MacRumors

An app that demanded at least a three-star review to function got through the App Store review process, it has been found (via The Verge).

iOS developer Kosta Eleftheriou discovered that the "UPNP Xtreme" app, which claimed to let users stream video to a TV, presented the system's ‌App Store‌ rating box as soon as it opened. The rating box could not be escaped from and it was not possible to tap the one or two-star ratings for most users, according to Eleftheriou.

One of Apple's best practices documents states that developers should "avoid showing a request for a review immediately when a user launches your app." UPNP Xtreme sought good reviews to rise up the ‌App Store‌'s rankings, using exploitative tactics to become more visible than legitimate developers' apps, but also drive more users to engage with the scam. The app now appears to have been removed from the ‌App Store‌.

Eleftheriou has previously brought attention to scam and copycat apps on the ‌App Store‌ and raised concerns that Apple is not doing enough to stop these apps during its ‌App Store‌ review process. Eleftheriou experienced the difficulty of contending with scam apps with his own FlickType Apple Watch keyboard app, which was mired by scam copycats that Apple was allegedly reluctant to remove.

Earlier this year, Eleftheriou brought a lawsuit against Apple for a variety of allegations related to his experience with FlickType, including negligence and anticompetitive conduct.

Amazon today announced it has reached an agreement with MGM to acquire the entertainment company for $8.45 billion, following a report last year that claimed MGM had reached out to Apple to gauge interest in a potential acquisition.

The acquisition of MGM will likely bolster Amazon Prime Video's catalog of movies and TV shows amid increasing competition from the likes of Netflix, Disney+, and Apple TV+. Amazon said it will help preserve MGM's heritage and catalog of films, and provide customers with greater access to these existing works, such as the James Bond franchise.

Mike Hopkins, Senior Vice President of Prime Video and Amazon Studios:

MGM has a vast catalog with more than 4,000 films—12 Angry Men, Basic Instinct, Creed, James Bond, Legally Blonde, Moonstruck, Poltergeist, Raging Bull, Robocop, Rocky, Silence of the Lambs, Stargate, Thelma & Louise, Tomb Raider, The Magnificent Seven, The Pink Panther, The Thomas Crown Affair, and many other icons—as well as 17,000 TV shows—including Fargo, The Handmaid's Tale, and Vikings—that have collectively won more than 180 Academy Awards and 100 Emmys. The real financial value behind this deal is the treasure trove of IP in the deep catalog that we plan to reimagine and develop together with MGM's talented team. It's very exciting and provides so many opportunities for high-quality storytelling.

The acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

Apple continues to expand its slate of TV+ programming, including "The Me You Can't See," a mental health docuseries from Oprah Winfrey and Prince Harry that debuted May 21. A follow up to that series is coming May 28.

The Zoom app for iOS was today updated to introduce support for the latest iPad Pro models, with the new software adding integration with the Center Stage feature.

Apple's 2021 ‌iPad Pro‌ models include a front-facing "Center Stage" Ultra Wide camera function that uses machine learning to automatically detect people in the frame, panning and zooming to keep them in view during FaceTime calls. The feature recognizes when other people join or exit a call, adjusting the camera position to fit everyone in.

Center Stage was designed with third-party video conferencing apps in mind, and Apple has made an API available, which is what Zoom is using. Following today's update, Center Stage will be compatible with the Zoom app for iOS.

With support for Center Stage, you can participate more naturally in our Zoom video calls. Never again worry about whether you're out of frame during a workout, teaching a class, or celebrating with friends and family over Zoom.

In addition to Center Stage, Zoom is also gaining support for an expanded Gallery View, so those using the 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ can see up to 48 video tiles while the iPad is in landscape mode.

Many other ‌iPad‌ models will also get an expanded Gallery View feature that will allow more people to be displayed on a single screen, controllable with pinch zoom gestures.

Center Stage and expanded Gallery View are available in the Zoom 5.6.6 update, available from the App Store.

iFixit has released its teardown of the second-generation Apple TV 4K, revealing an easy to repair, modular design, alongside a laborious process to dismantle the redesigned Siri Remote.

As with previous ‌Apple TV‌ models, the entire plastic shell of the device is transparent to IR light, allowing the ‌Siri‌ Remote to be used from any angle.

The large fan inside the ‌Apple TV‌ is not connected with a cable to the logic board, using four metal contact pins instead, making disassembly even easier. iFixit noted the easy teardown of the ‌Apple TV‌ since each of its components are simply layered in place and easy to remove with a screwdriver.

In the redesigned ‌Siri‌ Remote, the battery is located in the bottom half, with circuitry taking up the top half. To get inside, two screws have to be removed from a panel on the bottom of the remote where the Lighting port is located, but iFixit found that it is not possible to access anything meaningful here without removing even more screws elsewhere.

The Clickpad and buttons had to be removed with brute force, revealing more screws to remove. Once these were taken out, the battery and circuitry could be slid out of the bottom of the remote. iFixit noted that the entire disassembly of the new ‌Siri‌ Remote was made difficult by "super tight" tolerances.

iFixit discovered that the ‌Siri‌ Remote uses a "tiny" 1.52 Wh battery and it is not glued in place, which should make replacement somewhat easier.

Like the previous model, the second-generation ‌Apple TV‌ scored an eight out of 10 for repairability. The new remote, on the other hand, was very difficult to repair. Even a simple battery replacement requires total disassembly and risks damage.

A number of new Apple TV 4K owners are reporting that TV shows and movies in several apps are listed as HD rather than the expected 4K resolution.

Based on comments from MacRumors forum members, Apple Support Communities members, and Reddit users, the issue can be found on native Apple content accessed through the iTunes Movies and TV Shows apps, but not the main TV app, while video on third-party services like HBO Max and Netflix is also affected.

The possibility that HDMI cables could have something to do with it has already been ruled out, as some users simply replaced their previous-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K with the new set-top box using the same cables, and the older model doesn't exhibit the same problem.

There's some debate among users over whether the videos listed as HD are actually playing back in 4K. If so, it would suggest a labeling bug. However, knowing for certain is being made more difficult by the fact that the ‌Apple TV‌ 4K consistently outputs a 4K signal to the connected television and upscales the content if necessary, regardless of its native resolution.

The problem has been replicated on both tvOS 14.6 and in the latest tvOS 14.7 beta. Several users report they've been in contact with Apple regarding the issue, but the usual hardware reset/cable change suggestions aren't helping and it's still unknown if a software-based solution is in the works.

Apple has previewed Apple Via del Corso, its newest retail location in a vibrant center of Rome, Italy. Apple says the store preserves the grand Palazzo Marignoli, paying homage to Rome's rich history of art and culture, and making it one of the company's most significant restoration projects.

Sitting next to the Piazza San Silvestro public square, the store is spaced over two floors connected by a grand staircase dating back to 1888. On the first floor, four sets of doors provide access to an exterior landscaped terrace filled with jasmine vines and olive trees inspired by Roman roof terraces that look into the courtyard.

On the upper floor, the Forum occupies the ballroom of the Marquis's palazzo, where Today at Apple sessions will take place. Next to the Forum is a dedicated space for Apple Support and the Genius Bar, where a team of conservators have restored the geometrically patterned, hand-painted ceiling.

The facade was designed by Guilio Podesti, and Apple worked with Foster + Partners to reimagine the interior, which retains the Italianate and Palazzo architecture of the frontage.

Apple Via del Corso also brings the first-ever Today at Apple Made in Rome program dedicated to providing the next generation of young Romans with inspiration, skills, and tools to explore their passions. Led by over 40 local artists, Apple curated sessions across the fields of music, art and design, content creation, and video, aimed at supporting local communities across the city in the months to come.

"We can't wait to begin a new chapter in Rome with the opening of Apple Via del Corso," said Deirdre O'Brien, Apple's senior vice president of Retail + People. "The new store represents a celebration of the unique history and art of Roman culture, and we hope to inspire creativity among the local community with our Made in Rome program and future Today at Apple sessions."

Via del Corso joins the 117 Apple Store locations across 12 countries in Europe. The store opens in Rome on May 27 at 10:00 a.m. local time.

Apple appears to have quietly given its Shortcuts feature a performance boost in iOS 14.6 and iPadOS 14.6, which launched for iPhone and iPad on Monday.

Despite no mention of the feature in the software's release notes, users on Reddit are describing speed improvements when running automations that include multiple actions.

For example, one user describes how a 700-action shortcut they designed to scrape websites is running in 13 seconds since updating to iOS 14.6, compared to around 30 seconds in the previous version.

As 9to5Mac notes, the speed improvements aren't all that noticeable for Shortcuts that don't have many actions, but for those with actions that number in the dozens or hundreds, the performance boost is a lot more obvious.

Apple's iOS 14.6 update isn't quite as significant as the iOS 14.5 update that preceded it, but it still introduces a number of notable new features, including support for Spatial Audio and Lossless Audio in Apple Music, Apple Card Family, and Apple Podcasts Subscription support.

Following a report indicating that production would begin ahead of schedule, longtime Apple supplier TSMC has now officially kicked off production of Apple's upcoming A15 chip for the iPhone 13 lineup, expected later on in the second half of this year, according to a new paywalled report from DigiTimes.

The A14 Bionic chip, which first got announced in the iPad Air and then made its way to the ‌iPhone‌ 12, was the first Apple processor to be made using the 5nm process. The A15 Bionic chip will continue to be based on the smaller process but instead use an enhanced version, which presumably will enable improved performance and improved power efficiency to match.

The ‌iPhone‌ 13 is expected to be announced as early as September, in line with previous years, following the delayed launch of the ‌iPhone‌ 12 due to the global health crisis. As lockdowns emerged last year, Apple and its suppliers had to cut back on production, forcing the annual release of the new ‌iPhone‌ to take place in October, one month later than usual. However, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that a similar situation is unlikely to happen again this year.

Alongside the faster performance, graphics, and improved power efficiency thanks to the A15 Bionic chip, the ‌iPhone‌ 13 lineup is rumored to include several other new features. The higher-end models of the lineup, the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max, are expected to include an LTPO display, which would enable a higher 120Hz refresh rate. The inclusion of LTPO displays also opens the door for the possibility of having an always-on display.

Apple is set to surpass Samsung as the largest purchaser of AMOLED displays for smartphones later this year following the release of the iPhone 13 lineup, which will push the adoption of flexible AMOLED displays in iPhones to 80%, according to a new report from DigiTimes.

Apple adopted flexible AMOLED displays for its entire ‌iPhone‌ 12 lineup and is expected to continue doing so for the 2021 iPhones. According to today's report, which cites estimation numbers from research firm Omdia, Apple is expected to purchase 169 million display panels for the ‌iPhone‌ this year, compared to last year's order of 114.5 million.

The sources cited Omdia estimates as indicating that Apple is expected to increase its AMOLED panels to 169 million pieces for iPhones in 2021 from 114.5 million in 2020, while Samsung's corresponding purchases are estimated to rise slightly to 157 million pieces from 152.3 million.

Samsung Display is expected to remain the largest supplier of AMOLED panels for iPhones in 2021, offering an estimated 110 million pieces, compared to LG Display's 50 million and BOE's nine million, the sources said.

Alongside flexible AMOLED displays for the ‌iPhone‌ 13 lineup, higher-end models in the lineup, such as the Pro and Pro Max, are expected to include LTPO backpanel technology. LTPO panels not only help reduce power consumption for the display, which could enable-feature such as an always-on display for the ‌iPhone‌, but it also allows a higher refresh rate.

Apple has been rumored to include a 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate in its ‌iPhone‌ for some time; however, none of the rumors have yet proven to be true. Apple was reportedly close to adopting LTPO technology with the 2020 ‌iPhone‌ but likely decided to focus on the introduction of 5G on the ‌iPhone‌ as the main selling point instead. With the ‌iPhone‌ 13, Apple is now being widely reported to include LTOP display technology with a 120Hz refresh rate.

Remotely controlling the shutter on your iPhone's camera lets you include yourself in the photo while avoiding the limitations of a selfie. For example, it allows you to take a picture of a wider scene with you included in the frame, which is ideal for landscape shots or group photos. If your ‌iPhone‌ is on a tripod, taking the shot remotely also reduces the risk of camera shake. Here's how to do it.

There are more ways than one to take a picture on your ‌iPhone‌ remotely. If you have an Apple Watch, you can open the Camera Remote app that comes included.

How to Control Your iPhone's Camera With Apple Watch

1. Launch the Camera Remote app on your wrist.
2. Position your ‌iPhone‌ to frame the shot you want to take.
3. Tap the Shutter button on your Apple Watch screen.

By default, the shot is taken after three seconds to give you time to move into position, but you can disable the time and control other settings including flash, Live Photo, and HDR by tapping the ellipsis (three dots) button. The menu that this calls up also lets you switch between the front and rear ‌iPhone‌ camera.

If you don't have an Apple Watch, don't worry. You can also use Voice Control to remotely control the camera on your ‌iPhone‌. That's because you can trigger the camera shutter with the volume buttons, which can also be controlled with your voice. Here's how it works.

How to Use Voice Control to Take a Photo

1. Launch the Settings app.
2. Tap Accessibility.
3. Tap Voice Control.
4. Turn on the switch next to Voice Control so it's in the green ON position. (You should see a little microphone icon in the top-left corner of your screen indicating that Voice Control is active.)
5. Next, launch the Camera app and line up your shot.
6. When you're ready, say "Turn up the volume," to activate the camera's shutter and take the picture.
7. When you're finished, you can disable Voice Control by toggling the switch again in Settings.

How to Take a Picture Remotely With Siri

If you're familiar with the Shortcuts app, you can find a shortcut in the Gallery called "Say Cheese" that lets you use Siri to control your ‌iPhone‌'s camera remotely.

Once you've added it to your active shortcuts and given it permission to access your camera and microphone, you'll be able to take photos remotely simply by saying "Hey ‌Siri‌, say cheese."

Back in 2015, Apple considered purchasing Time Warner, with Apple iTunes chief Eddy Cue suggesting Apple bid on the media conglomerate.

Discussions did not ultimately progress and there was no purchase, but CNBC today provided some previously unknown background information about the talks between the two companies.

‌Eddy Cue‌ met with Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes and former executive vice president Olaf Olafsson in 2015 to start discussing partnership opportunities that would see Apple exclusively offering Time Warner content, perhaps bundling Turner and HBO content for a monthly fee.

Talks went on for a few weeks and involved Apple CEO Tim Cook, but ultimately soured over disagreements about fees and marketing. Offering Turner networks outside of a cable bundle could anger pay-TV distributors, and Apple was concerned about annoying existing media partners.

There were also fears that either Apple or Time Warner could eventually back out of the exclusive partnership, which could be disastrous to their future relationships. Because of this, Cook, Cue, and Bewkes briefly discussed an Apple acquisition of Time Warner.

Cue "expressed interest" in a full acquisition of Time Warner, but Cook was not ready to agree to the deal, which would have been somewhere around $100 billion. Neither Cook nor Bewkes expected to reach an acquisition deal, and Time Warner was ultimately sold to AT&T.

Today, AT&T has combined WarnerMedia with Discovery (pending regulatory approval), and the deal was structured in a way that allows the WarnerMedia-Discovery company to be sold down the road. CNBC suggests that Apple is one of the few companies that could afford to purchase WarnerMedia-Discovery.

Since its 2015 talks with Time Warner, Apple has gone on to establish its own catalog of original content and an Apple TV+ streaming service, though a major acquisition like WarnerMedia would give it the content that it needs to compete with other companies like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+.

Aside from the M1 chip, Apple's 12.9-inch 2021 iPad Pro models have one other standout feature - the new mini-LED display. It's the best ever display used in an iPad, and there's such a stark difference between the mini-LED display and the display of the 2020 ‌iPad Pro‌ that we had to show it off.

The ‌iPad Pro‌'s mini-LED display, which Apple calls Liquid Retina XDR, features more than 10,000 LEDs with 2,500 local dimming zones, allowing for much deeper blacks and higher contrast depending on the content that you're viewing.

As you can see in the video up above, with a black background displayed, the 2020 ‌iPad Pro‌ is more of a dark gray with light bleed from the LEDs, while the ‌M1‌ ‌iPad Pro‌ essentially has the mini-LEDs turned off thanks to local dimming, resulting in a much darker display that's more of a true black.

The difference is easy to see with an all black background, but the increase in display quality is also noticeable in day to day usage, though the disparity between the two displays is not as stark.

Watching HDR content is a much more immersive experience with the 2021 ‌M1‌ ‌iPad Pro‌, and it's a much nicer tablet for editing HDR photos and videos. In fact, you're going to see the most improvement with HDR content.

It's worth noting that some users have complained of a blooming effect caused by the extreme brightness of LEDs. Apple says that the design of the ‌iPad Pro‌ is meant to minimize this, but there are situations where more blooming than expected is visible. Blooming is an unavoidable consequence of local dimming technology. When one zone is lit up and one zone is dimmed for a truer black, the light from the lit zone can bleed over.

Right now, blooming seems to vary somewhat from ‌iPad Pro‌ to ‌iPad Pro‌, and it's something that bothers some users more than others. It's highly apparent in images and less extreme in person, but it is something to be aware of before making an ‌iPad Pro‌ purchase.

Did you get a new 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌? Let us know what you think about the Liquid Retina XDR display in the comments below.

With the launch of iOS 14.6 and tvOS 14.6, MacRumors discovered images of new wire-free in-ear Beats-branded earbuds called the Beats Studio Buds.

The Beats Studio Buds were subsequently spotted in FCC filings, and now MySmartPrice has shared leaked images of the Studio Buds, providing a clearer look at the design.

Apple has released several Beats-branded wire-free headphone options, but the Beats Studio Buds are unique because there's no ear wrap as with the Powerbeats Pro. The Beats Studio Buds are comparatively tiny, with a design that's similar to in-ear earbuds from companies like Samsung and Google.

The casing of the Beats Studio Buds is depicted in the images shared by MySmartPrice, with the silicone tips and internal components missing, though cutouts in the casing will house sensors and other components. The oval-shaped case that will charge the Studio Buds is not shown, but it was previously found in iOS 14.6.

The design of the Beats Studio Buds is interesting because its similar to what we're expecting to see from the second-generation AirPods Pro. Rumors indicate that the next ‌AirPods Pro‌ will feature a rounded, compact design that's stemless.

We don't yet know when the Beats Studio Buds might launch, but given that Apple has sought FCC approval, we could see a launch in the near future.

We're just a couple of weeks away from the unveiling of iOS 15, and we've heard surprisingly little about what to expect from the new update. There are sometimes major software leaks when new versions of iOS are approaching, but that hasn't happened this year.

An unverified source that spoke to writer Connor Jewiss this week revealed some possible new features that we might expect from iOS 15. No screenshots are available, but Jewiss says that he has "seen" iOS 15.

Jewiss suggests that Apple plans to add a new food tracking feature to the Health app, but it is unclear how expansive this feature might be. It could potentially allow users to log the food items that they consume, providing nutritional details and calorie tracking functionality. It is not known if users will need to manually enter all info or if Apple is working on some kind of food database.

The source said that we could also see user interface changes that were spotted in screenshots of Accessibility features believed to be coming in iOS 15, unveiling inset cells and merged navigation bars, as first highlighted by 9to5Mac.

There may also be some minor dark mode tweaks to the various color options, such as iMessage bubbles, and changes to the way that notifications are grouped on the Lock Screen. Jewiss has also pointed to unspecified tweaks to the Messages app, with little additional information provided about these features, something that Bloomberg already highlighted in an iOS 15 report.

Bloomberg in April also said that there will be notification updates that will allow users to set notification preferences based on current status, which Jewiss says he can confirm. As outlined by Bloomberg, users will, for example, be able to tweak how notifications are delivered when they're awake, working, sleeping, and more.

In a separate report, iMore's Oliver Haslam has corroborated Jewiss' report and says that he has received similar information, though he cautions that this is a "new source" so some of what's been suggested might not pan out. It is unclear if this information comes from a single source that spoke to both Jewiss and Haslam, or two separate sources.

Haslam's information is largely the same, though he says that there will be a new look for the Lock Screen that's "complication-based."

We may see additional details about iOS 15 leak out as the Worldwide Developers Conference approaches, but with the keynote scheduled for June 7, we don't have long to wait before we see the update in its entirety.

For more on what's coming in iOS 15, we have a dedicated iOS 15 roundup with all of the available details we've heard so far.

Eero today released an iOS app update that includes new firmware for its Eero 6 and Pro 6 routers, introducing HomeKit support.

‌HomeKit‌ support for the Eero 6 allows the routers to be managed through the Home app on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. In the Home app, there are options to define how routers are able to communicate within the home and via the internet.

With ‌HomeKit‌ integration, Eero 6 owners can opt to firewall off ‌HomeKit‌ accessories to prevent them from communicating with other WiFi devices on a home network and untrusted internet services, preventing hacking attempts and offering better security for connected home devices.

Prior Eero routers have included HomeKit integration, so today's update simply adds the functionality to the Eero 6 and Pro 6, which are Eero's WiFi 6 router options.

The Eero 6 and Pro 6 can be purchased from the Eero website starting at $129.

(Thanks, Varun!)

The massively popular F-150 pickup truck was one of the first Ford vehicles to gain the manufacturer's new SYNC 4 infotainment system for the 2021 model year, and I recently had a chance to test out the vehicle to get a sense of how the overall system functions, including a key new feature for iPhone owners: wireless CarPlay.

If you've shopped pickup trucks before, you know that they come in a huge array of configurations with different trims, cab and bed sizes, engines, and more across a range of prices. While I didn't get to test out the upcoming all-electric F-150 that's been making headlines recently, my 2021 test vehicle was a Lariat trim 4x4 with SuperCrew cab and a 3.5L PowerBoost Full Hybrid engine.

With some additional options, my tester came to a sticker price of a little over $68,000, which is toward the higher end of the F-150's expansive pricing range that starts at under $30,000 and can push past $80,000 fully loaded.

SYNC 4 Infotainment

The Lariat trim of the F-150 comes with a generous 12-inch infotainment screen for managing the SYNC 4 system and Ford says the hardware is twice as fast as that used in the SYNC 3 system. That makes for a responsive system that responds well when switching between functions and doing more intensive tasks like panning and zooming with built-in navigation.

SYNC 4 is also designed from the ground up to be scalable across display sizes and aspect ratios, from the relatively traditional 8-inch and 12-inch display options in the F-150 to the large portrait-style screens in the Edge and Mustang Mach-E that get a slightly modified SYNC 4A system.

The overall look of SYNC 4 is quite similar to SYNC 3, with a simple look that generally lacks significant contrast and forgoes the increasingly common dashboard/widget home screen view for a split-screen view that allows you to see two functions simultaneously and easily switch between them using icons along the bottom of the display.

I've come to prefer dashboard-style views that make it easy to see a variety of information all at once, but I must say that the ability to easily swap between functions, including ‌CarPlay‌, using the persistent navigation bar did grow on me over my time with the vehicle.

SYNC 4 offers both light and dark color schemes, and the system can be set to automatically switch between them depending on the time of day. I must say that I was not a fan of the light color scheme, even during the daytime, as it simply felt like too much light gray with not enough contrast among various elements and even the background. I much preferred the dark theme with its heavy emphasis on blue, which felt better to my eyes regardless of the time of day.

SYNC 4 benefits from not being overly complicated, even though there are a number of advanced features thanks to it being installed in an F-150, such as controlling the onboard generator system, exterior work lighting, and more. But for general use, there aren't a ton of functions you'll need to access on a regular basis.

In addition to the large touchscreen, there is a set of buttons and knobs below it for controlling various audio functions like volume, tuning, play/pause, skipping forward and backward, changing audio sources, and accessing audio settings. Several of these functions can of course also be controlled using buttons on the steering wheel.

Climate controls are thankfully manual, with generous knobs for setting the temperature and an assortment of buttons for various modes including heated and ventilated seats and the heated steering wheel. An easy-to-find rocker in the center of the grouping helps you quickly adjust the fan speed while minimizing the need to take your eyes off the road.

CarPlay

As is becoming increasingly common across the latest infotainment platforms, SYNC 4 supports both wired and wireless ‌CarPlay‌, offering maximum flexibility for phone integration. Wireless setup is simple, requiring only a quick pairing confirmation via Bluetooth before the Wi-Fi connection is made. From that point on, I experienced quick and seamless connection every time I started the vehicle.

With the F-150's 12-inch screen divided into several sections with the split-screen view on the left and right, persistent navigation bar at the bottom, and fairly large status bar at the top, ‌CarPlay‌ feels like it takes up a relatively small portion of the overall screen real estate. It's certainly functional, but you won't get the expansive ‌CarPlay‌ experience you see on some other vehicles where it can display in widescreen at greater resolution.

‌CarPlay‌ also looks a little out of place against the relatively monochrome SYNC 4 system that takes up the rest of the screen. But ‌CarPlay‌ performs well, and I noticed no lag or other issues when using either a wired or wireless connection.

While ‌CarPlay‌ itself is limited to only a portion of the SYNC 4 display, it does an adequate job of displaying content, including navigation apps. Any smaller and it would definitely feel cramped, but it gets the job done.

The main advantage of this layout for SYNC 4 is that ‌CarPlay‌ integrates very well with the native system. You can view secondary information like radio or SiriusXM data and controls in the split-screen view right alongside ‌CarPlay‌, and jumping back and forth between ‌CarPlay‌ and other SYNC functions is extremely easy thanks to the navigation bar at the bottom. You're always only one tap away from getting in or out of ‌CarPlay‌.

In addition to the 12-inch main infotainment screen, Lariat and higher trims also include a 12-inch all-digital driver productivity screen. It's dominated by large digital tachometer and speedometer dials, but it can display some information such as native navigation prompts in the center portion of the screen. It does not support second-screen ‌CarPlay‌ ‌Apple Maps‌ navigation prompts, which is disappointing but not terribly surprising considering that feature is just starting to be supported by a few manufacturers.

Charging and Ports

The F-150 does offer an optional wireless phone charger, but unfortunately, my Lariat trim tester did not come equipped with it. The charger is included on higher-end King Ranch, Platinum, and Limited trims, and it's unfortunate that it's not available even as an option on lower trims to complement wireless ‌CarPlay‌ and Android Auto.

There are three sets of USB ports through the cab, however, with each set including both a USB-C port and a USB-A port. One set for data and charging is located at the base of the center stack next to a generous media bin, which is where the wireless charging pad is located on trims that offer it. The chargers and bin have a retractable cover to help hide away valuables.

The second and third sets of USB ports are both charge-only, with one set located inside the cavernous center console compartment and the third set located on the rear of the center console for second-row passengers.

My test vehicle was also equipped with Ford's 7.2 kW Pro Power Onboard system, which is exclusive to the hybrid powertrain and offers various other 120V power outlets and even a 240V outlet scattered around the cabin and in the bed of the truck, allowing the vehicle to act as a generator for power tools and other devices. Even under a full load, the system can run for up to 32 hours on a full tank of gas.

Wrap-up

My feelings on SYNC 4 in the 2021 Ford F-150 can really be broken down into two parts: the look and the functionality. To put it simply, I'm not a big fan of the overall look of the system. Too much of the overall interface is relatively monochrome, which results in a boring look and makes it harder to pick out information and interactive elements. I particularly don't like the light theme and its fairly bright gray look, while the dark theme's blue offers a bit more character but is still too much of one color for my tastes.

On the functionality side, I found SYNC 4 to be a very solid system that was easy to use, even considering some of the extra features included thanks to the F-150 being a workhorse pickup. The system is responsive and I appreciate the flexibility of a split-screen view that gives access to both ‌CarPlay‌ and the native system simultaneously.

My initial disappointment at a lack of a dashboard-style view quickly gave way to an appreciation of how the split-screen view and the persistent navigation bar make it easy to switch between functions and make ‌CarPlay‌ feel like just another app, even if the look is wildly different from the native system.

If I have one issue with the functionality, it's that I'd like to see a bit better use of space in the overall design. There's an awful lot of wasted space along the top of the screen, and I'd like to see a different layout on a screen with perhaps a bit different aspect ratio that would allow for a wider and larger ‌CarPlay‌ pane within the system.

When it comes to connectivity, the F-150 certainly offers an array of ports to help keep devices connected and charged, and of course, wireless ‌CarPlay‌ is a convenient option that's great to see standard across all trims.

I do wish wireless phone charging wasn't limited to only the higher trim levels, as it seemed a bit silly to me to be driving a vehicle with a sticker price approaching $70,000 but which didn't even offer the feature as an option on that trim. I'm still a firm believer that wireless phone charging should at least be an option if not standard on any vehicle that includes wireless ‌CarPlay‌ and Android Auto.