MacRumors

Apple today seeded the release candidate version of an upcoming watchOS 8.6 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new software coming a week after the release of the fourth beta.

To install ‌‌‌watchOS 8‌‌‌.6, developers will need to download the configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center. Once installed, ‌‌‌watchOS 8.6 can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software update.

To update to new software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life, it must be placed on the charger, and it needs to be in range of the ‌‌‌‌iPhone‌‌‌‌.

The watchOS 8.6 update expands ECG functionality and irregular heart rhythm detection to Mexico, according to Apple's release notes.

Sony's flagship WH-1000XM4 noise-canceling headphones have been among the best on the market for some time, and today Sony announced its fifth-generation WH-1000XM5 headphones, boasting a new design and several improvements over the previous model.

The redesigned headphones replace the shrouded arms that swivel on the XM4's with an exposed arm that has a single contact point at the earcups, which are slightly bigger than on the previous generation, and aim to lower wind noise when out and about. The headphones weigh 250g (versus the XM4's 254g), and a click-less slider is included in the synthetic leather headband to help wearers get the right fit.

Like the previous model, the XM5's provide up to 30 hours of battery life on a single charge with active noise cancelation on, 40 hours with ANC off (10 hours more than the XM4's), and the headphones will reach a full charge in 3 hours. The XM5's also support Power Delivery, and will give users three hours of playback from just three minutes on a charger.

There are eight microphones (four more than the previous model) which have been moved into a more optimal position for noise canceling – Sony says this makes them better at cutting out high frequency noise. Meanwhile four beamforming mics are built in for better voice call quality, and an NC/Ambient button replaces the "Custom" button found on the XM4's, although the button remains reprogrammable to activate voice assistants including Siri.

A new 30mm driver provides the sonics, and the headphones use LDAC to deliver the high-resolution audio, given the correct source device, while SBC and AAC are also supported, as is DSEE Extreme upscaling for compressed audio. Sony's 360 Reality Audio spatial sound effect is also on board.

Sony has ditched the collapsible foldaway mechanism seen on the XM4's that tuck one cup inside the other, so the rigid XM4 carry case has been replaced with a larger one. The XM5's also come with a 3.5mm heaphone jack cable.

Sony's WH-1000XM5 headphones cost $399 – $50 more than the XM4's – and come in white, silver and black colors. They will be available to buy online at Amazon and other electronics retailers from from May 20. Stay tuned to MacRumors for a review of the headphones including a full comparison with Apple's AirPods Max.

While there are as yet no concrete rumors related to which devices iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 will support, the discontinuation of the iPod touch earlier this week may be an indication that as many as nine devices could be about to lose support for Apple's upcoming operating systems.

iOS and iPadOS 13, 14, and 15 support all of the same devices, with the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus, seventh-generation iPod touch, iPad Air 2, fifth-generation iPad, iPad mini 4, and first-generation iPad Pro being the oldest supported iPhones and iPads.

While Apple could simply drop support for the oldest iPhones and iPads that still receive the latest updates, memory is likely to be a key deciding factor about which devices iOS 16 and iPadOS 16. When Apple introduced iOS 13, it dropped support for all devices with less than 2GB of memory. This wiped out support for a large number of A7- and A8-based devices, such as the iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus, as well as the first-generation iPad Air, iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3, and sixth-generation iPod touch. This is also why the iPad mini 4, which features 2GB of memory, has continued to be supported by iOS 13, 14, and 15, even though it has the A8 chip.

It seems plausible that if iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 require 3GB of memory, nine devices with the A9 and A10 Fusion chips could lose support. Even though the iPhone 7 Plus and seventh-generation iPad contain the A10 Fusion chip, both devices feature 3GB of memory, meaning that they are more likely to retain support when Apple next drops support for older devices.

• 20+ New iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and watchOS 9 Features and Improvements Rumored to Arrive at WWDC 2022

There is also little evidence to suggest that Apple will support the seventh-generation iPod touch, an A10-based device with 2GB of memory, simply because it continued to sell it until now. Apple discontinued the sixth-generation iPod touch in May 2019 and it was excluded from receiving iOS 13, which was released just four months later. The company could repeat this pattern with the seventh-generation iPod touch, discontinuing it in May 2022 before excluding it from iOS 16 support just months later. Indeed, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that watchOS 9 will drop support for the Apple Watch Series 3 later this year, even though it is still on sale.

If Apple chooses to make 3GB of memory and the A10 chip or newer a requirement to run iOS 16 and iPadOS 16, the following devices could be supported:

This would make the iPhone 7 Plus the oldest supported iPhone, and the third-generation iPad Air, seventh-generation iPad, fifth-generation iPad mini, and first-generation iPad Pro the oldest supported iPad models. That being said, Apple could look to avoid any confusion about why the iPhone 7 Plus is supported while the iPhone 7 is not by dropping support for both devices simultaneously, regardless of the iPhone 7 Plus's added memory. Moreover, the iPhone 8 also contains 2GB of memory, while the iPhone 8 Plus contains 3GB of memory, but neither of these devices are likely to lose support any time soon.

It is important to note that iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 could continue to support all of the same devices as iOS and iPadOS 13, 14, and 15. Nevertheless, it seems like just a matter of time before Apple drops support for some older devices, be it this year or next. When that does occur, it seems probable that only the above devices will retain support.

In line with previous years, Apple will introduce major updates to all of its operating systems at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 6, 2022. iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and watchOS 9 are rumored to offer a large number of features and improvements, including enhanced notifications, car crash detection, a new multitasking interface for iPad, the Apple Classical app, and more.

Amazon is offering low prices on the Apple Watch SE in multiple color and size options this week. Prices start at $229.00 for the 40mm GPS model with the Silver Aluminum Case, down from $279.00.

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

Compared to past sales, this is a match of the 2022 record low price on the 40mm GPS Apple Watch SE. This model is shipped and sold by Amazon, with stock available today in three color options.

You can also get the 44mm GPS Apple Watch SE for $259.99 on Amazon, down from $309.00. This model is also available in three colors (note that Gold Aluminum has an on-page coupon), but overall it's a second-best price on this model.

There are also cellular versions of the Apple Watch SE on sale today, starting at $279.99 for the 40mm model, down from $329.00; and rising to $309.99 for the 44mm model, down from $359.00. There are more case and band styles on sale for the cellular models, including Space Gray Aluminum with Tornado/Grey Sport Loop and Silver Aluminium with Abyss Blue/Moss Green Sport Loop.

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

Apple's MacBook Pro assemblers in China are unlikely to return to pre-lockdown production levels until July because of insufficient manpower and logistical problems, based on the latest industry report.

Notebook manufacturers in major cities in eastern China have been resuming operations following the recent gradual easing of lockdowns, but those in Shanghai are currently only operating at 10-20% capacity, according to supply chain sources cited by DigiTimes.

Shanghai is the base of operations for Quanta Computers, Apple's sole supplier of high-end MacBook Pros, which have seen delivery times increase by three to five weeks since the China lockdowns. Some ‌MacBook Pro‌ configurations currently are not available for delivery until late June running into early July.

According to the report, Shanghai plants are still feeling the brunt of restrictions since only assembly workers and those who live in dormitories are allowed to return to work.

Meanwhile, many products are said to be trapped on container ships waiting to enter ports, and until these products are received by retail and shipped to customers, large-scale pull-ins at production facilities are on hold. The slow restoration of operations has also reportedly resulted in component pull-in strength being far below expectations.

We have heard from several MacRumors readers who were waiting on ‌MacBook Pro‌ models ordered in March and April and who have now had their shipments significantly delayed because of Apple's supply issues, which are expected to impact Apple's product sales in the third quarter of 2022.

For example, MacRumors reader Gary ordered a ‌MacBook Pro‌ on April 6 and was initially given a delivery date between May 18-25. This morning he says he was notified by Apple of a a new delivery date between July 7-21, which amounts to more a three-month delay in shipping.

Apple has already admitted that lockdown disruptions in China and silicon shortages will continue to make it difficult to make enough product to satisfy strong consumer demand, and this will ultimately affect Apple's June quarter revenue.

Google Maps is set to get a new Immersive view for cities that uses artificial intelligence and high-quality 3D rendering to simulate real-time data, Google has announced.

Thanks to advances in computer vision and AI that allow us to fuse together billions of Street View and aerial images to create a rich, digital model of the world — we're introducing a whole new way to explore with Maps. With our new immersive view, you'll be able to experience what a neighborhood, landmark, restaurant or popular venue is like — and even feel like you're right there before you ever set foot inside. So whether you're traveling somewhere new or scoping out hidden local gems, immersive view will help you make the most informed decisions before you go.

As the video demonstrates, the new Immersive view deftly blends live traffic, weather, and astronomical data from Google Maps, Google Earth, and Street View with animated digital models that even include neat touches like birds flying over buildings, animated landmarks, and reflective bodies of water.

Users will also be able to explore inside and around businesses rendered in detailed 3D representations where data sets are available.

Google says Immersive view will work on "just about any phone and device" and will start rolling out in Los Angeles, London, New York, San Francisco and Tokyo later this year, with more cities coming soon.

Google on Wednesday unveiled its latest mid-range 5G smartphone, the Pixel 6A, and for the first time, this A-series model is missing a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The lack of a headphone jack on the Pixel 6A follows a technology trend that Apple started with the iPhone 7 in 2016, and in that sense is relatively unsurprising.

Yet as recently as last August, Google was touting the inclusion of a headphone jack on the Pixel 5A with an ad that parodied some of the product intro videos that former Apple design chief Jony Ive used to make to highlight new ‌iPhone‌ features.

This isn't the first time Google has indirectly mocked Apple for dropping the headphone jack, only for it to later do precisely the same. Google poked fun at the ‌iPhone‌ 7's lack of headphone jack while unveiling its original Pixel smartphone in 2016, and then the Pixel 2 launched without one just a year later.

Samsung fell for the same short-sighted marketing approach in 2018 when it mocked the ‌iPhone‌ X's lack of a headphone jack in one of its "Ingenius" ads promoting the Galaxy S9. Five months later it introduced the Galaxy A8s, its first smartphone without a headphone jack, much to the amusement of ‌iPhone‌ users.

The Google Pixel 6A costs $449 and features a slight redesign in line with last year's Pixel 6 range, with a raised camera bump on the rear that houses a 12MP main camera and a 12MP ultra-wide lens. Powered by the company's custom Tensor chipset, the 6A comes with a 6.1-inch OLED 1080p display running at 60Hz and includes an under-screen fingerprint sensor.

Just days after being discontinued, the last iPod, the seventh-generation iPod touch, has officially sold out in Apple's US online store.

Yesterday, we reported that some configurations of the iPod touch were being marked as "sold out" in Apple's US store. Now, all iPod touch models in all configurations are entirely sold out.

Apple marked the end of an era this week when it announced it would be ending the iconic iPod brand and product lineup. The iPod served as Apple's foundation and made it a household name years before the iPhone.

"We've integrated an incredible music experience across all of our products, from the ‌iPhone‌ to the Apple Watch to HomePod mini, and across Mac, iPad, and Apple TV," said Apple's Greg Joswiak on Tuesday, announcing the iPod's discontinuation.

Substituting the iPod, Apple says the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max and the latest ‌iPhone‌ SE, paired with the second-generation AirPods or the $550 AirPods Max, offer the best Apple Music and audio experience.

Apple has lost its position as the world's most valuable company, after a broad sell-off of technology stocks and a rise in the price of oil.

Apple stock fell by around 5% on Wednesday to $146.50, down nearly 20% since the start of the year. Apple's market capitalization dropped to $2.37 trillion.

Oil giant Saudi Arabian Aramco regained the top spot from Apple, a position it lost to the iPhone maker in 2020. Aramco's stock has risen by more than 27% this year and profits doubled last year due to soaring oil prices. Aramco's stock market valuation is now just under $2.43 trillion.

Investors have been selling shares in technology companies and cryptocurrency for less risky assets, following a move by central banks to increase interest rates in an attempt to offset the impact of rising prices.

Apple's demotion to second most valuable company comes two weeks after it reported second quarter revenue of $97.3 billion, a new all-time record for the month of March. Apple saw growth across its ‌iPhone‌, Mac, Wearables, and Services product categories, but iPad revenue experienced around a 2% decline compared to the year-ago quarter.

Sonos today unveiled its lowest-priced soundbar, the Sonos Ray. Priced at $279 in the U.S., the compact soundbar is said to utilize "advanced processing" to create a "surprisingly wide soundstage," and AirPlay 2 support allows for audio to be wirelessly streamed to the soundbar from Apple devices like the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

The soundbar will be available starting June 7 in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and select other countries and regions.

The complete Sonos soundbar lineup now consists of the Ray for $279, the second-generation Beam for $449, and the Arc for $899.

Sonos also announced that it will be launching its own voice control system for its speakers, allowing users to say "Hey Sonos" to control compatible music services, including Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, Pandora, and Sonos Radio.

Sonos speakers already support Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and now users will have access to Sonos voice control as a third option.

Sonos said the voice control feature will be available in the U.S. starting June 1, and in France later this year, with additional markets to follow. The company ensures that all "Hey Sonos" voice requests will be processed entirely on device, with no audio or transcripts sent to the cloud, listened to, or read by any party.

Last, the portable Sonos Roam speaker with AirPlay 2 support is now available in three new color options: Olive, Wave, and Sunset.

Google today kicked off its annual I/O developer conference at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California, where it unveiled a wide range of new Pixel devices that are launching this summer and beyond. Ahead, we've summarized five highlights from the keynote to give Apple users a quick overview of the announcements.

Key takeaways from the Google I/O keynote:

1. Google provided a sneak peek at the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro coming this fall. The smartphones will feature a slight redesign with the camera bar gaining an aluminum finish, and both devices will be powered by Google's next-generation Tensor chip. The standard Pixel 7 will have a dual camera setup, while the Pixel 7 Pro will have a triple camera array. The devices will ship with Android 13.
2. Google also previewed the Pixel Watch, the first smartwatch that it fully built. Launching this fall, the Pixel Watch will feature a circular, domed design with a tactile crown, a side button, and customizable bands. The watch will be powered by an "improved" Wear OS interface with "more fluid" navigation, smart notifications, built-in Fitbit functionality for fitness tracking, Apple Pay-like tap-to-pay functionality, and more. Pixel Watch will require a smartphone running Android 8.0 or later, making it incompatible with the iPhone.
3. Google unveiled the Pixel 6a, a new mid-range smartphone priced from $449, which places it between the iPhone SE and the iPhone 11. Pixel 6a has the same Google Tensor chip and a similar design as the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.
4. Pixel Buds Pro are Google's new premium wireless earbuds with similar features as AirPods Pro, including active noise cancellation, a Transparency mode that lets ambient noise in, hands-free "Hey Google" voice control, automatic switching between previously paired Bluetooth devices, integration with Google's Find My Device app, and spatial audio support starting later this year. Pricing is set at $199, compared to AirPods Pro at $249.
5. Android tablets have continuously failed to gain popularity compared to iPads, but Google is planning to reenter the tablet market once again with the Pixel Tablet, coming in 2023. The tablet will be powered by a Tensor chip.

A replay of the Google I/O keynote is available on YouTube.

Google today at its I/O developer conference unveiled a range of new Pixel devices that will compete with Apple products, including Pixel Buds Pro.

Pixel Buds Pro are Google's new premium wireless earbuds with similar features as AirPods Pro, including active noise cancellation, a Transparency mode that lets ambient noise in, hands-free "Hey Google" voice control, automatic switching between previously paired Bluetooth devices, integration with Google's Find My Device app for tracking their location when misplaced, and spatial audio support starting later this year.

Pixel Buds Pro adapt to your ear with a Silent Seal feature that maximizes noise cancellation, while built-in sensors measure the pressure in your ear canal to make sure they are comfortable to wear during long listening sessions, according to Google.

Pixel Buds Pro can be paired with any Bluetooth 4.0+ device, making them compatible with devices like the Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. They charge wirelessly in a case and offer up to 11 hours of listening time per charge, or up to seven hours with active noise cancellation enabled. The case can also be charged via USB-C.

Pixel Buds Pro will be available to pre-order on July 21, with pricing set at $199 in the U.S., compared to $249 for AirPods Pro. The earbuds are designed with a soft matte finish and are available in four color options: Coral, Lemongrass, Fog, and Charcoal.

AirPods Pro have not received any hardware updates since they were first released in October 2019. Rumors suggest that second-generation AirPods Pro will be released later this year with an upgraded wireless chip, motion sensors for fitness tracking capabilities, and potentially a more compact design similar to the Beats Studio Buds.

It's been over 200 days since Apple debuted its redesigned MacBook Pro lineup. Offered in 14-inch and 16-inch display sizes, the new-look MacBooks wowed Apple fans and creative pros alike with their powerful custom Apple silicon, mini-LED screen, and multiple connectivity options. But there are still some things you can't do with a ‌MacBook Pro‌. Here are five features some Mac users are still waiting for.

1. Support for 120Hz 4K Displays

Five years after it removed the HDMI port on the ‌MacBook Pro‌, Apple in 2021 brought back the much-used multimedia interface to its top-of-the-line notebook. Unfortunately, the HDMI port that returned isn't so top-of-the-line – it's an HDMI 2.0 port instead of an HDMI 2.1 port.

HDMI 2.1 technology would have allowed the port to run a 4K display with a 120Hz refresh rate. As it stands, the HDMI 2.0 port on the current ‌MacBook Pro‌ supports only a 4K display with a refresh rate of up to 60Hz.

Apple's decision not to support 4K at 120Hz may well have been based on bandwidth limitations, but connecting Thunderbolt/USB-C displays results in a similar maximum refresh rate. According to Apple, the M1 Pro ‌MacBook Pro‌ models support up to two external displays with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz, while the M1 Max ‌MacBook Pro‌ models support up to three external displays with up to 6K resolution and one external display with up to 4K resolution at 60Hz.

2. Support for UHS-III SD Cards

In its bid to placate photographers and video producers, Apple reintroduced the SD card slot, not seen in a ‌MacBook Pro‌ model since 2015. What it didn't explicitly advertise is that the slot doesn't support UHS-III cards, which offer read and write speeds up to 624 MB/s. (That wasn't the only disappointment: The SD card slot on the new MacBook Pros supports UHS-II cards, but only up to 250MB/s of data transfer, not the 312MB/s speeds that the standard is theoretically capable of.)

There may not be many UHS-III cameras out there yet, but future-proofing the connectivity on a notebook that costs upwards of $2,000 is always going to be a welcome measure.

3. Ethernet Port

There's a simple enough reason why Apple didn't add Ethernet connectivity to its latest ‌MacBook Pro‌: A standard Ethernet port is actually thicker than the notebook's chassis. So why should this even be considered a glaring omission?

In fact, Apple faced the same challenge with the thin design of the latest 24-inch iMac, which unlike the ‌MacBook Pro‌ has traditionally included an Ethernet port. Apple's solution was to place the Ethernet port in the power adapter. Apple says this "cool new innovation" allows users to keep their desks less cluttered, while still enjoying the benefits of Ethernet, which makes the lack of a similar port on the ‌MacBook Pro‌ power brick all the more surprising.

4. 5G Network Connectivity

Lenovo, Samsung, Acer, Dell, and HP all offer laptops with 5G connectivity, yet no Mac in Apple's notebook lineup currently supports the cellular standard. The same can't be said for Apple's iPad range, with LTE versions of both the iPad Pro and iPad mini readily available.

Should we expect the situation to change anytime soon? Perhaps so, if a report from January 2021 by well-connected Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman is anything to go by. Apple has developed "underlying Mac support" for cellular connectivity, according to Gurman, and given that we know Apple is working on its own custom modem set to appear in iPhones as soon as 2023, here's hoping that it makes an appearance in next year's ‌MacBook Pro‌.

5. Wi-Fi 6E Support

Some say Wi-Fi 6E is still too new for it to be worth Apple's support yet. The counterargument is that the Google Pixel 6 and Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra already comply with the standard, and users typically upgrade their smartphone far more frequently than their notebook.

Wi-Fi 6E offers the features and capabilities of Wi-Fi 6, including higher performance, lower latency, and faster data rates, extended into the 6 GHz band. The additional spectrum provides more airspace beyond existing 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi, resulting in increased bandwidth and less interference for devices that support Wi-Fi 6E.

Since early 2021 – months before the new ‌MacBook Pro‌ was launched – half a dozen routers and mesh systems have included the latest Wi-Fi 6E band. There will be more as time goes by. All of these reasons speak to why Apple is expected to support the standard in its first mixed reality headset, which is expected later this year or next. That it could feature in the next-generation of ‌MacBook Pro‌ is by no means outside the realms of possibility.

If you hate cord clutter, then you're going to want to watch our latest YouTube video, which highlights Mission's USB Power Cable for the Apple TV because it lets you plug Apple's set-top box right into a USB port on your TV.

Priced at $24.99, the USB Power Cable from Mission is a neat little accessory that lets you do away with your ‌Apple TV‌ power cable. If you have a modern TV set that has USB ports, you can get away with plugging your ‌Apple TV‌ into your TV set rather than having a separate power adapter.

If you're thinking that there's no way a USB port can power an ‌Apple TV‌ continuously, you're partially correct. The USB Power Cable is actually a 2000mAh battery pack that is powered by the TV's USB port. It stores excess power from the USB port and then releases it when the ‌Apple TV‌ requires more power than the USB port can source.

So by default, the Mission Power Cable is using passthrough energy to power the ‌Apple TV‌, and then backup battery power when power demands are higher. Mission says that it's able to run an ‌Apple TV‌ for hours without issue, and that was true in our testing.

The cable and the battery pack can be mounted on the back of the television set for a no-mess cordless look that's ideal for streamlining your entertainment setup, and it is universally compatible with TVs that have a USB port.

What do you think of this ‌Apple TV‌ cord management solution? Let us know in the comments.

Starting with iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, Apple introduced a new "Personalized Ads" toggle during the setup process that makes it easier for users to turn off personalized ads in Apple apps such as the App Store, Apple News, and Stocks.

In a presentation shared with advertisers, obtained by MacRumors, Apple cited internal data showing that, in the first quarter of 2022, 78% of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 search volume on the App Store was from devices with Personalized Ads turned off across all countries and regions where Apple's Search Ads business is available.

Apple's presentation emphasizes that advertisers can reach interested users without applying audience targeting to their search results campaign. In the first quarter of 2022, Apple's internal data shows that Search Ads had a 62.1% average conversion rate for iOS 15 users with Personalized Ads turned on versus 62.5% for iOS 15 users with Personalized Ads turned off across all countries and regions where Search Ads are available.

Apple said search terms are a direct signal of intent, with the presentation stating that 70% of App Store visitors use search to find their next app.

Apple's personalized ads rely solely on first-party data. In the App Store and Apple News, for example, Apple says a user's search and download history may be used to serve them relevant search ads. In Apple News and Stocks, ads are served based partly on what a user reads or follows, including publishers they have enabled notifications for.

It's worth noting that this data is unrelated to the App Tracking Transparency privacy feature, which only applies to apps using third-party data to track users.

AURA Devices today announced its second-generation AURA Strap, which is a follow up to the original AURA Strap that came out back in 2020. The redesigned and reengineered AURA Strap 2 is meant to augment the Apple Watch's health and fitness capabilities by adding bioelectrical impedance analysis.

The strap attaches to an Apple Watch and has sensors that rest against the wrist to take regular measurements. AURA says that it is able to measure body changes as a result of exercise, offering up fat, muscle, and water balance measurements on Apple Watch.

Compared to the original AURA Strap, the AURA Strap 2 is 20 percent slimmer and five percent narrower for a better fit. The stretchable band comes in multiple size options and is similar to one of Apple's Solo Loops with no clasp.

Taking a measurement can be done with a single touch, and the updated design captures 16 times more data points, according to AURA. AURA says that this improvement brings the AURA Strap 2 to 95% of the accuracy of a DEXA-scan.

Using the collected metrics, the accompanying AURA app provides users with personalized recommendations and goals to help them optimize their fitness performance.

Alongside the AURA 2 Strap, AURA is introducing an AURA Plus subscription service that offers up monthly fitness and nutrition reports, deep analytics of body composition, fitness content, and in the future, live chats. Six months of AURA Plus is included with the AURA Strap 2, and after that, it is priced at $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year.

The AURA Strap 2 is available in black and it is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 3 or later. It is priced at $149 and can be purchased from the AURA website.