MacRumors

iFixit today disassembled Apple's new M1 Max Mac Studio, giving us a first glimpse at the components inside the machine. This is not iFixit's traditional, more detailed teardown, which has not yet been published, but it does provide a few interesting details about the ‌Mac Studio‌.

"If Apple squeezed a Mac Pro into a Mac mini, you'd get something that looks a lot like the new [‌Mac Studio‌]," iFixit said, describing the internals of the machine.

An earlier teardown found that the ‌Mac Studio‌'s SSD is not soldered and can be removed, which iFixit confirmed, but it's still not clear if upgrades are possible. iFixit found a spare slot on the logic board and attempted to put the SSD from a second ‌Mac Studio‌ into the empty slot, but couldn't get it working. Swapping drives of the same capacity between machines did, however, work.

Time to find out if this modular storage is actually upgradeable. After a lot of testing, some of it interrupted by Apple's server issues, we actually have some definitive answers. We popped this stick into another base model Mac Studio's empty slot, but Configurator kept giving us DFU restore errors. No matter the configuration, we haven't gotten two base model drives to boot in a single machine.

However, when we swapped the spare Studio's drive for the one in the teardown unit and used Configurator to do a DFU restore, it worked. Storage swaps are possible, at least between two drives of the same size, but jury's still out on upgrades.

Unlike storage, RAM is built-in, which means memory upgrades to the ‌Mac Studio‌ won't be possible after purchase.

The ‌M1 Max‌ ‌Mac Studio‌ features a massive heatsink with a dual-fan assembly, and the fans are "so much more massive than other Mac fans," according to iFixit. The site also said the heatsink "positively dwarfs the M1" with more than six times the weight.

The internals of the ‌Mac Studio‌ are complicated with brackets, connectors, and torx screws, which impacts repairability and user accessibility. iFixit praised the modular ports and the heat management system, but wasn't pleased with the buried fans, potentially non-upgradeable storage, and baked-in RAM. The ‌Mac Studio‌ earned an iFixit repairability score of 6 out of 10. It's a "worthy successor to the ‌Mac mini‌, but isn't quite ready for the pros," said the site.

iFixit also took a quick look inside the Studio Display, and it turns out the internals look a whole lot like an iMac. The webcam in the Studio Display is similar to the camera in the iPhone 11, but iFixit didn't have much more to say about the Studio Display at this time as a more in-depth teardown is coming in the near future.

Apple is developing a larger 15-inch MacBook Air that could come out in 2023, according to research shared today by Display Supply Chain Consultants in its quarterly report.

The full report is limited to those in the display industry who subscribe, but display analyst Ross Young provided a bit of color on what can be expected. Apple is working on a ‌MacBook Air‌ that's somewhere around 15 inches in size, with the machine set to debut alongside a "slightly larger" 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌.

According to Young, the larger-sized 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ is slated for release in 2023, but a specific launch date unknown. This is not the first time that we've heard about a 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌, as Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said last year that Apple was working on a larger ‌MacBook Air‌ with a 15-inch display size.

At the time, Gurman said that Apple had "considered" building a larger version of the ‌MacBook Air‌, but decided not to move forward with it "for the next generation." Gurman did not mention whether Apple had nixed the idea all together, but it appears that the larger ‌MacBook Air‌ project has not been abandoned.

Internal Apple emails that came out during the Epic Games v. Apple trial also indicate that Apple considered a larger 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ as early as 2008, but instead went with the smaller 13-inch model.

Apple this year is expected to introduce a redesigned version of the ‌MacBook Air‌ that brings new color options and does away with the tapered design, but it is expected to have the same general 13-inch screen size. It will be a surprise if Apple introduces a total redesign in 2022 and then a larger redesigned version of the ‌MacBook Air‌ in 2023, but it's a possibility.

Along with a larger version of the ‌MacBook Air‌, DSCC says that Apple is working on a base model iPad that could be "slightly larger" than the current 10.2-inch model.

With the unveiling of Apple's new 27-inch 5K Studio Display earlier this month, it immediately drew comparisons to LG's similar UltraFine 5K display that's been on the market for a number of years.

The LG display is $300 cheaper than the Studio Display, and while availability has been spotty, LG says it will continue to be available, so we decided to compare the two displays to determine which is a better value.

With both displays coming in at 27 inches and the same 5K resolution, the overall viewing experience is similar between the two displays, although the Studio Display can hit a brightness of 600 nits while the UltraFine maxes out at 500 nits, which translates to a noticeable difference.

The Studio Display also wins out when it comes to color and contrast, as it looks just a bit more vibrant than the UltraFine while offering deeper blacks and crisper bright areas without blowing out the highlights. The UltraFine has also seen a lot of complaints over the years about image retention or "burn-in," something we've definitely experienced with our own units, and we've yet to see any issues with that on the Studio Display.

Moving beyond the display itself, both models include several additional features, with one major one being a webcam. Both displays feature 1080p webcams, but the Studio Display's 12-megapixel Ultrawide camera with Center Stage driven by the onboard A13 chip is designed to help keep you centered in the frame and incorporate additional people as they come in and out of view.

Unfortunately for the Studio Display, we've seen the same poor image quality issues many earlier users have complained about, so until the issues are addressed with updates, we have to say that the UltraFine and the Studio Display have pretty similar webcam quality, which is to say not great.

When it comes to audio, the Studio Display's speakers easily take the win, offering a decent amount of low end and a full sound that should be sufficient for most users. The microphones on both displays performed well in our testing, and we didn't have much of a reason to prefer one over the other, though audio captured by the Studio Display perhaps sounds a bit more full.

For connectivity, both displays offer a Thunderbolt port and three USB-C ports on the rear, but the Studio Display's USB-C ports support faster 10 Gbps transfers, so you'll see better performance for more demanding accessories like external drives.

Looking at the overall design, the Studio Display wins hands down. Constructed primarily of aluminum, the Studio Display looks and feels premium, while the UltraFine is encased in chunky black plastic.

The Studio Display has received criticism for the fact that by default it only comes with a tilt adjustment, with an upgraded tilt- and height-adjustable stand being a $400 upgrade. The LG UltraFine includes the ability to adjust both tilt and height and the stand can be easily removed if you want to convert to a VESA mount, but the display does have a fair bit of wobble.

Overall, the Studio Display feels like the better buy, even taking into account the $300+ price premium over the LG UltraFine. With a better design and build quality, a superior display panel, and LG's history of issues like image retention and reports of compatibility issues, the Studio Display has fewer compromises and should last users for many years. The webcam remains a key issue that needs to be addressed, but that's something Apple should be able to fix through firmware updates.

Instagram today rolled out new Following and Favorites feed options, allowing users to sort their feeds to see content posted chronologically from the people they follow or content just from their favorite people.

The new Following option is a traditional chronological feed, and it displays the latest posts from the accounts that each Instagram user follows in reverse chronological order. Favorites shows the latest posts from a selected group of accounts that are followed, also in chronological order.

Favorites shows you the latest from accounts that you choose, like your best friends and favorite creators. In addition to this view, posts from accounts in Favorites will also show up higher in your home feed.

Following shows you posts from the people you follow. Both Favorites and Following will show you posts in chronological order, so you can quickly catch up on recent posts.

Instagram is rolling out the new chronological feeds as of today, and they can be accessed by tapping on the Instagram logo in the top left corner of the home page to choose either Following or Favorites.

Following incorporates all Instagram accounts that a person follows, while Favorites includes up to 50 accounts added to the user's favorites list. Posts from accounts marked as favorites will also show up higher in the standard home feed and will be marked with a star icon.

It's worth noting that the standard Home view, which is Instagram's feed ranked using a proprietary algorithm, is still the default option. Instagram told CNET that it believes that "people have a better experience on Instagram with a ranked feed," so the company does not plan to be "defaulting people into a chronological feed." Because the Home view is still the standard view, the new Following and Favorites feeds cannot replace it as the default.

In 2020, Apple introduced a digital car key feature that allows users to unlock and start a compatible vehicle by bringing an iPhone or Apple Watch near the driver-side door. The feature has been limited to select BMW models since launching.

According to Apple, the feature has now expanded to select 2022 vehicle models from Genesis and Kia, which are both divisions of Korean automaker Hyundai. Apple updated a list of vehicles on its website this week to indicate that the 2022 Genesis GV60, 2022 Genesis G90, and 2022 Kia Niro now support the iPhone's car key feature.

It is unclear if the car key feature is widely available for the aforementioned Genesis and Kia models or if it is still in the process of rolling out. A spokesperson for Kia declined to specifically comment on support for Apple's car key feature, but did say that the company's Digital Key 2 system announced in January will be coming to the 2023 Niro. Genesis and Apple did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Apple began preparing for Genesis to support the feature last year.

Similar to credit cards and boarding passes, digital car keys are stored in the Wallet app on an iPhone or Apple Watch running iOS 13.6 or watchOS 6.2.8 or newer. The feature originally used NFC technology only, which required the iPhone or Apple Watch to be held near the vehicle, but a new version of the feature based on Ultra Wideband technology allows users to use the feature without having to remove their ‌iPhone‌ from their pocket.

The improved Ultra Wideband version of Apple's car key feature requires devices with the U1 chip like the iPhone 11 and Apple Watch Series 6 and newer. NFC support is maintained to ensure backward compatibility and the ability to use the car key feature to unlock a vehicle for up to five hours after an iPhone has run out of battery power.

This feature is part of Apple's efforts to offer digital versions of commonly carried items. Apple today announced that its driver's license and state ID feature in the Wallet app has launched in Arizona, with more U.S. states to follow soon.

Update March 25: This article has been updated to clarify that Kia declined to comment on Apple car key support specifically, but said that its previously announced Digital Key 2 system will be coming to the 2023 Kia Niro.

Apple today announced that Arizona has become the first U.S. state to support driver's licenses and state IDs in the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch.

Starting today, Apple said Arizona residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app, and tap their iPhone or Apple Watch to seamlessly and securely present it at select TSA security checkpoints in Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Apple said the feature is also available for use at select TSA checkpoints in select other states, with travelers advised to check TSA checkpoint signage to confirm availability.

Additional states will offer driver's licenses and state IDs in the Wallet app soon, according to Apple, including Colorado, Hawaii, Mississippi, and Ohio, as well as the territory of Puerto Rico. Apple previously announced that Georgia, Connecticut, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Oklahoma, and Utah also planned to offer the feature to residents.

"We look forward to working with many more states and the TSA to bring IDs in Wallet to users across the US," said Jennifer Bailey, Apple's vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. Apple has not said if it will expand the feature to other countries in the future.

The driver's license and state IDs feature in the Wallet app is available on the iPhone 8 or later running iOS 15.4, which was released to the public last week, and on the Apple Watch Series 4 or later running watchOS 8.4 or later.

Residents of participating states can tap the "+" button in the top-right corner of the Wallet app, select "Driver's License or State ID," and follow the on-screen instructions to start the setup and verification process. The user will be asked to take a photo of their face and scan the front and back of their driver's license or state ID card, which will be securely provided to the issuing state for verification, according to Apple.

As an additional fraud prevention measure, Apple said users will be prompted to complete a series of facial and head movements during the setup process. Apple said each state is responsible for verifying and approving a user's request.

After the driver's license or ID has been added to the Wallet app, users can simply tap their iPhone or Apple Watch on an identity reader at a TSA checkpoint, without taking out their physical card. Users will see a prompt on their device displaying the specific information being requested by the TSA, and only after authorizing with Face ID or Touch ID is the requested identity information released from their device, according to Apple.

Users do not need to unlock, show, or hand over their device to a TSA officer to present their mobile driver's license or ID, said Apple.

Apple has published an IDs in the Wallet app page on its website with more details.

Nomad this week is offering up to 30 percent off select items during its "Spring Cleaning Sale." This event includes savings on iPhone cases, wireless chargers, Apple Watch bands, AirPods cases, cables, and much more.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Nomad. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

You can browse the full sale on Nomad's website, and you won't need a coupon code to see these discounts. Nomad has automatically applied all of these markdowns, and divided them up into 10 percent, 20 percent, and 30 percent discount tiers.

10% Off

• Modern Leather Case for AirPods Pro - $31.45, down from $34.95
• Leather Keychain for AirTag - $35.95, down from $39.95
• Lightning to USB-C Rugged Cable - $39.95, down from $44.95
• Modern Leather Case for iPhone 13 - $53.95, down from $59.95
• Base Station Stand - $89.95, down from $99.95
• And more...

20% Off

• Sport Case for iPhone 13 - $31.95, down from $39.95
• Rugged Keychain for AirTag - $31.95, down from $39.95
• MagSafe Mount Desk Charger - $69.95, down from $99.95
• Modern Leather Case for iPad Pro - $95.95, down from $119.95
• Leather Sleeve for MacBook Pro - $239.95, down from $299.95
• And more...

30% Off

• Carbon Carabiner USB-A to Lightning - $17.95, down from $24.95
• Rugged Case for AirPods - $19.95, down from $29.95
• Modern Leather Case for iPhone 12 - $41.95, down from $59.95
• Modern Slim Band for Apple Watch - $48.95, down from $69.95
• Rugged Band for Apple Watch - $53.95, down from $59.95
• And more...

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

Apple has acquired Credit Kudos, a UK open banking startup that seeks to help lenders make better decisions (via The Block).

Credit Kudos offers insights and scores based on loan applications drawn from transaction and loan outcome banking data, sourced by the UK's open banking framework. The company's API offers lenders a way to get faster, automated decision-making about loans with reduced risk and higher rates of acceptance, according to its website.

The startup began raising funds in April 2020, obtaining $6.5 million in investment, and the company is reportedly now valued at around $150 million. Three people said to be close to the acquisition deal with Apple told The Block that it had concluded earlier this week. Credit Kudos's Website Terms of Use link now redirects to Apple's Terms of Use.

It is not clear what Apple has planned for Credit Kudos, but it is plausible that the company's technology could aid Apple with the launch of Apple Card in the UK. The UK is among Apple's most important markets, with the country possessing the largest number of Apple Stores outside the United States and China, and new features and services are often first to reach the UK after launching in the U.S.

Apple's main credit product, ‌Apple Card‌, is available exclusively in the United States, but Credit Kudos's technology is based on the UK's open banking framework. It is possible that Apple could modify Credit Kudos's technology to work with the U.S.'s growing open banking sector to strengthen ‌Apple Card‌'s credit checker, but Apple could also have UK-exclusive plans for the company.

Credit markets and financial regulation varies massively in countries around the world, so it would not be straightforward for Apple to launch ‌Apple Card‌ internationally. Apple would likely need to seek specific solutions to make lending decisions in each country, so it seems feasible that Credit Kudos could be the chosen credit checking platform for the UK. If that is the case, the launch of ‌Apple Card‌ in the UK could still be some time away as the company integrates the Credit Kudos platform with a new, international variant of ‌Apple Card‌.

Following the success of ‌Apple Card‌ in the U.S., it could make sense for Apple to expand into overseas markets. While visiting Germany in 2019, Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed his interest in launching ‌Apple Card‌ internationally. In 2020, Samsung launched Samsung Pay Card in the UK, seemingly in an effort to establish a foothold in the region before Apple does.

Apple often acquires smaller businesses to bolster its technologies and expertise without obviously or immediately rolling it into a product or service. On the other hand, many acquisitions do go on to be key parts of Apple's ecosystem. In recent years, Apple has acquired businesses such as Shazam, a music recognition service, and Drive.ai, an autonomous vehicles company. Acquired apps such as Dark Sky and Workflow were folded into or became new Apple apps. Specialized classical music streaming service Primephonic is next to be integrated into existing Apple products, with a new classical Apple Music app set to launch this year.

Samsung Display is developing new under-panel camera technology that Apple plans to use to hide Face ID under the display on next year's tentatively named "iPhone 15 Pro" models, according to sources cited by Korean website The Elec.

While rumors suggest that this year's "iPhone 14 Pro" models will feature both a "hole-punch" and a pill-shaped cutout for the front camera and Face ID components, respectively, today's report claims that Apple is planning for iPhone 15 Pro models to have only a hole for the front camera, with Face ID appearing hidden under the display.

Samsung's technology would effectively make Face ID sensors look invisible to the naked eye, in a similar manner as the hidden under-display camera on its Galaxy Z Fold3 smartphone, according to the report. On the Fold3, the pixel density over the under-display camera is lower compared to the rest of the display to allow light to reach the camera, but this results in the camera producing relatively low-quality photos.

It remains to be seen if the under-display version of Face ID would be as effective or secure as the existing system in a notch, or if there would be any other tradeoffs. Samsung is said to be collaborating with Canada's OTI Lumionics to develop the technology.

In its Korean-language version of the report, The Elec said Samsung first plans to apply the technology to its so-called "Galaxy Z Fold5" next year if development is completed on schedule, followed by the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

This is far from the first time that under-display Face ID has been rumored for the iPhone. In an April 2021 research note, reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that he expected Apple to adopt under-display Face ID for at least one new iPhone model launching in 2023, but he did not provide any further details at the time. Display industry consultant Ross Young also claimed Face ID would not be moved under the display until at least 2023.

Following the release of iOS 15.4 on March 14, Apple has stopped signing iOS 15.3.1, the previously available version of iOS that came out in February. As iOS 15.3.1 is no longer being signed, it is not possible to downgrade to that version of iOS if you've updated to iOS 15.4.

Apple routinely stops signing older versions of software updates after new releases come out in order to encourage customers to keep their operating systems up to date, so it is not unusual that iOS 15.3.1 is no longer being signed.

iOS 15.3.1 was a bug fix update that addressed WebKit vulnerabilities, while iOS 15.4 was a major update that added new emoji characters, Face ID with a mask support, and tons of other features. Apple has also stopped signing tvOS 15.3.

Apple's services and apps appear to be experiencing yet another outage, with complaints on Twitter about problems with Apple Maps, the App Store, Apple Music, Weather, Podcasts, the Apple online store, and more.

The System Status page is displaying outages for the ‌App Store‌, ‌Apple Music‌, Apple Books, the Mac App Store, and Podcasts at the current time, as well as issues with Weather, Apple Card, and iCloud Web Apps.

This is the second outage that Apple's services have experienced in the last few days. ‌iCloud‌, Siri, the ‌App Store‌, Maps, Music, Podcasts, and more were unavailable for about two hours yesterday.

We'll update this article should we hear more about the downtime or if the issue is resolved by Apple.

Update 4:06 pm: According to Apple's System Status page, the outages have now been resolved.

Apple today released a new 4E64 firmware update for the Beats Fit Pro headphones that came out last November, updating the earbuds from the prior 4B65 firmware that came out at the end of November.

Apple does not offer information on what's included in refreshed firmware updates for the Beats Fit Pro, so we don't know what improvements or bug fixes the firmware brings.

There's no standard way to upgrade the ‌Beats‌‌ software, but firmware is generally installed over-the-air while the earbuds are connected to an iOS device. Putting the Beats Fit Pro‌‌‌‌‌ in the case, connecting them to a power source, and then pairing them‌‌‌‌‌ to an iPhone or an iPad should force the update after a short period of time.

Beats Fit Pro are some of Apple's newest Beats earbuds, featuring flexible wingtips to keep them in the ear, a charging case, silicone tips, Active Noise Cancellation, spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, and an H1 chip for "Hey Siri" support.

If we find notable changes after the firmware update is installed, we'll share details, but the software likely includes performance improvements and bug fixes rather than outward-facing changes.

Apple's new third-generation iPhone SE is equipped with the "toughest glass in a smartphone" on the front and back, a change that's designed to make the device better hold up to drops and scratches.

Allstate Protection Plans this week put Apple's claims to the test with a series of controlled drops, and found that the third-generation ‌iPhone SE‌ does indeed appear to be more durable than the prior model and nearly as durable as the iPhone 13.

The ‌iPhone SE‌ survived a six-foot fall in the face down drop test onto a sidewalk, with the device ending up with only minor scuffing, identical to the ‌iPhone‌ 13. Notably, the ‌iPhone SE‌ has a tougher glass, but it does not feature the same Ceramic Shield front glass as the ‌iPhone‌ 13 models.

In a back down drop test, the ‌iPhone SE‌ cracked after a 6-foot fall, likely because it does not have the same flat aluminum siding as the ‌iPhone‌ 13. The ‌iPhone SE‌ survived the six-foot side down drop test with just minor scuffing on its aluminum frame, again putting it on par with the ‌iPhone‌ 13.

Allstate Protection Plans also did a 30-minute dunk test to check on the IP67 water resistance rating. It was able to withstand one meter of water for 30 minutes with no problem, and while there was some audio muffling right after it was pulled out, it was back to normal after an hour.

Drop tests are variable and the results that are ultimately seen in the real world could vary because drop damage will depend on the drop height, surface an ‌iPhone‌ is dropped onto, and the angle that the smartphone falls out.

‌iPhone SE‌ users should use caution and avoid drops, with protective cases employed to keep the all-glass device safe.

Numerous deals have hit a few different Apple products this week, including the Apple Pencil 2, Apple TV 4K, and the AirPods. Amazon is the source of many of the discounts listed in this article, but Verizon is matching in a few places.

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 Pencil 2

You can get the Apple Pencil 2 for $103.99 on Amazon and Verizon, down from $129.00. This is the second-best price that we've ever tracked for this accessory on Amazon, and it's just about $5 away from the record low price.

We haven't seen the Apple Pencil 2 hit its all-time low price since before the 2021 holiday season, so this makes Amazon's sale today the best price so far in 2022.

The Apple Pencil 2 is compatible with the following iPads: iPad mini (6th generation), iPad Air (4th and 5th generation), 12.9-inch iPad Pro (3rd, 4th, and 5th generations), and 11-inch iPad Pro (1st, 2nd, and 3rd generations). The second generation Apple Pencil can also magnetically attach and pair to the iPad Pro, iPad mini, and iPad Air.

Apple TV 4K

Moving to the 2021 32GB Apple TV 4K, you can get this model for $169.00 on Amazon, down from $179.00. The Apple TV 4K is shipped and sold directly by Amazon, and it's in stock and ready to ship out today.

This model of the Apple TV 4K launched last year, and it supports Dolby Atmos, 4K High Frame Rate HDR, Dolby Vision, and includes the A12 Bionic chip. It also comes with the new Siri Remote with a touch-enabled clickpad.

For more storage, the 64GB Apple TV 4K is priced at $189.98, down from $199.00. There's also the 32GB Apple TV HD with the new Siri Remote for $144.98.

AirPods

Lastly, we're tracking a few AirPods discounts on Amazon this week, starting with the AirPods 2 for $109.99, down from $129.00. Last holiday season saw rock bottom prices hit the 2019 AirPods, but those deals have long gone and today's sale is the second-best price we've seen so far in 2022.

Similarly, AirPods Max have dropped to $449.00 on Amazon, down from $549.00 in a few colors. Although we haven't seen a return of the all-time best price on the AirPods Max in a while, this $100 off deal is still a solid discount.

This sale is available in Silver, Pink, Sky Blue, and Space Gray. Shoppers should note that if you want Space Gray or Sky Blue, you will not see the proper sale price until you head to the checkout screen. At that point, Amazon will apply an automatic $29.01 coupon.

Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.

Shazam, Apple's music discovery app and service, today gained a new suite of concert features that are designed to make it easier for users to locate and explore upcoming live music shows.

When Shazaming a song, searching for it in the Shazam app, or looking for it on the Shazam website, users will now see concert information and details on tickets available for upcoming shows located nearby. Apple says that this will help increase exposure for artists.

Shazam users can also open up a artist page to find dates, times, and locations of upcoming live shows, or tap on any concert to view additional tour information. Apple's vice president of Apple Music and Beats Oliver Schusser said that with the reemergence of live music, Apple is "excited to give Shazam users access to concerts to bring even more discoverability to artists."

The Shazam concert feature leverages concert information from event recommendation platform Bandsintown. The new concert pages are available in the iOS and Android apps, and artists are about to make their tour information available in Shazam using Bandsintown for Artists.

Apple today announced a Podcasts update for creators, introducing follower metrics and other features that are designed to help podcast makers track their audience and monetize their shows.

Under the Analytics tab in Apple Podcasts Connect, creators will be able to view followers per show and track followers across shows. The interface will display new followers gained over the last week, month, 60 days, and all time, plus it will list metrics like time listened.

‌Apple Podcasts‌ now accepts MP3 files for subscriber audio, in addition to WAV and FLAC files, and creators can customize their subscription banners with promotional messages for channels and shows.

Apple is also introducing a "Jump Start" feature that is designed to allow creators enrolled in the Apple Podcasters Program to request direct guidance from the ‌Apple Podcasts‌ team to help jump start their subscriptions to better monetize their podcasts.

Follower metrics will be available in ‌Apple Podcasts‌ Connect starting next month.