Apple alongside the second-generation Apple TV 4K debuted a redesigned version of the Siri Remote, which is now available to customers with new Apple TV orders and as a $60 standalone replacement for the original Siri Remote. In lockstep with the hardware change, iOS 15 also includes a redesigned Apple TV Siri Remote interface in the Control Center.
In iOS 14, the current Remote UI takes cues from the previous-generation Siri Remote, with Menu, Siri, Play/Pause and Home buttons below a large gesture pad, mirroring the glass touch surface.
Likewise, the new UI in many ways resembles the redesigned new-generation Siri Remote, and now includes Back, Mute, Power, and channel buttons, while the iPhone's physical Side/Power button becomes the Siri button.
Despite these welcome changes in the iOS 15 beta, there are still some bugs that Apple needs to iron out to get the new Siri Remote working consistently, so it may not be wise to update to the iOS 15 public beta as soon as it becomes available in July just to start using it. iOS 15 will be officially released in the fall.
Apple is currently rolling out spatial audio and lossless audio for Apple Music, offering subscribers a more immersive and higher-quality audio experience. Later this year, however, Apple will also bring dynamic head tracking to songs in the Apple Music catalog.
Is spatial audio with dynamic head tracking available for music?
We are excited to announce that spatial audio with dynamic head tracking is coming to Apple Music in the fall. Dynamic head tracking creates an even more immersive experience for spatial audio. It brings music to life by delivering sound that dynamically adjusts as you turn your head. And you can experience spatial audio with dynamic head tracking on AirPods Pro and AirPods Max with a compatible iPhone or iPad.
When you consider Apple's current implementation of dynamic head tracking, it's not entirely clear how it will apply to music. In its existing form, dynamic head tracking can be experienced when watching video on iPhone and iPad with headphones that support spatial audio, but it's the video element that's key.
Spatial audio uses the gyroscope and accelerometer in the headphones and the iOS device to track the motion of your head and your device's position, comparing the motion data, and then remapping the sound field so that it stays anchored to your device even as your head moves.
Apple Music videos with spatial audio enabled already support dynamic head tracking in this way, but given that there's no visual element involved when listening to audio tracks, Apple presumably has a different implementation in mind that will create more depth to the listening experience. Individual instruments and effects may remain locked in place in a virtual soundstage when you turn your head, evoking the experience of being in the audience at a live gig, for example.
So obviously it makes no sense for Apple Music tracks to support Spatial Audio with head tracking enabled. Imagine walking down the street wearing your AirPods Pro – it'd sound like all the instruments were emanating from your coat pocket.
— Tim Hardwick (@waxeditorial) May 19, 2021
Circling back to this. It appears that vanilla Apple Music tracks *will* in fact support dynamic head tracking in the fall in some form.🤔 https://t.co/lJta1Sj7qt
— Tim Hardwick (@waxeditorial) June 8, 2021
At any rate, Apple says that Apple Music subscribers will be able to experience it for themselves "in the fall," which is also when iOS 15 will be released to the public, so the two could well drop together.
Apple is aiming to debut its first augmented reality (AR) headset in the second quarter of 2022, according to a new research note from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo seen by MacRumors.
Headset mockup based on a source with direct knowledge of the device (The Information)
The research report focuses on prospects for key Apple supplier Genius Electronic Optical, and notes that the company will benefit from a number of upcoming VR and AR products from the likes of Facebook, Sony, and Apple.
We predict that Apple will launch AR HMD [head-mounted display] devices in 2Q22. The device will provide a video see-through AR experience, so the lens is also needed, and Genius is also a key supplier.
Apple has been rumored to be working on a pair of AR-related headsets, led by an initial "mixed-reality" device that has variously been rumored to be launching in 2021 or 2022. A sleeker pair of augmented reality glasses is rumored to follow, perhaps around 2025.
As recently as January, Kuo was predicting that Apple's initial AR headset would debut sometime in 2021, but by March he had pushed his prediction back to "mid-2022," more in line with today's report.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also indicated back in March that an announcement about the headset could come in the "next several months," but there has been no sign of such an announcement, and today's WWDC keynote would have been a prime opportunity.
Some of the uncertainty about timing may be related to a potentially lengthy gap between announcement and launch for the AR headset. As a new platform for Apple, the company may want to announce it a number of months ahead of any product launch to give developers time to prepare. Reports have, however, indicated that Apple's first AR headset will be a pricey, high-end device largely targeted at developers rather than the broader public.
Kuo's report today on Genius Electronic Optical also touches on iPhone 13 production, noting that it appears Genius will be the exclusive supplier of wide-angle and telephoto camera lenses for the upcoming iPhone 13 lineup, at least through the end of this month. Apple's other supplier for these components, Largan, is said to have failed to meet Apple's requirements and has been asked to temporarily halt component shipments.
Genius is currently picking up the slack following Largan's misstep, and Kuo believes Genius will ultimately be responsible for 65–70% of shipments for these lens components, up from market consensus of a 40–50% share.
Following Apple's announcement during the WWDC keynote that Spatial Audio and Lossless Audio for Apple Music would be rolling out today, the feature now appears to be going live for some users.
For many users, restarting their device appears to trigger activation of the feature, but others have reported that a restart hasn't helped, so users may just need to be patient until it becomes available to them.
Once it's available, you'll see a new option in the Music section of the Settings app where you can choose whether Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos is Off, Always On, or Automatic, with the Automatic option using Dolby Atmos content when your device is connected to output accessories like AirPods and compatible Beats that your device recognizes as supporting the feature. For other types of headphones, you may need to manually select the Always On option.
A separate section offers options for Lossless Audio, where you can turn the higher-quality audio files on and then choose from more granular options to specify what quality of music files your device should use when streaming over cellular, streaming over Wi-Fi, or downloading music.
In the Music app, you'll also be able to see which albums support Spatial Audio and Lossless Audio, thanks to new labels in the album details sections.
Today's WWDC keynote event saw Apple introduce iOS 15, iPadOS 15, macOS Monterey, watchOS 8, and tvOS 15, all of which have exciting new features that will make the Apple ecosystem better than ever.
For those that did not get a chance to see the keynote event and don't want to spend close to two hours watching it later, we've condensed everything Apple announced into nine minutes, providing a quick overview of everything notable.
In addition to our video, we've also rounded up all of our coverage of Apple's announcements to give you a complete overview of everything new that's worth knowing about.
For those who do want to watch the full keynote, a replay is available in the Apple TV app, on Apple's Events website, and on YouTube.
Stay Tuned to MacRumors
Make sure to stay tuned to MacRumors this week because we're going to be sharing in-depth videos and articles highlighting all of the new features in the software updates that Apple introduced today.
We'll also be publishing roundups, guides, and how tos on everything that you need to know about the new software, and we'll have coverage of each new feature as we delve further into the updates.
Alongside iOS 15, Apple introduced an iCloud+ service that adds new features to its paid iCloud plans. One of these features is iCloud Private Relay, which is designed to encrypt all of the traffic leaving your device so no one can intercept it or read it.
Apple did not mention country limitations for the feature when announcing it, but Apple told Reuters that Private Relay will not be launching in China, Belarus, Colombia, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkmenistan, Uganda, and the Philippines,
According to Apple, regulatory reasons are preventing the Private Relay feature from launching in those countries.
Private Relay sends web traffic to a server that is maintained by Apple to strip the IP address. Once IP info has been removed, Apple sends the traffic to a second server maintained by a third-party company that assigns a temporary IP address and then sends the traffic to its destination, a process that prevents your IP address, location, and browsing activity from being used to create a profile about you.
Involving an outside party in the relay system is an intentional move that Apple says was designed to prevent anyone, including Apple, from knowing a user's identity and the website the user is visiting.
iCloud Private Relay is available with any paid iCloud storage plan, and Apple has not changed pricing, so upgraded iCloud storage tiers start at $0.99. iCloud+ also includes a new Hide My Email feature that lets you create unique, random email addresses that forward to your personal inbox, and it allows for iCloud Mail addresses to be personalized with a custom domain name.
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 Maps received a major overhaul in iOS 15 and in addition to new details in cities, an interactive globe, and enhanced driving directions, there are a handful of other smaller features that are available.
When getting directions in the Maps app, there's a new feature that lets you choose a time to arrive or a time to leave, which lets you get prospective commute lengths ahead of time.
If you tap on "Leaving Now" next to "My Location" when getting directions to a specific spot, you can choose to get directions with a "Leave at" or "Arrive by" time that lets you select dates and times to leave at or arrive by.
This is a feature that's long been available for Google Maps, but until now, there was no way to get estimated travel times in advance of a trip using the Apple Maps app.
Other new Maps features include 3D road level perspectives for complex interchanges, step-by-step augmented reality directions when walking, a redesigned transit experience, new place cards with updated info about businesses, improved search functionality, and a dedicated Maps user profile for reporting issues, selecting favorites, and choosing a preferred mode of transit.
Starting with iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, which will be publicly released in the fall, security cameras and video doorbells that support HomeKit Secure Video can now detect and notify you when a package has been delivered.
HomeKit Secure Video, available on iOS 13.2 and later, leverages iCloud to securely stream and store video clips from compatible HomeKit-enabled indoor and outdoor cameras and doorbells, with end-to-end encryption. HomeKit Secure Video cameras and doorbells are managed through the Home app like other HomeKit accessories.
Apple today introduced a new iCloud+ subscription plan that combines Apple's existing iCloud storage tiers with privacy features such as Hide My Email, iCloud Private Relay, and expanded HomeKit Secure Video support, at no additional cost.
iCloud+ expands HomeKit Secure Video, allowing for unlimited cameras:
50GB of iCloud storage with one HomeKit Secure Video camera for $0.99 per month
200GB of iCloud storage with up to five HomeKit Secure Video cameras for $2.99 per month
2TB of iCloud storage with an unlimited number of HomeKit Secure Video cameras for $9.99 per month
The first betas of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 were seeded to developers earlier today, and public betas will be released in July, according to Apple.
Apple is making some major improvements to the Find My app in iOS 15, making it easier to keep track of your Apple devices and AirTags.
With the Find My network, Apple says that you can locate devices even after they've been turned off, a feature that's helpful if a missing device is stolen and disabled or if a lost device has a low battery.
It's not clear how this feature works, but it likely will show the last known location that your device was known to be at.
Apple also says that the Find My network paired with Activation Lock can locate a lost device even after it's been erased, so thieves will not be able to wipe your device to disable tracking.
To ensure that nobody is tricked into buying a stolen device that's still locked to your Apple ID, the Hello screen will clearly show that your device is locked, locatable, and still owned by someone else.
Apple in iOS 15 is adding new Separation Alerts to the Find My app, which will let you know if you leave an Apple device, a device attached to an AirTag, or a Find My-enabled third-party device behind.
Enable separation alerts, and if you leave a device, AirTag, or compatible third-party item behind, your iPhone will alert you with notifications and Find My will give you directions to your item.
For any item in the Find My app, whether it's an AirTag or an Apple device, you can tap into it and select the "Notify When Left Behind" toggle. This will send an alert if you get out of range of your item.
You can set exceptions for certain locations, such as if your item is safely at home, and this new feature should help you keep a much better watch over items that are easy to lose like AirPods.
With the launch of iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey, Apple is making its Screen Time API available to third-party developers, which will let official Screen Time data be used in parental control apps.
Apple first unveiled Screen Time in the iOS 12 update that was released in 2018, allowing users to keep track of the amount of time spent in iOS apps. Parents were also able to use Screen Time for Parental Control purposes, limiting apps and device usage.
Since launch, Screen Time has been built directly into the iPhone and no APIs or SDKs have been made available to developers prior to now, which app developers have not been happy with. That's set to change with iOS 15. From Apple's iOS 15 features page:
Developers can use the Screen Time API in parental controls apps to support an even wider range of tools for parents. The API provides developers with key features like core restrictions and device activity monitoring, all in a way that puts privacy first.
Ahead of when Apple launched Screen Time, it started banning many parental control apps that used Mobile Device Management to let parents control iOS devices belonging to their children. The change led to antitrust issues for Apple following complaints from developers that made parental control apps.
In 2019, developers petitioned Apple to release a Screen Time API that would let them access the same functionalities that are available with the built-in Screen Time feature to level the playing field. Apple may have finally implemented the feature to ease some of the antitrust scrutiny that it is facing from lawmakers in various countries.
Apple today announced that iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey feature system-wide translation, allowing users to translate text by simply selecting it and tapping or right clicking on the Translate option that appears.
iPhone, iPad, and Mac users can also translate selected text in photos as part of a new Live Text feature in the latest software versions.
Apple also announced that the Translate app is available on the iPad starting with iPadOS 15, after launching on the iPhone last year. On both iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, a new Auto Translate feature lets users translate speech without tapping the microphone button in a conversation, and selecting languages is now easier with convenient drop‑down menus.
If you've ever wanted to see the EXIF data for a photo right on your iPhonePhotos app, then you're going to want to install the iOS 15 update right away.
With iOS 15, each image in the Photos app has a new "Info" button available that displays image format, the details of the camera used to capture it, and the location where it was taken.
Prior to now, there was no way to view this information directly in the Photos app on the iPhone, so you had to use either a third-party app, a Shortcut, or a different device to view it.
This interface can be used to add captions and to see the location where a photo was taken, plus there is an option to adjust metadata such as date captured.
Some photos will also have a sparkle next to the Info button, which means there's info that you can see in Look Up mode. On a photo of a flower, for example, the Photos app is able to compare it to other flower images on the web, providing a possible identification for the flower type. In the screenshot below, this is indeed an accurate assessment of the type of flower in the image.
There's also a new option to tap the "Live" button for any Live photo to automatically turn it a Loop, Bounce, or Long Exposure.
With the iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey updates, Apple is expanding the reach of FaceTime by allowing anyone, even those without Apple devices, to join a FaceTime call.
In iOS 15 and its sister updates, you can create a link to a FaceTime conversation that can be shared anywhere. Using this link, friends and family members who do not have an Apple device can log into a FaceTime call using a web browser.
Non-Apple users can join a one-on-one FaceTime call or a Group FaceTime call, effectively making FaceTime a more platform-agnostic video service that is no longer just limited to iOS users. You do, however, need an iOS user to start a FaceTime call and send a link.
Invite anyone to join you in a FaceTime call, even friends who don't have an Apple device.2 They can join you for one-on-one and Group FaceTime calls right from their browser instantly -- no login necessary.
Apple says that non-Apple users can join calls using the newest versions of Chrome or Edge. Sending video requires H.264 video encoding support.
There are a ton of other updates and improvements to FaceTime, including Spatial audio support, Portrait mode support, Voice Isolation mode for drowning out background noise, Grid view for seeing all participants, and a new SharePlay feature that's designed to let you watch movies, listen to music, and share your screen with friends and family members.
With the iOS and iPadOS 15 updates, Apple is adding new customization options to the Memoji that can be used in Messages, FaceTime, and more.
There are more than 40 new outfit choices to choose from, and three new outfit colors to pick. Apple has introduced an option to select a different color for the right eye and the left eye for those with heterochromia, and there are three new glasses options.
Apple has added new multicolored headwear options so people can represent their favorite sports teams or universities, and there are new accessibility options for depicting cochlear implants, oxygen tubes, or a soft helmet.
Along with these new customization options, Apple has introduced nine new emoji stickers for sending a shaka, a hand wave, a lightbulb moment and more, but the new stickers don't appear to be available just yet.
Apple today previewed new privacy protections coming in iOS 15, iPadOS 15, macOS Monterey, and watchOS 8. The software updates are available in beta for developers starting today and will be publicly released later this year.
First, a new App Privacy Report feature will let users see how often apps have used the permission they've previously granted to access their location, photos, camera, microphone, and contacts during the past seven days. Users can also find out with whom their data may be shared by seeing all the third-party domains an app is contacting.
App Privacy Report will arrive as part of a future software update to iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and watchOS 8 later this year.
Second, a new Hide My Email feature will provide users with access to unique, random iCloud email addresses that forward emails to their personal inbox anytime they wish to keep their personal email address private. Hide My Email will debut in the Mail app as part of a future update to iOS 15, iPadOS 15, macOS Monterey, and iCloud.com, and it will enable users to create and delete as many email addresses as needed at any time.
Apple has introduced a new iCloud+ subscription plan that combines Apple's existing iCloud storage tiers with privacy features such as Hide My Email, iCloud Private Relay, and expanded HomeKit Secure Video support, at no additional cost.
Private Relay is a new VPN-like service that's built right into iCloud, allowing users to connect to and browse the web in a more secure and private way. When browsing in Safari on Apple devices, Private Relay will ensure all traffic leaving the device is encrypted.
Apple on Private Relay:
All the user's requests are then sent through two separate internet relays. The first assigns the user an anonymous IP address that maps to their region but not their actual location. The second decrypts the web address they want to visit and forwards them to their destination. This separation of information protects the user's privacy because no single entity can identify both who a user is and which sites they visit.
iCloud+ expands built-in support for HomeKit Secure Video, allowing for unlimited cameras:
50GB of iCloud storage with one HomeKit Secure Video camera for $0.99 per month
200GB of iCloud storage with up to five HomeKit Secure Video cameras for $2.99 per month
2TB of iCloud storage with an unlimited number of HomeKit Secure Video cameras for $9.99 per month
Next up is Siri, which is moving to on-device speech recognition with iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, meaning the audio of users' requests is processed right on their iPhone or iPad by default. For many requests, Siri processing is also moving on device, enabling requests to be processed without an internet connection, such as launching apps, setting timers and alarms, changing settings, or controlling music.
Since the release of iOS 14, an iPhone displays a green or orange dot in the status bar when an app is using the device's camera or microphone, respectively. Now, starting with macOS Monterey, users can also see which apps have access to their Mac's microphone in Control Center. A new software indicator augments the camera indicator light by showing you whenever an app has access to the microphone. This complements the hardware-based green light that appears next to a Mac's webcam when it is active.
Other new privacy features outlined by Apple:
With share current location, users can easily share their current location with an app just once, without giving the developer further access after that session. Developers can customize the share current location button, and integrate it directly into their apps.
With enhanced Photos limited library access, developers can offer smart functionality — like a recent photos folder for specific albums — even when a user has only granted limited access.
With secure paste, developers can let users paste from a different app without having access to what was copied until the user takes action to paste it into their app. When developers use secure paste, users will be able to paste without being alerted via the pasteboard transparency notification, helping give them peace of mind.
These are only some of the new privacy features coming in Apple's new software updates, and we'll be highlighting others in the coming days.
The iOS and iPadOS 15 updates that were released today introduce several expanded widget options, which can be used on the Home Screen or in the Today section of the Notification Center on the iPhone and iPad.
Apple has created several new widgets for Apple products and services, as listed below:
Find My - Track your friends and personal items from the Home Screen.
Contacts - Includes options to call, Message, FaceTime, locate, or email contacts, and with Family Sharing, you can approve purchases or Screen Time requests from kids.
Game Center - The Continue Playing widget shows recently played Game Center games, and a Friends Are Playing widget shows the games your friends are playing.
App Store - The App Store widget displays stories, collections, and new in-app event options on the Home Screen.
Sleep - Shows data about how you slept and lets you review your sleep schedule.
Mail - Shows your latest email at a glance and offers up access to one of your mailboxes.
In iPadOS 15, widgets on the iPad mirror widgets on the iPhone and can be placed anywhere on the Home Screen for the first time, rather than being limited to a specific widget block.
Apple has also added a new Default widgets feature that shows a default layout with widgets from the apps you use most arranged in Smart Stacks, plus there are new intelligent widget selections.
Suggested widgets from the apps that you use will appear in your Smart Stack at the right time based on past app usage activity, and you can now reorder your Smart Stacks.
Apple today updated its App Store Review Guidelines to reflect its newly unveiled software versions, including iOS 15, iPadOS 15, macOS Monterey, watchOS 8, and tvOS 15. The updated guidelines also address developer trust and safety issues.
In addition, two updates have been made to the App Review contact form on Apple's website. First, developers who appeal an app rejection can now specify if they believe their app was rejected due to unfair treatment by the App Review team, including political bias or other forms of bias. Second, developers can now report other apps if they believe they present trust or safety concerns, or otherwise violate the App Store Review Guidelines.
The updated App Store Review Guidelines:
1.4.1: "Hookup" apps that may include pornography or be used to facilitate prostitution will be rejected.
1.2.1: Added new guideline for creator content.
1.4.3 and 5.1.1(ix): Addressed in-app sales from licensed and legal cannabis dispensaries.
1.7: Apps for reporting alleged criminal activity must involve local law enforcement, and can only be offered in countries where such involvement is active.
2.3.1: Clarified that misleading marketing, whether it takes place inside or outside of the App Store, is grounds for removal from the App Store and the Apple Developer Program.
2.3.10: Simplified the rule on irrelevant information in app metadata.
3.1.1: Clarified that digital gift cards can only be sold using in-app purchase, and that physical gift cards that are sold within an app and then mailed to customers may use payment methods other than in-app purchase.
3.1.2(a): Expanded the guideline that allows cellular carrier apps to include music and video subscriptions in pre-defined bundles attached to data plans to clarify that carrier apps can include other kinds of subscriptions, so long as in-app purchase is supported for new users and the carrier provides a mechanism for customers to revert to an in-app purchase subscription after the bundled service expires or terminates.
3.1.3: Clarified the email communication policy for apps that are permitted to use purchase methods other than in-app purchase.
4.2: Clarified that apps that do not provide adequate utility may not be accepted on the App Store.
4.3: Added drinking game apps as a saturated category.
4.7: Reformatted by adding 4.7.1 and 4.7.2 for clarity.
5.1.1(v): Apps supporting account creation must also offer account deletion.
5.6 and 5.6.1 – 5.6.4: Expanded the Developer Code of Conduct to address additional developer trust and safety issues. New rules in this section require developer identity information to be accurate and up to date; make clear that manipulating any element of the App Store experience such as reviews and charts is not permitted; and that excessive customer reports about concerns with an app may be a factor in deciding whether the developer is complying with the Code of Conduct.
Bug Fix Submissions: Bug fixes for safety issues will not be delayed over guideline violations.
