MacRumors

Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming iOS 15.1 update to developers just a day after releasing iOS 15 to the public.

General iOS 15
iOS 15.1 can be downloaded through the Apple Developer Center or over the air after the proper profile has been installed on an iPhone or iPad.

There's no word yet on what's included in the update, but there are a number of features in iOS 15 that have yet to be released, such as SharePlay, so we could see these introduced in the new software for testing purposes. We'll update this article when we download the beta and find out what's new.

Related Forum: iOS 15

Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming watchOS 8.1 beta to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming just a day after watchOS 8 was released to the public.

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

To update to new software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life, it must be placed on the charger, and it needs to be in range of the ‌‌‌iPhone‌‌‌. It's not recommended to install ‌‌watchOS 8‌‌ on a main Apple Watch as the software may be unstable at this early date.

There's no word yet on what's new in watchOS 8.1, but we'll update this article when we know more.

Related Roundup: watchOS 11
Related Forum: Apple Watch

Following the release of the tvOS 15 update yesterday, Apple has seeded the first beta of tvOS 15.1 to developers.

Apple TV tvOS 15 Feature
Developers can download the new tvOS 15 beta by downloading a profile onto the ‌Apple TV‌ using Xcode.

Other than new releases, tvOS updates are often minor in scale, focusing on under-the-hood bug fixes and improvements rather than major outward-facing changes. There's no word yet on what's included in tvOS 15.1 update, but we'll update this article should anything new be found.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max reviews were published today, with the devices receiving praise for their smoother ProMotion displays, longer battery life, and improved cameras, but there was one consistent complaint among the reviews.

iPhone 13 Pro Light Blue Side Feature
On the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, a new feature is the ability to take macro photos. As noted by Input's Raymond Wong, however, this new capability results in the device automatically switching from the Wide lens to the Ultra Wide lens when you place an object or a subject within 5.5 inches of the rear camera. (The viewfinder still shows "1x" framing, but the camera relies on the Ultra Wide lens for autofocus.)

The automatic camera switching is easily noticeable in the iPhone's viewfinder, as Wong demonstrated in the video below.


"The viewfinder keeps jittering as it tries to choose between a regular wide or wide-macro shot," he said. In his review, he expressed his opinion that "the framing should never change from what you compose and never automatically."

Apple initially told Wong that the automatic camera switching is intentional to help users better capture close-up details, according to his review, but the company has since issued a statement to Wong and others that says iPhone 13 Pro users will gain the option to turn off the switching in an iOS update that will be released later this fall.

"A new setting will be added in a software update this fall to turn off automatic camera switching when shooting at close distances for macro photography and video," said Apple.

Apple said the ability to turn off the automatic camera switching will apply to macro video recording as well, but as Wong noted, there is a "Lock Camera" option under Settings > Camera that appears to prevent the switching for video already.

All four iPhone 13 models will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores this Friday, September 24 in the U.S. and over 30 other countries and regions.

Related Forum: iPhone

Now that a new family of iPhone models are launching this week, accessories for the previous generation devices are seeing notable discounts. On Amazon, you'll find Silicone, Leather, and Clear Cases for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 11 devices starting as low as $13.99.

iphone case sale 921Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

In total, we're tracking sales on cases for the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max. The steepest discounts can be found on Clear Cases as well as select Silicone Cases for the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 mini.

iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro

iPhone 12 Pro Max

iPhone 12 mini

iPhone 11

iPhone 11 Pro

iPhone 11 Pro Max

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.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals
Related Forum: iPhone

A few days before they start arriving at customers, Apple has provided select media outlets and reviewers with models of the new iPhone 13 mini and ‌iPhone‌ 13, giving us a closer look at this year's new ‌iPhone‌ update.

Compared to their predecessors, the ‌iPhone‌ 13 and ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini feature a smaller notch, improved cameras, longer battery life, and better performance. Here's a brief summary of some of the reviews for this year's new handset.

iphone 13 mini verge reviewPhoto via The Verge

Battery Life

Thanks to the efficiency of the new A15 Bionic chip and physically larger batteries, the ‌iPhone‌ 13 and ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini featured improved battery life. The Verge's Dieter Bohn says that battery life this year is "excellent," pointing to his real-world tests.

On one day of my testing, the regular iPhone 13 made it from 7am to midnight before it tuckered out. That was with some camera testing, watching some video, the usual doomscrolling, emails, work, and some games. It was an intense set of work for the five hours of screentime that day, so that's impressive. On another day with lighter usage, I didn't see the battery warning until the following morning. But the iPhone 13's battery isn't magic. When we had a day of a lot more 4K video testing, I was looking for a charger by 7 or 8.

On the smaller ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini, Engadget says that while it is improved, it is "still shorter than the average smartphone." Generally speaking, CNET says that so far performance and battery life have been solid and that the ‌iPhone‌ 13 will be a reliable option for the majority of people.

In terms of the iPhone 13 and 13 Mini, it's been a good start but we have more in-depth testing to do with the batteries, durability and comparing its cameras against other phones. But right now, the iPhone 13 will be the reliable phone that most people will be more than happy to use for the next few years.

Cameras

Both the ‌iPhone‌ 13 and ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini feature the same camera setup, meaning performance on both devices will be the same. Both models feature a larger camera sensor allowing more light to pass through into photos, improving low-light performance. The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern says that while the improvements are welcomed, they alone are not sufficient enough to convince an ‌iPhone‌ 12 user to upgrade.

iphone 13 mini camera engadgetPhoto via Engadget

"Details are sharp and accurate, colors are rich without being oversaturated, focusing is fast and reliable, portrait mode is good enough to use day to day, and low light and night sight are both exceptional," says The Verge's Dieter Bohn.

Across the entire lineup of ‌iPhone‌ 13 models, Apple is introducing Cinematic Mode, or portrait mode for videos, and we'll have more to share on that in our upcoming hands-on videos. Results in early reviews are mixed, however, with The Verge noting that it's "nowhere near as good as Apple’s own commercials would have you believe" and particularly struggles in low-light situations.

Design

Compared to the ‌iPhone‌ 12 and iPhone 12 mini, the ‌iPhone‌ 13 and ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini feature very similar designs. Both handsets are thicker and slightly heavier to accommodate larger batteries, and they both have slightly larger camera bumps on the back. The Verge's Dieter Bohn writes, however, that the design is "still beautiful and modern," and the changes are unlikely to be noticeable in day-to-day use.

Video Reviews

Alongside written reviews, there are a number of video hands-ons and reviews for the ‌iPhone‌ 13 and ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini, which we shared in a separate article. Note that some reviews of the ‌iPhone‌ 13 and ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini are conjoined with the larger ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max.

Related Forum: iPhone

iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores this Friday, September 24, and ahead of time, reviews of the devices have now been shared by several tech websites and YouTube channels.

iphone 13 pro review the verge

Image Credit: The Verge

Key features across the iPhone 13 lineup include a faster A15 Bionic chip, camera improvements, longer battery life, and a smaller notch. The two Pro models also feature a ProMotion display with a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz, up to 1TB of storage, and additional camera features like Night mode portraits and ProRes video recording.

The only differences between the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max relate to their respective 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch display sizes, battery life, and the weight of the devices, as the Pro and Pro Max have identical camera systems this year.



We've already rounded up unboxing videos of the devices, and we've shared some highlights from written reviews below.

ProMotion

The Verge's Dieter Bohn said Apple did an "excellent job" with its implementation of a ProMotion display on iPhone 13 Pro models. While previous iPhones are limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, ProMotion enables iPhone 13 Pro models to have an adaptive refresh rate between 10Hz and 120Hz depending on the type of content that is displayed on the screen, resulting in smoother appearing content while watching videos, gaming, and scrolling text.

When I scroll on the iPhone 13 Pro, the text stays readable instead of turning into a blur. Things moving on the screen are smoother. It feels more like a direct interaction with my finger because the iPhone can literally change its refresh rate to match my movement.

Longer Battery Life

The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern said all four iPhone 13 models last at least an hour longer than the equivalent iPhone 12 models.

In my daily use, all four of the models lasted at least an hour longer than their predecessors. The Pro Max could easily go until the next day. If you want to stretch battery life further, you can turn off 5G. (Power savings aside, it's a fun experiment to see how little 5G really adds to the smartphone experience right now.)

Stern did recommend that customers consider replacing the battery in their current iPhone if they are experiencing shorter battery life, as that would certainly be a more economical option than upgrading to a brand new iPhone.

Cameras

CNET's Patrick Holland was particularly impressed with the new Cinematic mode, which is available on all four iPhone 13 models.

All of the iPhones 13 get a new feature called Cinematic mode. It uses the rear cameras or the True Depth camera array to create a 1,080p video at 30fps. What makes the video compelling is that everything but your subject is out of focus. The iPhone can even execute a rack focus from one subject to another. The effect is dramatic and impressive.

Holland did note that Cinematic mode needs a good amount of light to work best. If conditions are too dark, users are notified to turn the iPhone's flash on.

A15 Bionic

As we saw in early benchmark results, the A15 Bionic chip in iPhone 13 models is around 10-15% faster compared to the A14 Bionic chip in the iPhone 12 lineup. CNET's Patrick Holland shared a chart with Geekbench 5 scores for comparison.

cnet geekbench 5 iphone 13

More Reviews

MacRumors will have our own hands-on iPhone 13 review in an upcoming video, so be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Related Forum: iPhone

Apple's embargo on reviews of the iPhone 13 mini, ‌iPhone‌ 13, ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro, and ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max has now lifted ahead of the devices launching on Friday, giving the first hands-on looks at the company's latest smartphones. In addition to our detailed review roundups, we have gathered together a number of unboxing videos and reviews of the new devices.

iPhone 13 and 13 Pro Feature Gold

The key new features of the devices include a 20 percent smaller notch, brighter displays with ProMotion for refresh rates up to 120Hz, the A15 Bionic chip, longer battery life, and various camera hardware upgrades, as well as new camera software features such as Cinematic mode, Photographic Styles, and Smart HDR 4.

Scroll down for the first ‌iPhone‌ 13 and ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro unboxing and reviews videos from a range of prominent YouTubers.

Videos












For more in-depth impressions, read our iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13 review roundup, as well as our iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone Pro Max review roundup.

Related Forum: iPhone

Apple has begun selling iPhones on its Certified Refurbished online store in Canada, offering residents in the country a more affordable way to purchase iPhones from Apple online.

canada refurb iphones
Apple has been selling different refurbished iPhone models in the United States online since 2016. While Apple has long offered iPads and Macs in its Canadian refurbished store, this is the first time customers in the country have been able to benefit from the discounts that come with buying an Apple refurbished smartphone.

Previously, customers in Canada who wanted lower prices on iPhones had to wait for third-party deals or purchase refurbished/used devices from a third-party retailer, but with Apple's highly regarded refurbishment process now an option for iPhones too, this should come as a welcome development.

All of Apple's refurbished products, ‌iPhone‌ included, are tested, certified, cleaned, and guaranteed with a one-year warranty. iPhones also feature a brand new battery and a fresh outer shell, ensuring there are no scratches or other cosmetic damage.

Customers in Canada can currently choose from a variety of refurbished recent ‌iPhone‌ models in various finishes and capacities, including ‌iPhone‌ XS, XS Max, 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max, with up to CAD$560 off the regular price currently on offer. With the ‌iPhone‌ 13 lineup about to drop into consumers' hands, expect ‌iPhone‌ 12 models to be included in Apple's refurbished listings soon.

(Thanks, Anthony!)

Apple is reportedly researching ways to use the cameras inside of the iPhone to detect childhood autism, aiming to use data from the camera to observe a child's behavior that could be used for early diagnosis, according to a new report from The Wall Street Journal.

iPhone 13 Face ID
According to the report, which echoes previously announced research efforts, Apple wants to be able to use the camera inside of the ‌iPhone‌ to track a child's face and observe different facial behaviors, such as how often they look away, as potential factors for detecting childhood autism. From the report:

Apple has a third brain-related research partnership with Duke University that it hasn't disclosed. It aims to create an algorithm to help detect childhood autism, according to the documents and people familiar with the work. The research looks at using the iPhone's camera to observe how young children focus, how often they sway back and forth, and other measures, according to the documents.

Biogen, an American biotechnology company, had previously announced it was partnering with Apple to study ways to use the ‌iPhone‌ and Apple Watch to notice a cognitive decline in users or potential signs of depression.

Including that and Apple's early work in childhood autism detection, the Journal says that these features may never become a user-end feature, but notes that Apple had invested in multiple heart-focused studies before releasing a host of related features on the Apple Watch.

The report notes that as part of Apple's privacy push, the company would ultimately aim to run any algorithms, including those for early detection of childhood autism, locally on a user's device, without needing to send any data collected to the cloud for processing. The report adds that research is still in the early stages, but Apple executives are enthusiastic about its potential.

Apple today launched a new offer that provides owners of the second-generation AirPods, AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, and select Beats products with a six-month free subscription to Apple Music.

apple music album cover art
The offer is only valid for new ‌Apple Music‌ subscribers, and no new purchase is required, so this is open to any users who currently own an eligible product. Eligible products include the second-generation AirPods (with wired or wireless case), ‌AirPods Pro‌, ‌AirPods Max‌, Beats Studio Buds, Powerbeats, Powerbeats Pro, and Beats Solo Pro. Eligible users will see a prompt in the ‌Apple Music‌ app for their six-month free offer.

The offer must be claimed within 90 days from when users first connect their eligible AirPods or Beats product to an Apple device after September 20 to take up the offer.

Apple emphasizes that customers must be on the latest iOS and iPadOS versions to see the offer, which as of yesterday, is iOS and iPadOS 15. The new offer is a notable package from Apple, as it's not often the company has bundled the purchase of its AirPods or Beats products with its ‌Apple Music‌ service.

More information about the offer can be found on Apple's website.

Update: This article has been updated to clarify that no new purchase of an AirPods or Beats product is required. Customers who previously purchased an eligible product are also able to take advantage of the offer.

iPhone 13 and ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro pre-orders began last Friday at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time, and soon after, shipping estimates for select models began slipping to late September or early October for some models.

iPhone 13 and 13 Pro Feature
If you weren't prepared to get up at an early hour or you haven't got round to pre-ordering for another reason, there's still a chance to get an ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini, ‌iPhone‌ 13, ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro, or ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max in your hands when they launch on Friday.

In the United States and other countries that have Apple retail stores, such as Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia, many ‌iPhone‌ 13 models are still available for in-store pickup on Friday, September 24.

Even if a particular ‌iPhone‌ model isn't estimated to be delivered on launch day, it's still possible to reserve some versions for in-store pickup.

iphone 13 pickup1
An ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro in Silver with 128GB of storage, for example, is currently estimated to ship in 4-5 weeks on Apple's online store. However, the device is available for pickup on September 24 at multiple retail stores in several countries.

Once you proceed to the checkout and click the blue "Checkout" button, select "I'll pick it up," then choose a store location, pickup date, and an available 15-minute check-in window from the options.

If you will be picking up the ‌iPhone‌ personally, enter your phone number. If someone else will be arranging the pickup, enter his or her contact information. The person making the pickup must be carrying a valid photo ID.

Then, proceed with the checkout process as usual. Once payment has been made, wait until you receive a pickup notification email or text message by September 24 before picking up the ‌iPhone‌. If you don't receive one, call the store.

iphone 13 pickup2
Since the ‌iPhone‌ is paid for ahead of time, the store will hold the device in its back room until you arrive. Your order will be held for 14 days.

Of course, another option is to simply wait until Friday and walk into an Apple store, preferably right when they open. You may have to wait in line, but the queues have typically been shorter in recent years. Note that temperature checks and face masks may be required.

You can use the pickup tool on Apple's website on launch day to check if stores in your local area have stock, or call the store directly.

All in all, there are still a few days to ensure you get your new ‌iPhone‌ on launch day, even if you missed the pre-order rush. Just make sure to select which color, storage, and carrier combinations are still available for pick-up by September 24.

Related Forum: iPhone

Starting with iOS 15, Apple Card owners can take advantage of a new Advanced Fraud Protection feature that is designed to keep ‌Apple Card‌ information more secure by changing the three-digit security code associated with the card on a regular basis.

apple card feature2
When enabled, Advanced Fraud Protection will cause the three digit security code used for making purchases online to change every so often, which protects you if your card details are compromised by an online merchant. Apple says that the feature will not impact recurring purchases and subscriptions.

Advanced Fraud Protection is a way to keep your Apple Card information even more secure. After turning on Advanced Fraud Protection, your three-digit Apple Card security code will change periodically after it's been viewed in the Wallet app or after it's been auto-filled from Safari.

You should check your security code each time you want to make a purchase with Apple Card to be sure you're using the most up-to-date code. You can also use Advanced Fraud Protection without affecting your recurring purchases and subscriptions, such as streaming services or memberships, because these merchants use your security code to authorize payment just once when you first sign up.

As outlined in new Apple Card support document, Advanced Fraud Protection can be enabled by following these steps:

  1. Open up the Wallet app and tap on ‌Apple Card‌.
  2. Tap on the card number icon and then authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode.
  3. Scroll down to the Advanced Fraud Protection option and toggle it on.

Advanced Fraud Protection can also be turned on using an iPad by following the same steps, but through the Wallet & Apple Pay section of the Settings app. Turning it off can be done by following the first two steps and then toggling off the feature.

You can tell that the option for a rotating security toggle is turned on when the clock icon is displayed next to the three-digit security code. Those who enable the feature will need to make sure to check their security code for each online transaction to make sure the most current code is being used.

apple card advanced fraud protection
Today's iOS 15 update also makes it easier to find an ‌Apple Card‌ number by opening up the Wallet app and tapping on the card icon, plus there's a redesigned ‌Apple Pay‌ payment sheet that allows users to more easily add new cards and coupon codes.

Related Forum: iOS 15

While iOS 15 was in the beta testing phase, we here at MacRumors wrote up a series of in-depth feature guides to highlight everything that's new in the update, along with how tos to walk you through using those features.

Ultimate iOS 15 Guide Feature
This is a comprehensive guide with all of our coverage, and it's a great resource for casual users who haven't had a chance to test out iOS 15 prior to its launch. Everything is organized by app or feature to make it easy to find what you might be looking for.

Overview

Safari

Messages

FaceTime

Photos

Focus Mode

Mail

Notifications and Home Screen

Maps

Siri

Find My

Privacy

Wallet App

Translation Features

Weather

HomeKit

Notes and Reminders

Podcasts

Accessibility

Downgrading

Guide Feedback

Have a question that we didn't cover here, know of a feature that we left out, or want to offer feedback on the content of this guide? Send us an email here.

Related Forum: iOS 15

iPhone users who have pre-ordered an ‌iPhone‌ 13 model are seeing a new prompt in the Settings app that walks through the steps of preparing for a new device.

apple prepare for new iphone
Tapping on this prompt encourages users to make sure that iCloud syncing is enabled for all of their apps for a complete ‌iCloud‌ backup, offering up an option to turn on syncing for any app that doesn't have it on.

The feature also explains how to use an existing ‌iPhone‌ to set up a new ‌iPhone‌ for a quick sign in process, and it offers up details on finding out how much an existing ‌iPhone‌ is worth for trade-in purposes.

Apple is likely showing this information based on Apple ID, so many customers who pre-ordered an ‌iPhone‌ may be seeing the new popup. For those who want to get rid of it, just tapping through the prompts should be enough to get it to disappear.

With the release of iOS and iPadOS 15 today, the popular password management app 1Password has released an accompanying update that brings its desktop-class extension to the iPhone and iPad.

1password safari extension
With iOS and iPadOS 15, Apple allows Safari extensions developers to release their previously exclusive Safari for Mac extensions to the ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌, allowing users to use extensions on all of their devices. 1Password was one of the first to tease support earlier in June, and with its latest App Store update today, it's bringing it to all users.

With its Safari extension on ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌, 1Password users now have immediate access to all their passwords and 1Password entries right inside of Safari, including in-page suggestions. 1Password for Safari uses on-device machine learning to automatically fill in the login process of complicated websites and even automatically fills in two-factor authentication codes.

On iPadOS 15, 1Password's extension is even more feature-rich, featuring a complete in-Safari user interface that "turbocharges any ‌iPad‌." 1Password along with its Safari extension is introducing other app improvements and bug fixes. Users can learn more about 1Password's announcement over on its blog.

Related Forum: iOS 15

iOS 15 is absolutely packed with new features, and it can be overwhelming sorting through everything that's new. If you're wondering whether it's worth upgrading and what new features might be worth getting access to right away, we've rounded up 10 of the best new additions in the iOS 15 update that you might not be aware of.

iOS 15 Top Features

1. Android and Web-Based FaceTime

For the first time, FaceTime is expanding to non-Apple device users, and those who are on Android and PCs can join in on a ‌FaceTime‌ call.

ios 15 facetime android pc
If you have an Apple device, you can open up the ‌FaceTime‌ app and select the "Create Link" option to make a ‌FaceTime‌ "room" that anyone can join from the web on an Android device, PC, or other compatible option. You can also create a link while you're already on a ‌FaceTime‌ call.

facetime android
You can send the link to someone using a text message, email, or other means, and that person will be directed to enter their name before being allowed into the chat. The ‌FaceTime‌ creator will need to approve their access, so no one can join without express approval. All that's necessary to enter a ‌FaceTime‌ call is a web browser and a device with a camera and a microphone.

pc android facetime
While Android and PC users can join ‌FaceTime‌ calls, an iPhone, iPad, or Mac is required to create the initial ‌FaceTime‌ link and to approve participants.

2. Notification Summary

Depending on how many apps you have installed and your notification permissions, you could be receiving hundreds of notifications a day, many of which are not urgent.

ios 15 notification summary
With Notification Summary, you can set specific times for your unimportant notifications to be delivered, such as in the morning and the evening, preventing you from being interrupted all day long. Important, time sensitive notifications bypass Notification Summary, but things like Instagram likes, game pop ups, news alerts, and other similar notifications can be saved for a time that's best for you.

notification summary 2
Notification Summary can be turned on and managed by going to the Notifications section of the Settings app. You can choose your summary times and which apps will be relegated to the summary.

3. Tab Groups

There's been a lot of discussion about Safari's new design, but Apple toned it down over the course of the beta testing period and even left an option to stick with the iOS 14 design.

ios 15 safari tab groups
Because the design has gotten so much attention, it's easy to forget that there are other great Safari features like Tab Groups. With Tab Groups, you can save all of your open tabs into a folder and open them back up later.

If you're planning for a trip, have a few websites you use often for work, or just want to do something like save the menus of your favorite restaurants, you can do that with Tab Groups.

Open up the new tiled tab view in Safari (icon on the far right corner) and then long press on the Tabs icon in the middle to save your open tabs into a Tab Group or to open one of your saved Tab Groups. Tab Groups sync across iOS and Mac so they're accessible on all of your Apple devices.

As a bonus feature, make sure to pull down on a website whenever you want to refresh it because that's a quick new way to refresh a site.

4. On-Device and Offline Siri

Most Siri requests are now processed on device instead of being kicked back to Apple's servers, which makes ‌Siri‌ faster and more secure.

siri glow
‌Siri‌ is also able to better understand commands over time as a device is used, getting used to the contacts that you interact with, the words you type, and the topics you prefer, with that data kept on device.

On-device ‌Siri‌ is enabled through the Neural Engine and is available on iPhones and iPads equipped with an A12 Bionic chip or later.

Because a lot of ‌Siri‌ commands are handled on device, many ‌Siri‌ requests now work offline. You can create and disable timers and and alarms, launch apps, control audio playback, and access Settings with no connectivity.

5. Live Text

When you look at an image in Photos, preview a photo you're going to take with the Camera app, or view a photo on the web, if there's text in that photo, the ‌iPhone‌ and the ‌iPad‌ will now recognize the text. You will see a little box with three lines of text whenever text is recognized, and you can tap it to see all of the text in the image highlighted.

photos
You can long press on the highlighted text in an image to select it, copy it, look it up, translate it, or share it. Live Text is system wide so you can use it wherever you see an image, and it's handy for copying notes, keeping track of receipts, and more.

photos visual lookup
The ‌Photos‌ app also has a bonus Visual Lookup feature that will identify plants, animals, landmarks, and more. Apple will tell you what it thinks you're seeing, and show similar web images.

6. System-Wide Translation

Translate is now system wide, so any text that you select anywhere in iOS can be translated to or from another language. Supported languages include Arabic, Chinese, English (UK and US), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

live text translation ios 15

A new Trends section in the Health app lets you keep an eye on all of your health trends over time so you can see at a glance if you're exercising less, if your heart rate shifts, if your oxygen levels drop, and more.

ios 15 health app trend info
You can view Trends in the Health app, and can opt to get notifications if there's a change in Trends. The Health app also has sharing features so you can send your health records to family members, and a Health Checklist if you want to make sure you're taking advantage of all the health features offered through the ‌iPhone‌ and Apple Watch.

8. Find Devices Erased and Powered Off

Using the Find My Network, the Find My app in iOS 15 can be used to locate devices that are turned off or that have been erased, which will make it easier to find lost devices and harder for thieves to hide stolen devices.

iphone power off find my
If a device that was stolen has been turned off or if it was low on battery and has died, it can still be tracked when it's close to another Apple device that's active.

Similarly, an ‌iPhone‌ that's been stolen and then erased is still going to show up in the ‌Find My‌ app and it will be trackable even after it's been wiped, which wasn't the case in earlier versions of iOS.

For these features to work, the ‌‌Find My‌‌ network feature must be enabled. It's on by default, but you can double check by going to your profile, tapping on ‌‌Find My‌‌, selecting ‌‌Find My‌‌ ‌‌iPhone‌‌, and then making sure "‌‌Find My‌‌ network" is toggled on.

9. Drag and Drop

iOS 15 supports cross-app drag and drop, so you can grab images, links, highlighted text excerpts, files, and more with a finger and then drag them from one app to another.


If you have a Safari link you want to share, for example, you can long press on it and drag it with a finger. Holding that finger on the display, you can swipe to exit Safari and open another app like Messages, where you can drop the link to send it to someone.

This works for all kinds of file types, and if you want to drag multiple files, you can drag a single item and then select additional items by tapping them with another finger to create a stack. The stack can be dragged into another app from there.

Cross-app drag and drop has been an ‌iPad‌ feature for some time now, but it's new to the ‌iPhone‌ in iOS 15.

10. Built-In Authenticator

In the Passwords section of the Settings app, you can now save two-factor verification codes right alongside your username and password, so you no longer need a secondary app like Google Authenticator for two-factor authentication.

ios 15 passwords two factor
Setup requires a QR code or a setup key, similar to any other authentication app. Once added, you can get a code from the Passwords section when logging into a website, but if you're logging in using Safari, it will autofill, which is super convenient.

Wrap Up

Have a favorite feature in iOS 15 that we didn't mention here? Let us know in the comments below.

Related Forum: iOS 15

Apple today updated iMovie and Clips with support for several new features that are set to be introduced alongside the iPhone 13 models.

iphone 12 pro cinematic mode

iMovie now supports Cinematic Mode and can be used to add, adjust, and delete focus points and modify the depth of field effect in Cinematic Mode video. Cinematic Mode is a feature that's available on all of the ‌iPhone‌ 13 models, but footage can be edited on the ‌iPhone‌ XS or later, iPad mini 5 or later iPad Air 3 or later, and all iPad Pro models.

The update also includes the option to add ProRAW images to movies and trailers, and options to import and edit ProRes video.

ProRes video is a feature coming to the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro models later this year, and it will allow the devices to record in the ProRes format. ProRes video can be captured with an ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro when the feature launches and it will be able to be edited on the ‌iPhone‌ 13, ‌iPad mini‌ 6, and ‌iPad Pro‌ models.

As for Clips, Cinematic Mode video can now be imported and edited in the app. Filters, stickers, and emoji can be added to video recorded in Cinematic Mode, and ProRAW images can be added to videos. When ProRes video launches, it will also be able to be imported into Clips and edited directly in the app.

Today's update also adds the option to add photos or videos from the Photos library with a single tap, without having to record each one into a project.

iMovie and Clips can both be downloaded from the App Store for free.