Apple today released updated firmware for the MagSafe Duo charger that is designed to work with the Apple Watch and MagSafe-compatible iPhone models. The new firmware is version 10M3063, but in the settings app, you'll see a 256.1067.0 version number, up from 186.0.0.0.
The MagSafe Duo was first released in 2020 alongside the iPhone 12 models, and it has not had a firmware update before. This is the first time Apple has tweaked the MagSafe Duo firmware, and with no notes available, it's not clear what's different.
Apple's MagSafe Duo is meant to charge an iPhone and an Apple Watch, but it does not work well with the oversized Apple Watch Ultra. In fact, Apple published a support document instructing people on how to best adjust the Apple Watch Ultra to charge with the device. In some cases, the band needs to be removed before the Ultra and the Duo can work together, and the Apple Watch Ultra is not listed as a supported device on the MagSafe Duo page on Apple's website.
There is no clear method for updating the MagSafe Duo's firmware, but it needs to be plugged in and connected to an Apple device for a firmware update to initiate. You can check your MagSafe Duo firmware by following the instructions in our MagSafe how to.
Apple's first microLED Apple Watch will launch in 2025, display analyst Ross Young said again today. Young previously suggested the 2025 timeline in January, but he claims that new information from Apple supplier Osram confirms the timeline.
Osram in its 4Q 2022 earnings call said that it plans to begin reporting revenues from its microLED technology in 2025, with Young indicating this information pertains to a future microLED Apple Watch. Osram's full statement:
Let me now provide additional information related to our development and industrialization program for our leading small structure size microLED technology. Based on the latest available information and its assessment, we can add that we currently expect to start reporting relevant revenues from our microLED technology in 2025.
I can also confirm and emphasize that the customer engagement in this area is very deep, significant and active. The market feedback we received clearly confirms that we hold a strategic leadership position in small structure size microLED technology, and that we are the front runner for high volume industrialization of this next generation technology.
Multiple sources have confirmed that Apple is working on a microLED Apple Watch, such as analyst Jeff Pu, but other rumors pointed to a 2024 launch. Young does not believe we will see the new display technology in an Apple Watch until spring 2025.
Young has not offered details on the size of the display, but prior information suggests that it will measure in at 2.1 inches diagonally, which would make it appropriate for the larger Apple Watch Ultra. Introduced last September, the current Apple Watch Ultra features a 1.92-inch display, larger than the 1.77-inch display of the Series 8. microLED is still an emerging technology that display manufacturers are working to perfect, so it makes sense that it would be introduced first in the high-end Apple Watch.
microLED technology uses microscopic LEDs that form pixels, offering more accurate color, high contrast ratio for improved HDR and viewing in suboptimal lighting conditions, support for viewing at wider angles, smaller chance of screen burn-in over time compared to technologies like OLED, fast response times and low latency for higher fps support, and reduced energy usage for improved efficiency.
Apple is still early in the development of a microLED Apple Watch, and so the timelines could shift over the course of the next year. Young often provides accurate information thanks to his connections in the display industry, but sometimes his timing turns out to be off as Apple's plans evolve.
The growing popularity of OpenAI's ChatGPT chatbot has inspired Microsoft and Google to add conversational AI functionality into their search products, with both companies making AI-related announcements this week.
Google yesterday introduced Bard, a chatbot AI project that has been in the works for some time. Powered by Google's Language Model for Dialogue Applications (LaMDA), Bard is an experimental conversational AI service for Google Search that is set to become available to the public in the coming weeks.
According to Google, Bard is designed to "combine the breadth of the world's knowledge with the power, intelligence and creativity of our large language models," providing high-quality responses, which is exactly what ChatGPT does.
Bard will be released with a lightweight version of the LaMDA AI, which Google says will scale well as it does not require much computing power. Bard's initial launch will be in a testing capacity, with Google set to make updates and improvements over time, and it will be rolling out on Google Search in the near future.
Following Google's Bard announcement, Microsoft today held an event where it announced plans to add conversational AI tools to both the Bing search engine and the Edge browser. Microsoft worked with OpenAI on ChatGPT, and an upgraded version of the AI technology that powers ChatGPT is built into Bing and Edge.
"AI will fundamentally change every software category, starting with the largest category of all - search," said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.
Bing allows for complex searches that can help with things like planning a trip itinerary or researching a television to buy. Microsoft says that users can refine their searches by asking for more details, clarity, and ideas. Bing is also able to perform creative tasks like writing an email, creating a quiz for trivia night, prepping for a job interview, and more.
The new Microsoft Edge browser is also available with added AI capabilities. Edge can do things like summarize reports and provide key information, create comparisons between companies and products, and compose content when provided a prompt. It can take into account tone, format, and length with instruction.
Microsoft says that the new OpenAI model that it's using is more powerful than ChatGPT, and it has been customized for search. The AI model is "faster, more accurate and more capable."
The updated Bing search engine with ChatGPT integration is available as of today, though in a limited preview capacity. Users can try sample queries on the Bing website and sign up for the waitlist. Microsoft plans to scale the preview to millions of people in the coming weeks, and a mobile experience will be in preview soon.
With Google and Microsoft both rolling out conversational AI products, it is possible that Apple could be planning to introduce similar capabilities to the Safari browser in the future. For now, AI chatbot functionality will soon be available through the Bing and Google Search engines that can be accessed through the Safari browser.
Awhile back, I took at look at the new infotainment system being rolled out by Toyota and Lexus, spending some time with the Lexus version of the system in the 2022 NX. I've now had a chance to explore the Toyota version of the system optimized for a more heavy-duty vehicle in the form of the 2022 Tundra pickup.
Like the Lexus NX, the Toyota Tundra comes with an optional 14-inch screen that was included in the 1794 trim I was able to test. But rather than having to dedicate a significant portion of the display to software climate controls as in the NX, the Tundra turns its entire screen over to infotainment purposes while offering more traditional hardware climate controls below the screen.
The result is an absolutely massive palette for infotainment, which includes wireless CarPlay. Rather than the relatively extreme widescreen layout of CarPlay on the NX, the Tundra offers a bit more traditional aspect ratio, although the large size and high resolution of the Tundra's screen means CarPlay is still able to be displayed in an information-rich layout with two rows of five icons on the Home Screen, expansive views in Maps, and more.
Overall, Toyota's infotainment system delivers bright, crisp graphics and an overall clean look with both dark and light modes depending on preference. As I highlighted in my review of the NX, the new infotainment system forgoes a home screen or dashboard view, limiting views to one function at a time. A small strip along the left side of the screen makes it easy to change between functions like navigation, audio, phone, vehicle controls, settings, and CarPlay (when connected).
When CarPlay is active, it takes over the entire screen, which is visually pleasing for an immersive CarPlay experience but makes it a bit awkward to switch back to the native system. With as much real estate as there is on the Tundra's infotainment screen, I wish Toyota would have preserved that strip along the left side to be able to quickly access native infotainment functionality.
Toyota is one of an increasing number of automakers to add support for direct streaming of Apple Music content from the native infotainment system. A few other automakers like Porsche and Audi have been rolling this out, and it's nice to see it trickling down to more mainstream brands. Toyota supports direct streaming of Apple Music and Amazon Music content, and while it may seem a bit redundant and unnecessary given that Apple Music can be easily accessed via CarPlay, it doesn't hurt to have options for those who prefer to spend more time in the native system for the features it offers.
Beyond the main infotainment screen, Toyota's vehicles have also extended CarPlay integration to additional screens like the digital cockpit and head-up display. Audio track information from CarPlay has long been supported on additional screens like these, but it's only over the past year or so that support for Apple Maps navigation prompts has similarly begun rolling out.
Apple Maps direction on left side of digital cockpit
It's certainly handy for those navigation prompts to appear in the head-up display to limit driver distraction, and putting them in the digital cockpit helps for those times that you've moved away from CarPlay and Apple Maps on the main screen but still want those turn-by-turn directions.
Apple Maps directions in head-up display
My test Tundra came with a wireless phone charger positioned prominently where the console meets the center stack, making it easy to plop your phone down and still have it visible if needed. The charger is a simple angled surface with a cushioned bottom edge where your phone rests and a plastic ridge to help align your phone and keep it from shifting out of place as the vehicle moves.
Unfortunately, I ran into some of the same finicky charging issues I had with the NX, despite the charger design being completely different. Charging my iPhone 14 Pro Max with Apple's fairly thin leather case did not work on Toyota's charger, only briefly registering a charge for a few seconds before losing the connection. Even without a case, I couldn't get my phone to charge reliably. An iPhone 13 Pro Max similarly did not work with a case on, but did work well without a case.
It appears that flat charging surfaces like those found in the Tundra and NX are struggling with the increasingly large rear camera bumps on Apple's iPhone models. The bumps prevent the phones from sitting flush against the charging surface, and the gap that results in the area of the charging coils significantly interferes with the ability to maintain a charging connection. Apple and many third-party companies have addressed the issue by embracing MagSafe and MagSafe-compatible solutions that focus on small charging surfaces that only contact the phone in the immediate area of the charging coils, avoiding the camera bumps entirely.
Hopefully it's only a matter of time before car manufacturers start embracing MagSafe-like solutions for wireless charging, as the magnets would offer a number of advantages when it comes to initial alignment and fit between the phone and charger and stability while the vehicle is in motion. That prospect is looking more feasible with the next-generation Qi2 charging standard adopting MagSafe's power profiles and magnetic alignment, meaning car manufacturers will be able to offer a single wireless charger in their vehicles that can magnetically dock various brands of phones.
Not all iPhones support MagSafe and it will take a while before Qi2 spreads throughout the user bases of various brands, so it remains to be seen how things will play out. But for all the promise of a wireless phone experience in the car, the phone charging aspect remains the weakest link in the chain in my experience.
Charge-only USB-A and USB-C ports in center console
If you prefer a wired USB connection, the Tundra offers a number of options for you, although the only data port you'll find for using wired CarPlay is a USB-A port sitting rather prominently on the dashboard, which means your cable will definitely be left dangling. If all you need is charging, you'll find more options throughout the cabin, including a USB-C port and a USB-A port inside the spacious center console compartment and another set of USB-C/USB-A ports for rear passengers on the back of the console. My Tundra also came equipped with a 120V power outlet in that location for larger power needs.
Charge-only USB-A and USB-C for rear passengers
Overall, I really appreciate that the Tundra has maintained hardware climate controls, keeping them intuitive and simple to use largely by feel while also freeing up space on the main display for infotainment uses. Full-screen CarPlay on the 14-inch display is really a treat, though as I mentioned, I would have preferred just a bit of the screen real estate had been held back from CarPlay and used as a control strip for the native system to make it easier to hop around.
One of the advantages of modern infotainment systems is that many of them like Toyota's can receive over-the-air updates to refine them and add new features over time, so hopefully we'll see some tweaks to improve things for users wanting to access both CarPlay and the native system.
As with most pickups, the Tundra is available in a number of trims with various options that span a wide price range. It starts at under $40,000, but that only gets you a much smaller 8-inch Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system with no ability to upgrade to the 14-inch screen. In order to get the 14-inch screen, at a minimum you'll need either the SR5 trim with the $9,000 TRD Sport Premium Package or the Limited, both of which push pricing above $50,000. Other features like the head-up display and rear USB ports require even higher-level packages and/or trims.
Chinese smartphone company OnePlus today announced the official debut of the OnePlus 11 5G, which is the company's latest flagship smartphone. The device was already announced in China, but today marks the global launch so we thought we'd compare the OnePlus 11 5G to the iPhone 14 Pro Max to see how the camera measures up.
Apple's iPhone 14 Pro Max is equipped with an f/1.78 48-megapixel Wide lens that uses a Sony sensor, while the OnePlus 11 5G is equipped with an f/1.8 50-megapixel main camera that also uses a Sony sensor. Both smartphones include optical image stabilization, along with additional cameras.
The OnePlus 11 5G has a 48-megapixel 115-degree ultra wide camera, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max has a 12-megapixel 120-degree field of view camera. The iPhone 14 Pro Max has the wider field of view, but it can't compete with the higher megapixel count on the OnePlus. Both devices support macro photos using their respective ultra wide lenses.
The OnePlus 11 5G has a more advanced telephoto lens in some ways, as it is equipped with a 32-megapixel portrait telephoto lens that uses Hasselblad technology, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max is limited to a 12-megapixel telephoto lens. It is worth noting, though, that the OnePlus 11 is limited to 2x zoom, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max supports 3x zoom. For those unfamiliar with the brand, Hasselblad is a Swedish camera maker that has been developing camera technology for OnePlus smartphones since the OnePlus 9.
OnePlus says that the device features DSLR-like depth tracking, natural bokeh, and light flare, simulating professional portraits captured by an actual Hasselblad camera. All three lenses are advertised as using Hasselblad color calibration for a more natural look, and OnePlus has also included a "13 channel multi-spectral sensor for light-color identifying," which is supposed to provide more accurate color and white balance.
As for camera quality, the telephoto lens produces portraits with excellent background lighting and blur, but there is a skin smoothing algorithm for people that can make images look unnatural. There's too much post-processing going on, which means side-by-side, the iPhone portrait pictures turn out more true to life.
With the standard camera in good lighting, you're not going to see much difference in image quality between the OnePlus 11 and the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which is typical of smartphone cameras these days. Images are sharp and detailed, with a neutral color palette, but the ultra-wide lens trends toward yellow tones, while the telephoto lens is cooler, which ultimately means images can look inconsistent across the three cameras.
There are useful Hasselblad-designed filters that you can apply to photos, and there's a pro mode for DSLR-style customization. Night photos are fine, but nothing impressive, and the same goes for video. The iPhone definitely produces better quality video.
Other OnePlus 11 5G features include a 6.7-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate, always-on display technology, the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 platform used in Samsung's latest S23 devices, up to 16GB RAM, 5G connectivity, Wi-Fi 7, and a 5,000mAh battery. It runs "OxygenOS," which is based on Android 13, and is available for pre-order starting today.
Make sure to check out the video to see the full camera comparison, and let us know what you think about the OnePlus 11 5G in the comments below.
Apple today redesigned its website on both desktop and mobile devices. The changes make it easier to find individual product pages and other helpful links.
On the desktop, there are new drop-down menus that appear when you hover over the categories in the top menu bar, including Store, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Watch, AirPods, TV & Home, Entertainment, Accessories, Support, Search, and Bag. The new Entertainment category replaces "Only on Apple" and continues to highlight Apple's services.
On mobile devices, an all-in-one drop-down menu is now located on the right side of the top menu bar. When you tap on a category in the menu, a submenu opens with individual product pages and other helpful links, similar to the desktop experience.
All in all, these changes make navigating Apple's website more convenient and surface helpful resources that some customers might not have been aware of.
Apple released macOS Big Sur version 11.7.3 in late January with security fixes, but the software update also introduced a new bug that prevents icons from appearing in Safari's Favorites section, according to widespread complaints online.
Affected users have complained about the issue across the Apple Support Community, Twitter, Reddit, and other online platforms since the update was released last month. In one of the Apple Support Community threads, nearly 300 users have hit the "Me Too" button to indicate they are also experiencing the issue as of this writing.
For affected users, many of the websites in the Favorites section that would normally display an icon simply appear blank or show a letter only.
Image via Apple Support Community
It's unclear if Apple is aware of the issue or if an additional macOS update will be necessary for a fix. In the meantime, updating to macOS 11.7.3 is still recommended due to the important security fixes implemented. The latest versions of macOS Monterey and macOS Ventura do not appear to be affected by this Safari bug.
Anyone shopping for Apple's 2021 MacBook Pro notebooks can save plenty of money this week on Amazon, which has up to $500 off select models of the previous-generation MacBook Pro. This includes sales on both 14-inch and 16-inch models of the 2021 MacBook Pro.
14-Inch MacBook Pro
First is the 14-inch MacBook Pro (10-Core M1 Pro, 1TB) for $2,099.00, down from $2,499.00. Amazon only has this sale available in Silver, and this is an overall second-best price on the MacBook Pro.
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.
Moving to the 16-inch MacBook Pro (10-Core M1 Pro, 512GB), Amazon has this model for $2,099.00 in Space Gray, down from $2,499.00. Compared to previous sales, it's a second-best price on the notebook.
The 16-inch MacBook Pro (10-Core M1 Pro, 1TB) is on sale for $2,299.99 in Space Gray and Silver, down from $2,699.00. This is another second-best price on the MacBook Pro.
Lastly, the 16-inch MacBook Pro (10-Core M1 Max, 1TB) is available for $2,999.00, down from $3,499.00. Amazon has this sale available in Silver, and it's a match of the lowest price we've ever tracked on this model of the 2021 MacBook Pro.
You can find even more discounts on other MacBooks by visiting our Best Deals guide for MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. In this guide we track the steepest discounts for the newest MacBook models every week, so be sure to bookmark it and check back often if you're shopping for a new Apple notebook.
In recognition of Safer Internet Day today, Apple has highlighted the company's software features and tools designed to protect children online, such as Screen Time and Communication Safety. The press release was shared in Europe only.
Communication Safety is an opt-in feature in the Messages app on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch that is designed to warn children when receiving or sending photos that contain nudity. In its press release today, Apple indicated that it is expanding the feature to more regions around the world in partnership with local experts. In recent months, Communication Safety became available in France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, after launching earlier in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, and New Zealand.
When the feature is enabled, photos containing nudity are blurred and the child will be warned, presented with helpful resources, and given the option to message someone they trust for help if they choose, according to Apple.
On its Child Safety page, Apple assures that Communication Safety is private and secure:
Messages analyzes image attachments and determines if a photo contains nudity, while maintaining the end-to-end encryption of the messages. The feature is designed so that no indication of the detection of nudity ever leaves the device. Apple does not get access to the messages, and no notifications are sent to the parent or anyone else.
In December, Apple announced that it abandoned its controversial plans to detect known Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) stored in iCloud Photos. Communication Safety is unrelated to those former plans and is on-device only, according to Apple.
Apple has reportedly considered releasing a new top-of-the-line iPhone alongside future Pro and Pro Max models, tentatively referred to as "iPhone Ultra," and one designer has taken it upon himself to envision what such a device could potentially look like.
German industrial designer Jonas Daehnert came up with this impressive-looking concept (pictured) by marrying design elements of the Apple Watch Ultra with a smaller imagined iPhone Pro model, which he describes as "12mm+ thick – the Ultra concept."
Like Apple's more rugged Apple Watch, Daehnert's titanium iPhone chassis features rounded edges with a flat upper rim that sits flush with the display. Elsewhere, there are protruding Side and Volume Up/Down buttons reminiscent of the watch's crown guard. The extra thickness of the chassis presumes a larger internal battery.
Other aspects of the Ultra design language that have been adopted for Daehnert's concept include a ruggedized Ring/Silent switch, a programmable Action button on the lower-left side, and a USB-C port located on the bottom with identical "International Orange" accent, sat in between expanded speaker grilles.
"I have no idea about all the leaks," Daehnert admitted when sharing the concept on Twitter. "It was just an exercise to see if it's possible to adapt the Watch Ultra design language."
Apple has discussed selling a new top-of-the-line iPhone alongside the Pro and Pro Max models in 2024 at the earliest, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Based on this timeframe, the device would be part of the iPhone 16 lineup or later.
Gurman previously said there was "potential" for an iPhone 15 Ultra that would replace the iPhone 15 Pro Max this year, but he has since revised that prediction, suggesting Apple might release an even higher-end "Ultra" model above both Pro variants by next year at the earliest.
Gurman speculated that the device could feature additional camera improvements, a faster chip, a larger display, and perhaps a portless design without Lightning or USB-C. He also said the device would be "pricier" than the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which starts at $1,099.
Separately, rumors suggest that iPhone 15 Pro models could feature thinner, curved bezels in comparison to the iPhone 14 Pro models, producing an Apple Watch-like appearance. Rather than stainless steel, the iPhone 15 Pro models are also rumored to use a titanium frame, like the Apple Watch Ultra. Titanium is lighter and more durable than stainless steel. It is, however, also more expensive.
Mozilla is working on a non-WebKit version of Firefox for iOS in anticipation of changes to Apple's platform rules, The Register reports.
Mozilla's GitHub repository contains code for the iOS version of Firefox with references to GeckoView, a wrapper for Firefox's Gecko rendering engine. Apple's App Store rules insist that browser apps on iOS and iPadOS must use its own WebKit browser engine, meaning that any version of Firefox based on Gecko could not be released under Apple's current policies.
The app, which contains a settings page for toggling GeckoView, could be for internal testing, but postings from Mozilla software developers on GitHub suggest that it is for a "secondary project," with open discussion of "proper Gecko Firefox on iOS." Last week, it emerged that Google's Chromium team is working on a new browser for iOS based on Blink, seemingly in expectation of changes to Apple's platform rules.
In the face of growing antitrust scrutiny, most recently by the Biden administration, Apple is rumored to be preparing to drop its browser engine restriction alongside broader measures to enable sideloading and third-party App Stores in Europe. The main motivator of the move is the European Union's Digital Markets Act, which is expected to compel Apple to make major platform rule changes as soon as next year. Similar legislation has been recommended by antitrust watchdogs in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Japan.
Update: In a statement emailed to The Register, a Mozilla spokesperson said, "We abide by Apple's iOS app store policies, and are simply doing some exploratory work to understand the technical challenges for Gecko-based browsers on iOS if those policies were to change. We hope the day will come when people can freely decide to use the browser of their choice, including the opportunity to select the engine that underpins it."
Apple will hold its annual AI summit for employees next week at Steve Jobs Theater, the first fully live in-person event at the company's Apple Park headquarters since the pre-COVID era.
The summit is similar to Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, but for employees only, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who shared news of the scheduled event in a tweet.
As well as inviting staff to the Steve Jobs Theater, the in-person summit will also be live-streamed to employees unable to attend, similar to the way the company held public product announcement events before the pandemic hit.
The last fully live, fully in-person product event was for the iPhone 11, which was held on Tuesday, September 10, 2019. Whether the AI summit is a sign that future product events will finally return in their traditional guise is now the question on many people's lips.
Apple invited a limited number of developers to attend WWDC 2022 at Apple Park, but the event itself was pre-recorded, with no in-person presenters to showcase Apple's latest creations. Members of the media were also invited to the iPhone 14 unveiling this past September, but that keynote was pre-recorded, too.
Interestingly, the event will be held in the Steve Jobs Theater at the Apple HQ and the in-person event will be streamed to employees as well. So, essentially how Apple held media events pre-Covid. Have to wonder if Apple will also return to that for public product launches. https://t.co/uhLv4se9oW
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) February 6, 2023
As Gurman notes, the latest AI summit comes at a time of much tech industry excitement surrounding the Microsoft-backed ChatGPT artificial intelligence chatbot and Google's recent announcement that it is releasing its own LaMDA-powered AI chatbot, called Bard.
Google is adding the technology behind Bard to the Google search engine to enable complex queries to be distilled into digestible answers, and Microsoft is expected to follow a similar path by integrating ChatGPT into Bing Search.
WhatsApp has announced some new features for Status Updates, which allow users to share ephemeral updates with friends and close contacts on the popular encrypted chat platform.
First up is Private Audience Selector, which allows users to choose who views their status updates. This isn't technically new, since users are already able to control who sees their status updates when sharing them, but this implementation provides a more customized experience. The most recent audience selection is saved and used as the default for the next status update.
Next, Voice Status. Using this feature, users can share voice notes of up to 30 seconds via their status. WhatsApp describes it as offering a way of sending more personal updates, especially if users feel more comfortable expressing themselves by talking rather than typing.
Status Reactions allow users to react to status updates from friends and close contacts by swiping up and tapping one of eight emojis, including Heart-Eyes, Face with Tears of Joy, Face with Open Mouth, Crying Face, Folded Hands, Clapping Hands, Party Popper, and One Hundred Points. WhatsApp says this was the number one feature that users requested.
New Status Profile Rings make it easier to see status updates right within chat lists, group participant lists, and contact info, thanks to a ring around a user's profile picture whenever they share a status update.
Lastly, new Link Previews on Status mean that whenever a user posts a link, a visual preview of the link's content is available, giving contacts a better idea of what the link is before they click.
As WABetaInfo notes, some of these features are not exactly new, but they have been added to the list of recent improvements for status updates to highlight WhatsApp's commitment to improving the user experience.
WhatsApp says these updates have started rolling out to all users globally and will be available to everyone in the coming weeks.
Update: Microsoft says that it has "applied mitigation throughout the affected infrastructure, and we're starting to see gradual recovery," although there are still some sporadic reports of issues accessing email.
Update 2: Microsoft now says "availability is at 99.9%, with full restoration almost complete."
Microsoft says it is investigating a problem with its Outlook email service after users in the United States started reporting issues when accessing, sending, or searching emails.
DownDetector lists close to 2,000 incidents reported by users trying to access the platform since around 11.00 p.m. Eastern Time, with a drop in incidents reported by the early hours of Tuesday.
"Users primarily hosted in the North American region attempting to access Outlook.com may be unable to send, receive, or search email. Additional functionality such as Calendar consumed by other services such as Microsoft Teams would also be affected," said Microsoft in an update on its status page.
The company tweeted that a "recent change" was contributing to the cause of impact, and it is working on potential solutions to restore the service's availability. We'll update this article when the outage is reported as fixed.
Following the release of the Mac mini and the MacBook Pro with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips, Apple's platform architecture VP Tim Millet and product marketing VP Bob Borchers did an interview with TechCrunch's Matthew Panzarino to discuss the new technology, the transition away from Intel, the future of gaming on the Mac, and more.
With the followup to the M1 chip line, Millet said that Apple did not want to set a precedent of a few percentage points of gain with each new chip generation. Instead, the company aimed to push to the limits of technology as far as it could.
"The M2 family was really now about maintaining that leadership position by pushing, again, to the limits of technology. We don't leave things on the table," says Millet. "We don't take a 20% bump and figure out how to spread it over three years...figure out how to eke out incremental gains. We take it all in one year; we just hit it really hard. That's not what happens in the rest of the industry or historically."
Borchers said that by moving Mac chip design in house, Apple is able to bring silicon, software, and hardware together without relying on outside vendors. Being able to work alongside designers, the hardware team, and the software team "makes all the difference" in Apple's ability to "really target" and add "things that matter" to Macs.
On the topic of Apple's former partnership with Intel, Millet and Borchers praised the company's willingness to accommodate Apple's needs, with Millet also suggesting that the relationship between Apple and Intel ultimately benefited Apple's competitors.
"Intel was a great partner through the years where we shipped the Intel machines. They were very responsive; they really actually were inspired by the direction that Apple pushed them. And I think our products benefited from that interaction. Of course, our competitors' products benefited from that interaction as well sometimes," notes Millet.
As for gaming on the Mac, Borchers says that Apple feels gaming is getting better with each M-series chip release. He said that Apple is adding in new APIs and expanding Metal with Metal 3, so there's "tremendous opportunity" for game makers.
Apple plans to continue to look at chip configurations and components through a gaming lens, and Millet said that while Apple is taking a "long view" on turning the Mac into a gaming platform, work began with the first days of the Apple silicon transition.
"The story starts many years ago, when we were imagining this transition. Gamers are a serious bunch. And I don't think we're going to fool anybody by saying that overnight we're going to make Mac a great gaming platform. We're going to take a long view on this."
According to Millet, Apple is working to build an installed base of strong GPUs. Apple wants the full Mac lineup to have "very capable GPUs," from the MacBook Air to the Mac Studio with M1 Ultra. He also believes that developers haven't yet adapted to M-series chips. "Game developers have never seen 96 gigabytes of graphics memory available to them now, on the M2 Max," said Miller. I think they're trying to get their heads around it, because the possibilities are unusual."
Panzarino's full interview, which can be read over at TechCrunch, covers additional topics that include the transition to Apple silicon, how the iPad Pro led to Apple's Mac chips, the relationship between teams, optimizations in design cycles with Apple silicon, the best time to buy a Mac, and the value of the Mac mini.
Popular speaker company Sonos is developing new high-end smart speakers that will compete with Apple's HomePod and HomePod mini, according to reports from The Verge. The Era 300 and the Era 100 will launch in the coming months, and have been in development since mid-2022.
A 3D rendering of the Sonos speaker, created by The Verge
The multidirectional Era 300 will be the new Sonos flagship speaker, featuring support for Dolby Atmos and spatial audio tracks. The Verge says that the speaker will offer "the richest fidelity of any single speaker" in Sonos' history. Other features will include USB-C line-in, Wi-Fi 6 support, and possibly, Bluetooth playback.
Fewer details are known about the Era 100, but both of the new speakers will have a refreshed design, automatic tuning, and sound optimization. The Era 100 could be a replacement for the more affordable Sonos One.
There is no launch date for the new Era speakers, nor have price points leaked. The speakers will compete with the $299 HomePod 2, which came out last week. Sonos is also developing a second-generation "Move" speaker that will replace the current model, and it is planning to enter a new product category in 2023 that is as of yet unknown.
Apple plans to release Beats Fit Pro in new Volt Yellow, Coral Pink, and Tidal Blue colors, according to leaker @Jioriku. The colors have not been announced yet, but we have spotted listings for the new colors on several Apple reseller websites in Europe.
First released in November 2021, the Beats Fit Pro feature flexible wingtips for a more secure fit in the ear. The fitness-oriented earbuds have a similar design and features as the AirPods Pro, including silicone ear tips, active noise cancellation with a "Transparency" mode, spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, an H1 chip for one-tap pairing and automatic switching between Apple devices, hands-free "Hey Siri" support, and more.
Beats Fit Pro are currently available in Beats Black, Beats White, Stone Purple, and Sage Gray color options for $199.99, and the new colors would likely be sold for the same price. On Amazon, the earbuds also remain available in limited-edition Moon, Dune, and Earth colors designed in collaboration with fashion designer Kim Kardashian.
Update: A tipster has provided MacRumors with alleged images of the new Beats Fit Pro colors.
Apple's M1 iMac (8-Core GPU, 256GB) has returned to its all-time low price of $1,299.99 in select colors on Amazon, down from $1,499.00. You can get this sale in Yellow, Purple, Orange, Pink, and Green, and most are available to ship soon from Amazon.
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.
We last saw this deal appear in January, making today's sale only the second time in 2023 that we've tracked this record low price on the M1 iMac. Select colors, like Orange, can be delivered as soon as February 8 to most residences in the United States.
For more storage, Amazon also has the M1 iMac (8-Core GPU, 512GB) for $1,499.99, down from $1,699.00. This is another match for an all-time low price on the M1 iMac, and it's available in two colors: Green and Pink.
Apple Maps direction on left side of digital cockpit
Apple Maps directions in head-up display
Charge-only USB-A and USB-C ports in center console
Charge-only USB-A and USB-C for rear passengers
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.
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.
