MacRumors

In 2020, Apple introduced a digital car key feature that allows users to unlock and start a compatible vehicle by bringing an iPhone or Apple Watch near the driver-side door. The feature has been limited to select BMW models since launching.

According to Apple, the feature has now expanded to select 2022 vehicle models from Genesis and Kia, which are both divisions of Korean automaker Hyundai. Apple updated a list of vehicles on its website this week to indicate that the 2022 Genesis GV60, 2022 Genesis G90, and 2022 Kia Niro now support the iPhone's car key feature.

It is unclear if the car key feature is widely available for the aforementioned Genesis and Kia models or if it is still in the process of rolling out. A spokesperson for Kia declined to specifically comment on support for Apple's car key feature, but did say that the company's Digital Key 2 system announced in January will be coming to the 2023 Niro. Genesis and Apple did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Apple began preparing for Genesis to support the feature last year.

Similar to credit cards and boarding passes, digital car keys are stored in the Wallet app on an iPhone or Apple Watch running iOS 13.6 or watchOS 6.2.8 or newer. The feature originally used NFC technology only, which required the iPhone or Apple Watch to be held near the vehicle, but a new version of the feature based on Ultra Wideband technology allows users to use the feature without having to remove their ‌iPhone‌ from their pocket.

The improved Ultra Wideband version of Apple's car key feature requires devices with the U1 chip like the iPhone 11 and Apple Watch Series 6 and newer. NFC support is maintained to ensure backward compatibility and the ability to use the car key feature to unlock a vehicle for up to five hours after an iPhone has run out of battery power.

This feature is part of Apple's efforts to offer digital versions of commonly carried items. Apple today announced that its driver's license and state ID feature in the Wallet app has launched in Arizona, with more U.S. states to follow soon.

Update March 25: This article has been updated to clarify that Kia declined to comment on Apple car key support specifically, but said that its previously announced Digital Key 2 system will be coming to the 2023 Kia Niro.

Apple today announced that Arizona has become the first U.S. state to support driver's licenses and state IDs in the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch.

Starting today, Apple said Arizona residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app, and tap their iPhone or Apple Watch to seamlessly and securely present it at select TSA security checkpoints in Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Apple said the feature is also available for use at select TSA checkpoints in select other states, with travelers advised to check TSA checkpoint signage to confirm availability.

Additional states will offer driver's licenses and state IDs in the Wallet app soon, according to Apple, including Colorado, Hawaii, Mississippi, and Ohio, as well as the territory of Puerto Rico. Apple previously announced that Georgia, Connecticut, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Oklahoma, and Utah also planned to offer the feature to residents.

"We look forward to working with many more states and the TSA to bring IDs in Wallet to users across the US," said Jennifer Bailey, Apple's vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. Apple has not said if it will expand the feature to other countries in the future.

The driver's license and state IDs feature in the Wallet app is available on the iPhone 8 or later running iOS 15.4, which was released to the public last week, and on the Apple Watch Series 4 or later running watchOS 8.4 or later.

Residents of participating states can tap the "+" button in the top-right corner of the Wallet app, select "Driver's License or State ID," and follow the on-screen instructions to start the setup and verification process. The user will be asked to take a photo of their face and scan the front and back of their driver's license or state ID card, which will be securely provided to the issuing state for verification, according to Apple.

As an additional fraud prevention measure, Apple said users will be prompted to complete a series of facial and head movements during the setup process. Apple said each state is responsible for verifying and approving a user's request.

After the driver's license or ID has been added to the Wallet app, users can simply tap their iPhone or Apple Watch on an identity reader at a TSA checkpoint, without taking out their physical card. Users will see a prompt on their device displaying the specific information being requested by the TSA, and only after authorizing with Face ID or Touch ID is the requested identity information released from their device, according to Apple.

Users do not need to unlock, show, or hand over their device to a TSA officer to present their mobile driver's license or ID, said Apple.

Apple has published an IDs in the Wallet app page on its website with more details.

Nomad this week is offering up to 30 percent off select items during its "Spring Cleaning Sale." This event includes savings on iPhone cases, wireless chargers, Apple Watch bands, AirPods cases, cables, and much more.

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.

You can browse the full sale on Nomad's website, and you won't need a coupon code to see these discounts. Nomad has automatically applied all of these markdowns, and divided them up into 10 percent, 20 percent, and 30 percent discount tiers.

10% Off

• Modern Leather Case for AirPods Pro - $31.45, down from $34.95
• Leather Keychain for AirTag - $35.95, down from $39.95
• Lightning to USB-C Rugged Cable - $39.95, down from $44.95
• Modern Leather Case for iPhone 13 - $53.95, down from $59.95
• Base Station Stand - $89.95, down from $99.95
• And more...

20% Off

• Sport Case for iPhone 13 - $31.95, down from $39.95
• Rugged Keychain for AirTag - $31.95, down from $39.95
• MagSafe Mount Desk Charger - $69.95, down from $99.95
• Modern Leather Case for iPad Pro - $95.95, down from $119.95
• Leather Sleeve for MacBook Pro - $239.95, down from $299.95
• And more...

30% Off

• Carbon Carabiner USB-A to Lightning - $17.95, down from $24.95
• Rugged Case for AirPods - $19.95, down from $29.95
• Modern Leather Case for iPhone 12 - $41.95, down from $59.95
• Modern Slim Band for Apple Watch - $48.95, down from $69.95
• Rugged Band for Apple Watch - $53.95, down from $59.95
• And more...

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

Apple has acquired Credit Kudos, a UK open banking startup that seeks to help lenders make better decisions (via The Block).

Credit Kudos offers insights and scores based on loan applications drawn from transaction and loan outcome banking data, sourced by the UK's open banking framework. The company's API offers lenders a way to get faster, automated decision-making about loans with reduced risk and higher rates of acceptance, according to its website.

The startup began raising funds in April 2020, obtaining $6.5 million in investment, and the company is reportedly now valued at around $150 million. Three people said to be close to the acquisition deal with Apple told The Block that it had concluded earlier this week. Credit Kudos's Website Terms of Use link now redirects to Apple's Terms of Use.

It is not clear what Apple has planned for Credit Kudos, but it is plausible that the company's technology could aid Apple with the launch of Apple Card in the UK. The UK is among Apple's most important markets, with the country possessing the largest number of Apple Stores outside the United States and China, and new features and services are often first to reach the UK after launching in the U.S.

Apple's main credit product, ‌Apple Card‌, is available exclusively in the United States, but Credit Kudos's technology is based on the UK's open banking framework. It is possible that Apple could modify Credit Kudos's technology to work with the U.S.'s growing open banking sector to strengthen ‌Apple Card‌'s credit checker, but Apple could also have UK-exclusive plans for the company.

Credit markets and financial regulation varies massively in countries around the world, so it would not be straightforward for Apple to launch ‌Apple Card‌ internationally. Apple would likely need to seek specific solutions to make lending decisions in each country, so it seems feasible that Credit Kudos could be the chosen credit checking platform for the UK. If that is the case, the launch of ‌Apple Card‌ in the UK could still be some time away as the company integrates the Credit Kudos platform with a new, international variant of ‌Apple Card‌.

Following the success of ‌Apple Card‌ in the U.S., it could make sense for Apple to expand into overseas markets. While visiting Germany in 2019, Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed his interest in launching ‌Apple Card‌ internationally. In 2020, Samsung launched Samsung Pay Card in the UK, seemingly in an effort to establish a foothold in the region before Apple does.

Apple often acquires smaller businesses to bolster its technologies and expertise without obviously or immediately rolling it into a product or service. On the other hand, many acquisitions do go on to be key parts of Apple's ecosystem. In recent years, Apple has acquired businesses such as Shazam, a music recognition service, and Drive.ai, an autonomous vehicles company. Acquired apps such as Dark Sky and Workflow were folded into or became new Apple apps. Specialized classical music streaming service Primephonic is next to be integrated into existing Apple products, with a new classical Apple Music app set to launch this year.

Samsung Display is developing new under-panel camera technology that Apple plans to use to hide Face ID under the display on next year's tentatively named "iPhone 15 Pro" models, according to sources cited by Korean website The Elec.

While rumors suggest that this year's "iPhone 14 Pro" models will feature both a "hole-punch" and a pill-shaped cutout for the front camera and Face ID components, respectively, today's report claims that Apple is planning for iPhone 15 Pro models to have only a hole for the front camera, with Face ID appearing hidden under the display.

Samsung's technology would effectively make Face ID sensors look invisible to the naked eye, in a similar manner as the hidden under-display camera on its Galaxy Z Fold3 smartphone, according to the report. On the Fold3, the pixel density over the under-display camera is lower compared to the rest of the display to allow light to reach the camera, but this results in the camera producing relatively low-quality photos.

It remains to be seen if the under-display version of Face ID would be as effective or secure as the existing system in a notch, or if there would be any other tradeoffs. Samsung is said to be collaborating with Canada's OTI Lumionics to develop the technology.

In its Korean-language version of the report, The Elec said Samsung first plans to apply the technology to its so-called "Galaxy Z Fold5" next year if development is completed on schedule, followed by the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

This is far from the first time that under-display Face ID has been rumored for the iPhone. In an April 2021 research note, reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that he expected Apple to adopt under-display Face ID for at least one new iPhone model launching in 2023, but he did not provide any further details at the time. Display industry consultant Ross Young also claimed Face ID would not be moved under the display until at least 2023.

Following the release of iOS 15.4 on March 14, Apple has stopped signing iOS 15.3.1, the previously available version of iOS that came out in February. As iOS 15.3.1 is no longer being signed, it is not possible to downgrade to that version of iOS if you've updated to iOS 15.4.

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, so it is not unusual that iOS 15.3.1 is no longer being signed.

iOS 15.3.1 was a bug fix update that addressed WebKit vulnerabilities, while iOS 15.4 was a major update that added new emoji characters, Face ID with a mask support, and tons of other features. Apple has also stopped signing tvOS 15.3.

Apple's services and apps appear to be experiencing yet another outage, with complaints on Twitter about problems with Apple Maps, the App Store, Apple Music, Weather, Podcasts, the Apple online store, and more.

The System Status page is displaying outages for the ‌App Store‌, ‌Apple Music‌, Apple Books, the Mac App Store, and Podcasts at the current time, as well as issues with Weather, Apple Card, and iCloud Web Apps.

This is the second outage that Apple's services have experienced in the last few days. ‌iCloud‌, Siri, the ‌App Store‌, Maps, Music, Podcasts, and more were unavailable for about two hours yesterday.

We'll update this article should we hear more about the downtime or if the issue is resolved by Apple.

Update 4:06 pm: According to Apple's System Status page, the outages have now been resolved.

Apple today released a new 4E64 firmware update for the Beats Fit Pro headphones that came out last November, updating the earbuds from the prior 4B65 firmware that came out at the end of November.

Apple does not offer information on what's included in refreshed firmware updates for the Beats Fit Pro, so we don't know what improvements or bug fixes the firmware brings.

There's no standard way to upgrade the ‌Beats‌‌ software, but firmware is generally installed over-the-air while the earbuds are connected to an iOS device. Putting the Beats Fit Pro‌‌‌‌‌ in the case, connecting them to a power source, and then pairing them‌‌‌‌‌ to an iPhone or an iPad should force the update after a short period of time.

Beats Fit Pro are some of Apple's newest Beats earbuds, featuring flexible wingtips to keep them in the ear, a charging case, silicone tips, Active Noise Cancellation, spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, and an H1 chip for "Hey Siri" support.

If we find notable changes after the firmware update is installed, we'll share details, but the software likely includes performance improvements and bug fixes rather than outward-facing changes.

Apple's new third-generation iPhone SE is equipped with the "toughest glass in a smartphone" on the front and back, a change that's designed to make the device better hold up to drops and scratches.

Allstate Protection Plans this week put Apple's claims to the test with a series of controlled drops, and found that the third-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE does indeed appear to be more durable than the prior model and nearly as durable as the ‌iPhone‌ 13.

The ‌iPhone‌ SE survived a six-foot fall in the face down drop test onto a sidewalk, with the device ending up with only minor scuffing, identical to the ‌iPhone‌ 13. Notably, the ‌iPhone‌ SE has a tougher glass, but it does not feature the same Ceramic Shield front glass as the ‌iPhone‌ 13 models.

In a back down drop test, the ‌iPhone‌ SE cracked after a 6-foot fall, likely because it does not have the same flat aluminum siding as the ‌iPhone‌ 13. The ‌iPhone‌ SE survived the six-foot side down drop test with just minor scuffing on its aluminum frame, again putting it on par with the ‌iPhone‌ 13.

Allstate Protection Plans also did a 30-minute dunk test to check on the IP67 water resistance rating. It was able to withstand one meter of water for 30 minutes with no problem, and while there was some audio muffling right after it was pulled out, it was back to normal after an hour.

Drop tests are variable and the results that are ultimately seen in the real world could vary because drop damage will depend on the drop height, surface an ‌iPhone‌ is dropped onto, and the angle that the smartphone falls out.

‌iPhone‌ SE users should use caution and avoid drops, with protective cases employed to keep the all-glass device safe.

Numerous deals have hit a few different Apple products this week, including the Apple Pencil 2, Apple TV 4K, and the AirPods. Amazon is the source of many of the discounts listed in this article, but Verizon is matching in a few places.

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.

Apple Pencil 2

You can get the Apple Pencil 2 for $103.99 on Amazon and Verizon, down from $129.00. This is the second-best price that we've ever tracked for this accessory on Amazon, and it's just about $5 away from the record low price.

We haven't seen the Apple Pencil 2 hit its all-time low price since before the 2021 holiday season, so this makes Amazon's sale today the best price so far in 2022.

The Apple Pencil 2 is compatible with the following iPads: iPad mini (6th generation), iPad Air (4th and 5th generation), 12.9-inch iPad Pro (3rd, 4th, and 5th generations), and 11-inch iPad Pro (1st, 2nd, and 3rd generations). The second generation Apple Pencil can also magnetically attach and pair to the iPad Pro, iPad mini, and iPad Air.

Apple TV 4K

Moving to the 2021 32GB Apple TV 4K, you can get this model for $169.00 on Amazon, down from $179.00. The Apple TV 4K is shipped and sold directly by Amazon, and it's in stock and ready to ship out today.

This model of the Apple TV 4K launched last year, and it supports Dolby Atmos, 4K High Frame Rate HDR, Dolby Vision, and includes the A12 Bionic chip. It also comes with the new Siri Remote with a touch-enabled clickpad.

For more storage, the 64GB Apple TV 4K is priced at $189.98, down from $199.00. There's also the 32GB Apple TV HD with the new Siri Remote for $144.98.

AirPods

Lastly, we're tracking a few AirPods discounts on Amazon this week, starting with the AirPods 2 for $109.99, down from $129.00. Last holiday season saw rock bottom prices hit the 2019 AirPods, but those deals have long gone and today's sale is the second-best price we've seen so far in 2022.

Similarly, AirPods Max have dropped to $449.00 on Amazon, down from $549.00 in a few colors. Although we haven't seen a return of the all-time best price on the AirPods Max in a while, this $100 off deal is still a solid discount.

This sale is available in Silver, Pink, Sky Blue, and Space Gray. Shoppers should note that if you want Space Gray or Sky Blue, you will not see the proper sale price until you head to the checkout screen. At that point, Amazon will apply an automatic $29.01 coupon.

Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.

Shazam, Apple's music discovery app and service, today gained a new suite of concert features that are designed to make it easier for users to locate and explore upcoming live music shows.

When Shazaming a song, searching for it in the Shazam app, or looking for it on the Shazam website, users will now see concert information and details on tickets available for upcoming shows located nearby. Apple says that this will help increase exposure for artists.

Shazam users can also open up a artist page to find dates, times, and locations of upcoming live shows, or tap on any concert to view additional tour information. Apple's vice president of Apple Music and Beats Oliver Schusser said that with the reemergence of live music, Apple is "excited to give Shazam users access to concerts to bring even more discoverability to artists."

The Shazam concert feature leverages concert information from event recommendation platform Bandsintown. The new concert pages are available in the iOS and Android apps, and artists are about to make their tour information available in Shazam using Bandsintown for Artists.

Apple today announced a Podcasts update for creators, introducing follower metrics and other features that are designed to help podcast makers track their audience and monetize their shows.

Under the Analytics tab in Apple Podcasts Connect, creators will be able to view followers per show and track followers across shows. The interface will display new followers gained over the last week, month, 60 days, and all time, plus it will list metrics like time listened.

‌Apple Podcasts‌ now accepts MP3 files for subscriber audio, in addition to WAV and FLAC files, and creators can customize their subscription banners with promotional messages for channels and shows.

Apple is also introducing a "Jump Start" feature that is designed to allow creators enrolled in the Apple Podcasters Program to request direct guidance from the ‌Apple Podcasts‌ team to help jump start their subscriptions to better monetize their podcasts.

Follower metrics will be available in ‌Apple Podcasts‌ Connect starting next month.

Newly surfaced detailed schematics for the iPhone 14 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max have been shared online by Max Weinbach, revealing that Apple's upcoming high-end iPhones could feature a more prominent camera bump and a thicker overall design.

Last week, more basic schematics for the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro were shared, but the ones shared by Weinbach are more detailed and offer measurements for the upcoming iPhones. According to the schematics, the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max will measure 77.58 mm in width, slightly smaller than the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max at 78.1 mm. Also, according to the schematics, the ‌‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro‌ Max will be nearly identical to the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max in height, measuring at 160.7 mm compared to 160.8 mm.

In thickness, the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max will measure 7.85 mm, slightly thicker than the current high-end ‌iPhone‌, which measures just 7.65 mm. With the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max, Apple considerably increased the size of the camera plateau on the back compared to the ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro. In 2022, Apple is looking to repeat a similar trend.

The current camera bump on the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max is just 3.60 mm tall, according to guidelines created by Apple for accessory makers to follow. According to the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max schematics shared by Weinbach, the camera bump on the 2022 high-end ‌iPhone‌ will be 4.17 mm thick. The camera plateau itself on the back of the ‌‌iPhone‌‌ will also increase in size by about 5% in each dimension, going from the current width of 35.01 mm to 36.73 mm and height of 36.24 mm to 38.21 mm.

Weinbach today also shared schematics for the smaller ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro. According to those schematics, the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro is nearly identical to the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro in width at just 71.45 mm vs. 71.5 mm. The ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro in height will also be essentially unchanged compared to the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro, measuring 147.46 mm vs. 147.5 mm. Like the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max, the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro will also feature a more prominent camera bump measuring 4.17 mm compared to the current 3.60 mm.

Initial renders alleged to be the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max, shared days ahead of the ‌iPhone‌ 13's launch by leaker Jon Prosser, revealed a design with no camera bump, but instead showed the lenses, LED flash, and LiDAR Scanner flush with the rear glass. Prosser's renders also showed circular volume buttons, reminiscent of the ‌iPhone‌ 4.

Neither of those two design elements will seemingly come true, according to the schematics shared by Weinbach and last week by 91Mobiles. As is always the case, however, Apple's plans can always change, and rumors should be taken with a grain of salt.

Rumors regarding the ‌iPhone‌ 14 lineup are still in their early stages; however, rumors confidently suggest that Apple will remove the notch on the high-end 2022 iPhones in favor of a pill-shaped and circular cutout.

Earlier rumors thought that the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro would feature a single pill-shaped intrusion at the top of the display. Rumors, however, have since become more coherent in revealing Apple is planning both a pill-shaped and circular cutout to be featured at the top of the display. According to rumors, the two cutouts will not be centered with the display but instead off-axis, as seen below.

As the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max gain a pill-shaped and circular cutout, the two lower-end ‌iPhone‌ 14 models are rumored to still feature the same notch as the ‌iPhone‌ 13. Current information suggests that Apple is looking to further differentiate its "Pro" iPhones from its lower-end models.

Alongside giving the high-end variants a new front display design, they could also be the only ones to get improved performance. Reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said that only the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will gain the A16 Bionic chip, while the two remaining ‌iPhone‌ 14 models will retain the A15 chip from the ‌iPhone‌ 13.

We're also expecting a wide array of camera improvements across the entire ‌iPhone‌ 14 lineup, along with the possibility of a new titanium case option, a possible vapor chamber thermal system on the high-end models, and more. For a complete and comprehensive rundown of all ‌iPhone‌ 14 rumors so far, see our roundup.

While we wait for repair website iFixit to finish its teardown of Apple's new Studio Display, MacRumors is able to provide a first look at the display's internal design with an image sourced from Apple's documentation for technicians.

Three large boards are visible inside the Studio Display. The left and top-right boards are for power supply and the bottom-right one is the logic board housing components like the A13 Bionic chip and 64GB of flash storage. Last week, it was discovered that the Studio Display runs the same build of iOS 15.4 as an iPhone.

The image reveals that the Studio Display is also equipped with two internal fans on the left and right sides for cooling the display.

Apple says the Studio Display features a high-fidelity six-speaker sound system, and at least four of those speakers are visible in the bottom corners of the display. The speakers appear to have a similar design as those in the 24-inch iMac.

There are also flex cables visible for connecting the display panel and the 12-megapixel Ultra Wide camera system to the logic board.

iFixit said its Studio Display teardown is in progress, so we should have a more comprehensive look inside the display soon.

Amazon today has Apple's AirTag 4-Pack for $89.00, down from $99.00. The accessory is shipped and sold directly by Amazon, and currently only Amazon is offering this sale on the AirTag. There is only a discount on the AirTag 4-Pack right now on Amazon, not on the 1-Pack option.

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.

It's been a few months since we saw the AirTag 4-Pack at this price. Compared to previous sales today's deal is a second-best price, but the all-time low price is just about $2 lower, so this is still a solid discount if you've been wanting to pick up the AirTag 4-Pack.

AirTag provides a way to keep track of your items in the iOS Find My app, with a way to play a sound on the built-in speaker to find something locally or with precision finding when it's farther away. Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

Apple must face claims it illegally monopolized the U.S. market for heart-rate monitoring apps on Apple Watch, a California-based federal judge said on Monday.

AliveCor, a company that that markets an ECG "KardiaBand" for the Apple Watch, filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple in May 2021 accusing the Cupertino company of changing the heart-rate algorithm for the Apple Watch to gain an "unfair competitive edge" over rivals while endangering the lives of AliveCor users.

According to AliveCor, Apple's decision to exclude third-party heart-rate analysis providers from the Apple Watch has harmed AliveCor and impacted patients and consumers. To go along with the KardiaBand, AliveCor created the SmartRhythm app, which uses data from the Apple Watch's heart-rate algorithm to determine when a heart rate is irregular and suggest people take an ECG with the KardiaBand.

The KardiaBand received FDA approval in 2017, and in 2018, Apple debuted the Apple Watch Series 4 with built-in ECG capabilities and its own irregular heart rhythm notifications followed. AliveCor claims that Apple saw the success of the KardiaBand and changed the functionality of watchOS to sabotage KardiaBand and "corner the market for heart rate analysis on Apple Watch."

According to the latest report from Reuters, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White said Monday that AliveCor could try to prove that Apple violated federal antitrust law based on its alleged "complete control" over the market for such apps.

"AliveCor alleges that Apple made changes to the heart rate algorithm that made it effectively impossible for third parties to inform a user when to take an ECG," or electrocardiogram, White wrote. "Plaintiff's allegations plausibly establish that Apple's conduct was anticompetitive."

However, White dismissed AliveCor's separate claim that Apple maintained an illegal monopoly over ECG-capable smart watches, because AliveCor's KardiaBand wristband "complements but does not compete" in that market, he said.

Apple and its lawyers have yet to respond to the judgement. AliveCor has previously filed several patent infringement lawsuits against Apple, alleging that Apple copied AliveCor's cardiological detection and analysis technology. Those lawsuits have not yet been resolved, while today's judgement allows AliveCor to seek damages and pursue the possibility of an injunction that would require Apple to cease its perceived monopolistic conduct.

Apple has been hit with its ninth €5 million ($5.5 million) fine in the Netherlands for ostensibly continuing to insufficiently meet new requirements regarding alternative payment systems for dating apps, Reuters reports.

The Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) said that Apple had sent it "new proposals" on Monday in an attempt to resolve the company's dispute over allowing dating app developers to use third-party payment methods in the Netherlands. The ACM did not disclose any details about Apple's newly proposed remedy, which it said it would now assess, and the organization continued to impose its ninth weekly penalty of €5 million on the company.

Apple has now been fined a total of €45 million ($49.5 million). The regulator will only be able to fine Apple one more time, since it will then reach its maximum total penalty of €50 million.

Apple said in mid-January that it would comply with the ACM's ruling on allowing alternative payment systems for dating apps, but the company's terms included only reducing its commission on such purchases from the standard 30% to 27%, requiring developers to maintain separate app binaries, and requiring developers to submit monthly records of sales through alternative means to Apple in order to track commissions.

The ACM said that Apple had "raised several barriers" for dating apps looking to offer alternative payment systems in the Netherlands and was forcing dating apps to choose between the App Store's standard in-app purchase system or alternative payment systems. The regulator said that dating apps must be able to offer both options in the Netherlands.

Apple has repeatedly appealed the ACM's order, arguing that alternative payment systems in the ‌App Store‌ pose privacy and security risks for customers. Apple has previously said it will be unable to assist customers with refund requests, subscription management, and other issues encountered when purchasing digital goods and services through alternative systems.

A version of Discord with native support for Apple silicon Macs is now rolling out to users, almost a year and a half after the first Macs with Apple silicon chips were shipped to customers.

Until now, Discord users have had to rely on Rosetta 2 technology to use Discord on Apple's latest Macs. While usable, Discord on Rosetta 2, which translates apps made for Intel-based Macs to run on Apple silicon, was riddled with poor performance and battery life complaints.

In the latest version of Discord for macOS, the app is now a Universal app, meaning it's designed to run both natively on Intel and Apple silicon-based systems. Discord was previously testing native Apple silicon support in beta, and it's now exited beta and is rolling out to users. The latest version of Discord for macOS can be found on its website.