If you're low on iCloud storage but want to buy a new device and transfer your data, Apple is making the process easier in iOS 15 with a temporary storage boost.
Apple says that the new feature will grant you as much storage as you need to complete a temporary backup for up to three weeks, letting users transfer their apps, data, and settings to a new device using iCloud even when there's an inadequate amount of iCloud storage available.
Now when you buy a new device you can use iCloud Backup to move your data to your new device, even if you're low on storage. iCloud will grant you as much storage as you need to complete a temporary backup, free of charge, for up to three weeks. This allows you to get all your apps, data, and settings onto your device automatically.
For those who have not upgraded past the standard 5GB of storage included with a free iCloud plan, this change should make upgrading to a new device a much more seamless experience.
Apple today also announced that its paid iCloud storage plans are now known as iCloud+, with new features that include a Private Relay that hides your browsing activity, a Hide My Email option, and a new feature for personalizing an iCloud Mail address with a custom domain name that can be shared among family members.
The macOS 12 Monterey and iPadOS 15 updates that Apple introduced today bring a key iPhone feature over to the Mac and iPad -- Low Power Mode. On Apple's Monterey page that breaks down all of the new updates, there's a listing for Low Power Mode.
According to Apple, Low Power Mode on Mac reduces the system clock speed and the display brightness in order to extend your battery life even further. This means that if you're doing less intensive tasks like watching videos or browsing the web, you can eke even more out of your Mac's battery.
On the Mac, Low Power Mode is compatible with the MacBook (Early 2016 and later) and MacBook Pro (Early 2016 and later).
There is no mention of Low Power Mode on Apple's iPadOS 15 page, but there is a Low Power Mode feature available after installing the update.
There are a slew of new features in iOS 15, so many in fact that Apple did not have time to cover all of them during today's keynote event.
One of these new features is a built-in authenticator that will let iOS devices be used to generate verification codes for additional sign-in security.
Right now, app-based two-factor authentication is handled by third-party apps like Authy and Google Authenticator, but now Apple is building this functionality right into iOS so you won't need a separate app.
Generate verification codes needed for additional sign-in security. If a site offers two-factor authentication, you can set up verification codes under Passwords in Settings -- no need to download an additional app. Once set up, verification codes autofill when you sign in to the site.
Apple says that you can set up verification codes under Passwords in the Settings app, and once set up, verification codes will autofill when you sign into a site, which will make using two-factor authentication on an iPhone or iPad much more streamlined.
This feature is available on iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey.
Apple plans to allow iPhone and iPad users to remain on iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 even after the launch of the iOS and iPadOS 15 updates, according to new details on the software pages for the new updates.
iOS now offers a choice between two software update versions in the Settings app. You can update to the latest version of iOS 15 as soon as it's released for the latest features and most complete set of security updates. Or continue on iOS 14 and still get important security updates until you're ready to upgrade to the next major version.
With prior updates, Apple has prompted users to update right away and has stopped signing past versions of iOS to make it impossible to downgrade, but it sounds like Apple is planning to relax that policy going forward.
This will be useful for those who are not able to update their devices because of device restrictions or requirements implemented by work organizations or schools.
macOS Monterey is compatible with many of the Macs that were able to run macOS Big Sur, but it drops support for some older MacBook Air and iMac models from 2013 and 2014.
Apple is providing the new iOS 15, macOS Monterey, tvOS 15, and watchOS 8 updates to developers for testing purposes as of today, giving Apple a chance to work out initial bugs in the software.
After a few weeks of testing, Apple plans to provide the betas to its public beta testing group as well, with Apple CEO Tim Cook confirming plans to release the new software to public beta testers at some point in July.
This is also the testing format that Apple used for the iOS 14 updates last year, so public beta testers can look forward to getting the new software to test out in a month.
Apple plans to publicly release all of the new updates in the fall.
With watchOS 8, Apple will finally allow users to set multiple timers within the Timers app. Each specific timer can be given a label, such as laundry or cooking timer, and is viewed in a single list.
watchOS 8 has a wide range of features, including a new standalone Find My app that allows users to find and locate items part of the Find My network right on their wrist. Additionally, watchOS 8 renames the Breathe app to Mindfulness with an "enhanced Breathe experience" and new session types such as Reflect. Learn more about watchOS 8 here.
After today's keynote event that saw the introduction of macOS Monterey, the latest version of the Mac operating system, Apple has seeded the first beta of macOS Monterey to developers for testing purposes.
Registered developers can download the beta through the Apple Developer Center and once the appropriate profile is installed, betas will be available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences.
As with all new betas, Apple recommends not installing the new macOS update on a primary machine because it is early release software and could have bugs.
macOS Monterey is only available to registered developers right now, but later this summer, Apple will make a public version of the new beta available in July to give public beta testers a chance to try the software before it sees a public launch this fall.
In addition to seeding the first betas of iOS 15, iPadOS 15, tvOS 15, and macOS 12, Apple has also seeded the first beta of the watchOS 8 update to developers for testing purposes.
To install watchOS 8, developers will need to download the configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center. Once installed, watchOS 8 can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software update.
To update to new software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life, it must be placed on the charger, and it needs to be in range of the iPhone. It's not recommended to install watchOS 8 on a main Apple Watch as the software may be unstable at this early date.
watchOS 8 is limited to developers at the current time, but Apple plans to provide a public beta later this year ahead of the software's fall launch.
Today's WWDC keynote event has come to an end, and Apple has begun seeding new software updates to developers, including tvOS 15, the newest version of the tvOS software designed to run on the Apple TV HD and the Apple TV 4K.
Developers can download the new tvOS 15 beta by downloading a profile onto the Apple TV using Xcode.
tvOS 15 is limited to developers at the current time, but Apple will provide a public beta of the software to public beta testers later this summer. tvOS 15 will see a release this fall alongside iOS 15, iPadOS 15, macOS 12, and watchOS 8.
Following the conclusion of today's keynote event that saw the unveiling of new versions of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS, Apple has made the first betas of iOS and iPadOS 15 available to developers for testing purposes.
Registered developers can download the profile for the first iOS and iPadOS betas from the Apple Developer Center, and once the profile is installed, beta updates will be available over the air. It's best to install iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 on a secondary iPhone because this is early release software that could have issues.
Over the course of the iOS/iPadOS 15 testing period, Apple will be able to refine new features and work out bugs ahead of the software's release, which is expected in the fall. The June release will also allow developers to build new iOS and iPadOS 15 features into their apps.
The new beta software is limited to registered developers at this time, but Apple will provide a public beta for public beta testers later in the summer. Beta testing will last for several months ahead of the expected September release date of iOS and iPadOS 15.
Apple's new iOS 15 operating system is compatible with all of the iPhones that are able to run iOS 14, including the original iPhone SE, the iPhone 6s, and the iPhone 6s Plus.
Apple's list of compatible devices confirms that iOS 15 works with all of these iPhones:
All iPhone 12 models
All iPhone 11 models
iPhone XS
iPhone XS Max
iPhone XR
iPhone X
iPhone 8
iPhone 8 Plus
iPhone 7
iPhone 7 Plus
iPhone 6s
iPhone 6s Plus
iPhone SE (1st generation)
iPhone SE (2nd generation)
iPod touch (7th generation
As for iPadOS 15, it is compatible with a wide range of older devices:
Apple today announced that TestFlight, which allows developers to public test their apps before launch, will be coming to the Mac as part of wider tools meant to improve app development.
TestFlight for the Mac is part of a wider set of tools for developers, including Xcode Cloud, which offers "continuous integration and delivery cloud service designed specifically for Apple developers." With the new service, developers in teams can now easily test, develop, and deploy apps more efficiently. Xcode Cloud also allows developers to build apps in the cloud, freeing up local space on the Mac.
Xcode Cloud is a new continuous integration and delivery cloud service designed specifically for Apple developers. Built into Xcode 13, Xcode Cloud offers a fast and simple way for developers and teams of all sizes to build, test, and deliver high-quality apps even more efficiently. Xcode Cloud can automatically build apps in the cloud to free up developers’ Macs for other tasks. Parallel testing in the cloud means developers can test on a simulated version of every current Apple device, then easily deploy a build of the app for internal testing, or deliver to external beta testers through TestFlight for instant feedback.
Apple also announced changes coming to augmented reality, including Object Capture, which offers an easy way to capture real-world objects and create photo-realistic models with the iPhone, iPad, and DSLR cameras. Swift Playgrounds 4, which allows users to build and distribute apps to the App Store from the iPad, was also announced.
More information about these new developer features can be found in Apple's press release, and other announcements from WWDC can be found using our roundup.
During its announcement of macOS Monterey today at WWDC, Apple also revealed that the Shortcuts app is coming to macOS this year. The company said that a large library of pre-built shortcuts will be made just for the Mac.
Just like on iPhone and iPad devices, Shortcuts on Mac will let users quickly accomplish complex tasks with the apps they use the most. Apple said that power users will be able to use the Shortcuts Editor on Mac to customize shortcuts to match their workflows.
Shortcuts will be integrated throughout macOS Monterey, in the menu bar, Finder, Spotlight, and even with Siri. Apple also noted that users will be able to import existing Automator workflows into Shortcuts, and Automator will remain supported.
For its new mobile and desktop OSes, Apple is redesigning the Safari browser user interface to be more compact and allow for better organization of multiple open tabs, specifically with a new feature called Tab Groups.
Tab Groups aim to offer a new way to easily save and manage related tabs, such as those used when planning trips or shopping, or groups can be used to store the tabs you visit daily.
In addition, a new tab design on macOS puts your active tabs front and center, allowing you to see more of the page as you scroll. At the same time, the new tab bar takes on the color of the webpage and combines tabs, the tool bar, and the search field into a single compact appearance.
On iPad, the new tabs design and tab groups work just like on Mac, with instant syncing across devices. On iPhone, the new tab bar appears at the bottom under your thumb with a tap, and it's possible to swipe between them, or swipe up into a grid view.
Meanwhile new extensions for iPhone and iPad also add to the native functionality of Apple's web browser, with shared code with existing Safari Web Extensions to make it easier for developers to create new ones.
Apple today announced that the HomePod mini can be set as a default speaker output on the Apple TV 4K starting later this year.
Apple also announced that the HomePod mini will be available to purchase in Austria, Ireland, and New Zealand starting later this month, followed by Italy later this year. The speaker first launched in November 2020.
In March, Apple announced that the full-sized HomePod would be discontinued once supplies run out, following years of reportedly lackluster sales. Apple said it would focus its efforts on the HomePod mini, which costs $99.
In watchOS 8, Apple has redesigned the Photos watch face on Apple Watch, adding a special layout that generates a more depth-like, layered look when viewing Portrait Mode pictures.
When viewing photos shot in Portrait Mode on iPhone, the new Photos watch face can generate an animated three-dimensional effect, activated by turning the Digital Crown on Apple Watch.
Apple today announced macOS 12, which it's calling macOS Monterey. The new version of macOS is gaining features like Universal Control, AirPlay to Mac, and Shortcuts for Mac. Apple said that macOS Monterey's updates will help users get more done and work more fluidly across Apple devices.
Starting with Safari updates, Apple has redesigned the tabs in its web browser, letting users see more of the webpage they are on. The new tab bar takes on the color of the page and combines tabs, the tool bar, and the search field into one compact design. With Tab Groups, users can easily save and manage tabs, and these sync across Mac, iPhone, and iPad.
macOS Monterey will also see the introduction of a Shortcuts app for Mac. Just like on iOS, Shortcuts on Mac lets users accomplish tasks with ease, and Apple will introduce a large assortment of pre-built shortcuts for Mac users.
Universal Control connects a Mac to an iPad, letting users work with a single mouse and keyboard, or trackpad. Users will be able to drag their macOS mouse seamlessly over to an iPad, and can even drag and drop content back and forth between devices.
AirPlay to Mac will let users play, present, and share anything on their iPhone or iPad directly to a Mac display. Mac speakers can be used as an AirPlay speaker as well, so users can play music or podcasts on their Mac, or use the Mac as a secondary speaker for multiroom audio.
In Notes, there are new features like Quick Note, which lets users jot down notes on any app or website systemwide. Collaborative notes have more features now as well, with the addition of mentions, and an Activity View that shows all of the edits that were made to a shared note.
The new Focus feature introduced in iOS 15 is coming to macOS Monterey as well. Users can choose to focus on their task at hand and filter out notifications unrelated to that activity. Other people attempting to contact the user will be told that they are focusing and not available. Focus works across Apple devices, so when it's set on Mac, it'll be applied to iPhone and iPad.
FaceTime is gaining a suite of new audio and video features, which Apple said makes calls feel more natural and lifelike. Spatial audio is now supported in FaceTime, and Voice Isolation ensures the user's voice is clear thanks to machine learning that eliminates background noise. Portrait Mode in FaceTime lets users blur the background of their call, similar to Portrait Mode in Photos.
As an extension of the FaceTime announcements, SharePlay lets users share their favorite music, TV shows, movies, projects, and more in FaceTime. All of Apple's apps -- Apple Music and Apple TV+ -- will be supported, and an API built for easy adoption will let third-party developers bring their own apps to FaceTime. Apple said that this will include Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, and others.
Other quick updates include:
Maps - new interactive globe and detailed city experience
Live Text - copy and paste text directly from a photo
Accessibility - Improved Full Keyboard Access, new cursor customization options, and more
macOS Monterey's developer beta will be available from today, and a public beta will be available to Mac users in July. For everyone else, macOS Monterey will be available as a free software update in the fall.
