MacRumors

Apple today announced that artists and bands can now personalize their Apple Music profile page with a custom bio and the option to add their hometown, birth date or year formed, and more. Artists can also quickly add lyrics for their songs on Apple Music.

Apple shared more details about the personalization options and other new features added to the Apple Music for Artists platform in an emailed announcement:

Profile - Image and personality are key to connecting with fans and engaging new listeners. The new Artist Profile section lets artists take control of their Apple Music profiles and connect with fans in their own words. Artists can answer a series of short questions to create a customized biography that displays on their Apple Music artist page. Artists can also optionally add their hometown (or place of origin for bands), date of birth (or year formed for bands), and identify band members, collaborators, influences, and pronouns.

Lyrics - Lyrics have become an integral part of discoverability and the listening experience. Artists can now add their song lyrics to appear alongside their music in Apple Music so fans can read the words behind the beats. Adding lyrics is as easy as copying and pasting formatted lyrics.

Account - Building a great team is part of any artist's success. New permissions in the Account section (formerly Manage) provide an easy way for artists to control who has access to their profile so their team can jump into action and support upcoming releases and keep content new and fresh. Artists can also assign different roles to individuals on their team, specifying admins, analysts, and profile editors.

Measure - Apple Music for Artists insights are now in a single, easy-to-access location under Measure. Artists can chart their performance and monitor Apple Music plays, average daily listeners, iTunes song purchases, and Shazams. Intelligent insights and detailed analytics help artists plan future releases, tour dates, and other activities, like creating merch.

Apple Music for Artists is available to every artist on Apple Music and provides stats like how many streams a song or album has received, average daily listeners, iTunes Store sales, Shazam data, and more. Artists can sign up for an account at artists.apple.com.

The ability for artists to set a custom bio might remind some users of Apple's short-lived social network Ping, which launched in 2010 and allowed users to follow their favorite artists in iTunes. Ping allowed artists to share status updates, photos, and more on their profiles, but the service was discontinued in 2012 due to limited usage. However, the personalized artists pages rolling out now will be much more limited in scope.

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming watchOS 9.1 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new beta coming one week after Apple released the third watchOS 9.1 beta.

To install ‌watchOS 9.1, developers will need to download the configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center. Once installed, ‌watchOS 9.1‌ 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 must be placed on the charger, and it needs to be in range of the ‌‌iPhone‌‌.

We don't yet know what's included in the watchOS 9.1 update as no new features have been found in the betas, but watchOS 9 brought a number of changes including a redesigned Compass app, a new medication tracking feature, updated watch faces, improvements to Workouts, new features for the ECG app, and more.

Apple is set to release iPadOS 16 to the public this month, yet users continue to face several issues with the new Stage Manager feature.

In the latest iPadOS 16 beta seeded earlier this week, developer Steve Troughton-Smith and MacStories editor-in-chief Federico Viticci highlighted various user interface issues they continue to face from time to time while using Stage Manager, including the dock disappearing when rotating the iPad, content failing to scale properly when a window is resized, keyboard input failing to register in certain apps, and more.

In August, Viticci criticized Apple for its "fundamentally misguided" approach to Stage Manager. The feature has improved in the weeks since, but it's clear from the latest beta that several issues persist even as iPadOS 16 nears release.

Apple recently expanded Stage Manager to older iPad Pro models with A12X and A12Z chips released in 2018 and 2020, albeit without external display support, which limits the feature to four apps on the built-in display on these models. Apple also delayed external display support for iPad models with the M1 chip until later this year.

Stage Manager allows users to have up to four apps open in overlapping windows on an iPad's display for an improved multitasking experience. A modified version of Stage Manager is also available on macOS Ventura for keeping windows front and center.

Apple says iPadOS 16 will be released in October, but it not did confirm a specific day. The software update will be labeled iPadOS 16.1, and it will likely be released alongside iOS 16.1 for the iPhone, as the updates share the same build number.

Verizon today is discounting Apple's MagSafe charger accessories, including best-ever prices on two of the chargers. Alongside these deals, you can find discounts on MagSafe bundles and 50 percent off iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 cases.

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

To start off, Verizon has 25 percent off MagSafe chargers this week. All of these sales have been applied automatically and do not require a coupon code to redeem. You can get the MagSafe Charger for $29.99, down from $39.00. The MagSafe Duo Charger is down to $96.74, from $129.00; and the MagSafe Battery Pack is down to $74.24, from $99.00.

For the MagSafe Battery Pack and MagSafe Duo Charger, these are the best prices we've ever tracked on the accessories. The regular MagSafe Charger is about $2 higher than the best-ever price we saw in the past, so it's still a solid second-best price.

Verizon also has a variety of MagSafe Accessory Bundles on sale for 20 percent off this week. For these bundles and the above accessories, Verizon offers free two day shipping and free returns within 30 days, and you don't need to be a Verizon Wireless customer to purchase these deals.

Lastly, you can get 50 percent off a large collection of official Apple cases for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 on Verizon. This includes Clear Cases, Silicone Cases, and Leather Cases, available from $24.99.

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

New images of Google's upcoming "Pixel Watch" have been leaked online ahead of when the company is expected to provide more information on its first in-house smartwatch during an event on Thursday, October 6.

Google initially offered a preview of the Pixel Watch during its Google I/O conference over the summer. The Pixel Watch is the first smartwatch directly from Google and an answer to the Apple Watch, which has dominated the smartwatch market. The Pixel Watch is powered by Wear OS and, as expected, includes health and fitness functionality and integration with Android devices and even the iPhone.

The Pixel Watch design has already been leaked beyond what Google shared over the summer, but new images leaked on Twitter alleging to be marketing material offer a closer look at the Pixel Watch UI and some of its features. The images reveal that the Pixel Watch will charge similarly to the Apple Watch with a round charger on the back.

Unlike the Apple Watch, the Pixel Watch offers a circular design and display with a bezel around the edges. An image part of the leak on Twitter reveals just how large the bezels appear, making the actual area of usable display smaller than what it may seem to be. Like the Apple Watch, the images depict the Pixel Watch making phone calls, tracking heart rate and steps, displaying custom watch faces with complications from apps, and more.

The exact pricing of the Pixel Watch remains unknown, but some rumors indicate it may cost $349 for the Wi-Fi-only version and $399 for added cellular functionality. If those prices are accurate, the Pixel Watch would directly compete with the Apple Watch Series 8, which starts at $399.

When Apple released the second-generation AirPods Pro in late September, we did an initial impressions and hands-on video, but we thought we'd check in again with a more in-depth review after spending some time with the new earbuds.

MacRumors video editor Dan Barbera has spent 10 days using the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2, and there are definite improvements over the first-generation version. Active Noise Cancellation is notably better at eliminating outside noise, and there's a clear difference in sound quality.

The on-device controls are nice to have for adjusting volume, and while Transparency works well, it's hard to tell the difference between the old Transparency mode and the new Adaptive Transparency that's supposed to quiet down loud noises like sirens.

Battery life is solid, and the built-in speaker that plays sounds for charging and Find My is beneficial, plus it's handy to be able to use the Apple Watch charger to charge up the AirPods. The lanyard loop is just okay and not super useful, especially without Apple-designed lanyards, and unfortunately, there's still no option for customizing EQ.

All in all, if you've been waiting to pick up the ‌AirPods Pro‌, now is the time to do so, and if you have the original ‌AirPods Pro‌ and have been having issues with battery life or any other aspect, the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 are worth the cost. Dan's full thoughts are in the video up above, so check that out and then let us know what you think of the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 in the comments below.

The iPhone 14 Plus is Apple's latest entry-level iPhone alongside the standard ‌iPhone 14‌, featuring a larger display, improved cameras, performance, and more. Announced last month, the ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus officially begins arriving to customers on Friday, October 7.

Ahead of when the new ‌iPhone‌ is expected to begin arriving to customers, we wanted to highlight some possibly lesser-known facts and tidbits about the ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus. A comprehensive look at the ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus can be found in our roundup.

Longer Battery Life

The ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus is the first entry-level ‌iPhone‌ with a larger 6.7-inch display, which has historically been reserved for only the highest-end ‌iPhone‌ models. With a display that lacks Pro features such as always-on capability and more internal space allocated to the battery, the ‌‌iPhone 14‌‌ Plus features the longest battery life of any non-Pro ‌iPhone‌.

According to Apple, users can expect up to 26 hours of video playback on the ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus and up to 100 hours of audio playback. Like all ‌iPhone 14‌ models, the ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus features support for MagSafe, which can charge the device up to 50% in capacity in 30 minutes.

Same Cameras as the iPhone 14

The ‌iPhone 14‌ and ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus share the same camera features and specifications, meaning customers choosing between the two devices do not need to consider which one is capable of better photography.

Both models feature a 12-megapixel Main camera with a ƒ/1.5 aperture and sensor‑shift optical image stabilization. The 12-megapixel Ultra Wide camera on both models has a 120-degree field of view, a ƒ/2.4 aperture, and a 13mm lens. The ‌iPhone 14‌ and ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus also feature a True Tone flash, support for Deep Fusion, Smart HDR, the Photonic Engine, and an all-new selfie camera with autofocus.

Powered By the A15 Bionic

The ‌iPhone 14‌ and ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus are powered by the A15 Bionic chip from the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro last year. There are two variations of the A15 Bionic chip: one with a 4-core GPU and another with a 5-core GPU. The 5-core GPU chip was reserved for just the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max last year, while the lower-end models featured a 4-core GPU.

With the chip from last year's ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro, Apple says the ‌iPhone 14‌ and ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus offer powerful performance for apps, games, and AR experiences. All models of the ‌iPhone 14‌, including the ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro, also include updated internal designs to better manage heat.

Super Retina XDR Display

The ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus features a 6.7-inch display, the same display size as the ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro Max. The Super Retina XDR display in the ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus features 458 pixels-per-inch (ppi), can reach up to 1200 nits of peak brightness for HDR content, has a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio, True Tone, and support for Wide color.

Durability

The ‌iPhone 14‌, ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus, ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro, and ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro Max are all protected by Ceramic Shield on the front glass. Ceramic Shield was announced with the ‌iPhone‌ 12 and introduced nano-crystals into the display glass, offering improved protection against drops and scratches. All ‌iPhone 14‌ models are also IP68 rated, which means they can withstand an underwater depth of 6 meters for up to 30 minutes.

Today marks the 11th anniversary of Steve Jobs passing away at the age of 56, one day after Apple introduced the iPhone 4S and Siri.

Laurene Powell Jobs, Tim Cook, and Jony Ive recently discussed Jobs' legacy during a sit-down panel with journalist Kara Swisher. During the discussion, Powell Jobs shared a new website called The Steve Jobs Archive that contains a collection of quotes, videos, and an email from Jobs, and promises future "programs, fellowships, collections, and partnerships that reflect Steve's values and carry his sense of possibility forward."

Apple still has a "Remembering Steve" page on its website with condolences shared by friends, colleagues, and customers around the world.

"There is not a day that goes by that we don't think about him," said Cook, during the first-ever media event at Steve Jobs Theater back in 2017.

The third-generation iPhone SE and the iPhone 12 are among Apple's lowest-cost ‌iPhone‌ options, starting at $429 and $599 respectively. Apple released the ‌iPhone‌ 12 in late 2020, and has bumped it down in price since then to make it more accessible as new ‌iPhone‌ models have been released. On the other hand, the third-generation ‌iPhone SE‌ launched in early 2022, refreshing the most affordable ‌iPhone‌ option in the lineup.

With just $170 between them, should you get the new, smaller, entry-level ‌iPhone‌ or the older, larger, standard model that has come down in price over the years? Our guide helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these two iPhones is best for you.

Differences

‌iPhone SE‌ 3	‌iPhone‌ 12
Smaller form factor, weighs 144 grams	Larger form factor, weighs 164 grams
Glass front and back	Ceramic Shield front and glass back
4.7-inch Retina HD LCD display	6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display
625 nits max brightness (typical)	625 nits max brightness (typical) and 1,200 nits peak brightness (HDR)
1400:1 contrast ratio (typical)	2,000,000:1 contrast ratio (typical)
Home Button with Touch ID	Notch with Face ID
A15 Bionic chip	A14 Bionic chip
Single rear camera (ƒ/1.8 Main)	Dual rear cameras with 2x optical zoom range (ƒ/1.6 Main and ƒ/2.4 Ultra Wide)
Photographic Styles	Night mode
Smart HDR 4 for photos	Smart HDR 3 for photos
Front-facing 7MP FaceTime HD camera with 1080p HD video recording and Smart HDR 4	Front-facing 12MP TrueDepth camera with 4K video recording and Audio zoom, Smart HDR 3, slo-mo video support, Animoji, and Memoji
Battery life with up to 15 hours video playback	Battery life with up to 17 hours video playback
Rated IP67 water-resistant to a depth of one meter for up to 30 minutes	Rated IP68 water-resistant to a depth of six meters for up to 30 minutes
Bluetooth and U1 Ultra Wideband chip for spatial awareness	Bluetooth only
-	Supports Dolby Atmos audio playback
-	Compatible with MagSafe cases, wallets, wireless chargers, and more
Midnight, Starlight, and PRODUCT(RED) color options	Purple, Blue, Green, Black, White, and PRODUCT(RED) color options

Overall, the ‌iPhone SE‌ is an excellent entry-level ‌iPhone‌ option for just $429. In some respects, the ‌iPhone SE‌ is better than the ‌iPhone‌ 12 since it is a newer device, featuring a faster and more efficient chip, Photographic Styles, and Smart HDR 4.

For $170 more, the ‌iPhone‌ 12 offers a more modern design and a larger, OLED display, as well as ‌Face ID‌, an Ultra Wide camera, Night mode, considerably better front-facing and Main cameras, ‌MagSafe‌, and longer battery life. There is also the benefit of improved water resistance, the U1 chip, and Dolby Atmos audio playback, and even additional color options to choose from. All of this makes for a significant upgrade over the ‌iPhone SE‌ if you value these features and can afford the $170 extra, but it is worth bearing in mind that they are not essential capabilities for many users.

The main drawback of buying the ‌iPhone‌ 12 is its age, with the device featuring an older and less powerful chip. Some users may even value the smaller size and weight of the ‌iPhone SE‌, as well as features like ‌Touch ID‌. Overall, it comes down to whether you value having a smaller, newer device, or can look past this to get the benefits of a device with ‌Face ID‌ and a larger, OLED display.

If you prefer the ‌iPhone‌ 12's set of features, then it is still a good option for $599, but generally most users looking for an affordable ‌iPhone‌ should opt for the ‌iPhone SE‌ since it is more future-proof and offers a similar A15 chipset as Apple's latest iPhone 14 and ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus models.

It is also worth noting that the ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini starts at the same $599 price point as the ‌iPhone‌ 12 and continues to be available from Apple, but it features a smaller display at just 5.4-inches. The ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini is a newer device and starts with double the storage of the ‌iPhone‌ 12 at 128GB, so the ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini will be a better option for users who are considering the ‌iPhone‌ 12 but do not mind having a slightly smaller display.

After refusing a price hike last week from its primary chip supplier, TSMC, Apple has apparently reversed course and accepted the increase in prices set to be applied next year, according to the latest report from Economic Daily News.

From January 1, 2023, TSMC plans to raise the price of 8-inch chip wafers by 6 percent, while 12-inch wafers are set to increase by 3 to 5 percent. Economic Daily News previously reported that Apple wouldn't accept the price increase, but it is now saying the company has agreed to bear the cost.

TSMC's fabrication materials suppliers have been forced to drastically increase prices on the back of the global chip shortage. Other component makers and material suppliers are making similar moves in the semiconductor industry amid a wider price squeeze.

In May, Bloomberg reported that TSMC was in the process of warning its customers of a considerable price increase. This came after a hefty 20 percent price hike in 2021, which was said to be the most substantial chip price rise in a decade. Last year, it was speculated that Apple may have to raise device prices to account for substantial chip price rises.

TSMC produces A-series chips for the iPhone, iPad, and Apple silicon chips for the Mac. The foundry is expected to begin production of 3nm chips for Apple by the end of 2022. Apple's first ‌3nm‌ chip may be the M2 Pro chip for Macs, while the A17 Bionic chip in next year's iPhone 15 Pro models is also expected to be a ‌3nm‌ chip.

Apple's transition to ‌3nm‌ chips will result in further improved performance and power efficiency in upcoming Macs and iPhones, as Apple seeks to preserve its performance-per-watt lead over competitors like Intel, even if that means paying higher prices and potentially passing on the cost to consumers.

Apple today overhauled the developer account interface that developers access when logging into Apple's site, introducing a cleaner look that provides access to more information at a glance.

While the prior version of the website had a side bar for navigation, the updated site features a top navigation bar with access to program resources, email preferences, membership details, code-level support, agreements, and events.

All of the same information can be accessed by simply scrolling down, and with most of what's needed right in program resources at the top, it should be quicker and easier for developers to find the tools that they're looking for.

Program resources includes App Store Connect information and one-click access to apps and analytics, plus it has software downloads and certificates, identifiers, and profiles for testing and distributing apps.

There are quick access tools for managing an Apple developer account, receiving emails and notifications, and using Technical Support Incidents for code-level support for Apple frameworks, APIs, and tools from an Apple engineer. The site is limited to developers and requires an Apple developer account to access.

(Thanks, @alixrezax!)

In iOS 16, Apple introduced a new Apple Watch Mirroring feature that lets you see and control your Apple Watch screen from your paired iPhone. Apple Watch Mirroring is designed to make the watch experience more accessible for people with physical and motor disabilities, but it can be useful to anyone. Keep reading to learn how to use it.

With Apple Watch Mirroring in iOS 16, Apple utilizes its AirPlay wireless protocol to make Apple Watch more accessible. The addition of the new feature means you can use touch or assistive features like Voice Control, Switch Control, and more on your ‌iPhone‌ to interact with your Apple Watch.

To start using Apple Watch Mirroring, you'll need an Apple Watch Series 6 or later running watchOS 9, along with a paired ‌iPhone‌ running iOS 16. You can check if your ‌iPhone‌ needs updating by going to Settings -> General -> Software Update.

How to Control Apple Watch Mirroring

1. On your ‌iPhone‌, launch the Settings app.
2. Scroll down and tap Accessibility.
3. Under "Physical and Motor," tap Apple Watch Mirroring.
4. Toggle on the switch next to Apple Watch Mirroring.

After you've performed the last step, a graphical representation of your Apple Watch will appear on your ‌iPhone‌'s screen, while a blue outline will appear around the face of your Apple Watch to indicate that mirroring is enabled.

You'll now be able to control your Apple Watch by tapping and swiping on the watch image that appears on your ‌iPhone‌. You can even tap the Side button and swipe the Digital Crown to mimic the same physical actions that you would perform on your watch. When you're done using Apple Watch Mirroring, simply tap the X in the top-right corner of the Apple Watch card on your ‌iPhone‌.

If you want to make Apple Watch Mirroring quicker to access, you can add it to Apple's Accessibility Shortcut menu, which, once set up, can be invoked using a triple click of the Home button or Side button.

Apple today released updated firmware for the MagSafe Charger that is designed to work with the iPhone 12 and later and the AirPods Pro 2. The new firmware is version 10M1821, up from the prior 10M229 firmware. Note that in the Settings app, you'll see a different version number than the firmware number, with the update displayed as version 255.0.0.0 (the prior firmware was 247.0.0.0).

The ‌MagSafe‌ Charger was initially released in the fall of 2020 alongside the ‌iPhone‌ 12 models, and this is the third firmware update that Apple has provided.

As firmware updates are released quietly over the air, Apple does not provide release notes. We do not know what new features or bug fixes might be included in the software, but given the recent release of both the iPhone 14 models and the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2, the firmware could have optimizations for these devices.

There is no clear method for updating a ‌‌MagSafe‌‌ charger's firmware, but it needs to be plugged in and connected to an Apple device for a firmware update to initiate. You can check your ‌‌MagSafe‌‌ Charger's firmware by following the instructions in our MagSafe Charger how to.

With the latest iOS 16.1 beta, Apple has tweaked the design of the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max to make it more visible on a dark background. When using a darker wallpaper or with the darker interface of Dark Mode activated, there is a light gray border around the outside of the ‌Dynamic Island‌ when the screen is dimmed or when the ‌Dynamic Island‌ is in active use.

The border does not show up on lighter color wallpapers where the ‌Dynamic Island‌'s outline is already visible, and it disappears when the iPhone is unlocked or when the ‌Dynamic Island‌ is not being used. If you play music or use an app that displays content in the ‌Dynamic Island‌, the border will show up again.

In iOS 16.0.2, there is a very faint border around the ‌Dynamic Island‌, but the iOS 16.1 beta makes it much more apparent. It is not clear why Apple has made this change, and what it ultimately adds to the ‌Dynamic Island‌ interface. For those who used dark backgrounds to make the ‌Dynamic Island‌ blend better into the screen around it, the new outline is something of a distraction.

Apple's second-generation AirPods Pro Charging Case is equipped with a set of little metal holes at the right side, with the holes designed to accommodate a lanyard. Apple does not provide a lanyard with the ‌AirPods Pro‌, and is in fact selling just one on its website and in retail stores.

The Incase Lanyard is priced at $12.95, and it was designed with the ‌AirPods Pro‌ in mind, launching on the same day as the new earbuds. The lanyard features a thin gray strap that slides into the holes of the ‌AirPods Pro‌ and then loops to hold on securely.

It is a standardized lanyard design that is used for all kinds of accessories, and you're probably familiar with it if you've worn a badge or had a smartphone case with a lanyard loop available. The loop that attaches to the ‌AirPods Pro‌ is in turn attached to a lighter gray plastic clip, and at the end of the plastic clip, there is a longer, thicker gray braided loop that can be wrapped around the wrist or looped over a backpack or bag strap.

I like to attach my ‌AirPods Pro‌ to an inside zipper inside my backpack, leaving it accessible while also hiding it from view. The aforementioned clip can be used for attaching the Incase Lanyard to objects as you can loop it over and then tuck the strap into the clip's edge. The clip is tight, so it does feel secure. I have also used the wrist strap for carrying the ‌AirPods Pro‌ when I don't have a bag with me, and I feel that it's comfortable and secure. I appreciate the braided design, but the all gray design is boring. I wish Apple and Incase offered the Incase Lanyard in a better range of colors.

If you're using the Incase Lanyard to attach the ‌AirPods Pro‌ to keys, your wrist, or the outside of a bag, it is worth noting that there is no mechanism that secures the case of the ‌AirPods Pro‌ itself. Should the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 lid happen to pop open, your AirPods could fall out.

Incase says that the lanyard measures in at 9.25 inches long, and that felt like a good length for use as a wrist strap, if a little long. I did put effort into pulling on both sides of the plastic clip, and the lanyard feels well made and durable.

All in all, the Incase Lanyard is fine, and I have no complaints about it. It serves its purpose, and seems like it will hold up for quite some time. I do want to point out that at $13, it's not going to break the bank, but it is comparatively expensive. On Amazon.com, you can buy multi-packs of lanyards for half as much since you can use any lanyard with the skinny loop design.

How to Buy

The Incase Lanyard can be purchased from the online Apple Store for $12.95.

The iOS 16.1 beta that was released to developers today removes the erroneous Adaptive Transparency toggle that was added for the original AirPods Pro and the AirPods Max in the prior beta.

After updating last week, ‌AirPods Pro‌ and ‌AirPods Max‌ owners running the AirPods firmware beta found an "Adaptive Transparency" toggle in the AirPods settings, and it was initially assumed that Apple had brought the Adaptive Transparency feature of the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 to older AirPods models.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman yesterday said that the Adaptive Transparency option was actually a bug, which Apple has now confirmed by removing the setting in the current beta. It was decidedly curious that Apple opted to bring a major ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 feature to the original ‌AirPods Pro‌, so it makes sense that it was a mistake and that the setting was accidentally made visible on devices that do not support it.

Adaptive Transparency is an ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2-exclusive feature that is enabled by the new H2 chip in the device. It is designed to allow the ‌‌AirPods Pro‌‌ to quiet loud sounds, such as sirens, construction work, or loud speakers at a concert without blocking out all noise.

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of iOS 16.1 to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming one week after the release of the third iOS 16.1 beta. The iOS 16.1 beta is also joined by the fifth beta of iPadOS 16.1, which is on a slightly different schedule as Apple started testing it prior to the launch of iOS 16.

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

iOS 16.1 introduces support for Live Activities, the interactive notification feature that lets you keep an eye on things happening in real time right from the Lock Screen and, on the iPhone 14 Pro, the Dynamic Island.

Live Activities cannot be used at the current time as developers still need to update their apps to add support, but it will be available when iOS 16.1 launches. Developers have access to an ActivityKit API to begin getting their apps ready.

The update also introduces a new Clean Energy Charging feature in the United States that is designed to selectively charge when lower carbon emission electricity is available, plus it lays the groundwork for Matter, a new smart home standard that Apple plans to begin supporting this fall.

Matter will allow for interoperability between smart devices from different companies, and Apple, Google, Samsung, Amazon, and others are working on support.

On the iPad, iPadOS 16 will expand the Stage Manager feature to the 2018 and 2020 iPad Pro models, and it is no longer limited to the M1 ‌iPad Pro‌ and ‌M1‌ iPad Air. The beta removes the external display function of ‌Stage Manager‌, and this feature will return in a later beta. External display support will remain limited to the ‌M1‌ ‌iPad‌ models even though older ‌iPad Pro‌ models are now able to use ‌Stage Manager‌.

During the beta, Apple tweaked the design of the battery status bar icon, adding a visual indication of charge level. It also changed the battery font, updated the Lock Screen charging indicator, and fixed a copy and paste bug.

Other new features in the update include a deletable Wallet app, changes to the Lock Screen customizing interface, and more, with details available in our iOS 16.1 feature guide.

Apple today seeded the tenth beta of macOS 13 Ventura, the next-generation version of the Mac operating system that's set to launch this fall. The tenth beta comes one week after Apple provided the ninth beta to developers.

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

macOS Ventura introduces Stage Manager, a new feature that lets Mac users focus on a task while keeping other apps at the ready for easy swapping between tasks. The update adds Continuity Camera, which is designed to let you use the iPhone as a webcam for your Mac. It supports Center Stage, Desk View (for showing off your desk), and Studio Light.

Handoff is now available for FaceTime so you can transfer calls between ‌iPhone‌, iPad, and Mac at will, and Messages supports features for marking an iMessage as unread, unsending an iMessage, and marking as unread. SharePlay also now works in the Messages app.

The Mail app supports scheduling and undoing emails for up to 10 seconds after they're sent, and there are now Weather and Clock apps that are available on the Mac. System Preferences has been renamed System Settings, and it features an iOS-like design.

Safari supports Shared Tab Groups and Apple is working on Passkeys, a next-generation credential that replaces the password. There are updates to Spotlight, Photo Library has new features, and Metal 3 is included in macOS Ventura for better graphics in games.

For everything new in macOS Ventura, we have a dedicated roundup that goes through all of the features. macOS Ventura is set to see a public release in October.