Avatars are officially coming to WhatsApp. The customizable, expressive characters, which are already available on Facebook and Instagram, can now be used as profile pictures on the messaging service or sent in the form of one of 36 custom stickers.
The process of customizing the cartoony virtual characters is similar to Apple's Memoji, except WhatsApp's avatars also include bodies for customizing additional outfits, which makes them resemble how users could one day look in Mark Zuckerberg's vision of a future metaverse.
Apart from being fun, Meta says the avatars will boost privacy and personalization. "Sending an avatar is a fast and fun way to share feelings with friends and family," the company wrote in a blog post. "It can also be a great way to represent yourself without using your real photo so it feels more private."
To see if the feature has rolled out to you yet, open WhatsApp, go to the Settings screen, then check under your profile picture for an Avatar menu option. From there you'll be able to create an avatar using a variety of outfits, hairstyles, and facial features, offering users "billions of combinations" for creating their virtual analogue, according to Meta.
With the latest macOS Ventura 13.1 beta, Apple has added the ability for users to chime their AirTags using the Find My app on their Mac.
Previously, Mac users could only get directions to their AirTags through the Find My app, meaning those who wanted an audible chime to more easily locate their AirTag would have to go to the Find My app on iPhone and iPad. macOS Ventura 13.1 is expected to be released alongside iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 later this month. It brings support for an updated Home app architecture that improves performance for smart home devices and the new Freeform app.
As we inch closer to the holidays, supply of iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models remains heavily constrained and unlikely to meet the holiday demand in the United States. On the flip side, several other products, including iPads, Macs, lower-end iPhone models, AirPods, and more, remain available for customers who are holiday shopping this year.
As we reported last month, supply constraints and ongoing restrictions in Apple's production plants meant that iPhone 14 Pro supply would be critically low. "We now expect lower iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max shipments than we previously anticipated, and customers will experience longer wait times to receive their new products," Apple said in a press release last month, confirming reports of disruptions.
One month later and closer to the holidays, iPhone 14 Pro supply seems to have not yet fully recovered. Wait times for both models of the high-end 2022 iPhone series were set at around six weeks one month ago, and are now set at around three weeks. While the situation appears to be ever so slightly improving, the three-week wait time puts the iPhone 14 Pro out of reach for customers looking to have it by the holidays.
While you may be unable to order and get an iPhone 14 Pro for a loved one this holiday season, the rest of Apple's product lineup remains in ample supply. For example, the lower-end iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus are estimated to arrive to customers in just a few days, according to Apple's online store, as are the third-generation AirPods and AirPods Pro, new 10th-generation iPad, certain Macs, Apple Watch, and HomePod mini.
For more up-to-date information regarding availability and delivery dates, be sure to check Apple's website.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office's Patent Trial and Appeal Board today invalidated a trio of AliveCor patents that AliveCor used in a complaint with the International Trade Commission, which is a win for Apple. The patents all related to heart rate monitoring technology used in AliveCor products.
AliveCor in April 2021 filed a complaint with the ITC alleging that Apple had infringed on several of its patents with the Apple Watch, and an ITC judge ultimately ruled in AliveCor's favor in June. The ITC at the time issued an initial determination that Apple infringed on AliveCor patent technology, which Apple is now appealing. If a final ruling determines Apple infringed on the patents, the ITC could issue an import ban on the Apple Watch.
Apple asked for a review of the claims in three of the patents that AliveCor was using against it, and the USPTO's Appeals Board found that multiple claims in U.S. Patent No. 10,638,941, U.S. Patent No. 10,595,731, and U.S. Patent No. 9,572,499 are "held to be unpatenable."
In a statement to MacRumors Apple said that the decision confirms that the patents AliveCor used against Apple for its ITC injunction are invalid.
We appreciate the Patent Trial and Appeal Board's careful consideration of these patents, which were found to be invalid. Apple's teams work tirelessly to create products and services that empower users, including the industry-leading health, wellness and safety features we independently developed and incorporated into Apple Watch. Today's decision confirms that the patents AliveCor asserted in the ITC against Apple are invalid.
When a patent is invalidated, it means there can be no infringement of the patent, which will factor in to the final ITC decision. The ITC will decide later in December whether there should be an import ban.
Update: In a statement, AliveCor said that it is deeply disappointed in the decision and plans to appeal.
AliveCor is deeply disappointed and strongly disagrees with the decision by the PTAB and will appeal. The PTAB and ITC are two, separate independent bodies and will make their own separate independent decisions. We look forward to the separate Final Determination from the ITC expected December 12 and are cautiously optimistic based on the Initial Determination for AliveCor in June of this year.
We will continue to vigorously protect our patents for the sake of our customers. The PTAB decision does not impact AliveCor's ongoing business. We will continue to design and distribute our best-in-class portable ECG products and services to our customers.
Apple is aiming to launch an Apple-branded consumer-oriented vehicle by 2026, and its goal is to hit a price point under $100,000 to make the car appeal to a wider range of customers, reports Bloomberg.
Apple initially planned to design a car that might look similar to Canoo's Lifestyle Vehicle, where passengers could face one another in a limousine-style car with no steering wheel or pedals, but the project has been scaled back. The vehicle will now have a more traditional design with a driver's seat, steering wheel, and pedals, and full autonomous driving will not be available, but the car will be able to use a self-driving mode on highways.
Canoo Interior
Apple's main competitor will likely be Tesla, a brand that features electric vehicles with some self-driving functionality. Tesla vehicles are priced starting at around $47,000, but can go up to over $100,000. If the base Apple Car is priced at or around $100,000, it will compete with Tesla's higher-end Model S.
The original plan was to price the Apple Car over $120,000, but Apple is now planning for a lower price point, likely due to the more restricted autonomous driving functionality that will be featured in the first version of the vehicle. Apple has not finalized a design for the Apple Car, but is planning to have a design set by 2023 and a list of features ready to go by 2024. Testing will begin in 2025 ahead of a planned 2026 launch.
Apple continues to look for a partner for the manufacturing of its car, and it has so far only held serious negotiations with Volkswagen, but those talks were many years ago.
Apple's Magic Keyboard for the 11-inch iPad Pro and iPad Air is seeing big discounts at Amazon today and is now available for $209.99, down from $299.00. The keyboard is available in both black and white at this price, although Amazon is showing limited stock of the white version and delivery of both models won't be until just a few days before Christmas.
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 Magic Keyboard is compatible with all four generations of the 11-inch iPad Pro, as well as the fourth- and fifth-generation iPad Air models. It features a full QWERTY keyboard, trackpad, USB-C port for charging, backlit keys, and a floating cantilever design.
The iPad Pro or iPad Air attaches magnetically to the keyboard with passthrough charging for the iPad via its Smart Connector, and the Magic Keyboard provides front and back protection when closed.
Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.
Apple CEO Tim Cook today confirmed that Apple plans to purchase chips from U.S.-based TSMC factories that are being constructed in Arizona, reports CNBC.
Cook was in Arizona at the announcement of TSMC's investment in the state, which was also attended by U.S. President Joe Biden. "And now, thanks to the hard work of so many people, these chips can be proudly stamped Made in America," said Cook. "This is an incredibly significant moment."
Today is only the beginning. Today we're combining TSMC's expertise with the unrivaled ingenuity of American workers. We are investing in a stronger brighter future, we are planting our seed in the Arizona desert. And at Apple, we are proud to help nurture its growth.
TSMC manufactures all of the chips that are used in Apple's iPhones, iPads, Macs, and other devices. At the current time, chips are manufactured primarily in Taiwan, but TSMC is building two factories in Arizona as Apple seeks to move more manufacturing to the United States. TSMC plans to spend $40 billion, with the first plant to open in 2024 and the second to open in 2026.
One of TSMC's factories in Arizona will be producing 4-nanometer chips when it opens in 2024. TSMC will make 20,000 wafers per month, and Apple will use about a third of the output. In the future, TSMC will use the factory to manufacture even more advanced 3-nanometer chips for Apple.
We're right in the middle of the holiday shopping season, so in an effort to help our readers with any last-minute present shopping we've accumulated a list of exclusive sales from companies including Nomad, Satechi, Pad & Quill, Twelve South, and 1Password. Additionally, we're tracking a notable sitewide discount from ZAGG below.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
These sales offer the perfect chance to do some online shopping before it's too late for items to arrive before the end of the month. Our exclusive deals run the gamut of Apple accessories, and you can shop for iPhone cases, MacBook sleeves, Apple Watch bands, screen protectors, leather bags, and much more. We also have an exclusive software sale this year, thanks to a partnership with 1Password.
Each sale has a different end date, and shipping will vary from site-to-site, so be sure to read on for more information. Most brands are still offering delivery for Christmas, as long as you place orders soon. Every sale below except ZAGG is exclusive to our readers, and will require a coupon code, which you can find listed below as well.
Nomad
What's the deal? Save 20% off sitewide with code MRHOLIDAY
Over at Nomad, you can get 20 percent off all in stock and full price items sitewide with our exclusive code MRHOLIDAY. This sale will last through December 16, and most things on Nomad's website are in stock and ready to ship for Christmas.
Nomad offers a variety of high-quality accessories for Apple products, like the Base Station Pro wireless charger, Rugged Folio for iPad Pro, Rugged Case for iPhone 14, Rugged Case for AirPods Pro, and even a variety of straps for the Apple Watch.
Satechi
What's the deal? Get 25% off sitewide with code MR25
Satechi is well known for its large collection of charging products, and with our exclusive code you can take 25 percent off sitewide. The company sells portable batteries, USB-C hubs, wireless chargers that are compatible with MagSafe, and more.
Twelve South
What's the deal? Save 20% off your order with code MacRumors20
At Twelve South, you can get 20 percent off your entire order with the promo code MacRumors20. This promo code will last through December 25 for users in the United States.
Twelve South has numerous accessories that are specifically made for Apple products, like AirSnap for AirPods, HiRise Wireless for iPhone, and BookBook Vol. 2 for iPad Pro. You can browse for some holiday shopping ideas of your own on Twelve South's website.
Pad & Quill
What's the deal? Save an extra 15% off sitewide with code MR15
At Pad & Quill, our readers have a chance to save on Apple accessories all the way through Christmas day. With our exclusive discount code you can save an extra 15 percent sitewide on Pad & Quill, including accessories for iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and MacBook.
Pad & Quill currently has a 20 percent sitewide sale running, and entering our code MR15 will take an additional 15 percent off already discounted prices. These are some of the best prices of the year on Pad & Quill's accessories, so be sure to shop soon if you're interested.
1Password
What's the deal? Get 50% off first year of 1Password (new customers only)
Popular password management service 1Password is offering our readers a chance to get their first full year of 1Password Individual at half the price. This offer is only available to new customers, and no promo code is needed. You can simply find the offer waiting for new customers to create an account on this landing page.
On ZAGG's website, you can get 25 percent off up to three items sitewide, including from ZAGG itself, Mophie, InvisibleShield, and Gear4. This sale has discounts on screen protectors, portable batteries, battery cases, charging cables, and more.
To get the discount, head to ZAGG's website, browse for up to three items and add them to your bag. Once on the checkout screen you'll see the 25 discount has been applied automatically to your order.
Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.
Apple has scaled back its Apple Car project and the company no longer plans to release a fully self-driving vehicle, reports Bloomberg.
Apple wanted to create a self-driving car without a steering wheel or pedals, but has decided that such a plan is not feasible at the current time. The vehicle will have guided driving features that work on highways, but it will not be able to operate entirely on its own at all times.
The car will have an Apple-designed custom processor to power AI functionality, similar to the Mac, iPhone, and iPad. The chip is equivalent to four of the highest-end Mac chips and is nearly production ready. It will include a custom array of lidar sensors, radar sensors, and cameras, which will be able to provide the car with positioning information, lane data, and orientation compared to people and objects.
Apple will use the cloud for some AI processing, and the company is considering a remote command center that could assist drivers and control cars from afar during emergencies. It may also offer its own insurance program to companies. Apple's scaled-down vehicle will feature steering wheels and pedals, like a normal vehicle. It will allow customers to do things like watch movies or multitask while on highways. The car will provide alerts when it is time to switch to manual controls for city streets or in poor weather, with the self-driving component perhaps limited to the North America at launch.
The Apple Car project has undergone several shifts in development scope since Apple started it way back in 2014. Apple initially planned for a full vehicle, then in 2016, rumors indicated plans for a car had been shelved and Apple would instead develop some kind of autonomous driving system for other vehicles.
By 2020, plans for a full vehicle with autonomous driving capabilities were back on, with Apple testing self-driving technology in SUVs in the San Francisco Bay Area, but it seems the full autonomous driving features are not going to be ready when the first Apple Car launches.
The Apple Car team has also gone through several leadership changes, and at the current time, AI and machine learning chief John Giannandrea is heading up the Apple Car project, and Kevin Lynch, known for his work on the Apple Watch, is also overseeing work on the car.
While rumors suggested that the car could launch as soon as 2025, it is now expected in 2026 at the earliest, with Apple aiming to sell a consumer model for under $100,000.
Apple today announced it is providing developers with an additional 700 price points for App Store apps, allowing apps to be priced as low as 29 cents, or as high as $10,000. Developers who want to price their app above $1,000 must submit a request to Apple to help prevent meaninglessly expensive apps from being released on the App Store.
In total, developers will have the ability to select from 900 price points, with the 100 highest price points available upon request only. The new price points will increase incrementally, including every 10 cents up to $10, every 50 cents between $10 and $50, and so forth. Rounded price endings will also be available (such as $0.90 or $1.00), along with prices that begin with two repeating digits (such as ₩110,000 in South Korea.)
Apple is also making it easier for developers to manage foreign exchange rate changes by allowing them to choose their preferred storefront as the basis for automatically generating prices across the App Store's other 174 storefronts and 44 currencies. For example, Apple says a Japanese game developer who receives most of their business from Japanese customers can set a price for the Japan storefront, and have their prices outside of the country automatically update as foreign exchange and tax rates change around the world. Developers will still be able to define prices per storefront if they desire.
Apple says the new price points and foreign exchange rate management option will be available for apps offering auto-renewable subscriptions starting today, and for all other apps and in-app purchases in "spring 2023."
Apple periodically updates prices in certain App Store regions based on changes in foreign exchange rates and taxes. Starting in 2023, the company says developers with paid apps and in-app purchases will be able to set local territory pricing, which will not be impacted by these automatic price adjustments from that point onwards.
Apple earlier today announced a new feature coming to Apple Music that will allow users to sing along to their favorite songs, either alone or with friends and family. The new feature will be a perfect fit ahead of the holidays and parties; unfortunately, there is one big catch.
Apple Music Sing will only work with the latest Apple TV 4K model, which was announced in October, according to Apple's press release earlier today. The limitation will mean customers of older Apple TV models will miss out on the new feature. Apple Music Sing will also be available on the iPhone 11 and later and the third-generation iPad Pro and later.
It's unclear why only the latest Apple TV is supported, especially since Apple Music Sing is ideal on a large TV screen with friends and family gathered around. Compared to older models, the new Apple TV 4K has the A15 Bionic chip and support for HDR10+. Apple Music Sing will be available later this month.
Apple today announcedApple Music Sing, a new feature in Apple Music that lets users sing their favorite songs with adjustable vocals and more.
Apple Music Sing will utilize Apple Music's real-time lyrics to allow users to sing to their favorite songs using adjustable vocals, background vocals, and duet view to allow more than one singer.
Apple Music Sing includes:
Adjustable vocals: Users now have control over a song’s vocal levels. They can sing with the original artist vocals, take the lead, or mix it up on millions of songs in the Apple Music catalog.
Real-time lyrics: Users can sing along to their favorite songs with animated lyrics that dance to the rhythm of the vocals.
Background vocals: Vocal lines sung simultaneously can animate independently from the main vocals to make it easier for users to follow.
Duet view: Multiple vocalists show on opposite sides of the screen to make duets or multi-singer tracks easy to sing along to.
As part of the new feature, Apple Music will also be debuting over 50 new playlists focused on "all of the epic songs, duets, choruses, and anthems that have been compelling people all around the world to sing."
Apple Music Sing will be available on iPhone, iPad, and the new Apple TV 4K and will be available to Apple Music subscribers worldwide later this month at no additional charge.
Microsoft is looking to build a "super app" that incorporates a messaging platform, shopping, web search, and news into a single app, an apparent attempt to go after Apple and Google's app store platforms.
According to a report today by The Information, Microsoft has been in the early stages of building a "super app" at the direction of the company's CEO Satya Nadella. Nadella has reportedly instructed teams at Microsoft to better integrate Bing, the company's search engine, into other services and apps, such as Microsoft Teams and Outlook, as a groundwork for the "super app."
While it isn't clear whether Microsoft will ultimately launch such an app, the people with knowledge of the discussions said CEO Satya Nadella has laid the groundwork by pushing the Bing search engine to work better with other Microsoft mobile products. For instance, he has directed Bing to integrate with Microsoft's Teams messaging and Outlook email apps, making it easier for customers to share search results in messages. A spokesperson for Microsoft didn;t comment for this article.
Microsoft is not an entirely consumer-oriented company, with most of its business coming from selling software and corporate sales. Microsoft has reported ambitions to become more consumer-friendly, offering services directly to customers, such as the "super app." Microsoft has failed to acquire large apps and social media platforms such as TikTok and Pinterest in the past, which could have been part of the company's larger plans.
Today's report also sheds some interesting new light on Microsoft's unsuccessful attempts in the past to outbid Google to become the default search engine on iPhone. Google pays Apple billions each year to stay the default on iPhone, and while users can change it, the default setting puts Microsoft's Bing at a disadvantage. According to The Information, Microsoft has had high-level talks with Apple to try and outbid Google as the default search engine but failed each time.
Microsoft has periodically bid on Apple's mobile search contract, according to a former employee briefed on the situation, but Google has won the deal every time. The negotiations have typically taken place directly between Nadella and top Apple executives behind closed doors, leaving many top Microsoft executives in the dark about the process, this person said.
The report notes that Microsoft in 2012 ran a public relations campaign to show how Bing was more usable for people with a vision disability compared to Google. The public relations stunt was not "enough to win Apple's approval."
Pixelmator 3.2 "Lumière" went live on the Mac App Store today, and the latest major update to the popular image editing app brings the ability to edit videos, along with other notable feature additions.
Version 3.2 of the app lets users make quick edits to videos, such as trimming, cropping, and color adjustment, and lets users combine them with text, images, and shapes, apply masks, and more, without leaving Pixelmator Pro.
To make editing easier, the interface now includes on-canvas video controls with which users can play, mute, scrub, and set the poster frame of videos in multi-video compositions.
As part of the support for video editing, the update also comes with support for new video and animated image formats including MP4 and QuickTime Movie, as well as the ability to open and export animated GIFs and PNGs. Videos can be exported with variable quality, adjustable frame rate, and using a range of compression types, including Apple ProRes.
In addition, the update also brings a new category of 4K movie title templates and adds cinematic social media templates designed specifically for creating moving designs.
Users can personalize the templates by changing the placeholder video, choose from alternative elements and colors created for each template individually, and more. Or they can also combine existing still-image templates in Pixelmator Pro with their own videos to create animated social media posts and other designs.
Additional improvements in Pixelmator Pro 3.2 include the ability to open and edit Live Photos as videos, and big improvements to Motion file format support, including the ability to export Motion files with video layers.
After publishing a series of press releases today announcing HomePod mini availability in several additional countries later this month, Apple has updated its Danish regional store to indicate the smart speaker will launch in Denmark in spring 2023, priced at 899 Krone.
Denmark was originally expected to see a local HomePod mini launch in tandem with Finland, Norway, and Sweden, based on the fact that Siri on HomePod was updated earlier this year to support those countries' respective languages.
The speaker launches in Finland, Norway, and Sweden on December 13. However, for whatever reason, Apple customers in Denmark will have to wait for a few more months. Meanwhile, in a surprise twist, Apple today also announced HomePod mini availability in South Africa, on the slightly later date of December 19.
First released in October 2020, the HomePod mini is currently available in 20 countries and territories, including the United States, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.
Google search queries on desktop will now return results in a continuous scroll instead of being divided into several pages, the company announced today (via The Verge).
The change is reminiscent of the way modern social media feeds work, although Google's version isn't quite the "infinite scroll" that social network users will be familiar with. Google says a search will now return six pages of results in a single scroll, before offering users a "See more" button to show additional results.
For as long as most people will remember, search results have been divided over several linked pages that users click through to continue browsing. Google claims continuous scroll will make browsing results quicker and easier, although some users are likely to miss how pages often act as a natural breaker for them to consider whether they have all the information they need.
Starting today, we’re bringing continuous scrolling to desktop in English in the U.S. so you can continue to see more search results easily. When you reach the bottom of a search results page, you'll now be able to see up to six pages of results. pic.twitter.com/xIuVP24FFm
— Google (@Google) December 5, 2022
Google says the change is rolling out first for English searches originating in the US. The company added continuous scroll to its namesake mobile app in October, so it's likely the feature will expand to other countries and languages in future.
Apple is facing a lawsuit in federal court in San Francisco by two women, one of which claims her ex-boyfriend used an AirTag to track her without her consent, reports Bloomberg.
Since their release in April 2021, the use of Apple's AirTags has raised concerns among privacy groups and law enforcement that the trackers could be used for illegal tracking. Apple has built several safeguards to protect against unwanted tracking, but according to the new lawsuit, those safeguards are "inadequate."
The lawsuit, filed on Monday, claims that the safeguards in place, which include alerting iPhone users if an unknown AirTag is found to be following them, are "woefully inadequate, and do little, if anything, to promptly warn individuals if they are being tracked." The other woman in the lawsuit says her husband placed an AirTag in her child's backpack in order to track her. The two women are requesting an unspecified amount of damages and accusing Apple of releasing an unsafe product.
An ex-boyfriend of one of the women who filed the lawsuit planted an AirTag in the wheel well of her car and was able to find out where she had moved to avoid his harassment, according to the proposed class-action complaint filed Monday in federal court in San Francisco. The other woman said her estranged husband tracked her movements by placing an AirTag in her child's backpack.
Apple has addressed concerns that AirTags could be used for unwanted tracking, including updates announced in February 2021, which included improved detection for unknown AirTags, louder AirTags alerts, and more. "AirTag was designed to help people locate their personal belongings, not to track people or another person's property, and we condemn in the strongest possible terms any malicious use of our products," Apple said in a February 2021 press release. "Unwanted tracking has long been a societal problem, and we took this concern seriously in the design of AirTag," it continued.
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 will label Wi-Fi-only and cellular models of the third-generation iPad mini as obsolete products in a few weeks, according to a memo sent out earlier today obtained by MacRumors.
Currently, only a specific cellular variant of the iPad mini 3 is marked as obsolete, but this will soon change. The third-generation iPad mini kept the same design as its predecessor but included improved performance thanks to the A7 chip and a Touch ID home button.
Apple designates products as obsolete seven years after they were last on sale. All hardware service is discontinued for obsolete products, and service providers are not able to order parts for obsolete devices.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
