The third-generation Apple TV 4K released earlier this month is equipped with a binned version of the A15 Bionic chip with one CPU core disabled, according to the website FlatpanelsHD, citing information from the TV Info app for tvOS.
The review claims the A15 Bionic has a five-core CPU in the new Apple TV, whereas the chip has a six-core CPU in iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 models.
Despite having a binned CPU and a fanless design, the website found the new Apple TV to be roughly 40% faster and throttle less than the previous Apple TV 4K with the A12 Bionic chip. The review said the new Apple TV is much faster than previous-generation consoles like the Xbox One, but the PS5 still pulls ahead in multi-core benchmark testing.
While not confirmed, the report also suspects that the Apple TV uses a version of the A15 Bionic with a four-core GPU, compared to a five-core GPU in iPhone 13 Pro models. Apple's streaming box still lags behind popular consoles in graphics performance, but the review said it is "starting to get to a point where Xbox One and PS4 games should, in theory, be playable on Apple TV without too many compromises."
Apple says GPU performance is up to 30% faster on the new Apple TV compared to the previous generation, but there are no GPU benchmark apps for tvOS.
The review pointed out that the Apple TV only offers a limited number of games that take full advantage of the A15 Bionic's capabilities, so the device remains far from a "console killer," but the performance boosts could set the stage for a bigger gaming push.
Some iPhone and iPad users appear to be experiencing a curious bug in Safari at the current time, with the app crashing when certain search terms are entered. The bug has been going on since last night, from what we can tell, and affected users are running a variant of iOS 16, though there are also reports from iOS 15 users.
Reports suggest that Safari crashes after the first three letters of select words are typed into the search bar, and it is not clear what's causing the issue. We've seen reports of "tar," "bes," "wal," "wel," "old," "sta," "pla," and other words crashing the app. What happens is that people attempt to type in something like "Walmart" or "Starbucks" or "best" and do not get beyond the first three letters before Safari crashes.
@AppleSupport hello, I have a very strange issue with my new iPhone 14 and my mothers new iPhone 14. When we start to type Walmart “Wal” into the search engine the phones instantly close safari. See video below.. please help? pic.twitter.com/P5mq1ahaih
— 805 🇺🇸 (@Dakodes) November 14, 2022
It is not clear what is causing this issue, and not all users appear to be affected at this time. It is affecting those running iOS 15.7.1, iOS 16, iOS 16.1, iOS 16.1.1, and the iOS 16.2 beta, and Apple does appear to be aware of the problem due to reports people have provided to the support team.
@rsgnl@MacRumors super weird bug confirmed on two iPhones (at home network and cell). Open Safari, start typing the word best and hit the space bar. Safari completely crashes! Was trying to search “best wallpapers…” but can’t make it to wallpapers lol.
— Chris Weaver (@chrisbweaver) November 14, 2022
Given that this issue popped up overnight, it is likely some kind of server side bug that Apple will be able to resolve without an iOS update.
Update: The Safari crashing bug has now been fixed.
Adobe has started a few of its Black Friday offers early this year, including up to 71 percent off Creative Cloud All Apps. These deals can only be found on Adobe's website and are aimed at new customers signing up for their first year of the subscription platform.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Adobe. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Specifically, there are three separate deals on Creative Cloud All Apps for Black Friday this year: one for Individuals, one for Students and Teachers, and one for Business. Starting with Individuals, you can get this subscription for $39.99/month, down from $54.99/month ($479.88/year billed upfront, down from $599.88/year).
Additionally, Businesses can get Creative Cloud All Apps for $59.99/month, down from $84.99/month; and Students and Teachers can get the platform for just $15.99/month, down from $54.99/month. Remember that these discounts are for your first year only of Creative Cloud All Apps, and after it ends your subscription will revert to its original price, unless you cancel.
Adobe's Creative Cloud platform is a collection of more than 20 desktop and mobile apps that provide services for photography, design, video, and more. This includes Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, Acrobat Pro, and many more. Your subscription to Creative Cloud All Apps grants you access to each of these apps.
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.
In an interview with CBS Mornings co-host Nate Burleson, Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed that his company is taking a careful approach to hiring amid a period of increased economic uncertainty. The full interview will air on Tuesday, but a preview is available now.
"So what we're doing as a consequence of being in this period is we're being very deliberate on our hiring," said Cook, when asked about Apple's hiring plans. "That means we're continuing to hire, but not everywhere in the company are we hiring." Cook added that Apple continues to believe strongly in investing for the long term.
Last month, Apple paused hiring for many non-R&D roles as a cost-cutting move, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The report said the move affects some "corporate functions" and "standard hardware and software engineering roles."
EXCLUSIVE: Apple CEO @Tim_Cook tells @NateBurleson that the world’s most valuable company has slowed some hiring, breaking down how economic conditions are affecting his company: “We believe strongly in investing for the long term.”
Our full interview airs tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/v1te7qD3iJ
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) November 14, 2022
"We make product, and you have to hold product," said Cook. "So that takes the serendipity of running into people, and bouncing ideas off, and caring enough to advance your idea through somebody else because you know that'll make it a bigger idea," he added.
CBS Mornings said the full interview will touch on the iPhone 14's new features and more.
Amazon has sweetened its deal on Apple's new AirPods Pro 2, now available for $229.99, down from $249.00. This is about $5 higher than the all-time low price we saw last month, making it still a great deal on the just-launched headphones.
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.
The AirPods Pro 2 are in stock and have a delivery window of November 16 to November 21 for most locations in the United States. Other than the AirPods Pro 2, we're tracking numerous early Black Friday sales on Amazon and at other retailers, which you can find in our roundup.
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 work on the first version of its long-rumored mixed reality headset's operating system is concluding, while new hires related to the device are ramping up ahead of launch next year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In his latest "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that realityOS "will include mixed-reality versions of core Apple apps like Messages, FaceTime and Maps." The first version of the operating system is reportedly "wrapping up internally and should be ready for the new hardware next year." Gurman previously said that Apple's mixed-reality headset will focus on gaming, media consumption, and communication. He believes that Memojis and SharePlay could be central to the experience.
Gurman added that job listings indicate that Apple is now ramping up hiring related to the device. The company is seeking a software producer with experience in visual effects and game asset pipelines to create content for AR and VR environments, developers that can "build tools and frameworks to enable connected experiences in a 3D mixed-reality world," and engineers who can work on development tools including App Intents, which let apps work with features like Siri and Shortcuts. The job listings also suggest that Apple is planning to build a video service for the headset, featuring 3D content that can be played in virtual reality.
In addition to a wave of new hires, Apple has reportedly also made additions to the management team overseeing the headset's development, bringing in a former senior leader from its self-driving vehicle project and one of its most senior software engineering managers. The nature of the new positions suggest a range of health and productivity apps could be coming to the headset.
Apple is facing a proposed federal class action alleging that it records users' mobile activity without their consent and despite privacy assurances, in violation of the California Invasion of Privacy Act, reports Bloomberg.
In a lawsuit filed by New York citizen and iPhone 13 owner Elliot Libman, Apple is accused of "utterly false" assurances that users are in control of what information they share when they use its stock iPhone apps.
Specifically, the class action claims that Apple mobile device options to disable the sharing of device analytics and opting out of settings such as "Allow Apps to Request to Track" do nothing to stop Apple from continuing to collect data relating to users' browsing and activity for monetization purposes. From the complaint:
Apple records, tracks, collects and monetizes analytics data—including browsing history and activity information — regardless of what safeguards or "privacy settings" consumers undertake to protect their privacy. Even when consumers follow Apple's own instructions and turn off "Allow Apps to Request to Track" and/or "Share [Device] Analytics" on their privacy controls, Apple nevertheless continues to record consumers' app usage, app browsing communications, and personal information in its proprietary Apple apps, including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV, Books, and Stocks.
To back up its allegations, the complaint cites a recent Gizmodo report covering the work of security researchers at the software company Mysk. Earlier this month, researchers Tommy Mysk and Talal Haj Bakry claimed to have found evidence that the analytics control and anti-tracking settings have no obvious effect on Apple's data collection in the above stock apps.
For example, according to the researchers, the App Store app continually harvested a wealth of usage data in real time, including user taps, apps searched for, viewed ads, and how long a user looks at any given app. Along with these details, Apple is also allegedly able to gather details typical of device fingerprinting methods, including ID numbers, device model, screen resolution, installed keyboard languages, and internet connection type.
In another example, the Mysk researchers said the Stocks app sent Apple a user's list of watched stocks, stocks viewed or searched for (including timestamps), as well as a record of news articles viewed in the app. This information was said to be sent to a web address via a transmission separate from the iCloud communication necessary to sync user data across devices.
"Opting-out or switching the personalization options off did not reduce the amount of detailed analytics that the app was sending," Mysk told Gizmodo. "I switched all the possible options off, namely personalized ads, personalized recommendations, and sharing usage data and analytics."
The researchers uncovered these findings using a jailbroken iPhone running iOS 14.6. Notably, while the team discovered similar iPhone activity on a non-jailbroken phone running iOS 16, the data was encrypted and it was therefore not possible to determine exactly what it contained. This limitation has not prevented the findings from instigating a lawsuit, however.
"Through its pervasive and unlawful data tracking and collection business, Apple knows even the most intimate and potentially embarrassing aspects of the user's app usage — regardless of whether the user accepts Apple's illusory offer to keep such activities private," reads the complaint. We've reached out to Apple for comment and will update this article if we hear back.
Meta has scrapped the development of its health and messaging-focused smartwatch, in an abrupt end to the company's plans to directly compete with the Apple Watch.
Employees were reportedly told on Friday that work on its smartwatch project would be halted as part of a cost-cutting effort that will involve structural changes to the company.
Meta's smartwatch development team will now switch to building augmented reality glasses, according to chief technology officer Andrew Bosworth, who runs Meta's Reality Labs division.
Rumors about Meta's plans to bring a smartwatch to market first appeared in February 2021, with reports indicating that the device had a detachable display with two built-in cameras for taking pictures and videos to share on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
Early reports suggested Meta intended for the device to work using a cellular connection without the need for a tethered smartphone, and to run a version of Google's Android software. Meta also planned to work with other companies to create accessories that would allow the detachable display to be attached on backpacks and similar items.
In addition to the demise of its smartwatch project, Meta's internal reorganization will also bring an end to all Portal development, reports Reuters. First launched in 2018, Portal was a brand of smart display featuring video calling capabilities using exclusively Meta-owned services like WhatsApp and Facebook.
Despite the release of several versions, Portal never really took off as a consumer device, while Meta's attempts to promote it in the enterprise market also failed. The company plans to continue selling smart displays under the Portal brand until the end of the year while supplies last.
The structural changes to Meta come shortly after the company laid off 11,000 people, or about 13% of its global workforce. Announcing the move in a note, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the layoffs were the combined result of his own poor decisions, macroeconomic downturn, increased competition, and ads signal loss, all of which resulted in lower-than-expected revenue.
Things are starting to wind down for 2022, though we're not quite there yet with a few more items still on Apple's plate including iOS 16.2, which is proceeding through beta testing with some new features and tweaks.
Looking further into the future, we're expecting plenty of news for 2023 with the iPhone 15 naturally being the flagship launch for the year, and we're already hearing a decent amount about what to expect from it, so read on for details on these stories and more!
8 Features Rumored for the iPhone 15 Coming in 2023
There's almost a year to go until we get new iPhone 15 models in September 2023, but we've been hearing rumors about potential features and changes for months now, including a USB-C port and more. We've rounded up eight features rumored for the iPhone 15 so far.
A familiar lineup of devices is expected next year, including the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Rumors suggest the Pro Max model could be named the iPhone 15 Ultra instead as Apple further distinguishes its highest-end smartphone.
Apple this week seeded the second beta of iOS 16.2 to developers and public beta testers. As usual, there are a handful of changes in the latest beta, including 5G support in India and a Medications widget.
iOS 16.2 also features Apple's new whiteboard app Freeform, new Home app architecture, Live Activities for select sports games via the Apple TV app, unintentional Emergency SOS call reporting, and more.
"While that might seem like a small change, making the switch is a technical challenge that requires a significant amount of AI training and underlying engineering work," said Gurman, in the latest edition of his newsletter.
15 Tips to Make Your iPhone Battery Last Longer
iPhone battery life has improved over the years, but there are still some situations where you may be away from a charger for a prolonged period and need your device to last as long as possible.
Apple Still Has These Five Things Coming Before 2022 Ends
Apple recently indicated that its product lineup is "set" heading into the holiday shopping season, suggesting that there won't be any new Macs or other devices announced through the remainder of 2022. Nonetheless, there are still at least five notable items on Apple's agenda to expect before the end of the year.
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.
Last month, Apple began selling a new 3-in-1 Cube with MagSafe from Anker, which is a compact charging accessory capable of charging an iPhone, and Apple Watch, and AirPods simultaneously. I've spent the past couple of weeks testing it out, and it's quickly become my favorite multi-device charger.
The Cube is Anker's first officially certified MagSafe product, which means it supports full 15-watt wireless charging on compatible iPhone models. It also supports Apple Watch fast charging on Series 7, Series 8, and Ultra, a significant improvement over standard charging speeds. Combine those features with a charging surface for AirPods, and you've got all of your device charging needs covered with the highest possible specs.
Anker has also included some innovations on the design front with the 3-in-1 Cube, as the whole thing collapses down to a roughly 2.5-inch cube, which is great for a smaller nightstand or desk area and for portability. This is a significant improvement over some other options like Belkin's 3-in-1 stand with fixed arms that make it quite bulky for shipping and everyday use, never mind trying to travel with it.
At around 14.5 ounces, Anker's Cube is fairly weighty, which does hamper portability a bit if you're looking to toss it in a travel bag, but that tradeoff is necessary to provide stability in counterbalancing a phone stuck to the MagSafe charging surface.
The MagSafe phone charging surface on Anker's Cube is a platform hinged on the front, and it swings up with enough resistance that you can position it across a range of angles for maximum convenience while also revealing the AirPods charging surface beneath.
This is also the first third-party MagSafe charger I've seen that doesn't use the traditional Apple-style white charging surface, instead using a dark gray surface that blends in with the rest of the Cube's body while including a stylized charging symbol and a ring of markings to provide a subtle visual representation of the MagSafe magnets. I quite like the contrast to the Apple's bold white MagSafe surfaces, and hopefully this is a sign of more visually unique designs for MagSafe-certified products going forward.
In my testing with the phone charger, I found solid charging speeds on par with other third-party MagSafe-certified chargers. For some reason, none of the third-party 15-watt chargers I've tried are able to charge quite as quickly as Apple's own MagSafe Charger, but they come reasonably close and are definitely faster than you can get with an unofficial "MagSafe-compatible" charger that Apple limits to 7.5 watts.
The Apple Watch charging puck on the Cube also features a clever design that can retract into the body of the Cube, which is useful while traveling or when it's otherwise not needed. A quick press on the spring-loaded charger pops it in or out, though my unit tends to need an additional tug after deploying it in order to ensure it's fully extended.
As I noted above, the Apple Watch charger supports fast charging, which is really a must-have for people like me who like to wear their Apple Watch as much as possible. Anker says it can charge an Apple Watch Series 7 or 8 from empty to 75% in just 45 minutes, and my experience has been in line with those numbers. In fact, my testing showed it charging my Apple Watch Ultra even slightly faster than Apple's own fast charging Apple Watch USB-C cable.
One potential downside of the compact design of the Cube and its Apple Watch charger crops up if you're a fan of bulky Apple Watch bands. I use the Apple Watch Ultra's Ocean Band as my everyday band and I do have to be a little bit careful with how I set the watch on the charger to ensure the band doesn't interfere with the positioning as it droops down onto the table or desk below. It's certainly not a deal-breaker and it works just fine, but thinner, more flexible bands are less likely to be finicky.
Another consideration is that the Apple Watch charging surface is oriented horizontally, so it's not particularly convenient to use with Nightstand mode on the Apple Watch compared to some other solutions with angled charging pucks. As a multi-device charger, however, you're probably going to also have your iPhone sitting on the angled MagSafe charger which you can use to check the time during the night if needed.
The AirPods charging surface is just a simple platform with the same stylized charging symbol as on the MagSafe charger, and it's quite hidden behind the phone charger. The AirPods charger isn't really usable unless the MagSafe charging surface has been rotated as far upright as possible, but that's not a significant issue for me as I prefer my phone in that orientation anyway.
As for the rest of the design of Anker's Cube, I like the uniform dark gray plastic that helps it blend in to most environments, and the only visible branding is a slightly debossed Anker logo on the front in the same dark gray color, so it's quite subtle. The one thing I'm not a huge fan of is that the hinge is a shiny, almost mirrored material that readily shows fingerprints. The back side of the MagSafe charging surface is made of the same material, but it's not very visible given its location and the maximum angle of the charging surface.
The bottom of the Cube includes a rubber-like material that helps ensure it doesn't slide around or damage the desk or table it's sitting on, and there's a small white power LED on the rear of the Cube. It briefly comes on when you plug it in and otherwise shines only while AirPods are charging, and its location means it doesn't shine disruptively at you during the night.
In addition to the Cube itself, Anker includes a basic 30-watt USB-C power adapter with folding prongs, as well as a 1.5-meter (5-foot) USB-C to USB-C cable that I've found to be long enough for the several locations where I've tested the Cube.
Likely the biggest drawback to the Anker 3-in-1 Cube is its price tag, coming in at $149.95. That's in line with other premium officially-certified 3-in-1 chargers like Belkin's, but definitely a bit of sticker shock for customers used to Anker's products being of excellent quality but at good value. The high price tag on the Cube can almost certainly be attributed to the MagSafe and Apple Watch fast charging support, with Anker needing to work directly with Apple to obtain premium-priced components and certification for the product.
The 3-in-1 Cube with MagSafe definitely appears to be proving popular with customers, and unfortunately it may already be too late to order if you're looking to give one as a holiday gift. Apple is currently quoting a delivery estimate of December 13 to December 28 even with expedited shipping, while Anker itself is saying new orders won't ship until at least Christmas and maybe not until early January.
Note: Anker provided MacRumors with the 3-in-1 Cube for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Although we're still two weeks out from Black Friday on November 25, we've begun seeing many solid deals arrive on Apple products, like the early Black Friday discounts we shared on MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. In this post, we're focusing less on a specific device and more on Apple in general, with early holiday discounts hitting Apple TV 4K, iPad, AirPods Pro, MagSafe accessories, and more.
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.
Shoppers should note that although many of the deals shared below are current record low prices, there is no guarantee we won't see steeper discounts later in the month or in December. Apple product sales fluctuate often during the holidays, so the best you can do is strike while the iron is hot during these best-ever price events.
Verizon recently introduced the first notable discount on the HomePod mini in months, offering all colors of the smart speaker for $79.99, down from $99.99.
The 2021 Apple TV 4K has seen steep discounts since the summer, and prices have only been dropping even more following the announcement of the new 2022 Apple TV 4K models. Right now on Amazon you can get the 32GB 2021 Apple TV 4K for $99.99, which is an $79 discount and an all-time low price.
If you want the latest Apple TV 4K model, you won't be able to save as much money, but Amazon does still have a small deal. You can get the 64GB 2022 Apple TV 4K for $124.99, down from $129.00. The 128GB 2022 Apple TV 4K model is also available at a slight discount.
Amazon has a new record low price on the MagSafe Battery Pack, available for $71.00, down from $99.00. This accessory rarely sees discounts, so now is a great time to snag the battery pack at its best-ever price.
Another MagSafe accessory, the MagSafe Duo Charger, is down to $103.00 right now on Amazon, from its original price of $129.00. This is the first time we've tracked a deal on the MagSafe Duo Charger in more than a month.
Update: Amazon has sweetened this deal and dropped the AirPods Pro 2 even further to $229.99.
Apple just launched the second-generation AirPods Pro, and Amazon has had the headphones at a $15 discount for a few weeks now. This is a second-best price, but still a solid markdown on the brand-new accessory.
Update: This deal has returned in both Blue and Silver colors.
B&H Photo has the first major discount on the just-released 10.9-inch iPad, available for $399.00 (64GB Wi-Fi), down from $449.00. As of writing, only B&H Photo has this deal, and only in the Blue color.
Amazon has the first notable discount on the brand new iPad Pro lineup, with $50 savings on the 128GB Wi-Fi 11-inch iPad Pro. As of today, this remains the only new iPad Pro with a deal, and B&H Photo is matching Amazon's price.
You can get Apple's 64GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 6 for its all-time low price of $399.99 right now on Amazon, which is a $99 discount on the 2021 tablet. This remains the best deal we've ever seen on the iPad mini 6, and only Amazon has the sale right now.
For Apple's display products, we're tracking best-ever prices on the Studio Display with standard glass at Amazon and B&H Photo. It's on sale for $1,499.00, which is $100 off its original price. The nano-texture glass option is also $100 off on B&H Photo.
Apple's high-end Pro Display XDR with nano-texture glass has dropped to $5,499.00 on Amazon and B&H Photo, down from $5,999.00. This is a match of the all-time low price on this display.
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 with macOS Ventura and iOS 16 introduced a new feature called Continuity Camera, which is designed to allow you to use an iPhone as a webcam for your Mac. This is enabled through special mounts, and Apple partnered with Belkin for an official Continuity Camera accessory.
The Belkin iPhone Mount with MagSafe for Mac Notebooks is available from Apple for $30, though it's backordered until December and difficult to get. It's the only official Continuity Camera mount so far, though you can find some knockoffs and other versions on Amazon.
Belkin's mount basically attaches to an iPhone using MagSafe, and then a lipped stand on the back folds out. The stand fits right over the edge of a Mac notebook like a MacBook Pro or a MacBook air, and it puts the iPhone in the ideal position to capture video.
You can use the mount in landscape or portrait orientation, with portrait showing a bit less of the background behind you. The camera activates automatically when your iPhone is mounted to your Mac and an app like FaceTime is opened up.
It's a super simple accessory that's probably overpriced, but it does work well. The iPhone camera is leagues better than what you get on a Mac, even Apple's newest Macs, so it's worth it if you do a lot of video calls.
Continuity Camera has extra features like Center Stage support to keep you in frame if you move around, Portrait Mode for blurring the background, Studio Light for focusing the light on you, and a Desk View that shows what's on your desktop by taking advantage of the Ultra Wide camera.
You can also use the Belkin mount as a kickstand for the iPhone when it's not attached to the Mac, and it also serves as a PopSocket alternative.
Have you tried the Belkin iPhone Mount and Continuity Camera? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Apple will be opening a new store at Bridgeport Village in the Portland, Oregon area this Saturday, November 12 at 10 a.m. local time, as noted by retail enthusiast and creative Michael Steeber. The store is located at 7273 SW Bridgeport Road, a short distance away from Apple's previous location in the outdoor shopping center.
The new store is larger and features Apple's latest retail design, including a dedicated pickup area for orders placed on Apple's online store. According to Steeber, the store has a quartz and glass facade, along with four stone benches on the sidewalk out front that double as seats and barriers to prevent vehicles from smashing into the glass.
Like other locations, the store will offer free Today at Apple creative sessions and Genius Bar appointments for hardware repairs.
Apple operates over 520 retail stores around the world, including three in the Portland area.
Apple is seeking to improve Spotlight search, but is still years away from launching a search engine to rival Google, according to The Information.
The paywalled report explains that Apple's search technology faces a setback amid loss of talent to Google. In 2018, Apple sought to bolster development of a web search engine by buying machine learning startup Laserlike, which was founded by three former Google search engineers. The company's technology recommended websites based on a user's interests and browsing history. Now, Laserlike's founders have reportedly returned to Google.
Apple's search team is believed to contain at least 200 employees and powers the technology behind Spotlight, Siri Suggestions, and answers provided by Siri. The company is still at least four years away from launching a replacement to Google search, according to one person involved with the team speaking to The Information. While Google pays Apple around $15 billion per year to stay as the default search engine on Apple devices, Apple developing an in-house rival to Google search could increase its leverage during its periodic negotiations with Google over the deal.
In the meanwhile, Apple has apparently discussed using the technology to power search for Apple Music and the App Store. Apple currently uses the search technology to generate data for Apple teams developing apps that use natural language processing, such as the Translate app, and to use tweets to determine newsworthy events that should show up in results and recommend Apple News articles. One of the team's immediate priorities is said to be improving Spotlight so that it can handle "100 times more" queries than it does today.
Apple is developing a new version of the iPhone SE, which is expected to feature some major changes. In addition to a new, larger size, Apple will also do away with Touch ID, and add support for Apple Intelligence.
This guide highlights the rumors that we've heard about the iPhone SE 4 so far.
Design
The current third-generation iPhone SE is Apple's smallest device, modeled after the iPhone 8. It measures in at 4.7 inches, and it is the only iPhone that includes thick bezels and a Touch ID Home button. That's rumored to be changing with the next iPhone SE update, with rumors indicating that Apple has a new design planned. The fourth-generation iPhone SE will feature an all-display design like Apple's flagship iPhone lineup, with Apple eliminating the Touch ID Home button in favor of Face ID. The display is said to measure in at 6.06 inches, so it will be significantly larger than the current iPhone SE.
The next iPhone SE is expected to look similar to the iPhone 14, featuring Face ID biometric authentication instead of a Touch ID Home button. With the iPhone 15 lineup, Apple transitioned to USB-C instead of Lightning, and the iPhone SE 4 is also expected to include a USB-C port. While the iPhone 14 has a dual-lens camera, the iPhone SE 4 will include a single-lens camera to keep costs down, but it could have the 48-megapixel Main lens used in the iPhone 15.
Though rumors have suggested that the iPhone SE 4 will have a design modeled after the iPhone 14, Apple is expected to use the same rear chassis manufacturing process for the SE 4 that it used for the iPhone 16. Several rumors have also said the iPhone SE 4 will have an iPhone 14-style design with a notch.
There were initially rumors that the iPhone SE could get the multi-function Action button that the iPhone 16 models have, but it's looking like that's not the case after all. Leaked iPhone SE dummy models do not feature an Action Button or a Camera Control button, and dummy models are often an accurate representation of what we can expect from new iPhones because casemakers pay a lot of money to get the information.
Display Size
If the iPhone SE is modeled after the iPhone 14 as rumored, then it will include a 6.1-inch OLED display.
Display Material
The iPhone SE is the last remaining iPhone that has an LCD display, and other iPhones in Apple's lineup are equipped with OLED. Apple has used all OLED technology for flagship iPhones since the iPhone 12, in fact, and it looks like the next-generation iPhone SE will also use OLED technology rather than LCD. If the iPhone SE 4 does indeed include an OLED display, it will mean the end of LCD for the iPhone lineup.
With an all-display design, Apple is expected to adopt a notch for the iPhone SE, which is the design that Apple used for flagship iPhones until the Dynamic Island came out.
A notched display will give Apple a place to put the front-facing camera, but it is not yet clear if the iPhone SE will support Face ID and the TrueDepth camera system given the cost of the hardware. Apple has transitioned to the Dynamic Island for the flagship iPhone lineup, so the older notch design will set the iPhone SE apart.
One sketchy rumor has suggested the next iPhone SE will feature a Dynamic Island instead of a notch, but that is not in line with other rumors that have indicated an iPhone 14-style design. Reliable display analyst Ross Young recently said the iPhone SE 4 will have a notch, not a Dynamic Island.
The notch will include a 12-megapixel front-facing camera, which is the same camera included in the iPhone 16.
Rear Camera
The iPhone SE 4 is expected to include a single-lens rear camera, but it will reportedly be upgraded to a 48-megapixel camera. The current iPhone SE has a 12-megapixel rear camera.
A-Series Chip
The iPhone SE 4 is expected to have the same A18 chip that's in the iPhone 16, which will allow it to support Apple Intelligence features.
A leaker who has provided reliable information in the past recently said that the iPhone SE 4 will be equipped with the "T8140" chip, an identifier that does indeed correspond with the A18.
RAM
The next-generation iPhone SE is expected to have 8GB RAM, the minimum requirement for Apple Intelligence.
5G and Modem
The iPhone SE 4 is expected to be the first device that is equipped with an Apple-designed 5G chip. Apple has been working on its own modem chip for several years in an effort to lessen its reliance on Qualcomm.
Battery
The iPhone SE 4 will use the same 3279 mAh battery as the iPhone 14, so it should have similar battery life to that device.
iPhone 16E?
Rumors suggest that the next-generation iPhone SE could potentially be named the iPhone 16E or the iPhone 16e, but the information has not been confirmed by a reliable source at this point.
Cost
Though the iPhone SE 4 will be upgraded from Touch ID to Face ID, the new device is expected to continue to have a lower price tag than other models. It could be priced starting at $429, the same as the current iPhone SE, or it could see an increase of around 10 percent. Apple plans to keep the pricing below $500, even if the price does go up slightly.
Release Date
The next-generation iPhone SE's launch is imminent, with Apple planning to unveil a new product on Wednesday, February 19.
Eve back in May came out with the Eve Outdoor Floodlight camera, one of the only floodlight-enabled HomeKit Secure Video cameras that are on the market. I have been testing the camera for several months now to get a feel for how it works and whether it's worth investing in.
Part of the reason that this review has taken so long is because the Eve Camera has some installation caveats that potential buyers should be aware of. This is a wall-mounted floodlight camera, so it needs to replace either an outdoor light or an existing camera oriented in the same way, unless you're going to install a new electrical connection.
My house has a lot of wide-angle downward-facing lights/cameras mounted just below my gutters, with these positioned in a way to see much of the yard. The Eve Camera can't be angled downward, so it can't be installed in the downward orientation that's common for security cameras or floodlights. It needs to be a straight-on position, like where you might put a doorbell camera. There is some tilt so you can tweak the angle, but not enough that it can replace something like a downward-facing Ring floodlight camera.
I ended up removing a Ring camera that was mounted on the wall by my back door, but I found that the Eve Camera has a smaller base than the Ring, so it did not fit the space. The base is also too small to fit a typical junction box outside that you might have for another light or camera, which is is a hassle if this is the only setup you have. I ultimately needed to replace and repair some siding to get the camera set up, and I'm still not sure that it's watertight. If you're replacing an existing camera, be aware that there might be some extra work to get it to look right, and this is likely going to be an issue for a lot of people.
As for installation, this is a camera that needs to be wired directly to a junction box. You can do it yourself, but you need some electrical wiring experience. I hired an electrician to install the camera, and he said it was simple enough minus the base sizing. Note that the Eve Outdoor Camera is limited to a 2.4GHz WiFi connection, which feels outdated.
Once installed, powered on, and connected to HomeKit, the Eve Outdoor Cam works like any other HomeKit Secure Video camera. The video feed is viewed directly in the Home app, but it can also be accessed through the Eve app. You need an iCloud+ subscription to use HomeKit Secure Video. The cheapest $1 plan allows for one camera, the $2.99/month plan allows for five cameras, and the $9.99 per month plan allows for unlimited cameras, with all plans also including iCloud storage and other iCloud+ features.
The Eve Outdoor Cam offers 1080p video and it can record at night with night mode. Quality is reasonable and I can clearly see what's going on in my yard, but 1080p resolution is not enough to see details clearly from more than 8 to 10 feet away (I have this complaint about all of my cameras). During the day, it's not quite as crisp as my Ring cameras in areas with a lot of variation in light and dark, but at night, the feed is sharper with less noise than my other cameras.
HomeKit Secure Video has the benefit of being encrypted, which gives peace of mind that your video feed isn't being viewed by someone else. It can only be viewed on your own devices and footage is stored in iCloud. Security comes with some sacrifice in usability, and I don't think the Eve Outdoor Cam is as seamless to use as my Ring cameras, nor does it offer the same features and reliability.
There are times when the Eve Outdoor Cam fails to record, and it's an issue that I haven't been able to pin down. It's gotten better with iOS 16, but it still happens. It records whenever motion is detected, and another thing - it's sensitive to motion. "Motion" includes falling leaves, so it goes off constantly if I don't use Activity Zones and limit notifications.
The Home app offers a lot of customization options. You can have the Camera record video only when you're away and stream at other times, or it can record both when you're away and when you're home. It can also be turned off entirely from the Home app, and there are options to disregard audio and delete all recordings.
You can set select times to record and choose to record all motion or only when people are detected. It also uses facial recognition and can tell you when specific people show up on the camera. There is no option for continuous recording, and footage is stored when motion is detected.
Notifications are customizable, so you can opt to receive notifications during select times, when motion is detected, when people are detected, or when a clip is recorded. The Eve Cam can detect people, animals, vehicles, and package deliveries, providing tailored notifications. Rich notifications are supported, so you can see a preview of the feed, but a major annoyance I have is that tapping one of these brings me to the light toggle in the Home app rather than my camera feed.
The Eve Cam's light will come on when motion is detected at night, and it has been reliable in my testing, but there is a slight delay before it activates. It stays on for a short period of time after motion detection and then turns off automatically. There is a microphone so you can speak to someone who is near the camera with two-way audio, but it doesn't offer the same siren feature available through other cameras like Ring.
Recorded footage is stored in the app in a timeline and you can scrub through each motion event. The app stores 10 days of footage, and clips can be saved or deleted. Compared to the Ring app, I find the Home app to be buggy, slow, and hard to navigate to find what I'm looking for. It's just clunky in general, and it's one of the major downsides to HomeKit Secure Video. This is in no way Eve's fault since it's Apple that designs the Home experience.
Eve does allow the camera footage to be viewed live in the Eve app, but all of the recordings are limited to the Home app, so I rarely open up the Eve app. It does have a push to talk button, a toggle for the light, and volume controls for the microphone and speaker, but there's nothing else that can be done in the Eve app.
I know the HomeKit Secure Video cameras don't come with the privacy concerns around other cameras like Amazon's Ring devices, but the Home app just isn't as straightforward or as simple to use as the Ring app. I live in a neighborhood where my cameras are mostly used to watch the local wildlife so I have the benefit of not being too concerned about Amazon's privacy practices, which is why I prefer the Ring experience.
I have more issues with HomeKit Secure Video both in terms of recording and accessing my recorded footage, but the service still works well enough. As for the Eve Camera, I've been largely satisfied with the performance, with the exception of the installation process. I haven't had issues with motion detection or connectivity, and the recording problem I have is likely a Home app problem rather than a problem with the camera itself.
Bottom Line
The Eve Outdoor Camera is one of the only HomeKit-enabled outdoor camera options that also has a light, so there isn't a lot to choose from if you've opted for the HomeKit Secure Video ecosystem. Luckily, the Eve Outdoor Camera is all around decent.
The camera looks sleek on the wall and it doesn't take up too much space for those who are looking for something subdued, but potential buyers should be aware of the installation issues and prepared for some headache getting the camera set up. It's also limited to 1080p and it can struggle a bit with high variation in light and dark, but it comes with unparalleled privacy.
Apple today released a new firmware update designed for its AirTag item trackers, with the firmware featuring an updated build number of 2A24e, up from the 1A301 firmware that was released back in April.
Apple does not provide release notes for AirTag updates, so we do not know what's new in this update.
It is not possible to force an AirTag update, as it's something that's done over-the-air through a connected iPhone. To make sure the update happens, you can put your AirTag in range of your iPhone, but you have to wait for the firmware to roll out to your device. You can check your current AirTag firmware version through the Find My app, with instructions available in our how to.
Apple will provide this firmware on a rolling basis, seeding it out to AirTag owners starting today and through December 1. This staggered release timeline allows Apple to make sure the firmware update is working as intended before it is provided to all users.
Google today announced that popular streaming music service Spotify will be able to bill Android users directly in the Google Play version of Spotify without needing to go through the Google Play billing system.
Spotify is Google's first partner for "User Choice Billing," a feature that allows Android users to make purchases using the payment option they prefer. User Choice Billing is essentially an alternative billing option for in-app purchases, and it comes with a reduced fee.
Spotify will be able to collect payments directly from users, and Google will charge Spotify four percent less than normal. Spotify and other developers who eventually adopt User Choice Billing will still need to give Google a cut of their app sales and purchases, but at the reduced rate. Google normally collects between 15 and 30 percent of in-app purchases, much like Apple.
In a blog post, Spotify said that Google has taken a "bold step to help level the playing field," and that "fair and open platforms" bring "frictionless consumer experiences."
Spotify has been publicly advocating for platform fairness and expanded payment options for years. We believe that fair and open platforms enable better, frictionless consumer experiences that also empower developers to imagine, innovate, and thrive.
Spotify is rolling out an initial test implementation of user choice billing to users in select countries starting this week. Google today also announced a partnership with Bumble, with Bumble adding support in the coming months.
User Choice Billing from Google is an option in 35 countries, including the United States, much of Europe, Australia, Japan, and more, and it is a pilot program that other developers are also able to join.
With User Choice Billing, Google has distinguished the Play Store from the App Store, as Apple does not let apps use alternative billing at this time. There are two exceptions, however, including South Korea and the Netherlands. Regulators in these countries have forced Apple to allow some apps to use third-party payment providers.
In the Netherlands, Apple collects a 27 percent commission instead of a 30 percent commission, and in South Korea, Apple collects a 26 percent commission. Both reduced commissions are similar to what Google has done for its User Choice Billing System. With Google adopting options for alternative billing and continued regulatory pressure, it is possible that Apple will also fold and expand the Dutch and South Korea processes to other countries and app types, but Apple is continuing to fight for in-app purchase to remain the only payment method in the App Store at the current time.
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