MacRumors

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Woolnut to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a Leather Tech Organizer, which is perfect for wrangling all kinds of accessories like power adapters, cables, power banks, AirPods, AirTags, SD cards, Apple Pencil, and anything else you might like to carry alongside an iPad or a MacBook.

Priced at 105 euros (~$121), the Tech Organizer comes in Black, Cognac, Green, and Blue leather options, and it uses full-grain leather from Scandinavia that will age over time and develop a unique patina. The Tech Organizer opens up folio style, and both halves are rife with straps and pockets for holding various accessories.

There are two main stretch mesh straps that can hold a power adapter big enough for the 16-inch MacBook Pro along with smaller accessories like AirPods and flash drives. A small loop at the bottom is able to hold an ‌Apple Pencil‌ or a regular writing implement, and there's a little zip pouch that can be used for smaller items. Inside the zip pouch, there's a slot for an AirTag or an SD card.

A strap in the middle is able to wrangle cords, and then the other side houses two pockets that are big enough to hold large cables, mice, and other similar-sized products. The inside is all lined with a recycled taffeta polyester material, and the whole thing zips up with a smooth, high-quality YKK zipper to keep everything enclosed and protected.

The Leather Tech Organizer is the ideal size to tuck into a backpack or a bag, and it can also be carried on its own. It measures in at 8.5 inches long, 5.3 inches wide, and 2 inches tall, and it weighs 8.8 ounces.

We have five of the Leather Tech Organizers from Woolnut to give away to MacRumors readers. To enter to win, use the Gleam.io widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

The contest will run from today (October 15) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on October 22. The winners will be chosen randomly on October 22 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.

The Apple Watch Series 7 models lack a diagnostic port under the band, which means Apple has to use another means to troubleshoot and restore Apple Watches that come in for repair.

Apple Watch Series 7 models are equipped with a module that enables 60.5GHz wireless data transfer as we discovered in FCC documents in September, with that data transfer capability designed to be used with a proprietary magnetic dock.

The dock was mentioned in one of the FCC filings, but we didn't have a clear visual of it until now. Brazilian regulatory agency Anatel has approved the Apple Watch Series 7 models and provided photos of the dock that Apple is using internally, with the information shared by Brazilian site MacMagazine.

The Apple Watch Series 7 dock is clearly designed for diagnostics, and it has a two piece construction. An Apple Watch charging puck fits into the bottom piece, and then a second piece housing the Apple Watch itself fits over that and aligns with bolts.

Prior to the Apple Watch Series 7, Apple included a diagnostic port on Apple Watch models, with the port hidden under the band. It's not clear why Apple has shifted to wireless diagnostics, and it's also not known how fast the wireless data transfer is. It likely uses USB 2.0 with speeds up to 480Mb/s.

There is no word on whether the wireless data module added to the Apple Watch Series 7 could ever have a consumer-facing application, but for now, it's for Apple's internal use only.

DailySteals today has a notable sale on the AirTag 4-Pack, available for $89.00 with code ADSTAG, down from $99.00. This is just the second deal we've ever tracked on the AirTag 4-Pack, and it's beating Woot's sale from earlier this month by about $5.

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.

You'll need to add the accessory pack to your cart and then enter the code ADSTAG at the checkout screen to see this deal. The AirTag 4-Pack is in stock today and ready to ship, and DailySteals is offering free shipping (3-7 business days).

Additionally, these are brand new AirTags and are not used or refurbished. Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

Apple's redesigned MacBook Pro models could feature a notch containing the webcam, according to a sketchy last-minute rumor that is circulating online.

The rumor appears to have originated from a Weibo user in China, who stipulates that the redesigned ‌MacBook Pro‌ will feature a notch. It apparently has a size "similar to iPhone 12." The Twitter user known as "DuanRui," who often shares information about Apple's plans from Weibo, suggested that the rumor could simply be a joke. That being said, a Reddit user with no track-record, who professes to have spoken with supply chain sources, has now made the same claim.

The Reddit post says that the new ‌MacBook Pro‌ will feature a standard-sized notch rather than the smaller one from the ‌iPhone‌ 13 lineup. Instead of containing a Face ID TrueDepth camera like on the ‌iPhone‌, the ‌MacBook Pro‌'s notch apparently houses a 1080p webcam, a True Tone sensor, and a microphone.

Even with a notch out of the top of the display, Apple is said to have been unable to give the ‌MacBook Pro‌ four borders with equal width. This notch design is also apparently set to come to 2022's redesigned MacBook Air.

Although the claim may seem laughable at first, the Redditor highlighted MacRumors' finding that the new 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pros will feature resolutions of 3024 by 1964 and 3456 by 2234. When subtracting 74 pixels from the height of both, the 3024 by 1890 and 3456 by 2160 is equivalent to an aspect ratio of 16:10. All of Apple's current MacBooks feature an aspect ratio of 16:10, so with the allowance of 74 pixels in height for a notch, this point does seem to be plausible.

Huge questions remain around how macOS would handle a notch, since it would clearly eat into the Menu Bar, and it seems baffling that Apple would give the ‌MacBook Pro‌ a notch while withholding Face ID and equally sized bezels.

Another rumor mentioned in the Reddit post and on Weibo claims that the entire keyboard area of the new MacBook Pros is black, rather than just the keys, in what is "probably the biggest visual change on the keyboard since the Unibody redesigns over a decade ago." There is also the not-unreasonable assertion that the MacBook Pros will be getting thicker and feature larger fans.

This is a rumor from unproven sources, but it is worth noting that the Apple rumor-mill has been blindsided before, such as with the last-minute claim that the Apple Watch Series 7 would feature the same rounded design of the Apple Watch Series 6, which was derided by observers online but ultimately turned out to be true.

The notch has become something of a brand icon for Apple, making recent-generation iPhones highly recognizable. The design feature has criticized for being inelegant by some users, and if it turns out to be correct, the notch coming to the ‌MacBook Pro‌ would likely be a source of derision for a device that has otherwise been highly anticipated.

The new ‌MacBook Pro‌ models are widely expected to be announced on Monday, 18 October at Apple's "Unleashed" event.

Today we're tracking solid discounts on the 2021 iPad Pro in both 11-inch and 12.9-inch configurations. You'll have a chance to save up to $100 on these models, and this sale includes both Wi-Fi only tablets and cellular models.

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.

Starting with the 256GB Wi-Fi 11-inch iPad Pro, you can get this tablet for $799.99, down from $899.00. This is a match of the record low price on this model of the 2021 11-inch iPad Pro, and it's only available on Amazon this week.

Secondly, the 512GB Wi-Fi 11-inch iPad Pro is priced at $999.99, down from $1,099.00. This is another all-time low price, and only Amazon is offering the discount at this time.

Cellular models start at $899.99 for the 128GB 11-inch iPad Pro, down from $999.00; and rise to $999.99 for the 256GB tablet, down from $1,099.00. For the 128GB model, only Silver is in stock at this time.

There are fewer options for discounts on the larger 12.9-inch iPad Pro, but Amazon does have the 128GB Wi-Fi 12.9-inch iPad Pro for $999.00, down from $1,099.00. This sale is a match of the all-time low price on this version of the iPad Pro, and it's being matched at B&H Photo this week.

The 12.9-inch iPad Pro Magic Keyboard (2021) also remains on sale this week. You can get the accessory for $324.88, down from $349.00 in Black, which is an Amazon all-time low.

For even more iPad deals, head to our full Best Deals guide for iPad. In that guide we track the best discounts online for iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro.

Apple is hosting a virtual event on Monday at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, with rumors widely suggesting the event will be focused on redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with a faster version of the M1 chip, brighter mini-LED displays, and more.

In an investor note with Wedbush today, shared with MacRumors, analyst Dan Ives said third-generation AirPods will likely be announced at the event as well. The new AirPods are rumored to feature a similar design as the AirPods Pro, but without Active Noise Cancellation, and they could have improved sound quality and some other new features.

The third-generation AirPods have already been manufactured and are ready to launch, according to Wedbush's supply chain checks, which increases the likelihood that they will be announced during the Apple Event next week.

Earlier this week, an account on Chinese social media platform Weibo known as @PandaIsBald also claimed that third-generation AirPods will be announced at the Apple Event next week. Last month, the same account accurately revealed that Apple would announce the ninth-generation iPad at its September event.

This would be the first update to the standard AirPods since the second-generation AirPods were released in March 2019. The second-generation AirPods are priced at $159 with a wired charging case and at $199 with a wireless charging case.

An update to the AirPods Pro is not expected until next year.

Ahead of Monday's Apple event, which is expected to include the much-awaited launch of brand new 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pros, Intel is continuing its long-running campaign to try and convince Mac users to switch to Intel-based PCs.

Last week, Intel released a video as part of its PC vs. Mac campaign that featured "Apple fans" introduced to different Intel computers and all of their features. During the four-minute video, Intel attempted to paint Apple consumers as oblivious to "innovations" made by companies besides Apple, including "touch screen" laptops.

Continuing its streak, yesterday, the official Intel account tweeted out, "Confessions of former Mac users. What made you #GoPC?" Instead of former Mac users engaging with the tweet on reasons they switched to PC, the tweet instead includes replies of current Mac users poking fun at Intel's "desperate" marketing attempts. One comment reads, "Just admit it: you're just pissed that Apple ditched you and designed a way better processor by themselves."

Other replies include Apple users trolling Intel, with one stating "You're not invited" with a picture of the upcoming "Unleashed" event invitation. One reply, in Intel's defense, says that Apple is "a low performance luxury brand with overpriced hardware and a lesser ecosystem because its closed."

Ironically, while Intel goes on the defense, Apple still sells Mac computers powered by Intel processors. After Monday's "Unleashed" event, the higher-end MacBook Pro will no longer be Intel-based and will officially switch to Apple silicon, but other Macs such as the 27-inch iMac and Mac Pro still feature Intel processors.

Apple officially embarked on its transition to Apple silicon in November of last year, and the company is expected to fully move all of its Mac computers away from Intel next year.

Parallels Desktop 17.1 for Mac has just been released, offering improved support for Windows 11 virtual machines and added stability via the default implementation of Virtual Trusted Platform Modules (vTPMs) for "all future and past Windows 11 VMs." Parallels 17.1 also fully supports macOS Monterey as a host OS and improves the user experience when running macOS Monterey in a VM on M1 Macs.

Windows 11 requires a hardware-based TPM chip to run, which limits the software's compatibility with older PC computers and prevents it from running via Boot Camp on Intel Macs. Meanwhile there is no Boot Camp feature on Macs with Apple silicon, and the ARM-based version of Windows 11 is not natively supported.

By introducing default support for vTPMs, Parallels offers automatic Windows 11 compatibility with Intel Macs and Apple Silicon Macs, with the proviso that owners of the latter are using Insider Preview builds of Windows 11 for ARM machines.

"Knowing that Parallels Desktop plays a critical role in enabling users to run the latest versions of Windows on their favorite Mac device today, we've developed a simple solution to help all users upgrade to Windows 11 with the enablement of vTPMs by default on all Mac devices," said Elena Koryakina, Vice President of Engineering at Parallels.

There has been continuing uncertainty surrounding the feasibility of running Windows 11 on ‌Apple Silicon‌ Macs via virtualization software, particularly in light of comments from Microsoft suggesting that virtualization is not a supported scenario for its latest operating system, as well as the subsequent release of Insider Builds that break virtualization. There are still specific requirements to be aware of when running Windows 11 on both Apple ‌M1‌ and Intel-based Mac computers, which Parallels has detailed in a blog post, but this latest update should assuage concerns of some Parallels users.

In addition to automatic vTPM support, version 17.1 allows users to install Parallels Tools in a macOS Monterey VM on Apple ‌M1‌ Mac and use the Copy and Paste integrated feature between the VM and the primary macOS. The default virtual machine disk size has also been increased from 32GB to 64GB.

This version of Parallels also improves graphics for several Windows games including, but not limited to: World of Warcraft, Age of Empires 2 Definitive Edition, Tomb Raider 3, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, World of Tanks, and Raft.

Lastly, there is added support for VirGL in Virtio GPU, which enables Linux 3D acceleration out of the box on all supported Mac computers, brings visual performance improvements, as well as use of Wayland protocol in Linux VMs. VirGL 3D graphics can be used by modern Linux VMs even without Parallels Tools being installed, but Parallels recommends users install Parallels Tools anyway.

Parallels Desktop 17 has moved entirely to a subscription model, which means the standard edition costs $79.99 per year, while Pro and Business Editions are available for $99.99 per year. Users who purchased a perpetual license for an earlier version of Parallels Desktop can upgrade to Parallels Desktop 17 for $49.99. A free trial is available to download from the Parallels website.

WhatsApp end-to-end encrypted backups are now rolling out for iPhone users, Facebook has announced. Until now, WhatsApp let users back up their chat history to ‌‌iCloud‌‌, but the messages and media contained in the backups weren't protected by WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption while in ‌‌Apple's cloud servers‌.

Since Apple holds the encryption keys for ‌‌iCloud‌‌ Backup, a subpoena of Apple or an unauthorized ‌‌iCloud‌‌ hack could have potentially allowed access to WhatsApp messages backed up there. Apple was reportedly pressured to not add encryption to ‌‌iCloud‌‌ Backups after the FBI complained.

Going forward, however, users can create a password or 64-bit key to protect their backup in cloud-based storage, whether they're saved in ‌iCloud‌ or Google Drive.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg made the announcement, saying that users can generate a password of their choice or a 64-digit encryption key that only they know in order to access their WhatsApp chat backups.

While end-to-end encrypted messages you send and receive are stored on your device, many people also want a way to back up their chats in case they lose their phone. Starting today, we are making available an extra, optional layer of security to protect backups stored on Google Drive or iCloud with end-to-end encryption. No other global messaging service at this scale provides this level of security for their users' messages, media, voice messages, video calls, and chat backups.

You can now secure your end-to-end encrypted backup with either a password of your choice or a 64-digit encryption key that only you know. Neither WhatsApp nor your backup service provider will be able to read your backups or access the key required to unlock it.

The encrypted chat backups feature will gradually be rolled out to more than two billion users on Android and iOS, and will be available in every market where WhatsApp is operational, which could put the company at odds with some governments.

• How to End-to-End Encrypt Your WhatsApp Chat Backups in iCloud

Notably, Apple is not making its upcoming ‌‌iCloud‌‌+ Private Relay encrypted browsing feature available to users living under certain authoritarian regimes, including China, Belarus, Colombia, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkmenistan, Uganda, and the Philippines. According to Apple, "regulatory reasons" are preventing the Private Relay feature from launching in those countries.

More than a dozen prominent cybersecurity experts hit out at Apple on Thursday for relying on "dangerous technology" in its controversial plan to detect child sexual abuse images on iPhones (via The New York Times).

The damning criticism came in a new 46-page study by researchers that looked at plans by Apple and the European Union to monitor people's phones for illicit material, and called the efforts ineffective and dangerous strategies that would embolden government surveillance.

Announced in August, the planned features include client-side (i.e. on-device) scanning of users' iCloud Photos libraries for Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), Communication Safety to warn children and their parents when receiving or sending sexually explicit photos, and expanded CSAM guidance in Siri and Search.

According to the researchers, documents released by the European Union suggest that the bloc's governing body are seeking a similar program that would scan encrypted phones for both child sexual abuse as well as signs of organized crime and terrorist-related imagery.

"It should be a national-security priority to resist attempts to spy on and influence law-abiding citizens," said the researchers, who added they were publishing their findings now to inform the European Union of the dangers of its plan.

"The expansion of the surveillance powers of the state really is passing a red line," said Ross Anderson, a professor of security engineering at the University of Cambridge and a member of the group.

Aside from surveillance concerns, the researchers said, their findings indicated that the technology was not effective at identifying images of child sexual abuse. Within days of Apple's announcement, they said, people had pointed out ways to avoid detection by editing the images slightly.

"It's allowing scanning of a personal private device without any probable cause for anything illegitimate being done," added another member of the group, Susan Landau, a professor of cybersecurity and policy at Tufts University. "It's extraordinarily dangerous. It's dangerous for business, national security, for public safety and for privacy."

The cybersecurity researchers said they had begun their study before Apple's announcement, and were publishing their findings now to inform the European Union of the dangers of its own similar plans.

Apple has faced significant criticism from privacy advocates, security researchers, cryptography experts, academics, politicians, and even employees within the company for its decision to deploy the technology in a future update to iOS 15 and iPadOS 15.

Apple initially endeavored to dispel misunderstandings and reassure users by releasing detailed information, sharing FAQs, various new documents, interviews with company executives, and more in order to allay concerns.

However, when it became clear that this wasn't having the intended effect, Apple subsequently acknowledged the negative feedback and announced in September a delay to the rollout of the features to give the company time to make "improvements" to the CSAM system, although it's not clear what they would involve and how they would address concerns.

Apple has also said it would refuse demands by authoritarian governments to expand the image-detection system beyond pictures of children flagged by recognized databases of child sex abuse material, although it has not said that it would pull out of a market rather than obeying a court order.

The Apple Watch Series 7 includes a new charging architecture that allows it to refuel up to 33% faster than the Series 6, charging from 0 to 80% in 45 minutes.

The fast-charging capability requires a new USB-C charging cable that Apple includes in the box with the watch and also sells separately, but until now Apple hasn't provided details on what wattage of power adapter is required for fast charging. Apple no longer includes a power adapter in the box with the Apple Watch, so users will need to provide their own.

In a new support document published today just as the first Apple Watch Series 7 orders have started arriving, Apple reveals that any of its USB-C power adapters rated at 18 watts or higher will support fast charging on the new watch. In addition, third-party USB-C adapters rated at 5 watts or higher will allow for fast charging as long as they support the USB Power Delivery (USB-PD) protocol.

Fast charging requires an Apple USB-C Magnetic Fast Charging Cable. This cable has aluminum around the magnetic charger and a USB-C connector.

You also need one of these power adapters:

• Apple 18W, 20W, 29W, 30W, 61W, 87W, or 96W USB-C Power Adapter
• A comparable third-party USB-C power adapter that supports USB Power Delivery (USB-PD) of 5W or greater

Apple says that fast charging is not available in Argentina, India, or Vietnam, but the company has not offered a reason for this limitation.

Apple's second fall event is coming up and is set to take place on Monday, October 18 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. As with Apple's last several events, "Unleashed" will be digital only and streamed online. It is expected to focus on the MacBook Pro models, which many Apple fans are eagerly awaiting.

This how to offers details on how you can watch the event and when it will take place in your time zone so you make sure not to miss a thing.

When to Watch the Apple Event

• Honolulu, Hawaii -- 7:00 a.m. HAST
• Anchorage, Alaska -- 9:00 a.m. AKDT
• Cupertino, California -- 10:00 a.m. PDT
• Phoenix, Arizona -- 10:00 a.m. MST
• Vancouver, Canada -- 10:00 a.m. PDT
• Denver, Colorado -- 11:00 a.m. MDT
• Dallas, Texas -- 12:00 noon CDT
• New York, New York -- 1:00 p.m. EDT
• Toronto, Canada -- 1:00 p.m. EDT
• Halifax, Canada -- 2:00 p.m. ADT
• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil -- 2:00 p.m. BRT
• London, United Kingdom -- 6:00 p.m. BST
• Berlin, Germany -- 7:00 p.m. CEST
• Paris, France -- 7:00 p.m. CEST
• Cape Town, South Africa -- 7:00 p.m. SAST
• Moscow, Russia -- 8:00 p.m. MSK
• Helsinki, Finland -- 8:00 p.m. EEST
• Istanbul, Turkey -- 8:00 p.m. TRT
• Dubai, United Arab Emirates -- 9:00 p.m. GST
• Delhi, India -- 10:30 p.m. IST
• Jakarta, Indonesia -- 12:00 a.m. WIB next day
• Shanghai, China -- 1:00 a.m. CST next day
• Singapore -- 1:00 a.m. SGT next day
• Perth, Australia -- 1:00 a.m. AWST next day
• Hong Kong -- 1:00 a.m. HKT next day
• Seoul, South Korea -- 2:00 a.m. KST next day
• Tokyo, Japan -- 2:00 a.m. JST next day
• Adelaide, Australia -- 3:30 a.m. ACDT next day
• Sydney, Australia -- 4:00 a.m. AEDT next day
• Auckland, New Zealand -- 6:00 a.m. NZDT next day

How to Watch With the Apple Events Website

The Apple Events website can be accessed from any web browser, so it's a great option for any device. It can be used on a Mac, iPhone, iPad, PC, or Android device, and it works in Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and other browsers.

To watch using the Events website, navigate to www.apple.com/apple-events/ using a web browser at the appropriate time to watch. You can visit the site now to add an event reminder to your calendar.

How to Watch on YouTube

Apple plans to stream the event live on YouTube, which is one of the simplest ways to watch because the YouTube live stream can be viewed on every platform where YouTube is available, from smartphones to consoles to smart TVs.

The placeholder for the October 18 Apple event is already up on YouTube and you can visit it now to set a reminder.

How to Watch Using the TV App

Along with the Apple Events website and YouTube, the Unleashed event can be watched directly through the Apple TV app on compatible devices.

Apple adds a very prominent Apple Event section to the ‌Apple TV‌ app on event day, and it's impossible to miss. The ‌Apple TV‌ app is available the ‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌, iPhones, iPads, Macs, Roku, and some smart TVs.

MacRumors Coverage

If you're unable to watch the Apple event live or just want to follow along with us as we watch, make sure to visit us here at MacRumors.com for our live blog or follow us on Twitter at MacRumorsLive for our live tweet coverage.

The MacRumors site, the MacRumors forums, and the MacRumorsLive Twitter account are great resources for discussing Apple's new announcements with other fans. We'll also have ongoing in-depth coverage of the new products on the MacRumors website after the event.

It's Friday, October 15 in New Zealand and Australia, which means it's Apple Watch Series 7 launch day. Customers in that part of the world are always the first to get their hands on new devices due to time zone differences.

Apple Watch Series 7 models are now beginning to arrive to customers who pre-ordered on Friday, October 8, and new Apple Watch owners are sharing photos on Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, and the MacRumors forums.

Because there are no Apple Stores in New Zealand, customers in Australia will be the first to be able to pick up a new Apple Watch at an Apple retail location. In-store stock in Australia will give us an idea of what we can expect in other stores worldwide, which may be of particular interest this year because Apple Watch supplies are so constrained.

Many of the Apple Watch models began selling out shortly after pre-orders began, so customers who are hoping not to have to wait several weeks for one of the devices may be able to get one in-store on launch day.

Following New Zealand and Australia, sales and deliveries of the Apple Watch Series 7 will begin in Middle East, Europe, and then North America. Apple Stores‌ globally are opening up right around 8:00 a.m. local time to allow customers to pick up reserved devices and make walk-in purchases.

Stay tuned to MacRumors tomorrow because we'll have an Apple Watch Series 7 review and comparison, along with more coverage coming next week. If you have a new Apple Watch Series 7, make sure to share photos below and let us know what you think!

Apple has hired a new software lead for the HomePod team as part of an effort to better compete with smart home speakers from Amazon and Google, reports Bloomberg.

Afrooz Family, an audio engineer who worked at Apple from 2012 to 2016, has rejoined the company and is leading software development on the ‌HomePod‌/Apple TV team. Family co-founded speaker company Syng alongside former Apple design team member Christoper Stringer. Syng is known for the super expensive Cell Alpha, which boasts "triphonic" audio technology that's able to create an immersive, dynamic sound field.

Apple has struggled to get the ‌HomePod‌ to catch on since its launch in 2018. The initial version of the speaker was priced at $350 and boasted higher-quality audio than competitors, but it was just not as popular as much more affordable smart speaker options from Samsung and Google.

The original ‌HomePod‌ was discontinued earlier this year with Apple instead opting to focus on the $99 HomePod mini, which is smaller and much more appealing due to its lower price tag.

Going forward, Apple plans to create a combined ‌HomePod‌, ‌Apple TV‌, and FaceTime device that will serve as an all-in-one entertainment option. According to Bloomberg, such a device could be released as early as 2023.

Apple today seeded a new beta of Safari 15.1 for macOS Big Sur and macOS Catalina, allowing developers to test the new Safari update ahead of its launch. Safari 15.1 is also the version of Safari that's available in the macOS Monterey beta.

In yesterday's macOS Monterey release, Apple tweaked the design of the Favorites bar, moving it back up above the Tab bar where it was before Safari changes were implemented with the macOS Monterey update and the Safari 15 release. Safari 15.1 includes the same tweak to the Favorites bar.

Apple in macOS Monterey overhauled the look of Safari, debuting a new tab design that has proven to be unpopular with users. Apple has been refining the Safari design since then, and the changes coming in Monterey were made available to macOS Big Sur and macOS Catalina users with the launch of Safari 15.

Registered developers can download the Safari 15.1 beta by logging in and then navigating to the More Downloads section. The latest versions of macOS Big Sur or macOS Catalina are required to install the beta.

Losing your Apple ID password can make your digital life a misery, because it can leave you locked out of the account that you use to manage your Apple devices, unable to access your iCloud data and manage your app and service subscriptions.

In this scenario, Apple can't just reset your password for you, especially if your have two-factor authentication enabled. Setting up a recovery is one alternative solution, however in such cases you can't change your password unless you have a trusted second device as well as the recovery key.

In an effort to make things easier, Apple in iOS 15 allows you to set up an account recovery contact that can help make sure you always have access to your account, even if you forget your ‌Apple ID‌ password or device passcode. Your recovery contact is someone who can verify your identity and help you regain access to your account and all of your data if you ever get locked out.

Who Should Be My Recovery Contact?

Your recovery contact should be a person you know and trust, such as a family member or a close friend. They will need an iOS device of their own running iOS 15 or iPadOS 15 or later, and must be over the age of 13. They'll also need two-factor authentication turned on for their own account and a passcode set up on their device.

How to Invite Someone to Be Your Recovery Contact

1. Open the Settings app on your iOS device and tap your ‌Apple ID‌ banner at the top of the main menu.
2. Tap Password & Security.
   
   

3. Tap Account Recovery.
4. Under "Recovery Assistance," tap Add Recovery Contact.
   
   

5. Read the onscreen information, then tap Add Recovery Contact.
6. Choose a recovery contact. If you're part of a Family Sharing group, eligible contacts will appear in the options. Alternately, tap Choose Someone Else to search your contacts.
7. Tap Next and the following screen lets you send your chosen contact a message letting them know you've added them as your recovery contact. You can send the default message or edit it before sending. Tap Send when you're ready, then tap Done.
   

Remember to save the person's phone number so that you can contact them if you need help with account recovery.

How to Help Someone Regain Access to Their Account

If you are someone's designated recovery contact, here's how you can help them. They'll first have to verify some of their ‌Apple ID‌ account information, and then they'll contact you over the phone or in person. The following steps show how you go about generating and sharing a recovery code that they can then enter on their device.

1. Open the Settings app on your iOS device and tap your ‌Apple ID‌ banner at the top of the main menu.
2. Tap Password & Security -> Account Recovery.
3. Tap your contact's name, then tap Get Recovery Code.
4. When your friend is ready, read them their recovery code. Once they've entered it on their device, they'll be able to reset their password and regain access to their Apple account.

How to Remove Yourself As a Recovery Contact

If you no longer want to be someone's recovery contact, follow these steps on your iOS device.

1. Open the Settings app on your iOS device and tap your ‌Apple ID‌ banner at the top of the main menu.
2. Tap Password & Security -> Account Recovery.
3. Under "Account Recovery For," tap the person's name.
4. Tap Remove Contact.

After completing these steps, the contact will automatically receive a message explaining that you're no longer their account recovery contact.

Note: To set up the recovery contact feature, all of the iOS devices associated with your account must be upgraded to iOS 15 or iPadOS 15 or later. Apple Watches must be upgraded to watchOS 8 or later. You will not be able to use the recovery contact feature until you upgrade all of your devices or remove them from your ‌Apple ID‌ account.

Nanoleaf today announced the launch of its newest HomeKit-compatible lighting product, a set of LED light bars called "Lines." Lines are modular beams that feature backlit illumination and that can be arranged into different patterns and shapes.

According to Nanoleaf, the Lines are designed to offer a new form factor that pairs smart lighting technology with an ultramodern design. Nanoleaf Lines connect together at 60 degree angle increments and each one features dual color zones for choosing two colors at once.

Diffused backlighting allows the two colors to blend together for a unique look, with the glow from the light cast onto the wall. Lines can be mounted to the wall or the ceiling using included mounting plates. Nanoleaf is also providing Lines "Skins" to turn the Lines black or pink, and those will launch in December.

Lines can be "painted" with different lighting scenes created by Nanoleaf and users can also create their own custom scenes using millions of colors. There are 19 preset scenes in total, including seven rhythm scenes that activate in time with music that's playing.

Nanoleaf has implemented a new Rhythm Music Visualizer that syncs up with songs in real-time to create dynamic color visualizations that can be customized using 22 separate Rhythm Motions. Each Rhythm Motion is engineered for a different genre of music.

Lines work with the Nanoleaf's Screen Mirror feature to sync to on-screen colors when users are watching movies or playing games. There are four different Screen Mirror modes that vary intensity and color transition speed.

Like other recent Nanoleaf products, the Nanoleaf Lines will act as a Thread Border Router for the Nanoleaf Essentials line of bulbs and lightstrips, offering a faster, more reliable connection. Lines will also work with Matter through a software update coming next year.

Lines are available for pre-order starting today from the Nanoleaf website. A Smarter Kit with 9 Lines is priced at $200, while Expansion Packs with 3 Lines can be purchased for $80. Lines will ship out by the end of November.

Blender today announced that Apple has joined the Blender Development Fund to support continued development of the free open source 3D graphics tool.

Alongside a contribution to the Development Fund, Apple will provide engineering expertise and additional resources to Blender and its broader development community to help support Blender artists and developers, according to the announcement.

Blender CEO Ton Roosendaal said the announcement means that "macOS will be back as a complete supported Blender platform."

Blender said its Development Fund accepts donations "to support activities to provide free and open accessible services for all Blender contributors," including bug fixing, code reviews, technical documentation, and onboarding.

The fund will also provide grants and subsidies to developers on generic and widely agreed development projects, according to Blender.