MacRumors

Apple today released macOS Big Sur 11.5.1, a minor bug fix update that comes close to one week after the launch of macOS Big Sur 11.5.

The new ‌‌‌‌‌‌macOS Big Sur‌‌‌‌‌ 11.5.1 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Preferences.

According to Apple, macOS Big Sur 11.5.1 brings important security updates and is recommended for all users.

Apple today released iOS and iPadOS 14.7.1, minor bug fix updates that come just a week after the release of iOS 14.7, software that introduced new Apple Card features and support for the MagSafe Battery Pack.

The iOS and iPadOS 14.7.1 updates can be downloaded for free and the software is available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the new software, go to Settings > General > Software Update.

iOS 14.7.1 fixes a bug that could prevent Touch ID iPhones from unlocking an Apple Watch, an iOS 14.7 issue that Apple said it would fix in an upcoming software update.

iOS 14.7.1 fixes an issue where iPhone models with Touch ID cannot unlock a paired Apple Watch using the Unlock with iPhone feature. This update also provides important security updates and is recommended for all users.

Apple says the update also includes security updates, and recommends that all users install the iOS and iPadOS 14.7.1 updates.

A new Mac Pro that's coming in 2022 is set to use Intel's Ice Lake Xeon W-3300 workstation chips, according to an Intel leaker that WCCFtech says has offered reliable information on Intel Xeon chips in the past.

Intel's W-3300 Ice Lake CPUs are set to launch in the near future, and there have already been signs of new Ice Lake SP processors in the Xcode 13 beta. Intel has said that these chips offer "advanced performance, security, efficiency, and built-in AI acceleration to handle IoT workloads and more powerful AI."

Ice Lake chips for the ‌Mac Pro‌ would offer up to 38 cores and 76 threads, with the Xeon W-3775 positioned as Intel's top chip in the lineup. This top of the line chip features 57MB of cache and a 4.0GHz clock speed.

While Apple is transitioning its Mac lineup to Apple silicon and is developing a version of the ‌Mac Pro‌ that will run an Apple silicon chip, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said that Apple will also update the Intel Mac Pro.

Apple is working on a smaller ‌Mac Pro‌ that's about half the size of the original and that is expected to include an Apple silicon chip, but alongside it, the company is also developing a new version of the current ‌Mac Pro‌.

The Intel-based ‌Mac Pro‌ that's in the works with Intel's W-3300 Ice Lake chips could be one of the last Intel Macs that Apple will develop. Apple has already begun transitioning the iMac, MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and MacBook Air lines to Apple silicon.

Apple today shared another video in its ongoing Shot on iPhone series, with the new ad focusing on filming techniques to demonstrate how easy it can be to make a movie on an ‌iPhone‌.

The video walks through using the Ultra Wide camera for unique perspectives and it demonstrates different lighting effects that can be used to make a cinematic feel.

There's a technique on a DIY crane shot captured by dropping an ‌iPhone‌ onto a soft surface, and a supernatural effect done with a camping headlamp and a bike wheel.

Apple regularly shares Shot on ‌iPhone‌ videos, and for the last several months, has been doing "Everyday Experiments" videos that often show behind the scenes techniques much like today's film techniques video.

Apple Maps vehicles rigged with LiDAR equipment are collecting street-level imagery and data in several more countries and regions this summer, including Austria, Switzerland, and Hong Kong, according to a list of locations maintained on Apple's website. The vehicles have also returned to Belgium to survey additional regions after focusing on the Brussels area last year.

Apple will use the data collected to improve its Maps app and expand its Look Around feature, which is currently limited to parts of the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, and Japan. Introduced in iOS 13, Look Around is similar to Google's Street View, providing 3D street-level imagery that can be zoomed and panned.

Where available, Look Around can be accessed by tapping the binoculars icon in the top-right corner of the Maps app. Look Around also appears in the search results for a supported city, below the Flyover and Directions buttons.

Apple Maps vehicles began surveying efforts in 2015, collecting data in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Czech Republic, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Croatia, Poland, Germany, Hungary, Singapore, Israel, and select other countries and territories.

On its website, Apple says it is committed to protecting the public's privacy while conducting surveys. For example, Apple blurs out faces and license plates in street-level imagery made available through Look Around.

A museum dedicated to Apple and its products is set to open in Poland later this year, it has been announced.

The museum will feature 1,500 exhibits related to the development and evolution of Apple products throughout the company's history. It is said to be the biggest and most complete collection of its kind in the world. Krzysztof Grochowski, President of the Management Board of Japko, the company behind the exhibition, said:

We decided, together with our business partners, that it is our duty to present these unique collections to the widest possible audience. We want the exhibition to fit in with contemporary exhibition models. We would like it to show the development of ideas in technology in a way that everyone can see what progress we have experienced as humanity. We also want to show the sources and directions of civilization, but most of all, we wish to show visitors the true nucleus of technological pop culture. We will create a multimedia space in a way allowing people to experience this exhibition, not just to see it.

The museum will be spread across 3,500 square feet, featuring creative and interactive exhibits including Apple computers, laptops, accessories, cellphones, software, peripherals, posters, commemorative gadgets, and more. One of the highlights is a working replica of the Apple I signed by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, which serves as the starting point for visitors' journey around the museum.

Until now, a smaller form of the museum operated in Piaseczno, but the scale of the collection has led to the need for a larger space that could guide visitors through a timeline, presenting all of Apple's products and developments in chronological order.

A network of sensors throughout the museum will suggest objects of interest to visitors as they walk around, and will offer scenes built around specific Apple collections in a specially created audiovisual space. Scenography, lights, animation, sound, mapping, and infographics give opportunities for interaction, social and cultural context, and technical information about exhibits.

There will be focuses on prototypes that never reached mass production and short-lived devices that were commercial failures. The majority of these exhibits are working or are in the process of being restored, and visitors will apparently be able to touch, test, and experience many of them with assistance from a curator.

The Apple Museum Poland will be located in the revitalized Norblin Factory complex in Warsaw and is set to open this fall.

In the coming weeks on iOS and Android, Spotify will be rolling out a new tab in its mobile app that will provide users with notifications about new songs and album releases from their favorite artists, podcasts shows, and more.

The new page will be accessible with a tap of a new bell icon placed on the top-right hand corner on the Spotify home page. Tapping provides users a "real-time" view of all the new releases from their favorite artists and podcast creators. As Spotify describes in a press release:

Easily access your What’s New feed by clicking the new bell icon, located at the top of the Home tab on your phone. A blue dot indicator on the bell icon will let you know at a glance if new songs or episodes have been released since your last visit. What’s New also includes filters that allow you to sort for new music releases or new podcast and show episodes, helping you find what you’re looking for more quickly.

Spotify says the new feature will be rolling out in the coming weeks for users, so be sure to be on the latest Spotify version for Android and iOS.

Lamborghini is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Countach sports car with a new video series involving inspirational personalities, and the latest videos shared today feature Apple's former marketing chief Phil Schiller.

Schiller, who is now an Apple Fellow, said innovative products that stand the test of time have both great design and solve a problem.

"At Apple, we like to exist at the intersection of technology and the liberal arts, and I think that's a wonderful place to be," said Schiller. "It's not just enough to make something — you have to make it in a way that has meaning in people's lives."

In a companion Q&A video on Lamborghini's website, Schiller said the iPod is the project he is the most proud of. When asked if he prefers gas or electric vehicles, Schiller said that while he would always say combustion engines, he is "getting ready for electric" and he is excited to see what companies like Lamborghini can deliver in the space. Lamborghini recently announced plans to release its first fully-electric vehicle after 2025, and Apple has for years been rumored to be planning its own electric vehicle.

As an Apple Fellow, Schiller is responsible for leading the App Store and Apple Events, after helping guide Apple's products and marketing for 30 years.

(Thanks, Benjamin Cartwright!)

Apple on Monday responded to questions from Australia's parliament about its third-party access approach to the NFC chip in its iPhones, following claims that its Apple Pay system is stifling innovation in the contactless payment technology space.

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services heard for-and-against arguments from Apple, Google, and others relating to whether Apple should open up access to its near-field communication (NFC) chip. Australia's big banks have also sought open access to the NFC chip on the iPhone in recent years. However, in a written response to the committee, Apple said it "provides banks with access to NFC functionality on Apple devices" through ‌Apple Pay‌, which is "available to all banks in Australia on fair and non-discriminatory terms."

Apple has developed a technical architecture that comprises hardware and software components and application programming interfaces (APIs) that banks can use to facilitate contactless payments with their cards and mobile banking applications.

Apple chose to call this architecture Apple Pay because: (a) merchants need a simple way to communicate their acceptance of the service to consumers both in store and online, (b) Apple wished to facilitate consumer choice of payment method / bank by providing a consistent and simple experience, and (c) it allowed Apple to market the service to consumers without having to preference one bank over another.

According to ZDNet, Apple cited security as one of the reasons it doesn't support alternatives to ‌Apple Pay‌, comparing it to Google's HCE payment system which it claimed is an inherently less secure system with a worse user experience.

Host Card Emulation (HCE) is a less secure implementation, which was adopted by Android … Apple did not implement HCE because doing so would lead to less security on Apple devices. Google likely selected this implementation because Android software is used in a variety of hardware devices offered from many different companies other than Google, and therefore had to select a software-centric solution, even though it is less secure than a secure element-based implementation.

Apple, which offers a tight integration between the operating system and its own hardware, is able to offer a fully integrated solution that is superior to Android's approach.

In response, Google denied the allegation that it had made a security trade-off in implementing the HCE system.

"Our payments apps are immensely secure … our HCE system, which is used by a very large number of banks all around the world, is audited directly by the banks … we would refute the suggestion our HCE environment is in any way insecure," Google president of partnerships in the EMEA region Diana Layfield told the committee on Monday afternoon. "I would argue the user experience on Google Pay is equal to that of Apple Pay."

The Australian parliamentary committee is still considering the arguments submitted. Elsewhere, the EU is currently considering forcing Apple to open up its NFC payment technology, and earlier this year, Germany passed anti-money laundering legislation that requires Apple to grant payment service providers access to its technical infrastructure.

Users who subscribed to the Paramount+ and Showtime bundle via Apple TV channels are noticing that their subscription is being refunded and showing as "expired," likely indicating that the bundle is coming to an end.

A large number of subscribers on Reddit, Twitter, and the MacRumors forums are reporting billing errors for the bundle, where the $9.99 per month fee has failed to renew. The subscriptions tab of affected accounts is reportedly showing the bundle as "expired."

Users flagging the issue seem to be receiving different responses from Apple support, with some being told that the billing error was a fixable mistake and others being told that the bundle was a limited offer for one year only. Most users still seem to be able to access the streaming services, but the billing rejections and "expired" phraseology appear to suggest that their subscription will not renew. Apple or ViacomCBS, the owner of Paramount+ and Showtime, has not given an official comment.

The offer originally launched on August 17 last year via the TV app, giving ‌Apple TV‌+ subscribers access to both Paramount+, then titled CBS All Access, and Showtime, for $9.99 per month. The bundle aimed to encourage the use of ‌Apple TV‌+ and the ‌Apple TV‌ channels feature.

The loss of Paramount+ and Showtime would be yet another blow to ‌Apple TV‌ channels, which have largely failed to garner much support from streaming services. Last week, HBO dropped support for its Apple TV channel and encouraged subscribers to move to HBO Max instead.

Since the bundle launched a year ago next month, it is possible that it could have been an offer limited to one year only as some subscribers have suggested. If the bundle of Paramount+ and Showtime has indeed been discontinued, subscribers will now need to spend $9.99 for Paramount+ and $10.99 for Showtime per month. The combined cost of $20.98 would be over double the $9.99 cost of the exclusive bundle for ‌Apple TV‌+ subscribers.

Apple's larger redesigned iMac will arrive sometime in 2022 rather than later this year, according to the leaker known as "Dylandkt."

On Twitter, ‌Dylandkt‌ claimed that Apple's "high end ‌iMac‌" is not expected to release in the fourth quarter of 2021 alongside Apple's "M1X Macs" – a reference to Apple's redesigned MacBook Pro models – because "Apple simply does not want their devices to compete for attention and delays in product releases have led to this timetable."

In previous claims, ‌Dylandkt‌ has remained adamant that an "M1X" Apple silicon processor is destined for high-end "Pro" Macs, which could include the upcoming ‌MacBook Pro‌ models and a larger, more powerful ‌iMac‌ model. Apple is expected to release 14-inch and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models at some point between September and November. Reputable Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman has said he also expects the larger redesigned ‌iMac‌ to feature an M1X or M2X chip, but Gurman has stopped short of offering launch timing details.

Apple is known to be still developing a larger version of the ‌iMac‌, but paused work on the larger version to launch the 24-inch ‌iMac‌ model earlier this year. If the larger version of the ‌iMac‌ uses an M1X or M2X chip, it will be a more powerful version of the M1 chip that's in the 24-inch ‌iMac‌. The 27-inch Intel models that remain in Apple's lineup launched in August 2020, suggesting they are reaching the end of their production cycle.

A new larger ‌‌iMac‌‌ would likely ape several changes that debuted in the latest 24-inch model, such as a thinner overall design, studio-quality microphones, and of course more powerful Apple silicon processors replacing Intel.

‌Dylandkt‌ has correctly predicted details about a number of Apple's recent product launches. As early as November 2020, the leaker claimed that the next-generation iPad Pro would feature an ‌M1‌ chip, five months before the device emerged. Prior to the launch of the 24-inch ‌‌iMac‌‌ earlier this year, ‌Dylandkt‌ also correctly predicted that the new, redesigned ‌‌iMac‌‌ would replace the smaller entry-level ‌‌iMac‌‌ only and feature an ‌‌M1‌‌ chip rather than an M1X.

In other recent tweets, ‌Dylandkt‌ has claimed that new MacBook Air models powered by a not-before-seen "M2" chip will launch in the first half of 2022, and that Apple's LiDAR camera feature will only appear in the "Pro" variants of upcoming iPhone 13 models.

Apple has ordered more than 100 million of its "A15" chips to be produced by supplier TSMC, as it prepares to launch its upcoming iPhone 13 lineup, according to supply chain sources cited by CNBeta.

Apple is expecting the upcoming line-up to be high in demand and has reportedly asked its suppliers to boost production by more than 25% for this year's new iPhone. With the boost, the company's suppliers are expected to produce 100 million handsets, compared to the 75 million it initially produced for the 2020 iPhones. According to today's report, Apple has ordered 100 million A15 chips to be produced using TSMC's enhanced 5nm process.

The A14 chip powering the latest iPad Air and ‌iPhone‌ 12 are the first Apple-designed chips to be built using the 5nm process. The upcoming chips will continue to be based on the same technology and an enhanced version that will offer improved performance and power efficiency.

Today's report also claims that the upcoming chip will feature a six-core CPU with four high-efficiency cores and two high-performance cores. If true, the upcoming chip will feature the same CPU count as the existing A14 but will still provide performance and battery life improvements.

The power efficiency of the upcoming A15 chip will be critical on the higher-end models of the upcoming ‌iPhone‌ due to the rumored inclusion of a ProMotion display. Apple's ProMotion technology allows displays to refresh at a higher 120Hz refresh rate, which can be significantly power hungry. The high-end ‌iPhone‌ models may also feature always-on display capabilities.

A DigiTimes report earlier this year said that even with the addition of a ProMotion display, the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max will be 15-20% more power-efficient thanks to the A15 chip. On top of the improved chip efficiency, the upcoming ‌iPhone‌ is expected to feature larger batteries.

Next year's "iPhone 14" series is expected to feature high-end models with a new titanium alloy chassis design, claims a new investors report by JP Morgan Chase.

According to the report, the use of titanium alloy will be one of the biggest changes to the case design in the 2022 iPhone series, and Foxconn will be the exclusive manufacturer of the titanium frames for the high-end models.

If the report is accurate, the use of titanium in an ‌iPhone‌ would be a first for Apple. The company currently uses the material for some Apple Watch Series 6 models, and the physical Apple Card is made of titanium, but the latest iPhones are made of aluminum and stainless steel.

Compared to stainless steel, titanium has a relatively high hardness that makes it more resistant to scratches, and its stiffness makes it durable enough to withstand bending. It's as strong as steel but 45% lighter, and twice as strong as aluminum while being only 60% heavier. It's also more resistant to corrosion compared to many other alloys.

The material does have some drawbacks, though. Oil from fingerprints can be readily seen on bare titanium and titanium alloy surfaces, leaving unattractive marks on consumer devices. The hardness of titanium also makes it difficult to etch, which can make it less attractive.

However, Apple has been researching how it can overcome both of these issues. Recent patent filings reveal that Apple is looking at the use of thin oxide coatings for metal surfaces which can significantly reduce the appearance of fingerprints on devices. The company has also outlined a blasting, etching, and chemical process that can give titanium enclosures a high-gloss surface finish for a more attractive appearance.

Meanwhile, JP Morgan Chase's report also corroborates rumors that next year's ‌iPhone‌ will feature greater specification changes than the upcoming ‌iPhone‌ 13, suggesting that Apple is earmarking 2022 as an ‌iPhone‌ "supercycle," or a year in which dramatically more people than usual upgrade to the latest models.

The report corroborates other rumors that Apple does not plan to introduce a 5.4-inch ‌iPhone 14‌ mini, with the mini line ending after the ‌iPhone‌ 13. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple will instead offer two 6.1-inch iPhones and two 6.7-inch iPhones, so both the standard ‌iPhone 14‌ and the ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro will be available in those two size options.

The report also mentions the market rumor that Touch ID could return to the iPhone in some form, if not this year then next, either implemented in the side button or in the form of an in-display fingerprint sensor.

Other rumors suggest at least some 2022 iPhones will no longer have a notch, with Apple instead adopting a punch-hole design that's previously been used for some Android devices. For all the details on the rumors floating around for the ‌iPhone 14‌, check out the last section of our iPhone 13 guide.

Apple plans to bring Face ID to the Mac within the next "couple of years," respected Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman said today in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter.

In the newsletter, Gurman says that he believes Apple's ultimate goal is to shift all of its products to ‌Face ID‌, including the lower-end iPhones such as the iPhone SE and the iPad Air, which feature Touch ID. Gurman says ‌Touch ID‌ remains an important part of Apple's product lineup, especially for lower-end models, thanks to it being a "cheaper alternative" to ‌Face ID‌ while continuing to provide security to users.

But I expect that to eventually change. It won’t happen this year, but I’d bet Face ID on the Mac is coming within a couple of years. I expect all iPhones and iPads to transition to Face ID within that timeframe, too. Eventually, a camera embedded in the screen would help differentiate Apple’s pricier devices by eliminating the notch at the top. The facial recognition sensor gives Apple two central features: security and augmented reality. Touch ID, more convenient or not, only provides the former.

Gurman had previously reported that as Apple was planning its recently launched redesigned 24-inch iMac, it had initially planned to include ‌Face ID‌, but that ‌Face ID‌ implementation has been delayed to an upcoming ‌iMac‌ redesign instead. Unlike iPhones and iPads, Mac laptop screens are significantly thinner, making it harder to fit the necessary depth sensors for ‌Face ID‌, Gurman notes.

Further down the line, Gurman says Apple will eventually embed ‌Face ID‌ into the screens themselves, abandoning the need for a notch on the iPhone. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes such an ‌iPhone‌ may debut as early as 2023. As for the Mac desktop, Apple is continuing to develop a replacement for the 27-inch iMac which may feature a larger screen and a more powerful "M2X" chip. Apple earlier this year paused work on the larger ‌iMac‌ to focus on the 24-inch ‌iMac‌, which was released this past April.

Apple's new MagSafe Battery Pack is now available, and we went hands-on this week for some early impressions of the new accessory to get more battery life out of Apple's iPhone 12 lineup.

This week also saw a number of rumors about the upcoming redesigned MacBook Pro models, the iPhone 13 lineup, the next-generation iPad mini, a new iPhone SE, and the third-generation AirPods. Read on below and check out our video above for details of these stories and more!

Hands-On With Apple's MagSafe Battery Pack

Apple recently released a new MagSafe Battery Pack that magnetically attaches to the back of the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max, providing additional hours of battery life on the go. In one of our latest YouTube videos, we went hands on with the MagSafe Battery Pack to see if it's worth its $99 price tag.

The MagSafe Battery Pack can be ordered from Apple's online store and is currently estimated for late July delivery, and it is also available for same-day Apple Store pickup at select locations.

Redesigned MacBook Pros Expected to Launch Between September and November

We've been hearing for a while now that Apple is working on redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with a faster version of the M1 chip, and this week it was reported that the notebooks will be released at some point between September and November.

Apple apparently planned to launch the new MacBook Pro models earlier this year, but continued complications with mini-LED display production delayed their launch.

iPhone 13 May Feature Apple Watch-Like Always-On Display

In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman claimed that iPhone 13 models will potentially have an Apple Watch-like always-on display mode where the clock and other status indicators are persistently visible.

An always-on display would be the result of iPhone 13 models adopting low-power LTPO display technology, and a higher 120Hz refresh rate is also expected on the Pro models.

iPad Mini 6 Rumored to Feature A15 Chip, Smart Connector, and More

More details emerged about what we can expect from the next iPad mini this week, including that it will apparently be powered by the same A15 chip as expected for the iPhone 13. The device may also gain a Smart Connector for connecting compatible keyboards.

While one recent rumor claimed that the next iPad mini will be equipped with a mini-LED display like on the iPad Pro for higher brightness and improved contrast, display analyst Ross Young says this will not be the case.

2022 iPhone SE Said to Feature A15 Chip, 5G, and 4.7-Inch Display

Rumors are ramping up about the next iPhone SE, which is rumored to look similar to the current model but feature some notable improvements, including a faster A15 chip and 5G support. The device is expected to launch during the first half of 2022.

The iPhone SE is the cheapest iPhone that Apple sells, starting at $399 with 64GB of storage.

AirPods 3 Mass Production Said to Kick Off in August

If the latest supply chain indications are accurate, new AirPods could finally be on the horizon, with mass production of the wireless earphones reportedly set to begin in August and a launch potentially coming alongside the iPhone 13 lineup in September.

The third-generation ‌AirPods‌ are rumored to adopt a similar design to the current AirPods Pro, with shorter stems and silicone ear tips. However, they would likely lack some of the more advanced AirPods Pro features.

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!

Apple has made so many improvements to the Maps app in iOS 15 that it's almost an entirely different experience. There are better driving directions, improved transit directions, and more immersive AR-based walking directions.

The Maps design has once again been updated, and you can see everything at an incredible level of detail that wasn't available before, especially in cities and in places where there was no detail before. This guide walks through all of the changes that have been introduced in the Maps app in iOS 15.

Updated Driving Maps

When using Maps for driving directions, more detailed road information is available. Maps will make turn lanes, crosswalks, and bike lanes clear so you know where you're supposed to be.

If there's a complex interchange that needs to be navigated, Maps will shift over into a street-level perspective to cut down on the confusion. All of this is included on the dedicated driving map, which also highlights current traffic incidents and conditions like road closures so you know what to expect on your route.

Maps in iOS 15 has Explore, Driving, Transit, and Satellite maps to choose from, and it's the driving map that's the new addition. There is a new interface for picking a map, with previews of what each map looks like.

More Detailed City Maps

Maps in iOS 15 is more detailed in all locations, but in select cities, Apple has upped the detail even further. Roads, neighborhoods, trees, and buildings are shown in full detail, and there are 3D representations of landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge.

Cities with 3D landmarks and high levels of detail include San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, and London. Apple has also rendered its Infinite Loop and Apple Park campuses in 3D, and this is a feature that will expand to additional cities in the future.

Apple has also updated the Apple Maps night/dark mode with new colors and a fresh look, and commercial districts are highlighted.

AR Walking Instructions

Walking directions in iOS 15 can now be shown in augmented reality, making it easier to get where you need to go, especially in situations where the directions are tricky. The AR mode offers step-by-step directions when walking, and you can enter it by scanning the buildings around you when prompted after initiating a route.

To get AR walking directions, an iPhone that has an A12 chip or later is required. The A12 was first used in the ‌iPhone‌ XS, XS Max, and XR, which came out in 2018. So 2018 and newer iPhones are compatible with the augmented reality feature.

• iOS 15: How to Get AR Walking Directions in Maps

Globe View

With iOS 15, if you continue to zoom out until you can zoom no further, you reach a new globe view that lets you spin around the world and drill into new areas. Prior to iOS 15, there was an option to zoom out to a world map, but not a full globe.

The Globe view is easier to navigate than the prior world map, with better pinch in and pinch out gestures and smoother scrolling.

To enhance this view, Apple has added more details for mountain ranges, deserts, forests, and ocean. If you zoom into the Andes, for example, Apple has detailed topographical information and you can get information on each mountain peak like elevation, coordinates, distance, and more.

• iOS 15: How to Use the Interactive Maps Globe

Set Leaving and Arriving Times

When getting directions in the Maps app, iOS 15 has a feature that lets you choose a time to arrive or a time to leave, allowing you to get prospective commuting lengths ahead of time.

Tapping on "Leaving Now" next to "My Location" when getting directions has options for "Leave at" or "Arrive by" times to select dates and specific times.

• iOS 15: How to Set Leaving and Arrival Times for Driving Directions in Apple Maps

Transit Updates

In cities with updated maps, the transit map has been updated with a more detailed view that shows major bus routes. Frequent transit riders can see all of the departures that are listed near them and pin their favorite lines so they always show at the top of the Maps interface.

While on public transit, there's an updated user interface that makes it easier for users to see and interact with their routes in a one-handed operation mode, useful when there are no seats available.

As a stop approaches on public transit, Maps will send a notification that it's nearing time to disembark.

New Place Cards

Place cards for businesses, landmarks, restaurants, and more have been updated with a new design, with Apple providing details about nearby places, other spots at the same location, Guide availability, and more. Apple is still using Yelp to pull in information like reviews.

Apple says that it's easier to find and interact with information for businesses or explore details about cities. Physical features like mountain ranges now have their own place cards with details like elevation.

Guide Updates

Apple added a dedicated Guides Home that houses editorially curated guides with tips on what to do in a city where you live or where you're visiting.

Search Improvements

Search in Maps has been improved and search results can now be filtered by options like specific cuisine, whether a restaurant is open, whether a restaurant offers takeout, and more.

If you move around the map after executing a search, the Maps app will automatically update the search results to the new location.

• iOS 15: How to Filter Search Results in Maps

User Accounts and Feedback

There's now a Maps user account that houses Maps preferences like direction mode, toll and highway avoidance options, transit options, and more.

It also aggregates Favorites, Guides, Ratings, and Photos in addition to providing quick access to reporting issues and accidents.

• iOS 15: How to Find User Settings in Maps

Weather Warnings

If there are weather conditions that will affect your route, Maps in iOS 15 will let you know. If there's flooding on a road, for example, Maps will reroute you around the flooding, or let you know about it so you can avoid the trip.




Guide Feedback

Have questions about Maps in iOS 15, know of a feature we left out, or want to offer feedback on this guide? Send us an email here.

Related Forum: iOS 15

Apple's iOS 15 website lists "improved recognition for individuals" as one of the new Photos features, and in a machine learning blog post shared this week, Apple gave more information on what exactly that means.

Apple says that on-device machine learning improvements have led to significantly better person recognition. The iOS 15 ‌Photos‌ app is able to detect people in extreme poses, people wearing accessories, and people with occluded faces.

To do this, Apple uses a combination of face and upper body to match people whose faces are not visible. Apple's machine learning blog says that the new functionality improves the ‌Photos‌ experience by identifying people in situations where it was previously impossible.

Apple's blog post on recognizing people in photos through on-device machine learning goes into much greater detail on how Apple uses machine learning to identify people while still protecting user privacy, and it's well worth a read for those who are interested in the inner workings of ML features.