MacRumors

With the third beta of iOS 16.2 that was provided to developers this morning, Apple has added new functionality to the always on display feature available for the iPhone 14 Pro models.

There are now two toggles for disabling wallpaper or notifications when always on display is active. The options can be reached by opening up the Settings app, selecting Display & Brightness, and then going to the Always On Display section.

Toggling off wallpaper will remove your wallpaper when you have always on display enabled, and toggling off notifications will prevent notifications from showing, leaving just the time and widgets if you have widgets installed on your Lock Screen.

The updated option makes for a much simpler always on display interface for those who want a more minimal look that may also save some battery life.

Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming macOS Ventura 13.1 update to developers for testing purposes, with the beta launching one week after Apple seeded the second macOS Ventura 13.1 beta.

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

With macOS Ventura 13.1, Apple has debuted the Freeform app, which is aimed at creative collaboration. It can be used for brainstorming, planning out ideas, jotting down thoughts, sketching, and other creative purposes.

Users can insert drawings, sticky notes, shapes, text boxes, photos, videos, PDFs, links, and other documents, with Freeform serving as a blank canvas. Freeform "boards" can be shared with other people and discussed over FaceTime, with updates from all participants synced to everyone in real-time.

macOS Ventura 13.1 also introduces support for an updated Home app architecture that improves performance for smart home devices, with these features also available in iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2.

Apple today seeded the third betas of upcoming iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the betas coming one week after Apple seeded the second betas of iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2.

Registered developers are able to download the iOS 16‌.2 and iPadOS 16.2 profiles from the Apple Developer Center, and once installed, the beta is available over the air.

iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 include the Freeform app, which can be used for jotting down notes, sketching, drawing, brainstorming ideas, creating mood boards, and more. Multiple people can work on the same Freeform board, with changes synced for all participants in real time.

For the iPad, iPadOS 16.2 brings external display support to the Stage Manager multitasking feature, allowing up to eight apps to be used at once. External display support is available for the M1 and M2 ‌iPad‌ models.

Apple has added a new Home app architecture coming in iOS and iPadOS 16.2, which Apple says is designed to bring faster, more reliable performance, especially in homes with a lot of smart home accessories. The new architecture requires the HomePod 16.2 beta software, and it causes the Home app not to work with devices updated to iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, or macOS Ventura 13.1.

Unintentional Emergency SOS calls can be reported to Apple in iOS 16.2, there's a new Sleep widget, live sports scores are back for the TV app, and more, with full details available in our iOS 16.2 feature guide. iOS 16.2 is expected to see a release in mid-December.

Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming watchOS 9.2 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new beta coming one week after the launch of the second watchOS 9.2 beta.

To install the new ‌watchOS 9.2 update, developers will need to download the configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center.

Once installed, ‌watchOS 9.2‌ can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software update. To update to new software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life, it has to be placed on the charger, and it will need to be in range of the ‌‌‌iPhone‌‌‌ it is paired with.

watchOS 9.2 introduces support for a new Home app architecture that has also been added to iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, and macOS Ventura. No other features that are Apple Watch specific have been found as of yet.

Apple today shared an ad titled "The Rescue" that demonstrates the iPhone 14's new Emergency SOS via Satellite safety feature in action. The video was first shared during Apple's September event for the iPhone 14, and it has now been shared on a standalone basis and will likely air as a TV commercial over the coming months.

The dramatic video shows first responders boarding a helicopter and flying towards a couple on the top of a mountain after they contacted emergency services with the Emergency SOS via Satellite feature, which launches today in the U.S. and Canada. The feature is available on all four iPhone 14 models running iOS 16.1 or later.

Emergency SOS via Satellite allows iPhone 14 models to connect directly to a satellite, enabling users to send text messages to emergency services when outside the range of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. Apple says a text message might take 15 seconds to send via satellite in "ideal conditions with a direct view of the sky and the horizon," but foliage or other obstructions can result in delays or no connection entirely.

Apple says the feature will be expanded to France, Germany, Ireland, and the UK in December, but it did not provide a specific release date.

When available, an option to send a text message via Emergency SOS via Satellite will appear after dialing 911 outside the range of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. There is also a demo mode in the Settings app under Emergency SOS that allows users to test out the satellite connectivity without contacting emergency responders.

Images of an unreleased Apple MagSafe charging accessory called the "Apple Magic Charger" have surfaced online over the past couple of weeks.

Rare Apple product collector and Twitter user "TheBlueMister" first shared images of the unreleased accessory earlier this month. Since then, other collectors based in Asia seem to have got their hands on Design Validation Test (DVT) versions of the device and are sharing images of it online.

TheBlueMister has set about disassembling the accessory to restore it to working order, showing some of this process on Twitter. Connection to a Mac reveals that the unreleased accessory is called the "Apple Magic Charger."

The accessory features a rubberized white ‌MagSafe‌ charger inside an anodized aluminum rounded square that can be pushed out into a vertical position. It seemingly has a Space Gray finish and includes a white rubberized base to keep it in place on a surface, as well as a built-in braided USB-C charging cable. It also appears to bear a resemblance to the iPhone Lightning Dock. The Twitter user known as "DuanRui" today shared additional images of the unreleased Apple Magic Charger.

The accessory's design is similar to the hinged Apple Watch charger on the ‌MagSafe‌ Duo and the now-discontinued Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Dock, and is the first time a ‌MagSafe‌ charger has been seen in a hinged implementation on an official Apple accessory.

The design seems to be somewhat limited for the ‌iPhone‌ since it cannot be pushed upright in portrait orientation on the charger, proving useful for watching content in landscape mode only. The ‌MagSafe‌ puck could, of course, still charge an ‌iPhone‌ when flat, as well as AirPods that have a ‌MagSafe‌ Charging Case.

TheBlueMister says that an early version of the Apple Magic Charger's design was limited to keeping an ‌iPhone‌ in the upright, horizontal position only, and these limitations were apparently among the key reasons that Apple canned the product.

Apple released the all-new 24-inch iMac with the M1 chip in April 2021, making it over a year and a half old at this point. As a result, customers may wonder what's next for the ‌iMac‌ and Apple's all-in-one desktop computer.

We've heard several rumors and reports on what Apple has in store, offering us a good idea of what's next, and we've outlined some of the details we know about the upcoming ‌iMac‌'s design, performance, and more below.

Pro or No Pro?

Apple released a 27-inch ‌iMac‌ Pro in 2017, its answer at the time to professional customers who wanted a powerful all-in-one desktop from Apple. Apple discontinued the baseline 27-inch iMac in March 2022 after the launch of the Mac Studio and the 27-inch Studio Display. After its discontinuation, sources were conflicted on whether Apple's next large-screen 27-inch ‌iMac‌ will be branded as a "Pro" product or simply branded as a larger version of the consumer-focused iMac.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes an "iMac Pro" will launch next year, while other reports say Apple has no plans to release a larger-screened ‌iMac‌ anytime soon. Apple's plans are often shifting, so it's unclear what Apple's current plan is.

Two iMacs in the Works

Apple is working on two new iMacs: a larger-screened model with a 27-inch display and an update to the current 24-inch model. For the current 24-inch model, Apple is reportedly planning to keep the ‌M1‌ model in the lineup until later in 2023 and then possibly introduce a new version with the M3 chip.

The updated 24-inch ‌iMac‌ could feature the same design and footprint but benefit from the M3 chip. Apple recently introduced the M2 chip in June of this year, so M3 is still a ways off.

'iMac Pro' Design and Performance

The new addition to the ‌iMac‌ family, whether it be called an "‌iMac‌ Pro" or not, will feature the M3 Pro and M3 Max chips, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The chips will be the third generation of Apple silicon and build on the performance of the upcoming ‌M2‌ Pro and ‌M2‌ Max chips, which are expected to power updated 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros.

As for the display and design, the larger ‌iMac‌ could adopt the same display technology currently in Apple's highest-end MacBook Pros models consisting of mini-LED and ProMotion. Apple has also tested Face ID for the Mac, but it's unlikely that'll be coming anytime soon.

When Apple announced the 24-inch ‌iMac‌ with ‌M1‌, it touted the computer's thin design as a tribute to Apple silicon's performance and efficiency compared to the larger motherboard and thermal system needed for Intel-based iMacs.

As for the "‌iMac‌ Pro," it's not entirely clear what design the desktop will have. Apple could opt to create a thin enclosure while still offering the performance of the M3 Pro and M3 Max chips or make a larger, thicker, and heavier "pro" system, similar to the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros. Some rumors have suggested the 27-inch ‌iMac‌ will have a similar design as the Pro Display XDR with black bezels.

Fresh discounts on the Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch SE have appeared today on Amazon, offering up to $50 off select models of each wearable. As of writing, only Amazon is offering these prices.

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.

Starting with the second-generation Apple Watch SE, we're tracking an all-time low price of $239.99 on the 44mm GPS model in two colors, down from $279.00. Notably, only the S/M band size option has hit this price point.

Moving to the Apple Watch Series 8 models, prices start at $349.00 for the 41mm GPS device, down from $399.00. This price is available in Starlight, Silver, and (PRODUCT)RED aluminum color options, both S/M and M/L band sizes are being discounted, and it's another all-time low.

Lastly, the 45mm GPS Apple Watch Series 8 is on sale for $379.00, down from $429.00. Another record low price, this one is available in Silver, Starlight, (PRODUCT)RED, and Midnight aluminum color options. Both S/M and M/L band sizes are again reaching this best-ever price.

We're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2022.

Apple's senior vice president of software engineering, Craig Federighi, has admitted that the company's beta testing program, which offers developers and public beta testers access to beta versions of iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS, and macOS, isn't effective in giving users the amount of influence and interaction they desire.

In an email exchange with MacRumors reader Kieran, Federighi responded to a complaint that Apple’s beta program doesn’t effectively listen to user feedback and suggestions, noting the challenge Apple faces when "literally millions of people participate in our betas, and many, many, many of them want to provide feedback to help influence Apple's products."

When users enroll in Apple's beta program, they're given a device profile that allows them to download early versions of Apple's next operating system, such as iOS 16 and macOS Ventura. Beta testing happens all year round but is most prominent following WWDC in June, where new versions of Apple's operating systems are shown before they're released to the general public in the fall. During the summer, beta testers test the software, finding and reporting bugs, suggestions, and general comments about the new updates.

To provide feedback to Apple, users can use the Feedback app and fill in information about the bug they're experiencing or a suggestion. Often, however, beta users' feedback goes unanswered by Apple. "I agree that the current approach isn't giving many in the community what they'd like in terms of interaction and influence," Federighi admits. "We haven't yet figured out how to achieve that in a practical and constructive way. We'll keep thinking," he continued.

Apple has in the past responded quite drastically to feedback from beta users over changes and new features in iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, but only after widespread criticism and coverage.

For example, last year, Apple turned around a design change for Safari on macOS Monterey following widespread user complaints, allowing users to choose between the design it had promised that was more refined and easier to use and the older tab bar design. More recently, Apple also responded to heavy criticism regarding Stage Manager on iPadoS 16 by delaying iPadOS 16's release entirely and key new features until later this year.

While it's unclear what Apple will do to address the ineffectiveness felt by beta users on the part of interaction and influence over Apple's operating system, as admitted by Federighi, we could see an updated approach for next year's batch of new updates, which will include iOS 17 and macOS 14.

Amazon today introduced a deal on Apple's AirPods 2, available for $89.99, down from $129.00. There's currently a slight shipping delay for the headphones, with the delivery date estimated for early December.

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 is just about $10 off from the previous all-time low price on the AirPods 2, but this is still a solid second-best option on the AirPods 2 that you can lock in today for guaranteed delivery before Christmas. As of now, only Amazon is offering this steep of a discount.

We're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2022.

Apple today announced that the iPhone 14's Emergency SOS via Satellite feature will begin rolling out to customers in the United States and Canada starting today, with other countries coming later next month. Alongside the announcement, Apple also gave select YouTubers and media outlets early access to the feature, offering a closer look at how it works.

The service will be free for the first two years, but Apple has not said what will happen after then. To help users understand how it works, Apple has created a demo mode that allows users to experience the feature and its interface without having it active and contacting emergency services. Below, we've embedded some videos that offer a closer look at the demo mode and how the feature works.

From a technical level, Emergency SOS via Satellite works by utilizing technology built into all ‌iPhone‌ 14 models that allow them to connect to satellites in orbit around the earth to contact emergency services when a user is outside cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. Apple has built a new interface that allows users to send messages to emergency services over satellite using a questionnaire that asks critical questions for first responders to understand the emergency and dispatch help.

The message sent to emergency services includes a user's location, including altitude, their ‌iPhone‌ battery level, and their Medical ID, if they have one. The messages are sent directly to dispatchers or sent to a center of Apple‑trained specialists who can call emergency services on a user's behalf. For a more detailed dive into the feature, see our guide.

Apple today launched its Emergency SOS via satellite service in the US and Canada, and while the feature is geared to help users in a genuine emergency, Apple's satellites also make it possible for anyone to share their location whenever they are off the grid.

The new functionality means you can now share your location with friends and family, even if your iPhone 14 has no cellular connection or access to Wi-Fi, allowing you to reassure people of your whereabouts while traveling in the wilderness.

The following steps show you how to take advantage of the feature, which can be accessed via Find My on iPhone 14 models running iOS 16.1 or later. Be sure to update your device if you haven't already via Settings -> General -> Software Update. Also note that you must lack cellular coverage and not be connected to Wi-Fi for the feature to show up.

1. Open the Find My app on your iPhone 14.
2. Tap on the Me tab.
3. Swipe up to see "My Location via Satellite," then tap Send My Location.

That's all there is to it. As long as you are outdoors, anyone who you share your location with will now be able to see where you are, regardless of your cellular coverage.

In addition to Emergency SOS and Find My, the satellite connection on the iPhone 14 lineup also works with other features available on iPhone and Apple Watch, including Crash Detection and Fall Detection.

Note that Apple's satellite services are included for free for two years starting at the time of activation of a new iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Emergency SOS via satellite and Find My via satellite are available today in the US and Canada, and will be available in France, Germany, Ireland, and the UK in December.

The iPhone 14 lineup's Emergency SOS via satellite and Find My via satellite features will launch in four additional countries next month, Apple today announced.

In its press release announcing that Emergency SOS and ‌Find My‌ via satellite for the ‌iPhone‌ 14 and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro models will roll out later today, Apple mentioned that the feature will be coming to France, Germany, Ireland, and the UK in December, following the debut of the service in North America. In September, a report claimed that Apple would launch Emergency SOS via satellite in additional countries before the end of 2022, followed by even more regions next year.

The feature is set to officially launch later today for ‌iPhone‌ 14 users running iOS 16.1 in the United States and Canada only. The service is included for free for two years starting at the time of activation of a new ‌iPhone‌ 14 model.

Apple has announced that the iPhone 14's Emergency SOS via Satellite service will officially start rolling out today, the company said in a press release.

Apple announced the feature during the ‌iPhone‌ 14's event in September, saying it would officially launch to customers in November. To use the feature, users must be running iOS 16.1 or later. At launch, Emergency SOS via Satellite will be available in the United States and Canada and will expand to additional countries in December. For the first two years, Emergency SOS via Satellite will be free for customers, so Apple may charge for the service in the future.

With Emergency SOS via Satellite, in "ideal conditions with a direct view of the sky and the horizon," ‌iPhone‌ 14 and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro models can send a message to emergency services using a satellite connection. Apple says messages might take up to 15 seconds to send in good conditions and longer in weaker conditions. For more information on Emergency SOS via Satellite, see our guide.

A bug on tvOS 16.1 is causing models of the latest Apple TV with 128GB of storage to virtually run out of storage once a user has used 64GB of storage.

The bug, first highlighted in FlatpanelsHD's review of the new ‌Apple TV‌ and more recently by Macworld, causes new models of the ‌Apple TV‌ with 128GB of storage to think they only have 64GB of storage when in reality they have double the storage. Once the ‌Apple TV‌ surpasses 64GB of used storage, the user is presented with the following message when trying to download a new app: "The app can't be installed because there isn't enough space. Delete one or more apps or manage your storage in Settings."

According to FlatpanelsHD, the bug is not fixed in the latest beta of tvOS 16.2. In the meantime, users impacted by the bug using an ‌Apple TV‌ with 128GB of storage can try queueing enough downloads together until their ‌Apple TV‌ passes the artificial 64GB limit.

A new report has revealed internal disagreement within Apple, causing some employees who work on the company's ads business to raise concerns that showing more ads to iPhone users ruins the premium experience that's been long offered to its customers, The Information reports.

The lengthy report by The Information takes a deep dive into how Apple's ads team operates and internal concerns that the company's already growing ads business is going too far. According to the report, for example, Apple's ads salespeople are forbidden from using specific keywords when talking about the company's ads business. Salespeople should use "audience refinement" instead of saying "targeting," "platform" instead of "algorithm," and "competitor keywords" and "brand defenses" instead of "conquesting."

An Apple spokesperson, responding to the list of forbidden words, told The Information that the company wants employees to use language that is appropriate to Apple's offerings and that terms such as "targeting" do not apply since Apple doesn't let advertisers target specific users. Apple does not allow advertisers to target a demographic of less than 5,000 users to safeguard user privacy, according to the company.

While publicly, Apple displays a unified front on ads, especially those in the App Store meant to help developers gain more users and customers discover more apps, internally, employees are less than satisfied with the current approach. In internal chatrooms, at least seven employees who worked on Apple's ads team voiced concerns that the company is going too far in its ads business and will damage the premium experience of using an ‌iPhone‌. The report reveals that in 2018, Apple had plans to show users ads in Spotlight search on iOS, but it was reportedly abandoned after possible internal backlash.

Some managers within Apple's ads department previously pushed salespeople to pitch ad opportunities to different companies using keywords that were less relevant to their apps but that were less expensive than other keywords, according to the report. The requests from managers often made salespeople uncomfortable, adding to the fact that Apple's ads team did not have access to contact information or financial details about developers on the ‌App Store‌, alienating them further.

In the last few weeks, developers, customers, and critics of Apple have all voiced disapproval of the company's plans to expand its ads footprint in the App Store. Reports also suggest Apple plans to introduce ads in Apple Maps and Apple TV+. Even with the expansion in ads, Apple has no ambition to grow its ads business to the size of Meta or Google, according to a person familiar with the matter cited by the report.

But inside Apple there doesn't currently seem to be much appetite for goals that big. One person familiar with Apple's ad business said the company doesn’t harbor ambitions to compete at the same level as Meta and Google in digital advertising, nor does it plan to build an advertising network similar to those of its rivals that would serve ads to users outside its own apps and services. The person said ad executives are pleased with revenue growth based on Apple's existing ad spots and don’t plan to significantly increase the number of ads on iPhones to meet growth targets.

In the meantime, Apple has paused ads on the App Store for specific categories after a botched roll-out last month, and the company has not formalized plans to expand ads into other services. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple's advertising chief Todd Teresi wants to more than double Apple's current revenue from its ads business to $10 billion annually, up from the current $4 billion.

Twitter CEO Elon Musk plans to eliminate a Twitter feature that provides details on what device a tweet was sent from, information that has gotten Android promoters in hot water multiple times over the past several years.

Musk said in a tweet this morning that Twitter will be eliminating the line that says "Twitter for iPhone" or "Twitter for Android," as this is a "waste of screen space." He said that "no one even knows" why the feature was introduced in the first place.

Device details have been used several times to catch employees promoting Android-based smartphones from their iPhones. In 2019, for example, a Huawei employee wished Huawei followers a happy new year, but used an ‌iPhone‌ to do so. A screenshot of the tweet went viral, and the employees involved were demoted for causing "damage to the Huawei brand."

Samsung employees have tweeted Samsung promotions from iPhones multiple times over the years, and celebrities have also gotten into trouble. Actress Gal Gadot, for example, sang the praises of her new Huawei Mate 10 Pro while tweeting from an iPhone.

It is not clear when the device labels will be removed, but as of right now, the feature is still in place. Musk also said that he has instructed Twitter employees to turn off unspecified "microservices" bloatware, as "less than 20% are needed for Twitter to work."

Musk last week implemented his new $8 Twitter Blue subscription service, which provides a verification badge that was previously limited to verified individuals. It resulted in immediate chaos with a number of people paying $8 to impersonate companies and celebrity accounts. Insulin maker Eli Lilly, for example, saw its stock fall more than 4 percent after a verified account impersonated the company and announced that insulin was free. Another person impersonated LeBron James and announced he was requesting a trade, while yet another account impersonated Nintendo and tweeted an image of Mario making a rude gesture.

Twitter ended up pausing the Twitter Blue verification temporarily, and people are not able to purchase Twitter Blue subscriptions at this time. Twitter has been considering another "Official" verification badge, and it is not yet known how the company will solve the problem.