A version of the MAX+ for the 11-inch iPad Pro (all generations) and fourth-generation iPad Air is now available, offering the same experience as its larger sibling but for Apple's smaller tablets. The 11-inch version of the MAX+ is priced at $199.99, which is $100 less than Apple's Magic Keyboard, and it comes in Space Gray, Silver, and White options.
The MAX+ snaps onto the magnetic back of the iPad Air or iPad Pro, but connects over Bluetooth rather than through the Smart Connector used by Apple's Magic Keyboard. This also means the MAX+ can't draw power from the iPad and must be charged separately about every three months, according to Brydge.
Otherwise, you'll get a similar experience to the Magic Keyboard, with backlit keys that feel good under the fingers and a solid amount of travel, as well as a large multi-touch trackpad. The keyboard also includes a row of shortcut keys to give you quick access media controls, brightness, and more.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Brydge. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Disney today kicked off its own "Disney+ Day" in an effort to promote new content coming to the streaming platform. Headlining the event is a discount to $1.99 for one month of Disney+ for new or returning subscribers.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Disney+. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
This sale will be valid through this Sunday, November 14 at 11:59 p.m. PST. Anyone who currently subscribes to Disney+ is ineligible for this offer. Those who do enroll will be charged $1.99 for their first month and then $7.99 for all subsequent months, but you can cancel before that time.
Similarly, we're tracking a few Disney-related sales on OtterBox Symmetry Series iPhone cases at Amazon, offering early Black Friday prices on numerous accessories. Many of the cases are priced at $47.99, down from $59.99, and will launch on Black Friday.
There are three different designs, including one with Mickey and friends around Cinderella Castle, and a two that showcase Walt Disney World's park icons. The designs are in celebration of the resort's 50th anniversary, which began last month.
Be sure to visit our Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories, and our Black Friday Roundup to prepare for the event later this month.
For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with ColorWare to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win custom painted AirPods 3, which are available in dozens of unique color combinations.
ColorWare is a customization company that's been offering custom-painted accessories for several years now, one-of-a-kind painting options for everything from AirPods Max and AirTags to the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5.
Custom AirPods 3 can be purchased from ColorWare starting at $319 for just the AirPods, but adding in the MagSafe Charging Case brings the price up to $369. There's a premium for ordering from ColorWare, but it is the only way to get AirPods 3 in a color other than boring white.
ColorWare offers standard and metallic color options, which are also available with gloss or matte finishes. You can choose from several shades of black or go with a metallic silver or gold to match Apple's devices, but there are all kinds of other colors to choose from too. If you want your AirPods 3 in teal, purple, orange, yellow, red, pink, blue, green, or one of a dozen other colors, ColorWare can do it.
Each AirPod can be custom painted in the same color as the case or you can order separate colors for each of the AirPods and another color for the case, resulting in endless color combinations to pick from.
ColorWare has been providing customers with custom painted devices since 1998 and it has perfected its painting process. There's a multi-step coating system that includes a primer, the application of a proprietary color formula, and a liquid plastic coating that protects the color.
Because ColorWare is using standard AirPods 3 from Apple and custom painting them, the full AirPods functionality remains intact. AirPods 3 include all of the standard AirPods functionality like quick pairing and easy setup, but also gain Adaptive EQ, spatial audio, IPX4 water resistance, longer battery life, and a MagSafe charging case.
We have two sets of custom-painted AirPods 3 to give away, and each winner can choose their colors for the earbuds and the charging case. 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 MacRumorsFacebook 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 (November 12) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on November 19. The winners will be chosen randomly on November 19 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 second beta of iOS 15.2 adds a toggle for Macro mode on the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max when Auto Macro is disabled in Settings, enabling users to manually turn off Macro mode right from the Camera app when it automatically kicks in.
The new feature, first spotted by Aaron Zollo, offers a flower icon on the bottom left of the screen when the camera is close enough to an object to trigger Macro mode. Users can then tap the flower icon to disable and re-enable Macro mode.
To get the option of the new toggle, users need to go to Settings, navigate to Camera, and turn off Auto Macro. Then, when close enough to an object, the toggle will appear automatically. There are also new Preserve Settings for Auto Macro.
By default, the iPhone 13 Pro automatically switches to Macro mode when close enough to an object, which has meant that Macro mode sometimes activates in unwanted circumstances. The new toggle is a significant improvement over the current implementation in iOS 15.1, where users have to go to the Settings app to turn Macro mode off completely if they want to temporarily disable it.
The second beta of iOS 15.2 also introduced a number of other improvements, such as Legacy Contacts, Find My lost item scanning, Communication Safety, and more. These improvements come in addition to the features of the first iOS 15.2 beta, which include App Privacy Report, tweaks to Emergency SOS, and a redesigned Notification Summary.
Major iPhone supplier Foxconn says that it expects the ongoing chip shortage to continue well into the second half of next year, prolonging struggles of manufacturers, including Apple, to keep up with consumer demand, The Wall Street Journalreports.
Apple has been dealing with the chip shortage for the past several quarters, but it only started significantly impacting Apple’s business in the most recent quarter. The shortage of specific components and production constraints related to the ongoing public health crisis have impacted iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac availability. Apple said that this past quarter, the shortages cost it $6 billion, and it expects the impact to be even more significant for the holiday season.
Foxconn is Apple's largest supplier for the iPhone, and while some reports suggest that production is improving, it's still a length away from being entirely normal. As the holiday season approaches, Apple is encouraging customers to get their holiday orders in early to ensure they receive them in time for the holidays, and the company has provided "order by" dates for some of its most popular products.
It has been just over two years since the launch of Apple Arcade, and the subscription-based gaming service's catalog continues to grow. Two new games were released on Apple Arcade today, with an additional two coming soon.
The latest additions to Apple Arcade include the classic arcade shooting game Galaga Wars from Bandai Namco and the popular tower defense game Kingdom Rush Frontiers from Ironhide Game Studio. Both games were already available on the App Store, but the Apple Arcade editions do not contain any in-app purchases or ads.
A few new games have been listed as coming soon to Apple Arcade, including Splitter Critters, which Apple named the iPhone Game of the Year in 2017. In the game, players are tasked with splitting the world with a swipe of their finger and rearranging the split-up parts of the world to guide critters back to their spaceship. Metroidvania adventure game Dandara: Trials of Fear from Raw Fury is also coming soon to Apple Arcade.
Priced at $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year, Apple Arcade is a subscription-based service that provides access to a catalog of over 200 games across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV, with additional titles added periodically.
Pre-holiday discounts on Apple's AirPods lineup have continued to appear in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving and Black Friday, and today we're highlighting some of the best ongoing deals you can find. Starting with the AirPods Pro with MagSafe Charging Case, you can get this model for $189.99 on Amazon and Target, down from $249.00.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with 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 sale is the best ongoing discount on the AirPods Pro with MagSafe Charging Case, and it's continually beaten the sale price on the regular 2019 AirPods Pro model over the last few weeks. Both Amazon and Target have stock and are ready to ship the AirPods Pro out today, and Target is offering the same sale in stores, stock permitting.
Secondly, the AirPods 2 with Wired Charging Case is available for $89.00, down from $159.00. This early Black Friday sale price is only available at Walmart as of writing, and it's a great deal for anyone okay with investing in an older AirPods model.
Lastly, if you want the newest AirPods, Amazon does have the AirPods 3 at a discounted price, although a very slight one. You can get the newest AirPods model for $174.98, down from $179.00.
We track sales for every model of the AirPods in our Best AirPods Deals guide, so be sure to bookmark that page while you shop around for the wireless headphones.
Update December 13: This change did not make it into the final release of iOS 15.2, but may reappear in a future update.
In iOS 15.2, which is available in beta right now, Apple introduced new features for the Find My app, including a way to search for items that might be used to track your location.
The new Unknown Items feature is called "Items That Can Track Me," and when activated, it will scan for anything that's nearby that belongs to someone else and let you know about it.
If anything is detected, such as an AirTag or other Find My-enabled item, Apple will provide you with more details on the item and instructions on how to disable it so that it can no longer be used for tracking purposes.
The following steps show you how to activate the feature in iOS 15.2. Note that items can only be found if they are not in range of their owner's device, up to 50 meters.
Drag the items card further up onto the screen using the small pill-shaped handle to reveal more options.
Tap Items That Can Track Me.
Tap the Search button.
Look at the list titled "Items Detected Near You." If a device is discovered, tap it for more information.
If it's an AirTag, you can tap Play Sound to more exactly locate it. You can also tap Learn More About This AirTag to see if its owner has added contact details in case the item is lost. If you want to disable the AirTag to prevent it from potentially tracking you, tap Instructions to Disable AirTag and follow the instructions to remove the battery.
AirTags and items with Find My integration are meant to allow users to track their lost devices, but there have been concerns that AirTags can be planted on people for stalking purposes. To prevent stalking with AirTags and other devices, Apple has implemented several safety measures.
AirTags are designed to start playing a sound between eight and 24 hours after being separated from their owner, and iPhone users are alerted if an AirTag is traveling with them. Apple is also working on an Android app that will let Android users detect an unknown AirTag or Find My network-enabled item to prevent AirTags from being used to stalk Android users.
The iPhone was modified by Ken Pillonel, a robotics student who shared a video explaining how he did it. Since the video was posted on November 1, it's garnered over 600,000 views and has been widely discussed across social media. The eBay listing, which lasted 10 days, had a total of 116 bids and 6 bid retractions. One bid earlier in the week topped $99,000.
From the iPad to the Mac, Apple utilizes USB-C ports for charging, data, and more. The company has relentlessly stuck to using its proprietary Lightning connector on the iPhone, and reports suggest that it won't be changing anytime soon.
The iPhone X is a 64GB model, and the winning bidder will be receiving the iPhone X in its original box but without any accessories. As a bonus, the winner will also get a 30-minute phone call with Pillonel should they have any questions about how the world's first USB-C iPhone was born.
Apple will release second-generation AirPods Pro in the third quarter of 2022, according to a new rumor allegedly based on supply chain sources.
AirPods Pro 2 mockup based on rumors
Apple is developing second-generation AirPods Pro to follow the AirPods 3, with the new high-end earbuds set to come out in 2022, according to well-connected Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman and respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. However, neither Gurman nor Kuo have offered a more specific launch window for the next-gen earbuds.
The latest rumor comes from user @FronTron, who on Friday revised a previous claim made in June that "AirPods Pro 2" will be launched by the second quarter of next year "at least." The leaker now predicts Apple's second-generation AirPods Pro will arrive in Q3 2022. The third quarter traditionally encompasses a 92-day window between July 1 and September 30.
While @FronTron has a very limited track record for accurate leaks, the leaker told MacRumors that the tip comes directly from the supply chain and is based on the same source of theirs that predicted AirPods Pro 2 would arrive next year, several days before Kuo said the same thing in a June 30 investors note. While the latter appears to be true, the new information should still be taken with a grain of salt at this point in time.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said that Apple is aiming to make the AirPods Pro 2 more compact by eliminating the short stem that sticks out from the bottom. Apple is said to be testing a "more rounded shape that fills more of a user's ear," but getting the hardware of the AirPods Pro into a chassis that's reduced in size has proven difficult, so the plan could be scrapped, cautions Gurman.
MacRumors received alleged images of the second-generation AirPods Pro that contradict the stemless design rumors, but they're from a source without an established track record and we can't verify their accuracy.
Gurman and Bloomberg's Debby Wu reported in May that Apple's second-generation AirPods Pro will include updated motion sensors with a focus on fitness tracking. Based on improvements made to the new AirPods 3, other features that are also likely to appear in the second-generation AirPods Pro include an IPX-4 rated water-resistant MagSafe Charging Case, and all-new skin-detect sensors replacing the existing optical sensors.
The Apple Store app for iOS was updated today with a new feature that lets you easily save items to lists, share them with a specialist online or during a store visit, and then get a recap of your visit to help you later purchase your items.
After you've saved items to a list, they can be found in a new Saved Items section on your account page accessible via your profile picture at the top right of the app interface, and once you've met with a specialist about a list, you'll be able to see notes and suggestions on it in a new Session Recaps section.
Today's update also brings Audio Descriptions to product videos to let you hear details about the products if you are unable to watch the videos on your screen.
Apple today announced that a new 3D map of Washington, D.C. in the Apple Maps app will allow users to explore the city's landmarks and memorials, such as the World War II Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, and Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The new mapping experience does not appear to be visible yet, but it likely will be soon.
Alongside the release of iOS 15 in September, Apple Maps gained new 3D maps with more detail and custom-designed landmarks in select cities, including Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, and London. Apple said the 3D maps would be rolled out to additional cities later this year, including Philadelphia, San Diego, and Washington, D.C., and Apple previewed the feature in Washington, D.C. today in honor of Veterans Day.
Apple is honoring Veterans Day with special content in the App Store, Apple Books app, Apple TV app, and more. There is also a Veterans Day-themed Activity Challenge that Apple Watch users in the U.S. can complete by recording any workout for 11 minutes or longer today with the Workout app or any app that adds workouts to the Health app.
Apple CEO Tim Cook today tweeted that he is "grateful today and always for the dedication and service of our veterans and their families, and the invaluable experience they bring long after they have left the military, including here at Apple."
Update Nov 12 10:00 a.m.: The new 3D map experience is live not only in Washington, D.C., but also in San Diego.
Sideloading is a fancy word for downloading an app binary from non-official platforms or the open internet and installing it on a device like a normal app. The practice is allowed on Android, granting users the flexibility of downloading apps from official or non-official app stores and the open internet. The iPhone, on the other hand, is a polar opposite.
Since the launch of the App Store in 2008, Apple has maintained stringent control over the experience of the iPhone and where customers can download and install apps. iPhone does not allow users to sideload apps, requiring that any self-contained app installed on the device is distributed through the App Store. A dedicated team at Apple vets all apps on the App Store before they're published.
Whether Apple should allow sideloading on iPhone has become a hot-button topic in recent months, partly due to the lawsuit between Epic Games and Apple. Epic Games, among other things, is seeking for users to be able to sideload apps, and it wants to bring its own Epic Games Store to iOS as a competitor to Apple's App Store.
Apple has strongly pushed back against this notion, saying that opening the iPhone to sideloading would leave customers vulnerable to malicious and insecure apps, compared to the curated experience offered by the App Store.
Apple has undertaken a sizable effort to provide users with context and information regarding its stance on sideloading, ranging from public comments by top executives to detailed studies and more. The wide range of information shared by Apple and top-ranking officials can make it difficult for customers to grasp the most important parts of Apple's anti-sideloading arguments.
To help facilitate a more constructive conversation, we've created this summary of some of the most popular questions regarding sideloading and Apple's answers to them, sourced from appearances by top company executives, testimonies, and more.
If users can sideload apps on macOS, why can't they on iOS?
While Apple offers an App Store on macOS, the Mac platform has always been an open one with users also freely able to install apps from anywhere on the internet and elsewhere. Some users have wondered why that same model can't be followed on iOS. More specifically, the question is why the security features in place on macOS that protect against malicious code from software downloaded from the internet can't run on iOS.
Apple says that Gatekeeper on macOS "ensures that all apps from the internet have already been checked by Apple for known malicious code — before you run them the first time." If malicious code is found, Apple can automatically disable installations of that app and update its database to reflect that specific piece of software as dangerous to users. Apple also utilizes notarization on macOS, where scanned apps free of harmful code are presented to users without warning.
During his testimony in the Epic Games trial, Craig Federighi explained why a similar security apparatus couldn't be ported over to iOS. First, Federighi notably admitted that macOS has a "malware problem" and that Apple finds the level of malware on macOS "unacceptable." Federighi is implying here that the macOS security model is not a perfect system and that it doesn't want to implement a system that yields "unacceptable" results, in its eyes, onto iOS.
Federighi went on to say that iOS "has established a dramatically higher bar for customer protection" and that as of May of 2021, macOS is "not meeting" that bar. While Apple built the iPhone from the ground up under the curated App Store model starting in 2008, the Mac's longer history which long predates that app distribution model has required more flexibility.
Another point Federighi made during his testimony is the different use cases for iOS and macOS. Federighi noted that customers tend to install many more apps on mobile devices than they do on macOS, generating many more opportunities for potential malware to infect users.
Why can't Apple give users a choice on whether they wish to sideload apps or not?
To answer this question, we don't have to look any further than a recent stage appearance by Federighi. At the 2021 Web Summit last week, Federighi said that while some users, such as those with a thorough understanding of technology, may not be harmed by sideloading, other users with less insight might be.
Maybe you're thinking all this might be true, but I'll never download a sideloading-only app, and I won't be tricked into sideloading. Well, that might be true for you, but your child might be fooled, or your parents might be fooled, and even if you see through every deception, the fact that anyone can be harmed by malware isn't something that we should stand for.
Apple's position here is that even if one device can be harmed or infected through a sideloaded app, then it's nothing it supports. Apple took a similar stance in 2016, where it refused to create a backdoor on iOS to access the information of a single iPhone, as it would have meant that the same backdoor could be used on other users.
Federighi continued, explaining that one infected iPhone could present a danger to all other iPhones on a network and that all users' data would be "less safe" in a world where sideloading was allowed on iOS.
The fact is, one compromised device, including a mobile phone, can pose a threat to an entire network. Malware from sideloaded apps can jeopardize government systems, infect enterprise networks, public utilities, the list goes on. So even if you never sideload, your iPhone and data are less safe in a world where Apple is forced to allow it.
Lastly, Apple says that leaving decisions to users on whether a sideloaded app is safe or not is an onerous burden to put upon iPhone customers. "Users would now be responsible for determining whether sideloaded apps are safe, a very difficult task even for experts," Apple says in a paper arguing against sideloading. Furthermore, Apple says that even users who don't want to sideload could be led into doing so.
Even users who decide they don't want to sideload, and prefer to download apps only from the App Store, would end up being harmed. They could be forced to sideload an app they need for work, for school, or for social inclusion if it is not made available on the App Store. Furthermore, cybercriminals and hackers may trick users into unknowingly sideloading an app by mimicking the appearance of the App Store, or by touting free or expanded access to services or exclusive features.
What if users were shown a prompt before being able to open a sideloaded app?
Concept of what an iOS pop-up could look like for opening sideloaded apps
On macOS, when users download an app from the internet, they're shown a warning if that app is not notarized. A similar pop-up warning on iOS for sideloaded apps is not a new idea, and as a matter of fact, it was even approved by Steve Jobs.
In a 2008 email uncovered during the Epic Games trial, Steve Jobs approved specific wording that users would have seen before opening a sideloaded app. Replying to an email from Scott Forstall, Jobs said he liked "Are you sure you want to open the application 'Monkey Ball' from the developer 'Sega'?"
With a pop-up, Apple would still be able to provide users with a choice while making it clear of the potential dangers of that app. Users who are uncomfortable or unaware of the risks can dismiss the pop-up and delete the app, while others wishing to follow through with opening the app still have the freedom. According to Federighi, however, even with this approach, users will have a "very difficult" time determining which sideloaded apps are safe or not.
Apple has said in the past it strongly believes in giving users choices over their privacy and data, and some have pointed out that such a pop-up would be in line with the company's past comments and philosophy.
What if sideloading were only allowed through authorized third-party app stores?
Facing the hypothetical situation that users would only be able to download apps from "authorized" third-party app stores such as an Epic Games Store, Apple points to the alleged lack of adequate oversight of those platforms compared to the App Store.
The large amount of malware and resulting security and privacy threats on third-party app stores shows that they do not have sufficient vetting procedures to check for apps containing known malware, apps violating user privacy, copycat apps, apps with illegal or objectionable content, and unsafe apps targeted at children
While the App Store does have extensive rules, Apple has faced criticism for its app review process being lackluster, particularly when it comes to scam apps. Apple notes that its control over the App Store allows it to more promptly and quickly remove "rare cases" in which malicious apps make it onto the platform.
In a scenario with third-party app stores and sideloading, those malicious apps would simply move to a different medium and continue to pose a risk to users, according to the company.
In the rare cases in which a fraudulent or malicious app makes it onto the App Store, Apple can remove it once discovered and block any of its future variants, thereby stopping its spread to other users. If sideloading from third-party app stores were supported, malicious apps would simply migrate to third-party stores and continue to infect consumer devices
Why is Apple assuming all sideloaded apps are malware or dangerous to users?
Apple's position here is that while not all sideloaded apps are malware, the mere ability for users to install sideloaded apps means users are, by nature, more exposed to malware.
In its detailed 31-page paper, Apple explains that simply allowing sideloading would "weaken these layers of security and expose all users to new and serious security risks" and that "supporting sideloading on iOS devices would essentially turn them into "pocket PCs," returning to the days of virus-riddled PCs."
Forcing Apple to support sideloading on iOS through direct downloads or third-party app stores would weaken these layers of security and expose all users to new and serious security risks: It would allow harmful and illegitimate apps to reach users more easily; it would undermine the features that give users control over legitimate apps they download; and it would undermine iPhone on-device protections. Sideloading would be a step backwards for user security and privacy: Supporting sideloading on iOS devices would essentially turn them into "pocket PCs," returning to the days of virus-riddled PCs.
Sideloading itself, irrespective of the specific app being sideloaded, also presents other dangers to users, according to Apple. For example, sideloading would allow spoofing on iOS, where ill-intended actors could "distribute copycat versions of popular apps that trick users" and would expose users to "apps with illegal content, such as illegal gambling apps, pirated apps, or apps containing stolen intellectual property."
These have been some of the most frequently asked questions, but it's impossible to list and for Apple to answer them all. Apple's anti-sideloading paper, published last month, is extensive and worth a read for those interested, and we've highlighted below some key facts and statistics shared by Apple in the paper.
Platforms that support sideloading, such as Android, recorded more than 230,000 malware infections per day, according to the European Union's cybersecurity agency
Mobile antivirus software, which some users may need to download to protect against sideloaded apps, cost consumers over $3.4 billion
Android smartphones are 15 to 47 times more likely to be infected with malware infections compared to iPhone
Sideloading would harm developers since user trust in the iOS ecosystem would decrease, leading to "users downloading fewer apps from fewer developers, and making fewer in-app purchases"
For many users and developers, Apple's arguments will remain unconvincing, and regulators are clearly taking a close look at Apple's practices in this regard. It remains to be seen exactly how it will all play out, but it's clear Apple is under pressure to relax some of its restrictions related to the App Store.
B&H Photo today has Apple's previous generation 32GB Apple TV 4K for $119.95, down from $179.00. This sale will last one day only, and expires later tonight.
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.
B&H Photo's deal is a match of the all-time best price on the 2017 model of the Apple TV 4K. This is the model that comes with the older Siri Remote model as well.
The big external difference between the 2017 and 2021 Apple TV 4K is the Siri Remote. Internally, the 2021 model has support for high frame rate 4K HDR and Dolby Vision content, as well as an upgraded A12 Bionic chip and eARC support.
The 2017 model is still a solid streaming device, and for those willing to invest in an older model, today's record low price is a great time to do so. Otherwise, the best deal on the 2021 32GB Apple TV 4K will be $169.00 at Amazon ($10 off).
Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.
Apple has been talking for years about the role it wants to play in human health, led by the Apple Watch and its array of health-related features. With the Apple Watch maturing and Apple increasing its integration of health-focused hardware and software, several pieces of evidence suggest the company is positioning itself for an even bigger expansion in that direction.
According to trends compiled by Linkedin and seen by MacRumors, over the past year, Apple's open job listings in health-related fields have increased by over 220%, with a significant portion of the increase coming in just the last several months. Apple's health-focused hiring has been the fastest-growing segment for the company over the past year, followed most closely by sales and IT specialists, such as in cloud computing and security, according to the data.
Apple has stepped up features and services related to consumers' health over the past several years, with much of the credit being given to the Apple Watch. Apple has slowly transformed the Apple Watch into a more integral health tool, incorporating more sensors, such as blood oxygen, with on-device machine intelligence to notice possibly alarming trends in heart rate and more.
In another sign of its aspirations in health, Apple this week announced that Johnson & Johnson chairman and CEO Alex Gorsky has joined its Board of Directors. Gorsky is a "visionary in healthcare" who brings with him "tremendous insight, experience, and passion for technology to the cause of improving lives and building healthier communities," said Apple CEO Tim Cook. Gorsky joins former Genentech Chairman and CEO Arthur Levinson on Apple's board, giving Apple significant health-related expertise on its board.
As for Apple's job listings, many of them focus on health research rather than specific product development roles. Apple has invested heavily in health research with the Research app, pursuing it as the first step for any future health features on the iPhone or Apple Watch. Apple's health research efforts of course also internally support the development of new products and features.
One particular job listing posted earlier in the summer seeks a manager to "lead human study efforts in collecting data to support development and validation of new health sensors and algorithms." Another job listing seeks a more product-oriented candidate that will "work closely with other designers, writers, engineers, scientists, researchers, and business partners to concept, prototype, and design elegant experiences that help our customers be in control of their health."
Apple has branched out regarding health, moving away from only providing users data from sensors on the iPhone and Apple Watch, but also working with hospitals and medical institutions to create a broader ecosystem. With the Health app on iOS 15, Apple added functionality for users to share health data with family and close friends, COVID-19 vaccine records, blood glucose highlights, and more.
The centerpiece of Apple's health roadmap is the Apple Watch, and reports suggest the watch will continue to mature as an independent health device in the years to come. Users may be able to measure their body temperature and even their blood pressure in future iterations of the Apple Watch.
"Apple's most-important contribution to mankind has been in health," Apple CEO Tim Cook said in an interview in January of 2019, just months after the Apple Watch had gained the ability for users to take an ECG right on their wrist. An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment on the company's recent health-related hiring trends.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney will appear next week at a conference in South Korea to discuss the fairness of mobile app platforms and ecosystems amid his company's ongoing tension with Apple, according to a press release.
Sweeney will be joined by other members and representatives of the "Coalition for App Fairness," a group of developers and companies lobbying against Apple's "anti-competitive" App Store rules. The conference, "Global Conference on Mobile App Ecosystem Fairness," kicks off on Monday, November 15, in Seoul, South Korea.
South Korea has been the scene of recent legislation that could change the App Store in fundamental ways. Earlier in August, South Korea passed a bill that prohibits Apple, and other owners of mobile app distribution platforms, from forcing developers to use their own payment method. For the App Store, that would result in Apple no longer requiring developers to use its in-app purchase system.
Apple has said the new change would put users at risk, decrease user trust in purchases made within apps, and make it harder for certain features, such as parental controls, to be implemented.
The Telecommunications Business Act will put users who purchase digital goods from other sources at risk of fraud, undermine their privacy protections, make it difficult to manage their purchases, and features like "Ask to Buy" and Parental Controls will become less effective. We believe user trust in App Store purchases will decrease as a result of this legislation — leading to fewer opportunities for the over 482,000 registered developers in Korea who have earned more than KRW8.55 trillion to date with Apple.
Following the passage of the bill, Epic Games had asked Apple to reinstate Fortnite onto the App Store in South Korea. Fortnite was removed from the App Store in August of 2020 after Epic implemented a direct-payment method for in-app purchases, a clear violation of Apple's App Store rules. The new law in South Korea is yet to go into effect, and even when it does, Apple had said that it has no obligation to reinstate Epic's developer account that was terminated prior to when it became law.
With iOS 15 and the Hide My Email feature exclusive to iCloud+ subscribers, you can create unique, random email addresses that forward to your personal inbox whenever you want to keep your personal email address private. In iOS 15.2, which is in beta right now, you can use Hide My Email directly from the Mail app.
When you use Hide My Email, all the emails sent to the random Apple-created email address are forwarded to you so you can respond if needed, but the person on the receiving end does not see your real email address.
This is especially useful if you think that a business is likely to share your email address with ad agencies or other third-parties for marketing purposes. Providing them with a dummy address means you can delete the address at any time, ensuring any unsolicited emails don't reach your inbox.
Here's how it works with the Mail app in iOS 15.2.
Tap the New Message icon in the bottom-right corner of the main Mail screen to compose a message in the normal way.
Fill in the To: field. Next, tap the Cc/Bc, From: field to collapse it and then tap From again.
Scroll to the bottom of the list of available addresses and select Hide My Email.
Now compose your email as normal and send it.
In addition, as a paid iCloud+ subscriber, you can use random email addresses when you're asked to enter your email address on a website in Safari. Just select the Hide My Email option when it appears on the screen.
Apple in the iOS 15.2 beta introduced a new Messages Communication Safety option that's designed to keep children safer online by protecting them from potentially harmful images. We've seen a lot of confusion over the feature, and thought it might be helpful to provide an outline of how Communication Safety works and clear up misconceptions.
Communication Safety Overview
Communication Safety is meant to prevent minors from being exposed to unsolicited photos that contain inappropriate content.
As explained by Apple, Communication Safety is designed to detect nudity in photos sent or received by children. The iPhone or iPad does on-device scanning of images in the Messages app, and if nudity is detected, the photo is blurred.
If a child taps on the blurred image, the child is told that the image is sensitive, showing "body parts that are usually covered by underwear or bathing suits." The feature explains that photos with nudity can be "used to hurt you" and that the person in the photo might not want it seen if it's been shared without permission.
Apple also presents children with ways to get help by messaging a trusted grown-up in their life. There are two tap-through screens that explain why a child might not want to view a nude photo, but a child can opt to view the photo anyway, so Apple is not restricting access to content, but providing guidance.
Communication Safety is Entirely Opt-In
When iOS 15.2 is released, Communication Safety will be an opt-in feature. It will not be enabled by default, and those who use it will need to expressly turn it on.
Communication Safety is for Children
Communication Safety is a parental control feature enabled through the Family Sharing feature. With Family Sharing, adults in the family are able to manage the devices of children who are under 18.
Parents can opt in to Communication Safety using Family Sharing after updating to iOS 15.2. Communication Safety is only available on devices set up for children who are under 18 and who are part of a Family Sharing group.
Children under 13 are not able to create an Apple ID, so account creation for younger children must be done by a parent using Family Sharing. Children over 13 can create their own Apple ID, but can still be invited to a Family Sharing group with parental oversight available.
Apple determines the age of the person who owns the Apple ID by the birthday used at the account creation process.
Communication Safety Can't Be Enabled on Adult Devices
As a Family Sharing feature designed exclusively for Apple ID accounts owned by a person under the age of 18, there is no option to activate Communication Safety on a device owned by an adult.
Adults do not need to be concerned about Messages Communication Safety unless they are parents managing it for their children. In a Family Sharing group consisting of adults, there will be no Communication Safety option, and no scanning of the photos in Messages is being done on an adult's device.
Messages Remain Encrypted
Communication Safety does not compromise the end-to-end encryption available in the Messages app on an iOS device. Messages remain encrypted in full, and no Messages content is sent to another person or to Apple.
Apple has no access to the Messages app on children's devices, nor is Apple notified if and when Communication Safety is enabled or used.
Everything is Done On-Device and Nothing Leaves the iPhone
For Communication Safety, images sent and received in the Messages app are scanned for nudity using Apple's machine learning and AI technology. Scanning is done entirely on device, and no content from Messages is sent to Apple's servers or anywhere else.
The technology used here is similar to the technology that the Photos app uses to identify pets, people, food, plants, and other items in images. All of that identification is also done on device in the same way.
When Apple first described Communication Safety in August, there was a feature designed to notify parents if children opted to view a nude photo after being warned against it. This has been removed.
If a child is warned about a nude photo and views it anyway, parents will not be notified, and full autonomy is in the hands of the child. Apple removed the feature after criticism from advocacy groups that worried it could be a problem in situations of parental abuse.
Communication Safety is Not Apple's Anti-CSAM Measure
Apple initially announced Communication Safety in August 2021, and it was introduced as part of a suite of Child Safety features that also included an anti-CSAM initiative.
Apple's anti-CSAM plan, which Apple has described as being able to identify Child Sexual Abuse Material in iCloud, has not been implemented and is entirely separate from Communication Safety. It was a mistake for Apple to introduce these two features together because one has nothing to do with the other except for both being under the Child Safety umbrella.
There has been a lot of blowback over Apple's anti-CSAM measure because it will see photos uploaded to iCloud scanned against a database of known Child Sexual Abuse Material, and Apple users aren't happy with the prospect of photo scanning. There are concerns that the technology that Apple is using to scan photos and match them against known CSAM could be expanded in the future to cover other types of material.
In response to widespread criticism, Apple has delayed its anti-CSAM plans and is making changes to how it will be implemented before releasing it. No anti-CSAM functionality has been added to iOS at this time.
Release Date and Implementation
Communication Safety is included in iOS 15.2 in the United States, and it is also expanding to the UK in the future.
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Concept of what an iOS pop-up could look like for opening sideloaded apps
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