MacRumors

On August 15, 1998, the first iMac, introduced by Steve Jobs just a few months prior, officially went on sale, marking a turning point for Apple and the first true consumer desktop from the company.

"The excitement of the internet. The simplicity of Macintosh" is how Jobs described the first ‌iMac‌ during the now iconic keynote on May 6, 1998. During the presentation, Jobs compared it to other desktop computers on the market. According to Jobs, those computers were slow, featured smaller 13 to 14-inch displays, probably didn't have any networking capabilities, and were ugly. The original ‌iMac‌ hoped to target each weak point with faster performance, a better-looking design, and updated I/O ports.

"We decided to make this thing fast," Jobs said, touting the at the time powerful G3/233 processor. The first ‌iMac‌ featured a 15-inch display that was 1024x768, 32MB of standard memory, 4GB of disk storage, a 24x CD-ROM drive, a 100Mb Ethernet port, a 33.6Kb modem, and a 4MB IrDA. The original ‌iMac‌ had stereo SRS sound, two 12MB USB ports, and a keyboard and mouse for I/O and peripherals.

Iconically, it featured a translucent design that allowed people to see inside the machine. "The back of this thing looks better than the front of the other guys, by the way," Jobs jokingly said about its design compared to the competitors on the market. On the front of the ‌iMac‌, beneath the display, it featured stereo surround speakers, infrared, a CD-ROM, and a headphone jack.

The original ‌iMac‌ retailed for $1,299, and since its introduction 24 years ago, the ‌iMac‌ has transformed and evolved a great deal. Apple's latest ‌iMac‌, the 24-inch ‌iMac‌ with M1, is similar to the original ‌iMac‌ in that it's offered in many colors. The ‌iMac‌'s design has continued to radically change, becoming thinner, slimmer, and more powerful over the years.

Apple plans to announce a new low-cost iPad and an updated iPad Pro with the M2 Apple silicon chip and possible MagSafe charging capabilities during an event currently scheduled for October of this year, according to a post from the account "yeux1122" on the Korean blog Naver, citing sources.

The account has been the source of accurate information in the past, including accurately revealing details about the fifth-generation iPad Air and yet unconfirmed details on the iPhone 14. The account has also shared information that has not turned out accurate, including a rumor about an "iPad mini Pro."

The account claims in a post today that the low-cost ‌iPad‌, which is expected to get a significant redesign with flat edges and a larger display, will launch alongside a new ‌iPad Pro‌ in October, after the ‌iPhone‌ 14's event next month.

The upcoming low-cost ‌iPad‌ is expected to feature the A14 Bionic chip, 5G, a larger display, and a USB-C port.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported last week that Apple has already started production on the iPhone 14 and Apple Watch Series 8 event for September, adding he expects Apple to hold two events this fall, with the latter being focused on the ‌iPad‌ and the Mac.

Apple announced an updated ‌iPad Pro‌ in April 2021 with a 12.9-inch mini-LED display and the M1 Apple silicon chip. The launch of the newer and more powerful ‌iPad Pro‌ with ‌M2‌ will likely coincide with the launch of iPadOS 16, which is expected to launch in October rather than earlier in the fall alongside iOS 16. iPadOS 16 includes more minor refinements and features for non-M1 iPads, such as improvements in Messages, Safari, and more.

For iPads with M-series chips, Apple offers Stage Manager on iPadOS 16, which lets users run multiple apps in windows, overlapping each other, with external display support. Other than the performance of the M2 chip and ‌Stage Manager‌ in iPadOS 16, previous rumors have suggested the 2022 ‌iPad Pro‌ could benefit from some form of MagSafe charging capabilities.

The Apple Watch SE was announced in September 2020 and has been a popular Apple Watch model for customers looking for their first smartwatch or an affordable Apple Watch. Apple Watch SE customers may be wondering, however, what's in store for them with the upcoming Apple Watch Series 8 and what new features they can expect. Continue reading to find out.

Apple Watch SE vs. Apple Watch Series 8

• Significantly larger displays: Apple increased the size of the display by shrinking the bezels and rounding the corners with the Apple Watch Series 7. The standard Apple Watch Series 8 model will continue to adopt the Series 7 display, which features a 20% larger screen than the Apple Watch SE.
  

• Always-on Retina display: Introduced with the Apple Watch Series 5 and present on every flagship Apple Watch since, the Apple Watch Series 8 will feature an always-on display that allows the display to remain dimly lit at all times, providing easy access to quick information like the time and complications.
• More durable hardware: Alongside a rumored "rugged" Apple Watch set to launch this fall, the standard Apple Watch Series 8 will feature the same durable hardware as the Series 7, such as a stronger front glass and more durable aluminum models compared to the Apple Watch SE.
• Ability to measure Blood Oxygen: The Apple Watch Series 8 will feature a Blood Oxygen sensor, introduced with the Series 6 in 2020 and unavailable on the Apple Watch SE. The sensor allows wearers to measure the amount of oxygen in their blood.
• ECG capabilities: The Apple Watch Series 8 will be able to take an ECG, or an electrocardiogram, right on your wrist. This high-end health and wellness feature is not available on the Apple Watch SE and has been present on Apple Watch Series models since the Series 4.
• Built-in temperature sensor: One new health sensor coming to the Apple Watch Series 8 is the ability to measure body temperature. Rumors suggest the new sensor will not, at least at first, provide wearers a direct temperature reading of their body but may simply advise them if they may have a fever and seek medical attention.
• Fast charging: The Apple Watch SE does not support fast charging, and with the Series 8, customers can look forward to up to 30% faster charging alongside all-day 18 hours of battery life.
• Improved optical heart sensor: The Apple Watch SE features a second-generation optical heart sensor, compared to the third-generation model in the Series 7, and we expect the fourth-generation model in the upcoming Series 8. The improvements in heart sensors are likely to offer more reliable and accurate readings.
• Faster performance: The Apple Watch Series 8 is likely to feature a dual-core S8 SiP (system in a package), which would be faster than the dual-core S5 chip in the Apple Watch SE. Customers can expect faster performance and more fluid animations as a result.

If the Apple Watch Series 8 is not an attractive option for current Apple Watch SE customers, it's worth noting that we are expecting an updated Apple Watch SE alongside the Series 8 that may offer more moderate upgrades, though there have been few rumors about specs for the new SE model.

Apple's second-generation AirPods Pro are finally nearing launch, with a release expected later this year. If you are considering upgrading to the new AirPods Pro once they are released, keep reading for a list of five new features to expect.

In addition to all-new features, the second-generation AirPods Pro will likely adopt some features added to the standard AirPods last year.

H2 Chip

The new AirPods Pro will feature a "significantly upgraded" wireless chip compared to the H1 chip in the original AirPods Pro, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The new chip could be branded as an "H2 chip" given the improvements.

Kuo did not elaborate on what benefits the new chip would provide, but given that the H1 chip powers audio-related functions, the upgraded chip in the second-generation AirPods Pro could result in improvements to sound quality, latency, active noise cancellation, Transparency mode, features powered by Siri, and more.

The upgraded chip could also enable Apple Lossless audio support.

Longer Battery Life

While there haven't been any firm rumors about the new AirPods Pro featuring longer battery life, it's reasonable to expect improvements in this area given that nearly three years have passed since the original AirPods Pro launched.

Apple's standard third-generation AirPods released last year provide up to six hours of listening time per charge, compared to up to 4.5 hours for the current AirPods Pro. Even with active noise cancellation and Transparency mode turned off, the AirPods Pro last up to five hours per charge, which is still less than the third-generation AirPods.

Charging Case Enhancements

The charging case for the new AirPods Pro will be able to emit a sound, making it easier to locate the case when it is lost, according to Kuo. AirPods Pro can already be tracked via the Find My app on an iPhone, but the charging case cannot play a sound.

It's also likely the new AirPods Pro charging case will have IPX4-rated water and sweat resistance like the charging case for the third-generation AirPods. Currently, only the AirPods Pro earbuds have water resistance and not the case.

The charging case is expected to stick with Lightning before switching to USB-C in 2023.

Improved In-Ear Detection

Yet another feature that the next AirPods Pro will likely adopt from the third-generation AirPods is a skin-detect sensor for more accurate in-ear detection compared to the dual optical sensors in the original AirPods Pro.

Apple says the skin-detect sensor "accurately discerns if AirPods are in the ear — versus in a pocket or on a table — and pauses playback when removed."

Fitness Tracking

In May 2021, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Debby Wu reported that the second-generation AirPods Pro would include "updated motion sensors with a focus on fitness tracking," but the report did not provide any further details about the feature.

AirPods Pro are already equipped with a motion-detecting accelerometer, and it's possible that improvements to this sensor would allow for some fitness tracking capabilities, but Apple's exact plans remain to be seen. On a potentially related note, iOS 16 allows the Fitness app to be used on an iPhone without an Apple Watch.

Design and Release Date

Back in 2020, Gurman and Wu reported that Apple had tested a more compact design for the new AirPods Pro that would eliminate the stems below the earbuds, similar to Beats Studio Buds. However, more recent rumors suggest that the second-generation AirPods Pro will not have any significant outward-facing design changes.

AirPods Pro were introduced with an Apple Newsroom press release on October 28, 2019 and launched two days later. The new AirPods Pro are expected to launch by the end of 2022, with September or October the two most likely months for the headphones to be released. AirPods Pro are currently priced at $249 in the United States, although they are frequently discounted by resellers like Amazon and Best Buy.

Zoom has released a new version of its macOS app with a fix for a security vulnerability affecting the app's automatic updates feature.

In an August 13 security bulletin, Zoom said version 5.7.3 to version 5.11.3 of its macOS app contain a vulnerability in the auto-update process that can be exploited by a local low-privileged user to gain root privileges to the operating system. The vulnerability has been patched in version 5.11.5 of the Zoom app for macOS, available now.

The vulnerability was revealed by Mac security researcher Patrick Wardle at the hacking conference DEF CON in Las Vegas on Friday. The Verge and WIRED shared more details about Wardle's findings for those interested in learning more.

Microsoft this week released a new beta version of its Office app for iPad with support for the Apple Pencil's handwriting-to-text feature Scribble. The feature allows you to insert and edit text in a Word document, PowerPoint presentation, or Excel spreadsheet using the Apple Pencil, with handwriting automatically converted into typed text.

After enabling the Scribble feature in Settings → Apple Pencil, the feature can be used by tapping the Scribble Pen button under the Draw tab in version 2.64 of the Office app. The feature can be tested now by members of the Office Insider program via TestFlight, and the update will likely be released on the App Store for all users in the coming weeks.

Scribble was added in iPadOS 14 for any iPad that supports the original or second-generation Apple Pencil, including any iPad Pro, the third-generation iPad Air and newer, the fifth-generation iPad mini and newer, and the sixth-generation iPad and newer.

Microsoft's unified Office app with Word, PowerPoint, and Excel gained iPad compatibility in February 2021 and is also available for the iPhone.

Update: The update to Office for iPad with Scribble support is now available on the App Store.

It has now been over a year since Apple announced plans for three new child safety features, including a system to detect known Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) images stored in iCloud Photos, an option to blur sexually explicit photos in the Messages app, and child exploitation resources for Siri. The latter two features are now available, but Apple remains silent about its plans for the CSAM detection feature.

Apple initially said CSAM detection would be implemented in an update to iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 by the end of 2021, but the company ultimately postponed the feature based on "feedback from customers, advocacy groups, researchers, and others."

In September 2021, Apple posted the following update to its Child Safety page:

Previously we announced plans for features intended to help protect children from predators who use communication tools to recruit and exploit them and to help limit the spread of Child Sexual Abuse Material. Based on feedback from customers, advocacy groups, researchers, and others, we have decided to take additional time over the coming months to collect input and make improvements before releasing these critically important child safety features.

In December 2021, Apple removed the above update and all references to its CSAM detection plans from its Child Safety page, but an Apple spokesperson informed The Verge that Apple's plans for the feature had not changed. To the best of our knowledge, however, Apple has not publicly commented on the plans since that time.

We've reached out to Apple to ask if the feature is still planned. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Apple did move forward with implementing its child safety features for the Messages app and Siri with the release of iOS 15.2 and other software updates in December 2021, and it expanded the Messages app feature to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK with iOS 15.5 and other software releases in May 2022.

Apple said its CSAM detection system was "designed with user privacy in mind." The system would perform "on-device matching using a database of known CSAM image hashes" from child safety organizations, which Apple would transform into an "unreadable set of hashes that is securely stored on users' devices."

Apple planned to report iCloud accounts with known CSAM image hashes to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), a non-profit organization that works in collaboration with U.S. law enforcement agencies. Apple said there would be a "threshold" that would ensure "less than a one in one trillion chance per year" of an account being incorrectly flagged by the system, plus a manual review of flagged accounts by a human.

Apple's plans were criticized by a wide range of individuals and organizations, including security researchers, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), politicians, policy groups, university researchers, and even some Apple employees.

Some critics argued that Apple's child safety features could create a "backdoor" into devices, which governments or law enforcement agencies could use to surveil users. Another concern was false positives, including the possibility of someone intentionally adding CSAM imagery to another person's iCloud account to get their account flagged.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

This week brought some shocking news for iOS 16 beta testers, with Apple bringing back the iPhone battery percentage to the status bar after a number of years.

Other news and rumors this week included word that Apple has started recording portions of its media event planned for next month to introduce the iPhone 14 and Apple Watch Series 8, claims about iPhone 14 Pro pricing and Apple's plans for switching AirPods over to USB-C charging, and more, so read on for all the details on these stories and more!

iOS 16 Beta 5 Adds Battery Percentage to iPhone Status Bar

Five years after Apple introduced the iPhone X with a notch, and relegated the battery percentage indicator to Control Center, Apple has finally added the battery percentage back to the iPhone's status bar in the fifth developer beta of iOS 16 released earlier this week.

The new battery icon is available on most iPhone models with a notch. The battery percentage appears within the battery icon to save space, but not everyone is a fan of this design.

Check out our list of everything new in iOS 16 beta 5 for other new features and changes in the beta. Apple also released new betas for iPadOS 16, macOS Ventura, watchOS 9, and tvOS 16.

Apple Reportedly Preparing Pre-Recorded iPhone 14 and Apple Watch Series 8 Event

It appears that Apple's annual iPhone event won't be a fully in-person event again this year, as Bloomberg's Mark Gurman this week claimed that Apple has started to produce a pre-recorded video for the event. It's possible that Apple will still invite media to the event for in-person hands-on demos with new products.

Unsurprisingly, Apple will likely unveil its iPhone 14 and Apple Watch Series 8 product lineups at the September event, and at least five other products are expected to be announced this year.

iPhone 14 Pro Models Rumored to Be More Expensive

Apple plans to increase the prices of iPhone 14 Pro models compared to iPhone 13 Pro models, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

While higher prices would be disappointing for customers, research firm TrendForce predicted that iPhone 14 Pro models could start with 256GB of storage, compared to 128GB for iPhone 13 Pro models. Pricing for iPhone 13 Pro models currently starts at $999 in the United States.

Two New Connectors Rumored for Next-Generation iPad Pro

The next-generation iPad Pro will feature the same design as the current model, but with two new four-pin connectors on the top and bottom, according to a report from Japanese website Mac Otakara.

Apple is expected to release new 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models with M2 chips and support for MagSafe wireless charging later this year — possibly alongside the delayed release of iPadOS 16 in October.

USB-C AirPods Expected to Launch in 2023

Apple plans to switch to USB-C charging cases for all AirPods models in 2023, but the second-generation AirPods Pro launching later this year may still have a Lightning charging case, according to a recent tweet from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Kuo also expects the iPhone 15 to switch to USB-C in 2023, along with several accessories, such as the MagSafe Battery Pack and the Magic Mouse.

'It's Time for Apple to Fix Texting' Says New Android Website

Google's Android team has launched a new "Get the Message" website that again calls on Apple to adopt Rich Communication Services (RCS) alongside iMessage in the Messages app on iPhone.

Google has been pushing Apple to switch from SMS to RCS for months now, with no response from Apple. RCS would allow for read receipts, audio messages, and more for conversations between iPhones and Android smartphones.

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.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

There's just about a month to go until Apple holds its annual September event focusing on new iPhone and Apple Watch models. We thought we'd take a quick look at everything that's rumored for Apple's September event to give MacRumors readers a rundown on what to expect when the first fall event rolls around.

iPhone 14

The ‌iPhone‌ 14 can probably be described more as an "‌iPhone‌ 13S" because it's not expected to get a whole lot of changes. We're expecting the same design and the same A-series chip, but camera improvements are a possibility. Note that Apple is getting rid of the 5.4-inch ‌iPhone‌ mini in the 2022 ‌iPhone‌ lineup, with the standard ‌iPhone‌ 14 series to consist of a 6.1-inch ‌iPhone‌ 14 and a larger 6.7-inch ‌iPhone‌ 14 Max.

• 6.1-inch ‌iPhone‌ 14, and 6.7-inch ‌iPhone‌ 14 Max. No mini.
• No design changes, Face ID notch remains.
• No ProMotion display.
• New purple color, which joins black, white, red, and blue.
• Improved Ultra Wide camera.
• Upgraded front camera with wider f/1.9 aperture and autofocus capabilities.
• A15 chip, which was previously used in the ‌iPhone‌ 13.
• 6GB RAM.
• Updated Snapdragon X65 10 Gigabit 5G modem and antenna system.
• WiFi 6E.
• $799 start price.

For full details on everything we've heard so far about the ‌iPhone‌ 14, we have a dedicated iPhone 14 roundup.

iPhone 14 Pro

Though the ‌iPhone‌ 14 is more of an ‌iPhone‌ 13S, the same isn't true for the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro models. Apple has bigger changes in store for its higher-tier and more expensive ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max models.

• Same general flat-edged design with 6.1 and 6.7-inch size options.
• ProMotion display technology, but with 1Hz to 120Hz upgrade that enables Always-On display technology.
• No notch. Notch replaced with pill-shaped and hole-punch cutouts for camera and ‌Face ID‌ hardware.
• Larger rear camera bumps and increased lens size.
• Graphite, gold, silver, and purple color options.
• Faster A16 chip.
• Updated Snapdragon X65 10 Gigabit 5G modem and antenna system.
• Vapor chamber thermal system to accommodate A16 chip and 5G modem.
• 48-megapixel Wide lens with 21 percent larger sensor that supports higher-resolution images and 8K video recording.
• Upgraded 7-element telephoto lens.
• Improved Ultra Wide lens.
• Upgraded front camera with wider f/1.9 aperture and autofocus capabilities.
• 6GB RAM.
• WiFi 6E.
• Up to 2TB storage.
• Possible price increase.

Full details on what to expect from the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro are available in our iPhone 14 Pro roundup.

Apple Watch Series 8

The Series 8 is expected to get an iterative update that largely focuses on a few new features like temperature sensing, but there are some surprises to be had as Apple is also introducing a pro version of the Apple Watch.

• Same general design as Series 7.
• 41 and 45mm sizes.
• S8 chip, which basically offers the same performance as the S7.
• Low power mode for improved battery life.
• Temperature sensor, which can let you know if your temperature is up. May be used for fertility tracking.
• Possible car crash detection.

Apple Watch Pro

The Apple Watch Series 8 isn't the only new Apple Watch that we're getting this year. Apple is refreshing the Apple Watch SE and introducing a new higher-end Apple Watch that could be called the "Apple Watch Pro."

• Updated design that's an "evolution of the current rectangular shape," possibly with a flat display, but no flat edges.
• Rugged, more durable build for extreme athletes.
• More durable titanium alloy casing with shatter-resistant display.
• Larger size with 2-inch diagonal screen that provides seven percent more display area.
• 410 x 502 resolution.
• Larger battery and longer battery life, could be as long as multiple days with new low power mode.
• All Apple Watch Series 8 features.
• Could be priced at around $900 to $1,000.

AirPods Pro 2

An updated version of the AirPods Pro is on the horizon, but it's not entirely clear if the refreshed earbuds will come out alongside the new ‌iPhone‌ and Apple Watch models or if Apple will introduce them later in the year.

• Same general design as current AirPods Pro with silicone ear tips and stem.
• Improved Find My integration.
• Charging case with speaker holes to play sounds when lost.
• AirPods 3 acoustics for improved sound.
• Updated H1 chip with self-adaptive noise cancellation capabilities.
• Possible Lossless audio (ALAC) support.
• Lightning port.

Our full AirPods Pro 2 guide has even more information about everything we've heard about the AirPods Pro so far.

Potential September Event Date

There's no word yet on when Apple will hold its annual September event, but given that the events almost always happen within the first two or three weeks of the month, we can make some educated guesses. September 5 is Labor Day, so that's out, and most events are on Monday or Tuesday, though Wednesday is sometimes a possibility.

Most likely target dates:

• September 7
• September 13
• September 14
• September 20
• September 21

September 12 and 13 are the two most likely dates, and if Apple does indeed plan to hold the event on one of these days, we could get an announcement the week before.

Past event dates:

• 2015 - September 9
• 2016 - September 7
• 2017 - September 12
• 2018 - September 12
• 2019 - September 10
• 2020 - September 15
• 2021 - September 14

October Event

Apple's September event isn't the only event we're going to get before the end of the year. We're also counting on an October event that will see the launch of new iPad Pro models, a new low-cost iPad a revamped Apple TV, and an Apple silicon version of the Mac Pro.

Feedback

What product are you most looking forward to from Apple this fall? Let us know in the comments below.

Samsung this week launched its fourth-generation foldable devices, the $1,000 Galaxy Z Flip and the $1,800 Galaxy Z Fold. Though there's no sign of a comparable Apple foldable device on the horizon, rumors suggest prototypes are in the works, so we thought we'd take a look at Samsung's newest smartphones to see what Apple needs to measure up to when a foldable iPhone does come out.

Samsung's early foldable devices were riddled with durability issues and hinge-related problems, but Samsung has now had several years to work out the kinks. New hinge designs and body refinements have taken care of a lot of these issues, and the fourth-generation devices look and feel more durable.

The Z Fold 4 is the bigger of Samsung's two foldable smartphones, and it folds like a book, going from a 6.2-inch display to a 7.6-inch display. The Z Flip 4 is a smaller foldable that folds vertically, top over bottom, and it has a 6.7-inch display when opened up. When closed, there's a 1.9-inch display where you can see notifications, the time, and other at-a-glance info.

Both of Samsung's foldable devices feature 120Hz OLED displays that look fantastic, and the Z Fold 4 runs a special version of Android built for foldable devices. Android L adds a dock that makes it easy to swap between apps, and there are useful multitasking capabilities.

Beyond the novelty of the folding, these two devices have your general high-end smartphone features. Multi-lens cameras, high-capacity batteries that outlast the ‌iPhone‌ battery, the latest Qualcomm chips, under display cameras, fingerprint sensors, 5G connectivity, and more. Make sure to watch our video up above to see the folding mechanism in action and to get a look at the rest of the feature set.

We've been hearing rumors about a foldable ‌iPhone‌ since 2016 when LG Display started producing foldable displays for smartphones, but so far, there have been no tangible rumors about an ‌iPhone‌ that folds as such a device remains in the prototyping stage.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said back in January 2021 that Apple's work on an ‌iPhone‌ with a foldable display was in the early stages, and that the company had not yet committed to releasing a foldable device. Other rumors have indicated that Apple is testing 8-inch and 9-inch foldable options, but we're still years off from a release.

Both display analyst Ross Young and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believe Apple has some kind of foldable iPhone in development with a launch planned for 2025 at the earliest. Apple often holds off on implementing new technology until the available hardware can meet the quality specifications that the Cupertino company demands, so it is no surprise to see Apple waiting for several years after the launch of foldable Android smartphones to launch its own.

In addition to redesigning the System Settings app on macOS Ventura, Apple has removed the app's longstanding Network Locations feature, as noted by Jason Snell at Six Colors. The feature allowed users to quickly switch between different sets of Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and other network settings depending on their location, such as home or work.

Given that macOS Ventura is still in beta, there is always a chance that Network Locations could return at some point, but this seems unlikely given that Apple marked Tyler Loch's bug report about the feature's absence as "works as currently designed."

In a support document, Apple says the Network Locations feature could be useful in circumstances such as those listed below:

- You use the same type of network (such as Ethernet) at work and at home, but the settings you use at work don't allow your Mac to automatically connect to the same type of network at home.

- Your Mac connects to more than one type of network service (such as both Wi-Fi and Ethernet) at work and at home, but at work you want your Mac to try connecting to the Ethernet network first, and at home you want your Mac to try connecting to the Wi-Fi network first. In other words, you want to set a different service order for each location.

- Your Mac isn't connecting to your network and you want to quickly reset your network settings for testing purposes, without losing your current network settings.

Snell says Apple's command-line tool "networksetup" is still present in the latest macOS Ventura beta, so a third-party developer could step in and release an app to replace the Network Locations functionality removed in the System Settings app.

Facebook has been in a feud with Apple since the iPhone maker introduced its App Tracking Transparency feature that lets users opt out of being tracked across apps on its platforms. In the past, however, Apple reportedly discussed potential "revenue-sharing arrangements" with Facebook that could have given Apple a "slice of Facebook's revenue."

According to The Wall Street Journal, which claims that most of the discussions occurred between 2016 and 2018, one idea that Apple discussed was Facebook creating a subscription-based version of its app without ads. Apple would have collected its standard 15% to 30% commission on Facebook's in-app subscriptions through the App Store, but Facebook ultimately decided against the idea, the report claims.

Apple allegedly also argued that the Facebook app's boosted post function, which allows Facebook pages to promote a post to a larger audience for a fee, should have been considered in-app purchases and thereby subjected to Apple's 30% commission.

In a statement, an Apple spokesperson said that the company routinely meets with developers of all sizes to discuss business matters:

"Every day, we meet and collaborate with developers of all sizes to make suggestions, address concerns, and help them continue to grow their businesses," said an Apple spokesman, who added that the rules for app developers like Facebook are "applied equally to all developers because we think that fair enforcement results in the best user experience."

A second Apple spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal there was "no connection between any discussions of partnerships and the ad-tracking changes that were later implemented," according to the report. App Tracking Transparency was implemented with the iOS 14.5, iPadOS 14.5, and tvOS 14.5 software updates released in April 2021.

App Tracking Transparency has resulted in $17.8 billion in lost revenue among Facebook, Twitter, Snap, and YouTube so far in 2022, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing an estimate by data management company Lotame.

The full report at The Wall Street Journal provides additional details about Apple's and Facebook's differing approaches to user privacy and more.

Apple today shared a new video ad promoting its Apple One subscription, which bundles several Apple services together for one monthly price.

In the 30 second spot, Apple gives a quick rundown of the services that are included: Apple Music, Apple Fitness+, Apple TV+, Apple News+, Apple Arcade, and iCloud+. "What's in ‌Apple One‌? The best of Apple," reads the tagline at the end of the video.

There are multiple tiers of the ‌Apple One‌ subscription service with prices that start at $14.95. The highest-tier Premier plan is the only one that includes all of the services in the video, and it is priced at $29.95 per month with access available for up to six family members.

For those curious about the ‌Apple One‌ subscription service, we have a dedicated guide that goes over all of the details.

Amazon today has discounted the 41mm Apple Watch Series 7 to a new all-time low price of $299.00, down from $399.00. This deal price is available in two colors: (PRODUCT)RED and Blue Aluminum.

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.

To date, this is the best price we've ever seen on the Apple Watch Series 7, and as of writing it's only available on Amazon. The (PRODUCT)RED Aluminum option is in stock today, and the Blue Aluminum option has a slightly delayed shipping estimate of around five days.

The 45mm GPS Apple Watch Series 7 is also seeing an all-time low price, but only in one color. You can get the (PRODUCT)RED Aluminum model for $329.00, down from $429.00 on Amazon.

Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

It wouldn't be the month before an iPhone launch without a few back-and-forth rumors, with the latest debate concerning iPhone 14 Pro storage.

While research firm TrendForce forecasted that iPhone 14 Pro models could start with an increased 256GB of storage, Haitong International analyst Jeff Pu today forecasted that the upcoming Pro models will continue to start with 128GB of storage.

Pu initially agreed that iPhone 14 Pro models would start at 256GB, but he added a 128GB tier to his specs chart for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max in his latest research note. Pu now believes the Pro models will remain available in the same storage capacities as iPhone 13 Pro models, including 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB.

Based on our recent supply chain survey, we maintain our iPhone 14 build plan to be 91m in 2H22, vs. iPhone 13's 84m in 2H21, as there is no significant issue on the supply chain. The next to watch will be iPhone 14's pricing and the wait-time when it hits the market.

Spec-wise, we add 128GB storage to the Pro line-up.

Earlier this week, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said iPhone 14 Pro models will have "price hikes," suggesting they will be more expensive than iPhone 13 Pro models. Kuo did not reveal exact pricing, but he said that the average selling price of the entire iPhone 14 lineup including the lower-end models will increase by about 15% overall.

In the United States, the iPhone 13 Pro starts at $999 and the iPhone 13 Pro Max starts at $1,099. If there were to be a 10% price increase to the Pro models, the iPhone 14 Pro could start at $1,099, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max could start at $1,199. However, the exact price increase for the Pro models if any remains to be seen.

The rumored price increase could be due to inflation, new features expected for iPhone 14 Pro models, supply chain disruptions, and other factors.

Key new features rumored for the iPhone 14 Pro include a new pill-shaped cutout and hole replacing the notch, a faster A16 chip, an upgraded 48-megapixel rear camera with support for 8K video recording, and an always-on display that shows the time, date, and new iOS 16 features like Lock Screen widgets and the battery percentage icon.

Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 14 series in September as usual, so we're only a matter of weeks away from pricing being confirmed.

Almost a month after launch, demand for the new M2 MacBook Air continues to be high, with the notebook in relatively short supply. For just the baseline configuration, customers are facing up to a three-week wait, according to Apple's online store.

In the United States, Apple lists the ‌MacBook Air‌ as shipping out in two to three weeks for the baseline model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage. Other configurations with varying storage and memory options are listed with a one to two weeks shipping estimate.

The delay is untimely, as Apple is currently running a Back to School promotion for students preparing for classes this fall. The new ‌MacBook Air‌ may be an attractive purchase for students thanks to its lightweight and thin design and the battery life and performance enabled by the ‌M2‌ chip.

Apple has been facing supply chain constraints in recent months, but the situation does seem to be easing. Besides the long wait for the new ‌MacBook Air‌, most other Macs in Apple's lineup remain readily available for shipping with no weeks-long delay.

The highest-end Mac Studio and the 24-inch iMac with the M1 chip are the two exceptions. The ‌Mac Studio‌ is listed with shipping estimates of one month or longer, and customers looking for an ‌iMac‌ face a three- to four-week delay, according to Apple's store at the time of writing.

In the third quarter of the year, Apple's Mac business was severely constrained. Apple CEO Tim Cook said that Mac supply was so low for the quarter that it was difficult to gauge actual demand for Apple's latest computers:

In terms of testing the demand, you can't really test demand unless you have the supply. We were so far from that last quarter that we have an estimate of what we believe demand was, but it is an estimate. We recognize how the industry is doing, we think that we've got a great story with the Mac, getting M1 out and now M2 out, we have a very strong offering for the back to school season and we'll see how we do this quarter. We'll report back in October.

Mac revenue for Q3 of 2022 was down to $7.3B from $8.2B in the year-ago quarter.

Apple recently removed a mention of "Hide My Email" support in third‑party apps from the macOS Ventura features page on its U.S. website, as noted by French website MacGeneration. The feature was still listed on the page as of August 3, according to the Wayback Machine, but it was removed at some point since then.

Apple's website said that you would be able to "keep your personal email address private with Hide My Email in third‑party apps" with an iCloud+ subscription. It is unclear why Apple removed the feature from the page, but it may be due to the fact that it is already possible to create randomized email addresses with Hide My Mail via the System Preferences/System Settings app or on iCloud.com and use those emails in third-party apps on the Mac.

The feature is still listed on the macOS Ventura page in many other countries, but Apple likely hasn't got around to updating its regionalized websites.

Hide My Email was first introduced on the Mac with macOS Monterey last year. The feature can generate unique, random email addresses that automatically forward to your personal inbox, allowing you to hide your actual email address for increased privacy. On macOS Monterey, the feature is directly integrated in Apple's Safari and Mail apps. In the Mail app, Hide My Mail can be found in a pop-up menu in the "From" field.

Hide My Mail is included for no additional charge with iCloud+ storage plans, which start at $0.99 per month in the U.S. Hide My Mail is also available when creating an account in Safari using the "Sign in with Apple" feature released in 2019.