MacRumors

Warner Bros. today launches its new "Max" streaming service that merges HBO Max and Discovery+ content, and the new rebranded app is already appearing on Apple devices and can be downloaded from the App Store.

Announced last month, Max includes all HBO series and movies, Max Originals, and select series and movies from Warner Bros., the DC Universe, Cartoon Network, the Turner Library, Looney Tunes, Adult Swim, and more. It also rolls in Discovery favorites from TV brands including HGTV, the Food Network, TLC, ID, Magnolia Network, Discovery, and more.

The new Max service also claims to feature smarter recommendations, improved app performance, easier sign-in and navigation, new profile PINs for adult profiles, and new Hubs and genres.

Warner Bros. says that existing HBO Max subscribers that subscribe through HBO will have access to Max at the same price as their HBO Max subscription, with more information available on the HBO Max website. Those who subscribe through a TV, mobile, or wireless provider will be informed of any price or plan changes.

On some platforms, the HBO Max app will automatically be updated to the Max app, and on others, users will be prompted to download the Max app when attempting to open the HBO Max app. Discovery+ customers can sign up as new Max customers, as those subscriptions will not transition. Discovery+ will continue to be available as a standalone service.

The Max streaming service is being offered at three different price plans:

• Max Ad-Lite: $9.99/month or $99.99/year. Includes 2 concurrent streams, 1080p resolution, no offline downloads, and 5.1 surround sound quality. Supported by ads.
• Max Ad Free: $15.99/month or $149.99/year. Includes 2 concurrent streams, 1080p resolution, 30 offline downloads, and 5.1 surround sound quality.
• Max Ultimate Ad Free: $19.99/month or $199.99/year. Includes 4 concurrent streams, up to 4K UHD resolution, 100 offline downloads, and Dolby Atmos sound quality.

The full list of 4K content available to stream on Max's Ultimate Ad-Free tier can be found in the Warner Bros. Discovery press release. Max can be streamed to a wealth of smart TVs, set-top boxes, and consoles. In terms of Apple devices, Max is available on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV.

Based on initial user reports, it looks like the Max app for ‌Apple TV‌ does not synchronize with the TV app's Up Next section, and the service has reverted to using a custom player instead of the native tvOS player. Some users have also reported problems logging in to their existing HBO accounts on ‌Apple TV‌, while others are having trouble seeing 4K HDR content.

HBO has existed under several brands in recent years. HBO GO and HBO Now streaming services were merged into HBO Max in 2020. Then a 2022 merger between Discovery and WarnerMedia paved the way for the decision to combine HBO Max with Discovery+. Hence we now have Max.

Max is currently only available in the U.S., but there are plans to launch Max in more countries, including Latin America and the Caribbean, by the end of the year. Max is expected to become available in Europe and South East Asia in 2024.

As previously announced, Apple will be launching Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro for select iPad models on Tuesday, May 23. Apple says the apps are optimized for the iPad's touch-first interface, and more details are available in our earlier coverage.

Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro for iPad will likely be released on the App Store around 1 p.m. Eastern Time, based on our analysis of Apple's regional websites. Some media outlets and YouTubers received early access to the apps, and Apple's embargo for reviews will be lifting tomorrow, providing a closer look at the apps in action.

While the apps have one-time pricing on the Mac, the iPad versions will have subscription-based pricing only. Both apps will be priced at $4.99 per month or $49 per year in the U.S. after a one-month free trial. Final Cut Pro is compatible with iPad models equipped with the M1 chip or later, and Logic Pro will be available for iPad models equipped with the A12 Bionic chip or later. Both apps require iPadOS 16.4 or later.

"Final Cut Pro for iPad introduces a powerful set of tools for video creators to record, edit, finish, and share, all from one portable device," said Apple's announcement from earlier this month. "Logic Pro for iPad puts the power of professional music creation in the hands of the creator — no matter where they are — with a complete collection of sophisticated tools for songwriting, beat making, recording, editing, and mixing."

Apple has dedicated Final Cut Pro for iPad and Logic Pro for iPad pages with more details, and we will have our own hands-on coverage of the apps soon.

The rear camera lenses on the lower-end iPhone 16 model will be arranged in a vertical layout, according to information shared today by Twitter account @URedditor. The design change would presumably extend to the iPhone 16 Plus as well.

Apple switched to diagonally-arranged rear camera lenses with the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini, and the design carried over to the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. The diagonal layout is expected to continue with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus later this year, but the devices will apparently be the final models to use the design.

If this rumor proves to be accurate, the iPhone 16 would be returning to a vertical layout last seen on the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini. The leaker said this change will make the device "instantly recognizable" as the latest model, at least when combined with other newer design aspects like the Dynamic Island and a USB-C port.

It's unclear why Apple might be planning this change beyond aesthetics. When the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini launched, Apple simply said "a redesigned rear camera layout with diagonally arranged lenses enables the advanced dual-camera system," so perhaps Apple has figured out a way to fit camera components within a vertical orientation again.

Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 16 in September 2024, so the device is still far away from launching, and the design plans could change.

Bigger changes are expected for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, which will reportedly feature larger 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays, respectively. Those devices have triple-lens rear camera systems, so the vertical layout would not apply.

@URedditor accurately revealed some details about App Clips before the feature launched in 2020, and is more recently known as the first source to share an alleged real-world image of the iPhone 15 Pro with a USB-C port, and various other iPhone 15 details. We'll have a better idea of the source's credibility after the iPhone 15 launches.

Display analyst Ross Young recently reported that the iPhone 16 Pro and ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max will see an increase in their display sizes compared to previous generations, growing to almost 6.3 inches and 6.9 inches respectively.

An alleged CAD model of the larger ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max (which could possibly be branded as iPhone 16 Ultra) was recently shared with 9to5Mac by Sonny Dickson and used to create renderings showing how much bigger Apple's largest iPhone model could be for the 2024 lineup.

According to the CAD model, the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max will apparently grow more significantly in the vertical dimension than in the horizontal dimension, compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The overall ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max device height would increase by approximately 5 mm to ~165.0 mm while the width would only increase by about 0.5 mm to ~77.2 mm.

It's still very early in the rumor cycle for the ‌iPhone 16‌ lineup as we're well over a year away from launch, so the accuracy of the leaked CAD model remains uncertain. We'll undoubtedly hear much more in the coming months, so we'll see if future information lines up with this early claim.

Today we're tracking a few solid deals on Apple accessories and products, including the MagSafe Battery Pack, AirTag, AirPods 3, and more. These sales are divided among Amazon and Verizon, and all products are in stock and ready to ship out today.

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.

Starting with the AirPods deals, Verizon has both models of the AirPods 3 on sale. You can get the AirPods 3 with Lightning Charging Case for $149.99, down from $169.99; and the AirPods 3 with MagSafe Charging Case for $159.00, down from $179.00. Verizon has remained one of the only retailers to have consistent deals on the AirPods 3 in 2023.

Amazon has the MagSafe Battery Pack for $84.00, down from $99.00. This device was cheaper last holiday season, but today's price is one of the best deals we've tracked so far in 2023 and is an overall solid second-best price.

Amazon also has the MagSafe Charger at $31.00, down from $39.00, which is another second-best price. All-time low prices on these MagSafe devices have been somewhat rare over the past few months, so anyone in the market for Apple's first-party MagSafe accessories should consider these deals because they're the best around online right now.

Moving to the AirTag, Amazon has the 4-Pack for $89.00, down from $99.00. Delivery is available as soon as May 24 for Amazon Prime members, and this deal is a second-best price on the Bluetooth tracker accessory.

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

Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6 updates to public beta testers, allowing non-developers to test out the software head of its official launch. The public betas come just a few days after Apple provided the betas to developers.

Those who have signed up their accounts for Apple's free beta testing program can enable the beta by opening up the Settings app, going to General, selecting Software Update, tapping on Beta Updates, and selecting the iOS 16 Public Beta option.

iOS 16.6 seems to be a relatively minor update, although Apple does appear to be laying the groundwork for the launch of the previously announced iMessage Contact Key Verification feature in this update.

Development on iOS 16 is slowing down as Apple prepares for the unveiling of iOS 17 in just two weeks at WWDC, and iOS 16.6 is likely to be one of the last updates to iOS 16 before the public release of iOS 17 expected in September.

An initial public beta of watchOS 9.6 has also been released.

Apple today released the first beta of macOS Ventura 13.5 to its public beta testing group, allowing the general public to try out the software ahead of its official launch. The macOS Ventura 13.5 public beta comes a few days after Apple provided the software to developers.

Public beta testers can download the macOS 13.5 Ventura update from the Software Update section of the System Preferences app after installing the proper profile from Apple's beta software website.

There is no word as of yet on what's included in macOS Ventura 13.5, and no notable new features were found in the developer beta.

We're expecting to see Apple unveil macOS 14 in just two weeks at WWDC, and macOS 13.5 should be one of the last updates to Ventura that will tide users over until the public release of macOS 14 later this year.

Following yesterday's news that an apparent Apple shell company is seeking to trademark the term "xrProOS" ahead of a headset unveiling at WWDC two weeks from today, additional trademark activity seemingly linked to Apple has surfaced around a couple of other terms.

The first is "realityproOS," which was filed yesterday in New Zealand and noticed by patent attorney Narly Kalupahana. The filing was made by the same Immersive Health Solutions LLC company that filed to protect terms like "Reality One" and "Reality Pro" last year. Those terms have been rumored to be potential names of Apple's upcoming headset devices.

The new "realityproOS" filing cites a May 1 filing in Jamaica for establishing a priority date, a tactic commonly used by Apple to hide early trademark protection efforts as the trademark activity in the country is not currently available online.

The second trademark filing that has seen activity in recent days is "realOS," a term which was broadly registered in Europe last year by an apparent Apple shell company named Realityo Systems LLC to cover various aspects of computers and operating systems. Realityo Systems also gained some notice last year after it was discovered the company had submitted a filing for "realityOS" in late 2021.

In the past few weeks, Realityo Systems has submitted additional filings in other countries for the "realOS" term with a much narrower description of "computer operating systems, computer operating systems for integrated circuits."

A trademark for "realOS" in the United States dating back to 2006 was also previously owned by Fujitsu, but changed hands several times before being acquired by Realityo Systems in November 2022.

With a number of operating system-related trademarks seemingly linked to Apple having seen activity in recent days, including "xrOS," "xrProOS," "realityproOS", and "realOS," it's unlikely that Apple plans to use all of them as public-facing names. It is interesting, however, to see Apple seeking to protect various options as it prepares to show its long-rumored headset to the world.

Apple's 2022 iPad Air has hit numerous all-time low prices today on Amazon. In total, you'll find up to $99 off the iPad Air, with record low prices available for both Wi-Fi and cellular models.

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.

Starting with the 64GB Wi-Fi iPad Air, this model is available in three colors at $499.99 on Amazon, which is down from $599.00. This is a record low price for this tablet on Amazon, and Space Gray, Blue, and Purple are in stock now and can arrive as soon as May 24.

Secondly, the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad Air has hit $649.99 on Amazon, down from $749.00. This is another record low price, and it's available in three colors. Most of these models have an estimated delivery date between May 24 and 28 for residences in the United States.

Moving to cellular models, the 64GB cellular iPad Air is available for $649.99, down from $749.00. This is a second-best price and it's also available in three colors: Blue, Purple, and Starlight.

Lastly, the 256GB cellular iPad Air has hit $799.99, down from $899.00. You'll find two colors are available at this discounted price, which is also another all-time low price on the iPad Air.

For even more iPad deals, head to our full Best Deals guide for iPad. In that guide we track the best discounts online for iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro. If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

Mophie today launched two new MagSafe-compatible car vent mounts that are available on Mophie's website, on Apple.com, and in Apple stores around the world. One of the mounts supports wireless charging while the other is strictly for mounting your iPhone and does not directly charge.

Starting with the non-charging accessory, the Magnetic Vent Mount is $39.95 and holds the ‌iPhone‌ securely while preserving access to the Lightning port, so you can still charge your ‌iPhone‌ via cable. This device rotates and tilts allowing for ideal viewing angles, and it includes an adjustable offset arm so you can position the ‌iPhone‌ away from the vent.

Next is the Wireless Charging Vent Mount with MagSafe for $99.95, and it's the same design as the previous vent mount with the addition of 15W of wireless charging via MagSafe. It comes with a 20W USB-C car charger and 1.5M USB-C cable. You'll find all the same features as the non-charging mount, including an adjustable arm and secure hold.

If you purchase the new vent mounts on Mophie's website, you can save some money. Mophie is currently running a bundle and save sale, where you can get at least 30 percent off when buying two or more products at the same time. Just add the mounts to your cart (or any other compatible products on ZAGG's brand of websites), and you'll see the 30 percent off applied automatically.

On Apple.com, you can get the Magnetic Vent Mount for $39.95 and Wireless Charging Vent Mount with MagSafe for $99.95. Both delivery and in-store pick-up options are available.

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

Apple is hiring for at least a dozen new experts in generative artificial intelligence amid rumors that the company is stepping up its work on AI.

The Apple job listings, first spotted by TechCrunch, seek a range of machine learning specialists "passionate about building extraordinary autonomous systems" and began appearing on April 27. The openings are for positions in the Integrated System Experience, Input Experience NLP, Machine Learning R&D, and Technology Development Group.

Some of the roles, such as a Visual Generative Modeling Research Engineer, specifically involve work on "visual generative modeling to power applications across computation photography, image and video editing, 3D shape and motion reconstruction, avatar generation, and much more."

Following the launch of an official ChatGPT app for iPhone last week, it emerged that Apple has banned employees from using such utilities due to security concerns and work on its own similar technology. In March, DigiTimes reported that Apple is "re-examining" its work on artificial intelligence. The company is now believed to be testing generative AI concepts that could one day be destined for Siri.

Since updating to watchOS 9.5, some Apple Watch owners have been noticing an unusual green tint to their watch display when accessing certain UI elements, based on complaints shared on Reddit and the MacRumors Forums.

Almost all of the models affected are Apple Watch Series 8 and older devices, with earlier models seemingly faring worse. Users afflicted with the issue say that the green tint is visible on the passcode input screen, when accessing the Control Center, and when pulling down notifications. Based on the majority of reports, fewer Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Ultra models are affected by the issue.

Some have suggested that Apple may have intentionally added the tint, but this seems unlikely given that most users agree that it is uncharacteristically ugly and looks out of place. One user described it as looking like a "washed out LCD" screen rather than the pure OLED blacks they are used to seeing on their watch.

It's not entirely clear what's going on, but according to user reports, the weird tint has been popping up since last week's watchOS 9.5 update, suggesting it's a software issue rather than anything hardware related. Some people have been able to get the tint to go away after restarting, but others have not had the same success.

Apple has fixed similar color tint issues on iPhones in the past that were caused by a software bug. If this is indeed a software problem, Apple should be able to address the issue in a future watchOS update. watchOS 9.6 is in testing right now, but it's not yet clear if that removes the tint.

(Thanks, Alex!)

Facebook owner Meta has been hit with a record $1.3 billion (€1.2 billion) fine by European Union regulators for mishandling user information, and has been ordered to suspend the transfer of data from users in the EU to the United States.

The fine was issued by Ireland's Data Protection Commission, which regulates Facebook across the EU, after it ruled that the social network's data transfers to the U.S. "did not address the risks to the fundamental rights and freedoms" of EU users and violated General Data Protection Regulation.

The fine constitutes the largest ever imposed under the EU's GDPR privacy law, the previous one being a €746 million penalty issued to Amazon in 2021 for similar privacy violations.

In addition to the fine, Meta was given five months to suspend any future transfer of personal data to the U.S., and six months to end "the unlawful processing, including storage, in the U.S." of transferred personal data. Instagram and WhatsApp, which Meta also owns, are not subject to the order.

A previous mechanism to legally transfer personal data between the U.S. and the EU, known as the "Privacy Shield" pact, was struck down by the EU bloc's top court in 2020. The Irish regulator alleged that Meta infringed on the EU's GDPR laws when it continued to transfer personal data to the U.S. after 2020 despite the court ruling.

The issue has been ongoing for a decade after a legal challenge brought by Austrian privacy activist Max Schrems against Facebook in 2013, over concerns resulting from the Edward Snowden revelations that EU user data is not sufficiently protected from U.S. intelligence agencies when transferred across the Atlantic.

"This decision is flawed, unjustified and sets a dangerous precedent for the countless other companies transferring data between the EU and U.S.," said Nick Clegg, Facebook's president of global affairs, responding to the decision in a blog post. "We will appeal the ruling, including the unjustified and unnecessary fine, and seek a stay of the orders through the courts."

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Just a few weeks ahead of WWDC, it appears that Apple continues to secretly apply for trademarks related to its rumored AR/VR headset.

Delaware-based shell company "Deep Dive LLC" submitted a trademark application for "xrProOS" stylized in Apple's SF Pro font on May 18 in Argentina, Turkey, and the Phillippines, according to online records. The same company applied for an "xrOS" trademark in SF Pro in New Zealand earlier this month, and it is very likely that Apple is behind both filings as the company moves early to protect its headset-related intellectual property.

Deep Dive LLC also applied for xrProOS in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK on May 18, but without SF Pro styling. The company first applied for the trademark in Jamaica on April 27, according to the records. Jamaica is often where Apple first applies for trademarks related to future products, as the country lacks a searchable online trademark database, helping the company to maintain secrecy.

This is the first time that the xrProOS name has been reported, and it's unclear how Apple plans to use the name, if at all. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple's headset operating system will be named xrOS, so it remains to be seen how the xrProOS name might fit into Apple's plans. Gurman did float "Reality Pro" as a potential name of Apple's headset, and xrProOS would mirror the "Pro" branding if it is used in some way. It's also very possible Apple is simply covering all of its bases here and has no current plans to use xrProOS.

Other previously-reported trademark applications with potential ties to Apple's headset include Reality One, Reality Processor, Optica, and Deep Screen, but it's unclear if any of these names will actually be used. Some of the applications were filed by a separate shell company named "Immersive Health Solutions LLC."

Apple is expected to unveil the AR/VR headset and related developer tools during its WWDC keynote on June 5, and it will likely be released to the public later this year. The device is expected to offer a mix of virtual reality and augmented reality features that can be controlled with hand and eye tracking. The headset is estimated to cost around $3,000 in the United States, and it will reportedly have an external battery pack.

French company Focal is known for its range of high fidelity audio systems, and it recently came out with its first set of wireless headphones with Active Noise Cancellation, the Bathys. The Focal Bathys are priced at $800, and while they are closest in functionality to Apple's $549 AirPods Max, they're more premium than anything Apple offers.

MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera has been testing out the Focal Bathys to see how they measure up to the ‌AirPods Max‌ and whether they’re worth the premium price.

As a spoiler, these headphones have some of the best sounding wireless audio available, but the Active Noise Cancellation is a little disappointing at this price point. Make sure to watch Dan's video for a full overview of the design, functionality, battery life, and sound quality of the headphones.

Apple supplier Quanta Computer is likely gearing up for new MacBooks, according to research shared by investment firm Morgan Stanley.

In a research note on Friday, obtained by MacRumors, Morgan Stanley analyst Erik Woodring said Quanta Computer guided for high single-digit percentage growth in the number of notebooks it assembles in the second quarter of 2023, compared to the first quarter. Woodring believes this increase is driven in part by new MacBooks.

In his newsletter last month, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple would unveil the long-rumored 15-inch MacBook Air at WWDC next month:

As part of watchOS 10, the company is planning to bring back widgets and make them a central part of the interface. This new strategy will debut at WWDC in June, alongside the unveiling of iOS 17, macOS 14, the 15-inch MacBook Air, and, of course, the much-anticipated mixed-reality headset.

The first-generation 15-inch MacBook Air will be powered by the M2 chip, according to Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. No external design changes have been rumored for the laptop beyond the larger display size.

The latest 13-inch MacBook Air debuted at WWDC last year and features the M2 chip, a 1080p camera, a MagSafe 3 charging port, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, and a Force Touch trackpad. Pricing starts at $1,199, and color options include Midnight, Starlight, Space Gray, and Silver.

It's unclear if any other MacBooks will be unveiled next month, as new 13-inch MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro models with the M3 chip are not expected to launch until later this year or next year, and the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro were updated with the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips just three months ago.

WWDC begins with Apple's keynote on June 5 and runs through June 9.

Men's Journal's Jacob Krol was recently invited to tour the Apple Fitness+ studio in Santa Monica, California, providing another behind-the-scenes look at the subscription-based workout service. Krol had the opportunity to speak with Jay Blahnik, Apple's VP of Fitness Technologies, and met many of the trainers involved in the workouts.

The first Fitness+ studio tours were shared last year, and this one provides some more details. Krol said the studio is one large room with equipment spread across several workout and meditation areas, and videos are recorded with 13 robotic cameras and a few human-operated cameras under a dense lighting grid. The live productions are monitored by a crew in a control room to ensure everything is being filmed correctly.

Apple said Fitness+ now offers over 4,000 workouts and meditations, with new ones added every week. The videos range from 5 to 45 minutes in length, and there are a dozen workout types available, with the latest additions including pilates and kickboxing.

"Everything we look at going forward is about how do we make sure that people have great success in their fitness journey, whether Apple Fitness+ is a complement to something they already love to do outside of our service, or whether Apple Fitness+ is the only thing they do to get moving and meditate," said Blahnik. "What can we do to make the experience even easier, smoother, something they can fit into their life more regularly?"

Launched in 2020, Fitness+ is available in the Fitness app on the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. The service can now be used with just an iPhone, but an Apple Watch is still needed to view real-time, personal metrics on screen during workouts, such as heart rate and calories burned. In the U.S., Fitness+ is priced at $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year, or it can be bundled with other Apple services via Apple One for $32.95 per month.

A single Fitness+ subscription can be shared with up to five other family members, and the service comes with a free one-month trial for all users. Users who purchase a new ‌iPhone‌, iPad, Apple Watch, or Apple TV qualify for a three-month trial.

This week saw a good mix of Apple news and rumors including the release of iOS 16.5 and related software updates, as well as the Beats Studio Buds + earphones and an early announcement of upcoming accessibility features from Apple.

On the rumor front, we heard a bit more about what we should expect to see with the iPhone 15 lineup and the M3 family of Mac and iPad chips coming later this year, but the biggest focus of attention in the lead-up to WWDC in a few weeks is the Apple headset, so read on for all the details on these stories and more!

Apple Releases iOS 16.5 and iPadOS 16.5 With Sports Tab in Apple News, Bug Fixes and More

After almost two months of beta testing, Apple this week released iOS 16.5 to the public, bringing some sports-related enhancements to Apple News, a new Pride Celebration wallpaper, and several bug fixes.

It's a relatively minor update as iOS 16 work winds down ahead of the iOS 17 introduction at WWDC next month, but we'll be seeing at least one more iOS 16 update to tide us over to the public release of iOS 17 in September as Apple has seeded initial betas of iOS 16.6 and related updates for testing.

Alongside iOS 16.5 and iPadOS 16.5, we also saw the releases of macOS Ventura 13.4, watchOS 9.5, tvOS 16.5 with multiview for MLB and MLS, and HomePod software version 16.5.

Apple Headset's Capabilities Said to 'Far Exceed' Those of Rival Devices

With an introduction at WWDC coming up in just a few weeks, rumors about Apple's AR/VR headset are flying about, with a recent report from The Wall Street Journal claiming its capabilities will "far exceed" those of rival devices.

Other reports are more cautious, however, with Bloomberg reporting that key Apple executives including Tim Cook and Craig Federighi have largely kept their distance from the product during its development, calling into question whether Apple itself is fully behind it.

Beats Studio Buds + Deliver Improved Performance and a Transparent Design Option for $169.99

In one of the poorest-kept secrets that has seen multiple leaks over the past couple of months, Apple's Beats brand this week introduced the Beats Studio Buds + earphones.

The new $170 earphones offer improved performance, better battery life, and an eye-catching new Transparent color option compared to their predecessors. They're available now in the U.S., Canada, and China, with launches in other countries to follow in the coming months.

iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus Rumored to Feature 48-Megapixel Camera Like Pro Models

While the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max received an upgraded 48-megapixel Main camera last year, the lower-cost iPhone 14 and 14 Plus did not get the same upgrade. It looks like those cheaper options may catch up this year, however, as a new report claims the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus will get that 48-megapixel camera.

As for the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, those devices may be seeing a rearranged rear camera layout to accommodate the higher-zoom periscope camera that will be exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Apple Testing 'M3 Pro' Chip for MacBook Pro With 12-Core CPU and 18-Core GPU

Apple's next-generation M3 chips for the Mac and iPad aren't coming until later this year, but Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has shared some details on what to expect for the "M3 Pro" chip that will likely make its way into the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro and other devices.

According to Gurman, the M3 Pro will feature a 12-core CPU, an 18-core GPU, and up to 36 GB of memory. That's up from a 10-core CPU, 16-core CPU, and up to 32 GB of memory on the current M2 Pro chip.

Apple Previews iOS 17 Accessibility Features Ahead of WWDC

Apple this week previewed a wide range of new accessibility features for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac that are set to arrive later this year, presumably as part of iOS 17 and macOS 14.

New features include Assistive Access to distill iPhone and iPad apps to their core features for the ultimate in interface simplicity, Point and Speak in the Magnifier app to automatically read text labels from the real-world aloud as the user points to them, Personal Voice to allow those at risk of losing their ability to speak to create a digital voice that sounds like them, and much more.

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