Amazon has the 41mm GPS Apple Watch Series 7 down to $279.99, from an original price of $399.00. The only color available at this price is the Green Aluminum Case with Clover Sport Band.
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.
At $119 off, today's sale on Amazon is a match of the previous all-time low discount that we tracked on this model during Prime Day. Additionally, Amazon has a bonus promotion where you can save 20 percent on Beats Studio Buds or Beats Fit Pro when purchased simultaneously with an Apple Watch.
You can find the Beats promotion next to the "Extra Savings" banner under the price on the Apple Watch Series 7 page, and add both items to your cart to see the sale. Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.
Apple is dropping its mask requirements for corporate employees at "most locations," according to an internal memo obtained by The Verge.
Apple's COVID-19 Response Team on Monday told corporate employees that the company is updating current protocols "in light of current circumstances," and urged staff to continue wearing a face mask if they feel more comfortable doing so.
Apple also noted in the email that "everyone's personal circumstances are different" and reminded corporate employees to respect every individual's decision to wear a mask or not.
Apple has been shifting its operating policies throughout the pandemic to keep in line with local regulations and to mitigate risk for employees and customers in areas where COVID is spiking.
For example, Apple in March relaxed its mask requirements for its retail employees in the United States due to a decline in Covid-19 cases and a relaxation of local mandates.
The latest move however comes amid a fresh wave of infections in California that were first identified in the Bay Area, due to the highly-contagious Omicron BA.5 subvariant.
Masks were previously still required in “public spaces,” but not at desks. Now requirement dropped altogether. Doesn’t seem like the most ideal time to do so however. See that big case decline between Feb. and March? That was the last time Apple dropped the requirement. https://t.co/vyKX3okvhupic.twitter.com/MfcaumfNq2
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) August 2, 2022
Apple is still operating a hybrid home/office work policy for corporate employees in the United States. Staff began returning to their offices on April 11 for one day a week, ending a two-year work from home policy that Apple implemented during the pandemic.
Apple originally planned to have staff in the office for three days of the week by May 23, but the company reversed the decision after a surge in infections, and a two-day requirement was imposed on May 4.
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.
Spotify is separating its play and shuffle buttons for paying subscribers, the streaming service has announced.
Currently, the Spotify interface uses a combined play and shuffle button at the top of playlists and artist pages, so the change should make things simpler for Premium customers who prefer to listen to songs in the order they are listed.
Writing in a blog post, the company said the individual play and shuffle buttons would be rolling out on iOS and Android devices for Spotify subscribers worldwide over the coming weeks.
This new change will allow you to choose the mode you prefer at the top of playlists and albums and listen the way you want to. Whether you love the joy of the unexpected with Shuffle mode, or prefer listening to tunes in order by simply pressing Play, Spotify has you covered.
Spotify has received criticism in the past for its penchant for shuffling tracks, not just from users, but also artists frustrated that their albums are not being experienced in their proper running order.
Following the release of "30" by Adele last November, the singer thanked Spotify for removing the shuffle button as the default option when playing albums. Artists "don't create albums with so much care and thought into our track listing for no reason," she tweeted. "Thank you Spotify for listening."
Apple has admitted that customers using the Studio Display may experience audio-related issues, including sound unexpectedly and abruptly cutting out, audio playing at a high speed, distorted audio quality, and choppy playback.
In a memo to authorized service providers, obtained by MacRumors, Apple acknowledges that customers may find themselves facing speaker issues with the company's $1599 display. Apple says that customers facing issues should unplug the Studio Display from power, unplug any accessories or devices connected to the display, wait ten seconds, then reconnect the Studio Display to power. Apple explicitly notes this is not a hardware problem and implies that a future iOS update may address the issues.
Apple has heavily boasted about the audio, mic, and camera built into the Studio Display. Apple says the speaker system is the "highest‑fidelity speaker system ever created for Mac" and has touted the controversial 12MP built-in camera with Center Stage and the six-speaker array system.
Customers have been reporting both microphone and speaker-related issues with their Studio Display over the last several months, but reports have become more frequent in recent weeks. Michael Tsai this week chronicled some testimonies from customers facing issues, with one customer writing:
The audio on my Studio Display fails intermittently. The only way I can get it to work again is to unplug the display overnight. That resets the display and resolves the problem temporarily. Until the next time. This is simply unacceptable for a $1600 monitor, and Apple should be ashamed of the poor quality control.
Based on the number of customer reports, audio-related issues with the Studio Display do appear to be relatively widespread. Hundreds of customers have taken to Twitter, the Apple Support (1,2,3,4,5) and MacRumors forums (1,2,3) looking for a permanent solution.
Well I just had to reboot my monitor.
Welcome to the wonderful world of monitors with chips and (presumably) operating systems.
My Apple Display Studio Display was mangling audio this morning. Caused issues for a podcast. Had to reboot the old-fashioned way: power cycling.
— John Koetsier (@johnkoetsier) July 28, 2022
The speakers in my Studio Display have stopped working. It’s been days. Still can’t get them to work again.
— Parker Ortolani (@ParkerOrtolani) July 18, 2022
is anyone else's studio display buggy for video/audio?
I just got one and for some reason youtube/music apps freeze or become frequently choppy
— Kiran (@neuroswish) July 30, 2022
Studio Display Audio Issues — I had the same issues with my… rebooting a monitoring fix the problems. Just weird to have to reboot a display, though.https://t.co/5kNrRWljEj
— A Numeric Citizen (@numericcitizen) July 29, 2022
Since yesterday my Studio Display will only play audio for a few seconds and then it stops. Audio playback works fine on the MacBook Pro that’s connected to the display. Not sure if it’s hardware or software related. I’m running the Ventura beta.
Anyone seeing something similar? pic.twitter.com/u4yO1bFubq
— Simon B. Støvring (@simonbs) July 28, 2022
I have to restart both my Apple Studio Displays. Otherwise, audio gets choppy and eventually just cuts out completely. Rebooting the Mac doesn't help. You literally have to power cycle the entire Studio Display(s). Happens about every 5-6 weeks for me it seems. https://t.co/Y328O82hV9
— Mario Guzmán (@MarioGuzman) July 26, 2022
Audio recording from my Apple Studio Display microphone is still fundamentally broken in every app. Latest OS and display firmware versions.
— Seth Willits (@sethwillits) July 26, 2022
The Studio Display runs iOS and can receive software updates that address problems like this. Apple has attempted to address poor webcam quality with the Studio Display through a software update with mixed results. It seems the company will follow a similar route with audio-related issues. Today's memo offers no timeframe on when a permanent solution may arrive, but in the meantime customers are advised to ensure their display is updated to the latest firmware.
Eve Systems today announced the launch of a redesigned version of the Eve Aqua, a HomeKit-enabled smart home device designed to automate irrigation systems and convert standard outdoor faucets into smart water outlets.
The Eve Aqua water controller is able to automatically activate an irrigation system using the Home app on the iPhone, the Eve app, Siri voice commands, or a physical button on the device itself.
The third-generation Eve Aqua includes Thread support for improved reliability and reach when used with other Thread-compatible devices. It activates and shuts off automatically, with no internet connection, bridge, or gateway required for functionality, and it runs off of 2 AA batteries.
Eve Systems says that the new Eve Aqua has been redesigned with a sleeker look that features a space gray body and matte black front, along with a brass faucet connector and magnetic valve for improved durability, leak protection, and quieter operation.
As expected, Apple today updated its vintage products list with eight more MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and iMac models released in 2015 and 2016.
Notably, the first MacBook Pro models with the Touch Bar are now classified as vintage. Apple introduced the Touch Bar in October 2016 as part of a complete redesign of the MacBook Pro. Apple has since removed the Touch Bar from higher-end MacBook Pro models, but it is still available on the new 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M2 chip.
The full list of Macs that became vintage at the end of July:
MacBook (12-inch, Early 2016)
MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2015)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, Early 2015)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Two Thunderbolt Ports)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt Ports)
MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)
iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2015)
iMac (27-inch, Retina 5K, Late 2015)
9.7-inch iPad Pro models released in 2016 are now vintage as well.
A device becomes vintage once five years have passed since Apple last distributed the device for sale. Vintage products are typically ineligible for repairs at Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers, unless spare parts remain available.
Rumors suggest that the upcoming iPhone 14 Pro models are going to feature always-on display technology similar to the Apple Watch, and hints of what that always-on display might look like could be in the latest Xcode 14 beta.
As noted on Twitter by MacRumors contributor Steve Moser, the Xcode 14 beta features an interesting Lock Screen interface that eliminates detail from an on-screen widget as the screen wakes. The animation indicates that the iPhone 14 Pro models could remove intricate details from widgets and other Lock Screen content when the iPhone is locked and the always-on display is active.
A preview of the rumored iPhone 14 Pro ‘Always on Display’ feature might have been leaked by Xcode 14 beta 4 Simulator. Attached are the first two frames of a video of waking the sim. The first image (Always on Display mode) removes texture from the whale image in the widget 🧵 https://t.co/YDsTmuHotbpic.twitter.com/jPYDGh7m6k
— Steve Moser (@SteveMoser) August 1, 2022
iOS developer @rhogelleim also noted signs of a black and white version of a widget that is typically in color in the Xcode 14 beta that could be related to the always-on display.
The most recent iOS 16 beta also features hints of a "Sleep" state for wallpapers, offering further information on how the always-on display will work. "Sleep" versions of wallpapers are darker, fading out bright colors, which would perhaps preserve battery life when used with an always-on display.
Always-on display functionality is rumored to be limited to the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max as these devices will have the necessary display technology. Rumors indicate the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max will feature refresh rates that vary from 1Hz to 120Hz, an improvement over the 10Hz to 120Hz refresh rates available with the iPhone 13 Pro devices.
The 1Hz refresh rate will allow for the time, widgets, and perhaps notifications to be visible while the iPhone is in a sleep state. Apple's iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max models are also rumored to be getting a no-notch design that instead uses pill-shaped and hole-punch cutouts for Face ID and camera hardware, improved rear cameras, and A16 chips, with full details available in our dedicated iPhone 14 Pro roundup.
Samsung today shared the official trailer video for its upcoming "Unpacked" event that will see the debut of the next-generation foldable smartphones, including the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and the Galaxy Z Flip 4.
The Unpacked event is set to take place on Wednesday, August 10 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time, and Samsung is already taking reservations for the as-of-yet unannounced smartphones. "Find out how the next Galaxy is greater than phones now, and get ready to unfold your world of greater experiences at Samsung Unpacked," reads the tagline for the event teasing the new devices.
Rumors suggest the Galaxy Z Fold 4 will have an updated design with a single hinge design instead of the double hinges of the prior-generation Samsung foldable phones. The new hinge will be smaller for a thinner and lighter design, and the smartphone will continue to fold like a book.
The Z Fold 4 is expected to continue to feature a 7.6-inch interior display with a 120Hz refresh rate, and it could have an under-display fingerprint sensor instead of a fingerprint sensor at the right side of the device. Upgraded cameras are coming, including a 10-megapixel telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom, a 50-megapixel wide-angle camera, and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera. The Galaxy Fold 3 was priced at $1,800, and display analyst Ross Young says that the Fold 4 could get a small price cut.
As for the Galaxy Z Flip 4, it will continue to feature a 6.7-inch display that folds out vertically, but according to Young, it will have a larger 2-inch cover display. Not much else is known about the Z Flip 4, but camera improvements are possible, as are battery life improvements and new color options. Both new smartphones are expected to run the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus chips.
Samsung has been making foldable devices since the 2019 introduction of the Galaxy Fold, and the company has several years of experience with various design improvements and iterations.
Apple has yet to debut a foldable iPhone, though rumors suggest there are prototypes in the works. Right now, work is said to be in the early stages, and Apple has considered several foldable screen sizes, including one that unfolds to a size similar to the 6.7-inch iPhone 13 Pro Max and others in the eight to nine inch range.
Rumors about Apple's foldable design have been all over the place, with some suggesting an invisible hinge and others pointing toward a two-display design with a visible hinge. There's also been a rumor of a foldable iPhone with a clamshell design similar to the Galaxy Z Flip. Multiple sources indicate that 2025 is the earliest that we might see a foldable iPhone, so there's plenty of time for Apple's plans to change and evolve.
Sonos in June launched the Sonos Ray, a compact, affordable soundbar that pairs well with an Apple TV-powered home setup because of its AirPlay 2 and HomeKit integration. We picked up a Sonos Ray to give MacRumors readers an idea of how it works and whether it's worth the $279.
The Sonos Ray is smaller than other Sonos soundbars, measuring in at about 22 inches long, so it's ideal for smaller spaces and smaller entertainment setups. Like most Sonos products, it's sleek and blends well into surrounding decor, and it looks a lot like the Sonos Beam.
There are easy access touch controls at the top, along with power, ethernet, and optical audio ports at the back. Just as a quick note, if you happen to have a remote that doesn't support IR, you might not want to pick up the Sonos Ray as some of these remotes are not compatible due to the optical audio port and you'll need to manually adjust volume. This won't impact most people, as most remotes (including the Apple TV remote) work with the Sonos Ray.
If you need more audio output than what the Ray provides, it does play well with other Sonos speakers and subwoofers, but even on its own, the sound quality is impressive. You won't get Dolby Atmos at this price point, but the sound is solid despite the small form factor, and it easily beats out TV speakers. There are four Class-D digital amplifiers, two tweeters, two high-efficiency midwoofers, and a built-in bass reflex system, plus it features adjustable EQ and Sonos' TruePlay feature for tuning sound to the room the Ray is located in.
With AirPlay 2 and HomeKit integration, the Sonos Ray pairs with HomeKit-enabled products and speakers, plus it can be controlled and adjusted through the Home app and Siri commands. AirPlay integration makes it easy to AirPlay audio directly to the Ray if needed, and it is all in all a good choice for those who need a soundbar for a smaller space.
Apple today shared a new video that's aimed at Android users who are considering a switch over to an iPhone. The video walks through common questions that switchers might have, including transferring contacts, photos, and messages, trade-ins, long-term updates, and more.
It also covers the durability of the iPhone such as water resistance, battery life, reliability of the iOS operating system, security, and privacy protections for personal data.
Apple's four-minute video on switching to an iPhone is basically a condensed version of its dedicated "Switch to iPhone" website that walks through everything smartphone users need to know about upgrading to an iPhone. Apple also maintains a dedicated "Move to iOS" Android app that makes it easy to transfer data.
Intel is planning to install its next-generation Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) technology in devices by 2024, ETNews reports.
Wi-Fi 7 is the successor to Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), bringing two times faster data processing speeds of 5.8 Gbps and more stable 6 GHz bandwidth stability, as well as support for up to 36 Gbps when working with data. Intel plans to expand its Wi-Fi 7 development efforts ahead of its introduction to the market in 2024 and intends to apply its technology predominantly in laptops before expanding to other devices.
"We are currently developing Intel's Wi-Fi '802.11be' in order to obtain the 'Wi-Fi Alliance' certification, and it will be installed in PC products such as laptops by 2024. We expect it to appear in major markets in 2025," Eric McLaughlin, vice president of Intel's wireless solutions division, said at a recent press conference in Asia.
"Wi-Fi 7 almost doubles the frequency bandwidth of 802.11ax (170 MHz) to 320 MHz and doubles the speed of Wi-Fi. Since there is more than a year left before the release of 802.11be, there is still a chance that we could improve the processing speed even further," he added.
Meanwhile, Apple is on the cusp of transitioning its devices to Wi-Fi 6E. While it was heavily rumored to debut with the iPhone 13 lineup last year, Apple has yet to release any devices with support for Wi-Fi 6E. That is expected to change this year starting with the iPhone 14.
Apple's long-rumored mixed-reality headset is also expected to feature Wi-Fi 6E. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that head-mounted display devices in 2022, 2023, and 2024 will offer Wi-Fi 6/6E, Wi-Fi 6E/7, and Wi-Fi 7, respectively, but it is unclear if this information was related to Apple's product roadmap specifically.
Wi-Fi 6E offers the features and capabilities of Wi-Fi 6, including higher performance, lower latency, and faster data rates, extended into the 6 GHz band for processing speeds of 2.4 Gbps. The additional spectrum provides more airspace beyond existing 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi, resulting in increased bandwidth and less interference.
Last year, the FCC adopted rules that make 1,200 MHz of spectrum in the 6 GHz band available for unlicensed use in the United States, paving the way for the introduction of new devices with Wi-Fi 6E support.
Along with Intel, Qualcomm, Broadcom, and MediaTek are also preparing to release Wi-Fi 7-based products.
Apple's 64GB Wi-Fi iPad has returned to its all-time low price of $299.00 on Amazon this week, down from $329.00. Both the Silver and Space Gray colors are in stock at this price, with delivery estimates set for as soon as August 3.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
This is a match of the record low price we previously tracked on the 10.2-inch iPad, and right now only Amazon has the sale. You can also get the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad on sale, available for $429.00, down from $479.00.
For even more iPad deals, head to our full Best Deals guide for iPad. In that guide we track the best discounts online for iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro.
The standard iPhone 14 models will still have better performance than the iPhone 13, despite containing the same A15 Bionic chip, according to leaker "ShrimpApplePro."
This differs from Apple's strategy to date of equipping all of the latest iPhones with the same chip. For example, the iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max are all equipped with the A15 chip.
Despite retaining "some old hardware," the non-Pro iPhone 14 models will "still have some overall performance boost over the iPhone 13 series," ShrimpApplePro said in a tweet. This is reportedly due to a new cellular modem and a new internal design, among other changes.
These other improvements could include more memory, with the all of the iPhone 14 models expected to feature 6GB of memory, 2GB more than the iPhone 13. The iPhone 14's new, more efficient modem is expected to be physically smaller, use less power, and offer a high level of performance. As such, ShrimpApplePro's claim that the iPhone 14 will still offer performance improvements seems likely.
Earlier this year, Gurman said that "beyond trying to make the Pro stand out," ongoing chip shortages may have contributed to Apple's decision to limit its upcoming chip to the iPhone 14 Pro models.
Amazon has further discounted the 32GB Apple TV 4K this week, now available for $119.99, down from $179.00. This is just about $10 higher than the all-time low price on the Apple TV 4K that we tracked during Prime Day.
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.
Delivery estimates for the Apple TV 4K right now on Amazon are slightly delayed, with the current free Prime delivery option set for August 14. Although this is a few weeks away, you can lock in the deal price today to guarantee the sale ahead of the delivery date in August.
Apple has added Apple Pay support to third-party browsers in recent betas of iOS 16 and iPadOS 16.
The added support, spotted by MacRumors contributor Steve Moser, marks a change from iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 and earlier, where in-browser Apple Pay is exclusively available in Safari. Moser found that Apple Pay is available in Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome as of iOS 16 developer beta 4, and other users have noticed Apple Pay support in Mozilla Firefox.
Moser noted that Apple Pay support continues to be unavailable on the macOS versions of Edge and Chrome, presumably since they do not use WebKit, Apple's browser engine that is mandatory for third-party browsers on iOS and iPadOS. This suggests that Apple Pay support is dependent on WebKit and this is the location of any changes Apple has made to expand support for Apple Pay.
This doesn’t work in Edge or Chrome on that latest macOS beta because I assume it requires the third party render engines to be updated where as Edge and Chrome on iOS use Safari’s render engine.
— Steve Moser (@SteveMoser) July 30, 2022
It is not clear when Apple made the change, as some users spotted Apple Pay support in third-party browsers as early as developer beta 2, while others only saw support added with developer beta 3.
While the change is a step forward for users of third-party browsers on iOS and iPadOS, it is difficult not to see the expanded support for Apple Pay in the context of Apple's growing antitrust issues, with Apple's browser engine ban and restrictions on third-party apps coming under increasing scrutiny around the world.
Apple has expanded a previously U.S. exclusive Apple TV gift card offer to more countries worldwide, offering customers a gift card alongside the purchase of an Apple TV 4K or Apple TV HD.
The original offer was launched for U.S. customers last month, giving buyers a $50 gift card with the purchase of an Apple TV.
Following the Apple Store going down in several countries, Apple has expanded the offer to more locations, including the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, and others. The promotion will run until August 15, including in the U.S.
The gift card offered in the promotion can only be used for future Apple purchases and can't be used on the Apple TV purchase itself. Rumors suggest Apple is working on a new Apple TV that could launch this year, and the gift card promotion could be a means of clearing inventory ahead of the new model.
Apple's online store is currently down in some countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and more. The downtime is not worldwide, with the store still operational in some other countries.
"We're making updates to the Apple Store," the store page says, as usual when there is downtime. Apple advises customers to "check back soon."
It's unclear if the downtime is related to scheduled maintenance, the launch of a new product, the rollout of a new promotional offer, changes being made to the design or functionality of Apple's online store, or another reason.
Apple's online store went down briefly on the final day of June, and when it came back online, there was a new promotion in the U.S. that offered a $50 Apple gift card with the purchase of any new Apple TV through July 14. Given the store is down again on the final day of July, it is possible that another promotion is incoming in some countries, but this is only one of many possibilities for the downtime and we'll have to wait and see.
We're probably about six weeks away from the unveiling of the iPhone 14 lineup and Apple is continuing to polish the iOS 16 update that will be released alongside the new hardware, so we're seeing a number of tweaks as it moves through the beta testing period.
This week also saw some rumors about the rugged "Apple Watch Pro" planned for launch later this year, as well as some of the prototypes Apple has been testing out for a redesigned larger iMac, so read on for all the details on these stories and more!
Everything New in iOS 16 Beta 4 For Lock Screen, iMessage, and More
Apple this week released the fourth developer beta of iOS 16 with a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone. Apple also released a corresponding second public beta of iOS 16.
Teardowns of the new MacBook Air with the M2 chip earlier this month revealed that Apple has replaced the last Intel-supplied component in that Mac — Thunderbolt port controllers — with its own custom solution.
Titanium 'Apple Watch Pro' Could Signal the End of Apple Watch Edition
Given that the Apple Watch Edition already has a titanium casing, it is possible that the Edition model will be discontinued, or that the new rugged Apple Watch will become the new Edition model for the Series 8 lineup.
Hands-On Comparison: Pixel 6a vs. iPhone SE
Google last week launched the Pixel 6a, a $449 budget smartphone that's designed to compete with more affordable smartphones like Apple's latest iPhone SE, which starts at $429.
While the iPhone still uses the Lightning connector for now, Apple has been transitioning many of its devices to USB-C in recent years.
Apple now offers USB-C ports on every new Mac that it sells, along with all iPad models except the entry-level model, the Studio Display and Pro Display XDR, and a handful of other products.
Rumors suggest that Apple still plans to release a new larger iMac or iMac Pro, but not until 2023 or 2024, so it seems like the prototype models with M1 series of chips from last year are unlikely to be released to the public.
MacRumors Newsletter
Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.