Apple today released iOS 14.6, with it bringing support for Apple Podcasts subscriptions and new support for Apple Card Family. Announced last month, Apple Card Family allows families to share a single Apple Card with users above 13 years old with the ability to set a spending limit.
Last month, Apple also announced the ability for couples to co-own a single Apple Card, allowing them to build their credit score together. The process is similar to sharing an Apple Card with your teenager or friend but requires you to share your spouse's annual income.
Apple Card Family is available today with the iOS 14.6 update.
Apple today released iOS and iPadOS 14.6, marking the sixth major updates to the iOS and iPadOS operating systems that initially came out in September 2020. iOS 14.6 comes one month after the launch of iOS 14.5, an update that added Apple Watch iPhone unlocking, Apple Maps accident crowdsourcing, and tons more.
The iOS and iPadOS 14.5 updates can be downloaded for free and the software is available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the new software, go to Settings > General > Software Update.
iOS 14.6 introduces support for several previously announced features. It lays the groundwork for the Apple Music Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos and Lossless Audio functionality, but these new Apple Music capabilities aren't expected to launch until June.
The update also adds support for Apple Card Family for sharing Apple Cards, it introduces new Podcast subscription options, and it adds new AirTags capabilities, in addition to addressing several bugs.
Apple's full release notes for the update are below:
Apple Card Family - Apple Card can be shared with up to five people, including anyone 13 years or older in your Family Sharing group - Apple Card Family adds support for families to track expenses, manage spending with optional limits and controls, and build credit together
Podcasts - Subscription support for channels and individual shows
AirTag and Find My - Lost mode option to add an email address instead of a phone number for AirTag and Find My network accessories - AirTag will show the partially masked phone number of the owner when tapped with an NFC-capable device
Accessibility - Voice Control users can unlock their iPhone for the first time after a restart using only their voice
This release also fixes the following issues: - Unlock with Apple Watch may not work after using Lock iPhone on Apple Watch - Reminders may appear as blank lines - Call blocking extensions may not appear in Settings - Bluetooth devices could sometimes disconnect or send audio to a different device during an active call - iPhone may experience reduced performance during startup
Major development on iOS 14 will be coming to an end in the near future as Apple prepares to transition to iOS 15, an update that will be unveiled on June 7.
Apple today released macOS Big Sur 11.4, the fourth major update to the macOS Big Sur operating system that launched in November 2020. macOS Big Sur comes one month after the release of macOS Big Sur 11.3, an update that added M1 optimizations, AirTag integration, and more.
The new macOS Big Sur 11.4 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Preferences.
macOS Big Sur 11.4 lays the groundwork for two upcoming Apple Music features: Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos and Lossless Audio, both of which will be available on the Mac.
It also adds support for Apple Podcasts subscriptions, and fixes a number of bugs, as outlined in Apple's release notes.
macOS Big Sur 11.4 adds Apple Podcasts subscriptions and channels and includes important bug fixes.
Podcasts - Apple Podcasts subscriptions are available for purchase via monthly and annual subscriptions - Channels group together collections of shows from podcast creators
This release also fixes the following issues: - Bookmarks in Safari may get reordered or moved into a folder that can appear hidden - Certain websites may not display correctly after your Mac wakes from sleep - Keywords may not be included when exporting a photo from the Photos app - Preview may become unresponsive when searching PDF documents - 16-inch MacBook may become unresponsive when playing Civilization VI
Apple's attention will soon be focused on the next-generation version of macOS, macOS 12, which is expected to be unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference that kicks off on June 7.
Apple today released watchOS 7.5, the fifth major update to the watchOS 7 operating system that was released in September 2020. watchOS 7.5 comes one month after the release of watchOS 7.4, an update that added Apple Watch iPhone unlocking and other features.
The watchOS 7.5 update can be downloaded for free through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it needs to be placed on a charger, and it needs to be in range of the iPhone.
watchOS 7.5 introduces support for Apple Card Family and subscription content in the Podcasts app. In Malaysia and Peru, it enables the ECG app and irregular heart rate rhythm notifications.
The update also includes support for the new Pride faces that are designed to accompany the 2021 Pride bands that Apple released today. There are two new "Pride Woven" faces to choose from in an animated rectangle or circle design.
Apple today released tvOS 14.6, the sixth update to the tvOS 14 operating system that was released in September 2020. tvOS 14.6 comes a month after the release of tvOS 14.5, an update that added a new Color Balance feature and support for the latest gaming controllers.
tvOS 14.6, which is a free update, can be downloaded over the air through the Settings app on the Apple TV by going to System > Software Update. Apple TV owners who have automatic software updates enabled will be upgraded to tvOS 14.5 automatically.
tvOS updates are often minor in scale, focusing primarily on under-the-hood bug fixes and improvements rather than outward-facing changes. tvOS 14.6 lays the groundwork for the new Apple Music Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos and Lossless Audio features.
Spatial Audio offers an immersive audio experience that makes it sound like music is coming from all around you, while Lossless Audio will provide higher-quality songs that sound exactly like they do when artists record them in the studio.
At launch in June, thousands of tracks will feature Spatial Audio support, and more than 20,000 songs will support Lossless Audio. By the end of the year, 75 million songs will support it.
Xbox says that to enable Dolby Vision for Apple TV on Xbox, users must first have a compatible TV that supports high dynamic range. With compatible TVs, users will find a new toggle under "TV & display options" in their Xbox settings tab to enable Dolby Vision. Additionally, not all Apple TV content will initially support Dolby Vision.
To start experiencing it with a Dolby Vision compatible TV, you need to have “Allow Dolby Vision” enabled and checked in Settings > General > TV & display options > Video Modes on your console. You can also confirm if content is available in Dolby Vision by looking for the Dolby Vision logo at the bottom of the Movie / Show’s description page in the Apple TV app or during playback by pressing the B button on your controller.
The Apple TV app, which previously only lived on Apple devices, has gradually been making its way to other devices such as the PS4, and select smart TVs. This is part of Apple's recent strategy to expand its services business to more customers.
Apple today officially announced the lineup for its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, which will kick off with the traditional keynote at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Monday, June 7.
The keynote will be streamed directly from Apple Park. Developers and Apple users will be able to watch on Apple.com, the Apple Developer app, the Apple Developer website, the Apple TV app, and YouTube. The remainder of WWDC will include the usual Platforms State of the Union following the keynote, as well as the Apple Design Awards on June 10 and an array of other sessions throughout the week.
WWDC will feature over 200 sessions and labs, with over 1,000 Apple experts on hand for consultation with developers.
Apple is also launching a new Pavilions features for WWDC 2021, which will make it easy for developers to plan and organize their conference experience around topics like SwiftUI, Developer Tools, Accessibility & Inclusion, and more.
Anker today is introducing a new set of gallium nitride (GaN) USB-C chargers that offer fast charging speeds for mobile devices in a design that's smaller than ever. The new Nano II line is available in 30W, 45W, and 65W versions, and Anker says it has improved the chips and internal layout of its chargers to deliver greater efficiency while generating less heat.
The 30-watt charger measures in at just 31.5 mm by 30.4 mm and about 38 mm deep. (The UK versions of all three chargers are about 1.5 mm deeper due to their prong design.) It can fast-charge an iPhone or iPad, and even fully support the latest MacBook Air.
The 45-watt version offers a bit more power to be able to charge a wider variety of notebooks and other gadgets, and it measures 37.7 mm by 35 mm by about 41 mm. It also features foldable prongs to make it less likely to be damaged or to damage other items when tossed in together.
The 65-watt version can fully power devices all the way up to the 13-inch MacBook Pro, and it too features foldable prongs. The charger measures 41.7 mm by 36 mm by about 44 mm.
All three chargers are available for preorder on Amazon and Anker.com for US customers, priced at $29.99, $35.99, and $39.99 respectively. Versions for UK and EU customers will be available at a later date.
Some users are noticing more blooming on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro's Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED display than expected, despite Apple's claims that the effect is minimized.
According to recently publishedApple Support documents, the iPad Pro's Liquid Retina XDR display is designed to improve on "the trade-offs of typical local dimming systems, where the extreme brightness of LEDs might cause a slight blooming effect," suggesting that the effect should be minimized.
The Liquid Retina XDR display improves upon the trade-offs of typical local dimming systems, where the extreme brightness of LEDs might cause a slight blooming effect because the LED zones are larger than the LCD pixel size. This display is designed to deliver crisp front-of-screen performance with its incredibly small custom mini-LED design, industry leading mini-LED density, large number of individually controlled local dimming zones, and custom optical films that shape the light while maintaining image fidelity and extreme brightness and contrast.
In spite of this, some iPad Pro owners are noticing more blooming than expected and highlighting their experience on social media.
After spending 24 hours with it I can safely say #MiniLED is NOT the display tech #Apple is likely gonna keep for the iPad long term. OLED is far superior with picture quality. This is definitely an improvement don’t get me wrong, but it’s not OLED level good IMO.
— Josh Teder (@JoshTeder) May 22, 2021
Thanks to the adoption of mini-LED display technology, the iPad Pro features 2,500 local dimming zones. Local dimming allows some areas of an LED screen to dim almost off for darker, truer blacks, while preserving the bright parts of the screen. The technology can increase the contrast ratio of images significantly and enable the intense highlights of HDR content.
On a display with local dimming, if a zone is lit up and an adjacent zone is not, there may be an artifact toward the part of the screen that becomes brighter than its neighboring zone called "blooming."
OLED displays, such as those used on the iPhone 12 lineup, do not need local dimming since they are able to turn off individual pixels to achieve true blacks, all with no blooming effect. Local dimming can be a way to get near-OLED levels of picture quality, but it struggles to achieve the same level of contrast.
Blooming on the new 12.9-inch iPad Pro is therefore to be expected to some extent, but users seem to be divided about how bad the effect actually is.
What can happen when you have 2,500 dimming zones. This is noticeable when you use iPad Pro 2021 in total darkness.
iPad Pro 2018 has less distracting blooming because the bloom covers a large area. And there's IPS glow.
More on this tomorrow https://t.co/yGqFwdeJwzpic.twitter.com/7q82vAvc5d
— Parka (@ParkaBlogs) May 21, 2021
Some MacRumors Editors experienced blooming with the 12.9-inch iPad Pro's XDR display, but others found that blooming was not noticeable at all.
Where blooming is visible, especially on HDR content with isolated bright shapes on a black background, it is most prominent on the iPad Pro when viewing the display from an off-axis angle and in a darkened environment. That being said, MacRumors Editors believe that the effect of blooming on the iPad Pro looks less severe in person than it does in images, likely due to exposure and image processing.
Although mini-LED display technology is expected to come to new MacBook Pro models later this year, other rumors suggest that the company is looking to use OLED displays for iPad and MacBook devices from 2022.
Apple has filed the unreleased "Beats Studio Buds" in the FCC or Federal Communications Commission database under model numbers A2512 and A2513. The new filings come after the reveal of the new earbuds last week within the release candidates for iOS and tvOS 14.6.
The new earbuds feature a smaller design with no stem, much in line with what we're expecting to be a similar design language for the second-generation AirPods Pro. In addition, according to code found within the latest iOS release candidate, the new Beats Studio Buds will feature Active Noise Cancellation, currently a feature exclusive to Apple's AirPods Pro and AirPods Max.
Today's new FCC filings reveal nothing new about the design or the feature set of the upcoming earbuds; however, its filing indicates that a release should be imminent.
Apple's second-generation redesigned Siri Remote features a touch-sensitive clickpad that can be used to navigate menus as well as fast-forward and rewind video.
When you first start using the Siri Remote, touch surface tracking is on by default, but if you can't get on with the sensitivity or you're just not comfortable using touch controls on a remote, you can always customize it or turn it off.
Apple is intensely researching all aspects of car engineering and manufacturing, but there are growing questions around what form Apple's vehicle project may take, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.
Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Peter Fintl, the director of technology and innovation for Capgemini Engineering Germany, explained that Apple's movement in vehicle supply chains is noticeable.
We have seen enough echoes in the supply chain that we know Apple is really looking into every detail of car engineering and car manufacturing. But nobody knows if what Apple creates will be a car or a tech platform or a mobility service.
The report suggests that Apple's car project may not actually culminate in a consumer-purchasable complete vehicle. Instead, Apple may be looking to leverage its software and chip design expertise to create a kind of next-generation vehicle platform for other manufacturers to use.
That being said, this option conflicts with Apple's general desire to vertically integrate the full stack "whenever possible" and "control every aspect of the user experience." Even so, according to the Wall Street Journal, there is "no clear indication" that Apple intends to use its philosophy of vertical integration for its vehicle project.
If Tesla is the model here, it's unclear why Apple's executives would want to endure the tortuous process of building the manufacturing, testing and service capacities this path would require.
If making a vehicle platform is unlikely to fit in with the company's ethos or objectives, and making an entire car is impractical and likely to be subject to fierce competition, the other option that the report suggests is an Apple mobility company, such as a self-driving taxi service.
Johannes Deichmann, a partner at management consulting firm McKinsey whose expertise is software and electronics in automobiles, suggested:
Apple and others could design and commission vehicles that bear their branding, and operate as part of a service they provide, with no trace of the actual manufacturer on them.
Such a service would allow Apple to capture market share while the robot-taxi service industry is still in its infancy, and compete with the likes of GM's Cruise and Amazon's Zoox.
While it is highly speculative, the report indicates that Apple's vehicle project has not yet penetrated the supply chain deeply enough to reveal the nature of the car itself, and concludes with the comment that "it's quite possible that Apple will end up spending billions on attempts to develop an electric car without ever releasing a product."
Verizon today announced that customers with unlimited, "Play More," or "Get More" plans will receive up to a year of Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass for free.
Starting May 25, new and existing Verizon customers will be eligible to get six months of Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass for free with any unlimited plan, or 12 months of Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass with "Play More" or "Get More" plans. The new perk comes with Verizon's Mix and Match Unlimited, which already includes services such as Apple Music.
Apple Arcade is Apple's premium subscription gaming service that lets users download and play included games ad-free and with no added costs. There are now over 180 games in Apple Arcade's library, and a subscription works across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV, with many titles working with popular Bluetooth controllers, such as the Xbox Series X controller and the PS5 DualSense controller.
Apple's AirTags Hermès line features three separate styles, an AirTag with a Hermès keyring, bag charm, and luggage tag. All styles feature the standard AirTag with a removable backplate but engraved with "Hermès Apple AirTag." Each style of AirTag holder is made with high-quality leather and starts at $299 and goes up to $449 for the luggage tag.
Apple's M1 MacBook Air with a 256GB SSD has returned to its all-time low price of $899.99 today on Amazon, down from an original price of $999.00. This sale will be seen after an automatic coupon worth $50 is applied at checkout.
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As of writing, only the Gold color option is in stock and ready to ship from Amazon. Silver is delayed by over a month, but Space Gray will be "in stock soon" according to Amazon's stock estimation.
Likewise, the 512GB version of the M1 MacBook Air is seeing a notable discount to $1,099.99, down from $1,249.00. This is a record low price for the notebook, and it's only available at this price in Gold.
You can find even more discounts on other MacBooks by visiting our Best Deals guide for MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. In this guide we track the steepest discounts for the newest MacBook models every week, so be sure to bookmark it and check back often if you're shopping for a new Apple notebook.
In a new ad, Samsung is poking fun at the iPhone 12 Pro Max's lack of 100x zoom compared to its flagship Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra.
In an ad posted late last week titled "Space Zoom," an iPhone 12 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra can be seen taking a photo of the moon in total darkness. The iPhone 12 Pro Max zooms in at its max 12x ability, while the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra gets a closer shot thanks to its 100x digital zoom feature.
In a second ad titled "108 MP," Samsung targets the iPhone 12 Pro Max 12MP wide camera, compared to the Galaxy S21 Ultra 108MP main camera. The video features both flagship devices zooming into a burger, concluding that the photo taken with the Galaxy Ultra 21 allows users to see "pin-sharp details," while the photo taken with the iPhone does not.
Samsung starts both ads by saying, "Your smartphone upgrade shouldn't be a downgrade," insinuating that an upgrade to an iPhone is a downgrade rather than an upgrade.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra features a wide array of camera features, including a 108MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide lens, and a telephoto lens. The 100x zoom featured in the Galaxy S21 Ultra is, however, only digital. Compared to optical zoom, the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max features up to 2.5x zoom-in, while the Galaxy offers up to 3x.
With the new Apple TV 4K now in customers' hands, some users are reporting issues when trying to control video with the redesigned Siri Remote.
Specifically, some users are complaining that using the circular gesture on the new clickpad ring to fast-forward or rewind paused video isn't working as expected. Rather than scrubbing through video continually in the direction of the gesture, the video scrubs back and forth in opposite directions.
From what we've been able to work out, the problem seems to relate to a subtle additional gesture that users are missing out, either because it isn't very intuitive or Apple doesn't demonstrate it particularly well in the marketing material.
Try following these steps to get it working. We've italicized the crucial gesture that users appear to be omitting.
First, pause the video by pressing the Play/Pause button, or by pressing the center of the clickpad ring. (A small preview thumbnail will appear above the playback timeline at the bottom of the screen.)
Swipe left or right across the clickpad to scrub backward or forward in time. For more granular control, rest your finger on the outer edge of the clickpad ring until a ring icon appears on-screen, then trace a circle with your finger around the clickpad ring in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.
To begin playback at the new position, press the center of the clickpad.
You should find this method works with Apple's own apps, but we've found inconsistencies in its functioning with third-party apps, especially those that don't use Apple's native playback UI. For instance, it worked for us in Netflix, but the Disney+ app had persistent issues responding to the circular gesture.
Anyone else having weird scrolling behavior with the new #AppleTV4K and Siri Remote? When I try to scroll on the new clickwheel it keeps scrolling back and forth. Happens on several apps like #DisneyPlus and #Netflix apps. Did you also see this during your review @Andrew_OSU ? pic.twitter.com/VfIOzQNuOP
— David Kurz 🦠Durchhalten🦠 (@kurze_info) May 23, 2021
It could be that some third-party apps need updating before they recognize the new clickpad ring on the second-generation Siri Remote, so hopefully any niggles will be smoothed out soon.
The new iPad Pro started arriving to customers on Friday, and Apple has since shared additional details about the device in a series of support documents, covering topics like the Liquid Retina XDR display, Thunderbolt and USB4 support, 5G networking on cellular models, and the new Center Stage front camera feature for video calls.
In addition to up to 1,000 nits of full-screen brightness, Apple said the Liquid Retina XDR display supports a peak brightness of 1,600 nits for highlights in up to 40 percent of the screen area when the rest of the image is black or at a brightness of up to 600 nits:
To achieve Extreme Dynamic Range required an entirely new display architecture on iPad Pro. The all new 2D mini-LED backlighting system with individually controlled local dimming zones was the best choice for delivering the extremely high full-screen brightness and contrast ratio, and off-axis color accuracy, that creative professionals depend on for their workflows.
The Liquid Retina XDR display can support up to 1000 nits of full-screen brightness. It can also support up to 1600 nits for highlights in up to 40 percent of the screen area when the rest of that image is black or at brightness up to 600 nits.
Apple said the M1 chip is the engine behind the new display:
Additionally, custom algorithms run on the advanced display engine of the M1 chip, working at the pixel level to control the mini-LED and LCD layers of the display separately, treating them as two distinct displays. These proprietary algorithms coordinate the mini-LED and LCD layers across transitions to deliver the optimal visual experience. Transitional characteristics of local dimming zones, such as a slight blur or color change while scrolling against black backgrounds, are normal behavior.
As for Thunderbolt 3 and USB4 support, Apple said some accessories can request higher power from the iPad Pro, so the company has reminded customers to disconnect these accessories from the device when they aren't being used:
iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation) and iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th generation) also support a wide ecosystem of high-performance Thunderbolt and USB4 accessories. Some accessories can request higher power from your iPad, which might affect battery life. To extend battery life, remember to disconnect these accessories from iPad Pro when you aren't using them. Refer to your accessory manufacturers’ specifications for more information.
In line with iPhone 12 models, Apple confirmed that iPadOS updates over cellular are supported on the new iPad Pro when "Allow More Data on 5G" is enabled:
Allow More Data on 5G: Enables higher data-usage features for apps and system tasks. These include higher-quality FaceTime, high-definition content on Apple TV, Apple Music songs and videos, and iPadOS updates over cellular. This setting also allows third-party apps to use more cellular data for enhanced experiences.
The new iPad Pro features a new Ultra Wide front camera enabling Center Stage, a new feature that automatically keeps users perfectly framed during FaceTime video calls. Apple goes over the feature's settings in a support document.
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