MacRumors

With iOS 18, Apple overhauled the Home Screen, introducing design changes that allow for more customization and personalization. You can put icons where you want, change their size, and give them new colors, plus you can hide apps and swap out your Lock Screen buttons.

This guide highlights everything new coming to the ‌iOS 18‌ ‌Home Screen‌ and Lock Screen.

Rearranging Icons

With ‌iOS 18‌, you can rearrange app icons and widgets on your ‌Home Screen‌ and app pages with space between them, providing a wealth of new layout options.

Apple stuck with a grid system so you can only move app icons within the grid locations, but an icon can be placed anywhere in the grid with empty space around it. That sounds complicated, but with iOS 17, if you added a new app to your ‌Home Screen‌, it would automatically go to the next open spot.

In ‌iOS 18‌, you can choose where to put it. You can have app icon-sized spaces between apps, full empty rows, and full empty columns. You can't put icons and widgets in places with uneven spacing because of the invisible grid limitation, so keep that in mind.

You can put a single app in the middle of a page, have a row of apps at the top and a row of apps at the bottom, create a column of apps, and more. Apple created this design to allow you to place apps and widgets around wallpapers and arrange them into more useful layouts.

Here's how to move your icons:

1. Long press on the ‌Home Screen‌ or on an app page to initiate wiggle mode.
2. Move apps into the desired positions.
3. Tap on done.

Increase Icon Size

You can make your app icons bigger in ‌iOS 18‌ by removing the app names. With app names in place, Apple needs space to display them, but removing them opens up a lot of area for a larger icon and folder size. Changing the app size does not change the number of apps that are visible, it simply removes text and uses up that empty space.

With larger icons, you still get a maximum of six icon rows with four icons each, the same that you're limited to when icon names are turned on. To change icon size, follow these steps:

1. Long press on the ‌Home Screen‌ or an app page.
2. Tap on "Edit."
3. Tap on "Customize."
4. Choose Small to turn on app names, or Large to turn them off.

Note that this setting is universal, so you cannot have small icons on one app page and large icons on a different app page.

Change Widget Size

You can change the size of widgets directly from the ‌Home Screen‌ without having to go into the customization options. Widgets now have a white rounded bar in the corner, which you can drag to make them larger or smaller.

1. Long press on the ‌Home Screen‌ or an app page to get into wiggle mode.
2. Use a finger to resize the widget to be smaller or larger.

You are limited to the minimum and maximum size available with any given widget. For example, the Battery widget can be the size of four app icons, six horizontal app icons in two rows, or a square shape that's four icons wide by four icons tall. When you resize the Battery widget, you are limited to those size options, but you don't need to go into the full widget settings to change the size.

‌Widgets‌ are still added to your ‌Home Screen‌ and app pages in the same way, though some of the labeling has shifted. Long press and tap on "Edit," then choose the "Add Widget" option. It's one more tap than it was before due to the new customization options.

If an app has a widget, you can also long press on its icon to see widget options right there, turning the app's icon into a widget instead.

New Widgets

Apple added a new Health widget in ‌iOS 18‌ that shows information from the new Vitals feature that's both in the Health app and on Apple Watch. It provides an overview of daily vitals or weekly vitals, plus there's also a new widget for cycle tracking.

Vitals aggregates information from the Apple Watch to provide a daily readout of how your heart rate, sleep patterns, respiration, and blood oxygen change from day to day and week to week.

There is a new Journal widget as well, with options that provide a writing prompt that you can tap on to open up the app to answer. You can also select a Streaks widget that keeps track of how many days in a row you've used the Journal app.

For the new Training Load feature on Apple Watch, Apple has added a corresponding widget in the Fitness widget section.

In the Home widget section, there are new widgets for electricity usage and electricity rates (a feature coming to select users in ‌iOS 18‌ later this year).

Dark Mode Icons

Apple's built-in apps have both Light and Dark color options in ‌iOS 18‌, which allows you to change the color of your icons when you have Dark Mode turned on. The Dark icons are all redesigned with a black background rather than a white or colored background, which makes them blend in better with the ‌Dark Mode‌ setting.

You can turn on Dark icons independently of having ‌Dark Mode‌ enabled, so you can leave Light mode on while using the Dark icon option. You can also set icons to an automatic mode, which means they'll change color depending on whether ‌Dark Mode‌ or Light Mode is active.

Right now, it's only Apple's apps that have a Dark option, but third-party developers will presumably also be able to include two color options for their icons when ‌iOS 18‌ launches.

To go along with the ‌Dark Mode‌ icons, Apple also introduced a toggle that makes your wallpaper darker. Here's how to change your icon and wallpaper color:

1. Long press on the ‌Home Screen‌ or an app page.
2. Tap on "Edit."
3. Tap on "Customize."
4. Select Automatic, Dark, Light, or Tinted, an option described below. This is also the interface used to change app icon size, and darken your wallpaper (the sun icon).

The wallpaper option makes your chosen wallpaper a bit darker in color, dimming bright shades when enabled. Tapping toggles Light and Dark modes, with Light being your standard wallpaper color.

Icon Tints

In addition to choosing a ‌Dark Mode‌ for your app icons, you can opt to put a tint over all of them, which is an aesthetic that's useful if you want to match a wallpaper.

You cannot change icon colors individually, and the tint changes the shade of all of the icons en masse. You can use an eyedropper to choose a color from your wallpaper, or you can use the two bars to tweak both hue and saturation. Tinting works with all icons because it desaturates and then places a color over the desaturated icon, so you do lose individual colors in app icons and widgets. It's a very monochromatic look.

As with icon size, this is a universal setting so you cannot have different tints for different app pages. Tinting affects not only your app pages and ‌Home Screen‌, but also the App Library. To change an icon tint:

1. Long press on the ‌Home Screen‌ or an app page.
2. Tap on "Edit."
3. Tap on "Customize."
4. Select Tinted and use the sliders to adjust the tint to your ideal color.

To turn off a tint, follow these same steps and then choose "Light" or "Dark" to get back to the standard app icon colors.

Hiding and Locking Apps

‌iOS 18‌ includes a security feature for locking apps or even hiding them entirely from your ‌Home Screen‌ and app pages. A locked app requires a Face ID or Touch ID scan to open, so if someone is using your unlocked iPhone, they still won't be able to open apps you've disabled.

Hiding an app does the same thing as locking it, but goes a step further and removes it from view entirely. You'll only see it in a Hidden folder in the App Library, which also requires authentication to access. Locked and Hidden apps do not show up in searches on the ‌iPhone‌, they're not accessible by Siri without authentication, and notifications and alerts like calls from the app are disabled, so they're entirely private without authentication.

The option to lock and hide apps is useful for when you need to hand your phone over to someone for viewing photos, playing games, or similar situations.

For a locked app, there is no sign that it's locked until someone attempts to open it, at which point there's a ‌Face ID‌ or ‌Touch ID‌ authentication prompt. For hidden apps, they simply don't show up anywhere except the App Library.

Apps do show up in your App Store purchase/download list, but they don't show up in the Settings app. Settings for hidden apps can be accessed in a separate "Hidden Apps" folder that does require authentication to open up. How to lock or hide an app:

1. Long press on the icon of the app that you want to lock or hide.
2. Tap on "Require ‌Face ID‌."
3. If you want to simply lock an app, tap on "Require ‌Face ID‌" again. If you want to hide it, choose "Hide and Require ‌Face ID‌."
4. Authenticate with a ‌Face ID‌ or ‌Touch ID‌ scan.
5. For a locked app, that's it. For a hidden app, you'll see a screen letting you know that you won't get notifications or calls from the app.
6. Tap "Hide App."

To remove the lock on an app, long press again on the icon on the ‌Home Screen‌ or app page and choose "Don't Require ‌Face ID‌." You will need to authenticate to turn it off.

To unhide an app, go to the App Library, select the Hidden section, authenticate with ‌Face ID‌ or ‌Touch ID‌, long press on the app icon, and choose "Don't Require ‌Face ID‌ or "Unhide App." The first option turns off the lock and keeps the app off of the ‌Home Screen‌, while the second both turns off the authentication requirement and adds it back to the first available opening on an app page.

If you turn off the lock and do not add it back to the ‌Home Screen‌, you'll need to find it in the App Library to put it back on the ‌Home Screen‌ later.

Lock Screen Updates

Apple didn't make major changes to the Lock Screen because it was just overhauled with ‌iOS 17‌, but there are a few updates worth noting.

Rainbow Time and Other New Lock Screen Widget Options

With ‌iOS 17‌, Apple added an option to customize the font and the color of the time on the Lock Screen, and in ‌iOS 18‌, there's a new rainbow color option that adds a variegated rainbow shade for the time. There are no other changes to font or color options.

Above the time, you can add a new Journal widget that presents a journaling prompt and opens the app when you tap it.

For widget options, there are new Health app Vitals widgets, and new entries for electricity usage and rates. These match the new ‌Home Screen‌ widgets.

Quick Buttons

For the first time, you can change the Flashlight and Camera icons on the Lock Screen, picking something more useful or turning them off entirely.

You can choose any Control Center option for the Lock Screen buttons, including Shortcuts, ‌Dark Mode‌, Airplane Mode, Remote, Alarm Calculator, Translate, and more. This change ties into a redesign of the Control Center, and it gives you a lot more possibilities for what you can launch from the Lock Screen.

Apple is allowing third-party apps to add Control Center icons, so you can also choose from those. Depending on what you pick, you may need to use ‌Face ID‌ or ‌Touch ID‌ to authenticate before being able to access an app from the Lock Screen in order to preserve user privacy and keep sensitive data from being easily accessible.

To change your Lock Screen buttons, follow these steps:

1. Long press on the Lock Screen after authenticating.
2. Tap on Customize.
3. Tap on Lock Screen.
4. From this interface, tap on the "-" icon to remove any apps that are already assigned to those buttons. If you're doing this for the first time, you'll have the Flashlight and Camera apps set to the default, which need to be removed.
5. From there, tap on the "+" button and choose a new control to add.
6. Tap on Done in the upper right corner.

iOS 18 Wallpaper

There are four new ‌iOS 18‌ wallpaper options in pink, yellow, azure, and purple with a matching darker colored swoop. These all have a Light Mode and a ‌Dark Mode‌ shade customized by Apple, with the ‌Dark Mode‌ featuring a background glow for the darker part of the design.

You can find the new wallpapers by long pressing on the Lock Screen, and choosing Customize to modify an existing wallpaper or "+" to add a new one entirely.

Read More

More on all of the new features that were added in ‌iOS 18‌ can be found in our iOS 18 roundup.

Apple Fellow and App Store chief Phil Schiller will take on a board observer position at OpenAI, reports Bloomberg. Apple has been granted an observer role as part of its agreement with OpenAI, which will see ChatGPT integrated into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, and Schiller has been selected for the role.

A board observer is an informal board position where the participant is able to attend and contribute to board meetings, but is not allowed to vote and has no control. OpenAI has also given a board observer role to Microsoft, so Apple and Microsoft will be on even footing with Schiller's new position.

Given Microsoft's relationship with OpenAI, future board meetings could cover new arrangements between OpenAI and Microsoft, which Bloomberg suggests could cause tension if Schiller is present. Microsoft can request that Schiller be excluded from these meetings, however.

Schiller has not yet attended any OpenAI board meetings and is not set to do so until later in the year.

Apple and OpenAI's deal will see Siri able to hand complicated user requests over to ChatGPT with explicit user permission. OpenAI is not paying Apple to integrate ChatGPT in its operating systems, nor is Apple paying OpenAI. No money is being exchanged under the terms of the arrangement at the current time.

Former Apple director of corporate law Gene Levoff has been ordered to pay the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission $1.15 million for insider trading, reports Reuters. Late last year, Levoff was sentenced to four years of probation and a fine, avoiding a possible two-year jail sentence.

At the time, the fine had not been determined, but the judge presiding over the case handed down a ruling on Tuesday. The judge said that Levoff's violations were "especially egregious" even though he had not been "living excessively."

At Apple, Levoff's role included making sure Apple employees were compliant with the company's insider trading policies, which is why the judge decided that his violation was of particular concern.

Because Levoff was meant to prevent insider trading at Apple, he had access to Apple's earnings results before they were made available to the public. He used the information that he learned to buy Apple shares ahead of better-than-expected results, and to sell shares when there were weaker-than-expected earnings. Levoff's shady stock dealings earned him approximately $277,000, while helping him avoid losses of around $377,000.

In July 2015, for example, Levoff knew Apple would not meet analysts' third quarter estimates for iPhone sales, so he sold $10 million in Apple stock between July 17 and July 21, which is when Apple's earnings information went live. After the announcement, Apple stock dropped more than four precent.

Levoff worked at Apple from 2011 to 2018, but he abused his insider information between 2011 and 2016. Apple fired him in September 2018 after the authorities contacted the company about Levoff's dealings. In June 2022, Levoff pleaded guilty to six counts of securities fraud for insider trading. Federal prosecutors pushed for jail time to deter other corporate executives from insider trading, but the judge did not feel that it was necessary because Levoff was fired and is no longer be able to practice law.

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming macOS 14.6 update to public beta testers, allowing non-developers to test the software ahead of its launch. Today's public beta comes two weeks after Apple released the first public beta.

Beta testers can opt-in through the Software Update section of the System Settings app. Under Beta updates, simply toggle on the Sonoma Public Beta. Note that you must sign up to participate on Apple's beta testing website.

No new Mac features were found in the macOS Sonoma 14.6 developer betas, so it is not clear what might be included. With Apple now working on macOS Sequoia, development on ‌macOS Sonoma‌ is beginning to wrap up so it's likely a bug fix update.

Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 17.6 and iPadOS 17.6 updates to public beta testers, with the betas coming two weeks after the initial iOS and iPadOS 17.6 developer betas.

Public beta testers can get the beta by opening up the Settings app, going to the Software Update section, tapping on the "Beta Updates" option, and toggling on the iOS 17 or iPadOS 17 Public Beta. Signing up on Apple's beta testing website is required.

The new additions Apple promised for ‌iOS 17‌ have all been implemented at this point, so it is not clear what will be included in iOS 17.6, and no features were discovered in the developer betas.

With Apple now shifting its focus to iOS 18, it is likely that iOS 17.6 will include bug fixes and other under-the-hood improvements.

Apple has also seeded the second public betas of upcoming watchOS 10.6 and tvOS 17.6 updates.

Code discovered in Apple's backend by Nicolás Alvarez and shared with MacRumors confirms Apple's plans to release four iPhone 16 models this year, and it indicates that the devices will all have the same A-series chip. There are mentions of new model numbers that are not associated with existing iPhones, and that have the numbering scheme Apple uses for its flagship devices.

The code includes the following iPhone identifiers:

• iPhone17,1
• iPhone17,2
• iPhone17,3
• iPhone17,4
• iPhone17,5

All five start with the same number, which suggests that Apple plans to use the same chip for them. With the iPhone 15 models, which have different chips, the internal identifiers have separate numbers.

• ‌iPhone 15‌ - ‌iPhone 15‌,4
• ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus - ‌iPhone 15‌,5
• iPhone 15 Pro - ‌iPhone 16‌,1
• ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ Max - ‌iPhone 16‌,2

The ‌iPhone 15‌ models have the A16 Bionic chip that was first used in the iPhone 14 Pro models, which had corresponding model numbers of ‌iPhone 15‌,2 for the ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 15‌,3 for the ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ Max. The ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ and Pro Max have the A17 Pro chip, hence the 16,x identifier.

Apple's iPhones typically tie identifier to chip. Everything with the A16 chip has an identifier that starts with 15, and prior devices that had an A15 chip all had an identifier starting with 14. The same goes for the 13,x identifier (A14), and the 12,x identifier (A13).

So if Apple sticks with the identifier numbering scheme it has used for years, all four ‌iPhone 16‌ models will have the same chip, and that's in line with rumors and prior leaks. We've heard several rumors that the devices will share a chip, and an earlier code leak in March also confirmed the shared identifiers.

Note that there are five model numbers listed, and only four are likely to be associated with the upcoming ‌iPhone 16‌ lineup. The fifth could potentially be a future iPhone SE, but there's no way to determine what that device is at this time.

While we do expect all four ‌iPhone 16‌ models to use a new A18 chip, Apple could still differentiate between the standard models and the Pro models, even giving the chips separate A18 and A18 Pro names. Apple could use A18 chips with a smaller number of GPU cores (either binned or disabled) for the ‌iPhone 16‌ models, while saving chips with a better GPU for the iPhone 16 Pro lineup.

It would make sense for all four ‌iPhone 16‌ models and a future ‌iPhone SE‌ to all have the same A18 chip because of the Apple Intelligence features set to debut in iOS 18. Apple Intelligence requires a high-powered chip for the AI features to run on-device. At this time, only the ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ and Pro Max are able to use Apple Intelligence, and Apple likely wants to make sure all future devices have the power required for machine learning and artificial intelligence tasks.

As part of its effort to embrace Apple's latest chips, Capcom today released Resident Evil 7 biohazard for iPhone 15 Pro, ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ Max, and all iPads and Macs with M-series Apple silicon chips. [App Store]

The game runs natively on Apple silicon with support for cross-progression and universal purchase, letting Apple users play the game across iPhone, iPad, and Mac with a single purchase and transfer their saved games between devices.

Capcom notes that the ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌ version of Resident Evil 7 biohazard includes enhanced controls with a new Auto Fire option to assist with touchscreen usability. Hardware controller support is also included for those who want a more console-like experience.

In addition to the main Resident Evil 7 biohazard game, the download also includes the Not A Hero DLC add-on, and a Gold Edition upgrade is available with additional DLC content.

The game is a free download that allows for a portion of the game to be played free of charge, with the full main unlock priced at $19.99. The Gold Edition DLC upgrade costs an additional $20.00.

Resident Evil 7 biohazard joins Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil Village as titles from the series available on ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌, ‌iPad‌, and Mac, with Resident Evil 2 also in development.

Apple is testing advanced CMOS image sensors (CIS) from Samsung that could debut in the iPhone 16 later this year, The Elec reports.

Apple is currently conducting a final quality assessment on CMOS image sensors provided by Samsung System LSI, the logic business unit of Samsung, according to the report. These sensors are slated for use in the main camera of the upcoming ‌iPhone 16‌. Historically, Apple has exclusively sourced CIS for its iPhones from Sony, but recent developments are said to indicate a strategic pivot away from the Japanese supplier due to concerns about reliability and the need to incorporate new technologies into its camera system.

The decision to engage Samsung is said to stem from issues Apple faced with Sony last year. Apple requested that Samsung begin the development of new image sensors in 2023 after Sony failed to deliver them in a sufficiently timely manner, which contributed to difficulties in setting a launch date for the iPhone 15. If Samsung passes the ongoing quality tests, it will be the first time the company supplies an iPhone CIS.

The new image sensor developed by Samsung features a more advanced three-wafer stack design. These three wafers each house distinct elements: the photodiode, transistors, and analog digital converter logics. In contrast, current and previous ‌iPhone‌ image sensors have a two-stack design that combines the photodiode and transistors on a single wafer.

In a CIS, the photodiode converts light into electrical signals, while four transistors are responsible for transferring, amplifying, reading, and erasing these signals. The separation of these components into three wafers allows for higher pixel density, reduced noise, and smaller pixel sizes.

The new technology employs wafer-to-wafer hybrid bonding, which attaches these wafers directly through a copper pad, eliminating the need for signal-transferring bumps. This enables the CIS to be smaller and increases data transfer speeds.

The ‌iPhone 16‌ lineup is widely expected to be announced in the fall with new camera features such as a dedicated "Capture" button, a 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera, and more.

The Apple Watch Ultra 3, likely to be released in September 2024 alongside the iPhone 16, is expected to offer fewer upgrades compared to its predecessor, the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Keep reading to learn what the rumored changes are.

When Apple Watch Ultra 2 debuted last year, key new features included a 50% brighter display, a faster S9 chip, a "Double Tap" gesture for interacting with the watch without touching the screen, on-device Siri, and increased internal storage. Unfortunately, the next version of the device is unlikely to reach those lofty heights. Here's what the rumors say.

Display Technology

Initially, it was believed that Apple was working on an Apple Watch Ultra with a microLED display, which would provide increased brightness, better contrast, and improved battery efficiency. However, these plans appear to have been postponed indefinitely. Apple worked on microLED display technology for several years, but the project was scrapped in 2024 and there are no current plans for a microLED Apple Watch in the near future.

On the flip side, Apple is rumored to be adopting new low-energy OLED panel technology in new Apple Watch models to further reduce the power consumption of its always-on display. If that's the case, it's unlikely that Apple would use the technology in its latest Series model without also bringing it to its latest Apple Watch Ultra model.

Design

The design of the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is likely to remain largely unchanged. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman recently said that this year's third-generation Apple Watch Ultra will have "roughly the same look as the original." He has previously suggested a totally redesigned "Apple Watch X" with a thinner case and magnetic bands is coming, but this is likely to be a different model to the Ultra, and he said it would be released "in 2024 or 2025."

New Features

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is likely to include improved health tracking capabilities such as blood pressure monitoring and sleep apnea detection, aligning with the rumored features of the Apple Watch Series 10 / X.

The blood pressure monitoring featuring will let users know if their blood pressure is trending upward, and will provide an option for users to note what they were doing when hypertension occurred. Specific blood pressure numbers will not be provided, though. Meanwhile, sleep apnea detection will use sleep history and breathing patterns to estimate whether someone suffers from sleep apnea, with the watch suggesting that users contact a doctor if so.

Hardware Updates

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is expected to have "almost no" new hardware upgrades compared to the Apple Watch Ultra 2, according to Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. His phrasing suggests that the rumored blood pressure and sleep apnea detection features will be machine learning / software-based, relying on existing sensors.

Colors

Apple currently offers the Apple Watch Ultra 2, released in September 2023, in the same natural titanium color as the first-generation model. Prior to launch of the second-generation model, some rumors suggested Apple could release a new darker color option. It didn't happen.

However, we know that Apple originally designed a first-generation Apple Watch Ultra with a dark ceramic back that was never launched. Moreover, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in 2023 said it was "theoretically" possible the finish could be released for a later model. Previously, the high-end Edition model of the Apple Watch Series 7 was available with a Space Black titanium case.

watchOS 11

One thing we can be sure of is that Apple Watch Ultra 3 will run watchOS 11, the latest version of the Apple Watch operating system. Apple previewed the software during WWDC in June, and users can expect a range of updates and improvements, such as additional Smart Stack widgets, Check In for Messages and workouts, a Vitals app to view key health metrics, a Translate app, a new Apple Pay feature called Tap to Cash, training load for workouts, additional workout types, more customizable Activity rings, and more.

When Apple released macOS Monterey in 2021, some key features required a Mac with Apple silicon. The same scenario played out with macOS Ventura in 2022, and then again the following year with the release of macOS Sonoma. With macOS Sequoia set to arrive in the fall, which new features can Intel Mac owners expect to be unavailable to them this time around?

Apple says that macOS Sequoia is compatible with the same Macs as macOS Sonoma, but Apple's fine print reveals that certain new features won't work on Intel machines. If you're still on an Intel Mac, here's what you won't have access to.

Apple Intelligence

Apple Intelligence, a deeply integrated, personalized AI feature set for Apple devices that uses cutting-edge generative artificial intelligence to enhance the user experience, won't be available on Intel Macs. Apple says the advanced features require its M1 chip or later, so if your Mac was released before November 2020, you're out of luck.

• These Apple Intelligence Features Won't Be Ready Until 2025

Live Audio Transcription

Live audio transcription lets you record audio sessions within notes in Apple Notes, and generate live audio transcriptions that can be searched through or combined with other documents, checklists, or documents. According to Apple, support for live audio transcription in the Notes app is limited to machines powered by Apple silicon.

What Else?

Surprisingly, nothing! Apple is not withholding any other new features in macOS Sequoia, meaning users with supported Intel Macs will be able to enjoy things like the ability to schedule messages to send later, Reminder integration with Calendars, a new standalone Passwords app, window tiling, and more. Even Apple's latest continuity feature, iPhone Mirroring, works on Intel-based Mac computers that have a T2 Security Chip. For all the details, be sure to check out our macOS 15 roundup.

On that note, let's review which Mac models that macOS Sequoia supports. As mentioned above, macOS 15 works with the same Macs as macOS Sonoma. They include:

• MacBook Air (2020 and later)
• MacBook Pro (2018 and later)
• iMac (2019 and later)
• Mac Mini (2018 and later)
• iMac Pro (2017 and later)
• Mac Pro (2019 and later)
• Mac Studio (2022 and later)

You can check your Mac's model by clicking the Apple in the menu bar and choosing About This Mac. macOS Sequoia is currently in developer beta, with a public beta expected later this month, before Apple's latest Mac software gets a general release in the fall.

Apple is said to have upped its order of next-generation chips from TSMC to between 90 million and 100 million units, following heightened demand expectations for its iPhone 16 series.

Last year's initial chip order volume for the iPhone 15 series launch is believed to have been in the region of 80-90 million units, suggesting Apple is anticipating higher demand for its 2024 devices in the region of 10 million units, according to Taiwanese outlet CTEE.

The arrival of Apple Intelligence in iOS 18 is expected to boost initial sales of the devices. One of the reasons is that Apple Intelligence requires at least an iPhone 15 Pro to run, which means owners of last year's iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will miss out on Apple's new AI features unless they upgrade to an iPhone 15 Pro or plump for one of the iPhone 16 models.

Last year, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus were equipped with the A16 Bionic chip – the same chip that was in the iPhone 14 Pro models – whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max featured an A17 Pro chip manufactured using TSMC's second-generation 3nm process, also known as "N3E." N3E is less expensive and has improved yield compared to the previous-generation N3B, according to TSMC.

This year, all four models in the iPhone 16 lineup are expected to use A18-branded chips manufactured using the N3E process. Despite switching to N3E, the A18 chip in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus is likely to adopt the A17 Pro design that was used in the iPhone 15 Pro models. Meanwhile, the iPhone 16 Pro and ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max will likely use a chip branded as an "A18 Pro," which could feature an upgraded Neural Engine with more cores enabling improved AI/machine learning performance.

The standard iPhone 16 models could also be upgraded with 8GB of RAM, up from 6GB in the iPhone 15 models. That would see all four iPhone 16 models offering 8GB of RAM, which Apple has suggested is a minimum requirement for running large-language models (the algorithms that power AI) locally on device, rather than in the cloud.

Based on previous years, Apple is expected to release the iPhone 16 series in the fall, around mid-September. For more information, be sure to check our dedicated iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro roundups.

Two years after Apple paid $50 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over faulty MacBook butterfly keyboards, funds from the settlement will be going out to affected customers.

An update on the MacBook Keyboard Litigation Settlement website says that the court issued a payment order on June 27, 2024, with payments set to be issued for approved claims by August 2024.

Emails about the lawsuit were sent out in December 2022 to MacBook owners eligible for a payment. MacBook owners who had at least two topcase replacements from Apple within four years of purchase are set to receive a maximum of $395, while customers who had one topcase repair will receive up to $125. Those who had keycap replacements are eligible for up to $50.

Claims were accepted through March 6, 2023, and the settlement was ultimately approved on May 25, 2023. There is no word on why there has been more than a year's delay getting payments sent out to customers.

Apple used butterfly keyboards in Macs between 2015 and 2019, and while the design was updated several times during that four-year period, the butterfly mechanism was prone to failure. Thousands of customers had issues with repeating keys, sticking keys, and keyboard failures due to crumbs, dust, and other issues.

Apple launched a repair program in June 2018 covering the MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro models manufactured from 2015 on, but it only covered machines for four years after purchase and because butterfly keyboards were replaced with another butterfly keyboard, no permanent fix was available.

Due to the major failure of the butterfly keyboard, Apple swapped back to a scissor switch mechanism. Macs manufactured since late 2019 have had the much more reliable scissor switch keyboard that is able to stand up to wear and tear.

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming macOS Sonoma 14.6 update to developers, with the second software coming two weeks after Apple released the first beta.

Registered developers can opt-in to the beta through the Software Update section of the System Settings app. Note that an Apple ID associated with an Apple Developer account is required to get the beta.

We don't yet know what might be included in ‌macOS Sonoma‌ 14.6, and no new features were discovered in the first beta.

Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 17.6 and iPadOS 17.6 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the second betas coming two weeks after the first iOS and iPadOS 17.6 betas.

Registered developers are able to opt into the betas by opening up the Settings app, going to the Software Update section, tapping on the "Beta Updates" option, and toggling on the iOS 17 or iPadOS 17 Developer Beta. An Apple ID associated with a developer account is required to download and install the beta.

The features Apple promised for ‌iOS 17‌ have all been implemented, so it is not clear what will be included in iOS 17.6, and no major new additions were discovered in the first beta.

With Apple focusing on iOS 18, it is likely that iOS 17.6 will include bug fixes and other under-the-hood improvements.

Apple today released the second beta of an upcoming visionOS 1.3 update to developers, allowing them to test new features ahead of the software seeing a public launch. The second ‌visionOS‌ 1.3 beta comes over two weeks after the release of the first beta.

The ‌visionOS‌ beta can be downloaded by going to the Settings app on the device and toggling on developer betas. A registered developer account is required, and Apple recommends making a backup before installing new software.

Apple may make further improvements to Personas, EyeSight, and other features with ‌visionOS‌ 1.3, as well as implement additional bug fixes. No new features were found in the first ‌visionOS‌ 1.3 beta.

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming watchOS 10.6 update to developers for testing purposes, with the second beta coming two weeks after the release of the first beta.

To install the ‌watchOS 10.6 update, developers need to open the Apple Watch app, go to the Software Update section under "General" in Settings, and toggle on the watchOS 10 Developer Beta. An Apple ID linked to a developer account is required.

Once beta updates have been activated, watchOS 10.6 can be downloaded under the same Software Update section. To install software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life and it must be placed on an Apple Watch charger.

We don't yet know what's included in watchOS 10.6, and with Apple's focus shifting to watchOS 11, it likely features bug fixes and other minor improvements.

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming tvOS 17.6 to developers for testing purposes, with the second beta coming two weeks after the release of the first beta.

Registered developers are able to download the tvOS 17.6 update by opting in to the beta through the Settings app on the Apple TV. A registered developer account is required.

tvOS software releases are usually minor in scale compared to other operating system updates, focusing primarily on smaller improvements rather than outward-facing changes. We don't yet know what's included in tvOS 17.6.

Apple shares some information on tvOS releases in its tvOS support document, which is updated after each tvOS launch, but Apple does not provide notes during beta testing.

Though we don't always know what's new in tvOS betas, we let MacRumors readers know when new updates are available so those who are developers can download new software upon release.

iPhones and Apple Watches could support multiple actions via NFC simultaneously in the future, the NFC Forum today suggested.

The NFC Forum, the leading standards body for Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, today published its first overview of NFC Multi-Purpose Tap. The technology, which supports multiple actions with one tap, is designed to bring more convenience to various NFC use cases such as point-to-point receipt delivery, loyalty programs, identification, and total-journey transit ticketing.

Apple is a prominent member of the NFC Forum and likely contributed to the development of the technology. The company first introduced NFC in the iPhone 6 and original Apple Watch, initially focusing on Apple Pay, allowing users to make contactless payments.

NFC Multi-Purpose Tap would allow ‌iPhone‌ users to perform multiple transactions with a single tap. For instance, consumers could make payments, log loyalty points, and receive receipts instantaneously. The potential applications are considerable, from retail payments to public transportation, where users could tap their ‌iPhone‌ to pay for a journey, apply discounts, and get travel receipts all at once.

Since Apple is a member of the NFC Forum, it seems highly likely that NFC Multi-Purpose Tap will come to the ‌iPhone‌ and Apple Watch at some point in the future. The company often adds support for new NFC functionalities, such as reading NFC tags and facilitating more interactions with a broader range of NFC devices.