MacRumors

Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 updates to developers for testing purposes. The betas have been released while Apple is still working on iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.1, updates that are set to be released next week.

Today's updates introduce the next phase of Apple Intelligence, with Apple previewing new Siri features, image generation tools, and more. Here's what you can expect:

Image Playground

Image Playground is Apple's image generation app, and it can create images based on prompts. You can enter a description of what you want or use the built-in suggestions and concepts that Apple provides. Apple will suggest costumes, locations, items, and more to add to an image, and these concepts are intelligent and can draw inspiration from a Messages thread or content in the Notes app.

There are options to create characters that resemble your friends and family, and you can choose a photo for ‌Image Playground‌ to use as inspiration to create a related image. Elements added to ‌Image Playground‌ creations are previewed, and there is a preview history so you can undo a change and go back to a prior version.

While ‌Image Playground‌ is a standalone app, it is also integrated into Messages. ‌Image Playground‌ does not make photorealistic images and is instead limited to animation or illustration styles.

Image Wand

Image Wand is an Image Playground-related feature that's available in the Notes app on iPad. You can draw a rough sketch with the Apple Pencil or circle a blank space or a key phrase in a note to have ‌Image Wand‌ generate an appropriate image.

Genmoji

Genmoji are new custom emoji characters that you can create based on descriptions and phrases. Like ‌Image Playground‌ creations, you can base them on your friends and family, with the data pulled from the People album in Photos. You can also make characters using basic elements, and you'll get multiple ‌Genmoji‌ suggestions to choose from. You can create ‌Genmoji‌ using the emoji keyboard.

‌Genmoji‌ are limited to iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2 right now, and will be coming to ‌macOS Sequoia‌ later.

Siri ChatGPT Integration

‌Siri‌ can integrate with ChatGPT for certain requests, but only with user approval. If ‌Siri‌ is unable to provide an answer to a query, ‌Siri‌ will hand the request over to ChatGPT. ChatGPT's answer will then be provided by ‌Siri‌.

ChatGPT can be used to create content from scratch, including text and images. No account is required to use ChatGPT integration, and Apple and OpenAI do not store requests.

Visual Intelligence

iPhone 16 users have access to Visual Intelligence, a feature that provides information about what's around you. If you open the camera and point it at a restaurant, for example, you'll see opening hours and reviews.

Some other ‌Visual Intelligence‌ capabilities include reading text out loud, detecting phone numbers and addresses to add them to Contacts, copying text, and summarizing text. There is an option to search Google for where to buy a specific item that you see, and you can also point the camera at something and then get more information about it from ChatGPT.

Apple plans to expand this feature to include more functionality over time.

Writing Tools

Apple is enhancing the Writing Tools feature to add an option to make more open-ended changes. In iOS 18.1 and its sister updates, Writing Tools can only be used to change the tone to friendly, professional, and a more simplified version. In iOS 18.2, you can describe the tone or content change that you want to make, such as adding more action words, or turning an email into a poem.

More Languages

‌Apple Intelligence‌ supports localized English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the UK in addition to U.S. English.

Developer Tools

The new betas include developer APIs for adding Writing Tools, ‌Genmoji‌, and ‌Image Playground‌ into third-party apps.

Waiting List

If you've already been testing ‌Apple Intelligence‌ and are opted in, you will have access to Writing Tools, ChatGPT integration, and ‌Visual Intelligence‌ automatically.

There is a secondary waiting list for early access to use ‌Genmoji‌, ‌Image Playground‌, and ‌Image Wand‌. You can sign up to get access in ‌Image Playground‌ or in the areas where you access ‌Genmoji‌ or ‌Image Wand‌.

When you request access, you are added to a wait list for all three capabilities and you'll get a notification when the features are available for you to use.

Availability and Compatibility

As of right now, the betas are limited to developers who have a device capable of ‌Apple Intelligence‌, but there will likely be a public beta coming in the not too distant future. Apple is still working on refining the new ‌Apple Intelligence‌ tools, and the company warns that ‌Genmoji‌, ‌Image Wand‌, and ‌Image Playground‌ can sometimes give you results you weren't expecting. Apple is collecting feedback on these experiences and will refine them over time.

The feedback received will help Apple determine when the image generation features will be more widely available for beta testing and when they'll see an eventual public launch.

‌Apple Intelligence‌ in iOS 18.2 requires an iPhone 15 Pro or ‌iPhone 16‌ model, while iPadOS 18.2 and ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.2 require an ‌iPad‌ or Mac with an A17 Pro or M-series chip.

Vimeo today announced it has released a native app for Apple's Vision Pro headset, allowing users to view, upload, and share spatial videos.

Spatial videos offer three-dimensional depth, making scenes look more immersive and life-like. Spatial videos can be watched on the Vision Pro, and recorded on the Vision Pro, all iPhone 16 models, and iPhone 15 Pro models. You can upload spatial videos to your Vimeo library from the Vimeo app on iOS and visionOS, and on Vimeo.com.

"This kind of spatial content is the future of storytelling, and we're proud to be at the forefront of this revolution," said Philip Moyer, CEO at Vimeo.

Vimeo's announcement also reiterates that Apple plans to update Final Cut Pro later this year to enable users to edit spatial videos on their Mac.

Vimeo embracing the Vision Pro comes after YouTube shunned the headset. Earlier this year, it was reported that YouTube had no plans to release an app for the Vision Pro, and it has not allowed its iPad app to be used on the headset. And earlier this month, developer Christian Selig removed his third-party YouTube app Juno from the visionOS App Store after YouTube's legal team told him the app violated the company's terms of service. Of course, YouTube's decisions regarding the Vision Pro could change in the future.

In other Vision Pro app news, Cisco today announced it will soon release a Spatial Meetings app for the headset that works with the Cisco Room Bar Pro. The app will enable meetings with "stunning, life-like video and incredible depth."

iPhone users in Iowa are now able to add their driver's licenses and IDs to the Apple Wallet app on ‌iPhone‌ and Apple Watch, allowing them to be used in lieu of a physical ID.

Iowans can add a license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app by opening it up, tapping on the "+" button, and following the onscreen instructions and verification process.

The digital ID in the Apple Wallet app can be used at select TSA checkpoints, including the Des Moines and Eastern Iowa Airports, as well as at some business venues. It can also be used within select apps when ID is required.

According to the Iowa Department of Transportation, businesses are able to accept an ID in Apple Wallet using iOS apps like Tap2iD mobile, VeriScan, and Mobile ID Verify for in-person age verification purposes.

As with other states that have adopted digital ID integration in Apple Wallet, Iowa's DoT warns that the digital version does not replace a physical license or identification card. Locations that accept mobile IDs will expand over time, however.

Apple announced a new Wallet app that supported digital IDs back in 2022, but states have been slow to adopt the feature. So far, only Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Hawaii, California, and Ohio have implemented support. Apple has said that Connecticut, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Utah, Montana, New Mexico, and West Virginia are working on support.

Apple suppliers will begin mass production of the fourth-generation iPhone SE in December, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today in a blog post.

The fourth-generation iPhone SE is expected to have a similar design as the base iPhone 14, with rumored features including a 6.1-inch OLED display, Face ID, a newer A-series chip, a USB-C port, a single 48-megapixel rear camera, 8GB of RAM to enable Apple Intelligence support, and the first-ever Apple-designed 5G modem.

The new iPhone SE is expected to be released in the first half of 2025, with a launch in March or April most likely, and mass production of the device beginning in December would make sense given that timeframe. Kuo estimates that Apple suppliers will produce around 8.6 million fourth-generation iPhone SE units through the first quarter of next year.

Apple released the current iPhone SE in March 2022.

Following an investigation, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) today announced it has fined Apple and Goldman Sachs nearly $90 million combined for "Apple Card failures" related to "customer service breakdowns" and "misrepresentations."

Apple and Goldman Sachs have partnered on the Apple Card since its launch in 2019, with Goldman Sachs handling the consumer lending aspects.

Specifically, the CFPB found that Apple and Goldman Sachs violated the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Act and the U.S. Truth in Lending Act by mishandling transaction disputes and misleading iPhone users about interest-free payment options available when purchasing Apple devices with the Apple Card. These failures impacted "hundreds of thousands of Apple Card users," according to the agency.

"The marketing of the Apple Card Monthly Installments plan led consumers to believe they would automatically receive interest-free financing when purchasing iPhones and other Apple devices with their Apple Card," the CPFB said, resulting in some consumers being "unknowingly charged interest because they were not automatically enrolled as expected."

Here are the CFPB's findings, including Apple failing to send some transaction disputes to Goldman Sachs, Goldman Sachs failing to properly investigate some of the disputes, and Apple and Goldman Sachs misleading cardholders:

Failing to process or share consumer disputes: Apple Card users were directed to dispute transactions through a "Report an Issue" feature in the Wallet app. For some disputes, Apple sent consumers a separate link in the Messages app asking for more information. Apple failed to send these disputes to Goldman Sachs if the second form was incomplete. Even after Goldman Sachs alerted Apple to this issue, the problem persisted. As a result, neither Apple nor Goldman Sachs investigated tens of thousands of such disputes and cardholders were unfairly held responsible for disputed transactions.

Failing to investigate cardholder disputes: For the disputes that Apple did send to Goldman Sachs, the bank failed to consistently send acknowledgment notices within 30 days, conduct reasonable investigations, or send resolution letters explaining the determinations of its investigations within 90 days. These failures led to Goldman Sachs illegally placing damaging information on consumers' credit reports and holding cardholders responsible for potentially fraudulent or unauthorized purchases.

Misleading cardholders about a payment plan for iPhones and other Apple products: The marketing of the Apple Card Monthly Installments plan led consumers to believe they would automatically receive interest-free financing when purchasing iPhones and other Apple devices with their Apple Card. The plan allowed cardholders to purchase Apple devices through a series of interest-free payments over a period of six months to two years. However, many cardholders were unknowingly charged interest because they were not automatically enrolled as expected. They also faced confusing checkout options about enrolling in the plan. For online purchases, Apple only presented the payment plan as an option to consumers using Apple's own Safari browser. Due to Apple and Goldman's actions, instead of making interest-free payments, thousands of cardholders purchased Apple devices on interest-bearing revolving balances and incurred interest charges.

Misleading cardholders about refunds: Cardholders with an Apple Card Monthly Installments plan essentially had two card balances – the plan balance and their interest-bearing revolving balance. For more than 10,000 cardholders, Goldman Sachs misled consumers about how it would apply certain refunds between the two balances. Contrary to Goldman's representations, portions of refunds for unrelated purchases were applied to the interest-free plan balance instead of the interest-bearing revolving balance. As a result, consumers incurred additional and unexpected interest expenses.

Apple has been ordered to pay a $25 million fine, which will go to the CFPB's victims relief fund, while Goldman Sachs is required to pay at least $19.8 million in redress to impacted consumers and a $45 million fine.

In a statement shared with MacRumors, Apple said it strongly disagree[s] with the CFPB's characterization of the company's conduct.

"Apple is committed to providing consumers with fair and transparent financial products," an Apple spokesperson said. "Apple Card is one of the most consumer-friendly credit cards available, and was specifically designed to support users' financial health. Upon learning about these inadvertent issues years ago, Apple worked closely with Goldman Sachs to quickly address them and help impacted customers. While we strongly disagree with the CFPB's characterization of Apple’s conduct, we have aligned with them on an agreement. We look forward to continuing to deliver a great experience for our Apple Card customers."

More details about the CFPB's findings are available on its website.

Today we're tracking two separate sales across Amazon and Woot, with big discounts on AirPods 4 and Apple's MagSafe cases for iPhone 16.

AirPods 4

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.

Starting with AirPods, Amazon has the AirPods 4 for $119.00, down from $129.00. This is the base model without Active Noise Cancellation, and Amazon's price today is just $1 off from the all-time low price on this model.

Amazon also has the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation for $168.99, down from $179.00. Similar to the previous model, this is just about $1 away from the record low price on this version of the AirPods 4, making today's sale a solid second-best price for anyone shopping for AirPods this week.

iPhone 16 Cases

Over at Woot, you can get all-time low prices on Silicone and Clear Cases for the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. Woot has a large selection of these down to $34.99 right now, and you can take an additional $10 off with the coupon code APPLEWELCOME through Friday, October 25.

These cases are in new condition and come with a one year Apple manufacturer limited warranty. There are multiple colors on sale for each model, including Denim, Black, Lake Green, Fuchsia, and more.

Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.

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Apple's Mac mini has long been a powerhouse in a compact form, offering impressive performance in a small package. With rumors swirling about a completely overhauled new model that is likely just days away from being announced, anticipation is building for what Apple has in store.

From enhanced connectivity to major hardware upgrades, the upcoming Mac mini promises to bring significant improvements that make it more compelling than ever. Here are five reasons to get excited about the next generation of this beloved small form-factor desktop.

Major Redesign

Apple is planning to debut completely redesigned Mac mini models, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The new ‌Mac mini‌ will be the first major design change to the machine since 2010, and is expected to become Apple's smallest ever desktop computer. The slimmed down machine will retain its aluminum casing and be comparable in size to the Apple TV, though it is expected to be taller. Individuals working on the new device reportedly say that it is "essentially an iPad Pro in a small box."

5 USB-C Ports

According to Mark Gurman and a leaked Apple report, the next Mac mini is expected to come with five USB-C ports. Similar to the Mac Studio, two of these ports are anticipated to be positioned on the front. It's likely that some of these will support Thunderbolt 4, utilizing the same USB-C interface. However, the full set of five ports might only be available on the M4 Pro versions of the Mac mini.

M4 Chip

The next Mac mini will come in both M4 and M4 Pro configurations, a significant step up from the current M2 and M2 Pro models. Like the M3, the M4 is built on a 3nm process, but with enhancements from Apple supplier TSMC for improved performance and power efficiency. The M4 also includes an improved Neural Engine that fuels accelerated AI workloads. Apple says it is the company's most powerful Neural Engine ever, capable of 38 trillion operations per second, so there's plenty of scope for faster compute speeds.

16GB Base RAM

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported in August that Apple has tested four new Mac models equipped with an M4 chip, and all of them have either 16GB or 32GB of unified memory. The adequacy of 8GB of RAM in Macs has been a contentious issue for over a decade. That has left Apple open to criticism from users who believe that 8GB is not a sufficient amount of RAM for most creative professional workflows, so the news that 16GB is likely to be the new minimum will surely be a welcome development.

Apple Intelligence

Apple is expected to emphasize the artificial intelligence capabilities of the M4 chip series, and the first Apple Intelligence features are expected to arrive with the release of macOS Sequoia 15.1 on October 28, which is right around the time we are expecting a Mac mini announcement. The initial release will focus on new Siri features, Smart Replies in Mail and Messages, Priority messages in the Mail app, Memory Movie and Clean Up in Photos, and more, with additional features coming in phased updates over the next several months.

Release Timing

The new-look Mac mini is expected to be announced by Apple before the end of October, with a launch to follow in early November. In his latest word on the subject, Gurman said an "M4 Mac launch" is on Apple's schedule for next week, but he did not mention a specific day. What are you looking forward to about the overhauled model? Let us know in the comments.

Apple has abruptly reduced production of the Vision Pro headset and could stop making the current version of the device completely by the end of 2024, The Information reports.

Citing multiple people "directly involved" in making components for the headset, the report says that the scaling back of production began in the early summer. This indicates that Apple now has a sufficient number of Vision Pro units in its inventory to meet demand for the device's remaining lifespan through to next year.

The Vision Pro is widely reported to have seen weak demand due to insufficient content and its high price point. The Information says that Vision Pro suppliers have now produced enough components for between 500,000 to 600,000 headsets. Some factories suspended production of Vision Pro components as early as May based on Apple's weak sales forecasts, and warehouses remain filled with tens of thousands of undelivered parts.

Apple is said to have recently told Luxshare, a Chinese company that serves as the Vision Pro's assembler, that it may need to wind down production in November. Luxshare is currently making around 1,000 Vision Pro headsets per day, which is half that being produced at its peak. Apple will still be able to resume Vision Pro production if sales pick up since the production lines are not yet due to be dismantled.

Moreover, Apple has apparently suspended work on the second-generation Vision Pro for at least a year to focus on developing a lower-cost headset. Interestingly, Apple has told suppliers to prepare to build four million low-cost headsets over the entire lifespan of the future product. This is half the total number of Vision Pros that Apple told suppliers to produce, suggesting that sales expectations are even lower for the cheaper headset.

Although Apple's work on the second-generation Vision Pro has apparently stalled, there are some indications that the company could release "an incremental update to the product with limited changes to its physical design," such as a chip upgrade. This would allow Apple to use up the considerable number of excess components in its supply chain.

Starting today, Apple's new iPad mini 7 with A17 Pro chip is available for same-day or next-day pickup at Apple Stores, with no pre-order required. Online orders are also beginning to arrive to customers today.

Customers across Europe, Asia, and other regions can now place an order on Apple's website or in the Apple Store app and arrange for in-store pickup at a local retail location. Apple has yet to update its online store for customers in the United States and Canada, but that will change in the next couple of hours.

To order a product with ‌Apple Store‌ pickup, add the product to your bag on Apple.com, proceed to checkout, select the "I'll pick it up" option, enter your ZIP code, choose an available ‌Apple Store‌ location, and select a pickup date. Payment is completed online, and a valid government-issued photo ID and the order number may be required upon pickup.

The iPad mini is Apple's smallest tablet device and the latest model features a slim-bezeled design, an A17 Pro chip with support for Apple Intelligence features that are coming in iPadOS 18.1, a USB-C port, and Apple Pencil Pro support. Base storage has been doubled, so the entry-level iPad mini starts with 128GB of storage, up from 64GB. 256GB and 512GB options are available as upgrades.

The 12MP wide back camera on the new iPad mini now supports Smart HDR 4 and uses machine learning to detect and scan documents right in the Camera app, while the USB-C port delivers 2x faster wired connections than the previous generation, with data transfers up to 10Gbps. The iPad mini 7's cellular version supports sub-6GHz 5G, and now includes Wi-Fi 6E for faster 6GHz connections. Bluetooth is improved to version 5.3, and Apple has replaced the nano-SIM slot with eSIM-only connectivity worldwide.

Note that iPad mini models sold in Europe do not come with a power adapter in the box, whereas models sold in the US do include a 20W USB-C adapter.

The iPad mini comes in four colors, including Blue, Starlight, Purple, and Space Gray. It starts at $499 for the 128GB Wi-Fi-only model, going up to $799 for the 512GB model. Cellular models are available for $150 more over the base price of each configuration. Apple is also selling new $59 Smart Folio cases for the iPad mini in matching colors, while the Apple Pencil Pro that works with the iPad mini is available for $129.

In iOS 18, Apple includes a new over-the-air recovery feature designed to revive bricked iPhone 16 devices using another iPhone or an iPad, and it appears that the same feature can be used to recover the new iPad mini 7, too.

In iOS 18, placing an iPhone 16 next to another iPhone or iPad can start an over-the-air firmware recovery – the other device downloads a new iOS firmware and transfers it to the bricked device, removing the need to connect it to a computer. ‌This contrasts with iPhone 15 and earlier models, which require connection to a Mac or PC to restore the firmware.

9to5Mac today reports that the firmware shipped with the iPad mini 7, which is powered by an A17 Pro chip, includes the same RecoveryOS partition that was added to the iPhone 16 models. The finding puts to bed the earlier theory that the RecoveryOS partition was something exclusive to the A18 chip in the iPhone 16.

Evidence that Apple has been working on an over-the-air recovery method for iOS devices first appeared way back in iOS 13.4. Whether Apple intends to add the functionality to other iPhone or iPad models via a software update remains unclear. Apple introduced the iPad mini 7 on October 15, and the first pre-orders are arriving in the hands of customers today.

In a new interview with The Wall Street Journal, Apple's head of software Craig Federighi has highlighted the company's measured, multi-phase approach to introducing Apple Intelligence features, with the initial iOS 18.1 release next week marking just the beginning of a staggered rollout over several months.

"This is a big lift," Federighi told WSJ's Joanna Stern, explaining Apple's cautious strategy of integrating AI into its devices. "You could put something out there and have it be sort of a mess. Apple's point of view is more like, 'Let's try to get each piece right and release it when it's ready.'"

The initial release will focus on basic features including Writing Tools for text summarization, notification summaries, and a Clean Up tool in Photos for removing unwanted objects. While most processing occurs on-device, Apple's Private Cloud Compute system handles more intensive tasks through encrypted servers. In other words, user data isn't stored or accessed for AI training.

Apple's approach differs significantly from other large language models, which typically process all user input on cloud servers. According to Federighi, the company's personally oriented, privacy-first approach is also why Siri won't offer the sort of answers that one might get from something like ChatGPT.

"There's a trade-off across capabilities," he explained. "Those other chatbots are great if you want to ask a question about quantum mechanics, and then have them write a poem about it, but they won't open your garage or send a text message. Will these worlds converge? Of course."

Several anticipated features showcased by Apple at WWDC in June won't appear until later updates: iOS 18.2 is expected before the end of the year, and will introduce Image Playground for generating cartoon-style images and Genmoji for creating custom emoji. The update will also add ChatGPT integration for handling complex Siri queries.

The most significant Siri enhancements are scheduled for iOS 18.4 around March 2025. These include onscreen awareness for contextual commands, personal context for better understanding of user data, and expanded app control capabilities. Initially, Apple Intelligence will only support U.S. English, with additional languages planned for next year.

In contrast to its rivals, Apple is taking a particularly measured approach to image manipulation. The new Clean Up tool in Photos allows users to remove unwanted objects or people from images, but avoids more complex AI-generated alterations like changing the background. "People view photographic content as something they can rely on as indicative of reality," explained Federighi. "It's important to us that we help purvey accurate information, not fantasy."

Speaking more broadly about the rollout of Apple Intelligence features, Federighi said: "This is a many-year, honestly, even decades-long arc of this technology playing out, and so we're going to do it responsibly." The new Apple Intelligence features will be available on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models, as well as Apple silicon-powered iPads and Macs, when iOS 18.1 launches on October 28.

Netflix recently shut down its "Team Blue" gaming studio in Southern California, according to Game File. The studio included industry veterans that worked on titles like Halo, Overwatch, and God of War.

There have been mobile gaming titles available through Netflix since 2021, but Team Blue was supposedly working on a big budget AAA gaming title that would have represented an expansion of Netflix's gaming efforts.

The decision to shutter the studio developing an original multi-platform AAA title suggests that gaming might not be going so well for Netflix. Back in 2022, a report suggested that less than one percent of Netflix subscribers were engaging in games, but Netflix has made an effort to introduce more premium titles since then.

Netflix's mobile gaming catalog includes several Grand Theft Auto titles, popular roguelike Hades, Cozy Grove, Farming Simulator, Spiritfarer, Rollercoaster Tycoon, and more. The games are included with a Netflix subscription, and no additional fees are required to play them.

Netflix games can be downloaded as standalone games on Apple devices, and are available to play after logging in with an active Netflix account.

It's Wednesday, October 23 in Australia and New Zealand, which means that customers who pre-ordered one of the new iPad mini 7 devices are starting to receive their orders.

Apple introduced the iPad mini 7 on October 15, which is also when the company began accepting pre-orders. While the ‌iPad mini 7‌ has the same design as the iPad mini 6, it is equipped with an A17 Pro chip and 8GB RAM in order to support the Apple Intelligence features that are coming in iPadOS 18.1.

The ‌iPad mini 7‌ also offers Wi-Fi 6E, faster USB-C data transfer speeds, Bluetooth 5.3, and support for the Apple Pencil Pro. It now offers a minimum of 128GB of storage with an option to upgrade to 256GB or 512GB, and Apple also unveiled new colors.

There are no Apple retail stores in New Zealand, but Apple Stores in Australia will have the new ‌iPad mini 7‌ available for walk-in purchases. We are not expecting any shortages of the new tablet.

Following New Zealand and Australia, sales of the ‌iPad mini 7‌ will begin in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and finally, North America.

The ‌iPad mini 7‌ is priced starting at $499, and it continues to be Apple's smallest tablet.

Australian woman Matilda Campbell ended up trapped in a tight rock crevice upside down after she fell trying to retrieve an iPhone that she dropped, according to a report from ABC Newcastle.

The 23-year-old was taking images in the New South Wales Hunter Valley when she lost hold of her phone. She tried to get it, but slipped and fell three meters and became stuck between two large boulders, hanging upside down by her feet. While the news report does not make specific mention of an ‌iPhone‌, Campbell's social media accounts indicate she was an ‌iPhone‌ user.

It took an hour for rescuers to get to Campbell, and several more hours to free her. NSW Ambulance rescue paramedic Peter Watts told ABC Newcastle that Campbell was calm and collected, despite the situation. He said it was a difficult, "out-of-the-box rescue" that was unlike anything he'd previously experienced. NSW Ambulance shared images of the rescue on Facebook.

Rescue crews had to remove seven boulders weighing between 80 and 500 kilograms to free Campbell, plus a wooden frame had to be constructed in case any boulders cracked and fell. Campbell was trapped for approximately seven hours, and she ended up with scrapes, bruises, and a cracked vertebra. She was not able to retrieve her ‌iPhone‌.

Apple is working on an App Store-style app designed for gaming, according to a report from 9to5Mac. It would merge App Store gaming content, Apple Arcade, and Game Center into a central location.

The app is said to feature a Play Now tab with gaming content and suggestions, plus a Game Center tab for tracking game progress and games that friends are playing. Game Center features like achievements and leaderboards will be highlighted.

Apple plans to offer both ‌Apple Arcade‌ games and ‌App Store‌ games in the app, and the company will promote gaming events and details about important updates. It is possible that there will be integration with FaceTime and Messages for remote play with friends, as well as App Clip mini game demos.

There is no word on when Apple might release this dedicated gaming app.

Apple today seeded a second release candidate version of an upcoming visionOS 2.1 update to developers for testing purposes. The new software comes a day after Apple seeded the first release candidate version.

visionOS 2.1 can be installed by going to the Software Update section of the Settings app on the Vision Pro and opting into Beta Updates.

So far, no major new features have been discovered in the update, and it likely focuses on bug fixes and other small feature improvements. Apple's release notes say that the second visionOS 2.1 RC fixes an issue that could cause Apple Music songs and music videos to fail to play.

visionOS 2.1 is expected to see a release next Monday alongside iOS 18.1.

Apple today released a new firmware update for the original AirPods Pro, the AirPods 2, the AirPods 3, and the Lightning version of the AirPods Max headphones. The new firmware is version 6F21, up from the prior 6A326 firmware that these devices were previously running.

There is no word on what's included in the firmware, but given that these are all older models, it is likely that the new firmware includes bug fixes and other minor improvements.

Apple doesn't have a way to manually upgrade AirPods software, but firmware is generally installed over-the-air when the AirPods are in a charging case and connected to an iOS device or Mac.