and thumb together twice to perform common actions on the Apple Watch, such as stopping a timer, playing and pausing music, snoozing an alarm, answering and ending a phone call, opening the Smart Stack, and more, all without touching the screen.

Apple says Double Tap is enabled by the S9 chip's faster Neural Engine, so the feature is only available on the Series 9 and Ultra 2. Apple said it developed an algorithm that detects the "unique signature" of tiny wrist movements and changes in blood flow when the index finger and thumb are tapped together.

A similar but more limited accessibility feature called AssistiveTouch is already available on the Apple Watch Series 4 and newer.

Both new Apple Watch models launch this Friday, but Double Tap will require watchOS 10.1. For now, the latest version is watchOS 10.0.1, released today.

Google is continuing on with its relentless #GetTheMessage marketing campaign in an attempt to get Apple to adopt the RCS messaging protocol. In its latest ad, Google shows off the "iPager," which Google describes as a device that "uses outdated messaging tech" like Apple uses "when texting with Android."

‌RCS‌, or Rich Communication Services, is a communication protocol designed by and adopted by Google. Google has been pushing Apple to implement support for ‌RCS‌, but Apple devices continue to support the older SMS protocol. Google claims that Apple is responsible for all the issues that Android and iPhone users have texting one another, including lack of encryption, broken group chats, pixelated pictures and videos, and the green bubbles.

"iPager isn't real, but the problems that Apple causes by using SMS are. Let's make texting better for everyone and help Apple #GetTheMessage and upgrade to ‌RCS‌," read's Google's video.

Major U.S. carriers and other carriers worldwide have adopted support for ‌RCS‌, but Apple has no plans to do so despite Google's multi-year effort. Google has used billboards, ads, websites, social media campaigns, and more to get Apple's attention and to try to convince ‌iPhone‌ users to request the feature from Apple, but so far, it hasn't worked.

In September 2022, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that ‌RCS‌ is not a priority for Apple. "I don't hear our users asking that we put a lot of energy in on that at this point," he explained. To one reporter who said he was having an issue texting his mother on an Android device, Cook said "Buy your mom an ‌iPhone‌."

It is not clear if Apple will ever adopt ‌RCS‌, but so far, it does not sound like the company has any interest in doing so. If Apple did adopt ‌RCS‌, it would allow for end-to-end encryption for conversations between ‌iPhone‌ and Android users, as well as higher quality media. Apple already offers these features for the iMessage service that works from ‌iPhone‌ to ‌iPhone‌.

Apple today released iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1 updates for the iPhone and the iPad, adding bug fixes to the new software. The iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1 updates come just a few days after Apple launched iOS 17 and iPadOS 17.

The software, which is build 21A340, can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. There is a separate iOS 17.0.2 update (build 21A350) that will be available for iPhone 15 and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro models.

According to Apple's release notes for the ‌iPhone‌, the update provides bug fixes and important security updates for all eligible devices.

Apple's security support document confirms that the update addresses several security vulnerabilities that may have been actively exploited against versions of iOS before iOS 16.7.

Apple has also released iOS 16.7 (build 20H19) for those who have not yet updated to iOS 17, or those who are unable to update.