MacRumors

Apple Vice President of Worldwide Product Marketing Bob Borchers has alluded to the upcoming Apple silicon Mac Pro and the company's focus on the Apple Watch's battery life in a new interview with India Today.

When asked if Apple still intends to pursue its announced plan to transition all Macs to Apple silicon, Borchers reaffirmed Apple's "clear goal to transition fully" to its own chips, seemingly hinting that the Apple silicon ‌Mac Pro‌ is still in the pipeline.

We believe strongly that Apple silicon can power and transform experiences from the MacBook Air to all the way up to the Mac Studio. We've been very clear from the beginning that our goal is to take our entire product line to Apple Silicon. And that's something we intend to do.

Amid discussion about how Apple motivated the wider computing industry to refocus on efficiency over performance, Borchers seemed to concede that the Apple Watch is a device that would benefit greatly from better battery life. He added that the issue of the Apple Watch's battery life is an area of ongoing attention at Apple. One of several answers to address the problem, Borchers believes, is fast charging. Apple apparently continues to explore how it can balance features, such as real-time health and fitness tracking, and battery life on the device.

Borchers also discussed Apple's rationale behind offering both the high-end Mac mini and the Mac Studio, explaining that one delivers a small form factor, while the other offers the flexibility of additional connectivity.

Telegram Messenger this week released an update for its Mac app that adds a new Power Saving menu of options to help users save battery life when accessing the encrypted chat platform on their MacBooks.

Found in the app's settings, Power Saving Mode can be turned on with the toggle of a switch, and when enabled, the feature instantly disables a series of resource-intensive processes.

According to Telegram, the feature turns off things like autoplay GIFs and videos, sticker and emoji animations and effects, and interface animations that normally work in the app. There's also a slider option that allows users to have Power Saving Mode turn on automatically based on the battery level percentage of their Mac.

In addition, the new Power Saving menu has a separate series of switches to turn off resource-hungry processes individually, offering a way for users to target only the worst offenders. The feature comes with version 9.4.1 of the Telegram Mac app, which also includes bug fixes and performance improvements.

Social network Twitter is experiencing a global outage at the current time, with most users unable to refresh or in some cases even load their timeline feeds. Neither Twitter's website nor the Twitter iPhone app are working properly.

Sending a tweet works in the app, but in many cases only the author can see their tweet given that timelines are out of action. Twitter Search is also non-functional. There are thousands of reports about the outage on the Down Detector website.

It is not clear what is causing the outage, but Twitter conducted its fourth round of layoffs over the weekend, cutting 10% of its remaining workforce. The layoffs reportedly hit several departments, including ads and infrastructure engineering, leaving the company with fewer than 2,000 employees. It had about 7,500 when Elon Musk took over.

Update: While the Following feed is still down, some users are reporting they can now see the For you feed, which aggregates recommended tweets algorithmically from accounts that are not followed.

Update 2: Reports suggest that timelines have now been restored and both the Twitter app and website are working as expected.

Apple today released the second beta of iOS 16.4 to developers, and while not as feature rich as the first beta, there are a couple notable additions in beta two worth knowing about.

Apple Books Page Turning Animation

With the launch of iOS 16, Apple tweaked Apple Books to eliminate the traditional page turning animation that had been used since the early days of the app, a move that upset some Apple Books users.

The second iOS 16.4 beta reintroduces the page turning animation as an option, which is a welcome change for the Apple Books readers who missed it. In the Themes and Settings section of the Books app, there are now three options for page turning: Curl, Slide, and None.

Slide is the ‌iOS 16‌ default, Curl is the old iOS 15 and earlier animation, and None is an even simpler animation that just shifts from page to page with little fanfare. These features are also available in iPadOS 16.4 for those who read on the iPad.

Apple Music Classical Code

Code in the iOS 16.4 beta confirms Apple's continued work on the Apple Music Classical app, and suggests that it could be launching in the not too distant future.

Code in the beta suggests that listening to ‌Apple Music‌ Classical will require users to have the standard ‌Apple Music‌ app installed. "To listen in ‌Apple Music‌ Classical, you'll need to install ‌Apple Music‌," reads a line in the MusicKit framework.

As of right now, there is no sign of an ‌Apple Music‌ Classical app in iOS 16.4, but that doesn't mean that it won't come in a later beta or with the iOS 16.4 launch. It could also be delayed until a later update or even iOS 17, as this is not the first iOS 16 update that has had ‌Apple Music‌ Classical references.

Apple Pay in South Korea

Code in iOS 16.4 confirms that users in South Korea will be able to add credit and debit cards to the Wallet app for use with Apple Pay, suggesting iOS 16.4 will add ‌Apple Pay‌ in the country.

That is in line with reports from early February that indicated South Korea's Financial Services Commission has approved Apple Pay. Apple has been working to bring ‌Apple Pay‌ to South Korea since 2017.

AppleCare Device Coverage

Under Settings > General > About where Apple has a "Coverage" section that lists your Apple devices with AppleCare+, all listed products now have an icon next to them. This section includes your iPhone and connected peripherals like Apple Watch and AirPods.

The section was present in beta one, but the icons are new.

Podcasts Splash Screen

There's a new splash screen in the Podcasts app in beta 2, which explains the new changes.

The Podcasts app now supports channels in Library, expanded CarPlay functionality, and an improved Up Next feature that lets you resume episodes and skip what you don't want to listen to.

Always On Display Settings

Apple made some minor tweaks to the Always On Display section in the Settings app on ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro models. The toggle to turn off Always On Display is now listed under the toggles for showing wallpaper and notifications, rather than above.

More Features

Know of something that we left out in this list? Let us know in the comments below.

Apple is planning a new Apple Watch activity challenge for International Women's Day, which will be celebrated on Wednesday, March 8.

The Activity Challenge will be displayed on the Apple Watch as a notification in the days leading up to the event, and to earn the International Women's Day award, Apple Watch users will need to do a workout of any kind for at least 20 minutes.

On March 8, show your support for the empowerment of women everywhere. Do any workout for 20 minutes or more to earn this award. Record your time with the Workout app or any app that adds workouts to Health.

Apple Watch owners who earn the award will unlock a dedicated badge in the Fitness app, plus they will get a series of animated stickers that can be used in the Messages and FaceTime apps.

The International Women's Day award follows new challenges that were introduced for Lunar New Year, Black History Month, and Heart Month in February.

The Apple Music Classical app that Apple first announced when it acquired classical music service Primephonic could potentially be launching in the near future according to additional mentions of "‌Apple Music‌ Classical" found in the iOS 16.4 beta.

Code in the beta suggests that listening to ‌Apple Music‌ Classical will require users to have the standard ‌Apple Music‌ app installed. "To listen in ‌Apple Music‌ Classical, you'll need to install ‌Apple Music‌," reads a line in the MusicKit framework.

As of right now, there is no sign of an ‌Apple Music‌ Classical app in iOS 16.4, but that doesn't mean that it won't come in a later beta or with the iOS 16.4 launch.

Apple initially said in 2021 that ‌Apple Music‌ Classical would be introduced "next year," aka, 2022, but that did not happen. There was no 2022 launch of the new classical music experience, and Apple has provided no updates on when we might expect to see the new app.

Apple promised that ‌Apple Music‌ Classical would be a dedicated classical music app that is separate from ‌Apple Music‌, but this makes it clear that the ‌Apple Music‌ Classical app will also require ‌Apple Music‌ to be installed.

This is not the first time that we've seen references to ‌Apple Music‌ Classical in an iOS 16 update. iOS 16.3, for example, added "Open in ‌Apple Music‌ Classical" wording to the code, and there have also been mentions of the feature in backend code on Apple's site.

It is unclear why Apple has taken so long to introduce an ‌Apple Music‌ Classical app, and though we continue to see signs of it, it still remains a mystery as to whether it will come in iOS 16.4, a later iOS 16 update, or iOS 17.

The second beta of iOS 16.4 that was introduced to developers today appears to have a limited number of new features, but it does have a major update for those who use Apple Books - it reintroduces an option for the page turning animation.

With iOS 16, Apple revamped the Books app and removed the traditional page turning animation in favor of a simpler slide animation, but many Apple Books users were not happy with the decision.

The iOS 16.4 beta adds a new toggle in the Themes and Settings section of the Books app that lets users choose a page turning animation. Options include Curl, Slide, and None. Slide is the iOS 16 default, Curl is the old iOS 15 and earlier animation, and None is an even simpler animation that just shifts from page to page. These features are also available in iPadOS 16.4 for those who read on the iPad.

B&H Photo today has a few deals on Apple's M2 Mac mini, marking some of the first notable discounts on the device since it launched in January 2023. Both deals are only available on B&H Photo as of writing, and the retailer offers free expedited shipping in the contiguous United States.

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

Starting with the 256GB M2 Mac mini, this model is on sale for $549.00, down from $599.00. This beats the sale price found at retailers like Amazon by about $30 and is now the lowest price we've ever tracked on this version of the M2 Mac mini.

Moving to the 512GB M2 Mac mini, B&H Photo has this model for $749.00, down from $799.00. Similar to the 256GB option, the 512GB M2 Mac mini's price tag is the best we've seen to date at any retailer.

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

Apple today seeded the second beta of macOS Ventura 13.3 to developers for testing purposes, with the new software update coming two weeks after the release of the first macOS 13.3 beta.

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

macOS Ventura 13.3 adopts the same new emoji characters that are in iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4, including pink heart, light blue heart, left and right hand, moose, black bird, goose, wing, jellyfish, pea pod, finger, and more.

The update adds the new HomeKit architecture that was initially removed from iOS 16.2 and its sister updates, and the revised version should have fewer bugs that affect ‌HomeKit‌ setups.

macOS Ventura 13.3 will go through multiple rounds of beta testing, with Apple planning to release it in the spring.

Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming two weeks after the launch of the first betas.

Registered developers are able to download the iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 updates over-the-air after installing the appropriate profile from the Developer Center. Going forward, beta updates will not require a profile and will instead be done directly on device through an Apple ID linked to a developer account. Note: There appears to be an issue with the iOS 16.4 beta 2 update that is preventing some developers from seeing it at the current time.

iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 add new emoji characters, including shaking head, pink heart, light blue heart, donkey, moose, jellyfish, hyacinth, ginger, black bird, and more. There are 31 new emoji in total, including left and right hand options in several skin tones.

Safari Web Push notifications have been added on the iPhone and iPad, and you can receive them from websites that have been added to the Home Screen on your device. Web Push notifications are identical to the notifications that you get from websites on the Mac, and behave like any other iOS notification.

Third-party browsers like Chrome are now able to let users add websites and websites to the ‌Home Screen‌, and Apple has reintroduced the HomeKit architecture upgrade. There are also changes to Podcasts, minor updates to Apple Music, new options for Shortcuts, and more, with a full list of new features in iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 available in our features guide.

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming watchOS 9.4 update to developers for testing purposes, with the software update coming two weeks after launch of the first beta.

To install the watchOS 9.4 update, developers will need to download the configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center.

Once installed, ‌watchOS 9.4 can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software update. To update to new software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life, it has to be placed on the charger, and it will need to be in range of the ‌‌iPhone‌‌ it is paired with.

watchOS 9.4 gains support for new emoji characters that include donkey, goose, black bird, shaking head, hyacinth, pea pod, and more, with 31 new characters available in total.

Through iOS 16.4, the update adds support for Web Push notifications that are sent to an ‌iPhone‌, with the notifications able to be set up for a website that is added to the ‌iPhone‌'s Home Screen.

watchOS 9.4 will go through several rounds of beta testing, and it is expected to see a launch in the spring alongside iOS 16.4.

The latest version of the Google Chrome browser designed for Macs includes optimizations that are designed to preserve battery life. In a blog post shared today, Google says that with a single full charge, a 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro running Chrome can be used to browse the internet for 17 hours or watch YouTube for 18 hours.

With improvements to Energy Saver mode, browsing time is extended for another 30 minutes by reducing unnecessary background tasks, and while Google uses the ‌M2‌ ‌MacBook Pro‌ as an example, the company says that those using older Macs will also see performance gains.

To boost battery life, Google made changes that include tuning iframes to consume less energy, tweaking JavaScript timers to wake the CPU less often, streamlining data structures to optimize access, and eliminating unnecessary redraws.

Google plans to continue to optimize Energy Saver mode in the future. The Chrome browser for Macs can be downloaded from Google's website, with the 110 version released last week.

The European Commission today announced it has narrowed its antitrust investigation into Apple's rules for streaming music apps. In a revised Statement of Objections sent to Apple, the Commission said it will no longer challenge Apple's requirement for apps to use the App Store's in-app purchase system for digital goods and services. The investigation began in 2019 after Spotify filed an antitrust complaint against Apple.

The investigation will now focus entirely on Apple preventing streaming music apps from informing iPhone and iPad users within the app that lower subscription prices are available when signing up outside of the App Store. Subscriptions can sometimes cost extra when initiated through the App Store compared to directly on an app's website, as developers look to offset Apple's 15% to 30% fee on in-app subscriptions.

The Commission's preliminary view is that Apple's rules equate to "anti-steering" and "unfair trading conditions," in breach of EU antitrust law. The Commission added that the rules are "detrimental to users of music streaming services on Apple's mobile devices" given they may end up paying more and "negatively affect the interests of music streaming app developers by limiting effective consumer choice."

In a statement shared with MacRumors, an Apple spokesperson said the company is "pleased" that the Commission has narrowed its case:

Apple will continue to work with the European Commission to understand and respond to their concerns, all the while promoting competition and choice for European consumers. We're pleased that the Commission has narrowed its case and is no longer challenging Apple's right to collect a commission for digital goods and require the use of the In-App Payment systems users trust. The App Store has helped Spotify become the top music streaming service across Europe and we hope the European Commission will end its pursuit of a complaint that has no merit.

Spotify no longer allows customers to subscribe through its iPhone app. A message in the Premium tab of the app informs customers that they "can't upgrade to Premium in the app" and says "we know, it's not ideal." The tab does not provide any information or external links related to subscribing on Spotify's website.

Apple's App Store Review Guidelines allow developers to inform users about alternative purchasing methods with communication outside of the app, such as email. "Reader" apps such as Spotify can also include an in-app link to their website for users to set up or manage their accounts. Ultimately, though, Spotify still cannot advertise the lower subscription prices available through its website within its iPhone app.

As part of its response, Apple said it always promotes competition, is only one of many competitors in the streaming music market in Europe, and that the iOS app economy supports 2.2 million European jobs. Apple also cited reports finding that Spotify is among the most successful apps on the App Store and a dominant business.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Apple's M2 MacBook Air (512GB) has dropped to $1,299.99 on Amazon, down from $1,499.00. This sale is available in Starlight and Silver, and right now only Amazon has this price on the 2022 MacBook Air.

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.

This is one of the best prices that we've tracked so far in 2023 on the MacBook Air, and it's an overall second-best price on the notebook compared to holiday sales. Amazon estimates a March 3 delivery date for most United States residences.

This version of the MacBook Air launched in June 2022 with a complete redesign compared to the previous generation, featuring an updated chassis, 13.6-inch Liquid Retina Display, and Apple's M2 chip. Apple also sells a 256GB model but we currently aren't tracking any deals on this version.

You can find even more discounts on other MacBooks by visiting our Best Deals guide for MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. In this guide we track the steepest discounts for the newest MacBook models every week, so be sure to bookmark it and check back often if you're shopping for a new Apple notebook. Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains as well.

Microsoft today announced that it is adding iPhone support to its Phone Link app on Windows 11. The app allows iPhone users to make and receive phone calls, send and receive text messages, and view an iPhone's notifications directly on a PC.

Notably, the app brings limited iMessage functionality to Windows. After pairing an iPhone with a PC via Bluetooth and granting some permissions on the iPhone, users can send and receive iMessages and SMS text messages in Phone Link, but there is no support for group chats or sending photos and videos.

As noted by The Verge's Tom Warren, Phone Link also lacks full message history for conversations and displays all sent and received messages as gray bubbles, meaning iMessages and SMS text messages cannot be differentiated.

Microsoft says iPhone support in Phone Link will be available in preview starting this week for a "small percentage" of Windows Insider members enrolled in the Dev, Beta, or Release Preview channels. The preview will be expanded "over time."

Amazon today has a rare deal on Apple's third-generation AirPods, on sale for $149.99, down from $169.00. This is the model that comes with a Lightning Charging Case, and right now we're only tracking this discount at Amazon.

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.

Sales on the AirPods 3 have been very scarce over the last few months, with the last notable discount popping up around Black Friday. Amazon's deal today is about $10 higher than the all-time low price on this model, making it a solid second-best price.

If you're okay with purchasing an older generation model, Amazon also has the AirPods 2 for $99.00, down from $129.00. We track sales for every model of the AirPods in our Best AirPods Deals guide, so be sure to bookmark that page while you shop around for the wireless headphones.

Update: This deal has expired.

Apple Watch's Track Detection feature launched in Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom last week, according to the fitness blog DC Rainmaker. The feature is available on all Apple Watch models running watchOS 9.2 and later.

With Track Detection, the Apple Watch uses an Apple Maps database and GPS to automatically detect when you step on to an outdoor running track. In the Workout app, you can select which lane of the track you are running in and receive more accurate distance measurements and a more precise route map. There is also an option to receive lap alerts that show distance, time, and pace as you complete each lap.

Track Detection first became available in the United States last year. watchOS 9.2 is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 4 and newer.