MacRumors

Apple today seeded a new public beta of the macOS 12 Monterey beta to public beta testers, allowing non-developers to test the new macOS Monterey software ahead of its public release. The update comes just a day after Apple provided the ninth beta to developers.

Public beta testers can download the macOS 12 Monterey update from the Software Update section of the System Preferences app after installing the proper profile from Apple's beta software website.

macOS Monterey introduces quite a few major updates for the macOS operating system. When released, Universal Control will let a single mouse, trackpad, and keyboard be used across multiple Mac or iPad devices, and it's now possible to AirPlay directly to a Mac from an iPhone, ‌iPad‌, or even another Mac.

Safari has an updated tab bar and support for Tab Groups to keep tons of tabs organized, and FaceTime now features support for spatial audio, Portrait Mode (M1 Macs only) and Voice Isolation for cutting out background noise. A SharePlay ‌FaceTime‌ feature (coming in a Monterey update) will let Apple TV users watch TV, listen to music, and share their screens with one another.

Shared With You, another new feature, keeps track of the music, links, podcasts, news, and photos that people are sent in Messages, highlighting it in the relevant apps. Notes has a new Quick Note feature for jotting down thoughts, and the Shortcuts app is now available on the Mac.

A dedicated Focus mode helps people stay on task by cutting out background distractions based on what's going on, and there's an updated Maps app with a whole slew of new features. With Live Text, Macs can now detect text in photos or provide details on animals, art, landmarks, plants, and more in images. The new beta adds Live Text support for Intel Macs.

Mail Privacy Protection hides IP and prevents tracking through invisible pixels, and iCloud Private Relay keeps Safari browsing protected. There are many other new features in ‌macOS Monterey‌, with a complete overview available in our macOS Monterey roundup.

Accessory maker Hyper today announced the release of its new 6-in-1 hub for iPad models with a USB-C port, including the latest iPad Pro, iPad Air, and iPad mini. Key features of the hub include a form-fitting design and built-in media shortcut keys.

The hub fits snugly around the flat edge of recent iPad models, providing access to play/pause, rewind, and fast forward keys for audio and video. Other ports available on the hub include an HDMI port with 4K 60Hz video, a USB-C port with 60W Power Delivery, microSD and SD card readers, a USB-A port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The hub is priced at $99.99 in the United States and it is available now on Hyper's website. An included USB-C extension cable allows the hub to work with other USB-C devices.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Hyper. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Pre-orders for the new Apple Watch Series 7 open in less than 24 hours. Despite that, Apple has still not shared basic information that customers would logically need ahead of pre-ordering any product, including information as fundamental as pricing.

The Apple Watch Series 7 has been shrouded in a cloud of mystery ever since its announcement at Apple's event last month. At its announcement, Apple didn't provide any dates for availability for the new watch, simply stating it will be available "later this fall" before announcing Friday, October 8 for pre-orders and Friday, October 15 for availability.

Lineup Pricing

Even after Apple shared Series 7 availability dates, the company continues to withhold basic pricing information from the public about the watch. Apple says the Series 7 starts at $399, which includes the lowest possible configuration of the watch: a 41mm aluminum case with only GPS, no cellular connectivity, and a fluoroelastomer sport band.

No other information, including for Series 7 configurations with cellular functionality, larger case size, or different finishes such as stainless steel, has been made available by Apple. The Series 7 features larger displays and larger case sizes as a result, so it's not clear if beyond the starting price which it shares with the Series 6, Apple has increased the cost of the Series 7.

Apple Watch Studio

Even three days after Series 7 pre-order and availability dates were made public, Apple has not yet updated its Apple Watch Studio, a section on its online store that allows customers to choose different combination options to find their perfect Apple Watch. The Apple Watch Studio lists the Apple Watch Series 6, the Apple Watch Series 3, and the Apple Watch SE, with no Series 7. An update to the Apple Watch Studio would provide customers with information on pricing for their preferred case, size, and band configuration.

Apple didn't respond to our request for comment on whether the Apple Watch Studio will be updated with the Series 7 before pre-orders go live, leaving us to believe it will only go live once pre-orders start tomorrow.

Technical Specifications

Beyond flashy marketing material on its website, Apple has not provided technical specifications for the Series 7. A document intended for retail employee use obtained by MacRumors earlier last month offered us the only known list of technical specifications for the Series 7, including revealing that while it uses an "S7" branded chip, it retains the same CPU as last year's Series 6.

Some customers enjoy looking at the specific technical specifications before they purchase a product, and those customers are sadly out of luck for the Apple Watch Series 7 at the time.

Compared to Other Apple Watches

As is logical, Apple lets customers compare older models of its products, such as iPhones, iPad, and Macs, against each other, providing a bird-eye view of the technical differences between different generation products. That, however, can't be said for the Series 7, as for the compare page for the Apple Watch, the Series 7 is not listed.

Trade-in Values

Many customers get the latest Apple Watch by trading in their older Apple Watch for a certain amount of value and then paying whatever is leftover. Customers of the Series 6 looking to trade-in their watch for the new Series 7, are, unfortunately, out of luck, as Apple has not provided a trade-in value for the Series 6, nor has it updated the trade-in value of older models.

Conclusion

The lack of information ultimately leaves customers entirely in the dark about how much their preferred Apple Watch Series 7 configuration will cost and its technical specifications, hours ahead of when Apple hopes customers log on to order its latest and greatest Apple Watch. Pre-orders for the Series 7 open tomorrow at 5:00 a.m. PDT and a full list of when pre-orders go live in different time zones can be found here.

Pre-orders for the Apple Watch Series 7 will kick off on Friday, October 8 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time, allowing customers to purchase any model in Apple's new 2021 Apple Watch lineup.

Apple is planning to make the new devices available in more than 60 countries around the world simultaneously, so we've created a list of when pre-orders will kick off all around the world.

We haven't listed every time zone for every country, such as in Canada, Russia, and the United States, nor have we listed every available pre-order country, so make sure to double check your specific time zone so you're certain you know the exact time that pre-orders will kick off. A time zone converting website is a useful tool for confirming accurate pre-order times.

Reports detailing Apple Watch Series 7 manufacturing preparations suggest that supplies are likely to be tight at launch. Apple reportedly experienced manufacturing issues as it began ramping up production, and the company opted not to announce a specific launch date during the watch's introduction last month. As a result, it's best to pre-order the Apple Watch Series 7 model you want as soon as possible if you're aiming to get a new device on release day.

Apple Watch Series 7 pre-orders will be available on Friday, October 8 in all variants, and they will launch one week later on Friday, October 15. These dates apply to customers in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, the UK, and more than 50 other countries and regions.

Amazon and B&H Photo today are offering a trio of deals on Apple products and accessories, including the Apple Pencil 2, MagSafe Charger and other charging accessories, and the M1 MacBook Air.

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.

Apple Pencil 2

Firstly, Amazon has the Apple Pencil 2 for $109.99, down from $129.00. This is a match of last month's best price on the Apple Pencil 2, and overall it's the second-best deal we've ever tracked on the accessory.

The Apple Pencil 2 is compatible with the following iPads: iPad mini (6th generation), iPad Air (4th generation), 12.9-inch iPad Pro (3rd, 4th, and 5th generations), and 11-inch iPad Pro (1st, 2nd, and 3rd generations). The accessory is in stock and ready to ship today, with the usual free two-day shipping for all Prime members.

MagSafe Charger

Amazon has Apple's MagSafe Charger for $34.00, down from $39.00. This is another second-best price, and you can also find the same price on B&H Photo.

The MagSafe Charger supports Qi charging, so it is technically compatible with all iPhone models since the iPhone 8. However, only the recent iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 13, and iPhone 13 Pro devices will support the magnetic features of the MagSafe Charger.

For optimal charging, the MagSafe Charger will need to be paired with Apple's 20W USB-C Power Adapter, which is available for $19.00. Anker also sells its own 20W USB-C Power Adapter, the PowerPort III Charger, for $15.99.

MacBook Air

Lastly, B&H Photo has an all-time low price on the 512GB M1 MacBook Air, priced at $1,099.00, down from $1,249.00. This price is only available in the Gold color option, and it's also matched at Amazon, although low stock is delaying shipment by up to three weeks.

You can find the best monthly deals on all new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air notebooks in our Best Deals guide. Be sure to visit the guide and bookmark it if you're on the hunt for a new Apple notebook; we'll be updating it weekly as we discover new MacBook offers across the web.

Adobe today released new versions of Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements, which is the company's affordable photo and video editing software aimed at more casual users who want to improve their photos and videos with simple editing tools.

For Photoshop Elements 2022, Adobe is introducing an Adobe Sensei-powered feature that transforms a photo into a work of art. With a one-click filter, users can apply effects inspired by afamous works of art or popular art styles to their photos, and then adjust the result.

Adobe is adding moving overlays like snowflakes or sparkles that can be added to photos, along with animated frames. These can be saved as MP4s and shared as videos on social media networks.

With a warp tool, photos can be automatically warped to fit inside or around an object. A photo could, for example, be wrapped around a coffee cup in an image or placed in the frames of sunglasses for fun dual-photo opportunities.

Guided Edits, a feature that walks users through different edits that can be made to their photos, gets updates on a yearly basis. For the 2022 update, Adobe is adding Guided Edits for improving pet photos and extending photo backgrounds.

Other features in Photoshop Elements 2022 include animated slideshow templates, automatic software updates, a refreshed design that makes navigation easier, and support for GIF playback in the organizer.

For Premiere Elements 2022, Adobe added a new feature that resizes videos for social media while keeping the most important elements of the video front and center. Adobe says that it's ideal for clips with movement, such as a child's birthday party or a sporting event. There are also motion titles, mattes, and backgrounds available for non-horizontal videos.

Premiere Elements 2022 includes new Guided Edits for adding animated overlays like fluttering butterflies and adjusting shadows and highlights in videos.

Like Photoshop Elements 2022, Premiere Elements 2022 has gained a refreshed look, automatic software updates, new animated slideshow templates and GIF playback in the Organizer, plus it's easier to reduce file size with a slider that adds compression.

For more on what's new in Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements, make sure to check out Adobe's website. The updates are available for purchase from Adobe for $99 each starting today, with bundle and upgrade pricing available.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Adobe. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Apple is looking to expand CarPlay's functionality to include controls for core car functions such as the air conditioning system, radio, speedometer, seats, and more, according to a new report from Bloomberg.

The project, internally codenamed "IronHeart," is still in its early stages but would include Apple working with carmakers to expand ‌CarPlay‌'s functionality to control core car functions. Beyond apps for music and navigation, ‌CarPlay‌ doesn't let users control any aspect of the car itself. This new iPhone-based project would be looking to change that.

The company is working on technology that would access functions like the climate-control system, speedometer, radio and seats, according to people with knowledge of the effort. The initiative, known as "IronHeart" internally, is still in its early stages and would require the cooperation of automakers.

IronHeart would take CarPlay a step further. The iPhone-based system could access a range of controls, sensors and settings, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the project is secret.

The report lists several different car functions that ‌CarPlay‌ could display in the future, including inside and outside temperature and humidity readings, seats and armrests, instrument cluster, and controls for the cars built-in speakers.

Bloomberg says Apple's ‌CarPlay‌ strategy is similar to that of its Home and Health offerings, where the company has consolidated users' information into single apps on their iPhone. With "IronHeart," ‌CarPlay‌ would be a more comprehensive system for users to control their vehicle without having to switch between ‌CarPlay‌ and the car's control system.

Ultimately, while Apple is rumored to be building its own car, ‌CarPlay‌ and any of its plans would require the cooperation of carmakers. As today's report notes, Apple has struggled to convince some carmakers to adopt certain features of ‌CarPlay‌ into their vehicles.

IronHeart would represent Apple's strongest push into cars since CarPlay was released in 2014, but it may not be a hit with automakers. They could be reluctant to hand over control of key features to Apple. While CarPlay is now in more than 600 car models, other Apple initiatives launched in recent years have been slower to catch on with automakers.

But automakers have mostly balked at adding these enhancements. The climate control and radio apps are only supported by a few cars. And the EV routing feature isn't available on any vehicles that are currently shipping. The CarPlay display expansion is only supported by a few brands, such as BMW and Volkswagen, and CarKey is just on some BMWs.

Apple recently tapped Kevin Lynch, who was previously an important part of developing watchOS, to lead the Apple Car team, but following several departures, doubts are starting to arise about whether Apple will ever release its own vehicle.

The iPhone 14 won't rely entirely on a hole-punch cutout to house the TrueDepth camera system, possibly meaning Apple may retain the notch alongside a hole-punch design, according to a new rumor from Weibo.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has reported that for at least the high-end 2022 ‌iPhone‌ models, Apple will use a hole-punch design, similar to those of some flagship Android smartphones. Following Kuo's report, Apple leaker Jon Prosser shared renders of what he claims to be the design of the ‌iPhone‌ 14.

Even if the ‌iPhone‌ 14 introduces a hole-punch design, it will be hard for Apple to abandon the notch altogether, according to a now-deleted post on Weibo from @PandaIsBald. The account, which accurately predicted that the ninth-generation iPad would be announced at the September Apple event, claimed that it is "unlikely" that Apple will replace the notch entirely with a hole-punch cutout, and instead, the ‌iPhone‌ 14 may continue to feature a notch but with a smaller footprint.

With the ‌iPhone‌ 13 and ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro, Apple did make the notch smaller in width but slightly taller. Apple did this by shrinking the component sizes of the TrueDepth camera system and reengineering the internals. Apple this year also moved the earpiece to the top of the bezel, freeing up space in the notch.

Reporting on a hole-punch design for next year, Apple analyst ‌Ming-Chi Kuo‌ did not provide details on how Apple will house Face ID on the high-end ‌iPhone‌ 14 models if it uses a hole-punch design.

Today's rumor from Weibo claims that Touch ID will not be making an appearance under the display next year, meaning ‌Face ID‌ may continue to be the only biometric authentication option available to ‌iPhone‌ 14 users.

Anker's earphone brand Soundcore today is introducing its latest high-end wireless earbuds, the Liberty 3 Pro. Priced at $169.99, the Liberty 3 Pro offer a stemless design, personalized active noise cancellation (ANC), and a smaller, ergonomic design with silicone ear wings that incorporate pressure relief structures for a comfortable fit.

Soundcore's Liberty 3 Pro earbuds are 30% smaller than the previous generation and feature IPX4 water resistance, six microphones for noise reduction while on calls, and three transparency modes for letting outside sound through.

The HearID ANC automatically assesses outside conditions and in-ear pressure for a personalized ANC experience, while the second-generation Astria Coaxial Acoustic Architecture (ACAA) with dual drivers offers improved sound over the previous Liberty 2 Pro model.

The earbuds offer up to eight hours of battery life with ANC off or up to six hours with it on, and the charging case provides approximately four additional charges. Anker's fast-charging technology delivers up to three hours of battery life to the earbuds in just 15 minutes, and the case supports both USB-C and wireless charging.

Touch controls on the exterior of the earbuds can be user-configured for functions like play/pause, volume, and track control.

While you won't get some of the Apple-specific features you get with AirPods Pro like automatic pairing and switching, the Liberty 3 Pro buds offer a broad array of features at a solid price and should deliver strong audio quality that can be further optimized using the Soundcore app to match your hearing response.

The Liberty 3 Pro are launching today at Soundcore and Amazon priced a $169.99, and they're available in four colors: Midnight Black, Frost White, Fog Gray, and Dusk Purple.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Soundcore and Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Apple's newsroom and leadership pages are both currently experiencing some errors, leading to the appearance of some changes to Apple's leadership.

From our knowledge, Apple's leadership and newsroom pages have been throwing up errors for the past two hours or so, and it seems to be that Apple is making server-side changes. In an oddity of those changes, Apple mistakenly listed Phil Schiller as Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, a role he stepped down from in August of last year to become an Apple Fellow. Apple moments later took down Schiller's biography and the entirety of the leadership page.

Apple's newsroom is where the company issues press releases, updates, and more, while the leadership page lists all of Apple's executives. No other pages on Apple's website currently seem to be impacted, and it remains unclear whether this is simply an error or telling of something more coming soon. We'll update this post when there are any changes.

Update: Moments after we published this article, Apple's newsroom and leadership pages were reverted back to their normal states, correctly listing Greg Joswiak as the SVP of marketing and ‌Phil Schiller‌ as an Apple Fellow.

In response to the Epic Games vs. Apple ruling last month, payments platform Paddle today announced that it plans to launch an alternative in-app payment system for iOS that replaces Apple's in-app purchase mechanism.

In an emailed press release, Paddle described its payment system as a "true like-for-like, drop-in replacement" for Apple's in-app purchase mechanism, allowing developers to collect payments from customers without having to pay Apple a 15-30% commission on sales. Paddle said it will have a "highly competitive fee structure" with a 10% fee for transactions under $10 and a 5% plus $0.50 fee on transactions over $10.

In addition to lower fees, Paddle said benefits of its payment system will include access to customer data such as email addresses for communicating product news and offers, flexible pricing and subscription options, direct customer service, and more.

On its website, Paddle shared a video demonstration of an app with an "Upgrade Now" button that leads to Paddle's payment system on the web. Users are then presented with the option to pay via Apple Pay, PayPal, or a credit card directly.

Paddle said developers can register their interest in its in-app payment system starting today, and it said the service will go live December 7, 2021, a date that it says is in line with the terms of the Epic Games vs. Apple ruling.

The exact wording of U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers' ruling said that Apple can no longer prohibit developers from "including in their apps and their metadata buttons, external links, or other calls to action that direct customers to purchasing mechanisms, in addition to In-App Purchasing." The judge required Apple to adhere to the permanent injunction within 90 days of her ruling, which was issued September 10.

Paddle certainly has bold intentions here based on its interpretation of Rogers' ruling, but it seems unlikely that Apple will allow apps to offer alternative payment systems that circumvent Apple's in-app purchase mechanism and/or fees. We've reached out to Apple for comment, and we'll update this story if we hear back.

Apple has previously stated that alternative payment systems in apps could expose users to privacy and security risks, including fraud.

Founded in 2012, Paddle says more than 2,000 software businesses rely on its platform for sales in over 200 markets globally. Paddle advertises its customers as including Setapp/MacPaw, Scrivener, AdGuard, Readdle, and others.

To commemorate the 10th anniversary of Steve Jobs passing away on Tuesday, Apple shared a short film called "Celebrating Steve" on its website, and Apple has now made the video available on YouTube for those who may have missed it.

Apple describes the short film as a tribute to Steve Jobs and a celebration of his life and his extraordinary vision. The video includes many photos and short clips of Steve Jobs from throughout his life, ranging from his early days at Apple with fellow co-founder Steve Wozniak in the 1970s to introducing the original iPhone in 2007.

"Steve believed that 'people with passion can change the world for the better,'" said Apple in the video's description. "He challenged us to see the world not for what it was, but for what it could be. And he helped so many of us see the same potential in ourselves."

Steve Jobs passed away October 5, 2011 at the age of 56. Apple's CEO Tim Cook and former design chief Jony Ive are among those who have reflected on his life.

A bug in iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 is preventing Safari from loading AMP links for Google search results, but the issue is not intentional and Google is preparing a fix that's set to be released in the near future.

Developer Jeff Johnson today published a blog post speculating on whether Google had intentionally disabled AMP links for Google search results in Safari on devices running iOS 15 (via MacStories) after he noticed their disappearance.

As he noted, Safari's Google search results do not include AMP links on devices running iOS 15, but AMP content still loads in iOS 14 and in other browsers like Chrome for iOS. Johnson wondered whether Google had decided to disable AMP in iOS 15 due to the prevalence of Safari extensions that feature AMP-blocking features.

That Google search results do not include AMP links in the Safari browser on iOS 15 is a bug, according to Google's public search liaison Danny Sullivan. In a tweet, Sullivan said that Google is working on a fix and that the issue should be resolved soon.

For those unfamiliar with AMP, it stands for "Accelerated Mobile Pages" and it is a feature that's designed to make webpages load faster on mobile devices. AMP pages are cached, allowing them to be presented to users more quickly, but it's something that is not always popular with users because some website features are disabled when AMP is used.

When Google does re-implement AMP links, iOS 15 Safari extensions like Amplosion are available to redirect AMP links to standard webpages.

Apple today released the third beta of iOS 15.1 to developers for testing purposes, and the update introduces some new camera features for iPhone 13 Pro users.

ProRes Video

Today's beta adds support for ProRes video capture with the standard ‌iPhone‌ camera app. It can be toggled on by opening up the Settings app and selecting the "Camera" section. From there, tap on "Formats" and toggle on "Apple ProRes."

ProRes capture is limited to 30fps at 1080p on devices with only 128GB of storage, but higher capacity devices can record in 4K. Apple says that a one-minute 10-bit HDR ProRes video takes up 1.7GB in HD mode.

Macro Toggle

To take macro shots, the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro models swap over to the Ultra Wide lens when the ‌iPhone‌'s camera gets close to an object, which some people do not like because it can be difficult to get a shot with the camera constantly swapping back and forth.

iOS 15.1 beta 3 adds a toggle to turn off Auto Macro, which will prevent the Camera app from automatically switching to the Ultra Wide camera for macro photos and videos.

The feature can be enabled in the Camera section of the Settings app by scrolling down and toggling off the "Auto Macro" option.

Other Features

Know of other new features not included in this article? Let us know in the comments below.

With the release of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 on September 20, Apple introduced millions of users to several of its new tentpole features for iPhone and iPad, such as Focus Mode, Notification Summary, a redesigned Safari, and more.

But beyond the headline features, Apple has also made numerous tweaks and changes to its mobile operating systems that aim to make the time you spend using your ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌ more efficient, more functional, and more enjoyable.

To that end, we've pulled out 50 additions and improvements to iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, some of which may have gone under your radar. Keep reading to refresh your memory or perhaps learn something new.

1. Copy Links From a Tab Group

If you have several websites in a Safari Tabs Group that you want to share with someone, over email or Messages, for example, you can copy all the URL links to the clipboard in the following way.

Open the Tabs Group, tap group's name at the bottom of the screen, then tap Edit in the top-left of the Tab Groups card menu. Tap the circled ellipsis next to the Tabs Group in question, then select Copy Links.

2. Password Lock a PDF Document

Apple now lets you lock PDF documents with a password in iOS 15. The only caveat is that the PDF has to be on your ‌iPhone‌ – for whatever reason, you can't lock documents in iCloud.

Open the Files app, navigate to On My iPhone, and select the PDF document to open it. Next, tap the Actions button in the bottom-left corner of the screen, scroll down below the sharing options, then tap Lock PDF. You'll be asked to enter and verify the password of your choosing.

3. Customize Your Safari Start Page

Safari's redesigned Start Page in iOS 15 is a one-stop shop for all of your Bookmarks, Favorites, Frequently Visited sites, Siri Suggestions, ‌iCloud‌ Tabs, Reading List, and Privacy Report. also features several customizable options, such as the ability to choose your own Start Page wallpaper. You can even optionally sync your Start Page appearance on all your devices via ‌iCloud‌.

In the Tabs view, tap the + icon in the bottom left corner to open a new tab, then scroll to the bottom of the Start Page and tap the Edit button. Use the switches to control what you want to appear on your Start Page. Options include: Favorites, Frequently Visited, Shared with You, Privacy Report, Siri Suggestions, Reading List, and iCloud Tabs.

To sync your Start Page settings with other devices linked to the same Apple ID, turn on the switch next to Use Start Page on All Devices. You can also turn on the Background image option and choose one of the existing iOS wallpapers, or select your own from your photos by tapping the big + button.

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We've teamed up with AKKO to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win an iPhone 13 Pro Max and a year of AKKO's insurance, which offers coverage from manufacturing issues, theft and loss, accidental damage, and more.

For those unfamiliar with AKKO, it's a company that offers an AppleCare-like set of protection plans for your devices. There's smartphone-only coverage that's priced between $5 and $12 per month with full insurance that's on par with Apple's, but what really sets AKKO apart is its "Everything Protected" Plan.

With the "Everything Protected" Plan, users get coverage for one smartphone and all of their other electronic devices, up to 25 items in total. So for one $15 per month fee, AKKO offers protection for a whole wide range of devices, both new and used.

AKKO's "Everything Protected" plan covers laptops, tablets, TVs, speakers, gaming consoles, photography gear, music equipment, clothing, countertop appliances, and sports equipment, in addition to your smartphone. AppleCare+ alone for the iPhone is $9.99 per month for the standard plan or $13.49 per month for the Theft and Loss plan, so for just a couple of dollars more, AKKO provides coverage for all of your hardware.

There are discounts available for students, and pricing is $15 per month if paid monthly or $14 per month if paid annually. Devices have damage and theft deductibles ranging from $29 to $99. For families that sign up together, there's a 5 percent discount on multiple plans.

To get coverage from AKKO, signup can be done on the web, and then users just need to snap photos of the items that they plan to protect under the plan. Items that are covered can be updated at any time when new purchases are made, and AKKO says that repairs can be done quickly. Phone repairs can usually be completed the same day, with AKKO paying the store or sending out a PayPal payment when a claim is approved.

AKKO's plans cover cracked screens, liquid spills, accidental damage including drops, damage and malfunctions from accidental drops, electrical or mechanical failures of components, and theft. Plan holders can be reimbursed up to $2,000 per protection incident, and there are no annual reimbursement limits.

It's worth noting that there are some exceptions to coverage and a burden of proof for items that go missing like your smartphone (AKKO suggests iPhone users download Google Maps and leave location tracking on at all times to create a timeline should a device go missing, for example), but repairs are a matter of presenting a receipt and scheduling a fix through AKKO. As with any protection plan, it's a good idea to read the fine print to make sure that it works for you. AKKO often tweets deals and giveaways, so those interested in signing up might want to check out their Twitter page.

We have an iPhone 13 Pro Max and a free year of AKKO coverage to give away to one lucky MacRumors reader. To enter to win, use the Gleam.io widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

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

The contest will run from today (October 6) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on October 13. The winner will be chosen randomly on October 13 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.

For those new to AKKO, using the promo code SAVE1 when checking out allows for one month of free coverage on either the monthly or annual plans.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with AKKO. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Apple today seeded the ninth developer beta of macOS Monterey, the newest version of the macOS operating system. The ninth beta comes one week after Apple released the eighth macOS Monterey beta.

Registered developers can download the beta through the Apple Developer Center and once the appropriate profile is installed, betas will be available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences.

macOS Monterey will bring Universal Control, a feature that lets a single mouse, trackpad, and keyboard be used across multiple Mac or iPad devices, plus there's a new AirPlay to Mac feature. Safari has been redesigned with a new tab bar with a toggle for two different designs and support for Tab Groups, and FaceTime has gained spatial audio, a Portrait Mode on M1 Macs, and Voice Isolation for cutting out background noise. There's also a new SharePlay ‌FaceTime‌ feature that lets Apple users watch TV, listen to music, and share their screens with one another.

Shared With You, a separate feature, keeps track of the music, links, podcasts, news, and photos that people are sent in Messages, highlighting it in the relevant apps. Notes has a new Quick Note feature for jotting down thoughts, and collaboration is easier with mentions and an Activity View.

The Shortcuts app from iOS is now available on the Mac, and Focus helps people stay on task by cutting out background distractions. There's an updated Maps app with a whole slew of new features, and with Live Text, Macs can now detect text in photos or provide details on animals, art, landmarks, plants, and more in images.

Mail Privacy Protection hides IP and prevents tracking through invisible pixels, and iCloud Private Relay keeps Safari browsing protected. There are many other new features in macOS Monterey, with a full rundown available in our macOS Monterey roundup.