Apple's vice president of worldwide marketing, Greg Joswiak, today said that Apple will have to move to USB-C on iPhone and its remaining devices that still have a Lightning connector in order to comply with new EU rules.
Speaking at the Wall Street Journal's Tech Live event, Joswiak said that Apple ultimately respects the decision made by the EU to mandate a common charger across consumer electronic devices. "We'll have to comply," Joswiak said, indirectly confirming Apple will move to USB-C in the future.
USB-C will have to be the common port across a wide range of consumer electronic devices, including the iPhone and AirPods, by the end of 2024, according to the rules put forward by the EU. Apple is reportedly testing iPhone 15 models with a USB-C port.
Apple today provided the first betas of iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 to developers, introducing even more new features that have been promised for the iOS 16 update.
We've outlined all of the changes found in the iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 betas so far in this guide.
Freeform App
Apple debuted a new cross-platform Freeform app in iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, and macOS Ventura 13.1. Designed for collaboration, Freeform can be used for jotting down notes, sketching, drawing, saving links, and more.
Multiple people can work on the same Freeform document, with updates synced for all participants in real-time. Apple says that Freeform can be used for sketching projects, designing mood boards, and brainstorming ideas, with the app serving as a creative space.
Stage Manager External Display Support
With iPadOS 16.2, Stage Manager on M1 and M2 iPads can be used with external displays once again. This is functionality that Apple removed in the first version of iPadOS 16 in order to expand Stage Manager to A12X and A12Z iPad Pro models.
With external display support, Stage Manager supports up to eight apps for multitasking purposes, rather than four. This functionality is limited to M1 and M2 iPads.
For the M1 or M2 capable iPads, there is also an option to drag and drop a window from the iPad to the external monitor that is connected to your device. Dragging a window from one device to another is new in the iOS 16.2 update.
New Home App Architecture
Paired with HomePod 16.2 software, iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, and macOS Ventura 13.1 add support for an updated Home app architecture that comes following the addition of the Matter smart home standard.
Apple says that the new Home app architecture will bring faster, more reliable performance in homes with many smart accessories, but it requires every device that accesses the home to be running the iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, macOS Ventura 13.1, tvOS 16.2, and watchOS 9.2 betas, along with the HomePod 16.2 beta software.
Expanded 120Hz ProMotion Support
On devices that support ProMotion, Apple says that SwiftUI animated layout changes will support a 120Hz refresh rate, functionality that was previously missing.
Unintentional SOS Calls
Apple appears to be collecting data on accidental SOS calls with the update, and one user has reported an Apple inquiry about the call that collects system data.
New iOS 16.2 accidental Emergency SOS call report features, I accidentally triggered emergency SOS and the police 👮♂️ actually ended up in my house. 😳 @9to5mac@MacRumorspic.twitter.com/w0OOaK9W7E
— iDeviceHelp (@iDeviceHelpus) October 25, 2022
Disable Wallpaper and Notifications for Always On Display
iOS 16.2 adds two toggles for disabling wallpaper and notifications when always on display is active. The feature makes for a simpler always on display interface that only shows the time and any widgets that are enabled.
Battery Status Shortcut
There is a new Battery Status Shortcut available that provides information about the iPhone's battery and any charger that's connected.
Software Updates
Apple has made a small tweak to the Software Updates section of the Settings app, which is available under General. The text of the software version that's installed is now bolder, making it more apparent.
Lock Screen Sleep Widget
iOS 16.2 adds a Sleep widget to the Lock Screen, which draws from data stored in the Health app and collected by the Apple Watch or other sleep tracking devices. It provides information such as time spent in bed and sleep quality, with three variants available.
A simple one tile widget shows the amount of time that you spent in bed, and two multi-tile options display either a bar chart that shows sleep quality or a larger widget that shows time in bed along with a visual representation. Tapping on the widget opens up the Sleep section of the Health app.
Lock Screen Medication Widget
In addition to a new Sleep widget, Apple has also added a Medications widget. There are two options, one that is a single pill icon and a second that lets you know when you need to take a medication. It will alert you if all your medications are logged or if you have no more medications for the day.
5G in India
iOS 16.2 unlocks 5G service in India, and multiple carriers in the country are now supporting 5G speeds.
TV App Live Sports Scores
The iOS 16.2 beta re-adds Live Activities integration for select sports games for the built-in TV app on the iPhone. Games can be tracked in real time on the Lock Screen or the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 14 Pro models.
TV App Updates
With the iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, tvOS 16.2, and macOS Ventura 13.1 updates, Apple has tweaked the TV app. There's now a "Featured" section above the "Up Next" section, making it more difficult for users to get to the TV shows they want to watch.
The Featured section content replaces Up Next in the "Watch Now" tab of the Apple TV app, with featured TV shows and movies right at the top of the interface.
Weather App News
The Weather app now integrates with Apple News, displaying relevant Weather-related news information based on your region.
Live Activities in the TV App
There is an option to get more frequent Live Activity updates from the TV app for following sports games. More frequent updates can result in faster battery drain, so you might want to disable it if you're concerned about battery life.
Siri Silent Responses
In the Accessibility section of the Settings app, there is an option to set Siri to "Prefer Silent Responses" so that Siri will confirm requests on-device rather than out loud.
ProMotion Lag Fix
The iOS 16.2 update appears to address long-running issues affecting the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro models with ProMotion. These devices can experience lagging and stuttering system animations when closing and switching between apps, and multiple reports from beta testers indicate the performance has been improved in the update.
Other New Features
Know of a new feature in iOS 16.2 that we left out? Let us know in the comments below.
Alongside the launch of iOS 16.1, Apple updated its App Store Guidelines to clearly state that apps such as Facebook that offer "boosts" for posts and other ad content must use in-app purchases for these features. Facebook parent company Meta is not happy with Apple's guideline tweak, and in a statement to The Verge, said that Apple is creating policies to bolster its own business while undercutting others.
"Apple continues to evolve its policies to grow their own business while undercutting others in the digital economy. Apple previously said it didn't take a share of developer advertising revenue, and now apparently changed its mind. We remain committed to offering small businesses simple ways to run ads and grow their businesses on our apps."
Facebook allows companies and individuals to pay to "Boost" a post that is performing well, getting it in front of more potential viewers and customers. Prior to the guideline update, Apple said multiple times that digital content sold within apps must be sold through in-app purchases, but Facebook has not followed that rule.
When boosting a post in the Facebook app for iOS, in-app purchase is not required. A boosted post is paid for through a credit card, debit card, PayPal, or a bank account, which means Apple is not getting a cut of the money that businesses and advertisers pay to Facebook. Instagram also uses direct purchase, but other social media networks like Twitter and TikTok use in-app purchases for similar post boosting features.
Facebook and Instagram have used the same direct purchase option for boosts for years, and Apple has let Meta get away with it. The Wall Street Journal, in fact, detailed the private dispute between Apple and Meta over the issue back in August.
While Apple had rules surrounding digital purchases prior to the revamped guidelines, the new wording calls out boosted posts specifically, though the text is listed at the bottom of a rule about ad management apps that do not display ads themselves.
"Advertising Management Apps: Apps for the sole purpose of allowing advertisers (persons or companies that advertise a product, service, or event) to purchase and manage advertising campaigns across media types (television, outdoor, websites, apps, etc.) do not need to use in-app purchase. These apps are intended for campaign management purposes and do not display the advertisements themselves. Digital purchases for content that is experienced or consumed in an app, including buying advertisements to display in the same app (such as sales of "boosts" for posts in a social media app) must use in-app purchase."
An Apple spokesperson confirmed to The Verge that Apple previously had a clear guideline requiring digital goods and services to use in-app purchases, but there was no explanation on why Apple has tweaked the wording of the guideline, nor why Facebook has not been made to comply.
"For many years now, the App Store guidelines have been clear that the sale of digital goods and services within an app must use In-App Purchase. Boosting, which allows an individual or organization to pay to increase the reach of a post or profile, is a digital service -- so of course In-App Purchase is required. This has always been the case and there are many examples of apps that do it successfully."
It is unclear if the guideline changes implemented yesterday represent Apple taking a firmer stance against Facebook and Instagram, but if Apple does start taking a cut of boosted posts, Facebook will likely pass the added cost along to the individuals and businesses that use the boost feature.
When the new software updates were introduced way back in June, Apple demonstrated a new Freeform app that was in development. Freeform is now in the final stages of development, and the app is available in the iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, and macOS Ventura 13.1 betas.
Freeform is available cross-platform, but it works best on the iPad because of the Apple Pencil integration. At first glance, it looks similar to the Notes and Preview apps, offering up some of the same editing tools.
There's an interface with a grid where users can insert drawings, sticky notes, text boxes, shapes, photos, and videos, plus it supports links, PDFs, and other document types. There are all kinds of shapes to choose from, including animals, nature, food, geometry, symbols, arts, science, and people.
Text and shapes can be customized with different colors and styles, and there are quick access tools for edits like duplication and deletion. Undo and redo tools are available, and on the Mac, you can add photos, scanned documents, and sketches from your iOS device using Continuity features.
Multiple Freeform boards are supported, and Apple intends for Freeform to be used collaboratively. All of your boards can be shared with others, and all participants can update a board and add new features, with the changes shown in real-time. As of right now, the sharing features do not appear to be implemented.
Apple will continue to improve the Freeform experience over the course of the beta testing period, adding new features and new functionality.
Starting with macOS Ventura, released this week, the built-in Preview app on Mac no longer supports PostScript (.ps) and Encapsulated PostScript (.eps) files, according to a new Apple support document. Preview can still be used to open these files on macOS Monterey and earlier. Apple did not provide a reason for the change.
Apple recommends using other third-party Mac apps that can view or convert PostScript files. It also remains possible to print .ps and .eps files by dragging them into a Mac's printer queue with these steps on macOS Ventura, according to Apple:
1. Choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Printers & Scanners in the sidebar. 2. Click the the name of your printer on the right. 3. Click the Printer Queue button to open the printer queue window. 4. Drag the .ps or .eps file into the printer queue window.
Developed by Adobe in the 1980s, the .ps and .eps file formats were once widely used for desktop publishing/printing purposes. PostScript was the basis of rendering on the NeXT operating system, and was mostly replaced by the PDF format in Mac OS X.
Apple today updated its Apple Support app with new functionality that makes it easier to make a reservation for service in an Apple retail location or from an Apple Authorized Service Provider.
The update revamps the look of the reservation system, giving it improved organization for quicker access to devices, support tools, and more. The app now opens with a "Tell us what's happening" interface, so you can type in what you need to get to it quickly, and it has a tiled interface for your various devices rather than a list.
Recommended articles are provided that might be useful to you based on the products you own, and there are quick access tools for resetting a password and checking AppleCare coverage.
When booking a repair, there are new sorting and filtering capabilities for finding suitable repairs, with options that include Same-Day Repair, Appointments, and Distance. Apple's full notes for the update are below:
- It's easier than ever to access support tools and get help with all of your Apple products - Booking a reservation has a fresh look and feel, including enhanced sorting and filtering capabilities - Performance enhancements and bug fixes (edited)
The Apple Support app can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Apple and Spotify are once again feuding as Spotify attempts to break into the audiobook market, reports The New York Times. Apple has reportedly rejected Spotify's latest app update three times in the last month.
Over the years, Apple and Spotify have had a long running dispute over Apple's App Store policies, with multiple public conflicts over app and subscription fees and app rejections due to Spotify's attempts to skirt the up to 30 percent cut that Apple takes from purchases.
Apple says that Spotify is again trying to get around its App Store rules, and the Cupertino company claims that Spotify's audiobooks update is not in line with guidelines that cover how apps can communicate with users about purchasing options outside of the App Store.
Apple last year agreed to an App Store rule change that allows developers to use communications like email to share information methods about payment options that are available outside of an iOS app, but Spotify is running into issues attempting to implement this feature. With the rule change, Spotify wanted to direct customers to buy books online to listen to in the app, rather than giving Apple a cut of its audiobook sales.
Apple apparently told Spotify that it can send customers emails about online purchases, but Spotify is not able to offer a button inside of the app to request emails. The feature was designed with Spotify's legal team involved, and Apple initially approved the update in September, but later reversed course, rejecting subsequent updates.
Spotify designed a nine-step process for purchasing an audiobook, which involved a customer tapping on an audiobook and seeing a screen with a lock over the play button. Pressing on the play button provided customers with a page where they could request information on how to buy a book through an email, and the email offered up a link to purchase the book.
An Apple spokesperson told MacRumors that Apple "has no issues" with reader apps like Spotify adding audiobook content, but Spotify did not follow Apple's guidelines around in-app communications directing users outside the app.
The App Store was designed to be a great business opportunity for developers, and we fully support initiatives to introduce new features in apps that provide lasting value for users. We have no issue with reader apps adding audiobook content to their apps, linking users out to websites to sign up for services, or communicating with customers externally about alternative purchase options. The Spotify app was rejected for not following the guidelines regarding including explicit in-app communications to direct users outside the app to make digital purchases. We provided them with clear guidance on how to resolve the issue, and approved their app after they made changes that brought it into compliance.
After the multiple rejections from Apple, Spotify released a version of the app that removes information about how to purchase an audiobook from the Spotify website, which Apple did approve. Spotify now informs users that there is no option to buy an audiobook in the app. "We know it's not ideal," says Spotify in the app text.
Spotify in 2019 filed a regulatory complaint with the European Union over Apple's App Store practices, and it maintains an anti-Apple "Time to Play Fair" website. Spotify has continued to meet with European regulators, but the case has not concluded as of yet. Spotify has also sided with Epic Games in the Epic Games v. Apple legal battle, and it participates in the "Coalition for App Fairness" alongside Epic Games, Tile, and others who are unhappy with Apple's "anti-competitive" policies.
The iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, and macOS Ventura 13.1 betas introduce a new Home app architecture upgrade, which can be installed to upgrade performance. The architecture overhaul follows the addition of the Matter smart home standard in iOS 16.1 and iPadOS 16.1.
Apple ahead of the launch of iOS 16 promised a new architecture for the Home app, and said that it would be a separate update. Apple says that it brings faster, more reliable performance, especially for smart homes with a lot of smart accessories installed. Users will be able to communicate with and control connected accessories more efficiently from multiple devices at the same time with the Home app.
Updating the Home app architecture will require all Apple devices that access the home to be using the latest software, and those that aren't updated will not be able to access the HomeKit setup through the Home app. To install the architecture update, users will need to have a device running iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, or macOS Ventura 13.1, as well as the HomePod 16.2 software, which is available in a beta capacity to a limited number of testers.
Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming tvOS 16.2 update to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming one day after the launch of tvOS 16.1, an update that added support for Matter, iCloud Shared Photo Library, and more.
Developers can download the tvOS 16.2 beta by downloading a profile onto the Apple TV using Xcode.
tvOS updates are often minor in scale, focusing on internal bug fixes and improvements rather than notable outward-facing changes. There is no word as of yet what's included in the tvOS 16.2 update, but we'll update this article if we find anything new.
Apple shares some information on tvOS releases in its tvOS support document, which is updated after each tvOS launch.
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.
As expected, Apple today announced that new ad placements are now available in the App Store, allowing developers to advertise their apps in more spots.
Starting today, developers can now advertise their apps in the App Store's main Today tab and in a "You Might Also Like" section at the bottom of individual app listings in all countries except China. Ads are already beginning to appear in these places, and as usual, the ads have a blue background and an "Ad" icon so they can be identified.
"With new Today tab and product page ad placements, you can drive discovery of your app in more moments across the App Store — when customers first arrive, search for something specific, and browse apps to download," says Apple's announcement.
This marks the first time that developers are able to run ads in the Today tab, which until now has only displayed content handpicked from the App Store's editorial staff, without any paid placement. And with the "You Might Also Like" section, developers are now able to promote their apps at the bottom of other apps' pages.
In a tweet, legal expert Florian Mueller argued the "You Might Also Like" ads are "another means of increasing the effective app tax rate, forcing developers to buy ads on their own app pages in order to avoid that others steer customers away from there."
App Store ads were previously limited to search results based on keywords and the "Suggested" section of the Search tab. With ads in the Today tab and the "You Might Also Like" section, the App Store now offers four advertising options in total. Apple first announced plans to expand its App Store ad placement offerings in July.
In August, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple wanted to nearly triple its current advertising revenue to at least $10 billion per year in the future. Gurman said keyword-based search result ads are coming to the Apple Maps app starting next year.
With the macOS Ventura 13.1, iOS 16.2, and iPadOS 16.2 betas provided to developers today, Apple has introduced the first version of the Freeform app that was first introduced at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
Freeform is a digital canvas app that is designed to let iPhone, iPad, and Mac users work together collaboratively in realtime. Multiple people can contribute images, notes, scribbles, documents, web links, PDFs, and more, with content added visible to everyone.
Apple's Freeform app is designed to work with the Apple Pencil on iPad, and it can be used with FaceTime for visual feedback between Freeform participants.
Prior to the release of iPadOS 16, Apple tweaked Stage Manager to remove a feature that allowed it to work with external displays, a move made to expand Stage Manager support to A12Z and A12X iPad Pro models.
With the new beta of iPadOS 16.2 provided to developers today, Apple has re-enabled external display support on iPads that have an M1 or M2 chip. While Stage Manager is functional on older iPad Pro models without Apple silicon chips, these iPads will not be able to use Stage Manager with an external display.
External display support allows for up to eight apps to be used with Stage Manager, rather than the four available on the iPad alone.
Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming macOS Ventura 13.1 update to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming one day after the official launch of macOS Ventura.
Registered developers can download the beta through the Apple Developer Center and after the appropriate profile is installed, betas will be available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences.
We don't yet know what new features or changes are included in macOS Ventura 13.1, but should we find anything in the beta, we'll update this article.
Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming one day after the launch of iOS 16.1.
Registered developers can download the iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 profiles from the Apple Developer Center, and once installed, the beta will be available over the air.
We don't yet know what's included in the betas, but there are a few features that have not yet been implemented. Apple is working on Game Center improvements, including SharePlay integration, and there is an upcoming Freeform app that Apple plans to debut later in the year.
When we learn what's new in the iOS 16.2 beta, we'll update this article.
Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming watchOS 9.2 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new beta coming just one day after the launch of watchOS 9.1.
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.
We don't yet know what's included in the watchOS 9.2 update, but watchOS 9.1 brought battery life improvements, Matter support, and various bug fixes.
We'll update this article if anything notable is found in the watchOS 9.2 update.
Though iOS 16 has been available since September, Apple delayed iPadOS 16 in order to add improvements to the Stage Manager feature. iPadOS 16 is finally available, so many iPad owners will be installing it for the first time today.
For those who are new to iPadOS 16, we've rounded up the five best features worth checking out, plus a quick look at some upcoming additions that Apple plans to introduce in the future. Make sure to watch our video up above to see these features in action.
Stage Manager - Stage Manager, a new Mac-like multitasking experience, is the reason iPadOS 16 was delayed. Stage Manager allows you to have four app windows open at once, swapping between them using a sidebar. Stage Manager has been criticized for a subpar, buggy experience, so it remains to be seen how it will be received by the general public. It is available on M1, M2, A12Z, and A12X iPads, though the External Display beta feature has been temporarily removed. Apple plans to re-add it later, but External Display support will be limited to M1 and M2 iPads.
Display Modes - Apple added new reference modes for those who have iPad Pro models and need to use their devices in a professional capacity. Reference mode is designed to allow 12.9-inch iPad Pro users to display reference color in addition to SDR and HDR, while Display Zoom lets you choose options like more space or larger text, in addition to the default view. The options are available under the Display and Brightness section of the Settings app.
Mail Updates - Apple overhauled the Mail app, adding useful features like Undo Send, which gives you up to 30 seconds to change your mind on an email you've sent out. You can also schedule messages and get reminders to follow up on an email you haven't heard back on.
Messages Updates - In the Messages app, you can unsend a message or edit a message, so long as the person you're messaging is also using iOS 16, iPadOS 16, watchOS 9, or macOS Ventura. You can also retrieve deleted messages and mark a conversation as unread, plus the FaceTime SharePlay feature now works in the Messages app so you can watch movies, TV shows, and more while chatting with friends.
Weather App - The iPad has a long-awaited Weather app for the first time. It's identical to the iPhone Weather app, providing 10-day forecasts as well as information on precipitation, air quality, UV index, wind speed, and more.
Freeform (Coming Soon) - Freeform is an app that Apple plans to introduce later this year. It's a collaborative brainstorming app that you can use for jotting down notes, sketching, adding links, inserting documents, adding videos, and more. Multiple people can work on a document together using FaceTime or Messages to communicate.
For more information on everything that's new in iPadOS 16, we have a dedicated iPadOS 16 roundup that outlines every feature.
The iMessage and FaceTime services available across Apple's platforms appear to be experiencing problems at the current time, with some users unable to send messages and make FaceTime calls.
There are a number of tweets about the issue on Twitter, and Apple's System Status page is listing an ongoing outage. The feature is not down for all users as of now, but Apple says that the service is unavailable for some and has been down since 11:48 a.m. Eastern Time.
Update 12:55 p.m Eastern Time: According to Apple's System Status page, the outage has been resolved.
Apple today updated its suite of iWork apps, including Pages, Numbers, and Keynote for macOS, iOS, and iPadOS, with support for new features.
In the latest version of Pages, Keynotes, and Numbers Apple has added support for easily sharing documents with co-workers through Messages and support for new collaboration features in iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS Ventura, including integration with FaceTime.
The latest updates also add support for getting notified when changes are made in a shared document and improved support for Stage Manager on iPadOS 16. All of the new versions are available for customers on the App Store.
