MacRumors

Apple today announced that Advanced Data Protection is expanding beyond the United States. Starting with iOS 16.3, the security feature will be available globally, giving users the option to enable end-to-end encryption for many additional iCloud data categories, including Photos, Notes, Voice Memos, Messages backups, device backups, and more. iOS 16.3 is currently in beta and expected to be released to the public next week.

By default, Apple stores encryption keys for some iCloud data types on its servers to ensure that users can recover their data if they lose access to their Apple ID account. If a user enables Advanced Data Protection, the encryption keys are deleted from Apple's servers and stored on a user's devices only, preventing Apple, law enforcement, or anyone else from accessing the data, even if iCloud servers were to be breached.

iCloud already provides end-to-end encryption for 14 data categories without Advanced Data Protection turned on, including Messages (excluding backups), passwords stored in iCloud Keychain, Health data, Apple Maps search history, Apple Card transactions, and more. Advanced Data Protection expands this protection to the vast majority of iCloud categories, with major exceptions including the Mail, Contacts, and Calendar apps.

Advanced Data Protection first launched in the U.S. in December with iOS 16.2, and Apple said the feature would roll out to the rest of the world in early 2023, so the global expansion is on schedule. All of a user's devices must be updated to Apple's software versions that support Advanced Data Protection in their country to use the feature. Outside the U.S., this includes iOS 16.3, iPadOS 16.3, macOS 13.2, tvOS 16.3, and watchOS 9.3.

When Advanced Data Protection is enabled, access to iCloud.com is disabled by default. Users have the option to turn on data access on iCloud.com, which allows the web browser and Apple to have temporary access to data-specific encryption keys.

Advanced Data Protection is designed to maintain end-to-end encryption for most shared iCloud content, as long as all participants have Advanced Data Protection enabled, including iCloud Shared Photo Library, iCloud Drive shared folders, and shared Notes. However, Apple says iWork collaboration, the Shared Albums feature in Photos, and sharing content with "anyone with a link" do not support Advanced Data Protection.

For more information, read Apple's Advanced Data Protection support document.

Amazon today has the 64GB 2021 Apple TV 4K for $99.97, down from its original price of $199.00. This is a match of the all-time low price that we previously saw on this model over the holidays.

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.

Only the 64GB 2021 model is on sale on Amazon as this time; we haven't tracked a deal on the 32GB model since around Black Friday. For the 64GB device, Amazon is providing delivery estimates between January 25 and 26.

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 today seeded the RC version of an upcoming macOS Ventura 13.2 update to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming one week after the release of the second macOS Ventura 13.2 beta.

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

The macOS Ventura 13.2 update introduces support for Security Keys for the Apple ID, allowing users to verify their identity with physical hardware rather than a digital device code. Security Keys offer additional protection for the ‌Apple ID‌, replacing the current verification codes provided on a secondary device when signing into a new device, signing into iCloud, using the Apple Store, and more. Apple's full release notes on the update are below.

This update introduces Security Keys for Apple ID, and includes other enhancements and bug fixes for your Mac.
- Security Keys for Apple ID allow users to strengthen the security of their account by requiring a physical security key to sign in
- Fixes an issue in Freeform where some drawing strokes created with Apple Pencil or your finger may not appear on shared boards
- Fixes an issue where VoiceOver may stop offering audio feedback while you are typing
Some features may not be available for all regions, or on all Apple devices. For detailed information about the security content of this update, please visit: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222

macOS Ventura is set to see a public launch next week.

Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 16.3 and iPadOS 16.3 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the new software coming a week after the second betas.

Registered developers can download the iOS 16‌.3 and iPadOS 16.3 profiles from the Apple Developer Center, and once installed, the betas will be available over the air.

iOS 16.3 and iPadOS 16.3 add support for physical Security Keys that can be used as added protection for an Apple ID. Any FIDO Certified physical security key can be linked to an ‌Apple ID‌ to be used for authentication when logging into a new device or otherwise accessing an ‌Apple ID‌.

Security Keys replace the digital verification codes sent to an Apple device when using an ‌Apple ID‌, and Apple says that the physical key provides strong protection against phishing and unauthorized account access. Note that two physical security keys are required when using this feature as there needs to be a backup in case one is lost. Losing a security key would revoke access to an ‌Apple ID‌, as Apple cannot override the protection.

In addition to Security Keys, the beta also adds more instruction for transferring music from an iPhone over to a HomePod using handoff. Apple's full notes for the update are below:

This update includes the following enhancements and bug fixes:

- New Unity wallpaper honors Black history and culture in celebration of Black History Month
- Security Keys for Apple ID allow users to strengthen the security of their account by requiring a physical security key as part of the two factor authentication sign in process on new devices
- Support for HomePod (2nd generation)
- Emergency SOS calls now require holding the side button with the up or down volume button and then releasing in order to prevent inadvertent emergency calls
- Fixes an issue in Freeform where some drawing strokes created with Apple Pencil or your finger may not appear on shared boards
- Addresses an issue where the wallpaper may appear black on the Lock Screen
- Fixes an issue where horizontal lines may temporarily appear while waking up iPhone 14 Pro Max
- Fixes an issue where the Home Lock Screen widget does not accurately display Home app status
- Addresses an issue where Siri may not respond properly to music requests
- Resolves issues where Siri requests in CarPlay may not be understood correctly

Apple today seeded the RC version of an upcoming watchOS 9.3 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new software coming almost a month after the release of the second watchOS 9.3 beta.

To install the new ‌watchOS 9.3 update, developers will need to download the configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center.

Once installed, ‌watchOS 9.3 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.

According to Apple's release notes, watchOS 9.3 adds new features, improvements and bug fixes. It specifically introduces the Unity Mosaic watch face, offered to celebrate Black History Month.

The second-generation HomePod introduced today will offer a Sound Recognition feature that allows the speaker to detect smoke and carbon monoxide alarm sounds and send a notification to the user's iPhone if either of those sounds are identified.

Apple says Sound Recognition will be available on both the new HomePod and the existing HomePod mini in a software update that will be released "later this spring," meaning the update should be available by June at the latest. It's unclear if the feature will also be rolled out to the first-generation HomePod released in 2018.

Apple warns that the feature should not be relied upon "in circumstances where users may be harmed or injured," or in "high-risk or emergency situations."

Sound Recognition on HomePods will require Apple's updated Home app architecture, which is temporarily unavailable after some users experienced issues after installing the update. It's not clear when the update will be made available again.

Sound Recognition was first introduced on the iPhone in 2020 and can detect a wide variety of sounds on that device, including a doorbell, running water, a baby crying, a car horn, a door knock, a cat meowing or dog barking, and more. Apple's announcement does not mention if HomePods will also be able to detect these other sounds, or if the feature will be limited to smoke and carbon monoxide alarms on the speakers.

Following Apple's new full-size HomePod announcement, many owners of the original HomePod are wondering if it's possible to pair the new ‌HomePod‌ with the first-generation smart speaker of the same name. The short answer is no.

Creating a stereo pair with the new ‌HomePod‌ requires another second-generation ‌HomePod‌. In the footnotes from Apple's press release:

Creating a HomePod stereo pair requires two of the same model HomePod speakers, such as two HomePod mini, two HomePod (2nd generation), or two HomePod (1st generation).

That's not to say the two devices can't be used together at all. If you have a new ‌HomePod‌ and first-generation ‌‌HomePod‌ in the home, they can be used to play your music in different rooms, and features like Intercom will work across both devices.

In another notable development, a software update appears to be on the way for the HomePod mini that will add two key features currently exclusive to the new ‌HomePod‌ – temperature and humidity sensing in indoor environments.

The new ‌‌HomePod‌ ‌costs $299 and is available in both white and midnight color options. In-store availability and deliveries to customers will begin Friday, February 3 in select countries.

The reintroduced HomePod offers a temperature and humidity sensor, but Apple is also enabling the feature on the existing HomePod mini.

The ‌HomePod‌'s built-in temperature and humidity sensor can measure indoor environments, allowing users to create automations that close the blinds or turn on a fan or heater automatically when a certain temperature is reached in a room, for example. This information is exposed in the Home app like any other smart home accessory.

As highlighted in the comparison section of the HomePod webpage, the ‌HomePod mini‌ also now offers this functionality. It appears that rather than being a new version of the ‌HomePod mini‌, this is a retroactively activated feature, with the temperature and humidity sensor already existing inside all ‌HomePod mini‌ models since launch.

In 2021, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that the ‌HomePod mini‌ includes a dormant temperature and humidity sensor – a finding also confirmed by iFixit. It seems that the component is now finally being activated, presumably via a future software update.

Apple notes that the ‌HomePod‌'s temperature and humidity sensing is optimized for indoor, domestic settings with ambient temperatures between 15ºC and 30ºC and relative humidity around 30 to 70 percent.

The sensor's accuracy may decrease in some situations where audio is playing for an extended period of time at high volume levels, likely due to generation of heat from the device itself. The ‌HomePod‌ also apparently requires some time to calibrate the sensors immediately after starting up before results are displayed.

Update: ‌HomePod‌ software version 16.3 enables the temperature and humidity sensor in the ‌HomePod mini‌, according to Apple's release notes.

Woot today has a pair of solid discounts on Apple's MagSafe Charger and Siri Remote, and both accessories are in new condition. They both come with a one year Apple limited warranty and Amazon Prime members can get free shipping from Woot.

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

Starting with the MagSafe Charger, it's on sale for $29.99, down from $39.00. This is about $2 higher than the previous all-time low price, so it's a great second-best deal on the popular Apple accessory.

Shoppers should note that the MagSafe Charger comes in Woot's bulk packaging, which means it will arrive in a polybag or generic brown box instead of Apple's own packaging. Despite this, the MagSafe Charger itself is guaranteed to still be brand new with a valid Apple warranty.

Additionally, the second-generation Siri Remote (with Lightning) is on sale for $49.99, down from $59.00 today on Woot. We typically track prices on this accessory down to around $55, so Woot's sale today is one of the lowest we've ever seen for the Siri Remote.

The Siri Remote is in new condition and does not come in bulk packaging. Woot estimates a late January delivery for both devices if ordered soon.

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

Apple announced today that iOS 16.3 will be available for iPhone customers next week, bringing just a few new features and enhancements to ‌iPhone‌ customers around the world.

In a press release today announcing new Apple Watch bands, Apple said iOS 16.3 will be available next week as a requirement for a new iOS 16 wallpaper. Alongside iOS 16.3, we also expect iPadOS 16.3, watchOS 9.3, and presumably tvOS 16.3 and macOS 13.2 to also be released.

The Unity 2023 watch face will be available next week, and requires Apple Watch Series 4 or later running watchOS 9.3, and iPhone 8 or later and iPhone SE (2nd generation) or later running iOS 16.3.

The new Unity iPhone wallpaper for the Lock Screen will be also be available next week and requires iPhone 8 or later running iOS 16.3.

Compared to iOS 16.2, iOS 16.3 has few new features and instead focuses mainly on bug fixes. We've highlighted a few of iOS 16.3's new features below.

• Support for security keys for Apple IDs
• A redesigned HomePod Handoff prompt following the release of a new second-generation ‌HomePod‌
• Tweaked wording for Emergency SOS in Settings

iOS 16 was released four months ago, and some users continue to experience bugs and system UI glitches on their iPhones. iOS 16.3 is likely to address some of these issues next week. For a full rundown of what's new, see our past coverage.

Apple today announced a second-generation full-size HomePod, available to order starting today for $299 in white and midnight color options. In-store availability and deliveries to customers will begin Friday, February 3 in select countries.

The second-generation HomePod features a virtually identical design as the full-size HomePod that was discontinued in March 2021, with a backlit touch surface and mesh fabric exterior. It features a four-inch high-excursion woofer, five tweeters, four microphones, an S7 chip for computational audio, a U1 chip for Ultra Wideband features like handing off music from an iPhone, and support for Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos. The speaker also has Siri integration and Matter support for HomeKit and other smart home accessories.

The new HomePod is 6.6-inches tall and weighs 5.1 pounds, compared to 6.8-inches and 5.5 pounds for the first-generation model, while both models are 5.6 inches wide. The new HomePod also has two fewer tweeters and microphones compared to the original model. The original HomePod was equipped with the A8 chip from the iPhone 6, while the new model has the S7 chip from the Apple Watch Series 7.

A new sensor in the HomePod can measure temperature and humidity in indoor environments, and this feature is also being enabled on the existing HomePod mini.

Apple will be expanding its Sound Recognition feature to the new HomePod with a software update this spring, allowing the speaker to listen for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and send a notification directly to a user's iPhone if a sound is identified.

Two second-generation HomePods can be paired for stereo sound, but one second-generation HomePod and one first-generation HomePod cannot.

At launch, the new HomePod will be available in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, the United Kingdom, and 11 other countries, according to Apple. It is compatible with the iPhone 8 and later, any iPad Pro, the fifth-generation iPad and later, the third-generation iPad Air and later, and the fifth-generation iPad mini and later running iOS 16.3 or iPadOS 16.3 or later.

"Leveraging our audio expertise and innovations, the new HomePod delivers rich, deep bass, natural mid-range, and clear, detailed highs," said Apple's marketing chief Greg Joswiak. "With the popularity of HomePod mini, we've seen growing interest in even more powerful acoustics achievable in a larger HomePod. We're thrilled to bring the next generation of HomePod to customers around the world."

Apple continues to sell the HomePod mini for $99.

Apple today released a new, special-edition Black Unity Sport Loop Apple Watch band in celebration of Black History Month.

The band comes as part of Apple's wider commemoration of Black History Month, where the company plans to highlight curated content celebrating Black culture and community.

The Black Unity Sport Loop features the word "Unity" woven abstractly into the band using red, green, and black yarns that pay homage to the Pan-African flag, while a unique layering of yarns lends a sense of three-dimensionality to the letters. Additionally, the Unity Mosaic watch face incorporates geometric shapes in green, black, red, and yellow, and as the minutes change, each number uses pieces of other numbers to morph into new forms. iPhone users can also show their support with the new Unity wallpaper for their Lock Screen.

The Black Unity Sport Loop is now available to order on apple.com and in the Apple Store app for $49, and will be available in select ‌Apple Store‌ locations beginning January 24. The band is available in 41mm and 45mm sizes.

The Unity 2023 watch face and Unity iPhone wallpaper will be available next week as part of watchOS 9.3 and iOS 16.3.

In the coming weeks, Apple will roll out new content in the App Store, Apple TV app, Apple Music, Apple Fitness+, Apple News, Apple Podcasts, Apple Books, and Apple Maps to spotlight black creativity, contributions, and experiences.

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 this week expanded its lineup of Apple silicon chips with the new M2 Pro and M2 Max processors, building on the M2 chip announced in June. The new lineup of ‌M2‌ chips represents the second generation of Apple silicon that can now now be found in the latest Macs.

The ‌M2‌ Pro and ‌M2‌ Max are noteworthy upgrades over the M1 Pro and M1 Max, bringing more performance, battery life, and capabilities to professional users. Below, we've listed five of the most important details you need to know about Apple's latest Mac chips.

• A Lot of Memory Bandwidth: The new ‌M2‌ Pro and ‌M2‌ Max chips feature the same memory bandwidth as their respective predecessor, which is some of the highest in the industry. Like the ‌M1 Pro‌, the ‌M2‌ Pro chip supports up to 200GB/s of memory bandwidth, while the ‌M2‌ Max supports 400GB/s of memory bandwidth like the ‌M1 Max‌.
• Even Longer Battery Life: The ‌‌M1 Pro‌‌ and ‌‌M1 Max‌‌ have two high-efficiency cores, whereas the ‌‌M2‌‌ Pro and ‌‌M2‌‌ Max both feature four efficiency cores, allowing the new Macs to tackle heavy workloads using less energy, thereby conserving battery life.
• Tons More Transistors: Thanks to the use of second-generation 5nm process technology, the ‌M2‌ Pro has 40 billion transistors, which is 20% more than the ‌M1 Pro‌. With ‌‌M2‌‌ Max, the jump is even bigger – its 67 billion transistors is 10 billion more than the number used in the ‌‌M1 Max‌‌.
• Highest Unified Memory Yet in a MacBook Pro: 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros configured with the high-end ‌‌M2‌‌ Max processor now support up to 96GB of unified memory. The 96GB of memory option is an additional $800, on top of the $200 extra for the higher-end variant of the ‌M2‌ Max chip.
• Connect Even More Displays: 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros and Mac mini models configured with ‌M2‌ Pro support up to two external displays. ‌M2‌ Pro supports two 6K displays over Thunderbolt, or one 6K display at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one 4K display at 144Hz over HDMI. MacBook Pro models with ‌M2‌ Max support up to four displays: three displays with 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one more 4K display at 144Hz over HDMI. ‌M2‌ Max also supports two 6K displays at 60Hz over Thunderbolt, and one 8K display at 60Hz or one 4K display at 240Hz over HDMI.

The new 14-inch and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ can be configured with both ‌M2‌ Pro and ‌M2‌ Max, while the updated ‌Mac mini‌ can be configured with either ‌M2‌ or ‌M2‌ Pro. Both the new ‌MacBook Pro‌ and ‌Mac mini‌ are available for pre-order on Apple's website and will begin arriving to customers on Tuesday, January 24.

Google is officially shutting down its Stadia cloud gaming service today, Wednesday, January 18, after having failed to gain the traction that the company was expecting. Google servers that host the service are due to shut down at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.

Launched in November 2019, the service was designed to allow for cloud-based gaming across a range of devices, including PCs, Chromebooks, Macs, iPhones, and iPads.

Reports began emerging in early 2021 of Stadia's underwhelming uptake among gamers, shortly after Google's decision to kill its only in-house Stadia game development studio, Stadia Games and Entertainment (SG&E), only two years into its life.

Since the service's shutdown was announced in September 2022, Google has been making good on its promise to refund anyone who made Stadia purchases over the course of its operation, including games, downloadable content, and controllers offered by the service. The company began processing refunds in November and previously said it expected to process the "majority" of refunds by the end of play today.

Stadia controllers are designed to connect directly to Stadia servers over Wi-Fi, instead of connecting to a console or PC, but each one contains an unused Bluetooth chip. Google is therefore offering owners a tool to make Stadia controllers capable of using Bluetooth, which will allow them to be used with local machines after Stadia's closure.

Google marked the closure by last week releasing one final Stadia game, Worm Game, which the developers used to test the service before it went live.

For months leading up to the closure, the Stadia store has been shuttered and all commerce ended on the Stadia platform, including in-game transactions. More information on refunds for Stadia users can be found on Google's website.

Apple is facing criticism online for offering poor Mac trade-in values following this week's launch of new MacBook Pro and Mac mini models.

Yesterday, MKBHD researcher David Imel tweeted that Apple offers just $970 in trade-in credit for a Mac Pro configuration that it still sells for $52,199. The viral tweet caused an uproar among Twitter users towards Apple's trade-in program: "That's a slap in the face," said one user. "Apple trade-ins have always been boo boo. I'm surprised you thought you would get even 1/5 of the price," another one said.

On Reddit, users also piled on, sharing their past experiences with Apple's trade-in program and the "low value" returned for their Macs. "My base model M1 Pro trades in at $725. 63.7% drop in value in a single generation. Not great," one Reddit user said. Another user, on the flip side, shared how Apple gave them $700 last year for an Intel-based 2016 MacBook.

I got $700 for my 2016 i7 last year using Apple trade in. Blew my mind I was able to get anything for it. Used it to buy a M1 Pro. Only deprecating 60% in 6 years for a machine that's basically at the end of its life, was pretty good. Looks like Apple doesn't really need used Apple Silicon, so the price is a lot lower.

On the MacRumors forums, users are also sharing their thoughts about Apple's trade-in program regarding Macs after the launch of new models. One user said Apple quoted them the same $970 value for a 14-inch M1 ‌MacBook Pro‌, while a third-party offered almost $1,100.

The credit Apple will give you for trading in an old Mac depends on several factors, including its specific configuration and condition. On its website, Apple offers a list of estimated trade-in values for its Mac lineup, quoting up to $670 for the ‌MacBook Pro‌ and up to $1,250 for the ‌Mac Pro‌.

Information embedded within Apple's website suggests that this week's new Mac announcements, including the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips, were initially set to be unveiled in October or November of last year.

As reported by Daring Fireball's John Gruber, the file name for a short mini keynote-styled video that Apple released following the announcement of the updated 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro and Mac mini includes the year 2022, suggesting the video may have been initially set to premiere last year. The video, over 18 minutes long, looks like the digital Apple events the company has been holding for the previous few years.

Some have speculated the 18-minute video was a segment cut out from a larger event the company was planning to hold in October or November 2022 that included more than the announcements of new M2 Pro and M2 Max Macs. Also spotted on Twitter, the AR files for the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models were compiled in October 2022, three months before the new Macs were announced.

Typically, every fall, Apple holds an event in September to announce its latest iPhones and Apple Watch models. In the run-up to the fall of 2022, rumors were increasingly suggesting that Apple was planning to hold two events between September and December: one for the iPhone and Apple Watch and another for the Mac and iPad.

The latter event was to be focused entirely on updated Apple silicon Macs and iPads, including updated 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros and the next-generation iPad Pro, according to rumors circulating at the time. In September, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple had canceled plans to hold a second digital event in the fall and would instead release the remaining products for 2022 through press releases on its website.

In October, Apple announced an updated iPad Pro with M2 and the redesigned 10th-generation entry-level iPad via press releases. In mid-Decemeber, Gurman reported that the new Macs were now slated for a launch in "early" 2023.

The new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros have options for either the M2 Pro or M2 Max chip, building on the performance of the M1 Pro and M1 Max. The new chips allow for even faster performance and a higher 96GB capacity of unified memory with the M2 Max. The new Macs also now support 8K external displays thanks to a more advanced HDMI port, and the 16-inch model has the longest battery life of any Mac.

Apple this week also announced a new Mac mini, featuring the same design as the previous-generation model but now with M2 or M2 Pro. The new Mac mini and MacBook Pros are available for pre-order on Apple's website and will begin arriving to customers on Tuesday, January 24.

Apple has paused development on the augmented reality Apple Glasses that it planned to introduce after its mixed reality headset, reports Bloomberg. Work on the product has been postponed because of technical difficulties.

Rumors suggested that Apple wanted to develop a pair of lightweight augmented reality glasses that would be similar to the Google Glass smart glasses. The glasses would provide digital information overlaid on the real world rather than offering immersive virtual experiences like the AR/VR headset, but Apple has not been able to develop the necessary hardware to produce a lightweight wearable that has the power of an iPhone and enough battery life to run it.

Apple initially wanted to release the Apple Glasses in 2023 before delaying the project to 2025, but now the product's launch has been postponed "indefinitely." Apple has also scaled back work on the device, so Apple Glasses will not be launching in the foreseeable future, but Bloomberg says that Apple considers AR glasses to be a product that could one day replace the ‌iPhone‌.

According to Bloomberg, some Apple employees do not believe that Apple will ever ship AR glasses. Most of Apple's AR/VR group is working on the mixed reality headsets that Apple is planning to produce, but there are still some that are exploring technology for future AR glasses.

Rather than developing augmented reality glasses, Apple is now focused on creating a more affordable mixed reality headset that will appeal to a wider range of consumers. The first AR/VR headset that is set to launch this year will cost somewhere around $3,000, so Apple wants to provide similar capabilities at a cheaper price point in the future.

Details on all of the features included in the first mixed reality headset can be found in our AR/VR roundup.