When the Apple Watch Series 8 and second-generation Apple Watch SE were first announced, the Apple Watch comparison page said both models supported Bluetooth 5.0, but Apple now says they actually support the newer Bluetooth 5.3 standard.
Apple's website still lists the Series 8 and new SE with Bluetooth 5.0 support in some places, but we received confirmation today from Apple that both models do in fact support Bluetooth 5.3 in the United States at a minimum.
All four iPhone 14 models, the second-generation AirPods Pro, and the Apple Watch Ultra also support Bluetooth 5.3, according to Apple.
Bluetooth 5.3 is said to include "several feature enhancements with the potential to improve reliability, energy efficiency, and user experience in many types of Bluetooth enabled products," such as the LE Audio specification. However, there is no evidence to suggest that Apple has implemented LE Audio yet in its latest products.
Apple's Back to School promotion in the United States and Canada ends in just six days. With this year's promotion, Apple is offering a $150 gift card alongside the purchase of an eligible Mac or a $100 gift card with the purchase of an iPad Air or iPad Pro.
As a reminder for those who might still be looking to take advantage of the promotion as it wraps up, we've rounded up a quick summary of the eligible products for the promotion below.
M2 MacBook Air
The new MacBook Air with the M2 Apple silicon chip in a thin and light design starts at $1,099 with Apple's education discount. With the $150 bonus gift card, that means the M2 MacBook Air essentially costs $949, and the M1 version can be had for even less. Additionally, Apple is offering a 20% discount on the three-year AppleCare+ service for Mac at $183.
MacBook Pro and 24-inch iMac
For education customers who need more powerful Macs, Apple is offering its 13-inch, 14-inch, and 16-inch MacBook Pro models. With the $150 gift card after purchase, the 13-inch MacBook Pro will essentially cost customers $1,049, the 14-inch $1,699, and the 16-inch $2,149. The 13-inch comes with the new M2 Apple silicon chip, while the 14-inch and 16-inch models come with M1 Pro and M1 Max chip options. The 24-inch M1 iMac is also available starting at the equivalent of $1,099 once the $150 gift card is accounted for.
iPad Air and iPad Pro
The iPad Air and iPad Pro come with the M1 Apple silicon chip, offering more performance than older models. Both iPads come with a $50 discount for education customers in addition to the $100 promotional gift card. The iPad Pro, offered in 11-inch, and 12.9-inch sizes, comes with more advanced displays and the addition of the LiDAR scanner compared to the 10.9-inch iPad Air. Both iPad lines support the second-generation Apple Pencil and the Magic Keyboard.
Apple is expected to announce updated 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models with the M2 Apple silicon chip as soon as next month, and there is also a possibility of updated 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models. Even with new models on the horizon, the Back to School promotion offers customers a great opportunity to get the current-generation models with the added benefit of gift cards.
The all-new Apple Watch Ultra launches this Friday, but some customers who ordered the watch have seen their estimated delivery date pushed back by Apple. It's unclear how many customers are affected or what the reason for the delays is.
MacRumors has received emails from multiple readers with orders that have been delayed in the United States. In one case, an order estimated for delivery by September 29 is now expected to arrive by October 12, while another order with a September 29 to October 6 estimated delivery range was pushed back to October 4 to October 11.
Priced at $799, the Apple Watch Ultra has been available to pre-order since September 9. While not reflected on Apple's website yet, some orders have been marked as shipped via UPS's tracking tool, with U.S. shipments passing through Anchorage, Alaska and Louisville, Kentucky as usual on their way to their final destinations.
All configurations of the Apple Watch Ultra include a natural-colored titanium case and cellular connectivity. The only customizable aspect is the band, with options including the Alpine Loop, Trail Loop, and Ocean Band in three colors each.
Inspired by the "most extreme activities" like hiking and scuba diving, the Apple Watch Ultra features a rugged design with a 49mm titanium case, a larger display with a flat sapphire crystal cover, new bands designed for the outdoors, water resistance up to a depth of 100 meters, a customizable bright orange "Action" button, up to 60 hours of battery life with an upcoming low power mode, dual-frequency GPS support, and more.
With the launch of new iPhones, YouTubers always delve into a series of unscientific durability tests with the hope of providing us with some insight into the durability of the latest iPhones. We highlighted iPhone 14 Pro drop tests earlier today, and we thought we'd also share a couple of scratch tests for those interested.
YouTuber JerryRigEverything does an annual scratch test on new iPhones using the Mohs mineral hardness scale, and with the iPhone 14, the results were as expected. Apple is still using the same Ceramic Shield used in the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13, and faint scratches were observed at a level 6 hardness.
Much more noticeable scratches appeared with the level 7 tool, which is the exact same result that was observed with the iPhone 13 and the iPhone 12 before that, so there are no quiet improvements to the display durability this year.
The aluminum frame scratched easily, which is no surprise, and the sapphire crystal camera lens scratched at a level 6, which is notable because sapphire typically ranks at level 9 on the Mohs hardness scale.
Other YouTubers subjected the iPhone 14 devices to hammers, knives, screws, and other tools to attempt to demonstrate durability, but it's difficult to glean useful information from tests like these. It can be impressive how much damage the iPhone 14 models can endure before a scratch shows up, but real world conditions vary and the wrong angle or the wrong edge on a tool can cause a scratch in one situation where it might not in another.
Apple did not make notable durability specific claims about the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models, with the new iPhones using the same glass components as the prior-generation iPhone 13 models.
Apple today released the second beta of iOS 16.1, introducing some notable changes to charging indicators on the iPhone and also fixing a few bugs. We've rounded up all of the changes in the second beta below.
Battery Status Bar Visual Charge Indicator
Apple in iOS 16 added battery percentage to the battery icon in the status bar on Face ID iPhones, and in iOS 16.1 beta 2, improved the feature to show a visual indication of the charge level.
The battery icon shifts throughout the day as the battery depletes or is charged, making it easier to see charge level at a glance. Prior to the beta, the battery indicator in the status bar showed percent, but the battery level was static and always full, making it sometimes confusing to determine the iPhone's charge with a quick look.
Battery Font
Apple has updated the font that's used for the battery icon, slightly increasing the size.
Lock Screen Charging Indicator
When charging an iPhone, the battery percentage is now displayed above the time both when the iPhone first starts charging and each time that it is woken from sleep during the charging process.
This allows for a clear indication of the charge level when tapping on the iPhone's display without unlocking the device. The always-on display does not show charge level and waking the screen on an iPhone 14 Pro model is required to get the battery level to show up.
Copy and Paste Fix
The incessant copy and paste prompts that iOS 16 users are seeing have been addressed in iOS 16.1, and you no longer need to explicitly approve each and every copy and paste attempt. While this is fixed in iOS 16.1, we are expecting Apple to address it prior to the iOS 16.1 launch with an iOS 16 bug fix update that is planned for next week.
No Camera Shake Fix
Reports suggest that the bug causing the iPhone 14 Pro rear camera to shake and vibrate has not been addressed in iOS 16.1 beta 2. Apple has said that the issue will be fixed in an iOS 16 update coming next week, and we are expecting an iOS 16.0.2 release.
Other New Features
Know of a new feature in iOS 16.1 that we left out? Let us know in the comments below.
Apple today released the second beta of iOS 16.1, introducing further tweaks to the battery percentage indicator that is located in the status bar.
With today's beta, the battery level of the icon depletes as the battery depletes, providing a better visual indication of what battery level is at alongside the percentage.
If the percentage feature is enabled, you will now see the charge number as well as battery indicator that fills or depletes based on your current charge level. Prior to the latest beta, the battery indicator in the status bar showed percent, but the battery level was static, making it sometimes difficult to determine the iPhone's charge at a glance.
Battery percent was not present on iPhones that have Face ID in iOS 15 because of the lack of space on either side of the notch that houses the TrueDepth camera hardware, but Apple's updated iOS 16 design added the specific battery level to the battery icon, with iOS 16.1 adding further tweaks. The iOS 16.1 beta also brings the battery percentage to the iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone XR, and iPhone 11, devices that do not support it in iOS 16.
Apple with the second beta has additionally tweaked the charging indicator on the Lock Screen. When plugging an iPhone into a Lightning cable or Qi-based wireless charger, it will now show the battery percent briefly above the time. iPhone 14 Pro models have a battery status indicator in the Dynamic Island as well.
New in iOS 16.1 Beta 2: The Lock Screen can show the battery percentage again while charging. It works much the same as on iOS 15, where the date disappears and shows the battery percentage for a few seconds. pic.twitter.com/VPs1HoqIBs
— iSpeedtestOS (@iSpeedtestOS) September 20, 2022
There will be several more rounds of beta testing before iOS 16.1 sees a public release, but there is a public beta available for non-developers to test. The next public beta should be coming soon with the updated battery status bar icon.
Apple today seeded the second beta of iOS 16.1 to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming one week after the release of the first iOS 16.1 beta. The iOS 16.1 beta is also joined by the third beta of iPadOS 16.1, which is on a slightly different schedule as Apple started testing it prior to the launch of iOS 16.
Registered developers can download the iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 profiles from the Apple Developer Center, and once installed, the betas will be available over the air.
Live Activities cannot be used at the current time as developers still need to update their apps to add support, but it will be available when iOS 16.1 launches. Developers have access to an ActivityKit API to begin getting their apps ready.
The update also introduces a new Clean Energy Charging feature in the United States that is designed to selectively charge when lower carbon emission electricity is available, plus it lays the groundwork for Matter, a new smart home standard that Apple plans to begin supporting this fall.
Matter will allow for interoperability between smart devices from different companies, and Apple, Google, Samsung, Amazon, and others are working on support.
Other new features include a deletable Wallet app, changes to the Lock Screen customizing interface, and more, with details available in our iOS 16.1 feature guide.
Apple today seeded the eighth beta of macOS 13 Ventura, the next-generation version of the Mac operating system that's set to launch this fall. The eighth beta comes two weeks after Apple provided the seventh beta to developers.
Registered developers can download the beta through the Apple Developer Center and once the appropriate profile is installed, betas will be available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences.
macOS Ventura introduces Stage Manager, a new feature that lets Mac users focus on a task while keeping other apps at the ready for easy swapping between tasks. The update adds Continuity Camera, which is designed to let you use the iPhone as a webcam for your Mac. It supports Center Stage, Desk View (for showing off your desk), and Studio Light.
Handoff is now available for FaceTime so you can transfer calls between iPhone, iPad, and Mac at will, and Messages supports features for marking an iMessage as unread, unsending an iMessage, and marking as unread. SharePlay also now works in the Messages app.
The Mail app supports scheduling and undoing emails for up to 10 seconds after they're sent, and there are now Weather and Clock apps that are available on the Mac. System Preferences has been renamed System Settings, and it features an iOS-like design.
Safari supports Shared Tab Groups and Apple is working on Passkeys, a next-generation credential that replaces the password. There are updates to Spotlight, Photo Library has new features, and Metal 3 is included in macOS Ventura for better graphics in games.
For everything new in macOS Ventura, we have a dedicated roundup that goes through all of the features. macOS Ventura is set to see a public release this fall.
Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming watchOS 9.1 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new beta coming one week after Apple released the first watchOS 9.1 beta.
To install watchOS 9.1, developers will need to download the configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center. Once installed, watchOS 9.1 can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software update. To update to new software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life, it must be placed on the charger, and it needs to be in range of the iPhone.
We don't yet know what's included in the watchOS 9.1 update as no new features were found in the first beta, but watchOS 9 brought a number of changes including a redesigned Compass app, a new medication tracking feature, updated watch faces, improvements to Workouts, new features for the ECG app, and more.
Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming tvOS 16.1 update to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming one week after the launch of the first beta.
tvOS updates are typically minor, focusing on under-the-hood bug fixes and improvements rather than outward-facing changes. No new features were found in the first beta of tvOS 16.1.
Apple shares some information on tvOS releases in its tvOS support document, which is updated after each tvOS launch. tvOS 16 brought enhanced multiuser support, Personalized Spatial Audio when using AirPods, and Accessibility improvements.
Though we don't often know what's new in tvOS during the beta testing process, we let MacRumors readers know when new updates are available so those who are developers can download it upon release.
iOS 16 introduced a new haptic feedback option for the default keyboard. When enabled, the iPhone makes a slight vibration after each key tapped while typing, providing physical confirmation that the key was pressed. The feature is a useful addition to the iPhone, but keep in mind that Apple says it can potentially impact battery life.
"Turning on keyboard haptics might affect the battery life of your iPhone," says Apple, in a support document published last week. Apple does not provide any additional details, so it's not clear exactly how much battery life the feature uses. Note that Low Power Mode does not disable haptic feedback, so the only option for users who are concerned about potential battery life impact is to keep the feature turned off.
Any software feature on an iPhone obviously consumes battery life, but that Apple felt it was worth explicitly mentioning for haptic feedback is notable.
To enable haptic feedback for the keyboard, open the Settings app, tap Sounds & Haptics → Keyboard Feedback, and turn on Haptic. The same toggle switch can be used to turn off the feature at any point. The feature is available on the iPhone 8 and newer running iOS 16 or later and utilizes the Taptic Engine inside iPhones.
Astropad, known for Astropad Studio software and the Luna Display dongle, today announced the launch of its latest project, called Darkboard. The Darkboard is a lightweight drawing surface designed to be used with the iPad, providing a more ergonomic way to sketch and draw wherever you are.
Weighing in at 1.4 pounds, the Darkboard is made from a rigid foam material that cushions the arm and wrist while still providing comfort and support. Astropad says that the Darkboard is ideal for using on the couch, in bed, and in other situations where you don't have the best ergonomic setup.
There is a polycarbonate frame to hold the iPad in place at any angle, so it can be propped up in a way that's most comfortable to each user. Astropad also added 1mm of space between the iPad's screen and the edge of the foam body to ensure the iPad stays safe should the Darkboard be dropped.
There's a cutout for the camera, charging port access, and a pocket for the Apple Pencil. The Darkboard measures in at 18 inches long, 14 inches wide, and an inch thick, and it is designed to have a textured surface that improves grip, plus there are grooved handles.
Darkboard comes in two sizes, one that fits the third-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro or newer and one that fits the 11-inch iPad Pro and iPad Air models. It will also support future iPads released between now and when it ships out.
Astropad is launching Darkboard on Kickstarter, and early bird backers can pick it up for $79, which is 20 percent off of the retail price. Orders will be delivered in March 2023.
Drop tests and durability tests are standard after any new iPhone release, and the iPhone 14 Pro is no exception, with YouTubers subjecting the device to all manner of tests to see how it fares against competing smartphones and past iPhones.
PhoneBuff this morning shared a drop test video that pits the iPhone 14 Pro Max against Samsung's Galaxy S22 Ultra to see which one is more durable. Both smartphones feature front and glass backs, with Samsung using Gorilla Glass Victus+ and Apple using its Ceramic Shield technology for the front and an unspecified Gorilla Glass on the back that Apple has in the past said uses a dual-ion process.
There are some other design differences, including a stainless steel frame and a flat edge for the iPhone 14 Pro Max and aluminum and a curved glass design for the Galaxy S22 Ultra, but glass is glass, and both smartphones saw damage in every drop test.
In the back down drop test, the iPhone 14 Pro Max saw more shattering than the S22 Ultra, with a greater number of cracks and camera lens damage, but both devices remained functional, and the displays were not damaged. In a corner drop test, both frames were scuffed, with more apparent gouging on the S22.
In the front display drop test, both screens shattered, but the iPhone 14 Pro Max had cracking limited to one corner, while the S22 Ultra saw cracks across the entire display. Technically the iPhone 14 Pro Max "won" in this test, but it would still need a display repair given the damage. If there's anything to be learned from these tests, it's that glass is going to break, and no smartphone manufacturer has managed to develop unbreakable glass technology.
There's another iPhone 14 Pro drop test from YouTuber GizmoSlip, but unsurprisingly, the glass breaks. What might be notable in both drop tests is that there appeared to be immediate damage to the camera lenses with back down drops, which could be because the iPhone 14 Pro models have cameras that protrude further.
Drop tests demonstrate why it's a good idea to have AppleCare+ for the iPhone 14 models, along with a case, but it is worth noting that this year, Apple has improved repairability for the standard iPhone 14 models. There is now an option to open the iPhone 14 from the back side, plus the display has fewer connectors, making both the front and back glass easier and cheaper to replace. Unfortunately, the improvements do not apply to the iPhone 14 Pro models and they remain more difficult to repair.
Repair website iFixit today shared an in-depth teardown of the iPhone 14 Pro Max, providing a closer look at the device's internals. Notably, the teardown includes a photo of the plastic spacer that replaced the SIM card tray on the U.S. model.
All four iPhone 14 models sold in the U.S. no longer have a physical SIM card tray and rely entirely on digital eSIMs. The teardown confirms that Apple is not using the internal space freed up by the tray's removal for any other component or added functionality, and instead filled in the gap with a square piece of plastic. Outside of the U.S., all iPhone 14 models are still equipped with a SIM card tray in this space.
As seen in previous teardowns, iFixit provided close-up images of the iPhone 14 Pro Max's logic board, which is equipped with a faster A16 Bionic chip and Qualcomm's Snapdragon X65 modem that provides both 5G and satellite connectivity.
While the standard iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus can be opened from the back side, and feature a more repairable design with an easily removable display and back glass panel, these design changes do not extend to the Pro models. The teardown shows that the iPhone 14 Pro Max continues to open from the front and does not have removable back glass. The internal design of the device is largely unchanged from the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
The lack of removable back glass on iPhone 14 Pro models makes repairs more expensive. Without AppleCare+, Apple Stores charge $499 to $549 to fix cracked rear glass on iPhone 14 Pro models, compared to $169 to $199 for standard iPhone 14 models.
Chinese smartphone maker realme is asking its "loyal fans" for ideas on how to copy Apple's Dynamic Island from the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
In a challenge, realme says, "the UI around the camera hole could morph into different shapes and sizes to display incoming phone calls, alerts, notifications, and more," precisely like Apple's Dynamic Island. The company finds this idea "quite appealing" and has decided to turn to its "loyal fans for ideas and suggestions on how such a software feature could be implemented on realme devices." Fans are asked to submit images, videos, and illustrations of how realme could implement a copycat version of Dynamic Island onto its devices.
Post a comment in the form of a drawing, GIF, or simply text, and explain how a potential realme Island would work, what it would look like, and how it would be beneficial - feel free to be detailed as our realme UI devs will be looking at all proposals and they know their stuff.
In an image attached to the challenge, realme showcases a hole-punch cutout with a yellow glow captioned "What's your dream island like?" realme says its UI developers will use the winner's idea and "consider it for a possible implementation in the future."
Dynamic Island on the iPhone 14 Pro
Since its announcement earlier this month, the iPhone 14 Pro's Dynamic Island has received positive reviews from users and customers online, with some calling it "one of Apple's best design in years." Dynamic Island utilizes the pill-shaped area at the top of the display to showcase relevant and contextual information to users, such as background activities, Now Playing, and more. Within days of Apple's iPhone 14 event, Android developers already began their attempts to recreate Dynamic Island on Android devices.
YouTuber and content creator Sara Dietschy joins us this week on The MacRumors Show podcast to talk through our experiences of all of the iPhone 14 lineup's new features.
Now that we've had some time to try the devices, we take a deep dive into all of the iPhone 14 lineup's improvements, including Emergency SOS via Satellite, Crash Detection, Dynamic Island, the always-on display, an enhanced front-facing camera, 48-megapixel Main camera, and new color options. We also take a look at battery life, experiences setting up eSIM, and some initial bugs, and weigh up who should buy each of the new devices.
If you haven't already listened to the last episode of The MacRumors Show, be sure to catch up for immediate reactions to Apple's "Far out" event with Luke Miani.
Amazon today has the brand new Apple Watch SE for $9 off in select configurations, starting at $269.98 for the 44mm GPS model, down from $279.00. This sale is available in three color options of the aluminum Apple Watch SE.
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.
Although the sale itself isn't particularly steep, this is one of the first deals we have tracked on the second-generation Apple Watch SE, allowing new adopters to save a little bit of money early on in the product's lifespan.
The only other model on sale is the 44mm Cellular Apple Watch SE for $319.98, down from $329.00. Both devices are in stock and sold directly by Amazon, with delivery estimated between September 22 and 25 for most residences in the United States.
Later this week, Apple will launch the Apple Watch Ultra, a more rugged, capable smartwatch aimed at explorers, adventurers, and athletes. One of the many unique features of the $799 watch is the addition of a third button called the Action button. This article previews what you'll be able to do with it.
Location of the Action Button
Colored in "International Orange," the indented, pill-shaped Action button is located beside the display on the left side of the Apple Watch Ultra's titanium case, in between the dual speakers and the siren.
Activating the Siren
Pressing and holding the Action button will activate the built-in 86-decibel siren, which can be heard from up to 600 feet (180 meters) away, and is meant to be used to attract help during an emergency.
Custom Actions
The Action button is also customizable, meaning it can perform whatever function the user configures for it. Apple Watch Ultra users are able to choose an initial function for the Action button when they set up their device. Later, they can adjust this choice in Settings, where a new section lists apps that support the button.
Apple's examples of what the button can be configured to do include starting Backtrack (which uses GPS data to create a path of where you've been so you can retrace your steps), starting a workout, and beginning a dive.
The Action button can also be assigned to system-level functions, like turning the Flashlight on and off, marking a Compass Waypoint, or starting the Stopwatch. In addition, Apple Watch Ultra users can pause the current function by pressing the Action and Side buttons together.
Assigning Shortcuts
Because the Action button is powered by the new App Intents APIs that Apple released at WWDC in June, Apple Watch Ultra users will be also able to assign Shortcuts to it, bringing huge potential for customization, like the ability to control smart home accessories.
The Apple Watch Ultra’s Action Button is powered by some awesome new App Intents APIs. You will be able to build your own apps to integrate with it, like a hockey app that uses the button to record goals! And for users, the button can kick off any Shortcut you want!
— Michael Gorbach (@mgorbach) September 7, 2022
Assigning a dedicated Shortcut to the Action button could also pave the way for additional, adaptive functionality. For instance, Shortcuts with location- or time-based actions could allow the Action button to perform different functions throughout the day.
Multifunction Use With Subsequent Presses
Depending on what app the Action button is being used to control, Apple Watch Ultra users will in some cases be able to choose additional actions for subsequent presses.
Apple envisions people using the Action button without looking at the screen, so a subsequent button press should flow logically from the first press, while also making sense in the current context.
For example, a workout app might let the user start a triathlon with the first button press and switch to another segment with a subsequent press.
It's worth noting however that apps won't be able to assign functions to a long press of the Action button, since watchOS 9 reserves this interaction for the emergency SOS feature.
Final Thoughts
Apple's decision to add a third physical control to the Apple Watch Ultra in the form of the Action button doesn't just allow quick access to a range of system-provided functions. It also hands a new tool to third-party developers that will enable them to bring key app features to users at the press of a button.
Whether Apple intends to bring the Action button to its more affordable Apple Watch Series models in the future is an intriguing question, the answer to which may depend on just how versatile and indispensable it proves to be in the hands of Ultra users.
Priced at $799, the Apple Watch Ultra is available in a single 49mm size, with Trail, Ocean, and Alpine band options available. The new smartwatch can be pre-ordered now and launches alongside the second-generation AirPods Pro this coming Friday, September 23. For more on the Apple Watch Ultra's design and features, be sure to check out our dedicated roundup.
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.
