MacRumors

Apple's upcoming A17 chip that is set to be used in the iPhone 15 Pro and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max models includes a 6-core CPU and a 6-core GPU, according to leaker Unknownz21. The current A16 chip has a 6-core CPU and a 5-core GPU, so the A17 will bring notable GPU improvements to the new higher-end iPhone models.

The A17 chip will feature a 3.70GHz maximum clock rate, up from 3.46GHz in the A16 chip. Notably, the information shared by Unknownz21 suggests that the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro models will feature the same 6GB RAM that's available in the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro models. Prior rumors have said the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro and Pro Max would have 8GB RAM, which the leaker says is "unlikely," but not impossible.

Built on a new 3-nanometer process, the A17 chip will bring speed and efficiency improvements to the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro and Pro Max. We should see a decent increase in GPU performance along with faster CPU speeds and perhaps better battery life compared to the A16, which is built on a 4-nanometer process. Performance could increase by 10 to 15 percent, while power consumption could be down by up to 30 percent.

Because 3nm technology is new, the A17 chip is expensive to manufacture, which means it will only be available in the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max. The standard ‌iPhone 15‌ models will adopt the A16 chip, which is currently limited to the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max.

Apple is expected to unveil the new iPhones in September, and current signs suggest the ‌iPhone‌ event will be held on Tuesday, September 12. For more on what's coming, we have dedicated iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro roundups that aggregate all of the rumors we've heard to date.

Apple does not need to change its "anti-steering" App Store rules while its legal dispute with Epic Games continues to play out, the U.S. Supreme Court decided today. Apple can maintain the ‌App Store‌ rules as is while the Supreme Court considers its appeal, according to Bloomberg Law.

Apple's anti-steering rules prevent developers from directing customers to make purchases for digital goods outside of the ‌App Store‌. In the Epic vs. Apple case that started in 2020, the judge decided that Apple should change its ‌App Store‌ rules to allow developers to direct customers to purchasing mechanisms outside of the ‌App Store‌, which paves the way for alternate payment methods.

Since 2021, Apple has been able to delay implementing changes pending various appeals. In April 2023, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the original court and kept the ‌‌App Store‌‌ rule change mandate in place. Apple then decided to request that the Supreme Court hear the case.

The appeals court gave Apple 90 days to make a filing with the Supreme Court, and said at that time that Apple did not need to change the rules until the Supreme Court made a decision on whether to hear the case.

Apple has not yet filed with the Supreme Court, but ‌Epic Games‌ made an emergency appeal with U.S. Supreme Court Judge Elena Kagan to ask that Apple be forced to implement the anti-steering rule changes immediately. Kagan ruled against Epic, in yet another major blow to the gaming company.

As a result, Apple can continue to temporarily avoid tweaking the ‌App Store‌ rules. Apple still needs to file its Supreme Court appeal, and the Supreme Court could decide not to hear the case. If that happens, the rule change will need to be implemented right away as the appeals court decision will stand.

Apple has argued that changing the ‌App Store‌ rules will "upset the careful balance between developers and customers provided by the ‌‌‌‌‌‌App Store‌‌‌‌‌‌," causing irreparable harm to Apple and consumers.

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.

Apple's new Beats Studio Pro over-ear headphones are now available for purchase in more than 20 additional countries following their July 19 launch in the United States, Canada, France, and Germany.

According to Beats, the headphones are for sale in Australia, Austria, China, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Macau, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and the UK as of today.

The fourth-generation Studio headphones are priced at $350 and feature adaptive Active Noise Cancellation, USB-C charging and connectivity, sound improvements, and other new features compared to the prior-generation model. Design wise, they look the same as the past Studio headphones.

Apple aimed to make the Beats Studio Pro compatible with a wide range of devices, so they do not have a dedicated Apple audio chip. Apple users will miss automatic switching when swapping devices, but the Beats otherwise support features like Find My, one-touch pairing, and Hey Siri support.

The Beats Studio Pro can be purchased from Apple through each country's storefront, and they are also available from Best Buy, Amazon, and other third-party retailers.

iPad deals continue this week with fresh discounts on the iPad mini 6 at Amazon, starting at $399.99 for the 64GB Wi-Fi model, down from $499.00. Amazon provides an estimated delivery window between August 10 and August 14 for most United States residences.

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 $99 discount is available in all four colors of the iPad mini 6: Pink, Purple, Space Gray, and Starlight. Overall, this is a solid second-best price on the tablet and just about $20 higher than the record low price we saw during Prime Day.

Besides this model, there is only one other notable discount on the iPad mini 6 on Amazon right now. You can get the 256GB cellular tablet for $629.00, down from $799.00. At $170 off this is an all-time low price, and it's only available in Pink.

In addition to these iPad mini 6 deals, so far this week we've tracked discounts on the previous generation M1 iPad Pro at Woot and on the iPad Air at Amazon. All of these sales are still live and provide as much as 52 percent off select tablets.

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.

Apple is planning to release a new band for the Apple Watch Series 9 later this year, according to the Apple device collector known as "Kosutami."

The new Apple Watch band will reportedly be made out of a woven fabric material and feature a magnetic buckle, similar to the existing Modern Buckle band. It is set to be introduced alongside new Apple Watch models this year. Kosutami told MacRumors that the band is likely designed for the Apple Watch Series 9, rather than the second-generation Apple Watch Ultra. The magnetic band will retail for $99, the same price tag as the Braided Solo Loop.

Apple announced the Modern Buckle leather band with the original Apple Watch back in 2014. "What looks like a solid buckle is actually a two-piece magnetic closure that's delightfully simple to secure," Apple writes. It is only available for the smaller Apple Watch casing size and costs $149.

The Apple Watch Series 9 and second-generation Apple Watch Ultra are expected to be "basically unchanged" compared to the current models, other than the S9 chip for improved performance and a couple of new color options including a pink aluminum and a black titanium finish. The refreshed devices are likely to be announced alongside the iPhone 15 lineup in September.

Apple's latest beta of watchOS 10 has added Apple Watch support for its forthcoming NameDrop feature, as spotted by avid code scrutinizer Aaronp613.

NameDrop was Apple's headline new AirDrop feature in its ‌iOS 17‌ preview. Rather than type in the number of someone new to call or text them so that they have your number, NameDrop allows you to simply hold your ‌iPhone‌ near their ‌‌iPhone‌‌ to swap contact details.

Bringing the two devices together will automatically pop up a contact sharing interface, and tapping the popup shows a person's contact information and their Contact Poster, with options to "Receive Only" or share your own contact information in response.

NameDrop works between two iPhones running ‌iOS 17, and between an ‌iOS 17‌ ‌iPhone‌ and an Apple Watch running watchOS 10. As shown in action in the embedded video clip above, it also works between two Apple Watches via a new My Card sharing option in the Contacts app, or by tapping the My Card watch face complication.

• 5 New AirDrop Features Coming in iOS 17

Apple is expected to announce final details and launch dates for iOS 17 and related operating system updates at its upcoming iPhone 15 event on September 12.

Popular note-taking app and PDF editor GoodNotes has received its first major update in four years, introducing new AI-powered handwriting recognition features, a marketplace for digital stationery, new pen gestures, and more.

The sixth version builds on Goodnotes 5's iPad handwriting recognition by adding AI-powered Spellcheck, which draws heavily on the neural engine in Apple silicon to recognize mistakes in writing and suggest a correction or rewrite the word in the user's handwriting style.

Currently, the spellcheck feature supports English, Spanish, German and Dutch. GoodNotes 6 also introduces an experimental word autocomplete feature for handwriting in English.

Elsewhere, GoodNotes 6 brings new pen gestures include Scribble to Erase and Circle to Lasso, while a new in-app marketplace allows users to download new templates, stickers, and digital stationery directly within the app.

There are additional options to customize folders and dynamic templates that allow users to customize the size and color of the digital paper in their notebooks. The app also introduces AI-driven writing features, enabling users to extend or condense text, modify its tone, or paraphrase content.

Lastly, this version includes interactive exam prep materials for SAT and other standardized tests, with built-in hints and AI Math Assistance to identify errors.

Goodnotes 6 is free to download on iOS, iPadOS and macOS, and free to use for up to three notebooks. The full suite of features can be unlocked with unlimited notebooks for $9.99 per year or $29.99 as a one-time purchase.

Existing paid GoodNotes 5 users can continue using GoodNotes 5, or upgrade to Goodnotes 6 at a discount. Goodnotes 6 will continue to be free for educational institutions through Apple School Manager.

Apple's upcoming iPhone 15 event on September 12 will adopt the same format as last year's iPhone event, involving an in-person component with members of the media invited to Apple Park, a pre-recorded video presentation, and hands-on time with Apple's new products afterwards, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

In a post-pandemic 2023, some may have hoped that Apple would hold a traditional live presentation on stage in front of an audience for its flagship ‌iPhone‌ unveiling this year, but it was arguably already clear at WWDC in June that this is now Apple's preferred event format going forward.

WWDC 2023 was held online with an in-person component, and like the previous WWDC, randomly selected developers and students were invited to ‌Apple Park‌ for one day to watch the pre-recorded keynote video, meet some of the teams at Apple, and attend event activities.

Recording its presentations in advance allows Apple to have strict directorial control over announcements and avoid any embarrassing mishaps, while applying digital production effects and slick transitions as it segues between product unveilings.

Apple is expected to introduce four new ‌iPhone‌ models, including the iPhone 15, ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus, ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro, and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max. The event should also see the debut of the Apple Watch Series 9 and a new Apple Watch Ultra, final details and launch dates for iOS 17 and related operating system updates, and perhaps other announcements.

Apple is calling the Vision Pro headset's external battery pack a "Magic Battery," based on code references found in tvOS beta 5.

Previously referred to as "MagSafe Battery Pack" for its similarity to the iPhone battery pack of the same name, the Magic Battery provides Apple's mixed reality headset with two hours of tethered power. New references to the name were spotted by independent Apple code researcher aaronp613.

There is a single woven braided power cable that attaches to the left side of the Vision Pro headset. The cable can be plugged into a static power source or plugged into a Magic Battery for use on the go.

The Magic Battery is designed to fit in a pocket, and can be swapped out for additional power on the go, but the device ships with a single battery, so users will have to buy more battery packs to extend battery life when away from a power outlet.

Apple's Vision Pro has been criticized for relying on a separate battery pack that is worn at the waist. Most AR/VR headsets on the market have an integrated battery, but Apple decided in testing that the added weight of an internal battery would make the Vision Pro too heavy and uncomfortable to wear.

Set to be released in early 2024, the $3,499 Vision Pro includes more high-end hardware than any headset currently on the market, featuring two high-resolution 4K micro-OLED displays, 12 cameras and five sensors for monitoring hand gestures and mapping the external environment, two Apple silicon processors, and more.

Apple's upcoming iPhone 15 event is likely to be held on Tuesday, September 12, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said today. In a tweet, Gurman said that "signs are increasingly pointing to September 12," which would line up with the timing of past iPhone events.

In his Power On newsletter shared over the weekend, Gurman had suggested September 12 or September 13 as two potential dates for the event, but now it sounds like Tuesday is the more probable candidate.

Apple's fall ‌iPhone‌ events are usually held during the first two weeks of September, and often take place on a Tuesday. Launching in early September allows Apple to push ‌iPhone‌ sales ahead of the end of the fiscal quarter.

If the ‌iPhone 15‌ models are unveiled on September 12 and Apple sticks to its usual debut timing, pre-orders will take place on Friday, September 15, and a launch will follow on Friday, September 22.

We are expecting Apple to introduce four new ‌iPhone‌ models, including the ‌iPhone 15‌, ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus, ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro, and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max. The Dynamic Island is expected to expand to all ‌iPhone 15‌ models, plus Apple will adopt USB-C for charging instead of Lightning. Most other changes will be limited to the Pro models, with those set to feature slimmer bezels, a faster A17 chip, new camera technology, and more, as outlined in our iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro roundups.

The fall event should also see the debut of the Apple Watch Series 9 and a new Apple Watch Ultra, and shortly after the event, we'll see the launch of iOS 17, iPadOS 17, tvOS 17, and watchOS 10.

Netflix today released a Netflix Game Controller app, which is designed to allow users to play Netflix games on their TV sets. The App Store description says the Game Controller app will pair with a TV for playing Netflix games using an iPhone.

As of right now, Netflix games are limited to the ‌iPhone‌ and iPad, with no option to play them on the Apple TV or other TV platforms. The app doesn't do anything right now, but it says that games available for the TV will be "coming soon to Netflix."

The app features a directional button on the left side of the ‌iPhone‌'s display, along with A, X, Y, and B action buttons on the right side of the display.

Netflix first began offering games in 2021, and there are now more than 50 titles available. Access is included in the Netflix membership, with no additional fees or in-app purchases. Some of Netflix's games include Tomb Raider, Stranger Things, Bloons TD 6, World of Goo, Exploding Kittens, Heads Up, and Cut the Rope.

Last October, Netflix game development VP Mike Verdu said that the company was "very seriously exploring a cloud gaming offering," and it could be that Netflix is ready to launch a gaming service that would make its content playable on TV sets.

Apple today released the fifth beta of the upcoming iOS 17 update to developers for testing purposes, and the Cupertino company continues to make small tweaks and refinements to the operating system.

There aren't many changes because we're getting late into the beta testing process, but there are a few updates worth highlighting.

App Store

For App Store downloads, Apple is no longer using all caps for the download buttons. Get, Open, Update, and other ‌App Store‌ button labels are now in title case rather than all caps as they were previously.

Live Voicemail

Apple has changed the message prompt for Live Voicemail to make it less confusing for people who call you. The prior default voicemail message had wording that said "the person you're calling may pick up," which caused some callers to hold on the line rather than leaving a voicemail.

Here's what it says now:

Your call has been forwarded to voicemail. The person you're trying to reach is not available. At the tone, please record your message. When you have finished recording, you may hang up.

Mood Tracking

Apple is continuing to refine the look of the mood logging feature in the Health app, and there is a new graphic when tapping into the mood tracking interface. There have also been small tweaks to the different graphic options for some of the colors and symbols used to denote each mood.

Locked Private Browsing

There is a new Safari splash screen for private browsing, which lets you turn on the locked private browsing feature. This pops up when you open up a private browser window for the first time after installing iOS 17, and it gives you an option to enable the setting.

Turning on Locked Private Browsing locks the browser when you leave Safari or lock your phone, and accessing the private browser then requires authentication with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode. This feature had been on by default in earlier betas, but it looks like it might be a setting that is opt in when iOS 17 releases.

Locate Siri Remote

When you open the Remote app in the Control Center, there is a new popup that lets you know about the feature that is meant to let you track an Apple TV Siri Remote using your iPhone.

Though there is a tooltip for this feature, it does not yet appear to be functional.

Shortcuts

The icons that Apple uses for Safari in the Shortcuts app have been refined to make it more obvious what each action does. Apple previously used a Safari icon for everything, but now options like Search Web, Open URL, and Filter Articles have more specific icons.

Messages Check In

Apple has refined the look of the Messages Check In example screen, which is presented so you can see the difference between sharing limited data and sharing full data. This Settings screen now shows the battery charge and ‌iPhone‌ unlocking information that is sent alongside location.

Apple has also updated the wording to make it clear that information is only shared if Check Ins aren't responded to when prompted.

More iOS 17 Beta 5 Features

Know of a feature that we left out in this list? Let us know in the comments below.

Apple today released a fifth Studio Display 17 firmware beta, with the update coming two weeks after the release of the fourth beta.

All Studio Display models are able to receive over-the-air firmware updates, but this firmware update is limited to Macs that are running the new macOS Sonoma operating system at the current time. macOS Sonoma is also being beta tested.

Studio Display owners running macOS Sonoma can go to System Settings > Software Update to install the firmware.

Apple has not provided details on what's included in the firmware update and no new features were found by those running the betas. Release notes and full launch information will be available when the new Studio Display update comes out this fall alongside macOS Sonoma.

Today we're tracking a collection of deals on the iPad Air at Amazon, all of which represent all-time low prices for these tablets. The sales are focused on the 5th generation iPad Air, which has a delivery date as soon as August 10 for select colors.

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.

You can get the 64GB Wi-Fi iPad Air for $499.99, down from $599.00. This one is on sale at this price in three colors, and most have an estimated delivery date between August 10 and August 13.

Secondly, the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad Air is available for $649.99, down from $749.00. This model is available in two colors, and both are in stock and ready to ship today.

Lastly, you can find a few cellular models on sale right now on Amazon. The 64GB cellular iPad Air is on sale for $629.99 ($119 off) and the 256GB cellular iPad Air is on sale for $799.99 ($99 off).

Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.

Apple today seeded the fifth beta of the upcoming macOS 14 Sonoma update to developers for testing purposes. The beta comes a couple of weeks after the launch of the fourth 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 Sonoma introduces new Apple TV-like screen savers that also serve as wallpapers after you log in, plus it moves widgets to the desktop. You can use the new widget gallery to choose from a range of widgets, and then drag them to your Mac's desktop.

Widgets can be arranged in any way that's useful, and when you're using an app, they are designed to fade into the background so they're less distracting. ‌Widgets‌ are more interactive than before, so you can use them to do things like play music, turn off the lights in your home, and more. Through Continuity, your iPhone's widgets can also show up on your Mac's desktop.

Video conferencing has improved with a new Presenter Overlay view that shows your desktop or project in new ways, plus Safari now supports web apps for the Dock and the option to create Profiles so you can separate personal browsing from work browsing.

Other new features include improved search that's faster and more responsive, password and passkey sharing, a revamped stickers interface for the Messages app, PDF integration in notes that makes it easier than ever to manage PDFs, and more.

macOS Sonoma will be in beta testing for several months, with a public release coming this fall.

Apple today seeded the fifth betas of upcoming iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming two weeks after the release of the fourth betas.

Registered developers are able to opt into the betas by opening up the Settings app, going to the Software Update section, tapping on the "Beta Updates" option, and toggling on the iOS 17 Developer Beta. Note that an Apple ID associated with a developer account is required to download and install the beta.

iOS 17 is a major update that introduces a customized look for each person that calls, with the person who places the call able to customize their look. Live voicemails let you see a transcript of a message someone is leaving in real time so you can choose to pick up the phone if you want, and voice messages people send in iMessage are now transcribed into text. You can also record a video or audio message when someone misses your FaceTime call, and ‌FaceTime‌ works on the Apple TV through Continuity functionality.

In Messages, apps have been moved to a new tucked-away interface for a cleaner look, and there is a new Check In feature that is designed to let your friends and family keep an eye on you when you're traveling. Check In automatically notifies friends or family members when you arrive at a destination, such as home. Locations can also now be shared directly from the Messages app.

In a group chat, there's a catch-up arrow so you can see the first message you haven't seen in a conversation, and with search filters, you can more easily find what you're looking for. Stickers have been overhauled, and all emoji are now stickers, living alongside sticker packs and Memoji. Using the remove from background feature in iOS 17, you can turn the subject from any image into a sticker.

With StandBy, an iPhone placed horizontally turns into a little home hub that displays information like the calendar, time, home controls, and more, and Live Activities can be displayed in full screen too.

Widgets on the Home Screen are interactive, so you can do things like check off an item on a to-do list or turn off the lights without having to open an app. AirDrop has been improved and there's a NameDrop function for sharing contacts quickly, plus you can hold two iPhones together to start a SharePlay session. SharePlay also now works with CarPlay so passengers can play their music in the car too.

Other new features include a journaling app coming later this year, AirPlay in select hotel rooms, improvements to AirPods Pro 2 thanks to a new Adaptive Audio feature, offline Maps, Siri that does not require the "Hey" activation, and improvements to search and spotlight.

Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming watchOS 10 update to developers for testing purposes, with the software update coming two weeks after the fourth beta.

To install the watchOS 10 update, developers will need to open the Apple Watch app, go to the Software Update section under "General" in Settings, and toggle on the watchOS 10 Developer Beta. Note that an Apple ID linked to a developer account is required.

Once beta updates have been activated, watchOS 10 can be downloaded under the same Software Update section. To install software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life and it must be placed on an Apple Watch charger.

watchOS 10 adds a whole new widget-focused interface. You can access a widget stack from any watch face using the Digital Crown, swiping through them to get to relevant information. Control Center can be activated from any app by pressing the side button, and these new quick access controls are meant to let you use watch faces that support less information while still putting everything you need at your fingertips.

There are new Palette and Snoopy watch faces, updates to Cycling and Hiking workouts, and mental health integrations. Users can log their state of mind and mood using the Apple Watch, with the device providing insights into mental health over time.