Following the release of iOS 15.3.1 on February 10, Apple has stopped signing iOS 15.3, the previously available version of iOS that came out in late January. Because iOS 15.3 is no longer being signed, it is not possible to downgrade to that version of iOS if you've updated to iOS 15.3.1.
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.
iOS 15.3 was a bug fix update that addressed a significant Safari bug that could leak browsing activity, while iOS 15.3.1 was another bug fix update further addressing WebKit vulnerabilities.
Apple today announced that it will be releasing limited-edition Powerbeats Pro in celebration of the NBA's 75th anniversary.
Designed in collaboration with Canadian gift shop Better, the special Powerbeats Pro feature Better and NBA logos with blue and red ear tips to match. The wireless headphones will be available February 19 for $249.99 in the United States.
Powerbeats Pro launched in 2019 as the first totally wireless Beats earphones. Key features include ear hooks for a secure fit, the same H1 chip as AirPods for "Hey Siri" support, up to nine hours of listening time per charge, IPX4-rated sweat and water resistance, and a charging case that works with a Lightning to USB-A cable.
Note that Apple is currently offering the Powerbeats Pro in existing black, navy, or ivory colors for $179.95. It may also be worth considering the newer Beats Studio Buds or Beats Fit Pro if you are shopping for wireless headphones.
Edison Mail today announced that it has updated its Mac app with native support for Apple silicon, allowing the app to run faster on Macs powered by the M1, M1 Pro, and M1 Max chips. The new version of the app is available now through the Mac App Store.
Edison Mail first released a desktop app for the Mac in 2019 with features such as One-Click Unsubscribe for junk emails, Block Sender, Custom Snooze, Undo Send, and automatic Read Receipt Blocking to prevent advertisers from tracking your email actions. The app also offers a Dark Mode, keyboard shortcuts, and more.
With a unified inbox, Edison Mail allows you to manage unlimited email accounts all in one place, with supported providers including iCloud, Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Outlook, and many others. Edison Mail also offers apps for the iPhone, iPad, and Android smartphones.
Nomad has returned with a new collection of products in its ongoing Outlet Sale, offering up to 70 percent off cables, Apple Watch straps, AirPods cases, and older model iPhone cases. Shoppers should note that all items in the Outlet Sale are final sale and can not be returned.
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.
This time all of the products in the Outlet Sale are in new condition. The steepest discounts will be found on the iPhone XS series of folio cases, which are available for just $4.95 in a few colors. You can find a list with most of the items on sale below.
According to a post from the account "yeux1122" on the Korean blog Naver, the iPhone 14 Pro will contain 8GB of RAM. Citing supply chain sources, the post claims that the iPhone 14 Pro's memory components have now been confirmed, and added that the schedule for mass production appears to be accelerating.
The account previously said that Apple was planning to launch a new iPad mini model with an 8.7-inch display and a chassis that has an increased width and reduced height compared to the fifth-generation iPad mini in the second half of 2021. While the display size claim was inaccurate, with the sixth-generation iPad mini actually featuring an 8.3-inch display, the chassis rumor and launch timeframe proved to be correct.
A report from Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu late last year similarly claimed that the 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro and 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max models will be equipped with 8GB of memory. This would be a significant increase from the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro's 6GB of memory, which currently stands as the most memory ever offered in an iPhone.
The non-Pro iPhone models tend to have less memory, so it seems likely that the 6.1-inch iPhone 14 and 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max will have less than 8GB. Even with the iPhone 14 Pro taking iPhone memory to the next level, the device still has some way to go before reaching the levels of memory offered in the iPad Pro, which introduced a 16GB memory option in early 2021 based on storage capacity.
The iPhone 13 is already significantly faster than Samsung's latest Galaxy S22 models, but lags behind in terms of memory. Galaxy devices have had 8GB of memory since the launch of the S10 in 2019. 8GB of RAM would therefore bring the iPhone 14 Pro models to parity with the memory offered in the latest rival devices from Samsung.
Apple shareholders are being urged to vote against a planned $99 million compensation package for Apple CEO Tim Cook, reports Financial Times. Shareholder advisory group Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) said on Wednesday that there is a "significant concern" with the stock Cook was awarded in 2021.
Cook last year was awarded stock valued at $82 million, along with a $3 million salary and a $12 million bonus, and the stock award was the first incentive package he had been granted since his 2011 package was granted in full for his tenure at Apple.
According to ISS, Cook's 2021 compensation "significantly exceeded" that provided by comparable companies last year. It has been seven years since ISS last objected to Apple's pay packages.
Shareholder votes on the compensation that Apple provides to executives are advisory, and the board is not required to take action. Financial Times says that if there is backlash over Cook's pay, it could potentially sway Apple's board. In its proxy statement, Apple says that it will "continue to consider shareholder feedback and the results of say-on-pay votes when making future compensation decisions."
Under Cook's 10-year leadership, Apple has seen continued success and in January, briefly became the first company to hit a $3 trillion valuation. Apple executive compensation is tied to company performance, and Apple has regularly hit its targets.
We've partnered with 1Password again this month, this time offering our readers a chance to get 50 percent off their first year of 1Password for Individuals. This offer is available to new customers only, and it doesn't require a coupon code.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with 1Password. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
To get the deal, head to 1Password's website and click "Get Started" to create an account. The 50 percent savings on your first year will be applied automatically. This deal brings the price of 1Password down to $18.00/year or $1.50/month, from $35.88/year or $2.99/month, and it's billed annually.
Once your first year ends, the pricing on the plan will return to $2.99/month, billed annually. 1Password is a password management app that is compatible across Apple devices, including iPhone and Mac. It allows you to create and store strong passwords across all of your most important online accounts, and alert you when your passwords are compromised.
The 1Password app informs you when sites that you're storing information for support two-factor authentication, helping you improve and strengthen your login information. If you're on a Touch ID or Face ID-supported Apple device, you can also open the 1Password app even quicker with Apple's biometric authentication systems.
Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.
Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming macOS Monterey 12.3 update to its public beta testing group, with the new software coming a week after the second macOS Monterey 12.3 public beta.
Public beta testers can download the macOS 12.3 Monterey update from the Software Update section of the System Preferences app after installing the proper profile from Apple's beta software website.
Universal Control is the major new feature in macOS Monterey 12.3, and it is designed to allow multiple Macs and iPads to be controlled using a single mouse/trackpad and keyboard. If you have a MacBook Pro and an iPad Pro, for example, both devices can be controlled with the MacBook Pro's trackpad and keyboard or a keyboard attached to the iPad.
iPadOS 15.4 is required for Universal Control on the iPad, and once the updates are installed on your devices, the feature just works as it is automatically enabled.
macOS Monterey also includes new Emoji 14 characters like melting face, biting lip, heart hands, and more, and plus it adds support for updating AirPods with a Mac. There's no official update interface, but your AirPods can receive firmware updates over-the-air when connected to a Mac, similar to how the update process works with an iPhone.
There are some under-the-hood changes as well. Apple is removing Python 2 from macOS with macOS 12.3 after support was suspended in January 2020, and Apple is eliminating some kernel extensions used by Dropbox and OneDrive, necessitating software updates for those apps.
Apple today seeded the third betas of upcoming iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 updates to public beta testers, with the software coming a week after Apple seeded the second public betas.
iOS and iPadOS 15.4 can be downloaded over the air after the proper profile from Apple's public beta testing website has been installed on an iPhone or iPad.
iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 are major updates. iOS 15.4 brings a new feature for unlocking your iPhone with Face ID even when wearing a mask, and iPadOS 15.4 introduces Universal Control. When paired with a Mac running macOS Monterey 12.3, Universal Control allows multiple Macs and iPads to be controlled with a single cursor and keyboard, and it's super simple and intuitive to use. Universal Control requires macOS Monterey 12.3, which does not yet appear to be available for public beta testers.
The second beta introduced 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.
Code for Tap to Pay on iPhone is in the iOS 15.4 beta, but it does require third-party providers to add support, so it is not yet available for use. There are no outward-facing signs of it that are visible to end users, but there's a new "PaymentReceived" sound file and images that show off the Tap to Pay interface.
There are signs that Apple may be planning to roll out support for digital IDs and driver's licenses in iOS 15.4. There isn't a ton of evidence for this at the current time, but there was a mention of the feature in the PassKit code in beta 2. "Find out when your driver's license or state ID is ready to use and get important updates about your ID," it reads.
The betas also bring new Emoji 14 characters, an Apple Card widget, a keyboard brightness Control Center option on iPad, support for on-device custom email domain setup, easier access to SharePlay, and tons more.
In the iOS 15.4, iPadOS 15.4, and macOS Monterey 12.3 betas, Apple has added a minor quality of life improvement to the way Safari saves passwords. At the current time, Safari will gladly save a password without a username, which can lead to confusion later, but that's no longer the case in the beta updates.
When you are prompted to save a password to iCloud Keychain in iOS 15.4, iPadOS 15.4, or macOS Monterey 12.3 and Safari has only detected a password, Safari will pop up a window asking for a user name. "To save this password, enter the username for your [website] account," reads the alert.
Details about the new feature were shared by Safari Apple employee Ricky Mondello, after they were asked about it on Twitter. According to Mondello, Apple made the change to "address a pain point" with the way that Safari and iCloud Keychain operate, and the update will indeed cut down on instances where a password is saved without a username.
In iOS 15.4 beta and macOS 12.3 beta, when Safari isn’t sure, it’ll prompt you for the username for a password, rather than silently save it sans user name. Sometimes Safari will prefill its best guess here.
And we didn’t sneak it in. We intentionally addressed a pain point. 😎 https://t.co/mfrcXk9GT6
— Ricky Mondello (@rmondello) February 16, 2022
iOS 15.4 also adds notes to iCloud Keychain and it lets you hide password update alerts, so there are quite a few useful updates in the betas. For a full rundown of everything in iOS 15.4, we have a dedicated features guide.
Though Apple last week announced changes to AirTags that will likely help cut down on unwanted tracking, officials are starting to take notice of complaints. New York Attorney General Letitia James today sent out a consumer alert with "safety recommendations" to protect New Yorkers from AirTags (via The Mac Observer).
Across the country, Apple AirTags are being misused to track people and their belongings to cause harm. Tracking people without their awareness or consent is a serious felony and will not be tolerated by my office. I urge all New Yorkers to pay close attention to their belongings and follow the tips provided by my office to stay safe. New Yorkers' safety is my top priority and my office will continue to do everything in its power to protect New Yorkers.
James' alert echoes many of Apple's own recommendations, suggesting that people listen for unfamiliar beeping, watch for "Item Detected Near You" notifications on iPhones, use Apple's Tracker Detect app on Android phones to manually scan for AirTags, and keep Apple devices up to date.
The alert includes a small paragraph noting that not all unfamiliar AirTags are malicious because they are actually sometimes lost by users when a device goes missing. New Yorkers who find a misused AirTag tucked inside their belongings are urged to contact the Office of the Attorney General immediately by filing a complaint with the OAG Internet and Technology Bureau.
Using GPS and Bluetooth-based tracking devices for stalking purposes is not new, but Apple's item trackers have received quite a bit of attention because of the built-in warning system. With most trackers, people might not even know they're being stalked, but AirTags are designed to provide alerts.
AirTag critics have also taken issue with how easy it is to use and obtain AirTags, and with the vast Find My network that allows an AirTag to be tracked down almost anywhere. Apple has been combatting unwanted AirTag stalking with a number of different measures.
Last June, Apple narrowed the window in which AirTags begin playing a sound after being separated from their owners. Originally, AirTags began sending out sounds after three days, but that timeline is now eight to 24 hours.
In December, Apple released the "Tracker Detect" app that allows Android users to scan for AirTags to make sure there are none around, and then amid continued reports of stalking and misuse of AirTags, Apple last week announced several new measures.
Going forward, when users set up an AirTag, there will be a warning that the AirTag is linked to an Apple ID and that using an AirTag to track people is a crime. Apple will also make it clear that it will cooperate with law enforcement to find people who are using AirTags maliciously.
Later this year, Apple will allow iPhone 11 and later models to use Precision Finding to track down nearby AirTags, and sounds will be accompanied by alerts for those who might not hear a nearby AirTag. Apple is also working to make AirTags louder and the alert system will be updated to notify users even earlier about AirTags that might be traveling with them.
Apple has pledged to continue to work on AirTag security, and the company says that it is listening to user feedback and innovating to make additional improvements to AirTags.
Google has announced plans to strengthen user privacy on Android with a new initiative that will put an end to cross-app tracking on Android over the next two years, making it more difficult for advertisers to track users across other apps.
In a blog post, Google announced a multi-year project named "Privacy Sandbox" that introduces "more private advertising solutions" for mobile apps. The cornerstone of Privacy Sandbox will limit data shared with other third-party apps, making it more difficult for advertisers to build a profile of users for targeted advertising purposes.
Today, we're announcing a multi-year initiative to build the Privacy Sandbox on Android, with the goal of introducing new, more private advertising solutions. Specifically, these solutions will limit sharing of user data with third parties and operate without cross-app identifiers, including advertising ID.
The new initiative will draw similarities with Apple's App Tracking Transparency framework (ATT) that launched with iOS 14.5 last year. Unlike Apple's ATT, which requires all apps to ask for user consent before tracking them across other apps and websites, however, Google's Privacy Sandbox will limit app ability as default while also looking for new privacy-preserving ways to enable mobile advertising.
Announcing Privacy Sandbox today, Google seemingly took aim at Apple's ATT framework, saying "blunt approaches are proving ineffective" and that "other platforms have taken a different approach to ads privacy, bluntly restricting existing technologies used by developers and advertisers." The goal with Privacy Sandbox is for "users [to] know their information is protected, and developers and businesses have the tools to succeed on mobile," according to Google.
Apple's ATT prompt shown to all users when an app is first opened on iOS 14.5 and later
Soon after Apple previewed ATT and following its launch with iOS 14.5 last year, Facebook, now renamed to Meta, became vocal about its displeasure with the new requirement amid fears it would significantly impact its advertising business. Its fears seemingly became true, with the social media giant saying ATT will cost it $10 billion in lost revenue this year.
Google's approach is striking a different tone, with Snapchat, who had previously said ATT presented a "risk" to its business, saying in a statement that it is "excited to collaborate with Google to develop new privacy-preserving standards for Android." Google said it would receive input across the industry as it builds Privacy Sandbox over the next two years.
Amazon today has a pair of all-time low deals on Apple's 24-inch iMac, starting with the entry-level 7-core GPU/256GB model in Green for $1,199.00, down from $1,299.00. This $100 off sale is only available in Green, and it's currently in stock and ready to ship from Amazon.
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.
Amazon's sale represents a new record low price for this model of the 24-inch M1 iMac, beating the previous low by about $30. It's currently the only major Apple reseller offering the 24-inch iMac at this price.
You can also still save on the 8-core GPU/256GB 24-inch iMac, priced at $1,349.99, down from $1,499.00. This one is available in Blue, Orange, and Yellow, and you'll need to wait to see the final sale price in your cart, after an automatic coupon is applied to the order.
Similar to the entry-level M1 iMac, this sale is an all-time low price on this model. It's shipped and sold directly from Amazon, with delivery available for February 18-21 for most colors.
You can keep track of ongoing sales on Apple's iMac line by visiting our Best iMac Deals guide. There, we keep track of the best iMac offers from Amazon, Adorama, B&H Photo, and other retailers, so be sure to check back often if you're shopping for an iMac for the first time, or thinking of upgrading.
Google has announced early access to Chrome OS Flex, a method of replacing the operating system on older PCs and Macs "within minutes" to essentially turn them into Chromebooks.
The company is encouraging individuals, schools, and businesses to download Chrome OS Flex so they can "easily try modern computing with cloud-based management" while extending the lifespan of older devices, thereby reducing e-waste.
The idea is that if you have an aging Mac lying around that can't run macOS 12 Monterey, then you can install Chrome OS Flex on it using a bootable USB stick and then try out what Google's cloud-first operating system has to offer. From the website:
The free upgrade your PCs and Macs have been waiting for.
Install Chrome OS Flex on your PCs and Macs so they are secure, boot fast, don't slow down over time, update automatically in the background, and can be managed from the cloud.
Google says Chrome OS Flex has the same look and feel as the Chrome OS shipped with every Chromebook, as it's built on the same code base and includes Google Assistant, the Chrome browser, and Nearby Sharing. However, there's currently no Google Play Store, and Google has outlined some other, mainly system-level limitations of OS Flex that distinguish it from Chrome OS on native Google devices.
Chrome OS Flex is the result of Google's 2020 purchase of Neverware, a company that offered an app called CloudReady that allows users to convert old PCs into Chrome OS machines.
Google says it will automatically move CloudReady home, school, and enterprise users to Chrome OS Flex when the OS is stable. Use of OS Flex is free for individuals, but schools and businesses using CloudReady will continue to be charged a fee and subscription rate, respectively.
If you want to try out Chrome OS Flex, you can learn more and download it on the Chrome Enterprise website. As this is early access, expect some bugs, although the OS can be booted directly from a USB stick if you don't want to commit to installation. A stable version of the OS is expected to launch in the coming months.
In an interview with Billboard, Apple's vice president of Apple Music and Beats, Oliver Schusser, details the growth of and reaction to Spatial Audio and Lossless Audio on the streaming platform.
Apple Music gained Spatial Audio and Lossless support in June 2021, and since, Apple has continued to add new songs to its catalog that support both new features. Apple had previously promised that its entire catalog of 75 million songs would be made available in Lossless, and according to Schusser, the company has fulfilled its promise.
Schusser said that while the entire catalog of Apple Music songs supports the higher-quality format, the limitations of Bluetooth and the inability for headphones, such as AirPods, to play back the audio continues to be a challenge.
"Everyone in the industry was really focused on Lossless," says Schusser. "We have every song in our catalog available in Lossless to us delivered by the industry, but the challenge is it doesn't play on any headphone in the world over Bluetooth or any wireless connection, and that is by a country mile the number one way how people consume music these days."
Apple Music subscribers can listen to Lossless using the built-in speakers on their iPhone, iPad, Mac, and HomePod. Still, though, Schusser admitted that Lossless remains a niche feature that most average listeners won't notice but that Apple still wanted to move ahead in bringing it to the masses.
Schusser says most people can't tell the difference when Lossless music is played and noted that while it's an important feature to a select niche, it isn't a mass-market product. "And so," he says, "we went out and said we would like to have a feature for the mass market that works on pretty much every device and where people notice a difference."
Discussing Spatial Audio, which provides listeners with an immersive listening experience, Schusser says that compared to when the feature launched last summer, Apple Music's offering of Spatial Audio content has grown exceptionally. Schusser says that more than 50% of Apple Music subscribers are now listening in Spatial Audio.
Apple Music only had a few thousand songs available in Spatial Audio when it launched the feature last year, and the company went on a journey to sell artists and producers — along with listeners — on the new immersive experience.
"We now have more than half of our worldwide Apple Music subscriber base listening in spatial audio and that number is actually growing really, really fast," says Schusser. "We would like the numbers to be higher, but they are definitely exceeding our expectations."
While Apple continues to add new songs to its database that support Spatial Audio in partnerships with studios, the company is still focusing on ensuring the quality of the mixing on those songs.
For Apple's part, the company is emphasizing the importance of quality mixing here — compared to the early days of Dolby Atmos Music, when some mixes didn't live up to the quality of the original recordings. "We listen to every song that comes in Spatial Audio to us and we try to engage with people who make the cut during the process," Schusser says.
Spatial Audio is not only allowing listeners to enjoy new music in a more immersive way, but it's also re-engaging fans with older songs, according to Rachel Newman, Apple Music's global head of editorial and content.
"We're seeing huge uptick in artists' back catalog off the basis of them re-engaging their fans with a new way of listening to the music," says Rachel Newman, Apple Music's global head of editorial and content. Streams of Spatial Audio tracks on Apple Music editorial playlists have grown by 125% since the feature launched last summer, Newman notes.
In a previous interview made in December, another Apple Music executive echoed similar remarks made by Schusser regarding the limitations of Bluetooth and Lossless audio.
Apple would like "more bandwidth" than what Bluetooth can provide, said Apple's vice president of acoustics, Gary Geaves. "I'll stop right there. We would like more bandwidth," Geaves added.
In the third beta of macOS Monterey that Apple released to developers today, there is a small Universal Control update that is designed to make it easier to access the various Universal Control settings that you might need when using the feature to control multiple Macs and iPads with a single mouse/trackpad and keyboard.
If you open up the Displays section of System Preferences after updating to the new software, there is a new "Universal Control..." button that was first noticed by 9to5Mac. The Universal Control button goes directly to the three Universal Control settings that are available.
Prior to this beta, the Universal Control options were located under the now-removed "Advanced" tab, and were just a bit harder to get to.
The Universal Control settings have not changed, even though their location has been updated. The first two settings are enabled by default and allow Universal Control to work, while the third is optional and can be toggled on to allow you to automatically reconnect to any nearby Mac or iPad you've previously connected to.
Universal Control is live in the macOS Monterey 12.3 and iPadOS 15.4 betas available to developers and public beta testers, and it is working well even in a beta capacity. The feature will be available to everyone when the updates see a public release, which could perhaps come in March following Apple's planned March 8 event.
Sony today announced the launch of the LinkBuds, which are the company's latest true wireless earbud product. The LinkBuds have a unique open air design that's not quite like any other earbud on the market.
Available in black or white, the LinkBuds have a donut-shaped earpiece that goes in the ear. As with the AirPods 3, there are no foam or silicone tips included with the LinkBuds, with the naked earpiece fitting directly inside the ear.
The hole in the LinkBuds, which is an open ring driver, lets users listen to music while also hearing the ambient surroundings, which is similar to other headphone products like sound-equipped sunglasses and bone conduction options.
Because Sony's LinkBuds do not obstruct ambient sound, they are ideal for situations where listeners might need to be aware of their surroundings, like walking, running, biking, and riding public transportation.
The earbuds are held in place by a secondary bulb that has a little fin, and Sony describes them as ultra-small, light, and able to stay in the ears. They are IPX4 splash and sweat proof, plus an Adaptive Volume Control feature optimizes music to the sound in the ambient environment. The battery in the LinkBuds lasts for 5.5 hours, and there is a charging case that provides a total of 17.5 hours of listening time.
As part of a "Steve Jobs Revolution" collection, RR Auction is this week selling off multiple pieces of rare memorabilia related to Jobs, including a check that was signed by both Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.
Dated July 15, 1976, the "Apple Computer Company" check is made out to Kierulff Electronics for $3,430. The check was written in the same month that Wozniak demonstrated the first Apple-1 prototype at the Homebrew Computer Company in Palo Alto, California.
The auction site says that based on the date, the check was likely used to pay for parts used in putting together the second batch of Apple-1 computers. So far, the check has a bid of over $23,000, with the next bid set at $25,000. The auction is set to end on March 17, so it could go for much more.
The check is part of a themed sale that is designed to trace the history of personal computers through documents and objects. There are prototypes and early examples of computer mouses created by Doug Engelbart, Pong prototypes from the collection of its creator Allan Alcorn, and original Apple devices.
Along with the check, RR Auction is selling a yearbook that Jobs signed, photos of Jobs as a college freshman, a Steve Jobs signed Atari job application expected to fetch over $300,000, Steve Jobs business cards, and other signed memorabilia. All of the auctions will end on March 17.
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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.
