MacRumors

The Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has ruled that Apple's plan to allow App Store dating apps to use third-party payment methods for in-app purchases does not sufficiently meet the requirements of a previous ruling. As a result, the ACM has hit Apple with an initial 5 million euro fine as a consequence, and fines will continue to be assessed at 5 million euros per week up to a maximum of 50 million euros until Apple complies.

Last week, following Apple's announcement that dating apps in the Dutch ‌App Store‌ would have the option to let users use third-party payments for in-app purchases, the ACM said it would assess whether those changes meet the requirements of a previous ruling. The ACM had previously ruled that Apple's ‌App Store‌ is unfair and Apple was engaging in anti-competitive business practices.

Apple's announced changes fail to "satisfy the requirements," the ACM said today in a press release. "At the moment, dating-app providers can merely express their 'interest'. In addition, Apple has raised several barriers for dating-app providers to the use of third-party payment systems," the ACM added, alluding to the fact that dating apps must first ask and receive approval for a special ‌App Store‌ entitlement to point users to third-party payment methods.

Apple's plan also appears to require developers to choose between offering a third-party in-app purchase option or being able to direct users to outside payment options, and the ACM says Apple must allow developers to offer both options.

Apple must adjust its conditions for access to the Dutch App Store for dating-app providers. In the App Store, dating-app providers must also be able to use payment systems other than Apple's payment system. In addition, dating-app providers must have the ability to refer to payment systems outside of the app. This had been laid down in an order subject to periodic penalty payments that ACM imposed on Apple in August 2021. On December 24, 2021, the court ruled that this part of the order could be published.

One major question about Apple's plans is its intent to continue to receive a commission for in-app purchases made with dating apps, even if the developer uses a third-party payment method. Apple has yet to reveal what the commission will be or how it plans to implement it.

Apple's CEO Tim Cook had previously said that even if developers were to use third-payment methods, Apple would continue to receive a cut for all in-app purchases made but noted that such a system does not yet exist. We've reached out to Apple for comment on the ACM's conclusion and the 5 million euro fine.

Beats Fit Pro will be available to pre-order worldwide starting today, including in the UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Sweden, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and more.

First released in the United States a few months ago, Beats Fit Pro are ideal for athletes, with flexible wingtips providing a more secure fit in the ear. The wireless earbuds have similar features as the AirPods Pro, including active noise cancellation with "Transparency" mode, spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, an H1 chip for one-tap pairing and automatic switching between Apple devices, Hey Siri support, and more.

Beats Fit Pro will be available to pre-order through Apple's online store, with black, white, stone purple, and sage gray color options. Pre-orders will begin at 3 p.m. in the UK, according to Beats, with pricing set at £199.99 in that country.

Beats Fit Pro also feature up to six hours of listening time per charge, compatibility with Android devices, IPX4-rated water and sweat resistance, a USB-C charging case, customizable silicone ear tips with three size options, and more.

For more details about Beats Fit Pro, read our hands-on coverage of the earbuds from last year.

MediaTek has conducted the world's first live demo of Wi-Fi 7 for "key customers and industry collaborators," paving the way for the wireless network technology to enter mainstream consumer hardware as early as next year, according to the company.

Taiwan-based MediaTek said the demos demonstrated the ability of Wi-Fi 7 to achieve the maximum speed defined by IEEE 802.11be, the official name for the Wi-Fi 7 standard. The company said it also highlighted its multi-link operation (MLO) technology. MLO aggregates multiple channels on different frequency bands at the same time to allow network traffic to still flow seamlessly even if there is interference or congestion on the bands. "Filogic" simply refers to MediaTek's Wi-Fi 7 connectivity portfolio.

"The rollout of Wi-Fi 7 will mark the first time that Wi-Fi can be a true wireline/Ethernet replacement for super high-bandwidth applications," said Alan Hsu, corporate vice president and general manager of the Intelligent Connectivity business at MediaTek. "MediaTek’s Wi-Fi 7 technology will be the backbone of home, office and industrial networks and provide seamless connectivity for everything from multi-player AR/VR applications to cloud gaming and 4K calls to 8K streaming and beyond."

"Faster broadband Internet access and more demanding applications such as higher resolution video streaming and VR gaming are driving demand for Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 6E, and soon Wi-Fi 7," said Mario Morales, group vice president, Semiconductors at IDC. "Wi-Fi 7's advances in channel width, QAM, and new features such as multi-link operation (MLO) will make Wi-Fi 7 very attractive for devices including flagship smartphones, PCs, consumer devices and vertical industries like retail and industrial; as service providers begin to deploy a wider spectrum of hotspots across these market segments."

Wi-Fi 7 is said to deliver 2.4x faster speeds than Wi-Fi 6, even with the same number of antennas, since Wi-Fi 7 can utilize 320Mhz channels and supports 4K quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) technology.

The Wi-FI Alliance says Wi-Fi 7 could provide speeds of "at least 30" gigabits per second (Gbps) and should exceed that to reach 40Gbps, which is the same speed as Thunderbolt 3. As noted by ArsTechnica, Wi-Fi 6 supports speeds up to 9.6Gbps, while its predecessor, WiFi 5, has a max output of 3.5Gbps. Wi-Fi 6 is the marketing name given to 802.11ax technology, which is supported by all iPhone 11 and later models, the newest iPad mini, iPad Air, iPad Pro, and all Macs powered by Apple silicon.

The next step up from Wi-Fi 6 is Wi-Fi 6E. Devices supporting Wi-Fi 6E use a dedicated 6E spectrum with up to seven additional 160MHz channels, while Wi-Fi 6 devices share the same spectrum as other Wi-Fi 4, 5, and 6 devices, and they only operate on two 160MHz channels. Some reports suggested Apple's ‌iPhone‌ 13 series would include Wi-Fi 6E, but the rumors never panned out. Looking ahead, this year's iPhone 14 is expected to adopt Wi-Fi 6E and Apple's forthcoming AR/VR headset is also expected to support it to meet the needs of the high-end, immersive experience it will deliver, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

MediaTek has been involved in the development of the Wi-Fi 7 standard since its inception and is eager to drum up excitement for its Wi-Fi 7 Filogic connectivity portfolio, but the protocol hasn't been finalized by the Wi-FI Alliance yet, so it's difficult to say when consumer devices will actually support it. MediaTek says products with Wi-Fi 7 are expected to hit the market starting in 2023. Regardless, given that Apple has yet to adopt Wi-Fi 6E in any of its devices, support for Wi-Fi 7 is likely to be some way away.

China-based display maker BOE will supply Apple with OLED LTPO displays for the higher-end models of the iPhone 15 lineup in 2023, according to a new report from The Elec.

Following unsuccessful attempts by the Chinese maker in 2020 to supply displays for the iPhone 12 series, BOE joined Apple's list of display makers to produce panels for the baseline 6.1-inch ‌iPhone‌ 13 earlier this year. Apple's higher-end ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max displays, which require more advanced technology, are made by Samsung.

According to today's report, BOE is looking to expand its ability to manufacture OLED LTPO displays, which enable a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz, in time for the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro, expected in 2023. For the iPhone 14 series expected this fall, BOE will continue to supply displays for only the lower-tier handsets while Pro series displays will continue to rely on Samsung and LG.

For the first time since the ‌iPhone‌ X, Apple is rumored to be planning a major redesign of the display on the higher-end ‌iPhone 14‌ models, including removing the notch. Apple is rumored to be replacing the notch with a hole punch and a pill-shaped cutout at the top of the display for the TrueDepth system and front-facing camera.

Apple is working on a number of new products that are set to launch this fall, and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says that it will be "the widest array" of new devices that Apple has introduced in its history.

In his latest "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explains that Apple is working on four new flagship iPhones (iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Max, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max), an updated low-end MacBook Pro, a refreshed larger-screened iMac, a new Mac Pro, a redesigned MacBook Air, second-generation AirPods Pro, three Apple Watches (Series 8, SE, and Rugged), a low-end iPad, and new iPad Pro models.

We've shared details on many of these devices before and information on what to expect can be found through the links below or through our dedicated upcoming products guide that walks through everything that Apple is expected to unveil this year.

According to Gurman, most of the new products are expected in the fall months, but there is a possibility that the iMac could come earlier. Apple is planning a spring event in March or April that will see the launch of the 5G iPhone SE, a refreshed iPad Air with an A15 chip, and perhaps at least one Mac.

Apple may use the spring event to bring the M1 Pro chip to another Mac, either a higher-end iMac or Mac mini, but the bulk of the Mac refreshes, which will include a new version of the Mac Pro and an entirely overhauled MacBook Air, are unlikely to happen before the fall.

Gurman speculates that the upcoming iPad Pro will have an M2 chip and wireless charging, features that make it a candidate for a fall launch rather than a spring launch. Apple did, however, submit regulatory filings for nine new iPads and three new iPhone models, so it is possible more than one iPad could be refreshed at the spring event.

Apple had also planned to introduce its AR/VR headset in 2022, but rumors have suggested that the device's debut may have been pushed back to 2023 as there are still issues that need to be worked out.

Apple's spring event last year took place in April, so we could see a similar timeline this year. The spring event will be followed by the Worldwide Developers Conference in June, which will see the launch of iOS 16 and macOS 13, and then in fall, with so many products planned, Apple is likely to hold at least two events.

As we roll into the latter half of January, we're starting to hear more about a potential spring Apple event, which is likely to take place in March or April. There are a number of potential announcements on deck, so an event would be a good opportunity for Apple to get them all out there.

We've also been going back and forth on some iPhone 14 rumors, and we've taken a look at a number of rumored Apple products that are a bit further down the road. Read on below for details on all of these stories and more!

New iPad Air, Macs, and iPhone SE With 5G Likely to Be Announced at Apple Event This Spring

Apple plans to a hold a spring event to announce a new iPhone SE with 5G support and other hardware, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The event will likely take place in March or April, he said.

In addition to a new iPhone SE, other products rumored to be announced at the event include a fifth-generation iPad Air with similar features as the new iPad mini, a redesigned 27-inch iMac with M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, and a high-end Mac mini with M1 Pro and M1 Max chips.

Earlier this week, Apple filed several unreleased iPhone and iPad model numbers in a regulatory database. These filings are likely for new iPhone SE and iPad Air models at a minimum.

Apple Says Option to Stay on iOS 14 With Security Updates Was Always Meant to Be Temporary

When iOS 15 was released in September, Apple gave users an option to stay on iOS 14 and continue to receive security updates, but as MacRumors reported last week, this is no longer an option.

Apple has since informed Ars Technica that the option to stay on iOS 14 and receive security updates was always meant to be temporary. Users now must update to iOS 15 to continue to receive security updates.

U.S. Senate Panel Approves Antitrust Bill That Would Allow Sideloading

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee this week approved the American Innovation and Choice Online Act, which means it will now move on to the Senate floor for a vote, and there could be big implications for Apple.

The bill would require major changes to the App Store if passed in its current incarnation. For example, it would allow sideloading of apps outside of the App Store on the iPhone and iPad. In a letter this week, Apple warned that sideloading will subject customers to "malware, ransomware, and scams."

ProMotion Display Now Expected to Remain Exclusive to iPhone 14 Pro Models

iPhone 13 Pro models feature ProMotion, which allows for the display to have a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz for smoother content and scrolling. The refresh rate can also go as low as 10Hz to preserve battery life depending on the type of content on the screen.

While it was rumored that ProMotion might expand to all iPhone 14 models, display industry consultant Ross Young this week claimed the feature will remain exclusive to the Pro models.

Six Rumored Apple Products You're Unlikely to See This Year

Much has been said about what consumers could see from Apple in 2022, but the company is also working on a handful of rumored products that aren't expected to be unveiled for at least another 12 months, and in some cases a lot longer.

With that in mind, we've put together a list of six rumored Apple products that are unlikely to launch this year, including a hybrid Apple TV/HomePod device.

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Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

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Earlier this week, Apple began requiring that customers taking advantage of educational discounts in the United States verify their status as a teacher, student, or school staff member through UNiDAYS.

The requirement was a major change as Apple had never asked customers to go through a verification process in the United States before, and now, just three days after verification was added, Apple has removed it.

As of today, discounted iPads, Macs, and other products can be purchased from Apple's education website in the U.S., and Apple is not asking for any proof that a customer is a student or teacher.

After the UNiDAYS requirement rolled out, there were complaints from some MacRumors readers that suggested the UNiDAYS site was broken for staff member verification, as it was asking customers to upload a student ID with an expiration date. Staff members were prevented from obtaining discounted products, which could be why Apple has nixed the requirement.

It is not clear if Apple will reimplement an institution verification process after working out kinks to make it available for students, teachers, and school staff, but for now, there is no requirement to make a discounted purchase.

Apple has long required UNiDAYS verification in countries like the United Kingdom, so it would not be too much of a surprise to see it added again as a requirement in the United States at some point in the future.

Today you can get Apple's 24-inch 7-Core GPU, 256GB iMac for a new record low price of $1,239.92, down from $1,299.00. This model is sold by Expercom on Amazon and it's available in Silver and Blue.

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.

This deal beats the previous best price by about $10, making it the new all-time low price on this model on Amazon. You'll also find the 8-core, 256GB model discounted this week on Amazon in Silver and Orange.

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.

Apple today shared a new Valentine's Day gift guide with categories including music, health, entertainment, creativity, photography, and video.

The gift guide promotes a wide variety of Apple products and accessories for Valentine's Day, with some of the more affordable options including an Apple Watch band, an iPhone case, an AirTag, AirPods, an Apple Pencil, and a HomePod mini.

Many products are available with free engraving for a personalized touch, including the iPhone, iPad, Apple Pencil, AirPods, and AirTag.

Apple gift cards are always a popular gift idea as well and can be used towards products and accessories from the Apple Store, in addition to the App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Fitness+, Apple News+, Apple Arcade, iCloud+ storage, and more.

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Electronic Finishing Solutions to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a Sonos Roam speaker that's customized with the MacRumors logo.

Electronic Finishing Solutions bills itself as a company with high-end electronic customization experts. It offers a selection of customized AirPods, speakers, earbuds, headphones, and other devices. Companies often like to provide customized devices for clients or employees, and Electronic Finishing Solutions can add logos or other branding.

Customized Sonos Roam speakers can be ordered in quantities ranging from a single set to more than 100, with pricing starting at $249.99. The speaker itself is $180, so the customization process is a $70 surcharge, but cost goes down with a higher number of units ordered.

All of Electronic Finishing Solutions' customized products can be ordered as a single device or in multiples, so individuals can take advantage of the customization as well. Customized devices make fun corporate gifts for clients or for anyone who wants to gift friends or family with a custom set of headphones or speakers.

Personalization services are all-inclusive and Electronic Finishing Solutions works with customers to get the perfect look for a customized product, with production beginning after a proof is approved by the customer. Orders ship in 5 to 10 business days, but faster shipping is available and there's even a direct fulfillment service.

As for the Sonos Roam speaker, it is a lightweight, battery-operated speaker that's ready for the outdoors with IP67 water resistance and drop protection. It offers a 10+ hour battery life and it is compatible with AirPlay 2.

Electronic Finishing Solutions has made three custom Sonos Roam speakers to give away to MacRumors readers. To enter to win, use the Gleam.io widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older, UK residents who are 18 years or older, and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. All federal, state, provincial, and/or local taxes, fees, and surcharges are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

The contest will run from today (January 21) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on January 28. The winners will be chosen randomly on January 28 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.

Apple's 256GB Wi-Fi iPad has dropped to $449.00 today on Amazon, from $479.00. This sale is available in both Space Gray and Silver color options, and both are in stock and ready to ship today.

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.

Compared to previous discounts, Amazon's discount is an all-time low price on this model of the 10.2-inch iPad. Markdowns on these models have been less consistent than other iPads over the past few months, so those interested should check out Amazon's sale soon.

For even more iPad deals, head to our full Best Deals guide for iPad. In that guide we track the best discounts online for iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro.

Following months of bleak news about Peloton's "precarious state," including the revelation that it has halted production of its bikes and treadmills, Apple is being floated as a potential buyer of Peloton's troubled fitness business.

Yesterday, CNBC reported that Peloton will temporarily stop production of its connected fitness products due to a "significant reduction" in consumer demand, a pressing need to control costs, and amplified competitor activity. In a confidential company presentation earlier this month, Peloton told employees that products such as the Bike, Bike+, and Tread will be out of production for between six weeks and six months.

As a business, Peloton has high customer acquisition costs, translating to high product pricing. Toward the end of last year, the company reduced the price of its entry-level bike by almost 20 percent to $1,495 in an attempt to drive up sales through the end of 2021. It then emerged that the company is planning to lay off 41 percent of its sales and marketing staff.

CNBC also revealed that the company's fiscal forecasts do not take into account new delivery and setup fees between $250 and $350 that customers will have to pay on top of the cost of the Bike or Tread. In addition, Peloton has seen low email capture rates for its upcoming $495 strength training product, "Peloton Guide."

In a press release preannouncing its upcoming financial results yesterday, Peloton CEO John Foley said that the company is now "taking significant corrective actions to improve our profitability outlook and optimize our costs." Peloton's stock has since plunged 24 percent, now floating around 85 percent below where it was trading this time last year, and even $5 less than when it went public in 2019. There are also indications that Peloton is losing market share in the connected fitness industry.

The Information reports that Peloton's production halt and the precarious state of its business looks like a prelude to an acquisition by a bigger company, positing that Apple is the ideal candidate to buy Peloton:

If Peloton is to have a future, it would be better off as part of a bigger, more diversified company. Apple is an ideal candidate to take on that project. It has the Fitness+ subscription service for classes and it markets the Apple Watch as a device that can help with jogging and other exercise activities. It could close Peloton's stores and sell the equipment through its own stores. And hey, after today, Peloton's market capitalization is down to $7.9 billion. Cook could pay for that by dipping into the change jar in his kitchen.

The idea of Apple acquiring Peloton is gathering steam among market observers, with the possibility being weighed up by The Motley Fool and Inc., among others.

Analyst Neil Cybart recently highlighted how Peloton is now actively threatened by Apple Fitness+, which is considerably cheaper, costing up to $388.01 less annually for digital classes alone. Cybart cautioned that without major changes in 2022, "Peloton is on track to be a Fitbit 2.0 - a company unable to compete with the giants subsidizing health and fitness tracking as an ecosystem feature."

Apple will no longer include EarPods with every iPhone sold in France, starting on January 24, according to a notice posted by a French carrier (via iGeneration). Apple was previously required to include EarPods in the box with the ‌iPhone‌ due to a French law that required every smartphone sold in the country to come with a "handsfree kit," but the law has now been changed in favor of reducing the environmental footprint of digital devices.

Starting with the ‌iPhone‌ 12 in 2020, Apple stopped including EarPods and the power adapter from the ‌iPhone‌ box, claiming it was doing so in part to reduce its environmental footprint. With both accessories removed, the ‌iPhone‌ box was made drastically thinner. Apple also removed both items from older ‌iPhone‌ models it continued to sell.

Despite Apple's announcement, the company was required to continue shipping iPhones with EarPods in France. Apple's lawful obligation to include the EarPods was based on the precautionary principle, because the risks of exposing developing brains to electromagnetic waves are not clearly known, according to French law.

Now, that's all about to change. According to a new bill passed in the French assembly, smartphone manufacturers will no longer be forced to include headphones in the box. Instead, they just need to ensure that compatible headphones are available separately as an optional accessory. According to a notice posted by French carrier Fnac, iPhones will no longer ship with EarPods in the box starting on January 24. A machine translation of the poster reads:

DEAR CUSTOMERS,
We would like to inform you that our manufacturers are no longer required to supply headphones/hands-free kits with their smartphones in France. This new law, adopted in late 2021, aims to reduce the environmental footprint in France.

The Xiaomi brand is concerned, for products purchased from the week of January 17, 2022. The same will be true for the Apple brand as of from the week of January 24, 2022
THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING

Apple's regional website for France continues to show EarPods as an item included in the box with the ‌iPhone‌ alongside a USB-C to Lightning cable, although this will likely be updated soon. While it did remove the EarPods from the box, Apple reduced the headphones' price to $19, down from $29, when the ‌iPhone‌ 12 launched in September 2020.

Apple's decision to remove EarPods and the power adapter from the ‌‌iPhone‌‌ box was controversial in other countries, too. For example, Apple was fined $2 million in Brazil for not including the power adapter with iPhones.

Google has internally kickstarted the development of an augmented reality headset that will "blend computer graphics with a video feed of the real world" to deliver an immersive AR experience, with a launch tentatively set for 2024, according to a report from The Verge.

The report describes the headset, codenamed Project Iris, as a "tightly kept secret" at Google with around 300 employees working on the project. Project Iris will use an array of sensors and cameras to project computer-generated content onto the real world.

One technical challenge of such headsets is being able to compute complicated 3D environments using high-performance mobile chipsets. A custom Google processor will reportedly power Project Iris, but even that may not be enough as the report suggests Google could offload some performance to data centers to render content.

On the software side, the headset will be powered by Android, although Google job listings indicate a new operating system specifically designed for AR could be under development.

Google's past attempts at augmented and virtual reality include Google Glass, Google Cardboard, and Daydream, but none ever went mainstream. The development of Project Iris comes as competition builds in the emerging AR industry as Meta, Apple, and now Google begin planning for future dominance.

Apple has been hard at work on its first AR headset. The headset will be Apple's first major new product category since the Apple Watch and will also be the company's first major push in the VR and AR space.

Apple's headset, yet to be named, could see a public launch as soon as this year, but recent reporting suggests Apple is facing thermal concerns with the headset, threatening a delay until 2023. Learn more about Apple's VR and AR plans with our dedicated roundup.

Apple today shared a pair of iPhone 13 ads highlighting key features like battery life and the durable Ceramic Shield front display. In the first spot, titled "Doin' Laps," a child sets his ‌iPhone‌ 13 up on his bike and then cruises around the neighborhood capturing a long video.

At the end of his journey, which lasts for five hours, the ‌iPhone‌ is still recording and has not run out of battery. "What will you do with even looooooonger battery life? Relax, it's ‌iPhone‌," reads the video description for the ad.

In the second spot, titled "Run Baby Run," a toddler plays with an ‌iPhone‌ 13, running around with it, dropping it on the floor, banging it on various items, and dropping it in the sink. The ‌iPhone‌ survives intact, and the video ends with the tagline "Toddler resistant. Relax, it's ‌iPhone‌."

The "Relax, it's ‌iPhone‌" series is not new, and Apple has shared other videos in this series to preview Find My, the ‌iPhone‌'s durability, and other features. Apple has used the "Relax, it's ‌iPhone‌" tagline for both the ‌iPhone‌ 12 and the ‌iPhone‌ 13.

The watchOS 8.4 release candidate that was seeded to developers and beta testers this morning addresses an ongoing bug that could cause some Apple Watch chargers not to work properly with the Apple Watch.

Back in December, we reported on a growing number of charging issues that Apple Watch Series 7 owners were facing. Since watchOS 8.3, there have been a number of complaints about third-party chargers not functioning as expected.

For many users, third-party chargers would refuse to charge an Apple Watch Series 7 at all, and some others saw problems where the charger would appear to work normally, and then quit working after a few minutes.

Many of the reports focused on more affordable third-party chargers from Amazon, but there were also complaints about higher-end chargers from brands like Belkin. Some people even had charging issues with Apple's own Apple Watch charging pucks.

According to Apple's release notes for the watchOS 8.4 update, the software specifically fixes a bug that could cause some Apple Watch chargers not to work, suggesting the charging issues will come to an end when watchOS 8.4 sees a release.

Apple seeded the release candidate version today, and the release candidate represents the finished version of the software that will be provided to the public. We could see a watchOS 8.4 release as soon as next week.