In an interview with WABetaInfo, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg confirmed that the popular messaging app will soon be rolling out multi-device capability, allowing users to use their WhatsApp account on up to four different linked devices even when their main smartphone is not connected to the internet.
According to Zuckerberg, Facebook has faced "a big technical challenge" in getting "all your messages and content to sync properly across devices even when your phone battery dies." However, Zuckerberg says that Facebook, which owns WhatsApp, has found "an elegant" solution to the issue and that "it'll be the best solution out there." In addition, WhatsApp head Will Cathcart says that multi-device support will be rolling out in a public beta.
Specifically targeting the prospect of a future native iPad app for WhatsApp, Cathcart says that the company would "love to support" the iPad and hints that the roll-out of multi-device support will "make it possible for us to build things like that."
Other features confirmed to be coming soon to WhatsApp include "disappearing mode," which will turn on disappearing messages for all chat threads, making users WhatsApp accounts "ephemeral," according to Zuckerberg. Additionally, Zuckerberg confirmed that WhatsApp will soon roll out "view once" mode for photos and videos, where similar to Snapchat and Instagram, users will only be able to view received content once.
Signify today announced the launch of a redesigned version of the Philips Hue app for controlling Hue lighting setups. The fourth iteration of the Hue app was rebuilt from scratch to improve functionality and to enhance communication with Hue bulbs, lamps, and accessories.
A reimagined Home tab offers access to each room in the home so you can get to your Hue lights by room with a tap. Drilling down into a room shows available your lights and scenes all in one easy access tiled view. Prior to now, setting scenes required switching tabs, so this is a more streamlined way of controlling lights in a room together or individually.
The Home tab also houses the Hue Scene Gallery, a feature that existed before but should now be easier to get to. For those that have multiple bridges, there's now a toggle to swap between them to access different lights in the home.
Routines have been eliminated in favor of Automations, accessible through the Automations tab. Automations support more advanced actions than before, including multi-user geofencing. With this feature, if a Coming Home or Leaving Home automation is used, the Hue app will check to see if anyone else is home before running the automation, so the lights don't get turned off when someone is still in the house.
Automations that run at sunrise or sunset have been improved with options to end a scene after a set time or to activate a scene at a time before or after sunrise/sunset rather than right at sunrise/sunset.
Signify says that more than a hundred other small and large improvements have been added to streamline the design of the Hue app. The design of the Home tab, for example, makes it easier to configure your setup from multiple places, and if you have an Entertainment Area set up it's easier to customize with a revamped isometric 2.5D view. There continue to be widgets and shortcuts available, as well as Hue Labs features to play with.
Later this year, Signify will further enhance the Hue app with dynamic scenes, which will let the lights in a set Room or Zone transition through different colors of a scene, allowing for all new lighting effects.
The Hue app is available from the iOS App Store for free, and Hue lights can be purchased from the Hue website. Updating to the new app will require migrating settings and scenes, a process that should be hassle-free.
Apple's upcoming iPhone 13 lineup could include some models, such as the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max being offered with as much as 1TB of internal storage; in addition, all models of the lineup are set to feature LiDAR, Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives said today in an investors note seen by MacRumors.
Ives made headlines in March with an initial prediction that the iPhone 13 would include 1TB storage options. Apple leaker Jon Prosser had previously predicted the eventuality of a 1TB iPhone. The 1TB option would be double the current highest 512GB offering for the iPhone and bring the iPhone lineup in more parity with the iPad Pro, which is offered in both 1TB and 2TB configurations.
With the iPhone 12, Apple introduced ProRaw, a new format that combines RAW images with iPhone image processing. ProRAW files can be anywhere between 10 to 12 times larger than typical HEIF or JPEG files. For more professional users, such as photographers using the iPhone as one of their daily drivers, the prospect of having a 1TB iPhone could be attractive.
Ives also reaffirms Wedbush's reporting that all models of the iPhone 13, ranging from the lowest-end iPhone 13 mini to the iPhone 13 Pro Max, will feature LiDAR sensors. LiDAR use case is rather limited in its current form, only being used in low-light photography and for augmented reality. Apple has been focusing more on AR in the last few years, and the expansion of LiDAR to all iPhone models could be part of Apple's plan to make AR and the underlying technology needed for it more mainstream.
Apple plans to announce its long-rumored 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro with Apple silicon at WWDC, taking place in less than five days, according to Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives.
In a note to investors seen by MacRumors, Ives says alongside the normally expected announcement of new versions of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS, Apple is planning a "few surprises," including the announcement of the new MacBook Pros. The analyst, who has made predictions regarding event announcements in the past, says the M1 Apple silicon chip will power the new MacBook Pros; however, that's unlikely to be the case.
The upcoming MacBook Pros, which are already rumored to include several new changes such as the removal of the Touch Bar, a more flat-edged design, the return of the HDMI port, an SD card slot, and MagSafe magnetic charging, are likely to feature a more powerful iteration of the M1 chip, or even possibly M2. Apple announced the M1 chip last November, and since its initial debut in the low-end MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac mini, the chip has expanded to a new 24-inch iMac and the iPad Pro.
The new MacBook Pros, which reliable Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman believes could be announced as soon as early this summer, will be the highest-end Macs featuring Apple silicon to date. Apple formally announced its transition to its own silicon at WWDC last year, stating it would take a total of two years. Apple leaker Jon Prosseralso believes that the new MacBook Pros, presumably the new 14-inch and updated 16-inch models, will launch at WWDC.
In his note today, Ives also reiterated previously reported predictions, including Wedbush's belief that the upcoming iPhone 13 lineup will feature 1TB storage capacity options, double the current highest 512GB models. In addition, the analyst also reaffirmed the belief that Apple plans to announce its AR glasses being dubbed "Apple Glasses" at WWDC in 2022, followed by the Apple Car in 2024.
Apple corporate employees will be returning to the office for three days a week starting in early September, Apple CEO Tim Cook told workers today in a memo that was seen by The Verge.
"For all that we've been able to achieve while many of us have been separated, the truth is that there has been something essential missing from this past year: each other," Cook said in the memo. "Video conference calling has narrowed the distance between us, to be sure, but there are things it simply cannot replicate."
Most employees will be asked to return to their offices on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, with the option of working remotely on Wednesdays and Fridays. Teams that require in-person work will return to the office for four to five days a week.
Employees will also be able to work entirely remotely for up to two weeks every year, but the remote work requests will need to be approved by managers.
Cook wrapped up the memo by saying that he's looking forward to seeing employee faces. "I know I'm not alone in missing the hum of activity, the energy, creativity and collaboration of our in-person meetings and the sense of community we've all built," he wrote.
Apple employees are likely expecting to be required to return to Apple campuses and offices around the world, as Apple has always heavily focused on the importance of in-person collaboration. Back in March, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that he couldn't wait for employees to return to work, and he said that Apple would implement a "hybrid environment" for the return.
Apple today introduced a new mini website that's dedicated to the Wallet app on the iPhone, highlighting the benefits and features that are available.
Apple explains that debit and credit cards can be added to the Wallet app "with no added effort," making them available for Apple Pay. The site also promotes Apple Cash and Apple Card, both Wallet app features, as well as transit cards that can be added to Wallet.
The Wallet app also supports airline boarding passes, loyalty cards, movie tickets, student IDs, and car keys (BMW only), plus content added to iPhone is mirrored on Apple Watch.
The Wallet app lives right on your iPhone. It's where you securely keep your credit and debit cards, transit cards, boarding passes, tickets, car keys, and more -- all in one place. And it all works with iPhone or Apple Watch, so you can take less with you but always bring more.
The Wallet webpage was first noticed by 9to5Mac, and it comes right alongside redesigned Apple Pay and Apple Cash sites that highlight the benefits of the two payment features, which include ease of use, security, privacy, and wide acceptance in the U.S.
Apple Pay is the one way to pay. It replaces your physical cards and cash with an easier, safer, more secure, and private payment method -- whether you're in a store, online, or sending cash to friends or family. It's money, made modern.
Apple Cash works a lot like a debit card. Make secure, contactless purchases -- both in stores and online. Send and receive money with just a text. Share funds with your kids on their own Apple Cash card. No matter how you use Apple Cash, you get simplicity and safety you can put money on.
All of the new pages include Wallet and Apple Pay FAQs and options to "Add a card" to the Wallet on iPhone or iPad or the Wallet section of the System Preferences on Mac.
The updated site is meant to be a centralized location that will let artists access the Apple Music tools and services that are available to them. Artists.Apple.com will serve as the home for all artist activity on Apple Music, and it will act as an entry point into what the Apple ecosystem has to offer.
Apple has guidance for using tools like Voice Memos, GarageBand, Logic Pro, Final Cut Pro, MainStage, and more, along with links to music distributors for getting songs out in the wild. Published artists can access instructions for updating artist info, adding lyrics, creating cover art, and developing press kits.
There are tools for creating Apple Music-branded marketing assets, earning money through the Apple Music Affiliate Program, and accessing Apple Music analytics. Apple has also added walkthroughs and support document help for new features, such as Spatial Audio.
Apple Music for Artists is available for every artist on Apple Music, offering up stream data, Shazam info, sales numbers, and all of the new features introduced today. New content and resources for artists will be added to the site over time.
Almost all of Apple's stores in the United States have stopped offering the HomePod for in-store purchase and pickup, with the speaker listed as unavailable in nearly all retail locations.
In the Bay Area, for example, there are no HomePods available for purchase, and the same goes for New York City, Los Angeles, and other major cities. There are a couple of stores, such as the San Diego store at UTC that still have stock available, but for the most part, Apple appears to be ceasing HomePod sales in its retail locations.
Note that this applies to the white version of the HomePod only, because the Space Gray HomePod has been sold out for months now.
It is not clear when Apple made this change, but the HomePod is still widely available for next-day delivery in many areas, and it is still available in stores in other countries outside of the United States, such as Australia.
Apple officially discontinued the HomePod in March in order to focus its efforts on the development of the HomePod mini. At the time, Apple said that the HomePod would continue to be available through the Apple Online Store, Apple Retail Stores, and Apple Authorized Resellers "while supplies last."
With the HomePod disappearing from retail stores in the United States, it's possible that supplies of the white version are now dwindling, but Apple may have also simply decided to limit the sales of a discontinued product to the online store.
There are rumors that Apple is working on new HomePod products to accompany the HomePod mini, including a HomePod with a display and a camera and a version that combines an Apple TV with a HomePod.
Apple in April unveiled a new version of the 4K Apple TV, but on the surface, it's hard to tell it apart from its predecessor because it looks the same as the 2017 model. There are, however, a few internal changes, but are those changes worth upgrading for? That's what we're aiming to find out in our Apple TV 4K hands-on video.
Compared to the original Apple TV 4K, there are no design changes to the second-generation Apple TV 4K with one peripheral exception -- the Siri Remote. The Siri Remote has been overhauled with a new clickpad and updated buttons that make it more intuitive to use.
There's a dedicated power button for the first time, along with a mute button, and the Siri button has been moved to the side. There's no touchpad anymore, and the clickpad that replaces it is easier to use, making it simple to scrub through content with a swipe around the wheel. It's also much thicker and heftier, and Apple believes this will make it harder to lose.
Without a doubt, the Siri Remote is a major upgrade that's worth it, but you don't need a whole new Apple TV just for the remote -- Apple is selling it on a standalone basis for $60. That's pricey, but if you're fed up with the current remote and want something better, it's worth considering.
As for the rest of the Apple TV, upgrades include support for high frame rate 4K HDR and Dolby Vision content, which is useful for sports and other fast-paced action. There's not a lot of support right now, but you can check it out on YouTube or on videos recorded with the iPhone.
The Apple TV does have HDMI 2.1, but it doesn't have 120Hz frame rate support, so it's not a reason to upgrade. What is new, however, is eARC support, a feature that lets all TV audio be routed through HomePods. With eARC, audio from game consoles, cable boxes, and other peripherals can be routed through the HomePod when you have a compatible TV.
There's an upgraded A12 Bionic chip in the second-generation Apple TV 4K, which is a good deal faster than the A10X Fusion chip that was in the prior model, but unless you're playing a system-intensive game on the Apple TV, you're probably not really going to notice the upgrade.
If you have a 2017 Apple TV 4K, there's generally no reason to upgrade at this time unless one of the included features is particularly appealing to you. If you have an Apple TV HD or are considering an Apple TV purchase for the first time, the new 2021 model makes much more sense and is worth the $179 purchase price.
Apple today seeded the second betas of new iOS and iPadOS 14.7 updates to developers for testing purposes, one week after seeding the first iOS and iPadOS 14.7 updates.
iOS and iPadOS 14.7 can be downloaded through the Apple Developer Center or over the air after the proper profile has been installed on an iPhone or iPad.
The new iOS and iPadOS 14.7 updates may be focused on under-the-hood bug performance improvements and bug fixes for issues that weren't able to be addressed in iOS 14.6, but a few minor features have been found.
Apple in iOS 14.7 will expand the Air Quality Index feature to additional countries that include the Netherlands, France, Italy, Spain, and Canada.
When paired with the accompanying HomePod 14.7 software, iOS 14.7 will allow the Home app to set multiple timers on a HomePod or a HomePod mini.
Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming macOS Big Sur 11.5 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new beta coming two weeks after the release of the first macOS Big Sur 11.5 beta.
Developers can download the macOS Big Sur 11.5 beta using the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after installing the proper profile from the Apple Developer Center.
macOS Big Sur 11.5 may be a more minor update focusing on under-the-hood performance improvements and bug fixes for issues that weren't able to be addressed in the macOS Big Sur 11.4 update. No new features were found in the first beta.
Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming watchOS 7.6 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new beta coming one week after the release of the first beta.
To install the watchOS 7.6 beta, developers need to download the proper configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center. Once the profile is in place, the watchOS 7.5 beta can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software Update.
To update to the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life, it must be placed on the charger, and it must be in range of the iPhone.
We don't know what's included in the watchOS 7.6 update, and no new features were discovered in the first beta.
Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming tvOS 14.7 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new beta coming one week after Apple seeded the first tvOS 14.7 beta.
Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models, the tvOS 14.7 developer beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV via a profile that's installed using Xcode.
Other than new releases, tvOS updates are often minor in scale, focusing on under-the-hood bug fixes and improvements rather than major outward-facing changes. There's no word yet on what's included in tvOS 14.7 update, but we'll update this article should anything new be found.
Though we don't often know what's new in tvOS during the beta testing process, we let MacRumors readers know when new updates are available so those who are developers can download it upon release.
If your Apple Card has not been working today, you are not alone. Apple's credit card has been suffering from a widespread outage that has persisted for several hours, according to Apple's system status page.
"Users may not be able to manage their Apple Card, make payments, and may not see recent transactions," the page reads.
Launched in the United States in August 2019, the Apple Card's key features include Wallet app integration with color-coded spending summaries, no fees, and up to three percent cashback on purchases, paid out daily. A physical, titanium Apple Card is also available for use at retail locations that do not accept contactless payments.
Update: Apple's system status page says the outage has been resolved.
The App Store ecosystem facilitated an estimated $643 billion in billings and sales in 2020, an increase of 24 percent year-over-year, according to an Apple-commissioned study done by Analysis Group economists. [PDF]
The study, "A Global Perspective on the Apple App Store Ecosystem," comes as Apple awaits a decision in its ongoing trial with Epic Games, much of which focused on App Store policies and fees. Epic Games and other developers have been unhappy with Apple's 30 percent cut, with Epic Games lobbying for alternative app store options while Apple fights to prove the value of the App Store as it exists now.
Analysis Group's research looked at how the App Store ecosystem shifted amid the pandemic in 2020, highlighting the ways Apple's platform helped small developers (those with less than one million downloads and less than $1 million in earnings), as well as exploring how the App Store has benefitted developers over the course of the last five years.
The $643 billion total estimate for 2020 takes into account various app monetization strategies, and 90 percent of the $643 billion comes from sales outside of the App Store, which Apple says it collected no commission on. These sales include general retail, travel, food delivery and pickup, ride hailing, and grocery store orders, with physical goods and services representing the biggest category. Basically, when you shop in an app, purchase food delivery, or order a Lyft ride on your iPhone, the study counts that as commerce facilitated by the App Store.
Analysis Group suggests that sales enabled by the App Store increased by $124 billion compared to 2019, marking 24 percent growth. Much of this growth came as people shifted to staying inside and doing more business online because of the pandemic. Billings and sales of digital goods and services was up 40 percent, for example, while sales in the travel and ride hailing sectors were down more than 30 percent.
According to the study, small developers make up 90 percent of all App Store developers, and more than 1 in 4 small developers that sell digital goods and services on the App Store have increased their earnings by an average of 25 percent each year for the past five years, including 2020. The number of small developers has has increased 40 percent between 2015 and 2020, and earnings have nearly tripled between 2015 and 2020.
Almost 80 percent of small developers are active across multiple countries' storefronts and have earnings from users in more than 40 countries, with Apple pointing out how the App Store facilitates secure international transactions, localized storefronts, and payment processing. 40 percent of app downloads from small developers came from users outside of the developers' home countries, and nearly 80 percent of small developers are active in multiple storefronts.
As for larger developers, a conservative estimate suggests that more than 75 app-based companies in the U.S. and Europe have gone public or been acquired, with a total valuation of more than $510 billion at the time of their offering or sale. Apple says that these are all companies for whom iOS apps are central to their businesses. Dating app Bumble, for example, started out on the iPhone in 2014 and IPO'd in 2021, raising $2.2 billion.
In the announcement highlighting the study, Apple also pointed out that it helps developers create apps with more than 250,000 APIs in 40 software development kits (SDKs), as well as helping budding developers with Developer Academies and other app development courses and educational offerings. Apple says more than 10,000 people have graduated from a Developer Academy and have launched more than 1,500 apps, and its educational efforts reached more than two million students and teachers in 2020.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a statement that the App Store brings jobs, opportunity, and "untold innovation."
Developers on the App Store prove every day that there is no more innovative, resilient or dynamic marketplace on earth than the app economy. The apps we've relied on through the pandemic have been life-changing in so many ways -- from groceries delivered to our homes, to teaching tools for parents and educators, to an imaginative and ever-expanding universe of games and entertainment. The result isn't just incredible apps for users: it's jobs, it's opportunity, and it's untold innovation that will power global economies for many years to come.
Apple's full Newsroom article has additional detail on the study as well as anecdotes from developers on how various App Store features and functions have helped them grow their businesses, and the full study is also available in PDF format.
Apple previously worked with Analysis Group on a study that demonstrated how similar Apple's App Store fees and practices are to those of other digital marketplaces like the Amazon Appstore and the Google Play app. That study, published in July 2020, came ahead of when Apple CEO Tim Cook testified in an App Store antitrust hearing.
Earlier this month, WarnerMedia announced the upcoming launch of a new ad-supported tier for HBO Max, which has debuted today. Priced at $9.99 per month, the ad-supported tier is $5 less than the $14.99 monthly cost of the standard HBO Max subscription.
HBO Max is designed to feature the "lightest ad load in the streaming industry" for its ad-supported tier, and it will include access to all HBO Max original programming plus the back catalog of content from HBO, Warner Bros., DC, Turner Classic Movies, Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, and more.
The ad-supported tier does not include access to same-day premiere film releases from Warner Bros., which will require a full $14.99 subscription. Content is also limited to 1080p HD instead of 4K, and the ad-supported tier does not allow shows to be downloaded to watch offline.
In addition to monthly pricing options, the ad-supported tier can be purchased for $99.99 per year, dropping the price to $8.30 per month. The $15 per month tier is priced at $149.99 per year, which equates to $13 per month.
Prospective HBO Max customers who want to subscribe to the ad-supported tier can do so on the HBO Max website.
Apple Watch users with an irregular heartbeat are not visiting doctors more often, but they are more likely to be treated with a heart procedure, a study has found (via The Verge).
The study examined 125 people with atrial fibrillation and a heart-monitoring wearable, such as the Apple Watch, who visited the University of Utah Health during a 90-day period, and compared them to a group of 500 people with the same condition and similar characteristics, but no wearable.
The results of the study showed that users with heart-monitoring wearables are not more likely to visit a doctor about a health condition with their heart. In spite of this, users with a wearable and a heart condition such as atrial fibrillation are more likely to undergo medical procedures.
Specifically, this group of wearable users was more likely to undergo an ablation, which is a medical procedure that seeks to restore a normal heartbeat.
It is not clear if the people in the study who wore wearables and had ablations had worse symptoms than the control group and so needed the treatment as a result, or if the wearables encouraged them to see a doctor and have the procedure sooner.
It may simply be the case that people with heart conditions who decide to wear an Apple Watch do so due to general concerns about monitoring their health. It is also possible that wearable users could see their device detecting an abnormal heartbeat more often and therefore they worry that their atrial fibrillation is getting worse, even when it is not.
The Apple Watch and similar health-monitoring wearables are the focus of a growing number of studies in the medical field, where they have been used to investigate COVID-19, frailty, cognitive health, heart failure, asthma, and more.
Spotify today announced a new collaborative playlist and a collection of new stat tracking features for users. The company is referring to the stat tracking updates, called "Only You," as a way to see your Spotify Wrapped stats earlier in the year.
In total, there are six new ways to break down your Spotify listening history, including finding out which artist most aligns with your astrological birth chart, what songs you listen to the most at certain times of the day, and more.
1) Your Audio Birth Chart - Spotify aligns your Sun, Moon, and Rising signs to match you with some of your favorite artists. Sun shows the artist you listened to the most over the last six months; Moon matches you with an artist that best shows your emotional side; and Rising ties it all up with an artist that you've connected with recently.
2) Your Dream Dinner Party - Spotify generates a personalized dinner party mix after you select your dream dinner party guests.
3) Your Artist Pairs - Spotify pair two disparate artists together that you've listened to recently, showing your range of musical interests.
4) Your Song Year - Spotify shows off the most popular year of the music you listen to.
5) Your Time of Day - Spotify tells you the songs and podcasts you listen to the most in the morning and at night.
6) Your Genres/Topics - The last category brings everything together by combining music and podcasts that "set your listening apart."
In addition to Only You, Spotify is launching a new personalized feature called "Blend" in beta. With this, two friends can merge their musical tastes into one curated playlist that they can both listen to.
Blend playlists will be updated daily, and will grow over time based on how each user changes their listening habits. To start a Blend, tap "Create Blend" in the Made For You hub on mobile, tap "invite," and select a friend to share the playlist with.
Currently, Blend is only available on iOS and Android mobile devices. To read more about Spotify's announcements today, check out the company's blog post.
