Microsoft today announced that dedicated Apple Music and Apple TV apps will be available on Windows devices next year. The company also announced that iCloud Photos integration is coming to the Photos app on Windows 11 devices later this year.
The standalone Apple Music and Apple TV apps will provide a much improved experience for Windows users who use these services. Currently, Windows users must access the Apple TV+ streaming service on the web at tv.apple.com, while Apple Music is available on the web or within the antiquated iTunes for Windows app. Microsoft said previews of both apps will be available on the Microsoft Store starting later this year.
iCloud Photos integration will allow iPhone users to access all of their photos in the Photos app on Windows 11. Microsoft said users will simply need to download the iCloud for Windows app from the Microsoft Store, enable iCloud Photos syncing, and the photos will appear in the app automatically. iCloud Photos integration is available for Windows Insiders to test starting today and will launch for all Windows 11 users in November.
GRID Studio is known for offering wall art showcasing vintage devices that are an important part of Apple's history. Each device is disassembled and the components are artistically displayed in a frame that can be hung on the wall of any Apple fan.
The first-generation MacBook Air is GRID's first ever disassembled Mac, selling for $699. Prices for GRID's pieces start at $40 for an A-series chip, and the MacBook Air is its most costly frame, but there are all kinds of options priced at around the $200 mark.
The first thing to be aware of with the GRID Studio MacBook Air is just how large it is, with the frame measuring in at 29.9- by 18.5-inches. While the device itself weighs just 3.0 lb (1.36 kg), the large wooden frame adds a considerable amount of weight. The packing parcel is, of course, even larger and heavier, so buyers should be prepared for this upon purchase.
GRID's frames come well-packaged to protect them in transit and are enclosed in thick black paper, finished with a ribbon and a wax seal to make the iconic device within feel truly special. While GRID's products come impressively packaged, I'd warn customers about getting small paper cuts from the packaging – something that has happened to me repeatedly when opening GRID products.
The black wooden frames GRID uses contrast well with the white card upon which the device components are glued and go relatively easily with most interior designs. Unfortunately, the black frames seem to immediately attract quite a lot of fingerprints and dust, but they are mostly easy enough to wipe away with a damp cloth.
The frame contains a pane of transparent plastic rather than glass, and it seems to be thinner than that used in the smaller GRID frames. I would have probably preferred glass, but this would add even more weight. To remove the film protecting the clear plastic, you need to open the frame from behind, which is easy to accomplish, just like any other picture frame. This also enables you to wipe away any excess fingerprints or dust from inside the frame or the components.
The weight of the MacBook Air seems to put a lot of stress on the white card backboard and causes it to flex quite a bit, so care should be taken when opening it. The device's fan had detached inside my frame, but it was easy enough to slot back in place when I opened it up.
The first-generation MacBook Air redefined what could be expected from a laptop's design, and cemented principles that continue to be seen on Apple's laptops today. Steve Jobs introduced the MacBook Air at the 2008 Macworld conference, pulling the device out of a manilla envelope to emphasize its thin design. At the time, it was promoted as the world's thinnest notebook at just 1.9cm thick.
It featured an Intel Merom CPU and GMA GPU, an anti-glare LED backlit display, a full-size Magic Keyboard, and a multi-touch trackpad. It was also Apple's first notebook since the PowerBook 2400c without an optical drive, and the first Mac to be available with an SSD. As such, it is a particularly important piece for Apple enthusiasts with iconic status. The device is now obsolete, so GRID is able to give it a new lease of life by displaying its components in a frame.
Like GRID's other displays, the disassembled MacBook Air's components are methodically laid out inside the frame with printed details. Annotations explain what each of the components are, a bit of the device's history, and provide a quote from Steve Jobs.
The device's components are well organized inside the frame, showing off the main board, hard drive, fan, top and bottom case, and more. I would have preferred further disassembly, such as of the trackpad, keyboard, and display, but I appreciate that there is limited space, even inside a frame this big, and things are still displayed in a visually engaging way.
While the product is costly relative to GRID's other frames at $699, it is currently available for $599 discount for a limited time, and it's worth bearing in mind that the MacBook Air model in the frame originally sold for $1,799.
The device does have some slight wear and tear in places due to its age and because it is used, and I found this most noticeable on the keyboard. Nevertheless, it is clear that GRID has selected devices with only minimal wear, and it seems to be very clean and more than adequate for display.
All in all, the first-generation MacBook Air is a very good addition to GRID's product lineup, elevating the design of one of the most iconic Apple devices. With attention to detail and plenty of nice touches to make the device feel special, GRID's frames are the perfect items for any Apple fan looking to bring some of the company's most well-known designs into their home in a thoughtful way.
How to Buy
GRID Studio's products are available from its website, gridstudio.cc, and the first-generation MacBook Air frame is currently $100 off.
Note: GRID Studio provided MacRumors with a framed MacBook Air (first-generation) for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. Since receiving this review unit, GRID Studio has slightly changed the design of the first-generation MacBook Air frame.
Apple Music is now available on the Microsoft Store for the Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox One, providing subscribers with access to the streaming music service, complete with large album art, full-screen time-synced lyrics, and more. As noted by users on Reddit, music can be played in the background while gaming.
The app is similar to the one available on tvOS for the Apple TV, with a top navigation bar for Listen Now, Browse, Videos, Radio, Library, and Now Playing. Apple Music launched on the PlayStation 5 last year and is also available on select Samsung and LG smart TVs, Roku, Android, Amazon Echo, Sonos, Google Nest, and Windows via iTunes.
Apple Music recently surpassed 100 million songs available, but Apple has not revealed how many subscribers the service has in several years now. Apple Music's largest rival Spotify was already available on Xbox, along with Amazon Music, Deezer, and others.
The Verge's Tom Warren shared a brief preview of the Apple Music app for Xbox:
Apple has reportedly held discussions with media agency and network executives about the prospect of selling ad time on its Apple TV+ streaming service, leading to speculation that an ad-supported tier could eventually be in the offing, possibly as soon as next year.
According to DigiDay, Apple's advertising chief Todd Teresi has led meetings with holding company executives to sell video advertising space, with more discussions reportedly on the cards in 2022. Citing an anonymous source, the report claims Apple has not asked one agency's network to put aside client dollars in the fourth quarter, suggesting the ad time could be available in early 2023.
Apple is aiming to triple its ad revenue from $4 billion per year to double-digit figures by expanding its advertising to more apps and services, and Apple executives clearly see TV+ as having untapped potential.
Currently, Apple's advertising spots are spread over display ads in its News and Stocks apps, as well as for apps in the App Store, across iPhone, iPad and Mac. Apple also already generates revenue on Apple TV+ with commercials during MLB Friday Night Baseball streams, although those spots are sold by MLB. In 2023, it will be the exclusive home of Major League Soccer for the next 10 years, with ad space and sponsorship deals shared by both Apple and MLS.
It's not clear how Apple might intend to inject ads into its $4.99-a-month TV+ streaming service, but it could potentially be a lucrative revenue driver if the company was to follow the lead of Netflix and Disney+ by providing an ad-supported tier.
Apple still has a limited amount of original content compared to other streaming services, and it is unable to draw the same subscriber numbers as Hulu, Netflix, and Disney+. By offering an ad-supported or even free subscription plan, Apple could increase its low audience figures without sacrificing its commitment to premium original programming and movie content.
In May it was reported that Apple's senior vice president of services Eddy Cue had restructured services management with the aim of focusing more on streaming and advertising. As a result, Teresi has taken on more responsibility and has been reporting directly to Cue since the beginning of the year.
With each effort Apple makes to ramp up its sports offerings, another window of opportunity for ad revenue presents itself. Whether the ad sales strategy that evolves from these moves will fundamentally change the perception of TV+ as a privacy-first player in the streaming services market remains to be seen.
Intel plans to slash its employee numbers by the thousands in a bid to cut costs in the face of the slowing global PC market, a new Bloomberg report has claimed.
The company's sales and marketing teams could see cuts affecting around 20% of staff, said the report, citing people with knowledge of the matter who wished to remain anonymous.
The "major reduction in headcount" hasn't officially been made public, but it is expected to be announced as early as this month around the time of Intel's third-quarter earnings report on October 27. The last big wave of layoffs at Intel was in 2016, when about 12,000 people were made redundant. Based on the last count in July, Intel currently has around 113,700 staff.
The likes of Lenovo, HP, and Dell have all been impacted by a significant drop in PC sales due to global inflation and geopolitical instability, and the steep decline in demand for PC processors has negatively affected Intel's revenue.
Worldwide PC shipments went into free-fall in the third quarter, with overall sales declining by 18%, according to numbers compiled by Canalys. IDC provided similar findings, with sales falling over 15%, while Gartner reported PC shipments down 19.6% over the same quarter.
However, Intel's shares have been hit harder than other chipmakers as it struggles to win back market share lost to rivals like AMD. Earlier this year, Intel said 2022 sales would be around $11 billion lower than it had expected, and analysts are now said to be predicting a third-quarter revenue drop of about 15%. Intel's margins are also on the decline.
During its second-quarter earnings call, Intel pledged to cut expenses and make other changes to improve profits. Still, the short-term outlook remains poor. The chipmaker has not yet recovered from the impact of Apple's decision in 2020 to move away from using Intel processors in its Mac computers and adopt custom Apple silicon instead. It has also lost its prime position in microprocessor manufacturing to TSMC and Samsung Electronics.
To counter market conditions and boost innovation, Intel is looking to sell more advanced AI-powered chips to the data-center market and is working with TSMC to build chips using the Taiwanese foundry's 5nm process. Intel also plans to sell shares of its Mobileye self-driving technology business in an initial public offering, which has been valued at $30 billion.
For the last several years, Apple has not provided breakdowns of the number of iPhones, Macs, and iPads sold, keeping analysts, customers, investors, and others in the dark on exact device sales. This has led analysts to attempt to estimate product shipments, and as the Q3 quarterly Mac numbers confirm, it's a very inexact process.
Companies like Gartner, IDC, and Canalys in fact appear to have no clue how many Macs Apple sold as the third quarter estimates are wildly different.
IDC estimates that Apple sold 10 million Macs during the quarter, up from 7 million in the year-ago quarter for an impressive 40.2 percent growth. Gartner, however, believes that Apple sold just 5.8 million Macs, down from 6.9 million in the year-ago quarter for a 15.6 percent drop.
There's a 4.3 million Mac shipment discrepancy between the estimates from IDC and Gartner, which highlights just how unreliable these shipment estimates can be. Canalys is in the middle of those two estimates, suggesting that Apple shipped 8 million Macs, up from 7.9 million in the year-ago quarter for 1.7 percent growth.
We have historically seen discrepancies between the estimates provided by IDC, Gartner, and Canalys, but not to this degree. Apple will provide more data on its revenue for the third calendar quarter (fourth fiscal quarter) during its October 27 earnings call, which should give us some insight into how well the Mac sold.
Apple this quarter was offering the new M2MacBook Air and M2 MacBook Pro, but it was also facing shipment delays on a number of Macs due to supply chain issues. As mentioned up above, Apple will not provide unit sales information, but overall Mac revenue will clear things up a bit, at least in terms of year over year sales and revenue.
Apple devices and services continue to be the most popular options among teenagers in the United States, according to new data shared today by investment firm Piper Sandler in its biannual teen survey.
87 percent of teenagers surveyed own an iPhone, according to the results, and 88 percent of teens expect an iPhone to be their next phone. Over the course of the last 10 years, iPhone ownership among teens has more than doubled. Back in 2012, 40 percent of U.S. teens owned an iPhone, for example.
Piper Sandler suggests that high iPhone usage among teens bodes well for Apple's service products as well as continued product cycle refreshes.
We believe the elevated penetration and intention are important given the mature premium smartphone market. Additionally, these trends are encouraging as the company continues to introduce new iPhones, which could provide a significant product cycle refresh. We think these positive trends can also be a catalyst for further services growth as well, as the install base for Apple hardware continues to grow.
The Apple Watch is less popular, with just 31 percent of teens owning Apple's wristworn device, but the Apple Watch is by far the most popular smart watch among teens. 36.8 percent of teens reported owning a smart watch, so just 5.8 percent own smart watch that isn't an Apple Watch.
Piper Sandler has been hosting these teen surveys for more than a decade. For the most recent release, 14,500 teens with an average age of 15.8 were surveyed across 47 states.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg today announced the launch of the Meta Quest Pro, a new $1500 mixed reality headset that's aimed at "making the metaverse a reality." The Meta Quest Pro has several features that are rumored for Apple's AR/VR headset, which we are expecting to see launch next year.
The mixed reality headset incorporates both augmented and virtual reality, and it is equipped with pancake lenses" that keep it sleek while offering high resolution. Apple too is said to be using pancake lenses for a thin and light design.
The Meta Quest Pro has a curved battery at the back for a more ergonomic fit, and it is using high-resolution outward-facing cameras to capture 4x as many pixels as the prior-generation Meta Quest 2. It is, however, using LCD displays, while Apple's headset is rumored to use micro OLED screens.
Apple's headset is said to have more than a dozen cameras for functions like eye tracking, spatial detection, expression detection, and skin detection, and Meta is beating Apple to some of these features. The Meta Quest Pro has 10 high-resolution sensors for eye tracking capabilities, plus Meta says that it is able to "capture natural facial expressions," translating them to a virtual avatar.
According to Meta, mixed reality will let you combine the physical world with the virtual, so you can do things like set up a virtual workspace while using your physical keyboard and mouse.
Other Meta Quest Pro features include a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ chip (Apple's headset will use its Apple silicon chips, possibly the M2 or M3), 12GB RAM, 256GB storage, Touch Pro controllers that track their position in 3D space, and a 45W charging dock.
The Meta Quest Pro is available for preorder as of today and it is set to begin shipping out on October 25.
Apple will offer its next Apple Watch Activity Challenge on Friday, November 11, to honor the upcoming Veterans Day holiday in the United States.
Apple Watch owners can earn the Veterans Day award by doing any workout for 11 minutes or more on November 11.
Earn this special award on November 11 by doing any workout for 11 minutes or more. Record your time with the Workout app or any app that adds workouts to Health.
Like all Activity Challenges, the 2022 Veterans Day challenge will be accompanied by an award that can be viewed in the Fitness app and a series of animated stickers that can be used in the Messages app.
Apple provides a Veterans Day Activity Challenge annually, and the challenge is often accompanied by other Veterans Day-themed content in the App Store, Apple TV app, Books app, and more.
Update: While Amazon was selling the Apple TV 4K models at record-low prices of $104.49 for the 32GB model and $123.49 for the 64GB model earlier today, prices have increased slightly to $109.99 and $128.99 respectively. These are still terrific prices, however, so this remains an excellent opportunity to pick up one of Apple's streaming boxes.
Our original article remains as initially published below.
Amazon's fall Prime Early Access Sale has kicked off, and with it comes the best deal on the Apple TV 4K that we've ever seen. You can get the 32GB model for $104.49, down from $179.00.
You will need an active Amazon Prime subscription to see this deal, and many others during Prime Early Access. You can get one month of Amazon Prime for free when signing up this week, and afterwards the service will renew at $14.99 per month or $139 per year.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
This is the best price we've ever tracked on the 2021 Apple TV 4K. This is the model that comes with the A12 Bionic chip and the new Siri Remote. The 64GB model is also available at an all-time low price at $123.49, down from $199.00.
Apple today introduced a new "Ask Apple" feature that is designed to allow developers to get help with app development from Apple engineers and experts. With Ask Apple, developers can get information on implementing new beta features, updates introduced at WWDC, adopting Dynamic Island, swapping to SwiftUI, and more.
Developers will be able to ask questions of Apple team members through Q&As delivered through Slack or in 25-minute one-on-one "office hour" sessions. Developers can speak with Apple evangelists, engineers, and designers, with office hours focused on creating apps that take advantage of the latest Apple technologies.
"We've been listening to feedback from developers around the world about what will be most helpful to them as they build innovative apps, and we've seen an increased appetite for one-on-one support and conversation with Apple experts," said Susan Prescott, Apple's vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations and Enterprise and Education Marketing. "Our team is committed to continuously evolving our support for our diverse global developer community, and we're excited to offer Ask Apple as another new resource."
Ask Apple is a free program with registration available to all members of the Apple Developer Program and the Apple Developer Enterprise Program. The first round of Ask Apple opportunities will be coming from October 17 to 21, with signups available on Apple's developer website.
More information can be found on Apple's developer site.
Apple today seeded the fifth beta of iOS 16.1 to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming one week after the release of the fourth iOS 16.1 beta. The iOS 16.1 beta is also joined by the sixth beta of iPadOS 16.1, which is on a slightly different schedule as Apple started testing it prior to the launch of iOS 16.
Registered developers can download the iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 profiles from the Apple Developer Center, and once installed, the betas will be available over the air.
Live Activities cannot be used at the current time as developers still need to update their apps to add support, but it will be available when iOS 16.1 launches. Developers have access to an ActivityKit API to begin getting their apps ready.
The update also introduces a new Clean Energy Charging feature in the United States that is designed to selectively charge when lower carbon emission electricity is available, plus it lays the groundwork for Matter, a new smart home standard that Apple plans to begin supporting this fall.
Matter will allow for interoperability between smart devices from different companies, and Apple, Google, Samsung, Amazon, and others are working on support.
On the iPad, iPadOS 16 will expand the Stage Manager feature to the 2018 and 2020 iPad Pro models, and it is no longer limited to the M1 iPad Pro and M1 iPad Air. The beta removes the external display function of Stage Manager, and this feature will return in a later beta. External display support will remain limited to the M1 iPad models even though older iPad Pro models are now able to use Stage Manager.
During the beta, Apple tweaked the design of the battery status bar icon, adding a visual indication of charge level. It also changed the battery font, updated the Lock Screen charging indicator, and fixed a copy and paste bug.
Other new features in the update include a deletable Wallet app, changes to the Lock Screen customizing interface, and more, with details available in our iOS 16.1 feature guide.
Apple today seeded the eleventh beta of macOS 13 Ventura, the next-generation version of the Mac operating system that's set to launch this fall. The eleventh beta comes one week after Apple provided the tenth beta to developers.
Registered developers can download the beta through the Apple Developer Center and once the appropriate profile is installed, betas will be available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences.
macOS Ventura introduces Stage Manager, a new feature that lets Mac users focus on a task while keeping other apps at the ready for easy swapping between tasks. The update adds Continuity Camera, which is designed to let you use the iPhone as a webcam for your Mac. It supports Center Stage, Desk View (for showing off your desk), and Studio Light.
Handoff is now available for FaceTime so you can transfer calls between iPhone, iPad, and Mac at will, and Messages supports features for marking an iMessage as unread, unsending an iMessage, and marking as unread. SharePlay also now works in the Messages app.
The Mail app supports scheduling and undoing emails for up to 10 seconds after they're sent, and there are now Weather and Clock apps that are available on the Mac. System Preferences has been renamed System Settings, and it features an iOS-like design.
Safari supports Shared Tab Groups and Apple is working on Passkeys, a next-generation credential that replaces the password. There are updates to Spotlight, Photo Library has new features, and Metal 3 is included in macOS Ventura for better graphics in games.
For everything new in macOS Ventura, we have a dedicated roundup that goes through all of the features. macOS Ventura is set to see a public release in October.
Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming tvOS 16.1 update to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming one week after the launch of the fourth beta.
tvOS updates are typically minor, focusing on under-the-hood bug fixes and improvements rather than outward-facing changes. No new features were found in the first beta of tvOS 16.1.
Apple shares some information on tvOS releases in its tvOS support document, which is updated after each tvOS launch. tvOS 16 brought enhanced multiuser support, Personalized Spatial Audio when using AirPods, and Accessibility improvements.
Though we don't often know what's new in tvOS during the beta testing process, we let MacRumors readers know when new updates are available so those who are developers can download it upon release.
Apple may expand MacBook production to Thailand in the future as the company continues to diversify its supply chain, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
In a series of tweets today, Kuo said the main production location outside of China for Apple's future MacBooks may be Thailand. Kuo noted that Apple's entire range of MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models are currently assembled in Chinese factories.
Kuo said Apple plans to increase shipments of products to the U.S. from non-Chinese factories within the next 3-5 years, but it's unclear if this would include MacBooks assembled in Thailand within that timeframe. Apple's longtime MacBook supplier Quanta Computer has been expanding its operations in Thailand over the last few years.
Apple has expanded its supply chain beyond China over the past several years, with some production now occurring at factories in India and Vietnam. Kuo said this diversification helps Apple to avoid risks like U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Following the "Made by Google" launch event last week, we talk through how the Pixel Watch, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, and Pixel Tablet compare to Apple's devices on the latest episode of The MacRumors Show podcast.
The Pixel Watch features a striking round design with a 41mm stainless steel casing, and offers an always-on display, 24-hour battery life, and Fitbit sleep tracking, for a price of $349. With Apple Watch features like blood oxygen monitoring, ECG, Fall Detection, Emergency SOS, 32GB of memory, and more, we talk through how the Pixel Watch compares to Apple's long-reigning smart watch.
The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro offer many features that will be familiar to iPhone users such as 2x crop mode to simulate a telephoto lens, Cinematic Blur for video, Active Stabilization mode, and Face Unlock, but adds faster Night Sight, Photo Unblur, 8GB or 12GB of memory, and the custom-silicon Tensor G2 chip. The devices look to directly compete with Apple's latest iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models, but undercut them in price by about $100.
Google also offered an early look at the Pixel Tablet that is set to launch next year – a device that will undoubtedly compete with the iPad. The tablet comes alongside a speaker dock that charges the device and turns it into a home-focused device to glance at information, display photos, and control smart home accessories.
If you haven't already listened to the last episode of The MacRumors Show, be sure to catch up for a deep dive into the second-generation AirPods Pro after a week spent with Apple's new earbuds.
Amazon's second major discount event of the year has kicked off, and in this article we're focusing on discounts and promotions on the best accessories for smartphones, tablets, smart homes, smartwatches, and more. You'll need an Amazon Prime membership to access the sale, and you can sign up for Prime on Amazon. There's a 30 day free trial, and the service costs $14.99/month thereafter, or $139/year.
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.
For a collection of discounts focused on Apple products, be sure to read our post on The Best Apple Deals during Prime Early Access.
Beats
Beats has multiple headphones and earbuds on sale during the Prime Early Access event. This includes the Beats Studio Buds for $99.95 (33% off), Beats Fit Pro for $159.95 (20% off), and more.
Anker
Anker is taking up to 44 percent off select charging accessories this week, including solid deals on USB-C chargers, portable chargers, and more. Eufy also has a few deals of its own among its health and security products, including its Smart Scale P2 Pro for $49.99, down from $79.99.
Satechi has a collection of notable discounts - up to 50 percent off - on its USB-C hubs, wireless chargers, and more desk accessories during the Prime Early Access Sale this year. You can find every accessory on sale below.
Ecobee is discounting its thermostats during Prime Early Access, including the Ecobee Smart Thermostat with Voice Control for $173.13, down from $219.99. Additionally, there's the Ecobee Smart Sensor for Doors and Windows for $59.99, down from $79.99.
Casetify
You can get 20 percent off Casetify's Essential Case for iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max during Prime Early Access. For previous generation devices, Casetify is offering 30 percent off its best-selling cases for iPhone 11, iPhone 12, and iPhone 13 on Amazon.
Totallee is offering 35 percent off for both days of the Prime Early Access Sale. This promotion includes savings across all of Totallee's accessories on Amazon, covering iPhone cases, screen protectors, and more.
Jabra
Jabra's range of Bluetooth headphones is seeing notable markdowns this week, with nearly a dozen products on sale.
Das Keyboard is offering its new Mac-specific mechanical keyboard, the MacTigr, for $179.00, down from $219.00 with the on-page coupon. You can also get the 5QS smart mechanical keyboard for $169.00, down from $199.00 with the on-page coupon.
We will continue to track Prime Early Access deals as the event continues, so be sure to keep an eye on our front page for more news. Remember that you can sign up for Amazon Prime for free for one month to take advantage of the deals.
In a few weeks, Apple will release iOS 16.1 for all compatible iPhones, marking the first major update to the iOS 16 operating system since its public release in September.
With iOS 16.1, Apple is bringing several new changes, features, and bug fixes to iPhone users. We've highlighted five noteworthy changes below. iOS 16.1 is currently still in beta testing with developers and public beta testers.
Live Activities
With iOS 16.1, Apple is enabling Live Activities on the redesigned iOS 16 Lock Screen and on the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 14 Pro. Live Activities are a new type of interactive notification that can dynamically display real-time information from apps without needing to open an app directly.
Uber, for example, can display a Live Activities notification on the iOS 16 Lock Screen to show the estimated time of arrival of a car. Sports apps will also be able to utilize Live Activities to showcase game scores in real time.
On the latest iPhone 14 Pro models, Live Activities are also integrated into the Dynamic Island, which allows users to see real-time information from apps as they use their phone. Live Activities are also shown on the Lock Screen in always-on display mode. Once iOS 16.1 is released to the public, apps will begin to adopt support for Live Activities.
Redesigned Battery Indicator
Over the summer, Apple added a battery percentage indicator to the status bar for iPhones with a notch. The initial version of the battery indicator included a battery icon that remained visually full, regardless of the iPhone's actual charge. In iOS 16.1, Apple is changing the behavior of the battery icon to accurately reflect the iPhone's charge level when the percentage is shown. iOS 16.1 also expands the battery indicator to more devices, including the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini.
Apple Fitness+ With Just an iPhone
Starting with iOS 16.1, iPhone users will be able to subscribe and use Apple Fitness+ without needing an Apple Watch. Fitness+ is a subscription from Apple that provides a wide catalog of workout videos and programs with different trainers. At launch, an Apple Watch was needed to use Fitness+ to display real-time metrics on the screen.
Clean Energy Charging Option
In iOS 16.1, Apple has added a new Clean Energy Charging Option that selectively charges the iPhone when lower carbon emission electricity is available in an effort to provide a more green charging method. Apple says the iPhone will still reach a full charge before it's needed based on a user's daily routine, and the feature can be toggled off if desired.
Pre-Load In-App Content
iOS 16.1 adds a new toggle for apps downloaded from the App Store that can automatically run newly downloaded apps in the background to download content before you first launch them. The new toggle is meant to make it faster for users to begin using an app immediately after downloading without waiting for the in-app content to load.
More
iOS 16.1 is the first major update to iOS 16, so as expected, several smaller but noteworthy changes and bug fixes are included in the update.
Redesigned Wallpaper section within Settings
Constant Copy and Paste prompt has been fixed
Includes the groundwork for the smart home standard Matter and Emergency SOS via Satellite
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.
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.
