We're just one week out from Amazon Prime Day, and today we're already tracking a big collection of deals from popular brands including Anker and Jackery on Amazon. These deals include portable power stations, which are high-capacity portable batteries that can provide backup power to a wide variety of devices, from laptops to RVs.
Note: 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.
For the Anker deals, you'll need to have a Prime membership in order to see some of these discounted prices, while others require an on-page coupon to be clipped before you see the final deal price. In regards to the Jackery discounts, some of these also require an on-page coupon in order to see the deal prices.
When you shoot video on iPhone 16 models, multiple formats like Spatial Audio and Stereo are recorded to allow more audio customization. If you record video with Spatial Audio turned on, you can later edit the video sound — to reduce background noise to focus on the person speaking on camera, for example.
Spatial Audio is automatically enabled on all iPhone 16 models when you record video. Spatial Audio produces a more realistic and immersive audio recording, but it also allows you to edit the sound of your video later in the Photos app using the new Audio Mix feature.
Audio Mix uses machine learning to identify and separate background audio and speech, allowing you to choose one of the following options to remix your video's sound:
Standard: Play the original audio you recorded.
In-Frame: Reduce sounds and voices from sources not visible in the video frame.
Studio: Reduce background sounds and reverb, to make it sound more like you’re recording in a professional studio.
Cinematic: Put all the voices onto a front-facing track and leave environmental noises in surround, like the audio in movies.
Editing With Audio Mix
The following steps show you how to edit the audio of a video captured on iPhone 16:
Open the Photos app on your iPhone.
Open a video, then tap the Edit icon (it looks like three sliders).
Tap Audio Mix, then choose one of the following: Standard, In-Frame, Studio, and Cinematic.
Drag the slider below the mix options to increase or decrease the effect and background noise levels.
Tap Done to finish.
That's all there is to it. On iPhone 16 models, when you record video with Spatial Audio or Stereo, wind noise is automatically reduced while recording. You can turn off this this setting by going to Settings ➝ Camera ➝ Record Sound, then turning off Wind Noise Reduction.
Apple's budget-friendly iPhone SE is set for a major overhaul with a fourth generation model expected to launch in spring 2025. The upcoming model will mark a significant departure from its predecessors, adopting several features from higher-end iPhones while maintaining its position as the most affordable new model in Apple's lineup.
According to recent reports, the iPhone SE 4 will sport a design reminiscent of the iPhone 14, featuring a larger 6.1-inch OLED display. This marks a substantial increase from the current model's 4.7-inch LCD screen and brings the SE line in line with Apple's flagship devices in terms of display technology.
The move to OLED is part of Apple's broader strategy to phase out LCD displays across its iPhone lineup. This shift will impact longstanding suppliers like Japan Display and Sharp, who have primarily provided LCD panels for previous SE models.
In terms of performance, the iPhone SE 4 is rumored to be powered by the A18 chip, which debuted in the iPhone 16 series last month. The device is also expected to make the switch from Touch ID to Face ID, marking the end of the road for the iPhone's physical Home button.
Other notable upgrades include:
USB-C port, replacing the Lightning connector.
Action button, a feature introduced with the iPhone 15 Pro.
Apple-designed 5G modem.
48MP rear camera, up from the current 12MP sensor.
8GB of RAM, double the current model's 4GB.
The increase in RAM is particularly significant, as it will enable the iPhone SE 4 to support Apple Intelligence, the company's suite of AI features, which are expected to begin rolling out with the release of iOS 18.1 later this month. This inclusion would make the SE 4 the most affordable iPhone capable of running these advanced AI features (something last year's standard iPhone 15 models are unable to do).
Despite these substantial upgrades, Apple is expected to maintain the iPhone SE's position as a budget-friendly option. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggests the device will likely be priced between $400 and $500, in line with previous models.
As for timing, multiple sources, including Gurman and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, point to a spring 2025 release. Given that all previous iPhone SE models were announced in March, a March 2025 launch seems highly probable. Apple suppliers are reportedly gearing up to begin mass production in October of this year, setting the stage for an early 2025 release.
One of the major new software-based camera features in the iPhone 16 models is support for a wider range of Photographic Styles, complete with more granular controls to make for a setup where you can create a customized look for all of your images.
Photographic Styles isn't a feature that's quite as easy to use as something as simple as a filter, so we thought we'd delve into how it works and how to get the most from it.
Available Photographic Styles
Photographic Styles aren't new, but with prior iPhone models, there were only four options: Rich Contrast, Vibrant, Warm, and Cool. On the iPhone 16, there are several more pre-set styles to choose from.
Cool Rose
Neutral
Rose Gold
Gold
Amber
Standard (No edits)
Vibrant
Natural
Luminous
Dramatic
Quiet
Cozy
Ethereal
Muted Black and White
Stark Black and White
All of the styles have varying Tone, Color, and Palette settings, that correspond to brightness, saturation, and effect intensity.
How Photographic Styles Work
According to Apple, on the iPhone 16 models, Photographic Styles adjust specific colors in select parts of your photos to adjust the overall look.
The first five Photographic Styles are tuned for skin undertones, including Cool Rose, Neutral, Amber, Rose Gold, and Gold. Cool Rose accentuates cool pinkish undertones, while neutral neutralizes warm undertones. Amber, Rose Gold, and Gold accentuate those specific tones. These can be fairly subtle, depending on the settings you choose.
Other Styles are closer to what you get with a filter, adding more dramatic effects that impact the mood of the image.
Setting Up and Customizing Your Style
When you've taken at least four photos with the iPhone 16 camera, you can go to Settings > Camera > Photographic Styles to set the base tone that you want to use for all of your images.
You can pick from the skin tone-focused options, which include Cool Rose, Neutral, Amber, Rose Gold, and Gold. You'll see the different effects across four images, and you can adjust the intensity to begin with.
After you've selected a favorite undertone, you can further refine the look by dragging a finger over the touchpad, which changes the brightness and saturation. The slider changes the overall intensity.
Once you've set your Photographic Style, it's automatically applied to all of your images and it is the default value for your photos.
If you want to turn it off, you can go to Settings > Camera > Photographic Styles > Reset to Standard.
Real-Time Previews
In the Camera app when you go take a photo, if you tap on the touchpad icon, you can select a different undertone or mood style. Swiping changes the Photographic Style, and the controls below can be used to customize the look.
The option to use customized Photographic Styles in real-time lets you preview what an image will look like with different effects before you even take it.
You can access Photographic Styles from the Camera Control button too. Press Camera Control once to open the Camera app, then light press to bring up the Camera Control menu. Swipe until you get to Styles or Tone, then light press again to select it. From there, you can make adjustments by swiping. To get back to the menu to select another option, use a light double press.
Editing After a Shot
You can add or adjust a Photographic Style after an image has been captured, so it's not something that you need to do in the moment. This is the first time that Apple has allowed Photographic Styles to be edited after the fact - earlier versions of this feature only allowed the Style to be applied when taking an image.
To edit a Photographic Style, go to the Photos app, tap on the three bars to enter the editing interface, and then tap on Styles. You can select any of the styles and then adjust it using the touchpad.
The touchpad's X axis adjusts color, while the Y axis adjusts tone. The slider adjusts overall intensity or Palette. A Tone setting of 0, a Color setting of 0, and a Palette setting of 0 result in a "Standard" photo that has no Photographic Style applied, so that's a good starting point to better understand exactly what each style is changing.
Adjusting the Color to the left desaturates, while dragging it to the right deepens color. Dragging Tone up makes the image brighter, while dragging it down makes it darker.
You can change the Photographic Style setting at any point, and it is a non-destructive edit so it's not permanent. If you want to get back to a normal, unedited photo, choose the Standard setting.
Photographic Styles are entirely distinct from the Photos app Adjust section where you can tweak exposure, brilliance, highlights and shadows, contrast, brightness, saturation, vibrance, warmth, tint, and more.
HEIF Only
If you have your iPhone set to take JPG images instead of HEIF, you won't be able to use Photographic Styles. You need to have HEIF turned on. In the Camera section of the Settings app, HEIF can be enabled by going to Formats and choosing "High Efficiency" instead of "Most Compatible."
Preserve Settings
By default, the Photographic Style that you set up using the Settings app will be used automatically. If you select a different Photographic Style when you're taking a photo, it will use that only until you close the Camera app.
If you want the Photographic Style you selected in the Camera app to be the new default, you need to go to Settings > Camera > Preserve Settings and toggle on Photographic Style. With this turned on, your iPhone will preserve your last used Photographic Style rather than reset to your default.
Photographic Styles and Older iPhones
Older iPhones do not support the new touchpad and adjustment settings for Photographic Styles, but if you take an image on an iPhone 16 and then edit it on an older phone, you can see the touchpad to make further adjustments.
Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser that was first introduced in March 2016. Apple designed Safari Technology Preview to allow users to test features that are planned for future release versions of the Safari browser.
Safari Technology Preview 204 includes fixes and updates for Accessibility, CSS, Forms, JavaScript, Service Workers, Web API, Web Driver, Web Extensions, and Web Inspector.
The current Safari Technology Preview release is compatible with machines running macOS Sonoma and macOS Sequoia, the newest version of the Mac operating system.
The Safari Technology Preview update is available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences or System Settings to anyone who has downloaded the browser from Apple's website. Complete release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website.
Apple's aim with Safari Technology Preview is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. Safari Technology Preview can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while it is designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download and use.
Fortnite creator Epic Games today filed a lawsuit against Google and Samsung, accusing the two companies of anticompetitive behavior that discourages Android users from downloading games and apps outside of the Google Play Store.
At issue is a Samsung feature called Auto Blocker, which is designed to prevent Galaxy devices from installing applications from unauthorized sources. Enabled by default, Samsung says that Auto Blocker keeps users safe from unknown apps and malware, but it does disable sideloading.
With Auto Blocker, when users attempt to install an app from an unknown or unauthorized source, they'll receive a pop-up alert letting them know that installation was prevented. Auto Blocker can be overridden during the setup of a Galaxy device, and there is also an option to temporarily remove it. Auto Blocker was first introduced last October, and Epic Games says that the feature is in fact a "coordinated effort" to block competition in app distribution.
"Auto Blocker cements the Google Play Store as the only viable way to get apps on Samsung devices, blocking every other store from competing on a level playing field," says Epic Games.
Epic Games is accusing Samsung and Google of creating Auto Blocker with the purpose of undermining the result of the Epic Games v. Google lawsuit, where a nine-member jury agreed that Google had an app store monopoly and that Google's agreements with OEMs were anticompetitive.
When speaking to journalists earlier today (via The Verge), Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said that he did not have proof that Google and Samsung had colluded on the Auto Blocker feature, but he is hoping to find evidence during the document discovery process. He also did not ask Samsung to make Epic Games an authorized source for games.
Further, Sweeney claimed that Epic was filing the lawsuit on behalf of all developers, and not just to get Epic Games special treatment. "If we'd fought Epic v. Apple and Epic v. Google solely on the basis of Epic getting special privileges, perhaps settlement discussions with Apple and Google might have been fruitful," said Sweeney. "But if we did that, we'd be selling out all developers."
Evidence from the Epic v. Apple trial suggests that Sweeney did, at that time, seek a special deal with Apple that would not have been available to all developers. In 2020, Sweeney wrote a letter to Apple asking for permission to add support for third-party payment processors in Fortnite, and it's only when Apple said no that Epic filed a lawsuit against Apple. When questioned about this letter at trial, Sweeney confirmed that he was seeking a special deal for Fortnite and would have accepted it even if Apple didn't offer the same deal to other developers.
Sweeney has suggested multiple times that the lawsuits Epic is filing against Apple, Google, and Samsung are for all developers, but realistically, Epic Games is looking out for its own interests.
Epic Games is aiming to have the court force Samsung to remove Auto Blocker as a default device setting. Samsung in a statement to The Verge said that Auto Blocker is a security and privacy feature that users can disable at any time. "We plan to vigorously contest Epic Game's baseless claims," said Samsung. Google called the lawsuit "meritless."
Verizon is currently experiencing a major outage that is affecting many customers across the U.S., including iPhone users. Affected users may be unable to send or receive phone calls, send or receive text messages, or use cellular data.
As a result of the network being down, many affected iPhone users are seeing "SOS" displayed in their device's status bar. In a support document, Apple says that an iPhone displays "SOS" when the device is not connected to a network, but it should still be possible to make emergency calls in the U.S., Australia, and Canada.
In a statement, Verizon said it is "aware of an issue impacting service for some customers" and working to identify and implement a fix.
With any iPhone 14 model or newer, you can use Apple's helpful Emergency SOS via satellite feature to text emergency services when you are in a supported area in the U.S. that lacks cellular and Wi-Fi coverage.
Update 5:00 p.m Eastern Time: Verizon has started restoring service for customers, though it could take some time for the carrier to resolve the issue for all users.
Update 7:18 p.m. Eastern Time: Verizon says the outage has been fully addressed, and all VZW customers should now have service.
Apple's iOS 18 update brings powerful new search functions to the Photos app, allowing you to find specific images with unprecedented precision. Here's how to make the most of its new capabilities.
In iOS 18, the key to effective searching in Photos is using natural language. Instead of simple keywords, try describing the photo you're looking for in detail. The app can now understand complex queries and find images based on specific elements within them.
For example, if you've previously identified friends and family using the People and Pets features, you can search for "Dad smiling" or "Snowy sleeping." The more specific you are, the better your results will be. You can even search for actions or emotions, like "kids laughing at swings" or "couple dancing at wedding."
The new search function is also pretty handy at finding objects and scenes. Try queries like "car next to lake" or "sunset over city skyline." You can combine multiple elements in your search, such as "yellow flowers in vase by window."
For food lovers, searches like "pizza with mushrooms" or "steak and chips on table" can help you find culinary inspirations from your photo library. When searching for people, you can now include details about their appearance or actions. "Mum in green hat with wine glass" or "Emma in wedding dress" are examples of how specific you can get.
The Photos app can even search within videos. If you remember a specific moment in a video but can't recall which one, try describing the scene. For instance, "baby crawling" or "fireworks over lake" can take you directly to that moment.
Note that for these advanced search features to work, the Photos app needs time to index your library. This process happens on your device to protect your privacy, so be patient if searches aren't immediately accurate after updating to iOS 18.
With practice, you'll find that the new search function in Photos can help you rediscover forgotten memories and locate specific images with ease. Don't be afraid to get creative with your searches – you might be surprised at what the app can find.
Today we're tracking big discounts across the entire M4 iPad Pro lineup on Amazon, with up to $200 in savings available during this sale. We're focusing on the Wi-Fi models of the 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro in this article, but you can also find numerous cellular tablets on sale at this time.
Note: 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.
Sale prices start at $929.00 for the 256GB Wi-Fi 11-inch M4 iPad Pro, down from $999.00, which is a solid second-best price on the tablet. Overall, you'll find every Wi-Fi model of both sizes available at a discount on Amazon, with multiple record low prices available on both tablets.
While a Chinese regulatory filing showed that all iPhone 16 models are rated for up to 45W charging speeds, tests have since shown that the devices do not actually charge this fast. However, there are still improvements.
ChargerLAB last week tested the iPhone 16 Pro Max with a variety of Apple and third-party chargers, and it found that the device achieved maximum sustained charging speeds of around 30W. In one image, the website showed the iPhone 16 Pro Max reaching a peak charging speed of 37W with Apple's 140W USB-C power adapter, but it is unclear how long the device kept charging at that speed. Overall, this seems to be an improvement over the reported 27W peak charging speed for iPhone 15 Pro models, but it is clear that iPhone 16 models are not actually reaching the theoretical 45W ceiling that was rumored.
PhoneArena saw similar results with the standard iPhone 16. In its review last week, it said the device reached a peak charging speed of 38W only when it was "under extremely heavy loads such as benchmark testing or playing games." The website said the iPhone 16 achieved a sustained charging speed of closer to 20W.
Apple merely says that all iPhone 16 models can achieve up to a 50% charge in around 30 minutes with a 20W or higher USB-C charger, which is exactly the same claim that it advertised for all iPhone 15 models.
All in all, just because all iPhone 16 models safely support the USB-C Power Delivery 3.0 protocol of 15V/3A = 45W, it has been proven that the devices do not actually charge at 45W speeds. The rumor was wrong, or at least misinterpreted. However, modestly faster charging speeds still seem to occur in certain scenarios.
In a social media post today, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that Apple will be making a donation of an undisclosed amount to Hurricane Helene relief efforts.
"We're thinking of all those facing the catastrophic aftermath of Hurricane Helene," said Cook. "Apple will be making a donation to help with relief efforts on the ground."
Hurricane Helene made landfall at Florida's Big Bend on late Thursday, before carrying on through several southeastern U.S. states such as Georgia and North Carolina, resulting in catastrophic damage and reportedly more than 100 deaths.
Apple has donated to the American Red Cross for hurricane relief efforts in the past.
Apple is retreating from its ambitious plans for wide theatrical movie releases after several of its high-budget films failed to meet box office expectations, Bloomberg reports.
Apple is believed to have initially set aside $1 billion annually to produce big-budget films for cinemas, aiming to compete with traditional Hollywood studios. The company's goal was ostensibly to release a series of blockbuster movies that could drive ticket sales, win prestigious awards, and elevate its profile in the film industry.
Films such as Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon, Ridley Scott's Napoleon, and Matthew Vaughn's Argylle were expected to perform strongly at the box office, but each delivered disappointing results. As a result, Apple is now said to be scaling back these plans with a growing emphasis on using limited theatrical windows to qualify for awards while primarily marketing its films as streaming titles.
One of the biggest signs of this shift was the cancellation of the wide global release of Wolfs, an action comedy starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt. The film had originally been slated for a broad theatrical debut in thousands of cinemas around the world. Instead, it was released in a limited number of theaters before becoming available for streaming on Apple TV+ on September 27.
Apple's leadership has reportedly been seeking to rein in costs across its entertainment division. While the company is said to remain committed to its $1 billion annual film budget, it will now focus on producing fewer high-budget films, reducing the number of theatrical releases, and scaling down the average production cost of its movies. According to sources familiar with the company's plans, Apple will continue to produce about a dozen films per year, most with budgets under $100 million.
Only one or two major titles each year will be given larger budgets and wide theatrical releases, such as the upcoming film F1, starring Brad Pitt, which is set for a global release in June 2025. F1 is expected to be Apple's most expensive movie to date, with a reported production budget of over $300 million.
The slow death of the Beddit sleep monitoring accessory continues.
Apple last week removed the iPhone apps for Beddit models 3.0 and 3.5 from the App Store, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris.
Apple acquired Beddit in 2017, and it has gradually reduced hardware and software capabilities and support for the accessory since. Apple removed cloud syncing from the original Beddit app in 2018, released an updated version of the accessory with fewer features in 2019, and stopped selling the accessory entirely in 2022.
Beddit's thin, flexible sensor strip could be placed on a mattress for sleep tracking purposes. It is likely that Apple acquired Beddit to bolster development of sleep tracking on the Apple Watch, which debuted as part of watchOS 7 in 2020.
We have not confirmed if the Beddit apps still function for existing customers.
Apple has reportedly exited negotiations to invest in OpenAI, the company behind the popular ChatGPT AI chatbot, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Apple had been in discussions to participate in a funding round for OpenAI that is expected to raise approximately $6.5 billion. However, Apple recently dropped out of the talks for reasons that remain unclear. The funding round is set to close this week.
The development comes just a month after WSJ reported that Apple was considering an investment in OpenAI as part of a fundraising effort that could value the AI company at over $100 billion. The high valuation reflects the intense competition in the artificial intelligence sector that OpenAI helped ignite with ChatGPT's launch in late 2022.
While Apple has stepped away, other major tech companies remain involved. Microsoft, which has already invested $13 billion in OpenAI, is expected to contribute about $1 billion to this latest round. Nvidia is also reportedly in talks to participate.
The news of Apple's withdrawal may surprise some, given the company's recent moves in the AI space. Apple previously announced plans to integrate ChatGPT into Siri on iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia later this year. This integration will allow Siri to display ChatGPT responses directly with user permission. However, recent reports of turmoil within OpenAI's ranks as it pursues a for-profit structure, may have factored into Apple's decision not to pursue the investment.
That said, Apple's planned ChatGPT integration for its platforms is still expected to proceed before the end of the year. The company has said that iPhone, iPad, and Mac users will be able to use ChatGPT for free without creating an account, while ChatGPT Plus subscribers will be able to access paid features on Apple devices.
Apple could release an iPad-like smart home accessory based on its homeOS platform as early as next year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman reports that the display will run Apple apps like Calendar, Notes, and Home, and will feature an interface "optimized for controlling home appliances and quickly seeing information."
Apple's existing Apple TV and HomePod lineup already offer home hub functionality, but crucially lack the hardware to run AI models. In contrast, Apple Intelligence will be central to the new home accessory, which is actually a "lower-end companion" to a $1,000+ robotic device for the home, writes Gurman.
Similar devices have been rumored for some time. Prototype designs are said to have resembled a HomePod with a screen (magnetically attaching to walls or sitting atop a desk), and an iPad-like display mounted on a robotic arm. Both accessories are said to be collaborations between Apple's AI and home device hardware engineering groups.
Backend code discovered by MacRumors in January suggested that Apple was continuing work on a homeOS platform, as a variant of tvOS. Another code reference finding in June subsequently confirmed the existence of at least one unreleased home accessory.
More recently, 9to5Mac has claimed that the lower-end smart home device features a "squarish display", an A18 chip, and a built-in camera for FaceTime. The device apparently supports AirPlay, is able to identify hand gestures from afar, and can tell one person apart from another for personalized requests. 9to5Mac says Apple could release the home product as early as next spring.
Apple last week released the AirPods 4, and one version of the new earbuds has Active Noise Cancellation included. ANC means the AirPods 4 have a feature set that rivals the AirPods Pro 2, so we thought we'd compare the two for those undecided on which to get.
The AirPods 4 are Apple's first open-ear earbuds to include ANC, and the major difference between the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4 is the silicone tips. The AirPods Pro 2 have silicone tips for a tighter seal in the ear, while the AirPods 4 don't.
You're not going to get the same level of ANC with the AirPods 4 that you get with the AirPods Pro 2 because there's no sealing mechanism to block out noise, but the AirPods 4 still perform impressively well. The new earbuds are able to cut down on plane and road noise even without the tight ear seal.
Sound quality is about the same because the AirPods 4 now have the same H2 chip as the AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods 4 have a much smaller case than the AirPods Pro 2, but both cases have a speaker that can play a sound when you need to track them down using Find My. MagSafe wireless charging is exclusive to the AirPods Pro 2, though. The AirPods 4 with ANC can wirelessly charge, but not with the strong magnetic connection available with the AirPods Pro.
There are a few other differences that are worth knowing about, which we go over in the video above.
Choosing between the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4 with ANC mostly comes down to fit. For some people, the silicone tips for the AirPods Pro 2 are more comfortable, and others find an open-ear design to be better for long wear. Price is also a factor, as the AirPods Pro 4 with ANC are $179 and the AirPods Pro 2 are $249. Of course, if you don't need ANC at all, you can get the AirPods 4 without ANC for $129.
Let us know which earbuds you prefer in the comments below.
Apple's latest devices have been in users' hands for about a week now, so the latest features and upgrades are getting thoroughly tested as users figure out how best to take advantage of the improvements.
We're also still looking forward to additional enhancements like Apple Intelligence features coming in future software updates, while we took a look back at a long-term feature Apple launched with last year's iPhone models to see how it held up over the past year, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!
iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro: How to Use All the New Features
Apple's 80% Charging Limit for iPhone: How Much Did It Help After a Year?
With the iPhone 15 models that came out last year, Apple added an opt-in battery setting that limits maximum charge to 80 percent. The idea is that never charging the iPhone above 80 percent will increase battery longevity, so we ran a long-term test keeping a daily driver iPhone at that 80 percent limit from September 2023 to now, with no cheating.
Battery health definitely still took a drop over that yearlong period even with the limit engaged, but check out our report for the details and how it compared to other iPhones that didn't use the limit.
Apple Seeds Fifth Developer Betas of iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 With Apple Intelligence
While iOS is the star of the show for each round of operating system updates given the popularity of the iPhone, Apple's other platforms also see significant updates most years.
This year is no exception, so we've put together a list of 25 new features in watchOS 11 that you may have missed. They range from new health and fitness features to entirely new apps and brand-new functionality, so be sure to check out the list.
iPhone 16's 'Revolutionary' Battery Removal Process Shown in Video
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus include a clever new technology to assist in battery repairs, and that's the ability to use low-voltage electrical current to loosen the adhesive that holds the battery in, allowing a depleted battery to be easily removed and replaced.
The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max do not include this technology, instead relying on the traditional stretch-release adhesive to secure their batteries, though the smaller iPhone 16 Pro includes a metal-enclosed battery for the first time rather than a foil-wrapped one.
Apple Announces iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Come to These Additional U.S. States
Following through on a previous announcement from Apple, California last week became the seventh U.S. state to support digital driver's licenses and IDs in Apple Wallet, rolling out its mDL pilot program to iOS. The feature is also currently supported in Arizona, Maryland, Colorado, Georgia, Ohio, and Hawaii.
In addition, Apple announced that Montana, New Mexico, and West Virginia have signed on to support the feature. A time frame for those new states is unclear, as it has been several years since other states like Connecticut, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Utah were announced as planning to support it but have yet to do so.
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.
With the iPhone 16 lineup, Apple brought the Action Button to all four devices, expanding it from the Pro-only limitation last year. At the same time, there's a new Camera Control button that eliminates the need to activate the camera with the Action Button, which was one of the major useful functions. At the same time, there are new Control Center options that you can set to the Action Button, expanding what's possible.
This guide goes over what you can do with the Action Button with an iPhone 16 and iOS 18, and it may be useful to help you find something new to use it for.
Base Functions
Since the Action Button has been around since last year, Apple has several base functions that could be assigned to it.
Silent Mode - This toggles Silent Mode on and off, and it's the one-to-one replacement for the prior mute switch. This is useful if you often want to turn on sound and have the option to turn it off, but if you're a silent all the time person, it's not that functional.
Focus - You can set the Action Button to toggle on any Focus mode that you've set up. This is a good option if you've got a Do Not Disturb type of Focus that you like to turn off and on throughout the day. Of course, Focus modes can also be set to turn on and off at specific times instead, so that's able to be automated in other ways.
Camera - If you have an iPhone 16 with the Camera Control button, there's no need to set the Action Button to open the Camera, unless you want it to do something like open the selfie camera while the Camera Control button opens the rear camera. It's easy to swap camera modes from the Camera Control button or the Camera app once it's open, though.
Flashlight - Flashlight is potentially one of the more useful Action Button settings if you regularly use the Flashlight function in the dark. Prior to iOS 18, the Flashlight was a mandatory Lock Screen button, but that's no longer the case. You can set other functions to the Lock Screen now, so it can make more sense to move the Flashlight to the Action Button depending on how often you use it.
Voice Memos - Setting the Action Button to Voice Memo starts a recording when you press the button the first time, and stops it with a second press. In iOS 18, you can get transcriptions of Voice Memos, which adds a lot more functionality. If you want to record class lectures, interviews, or meetings regularly, setting Voice Memos to the Action Button might be your best bet.
Recognize Music - This basically activates Shazam to tell you what music is playing around you. Unless you're using Shazam all the time, this is probably better to activate from Control Center.
Translate - When you press the Action Button with Translate set, it'll automatically listen to what's being said and then provide a translation. You'll need to select your languages in the Translate app, but after that, it doesn't open up a full app. It's a quick access interface where you can get a translation and even have that translation spoken aloud. There are some limitations on languages, but if you're traveling to a country where one of the available languages is spoken, this one's a super useful way to take advantage of the Action Button.
Magnifier - Magnifier opens up the Camera app and lets you set a zoom level so you can magnify small text. You can change brightness and contrast for better viewing, and put on the flash if it's dark. If you have eyesight issues and trouble with text that's too small, Magnifier has the potential to be helpful, and you'll probably need it often enough to justify assigning it to the Action Button.
Accessibility - You can set the Action Button to any Accessibility feature. There are a long list of options, but some of the more useful ones to use with a quick access toggle include Zoom, VoiceOver, Voice Control, Apple Watch Mirroring, Background Sounds, Conversation Boost, Live Speech, and Guided Access.
No Action - Don't want to use the Action Button? Setting it to No Action means it won't do anything when it's pressed.
Shortcuts
You can set any Shortcut to be activated with the Action Button using the "Shortcuts" setting, and that's how some people get the most out of the feature. You can create a Shortcut that brings up several different apps and functions.
The "Super Action Button" shortcut, for example, opens up a menu where you can choose from options like taking a screenshot, turning on the flashlight, creating a Reminder, starting a Voice Memo, opening Apple Maps, creating a Calendar event, scanning a document, and more.
You can find a bunch of these online on Reddit or the MacRumors forums, or you can create your own with the functions that you want to access quickly.
Third-party apps that have Shortcuts created by developers will also show up in the Action Button Shortcuts section, so if you want to have the Action Button do something like open a book in Audible or create a to-do in Things, you would set that up with the Shortcuts app. Here are a few first and third-party app Shortcuts that might be useful:
ChatGPT - Ask ChatGPT a question that you type in, or start a voice conversation.
Audible - Read a book or set a sleep timer.
Clock - Set a timer.
Files - Scan a document.
Google - Start a Google search or a voice search.
Music - Play music from your Apple Music library or a radio station.
Remote - Activate the Remote Control feature for Apple TV.
Open an app - Set the Action Button to open any app you have installed.
What you have available for the Shortcuts Action Button option will depend on which apps you have installed and which Siri Shortcut features they've implemented. Note that this setting is distinct from the Control Center controls that you can also assign to the Action Button.
To make things more confusing, there are different app actions in the Shortcuts app that aren't available in the Action Button settings unless you've previously set them up. You can, for example, have the Action Button launch an Amazon search, but only if you have set up a Shortcut for that function.
So if there's something that you want to do that you're not seeing from the Shortcuts interface in the Action Button Settings, head over to the Shortcuts app, tap on the "+" button and go through the different app options there. If you find an app feature you want to use, like activating a Hue lighting scene, set that as a Shortcut and then you can assign it to the Action Button.
Along with these simple app options that you already have available, you can download any Shortcut from the Shortcuts Gallery or the internet and add that to the Action Button.
Controls
So in iOS 18, Apple opened up the Control Center to third-party app developers, and also added more first-party Control Center options. Some of those new Control Center features can be set to the Action Button, and you'll find them under the Controls section when you're deciding on a function for your Action Button.
There are some Control Center controls that just aren't available. There's no option for turning on Low Power Mode with a Control Center option for the Action Button. You can set the Action Button to activate Low Power Mode, but you need to do it with Shortcuts.
You can also do things like turn off Cellular connectivity, but not Wi-Fi, even though both of those are Control Center toggles.
The distinction between Shortcuts and Controls is pretty confusing, especially with arbitrary restrictions like that. Some of the available Control Center toggles:
Open an app like Instagram or Halide to the camera
Toggle on Airplane mode
Turn off cellular data
Open the Home app
Start a Quick Note
Third-party controls are also present, and a lot of them mirror what you can do with their Shortcuts. But some apps might have Control Center controls and not Shortcuts, or there may be differences between what's available. Shortcuts generally have more options available.
Lock Screen Controls
Keep in mind that you can also set different Control Center controls to the Lock Screen now since the Camera and Flashlight options can be swapped out. It might make more sense to set a Control Center action to the Lock Screen so you can free up the Action Button for something else.
Share Your Action Button Setup
What do you use the Action Button for? Let us know in the comments below if you've come up with something clever.
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Note: 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.
