Apple today announced it has deployed more than $1 billion towards affordable housing initiatives across California over the last 18 months, helping thousands of people in the state become homeowners for the first time.
In partnership with the California Housing Finance Agency, Housing Trust Silicon Valley, and Destination:Home, Apple said the the $1 billion in funding has helped support new housing development and construction, assisted first-time buyers to purchase homes, and expanded programs to reduce homelessness.
This milestone is part of Apple's overall $2.5 billion commitment to combat the California housing crisis, with the state having some of the United States' most expensive residential markets, including the Bay Area where Apple is headquartered. To date, Apple says it has supported affordable housing efforts across 25 counties in the state.
Apple's commitment includes a series of initiatives over several years, including a $1 billion affordable housing investment fund with the state of California, a $1 billion first-time homebuyer mortgage assistance fund, $300 million in Apple-owned land made available for affordable housing, a $150 million Bay Area housing fund, and $50 million to support Destination: Home's efforts to address homelessness in Silicon Valley.
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Rockley Photonics, an Apple supplier, has today unveiled an advanced digital sensor system that is likely to come to the Apple Watch to enable a wide range of new health tracking features.
The company today revealed a full-stack, "clinic-on-the-wrist" digital health sensor system, enabling wearable devices to monitor multiple biomarkers, including core body temperature, blood pressure, body hydration, alcohol, lactate, and glucose trends, and more.
The technology uses a miniaturized chip solution with optical sensors that provide continuous, non-invasive monitoring of various biomarkers, in an attempt to overcome many of the challenges associated with wearable health monitoring and avoid the need for invasive sensors that must perforate the skin.
Many wearables use green LEDs to monitor heart rate, but Rockley's sensor uses infrared spectrophotometers that can detect and monitor a much wider range of biomarkers to dramatically increase the functionality of wearable devices. The sensor generates lasers to non-invasively probe beneath the skin to analyze blood, interstitial fluids, and layers of the dermis for specific constituents and physical phenomena.
Rockley is initially launching its full-stack sensing solution as a wristband that contains the sensor module and communicates with an app and it will be used in a number of human studies in the coming months, but the company suggested that its sensor module and associated reference designs, including hardware and application firmware, will be available for other consumer products.
Earlier this year, it was revealed that Apple is the largest customer of Rockley Photonics. The company's filings said that Apple accounted for the majority of its revenue over the last two years and that it has an ongoing "supply and development agreement" with the company, under which it expects to continue to heavily rely on Apple for most of its revenue.
Given the growth of Rockley Photonics and the scale of Apple's partnership with the company, it seems to be highly likely that the company's health sensor technology will be coming to the Apple Watch sooner rather than later, providing the technology lives up to expectations. Rockley has previously said that its sensors could be in consumer smartwatches and other electronics as soon as next year, which could align with the launch of Apple Watch Series 8 models.
Google's designs on its first foldable Pixel phone appear to have ramped up a notch, with the company said to be tapping Samsung to supply ultra-thin glass (UTG) layers for an infolding 7.6-inch device that could launch this year.
MacRumors concept render
According to a new report from The Elec, Google is just one of several mobile makers seeking to secure UTG orders from Samsung, which is currently the exclusive supplier of the glass. Xiaomi, Honor, and OPPO are all believed to be working on foldable phones with UTG.
Samsung's original 2019 Galaxy Fold used polyimide films, but the in-folding screens were susceptible to display creasing and panel breakages, and the company's subsequent folding smartphones, 2020's Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Z Fold 2, both used UTG. The latter has fared better under duress, seemingly proving that almost anything can be bent if you make it thin enough.
The report falls in line with previous suggestions in February that Samsung has been developing in-folding OLED panels to supply to Oppo, Xiaomi, and Google. Last month, The Elec also reported that Samsung would produce foldable displays for Google and other vendors in October, suggesting a "Pixel Fold" release in the fourth quarter of this year.
Documents leaked in August 2020 suggested Google plans to release a foldable pixel phone in Q4 2021. Google confirmed in 2019 that it is developing technology that could be used in foldable devices, although at the time the company played down the prospect of actually launching a foldable, saying it didn't see "a clear use case yet."
However, Google develops the software that has to run on all Android foldable devices, which put it at a distinct advantage when it comes to foldable hardware-software integration.
Market research firm Omdia expects foldable OLED sales to reach US$2.1 billion this year, a 203% increase from 2020. Most of the sales are expected to come through foldable panels made by Samsung Display, and while Apple appears to have not made a firm decision on whether it will launch a foldable smartphone, previous rumors have suggested that Apple has requested foldable display samples from Samsung for testing purposes in a future iPhone.
Samsung has historically been a key supplier to Apple, providing the OLED screens for iPhones. The Korean company apparently intends to dominate the foldable display market as a UTG supplier, although the glass it's using in its current foldable phones is actually made by German manufacturer Schott, while U.S.-based Corning is also emerging as a UTG player.
The repeated suggestion of Samsung's involvement and orders being placed by Apple offers a more concrete suggestion that work on a foldable iPhone is quietly continuing, with some rumors suggesting a release as early as 2023.
Amazon is rolling out end-to-end encryption for video captured by Ring doorbells, after a successful trial in the United States (via BBC News).
Amazon's worldwide adoption of the encryption standard for Ring will mean that video footage from the doorbell cameras is stored on Amazon's servers, but the content won't be accessible to the company and only the user's device on which the video is received will be able to view the files.
Other new security features also set to be added to Ring doorbells include the ability to use two-factor authenticator apps and Captcha images. Amazon bought the US-based firm Ring for around $1 billion in 2018.
Apple offers a similar service for HomeKit-enabled third-party cameras called HomeKit Secure Video, which leverages iCloud to securely stream and store video clips from compatible indoor and outdoor cameras and doorbells, with end-to-end encryption.
HomeKit Secure Video cameras and doorbells are managed through the Home app like other HomeKit accessories. However, despite assurances given in 2018 Amazon's Ring Video Doorbell still does not support Apple HomeKit, and there is no indication that it plans to do so in the near future.
For people looking for alternatives, Apple in December began selling Logitech's Circle View Wired Doorbell ($200), one of the first video doorbells with support for HomeKit Secure Video.
Google has brought in 60-minute group video call limits for Google Meet users with free Gmail accounts, according to recently updated support pages (via 9to5Google).
The Meet service was originally exclusive to paying G-Suite members, but "unlimited" (up to 24 hour) group calls were made available for free to all users with a Google account in April 2020, in order to see off competition from Zoom and to help mitigate the impact of the global health crisis on work and relationship patterns.
The 60-minute limit was originally scheduled to come back into effect at the end of September 2020, but Google moved the deadline to March 2021, and then again to June 30, in response to changing circumstances.
Google will continue to allow non-paying users to make one-on-one calls for as long as they want, but longer group calls will require the $7.99 monthly cost of a Google Workspace subscription for individuals.
Going forward, free Gmail account holders will get a notification at 55 minutes that their Meet group call is about to end. To extend the call, the host can upgrade their Google account. Otherwise, the call will end at 60 minutes.
Google Meet offers many of the features that have made Zoom and Microsoft Teams so popular with both business and non-business users over the last year, including video conferencing for up to 100 participants, the option to schedule meetings, and screen-sharing capabilities.
Anyone interested in using Google Meet can download the Meet iOS app from the App Store or head to meet.google.com to use the web browser version.
Apple is offering an extended four-month free Apple Music trial for serving members and veterans of the U.S. military, provided they haven't been a subscriber to the streaming service before.
Apple Music typically offers a three-month free trial for new subscribers, but military can take advantage of a special limited-time offer an get an extra month to try it out.
The offer can be accessed via a special link, spotted by 9to5Mac, which redirects to an authentication page on Apple's website. There, eligible users need to log in with an ID.me account, a third-party service that provides retail discounts to serving military and veterans.
The offer appears to be tied to July 4, and it won't be available for long. The four-month trial is valid for U.S. accounts only and the code expires on August 1, 2021, according to Apple.
Twitter users will soon be able to change who can reply to their tweets after they've posted them, the company has announced.
Limiting who could reply to a tweet was already an option, thanks to a feature rolled out last year, but users had to choose who could reply before posting the tweet. Now they can make that decision after the post has gone live.
Changing the reply options on a posted tweet is simple enough. Tap the ellipsis (thee dots) menu in the top-right corner of a tweet and select "Change who can reply" from the dropdown.
A "Who can reply?" Card will appear, from which you can choose one of the three same options that are available when composing a tweet: "Everyone," "People you follow," and "Only people you mention."
The new option gives users more control over who can interact with their posts, which aims to reduce harassment on the social media platform, although it's not hard to see how it could have the unintended effect of restricting constructive debate and amplifying someone's online "echo chamber." The feature is currently rolling out worldwide on iOS, Android, and the web.
Twitter has recently been previewing a lot more feature ideas before it commits to bringing them to the platform so that it can garner feedback on them. For example, earlier this month it said it was considering letting users post select tweets for "Trusted Friends" only, an idea similar to Instagram's "Close Friends" feature, which lets users share personal Stories more privately.
Apple is looking to boost initial production of this year's iPhone 13 models to 90 million units through the end of the year, an increase of up to 20% over the 75 million units of the iPhone 12 series produced last year, according to Bloomberg's Debby Wu and Mark Gurman.
The report also outlines a number of expectations for the iPhone 13 series, most of which have already been rumored:
Same four sizes as the current lineup
September announcement
At least one model with LTPO display to enable variable refresh rate
Smaller notch
Camera upgrades will focus on video, including improved optical zoom
Upgraded chip based on same 6-core design as current A14
No in-display Touch ID, although Apple did test the technology for the iPhone 13
In addressing the smaller notch on the iPhone 13, Bloomberg says that while Apple's goal is to ultimately remove the notch entirely, it looks like even the 2022 iPhone will still include one. It is, however, likely to be reduced further in size compared to the iPhone 13's notch.
Apple in July 2021 unveiled its rumored MagSafe Battery Pack, introducing an add-on battery that's designed to work with the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models. Priced at $99, the MagSafe Battery Pack provides extra battery life for Apple's MagSafe iPhone lineup and it also has a few nifty features, such as a reverse wireless charging option that lets it be charged through the iPhone.
This guide features all of the details that we know about the new MagSafe Battery Pack and how it works.
Design
The MagSafe Battery Pack has a rectangular design that matches the shape of the iPhone, and it attaches to the back of an iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 to provide extra power.
Apple only debuted the MagSafe Battery Pack in white, and it has an Apple logo. It is sized to take up the full rear of the iPhone 12 mini or iPhone 13 mini below the camera cutout, while it has a smaller fit on the other iPhone models. The MagSafe Battery Pack is made from a hard white plastic material.
The back side of the MagSafe Battery Pack that's visible has a rounded look with rounded corners, while the front is flat with a MagSafe indentation. There is a built-in Lightning port for charging the MagSafe Battery Pack.
Apple's MagSafe Battery Pack looks thin in marketing photos, but in real life, it's quite a bit thicker than it appears in Apple's images. The MagSafe Battery Pack weighs in at 115 grams and it is 11mm thick. Comparatively, the iPhone 13 weighs 164 grams and is 7.4mm thick.
Charging Speed
The MagSafe Battery Pack charged an iPhone at 5W when on the go at launch, but Apple later introduced a firmware update that brought it up to 7.5W. It does not charge at the full 15W speed without a power source due to heat concerns and to prolong battery life.
When the MagSafe Battery Pack is attached to an iPhone and plugged in to a Lightning to USB-C cable that's connected to a 20W or higher charger, the iPhone is able to charge through the MagSafe Battery Pack at 15W.
Most people will need the MagSafe Battery Pack while on the go, and in this situation, it's good to be aware that charging is limited to a slower 7.5W speed.
Battery Size
Apple does not officially provide details on how much additional battery life an iPhone user can get with the MagSafe Battery Pack.
The MagSafe Battery Pack has a 7.62V, 11.13Wh battery inside, delivering 1460 mAh of charge.
Roughly, the MagSafe Battery Pack may provide one full charge for the iPhone 12/13 mini and a partial charge for the rest of the iPhone 12/13 models. Though designed for MagSafe-compatible iPhone models, the battery pack can be used to charge any Qi-based device, which includes older iPhones and the AirPods. It cannot charge the Apple Watch as the Apple Watch does not use Qi charging.
Reverse Charging
The MagSafe Battery Pack has a reverse wireless charging feature. This means that if you charge your iPhone, the MagSafe Battery Pack will also charge at the same time. So you can charge both the iPhone and the MagSafe Battery Pack through the Lightning port on the MagSafe Battery Pack or through the Lightning port on the iPhone, and you'll get the same ultimate result with both devices charging up.
Apple says that this charging method is useful for when the iPhone is plugged into another device, such as a wired CarPlay setup or when an iPhone is connected to a Mac. When charging the iPhone and MagSafe Battery Pack simultaneously, the iPhone will charge to 80 percent or higher before the MagSafe Battery Pack begins to charge.
Note that a 20W or higher power adapter is recommended for charging and is required for charging the iPhone at 15W when the MagSafe Battery Pack is plugged in.
Charging the MagSafe Battery Pack either through the Battery Pack itself or through the iPhone requires a Lightning cable. The MagSafe Battery Pack will not charge using Apple's MagSafe Charger.
Viewing Charging Status
The power level of the MagSafe Battery Pack can be viewed in the Batteries widget that can be placed on the Home Screen or accessed through the Today View. MagSafe Battery Pack battery level is displayed alongside the iPhone, Apple Watch, AirPods, and other connected accessories.
There are built-in charge management features in the MagSafe Battery Pack that are designed to help maintain battery health in situations where the MagSafe Battery Pack is connected to power for long periods of time.
Apple says that an iPhone might get warm while it charges. If that happens, to extend the lifespan of the battery, Apple says that the software might limit charging above 80 percent. If this happens, Apple recommends moving to a cooler location as the iPhone will charge again when the temperature drops.
When using the MagSafe Battery Pack to charge an iPhone, you might get a notification that that the iPhone will only charge up to 90 percent. To charge beyond 90 percent, Apple recommends opening Control Center, pressing and holding on the Low Power Mode icon, and then tapping "Continue."
If Optimized Battery Charging is activated, you may also see a Lock Screen notification letting you know when the iPhone will be fully charged. To force a charge you can tap and hold the notification, then tap Charge Now.
Interaction With Other MagSafe Accessories
The MagSafe Battery Pack can be attached to a naked iPhone or to an iPhone with a MagSafe case attached. If you use a leather charging case, Apple warns that the case might show imprints from the compression of the leather, which is normal. Those concerned about the imprints should use a non-leather case.
Because the MagSafe Battery Pack needs direct contact with the iPhone, accessories like the MagSafe Wallet need to be removed.
Firmware Updates
Apple is able to provide firmware updates to the MagSafe charger over the air. The most significant update came in April 2022, introducing faster 7.5W charging, up from the original 5W charging speed.
Updating the MagSafe Battery Pack can be done by attaching it to an iPhone and waiting (a process that can take up to a week), or using a Mac or an iPad to update within five minutes. Apple suggests users attach a Lightning cable to a MagSafe Battery Pack and then plug in the USB side to an iPad or Mac to initiate the update process.
You can check to see which firmware version your MagSafe Battery Pack is running by attaching it to an iPhone and then going to Settings > General > About > MagSafe Battery Pack. You will need version 2.7.b.0 to get the 7.5W charging.
Compatibility
The MagSafe Battery Pack works with the iPhone 12 and 13 models. It will charge other devices like the iPhone 11 lineup and the AirPods because it's just Qi-based wireless charging, but only the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models have magnets to keep the MagSafe Battery Pack in place. iOS 14.7 or later is required.
A24, a film and TV studio that works with Apple, recently explored a possible sale and Apple was one of the interested parties, according to a new report from Variety.
Movies that include "Hereditary," "Moonlight," "Lady Bird," and "Midsommar" have come from A24, with A24 also responsible for Apple TV+ content that includes "Mr. Corman" and "On the Rocks" along with and upcoming films "Sharper," "The Sky is Everywhere," "The Tragedy of Macbeth," "Bride," and more.
A24 is asking for $2.5 billion to $3 billion, and has been talking with potential buyers for over 18 months. According to Variety, it is not clear if those discussions are ongoing, as a source close to the company says A24 is now focused on expansion.
Some of the sources that spoke to Variety said that Apple and A24 discussed a potential acquisition when their multi-year film deal was announced in 2018, but other sources said that the two companies held discussions much more recently.
Apple appears to be looking to expand its Apple TV+ offerings, and recent rumors also suggested that Apple has expressed interest in purchasing Hello Sunshine, which is Reese Witherspoon's production company.
If Apple does ultimately end up purchasing A24, it could be folded into Apple Studios, Apple's own production company that is involved with some of its Apple TV+ shows.
Apple's MagSafe Battery Pack designed for the iPhone 12 models has a unique feature that's long been rumored but never introduced in an Apple product -- reverse wireless charging.
When attached to an iPhone that's charging via Lightning, the iPhone can deliver power to the MagSafe Battery Pack, which is the first instance of an iPhone being able to route power to an accessory device.
We've long heard rumors of reverse wireless charging capabilities for the iPhone, a feature that's been talked about as a possibility for both the iPhone 11 and the iPhone 12. Apple hasn't actually implemented reverse wireless charging until now, and the way that it works with the MagSafe Battery Pack is limited in scope.
With the MagSafe Battery Pack, the iPhone has to be plugged in for the charging feature to work, but it's certainly a step in the right direction and hints at more expansive reverse wireless charging capabilities in the future. Given the MagSafe Battery Pack's reverse wireless charging feature, it seems technically possible that an iPhone 12 could deliver power to the AirPods or AirPods Pro, but Apple has not yet implemented this feature.
Apple has suggested that MagSafe Battery Pack users might want to use the iPhone passthrough charging feature when the iPhone is connected to a power source like wired CarPlay and is able to charge both accessories.
Apple is developing a new pay later service that will let customers pay for Apple Pay purchases in installments over time, reports Bloomberg. Installment payment options will be available for all Apple Pay purchases, with the feature not limited to Apple products.
The service is similar to Paypal's Buy Now, Pay Later feature, and internally, it's being called "Apple Pay Later."
Apple is planning to partner with Goldman Sachs on the Apple Pay installments plan, with Goldman Sachs serving as the lender for the loans needed for the monthly installment plans. Apple currently works with Goldman Sachs on the Apple Card, but the new installment plan option is not limited to the Apple Card and will not require users to have an Apple Card to use the feature. According to Bloomberg, when a user makes a purchase using Apple Pay, they will be able to pay for it across four interest-free payments made every two weeks or across several months with interest.
The four payment play is called "Apple Pay in 4" internally, while the longer-term payment plans are dubbed "Apple Pay Monthly Installments." Users will be able to choose any credit card to make their payments over time with the Apple Pay Later plan, and it is not yet clear what interest rates will be.
As with the Apple Card, Apple Pay Later users will need to be approved through an application submitted through the Wallet app on the iPhone, which is also where payments will be managed. The service will not require a running credit check. Some of the Apple Pay Later plans will exclude late fees and processing fees, costing users only interest for the longer-term plans.
Apple is hoping the buy now, pay later system will increase Apple Pay adoption and persuade iPhone users to use their iPhone to pay for items instead of standard credit cards. According to Bloomberg, the service is still in development and features could be changed or canceled before it launches.
Alongside introducing the new MagSafe Battery Pack, Apple today also debuted new AirTag Leather Loop and AirTag Key Ring accessories in updated colors.
The AirTag Leather Loop, which is priced at $39, now comes in Baltic Blue, California Poppy, and Forest Green. Prior to now, the Leather Loop for AirTags was limited to Red and Saddle Brown.
The AirTag Leather Key Ring, priced at $35, is available in California Poppy and Forest Green, in addition to the original colors of Baltic Blue, Red, and Saddle Brown.
Interestingly, Apple showed off the California Poppy Key Ring color when the AirTags launched, but did not make the color option available to purchase until today.
AirTag Leather Key Rings and Leather Loops purchased today will start arriving to customers later this week.
Apple today seeded the release candidate version of an upcoming macOS Big Sur 11.5 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new beta coming one week after the release of the fifth macOS Big Sur 11.5 beta.
Developers can download the macOS Big Sur 11.5 beta using the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after installing the proper profile from the Apple Developer Center.
macOS Big Sur 11.5 introduces an update to the Podcasts app that allows the Podcasts Library tab to show all shows or only followed shows. It also addresses an issue that could cause music not to update play count and last played date in the library, and a bug that caused smart cards not to work when logging into Mac computers with the M1 chip.
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of new iOS and iPadOS 14.7 updates to developers and public beta testers for testing purposes, one week after seeding the fifth iOS and iPadOS 14.7 updates.
iOS and iPadOS 14.7 can be downloaded through the Apple Developer Center or over the air after the proper profile has been installed on an iPhone or iPad.
According to Apple's release notes, iOS 14.7 adds support for the newly introduced MagSafe Battery Pack in addition to adding shared credit limits for the Apple Card Family feature.
Apple in iOS 14.7 expands the Air Quality Index feature to additional countries that include the Netherlands, France, Italy, Spain, and Canada. When paired with the accompanying HomePod 14.7 software, iOS 14.7 will allow the Home app to manage timers on a HomePod or a HomePod mini. Full release notes for the update are below:
iOS 14.7 includes the following improvements and bug fixes for your iPhone: - MagSafe Battery Pack support for iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max - Apple Card Family adds the option to combine credit limits and share one co-owned account with an existing Apple Card user - Home app adds the ability to manage timers on HomePod - Air quality information is now available in Weather and Maps for Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, South Korea, and Spain - Podcasts library allows you to choose to see all shows or only followed shows - Share playlist menu option missing in Apple Music - Dolby Atmos and Apple Music lossless audio playback may unexpectedly stop - Battery service message that may have disappeared after reboot on some iPhone 11 models is restored - Braille displays could show invalid information while composing Mail messages
The iOS 14.7 update also addresses a bug that caused the iPhone's WiFi to stop functioning if connected to a WiFi network that was named "%p%s%s%s%s%n." Connecting to a network with this name could seriously impact the iPhone's functionality, but it isn't an issue after installing iOS 14.7.
Apple today seeded the release candidate version of an upcoming watchOS 7.6 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new beta coming one week after the release of the sixth beta.
To install the watchOS 7.6 beta, developers need to download the proper configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center. Once the profile is in place, the watchOS beta can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software Update.
To update to the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life, it must be placed on the charger, and it must be in range of the iPhone.
According to Apple's release notes for the update, watchOS 7.6 adds support for the ECG app and irregular heart rhythm notifications in 30 additional regions.
Apple today seeded the release candidate version of an upcoming tvOS 14.7 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new beta coming one week after Apple seeded the fifth tvOS 14.7 beta.
Designed for the latest Apple TV models, the tvOS 14.7 developer beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV via a profile that's installed using Xcode.
Other than new releases, tvOS updates are often minor in scale, focusing on under-the-hood bug fixes and improvements rather than major outward-facing changes. There's no word yet on what's included in tvOS 14.7 update, but we'll update this article should anything new be found.
Though we don't often know what's new in tvOS during the beta testing process, we let MacRumors readers know when new updates are available so those who are developers can download it upon release.
The MagSafe Battery Pack attaches magnetically to the back of one of the iPhone 12 models, with the magnets keeping it aligned to your iPhone. The MagSafe Battery Pack is available in a white color, and it appears to be covered with a silicone coating. Based on images of the MagSafe Battery Pack, the accessory has an 11.13Wh battery, which will offer a partial charge for Apple's iPhones. For comparison, the iPhone 12 has a 10.78Wh battery, but Qi charging is inefficient, resulting in power loss.
While on the go, the MagSafe Battery Pack can charge an iPhone at 5W, but plugged in, it can be charged at up to 15W.
The MagSafe Battery Pack and the iPhone can be charged at the same time. Apple says that a Lightning cable can be plugged into the MagSafe Battery Pack for up to 15W of wireless charging, and with a 20W charger, the MagSafe Battery Pack and the iPhone will charge even faster. Apple recommends a 20W or higher USB-C Power Adapter and USB-C to Lightning Cable for charging the MagSafe Battery Pack.
The MagSafe Battery Pack can also be charged through the iPhone if the iPhone is plugged into a power source. Apple suggests users might want to charge this way if the iPhone needs to connect to another device while charging, such as wired CarPlay or transferring photos to a Mac.
In a support document for the MagSafe Battery Pack, Apple says that iOS 14.7 or later is required to use the accessory. Charging status can be viewed on the Home Screen or in the Today View with the Batteries widget.
According to Apple, the iPhone might get slightly warm when it charges. To extend battery lifespan, if it's too warm, the software might limit charging above 80 percent, with the iPhone resuming charging when it cools down. A charge management feature helps to maintain battery health when the MagSafe Battery Pack is connected to power for prolonged periods of time, and with Optimized Battery Charging turned on, users will see a notification on the Lock Screen letting them know when the iPhone is fully charged. Tapping on the notification and choosing "Charge Now" will force a charge.
Those who use a Leather iPhone case with MagSafe should be aware that the MagSafe Battery Pack may show imprints from compression of the leather, which Apple says is normal. For anyone concerned about the imprints, Apple suggests using a non-leather case.
The MagSafe Battery Pack is priced at $99 and will begin delivering to customers on July 19.
