MacRumors

Apple today published its 2023 Environmental Progress Report, setting out the company's ongoing efforts to combat climate change and reduce its impact on the environment ahead of Earth Day on April 22.

The report explores Apple's chemical research, recycling and device recovery operations, energy efficiency improvements and use of renewable energy, reduction of waste, support of community action, and more as part of its ongoing goal to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. It also draws attention to Apple's recent announcement that it plans to accelerate the transition to recycled materials across its devices.

In addition, Apple highlighted its individual Product Environmental Reports, which break down the environmental impact of any current Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad, Mac, external display, Apple TV, or HomePod with regards to source materials, manufacturing, packaging, shipping, use, and recovery. Apple vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives Lisa Jackson said:

This year, we've also made it easier to understand the carbon impact of your Apple devices, and the extraordinary steps we’re taking to reduce their emissions. In our Product Environment Reports, you can learn about recycled gold in your iPhone, the energy demands of your iPad, and the packaging around your Mac. We're transforming so many aspects of the way we make our technology, and with our Product Environment Reports, you'll see where we've made progress and where the hard work remains.

Visit apple.com/environment or see the full PDF version of Apple's 2023 Environmental Progress Report for more information.

Amazon today has discounts across every model of the 2022 iPad Air, offering numerous all-time low prices on these tablets in multiple colors. In total, you'll find up to $119 off the iPad Air, with record low prices available for both Wi-Fi and cellular models.

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

Shoppers should note that for all iPad Air tablets listed below, you won't see the discounted price until you add the product to your shopping cart. Once you head to the checkout screen, Amazon will automatically apply a coupon to your cart, netting you these low prices.

Starting with the 64GB Wi-Fi iPad Air, this model is available in all five colors at $499.99 on Amazon, which is down from $599.00. This is a record low price for this tablet on Amazon, and most color selections are in stock now and can arrive as soon as April 21.

Secondly, the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad Air has hit $649.99 on Amazon, down from $749.00. This is another record low price, and it's available in three colors. Most of these models have an estimated delivery date between April 21 and April 25 for residences in the United States.

Moving to cellular models, the 64GB cellular iPad Air is available for $629.99, down from $749.00. This one is only available in Pink and it marks a new all-time low price on this model. You'll find most of the other colors at solid second-best $649.99 price tags.

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

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

The Wall Street Journal's Nicole Nguyen and Joanna Stern today published a report highlighting how thieves can use Apple's optional recovery key security option to permanently lock out iPhone users from their Apple ID account.

As the journalists first revealed in February, there have been increasing instances of thieves spying on an iPhone user's passcode in public and then stealing the device in order to gain widespread access to the device and its contents, including financial apps. All of the victims interviewed in the initial report said their iPhones were stolen while they were out socializing at bars and other public places at night.

With knowledge of the iPhone's passcode, a thief can easily reset the victim's Apple ID password in the Settings app, even if Face ID or Touch ID is enabled. Subsequently, the thief can turn off Find My iPhone on the device, preventing the owner of the device from tracking its location or remotely erasing the device via iCloud.

Today's report places more focus on an additional step that thieves can take: using the stolen device to set or reset a recovery key, a randomly generated 28-character code that is required to regain access to an Apple ID once enabled.

"Apple's policy gives users virtually no way back into their accounts without that recovery key," the report states. With unmitigated access to a stolen iPhone, the device's passcode, and the Apple ID password, thieves can steal money via Apple Pay and potentially other banking apps, view sensitive information like photos and emails, and more.

Apple's website does warn that losing access to both your trusted devices and recovery key means that "you could be locked out of your account permanently." In this scenario, however, thieves spying on iPhone passcodes before stealing the devices means that victims only need to lose their device in order to potentially be permanently locked out. The report serves as a valuable reminder to protect your iPhone's passcode in public.

For more details, read our previous coverage.

Apple Responds

In a statement shared in response to the report, Apple said it is "always investigating additional protections against emerging threats like this one."

"We sympathize with people who have had this experience and we take all attacks on our users very seriously, no matter how rare," an Apple spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal. "We work tirelessly every day to protect our users' accounts and data, and are always investigating additional protections against emerging threats like this one."

How to Stay Protected

iPhone users should use Face ID or Touch ID as much as possible when in public to prevent thieves from spying on their passcode. In situations where entering the passcode is necessary, users can hold their hands over their screen to hide passcode entry.

The report also recommends that users switch from a four-digit passcode to an alphanumeric passcode, which would be more difficult for thieves to spy on. This can be done in the Settings app under Face ID & Passcode → Change Passcode.

To protect a bank account, consider storing the password in a password manager that does not involve the device's passcode, such as 1Password.

Users can enable Screen Time parental controls to further lock down their device, the report adds.

Apple CEO Tim Cook logged a busy day on Tuesday as his whirlwind trip to India involved various meet-and-greets with new retail staff, local app developers, celebrities, and politicians, but it was the arrival of a long-time Apple fan at the Apple BKC store launch that appeared to generate the Apple chief's most excited reaction.

Cook looked visibly surprised when Sajid, a local UX designer, unexpectedly turned up to the store opening in Mumbai with a vintage Macintosh SE, circa 1987. Wearing the iconic turtleneck style of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, Sajid chatted fondly with Cook about his prized possession and posed for pictures while the store employees and crowd cheered.

"I am a designer myself, I was a print designer and moved to UI/UX, so I do digital design now," Sajid told Moneycontrol. "I am very happy and proud that Apple is opening a store here finally. It is a big moment for Apple users in India and we can look forward to coming to this store and exploring all the latest Apple products."

The Macintosh SE was released by Apple in March 1987, and was introduced at the same time as the Macintosh II. The Macintosh SE was replaced in 1990 with the Macintosh Classic, a similar model which retained the same central processing unit and form factor, but was offered at a lower price point. Eight years later, Steve Jobs asked Cook to join Apple, where his first position was senior vice president for worldwide operations.

Apple's sales in India hit a new high of almost $6 billion in the year through March 2023. The company's revenue in India grew by nearly 50%, from $4.1 billion a year earlier, according to one report.

Cook is continuing his India trip today in New Delhi, with the Apple chief taking in local cultural sites and artistic highlights. Cook is expected to attend the opening of Apple Saket, the capital's first Apple Store, on Thursday, April 20. It is the CEO's first trip to India in seven years.

Heart Analyzer this week reached version 10, bringing some major improvements and changes to the popular heart health app including a new dashboard experience, a refreshed Watch app, enhanced charts, and new tracking complications.

The new Dashboard experience has been designed to let users switch days more easily and aims to offer clearer indications as to which day the user is looking at, while still offering a summary of heart rate and other Vital Health data for each day. In addition, Dashboard cards have all been refreshed, while for app Customization Premium users, the Health types can now be filtered and sorted based on personal preference.

Another change in version 10 is the renaming of "Heart Home" to "Insights." Here users can view updated metrics and charts on various Vital Health types. There are trend comparisons for the past 30 days to the preceding 30 days, and the Heart Reports have been updated to use the new Swift Charts for more visually compelling and accurate displaying of Health data.

The adoption of Apple's Swift Charts framework in particular is a highlight of the app. As the developer explains in a blog post:

Up to now, Heart Analyzer has relied mostly on custom charts made to display Heart Rate summaries on your wrist, graph your recent heart rate in a complication and so much more. These charts were ground breaking at the time, but Swift Charts allows me to modernise the app with ever more precise and readable charts.

If you're running iOS 16 and WatchOS 9, you'll find these new charts throughout the app. With line, bar, area and range charts implemented across the app, visualizing your data has never been easier. For Blood Oxygen Saturation, Heart Rate Variability and Respiratory Rate Heart Analyzer now offers updated range charts.

These charts continue to indicate average values for the day, but the vertical bars now represent 10th and 90th percentiles of the data. Markers still also indicate the day's maximum and minimum values. These percentile bars offer better comparisons between day to day changes by ensuring spikes in the data have less effect on the overall picture.

In addition to new charts, the Deep Analytics section of the app now includes new Health types. Cardio Fitness and Sleep Time averages are available to track over the past four years alongside updates to all the other types. The Custom Heart Rate Zones feature has also been updated and now allows users to track this zone on the Dashboard.

Meanwhile, over on the Heart Analyzer app for Apple Watch, a new app layout houses watchOS 9's enhanced Swift Charts, which means that all charts can now be tapped to reveal additional detail. Complications have also been refreshed, and there's a new Recent HRV complication that works in conjunction with the new Apple Health AFib History feature and shows the last 12 hours of HRV data.

The new Heart Analyzer v10 update is free for both non-paying and premium users with devices running iOS 16 and watchOS 9. The app also continues to offer Premium features via one-time purchases with no subscriptions via the App Store.

Vivaldi web browser this week pushed out its sixth major release, bringing a new Workspaces feature and custom icons and themes to the highly configurable Mac app.

Similar in functionality to virtual desktops, the new Workspaces feature is designed to further enhance the browser's powerful tab management by letting users organize tabs by category into separate workspaces and switch easily between them.

For example, users can create Workspaces for productivity, social media, news, and shopping, and then open related tabs within those Workspaces, making it possible to flip between different sets of tabs and keep workflows organized.

Workspaces can also be used in conjunction with Tab Stacks (similar to Safari's Tab Groups). Vivaldi offers the example of maintaining a Sports workspace and having stacks for "Football," "Cricket," "Racing," and "Tennis" to sub-organize your tabs.

In addition, Workspaces support Vivaldi's Tab Tiling feature, allowing users to view multiple tabs in a split-screen or grid within workspace groups.

Elsewhere in Vivaldi 6.0, the browser's built-in theming tools have been upgraded to include new Custom Icons, which can be found in the Themes Gallery. With different icon packs now supported, users can create anything from a Windows 95-inspired look, complete with the familiar buttons and colors, to something more artistic with the Hand Drawn style.

Users can head to Settings -> Themes -> Create more Themes to get started, or use the new filter on the Themes page to see only themes with new custom icons.

Vivaldi browser 6 is a free download for Mac available directly from the Vivaldi website. The browser includes built-in tracking protection, innumerable tab tools, a translation feature, Chrome extensions support, and much more.

Netflix is upgrading its nascent ad-supported plan to support higher quality streaming than the current maximum 720p resolution, the company has announced.

Netflix launched its "Basic With Ads" plan in November for $6.99 per month in the United States, but the tier was immediately criticized for its limited video streaming resolution.

That criticism was only heightened the following month when Disney+ launched its rival ad-supported plan, "Disney+ Basic," which for $7.99 per month lets users stream in Full HD, HDR10, 4K Ultra HD, Dolby Vision, and Expanded Aspect Ratio with IMAX Enhanced.

In its Q1 2023 earnings report released on Tuesday, Netflix said that it would be increasing the video quality of its Basic With Ads tier to 1080p at no extra cost to subscribers. Additionally, it said it would increase the number of simultaneous streams from one to two.

Netflix said that customers in Canada and Spain would see the 1080p resolution and provision for additional streams immediately, with the upgrades to roll out to all markets by the end of the month. The more affordable tier is also available in the U.K., the U.S., Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and South Korea.

Netflix revealed in its earnings report that its Basic with Ads plan already brings in more revenue than its Standard plan, which costs $15.49 per month and offers HD quality streaming. The company also announced that it is shutting down its mailed DVD delivery service, which was Netflix's main revenue generator when it began nearly 25 years ago.

Apple is likely to bring on board another supply partner for the iPhone 15 Pro Max as it seeks to recruit an additional lens module specialist for the device's new periscope camera.

This year's iPhone 15 Pro Max is expected to include a periscope camera system, in which light entering the telephoto lens is reflected by an angled mirror towards the camera's image sensor.

The change in direction in which the light travels allows for a longer "folded" telephoto setup inside phones, enabling users to zoom in further without any blurriness or other reduction in quality. The system is expected to add a 5-6x optical zoom to Apple's next premium iPhone model (the current iPhone 14 Pro supports up to 3x optical zoom).

Previous reports suggested Largan Precision would be the sole supplier of the periscope system. Largan's periscope lenses were first to launch in 2019, when they debuted in the Huawei P30 Pro smartphone.

However, industry sources cited by DigiTimes now claim that Genius Electronic Optical (GSEO) has been identified as an additional supplier of the module. GSEO shipped periscope lenses to a Japanese handset vendor in 2021, the outlet's sources said.

Apple industry analyst Kuo believes both iPhone 16 Pro models in 2024 will use the same or similar periscope lens as the one used exclusively in the ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ Max, with Apple continuing its trend of setting apart standard and Pro models by reserving certain higher-end hardware features for the latter.

Early on in the iPhone 15 development process, Apple created a version that included a Lightning port, according to Apple leaker Unknownz21. In a tweet, Unknownz21 said that Apple tested an ‌iPhone 15‌ with a Lightning port "very early on" but that it was "quickly scrapped" in favor of the USB-C version.

‌iPhone 15‌ models equipped with USB-C instead of Lightning were in testing as early as January 2022, and all designs after March 2022 focused on a USB-C port.

Apple's transition to USB-C on the iPhone has been one of the most consistent rumors, and the company is expected to ditch the Lightning port for all four models that are coming this year. Both Pro and standard models alike will charge via USB-C instead of Lightning, a first for the ‌iPhone‌.

USB-C ports have been included in the Mac lineup since 2015 and the iPad line since 2018. All iPads that Apple sells now feature a USB-C port, in fact, so the only iOS devices that still use Lightning are the iPhones. Apple is planning to transition to USB-C for the ‌iPhone‌ because of European regulations that mandate a common charger for electronic devices.

The Lightning port is not permitted under these rules, so Apple had the option of introducing USB-C just in Europe and sticking with Lightning everywhere else, or using USB-C worldwide and eliminating Lightning entirely. USB-C across all Apple devices will make charging simpler because iPhones, iPads, and Macs will be able to share the same cable and power adapter.

Apple will eventually need to update the third-generation AirPods, AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Max, Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad, Magic Keyboard, and original Apple Pencil, all devices that continue to charge with Lightning.

Apple may not need to rely on USB-C charging for too long, as the company has been pushing MagSafe wireless charging. iPhones since the ‌iPhone‌ 12 have incorporated ‌MagSafe‌, and Apple could be planning to add similar technology to future ‌iPad‌ models. There have been rumors that Apple's eventual goal is to have a portless, all-display ‌iPhone‌, and with ‌MagSafe‌ and the upcoming launch of Qi2, that may be possible at some point. The Qi2 standard will allow for faster MagSafe-like charging speeds and will serve as a more open alternative to ‌MagSafe‌.

Niantic, the company behind the popular augmented reality iPhone game Pokémon Go, is developing a similar augmented reality title in the Capcom Monster Hunter franchise. For those unfamiliar with Monster Hunter, it is a roleplaying game where the goal is to team up with others to take down giant monsters, harvesting their components for weapons and armor.

"Monster Hunter Now" is set to launch in September 2023, and it is a game that is being developed by both Niantic and Capcom. Like Pokémon Go, Monster Hunter Now will send players out in the real world to find augmented reality creatures to battle.

Classic Monster Hunter monsters like Rathalos, Pukei-Pukei, Great Izuchi, and others will be located in real world areas, and players will need to go out in the world to find them. The monsters can be viewed in real world locations using the ‌iPhone‌'s camera, and multiple players will be able to work together to defeat them. Items in the game will allow monsters to be lured to different locations, so they can be discovered while out on a walk and fought at home.

Components from the monsters will be able to be collected to create upgraded weapons, armor, potions, and other accessories. The game will use the well-known weapons and attack tactics that have been used in prior titles, with options for completing quests to progress. Hunters will have a companion Palico.

Niantic says that Monster Hunter Now will be designed for "everyone to enjoy at their own pace," so the game should appeal to both Monster Hunter fans and those who are new to the series.

While the game is not set to launch until September 2023, Capcom and Niantic are accepting signups for a closed beta test that is set to begin on April 25. Closed beta test access will be open to approximately 10,000 participants, and invited testers will be informed via email.

Both Apple and Alphabet have asked Amazon to improve content moderation for its Kindle app after it was found that children could use the app to access sexually explicit images, reports Reuters.

Amazon's Kindle platform sells adult-oriented books that include photographs that are not suitable for children, with the content first discovered by parents who contacted Reuters. The parents had purchased Kindle Unlimited for their pre-teen children because it included age appropriate books that were not available on Amazon's separate Amazon Kids+ subscription service.

Kindle Unlimited also offers books with full color nude photographs, which the children were able to download for free and with no parental checks as Kindle Unlimited provides all content for one $10/month subscription price. The books are self-published through the direct publishing feature of the Kindle service, which allows authors to publish their books instantly and make them available through Kindle Unlimited.

Apple did not provide detail on its communications with Amazon, but the company told Reuters the following: "We've shared these concerns with the developer and are working with them to ensure their app is compliant with our guidelines." Apple also changed the age rating of the Kindle app to 12 years or older from 4 years or older.

Apple's App Store guidelines do not allow apps that depict "overtly sexual or pornographic material," and app developers are "responsible for moderating the user-generated content on their platforms."

Google too said that it had contacted Amazon and that Google Play does not allow apps that contain or promote sexual content, while Amazon said that it is "reviewing all of the available information and taking action" based on its findings. Amazon said it is "committed to providing a safe shopping and reading experience" for customers and their families.

At the current time, the Kindle Unlimited service does not offer parental controls, and Amazon has not yet made any changes to the Kindle app or Kindle Unlimited.

Apple's legal battle with pulse oximetry company Masimo has been taking place over the course of the last two weeks, but we've heard little about it. The judge overseeing the case sealed some parts of the trial, but legal affairs journalist Meghan Cuniff, who has been following the dispute, today shared some details on what the two sides are arguing over in court.

For a refresher, Masimo has accused Apple of poaching employees and stealing trade secrets for the Apple Watch. Masimo believes that Apple developed five pulse oximetry patents using trade information stolen from Masimo. Masimo wants co-ownership of the patents and a payout of $3.1 billion. It is worth noting that Masimo previously targeted Apple with patent infringement claims, but the United States Patent and Trademark Office invalidated all but two of the patents, which is when Masimo turned to theft of trade secrets.

Apple hired Masimo Chief Medical Officer Michael O'Reilly in July 2013 and Cercacor Chief Technical Officer Marcelo Lamego in early 2014 (Cercacor is a Masimo spinoff company) to work on the Apple Watch. Masimo claims that Apple was deliberately stealing employees and that Lamego in particular shared secret Masimo information with Apple, while Apple claims that the hiring of the two had nothing to do with their prior experience at Masimo and was based on their talent. Apple maintains that the former Masimo employees did not divulge Masimo's intellectual property rights when they worked on the Apple Watch, despite Masimo's accusations.

Lamego was only at Apple for six months, but he filed for 12 patents in that time and was named as an inventor on several future Apple patents. He worked on the same kind of sensor that he had worked on at Masimo, which Masimo has taken issue with. Lamego was hired at the recommendation of O'Reilly, who at the time warned Apple that "most of his knowledge" would be "considered confidential information of Cercacor or Masimo." Apple, meanwhile, pointed to an email Lamego sent to Apple CEO Tim Cook where he said that he could "add significant value" to Apple without relying on the work he did for Masimo. Hiring emails suggest that Apple was interested in his "specialized experience" needed for Apple Watch sensors.

Lamego claims that when he worked on the Apple Watch's heart rate detection algorithm, he had to "exercise extra care to avoid IP conflict." Lamego said that his work for Apple was stunted after Masimo sent a threatening letter not long after his hiring, which caused Apple to pull back on the resources provided to him. He ultimately left, but Masimo maintains that what he shared with Apple during that time was instrumental to the development of the Apple Watch. The patents that were issued to Apple in 2019 were "on [Masimo's] stuff," according to Masimo CEO Joe Kiani.

Prior to when Lamego worked at the company, Apple's internal emails reflected trouble with the development on the Apple Watch. "Frankly, I think this is a mess," wrote now-retired Apple executive Bob Mansfield about early work on the Apple Watch sensor, adding that the sensor would "fail" on its "current path." Apple vice president of corporate development Adrian Perica also expressed concerns about the device, writing that the Apple Watch was "already way behind" other wearables on the market.

Masimo presented emails between Mansfield and Perica, who discussed acquiring Masimo during the time period when the Apple Watch was in development. Apple decided against it because the company's large size isn't Apple's "style" and wouldn't "accelerate [Apple's] roadmaps and products," according to Perica. Perica at one point referred to extending an "olive branch" to Masimo by offering tickets to an Apple event, which Masimo lawyers cited as evidence that Apple knew it had wronged Masimo in some way.

Apple claims that Masimo is targeting it with the lawsuit because Masimo saw the success of the Apple Watch and decided to make its own smart watch. Masimo has largely been focused on large medical devices created for hospitals rather than wearables. In a trial brief, Apple said that what Masimo claims are "trade secrets" are ideas "long known and used by multiple companies."

The eight-person jury hearing the case is expected to begin deliberations as soon as next week as Apple and Masimo finish their legal arguments. The U.S. International Trade Commission has already ruled that Apple infringed on Masimo patents with the Apple Watch, a ruling that Apple is fighting.

Netflix is planning a "broad rollout" of the password sharing crackdown that it began implementing in 2022, the company said today in its Q1 2023 earnings report [PDF].

The "paid sharing" plan that Netflix has been testing in a limited number of countries will expand to additional countries in the second quarter, including the United States. Netflix said that it was "pleased with the results" of the password sharing restrictions that it implemented in Canada, New Zealand, Spain, and Portugal earlier this year.

Netflix initially planned to start eliminating password sharing in the United States in the first quarter of the year, but the company said that it had learned from its tests and "found opportunities to improve the experience for members." There is a "cancel reaction" expected in each market where paid sharing is implemented, but increased revenue comes later as borrowers activate their own Netflix accounts and existing members add "extra member" accounts.

In Canada, paid sharing resulted in a larger Netflix membership base and an acceleration in revenue growth, which has given Netflix the confidence to expand it to the United States.

When Netflix brings its paid sharing rules to the United States, multi-household account use will no longer be permitted. Netflix subscribers who share an account with those who do not live with them will need to pay for an additional member. In Canada, Netflix charges $7.99 CAD for an extra member, which is around $6.

Prices are per person, and up to two additional people can be added to an existing Netflix Standard or Premium plan. The extra price provides each person with a profile, personalized recommendations, login, and password. Alternatively, people who share a Netflix account with someone outside of their household at the current time can initiate a profile transfer process that will allow the person who has free access to the account to make their own separate, paid account.

Netflix users will need to establish a primary location, and subscribers who are not at this location will not be able to use the service through that account. There are allowances for travel or second homes, with Netflix requiring users to open the Netflix app at the primary location once per month.

Netflix claims that more than 100 million households are sharing accounts, which is impacting its ability to "invest in and improve Netflix" for paying members.

Google in June plans to join Samsung in the foldable smartphone market with the launch of the Pixel Fold, reports CNBC. The device is expected to be priced around $1,700, which is in line with Samsung's pricing.

The Pixel Fold will be introduced at Google I/O in May, and Google plans to market it as a device with the "most durable hinge" on a foldable smartphone. When opened, the Google Fold will feature a 7.6-inch display (the same as the Galaxy Z Fold 4), and it will open up like a book. It will be water-resistant, sized to fit easily in a pocket when folded, and it will have a battery that is able to last for up to 24 hours.

Most of Google's Pixel devices are relatively affordable, but the Pixel Fold will have a high price tag due to the cost of the display and the hinge. Google has already been adapting Android for foldable devices, and CNBC says that the Pixel Fold will allow it to better demonstrate what a Google-made foldable phone experience is like.

With the Pixel Fold coming in June, Google will beat Apple to foldable smartphones. There are rumors that Apple has been experimenting with foldable iPhones, but the company could actually introduce the technology in the iPad first.

At the current time, there is no solid word on just when Apple might introduce its first foldable iPhone, but analysts have suggested it won't come until 2025 at the earliest.

Withings today announced the launch of the Body Smart, a new iPhone-connected smart scale that is meant to provide advanced features at an affordable $100 price point.

According to Withings, the scale uses Withings Precision Technology that combines multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis, precision weight transistor sensors, and advanced algorithms to provide a weight and body composition analysis.

Bioelectrical impedance analysis uses electrical signals to measure the resistance and reactance of body tissues to determine water weight, fat, muscle mass, and visceral fat. The Body Smart can measure Basal Metabolic Rate as well, which is the number of calories that a person burns at rest. The scale also includes health measurements like standing heart rate and metabolic age.

Withings added an "Eyes Closed Mode" that hides weight from the scale screen for those who prefer not to look or who want to be discreet when using the scale around others. When activated, the scale will instead offer up encouraging motivating messages or daily information like step counts, air quality, and weather. In this mode, weight is still added to the Withings app so that it can be checked later.

Up to eight family members can use the Body Smart, and there are built-in modes like athletic, pregnancy, and baby, so even small children can be monitored. This is Withings' lowest priced smart scale with body assessment technology, and it is sold alongside the $200 Body Comp and the $300 Body Scan. The Body Comp is able to calculate vascular age, while the Body Scan includes vascular age and a 6-Lead ECG.

The Body Smart can be purchased from the Withings website for $99.95.

Apple is working on a new version of the 2021 Beats Studio Buds called the Beats Studio Buds+, and a launch could be nearing based on the fact that Apple has submitted FCC filings for the device. There are two listings, one for each Bluetooth-enabled earbud.

We first heard about the Beats Studio Buds+ in March following the launch of the iOS 16.4 release candidate. The Beats Studio Buds+ look similar to the Beats Studio Buds and will have similar functionality, according to details obtained by MacRumors.

The earbuds will continue to use a Beats chip, but Apple is planning to add improved Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency to the Beats Studio Buds+.

There is no word as of yet on when Apple plans to launch the Beats Studio Buds+ or what the pricing will be, but with potential advancements over the current $150 Beats Studio Buds we could see them priced a bit higher.

Apple is preparing to unveil its AR/VR "mixed" reality headset at WWDC in June, and the company is working to create appealing app experiences to encourage people to adopt the device. Apple is working on dedicated sports, gaming, wellness, and collaboration apps for the device, reports Bloomberg.

Apple is planning to adapt iPad apps for the headset, and users will be able to access existing App Store content through the 3D interface of the device. Apple-designed apps such as Safari, Calendar, Contacts, Home, Files, Messages, Notes, Photos, Music, Reminders, and other built-in apps will be optimized for the device. Multiple apps will be able to be run at one time, and there will be a geolocation aspect for swapping between apps when the user is in different rooms.

A Fitness+ app will allow users to exercise while watching the Fitness+ instructor in a virtual reality setting, and there will be a Health app for guiding users through meditations with graphics, sounds, and voice-overs. With Apple's deeper push into sports, there will be a focus on immersive viewing experiences for MLB and MLS content, plus there will be a dedicated TV app for watching videos in virtual reality environments.

There is a dedicated FaceTime experience that will use Memoji-like avatars and virtual meeting rooms, and Apple is designing a Books app for reading in virtual reality. A Camera app will be able to take images from the headset's cameras, and a version of Freeform will be adapted to a 3D interface for working on collaborative projects with others.

Apple has been working with a select number of gaming developers to help them update their existing content for mixed reality, and Apple will also have a robust set of tools available for creating AR/VR experiences.

The AR/VR headset is expected to be priced at around $3,000, and Apple is not planning for it to sell well to begin with. In fact, the company is expecting sales of approximately one million units in the first year, which is low for an Apple device.

Apple employees have expressed concerns about the usefulness of the headset given its price point. Some have questioned whether the device is a is a "solution in search of a problem" and not "driven by the same clarity" as other Apple devices.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in early April that the AR/VR headset is the "last hope" for persuading investors that AR/VR devices will become the "next star product in consumer electronics." Other devices from companies like Meta have lacked appealing software, and this is a major hurdle that Apple will need to overcome.

To get people to purchase the mixed reality headset, Apple will need to convince users that the software experiences are worth it. That will require compelling first-party experiences as well as innovative third-party apps from developers.

The upcoming watchOS 10 software update for the Apple Watch will feature a new Home Screen layout, according to information shared today by anonymous Twitter account @analyst941. Apple is expected to announce watchOS 10 at WWDC on June 5.

The source claimed the new layout would be easier to navigate and have more iOS-like aspects, including folders for apps. However, they are unsure if the new layout would be enabled by default or available as a secondary option. The source did not share any additional information, but said they will provide more details soon.

In his newsletter last weekend, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said watchOS 10 will be the Apple Watch's biggest software update since 2015. Notably, he said one of the planned enhancements for the Apple Watch is an "updated interface," which would align with a redesigned Home Screen. Apple Watch apps have been organized in a honeycomb grid since the device launched in 2015, with a scrollable list view also available.

The anonymous source behind this rumor leaked accurate information about the iPhone 14 Pro's Dynamic Island on the MacRumors Forums before the device was announced last year. However, they do not have a long-term track record with rumors yet, so there is no guarantee the latest information they shared will prove to be accurate.