MacRumors

Apple in November started releasing Macs with Apple-designed M1 chips, and the Apple silicon technology will eventually replace all the Intel chips that Apple has used in its Mac lineup for years.

Intel appears to be having a difficult time with Apple's transition. Last week, the company launched an anti-M1 Mac ad campaign starring Justin Long, and now, Intel is pinning its hopes on manufacturing Apple silicon chips for Apple in the future.

Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger today shared some details on Intel's future plans, which includes the founding of a separate "Intel Foundry Services" business and two new chip factories that are being built in Arizona. Going forward, Intel wants to become a major provider of foundry capacity in the United States and Europe, manufacturing chips for other companies.

When discussing Intel's new plans, Gelsinger said that Intel plans to pursue Apple as a potential customer, which would see Intel producing Apple silicon chips for use in Apple devices if Apple does indeed decide to use Intel's services.

Right now, Apple relies on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to produce all of the A-series and Apple silicon chips used in the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and other devices. TSMC is Apple's sole supplier, so there's a chance that Apple and Intel could reach a deal that would allow Apple to diversify its supply chain.

IFS will be differentiated from other foundry offerings with a combination of leading-edge process technology and packaging, committed capacity in the U.S. and Europe, and a world-class IP portfolio for customers, including x86 cores as well as ARM and RISC-V ecosystem IPs.

If Intel wants to court Apple for future chip orders, the anti-Apple ads the company is running now may be unwise. Intel hired former "I'm a Mac" actor Justin Long to create a series of ads that compare the ‌M1‌ Macs with Intel PCs in a way that positions Intel PCs as superior machines.

Intel's ads promote the flexibility of PC laptops and claim that no one uses Macs for gaming. The ads also make fun of the limited ports on Apple's Macs and call them out for a lack of touchscreens. Intel has been highlighting its anti-M1 content on Twitter and has even made a heavily biased website that pits PCs against ‌M1‌ Macs.

Apple is rumored to have a new iPad Pro in the works that will feature an upgraded "A14X" chip, and signs of that upcoming chip have been found in the fifth iOS 14.5 beta that was released this morning.

According to 9to5Mac, the beta mentions a GPU from a chip referred to as "13G," which does not correspond to the chips used by currently available iOS devices.

Previous naming schemes found in iOS suggest the 13G reference is the A14X, a variant of the A14 Bionic chip used in iOS devices. MacRumors contributor Steve Moser found direct mentions of the A14X GPU in the beta as well, and there are new code names that are likely for the unreleased iPads: J517, J518, J522, and J523.

9to5Mac says that the A14X is based on the T8103, the code name for the M1 chip used in the Apple silicon Macs. Bloomberg earlier this month said that the A14X chip would be "on par" with the ‌M1‌ in terms of speed.

Apple is expected to release new iPad Pro models as soon as April. Rumors suggest the updated tablets could feature Thunderbolt connectivity, improved camera technology, fewer speaker holes, and a mini-LED display for the 12.9-inch model.

Apple today released the fifth beta of tvOS 14.5, and there are some small but notable changes in the update found by MacRumors contributor Steve Moser. Apple is removing mentions of the "Siri Remote" and replacing them with "Apple TV Remote" across the operating system.

The ‌Siri‌ Remote has always been the ‌Apple TV‌ Remote in countries where ‌Siri‌ functionality is not available on the ‌Apple TV‌, but now Apple is using the ‌Apple TV‌ Remote wording in countries where the remote was previously referred to as the ‌Siri‌ Remote.

This could be just a general cleanup of the language because there's no real need to refer to it as the ‌Siri‌ Remote anymore, but it does suggest that the next-generation ‌Apple TV‌ remote will not be called the ‌Siri‌ Remote and will have a simpler name.

Apple is rumored to be working on a new version of the ‌Apple TV‌ that's set to come out this year, and it will be accompanied by a refreshed remote control with Find My capabilities. Little else is known about the remote at this time.

tvOS 14.5 also renames the "Home Button" under the "Remotes and Devices" section to "TV Button," but the functionality is ultimately the same and can be set to go to the ‌Apple TV‌ app or the Home Screen. This too could be a tweak made for a future remote.

Earlier betas have introduced support for the latest PlayStation and Xbox controllers, plus frame rate options have been tweaked with Apple now offering 29.97Hz and 59.94Hz refresh rates instead of 30Hz/60Hz.

There's also an optional "Type to ‌Siri‌" Accessibility feature that can be enabled, which mirrors the Type to ‌Siri‌ feature on iOS devices, a new option for choosing "Other Wireless Speakers" as the Default Audio Output, and tweaks to the Podcasts app to bring it in line with the changes introduced in iOS 14.5.

Apple today updated its suite of iWork apps designed for iOS and macOS devices to version 11, introducing a number of new features and tweaks to improve their functionality.

On iOS, Pages, Numbers, and Keynote now feature onscreen keypads for entering exact values for text size, spacing, table size, and more, plus there's a feature for adding or removing objects or table cells from a selection by tapping or dragging across them.

There's an option to always open presentations, documents, and spreadsheets in edit mode in each app, and phone number links can be added to table cells, text objects, and shapes. Apple has also added precise editing controls in the Arrange Inspector for adjusting the look and placement of objects,

On macOS, Numbers, Pages, and Keynote feature an updated media browser with enhanced search options and new content categories like Recents, Portraits, and Live Photos, plus there's an option to add phone number links to table cells, objects, and shapes, and an AppleScript function for changing a document password or opening a password-protected document.

Keynote also includes an option to view presenter notes, current slide, and next slide in a separate window when presenting, and there are thumbnails in the build order window to make it easier to edit complex sequences.

The new updates are available from the iOS App Store and macOS ‌App Store‌ as of this morning.

• Pages for iOS [Direct Link]
• Keynote for iOS [Direct Link]
• Numbers for iOS [Direct Link]
• Pages for macOS [Direct Link]
• Keynote for macOS [Direct Link]
• Numbers for macOS [Direct Link]

Apple's iWork apps are free downloads for everyone.

Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming macOS Big Sur 11.3 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new beta coming one week after the launch of the fourth beta and more than a month after the release of macOS Big Sur 11.2, a bug fix update.

Developers can download the ‌‌macOS Big Sur‌‌ 11.3 beta using the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after installing the proper profile from the Apple Developer Center.

macOS Big Sur 11.3 introduces more customization options for Safari, adding a way to rearrange the different sections on the Start Page like Favorites, Reading List, Siri Suggestions, Privacy Report, and more. Developers also have access to a new integration to develop features for the Start Page.

The update also includes optimizations for using iOS apps on M1 Macs. When running iPhone and iPad apps on ‌M1‌ Macs, there's a Touch Alternatives preference pane that allows users to set keyboard commands for touch input alternatives, plus iPadOS apps launch with a larger window if the Mac's display allows it. Touch Alternatives can be enabled for ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌ apps by clicking on the app's name in the menu bar and then selecting the Preferences option. Touch Alternatives let you customize taps, swipes, and drags.

Apple has also added a "Controller Emulation" feature that can be enabled for ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌ apps to map game controller buttons to keyboard keys and mouse buttons. Controller Emulation will allow ‌‌iPhone‌‌ and ‌‌iPad‌‌ games that have controller support built in to be accurately controlled with a keyboard and/or mouse when those games are played on an ‌‌M1‌‌ Mac.

In the Reminders app, reminder lists can be sorted by Due Date, Creation Date, Priority, or Title, and there is an option to print lists by going to File > Print. Reminders can also be moved manually across lists with drag and drop, something that wasn't possible before.

Apple is adding a new "Made For You" library shortcut in Apple Music for finding personal mixes and Replay playlists, and the Listen Now section has been updated with support for highlighting live events.

The ‌Apple Music‌ app also features a new autoplay option that allows the streaming service to continue to play music after a playlist or music queue ends. ‌Apple Music‌ sources music similar to what's in a person's ‌Apple Music‌ library, similar to the autoplay feature added in iOS 14.

With this feature enabled, ‌Apple Music‌ audio will not end even after a playlist or album is over. To check that it's on, play a playlist or album and then click on the three dot/line menu button in the upper right hand corner. From there, make sure the infinity symbol is toggled on.

In the Apple News app, there's a redesigned ‌Apple News‌+ tab with a dedicated "For You" section and a new Browse tab that makes it easier to browse through available content. The new For You section is designed to help ‌Apple News‌+ users find favorite magazines and newspapers much faster, plus it adds new tools for managing downloaded issues.

macOS Big Sur 11.3 also adds support for the latest PlayStation 5 DualSense and Xbox Series X/S controllers for use with macOS games.

There's also an updated "Support" interface when accessing "About This Mac." The new design includes details on your warranty and it allows for starting a repair right from the Mac interface.

The tab works similarly to the AppleCare coverage menu in the iOS Settings app, which lets users request repairs, buy an ‌AppleCare‌ plan, and check their coverage.

For HomePod users, macOS Big Sur 11.3 brings support for ‌HomePod‌ Stereo pairs, allowing a set of paired HomePods to be set as the default sound output option, with the two HomePods showing up as a single selectable speaker rather than separate as in prior versions of macOS.

Code in macOS Big Sur 11.3 suggests that the Optimized Battery Charging feature will now make sure the Mac's battery is fully charged before a scheduled calendar event. The Mac will charge to 100 percent three hours before a calendar event's start time.

Optimized Battery Charging is designed to preserve the lifespan of the Mac's battery by limiting the amount of time that a Mac sits at 100 percent battery.

In Safari, there's support for WebM video playback, allowing users to play WebM videos using Apple's browser. WebM is a niche video format designed to be a royalty-free alternative to the H.264 codec used in the MP4 format. WebM allows video files to remain small without sacrificing quality and can be played with little processing power, making it ideal for webpages and browsers.

Code in macOS Big Sur 11.3 suggests that Rosetta could be removed from some ‌M1‌ Macs in some select regions after the software is released. There's a mention that "Rosetta is no longer available in this region. Applications requiring Rosetta will no longer run," but no additional information is available at this time.

There are also appear to be new assets that suggest a feature for mapping game controller buttons to keyboard layouts, and there's a Game Center toggle to enable or disable connections with friends, which lets games set you up with your friends or prevents apps from accessing that info.

More on macOS Big Sur can be found in our macOS Big Sur roundup. The software is expected to see a release this spring.

Apple today seeded the fifth betas of upcoming iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the new beta updates coming one week after Apple released the fourth iOS and iPadOS 14.5 betas.

iOS and iPadOS 14.5 can be downloaded through the Apple Developer Center or over the air after the proper profile has been installed on an iPhone or iPad.

iOS 14.5 is the biggest update to iOS 14 to date, introducing several significant new features. First and foremost, Apple is making it easier to unlock an iPhone when you're wearing a face mask with a new "Unlock with Apple Watch" feature.

This opt-in option lets you use an unlocked and authenticated Apple Watch as a secondary authentication method to unlock an ‌iPhone‌ alongside Face ID. With this feature, you no longer have to enter a passcode or remove your mask to unlock your ‌iPhone‌. Both an ‌iPhone‌ running iOS 14.5 and an Apple Watch are required to use this, and the Apple Watch cannot authenticate Apple Pay purchases, App Store purchases, or unlock third-party apps that use ‌Face ID‌.

The update also brings worldwide support for 5G in Dual-SIM mode on ‌iPhone‌ 12 models, so if you use multiple lines, both can now connect at 5G speeds. Prior to now, Dual-SIM mode was limited to LTE networks.

With watchOS 7.4, iOS and iPadOS 14.5 include AirPlay 2 support for Apple Fitness+, so Apple Fitness+ subscribers can start a workout on an ‌iPhone‌ or iPAd and then AirPlay it to a compatible smart TV or set-top box. ‌AirPlay‌ 2 supports audio and video, but it does not display on-screen workout metrics.

PlayStation 5 DualSense and Xbox Series X controllers are supported on the ‌iPhone‌ and the ‌iPad‌ with iOS 14.5, and code suggests that Apple is going to add joint account support for the Apple Card in the near future.

iOS 14.5 includes a Waze-like crowdsourcing feature for reporting accidents, hazards, and speed checks along a route in Maps when getting directions.

There's a new "Report" button available in the Apple Maps app that lets you tap to report an accident, hazard, or speed trap at your location in the ‌Apple Maps‌ app, which is a feature that mapping app Waze offers. This is available directly on the ‌iPhone‌ and in CarPlay.

There are several new emoji characters in the iOS 14.5 beta, with Apple introducing heart on fire, mending heart, exhaling face, face with spiral eyes, face in clouds, along with different gender options for people with beards. There are also new couple emojis that have new skin tone mixes.

Apple removed the blood from the syringe emoji, updated the Headphone emoji to look like the AirPods Max rather than a generic set of headphones, and added a helmet to the rock climbing emoji.

In the Find My app, there's a new "Items" tab that's been added, which will work with non-Apple products like Beats headphones and Belkin's wireless earbuds that have been designed to integrate with the ‌Find My‌ app. Anything item tracking function that uses Apple's ‌Find My‌ API will be shown here right alongside your Apple devices, and the Items tab will also work with AirTags when those are finally released.

The iOS 14.5 beta addresses the green tint issue that some ‌iPhone‌ owners have been experiencing, with Apple confirming that the beta has "optimizations" to help with the issue.

"iOS and iPadOS 14.5 beta 2 includes an optimization to reduce the appearance of a dim glow that might appear at reduced brightness levels with black backgrounds," reads Apple's iOS 14.5 beta notes. For some users, there are improvements thanks to the optimizations, but for others, the issue still appears to exist, so Apple may have some further work to do.

iOS and iPadOS 14.5 add a new feature for choosing a preferred streaming music service to use with Siri. So if you prefer Spotify over Apple Music, for example, you can now choose Spotify as the app you want to use with ‌Siri‌ and all ‌Siri‌ song requests will go through Spotify without the need to add "on Spotify" to the end of ‌Siri‌ requests. This is a new ‌Siri‌ intelligence feature that works with music apps, podcast apps, and audiobook apps.

iOS 14.5 is the update where Apple will begin requiring developers to comply with its App Tracking Transparency rules. Going forward, developers will need to ask for and receive your permission to access your random advertising identifier and track your activity across apps and websites.

Apple has made design tweaks to the Apple News and Podcasts apps, plus there are new print and sort options in Reminders. There are new settings for emergency alerts, a horizontal loading screen on the ‌iPad‌, and tons of other smaller feature tweaks that are outlined in our full iOS 14.5 features guide, which we've been keeping updated throughout the testing process. Apple says iOS and iPadOS 14.5 will be released in the spring.

Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming watchOS 7.4 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new beta coming one week release of the fourth beta and over a month after the launch of watchOS 7.3 with "Time to Walk" functionality, expanded ECG availability, and a new Unity watch face.

To install the ‌watchOS 7.4 beta, developers need to download the proper configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center. Once the profile is in place, the watchOS 7.4 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.

Alongside iOS 14.5, watchOS 7.4 introduces a new "Unlock with Apple Watch" feature that lets an ‌iPhone‌ with Face ID use an unlocked and authenticated Apple Watch as a secondary authentication measure when you're wearing a mask, alleviating the need to enter a passcode to unlock the ‌iPhone‌.

‌Face ID‌ does not work when wearing a mask, but this new Apple Watch feature provides an easy but still secure way to access the ‌iPhone‌ without the hassle of a passcode. It's similar to the Apple Watch unlocking on Mac and can be enabled in the Settings app under ‌Face ID‌ & Passcode.

An unlocked Apple Watch paired with ‌Face ID‌ can unlock the ‌iPhone‌ when a mask is worn, but it's only for mask usage. The Apple Watch cannot be used to authenticate Apple Pay or App Store purchases, nor can it be used to unlock apps that require a ‌Face ID‌ scan. In these situations, the mask will need to be removed or a passcode/password will need to be used instead.

When the Apple Watch unlocks the ‌iPhone‌, you'll feel a haptic tap on the wrist and will receive a notification on the watch, similar to how it works when using the watch to unlock a Mac.

For those who use Apple Fitness+, the watchOS 7.4 update combined with iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 enables AirPlay 2 for Apple Fitness+, so workouts can be streamed to an ‌AirPlay‌ 2-enabled TV or set-top box. Apple Watch metrics do not show up on the screen when AirPlayed, however, and that feature is limited to ‌iPhone‌/iPad/Apple TV.

Apple has said that watchOS 7.4 will be released in the early spring.

iPhone 13 models are widely expected to feature a smaller notch, and we are able to share a first look at the potential design.

Greek repair provider iRepair has provided MacRumors with an alleged photo of front glass panels for iPhone 13 models, with the same three 5.4-inch, 6.1-inch, and 6.7-inch display sizes as the iPhone 12 lineup. The notch on each iPhone is visibly smaller as a result of the earpiece speaker being moved up into the top bezel, a design choice that was first rumored for iPhone 12 models last year but failed to materialize.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and a few other sources previously claimed that a few Face ID components will be consolidated in iPhone 13 models, resulting in a smaller notch, but they did not mention the earpiece being repositioned.

The notch's design has gone unchanged since it debuted on the iPhone X in 2017. After shrinking the notch this year, Kuo said that Apple plans to switch to a hole-punch display design for at least some 2022 iPhone models, similar to Samsung's Galaxy S21 and other recent smartphones, followed by an iPhone with a true all-screen design without a notch or holes and an under-display fingerprint scanner as early as 2023.

Beyond the notch, iPhone 13 models are expected to have a virtually identical design as iPhone 12 models, with key new features rumored to include a 120Hz display on Pro models, larger batteries, a faster A15 chip, and camera improvements. Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 13 lineup in September, marking a return to its usual launch timeframe.

Goldman Sachs has been cleared of gender bias and discriminatory lending decisions related to Apple Card, according to the findings of New York's financial regulator (via Bloomberg).

Goldman Sachs did not use discriminatory practices when deciding whether to extend credit to prospective ‌Apple Card‌ customers, the New York State Department of Financial Services has said. It also found no evidence that the lender's credit decisions had a disproportionate impact on certain groups of people.

‌Apple Card‌ came under fire for alleged gender discrimination in the months after its launch, with some customers complaining on Twitter that women were granted lower credit limits than men.

This triggered an investigation into ‌Apple Card‌'s algorithms for determining credit limits in November 2019. The investigation, which included an analysis of the underwriting data for almost 400,000 New York applicants for ‌Apple Card‌, found no violations of fair lending laws. In a statement, Superintendent of Financial Services Linda A. Lacewell said:

While we found no fair lending violations, our inquiry stands as a reminder of disparities in access to credit that continue nearly 50 years after the passage of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. This is one part of a broader discussion we must have about equal credit access.

Nevertheless, Goldman Sachs was criticized for shortcomings in customer service and a perceived lack of transparency that undermined consumer trust, with the report saying that these problems "might have been prevented by better management" of ‌Apple Card‌'s rollout.

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

Apple is widely expected to announce new iPad Pro models as early as April, and ahead of time, accessory maker ESR has added a variety of 2021 iPad Pro cases and folios to its online store that offer some potential design clues.

While the cases suggest that the next-generation iPad Pro will not have any significant design changes, ESR informed MacRumors that there will be fewer speaker holes on the new models. This lines up with a report from Japanese website Mac Otakara, which in January claimed that the number of speaker holes on the new iPad Pro models will be reduced by one third, although the reason for this supposed change is unclear.

A one-third reduction would work out as follows:

• 11-inch iPad Pro: 13 holes per speaker → 8-9 holes per speaker
• 12.9-inch iPad Pro: 17 holes per speaker → 11-12 holes per speaker

The new iPad Pro models are still expected to feature four speakers for stereo sound, with two on the top edge and two on the bottom edge.

The new iPad Pro models are expected to be equipped with a faster A14X chip that is virtually identical to the M1 chip in the latest Macs. Last week, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that the new models could also feature Thunderbolt support, which is certainly plausible given that the M1 chip supports Thunderbolt on Macs. Gurman also expects improved cameras and a Mini-LED display on at least the 12.9-inch model.

Mac Otakara reported that the new 12.9-inch iPad Pro will be approximately 0.5mm thicker, whereas the 11-inch model will apparently have the same thickness, further suggesting that a Mini-LED display could be exclusive to the larger model.

The new iPad Pro is also expected to support 5G with a Qualcomm modem in cellular models.

As noted by French website iPhoneSoft, ESR has also listed new cases for third-generation AirPods that suggest Apple's wireless charging case will be slightly elongated, as previously rumored. The new AirPods are expected to have a similar design as the AirPods Pro, but without Active Noise Cancellation or silicone ear tips to maintain differentiation.

ProtonVPN, a popular VPN choice for iOS users, claims that Apple is blocking "important updates" to its iOS app following a United Nations recommendation for the app to be used amid an internet crackdown in Myanmar.

In a blog post today, the app says that Apple is blocking updates for the app due to an excerpt from the app's description. In the App Store, ProtonVPN says:

Whether it is challenging governments, educating the public, or training journalists, we have a long history of helping bring online freedom to more people around the world.

In an email to the developers, Apple says that the app needs to revise the description to exclude any action that "encourages users to bypass geo-restrictions or content limitations." ‌App Store‌ rule 5.4, which outlines policies for VPN apps on the platform, says that all apps must "not violate local laws," and ProtonVPN makes the connection to the current ongoing situation in Myanmar, in which a military-led coup has shut down internet access for millions.

On March 17, the United Nations advised people to document the ongoing situation as evidence for "crimes against humanity." The UN specifically recommended that users use ProtonMail and/or Signal to share the information. Proton says, however, that users have also turned to ProtonVPN.

ProtonMail is not the only Proton app being used by activists and protesters in Myanmar. For the past month, the Myanmar military has forced the national telecom companies to regularly shut down the internet and block access to social media to prevent damaging evidence from getting out.

The people of Myanmar have also turned to ProtonVPN to get around these internet blocks, seek accurate news to stay safe, and report on the killings. In the days immediately after the coup, the sign-ups for ProtonVPN in Myanmar spiked to 250 times the previous average daily rate.

On the same day the UN recommended Proton apps, Apple suddenly rejected important updates to our ProtonVPN iOS app. These updates include security enhancements designed to further improve safeguards against account takeover attempts which could compromise privacy.

Apple claims that one reason for rejection is the reference to "challenging governments" in its description. It's not clear when the app decided to add that excerpt, as the app has received plenty of app updates in the past without any rejections. It is plausible that the app added the description as part of a recent update, triggering Apple's rejection, which just so happens to line up with the situation in Myanmar.

We've reached out to Apple to clarify the situation and we'll update the article if we hear back.

Update: Proton has informed MacRumors that the excerpt in its app description on the ‌App Store‌, which triggered Apple's rejection, has been in place "for months," without any prior issue. Proton says the rejection "came completely out of the blue."

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

Apple is researching a potential radical redesign for the Apple Watch, including a rounded watch face, wrap-around flexible display, and digitally-customizable watch bands, according to a newly-granted patent filing.

The patent, spotted by MacRumors earlier today, is titled "Display Module and System Applications" and was filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The document outlines how a flexible display could span the entire watch face and the band of a smartwatch for a transformational new Apple Watch design. The elongated display itself is said to be flexible enough to contour to the shape of a user's arm to fit like a normal watch band.

In one application, embodiments of the invention describe a wearable electronic device, such as a smartwatch, including a flexible display panel and flexible display module. In this manner, the display area of the smartwatch is not limited to a rigid watch face area. In an embodiment, a smartwatch includes a flexible display panel that is integrated into a flexible watch band. Accordingly, curvature of the flexible display panel in both the watch face area and band may be adjusted to conform to the wrist size of the user... the display area of the flexible display panel can cover more available space on the watch face area and band of the smartwatch.

Apple explains that the design includes a display with a "plurality of interconnects" that extend "through the display substrate from the front surface to the back surface, and an array of LEDs are in the display area and electrically connected with the plurality of interconnects." A battery, processor, ambient light sensor, and other vital smartwatch components can be fixed within an enclosure to the rear of the large display unit.

While the filing explains that an OLED display may be sensitive to air and moisture degradation without a protective rigid glass cover, as well be "problematic" with the use of "interconnects," some OLED display technologies may still be appropriate for the radical new design.

Apple also notes that the design could facilitate a "minimized" bezel around the display for a more aesthetically pleasing appearance, and could even "eliminate" the bezel entirely:

In accordance with embodiments of the invention, a bezel width surrounding the display panel can be minimized, for example below 4-5 mm or even less than 1 mm, less than 0.5 mm, or eliminated. Thus, the bezel design of the smartwatch can be designed for aesthetic concerns rather than as a requirement for allocating space for a contact ledge.

As well as being able to select a watch face design, as on current Apple Watch models, the patent explains that users could similarly select a digital band design to be shown on the band segment of the wrap-around display using an "accessory manager" to create a unique look. The filing describes a very similar system for selecting band designs as is currently in place for selecting and customizing watch faces, with the option to do so both on the Apple Watch itself or on a connected iPhone.

The input is parsed to derive the data for display, and the derived data is displayed on the display area, where the display area is on a flexible display substrate spanning a face and band of the wearable electronic device. For example, the wearable electronic device may be a smartwatch. In an embodiment, the non-transitory computer-readable medium stores additional instructions to perform additional operations including receiving a configuration of the display area of the watch face and band, receiving a design from the derived data, the design including a watch face and watch band, and updating the display area with the received design.

Although the Apple Watch's Digital Crown does not appear to be depicted in the design, a separate patent has today been published with the title "Capacitive gap sensor ring for an input device," explaining how the Digital Crown could use two "nested" capacitive rings that move against each other to gain a wider range of input information.

While Apple has yet to release a device with a flexible display, the company is believed to be working on an iPhone with a foldable display. Patents cannot be taken as evidence of Apple's specific intentions, but they do provide valuable insight into what the company is researching and developing behind the scenes.

Moreover, the depiction of an alternative Apple Watch design in a patent is very unusual since Apple is usually conscientious to mirror the current design of the Apple Watch in patent illustrations. Patents focusing on the Apple Watch's physical design itself are even rarer, and may well hint at the future of the device.

The Apple Watch has effectively had the same design since its launch in 2016, other than a minor refresh with the Apple Watch Series 4, and we are yet to see a substantial re-imagining of the wearable's form factor. Reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has previously hinted that the Apple Watch Series 7 may feature "improved form factor design," but there is as yet no indication of what the final device may look like. The Apple Watch Series 7 is expected to launch later this year, but there have been few rumors so far about what the new model may feature other than blood glucose monitoring.

Spotify has announced new features coming to its mobile app this month that aim to provide new ways for users to access their recently played history and discover new music.

The upcoming update adds a new History icon to the top of the Home screen. Tapping the icon (which looks like Apple's Time Machine icon) displays a screen containing up to three months of listening history in the form of individual tracks. These also include links to the playlists, albums, or shows that the songs were played from.

The History section will be available to both free-plan members and Premium subscribers.

Coming exclusively to Premium users, a new section of six tiles at the top of the Home Screen will show new and relevant podcast episodes. New episodes will be marked with a blue dot, and episodes already started by users will display a progress bar indicating how far into the episode they are.

Lastly, another Premium-exclusive feature is a new section that will sit under these six tiles to highlight new releases from followed artists. Spotify says this section will be "personalized, timely, and reactive to your taste."

Spotify says the redesigned Home interface will begin rolling out to both Android and iOS users globally this month.

Steam Link, which allows users to stream Steam games from a computer to another device, has officially launched on the Mac App Store.

Steam users have been able to stream games from within the Steam Mac app for sometime. However, with the availability of Steam Link on macOS, users now have the option of choosing a lightweight download (29.8MB) to stream games to their Mac, rather than having to install the Steam app proper, which requires 1GB of drive space.

Steam Link launched on iOS and tvOS in 2019, however, until now it's been unavailable for Mac customers. As spotted by eagle-eyed Reddit users, the Steam Link has been quietly released by Valve on the ‌Mac App Store‌.

The Steam Link app allows you to play your Steam games across all your computers. Just pair an MFI or Steam controller to your Mac, connect to a computer running Steam on the same local network, and start playing your existing Steam games.

To run Steam Link, users must have a Mac running macOS 10.13 or higher and another Windows, Mac, or Linux computer running Steam. Additionally, both computers must be on the same local network. Steam Link for macOS is available on the Mac App Store.

Apple is likely to reimburse Samsung Display over a shortfall in OLED panel orders owing to lower-than-expected demand for iPhone 12 mini models, according to The Korea Herald.

Samsung's small OLED shipments dropped globally in January by 9 percent month-on-month to 45 million units, according to market data gathered by Omdia, which pins the decline on sluggish iPhone 12 mini sales. Apple is likely to compensate Samsung for the missed OLED panel purchase targets as a result, an industry source told the Herald:

"It is uncertain whether Apple would pay a penalty to Samsung Display, but considering its contract history and sluggish sales of the iPhone 12 mini, it is likely that Apple will compensate Samsung," an industry official said on condition of anonymity.

Samsung is the sole supplier of the 5.4-inch panel used in the iPhone 12 mini, the smallest model of Apple's 5G-supporting iPhone 12 series.

If the prediction turns out to be accurate, it would be the third time that Apple has had to reimburse Samsung for missing OLED display targets after saying it would buy a certain number of the panels from the South Korean company.

Apple reportedly paid Samsung an estimated $683 million in 2019 and approximately $950 million in 2020 for similarly below-par OLED panel orders.

Samsung remains the world's leading smartphone display panel vendor, and has provided the overwhelming majority of OLED panels for Apple's iPhones over the last few years.

According to Omdia, global OLED panel shipments reached 53 million units in January, and Samsung Display accounted for 85 percent of them.

Despite a barrage of reports this year suggesting lackluster iPhone 12 mini sales, Apple is expected to retain its smallest 5.4-inch iPhone model size in its forthcoming iPhone 13 lineup.