Tonight, the YouTube website has started allowing iOS 14 devices to use the built-in Picture in Picture functionality for its videos even without a Premium account.
This is an apparent reversal of a change that YouTube explicitly made following the release of iOS 14 which blocked such behavior. At that time, YouTube would only allow that capability for users with Premium accounts. Tonight's change means that any YouTube visitor can use Picture in Picture in Safari.
iOS 14 introduced native Picture in Picture capability to the iPhone for the first time, however, apps have to explicitly support the feature. YouTube's native app has never supported Picture in Picture for any of its users even though iPadOS has offered the capability for some time. There have been reports that YouTube has been testing this feature, but there have been no announcements.
As a result, iOS 14 users have had to resort to using YouTube in Safari as a workaround. Since there have been no announcements either way, it's unclear if this change is permanent or not.
Apple today updated its investor relations page to announce that it will share its earnings results for the fourth fiscal quarter (third calendar quarter) of 2020 on Thursday, October 29.
Fourth quarter earnings calls typically provide some insight into the early sales of new iPhones, but since this year's iPhones have been delayed until October, initial iPhone sales data will not factor into fourth quarter revenue.
Apple will perhaps provide detail on sales of the Apple Watch Series 6 and the new Apple Watch SE, which did launch during the September quarter.
Apple declined to provide guidance for the fourth quarter of 2020 during its third quarter earnings call due to the ongoing global health crisis, which continues to affect Apple's product launch timelines and sales.
Apple in the third quarter brought in $59.7 billion in revenue, marking a record June quarter bolstered by products and services growth and a surge in Mac and iPhone sales due to people working and learning from home.
The quarterly earnings statement will be released at 1:30 PM Pacific/4:30 PM Eastern, with a conference call to discuss the report taking place at 2:00 PM Pacific/5:00 PM Eastern. MacRumors will provide coverage of both the earnings release and conference call on October 29.
A transaction labeling error with the Apple Card has been causing confusion for some Apple Card owners, with AT&T charges listed as "Waters, Hardy & Co" instead of AT&T on Apple Card statements.
The problem appears to have started at some point yesterday, with tax preparation service Waters, Hardy & Co receiving hundreds of phone calls from confused customers. In a Facebook post, the company said that it had received so many calls from Apple Card owners that its phones had to be turned off.
MacRumors reader Kyle alerted us to the problem. He found an incorrect merchant charge for "Waters, Hardy & Co" listed in the Wallet app, which was actually his bill from AT&T. He contacted the company and received a voice recording with a message that said Apple had incorrectly listed Waters, Hardy & Co as the merchant for the AT&T charges.
Another MacRumors reader mentioned the same issue yesterday, noting a "weird charge" on the Apple Card, presumably from Waters, Hardy & Co. Based on the reports we've seen and the hundreds of calls received by Waters, Hardy & Co., this appears to be affecting quite a few AT&T customers who use Apple Card for their bills.
MacRumors reader Kyle says that he contacted Apple Support about the problem and was told that the issue was known and was in the process of being corrected. Waters, Hardy & Co. also says that it is working to get the problem resolved as quickly as possible.
Update: According to Apple, the issue has been fixed and AT&T transactions will no longer be mislabeled.
Apple earlier this year signed a deal for a musical comedy starring "Saturday Night Live" cast member Cecily Strong, and now several other major comedy stars have joined the cast of the still unnamed series.
Keegan-Michael Key, Fred Armisen, and Kristin Chenoweth will have roles in the show, according to Variety Keegan-Michael Key is known for "Key and Peele" and "Friends From College," while Fred Armisen has starred in "Portlandia" and "Saturday Night Live." Kristin Chenoweth has been in several broadway shows and films, along with TV show "Glee."
The musical comedy series will follow a couple on a backpacking trip that's meant to reinvigorate their relationship. While on their journey, the couple find the magical town of Schmigadoon, where everyone acts as if they're in a studio musical from the 1940s.
Cecily Strong will star as Melissa, one half of the couple on the trip, while Key will play Josh, her long term partner. Armisen will play Reverend Layton, the mild-mannered religious leader of the town, and Chenoweth will play Mildred Layton, Reverend Layton's wife.
There is no release date for the show as of yet. It was co-created by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, known for "Despicable Me," with Paul serving as showrunner and original music writer.
Following the release of iOS 14.0.1 on Thursday, September 24, Apple has stopped signing iOS 14, which means downgrading to the launch version of iOS 14 after upgrading to iOS 14.0.1 is no longer possible.
Apple routinely stops signing older versions of software updates after new releases come out in order to encourage customers to keep their operating systems up to date.
iOS 14.0.1 was a bug fix update fixing issues that weren't able to be addressed in the initial version of iOS 14. The update fixed a bug that could cause third-party apps set as the default to reset after the iPhone is restarted. It also addressed a bug that could prevent the iPhone from connecting to some WiFi networks, and fixed an issue that could prevent sending email with some mail carriers.
iOS 14.0.1 is the current publicly available version of iOS that people can download, but there's also an iOS 14.2 update that has been provided to developers and public beta testers. iOS 14.2 introduces new emoji 13 characters, a Shazam Music Recognition feature for the Control Center, and some other Apple Music-related Control Center tweaks.
Apple appears to have pulled the latest macOS Mojave Security Update (2020-005), which was released on September 24 alongside the macOS Catalina 10.15.7 update. Apple has also removed Safari 14 for macOS Mojave from download.
Both the Mojave Security Update and the Safari 14 update were causing numerous problems for those still running macOS Mojave, as outlined by Mr. Macintosh.
macOS Mojave users who installed the updates have been noticing memory issues, slow boot times and Finder stalling, numerous system.log entires, and crashes when attempting to use Migration assistant, among other problems. Complaints about the update started shortly after it was released, but Apple did not pull the updates until yesterday.
Those who had already downloaded the Mojave Security Update or installed Safari 14 should soon be getting a fix in the form of updated software that addresses the bugs that were introduced. Reverting to a Time Machine backup, reinstalling macOS Mojave, or installing macOS Catalina also seem to successfully fix the issues.
(Thanks, Jeff!)
Update: Apple has released a supplemental update for Mojave which presumably addresses the issues above. It should become available in your macOS software update.
The new Apple Maps app that Apple has been rolling out over the course of the last year is expanding to the UK and Ireland as of today, according to Apple.
Apple's updated Maps app provides faster and more accurate navigation and richer, more detailed views of roads, buildings, parks, airports, malls, and more, to provide a better-than-ever navigation experience. In Apple's article announcing the availability of the new Maps in the UK and Ireland, Apple's services VP Eddy Cue said that Apple is "excited" to expand the new experience.
"Apple Maps is the best way to explore and navigate the world -- all while protecting your privacy -- and we're excited to bring the new map to our users in the UK and Ireland," said Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. "We have rebuilt the map from the ground up, with better navigation, richer detail, more accurate information for places, and incredible features like Look Around, cycling directions, and curated Guides from trusted resources. We've reimagined how Maps can help users find the places they love and get to where they're going even faster and easier."
With the updated Maps app, Apple is launching Look Around in the UK and Ireland, allowing users in these countries to see a street level view of what's around, similar to the Google Street View mode. Apple first introduced Look Around in iOS 13 in a limited number of areas, but has since been expanding its availability. Look Around in the UK and Ireland is available in London, Edinburgh, and Dublin at launch, with more areas to come in the future.
Guides, an iOS 14 feature, provides a curated list of places to visit within a city, with resources created by Time Out Group, Lonely Planet, and The Evening Standard, and UK users in London also have access to cycling directions and routes with EV stops.
Apple has been testing the new maps in the UK and Ireland since August after finishing the rollout in the United States back in January.
Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming watchOS 7.1 update to public beta testers, two days after providing the beta to developers.
The watchOS 7.1 update can be downloaded after installing the proper profile from Apple's Public Beta website. Once the profile is in place, the watchOS 7.1 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.
There were no new features discovered in the first two betas of watchOS 7.1, so we don't yet know what new additions may be included in the update. It likely focuses on under-the-hood improvements and bug fixes for issues that weren't able to be addressed in the initial watchOS 7 release.
Today's update does re-enable blood oxygen monitoring and watch faces that were disabled in the prior beta update.
AMC+, which includes content from AMC, BBC America, IFC, and SundanceTV, is available through the Channels feature in the Apple TV app as of today, according to AdWeek.
AMC+ provides access to ad-free programming from AMC channels and other streaming services like Shudder, Sundance Now, and IFC Films Unlimited, AMC library shows, and early access to AMC series before they air on TV. It also includes on-demand content and live feeds of AMC, BBC America, IFC, and Sundance, though live content will include ads.
Prior to today, AMC+ was limited to Comcast, Dish, and SlingTV subscribers, but there was no standalone option that did not involve a cable subscription. Subscribing to AMC+ through Apple TV Channels will cost $8.99 per month, with a 7-day free trial available to test it out. The service is also available through Amazon Prime Video.
Those who subscribe to AMC+ can get early access to the new "The Walking Dead" spinoff called "The Walking Dead: World Beyond," along with anthology series "Soulmates."
Apple introduced the Channels feature in a revamped Apple TV app that came out in early 2019, providing a way for Apple TV users to subscribe to standalone services right in the TV app. There are several Channels available such as CBS All Access, Showtime, Epix, Starz, Cinemax, and more.
If you have an Apple Watch, chances are you've spent some time customizing your watch faces. Apple lets you adjust colors, choose complications, and select backgrounds so you can get watch to look just how you like, and you can share your personalized watch faces with others, too.
The ability to share watch faces with other people is a fun addition because it means you can impress your friends with your creations, and perhaps surprise someone who's new to Apple Watch by showing them just what's possible. You can also receive watch faces from others. It's easy to do, so keep reading to learn how it works.
How to Share a Watch Face With Someone
On your Apple Watch, swipe to the face you want to share.
Press and hold on the face until the Edit and Share buttons appear.
Tap the Share button (it looks like a square with an arrow pointing out).
Tap Add Contact.
If the person you want to share the face with is in the list of favorites and recent contacts, tap their name. Alternately, tap the Dictate button and say their name, then select it from the list that appears.
Select one of the suggested text messages or use Dictate, Scribble, or emoji to create your own.
Turn the Digital Crown to scroll down, then tap Send.
You can also share a watch face from your iPhone. Simply open the Watch app on your iPhone, select a watch face in the My Watch tab or the Face Gallery tab, tap the Share button, then tap how you want to share it. You can send watch faces using Messages, Mail, AirDrop, or third-party apps like WhatsApp.
How to Share a Watch Face Online
You can also share watch faces online, via websites, blogs, and social media, although the process is a bit more convoluted. Here's how it works.
Launch Watch app on your iPhone, then select the watch face you want to share.
Tap the Share button, then select Mail.
Email the watch face to yourself.
Open the email message that you receive, then touch and hold on the .watchface attachment at the bottom of the message.
Tap Share, then tap Save to Files.
Select a location, then tap Save.
Open the Files app and navigate to the .watchface file that you just saved.
Touch and hold the .watchface file, then tap Share.
Tap Add People.
Tap Share Options, then tap Anyone with the link if you want anyone to be able to download the watch face.
Tap the Back arrow to go back.
Swipe left on the sharing app icons, then tap Copy Link.
Use the link that you copied to share the watch face online.
How to Receive a Watch Face From Someone
When someone shares a watch face with you, you'll receive a link in Messages, Mail, or another app. Here's what you need to do with it.
On the iPhone that your Apple Watch is paired with, tap the shared watch face link.
When the Watch app opens, tap Add to My Faces.
If there are any complications included in the watch face that you don't have the apps for, you'll be offered App Store links to download them. If you don't want the complication, select Continue Without This App and the face will be modified for your Apple Watch.
The shared face will be added to the My Faces section in the Watch app, and will appear on your Apple Watch when you select a watch face.
Following the release of macOS Catalina version 10.15.7, an increasing number of users have experienced an issue with a system process named "accountsd" showing very high CPU usage in Activity Monitor, causing their Mac to slow down.
One user in the Apple Support Communities shared a screenshot of "accountsd" with CPU usage above 400%, rendering their 2018 MacBook Pro "useless."
While this issue has popped up occasionally over the years, there has been a noticeable uptick in complaints across the Apple Support Communities, MacRumors Forums, Twitter, Reddit, Stack Exchange, and elsewhere since the release of macOS Catalina version 10.15.7, with users attempting to troubleshoot the issue.
What is accountsd?
Accountsd is a daemon, part of the Accounts framework. Apple's developer documentation says this framework helps users access and manage their external accounts from within apps, without requiring them to enter login credentials.
The Accounts framework provides access to user accounts stored in the Accounts database, which is managed by the system. An account stores the login credentials of a particular service, such as Twitter, and you use those credentials to authenticate with the service. When you integrate the Accounts framework into your app, you don't need to store account logins yourself. Instead, the user grants your app access to use their account login credentials, bypassing the need to type their username and password. If no account for a particular service exists in the user's Accounts database, you can let them create and save an account from within your app.
How to fix accountsd CPU usage?
Affected users have offered a wide range of potential solutions, but your mileage may vary.
Some users have managed to solve the issue by signing out of their Apple ID account under System Preferences > Apple ID > Overview > Sign Out, restarting their Mac, and then signing back in to the account, but this has not worked for everyone.
One user on Stack Exchange believes the issue relates to a bug with file indexing on the Mac. Their solution involves resetting the indexing by navigating to System Preferences > Spotlight > Privacy and adding (+) your storage drive ("Macintosh HD" by default) to the "Prevent Spotlight from searching these locations" list. Then, remove (-) the drive from the list, and the Mac will begin reindexing. The indexing process can temporarily slow down your Mac, so these steps are recommended to be completed overnight.
As for more advanced troubleshooting, some users have had success with navigating to "~/Library/Accounts" and renaming the file "Accounts4.sqlite" to "Accounts4.sqlite.testbackup" or using more complex Terminal commands, but proceed with caution, as these solutions could impact your iCloud accounts or syncing.
Apple has yet to acknowledge this issue. Should a software update be released with a fix, we will update this article accordingly.
Today we're rounding up a collection of different deals and offers that include retailers and services like Sonos, Disney+, Zagg, Mophie, and Amazon.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Sonos
Sonos has partnered with Disney with a new offer that bundles six months of Disney+ at no cost when you purchase a Sonos Arc, Beam, or qualifying speaker set. This offer will run until October 31, 2020 and is only available for new Disney+ subscribers.
To get the offer, simply purchase a Sonos Arc or Sonos Beam (including Entertainment Sets and Surround Sets) from Sonos.com. This landing page has all of the qualifying audio equipment that you can purchase for the deal. Afterwards, you will receive an email with instructions on how to redeem the Disney+ subscription.
Zagg
MacRumors readers can save 30 percent off of one item across the Zagg family of brands this week, including Mophie, Braven, Invisible Shield, and more. Simply add an item to your cart and enter the code MACRUMORS30 at the checkout screen (available until October 5).
If you're shopping around for more than one item, Zagg is also offering 30 percent off your entire cart when you purchase two or more products from a Zagg brand. This excludes items on sale, and a coupon code is not required.
Amazon also has a few iPad Pro accessories on sale this week, starting with the 2018 model of the Smart Keyboard Folio for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro priced at $149.99, down from $199.00. The new 2020 Magic Keyboard for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is at $329.98, down from $349.00, and both sales represent Amazon low prices for each accessory.
The EU is planning to implement wide-ranging legal measures to compel major tech companies to share data with competitors and give no preference to their own apps and services, according to a new report by the Financial Times.
As part of its new Digital Services Act, the EU is planning to force the likes of Apple, Amazon, and Google to hand over customer data to smaller rivals in an effort to loosen the grip of big tech on consumers. A draft of the legislation stated that tech companies "shall not use data collected on the platform... for [their] own commercial activities... unless they [make it] accessible to business users active in the same commercial activities."
Likewise, "gatekeeper" platforms that wield their own online marketplaces, such as Apple's App Store, would be limited from using much of the data they collect. The draft states that "Gatekeepers shall not use data received from business users for advertising services for any other purpose other than advertising services."
Perhaps most controversially, big tech companies may be banned from preferring their own apps and services. As it stands, this means that companies will not be allowed to pre-install any of their own apps on devices, or force other companies to exclusively pre-install any of their software. There is also the ambition to allow users to uninstall any pre-installed apps.
The plan would be a major blow to Apple and Google, and result in fundamental changes to how operating systems ship and function. However, it is unclear how shipping an iPhone, for example, with no pre-installed Apple apps from would work, when presumably even the App Store itself could not be pre-installed as it would then be a "preferred" app. Downloading apps or using services of any kind on iOS and Android would have to be completely reworked to allow for user choice and third-party options at every level, with no preference for any of the device-maker's own apps and services at all.
The act contains over 30 paragraphs of specific prohibitions and obligations for tech giants, aimed at curbing their power and influence. The legislation is expected to be publicized in full by the end of this year, and Brussels reportedly hopes to lead global standards for the digital economy, improve competition, and prevent long-lasting antitrust cases.
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.
Last month Apple unveiled a redesigned iPad Air with slimmer bezels that it said would become available in October, but it didn't give an exact date for when it would start taking orders. With October now upon us, there are indications that the new iPad Air could launch imminently, rather than later on in the month.
According to a tweet late on Wednesday from well-connected Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, "Apple marketing materials for the new iPad Air are starting to land at retail stores, suggesting a launch sooner rather than later."
The new iPad Air is the first Apple device with Touch ID built into the power button. That has allowed Apple to add a fully laminated 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone, P3 wide color support, and an anti-reflective coating.
It's also the first time Apple has debuted a new AXX-series chip in an iPad before an iPhone. The new iPad Air is powered by the new 5nm-based, six-core A14 Bionic chip for up to 40 percent faster performance and up to 30 percent faster graphics than the previous-generation iPad Air. It's the same chip expected to be used for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro models, which are expected to be announced this month.
Apple marketing materials for the new iPad Air are starting to land at retail stores, suggesting a launch sooner rather than later. Apple said October, which is tomorrow — so not a surprise.
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) September 30, 2020
Apple's iPad Air is also the first iPad to offer unique color options similar to iPhone colors. The iPad Air is available in silver, space gray, rose gold, green, and sky blue.
Like the iPad Pro, the new iPad Air features a USB-C port instead of a Lightning connector, and similarly features a 12-megapixel rear camera for higher-resolution photos and 4K video recording.
The new iPad Air will be available on Apple.com and the Apple Store app in 30 countries and regions when it launches. Wi-Fi models will start at $599, while cellular models will start at $729, with 64GB and 256GB storage capacities available.
Popular writing app Ulysses receives its 21st major release on October 6, and will bring with it the revision mode that was introduced to Mac this summer to iPad and iPhone.
Revision mode, as the name suggests, aims to aid focused text revision by hiding unnecessary features, dimming the editor theme, and highlighting annotations and suggestions.
Revision mode also includes an advanced grammar and style check powered by the LanguageTool Plus service, which can analyze texts and provide informed suggestions in categories such as capitalization, punctuation, semantics, redundancy, typography, and style.
On top of the grammar and style suggestions, users can review annotations, comments, deletions and marked text passages in this mode.
In addition to the new mode, Ulysses' developers have reworked the app's appearance to match the look-and-feel of iOS 14.
Ulysses can be downloaded for free on the App Store, with version 21 rolling out to existing users today. After a 14-day trial period, a subscription is required to unlock the app on all devices. A monthly subscription costs $5.99, while a yearly subscription is $49.99.
Students can use Ulysses at a discounted price of $11.99 per six months. The discount is granted from within the app. Ulysses is also included in Setapp, the subscription-based service for Mac applications created by MacPaw.
Apple's upcoming macOS Big Sur operating system introduces HDR video support and allows Netflix users to watch content in 4K HDR for the first time. However, it turns out that only Macs with an Apple T2 Security chip are compatible with Ultra HD streaming.
Apple Terminal spotted a recently updated support document on Netflix's Help Center that now includes hardware requirements for viewing 4K HDR content in Safari on macOS Big Sur.
According to the web page, viewing Ultra HD content can only be achieved on a "select 2018 or later Mac computer with an Apple T2 Security chip." In addition to that, every monitor connected to the computer on which Ultra HD is streamed must be a 60Hz 4K capable display with a HDCP 2.2 connection.
It's not clear why Macs need a T2 security chip to play back 4K HDR content, given that Windows machines obviously don't, but it could be that this is Netflix's way of ensuring that viewers aren't trying to stream the high-definition content on older Macs, which could result in less-than-stellar performance.
The following Macs have the Apple T2 Security Chip, and can therefore stream Netflix in Ultra HD on macOS Big Sur:
As expected, Apple has added the seventh-generation iPod nano to its list of Vintage and Obsolete products, officially designating the last iPod in the iconic nano lineup as "vintage."
The vintage products list features devices that have not been updated for more than five years and less than seven years. After products pass the seven year mark, they are considered obsolete.
Apple debuted a refreshed version of the seventh-generation iPod nano in mid-2015, and that was the final iPod nano that came out. Now that the device is five years old, it is being added to the vintage list.
Apple launched the first iPod nano in September 2005, and over the course of the nano's lifetime, it got several redesigns. The first iPod nano model was similar in design to a standard iPod but with a slimmer, easier to pocket shape.
Fast forward seven years to October 2020 and the seventh-generation iPod nano, which ended up being the final model that was introduced. It had an iPod touch-style multi-touch display and a Home button, but the nano and touch product lines were ultimately so similar that Apple did away with the iPod nano.
Apple refreshed the seventh-generation iPod nano in 2015 to add new colors, but the design remained the same. The iPod nano was discontinued along with the iPod shuffle in mid-2017, leaving the iPod touch as the only iPod Apple sells.
Devices on Apple's vintage list are able to receive hardware service from Apple and Apple service providers, but it is subject to the availability of repair components and where required by law. Obsolete products have no hardware service available with no exceptions.
In addition to the seventh-generation iPod nano, the 5th-generation iPod touch, which was originally released on October 11, 2012, has also been added to the Vintage and Obsolete list.
Shortly after the release of iOS 14 and watchOS 7, many users ran into problems with their iPhone and Apple Watch.
Multiple online support threads including our own found GPS data was not being properly recorded during activities. The issue appeared to affect all models of Apple Watches.
In the majority of cases, users record a workout on their watch while leaving their iPhone at home, but when they later look at the Activity app it only shows the workout's starting point on the GPS map, and nothing else.
In addition, some users have been reporting excess battery drain of their Apple Watch, iPhone or both under iOS 14 and watchOS 7. In the support threads, the unofficial fix seemed to be unpairing and restoring your Apple Watch. Jack Taylor from our forums reported resolving both issues with this method:
Both the GPS and severe battery drain issues on watchOS 7 were fixed for me simply by in-pairing and re-pairing my watch. Both issues resolved themselves immediately after as noted in many of the support groups
It appears that Apple has adopted this advice as the official solution to this problem. In a newly published support document titled If you're missing Workout GPS routes or Health data after updating to iOS 14 and watchOS 7, Apple writes that users may see the following issues after upgrading to iOS 14 and watchOS 7:
Possible Symptoms
Your workout route maps are missing in the Fitness app on iPhone for previous GPS-enabled workouts from your Apple Watch.
The Activity, Heart Rate, or other health-related apps fail to launch or load data on your Apple Watch.
The Fitness app or Health app fail to launch or load data on your iPhone.
The Health app or Fitness app is reporting an inaccurate amount of data storage on your iPhone.
The Activity app is reporting an inaccurate amount of data storage on your Apple Watch.
Your environmental sound levels data or headphone audio levels data from Apple Watch is missing in the Health app on iPhone.
Increased battery drain on your iPhone or Apple Watch.
If you are experiencing two or more of these symptoms, Apple suggests unpairing your Apple Watch, backing up both your iPhone and Apple Watch, wiping both devices and restoring from backup. Apple provides steps to accomplish these tasks in their support document which was published today.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
