Apple enjoyed a "significant increase" in shipments in India in the first quarter of 2021, according to Canalys, suggesting the opening of its online store in the country late last year has been reaping rewards for the company (via DigiTimes).
Launched in September 2020, Apple's Indian online store offers a full range of Apple products and accessories with shopping assistance from Apple Specialists, EDU pricing for students, free no-contact delivery, financing options, a trade-in program for iPhone sales, and more.
Driven largely by traffic to the store that led to subsequent purchases, Apple became the fifth largest computer brand in India in Q1, with shipments of desktops, notebooks, tablets, and workstations combined reaching 208,000 units.
Research firm IDC's figures also indicate Apple's computer shipments in India (excluding tablets) grew 335.5% year-on-year in the first quarter and only lagged behind Asustek's by around 2,000 units. Apple and Asustek were tied for fifth place in IDC's rankings for computer brands in India in the quarter.
In a January earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that its India online store had received a "tremendous" response since opening, and that it had doubled Apple's smartphone share in the country to 4% in the December quarter. Cook said that as a result of the success, Apple was bringing forward plans to launch brick-and-mortar retail stores in the country.
In May, a major Australian retailer took AirTags off its shelves in response to concerns that the Bluetooth-enabled item tracking device could pose a threat to children due to the size and "easy" access to its battery. Now, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is officially slapping Apple's AirTag with a warning.
In a press release, the ACCC says it is "urging parents" to keep Apple's AirTags out of reach from children over "safety concerns" about the "accessibility and security of the button battery inside the product." AirTag features a replaceable coin-cell battery that can be swapped out by pressing down and twisting the backplate. The ACCC has concluded that the "press and twist" mechanism is too easy, possibly allowing children to open the backplate themselves and swallow the lithium coin-cell battery.
The design of the backplate and intent of the "press and twist" process is similar to typical over-counter or prescription-based medication, which usually requires a firm press and twist on the lid to open. The ACCC, however, alleges that its concerns go beyond simply the design of the backplate but also includes possible user confusion about whether the backplate is securely closed.
To close an AirTag backplate, a user must line the backplate’s hinges with the openings in the AirTag itself, firmly press down, and twist it closed. The ACCC notes that even if a user doesn't correctly reinsert the backplate, the AirTag provides an audible chime, "suggesting the lid is secure when it may not be." That chime, in reality, is not intended to relay to the user that the backplate is secured closed but is intended to be an audible chime that the battery is installed and that the AirTag is on.
The ACCC is also ringing alarm bells over the outer packaging's lack of a warning about the risk that AirTag could pose to children.
"The ACCC is concerned that the AirTag's battery compartment could be accessible to young children, and the button battery removed with ease. In addition, the AirTag battery compartment's lid does not always secure fully on closing, and a distinctive sound plays when an AirTag's lid is being closed, suggesting the lid is secure when it may not be.
"We were also concerned that the outer product packaging does not have any warning about the presence and dangers of button batteries, and we note that Apple has now added a warning label to the AirTag's packaging. However, this alone does not address our fundamental concerns about children being able to access the button batteries in these devices," ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said.
Apple has in previous statements defended the design of AirTags and says it is fully in compliance with international and local regulation. In the statement, Apple also said it plans to directly address concerns over the lack of a warning on the AirTag's box; however, specifics on when that new and updated packaging will begin shipping remains unknown.
AirTag is designed to meet international child safety standards, including those in Australia, by requiring a two step push-and-turn mechanism to access the user-replaceable battery. We are following the regulations closely and are working to ensure that our products will meet or exceed new standards, including those for package labeling, well ahead of the timeline required
Apple could skip adding new health sensors to this year's redesigned Apple Watch Series 7 in favor of improving the battery life of the device, based on rumors and recent reports.
According to well-respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the Series 7, expected to drop in September, could feature the first significant redesign the Apple Watch has had in several years. As part of the redesign, which could include a flat-edged case that's similar to the iPhone 12 or the iPad Pro, Apple is also said to be adopting new double-sided System in Package (SiP) technology to reduce the size of the processor.
A new report from the Economic Daily News notes that the smaller "S7" chip will free up internal space for a larger capacity battery or additional health sensors. However, Apple is expected to delay the introduction of other sensors until 2022 at the earliest, according to multiple reports from sources with a high accuracy for predicting Apple's plans.
According to Bloomberg, Apple is working on a way to bring blood glucose monitoring capabilities to the Apple Watch using a non-invasive optical sensor, but it will not be ready for commercial launch for several more years. Apple was also considering adding a body temperature sensor in the 2021 Apple Watch, but Bloomberg says it is instead likely to be introduced in the 2022 update.
With the redesign expected to allow Apple to either retain the size of the current generation model or slightly thicken it – albeit not in a way noticeable to the user – this could leave ample room for Apple to increase the battery capacity inside.
The 44mm Apple Watch Series 6 uses a 1.17Wh battery that's 3.5% larger than the battery in the Series 5, while the 40mm Apple Watch Series 6 includes a 1.024Wh battery that's 8.5% larger than the battery in the Series 5. However, despite improvements in charging speed, the addition of new features and sensors in successive Apple Watch models has seen battery life stay relatively constant over the years.
Apple advertises the Series 6 as offering all-day battery life up to 18 hours. Apple bases "all-day" estimates on 90 time checks, 90 notifications, 45 minutes of app use, and a 60-minute workout with music playback via Bluetooth. Unlike other Apple products like iPhones, however, this claim has been consistent since the Apple Watch Series 1 through to the latest model.
One rationale for prioritizing increased battery life in the Series 7 is that Apple could heavily promote the improvement in order to lure owners of older Apple Watch models to upgrade. This could be particularly attractive to users whose Apple Watch battery life has gradually deteriorated over the years due to chemical aging.
Increasing the battery capacity could also allow Apple Watch to better compete with rival smartwatches that tend to promote their multi-day battery life as a tentpole feature, such as the Fitbit Versa 3, which can operate for over six days on a single charge.
Aside from potential battery improvements, Apple Watch Series 7 is also expected to feature improved wireless connectivity, an improved U1 Ultra Wideband chip, thinner display bezels, and the use of a new lamination technique that brings the display closer to the front cover, with updated screen technology.
The high-end models of the upcoming iPhone 13 lineup, such as the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, will feature an upgraded ultra-wide camera with autofocus, compared to the current fixed focal ultra-wide camera on iPhone 12 models, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today in an investors note obtained by MacRumors.
Compared to the current fixed-focus lens on the ultra-wide camera on the iPhone 12 lineup, autofocus on the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max will help deliver crisper and sharper images, regardless of the distance a specific subject is from the lens. Kuo has previously stated that the iPhone 13 will feature several other camera improvements, including improved low-light performance.
Looking more long-term, Kuo today shared additional information on the iPhone 14, destined for 2022. According to Kuo, while autofocus on the iPhone 13 ultra-wide camera will be limited to the high-end Pro models only, Apple plans to expand autofocus for the ultra-wide camera to all four models of the iPhone 14 lineup.
In the first edition of his new Power On newsletter for Bloomberg, Mark Gurman said Apple is exploring future iPads with larger displays, although he added that a potential release is likely at least a few years away if ever.
An excerpt from Gurman's newsletter, which also covers some reshuffling of the Apple Car team, Peloton working on a heart rate monitor, and more:
I'm told that Apple has engineers and designers exploring larger iPads that could hit stores a couple of years down the road at the earliest. They're unlikely for next year—with Apple's attention on a redesigned iPad Pro in the current sizes for 2022—and it's possible they never come at all. But a big iPad would be the perfect device for many people, including me, and would continue to blur the lines between tablet and laptop.
The current iPad Pro comes in 11-inch and 12.9-inch display sizes. In a previous Bloomberg report, Gurman and Debby Wu said Apple is testing a new iPad Pro with a glass back that would support wireless charging for release in 2022.
Larger display sizes would help further blur the lines between the iPad Pro and the MacBook Pro, which is available with up to a 16-inch display. However, many customers still believe iPadOS does not take full advantage of the iPad Pro's hardware, and Gurman opined that Apple ultimately needs to allow Mac apps and Mac-like multitasking with more flexible arrangements of app windows on the iPad Pro.
Apple last updated the iPad Pro in April with its custom-designed M1 chip, Thunderbolt support, 5G connectivity on cellular models, a mini-LED display on the 12.9-inch model, up to 2TB of storage, up to 16GB of RAM, and more.
In a support document updated this week, Apple shared a list of products that should be kept a safe distance away from medical devices, such as implanted pacemakers and defibrillators, due to potential magnetic interference.
To avoid any potential interference with medical devices, Apple says to keep the products listed below a safe distance away from medical devices — more than six inches apart or more than 12 inches apart if the Apple product is wirelessly charging. Apple says to consult with a physician and the device manufacturer for specific guidelines.
AirPods and charging cases • AirPods and Charging Case • AirPods and Wireless Charging Case • AirPods Pro and Wireless Charging Case • AirPods Max and Smart Case
Apple Watch and accessories • Apple Watch • Apple Watch bands with magnets • Apple Watch magnetic charging accessories
HomePod • HomePod • HomePod mini
iPad and accessories • iPad • iPad mini • iPad Air • iPad Pro • iPad Smart Covers and Smart Folios • iPad Smart Keyboard and Smart Keyboard Folio • Magic Keyboard for iPad
Mac and accessories • Mac mini • Mac Pro • MacBook Air • MacBook Pro • iMac • Apple Pro Display XDR
Beats • Beats Flex • Beats X • PowerBeats Pro • UrBeats3
Certain other Apple products contain magnets that are unlikely to interfere with medical devices, the support document says.
Earlier this month, the American Heart Association said in a small study of different types of pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators, 11 of 14 cardiac devices experienced interference when an iPhone 12 Pro Max was held close to the cardiac device (within 1.5 cm), even when the medical device was still in the manufacturer's sealed package.
"We have always known that magnets can interfere with cardiac implantable electronic devices, however, we were surprised by the strength of the magnets used in the iPhone 12 magnet technology," said lead study investigator Dr. Michael Wu, a cardiologist at Lifespan Cardiovascular Institute and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Brown University. "In general, a magnet can change a pacemaker's timing or deactivate a defibrillator's lifesaving functions, and this research indicate the urgency for everyone to be aware that electronic devices with magnets can interfere with cardiac implantable electronic devices."
In January, research shared in the Heart Rhythm Journal indicated that iPhone 12 models can "potentially inhibit lifesaving therapy in a patient" due to magnetic interference with implantable medical devices. Three doctors in Michigan tested this interaction by holding an iPhone 12 near a patient's implantable cardioverter defibrillator, which immediately went into a "suspended" state for the duration of the test.
Since the iPhone 12 lineup launched in October, Apple has acknowledged that the devices may cause electromagnetic interference with medical devices like pacemakers and defibrillators. However, in its updated support document published on June 25, Apple no longer states that iPhone 12 models are "not expected to pose a greater risk of magnetic interference to medical devices than prior iPhone models."
Apple provides more information on safety in the Important Safety Information sections of the user guides for Apple products.
Adobe this week reminded customers that its Photoshop Sketch and Illustrator Draw apps will no longer be available for download on iOS and Android starting July 19. Adobe plans to stop supporting the apps for existing users on January 10, 2022.
In a support document, Adobe said users can easily migrate to its Fresco app, which combines many Photoshop Sketch and Illustrator Draw drawing and painting tools. All projects created in Illustrator Draw and Photoshop Sketch will be automatically migrated to Fresco after a user signs into the app with their Adobe ID email address.
Existing users can continue to use Photoshop Sketch and Illustrator Draw after July 19, with all artwork and projects remaining available, but Adobe said it will not add any new features or updates to the apps once they are discontinued.
Adobe Fresco first launched on the iPad in 2019 and expanded to the iPhone last year. The app is free on the App Store, with premium features available for $9.99.
This week saw an interesting mix of news and rumors, led by a new report from Ming-Chi Kuo outlining some of his expectations for the 2022 iPhone models.
We also saw the second betas of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, a claim that Apple has already stopped production of the iPhone 12 mini amid slow sales, and a report that Apple is clamping down on some prominent leakers, so read on for details on all of these stories and more!
Apple Seeds Second Betas of iOS and iPadOS 15 to Developers
Two and a half weeks after releasing the first betas of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 following the WWDC keynote, Apple this week seeded the second beta versions to developers. Parallel beta updates for watchOS 8 and tvOS 15 were also released, but we've yet to see a second beta of macOS Monterey.
Check out our tidbits article for more on the changes in the second beta releases, and if you're not a registered Apple developer but you want to try out the upcoming operating system versions ahead of their official launch in the fall, Apple should be releasing the initial public beta versions shortly.
"Kang" has been one of the most reliable Apple leakers over the last few years, with several detailed leaks about Apple's future product and software plans that turned out to be correct, and Apple's letter essentially suggests that continued leaks of this nature may result in legal action.
20 Annoyances Apple Fixed in iOS 15 and macOS Monterey
With iOS 15 and macOS Monterey, Apple is adding several quality of life improvements, which are designed to address some of the complaints that people have had with these operating systems for years now.
According to TrendForce, the iPhone 12 mini "reached End-of-Life ahead of time," suggesting that Apple and resellers will focus on selling through existing inventory of the device without manufacturing any further units.
MacRumors Newsletter
Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.
Starting with iOS and iPadOS 15 later this fall, hotspot connections from iPhones and iPads will be secured with the improved WPA3 security protocol, offering improved security and upgraded measures in place to prevent password guessing.
WPA3 was announced by the Wi-Fi Alliance in June of 2018 with the goal to "simplify Wi-Fi security, enable more robust authentication, and deliver increased cryptographic strength." On iOS 14, hotspot connections from an iPhone or iPad are secured only with WPA2, and now on updates coming later this fall, connections will be further protected with WPA3.
Apple's products have been able to connect to networks with WPA3 security for several years, but until now, personal hotspot networks set up by those devices have only supported the older and weaker WPA2 standard.
For the typical user, the hotspot connection experience on iOS 15 will remain the same; however, there are added benefits. Despite recommendations to create strong, complicated, and advanced passwords for hotspot connections, many users continue to use simple passwords that may be easily guessed. WPA3 specifically targets such use cases, as it uses "more resilient, password-based authentication" that offers "stronger protections for users against password guessing attempts by third parties."
iOS and iPadOS 15 are currently being tested with developers, with a public beta being planned for later this summer. Check out our guide to see everything that's new.
For this week's giveaway, we're teaming up with BluShark to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a prize pack that includes an aluminum Apple Watch Series 6 and a BluShark Apple Watch Band.
BluShark makes a whole range of Apple Watch bands along with bands for other watches. Apple Watch bands are available in materials that include Leather, Cordura, CanvaSoft, and an AlphaPremier seatbelt weave. All of the bands are affordable, ranging in price from $24 to $78, and there are designs for both 38/40mm models and the larger 42/44mm models. Each band comes with Apple Watch lugs in silver, space gray, or black to match the Apple Watch models.
BluShark's Cordura bands use ultra strong and lightweight Cordura fabric, which is wear resistant and will hold up over time. They're thinly padded with leather so they're comfortable to wear, and they come in black, silver, blue, tan, and orange.
The CanvaSoft bands, available for $24, are made from a soft canvas material that's meant to provide a rugged canvas look without the stiffness that's normally associated with a canvas watch bands. They're 1.9mm thick and designed to be soft and pliable. CanvaSoft bands come in black, gray, and blue.
BluShark's AlphaPremier bands are made from a soft, supple seatbelt weave nylon and are modeled after BluShark's original AlphaPremier bands for traditional watches. The straps are dual-layer and held in place with nylon keepers, with the band available in black, blue, gray, and several striped colors, plus there's a rainbow Pride version.
We have one aluminum Apple Watch Series 6 to give away, with the winner to choose the size, color, and accompanying Sport Band or Sport Loop, plus it will come with one of BluShark's own bands.
To enter to win our giveaway, use the Gleam.io widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumorsFacebook page.
Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.
The contest will run from today (June 25) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on July 2. The winners will be chosen randomly on July 2 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.
MacRumors videographer Dan has now had a chance to spend some time with the accessory, so check out our latest video for a look at the setup process, using standalone speakers via AirPlay, and integrating those speakers into a whole-home setup with other AirPlay 2 speakers.
Physical setup is dead simple, with a USB-C port on one side for power and both optical and 3.5mm analog audio out jacks on the other side, letting you easily connect it to your existing powered speakers, receiver, or amplifier.
As is to be expected with AirPlay 2 devices, software setup is simple, with the Home app walking you through the process to get the dongle added to your existing home configuration. Once that's done, it's just a simple matter of selecting it as your audio output destination on your iOS or Mac device.
With AirPlay 2, you can use your newly connected speakers as part of a multi-room setup incorporating other speakers like HomePods, with audio output being synced across all speakers.
Integration with the Home app also gives you the ability to incorporate your speakers into scenes and other automations.
The Soundform Connect Audio Adapter with AirPlay 2 is priced at $99.99, so it's not exactly cheap, but if you got a nice sound system that lacks AirPlay support, this adapter can add some very useful functionality.
The Apple Watch ECG (electrocardiogram) functionality has received regulatory approval in China, giving Apple the all-clear to launch the feature for Apple Watch users in the country.
According to a new document posted today by China's National Medical Products Administration, Apple has received approval for an ECG. The filing doesn't offer any details about when the feature may launch to Chinese Apple Watch users; however, posts on Chinese social network Weibo, spotted by ITHome, suggest that the feature is already live on the latest watchOS 8 betas.
With the Apple Watch Series 4, Series 5, and Series 6, users can take an ECG by placing their finger on the Digital Crown while they wear their watch. The Apple Watch, using an array of onboard sensors, reads the electrical pulses from a wearer's heart. The reading, which can be viewed as a PDF through the Health app on the paired iPhone, can detect if a user's heart is out of rhythm and possibly experiencing atrial fibrillation.
This month, "Legends of Kingdom Rush," "Game Dev Story+," "Frenzic: Overtime," "INKS.+," and "Leo's Fortune+" arrived on Apple Arcade, joining the expanding library of almost 200 games already on Apple's exclusive-based mobile gaming subscription service.
While there were no new games in May, in April, Apple Arcade gained over 30 games, including a large number of classic titles such as "Cut the Rope Remastered," "Monument Valley," "Mini Metro," "Fruit Ninja Classic," and more, as well as originals such as "Fantasian," from the creator of the Final Fantasy series. In June, five new games joined the platform in the strategy, simulation, puzzle, casual, and action genres.
June 11: Legends of Kingdom Rush
The first game to arrive on Apple Arcade this month was was Legends of Kingdom Rush, a turn-based combat strategy game set in a medieval fantasy world.
Legends of Kingdom Rush urges players to lead a party of heroes to stop an attacker using an easy-to-learn combat system. The game features unlockable characters including five Legendary Heroes and 11 Companion Heroes, each with different traits. There are over 100 narrative events as players fight their way through lush forests, rugged mountains, and devastated wastelands.
Players strategically move their heroes on a hex-based grid to best fit their skills and the wider combat tactic, and there is the option to switch and match heroes and companions to make a perfect match for each battle.
June 17: Game Dev Story+
Game Dev Story+ is a classic simulation game that allows players to manage their own video game company as they try to create a bestselling game.
In the simulation, players can develop their company's own games console, change staff member's positions, hire new people into jobs like programmer or sound engineer, and train them to develop skills. As staff gain more experience, they unlock a wider array of game genres and content to develop. Players can try to find the most popular combinations and develop for the latest platforms for the best chance of success.
June 18: Frenzic: Overtime
Frenzic: Overtime is an Apple Arcade Original puzzle game, featuring fast-faced gameplay, multiple game modes, and the ability to play in either landscape or portrait mode.
Life on the factory floor at Frenzic Industries can be a bit chaotic as players assemble Power Cores for the new ZAPBOTs. As players meet their shift goals in a timely manner, they'll be promoted to more rewarding positions on the assembly line. Players will face over 45 levels, multiple gameplay modes and hundreds of mini-goals as they uncover the secrets of Frenzic Industries, and ultimately, save the world.
The game offers over 45 levels, hundreds of mini-goals, tips and strategy advice from an in-game InfoBot, powerups to increase your abilities, and more.
June 25: INKS.+ and Leo's Fortune+
The last games of this month are INKS.+ and Leo's Fortune+, two fan-favorite games that have joined Apple Arcade's growing selection of classic content.
INKS.+ is an award-winning new take on the classic pinball game, combining pinball with tactical challenges, all while allowing players to see colors burst out as the ball smashes around the canvas, building up in vivid layers and recording a visual history of your game as you perfect your score.
INKS.+ features over 100 unique tables, balanced gameplay, canvases that tell the story of your individual games, and the ability to share favorite levels and highscores.
Leo's Fortune+ is another classic iOS game, offering a platform adventure game where players seek to hunt down the mysterious thief that stole their gold by following a trail. Players must voyage through mossy forests, arid deserts, pirate cities, and snowy mountains while surviving traps and solving physics-based puzzles through 24 levels.
It appears that Leo's Fortune officially launches today, but it may have been available for some users a few weeks ago on June 11.
Apple Arcade is priced at $4.99 per month with a one-month free trial available to test it out. Apple also has a one-year subscription option available for $49.99 per year, a savings of $9.89 over the monthly price, and it is also available as part of all tiers of Apple One, starting at $14.95 per month.
Apple today announced the release of the official trailer for the upcoming musical comedy series "Schmigadoon!" ahead of its July 16 premiere on Apple TV+.
A parody of iconic Golden Age musicals, Apple says "Schmigadoon!" stars Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key as a couple on a backpacking trip designed to reinvigorate their relationship who discover a magical town living in a 1940s musical. They then learn that they can't leave until they find "true love."
Apple says the series has a star-studded cast featuring Strong and Key along with Alan Cumming, Kristin Chenoweth, Aaron Tveit, Dove Cameron, Ariana DeBose, Fred Armisen, Jaime Camil, Jane Krakowski, and Ann Harada.
The first two episodes of the six-episode season will premiere on July 16 on Apple TV+, followed by one new episode weekly every Friday.
In other Apple TV+ news, today marks the premieres of the second season of animated musical comedy "Central Park," the whale documentary "Fathom," and the documentary "Who Are You, Charlie Brown?" narrated by Lupita Nyong'o.
Today marks the launch of Apple's new Beats Studio Buds wireless earbuds, with pre-orders beginning to arrive to customers and same-day pickup now available at select Apple Stores in the United States and Canada. Additional retailers like Best Buy, Target, and Walmart are also selling the earbuds, which come in white, black, and red.
Priced at $149.99, the Beats Studio Buds feature a compact round design without any "stems" dropping below the ears. Like the AirPods Pro, the Beats Studio Buds feature active noise cancellation, and when you need to hear the world around you, you can switch to Transparency mode by pressing and holding the Beats logo button on either earbud.
Apple shared several new Beats Studio Buds support documents today:
While the Beats Studio Buds support one-touch pairing for both Apple and Android devices via Bluetooth, they don't include Apple's H1 or W1 chip, so they're missing some AirPods features like automatic switching between Apple devices.
Other key features of the Beats Studio Buds include up to five hours of listening time per charge with active noise cancellation turned on, hands-free "Hey Siri" support, IPX4-rated sweat and water resistance, Find My support, and a USB-C charging case. To learn more about the Beats Studio Buds, make sure to read our in-depth hands-on review.
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Amazon this week has a sale on Apple's new 24-inch M1 iMac in two configurations. Sales start with the 7-core GPU with 256GB, priced at $1,249.99, down from $1,299.00. This sale is available in Blue and Silver.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
This sale is a match of the previous record low price on this version of the M1 iMac. No other retailers are matching the sale as of writing, so you'll only find this deal on Amazon.
In another new sale, Amazon is also offering $49 off the M1 iMac with the 8-core GPU and 256GB of storage, priced at $1,449.99, down from $1,499.00. These iMacs are sold directly from Amazon and both are available to ship today.
You can keep track of ongoing sales on Apple's iMac line by visiting our Best iMac Deals guide. There, we keep track of the best iMac offers from Amazon, Adorama, B&H Photo, and other retailers, so be sure to check back often if you're shopping for an iMac for the first time, or thinking of upgrading.
Google has announced its is rolling out Google Fi's built-in VPN service to iPhone subscribers, giving iOS users another way to ensure that their connection is secure and private on a cellular or Wi-Fi network.
Starting today, we're expanding our built-in VPN to iPhone®. 🔐
With the Fi VPN, you get a private online connection and more protection from hackers included on all plans. Learn more → https://t.co/TABM9FSYFBpic.twitter.com/WVfTlcpTRO
— Google Fi (@googlefi) June 24, 2021
The rollout is a little later than expected, having previously been touted for release in the spring, and Google has said in a tweet that not all iPhone on Google Fi users will have immediate access to the VPN feature. However, the company says it should be widely available "over the coming weeks."
Using the VPN, users can stream, browse, and download over an encrypted, private connection, which is especially important for unsecured public Wi-Fi. As well as encrypting all traffic between a computer and the internet, VPNs also prevent websites from tracking a user's location by masking their IP address.
Google Fi's VPN rollout comes ahead of a new upcoming online privacy feature from Apple called Private Relay. Exclusive to paying iCloud+ subscribers, Private Relay is not being advertised as a VPN by Apple nor is it a like-for-like replacement for one, but it does encrypt Safari browser traffic and uses multiple relay "hops" or proxies to securely route that data and keep it private.
Apple is taking a major stride that will allow developers to improve the performance of their apps on iPhones and iPads, by giving apps the ability to access more of a device's memory or RAM starting later this fall.
Currently, apps are limited to the amount of RAM they can use, regardless of the amount available on the device. For example, despite the highest-end M1 iPad Pro featuring 16GB of RAM, on iPadOS 14, apps are limited to only use 5GB. 16GB of RAM is the highest amount of RAM ever offered in an iPhone or iPad, and the 5GB limitation means that apps aren't able to utilize even half of what the iPad Pro has to offer.
In the second betas of iOS and iPadOS 15, released to developers yesterday, Apple is introducing a new entitlement that developers may request that will expose their apps to more memory. Apple says that this entitlement will inform the system that an app "may perform better by exceeding the default app memory limit." Apple's developer documentation doesn't specify how much extra RAM an app may be exposed to and also says this is limited to "supported devices."
Add this entitlement to your app to inform the system that some of your app's core features may perform better by exceeding the default app memory limit on supported devices. If you use this entitlement, make sure your app still behaves correctly if additional memory isn't available.
While Apple doesn't specify the amount of extra RAM an app may request, the wording of the documentation, which advises developers to use a function to "determine the amount of memory available," suggests the ceiling of memory apps may request may be relatively high.
It's unlikely that Apple will allow developers to utilize the full amount of memory on a device. While that scenario may be useful for high-end professional apps on the iPad Pro, it would significantly slow down the system and make it harder to multitask with different apps. Users of the iPad Pro, and more so recently thanks to the M1 iPad Pro, have complained that iPadOS is limiting the true potential performance of the iPad.
Despite many users' hopes, iPadOS 15 didn’t introduce any significant features that took full advantage of the hardware of the iPad, specifically the M1-powered iPad Pro. However, the ability for apps to request access to more on-device RAM will go a long way in apps being able to utilize even more of what a device has to offer.
The new entitlement is available for developers to test, but it won't be made available to apps on the App Store until this fall when iOS and iPadOS 15, alongside watchOS 8, tvOS 15, and macOS Monterey are made available.
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