MacRumors

Apple's mixed-reality headset will feature iris scanning to authenticate payments and log into accounts, setting itself apart from Meta's new Quest Pro headset, according to a paywalled report from The Information.

Two individuals, who apparently helped develop Apple's headset, told The Information that users will be able to scan their irises to quickly log into their accounts and make payments, similar to Face ID and Touch ID – a feature first rumored by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Iris scanning is also said to make it easier for multiple people to use the same headset and sets the device apart from the Quest Pro, which lacks any such feature.

To enable iris scanning, internal cameras track where users are looking. Eye tracking also allows Apple to reduce graphical fidelity in a user's peripheral vision, thereby reducing the amount of processing power required for the headset's graphics. Apple's purchase of German startup SensoMotoric Instruments in 2017 is said to have allowed it to build the technology.

The report reiterated the rumor that Apple's headset will feature 14 cameras, compared to just 10 on Meta's Quest Pro headset, designed to capture motion to accurately represent real-world movements on digital avatars. Two downward-facing cameras apparently capture the wearer's legs, offering another feature that the Quest Pro does not have.

The headset purportedly resembles "a pair of ski goggles" and look different from the Quest Pro. Apple's design is said to rely heavily on "mesh fabrics, aluminum and glass," and conceals its outward-facing cameras better than the Quest Pro. The device is also apparently thinner and lighter than the Quest Pro, which weighs 722 grams.

In addition, the report claims that Apple's headset allows those who wear glasses to magnetically clip on custom prescription lenses inside the device.

On the exterior of the headset, an outward-facing display is said to allow other people to see the facial expressions of the wearer. Despite concerns over how the display may use additional battery life, it is reportedly able to operate at a low refresh rate to conserve power, similar to the always-on displays of the Apple Watch and iPhone.

The Information warned that some previously planned features may not make it into the final version of the headset when it is unveiled next year.

Google has now rolled out all of the promised Lock Screen widgets for its iPhone apps, including the Google app, Gmail, Google Maps, Chrome, Google News, and Google Drive.

The rollout was completed today with two Lock Screen widgets for Maps, following five widgets for the Google app that were released on Wednesday. In version 233.0 of the Google app, the widgets include the following descriptions, with two widget sizes for Search:

• Search: Access Google Search from your Lock Screen
• Voice Search: Ask a question, hum a song or search for content with your voice
• Lens: Search with your camera or any image
• Lens shortcuts: Easily access your favorite Lens feature. Translate, shop, or solve homework with your camera.

Version 6.40 of Google Maps adds widgets for Search and Frequent Trips, with the latter displaying the location, estimated time of arrival, and traffic conditions:

• Frequent Trips: Get directions and an estimated time of arrival for your frequent trips.
• Search: Search in Google Maps for restaurants, petrol stations, and more.

Equivalent widgets can be found in Google News, Gmail, Drive, and Chrome. Once the apps are updated on your device, launch the new versions first before trying to add the widgets, otherwise they won't appear in the Lock Screen editor.

Back in August, a video of an AirPower prototype gave us a closer look at Apple's abandoned wireless charging device, but the unit was not functional in any practical way. Now, thanks to a collaboration between YouTube channels Apple Demo and Unbox Therapy, we can see an ‌AirPower‌ prototype that actually charges devices – albeit with some major caveats.

‌Announced in 2017 alongside the iPhone X, ‌AirPower‌‌ was designed so that an ‌‌iPhone‌‌, ‌AirPods‌, and Apple Watch could be placed on any portion of the mat and the devices would charge, which meant that multiple overlapping charging coils (22 in all) had to be included.

To demonstrate the charging, Apple Demo provided Unbox Therapy with a rare ‌AirPower‌ prototype with one functioning coil in the bottom right corner of the mat, along with an explicit set of instructions on how to use the ill-fated device without damaging the unit or injuring oneself in the process, given its propensity to overheat.

To power on the ‌AirPower‌, Unbox Therapy uses a MacBook Pro's USB-C port with a genuine Apple Lightning to USB-C cable, as advised. Like other ‌‌AirPower‌‌ prototypes, the unit does not feature the white exterior shell that Apple marketed the device with, exposing its internal circuitry on the back. Apple Demo cautions not to touch this side of the ‌AirPower‌, as they had done so by accident and received a bad electric shock.

Apple Demo warns that only Apple devices should be charged on the ‌AirPower‌, and preferably only ‌iPhone‌ X models or AirPods. The ‌AirPower‌ prototype is unable to charge any Apple Watch models or any newer devices with MagSafe magnets. Additionally, "Max" devices (like ‌iPhone‌ XS Max) should be avoided as well because they could cause damage if they draw more power.

Apple Demo also advises not to leave the ‌AirPower‌ connected to power for an extended period of time – up to a maximum of one minute – and to leave the unit for five minutes to cool down and prevent damage before placing anything else on it.

Respecting these instructions, Unbox Therapy places an ‌iPhone‌ X on the corner of the mat, whereupon it begins to charge wirelessly – and stays charging for the short time the phone is left on the mat. After a cooldown period, an AirPods case is placed on the mat that also responds to the working coil.

‌AirPower‌‌ missed its original 2018 launch date goal and Apple shelved the project in March 2019 due to problems with overheating, buggy inter-device communication, and mechanical and interference issues. But the video also highlights the fact that in some ways ‌AirPower‌ was a product of its time and technology has moved on since Apple came up with the idea.

For example, Unbox Therapy makes the salient point that ‌AirPower‌ is poorly designed for many of today's Apple Watch bands that don't lie flat when taken off the wrist and placed down (the Solo Loop, for example). Whether this factored into Apple's reasoning to abandon the ‌AirPower‌ is unknown, but it's the main reason why most third-party multi-device wireless chargers come with a raised stand that enables the band to loop behind the charging pad without having to take it off.

Rumors in subsequent years about Apple's work on a smaller wireless charger may have been related to ‌MagSafe‌ or the ‌‌MagSafe‌‌ Duo charger, rather than another ‌AirPower-like device‌. That said, a report from reliable Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman last year said that Apple is still looking into AirPower-like charging solutions for the future.

A Brazilian court today levied a $19 million "social damages" fine (100 million reais) against Apple for selling iPhones without a charger, reports Reuters. The Sao Paulo state court said that Apple must offer battery chargers with iPhones that are sold in the country, providing a decision in a lawsuit brought about by the Brazilian association of borrowers, consumers, and taxpayers (AMBCC).

Apple has said that it stopped offering chargers with iPhone purchases in order to cut down on carbon emissions. The company has argued that many customers already have chargers available, and it continues to sell chargers on a standalone basis.

The court presiding over the case did not look favorably on Apple's environmental explanation. "It is evident that, under the justification of a 'green initiative,' the defendant imposes on the consumer a required purchase of charger adapters that were previously supplied along with the product," read the ruling.

In addition to the fine, Apple is expected to sell iPhones with chargers and also provide chargers to all Brazilians who purchased their products after October 13, 2020, according to Brazilian news site Estadão. Apple ceased providing chargers with iPhones when it launched the ‌iPhone‌ 12 models in 2020. In most countries, Apple no longer ships iPhones with EarPods or a power adapter, offering just a USB-C to Lightning cable.

Back in September, the Brazilian Justice Ministry ordered Apple to stop selling iPhones without a charger and also levied a fine of $2.34 million, claiming that Apple was giving customers an incomplete product.

Apple has not complied with that order as it is appealing the ruling, with the company also planning to appeal today's Sao Paulo decision.

Apple marketing chief Greg Joswiak and software engineering head Craig Federighi will be two of the speakers at The Wall Street Journal's Tech Live event that is set to be held on Tuesday, October 25.

The topic of the session has yet to be announced, but it will be hosted by The ‌Wall Street Journal‌ technology columnist Joanna Stern. Joswiak and Federighi will be speaking from 7:35 p.m. Pacific Time to 8:00 p.m. Pacific Time.

Based on the timing of the event, the duo will likely discuss iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura, both of which are likely to launch during the week of October 24. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said last week that iPadOS 16 will be released in the final week of October, and macOS Ventura will probably come out alongside it as it is in an advanced stage of beta testing. Apple is also gearing up to debut new Macs and iPads, so it's possible that the Tech Live conference will be timed with new product announcements.

Other speakers at WSJ Tech Live will include Disney CEO Bob Chapek, Intel CEO Patrick Gelsinger, Boston Dynamics CEO Robert Playter, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel, and more.

Netflix today announced the upcoming launch of the ad-supported tier that has been in the works for the last several months. The new "Basic With Ads" plan is priced at $6.99 per month in the United States, $3 cheaper than the standard Basic plan.

Basic With Ads will be available alongside the Basic, Standard, and Premium plans, offering 720p streaming video. Netflix is also updating the standard Basic plan with 720p support when the Basic With Ads plan launches.

Netflix's new plan will offer most of the same TV shows, movies, and "personalized viewing experience," but subscribers will see between four and five minutes of ads per hour. Ads will vary from 15 to 30 seconds in length, and will play before and during shows and films.

There will be a selection of movies and TV shows that will not be available due to licensing restrictions, but Netflix has not provided a list of content that will be inaccessible.

Unlike with the plans without ads, the ad-based tier will not support downloading movies and TV shows for offline viewing.

Netflix Basic with Ads is set to launch on Thursday, November 3 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time. It will be available in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Spain, the UK and the US.

The Apple Maps app appears to be experiencing issues at the current time, with Apple's System Status page listing an outage. According to Apple, users are seeing problems with Maps Display, Maps Routing and Navigation, Maps Search, and Maps Traffic.

‌Apple Maps‌ is not able to display traffic conditions at the current time, and search and routing are unreliable for some users. Apple says that the outage began at 1:00 Eastern Time, so if you are having trouble with ‌Apple Maps‌, you are not alone.

There is no word on when the Maps outage will be fixed, but we'll update this article when Apple addresses the issue.

Update 2:00 p.m. ET: Apple says the outage has been resolved.

Amazon has marked the price of the 32GB Apple TV HD down to $79.00, down from $149.00. This model is the Apple TV that launched in 2015, but it now comes with the new 2021 Siri Remote.

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.

As of writing, shipping is delayed on the Apple TV HD, with delivery dates estimated for early November. You can still lock in this all-time low price today ahead of those dates, and Amazon may ship sooner if more stock is made available.

This is a particularly steep discount on the Apple TV HD, and the best price we've ever tracked to date. The Apple TV HD lacks support for 4K resolution and other features, which you can read more on in our comparison guide, but it's still a solid streaming device for those okay with 1080p resolution, especially at this price point.

For the newer models with 4K, the 32GB Apple TV 4K is $109.99 on Amazon, down from $179.00, and the 64GB Apple TV 4K is $129.99, down from $199.00. Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

Update: This deal has expired.

Eve today announced the official launch of its updated HomeKit-enabled Eve Light Switch in the United States, with the new accessory now available for purchase.

Eve's Light Switch is the 15th Eve product to support the upcoming Matter smart home standard that is expected to launch later this year. Matter is designed to allow products from different smart home manufacturers like Apple and Google to interact with one another, something that is not possible at the current time.

Thread support is also available, and with other Thread-enabled products, the Eve Light Switch serves as a router node to enhance the Thread mesh network for improved connectivity with other Thread devices.

The third-generation Eve Light Switch supports rooms with three-way switches, and it adds support for connecting lights to a smart home network without having to change bulbs. Eve says that it is simple to install the Light Switch, and there is an instructional video available.

With HomeKit integration, the Eve Light Switch can be controlled through the Home app, the Eve app, or with Siri voice commands, plus it can be used to access lights when away from home with a Home hub that includes the HomePod or the Apple TV.

The Eve Light Switch can be purchased from the Eve website or from Amazon for $50.

iOS 16 continues to leak data outside an active VPN tunnel, even when Lockdown mode is enabled, security researchers have discovered.

Speaking to MacRumors, security researchers Tommy Mysk and Talal Haj Bakry explained that iOS 16's approach to VPN traffic is the same whether Lockdown mode is enabled or not. The news is significant since iOS has a persistent, unresolved issue with leaking data outside an active VPN tunnel.

In August, it again emerged that third-party VPNs for iOS and iPadOS routinely fail to route all network traffic through a secure tunnel after they have been turned on – an issue that Apple has purportedly known about for years.

Typically, when a user activates a VPN, the operating system closes all existing internet connections and then re-establishes them through the VPN tunnel. In iOS, security researchers have found that sessions and connections established before the VPN is turned on are not terminated as one would expect, and can still send data outside the VPN tunnel while it is active, leaving it potentially unencrypted and exposed to ISPs and other parties.

According to a report from privacy company Proton, an iOS VPN bypass vulnerability had been identified in iOS 13.3.1, which persisted through three subsequent updates. Apple indicated it would add Kill Switch functionality in a future software update that would allow developers to block all existing connections if a VPN tunnel is lost, but this functionality does not appear to prevent data leaks as of iOS 15 and iOS 16.

Mysk and Bakry have now discovered that iOS 16 communicates with select Apple services outside an active VPN tunnel and leaks DNS requests without the user's knowledge:

Mysk and Bakry also investigated whether iOS 16's Lockdown mode takes the necessary steps to fix this issue and funnel all traffic through a VPN when one is enabled, and it appears that the exact same issue persists whether Lockdown mode is enabled or not, particularly with push notifications. This means that the minority of users who are vulnerable to a cyberattack and need to enable Lockdown mode are equally at risk of data leaks outside their active VPN tunnel.

iOS 16 introduced Lockdown mode as an optional security feature designed to protect the "very small number" of users who may be at risk of "highly targeted cyberattacks" from private companies developing state-sponsored spyware, such as journalists, activists, and government employees. Lockdown mode does not enable a VPN itself, and relies on the same third-party VPN apps as the rest of the system.

Due to the fact that iOS 16 leaks data outside the VPN tunnel even where Lockdown mode is enabled, internet service providers, governments, and other organizations may be able to identify users who have a large amount of traffic, potentially highlighting influential individuals. It is possible that Apple does not want a potentially malicious VPN app to collect some kinds of traffic, but seeing as ISPs and governments are then able to do this, even if that is what the user is specifically trying to avoid, it seems likely that this is part of the same VPN problem that affects iOS 16 as a whole.

It is worth noting that Apple only lists high-level features that activate when Lockdown mode is enabled, and Apple has not explicitly mentioned any changes that take place to affect VPN traffic. Nevertheless, as Lockdown mode claims to be an extreme protection measure, it seems like a considerable oversight that VPN traffic is a vulnerable point.

Apple today announced that Apple Card users will be able to open a new "high-yield" savings account from Goldman Sachs and have their Daily Cash automatically deposited into it, with no fees, no minimum deposits, and no minimum balance requirements.

Apple says the savings account option will be available "in the coming months," but it did not reveal what the interest rate will be for Daily Cash balances. Goldman Sachs' existing online high-yield savings account Marcus currently has a 2.15% APR.

As with all Apple Card features, users will be able to manage the savings account through the Wallet app. Once the account is set up, all Daily Cash received from that point on will be automatically deposited into it, unless a user opts to continue having it added to their Apple Cash card. Users can change where their Daily Cash is sent at any time.

Apple Card offers 2% Daily Cash on any purchase made with Apple Pay, and 3% Daily Cash on purchases made with Apple Pay at select retailers, including Apple, Uber, Uber Eats, Walgreens, Nike, Panera Bread, T-Mobile, ExxonMobil, and Ace Hardware. Apple Card users who take advantage of the savings account option would be able to earn interest on their Daily Cash automatically, allowing the amount to grow over time.

Users will be able to deposit additional funds into the savings account through a linked bank account, or from their Apple Cash balance. Likewise, users will be able to withdraw funds from the savings account at any time, with no fees.

"Savings enables Apple Card users to grow their Daily Cash rewards over time, while also saving for the future," said Apple Pay chief Jennifer Bailey. "Savings delivers even more value to users' favorite Apple Card benefit — Daily Cash — while offering another easy-to-use tool designed to help users lead healthier financial lives."

Launched in 2019, the Apple Card remains exclusive to the United States. Apple's credit card can be managed completely through the Wallet app on the iPhone, with a physical version available for use at stores that do not accept contactless payments. Daily Cash is limited to 1% for purchases made with the physical Apple Card.

Now that Amazon's Prime Early Access Sale has ended, many of the week's best sales have expired. However, we're tracking two Apple products that remain at their best-ever prices even after the end of the event, including the Apple Watch Series 8 and iPad mini 6.

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.

Apple Watch Series 8

The 41mm GPS Apple Watch Series 8 remains at $349.00 in two colors of aluminum: (PRODUCT)RED and Midnight. Both colors are in stock and ready to ship from Amazon, with delivery estimates between October 15 and 18.

You can also get the 45mm GPS Apple Watch Series 8 for $379.00 on Amazon, down from $429.00. This one is only available in (PRODUCT)RED at this price, and it has a delivery estimate of October 16 to 18 from Amazon.

iPad Mini

Additionally, Amazon has all four colors of the 64GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 6 for $399.99, down from $499.00. This is the best price we've ever seen on this iPad mini, and most colors can be delivered as soon as this Saturday.

The 256GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 6 is still on sale for $549.99, down from $649.00. This one is available in all four colors as well: Starlight, Space Gray, Purple, and Pink, and again most can be delivered as soon as this Saturday.

If you're shopping for cellular models, the 64GB cellular iPad mini 6 is priced at $549.99 and the 256GB cellular iPad mini 6 is priced at $699.99. Both of these sales again represent $99 discounts on regular prices, and are record low sales for each tablet.

Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.

Apple is likely to launch the HomePod mini in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden in the foreseeable future based on Siri language support.

In recent software updates, the HomePod and HomePod mini gained support for Siri in Swedish, Norwegian, and Finnish. Danish is still not supported on HomePods, but a report earlier this year indicated that the language was being tested.

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.

Apple made the HomePod mini available in yellow, orange, and blue last year, alongside space gray and white. In August, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman claimed that Apple was considering launching an updated version of the $99 smart speaker in the future, but he did not provide a specific timeframe or details about potential new features.

Apple discontinued the full-size HomePod in March 2021.

Less than a week after the launch of the iPhone 14 Plus, yet another report of unexpectedly low sales for the ‌iPhone 14‌ and ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus has emerged, suggesting that Apple may actively reduce stock and orders of components for the devices as soon as this month.

The paywalled report from DigiTimes claims that sales of the ‌iPhone 14‌ and ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus are considerably overshadowed by an "enthusiastic" response to the ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro Max. Sources speaking to DigiTimes say that despite differences in sales performance between the Pro and non-Pro iPhone models this year, total ‌iPhone 14‌ model shipments will likely be around the same as those for the ‌iPhone‌ 13 lineup in the second half of 2021.

If sales of the ‌iPhone 14‌ and ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus "remain flat" in the near term, Apple purportedly may cut orders of parts to make the devices in the second half of October. If Apple cuts orders more aggressively than expected, then the total ‌iPhone 14‌ lineup shipments by the end of the year may even fall compared to the ‌iPhone‌ 13 series in the same time frame last year. Research indicates that Apple expected to make approximately 90 million new iPhones overall in the second half of 2022, but this could fall to 80 million units due to "sluggish demand."

The information mirrors multiple other reports that suggest the ‌iPhone 14‌ and ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus have not met Apple's sales expectations. Shortly after launch, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that demand for the two devices is "lackluster," with worse pre-order results than the third-generation iPhone SE and the ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini. He went as far as to claim that "Apple's product segmentation strategy for standard models fails this year" and Apple is believed to have shelved plans to increase production of the two devices. Display analyst Ross Young says panel orders for the ‌‌iPhone 14‌‌ are down 38 percent versus the ‌‌iPhone‌ 13‌ at the same time last year, while in the resale market, the ‌iPhone 14‌ and ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus are losing their value twice as fast as the ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini and ‌iPhone‌ 13 last year.

On the other hand, the ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro Max reportedly continue to see high demand. Apple is believed to have shifted production away from the non-Pro models to make more ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro Max devices, as evidenced by increased component shipments.

Microsoft Office will soon officially be renamed "Microsoft 365," in the biggest rebranding of the company's office productivity software in more than 30 years (via The Verge).

You may have heard of Microsoft 365 already – that's because Microsoft renamed Office 365 subscriptions to Microsoft 365 two years ago.

But in the coming months, Office.com, the Office mobile app, and the Office app for Windows will all share the name of a new Microsoft 365 app, "with a new icon, a new look, and even more features," according to a company FAQ.

As part of the rebrand, traditional Office apps like Excel, Outlook, Word, and Powerpoint will all come under the Microsoft 365 umbrella, rather than be referred to as part of Microsoft Office.

For Apple device owners, the name change will likely be seen first in the Office iOS app. The Microsoft 365 mobile app replacing it will include a new apps module for commonly used cloud-based 365 tools, a central content hub and workflow feed, and a new tagging system for organizing content.

Perhaps somewhat confusingly however, Office 2021 for Windows and Mac will continue to be offered as a one-time purchase under the same name for the foreseeable future, as will Office LTSC (Long-Term Servicing Channel), even though Microsoft Office is now essentially a legacy brand.

Microsoft says changes will begin rolling out for Office.com in November 2022, and then changes will begin rolling out for the Office app on Windows and the Office mobile app in January 2023.

AgileBits has announced the release of 1Password 8 for Apple Watch, a natural extension to its iOS app that completes the rollout of the new version of its multi-platform password manager.

1Password on Apple Watch gives users customizable access to "nearly anything" in their 1Password account, even when they don't have their iPhone or an internet connection, according to the developers. The rebuilt app also brings full support for watch face complications. From the AgileBits blog post:

1Password now offers complications you can configure for quick access to nearly any kind of information from your 1Password account. Need to keep your booking code handy while traveling? Add it as a complication to your current watch face so you can get to it in a single tap. Always logging into a particular account for work that needs a two-factor code? Pin it to your watch face for at-a-glance access.

Beyond complications, 1Password for Apple Watch lets users view custom fields (including multi-line notes) and custom item icons. Users can designate individual items in their 1Password account using their ‌iPhone‌ to have them sync securely to Apple Watch.

In addition, 1Password for Apple Watch supports Markdown for notes, as well as the ability to view passwords in Large Type, making them more comfortable to read on a smaller display.

1Password for Apple Watch is bundled with the iOS app, and those who don't have Automatic App Downloads enabled for their watch can install 1Password from the Watch app on their ‌iPhone‌.

1Password 8 for iOS is available to download on the App Store. A subscription is required, with individual pricing set at $3.99 per month for unlimited access across several platforms, including iOS, macOS, Windows, Android, and others. A 30-day free trial is available.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has criticized Apple's pricing strategy by claiming that the tech giant typically "charges as much as it can" for hardware, whereas Meta will take a different approach by selling products like its new $1500 AR/VR headset at a "break even" price point, or in some cases even a loss (via Business Insider).

In a podcast interview following the launch of Meta's new "Quest Pro" headset, Zuckerberg said it's natural for hardware companies to want to make a profit on product sales, but that Apple seeks to charge customers as much as possible. In contrast, Zuckerberg said Meta will take a different route with its portfolio of hardware products, and claimed his company may make no profit from some of its sales and will instead rely on revenue generated by software and services offered in the metaverse.

I think the business model will be disruptive, in that it's typically people build hardware and they try to make a profit off of it, where if you're Apple, you build hardware and you charge as much as you can for it. I do think that having someone come into the space and basically say, "We're going to build the best hardware in the space and we're going to basically sell it at a break-even point and in some cases, maybe even slightly at a loss in order to basically help grow the ecosystem with the business model of basically having the revenue come through software and services", that business strategy I think is aligned with the mission of basically connecting people and having people there because if you want to build a social experience, you have to have the people there.

This week, Meta announced the Quest Pro, its latest AR/VR headset for the so-called "metaverse." At $1500, the Quest Pro is the high-end successor model to the Meta Quest and boasts a more comfortable design, more advanced display technology, and sensors that can read a user's emotions and facial movements, according to Meta. Apple's AR/VR headset is rumored to be announced in January, and you can learn more about it by checking out our AR/VR roundup.

Apple today began offering refurbished Studio Display models in the United States, with the display available at a lower price for the first time since its March 2022 launch.

There are multiple variants of the Studio Display available for purchase, including the base model with tilt-adjustable stand and the model that has nano-texture glass. The base Studio Display is available for $1,359, down from the original price of $1,599. The nano-texture model with tilt adjustable stand is available for $1,609, with the nano-texture add-on meant to minimize glare.

The 27-inch Studio Display features a 5K resolution, 600 nits brightness, True Tone, Wide color support, and more. It is equipped with multiple ports and is compatible with modern Macs.

Studio Display supplies will vary as available models are added to the refurbished store over time, so we could also see discounted height adjustable models in the future.

Apple’s refurbished products are essentially identical to new products and go through Apple’s refurbishment process that includes full functionality testing. Refurbished products are eligible for AppleCare+ and have the same 14-day return period as new Apple devices.