The new fifth-generation iPad Air will begin arriving to customers on Friday and, ahead of time, the first hands-on reviews of the device have surfaced. We've rounded up some of the reviews and unboxing videos below.
Key new features of the iPad Air include the same M1 chip found in the iPad Pro, 5G connectivity on cellular models, an upgraded 12-megapixel front camera with support for Center Stage, up to a 2x faster USB-C port for data transfer, and new color options. Pricing continues to start at $599 in the U.S. for 64GB of storage.
Overall, the new iPad Air remains a great value, with performance now on par with the iPad Pro thanks to the M1 chip and other Pro-like features.
M1 Chip
Geekbench 5 benchmark results that surfaced earlier this week confirmed that the M1 chip is not downclocked in the new iPad Air, resulting in the device having virtually identical performance as the iPad Pro.
Nevertheless, several reviewers pointed out that iPadOS makes it challenging to take advantage of the performance capabilities.
If you're using the iPad for things like browsing the web, reading books, watching movies or TV shows, or even light productivity, you won't likely notice the extra performance headroom the M1 chip provides. It mostly shines when doing especially demanding tasks, like editing and exporting 4K video or managing large file transfers. The Air is capable of doing those jobs, but there are better tools available if that's what you intend to do that don't have the limitations of iPadOS and a relatively small screen.
5G
The iPad Air now supports 5G networks on Wi-Fi + Cellular models, but not faster mmWave 5G like the iPad Pro does.
This iPad doesn't support mmWave, just sub-6 5G. Effectively, at many times, it feels similar to LTE: Speeds at my home were around 290 megabits per second on Verizon, while in Washington Square Park in New York speeds were only around 60Mbps to 80Mbps.
Center Stage Camera
With an upgraded 12-megapixel front camera, the new iPad Air is the last iPad to gain support for Center Stage, a feature that helps keep you and anyone else with you in the frame as you move around during video calls. Center Stage is available for FaceTime calls and in supported third-party video calling apps, such as Zoom.
The front camera has gotten a 12MP upgrade too – and is definitely improved from the previous Air. Facetime gets that nice Center Stage enhancement we saw come through on the iPad Pros last year too. As I said in my review of those this is a pretty huge quality of life improvement for those who video chat a lot as the auto-crop and tracking feature mitigates the odd left hand side placement of the camera when the iPad Air is in landscape mode. The angles feel more natural and less awkward overall. The color and contrast of the video call quality is improved as well.
India-based tech blog 91Mobiles posted a series of renders on Wednesday that it claims are based on leaked factory CAD images of Apple's upcoming iPhone 14 Pro.
Apple is widely expected to remove the notch on the Pro models in the iPhone 14 series, and the images offer an idea of how Apple's flagship device will look with hole-punch and pill-shaped cutouts near the top of the display.
Converging rumors and leaks have indicated that in the absence of a notch, a hole will be used for the Face ID dot projector, while the pill-shaped cutout will supposedly house the front camera and Face ID infrared camera. The CAD images show that the speaker grille will remain embedded in the top bezel.
Contrary to one rumor, the rear of the device looks largely unchanged from the iPhone 13 Pro, with the triple-lens array housed in a camera bump that protrudes from the chassis. In September, YouTube leaker Jon Prosser claimed the iPhone 14 will have a thicker chassis allowing for no camera bump, with the lenses, LED flash, and LiDAR Scanner sitting flush with the rear glass, but that is not what is shown here.
Prosser's sources also claimed that the new models will have round volume buttons and redesigned speaker and microphone grilles, but again, these latest CAD renders only show the same oblong buttons and grilles that iPhone users will already be familiar with.
Apple is expected to release four iPhone 14 series models this year, consisting of two 6.1-inch and two 6.7-inch sizes, thus dropping the "mini" variant that we saw in the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 series. The hole-punch and pill-shaped cutouts are only expected to be featured on the highest-end iPhone 14 variants, while the two lower-end iPhone 14 models will continue to feature a notch.
It has also been claimed Apple will seek to differentiate Pro and non-Pro further this year, in that only the Pro models will get a new A16 Bionic processor, whereas the non-Pro models will feature the same A15 processor found in the iPhone 13 series.
The latter rumor is particularly intriguing, especially coming from reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The last time Apple re-used a previous-generation processor in a new flagship iPhone model, you have to go back to the original iPhone and the iPhone 3G, both of which used identical 412MHz ARM 11 chips. For everything we know about the iPhone 14, see our comprehensive roundup.
Apple's primary iPhone assembler Foxconn says it has resumed production at its Chinese manufacturing plant in Shenzhen, following a partial lifting of the city-wide lockdown that came into effect on Monday.
The Taiwanese company told Reuters it had restarted some production and operations at its Shenzhen campus after meeting government conditions for staff to live and work in bubble arrangements and adopting a "closed-loop management" system.
The system was used successfully during the Winter Olympics in Beijing and kept event personnel tightly sealed off from the public, with regular testing for those within.
"Some operations have been able to restart and some production is being carried out," Foxconn said in a statement, adding that the system at its Shenzhen facilities subjected employees living there to the required health measures.
"This process, which can only be done on campuses that include both employee housing and production facilities, adheres to strict industry guidelines and close-loop management policies issued by the Shenzhen government," it added.
It's not known which Apple products Foxconn produces at its two Shenzhen plants, but Foxconn is the largest maker of the iPhone. Manufacturers in Guangdong province, home to Shenzhen, said factory shutdowns have caused lags in deliveries, while logistical difficulties were making it harder to ship goods to overseas customers.
Foxconn on Wednesday conceded that 2022 would be "challenging" for the supply chain and forecast an up to 3% fall in revenue for the year – its first annual sales decline in six years – as a shortage of chips squeezes smartphone production and the pandemic shows no sign of easing in China.
Apple said the chip shortage cost it $6 billion in the last quarter of 2021, but predictions remained bullish for this year despite these strains on the global supply chain. That's despite Foxconn's warnings that the chip shortage is expected to run into the second half of 2022.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Samsung in February unveiled the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, a high-end tablet that's meant to outshine the iPad Pro with its 14.6-inch OLED display. In our latest YouTube video, we went hands-on with Samsung's Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra to see if the company has indeed created something that's better than the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
Priced starting at $899.99 for 128GB of storage and 8GB RAM, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is more affordable than the $1,099 128GB 12.9-inch iPad Pro, even though it's bigger with its 14.6-inch AMOLED display. Apple's iPad Pro uses mini-LED technology, and both have the same 120Hz maximum refresh rate.
Samsung designed the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra with slim bezels, but it's worth noting that there is a notch for the front-facing camera, even though Samsung has previously made fun of Apple for including a notch on some of its devices. Apple's iPads don't have a notch at this time, so Samsung is breaking ground on the tablet notch front.
Despite the notch, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra's display is its best selling point, and the OLED panel has an edge over the iPad Pro's mini-LED panel because of blooming, or light leakage that can cause some on-screen elements to have an unwanted glow effect when viewing high contrast content.
Samsung put the front camera on the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra in a landscape orientation, which makes sense on a tablet this size as it's more of a desktop-like experience. The iPad Pro has the cameras positioned for use in portrait orientation, which is awkward on a larger display.
There is a built-in facial recognition system, but Android device makers have not mastered technology equivalent to Face ID, so it's limited in scope and can't be used for purchases or password authentication. Instead, there is a fingerprint reader built into the power button, similar to Apple's iPad Air.
The iPad Pro has the Apple Pencil as an input device, and the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has the S-Pen, which is actually included in the box with the tablet so it doesn't require an extra purchase. The S-Pen is more feature rich than the Apple Pencil with air commands in addition to standard stylus support. Both the Apple Pencil and the S-Pen perform similarly, with minimal lag and the same palm rejection capabilities.
You can get a keyboard with a trackpad for the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra for an extra $350. The keys are fine, but the trackpad is way behind Apple's Magic Keyboard in terms of usability. Battery life is similar, but Samsung offers 45W fast charging so it can charge up quicker.
When it comes to hardware, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra and 12.9-inch iPad Pro are similar and are both excellent tablets, but software is what sets the two apart. The iPadOS operating system could offer a better desktop experience, but it still outshines Samsung's Android-based tablet software. Apps don't always work properly, the scale is off, and there are several other issues.
Samsung did develop DeX for a better desktop multitasking experience, and it's similar to something like Chrome OS with a dedicated dock, but it's still not a full computer replacement, much like the iPad Pro. As for performance, the M1 chip is significantly faster, and there's no real competition.
All in all, the iPad Pro wins out because of the software experience and the M1 chip's performance, but ecosystem is an important factor. No dedicated Samsung user is going to want to pick up an iPad, and the same goes for Apple device users who are locked into Apple's ecosystem.
Have you tried out the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra? Let us know in the comments.
A small number of Apple employees appear to have been evacuated from the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California, according to NBC Bay Area. There is little information at this time, but the news site says that a "portion" of the campus was evacuated.
According Santa Clara County Fire Department Captain Justin Stockman, first responders found an envelope containing an unknown white substance, with employees ushered out in case the substance is harmful.
Update: The substance was evaluated and the building was deemed clear, so employees were allowed to re-enter their offices. Officials did not provide details on what the substance was.
The Mac Studio isn't set to launch until Friday, March 18, but a French Apple fan was able to secure his new machine today due to a store error. As relayed to Mac4Ever, an unnamed store gave the customer the Mac Studio early, and he has shared an initial photo of the new device.
According to Mac4Ever, the customer, Simon, will be providing additional photos of the Mac Studio later today, but as of right now, there's not a whole lot to see.
Apple tries to keep products from going out to customers early, but every so often a retail partner makes a mistake. Back in May, a customer got an M1iPad Proseveral days before launch, and multiple people were able to secure AirTags before their debut date.
The Mac Studio will officially launch on Friday, March 18, and customers in Australia and New Zealand will be the first to receive the devices, aside from any machines that end up going out early.
Priced starting at $1,999, the Mac Studio is equipped with Apple's highest-end Apple silicon chips, including the M1 Max and the new M1 Ultra, which is essentially two M1 Max chips that are interconnected. The Mac Studio will launch right alongside the Studio Display, the iPhone SE, and the iPad Air.
Apple started selling the Mac Studio following last week's "Peek Performance" event, and it is now sold out until April. Apple will likely have base models available for purchase in its retail stores on Friday for those who were not able to place an order for launch day delivery.
In late 2021, Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers gained access to a new "AirPods Firmware Updater" diagnostic tool for updating a customer's AirPods Pro to the latest firmware version when necessary.
In an internal memo today, obtained by MacRumors, Apple announced that the tool is now capable of updating the firmware on second-generation AirPods as well. Both the AirPods Pro and second-generation AirPods are now listed as supported models, but not the third-generation AirPods or the AirPods Max.
The tool allows technicians with access to Apple Service Toolkit 2 to install the latest firmware on a customer's AirPods in certain scenarios, such as if the customer's left or right AirPod failed to update or the customer is using a non-iOS companion device.
The firmware updater tool is for Apple's internal use only. Beyond visiting an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider, there is no direct way for customers to update the firmware on their AirPods. In general, AirPods connected to an iPhone or iPad should automatically update to the latest firmware after a short period, and it may help to keep the AirPods in their charging case and connected to a power source.
Apple's team of employees working on the company's long-rumored electric vehicle has "been dissolved for some time," and must be reorganized soon in order for mass production of the vehicle to begin by 2025, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in a tweet today.
Apple's electric vehicle plans have reportedly faced numerous setbacks since the project was approved in 2014, including several leadership changes. In November 2021, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple was accelerating work on the project and aiming for an electric vehicle with full self-driving capabilities. Gurman said Apple was targeting a 2025 launch, but the timeframe could be pushed back due to development challenges.
The Apple Car project team has been dissolved for some time. The reorganization within the next three to six months is necessary to achieve the goal of mass production by 2025.
— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) March 15, 2022
Apple's VP of technology Kevin Lynch took over leadership of the electric vehicle project last year, according to Gurman. Known for his work on the Apple Watch, Lynch has been at Apple since 2013, and prior to that he was an executive at Adobe.
Apple Car rumors have been all over the map, but if the team is successfully reorganized, the vehicle could launch in around three years at the earliest.
AirPods Max have returned to $449.00 in all colors on Amazon, down from $549.00. All models are in stock and ready to ship out today, but the Silver model's stock is beginning to run out as of writing.
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.
We haven't seen every color of the AirPods Max drop to $449.00 since early February. In comparison to previous discounts, this is the second-best Amazon price we've ever tracked on the AirPods Max.
AirPods Max feature Active Noise Cancellation technology and the same Transparency mode, Adaptive EQ, and spatial audio features that are in the AirPods Pro. For charging, the headphones come with a Smart Case made out of a soft material that puts AirPods Max in an ultra low-power state to preserve battery charge when not in use.
We track sales for every model of the AirPods in our Best AirPods Deals guide, so be sure to bookmark that page while you shop around for the wireless headphones.
watchOS 8.5 fixes a security vulnerability in the Mail app that could leak a user's IP address when downloading remote content, security researchers have found.
Last year, it emerged that Apple's Mail Privacy Protection feature was undermined by a lack of Apple Watch support. Mail Privacy Protection was a new feature introduced with iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey that hides your IP address so senders are not able to determine your location or link email habits to your other online activity. It also prevents senders from tracking whether you opened an email, how many times you viewed an email, and whether you forwarded the email.
The feature works by routing all content downloaded by the Mail app through multiple proxy servers to strip your IP address, and then it assigns a random IP address that corresponds to your general region, making email senders see generic information rather than specific information about you.
The Apple Watch downloads remote content, such as images, using the recipient's real IP address, both when receiving a Mail notification and when opening an email, meaning that even for users who had enabled Mail Privacy Protection on their iPhone, their IP address can be exposed.
While Mail Privacy Protection is a feature exclusive to iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey, the fact that simply receiving a Mail notification on the Apple Watch could reveal a user's IP address and bypass Mail Privacy Protection on other devices seemed to be an oversight. Now, Bakry and Mysk have found that Apple has fixed the issue in watchOS 8.5.
Good news: As of iOS 15.4 and watchOS 8.5 the Mail app on the watch no longer leaks the IP address when downloading remote content. Remote content is blocked on the watch even when Mail Privacy Protection is on. Now you get this prompt: https://t.co/Ocs0iXt4YMpic.twitter.com/Yea2fQxWlO
— Mysk 🇨🇦🇩🇪 (@mysk_co) March 14, 2022
As of watchOS 8.5, loading remote content is automatically blocked on the Apple Watch, and instead provides an option to "Load Content Directly." Users can also select "Always Load Content Directly" for all new emails or "Ask to Load Content" on a per-email basis. The improvement was not included in watchOS 8.5's release notes.
watchOS 8.5 was released to the public yesterday and the update brings a number of other improvements, including updates to irregular heart rhythm notifications designed to improve atrial fibrillation identification, audio hints in Apple Fitness+ workouts, the ability to authorize Apple TV purchases and subscriptions, and the ability to restore an Apple Watch using an iPhone.
Before macOS 12.3 and iPadOS 15.4 were released to the public, many beta testers who tried Universal Control were unable to get it working if they were already using an iPad in Sidecar mode, but it turns out that in the final release you can actually enable both Universal Control and Sidecar simultaneously on different devices, provided your setup allows for this.
In the final version of macOS 12.3, the "Add Display" options in the Displays preference pane distinguishes between devices available to connect via Universal Control and devices available to be used as extended displays, including iPads via Sidecar.
This means that you can now, for example, connect your Mac to one iPad via Sidecar for some extra macOS screen space, and on the other side of your Mac you could control a second iPad or Mac using your main Mac's keyboard and trackpad.
Differences Between Universal Control and Sidecar
For those unfamiliar with the two modes and the differences between them, here's a quick recap. With Universal Control, if you have a Mac and an iPad next to each other, or even multiple Macs and iPads, you can use the keyboard and cursor on one device across all of them. So, for example, if you have a MacBook Pro and an iPad on your desk, the MacBook Pro's trackpad can be used over on the iPad just by swiping across, and the Mac's keyboard will become the iPad's input device. The same is also true of the iPad if you have a keyboard attached to it.
Sidecar works differently. Announced in 2019 as part of macOS Catalina, Sidecar is designed to let you use an iPad as a secondary display for your Mac. Up to one iPad can be used to either mirror the content on your Mac's display or turn it into a secondary display for extra screen real estate in macOS.
To be clear, Universal Control lets you use your Mac's keyboard and trackpad to navigate your iPad, but it functions over two different operating systems – macOS and iPadOS. Unlike Sidecar, it does not extend your Mac's display to the iPad, it simply allows the keyboard and mouse/trackpad of one device to be used to control one or more other devices. If you want your Mac's content displayed on a nearby iPad, you'll need to use Sidecar, but you cannot control the same device with Universal Control.
With all that said, however, provided you have enough iPads and Macs, it turns out that you can in fact use Sidecar and Universal Control at the same time and enjoy the best of both worlds. Note that Universal Control is still technically in beta, so some setups may throw up lingering bugs.
For more information on how to set up an iPad in Sidecar while also controlling additional Macs and/or iPads using Universal Control, be sure to check out our dedicated how-to article.
Apple today released iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4, the fourth major updates to the iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 operating systems that first came out in September. iOS and iPadOS 15.4 are huge updates that bring quite a few useful new features to the iPhone and the iPad.
With iOS 15.4, there is now an option to unlock your iPhone while wearing a mask with no additional hardware like the Apple Watch required. Apple warns that full face ID is the more secure option, but mask Face ID is now available.
Face ID with a mask can be enabled after updating to iOS 15.4, and it is designed to use the area around your eyes for authentication purposes. It works with glasses, but it is not compatible with sunglasses, and you must be looking at the iPhone to unlock it with a mask on.
Face ID with a mask is limited to the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models, so it is not available on the iPhone 11. Unlike the iPhone unlocking feature that uses an Apple Watch to authenticate when you're wearing a mask, the Face ID with a mask option and can be used to authenticate Apple Pay transactions and third-party app logins.
Emojis
Spring iOS updates often bring new emoji characters, and iOS 15.4 is no exception. The update introduces support for Emoji 14, adding 37 emoji and 75 skin tone additions for a total of 112 new characters.
New faces include melting face, saluting face, face with open eyes and hand over mouth, face with peeking eye, face with diagonal mouth, and dotted line face, while new emojis include biting lip and bubbles.
There are several new hand emojis, such as heart hands, rightwards hand, leftwards hand, palm down hand, palm up hand, hand with index finger and thumb crossed, index pointing at the viewer, along with an update to the handshake emoji.
Nest with eggs, empty nest, x-ray, crutch, playground slide, wheel, ring buoy, hamsa, mirror ball, jar, identification card, and low battery are new items, while plants and animals will include coral and lotus. As for fantasy characters, we can expect a new troll emoji, and eggs, beans, and pouring liquid make up new food items.
Turn Off Notifications for Personal Automations in Shortcuts
For Personal Automations that are set up in the Shortcuts app, there's a new "Notify When Run" option that lets you toggle notifications for Shortcuts that are activated on or off. With this option, you can choose not to be notified when a Shortcut activates, something that wasn't possible with earlier versions of iOS 15.
Notify When Run only shows up when you disable the "Ask Before Running" setting.
The Shortcuts app also upports adding, removing, or querying tags with Reminders.
Apple Card Widget
There's now an Apple Card widget in the Today view, which can be added to the Home screen. The Apple Card widget shows your current balance and your daily spending in different categories.
iCloud Keychain Notes
iCloud Keychain users can now add notes to any password entry, bringing iCloud Keychain more in line with other password storing options like 1Password.
On iPhone and iPad, iCloud Keychain can be accessed in the Settings app under "Passwords."
Apple provides security recommendations for weak or compromised passwords that are stored in iCloud Keychain, but in some situations, you might not be able to change those passwords.
If that's the case, in iOS 15.4, you can dismiss those alerts by tapping on the "x" button next to the alert. The action will hide the security recommendation so that it doesn't show up in the main Passwords section of the Settings app.
If you need to view the alert again, it can be found under Hidden Security Recommendations in Password settings.
120Hz Animations in Third-Party Apps on iPhone 13 Pro
After the iPhone 13 Pro models came out, users noticed that third-party apps were not displaying all animations at the full 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate. Apple said there was a Core Animation bug that would be fixed in a future update, and it appears that iOS 15.4 is that update..
With iOS 15.4, all animations in an app will display at 120Hz for a much smoother and more streamlined app usage experience.
Custom Email Domains
iOS 15.4 expands support for the custom email domain feature available for paid iCloud+ plans, adding an option to set up a custom domain with iCloud Mail directly on the iPhone.
If you go to Settings > Apple ID > iCloud, "iCloud Mail" is now a tappable option and it includes a section for setting up a Custom Email Domain.
SharePlay
In apps that support SharePlay, there's now an option to activate it directly from the share sheet.
TV App Customization
In the TV section of the Settings app under "Preferences," you can now choose "Still Frame" or "Poster Art" options for the Up Next Display in the app. Still Frame shows still frames from what you're watching, while Poster Art shows the main title images for shows or movies.
Passkey Website Sign-in
Apple says that the iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 updates add a new passkey feature that allows users to sign into passkey-compatible websites and apps on Mac and iPad using an iPhone with a saved passkey.
That means that on websites that allow for authentication via Face ID or Touch ID, you can authenticate with an iPhone instead of having to enter a password.
Emergency SOS
By default, Emergency SOS now uses the Call with Hold feature to place an emergency call. To initiate an emergency call, press and hold the side and volume buttons until a countdown begins. After that point, the iPhone will call emergency services.
The prior press five times to initiate a call feature is still available as well, but will need to be toggled on in the Emergency SOS section of the Settings app.
Vaccination Records in the Health App
Verifiable health records now support adding vaccination records in the EU Digital COVID Certificate format to the Health and Wallet apps, so those in the EU can add their vaccine cards to the Wallet app for easy access.
Tap to Pay on iPhone
iOS 15.4 adds support for the "Tap to Pay on iPhone" feature that is designed to allow NFC-compatible iPhones to accept payments through Apple Pay, contactless credit and debit cards, and other digital wallets, without requiring additional hardware.
Tap to Pay on iPhone is enabled in iOS 15.4, but it does require third-party providers to add support. Stripe has announced that it will be the first payment platform to offer Tap to Pay on iPhone to business customers, including Shopify users. Apple Stores in the U.S. will also roll out support for the feature later this year.
The Tap to Pay feature works with the iPhone XS or later, and will allow supported iOS apps to accept iPhone to iPhone payments. At checkout, a merchant is able to prompt a customer to hold their iPhone, Apple Watch, contactless credit or debit card, or other digital wallet close to the merchant's iPhone to complete a payment over NFC. As with Apple Pay, the feature supports rewards cards and refunds.
Safari Translations
The translation feature in Safari now supports Italian and Chinese (Traditional).
Apple News
The Apple News app provides enhanced discovery of audio content in both the Today feed and the Audio tab.
Podcast Filters
When viewing a show in your library, you can filter episodes by played, unplayed, downloaded or saved. There's also an option to go to any show and filter for a specific season.
Offline Siri Updates
Apple says that Siri is able to provide time and date information while offline on iPhone XS, iPhone XR, iPhone 11 or newer.
New Siri Voice
iOS 15.4 adds a new Siri voice for American users, which can be elected from the Settings app by going to Siri & Search and then selecting Siri Voice.
Anti-Stalking AirTags Update
Apple in iOS 15.4 is adding anti-stalking AirTag changes that were announced in February. When setting up an AirTag or a Find My accessory, there is now a warning that the device is locked to an Apple ID and that using it to track someone without consent is a crime.
"You can locate this item using the Find My network," reads the setup screen. "Using this item to track people without their consent is a crime in many regions around the world. This item is designed to be detected by victims and to enable law enforcement to request identifying information about the owner."
With this warning, Apple wants to make it clear to those who would use AirTags and Find My-compatible devices from third-party companies as stalking tools that such a use case is illegal and has criminal repercussions.
Apple is also fixing a bug that was causing confusion around unwanted tracking. AirPods can cause an "Unknown Accessory Alert" warning that some people were interpreting as a notice from an AirTag. AirTags are not able to display the "Unknown Accessory Detected" messaging, which is caused by AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, third-generation AirPods, and in some cases, a Find My network accessory.
Trade-In Cosmetic Scan
Code in iOS 15.4 suggests that Apple is working on a "Cosmetic Scan" feature that will be used when trading in an iPhone. Cosmetic Scan will likely be used to check an iPhone for damage like scratches and dings to provide a more accurate trade-in value estimate.
Magnifier
According to Apple, the close-up in Magnifier can now use the ultra-wide camera on iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max to better highlight small objects.
Bug Fixes
There are also several bug fixes included in this update, as outlined below.
Keyboard may insert period between typed numbers
News widgets in Today View may not open articles when tapped
Speak Screen Accessibility feature may quit unexpectedly within the Books app
Live Listen may not turn off when switched off in Control Center
iPad-Only Updates
Universal Control
iPadOS 15.4 and macOS Monterey 12.3 enable the long-awaited Universal Control feature, which is designed to allow you use a single cursor and keyboard to control the iPads and Macs that are signed into your iCloud account.
Universal Control is super easy to use and enabled by default once you upgrade to iPadOS 15.4 and macOS Monterey 12.3. If you have a MacBook and an iPad, for example, the MacBook's trackpad and keyboard can also be used right on the iPad's display.
There are new settings for Universal Control on the iPad and the Mac, and on the iPad, the option to toggle it on or off is listed under Handoff & AirPlay. Universal Control is Mac/iPad only, and it is not compatible with the iPhone.
In the Notes section of the Settings app on iPad, there's a new "Corner Gestures" section under "Quick Notes." In this section, you can select functions for the left corner swipe and the right corner swipe.
Options include Quick Note or Screenshot, and there's also an option to turn corner swipes off.
In iPadOS 15.4, there's a new Keyboard Brightness option that can be added to the Control Center to allow you to adjust the brightness of a connected keyboard with backlighting.
It works for Apple's Magic Keyboard, but it does need to be added to Control Center by going to Settings > Control Center and tapping the "+" button next to Keyboard Brightness.
Apple today published a new support document indicating that iOS 15.4 and watchOS 8.5 allow an Apple Watch to be restored with a nearby iPhone.
The support document states that if an Apple Watch running watchOS 8.5 or later displays an animation showing an Apple Watch and iPhone being brought close together, customers can follow the steps below to initiate the restore process:
1. Make sure that an iPhone is nearby. The iPhone needs to have iOS 15.4 or later, it needs to be connected to Wi-Fi with Bluetooth turned on, and it needs to be unlocked. 2. Put your Apple Watch on its charger. 3. Double-click the side button (the button below the circular Digital Crown) on your Apple Watch. 4. Follow the steps that appear on the iPhone.
If the steps fail to work, Apple advises customers to check their Wi-Fi connection. Specifically, Apple says to try using a 2.4GHz network instead of 5GHz, and to avoid 802.1X or captive Wi-Fi networks, such as those in hotel rooms.
In an internal memo to Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers, obtained by MacRumors, Apple said this feature allows customers and technicians to restore watchOS on some Apple Watch models without the device having to be mailed to an Apple Repair Center. The memo did not specify which Apple Watch models support the feature.
Apple's support document said customers might see a red exclamation point on their Apple Watch instead. If this happens, Apple says to double-press the side button and then follow the steps outlined above. If the Apple Watch continues to display a red exclamation point, customers are advised to contact Apple Support to set up a mail-in repair.
In the United States, only the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro models are available refurbished right now, with no iPhone 12 mini or iPhone 12 Pro Max models to choose from at this time. A variety of colors and storage capacities are available for delivery or scheduled pickup at select Apple Store locations.
As usual, the refurbished iPhones are discounted by around 15 percent compared to the equivalent brand new models. For example, an unlocked iPhone 12 with 64GB of storage is available for $619 through Apple's refurbished store in the United States, whereas Apple currently sells the same model for $729 brand new.
The refurbished iPhone 12 models are all unlocked and SIM-free. All refurbished iPhones come with a new battery, a new outer shell, and a new white box that includes all manuals and a USB-C to Lightning cable. All refurbished iPhones are covered by Apple's standard one-year warranty and are eligible for extended AppleCare+ coverage.
Apple says its refurbished products are thoroughly tested and cleaned, and in our view, they are virtually indistinguishable from brand new Apple products.
Apple today released iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4, the fourth major updates to the iOS and iPadOS 15 operating systems that were released in September 2021. iOS and iPadOS 15.4 come a month after the launch of iOS 15.3.1 and iPadOS 15.3.1.
The iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 updates can be downloaded for free and the software is available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the new software, go to Settings > General > Software Update.
iOS 15.4 adds an option to use Face ID while wearing a mask, which works just like normal Face ID but scans the areas around your eyes for authentication. iPadOS 15.4 introduces Universal Control, allowing multiple Macs and iPads to be controlled with the same mouse/trackpad and keyboard.
The updates also add 37 new emoji characters and they lay the groundwork for the new "Tap to Pay on iPhone" feature that allows NFC-compatible iPhones to accept payments through Apple Pay. There are also updates to add custom domains to iCloud Mail right on device, Siri enhancements, new Emergency SOS features, and tons more. Apple's full release notes for the update are below:
Face ID - Face ID while wearing a mask option on iPhone 12 and newer - Apple Pay and password autofill in apps and Safari can be used with Face ID while wearing a mask
Emoji - New emoji including faces, hand gestures, and household objects are now available in emoji keyboard - Handshake emoji allows you to choose separate skin tones for each hand
FaceTime - SharePlay sessions can be initiated directly from supported apps
Siri - Siri can provide time and date information while offline on iPhone XS, iPhone XR, iPhone 11 or newer - Siri now includes an additional voice, expanding the diversity of options
Vaccine cards - EU Digital COVID Certificate support in Health enables you to download and store verifiable versions of COVID-19 vaccination, lab results, and recovery records - COVID-19 vaccination cards in Apple Wallet now support the EU Digital COVID Certificate format
This release also includes the following enhancements for your iPhone: - Safari webpage translation adds support for Italian and Chinese (Traditional) - Podcasts app adds episode filters for seasons, played, unplayed, saved, or downloaded episodes - iCloud custom email domains can be managed from Settings - News offers enhanced discovery of audio content in the Today feed and Audio tab - Camera in keyboard can be used to add text to Notes and Reminders - Shortcuts now supports adding, removing, or querying tags with Reminders - Emergency SOS settings have changed to use Call with Hold for all users. Call with 5 Presses is still available as an option in Emergency SOS settings - Close-up in Magnifier uses the ultra-wide camera on iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max to help you see small objects - Saved passwords can now include your own notes in Settings
This release also includes bug fixes for your iPhone: - Keyboard may insert period between typed numbers - News widgets in Today View may not open articles when tapped - Photos and videos may not sync to iCloud Photo Library - Speak Screen Accessibility feature may quit unexpectedly within the Books app - Live Listen may not turn off when switched off in Control Center
Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222
For a complete overview of all of the features that are available in iOS 15, we have a dedicated iOS 15 roundup.
Apple today released macOS Monterey 12.3, the third major update to the macOS Monterey operating system that launched in October 2021. macOS Monterey 12.3 comes more than a month after the launch of macOS 12.2, an update that addressed a Safari vulnerability.
The macOS Monterey 12.3 update can be downloaded on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Preferences. Apple has also released macOS Big Sur 11.6.5 for users who have not yet upgraded to macOS Monterey.
macOS Monterey 12.3 introduces several new features, the biggest of which is Universal Control. Universal Control is designed to allow you to use a single mouse/trackpad and keyboard across multiple Macs and iPads (with iPads running iPadOS 15.4). After updating your devices to macOS 12.3 and iPadOS 15.4, Universal Control works automatically, allowing your Mac's cursor and keyboard to work on the iPad and vice versa.
The update adds new emoji characters that include melting face, biting lip, heart hands, bubbles, beans, face with diagonal mouth, palm up hand, eggs, troll, low battery, coral, lotus, and more, plus it brings support for adding notes to iCloud Keychain entries and it adds dynamic head tracking for the Spatial Audio feature on M1 Macs when wearing supported AirPods.
maOS Monterey 12.3 also adds support for updating the AirPods firmware when the earbuds are connected to a Mac, plus it deprecates kernel extensions used by Dropbox and Microsoft OneDrive, and it eliminates Python 2, with Apple instructing developers to use an alternative scripting language like Python 3 going forward.
Apple's full release notes for the macOS 12.3 update are below:
macOS 12.3 adds Universal Control so you can use a single mouse and keyboard across your Mac and iPad. This release also includes new emoji, dynamic head tracking for Music, and other features and bug fixes for your Mac.
Universal Control (beta) - Universal Control allows you to use a single mouse and keyboard across iPad and Mac - Text can be typed on either Mac or iPad and you can drag and drop files between them
Spatial Audio - Dynamic head tracking is available in Music with supported AirPods on Mac computers with the M1 chip - Customizable spatial audio settings for Off, Fixed, and Head Tracked are now in Control Center with supported AirPods on Mac computers with the M1 chip
Emoji - New emoji including faces, hand gestures, and household objects are available in emoji keyboard - Handshake emoji allows you to choose separate skin tones for each hand
This release also includes the following enhancements for your Mac: - Siri now includes an additional voice, expanding the diversity of options - Podcasts app adds episode filter for seasons, played, unplayed, saved, or downloaded episodes - Safari webpage translation adds support for Italian and Chinese (Traditional) - Shortcuts now supports adding, removing, or querying tags with Reminders - Saved passwords can now include your own notes - Battery capacity readings have improved accuracy
This release also includes bug fixes for your Mac: - News widgets in Today View may not open articles when clicked - Audio may sound distorted while watching video in the Apple TV app - Some photos and videos may be unintentionally moved when organizing albums in Photos
Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222
Apple today released watchOS 8.5, the fourth major update to the watchOS 8 operating system that launched in September. watchOS 8.5 comes two months after the launch of watchOS 8.4, which fixed a charging bug.
watchOS 8.5 can be downloaded for free through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it needs to be placed on a charger, and it needs to be in range of the iPhone.
watchOS 8.5 introduces support for Emoji 14 characters, with new additions including melting face, biting lip, heart hands, bubbles, beans, face with diagonal mouth, palm up hand, eggs, troll, low battery, coral, lotus, and more, plus it includes improvements to Apple's irregular heart rhythm feature that notifies users if atrial fibrillation is detected. Apple's full release notes for the update are below.
watchOS 8.5 includes new features, improvements, and bug fixes, including:
Ability to authorize Apple TV purchases and subscriptions
COVID-19 vaccination cards in Apple Wallet now support the EU Digital COVID Certificate format
Updates to irregular heart rhythm notifications designed to improve atrial fibrillation identification. Available in the United States, Chile, Hong Kong, South Africa, and many more regions where the feature is available.
Audio hints in Fitness+ provide you with audio commentary of visually demonstrated moves during workouts.
Alongside iOS 15.4, iPadOS 15.4, and tvOS 15.4, Apple today released a new 15.4 update that's available for the HomePod and the HomePod mini. The 15.4 update is the fourth major HomePod software update since version 15 was released, and it comes more than a month after the launch of HomePod software 15.3.
The HomePod 15.4 software update brings support for captive WiFi networks, so that users can connect to a HomePod on a network that needs additional steps to sign in. Apple has also added a new Siri voice.
HomePod software is installed automatically on the HomePod unless the feature is disabled, but the HomePod can also be manually updated in the Home app by following the instructions in our HomePod update how to.
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