MacRumors

Apple Watch Ultra models recently gained new low-power settings that can extend battery life up to 60 hours on a single charge, or what Apple calls "multi-day adventure battery life." This article explains how it works and how to set it up.

When Apple introduced the ‌Apple Watch Ultra‌ in September, one of the touted features was that it boasts the best battery life of any Apple Watch, capable of reaching up to 36 hours during normal use. Given that successive Apple Watch Series models have only ever officially offered up to 18 hours ("all-day") battery life in normal use, it was pretty big news.

While watchOS 9 brought a new Low Power Mode to Apple Watch Series 4 and later models that also offers up to 36 hours of battery, Apple promised to bring additional low-power settings to Apple Watch Ultra in the fall that would extend battery life even further and make it capable of reaching up to 60 hours.

Since then, Apple has released watchOS 9.1 and the company has followed through on its promise, allowing Ultra owners to eke even more life out of their timepiece. The steps below explain how to enable it, but before you can make use of the new feature, you'll need to make sure your Apple Watch Ultra is updated to watchOS 9.1 or later.

In the Watch app on your iPhone, go to General -> Software Update. If you're not already up to date, wait for the update to appear, then tap Download and Install. Make sure your Apple Watch has at least 50% charge and is connected to its charger while the update process completes.

Get 60-Hour Battery Life on Apple Watch Ultra

To achieve the extended battery life, Ultra models must first have workout settings enabled for fewer heart rate and GPS readings. Here's how to enable them. (Note that these settings are also available on Apple Watch Series 8 and second-generation Apple Watch SE, but Apple has not stated that they will extend battery life on these models beyond the 36 hours offered by the system-wide Low Power Mode.)

1. Launch the Settings app on your Apple Watch Ultra.
2. Scroll to the bottom and tap Workout.
3. Toggle on the switch next to Low Power Mode.
4. Below "During Low Power Mode," toggle on the switch next to Fewer GPS and Heart Rate Readings.

Apple says that with the above settings enabled, Low Power Mode preserves battery life only during walking, running, and hiking workouts, by reducing the frequency of GPS and heart rate readings (heart rate readings are reduced to once per minute, while GPS readings are reduced to once every two minutes) and turning off alerts, splits, and segments. In other words, this means that to get the full 60 hours of battery life, you'll need to enable Low Power Mode outside of workouts as well.

• How to Enable Low Power Mode on Apple Watch

When set up in this manner, Ultra users can expect to get "up to" 60 hours of battery life from their smartwatch. This number is calculated based on 15 hours of workout, over 600 time checks, 35 minutes of app use, 3 minutes of talk, and 15 hours of sleep tracking, over the course of 60 hours, according to Apple.

Apple plans to mark several 2013 and 2014 iMac models as obsolete at the end of this month, the company said in a memo obtained by MacRumors.

In the memo, Apple said the 21.5-inch and 27-inch ‌iMac‌ from Late 2013, the Mid 2014 21.5-inch ‌iMac‌, and the Retina 5K 27-inch ‌iMac‌ from late 2014 will be marked as obsolete on November 30, 2022. When marked as an obsolete product, the iMacs will no longer be eligible for any repairs and services. The list of vintage and obsolete products can be found on Apple's website.

Elon Musk has asked Twitter engineers to begin work on an updated version of Vine that could launch before the end of the year, reports Axios. Musk yesterday tweeted a poll asking if he should "bring back Vine," and 69.5 percent of four million respondents said yes.

Twitter acquired video app Vine back in 2012, which was pre-TikTok and back when Vine was popular. The app slowly stopped being used, and Twitter ended up shutting it down in 2016. Vine was designed to let users capture and share six-second looping video clips.

A rebooted version of Vine could compete with popular video app TikTok. Twitter engineers have been told to examine the Vine code base, which has not been changed since it was shut down. One source told Axios that it "needs a lot of work."

Musk completed his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter on Friday, instating himself as CEO and firing multiple top executives including prior CEO Parag Agrawal, CFO Ned Segal, and policy lead Vijaya Gadde, among others. Musk also got rid of the board of directors, and is now Twitter's sole director.

There have been multiple rumors about Musk's plans for Twitter since the takeover, and it has been suggested that he is going to make significant cuts to Twitter's workforce. This morning, rumors indicated that Musk plans to charge $20 per month for a verified account, which has yet to be confirmed.

Apple has yet to finalize the display size for its planned 2024 iPhone SE 4, display analyst Ross Young said in a tweet today that was shared with Super Followers. Apple is mulling a number of decisions related to the size of the display and the display material.

The company is said to be considering 6.1-inch OLED displays from two suppliers, as well as 5.7 to 6.1-inch LCDs from two suppliers. Given this information, it is as of yet unclear whether Apple will go with a 5.7-inch display or a 6.1-inch display, and whether that display will use OLED technology or LCD technology.

An OLED display would be more expensive, with the current ‌iPhone‌ SE model using an LCD display with thick bezels and a Touch ID Home button. Apple's flagship ‌iPhone‌ lineup is equipped with OLED panels, with all models using OLED since the ‌iPhone‌ 12.

It is possible that OLED panels have come down in price enough for Apple to use them for the low-cost ‌iPhone‌ SE, especially as it is not set to launch for another two years.

Both the 5.7 and 6.1-inch display sizes have been rumored in the past, including from Young himself. That Apple has not yet made a final decision explains why we continue to hear about two different panel sizes.

Regardless of whether Apple goes with a 5.7-inch display or a 6.1-inch display, Young believes the ‌iPhone‌ SE 4 will feature an all-display design with a notch, but it is not yet known if Apple will introduce Face ID or stick with ‌Touch ID‌, and rumors vary on this point.

Apple today added refurbished M2 MacBook Air models to its online store, offering the machines at a discounted price for the first time. The ‌M2‌ MacBook Airs first launched in July, and refurbished models have not previously been available.

There are several variants available with different configurations and colors, but the base model ‌MacBook Air‌ with ‌M2‌ chip, 8-core GPU, 8-core GPU, 8GB RAM, and 256GB SSD is available for $1,079, a $120 discount off of the original $1,199 price.

The ‌M2‌ ‌MacBook Air‌ is the first machine to feature the upgraded ‌M2‌ chip, along with the 13-inch MacBook Pro. It also offers a full redesign, with Apple doing away with the tapered chassis the ‌MacBook Air‌ used for years and instead introducing a more MacBook Pro-like look. It features slimmer bezels and a lighter weight compared to prior ‌MacBook Air‌ models, plus it adopts MagSafe and more USB-C ports.

Supplies of the refurbished ‌M2‌ ‌MacBook Air‌ models will shift over time as Apple adds new machines, so if you're wanting a specific configuration or color, you may need to check back often.

Refurbished products from Apple are almost identical to new products, and are subject to a refurbishment process that includes full functionality testing. Refurbished products are eligible for AppleCare+ and have the same 14-day return period as new Apple devices.

Apple last week announced pricing increases for Apple Music, Apple TV+, and the Apple One bundles that include those services, and customers are now receiving emails making them aware of the changes.

In the United States, ‌Apple Music‌ is $1 more expensive for individual users and $2 more expensive for families, while ‌Apple TV‌+ is $2 more expensive. ‌Apple One‌ plans that include these services are increasing in price accordingly as well. Current ‌Apple Music‌, ‌Apple TV‌+, and ‌Apple One‌ subscribers are receiving emails from Apple about the price increase, with a 30 day heads up. Emails have been going out since last week, but a number of ‌Apple One‌ subscribers will be receiving notices this week as it is the two year anniversary of the service's launch.

Those who do not want to pay the increased prices should have plenty of time to cancel their subscriptions before the cost changes are enacted, with the emails include a link to subscription management options.

Apple Music

• Individual plan - $10.99/month, a $1 increase
• Family plan - $16.99/month, a $2 increase
• Annual plan for individuals - $109/year, a $10 increase

Apple TV+

• Monthly plan - $6.99/month, a $2 increase
• Annual plan - $69/year, a $20 increase

Apple One

• Individual plan - $16.95/month, a $2 increase
• Family plan - $22.95/month, a $3 increase
• Premium plan - $32.95/month, a $3 increase

The pricing increases listed above pertain to the United States, but the cost of ‌Apple Music‌, ‌Apple TV‌+, and ‌Apple One‌ is also going up in other countries where the services are available.

Apple raised the price of ‌Apple Music‌ due to increased licensing costs that will provide more money to artists and songwriters, while ‌Apple TV‌+ is more expensive because it now offers more content than it did when the service launched.

Apple could be considering a return of the iconic backlit Apple logo on future MacBook models, if a newly published patent is anything to go by.

Once a common sight in coffee shops everywhere, the glowing emblem of an Apple logo featured on the lids of many Mac laptops launched in the early 2000s, but its demise in 2015 could turn out to be relatively short-lived.

Filed by Apple in May 2022 and published last week by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, a new patent summarizes various implementations of "Electronic Devices With Backlit Partial Mirror Structures," but the illustrated example leaves readers in little doubt about the specific use case Apple has in mind.

"An electronic device such as a laptop computer or other device may have a housing. Components such as a display and keyboard may be mounted in the housing. The rear of the housing may be provided with a logo. The logo or other structures in the device may be provided with a backlit partially reflective mirror. The mirror may provide the logo or other structures with a shiny appearance while blocking interior components from view. At the same time, the partial transparency of the mirror allows backlight illumination from within the device to pass through the mirror."

"One or more thin-film layers may be configured to provide the partially reflective mirror with desired visible light reflection spectrum, a desired visible light transmission spectrum, and a desired visible light absorption spectrum. The reflectivity of the mirror may be configured so that the mirror serves as a one-way mirror for the logo or other structure. The mirror may have a neutral color such as light gray or may have a non-neutral color such as gold."

Patently Apple, which first highlighted the document, notes that three of the engineers listed on the patent only joined Apple in 2018, long after the backlit logo was dropped from Mac laptops, indicating that a different methodology is being described.

The first Mac laptop with a lit-up Apple logo was the third-generation PowerBook G3 launched in 1999, and the glowing symbol proved a mainstay through consecutive Apple notebooks for the next 16 years. The only change in that period was that the logo got flipped upright, so that it no longer appeared upside down to onlookers when someone was sat in public with the lid open.

In 2015, Apple began nixing the illuminated insignia from its laptops, starting with the ultra-thin 12-inch MacBook, which had a polished metal logo instead, like those seen on iPads. In 2016, a new generation of MacBook Pro models continued the unlit trend, and Apple hasn't launched a Mac laptop with a glowing logo since.

Halloween is just a few days away, and in anticipation of the holiday we're tracking multiple sales and promotions on Apple-related accessories from retailers like Meross, Verizon, Belkin, Hyper, Ecobee, and many more.

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 Deals

In addition to accessories, we're tracking a few discounts across Apple's product line on Amazon, including all-time low prices on iPad Pro, Apple Watch Series 8, Apple TV 4K, and more. Every deal in the list below can be found on Amazon, and none require coupon codes.

• Apple Pencil 2 - $89.00, down from $129.00
• AirPods Max - $449.00, down from $549.00
• Apple Watch Series 8 (45mm cellular) - $489.99, down from $529.00
• Apple Watch SE (44mm GPS) - $239.99, down from $279.00
• Apple TV 4K (32GB 2021) - $99.99, down from $179.00
• Apple TV 4K (64GB 2022) - $124.99 for pre-order, down from $129.00
• 12.9-inch iPad Pro (1TB Wi-Fi 2021) - $1,299.81, down from $1,799.00

Sonos

Sonos is kicking off holiday deals very early this year, with up to 20 percent off home theater sets on its website, and at select retailers. These sets are bundles that include Sonos products like the Arc Soundbar, the Sonos One SL, and more.

Besides all of the bundles listed below, Sonos is also offering a deal on the first generation Beam Smart Soundbar, available for $299, down from $399. You can find all of these deals below and by visiting the Sonos website.

• Surround Set with Beam ($678, down from $847): Beam Soundbar (Gen 2) and One SL Speakers (2x)
• Premium Entertainment Set with Beam ($958, down from $1,198): Sub (Gen 3) and Beam Soundbar (Gen 2)
• Surround Set with Arc ($1,038, down from $1,297): Arc Soundbar and One SL Speakers (2x)
• Premium Entertainment Set with Arc ($1,318, down from $1,648): Arc Soundbar and Sub (Gen 3)
• Premium Immersive Set with Beam ($1,277, down from $1,596): Beam Soundbar (Gen 2), Sub (Gen 3), and One SL Speakers (2x)
• Premium Immersive Set with Arc ($1,637, down from $2,046): Arc Soundbar, Sub (Gen 3), and One SL Speakers (2x)

Ecobee

Ecobee launched its early Black Friday sale this week, and it's offering some of the year's best prices across its SmartThermostat and SmartSensor collection. You'll find up to $30 off these devices below.

• SmartThermostat Enhanced - $159.99, down from $189.99
• SmartThermostat with Voice Control - $199.99, down from $219.99
• SmartCamera with Voice Control - $69.99, down from $99.99
• SmartSensor - $79.99, down from $99.99
• SmartSensor for Doors and Windows - $59.99, down from $79.99

Verizon

At Verizon, you can save 25 percent on MagSafe chargers this week, and no coupon is required. You can get the MagSafe Charger for $29.99, down from $39.00. The MagSafe Duo Charger is down to $96.74, from $129.00; and the MagSafe Battery Pack is down to $74.24, from $99.00.

The carrier also has steep markdowns on iPhone 13 and iPhone 12 cases still going on this week, as low as $12.49 for official Apple Silicone Cases. In regards to the MagSafe accessories, these are among the best prices we've ever tracked.

Adorama

Adorama is kicking off its "Gift of Creativity" sale this week, and it has up to 15 percent off desktop computers, up to 35 percent off laptops, up to 25 percent off iPads and tablets, and up to 35 percent off SSD and storage.

AT&T

AT&T is still offering solid promotions on the new iPhone 14 models, as well as on the Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra. You can get up to $800 off the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max with an eligible trade in and purchase on installment plan.

If you're shopping for the iPhone 14, you can get this model at no extra cost with eligible trade in and purchase on a qualifying installment agreement. This is still the same up to $800 off promotion as the previous models, it'll just cover the entire cost of the entry-level iPhone 14.

For Apple Watches, you can get $200 off when you purchase two at the same time. They'll have to be the Series 7 (up to $699.99), SE (up to $359.99), second-generation SE (up to $329.99), Series 8 (up to $799.99), or Ultra (up to $799.99). Both will need to be on a qualifying installment plan and you'll have to add at least one new line to get the deal.

Belkin

Belkin has $20 off your purchase of $100 or more this Halloween, you'll just need to enter the code HALLOWEEN22 at checkout. This is a sitewide sale, so you can save on Belkin's iPhone cases, screen protectors, earbuds, smart home products, wireless chargers, and much more.

Hyper

At Hyper, you can get 31 percent off select products through Halloween with the code SPOOKY31 at checkout.

This sale is focused on connectivity and charging accessories like USB-C hubs, HDMI cables, USB-C chargers, and Lightning cables.

JBL

JBL has up to 40 percent off speakers, headphones, and home audio accessories this Halloween. All of these discounts have been applied automatically so you don't need a coupon code.

Meross

Meross is offering up to 30 percent off during its Halloween Sale when using the code HALLOW22 at checkout. Meross has a bunch of HomeKit-compatible accessories, including indoor and outdoor smart plugs, light bulbs, dimmer switches, and more.

More Sales

• Best Buy - Shop early Black Friday deals on TVs, laptops, video games, and more.
• Newegg - Save up to 65 percent on gaming computers and accessories.
• Nomad - Get big savings on iPhone cases and charging accessories during Nomad's latest outlet sale.
• Pad & Quill - Save on iPhone and iPad folios.

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

Updated on 10/31 with more deals.

Instagram is currently experiencing an outage in some parts of the world, according to user reports on Twitter and Downdetector.

As a result of the outage, some users are reporting that their accounts are being locked and/or suspended for "violations" and some have reported a sudden decrease in follower count. In a tweet, Instagram said it's aware of the problems and is working to fix them. We'll update this article when we learn more.

iPhone production at one of the world's largest factories could fall by as much as 30% next month due to tightening COVID-19 restrictions in China, according to a new report today.

Apple manufacturing partner Foxconn's main Zhengzhou plant, which employs about 200,000 people, was hit by the stringent curbs after an outbreak at the factory, which led the city of about 10 million people locked down as a result.

It's not clear how many cases of the virus have been identified, but the outbreak forced staff to lock down at the workplace, which has reportedly caused unrest and even led some employees to escape by jumping a fence outside the plant.

Foxconn is working to boost ‌iPhone‌ production at another factory in Shenzhen city to make up for the shortfall, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. A second person familiar with the situation said many workers remained at the Zhengzhou plant and that production was continuing.

Last week, Foxconn announced it was banning all dine-in catering at the Zhengzhou plant and would be requiring workers to eat meals in their rooms. At the same time, the Taiwanese company said it was maintaining normal production as it ramped up ‌iPhone‌ 14 assembly ahead of the busy holiday period.

Localities in China continue to grapple with President Xi Jinping's rigid zero-COVID policy, which imposes strict measures including anything from regular testing and travel restrictions to full-scale lockdowns.

Factories are usually able to continue to operate under a "closed loop" system where staff live and work on-site, but the arrangements have caused various problems, including workers expressing anger on social media at their treatment and living conditions.

Twitter, now owned by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, is reportedly planning to charge users $20 per month if they want to become or stay verified on the platform, according to multiple reports.

The Verge and Platformer are both reporting that Twitter is set to introduce a new tier to Twitter Blue, the social media platform's subscription service, that costs $20 per month and includes verification on the platform. Currently, applying for verification on Twitter is free, and users only need to show account notability, be of public interest, and be authentic.

According to The Verge, if the proposed plan moves forward, currently verified users on Twitter will have 90 days to subscribe to the new $20-per-month Twitter Blue subscription or lose their blue checkmark. Musk has reportedly told engineers to have the project completed by November 7 or else they'll be fired, per "internal correspondence" and sources familiar with the matter who spoke to The Verge.

Musk said on Sunday that Twitter's verification process is "being revamped right now," but did not provide any additional details. Twitter Blue currently costs $4.99 and unlocks additional perks on the platform, including the ability to edit tweets, change the app icon, and more.

iOS 16.2, the next major update to the iOS 16 operating system, can be expected to launch in mid-December alongside iPadOS 16.2, reliable Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman said today in his Power on newsletter outlining expectations for the remainder of 2022.

The first beta of iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 was released for developers and public beta testers last week, so it's still early to outline all of its new features and changes. Still, we already have several new features, changes, and improvements to look forward to that we've recapped below.

Live Activites For TV Sports Games

iOS 16.2 will re-add Live Activities integration for select sports games for the built-in TV app on the iPhone. Users will be able to track games in real time using Live Activities on their Lock Screen or the Dynamic Island for ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro models.

Lock Screen Sleep Widget

iOS 16.2 will add a new Sleep widget option for users to add their Lock Screen. There are three widget options: one showing the amount of time you spent in bed, another showing a bar chart representing sleep quality, and the larger widget that shows time in bed along with a visual representation.

Freeform App

Announced at WWDC, Freeform is a new app from Apple that allows users to collaborate with friends and co-workers on a single board with drawings, text, videos, images, and more. Freeform is now available to developers and public beta testers and can be expected to launch alongside iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, and macOS Ventura 13.1 in mid-December. Check out our hands-on video for a closer look at Freeform.

External Display Support on iPadOS 16

iPadOS 16.2 will reintroduce external display support for select iPad models. Before iPadOS 16's release, Apple said it would delay external display support for ‌iPad‌ and Stage Manager and reintroduce it later this year. External display support with iPadOS 16.2 will allow users to connect their ‌iPad‌ to an external display and use ‌Stage Manager‌ to multitask with multiple windows and apps running simultaneously.

Conclusion

Since iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 are expected to launch in December, there is still plenty of time for Apple to add new features and changes for the update. After iOS 16.2 in mid-December, Apple is expected to launch iOS 16.3, iPadOS 16.3, and macOS Ventura 13.3 around February and March to coincide with new Mac releases, Gurman said today.

Apple is not planning to announce any new Macs in the remainder of this year, with all planned releases expected to take place in the first quarter of 2023, including updated versions of the MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and the Mac Pro, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said today.

Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said Apple has decided to wait until next year to announce new Macs, including MacBook Pros which were rumored to launch this month. "I'm told that Apple is aiming to introduce the upgraded models—including M2-based versions of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros—in the first quarter of calendar 2023," Gurman said today.

During the company's latest earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook said Apple's "product lineup is set" ahead of the holidays, possibly suggesting there will be no new product launches this year as Apple gears up for the holiday season. Apple's CFO, Luca Maestri, provided a more decisive confirmation saying, "we have a very challenging compare against last year, which had the benefit of the launch and associated channel fill of our newly redesigned ‌MacBook Pro‌ with M1," Gurman noted today in Power On.

As previously reported, Apple continues to test an Apple silicon ‌Mac Pro‌ with a configuration that includes 24 CPU cores (including 16 performance and eight efficiency cores), 76 graphics cores, and 192GB of memory. The ‌Mac Pro‌ is expected to be powered by the "M2 Ultra" and "‌M2‌ Extreme" chips with at least twice or four times the performance as the ‌M2‌ Max chip, expected to be announced alongside the updated MacBook Pros next year.

Contrary to rumors that Apple will announce new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros powered with the yet to be announced M2 Pro and ‌M2‌ Max chips in November, a new rumor has suggested Apple will instead release the new laptops next year.

According to a post from the account "yeux1122" on the Korean blog Naver, citing a supply chain source, the updated 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models will not launch until early next year, around the March timeframe. According to the account, which has a mixed track record, supply chain activities related to the updated MacBook Pros are operating per a schedule suggesting a launch next year, not November.

Historically, Apple has launched new Macs in November multiple times, including the original 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ in 2019 and the first three Macs with the M1 chip in 2020, adding credence to the idea new ‌MacBook Pro‌ models were imminent.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said he expects the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros to be released in the "near future" and "within the coming months" as rumors have suggested a launch in November to follow past precedent. During the company's latest earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook said Apple's "product lineup is set" ahead of the holidays, possibly suggesting there will be no new product launches this year as Apple gears up for the holiday season.

October is drawing to a close with plenty to talk about in terms of new hardware and software releases from Apple, while we're also looking ahead with iOS 16.2 and future hardware.

Read on below for all of the details on everything Apple released this week, including our early hands-on look at Apple's new iPads, plus a rumor about Apple's biggest-ever iPad and more!

iOS 16.1 Released: Here's Everything New

It was a busy week for Apple in terms of software, as the company released iOS 16.1, iPadOS 16, and macOS Ventura with a long list of new features for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

We've rounded up everything new in iOS 16.1, including support for Live Activities in third-party apps (check out our list of apps), iCloud Shared Photo Library, support for Matter accessories, and more.

As for hardware, new iPad Pro models and a redesigned 10th-generation iPad launched this week after being announced last week. We shared a hands-on look at both devices on our YouTube channel. The new Apple TV 4K launches next Friday, November 4.

Apple Releases iPadOS 16 With Stage Manager and More

iPadOS 16 was finally released to the public this week following over four months of beta testing. One of the update's key new features is Stage Manager, which allows multiple apps to be used in overlapping windows for improved multitasking.

Unfortunately, Stage Manager has been criticized as a "poorly tested" feature with a "muddled constellation of missing features, bugs, and confusing interactions."

macOS Ventura: 50 New Features and Changes Worth Checking Out

Following the release of macOS Ventura, we have shared a list of 50 new features and changes worth checking out in the software update.

macOS Ventura‌ is a major update that introduces a new multitasking experience on the Mac with Stage Manager, overhauls multiple stock apps like Mail and Messages, adds support for using an iPhone as a Mac's webcam with a newly released Belkin accessory, and more.

Apple Rumored to Release Larger 16-Inch iPad Next Year

Apple is developing a larger 16-inch iPad that it hopes to release in the fourth quarter of 2023, according to a report this week. This would be the largest-ever iPad model, topping the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

The supersized iPad would have the same screen size as the 16-inch MacBook Pro, providing users with a much larger canvas to work with. It was previously rumored that Apple is also planning a 14-inch iPad Pro.

Apple Admits It Will Have to Comply With EU and Switch iPhone to USB-C

In an interview this week with tech reporter Joanna Stern, Apple's marketing chief Greg Joswiak admitted that the company will "have to comply" with an EU law requiring devices like the iPhone to adopt USB-C as a common charging port starting in 2024.

Apple's software engineering chief Craig Federighi also participated in the discussion, which touched on the lack of iMessage on Android and many other topics.

Everything New in iOS 16.2 Beta: Freeform App and More

Shortly after releasing iOS 16.1, Apple made the first beta of iOS 16.2 available to developers and public beta testers with even more new features.

iOS 16.2 will include Apple's new digital whiteboard app Freeform, unintentional Emergency SOS call reporting, a new Sleep widget for the Lock Screen, new Home app architecture, Live Activities integration for select sports games in the Apple TV app, and more.

MacRumors Newsletter

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.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

With the release of iOS 16 and iPadOS 16, Apple introduced Lockdown Mode, offering users an "extreme" level of security. This article explains who Lockdown Mode is for, what it does, and how to enable it.

In iOS 16 and iPadOS 16, Apple brought iPhone and iPad users Lockdown Mode, an optional new security feature that's designed to protect users who may be at risk of highly targeted cyberattacks from private companies developing state-sponsored spyware.

While the feature is aimed at the very small number of users who could be targets of cyberattacks, such as journalists, activists, and government employees, any user can enable it on their device for what Apple calls an "extreme" level of security.

Lockdown Mode Protections

When enabled, Lockdown Mode strictly limits or disables the functionality of features, apps, and websites. Lockdown Mode protections include the following:

• In the Messages app, most message attachment types other than images are blocked, and some features like link previews are unavailable.
• Incoming FaceTime calls from people you have not previously called are blocked. Incoming invitations for other Apple services from people you have not previously invited are also blocked.
• Some complex web technologies and browsing features, including just-in-time (JIT) JavaScript compilation, are disabled unless the user excludes a trusted site from Lockdown Mode. This protection applies to Safari and all other web browsers using WebKit across the ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, and Mac.
• Shared albums will be removed from the Photos app, and new shared album invitations will be blocked.
• When a device is locked, wired connections with other devices/accessories are blocked.
• Configuration profiles cannot be installed, and the device cannot enroll into mobile device management (MDM), while Lockdown Mode is turned on.

How to Enable Lockdown Mode on iPhone and iPad

Lockdown Mode is turned off by default on ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌, but you can enable it by following these steps.

1. Launch the Settings app.
2. Scroll down and tap Privacy & Security.
3. Scroll to the bottom of the menu and under "Security," tap Lockdown Mode.
4. Read the on-screen information, then tap Turn On Lockdown Mode.
5. Review the list of protections. If you're still happy to go ahead, tap Turn On Lockdown Mode.

Apple has added a new category to its Security Bounty program to reward researchers who find Lockdown Mode bypasses and help improve its protections, so expect new protections to be added over time.

Apple today shared an Apple Fitness+ ad highlighting the new iOS 16.1 feature that allows iPhone users to access and use the subscription service without an Apple Watch.

Since launch, Apple Fitness+ has required an Apple Watch in order to track workouts, with the fitness information collected by the Apple Watch shown on the television screen. With iOS 16.1, Apple began allowing ‌iPhone‌ owners who do not have an Apple Watch to do workouts directly on the ‌iPhone‌, but there are no tracking metrics available.

The new capabilities allow ‌iPhone‌ owners to subscribe to the Apple Fitness+ service after upgrading their software to iOS 16.1. Apple Fitness+ is priced at $9.99 per month or $79.99 annually, with multiple family members able to share a single subscription.

The M2 iPad Pro supports ProRes video recording for the first time, but customers of the new iPad wishing to take advantage of the capability will have to do so through a third-party app, as Apple's native Camera app seemingly does not support the format.

Customers started receiving their new ‌M2‌ ‌iPad‌ Pros this week, and noticed that ProRes was not an option within Settings for the Camera. As Mac Otakara points out, recording ProRes on the new ‌iPad Pro‌ requires a third-party app that's been updated for the new capability, such as FiLMiC Pro.

Apple did not respond to MacRumors' request for comment on whether this is a bug and if the native Camera app will gain the ability to record ProRes video in a future update.

The new 11-inch and 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ are incremental upgrades mainly featuring the new ‌M2‌ Apple silicon chip, ProRes video recording, and a new hover feature for the second-generation Apple Pencil.