Apple must pay €13 billion in back taxes after losing final appeal
EU's top court also upholds €2.4 billion antitrust fine against Google.

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Kick out the jams with this massive JBL party speaker
The JBL PartyBox Club 120 speaker takes your party to the next level with powerful sound and dynamic light shows. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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iPhone 15 vs iPhone 16: Is new always better?
Macworld Apple unveiled a new generation of iPhones at the GlowTime event on September 9, 2024. The iPhone 16 comes with Apple Intelligence features and a selection of upgrades and tweaks that we’ve come to expect with the annual releases. Some people update their iPhones every year and will be wondering if it is worth updating from the iPhone 15 to the iPhone 16, others will be updating from an older iPhone and deciding whether to go whole hog and get the iPhone 16, or if they would be better off saving some money and getting the iPhone 15. We are here to help you choose between the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16. In this article, we’ll explain what’s different and what is the same and whether the iPhone 16 is worth the extra cash. We compare the old and the new models to see which one you should buy.  iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Design and Build iPhone 16 (left) has much darker colors than the pastel shades of the iPhone 15 (right). iPhone 16 (left) has much darker colors than the pastel shades of the iPhone 15 (right).Apple iPhone 16 (left) has much darker colors than the pastel shades of the iPhone 15 (right).Apple Apple Viewed from the front, the two generations of iPhone look very similar: both have a Dynamic Island (the evolution of the notch), both have squared-off edges on an aluminum chassis. However, turn the iPhone around and it’s clear they are different. The iPhone 16 colors are much bolder and darker, and the camera layout is different, so it will be clear that you’re sporting the latest model.  iPhone 15 came in Pink, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Black. While the new iPhone 16 boasts Ultramarine, Teal, a rather vivacious Pink, along with Black and White liveries.  The other difference can be seen on the side of the new iPhone 16. The iPhone 16 sports two buttons on the side. First it gains the Action button first seen on the iPhone 15 Pro models. The Action button replaces the Mute switch found on the iPhone 15 and can be customized to trigger various tasks which can be chosen via a menu created using Shortcuts. Joining the Action button is the Camera Control button. This is a recessed surface built over a taptic engine (like those found in the last few generations of Home buttons on iPhones) and it’s touch sensitive. It brings cool new tools, which we’ll cover in the Camera section.  The size and weight of the two models are practically identical, with the newer iPhone being slightly smaller and lighter, as you can see below: iPhone 15: 5.81 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches (147.6mm x 71.6mm x 7.8mm); 6.02 (171g) iPhone 16: 5.81 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches (147.6mm x 71.6mm x 7.8mm); 6.00 (170g)               Both phones sport the same IP68 water and dust resistance ratings, Face ID, USB-C charging and MagSafe. The iPhone 16 adds support for 25W wireless fast charging if you have a 30W or higher MagSafe charger. iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Display Apple Apple Apple Apple uses the same 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR panel on both models, with a 2,556 x 1,179 resolution and 440ppi, HDR, True Tone, Haptic Touch, wide color display, and typical max brightness of 1,000 nits or 1,600 nits in HDR and 2,000 nits in outdoor mode. The key difference is that the iPhone 16 can drop down to a 1 nit brightness when in the dark and Apple states that it is protected by the latest version of its Ceramic Shield (although it doesn’t say how much this is better than the Ceramic Shield on the iPhone 15). This should mean that if you drop the phone the glass will be less likely to shatter, but we still recommend putting a screen protector on your iPhone, or at the very least an iPhone case that has a raised lip around the edge. The Dynamic Island that first appeared on the iPhone 14 Pro devices is present on both devices. The Dynamic Island makes the notch required for the camera and Face ID technology more useful by adding software animations around it that depend on what function you are using. iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Tech Specs As you can see from the comparison table below, the iPhone 16 is slightly lighter and smaller than its predecessor, it offers two more hours of battery life, features the new Fusion camera, can take Macro photographs (first time in a non-Pro iPhone) and offers the new Spatial Capture feature. There’s also Wi-Fi 7 and support for faster MagSafe charging. iPhone 15iPhone 16Display6.1-inch 2556×1179 460ppi Super Retina XDR OLED display; 1000/1,600/2,000 nits peak brightness (TypicalHDR/Outdoor); Dynamic Island; Ceramic Shield front6.1-inch 2556×1179 460ppi Super Retina XDR OLED display; 1000/1,600/2,000 nits peak brightness (TypicalHDR/Outdoor); 1nit minimum brightness; Dynamic Island; next-generation Ceramic Shield frontProcessorA16A18Storage128GB/256GB/512GB128GB/256GB/512GBRear CameraDual 48MP f/1.6 Main, 12MP f/2.4 Ultra Wide; 0.5X, 1X, and 2X zoom; Smart HDR 5Dual 48MP f/1.6 Fusion, 12MP f/2.6 Ultra Wide; 0.5X, 1X, and 2X zoom; Smart HDR 5, Macro, Spatial CaptureFront Camera12MP TrueDepth, f/1.912MP TrueDepth, f/1.9Video Recording4K video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps, HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 4K at 60 fps, Cinematic mode, Action Mode4K video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps, HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 4K at 60 fps, Cinematic mode, Action Mode, Spatial video, Wind noise reduction, Audio mixBiometric SecurityFace IDFace IDControl optionsMute switchAction button, Camera Control buttonWi-FiWi-Fi 6Wi-Fi 7LTE5G5GBattery life20 hours (video playback)22 hours (video playback)Charging USB-CUSB-CWireless ChargingYes, with MagSafeYes, with MagSafe (charging up to 25W with 30W adapter or higher)Bluetooth5.35.3Apple PayYes YesWaterproofingIP68IP68SIMDual (nano and eSim or 2x eSIM in US)Dual (nano and eSim or 2x eSIM in US)Dimensions147.6mm x 71.6mm x 7.8mm146.7mm x 71.5mm x 7.8mmWeight171g170gWe use bold text in this table to indicate what’s new in the iPhone 16. iPhone 15 vs iPhone 16: Performance Macworld Macworld Macworld The biggest difference between the two models is found in the processing department. Apple has moved from the A16 chipset in the iPhone 15 to brand new A18 silicon for the iPhone 16. This marks a change from the past couple of years when the standard iPhone adopted the processor of the Pro iPhone in the previous generation. This not only brings generational improvements in performance and power efficiency, but it also unleashes the main selling point of the iPhone 16 range – Apple Intelligence. More on that in a minute. Apple announced that the A18 has a 6-core CPU with 2 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores. It is built on an updated 3nm process, with a 16-core neural engine that’s 2x faster at machine learning than that of the A16 Bionic. There’s also 17% more system memory bandwidth to keep things snappy.  Apple says the A18 is it 30% faster than the A16 and 30% more power efficient. This can be evidenced by the additional 2 hours of battery life that Apple says you’ll get with the iPhone 16. Remember, these devices are exactly the same size so that’s some impressive gains.  There are also enhancements to the GPU, which is stated to be 40% faster and 35% more power efficient than the one in the iPhone 15. So far, the iPhone 16 has stolen quite a march on its older sibling.  iPhone 15 vs iPhone 16: Apple Intelligence YouTube / Apple YouTube / Apple YouTube / Apple So, enter Apple Intelligence. This is Apple’s AI assistant, which permeates iOS 18 and brings a wide range of helpful software tools for day-to-day tasks. We’ve already had a preview of the AI features at the WWDC event in July where Apple unveiled Apple Intelligence. But, in a nutshell, it will help you write emails or pretty much anything you like, tidy up anything you’ve already typed, create emojis from text prompts, find photos in your library just by describing what’s in them, give you summaries of messages in Mail, improve the way Siri works and what it can do, plus a range of other potentially very useful things.  Visual Intelligence is something akin to Google Lens, where you can point your camera at places or products and Apple Intelligence will find more information about it for you. There’s also the big advantage of Private Cloud Compute, where Apple’s servers will process information for you, but not store your data. In the age of AI, where prompts and what they create are often stored and used by companies, this could well be a selling point on its own.                Apple Intelligence requires specific hardware to run, so it isn’t available for iPhone 15, but you’ll get it on iPhone 16 and all iPhones from this point on. It does feel like a demarcation point for iPhone, so be sure to factor that into any buying decision.  iPhone 15 vs iPhone 16: Cameras Apple Apple Apple The iPhone 15 comes equipped with a 48MP f/1.6 sensor in the main camera, paired with a 12MP f/2.4 Ultra Wide sensor. These combine to offer 0.5x, 1x and 2x optical zoom capabilities. There’s also Sensor-Shift optical stabilization to keep things crystal clear, Smart HDR 5, portrait lighting, Night mode and other cool photographic features. It’s a great combination that will satisfy most people, who just want an excellent camera with a few options.  It’s almost the same on the iPhone 16, although Apple has called the 48Mp f/1.6 main module a Fusion camera. Apple claims that this can capture optical quality 2x telephoto zoom images, but the iPhone 15 also had a 2x zoom option. We can only assume at this point that the increased computational power of the A18 processor must be adding something here to the quality.  There’s still a 12Mp Ultra-Wide camera accompanying the main shooter, but this time the aperture goes up to f/2.6 and there is a new macro photo feature for close-ups of small details (previously the macro was a Pro iPhone only feature). Again, the iPhone 15 had a 0.5x zoom, so it must be something in the software that makes Apple more excited about the images.  There are no updates to the front-facing FaceTime camera, so you’ll find the same 12MP f/1.9 TrueDepth sensor on both.  A new positioning of the rear cameras (in conjunction with the A18 chip) means that the iPhone 16 offers a new Spatial Capture feature. This means that stereoscopic images that will work with Apple Vision Pro can be taken. Obviously there is quite a niche market for that right now.  On the video side of things, both iPhones can record video up to 4K at 60fps, offer Cinematic and Action modes, and have Night mode time-lapse, slo-mo, and regular slo-mo modes, plus audio zoom and shift-sensor stabilization. The iPhone 16 gains Spatial video and audio for the Apple Vision Pro, plus it has a new Wind Reduction feature to clean up noisy recordings.  The main boost for the cameras on the iPhone 16 though is the new Camera Control button on the side. This gives you quick access to software controls for the camera just by giving it a soft-press, you can then adjust the settings by sliding your finger across the touch-sensitive surface, which translates to the options on the screen. Then, when you want to take the shot, a harder press turns it into the shutter button. The Camera Control button also lets you instantly launch the camera so you don’t miss those important moments.   iPhone 15 vs iPhone 16: Price As is usually the case, Apple slots the new model in at the same price as the one it replaces, with the older one getting a discount but remaining in the catalog.  So, the new iPhone 16 starts at $799/£799 for the 128GB model, while the iPhone 15 gets a new $699/£699 price tag for the same storage configuration.  With just $100/£100 between the two phones it looks like the newer iPhone 16 offers much better value for money, but it is worth considering if storage is more important to you than the latest tech, because that extra $100/£100 can also double your storage. Here’s the full breakdown: iPhone 16 iPhone 16 (128GB) – $799/£799 iPhone 16 (256GB) – $899/£899 iPhone 16 (512GB) – $1,099/£1,099 iPhone 15 iPhone 15 (128GB) – $699/£699 iPhone 15 (256GB) – $799/£799 iPhone 15 (512GB) – $999/£999 Apple announced pre-orders for the iPhone 16 start on 13 September with the devices going on general release a week later on 20 September.  Apple will continue to sell the iPhone 15, but you may be able to find a good deal at one of the many third-party retailers. Check out our best iPhone 15 deals U.S. and iPhone 15 deals U.K. pages as there could be some decent offers now that the iPhone 16 has arrived. iPhone 15 vs iPhone 16: Verdict The iPhone 15 is still a great device and will make most people very happy, but the A18 chip in the iPhone 16 does feel like a significant step forward. Yes, AI has promised much before and not delivered, but the rate at which it’s improving is frightening, plus the way Apple has baked Apple Intelligence into iOS 18 and the iPhone 16 makes it feel like we might get the experience that was promised all those years ago when Siri first arrived. Add to that the improved battery life, performance, extra physical controls and their customization options, and the iPhone 16 feels like a real step forward rather than just a cautious upgrade. There’s only $100/£100 difference between the two and the iPhone 16 looks well worth the money.  For more advice read our iPhone Buying Guide and Best iPhone comparison chart.

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Parallels releases Parallels Desktop 20 with AI development tools, macOS Sequoia compatibility, and Windows 11 24H2 support
Parallels has just released the brand new Parallels Desktop 20 for Mac. The new version includes an AI-ready virtual machine toolkit that can be securely downloaded and operated offline, making it easier than ever for developers to experiment with and deploy AI applications. more…

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Apple loses Irish tax case on final appeal: Must pay €13B
The final appeal over the Apple Irish tax case has been decided by Europe’s highest court, and the Cupertino company has lost. It must now pay €13B in back tax to the Irish government. The ruling ends an eight-year court battle between Apple and the Irish government on the one side, and the European Union on the other … more…

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Apple loses court fight over EU’s $14.4 billion Irish tax grab
Apple has lost a EU court fight over a €13 billion ($14.4 billion) Irish tax grab. The EU’s Court of Justice in Luxembourg backed a 2016… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Apple's next Studio Display could be curved and very secure
Apple has been researching how to make privacy filters to prevent anyone but the user from seeing what's on their curved screen — but Apple has never made a curved screen.LG curved ultra-wide Thunderbolt DisplayYou can read too much into Apple's thousands of patent applications, but it's unlikely that the company would research a technology with no intention of using it. The six credited inventors on a new patent application did not cook this up during their lunch hour.That's especially unlikely as the new application is "Privacy Films for Curved Displays" — and a version of it was already granted by the US Patent Office in 2023. So Apple is not only exploring the idea of curved screens, it's iterating on the idea. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Are you buying an iPhone 16? [Poll]
Best iPhone 16 accessories

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Here’s everything Apple announced yesterday – and a few surprises
Yesterday’s ‘Glowtime’ event of course saw the announcement of the new iPhone 16 line-up, with the rest of the announcements spanning both hardware and software. While most of the pre-event reporting on the iPhone 16 models was accurate, there were a few surprises – with a mix of pleasant and unpleasant ones … more…

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Thinking about buying an iPhone 16 Pro? Maybe think again
Macworld At the company’s Glowtime event on Monday, Apple announced new Watches, AirPods, and, yes, new iPhones. The iPhone 16 series is almost here and this year’s crop may leave some people in a quandary. Apple rationalized its formerly messy iPad lineup last year, making the distinction between the iPad Air line and the iPad Pro line more clear by putting its Fastest Processor Ever™ in the Pro and moving the price up the the Highest Price For an iPad Ever™. The innovations just keep coming. Now, weirdly, it’s done the almost opposite with the iPhone line. There is still a fair bit of light between the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 Pro, but if you were previously all-in on the iPhone Pro, you might have reason to give the standard line a second look this time around. There are a couple of reasons Apple did this, other than just to mess with us. First, the standard iPhone line has struggled in comparison to the Pro line for years now. Every fall we are treated to headlines about how no one wants the non-Pro iPhone, as if it were a problem. But when it’s because people are splurging on the iPhone with the best camera, how is that a problem for Apple? Those cameras, by the way… they’re The Best Cameras Apple’s Ever Made™. Every year. How do they do it? It’s a mystery. Incidentally, the chicken salad sandwich at Caffè Macs? It’s The Best Chicken Salad Sandwich Apple Has Ever Made™. True story. The egg salad, though? No longer The Best They’ve Ever Made™. They started putting celery in it. Gross. Who asked for that? Celery is like the AI of sandwiches. Anyway, the other reason the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro are more alike than previous lines is, yes, AI. Apple says that in order to run that AI stuff no one really asked for, it had to put an A18 processor into the iPhone 16 (the iPhone 16 Pro has an A18 Pro chip, because Pro). This advanced processor will also let the iPhone 16 run even more advanced games like Honor of Kings, a game coming to iOS early next year that is not Fortnite, so even people in the U.S. will be able to play it. Apple also gave the device an Action button, the new Camera Control button, and a 48MP camera with 2x optical zoom that can do spatial capture. If that wasn’t enough, it comes in actual colors, unlike the iPhone 16 Pro. It’s got a lot going for it. IDG IDG IDG So now how much would you pay? $799? Oh, good, because that’s how much it costs. The iPhone 16 Pro still starts at $200 more and you still get more, but maybe not as much. You get a better processor (but not quite as betterer), a slightly bigger, always-on screen, and a still better camera. That $200 doesn’t seem to cover quite as much as it used to, though. This doesn’t really confuse the iPhone lineup as badly as the iPad lineup, but it does compress it. What could really confuse it, though, is the introduction of the 4th-generation iPhone SE next year. The new iPhone SE is expected to also feature an A18 processor to take advantage of Apple Intelligence and still come at a sub-$500 price. Apple still offers the iPhone 15 at $699 and even the iPhone 14 at $599, neither of which can “do the AI”, although both have better cameras than the 4th-generation SE will likely have. It’s possible Apple will discontinue the iPhone 14 with the introduction of the new SE to rationalize the lineup a bit. While this might cause more people to think twice, maybe it will fix a problem for Apple: how to make the standard iPhone a success in the shadow of the Pro line. If people are just buying iPhones Pros instead, that’s not a problem. But if they’re buying Android phones, then it is. Whatever the case, that $799 is looking like a nice price this year.

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Apple Weaves AI Into Latest Watch, AirPods, iPhone Models
Apple's flavor of generative artificial intelligence, called Apple Intelligence, was laced throughout its latest watch, AirPods, and phone offerings, announced at its "Glowtime" event on Monday. The post appeared first on TechNewsWorld.

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Special iPhone 16 & Apple Watch Series 10 'Glowtime' event round up, on the AppleInsider Podcast
Apple crammed a lot of information into its hour and a half "Glowtime" event, but the iPhone 16 launch was the clear star of the show. Here's what else Apple announced, and exactly what's coming now versus what's coming in the next year as Apple Intelligence continues to roll out.Tim Cook at the "It's Glowtime" eventApple did manage to slip mentions of Apple Intelligence into just about everything it unveiled, certainly with every aspect of the iPhone 16 range and the highly promising Camera Control button. With every new model of iPhone getting that new control, and being able to run Apple Intelligence, the question is whether Apple has managed to make enough of a distinction between the models.You can now say the same thing about this year's new Apple Watch Series 10 being sold alongside last year's Apple Watch Ultra 2, where both now have large screens. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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watchOS 11 superguide: What you need to know about the Apple Watch software update
Macworld At WWDC 2024 on June 10, Apple unveiled watchOS 11, the next operating system update for Apple Watch. Apple will make the Apple Watch software update available for compatible Apple Watches on Monday, September 16. The software brings new apps, new features, new face customization options, an upgraded Smart Stack, and extensive changes to the Apple Watch’s health and fitness functions. watchOS 11: Release date Apple’s watchOS 11 will be available to download on September 16. Updating to the new version should be simple, but if you’re unsure how then you can look at the detailed instructions from our guide to how to update watchOS. Even after Apple has released watchOS 11 there will be further updates to the software throughout the remainder of 2024 and into 2025. watchOS 11: Compatibility watchOS 11 will work with the Apple Watch Series 6 or later. The Apple Watch Series 6 was launched in 2020, while the Apple Watch SE was also launched in 2020 it misses out on WatchOS 11. So that includes: Apple Watch Series 6 (2020) Apple Watch Series 7 (2021) Apple Watch SE 2 (2022) Apple Watch Series 8 (2022) Apple Watch Ultra (2022) Apple Watch Series 9 (2023) Apple Watch Ultra 2 (2023) Apple Watch Series 10 (2024) watchOS 9 and 10 were compatible with the Series 4, Series 5 and original SE. What are the new watchOS 11 features? Read on for a taste of the new features coming to your Apple Watch with watchOS 11. New watch faces We’ll start with something that comes up nearly every year: new watch faces. Or perhaps we should say upgraded rather than new faces because this is a change to the existing Photos face. The way this will change in watchOS 11 is that you’ll be able to create custom faces more easily, thanks to assistance from the OS. The Watch will analyze thousands of your photos to make a recommendation of those that will work well as a face (based on composition, facial expression, and other factors) and then help you to crop and zoom to get the best positioning within the frame. You’ll get a range of personalization options beyond this, including font, layout, clock size, and more, and there’s also a Dynamic mode that will push a different photo each time you raise your wrist. Apple Apple Apple Fitness The Apple Watch’s main functions revolve around health and fitness, and it was no surprise that Apple focuses heavily on these areas in watchOS 11. On the fitness side, there’s a new metric called Training Load, designed to help users understand the strain that exercise places on the body and the way workouts are impacting their body. Workouts will be given an effort rating on a scale of 1 to 10, based on age, height, weight, heart rate, GPS data, and the workout type, but users can further modify this to account for factors such as stress. Then longer-term data can be used to analyze whether strain on the body “is ramping up, staying the same, or easing off so they can adjust their training for the best results.” watchOS 11 also brings the ability to pause Activity rings when you need a rest day or suffer an injury but don’t want to break a streak. (That’s a feature that’s been needed as long as Apple Watch has been a thing.) You can pause rings for as long as you want—a day, a week, even a month or more. Apple Apple Apple Those rings will also be more customizable than in the past. You can choose to modify the ring targets depending on the day of the week, so that calorie targets are lower on Sundays, for example, if that’s when you like to rest up. That’s another feature that’s been needed for a long time; it was always peculiar and inflexible for the Apple Watch to insist that your fitness patterns should be the same throughout the week. Another regular feature of watchOS updates is the addition of new workout types, and watchOS 11 is no exception. In this case the key factor is improvements in GPS positioning, which means more workout types can track distance and provide GPS map data, including Soccer, American Football, Lacrosse, Cross Country Skiing, Golf, Outdoor Rowing, and more. The Custom Workouts feature can now also be used for pool swims. Vitals There’s a new app for the Apple Watch, indeed a completely new app on any of Apple’s platforms, called Vitals. This brings together useful health-related metrics (including the new Training Load information discussed above) and makes them easy to browse in a single place. You can monitor your heart rate, for instance, and view how the current measurement compares to what’s typical for you. Outliers are flagged, in case they are worth checking with a medical professional, and the app explains what has changed from the norm and offers possible causes of this. Higher temperatures, for example, “could be due to many factors including illness or alcohol consumption.” Specifically, Apple says a notification can be triggered if two or more metrics are out of their typical range. Apple Apple Apple Pregnancy support Continuing the health and fitness focus, watchOS 11 (along with iOS 18 and iPadOS 18) is designed to support pregnant people “to reflect changes in their physical and mental health during this important time.” You’ll need to log the pregnancy in the Health app, and then the Apple Watch’s Cycle Tracking app will track gestational age, allow you to log symptoms, and prompt you to adjust the threshold for your high heart rate notification and similar features. Fall detection can adjust its sensitivity to account for the typically greater unsteadiness of pregnant people, while the Health app can be set to prompt the user to review their mental health on a regular basis. Translate Here’s another new app, but in this case it’s only new to Apple Watch. The Translate app uses machine learning to help you navigate conversations in other languages. (A total of 20 are supported.) This also provides Romanized pronunciation guides for languages using different alphabets. Apple Apple Apple Smart Stack Apple says the Smart Stack feature has become more capable. It can now feature Live Activities, enabling you to follow sports events or the progress of your Uber driver. The feature can use information about your routine, as well as the time and location, to suggest appropriate widgets–such as a weather-alert widget when bad weather is on the way. And there are new widgets based on Shazam, Photos, Distance, and more. The Smart Stack can also suggest a relevant Translate widget when you travel to a different country and includes access to the Check In feature, which also comes to Apple Watch for the first time. Check In Speaking of which… this useful personal-safety feature, previously available on iPhone as of the launch of iOS 17 last year, enables you to easily let friends and family know that you’ve reached your destination. And it now comes to the Apple Watch. It’s been integrated into the Workout app, which sounds perfect for those embarking on late-night runs, as well as Messages (as on the iPhone). Apple Apple Apple What about Apple Intelligence? The Apple Watch’s new Translate app and the Photos watch face customization algorithm each rely on machine learning, but it was notable at WWDC that the Apple Watch is getting far less access to Apple’s new AI developments, at least in this first wave. The Apple Intelligence features are coming to the iPhone, the iPad, and the Mac… but the Apple Watch wasn’t mentioned. It’s likely that watchOS will become part of Apple Intelligence at some point, but not yet. With one minor exception: Apple says “Summarised notifications, powered by Apple Intelligence, will be forwarded from iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max to Apple Watch.” Apple Watch & watchOS history watchOS 11 is available as a developer beta right away and a public beta will become available in July. The final version of watchOS 11 will roll out to the public in the fall. We’re expecting to see Apple Watch Series 10, Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3rd generation, running watchOS 11, launch in September 2024 at the company’s Glowtime event (see how to watch the September event). If you’re in the market for a new Apple Watch, see our Apple Watch buying guide, round-up of the best Apple Watch deals, and advice on whether you should buy Apple Watch now or wait. You might also be interested in what other new Apple products are coming this year, and when is the next Apple event. You can find links to all our Apple Watch reviews below. Original Apple Watch (2015) running watchOS / watchOS 2 Apple Watch Series 2 (2016) running watchOS 3 Apple Watch Series 3 (2017) running watchOS 4 Apple Watch Series 4 (2018) running watchOS 5 Apple Watch Series 5 (2019) running watchOS 6 Apple Watch Series 6 (2020) running watchOS 7 Apple Watch SE (2020) running watchOS 7 Apple Watch Series 7 (2021) running watchOS 8 Apple Watch Series 8 (2022) running watchOS 9 Apple Watch Ultra (2022) running watchOS 9 Apple Watch SE 2 (2022) running watchOS 9 Apple Watch Series 9 (2023) running watchOS 10 Apple Watch Ultra 2 (2023) running watchOS 10

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iPadOS 18 superguide: What you need to know about the iPad software update
Macworld During the WWDC keynote in June, Apple announced iPadOS 18. We now know it will arrive alongside iOS 18, watchOS 11 and macOS Sequoia on Monday, September 16. As always, many of the new features are also part of iOS 18, including Apple Intelligence, which will launch in beta and gradually add features throughout 2025. But there are also some exciting new things just for iPad users, including at long last a new Calculator app. If you want to know what’s coming to iPads in September 2024, we’ve broken down all the things you need to know about iPadOS 18. This includes which models will be compatible with iPadOS 18, how you can get and install the beta releases to try the software out early, plus the new features you can expect when the full version launches later this year and any beta developments. So, stay tuned to this superguide for everything you need to know about iPadOS 18 for more information as the release date nears. iPadOS 18: Release date iPadOS 18 will be available to download on September 16. This is a similar time scale to when the last few generations of iPadOS have launched: iPadOS 17: September 18, 2023 iPadOS 16: October 24, 2022 iPadOS 15: September 20, 2021 iPadOS 14: September 16, 2020 iPadOS 13: September 24, 2019 Updating to the new version will be a simple affair, but if you’re unsure how then you can look at the detailed instructions from our guide on how to update iPadOS on your iPad. iPadOS 18: Beta releases Apple is testing iPadOS 18 alongside iOS 18. Apple is also testing iPadOS 18.1 with some Apple Intelligence features for release after the first iPadOS 18 release. You can about the features of those betas, and the latest versions, in our iOS 18 superguide. iPadOS 18: How to installl the beta Apple offers a beta testing program for members of the public who would like to try out new features before iPadOS 18 launches. Those testers also get to try out new features that aren’t ready in time for the full release–Apple continues development for the year following the release. The process is simple—just enroll your device and select the beta from the Software Update tab in Settings. Click Sign Up on the Apple Beta page and register with your Apple ID. Log in to the Beta Software Program. Click Enroll your iOS device. Open Settings, tap General, then Software Update. In the Beta Updates section, select the iOS Public Beta. If you want to uninstall the beta and stop receiving beta updates read this: How to remove an iOS beta from your iPhone. iPadOS 18: Compatiblity Apple has revealed which iPad models will make the cut for iPadOS 18, so if you’re wondering whether you’ll be able to upgrade, here’s the list: Apple Apple Apple iPad Pro (M4) iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd gen and later) iPad Pro 11-inch (1st gen and later) iPad Air (M2) iPad Air (3rd gen and later) iPad (7th gen and later) iPad Mini (5th gen and later) It should be noted though that not all models will be able to run the full range of new features, as some will rely on the latest hardware, most notably Apple Intelligence, which will only be available for M1-powered iPads and above, and then only if Siri is set to use U.S. English. iPadOS 18: New features Apple Intelligence AI is all the rage at the moment, and Apple is getting on that hype train with its own AI named Apple Intelligence, which will arrive with iOS 18.1. It will bring a variety of new features to the iPad, including a new Siri experience, tools to help you improve your writing, summaries of emails and web pages, and much more, including powerful image generation tools to make your own emoji and illustrations. Many features, including the Apple Apple Apple Most iPads won’t be able to install it, however. Apple Intelligence is restricted to M1-powered iPads and above, which leaves out everything but the iPad Air and iPad Pro. But if it’s as good as Apple says, it could be worth the upgrade. Calculator Apple Apple Apple They said it couldn’t be done! Well, more accurately, no one ever understood why Apple just didn’t do it. But the new standalone Calculator app for the iPad might have been worth the wait. Along with the the standard and scientific layouts, Apple has also introduced a new features called Math Notes that lets you use your Apple Pencil to scribble formulas that are instantly solved as write. And if you go back to change something, it’ll even update your work in real time. Photos Apple Apple Apple The Photos app gets a serious makeover in iPadOS 18, with the top of the main page now showing a collage of your photo stream, Below, Apple has added Collections that automatically organizes your library into topics such as Recent Days and People & Pets. You can also set Pinned Collections for quick access to your favorite collections and albums. Customization Apple Apple Apple One of the most eye-catching changes coming in iPadOS 18 is the ability to fully customize your Home Screen pages. Now you’ll be able to add a color tint to app icons, making them appear uniformly shaded in a hue that you can match to your wallpaper. There’s also the ability to place icons where you like without them immediately snapping back to the next open spot on the grid, as well as making them larger and removing the name beneath. In iPadOS 18, tapping and and holding on an icon to bring up its options, which now include the ability to instantly turn an icon into a widget if one is available. If you want to keep an app private, iPadOS 18 brings the ability to lock certain apps or hide them from view, with Face ID or Touch ID the only way to gain access. Control Center gets some customization options too, with several new pages of control. Users now are able to add more controls to the list, plus resize them to suit their tastes. And third-party developers will be able to make their own controls as well. Notes Apple Apple Apple One of the best Apple apps on the iPad is Notes. It’s been slowly building into something of a powerhouse over the year, and iPadOS 18 brings even more improvements. First up, you can now highlight text to quickly mark up important parts of your notes. You can also hide text with collapsible section headers to better organize longer writings. That’s not all though, as Smart Script will turn Apple Pencil-written notes into more consistent versions, with the feature tidying up your messy writing so it looks more legible. A cool additional capability is that if you paste a text note into a handwritten notes, it will now be converted into the style of your handwriting to match the rest of the document. There’s also a Live Audio Transcription feature that will automatically transcribe any audio notes you make, giving you a text version when you’re done. Password Manager Apple Apple Apple iCloud Keychain has been a feature of Apple devices for a long time, but in iPadOS 18 it will turn into a dedicated Passwords app. With this, you can manage all of your passwords, passkeys, and Wi-Fi codes, and securely share them with friends or family members. It’s all encrypted of course, and could be something that the entries in our best password manager chart will be very worried about. iPadOS 18: Other features Apple Apple Apple There are plenty of additional features coming in iPadOS 18 that will be available on your iPad this fall: Floating Navigation Bar: The small and quick tab bar is now available on most of Apple’s apps, allowing you to stay in full-screen mode but have access to navigation tools. Game Mode: Reduces the in-game response time, improving performance, while also reducing the latency of Bluetooth controllers. Audio latency is also reduced when wearing AirPods. Messages: Text formatting comes to Messages in iPadOS 18, along with Tapbacks that allow you to respond to people with any emoji. There’s also a new feature that lets you schedule messages to be sent at a later time or date. Safari updates: Quickly pull up the highlights on a webpage (most relevant information), and an improved Reader design that includes a summary of the page as well as a table of contents. Shareplay updates: You can now share your screen and draw on it so that friends or family can follow the instructions that you’re giving them. If they want more direct assistance, then they can now allow you to remotely operate their device. Freeform: The Freeform app now includes a Scenes feature which you can use to quickly move through various areas of the document. Privacy: You can now decide which contacts an app can see, and the Privacy section layout has been improved to make it easier to navigate. So, as you can see, there’s plenty to look forward to in iPad OS 18. If you want all the features mentioned above, then it may require upgrading to a new device. You can check out our best iPad deals and best iPad Pro deals to see if there’s a bargain on a new model that will allow you to get your hands on all the best bits Apple has in store for iPads when the full software update drops in September.

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Apple announces iPhone 16 models, highlights new features and hardware
If you’ve been hankering for the iPhone 16, it’s just about here. Over at Apple’s “It’s Glowtime” media event on Monday, September 9, Apple announced the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max handsets. Pre-orders for the units will begin at 5 a.m. PDT, or 8 a.m. EDT on […] Source

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Apple never wants you to take AirPods out of your ears
Macworld Much has been said about Apple’s ecosystem and how it’s engineered so that it makes it difficult to leave it. Why would you? It’s so easy to switch between your iPhone, iPad, and Mac regardless of the work you are doing–or the fun you are having. AirPods have always been included in the ecosystem, but after the Glowtime event, it’s clear that Apple is making a concerted effort to keep AirPods in your ears, so much so that you’ll put them on and will have few reasons to take them off. Now hear this The most obvious new always-on feature is the AirPods Pro’s new hearing health awareness. The first key feature is Hearing Protection, which was designed to protect you from loud environmental noises. It “translates the sound signatures of what you hear to lower levels in environments as loud as 110 dBA.” It also “actively reduces louder, more intermittent noise at 48,000 times per second.” It’s on by default, in an effort to be proactive about protecting your hearing. (This feature will initially be available in the U.S. and Canada only.) The other key feature is the “clinical-grade Hearing Aid” that can be programmed after taking a five-minute scientifically validated hearing test. The test results indicate how much hearing loss you might have, and a custom profile of your hearing is made for setting up the main new feature, Hearing Aid. If the hearing test indicates you have mild to moderate hearing loss, a personalized hearing profile will guide you to set up your AirPods to function as a hearing aid, which boosts frequencies so sounds are clearer and uses machine learning to make real-time adjustments. Obviously, hearing aids are designed to be worn all day, but most people don’t get one until they have to. Apple’s hearing features are designed to amplify your hearing before it becomes dire and protect your hearing from dangerously loud noises. And best of all? They’re completely free for AirPods Pods 2 users. Hearing aids can cost thousands of dollars per pair—and they generally don’t stream music from your phone. With the Hearing Test, Apple is promoting the AirPods as a device to help maintain proper health. With the Hearing Test, Apple is promoting the AirPods as a device to help maintain proper health.Apple With the Hearing Test, Apple is promoting the AirPods as a device to help maintain proper health.Apple Apple Apple groups the Hearing Protecting, Hearing Test, and Hearing Aid features together, but the AirPods Pro 2 has more features that adjust to what need to listen to, so you don’t have to take them off. There’s Adaptive Noise Control, which blends Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode to adjust the level of noise control based on your surroundings, while Conversation Boost and Conversation Awareness make the voices of people speaking to you clearer. Then there’s the stuff that makes the listening experience better, like Adaptive EQ, Active Noise Cancelation, and the feature that plays calming background sounds to mask noise. It’s all meant to enhance not just the Apple ecosystem but also our own environment through our ears—and not just when listening to music. Listen up Some might say that at $249 for the AirPods Pro 2, “You’re dang right I’m never taking these things off!” But even at the $179 level, Apple has improved the AirPods 4 so you’ll be more tempted to leave them on too. It now has features that were previously reserved for the AirPods Pro: Active Noise Cancelation, Transparency Mode, and Conversation Awareness. If you don’t need the hearing aid features just yet, the AirPods 4 are a good and more affordable alternative. The $179 AirPods 4 now have Active Noise Cancelation, which makes them an attractive alternative to the AirPods Pro 2. The $179 AirPods 4 now have Active Noise Cancelation, which makes them an attractive alternative to the AirPods Pro 2.Apple The $179 AirPods 4 now have Active Noise Cancelation, which makes them an attractive alternative to the AirPods Pro 2.Apple Apple Because Apple has engineered the AirPods to automatically switch between your iPhone, iPad, and Mac, you can use one set for every device–you never have to take them off or even turn them off when you switch from your car to your desk. Sure, you might need to take them off in some circumstances, like if you’re editing audio and using high-impedance headphones. But for most of the time, you can use the AirPods. Ear to the ground Rumors have swirled for years that hearing isn’t the only health feature Apple is looking to add to AirPods. Among the rumors are a possible temperature sensor and heart-rate sensor—which Apple is likely bringing to Power Beats Pro 2. It’s not crazy to imagine a future update bringing sleep mode to AirPods that automatically blocks noise, plays white noise, and measures your sleep stages. And there’s Vision Pro as well. While Apple’s headset has built-in speakers, it’s a markedly better experience when paired with AirPods, particularly AirPods Pro 2, which have lossless audio. And as Vision Pro shrinks down to the size of a pair of glasses, AirPods will be right there as a must-have accessory. Apple’s AirPods are already everywhere and their design makes them instantly recognizable. But Apple is starting to unleash the AirPods’ potential as a device that can contribute to a healthy lifestyle, productivity, and fun. With each improvement, AirPods become more vital to your experience, giving you fewer reasons to ever take them off.  Learn more about Apple’s new AirPods. Apple AirPods Pro (2nd-gen, 2023, USB-C) Price When Reviewed: $249 Best Prices Today: $189.99 at Best Buy$194.5 at B&H$249 at Adorama$269 at Amazon Apple AirPods 4 (with ANC) Price When Reviewed: $179 with Sctive Noice Cancelation Best Prices Today: $179 at Apple Apple AirPods 4 (without ANC) Price When Reviewed: $129 without Active Noise Cancelation Best Prices Today: $129 at Apple

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Apple must pay EU $14 billion over Ireland tax arrangement
After a decade of legal wrangling, the European Union has officially given its final ruling over Apple and Ireland's allegedly illegal tax agreement, and Apple has to pay up.Apple's European headquarters, located in Cork, Ireland.Since 2004 when the agreement was made, both Apple and Ireland have continually protested that the amount of tax being paid was legal and fair. It was an exceptionally low rate of tax, however, and moreover the sums being taxed were not just those earned by Apple in Ireland itself.Instead, Apple effectively splits its operations into the US and the rest of the world, with all of the profits from the rest of the world going through its Ireland HQ. Consequently, in 2014, the EU investigated the agreement and concluded that the practice was not legal. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple debuts AirPods 4 wireless earbuds, cites new features between the two product tiers
Concluding the “It’s Glowtime” media event on Monday, Apple unveiled the latest generation of its wireless earbuds. The two models aim to replace the AirPods 2 and AirPods 3 generations, and the last time Apple updated its AirPods was in October 2021. At the time, the AirPods 3 arrived with a new design and Spatial […] Source

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Apple unveils Apple Watch Series 10, highlights thinner bezel, wide-angle OLED display, other new features
Over at Apple’s “It’s Glowtime” media event, Apple unveiled its long-awaited Apple Watch Series 10, complete with a wide-angle OLED display that is larger than the Apple Watch Ultra, the company describing it as the “biggest display and thinnest design ever.” The new model measures 8.7mm thick, is nearly 10 percent thinner than the Apple […] Source

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iOS 18 will finally let you pause video recordings on your iPhone
iOS 18 Release Candidate adds an option to pause an ongoing video recording (and switch lenses in this state) in the iPhone's Camera app. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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