MacRumors

Cydia parent company SaurikIT, LLC has filed an appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit after U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers dismissed the company's antitrust lawsuit against Apple last month, according to court documents. SaurikIT had voluntarily asked for the case to be dismissed so the appeal process could begin at the higher court.

SaurikIT sued Apple in late 2020, alleging that the company has an illegal monopoly over iOS app distribution given that the App Store is the only authorized marketplace where users can download apps on the iPhone and iPad. The complaint also alleged that Apple has "consistently tried to snuff out alternative app stores," including Cydia.

Cydia launched in early 2008, months before Apple's own App Store. The app allows users who "jailbreak" their iPhone or iPad to install apps outside of the App Store, as well as themes and tweaks that customize the look and functionality of iOS. For example, long before Apple introduced the Control Center on the iPhone, there was a tweak available on Cydia called SBSettings that offered similar functionality.

The lawsuit alleged that Cydia was the "the App Store before the App Store" and the "first comprehensive solution" for expanding the iPhone's capabilities, although it's worth noting that another unofficial App Store known as Installer launched prior to Cydia.

SaurikIT is owned by Jay Freeman, who is one of several developers and companies who have sued Apple for alleged anticompetitive behavior in relation to the App Store over the past few years, with others including Fortnite creator Epic Games, streaming music service Spotify, FlickType keyboard app creator Kosta Eleftheriou, and more.

Apple has repeatedly denied that the App Store is a monopoly given that it faces competition from the Google Play store on Android devices. Apple has also repeatedly touted the privacy and security benefits of the App Store, arguing that third-party app stores on the iPhone could expose users to fraud, malware, and other risks.

A bug is alerting some second-generation AirPods Pro users to "replace" their battery soon, according to various online reports.

The bug seems to trigger battery replacement notifications from the Find My app on nearby devices when the battery of the ‌AirPods Pro‌ earbuds or MagSafe Charging Case is low. The second-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌ feature enhanced ‌Find My‌ functionality thanks to a U1 chip for Precision Finding and transmit their battery levels at all times, so it seems likely that the alert relates to these new features.

The notifications urge the user to "replace the battery on... soon," even though it is not possible to replace AirPods batteries and the device simply needs to be recharged. Users experiencing the bug may not be immediately aware that it relates to their ‌AirPods Pro‌, since the item is referred to in notifications as simply "left," "right," or "Case," leading to somewhat incoherent alerts.

The notifications seems similar to that used for the AirTag when its CR2032 battery is almost depleted and needs to be replaced, so it seems that the system is conflating the two products. One theory suggests that Apple used much of the ‌AirTag‌'s firmware for the ‌MagSafe‌ Charging Case, causing identical alerts even where they do not make sense.

Users have complained about the bug on the MacRumors forums and Reddit, but it is not clear how widespread the issue is. While Apple has not yet acknowledged the bug, it will likely be resolved via a software update in due course.

Thanks, Isaac!

Amazon today introduced a new all-time low price on the 2019 AirPods 2 with Wired Charging Case, available for $79.00, down from $129.00. The headphones are in stock and ready to ship today, with a delivery estimate between October 6 - 9.

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 price beats the previous record low price by about $10, and that previous best-ever price is one we haven't seen since last Black Friday. We don't know how sales will go this holiday shopping season, but right now this is a great chance to get a pair of AirPods at an ultra-low entry-level price.

This is the version of the AirPods 2 that comes with a Wired Charging Case, made to be used with an Apple Lightning Cable. Apple discontinued the AirPods 2 with Wireless Charging Case with the launch of the AirPods 3.

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.

The popular email client Spark today announced a significant redesign for its Mac app, introducing new features to make it easier for users to manage their emails, reduce distractions, and have a more streamlined emailing workflow.

Spark on the Mac now has an entirely new design that maintains the same elements as before, such as a unified inbox, but with new additional features. Now, the new design introduces bundles for different email categories such as newsletters and notifications. Emails can now be marked as "done" rather than unread in the new Smart Inbox as part of Spark's goal to rethink how people interact with emails.

Spark is also introducing a new feature called Gatekeeper, which automatically scans all incoming emails from new senders and displays them as cards at the top of the inbox. Users can now choose to accept the incoming email from the sender or block the sender entirely.

Unlike before, Spark is moving to a new subscription-based model. The free version of Spark now includes the same features as before, along with the unified inbox, the new smart inbox, and the updated design. Spark Premium users will gain access to addtional new features, including Gatekeeper, a new Home Screen that helps users take a break from emails, muting threads, and more.

For new individual users, Spark Premium will cost $59.99 for an annual subscription, which is the equivalent of $4.99 per month. The monthly subscription will cost $7.99 for individual users. Existing users of Spark will get a lifetime 30% discount on an annual subscription, while the monthly price remains at $7.99. For the first time, Spark is now available on Windows.

Gamevice today announced that it is now accepting pre-orders for its latest gaming controller, the Gamevice Flex, which is designed to accommodate iPhones with cases of all sizes so there is no need to remove the case to play.

The two sides of the Flex pull apart so that an iPhone can be placed in the middle, and then it closes around the sides of the ‌iPhone‌ for a secure fit. There is a built-in Lightning port for the ‌iPhone‌ version that allows for a connection to the Gamevice app.

Gamevice designed the Flex with an Xbox controller layout, so it will be familiar to Xbox fans, plus the company says it has been created with enhanced ergonomics for more comfortable gameplay sessions. There are full-sized joysticks, hall effect triggers, a headphone jack, and a built-in Lightning connector for charging the ‌iPhone‌ though a passthrough USB-C port.

‌iPhone‌ users can play any game that supports gaming controllers with the Gamevice Flex.

The Gamevice Flex is available for pre-order as of today and it will launch on October 25. Preorders come with a free one-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription.

Earlier today, the European Parliament voted in favor of enforcing a standard charger across all smartphones and a wide range of consumer electronic devices by the end of 2024, including new products released by Apple thereafter.

The new rule will directly and most heavily impact Apple, which across a wide range of products, continues to use a decade-old port. Below, we've listed some of the most popular Apple products that currently feature Lightning but will have to adopt USB-C if newer models go on sale in 2025 or later to comply with the new law.

• iPhone (the first iPhone with a USB-C port is actually rumored to be next year's iPhone 15)
• Entry-level iPad: The only iPad that currently still features a Lightning connector
• AirPods Charging Case: All AirPods cases continue to feature the Lightning port
• Accessories: MagSafe Battery Pack, Magic Keyboard, Magic Trackpad, Magic Mouse, EarPods, and Beats products

Apple introduced the Lightning port in 2012 as part of the iPhone 5 redesign, promising improved durability and ease of use compared to the 30-pin connector used on previous iPhones. During its announcement in 2012, Phil Schiller called the Lightning port a "modern connector for the next decade."

• The EU Wants All Phones to Work With Interoperable Chargers, Here's What That Means for Apple's Lightning Port

While Apple has chosen to bring USB-C to many of its iPad models, it has for the most part stuck with Lightning for its most popular products. Meanwhile, the rest of the industry has overwhelmingly moved to USB-C. A majority of Android flagship smartphones feature USB-C, and the port has become the standard for consumer products for makers and customers alike.

Apple's iPhone exports from India have amounted to $1 billion in the five months since April, as the country makes headway in its bid to become a major electronics manufacturing hub for Apple (via Bloomberg).

According to Bloomberg's sources, shipments of India-made iPhones to Europe and the Middle East are set to reach $2.5 billion by March 2023, almost doubling the $1.3 billion worth of iPhones the country exported in the year through March 2022.

While small by China's standards, India's increasing ‌iPhone‌ output signals the strength of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's local manufacturing policies and Apple's willingness to plough investment into the country as an alternative to China's electronics assembly hegemony and the disruptive geopolitical issues that come with it.

"The healthy growth in Apple's manufacturing scale and export shows India is gradually assuming an important position in the company's China plus one strategy," Navkendar Singh, an analyst at tech researcher IDC, told Bloomberg. "And for India, this a big sign of the success of its financial incentives scheme."

Apple's Taiwanese assembly partners Foxconn, Wistron, and Pegatron all have ‌iPhone‌ manufacturing plants in India, where ‌iPhone‌ 11, ‌iPhone‌ 12, ‌iPhone‌ 13, and most recently iPhone 14 models are being produced. Apple recently announced it had begun ‌iPhone 14‌ assembly in the country, while reducing the delay between Chinese and India output from months to weeks.

In diversifying its production lines away from China, Apple is playing a long game that won't see a major impact on its supply chain for many years. Bloomberg recently reported that it would take around eight years to move just 10% of Apple's production capacity out of China, where about 98% of iPhones are still made.

Update 11/5: According to Nikkei Asia, Apple is also asking suppliers to move some AirPods and Beats headphone production to India for the first time, with partners Luxshare and Foxconn poised to switch assembly of said products to the country.

The European Parliament today voted overwhelmingly in favor of enforcing USB-C as a common charging port across a wide range of consumer electronic devices, including the iPhone and AirPods, by the end of 2024.

The proposal, known as a directive, forces all consumer electronics manufacturers who sell their products in Europe to ensure that a wide range of devices feature a USB-C port. This "common port" will be a world-first statute and impact Apple in particular since it widely uses the Lightning connector instead of USB-C on many of its devices. MEPs claim that the move will reduce electronic waste, address product sustainability, and make use of different devices more convenient.

The directive received 602 votes in favor, 13 votes against, and eight abstentions. A press release issued by the European Parliament earlier today states:

By the end of 2024, all mobile phones, tablets and cameras sold in the EU will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C charging port. From spring 2026, the obligation will extend to laptops. The new law, adopted by plenary on Tuesday with 602 votes in favour, 13 against and 8 abstentions, is part of a broader EU effort to reduce e-waste and to empower consumers to make more sustainable choices.

Under the new rules, consumers will no longer need a different charger every time they purchase a new device, as they will be able to use one single charger for a whole range of small and medium-sized portable electronic devices.

Regardless of their manufacturer, all new mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld videogame consoles and portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems, earbuds and laptops that are rechargeable via a wired cable, operating with a power delivery of up to 100 Watts, will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C port.

All devices that support fast charging will now have the same charging speed, allowing users to charge their devices at the same speed with any compatible charger.

Exemptions will apply for devices that are too small to offer a USB-C port, such as smart watches, health trackers, and some sports equipment, but the legislation is expected to be expanded to other devices over time. Companies will also have to ensure that dedicated labels clearly inform consumers about the charging characteristics of devices they buy.

In addition, the EU seeks to ensure that wireless charging solutions are interoperable as the technology evolves over time. The directive empowers the European Commission to develop delegated acts by the end of 2024 that force companies to make their custom wireless charging solutions more open and meet interoperability standards, helping consumers to avoid getting locked into proprietary charging solutions while preventing fragmentation and reducing waste. It is not clear if this would include Apple's MagSafe charging system for the ‌iPhone‌ and AirPods since it is based on the Qi wireless charging standard.

• The EU Wants All Phones to Work With Interoperable Chargers, Here's What That Means for Apple's Lightning Port

Now, the European Council must approve the directive so that it can be published in the EU Official Journal. It will come into force 20 days after publication in the EU Official Journal and its requirements will start to apply to new devices after 24 months. Products that went on sale before the date of application will be exempt and can continue to be sold after that point.

In 2018, the European Commission attempted to reach a final resolution on this issue but it failed to come into law. At the time, Apple warned that forcing a common charging port on the industry would stifle innovation and create electronic waste as consumers would be forced to switch to new cables.

The EU's effort resumed last year, with the European Commission spearheading a refreshed version of the directive. In April, the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee voted to support the directive, with 43 votes in favor and just two against. In June, the EU's Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection reached an agreement to introduce the directive to the European Parliament.

• Five Apple Products Rumored to Switch to USB-C

Both Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman have said that Apple is testing a version of the ‌iPhone‌ that has a USB-C port instead of a Lightning port. Kuo believes that Apple could switch the ‌iPhone‌ to USB-C starting with 2023's iPhone 15, before transitioning AirPods and other accessories at a later date. This timing would allow Apple to switch many of its affected devices to USB-C ahead of the EU directive coming into force.

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.

iOS 16 was released to the public three weeks ago with a customizable Lock Screen, the ability to edit iMessages, improvements to Focus modes, and much more. And in the coming months, iPhone and iPad users have even more new features to look forward to.

We've rounded up 10 new features coming to the iPhone and iPad later this year, according to Apple. Many of the features are part of iOS 16.1, which is currently in beta testing, but some of the features are not expected until later in the year.

iCloud Shared Photo Library

iCloud‌ Shared Photo Library will make it easier for you to share photos with your family members or friends in the Photos app. The feature will let you and up to five other people add, edit, or remove photos in a shared library accessible via iCloud.

Apple delayed the launch of iCloud Shared Photo Library and now says it is coming later this year.

Live Activities for Third-Party Apps

iOS 16.1 will expand Live Activities to third-party apps in the App Store. The feature allows iPhone users to stay on top of real-time events, such as a sports game or a food delivery order, right on the Lock Screen or in the Dynamic Island.

Live Activities appear at the bottom of the Lock Screen on iPhone 13 models and earlier, as well as on the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. On the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, Live Activities appear in the Dynamic Island when the device is unlocked, or on the Lock Screen when the device is locked or in always-on display mode.

Once the iOS 16.1 Release Candidate is available, developers will be able to submit apps with Live Activities to the App Store.

The feature will also be supported in Apple's TV app for select sports leagues, including the MLB for users in the U.S., Canada, Australia, U.K., Brazil, Mexico, Japan, and South Korea, along with the NBA and Premier League for users in the U.S. and Canada only.

Emergency SOS via Satellite

All four iPhone 14 models include a new Emergency SOS via Satellite feature that is set to launch in November in the U.S. and Canada.

Emergency SOS via Satellite is designed to allow iPhone 14 models to connect directly to a satellite, allowing users to send text messages to emergency services when outside the range of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. When it launches in the U.S. and Canada, Apple says the service will be free for the first two years, which suggests that Apple might be planning to charge for the service at some point in the future.

Apple says that in "ideal conditions with a direct view of the sky and the horizon," a message might take 15 seconds to send via satellite, but it can take over a minute for a message to send "under trees with light or medium foliage."

Apple Music Classical

In August 2021, Apple announced the acquisition of classical music service Primephonic. At the time, Apple said it planned to launch a dedicated classical music app in 2022 that combined Primephonic's user interface with additional features.

Apple continues to prepare for the launch of the Apple Music Classical app, but specific details and an exact release date are still unknown.

Clean Energy Charging

iOS 16.1 includes a new Clean Energy Charging feature that Apple says "aims to decrease the carbon footprint of the iPhone by optimizing charging times for when the grid is using cleaner energy sources." The feature is available in the U.S. only.

Apple Fitness+ Without an Apple Watch

Apple Fitness+ will be available to iPhone users without an Apple Watch starting with iOS 16.1, iPadOS 16.1, and tvOS 16.1. Without an Apple Watch, iPhone users will not see real-time metrics like heart rate and calories burned during a workout.

Launched in December 2020, Apple Fitness+ features a library of over 3,000 workout and meditation videos, with new content added weekly. The subscription-based service is available through the Fitness app on the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV in 21 countries, with U.S. pricing set at $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year.

Freeform

Apple says it will be releasing a new digital whiteboard app called Freeform for the iPhone and iPad later this year. The app is described as a "flexible canvas" that will give users the "ability to see, share, and collaborate all in one place without worrying about layouts and page sizes," complete with full support for the Apple Pencil.

Freeform will allow users to start a session from FaceTime and view updates from others right in an iMessage conversation thread.

Matter Accessories in Home App

Matter is an upcoming connectivity standard that will enable compatible smart home accessories to work together seamlessly across multiple platforms, including Apple's HomeKit, Amazon's Alexa, and Google's Home. On the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, Apple says Matter support is coming in an update to the Home app later this year.

Controlling Matter accessories with the Home app and Siri will require a HomePod, HomePod mini, Apple TV 4K, or Apple TV HD running as a home hub.

Battery Percentage Icon for More iPhones

Apple finally made battery percentage visible in the status bar again on iPhones with a notch, eliminating the need to swipe down. Starting with iOS 16.1, the optional feature is expanding to the iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 mini, and iPhone 13 mini.

Stage Manager for More iPad Pros

Last week, Apple announced that iPadOS 16.1 will expand Stage Manager to iPad Pro models with A12X and A12Z chips released in 2018 and 2020.

Stage Manager will not have external display support on older iPad Pro models, limiting the feature to four apps on the built-in display. Apple has also delayed external display support for Stage Manager on iPad Pro and iPad Air models with the M1 chip and said this functionality will be reimplemented in a software update later this year.

Apple on September 23 officially launched the second-generation version of the AirPods Pro, introducing updated Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive Transparency, improved sound, and more. Right around the same time, Bose introduced new QuietComfort II earbuds with many similar features, so we thought we'd compare the two to see which has the edge.

Both the QuietComfort II and the ‌AirPods Pro‌ feature in-ear designs with silicone tips, but the QuietComfort II earbuds have a short, thick body rather than a rounded body with a stem like the ‌AirPods Pro‌.

The ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 have an excellent fit so it's hard for the QuietComfort II to compete, but they do not move around in the ear and feel secure. Fit will mostly come down to personal preference, of course, but we found the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 to fit better, making them more comfortable to wear.

Sound quality for the QuietComfort II earbuds is neutral out of the box, but there is an EQ app that can be used to tailor the sound, something not available on the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2. The app also allows for pairing with multiple devices (already available with the AirPods), and it allows for customization of the ANC feature.

As for Active Noise Cancellation, the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 win out. ANC on the QuietComfort II earbuds is okay, but it's not as good as the ‌AirPods Pro‌ ANC. Apple also does Transparency better, especially with the new Adaptive Transparency that can cut down on loud sounds like sirens without muting all background noise.

The QuietComfort II earbuds come with a charging case, but it's notably larger than the MagSafe charging case that comes with the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2. The earbuds themselves last for about six hours, the same as the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2, but the charging case adds just 18 hours of battery, while the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 charging case adds up to 24 hours of additional battery life for a total of 30 hours vs. 24 for the QuietComfort II.

Apple sells the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 for $250, while the QuietComfort II from Bose are priced at $299, so they're in the same general price bracket. One major upside to the QuietComfort II - they come in black. Apple is still only selling its ‌AirPods Pro‌ in white, with no black option available for those who would prefer a sleeker color.

Make sure to watch the full video up above for a side-by-side comparison of the ‌AirPods Pro‌ and QuietComfort II, and let us know what you think in the comments.

The AirPods Pro 2 Adaptive Transparency feature is not coming to the original ‌AirPods Pro‌ or the AirPods Max, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The Adaptive Transparency setting that appeared in the third iOS 16.1 beta is apparently a bug.

‌AirPods Max‌ and original ‌AirPods Pro‌ owners noticed an Adaptive Transparency setting that had replaced the original Transparency setting shortly after upgrading to the latest iOS 16.1 and the AirPods beta firmware, and the assumption was that Apple was expanding the feature to additional devices.

Apple does not often tout new features like Adaptive Transparency and bring them to older devices, so it was a curious decision, and it makes sense that it was actually added in error. It's likely that there is no Adaptive Transparency implementation for the original ‌AirPods Pro‌ and ‌AirPods Max‌ at all, and Apple accidentally made the Adaptive Transparency setting visible for devices that do not actually support it.

Adaptive Transparency is an ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 feature that Apple highlighted extensively when introducing the new earbuds, attributing it to the new H2 chip. Adaptive Transparency is designed to allow the ‌AirPods Pro‌ quiet loud sounds, such as sirens, construction work, or loud speakers at a concert without blocking out all noise.

Zillow today announced that it has integrated the Apple Maps Look Around feature into its real estate app, allowing potential home buyers to get a closer look at the neighborhood around a house they are interested in.

Apple with iOS 16 added the ‌Apple Maps‌ Look Around feature to the MapKit API that is available to developers, letting developers add the feature to third-party apps for the first time. Third-party apps are also now able to use MapKit with the new 3D map experience that is available in some areas.

Zillow says that with interactive floor plans and 3D tours, the Look Around integration makes it "easier than ever" to get a "deep sense of your home and community." Look Around can be accessed from Zillow listing pages using the Zillow app for iOS devices.

The Zillow app has already integrated SharePlay, with Zillow also rolling out support for Shared with You. Shared with You will let Zillow app users see listings in the Zillow app that have been shared with them through the Messages app on iOS and Mac devices.

Zillow can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Twitter today announced that Twitter Blue subscribers located in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are now able to use the edit tweet feature that has been in testing since the beginning of September.

An edit option has been in the works for several months now, with the "Edit Tweet" option showing up alongside the already available Delete Tweet, Pin to Profile, Change who can reply, and Add/remove from Lists options. Tweets can be edited for up to 30 minutes after being sent.

Twitter in September said that it would test the edit button with Twitter Blue subscribers before rolling it out more widely. Tweets that have been edited are denoted with an "Edited" tag, and past versions of tweets are visible.

Twitter says that Twitter Blue subscribers in the United States will soon get access to the feature. Twitter Blue is priced at $2.99 per month in the U.S. and it provides access to ad-free articles, various customization options, a bookmarks folder, an undo tweet option, early access to new Twitter features, and more.

Apple's 2021 Siri Remote that was released alongside the second-generation Apple TV 4K originally had a different design, according to filings that Apple submitted to the FCC ahead of the device's launch. In the images, there is shallow oval-shaped divot at the rear of the remote, which may have been intended as a finger rest to improve grip.

The finger rest would have been above the Apple logo on the ‌Siri‌ Remote, but Apple eliminated this design element before introducing the accessory. The version that launched has a smooth back with no finger rest cutout at all.

There are also some other small design differences, including a different design for the IR sensor at the top of the remote and some slight changes to the icons on the buttons. It is not clear why Apple decided to eliminate the divot at the back of the remote, but removing it must have been a last minute design decision.

The updated ‌Siri‌ Remote is a marked improvement over the original ‌Siri‌ Remote, featuring a larger aluminum body and a touch-enabled clickpad with gesture support instead of a smooth touch surface. There is a dedicated power button that was a welcome change, as well as a ‌Siri‌ button on the side of the device.

Multiple rumors indicated that Apple could add Find My to the ‌Siri‌ Remote, but that also did not happen and there is no sign that it was an intended feature in the FCC filing.

An administrative court in Italy today scrapped a €173.3 million ($170.4 million) fine leveled at Apple and Amazon last year for alleged anti-competitive cooperation when selling Apple and Beats products, Reuters reports.

In November 2021, Italy's antitrust watchdog hit Apple and Amazon with a €200 million ($196 million) fine in the culmination of an investigation that began in 2020 over allegations that the two companies had been blocking the sale of Apple and Beats devices to resellers in order to stifle competition and keep prices high.

The regulator said contractual provisions of a 2018 agreement between the two companies meant only selected resellers were allowed to sell the products on Amazon's Italian store, which was in violation of EU rules and affected competition on prices.

Amazon was fined €68.7 million euros ($67.6 million), while Apple received a fine of €134.5 million ($132.3 million). The watchdog also ordered the companies to end the restrictions to give retailers of genuine Apple and Beats products access to the Italian Amazon web store in a "non-discriminatory manner."

Both Apple and Amazon appealed against the fines. "To ensure our customers purchase genuine products, we work closely with our reseller partners and have dedicated teams of experts around the world who work with law enforcement, customs and merchants to ensure only genuine Apple products are being sold," Apple said, denying any wrongdoing. In a separate statement Amazon said it strongly disagreed with the decision of the Italian authority and that the proposed fine was "disproportionate and unjustified."

Earlier this year, the fine was reduced to an overall €173.3 million ($170.4 million) due to a "material error" in the initial calculation. Amazon welcomed today's ruling in a statement, while Apple and Italy's antitrust regulator declined to comment.

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.

The longer battery life of second-generation AirPods Pro is partly achieved by use of physically bigger batteries, regulatory filings show.

Compared to the first-generation AirPods Pro, Apple says that the second-generation model features an additional 1.5 hours of battery life with Active Noise Cancellation enabled for a total of six hours. Listings on the 3C database spotted by MySmartPrice reveal that the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 earbuds feature a battery capacity of 49.7mAh. This is an increase of 15 percent over the 43.24mAh capacity of the first-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌.

The second-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌'s MagSafe Charging Case features a battery capacity of 523mAh, an increase of just 4mAh over the previous model. According to Apple, the second-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌'s ‌MagSafe‌ Charging Case provides an additional six hours of battery life for a total of 30 hours of listening time with Active Noise Cancellation enabled. As such, it is highly likely that the charging case's longer battery life is actually mostly derived from improvements to the earbuds.

Beyond physically larger batteries, the second-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌'s H2 chips and skin-detect sensors also help to prolong battery life thanks to better efficiency.

iOS 16.0.2 was released last month with several bug fixes for iPhone 14 issues, excessive copy and paste permission prompts, and more. Now, evidence suggests that Apple is planning to release iOS 16.0.3 with additional bug fixes.

Evidence of an upcoming iOS 16.0.3 software update has shown up in MacRumors analytics logs, which have been a reliable indicator in the past.

There are several remaining iOS 16 bugs that iOS 16.0.3 would hopefully address, including an issue with low volume during CarPlay phone calls placed with an iPhone 14 Pro, display flickering on some iPhone models when brightness is set low, a string of text that can crash the Mail app, an error when attempting to edit Cinematic Mode videos shot on an iPhone in Final Cut Pro and iMovie on the Mac, and more.

It's unclear when Apple plans to release iOS 16.0.3, but our best guess is this week or next week given that iOS 16.1 is expected to be released later this month. iOS 16.1 features support for Live Activities in third-party apps, a new Clean Energy Charging option for U.S. users, support for Matter accessories in the Home app, Apple Fitness+ without an Apple Watch, a battery percentage icon for additional iPhone models, and more.

There is precedent for back-to-back iOS updates focused on bug fixes. iOS 15.0.1 and iOS 15.0.2 were released 10 days apart last year, while iOS 11.0.2 and iOS 11.0.3 were released eight days apart following the launch of the iPhone 8 in 2017.

Apple today celebrated reaching the milestone of 100 million songs on Apple Music and commented upon two areas where it is working to improve the service.

Reflecting on the growth of music on Apple's platforms in a press release, ‌Apple Music‌'s global head of editorial Rachel Newman today said:

One hundred million songs.

Twenty-one years on from the invention of iTunes and the debut of the original iPod, we've gone from 1,000 songs in your pocket to 100,000x that on Apple Music. It's phenomenal growth by any metric. The entire history, present, and future of music is at your fingertips or voice command.
More music than you can listen to in a lifetime, or several lifetimes. More music than any other platform. Simply the biggest collection of music, in any format, ever.

One hundred million songs — it's a number that will continue to grow and exponentially multiply. But it's more than just a number, representing something much more significant — the tectonic shift in the business of music making and distribution over these past two decades.

She added that the rise of ‌Apple Music‌ has helped democratize the music industry as a whole amid a massive expansion of content:

Back in the 1960s, only 5,000 new albums were released each year. Today, anywhere in the world, in 167 countries and regions on Apple Music, any artist of any description can write and record a song and release it globally. Every day, over 20,000 singers and songwriters are delivering new songs to Apple Music — songs that make our catalog even better than it was the day before. One hundred million songs is evidence of a more democratic space, where anyone, even a new artist making music out of their bedroom, can have the next big hit.

Looking toward the future, Newman pointed out the two areas of focus for improving ‌Apple Music‌ in the future, starting with human curation to drive recommendation algorithms.

This isn't just an opportunity to reflect on how far we've come, but also a moment to look forward to the work we have left to do. At Apple Music, human curation has always been the core to everything we do, both in ways you can see, like our editorial playlists; and ways you can't, like the human touch that drives our recommendation algorithms. Now more than ever, we know that investment in human curation will be key in making us the very best at connecting artists and audiences.

With such a huge expanse of songs, we know you need someone there to guide you through. Gone are the days of hitting shuffle on your library: Now it's on us to help you discover new favorites and rediscover forgotten gems, whether it's one of our expert radio hosts lighting your path, or a handcrafted playlist.

The statement also pointed out that ‌Apple Music‌ seeks to provide more context for music on the platform, such as via ‌Apple Music‌ Today:

We also know that it's more important than ever that we are elevating artists' voices and providing opportunities for them to tell their own stories and contextualize their music. It is no longer enough to just connect artists and fans, it's about making those connections deeper and more meaningful. And just one of the many ways we are helping to provide context is through the new Apple Music Today series, where we'll be picking a new song every day and diving into its history, because we know that each of the 100 million songs in our catalog has its own story.

After adding Spatial Audio and Lossless Audio in 2021, ‌Apple Music‌ this year gained DJ Mixes in Spatial Audio, concert livestreams, playlist sorting and favorite artists, and exclusive live releases and covers with "‌Apple Music‌ Sessions. It is expected to release an all-new app called "Apple Classical" specially for classical music by the end of 2022.