MacRumors

eBay this week is offering a 20 percent discount on select brands including Anker, Bose, Jabra, Spigen, TP-Link, and more. This sale runs through December 13 and requires the coupon code SAVEONFAVES to be entered at checkout.

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

There are 46 total brands that are eligible for this sale, and you can find the full list on eBay. To redeem the coupon, shop for items at one of the participating brands on eBay, enter the code SAVEONFAVES at checkout, and pay for the items before 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on December 13.

Shoppers should remember that while some brands sell directly themselves on eBay, like Anker, some products will still be sold by third-party resellers, as is most popular on eBay. Keep an eye on an item's "condition" field to ensure what you're buying is new. We've listed a few of the most popular tech-related brands participating in this sale below:

There is a $25 minimum purchase requirement for the coupon code to work, and the coupon discount is capped at a maximum value of $500. The code can be used once per transaction, but each user can redeem the code twice.

Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals
Tag: eBay

Satechi today announced the launch of several new products, including a Thunderbolt 4 Dock, a USB-C Multiport MX Adapter, and a USB-C Multimedia Adapter M1, all of which have been designed with Apple silicon Macs in mind.

satechi thunderbolt dock
According to Satechi, the $300 Thunderbolt 4 Dock was created for M1 Max MacBook Pro owners, offering up 11 ports that can be used through a single connection. There are three Thunderbolt 4 ports, four USB-A ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, a pair of UHS-II SD and micro SD card readers, and a 3.5mm audio jack port. The Dock provides dual 4K HDMI video support, up to 40Gb/s data transfer speeds, and up to 96W charging.


Satechi is shipping the dock with a removable AC adapter that can add an extra boost of power for high-powered peripherals. Like all of Satechi's docks, it is made from aluminum that is meant to match the design of Apple's MacBooks.

Priced at $150, The USB-C Multiport MX Adapter offers up six total ports, and Satechi says it's ideal for the ‌M1 Max‌ MacBook Pro and iPad Pro. It features two 4K HDMI ports (one 60Hz and one 30Hz), a USB-C Power Delivery Port that supports up to 100W, a USB-C data port, SD and micro SD card slots, a headphone jack, an Ethernet port, and two USB-A ports.


The $180 USB-C Multimedia Adapter features a total of six ports, including two 4K HDMI ports (one 60Hz and one 30Hz), a USB-C Power Delivery charging port that supports up to 100W, a USB-C data port, and two USB-A ports.


The Thunderbolt 4 Dock is priced at $300 and can be purchased from the Satechi website or from Best Buy, as can the $150 USB-C Multimedia Adapter. The $180 USB-C Multiport MX Adapter can be purchased from the Satechi website or from Amazon.com.

Satechi is offering an exclusive discount for MacRumors readers on the two adapters. Use the promo code MAC25 to get 25 percent off at checkout on the Satechi website.

Tag: Satechi

"Loose" interpretations of Apple's privacy policies allow apps such as Facebook and Snapchat to continue tracking users for targeted advertising even when they have asked to not be tracked, The Financial Times reports.

generic tracking prompt green
In May, Apple launched its App Tracking Transparency feature that allows users to opt-out of being tracked across apps and websites for advertising purposes. Seven months after Apple introduced the feature, companies such as Snapchat and Facebook have purportedly been allowed to continue sharing user-level signals from iPhones, providing that data is anonymized and aggregated rather than directly linked to specific user profiles.

The Financial Times said that Apple's position was the result of "an unacknowledged shift that lets companies follow a much looser interpretation of its controversial privacy policy." Apple has instructed developers that they "may not derive data from a device for the purpose of uniquely identifying it," which developers have interpreted to mean that they can still observe "signals" and behaviors from groups of users instead, enabling these groups to be shown tailored ads anyway.

Apple has not explicitly endorsed these techniques, but they allow third parties to track and analyze groups of users regardless of whether or not they have given consent to user-level tracking. In addition, Apple reportedly continues to trust apps to collect user-level data such as IP address, location, language, device, and screen size, even though some of this information is passed onto advertisers.

Snapchat investors were told that the company plans to share data from its 306 million users, including those who ask the app "not to track," with advertisers so that they can gain "a more complete, real-time view" of the success of ad campaigns. Likewise, Facebook is undertaking a "multiyear effort" to rebuild ad infrastructure "using more aggregated or anonymized data," according to the company's operations chief.

In June, Apple faced pressure to tighten the rules around App Tracking Transparency after it was found that third parties were using workarounds to identify users who do not consent to be tracked, but there have been no changes around looser "probabilistic" methods of user identification.

Microsoft today offered OneDrive users a pre-release version of its OneDrive syncing client for macOS that is optimized to run natively on Apple silicon.

onedrive m1 macs
The official support for M1 Macs should make the OneDrive Arm preview run faster on Apple's latest machines, since the client will no longer need to go through Apple's Rosetta 2 translation layer.

OneDrive users need to be in the Office Insider program or Windows Insider program to use the Apple silicon preview version of OneDrive. Microsoft says it will be rolling out this feature to the Insiders ring over the next few days.

To get the pre-release internal build, click the OneDrive icon in the menu bar and select Help & Settings -> Preferences, then click the About tab. Under "About Microsoft OneDrive," select the checkbox to join the OneDrive Insiders preview, then under Pre-release builds, select Get Apple silicon build.

Microsoft's OneDrive support for Apple silicon comes after Dropbox announced it is working on its own native syncing client for ‌M1‌ Macs that is due for release sometime next year.

Dropbox was forced to reveal its plan to release the optimized client following complaints from users that the company was dragging its feet and being unclear about whether it would eventually offer support for Apple silicon.

Apple's built-in Time Machine backup solution for macOS appears to be causing problems for some Mac users running the latest versions of Monterey and Big Sur, based on a steady trickle of reports on both the MacRumors Forums and Reddit.

time machine initial backup error
While some users are complaining of different issues with Time Machine on different Macs and versions of macOS that are hard to replicate, one common complaint in particular has surfaced regarding Time Machine backups not completing for M1 Mac users running Monterey 12.0.1 or Big Sur 11.6.1.

The issue seems to occur when Time Machine runs its first backup after either Monterey/Big Sur is first installed or the operating system is updated to the latest point release. Time Machine says it is "Waiting to Complete First Backup," but as it appears to be reaching its conclusion, Time Machine suddenly reports "Oldest backup: None" and "Latest backup: None," and then fails to offer any notice that the initial backup has successfully been performed at all.

MacRumors forum member likegadgets reports:

On a new machine (M1 MAX) with fresh update of Monterey 12.0.1, set up new (not migrated from a previous machine) It has been impossible to finish a first time machine. I have tried two freshly formatted drives (APFS encrypted) one mechanical and one SSD. The backup finishes takes a couple of hours, and the status is "waiting to complete first backup". My case is now with a senior Apple engineer. Trying new backup with drive directly connected to MBP and no encryption. Something is broken with Time Machine.

Reddit user muhdakml reports:

I'm having the exact same issue. Been wrestling with it for a week now. Time machine runs its first back up. Then appears to not have run a backup at all. Snapshots are there, but no files in finder and the time machine is not recognized by other computers as a time machine that could migrate a backup. Apple seems to be saying this is an issue with Monterey, but they aren't sure why yet.

Reddit user jg66ue reports:

I'm having the exact same problem with an identical setup (M1 Max, Monterey 12.0.1, TM on external Thunderbolt 3 hard drive). TM has not completed its first backup and many days...reports "Waiting to Complete First Backup". I've reformatted and restarted twice with the same result--TM does not report any completed backups.

MacRumors forum member netnative reports:

I wish that I had searched the forums earlier. I have wasted countless hours troubleshooting through two reinstalls and with 3 different SSDs. My issue with Time Machine is that it performs backups but there are no notifications of their completion. Moreover, Time Machine reports "Oldest backup: None" and "Latest backup: None". Also, Finder does not show any files present on the SSD. However, Get Info reports gigabytes of disk usage. I purchased a $2,500 MacBook Pro 14-inch with the intention moving out of "Wintel". It is not going to happen — at least not now.

Some users report clean installing macOS or running the first backup in Safe mode has sorted out the problem for them, but that's not the case for everyone and a universal solution remains hard to come by for most of those affected.

Some users speculate that the issue could be related to an unspecified change to the APFS format that Apple has quietly implemented in recent versions of macOS, but it's still not entirely clear what's going on. We've reached out to Apple for comment and we'll update this article if we get more clarity on the problem, but for those afflicted by the error, the advice for now is to use a third-party backup solution like Superduper! or Carbon Copy Cloner.

Related Forums: macOS Monterey, macOS Big Sur

The watchOS 8.3 and iOS 15.2 release candidates, released to developers this week, enables ECG functionality for Apple Watch users in China following regulatory approval for the feature over the summer, according to ITHome.

apple watch ecg wrist
ECG capabilities, available with the Apple Watch Series 4 and later, allow users to quickly take an ECG by simply placing their finger on the Digital Crown and staying still for 30 seconds. Before the feature launches in countries, Apple must retain regulatory approval from the country's respective and appropriate authorities. The feature first launched in the U.S. in 2018 with the Apple Watch Series 4, following FDA approval.

watchOS 8.3 and iOS 15.2 are currently available to developers and public beta testers and can be expected to be launched publicly in the near future. iOS 15.2 includes several new features, including a redesigned Notification Summary, the Apple Music Voice Plan, Legacy Contacts, and more.

Tags: China, ECG

Apple is looking to create an "entirely new application paradigm" for augmented and virtual reality according to a new job listing, highlighting the company's growing ambitions in the AR and VR space as it ramps up the development of its next-generation products.

ipad augmented reality
The job posting initially shared by Hayden Lee, an AR/VR software engineering manager at Apple, describes Apple as looking for an AR/VR framework engineer. The job description states that Apple is seeking a candidate to help build an "entirely new application paradigm."

The role will include "working closely with Apple's UI frameworks, Human Interface designers and system software teams" in building out Apple's augmented and virtual reality experiences. "This role will push you to think outside-the-box, and solve incredibly ambitious and interesting problems in the AR/VR space," the job listing adds.

Following years of research and development, Apple is expected to release its first AR-focused device in 2022. The device, likely to come in the form of a headset, will be Apple's first major push into the increasingly vibrant AR and VR space. The company's first headset is not expected to be a mainstream hit at first, with credible reports suggesting it will remain a niche product aimed largely at developers for media consumption, communication, and gaming.

Further down the line, Apple plans to release augmented reality glasses. These glasses, unlike the headset, will be in a smaller form factor and are likely to appeal more to the masses. "Apple Glasses" are expected to debut by 2025 at the earliest, with the second generation of Apple's AR headset now rumored to launch in 2024.

Related Roundup: Apple Vision Pro
Buyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro

Respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has today thrown his weight behind rumors that Apple is planning to launch three new Apple Watch models in 2022.

Apple Watch Series 7 Pink and Green Feature
In a note to investors seen by MacRumors, Kuo said that the 2022 Apple Watch lineup will include the Apple Watch Series 8, the second-generation Apple Watch SE, and a new "extreme sports" version:

The new Apple Watch in 2H22 includes Apple Watch 8, the new Apple Watch SE, and the extreme sports version. Luxshare-ICT is the NPI supplier for Apple Watch 8 and the extreme sports versions.

Last week, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman similarly said that Apple is planning to launch the Apple Watch Series 8, a new ‌Apple Watch SE‌ model, and a "rugged" model for sports. While Gurman has repeatedly discussed Apple's work on an Apple Watch "with a rugged casing" aimed at athletes, hikers, and other use cases involving extreme conditions, Kuo's latest note is the first acknowledgement of the "rugged" Apple Watch model outside Bloomberg, potentially adding credibility to the rumor.

Little is known about the next-generation ‌Apple Watch SE‌, but the Apple Watch Series 8 could feature new health monitoring capabilities, such as blood glucose monitoring. All three Apple Watch models will launch in the second half of 2022, according to Kuo.

Kuo's note also revealed information about the next two iPhone SE models, the second-generation AirPods Pro, and the first two generations of Apple's mixed reality headset.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch 10, Apple Watch SE
Related Forum: Apple Watch

Apple is planning to launch two new iPhone SE models over the next two years, according to TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

iPhone SE Cosmopolitan Clean
In a note to investors seen by MacRumors, Kuo explained that Apple has two new ‌iPhone SE‌ models planned for 2022 and 2023 respectively. The 2022 ‌iPhone SE‌ will reportedly launch in the first half of the year and feature 3GB of memory, according to Kuo, while the 2023 ‌iPhone SE‌ will feature more significant changes, including a larger display and 4GB of memory.

We expect Apple to release a new iPhone SE in 2023 with a larger display than the 1H22 SE's 4.7-inch and 4GB of memory support (vs. 3GB in the 1H22 SE). We predict that Luxshare-ICT will be the NPI supplier for the 2023 iPhone SE.

Kuo's predictions broadly line up with the plethora of existing rumors around the next-generation ‌iPhone SE‌ models. Display analyst Ross Young previously said that Apple is working on a new 4.7-inch ‌iPhone SE‌ with 5G connectivity for launch in 2022, followed by a successor ‌iPhone SE‌ model with a 5.7-inch to 6.1-inch LCD display in 2024. Young originally said that the larger ‌iPhone SE‌ model was scheduled for 2023 but was pushed back to 2024, however Kuo today says he believes that it is still on the cards for 2023.

Other rumors have suggested that this larger ‌iPhone SE‌ model will feature an iPhone XR-like design, potentially with a hole-punch front-facing camera, and be Apple's final iPhone with an LCD display. The 2022 ‌iPhone SE‌, on the other hand, is expected to retain the design and 4.7-inch display of the current model and add 5G connectivity, but it is not clear if it will contain either the A14 or A15 chip.

TrendForce believes that the next-generation 4.7-inch ‌iPhone SE‌ will launch in the first quarter of 2022.

Related Roundup: iPhone SE
Buyer's Guide: iPhone SE (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: iPhone

The AirPods Pro 2, the first update to the ‌AirPods Pro‌ since they debuted in 2019, will launch in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to Apple analyst Ming Chi-Kuo.

AirPods Pro Gen 2 Feature
In a note obtained today by MacRumors, Kuo said that the second generation ‌AirPods Pro‌ will launch in the last quarter of 2022. Prior reports have indicated that the AirPods are going to launch next year, but excluding one rumor suggesting a third-quarter launch, a specific timeframe has yet to be revealed. The new ‌AirPods Pro‌ are rumored to feature an entirely new design that does away with the stem for a design similar to the Beats Fit Pro.

The ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 are also rumored to feature fitness tracking capabilities using built-in sensors and a new chip that improves connectivity with devices. Apple recently updated its AirPods line with a third-generation model that includes no advanced features such as Active Noise Cancellation or silicone ear tips, leaving the ‌AirPods Pro‌ next in line for an update.

Related Roundup: AirPods Pro
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: AirPods

Apple is already working on its second-generation AR headset, which will feature a lighter design, adopt a new battery system, and a faster processor, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today in an investor note obtained by MacRumors.

apple mixed reality headset mockup feature purple
Apple is widely expected to launch its first-generation AR-focused device in 2022. That device has been previously reported to feature a processor with Mac-level computing power and will be usable independent from an iPhone, according to Kuo.

Highlighting Apple's long-term goals in AR and the "metaverse," Kuo said today that the development of the second generation of the headset is already underway and destined for launch in 2024. It will feature a lighter design compared to the first headset, as well as a new battery system, according to the analyst.

Apple has begun planning for the second-generation AR/MR headset, and the shipment schedule will likely be in 2H24. Improvements for the second generation include the lighter weight, form factor design, battery system, and processor compared to the first model, which will go to mass production in late 4Q22.

In his note today, Kuo also shared some new details about the first generation of Apple's AR headset, including that it will weigh around 300 to 400g and that it will be able to "seamlessly switch between AR and VR to provide an innovative headset experience."

Apple's first AR headset is expected to be a somewhat niche product aimed largely towards developers with a focus on communication, media consumption, and gaming. Apple's AR headset product line could ultimately replace the iPhone in 10 years, according to Kuo.

The first generation of Apple's AR headset is one of multiple new products Apple is expected to announce in 2022, including five new Macs, three new Apple Watches, updates to the ‌iPhone‌ lineup, and more. Catch up on everything we know about Apple's AR headset using our roundup.

Related Roundup: Apple Vision Pro
Buyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro

With the launch of iOS 15.2, Apple is adding a new "Parts and Service History" section to the Settings app that will let users see the service history of their iPhones and confirm that components used for repairs are genuine.

apple parts and service history
As outlined in a new support document, iPhone users who have iOS 15.2 or later installed can go to Settings > General > About to access Parts and Service History. The Parts and Service History section will only be available if repairs have been conducted on your ‌iPhone‌.

Apple will provide different information on components depending on ‌iPhone‌ version.

  • For ‌iPhone‌ XR, XS, XS Max, and later, including iPhone SE (2nd generation), you can see if the battery has been replaced.
  • For ‌iPhone‌ 11 models, ‌iPhone‌ 12 models, and ‌iPhone‌ 13 models, you can see if the battery or display have been replaced.
  • For ‌iPhone‌ 12 models and ‌iPhone‌ 13 models, you can see if the battery, display, or camera have been replaced.

If a fix was done with genuine Apple parts and tools, repairs in this section will have a "Genuine Apple Part" listing next to the repaired component.

An "Unknown Part" message will be displayed if a part installation is incomplete, the part was replaced with a non-genuine component, the part was already used or installed in another ‌iPhone‌, or if the part is not functioning as expected. In prior versions of iOS, customers are only able to see if a replacement part is identified as an Unknown Part.

Apple says that the messages in the Service History section will not affect the ability to use the ‌iPhone‌, its battery, display, or camera. The information is collected and stored on device, with Apple using it for service needs, safety analysis, and to improve future products.

The addition of the "Parts and Service History" to the ‌iPhone‌ comes alongside a change that Apple is making to ‌iPhone‌ 13 models. At release, it was discovered that replacing a broken display on an ‌iPhone‌ 13 without specialized tools and components from Apple disables Face ID.

After backlash from the repair community, Apple said that it would introduce a software update that would allow for display repairs that do not affect Face ID. iOS 15.2 removes the specific pairing requirement that caused Face ID not to work when a display repair is performed by a repair shop without Apple-certified equipment.

Apple has previously introduced repair restrictions for Touch ID, True Tone functionality, and ‌iPhone‌ 12 cameras, but the company always faces blowback when limiting ‌iPhone‌ repair options and disabling ‌iPhone‌ features. Apple has settled for informing customers if components are non-genuine while leaving ‌iPhone‌ functionality intact, and this new section streamlines repair component messaging.

In November, Apple announced plans for a new Self Service Repair program that will allow users to complete their own device repairs using instruction manuals and components provided by Apple. This will join the Apple Authorized Service Program and Apple's Independent Repair Provider Program, which provides Apple parts and tools to independent repair shops that are not AASPs.

Related Forum: iOS 15

At the beginning of October when device production typically ramps up, Apple cut iPhone and iPad assembly for several days because of supply chain constraints and "restrictions on the use of power in China," reports Nikkei.

iphone 13 pro max display bleen
In a detailed report on Apple's ‌iPhone‌ production woes, Nikkei says that Foxconn, Pegatron, and other Apple suppliers ramped down on production for the first time in more than a decade, with workers getting time off rather than overtime hours as is typical.

"Due to limited components and chips, it made no sense to work overtime on holidays and give extra pay for front-line workers," a supply chain manager involved told Nikkei Asia. "That has never happened before. The Chinese golden holiday in the past was always the most hustling time when all of the assemblers were gearing up for production."

According to Apple CEO Tim Cook, supply constraints around the time of the ‌iPhone‌ launch cost Apple more than $6 billion. Cook cited chip shortages as one of the reasons for the supply issues, and while Apple uses leading edge nodes that are not affected by ongoing issues with chip availability, other manufacturers that create components for Apple devices have been impacted.

October reports said that Apple cut its 2021 ‌iPhone‌ production goals by more than 10 million units after Broadcom and Texas Instruments were unable to deliver enough components. The lack of even a single tiny component for the ‌iPhone‌ can impact production, and there are a lot of moving parts for Apple to deal with.

Nikkei did a deep dive into Apple's supply issues, interviewing more than 20 industry executives to see what went wrong. Apple reallocated components from iPads and older iPhones like the ‌iPhone‌ 12 to the new ‌iPhone‌ 13 models, but production was still 20 percent short of where Apple wanted to be because of power restrictions in China, lockdowns in Vietnam and Malaysia, and supply bottlenecks caused by skyrocketing demand for chips.

The reallocation hit ‌iPad‌ production hard and Apple produced 50 percent fewer devices than planned, with shortages on the tablets lasting well into November. With many ‌iPad‌ models in short supply, customers who order now won't be able to get a device in time for Christmas as delivery already extends into January.

According to Bloomberg, Apple recently informed its suppliers that interest in the ‌iPhone‌ is slowing ahead of the holidays, which could be due to the long wait times for new devices in September and October. Apple planned to make up for the supply constraints in early 2022 when manufacturing issues were ironed out, but Bloomberg claims Apple may not end up getting the necessary orders from customers.

Sources that spoke to Nikkei painted a different picture, and said that Apple has asked suppliers to reaccelerate ‌iPhone‌ production in November, December, and January. An Apple component supplier told Nikkei that Apple has reassured them that demand has persisted and that Apple has postponed orders to a later period because of supply constraints, so it's not clear which take is accurate.

Nikkei's full exploration into Apple's supply chain and what led to the company's current situation with chip shortages and production delays is well worth reading.

Apple shares closed at a new all-time high today, rising 3.5% to finish the regular trading day at $171.18. Shares have also gained another 1% in after-hours trading, touching $173.

aapl all time high 7dec21
Apple's stock is up over 32% this year and almost 14% in just the past month, with the company reaching a market capitalization of $2.8 trillion.

It's mostly been a fairly steady march upward for Apple shares over the past several months, with only a couple of significant dips including one last week following word that Apple has warned suppliers of weakening iPhone demand.

Apple's stock quickly rebounded from that dip, and today's high comes as prominent Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty raised her price target for Apple's shares from $164 to $200, citing the potential of augmented reality and autonomous vehicles for Apple.

macOS Monterey 12.1, which is set to be released to the public in the near future, addresses several significant bugs that Mac users have been complaining about for weeks.

macbook pro 3
According to Apple's release notes, it fixes a bug that could cause the trackpad to become unresponsive to taps or clicks. We reported on the Tap to Click bug earlier this month after receiving dozens of complaints from MacRumors readers who were seeing Tap to Click fail on a regular basis.

On 2021 MacBook Pro models, there has been an ongoing YouTube problem that can result in HDR content from YouTube causing the machines to panic and crash, an issue that is addressed in macOS Monterey 12.1.

14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro users have also been dealing with an issue that could cause charging to stop when the lid of the machine is closed, which Apple has fixed in the update.

There are several other notable bug fixes in macOS Monterey 12.1 as well. It addresses an issue that could cause the Desktop and Screen Saver to appear blank after selecting photos from the Photos library, and it fixes an issue that could cause external displays to not charge some MacBook Pro and MacBook Air computers when connected to Thunderbolt or USB-C. There's also a fix for an issue that could cause menu bar extras to be obscured by the camera housing on 2021 MacBook Pro models.

macOS Monterey 12.1 is available to developers and public beta testers at this time and we're expecting to see an official release next week ahead of the Christmas holidays.

Related Forum: macOS Monterey

Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of both iPadOS 15.2 and macOS Monterey 12.1, making it clear that the long awaited Universal Control feature is not coming in the software updates that are expected to launch sometime next week.

macos monterey universal control
There is no mention of ‌Universal Control‌ in the release notes for macOS Monterey 12.1 or iPadOS 15.2, and the feature has not been introduced in any of the betas nor is it present in the release candidate versions. The RCs that we got today represent the final version of the software that's expected at release.

Apple sometimes releases second RC versions to address bugs, but new features are not typically added at this stage.

First announced at WWDC, ‌Universal Control‌ is an iPad and Mac feature that's designed to allow a single mouse, trackpad, and keyboard to be used across multiple Mac and ‌iPad‌ devices.

Apple's macOS Monterey page continues to list the ‌Universal Control‌ feature as "available later this fall," but "fall" in the United States ends on December 21, which is when it swaps over to winter.

With macOS Monterey 12.1 and iPadOS 15.2 expected to launch next week ahead of the Christmas holiday, it is looking increasingly unlikely that we're going to see ‌Universal Control‌ before the end of 2021.

Related Forum: macOS Monterey

Apple today provided the release candidate version of iOS 15.2 to developers for testing purposes, and in the release notes, Apple says that the new Apple Music Voice Plan is set to launch alongside the update.

IMG 1840
Introduced in October, the Voice Plan is a new tier for ‌Apple Music‌ that is priced more affordably than a standard ‌Apple Music‌ plan. It's $4.99 instead of $9.99, and is designed around Siri.

With the Voice Plan, users can access and play songs, playlists, and albums on their Apple devices solely through ‌Siri‌ requests. The plan does not offer the standard ‌Apple Music‌ user interface, instead offering a customized in-app experience with suggestions based on music preferences.

Though ‌Apple Music‌ Voice Plan is limited to voice-based song playback, it provides access to all ‌Apple Music‌ songs, playlists, and stations. A Just Ask ‌Siri‌ feature suggests music based on listening history and likes or dislikes, and Play it Again allows users to access a list of their recently played music.

iOS 15.2 is likely to see an official release next week, and it is available to developers and public beta testers at this time.

Related Forum: iOS 15

Apple today seeded the release candidate version of an upcoming macOS Monterey 12.1 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new software coming a week after the fourth beta and a month after the official release of macOS Monterey.

macOS Monterey on MBP Feature
Registered developers can download macOS Monterey 12.1 beta profile through the Apple Developer Center and after the appropriate profile is installed, the beta will be available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences.

macOS Monterey 12.1 brings SharePlay to Macs for the first time. SharePlay is a new feature that's designed to let you watch TV, listen to music, and play games with friends and family members over FaceTime.

facetime screen sharing
SharePlay allows all kinds of apps to work with ‌FaceTime‌, with content synced for all people who are part of the ‌FaceTime‌ call. You can listen to music with Apple Music and access shared playlists, watch synced TV shows and movies together, work out together, and even share your screen for things like group trip planning or device troubleshooting.

Apple designed SharePlay to work with first-party app options like Apple TV, Apple Fitness+, and ‌Apple Music‌, but there's also an API for developers so third-party apps can also use SharePlay ‌FaceTime‌ features for games and other experiences.

SharePlay is already available in the release versions of iOS 15.1, iPadOS 15.1, and tvOS 15.1, so the Monterey 12.1 update brings Macs in line with other Apple devices.

The full release notes for macOS 12.1:


macOS Monterey 12.1 adds SharePlay, an entirely new way to have shared experiences with family and friends in FaceTime. This update also includes the Apple Music Voice Plan, new safety features for children and parents in Messages, redesigned Memories in Photos, and other features and bug fixes for your Mac.

SharePlay

  • SharePlay is a new way to share synchronized experiences in FaceTime with content from the Apple TV app, Apple Music, and other supported apps
  • Shared controls give everyone the ability to pause, play, rewind or fast forward
  • Smart volume automatically lowers the audio of a movie, TV show or song when you or your friends speak
  • Screen sharing lets everyone on a FaceTime call look at photos, browse the web, or help each other out

Apple Music Voice Plan

  • Apple Music Voice Plan is a new subscription tier that gives you access to all songs, playlists, and stations in Apple Music using Siri
  • Just Ask Siri suggests music based on your listening history and likes or dislikes
  • Play it Again lets you access a list of your recently played music

Photos

  • Memories has been redesigned with a new interactive interface, new animation and transition styles, and multiple image collages
  • New Memory types include additional international holidays, child-focused memories, trends over time, and improved pet memories

Messages

  • Communication safety setting gives parents the ability to enable warnings for children when they receive or send photos that contain nudity

  • Safety warnings contain helpful resources for children when they receive photos that contain nudity

Siri and Search

  • Expanded guidance in Siri, Spotlight and Safari Search to help children and parents stay safe online and get help with unsafe situations

Apple ID

  • Digital Legacy allows you to designate people as Legacy Contacts so they can access your iCloud account and personal information in the event of your death

TV App

  • Store tab lets you browse, buy, and rent movies and TV Shows all in one place

This release also includes the following enhancements for your Mac:

  • Hide My Email is available in the Mail app for iCloud+ subscribers to create unique, random email addresses
  • Stocks allows you to view the currency for a ticker and see year-to-date performance when viewing charts
  • Reminders and Notes now allow you to delete or rename tags

This release also includes bug fixes for your Mac:

  • Desktop and Screen Saver may appear blank after selecting photos from the Photos library
  • Trackpad could become unresponsive to taps or clicks
  • External displays may not charge some MacBook Pro and MacBook Air computers when connected using Thunderbolt or USB-C
  • HDR video playback on YouTube.com could cause 2021 MacBook Pro computers to panic
  • Menu bar extras may be obscured by the camera housing on 2021 MacBook Pro computers
  • MagSafe may stop charging on 2021 16-inch MacBook Pro computers when lid is closed and system is shut down
Related Forum: macOS Monterey