MacRumors

WhatsApp is testing a new feature that will allow group chat memberships on the encrypted platform to expire after a set period of time.

A large part of what makes the Meta-owned messaging service so popular is its continual development of new group chat features, and the latest one aims to be a solution to the common problem of so-called "zombie groups."

The term refers to groups that have been set up temporarily to organize a one-off event like a birthday, and end up outlasting their usefulness after the event in question. Such groups can cause redundant clutter in the app and become a distraction to members if others in the group are still in conversation.

WhatsApp is clearly aware of the problem, as indicated by another beta discovery courtesy of WABetaInfo. A new "Expiring Groups" setting will let users set a specific expiration date for their WhatsApp groups. "When enabled, you will be prompted to clean up groups on their expiration date," reads the explanatory text for the UI option.

"When this feature is released, users will be able to choose from various expiration options such as one day, one week, or a custom date, and they will also have the ability to remove an expiration that was previously set in case they change their mind," explains WABetaInfo, who adds that the option is for individuals, "as it will not apply to other group participants."

The feature appears in a version 23.5.0.71 submitted by WhatsApp developers through the TestFlight Beta Program. It's not clear when it will be ready to go live, but the fact that it is in active development is likely to come as welcome news to users with lots of group memberships.

Meanwhile, another feature WhatsApp is reportedly working on may help users avoid spam calls on the platform. According to WABetaInfo, the feature will offer the ability to silence calls from unknown numbers, although silenced calls will still be visible in the Notification Center and the calls list.

The latter feature is being developed in response to a problem introduced by WhatsApp's Communities feature, which has reportedly opened up numbers to random calls and group chat invites from unknown users.

Apple is continuing to improve the Rapid Security Response (RSR) feature that's built into iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS Ventura, according to code found in the latest iOS 16.4 beta.

New Rapid Security Response code in iOS 16.4 beta 3 adds wording about apps that could be incompatible with security updates. "Some apps may be closing unexpectedly due to incompatibility with the latest iOS rapid security response. Removing the security response may fix this," reads Apple's wording.

There are also rollback alerts that can let users know if there's an issue with an RSR release. "Possible iOS Security Response Issue," is the text that users could see in the future.

Apple has released several Rapid Security Response updates, with the first having come out in November. So far, all of these updates have been limited to iPhone and iPad users running betas, and they seem to have been provided in a test capacity.

Apple appears to be still working on perfecting the RSR process, and it does not look like any of the releases have included security fixes as of yet, based on Apple's security support document. This document outlines all updates that have vulnerability fixes, and no RSR releases are listed.

No RSRs have been provided to the general public as of yet, which also suggests that Apple is not yet ready to use the option as a stop-gap between software updates.

Announced as part of iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS Ventura, Rapid Security Response updates are meant to allow Apple to provide security fixes to users without a complete iOS update. Rapid Security Responses can be installed quickly, and they can be rolled back if it becomes necessary, as the iOS 16.4 code suggests.

Apple today updated the GarageBand app on macOS with "important security fixes," but the release notes do not provide any specific details. Mac users should update GarageBand as soon as possible due to potential security vulnerabilities.

GarageBand version 10.4.8 is available on the Mac App Store.

GarageBand is one of Apple's music creation apps alongside Logic Pro. The update for GarageBand was released on the same day as Apple seeded the third betas of macOS 13.3, iOS 16.4, tvOS 16.4, and watchOS 9.4 to developers for testing.

Update: The GarageBand update fixes a pair of vulnerabilities, according to Apple's security page. One vulnerability could allow an app to gain elevated privileges during the GarageBand installation, and with the other, parsing a maliciously crafted MIDI file could lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution.

With the iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 updates, Apple is changing the way that developer and public beta opt-ins work. Going forward, an Apple ID associated with a developer or public beta account is required, and with today's iOS 16.4 beta, you can use two different Apple IDs for access.

The prior betas made it clear that users would be required to sign in to a developer account or opt in to the public beta to access a developer beta or a public beta, respectively, but there was no option for individuals who have separate Apple IDs for their personal use and for their beta use. iOS 16.4 beta 3 adds an ‌Apple ID‌ field that can be tapped to sign in to a separate ‌Apple ID‌ to account for this situation.

You can sign in with a different Apple ID that is enrolled in the Apple Beta Software Program or Apple Developer Program.

When you tap on the ‌Apple ID‌ button under Settings > General > Software Update, Apple allows you to enter a separate ‌Apple ID‌ for downloading the beta. That function lets you download betas as normal through a developer or public beta ‌Apple ID‌, while using a standard ‌Apple ID‌ for all other iPhone functions.

This change to how beta updates are downloaded will primarily impact people who use Developer Center profiles to install betas that they would not normally have access to. There will be no mechanism for installing a beta from a profile going forward, and each person running the developer beta will need to have access to a developer account.

The public beta is available to anyone who chooses to sign up, but public betas trail developer betas, so non-developers who want developer beta access currently use developer profiles that are available to anyone with the link.

This crackdown on beta access will impact betas after iOS 16.4, and it will mainly be noticeable during the iOS 17 beta testing period that is set to happen later this year.

While the change does prevent non-developers from installing betas through a developer profile, it also simplifies the beta update process. Users can choose to enable the developer or public beta they have access to directly from an ‌iPhone‌ or iPad without having to go through extra steps to install a profile.

Following a deal on the AirPods Pro 2, Verizon is continuing its Apple-related discounts today with a trio of markdowns on the MagSafe Charger, MagSafe Duo Charger, and MagSafe Battery Pack. Verizon offers free two-day shipping and free in-store pick-up for all orders, and you don't need to be a Verizon Wireless user to take advantage of these deals.

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

In total, you can save 25 percent on MagSafe chargers with this sale, and no coupon is required. You can get the MagSafe Charger for $29.99, down from $39.00. The MagSafe Duo Charger is down to $96.74, from $129.00; and the MagSafe Battery Pack is down to $74.24, from $99.00.

Besides an occasional sale at Amazon, Verizon has been one of the only retailers to consistently discount all three of these accessories over the past few months. The MagSafe Duo Charger is at the best price we've ever tracked, while the MagSafe Battery Pack and regular MagSafe Charger are just a few dollars higher than their best-ever prices, so they're still solid deals.

Don't forget to check out Verizon's deal on the AirPods Pro 2 as well, which is on sale for $199.99 at the retailer, representing savings of $49. Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

Apple today seeded the third beta of macOS Ventura 13.3 to developers for testing purposes, with the new software update coming a week after the release of the second macOS 13.3 beta.

Registered developers can download the beta through the Apple Developer Center and after the appropriate profile is installed, with the betas available through the Software Update mechanism in System Settings.

macOS Ventura 13.3 adopts the same new emoji characters that are in iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4, including pink heart, light blue heart, left and right hand, moose, black bird, goose, wing, jellyfish, pea pod, finger, and more.

The update adds the new HomeKit architecture that was initially removed from iOS 16.2 and its sister updates, and the revised version should have fewer bugs that affect ‌HomeKit‌ setups.

macOS Ventura 13.3 will go through multiple rounds of beta testing, with Apple planning to release it in the spring.

Apple today seeded the third betas of upcoming iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after the launch of the second betas.

Registered developers are able to download the iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 updates over-the-air after installing the appropriate profile from the Developer Center. Going forward, beta updates will not require a profile and will instead be done directly on device through an Apple ID linked to a developer account.

iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 add new emoji characters, including shaking head, pink heart, light blue heart, donkey, moose, jellyfish, hyacinth, ginger, black bird, and more. There are 31 new emoji in total, including left and right hand options in several skin tones.

Safari Web Push notifications have been added on the iPhone and iPad, and you can receive them from websites that have been added to the Home Screen on your device. Web Push notifications are identical to the notifications that you get from websites on the Mac, and behave like any other iOS notification.

Third-party browsers like Chrome are now able to let users add websites and websites to the ‌Home Screen‌, and Apple has reintroduced the HomeKit architecture upgrade. There are also changes to Podcasts, minor updates to Apple Music, new options for Shortcuts, a reintroduced page turning animation for Apple Books, and more, with a full list of new features in iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 available in our features guide.

Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming watchOS 9.4 update to developers for testing purposes, with the software update coming one week after launch of the second beta.

To install the watchOS 9.4 update, developers will need to download the configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center.

Once installed, ‌watchOS 9.4 can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software update. To update to new software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life, it has to be placed on the charger, and it will need to be in range of the ‌‌iPhone‌‌ it is paired with.

watchOS 9.4 gains support for new emoji characters that include donkey, goose, black bird, shaking head, hyacinth, pea pod, and more, with 31 new characters available in total.

Through iOS 16.4, the update adds support for Web Push notifications that are sent to an ‌iPhone‌, with the notifications able to be set up for a website that is added to the ‌iPhone‌'s Home Screen.

watchOS 9.4 will go through several rounds of beta testing, and it is expected to see a launch in the spring alongside iOS 16.4.

Augmented reality gaming company Niantic today announced that its newest title, Peridot, is set to launch on Tuesday, May 9. Peridot is a virtual pet game, in the theme of Tamagotchi.

Like Niantic's other games, this is an augmented reality title that encourages you to take your pets for walks in the real world, where you can collect items, discover new places, and take photos. The game syncs with the Health app to allow players to earn walking distance when the app is closed.

Discover the fantastical world of Peridot, a real-world adventure pet game where you raise, care for, and breed one-of-a-kind adorable creatures. After thousands of years of slumber, Peridots are waking to a vastly different world than the one they lived in, and need our help to protect them from extinction. Develop an emotional connection with these creatures while exploring the world together as you raise them to adulthood and work with other players to re-diversify their species.

Players can raise a Peridot or "Dot" from birth, feeding them, playing with them, teaching them tricks, and otherwise meeting their needs to help them grow. In addition to exploring places in the real world and uncovering items, there is a breeding element that can unlock new Peridot archetypes.

Players can work together to expand the available Peridot species, and Niantic says there are "infinite possibilities of Peridot archetypes." The Dots themselves will be modeled after existing animals and mythological creatures, such as cheetahs, dragons, unicorns, and more.

Niantic first announced Peridot last spring, so the game has been in development for more than a year. Niantic is best known for its development of Pokémon GO, but the company also developed Ingress and the now defunct Harry Potter: Wizards Unite game that did not ultimately prove to be popular with users. Harry Potter: Wizards Unite was shut down on January 31, 2022.

iPhone and iPad users who are interested in Peridot can pre-register for it on the App Store as of today. The game is free to download, but there will be "Gemstones" as a purchasable in-app currency. [Direct Link]

Sonos today announced new Era 300 and Era 100 smart speakers following multiple leaks. In addition to Bluetooth 5.0, both speakers support AirPlay 2 for wirelessly streaming audio from Apple devices like the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV.

The higher-end Era 300 speaker features an hourglass design with six class-D digital amplifiers, four tweeters, two woofers, USB-C line in, and a far-field microphone array with beamforming and multi-channel echo cancellation. Era 300 is the first Sonos speaker capable of multi-channel surround sound when used as rear speakers in a home theater system, and features Trueplay technology for automatic EQ optimizations.

The lower-end Era 100 is the successor to the Sonos One speaker and features a cylindrical design with three class-D digital amplifiers, two tweeters, and one woofer. Like the Era 300, it has USB-C line in, a far-field microphone array, and Trueplay.

Sonos also announced that it will be adding support for Apple Music's spatial audio feature. Apple Music subscribers will be able to listen to spatial audio tracks on the Era 300, as well as the Arc and second-generation Beam sound bars, starting March 28.

Both speakers can be pre-ordered now and will be available globally starting March 28, with U.S. pricing set at $449 and $249, respectively.

Verizon has returned with the first discount on the AirPods Pro 2 that we've tracked in about a month, marking the headphones down to $199.99, from $249.00. This remains the best price on the AirPods Pro 2 that we've seen so far in 2023, with the previous sale coming from Amazon.

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

As of now, only Verizon is offering the AirPods Pro 2 at this price. You can also get free two-day shipping on orders over $49 if you live within the contiguous United States. Additionally, if your local Verizon store has stock, there's the option of picking up the AirPods Pro 2 in store.

Apple's AirPods Pro 2 earphones feature better noise-canceling technology than the previous generation, improved Transparency mode, and an H2 chip. Overall, the earphones are similar in design to the original AirPods Pro, featuring a rounded design with silicone ear tips and a short stem.

We track sales for every model of the AirPods in our Best AirPods Deals guide, so be sure to bookmark that page while you shop around for the wireless headphones. 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.

Alongside the Yellow iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus and new selection of Silicone Cases, Apple today released 19 new Apple Watch bands offering a range of fresh color options, including a new "Casaque" line for Apple Watch Hermès.

The new Apple Watch band colors are as follows, with slightly different new options available depending on the type of band:

Apple's collaboration with French fashion brand Hermès for high-end Apple Watch bands and AirTag accessories was also refreshed today, introducing a new "Hermès Casaque" line, featuring three patterened Apple Watch bands made of nylon or leather:

Inspired by the bold jerseys worn by horse jockeys, these bands strike the perfect balance between sophistication and sportiness.

Nine new Apple Watch Hermès bands join the lineup:

The AirTag Hermès Bag Charm is also now available in Bambou and Rose Azalée, while the AirTag Hermès Key Ring is available in Bambou, Rose Azalée, Montagne, and Voiture.

In tandem with its new Yellow color option for iPhone 14 and ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus models, Apple has made its silicone cases for the ‌iPhone 14‌ series available in four new colors, including Canary Yellow, Olive, Sky, and Iris.

The new cases are being made available for ‌iPhone 14‌, ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus, ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro, and ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro Max, and they can be purchased from Apple's online store for $49 or at Apple's retail stores.

Apple regularly refreshes the available colors of its case options designed for the iPhone, and this latest spring update comes alongside the announcement of a new Yellow color option for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus.

The new ‌iPhone‌ case colors are available to order in-store now, with online orders arriving Thursday, March 9 at the earliest.

Alongside the new iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus in Yellow, Apple today announced that the Emergency SOS via Satellite feature will be available in Austria, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Portugal later this month.

The feature allows iPhone 14 models to connect to a Globalstar satellite, enabling users to send text messages to emergency services when outside the range of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. Apple warns that foliage or other obstructions can result in messages taking longer to send or failing to send, and satellite connectivity might not work in places above 62° latitude. The service is free for two years after activating an iPhone 14.

Emergency SOS via Satellite first launched in November in the U.S. and Canada and requires an iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, or iPhone 14 Pro Max. The service became available in France, Germany, Ireland, and the UK in December.

As rumors suggested, Apple today announced a new Yellow color option for the iPhone 14 and ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus, as well as four new Silicone Case colors.

The ‌iPhone 14‌ and ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus in Yellow will be available for pre-order on Friday, March 10, with availability starting on Tuesday, March 14. There are no new color options for the ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro Max. Apple's press release reads:

Apple today announced a new yellow iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, adding even more color choices to the lineup this spring. Beautifully designed and built to last, iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus have a durable Ceramic Shield front cover, an updated internal design for better sustained performance and easier repairs, and amazing battery life — with iPhone 14 Plus offering the longest battery life of any iPhone ever. Both models include a dual-camera system for stunning photos and videos, the powerful A15 Bionic chip, and innovative safety capabilities including Emergency SOS via satellite and Crash Detection.

The new Yellow shade joins the iPhone and ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus's existing Midnight, Starlight, (PRODUCT)RED, Blue, and Purple color options. Apple last offered a Yellow color option for the ‌iPhone‌ in 2019 with the ‌iPhone‌ 11, which came just one year after the Yellow ‌iPhone‌ XR.

Apple usually introduces new ‌iPhone‌ color options in the spring to boost sales midway through the device's product cycle. Last March, Apple introduced a new Green color for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini, and a new Alpine Green color for the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro models. In April 2021, Apple made the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini available in Purple.

Apple added that four new colors will also be available for the ‌iPhone 14‌ and ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus Silicone Cases, including Canary Yellow, Olive, Sky, and Iris.

Apple was easily the most popular smartphone brand last year, with eight of its iPhone models featuring in a list of 10 best-selling smartphones.

That's according to Counterpoint Research's Global Monthly Handset Model Sales Tracker, which establishes Apple as the first brand to occupy so many spots in its top 10. The remaining two spots were taken by Samsung.

According to the report, Apple's ‌iPhone‌ 13 was the best-selling smartphone of 2022, contributing 28% of ‌iPhone‌ sales and achieving best-selling smartphone status in major markets such as China, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Counterpoint's data suggests that the ‌iPhone‌ 13 remained the number one smartphone each month from its launch in September 2021 until August 2022, with price cuts after the launch of the iPhone 14 further driving ‌iPhone‌ 13 sales in developing markets.

Compared to the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max, which was the second best-selling smartphone of 2022, twice as many ‌iPhone‌ 13 models were sold, underlining the device's broad popularity across markets. With reference to the ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro Max, the report notes that:

For the first time, a Pro Max variant of an ‌iPhone‌ series drove more volume than its Pro and base models in 2022. It helped the ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro Max to capture the third spot in the 2022 list. It was the top-selling smartphone model for September, October and November of 2022. The ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro Max sales were led by early adopters and those upgrading to a higher ‌iPhone‌ variant.

Elsewhere, robust sales in the U.S., Japan, and China saw the ‌iPhone‌ 12 – the best-selling smartphone of 2021 – hold sixth spot above the ‌iPhone 14‌ and ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro, despite being the oldest Apple handset in the list. The iPhone SE (2022) meanwhile took the tenth spot, with strong sales in Japan giving it a boost.

Lastly, Samsung's two spots on the list include its entry-level Galaxy A13 as the fourth best-selling smartphone, and the Galaxy A03, which rounded off the top 10. That's one more spot in the list than the Korean company achieved the previous year.

"We believe the share of the top 10 smartphones will increase in 2023 as brands focus on clearing inventory and optimizing their launches," said Counterpoint analysts Harshit Rastogi and Karn Chauhan. "We also expect brands to continue making their portfolios leaner in 2023 to minimize cannibalization. The number of active smartphone models in the global market has already fallen from over 4,200 in 2021 to around 3,600 in 2022."

In 2023, Apple continues to sell the ‌iPhone‌ 12 and ‌iPhone‌ 13 alongside the ‌iPhone 14‌ series and the third-generation ‌iPhone SE‌, underlining the continuing popularity of its older models among new and returning customers.

Apple's standard iPhone 15 models will not be equipped with an LPTO display, suggesting that the devices will continue to lack ProMotion support and an always-on display option like Apple's Pro models have.

Last year's iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max models used updated low-power display backlighting that supports ProMotion refresh rates that range from 1Hz to 120Hz. The refresh rate of the display adapts to what's happening on-screen, with lower rates used for static content and higher rates reserved for motion like games and video for a smoother, more responsive experience.

According to an industry source cited by news aggregator account "yeux1122" on the Korean Naver blog, just like last year, only the Pro models in the iPhone 15 series will be equipped with the LPTO panels required for ProMotion, indicating that the feature will remain exclusive to Apple's higher-end models. From the machine-translated blog post:

Apple is said to have already made arrangements to deliver iPhone 15 series display panels to domestic companies, and will soon finalize details and prepare for mass production. What is confirmed here is that only the Pro Series will have a specification that supports LTPO 120 refresh rate, with the basic regular Plus model not having it in its requirements.

If accurate, unfortunately this means that the always-on display option will also remain a Pro-exclusive feature, since it is the 1Hz refresh rate capability of the updated LPTO panels that enables an idle Lock Screen to stay visible without significantly impacting battery.

The Naver blog's industry source corroborates the thinking of respected display analyst Ross Young, who in September 2022 said that while he expects Dynamic Island to feature on all iPhone 15 models, production scale constraints will likely prohibit Apple from bringing LPTO panels to the entire iPhone 15 series.

According to Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple's China-based supplier BOE, which has won orders for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, will not have production capacity for mass shipments of LTPO displays for high-end iPhones until 2024 at the earliest.

On the plus side, all iPhone 15 models will be equipped with a more power-efficient OLED display driver chip manufactured based on a 28nm process, compared to 40nm for current models, according to one report. The primary benefit of the 28nm chip would be reduced power consumption, which could contribute to longer battery life for iPhone 15 models.

For the latest rumors about the iPhone 15 lineup, read our roundups linked below.