iOS 18 beta code suggests wireless earbuds with a heart-rate sensor are in the works
Code found in Apple's latest beta of iOS 18 contains a reference to unreleased AirPods Pro or Beats with a heart-rate sensor.Future AirPods and Beats devices could include a built-in heart-rate sensorOn Monday, Apple issued its release-candidate version of iOS 18, making it available to the general public. The operating system reportedly contains a string that references wireless earbuds equipped with a heart-rate sensor, which Apple has yet to announce.The string in question is used by an operating system component that controls the setup process for Apple's various wireless headphones and earbuds, such as those belonging to the company's AirPods and Beats lines of products. Rumor Score: 🤯 Likely Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Get 2TB of cloud storage on the cheap: Save $359 on a lifetime subscription to FolderFort
Get a reliable place to keep all of your files. Snag a lifetime subscription to FolderFort's 2TB cloud storage plan for just $139.99. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Apple Intelligence begins arriving on Mac, iPad, and iPhone next month
Today, Apple announced that Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that combines the power of generative models with personal… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Here’s how much bigger the iPhone 16 Pro models are than the standard iPhone 16
Apple had a lot of announcements today, but chief among them were the iPhone 16 Pro models and iPhone 16. Though Apple’s iPhone lineup usually has similar display sizes, this year the Pro models are getting bigger. But how much bigger are the phones really? Here are the details. more…

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Spigen is ready to go with sleek & stylish iPhone 16 Pro cases, plus save 10% with coupon
Protect your iPhone 16 Pro with Spigen's updated case lineup, which features cool teardown designs and aramid fiber options.Spigen's teardown case returns for iPhone 16Spigen was prepared with new cases for Apple's iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max that improve upon previous popular options. A new sleek teardown case joins the classic, alongside a few protective — yet thin — models.Customers can also choose from a variety of accessories that match the new iPhone case styles. Check out the teardown MagSafe wallet or O-mag webcam mount. Continue Reading on AppleInsider

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Protect, power and personalise your iPhone 16 with these MagSafe accessories.
Macworld The new iPhone 16 devices have arrived, promising to be some of the most in-demand tech products over the next year. Thanks to the MagSafe wireless charging used by Apple, there’s also a whole world of accessories to help you get the most out of these new handsets. Spigen has been at the forefront of protective smartphone cases for the last 16 years, and its MagFit ecosystem has everything you need to protect, power and accessorize that shiny, new Apple device. A MagSafe case is where it starts A great case is an essential purchase for any iPhone when it comes to protecting and stylising your device. But, it’s also important that MagSafe charging works seamlessly. Spigen has plenty of options that cover these bases. The Enzo Aramid ($39.99), with its sleek matte black livery and Aerocore Aramid materials, delivers professional looks and solid protection. While the futuristic, multi-layered design of the Ultra Hybrid Zero: One ($22.99) looks like you can see right into the heart of your new iPhone. Safely carry your cards with a MagSafe wallet Spigen Spigen Spigen A MagSafe wallet attaches to the back of your iPhone, saving space while adding the convenience of having everything easily to hand. Spigen’s MagFit system has several options, all with anti-slip patterning that ensures the wallet stays snugly in place. They come with quick-access slots that allow you to slide out your cards smoothly. So, no struggling to prise your credit card free while everyone in the cashier’s line waits impatiently behind. Wirelessly charge your iPhone 16 with MagFit at home or on the go Spigen Spigen Spigen If you want to turn your iPhone into a bedside clock while it’s charging, then the Standby Mode in iOS works brilliantly with the ArcField Duo ($49.49) to achieve this, while simultaneously charging your AirPods.  Recharging your iPhone in the car is also important, as Apple Maps can quickly drain the battery or the sun cause the iPhone to overheat. Both of these problems can be solved by using the Spigen OneTap Pro 3 CryoMax ($52.99). As the compact, adjustable MagSafe charger brings the added bonus of cooling your iPhone while charging. Other cool MagSafe accessories to make life easier Spigen Spigen Spigen Spigen’s MagFit ecosystem comes with plenty of other helpful accessories that use the MagSafe design. For instance, the OM101 ($21.99) is a clever magnetic grip with an adjustable ring that can help you hold your iPhone, act as a kickstand for watching video content, plus there’s also a clip that enables you to attach it to the top of a laptop for FaceTime calls. If you’re travelling, then the OneTap Away ($39.99) could be a godsend. Designed to clip onto an upright tray table on a plane, this instantly turns your iPhone into your in-flight entertainment system. You can angle the stand to adjust to your preferred eyeline, then watch TV shows or movies, all while keeping your hands free. Get the most out of your iPhone with the Spigen MagFit system As you can see, there’s plenty of fantastic accessories in the MagFit system that are purpose-built to make light work of protecting, styling, charging and using your iPhone 16 or any other MagSafe equipped iPhone. If you’re buying a new Apple device, then a trip to the Spigen MagFit page could be the perfect upgrade.

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Apple has a bunch of new iPhone 16 & iPhone 16 Pro cases
Along with Apple's introduction of the new iPhone 16 family, it has released an array of new cases. Here is a guide to all the new cases from Apple.New case choices are available for the iPhone 16 family.While many third-party cases flood the markets, and there are many great cases, some of these options use inferior materials and manufacturing. Apple users who want to ensure their phones are protected the way Apple intended often opt for the company's official cases.Without any fanfare, Apple has removed the FineWoven and Leather cases from its stores. Both of these case styles had seen some users complaining about their durability in online forums. It's not unprecedented for Apple to remove products from its lineup without notice, but Apple confusingly still offers the FineWoven MagSafe wallets. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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iPhone 16 gets hugely faster wireless charging, if you have the right MagSafe cord
Apple's iPhone 16 has far faster MagSafe charging than previous models, assuming you get the newest charger. Here's what you need to know.MagSafe 2 charger on an iPhone 16The MagSafe charger has magnets that snap into place on the back of an iPhone for a secure connection and efficient charging. The magnetic alignment feature is compatible with iPhone 12 and later.One of the critical improvements in the version of MagSafe is its ability to deliver up to 25W of power when paired with a sold-seperately 30W USB-C Power Adapter. For iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro users, Apple says you can charge up to 50% in approximately 30 minutes. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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iPhone 16 and 16 Pro are packed with upgrades led by AI and Camera Control
Macworld The new iPhones are here, and they’re all about two things: Apple Intelligence and improved camera capabilities. And while Apple is focusing on those things first and foremost, you can expect better performance, battery life, and loads of other upgrades as well. These are the most significant upgrades to iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro. Apple Intelligence Apple Intelligence was announced at WWDC in June, but these new generative AI features coming to iOS 18 (over the course of several updates) could previously only run on the iPhone 15 Pro. That is, until the iPhone 16 line. Tim Cook said multiple times that the iPhone 16 family was “built from the ground up for Apple Intelligence.” Apple didn’t announce any new features, instead reminding everyone of all the Apple Intelligence announced at WWDC: writing tools, an all-new Siri with personalized context, image generation including AI-made custom emojis, and totally new creative images with the new Image Playground app, summaries of emails and notifications, and so on. While the iPhone 15 Pro will get all these features, the iPhone 16 line marks the first time Apple is making them available in a non-pro model, and with the iPhone 15 Pro dropping out of the iPhone lineup, the new iPhone 16 models will be the only way to get a new iPhone with Apple Intelligence. It’s going to be a gradual rollout, though. Apple Intelligence features will appear piece-by-piece starting in October with iOS 18.1 for U.S. English, with additional features and languages coming in later iOS 18 updates. For more on the rollout of Apple Intelligence features, see our guide. Camera Control and new camera features Apple finally added a camera button! Actually, Apple doesn’t even call it a button, they call it “Camera Control” because it does much more than a simple button would. The Camera Control is a new hardware element that sits flush with the body of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro, placed down on the right side so it sits underneath your index finger when you’re shooting in landscape orientation as a camera shutter would. It’s capacitive and can detect pressure and gestures, and works with the Taptic Engine to provide physical feedback. The new camera control puts a bunch of camera features at your fingertip. Just don’t call it a “button!” The new camera control puts a bunch of camera features at your fingertip. Just don’t call it a “button!”Apple The new camera control puts a bunch of camera features at your fingertip. Just don’t call it a “button!”Apple Apple There are several functions. Pressing it will open the camera app, and a longer press will open a new Apple Intelligence-powered visual search. Once in the camera app, the button gains more functionality. Press it again to take a photo or press and hold to start recording a video. Tap the control with a light press to bring up new controls where you can swipe to zoom, adjust exposure, change photographic styles, and more. A double-tap will bring up all the controls so you can pick which one your swipes will adjust. Apple is also making these tools available to developers so they can use Camera Control in their apps in whatever way fits, such as changing filters in Instagram. Of course, Camera Control is joined by some new camera hardware and software features. The iPhone 16 gains a new 48MP “Fusion” main camera that shoots 24MP and 48MP images and an upgraded 12MP ultra-wide camera that includes autofocus and can take macro shots. The iPhone 16 Pro gets a new 48MP ultra-wide camera and the 5x telephoto camera that was previously exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro Max will now be available on both sizes of the iPhone 16 Pro. Both iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro have a new anti-reflective lens coating on the main “Fusion” camera to reduce lens glare. Apple is giving Photographic Styles a big upgrade with new technology that operates deeper into the image pipeline along with a host of new style options. A new control pad interface is designed to make it easier to adjust the styles to your liking, and you can now finally apply and adjust styles after you take the photo. Battery life and thermal management Both the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro have new thermal management and design changes that are designed to allow the processor to run faster under sustained workloads, like gaming or long video edits. Apple says this results in 30 percent better sustained performance in games on the iPhone 16 and a 20 percent improvement on the iPhone 16 Pro. The batteries in both models are larger, which combines with the more efficient A18 processors and other efficiency improvements to offer better battery life than any other iPhone generation. A new internal layout and thermal substructure help keep the A18 and A18 Pro cooler, for better sustained performance. A new internal layout and thermal substructure help keep the A18 and A18 Pro cooler, for better sustained performance.Apple A new internal layout and thermal substructure help keep the A18 and A18 Pro cooler, for better sustained performance.Apple Apple Apple claims the iPhone 16 Pro will last from 2 hours (streaming video) to 10 hours (audio playback) longer than the iPhone 15 Pro. The iPhone 16 Pro Max’s battery life is improved by 4 hours (streaming video) to 10 hours (audio playback) compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Based on these numbers, it’s the longest battery life in any iPhone ever. The iPhone 16 is supposed to get two hours longer battery life when playing back video, relative to the iPhone 15, and the iPhone 16 Plus boosts that to 4 hours, also the longest battery life of any non-Pro iPhone yet. Performance Of course, every new iPhone comes with a new processor. Apple says it is jumping ahead “two generations” in the non-pro model, moving from the A16 to the new A18. The A18 is built using a second-generation 3nm process that has faster and more efficient transistors. It’s got an updated 16-core Neural Engine, a 5-core GPU with hardware-accelerated ray tracing, and an improved six-core CPU (two performance cores and four efficiency cores). The GPU is said to be 40 percent faster than the GPU in the A16 Bionic. The iPhone 16 Pro gets an upgraded processor in the form of the A18 Pro. It still has a six-core CPU (two performance and four efficiency cores) but it’s a new design with larger caches, better matrix operations for machine learning, and improved efficiency. Apple claims it is 15% faster than the CPU in the A17 Pro, and can deliver the same performance as A17 Pro while using 20% less power. The A18 Pro has a six-core GPU that Apple says is 20% faster than the A17 Pro’s. Both the A18 and A18 Pro have 17 percent higher memory bandwidth than previous-generation Apple Silicon. Macworld Macworld Macworld Other odds and ends We’ll have much more to say about the new iPhone 16 line in the coming days, but here are some additional odds and ends you may want to know about. The iPhone 16 Pro has a 6.3″ display (up from 6.1 inches) with a body just a tiny bit larger than the iPhone 15 Pro. It’s about 6 percent heavier, too. The iPhone 16 Pro Max has a 6.9-inch display (up from 6.7 inches), is also just a little bit larger, and about 3 percent heavier than the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The iPhone 16 Pro has a new microphone array of four “studio grade” mics for improved audio recording quality. There are a bunch of iPhone 16 Pro exclusive video features, like 4K HDR video recording at 120 fps, the ability to play back video at variable speeds after capture, new audio mixing features, cinematic slow-mo, and more. MagSafe has been updated to support faster charging speeds (25W) with a 30W power adapter. Both the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro support Wi-Fi 7. Price and release date The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro will be available for preorder on Friday, September 13, and will be available in stores on Friday, September 20. Prices are the same as the iPhone 15 line: iPhone 16: Starts at $799 (128GB) iPhone 16 Plus: Starts at $899 (128GB) iPhone 16 Pro: Starts at $999 (128GB) iPhone 16 Pro Max: Starts at $1,1199 (256GB)

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Apple Watch gets new bands for Series 10, but Apple promises backward compatibility
With the announcement of the Apple Watch Series 10 on Monday, Apple also introduced new Apple Watch bands. But contrary to some rumors, Apple promises backward compatibility with old Apple Watch bands. more…

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Belkin launches new multi-use ‘AirPods Cleaning Kit’ alongside AirPods 4
Today, Apple announced the latest generation in its popular earbuds line, the AirPods 4. While Apple’s game-changing earbuds are known for being easy to use, as any long-time user will tell you, keeping them in pristine, clean condition is a bit more challenging. With this in mind, Belkin has launched an updated version of its AirPods Cleaning Kit to help keep your wireless earbuds clean. more…

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Sleep apnea detection is the most impactful upgrade to the Apple Watch
Sleep apnea is estimated to affect more than one billion people worldwide and is linked to a decline in cardiac function, an increased risk for diabetes, and an overall lower quality of life — here's how the Apple Watch hopes to fix that.Sleep apnea is a highly prevalent yet severely undiagnosed disorder in which a person experiences repetitive pauses in breathing or excessively shallow breathing while sleeping.Sleep apnea is typically diagnosed as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or central sleep apnea (CSA). OSA is caused when the airway becomes obstructed. Obstructions can be caused by any number of factors, including obesity, back sleeping, a narrow airway, allergies, enlarged tonsils, and many more.CSA is when the brain fails to regulate one's breathing rate, which can cause the affected person to miss one or more sleeping cycles. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Compared: AirPods Max vs AirPods Max with USB-C
After almost four years, Apple has finally updated the AirPods Max. This is what has changed in Apple's premium headphones.AirPods Max new colors: starlight, orange, purple, blue, midnightApple introduced the original AirPods Max in December 2020, and hasn't changed them at all since then. While other products have received changes over time, the AirPods Max stayed static.With the AirPods Max approaching four years since their introduction, it was overdue to get an update. As part of the "Glowtime" special event in September, Apple did just that. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple Watch Series 10 vs. Ultra 2 battery life: Here’s the key difference
Today during Apple’s iPhone 16 event, the Apple Watch Series 10 debuted with a host of welcome changes. Apple also launched a new satin black finish for the Apple Watch Ultra 2, but didn’t have an Ultra 3 this year. When comparing the two flagship Watch options, battery life is one major difference. Here’s what to expect from each Watch’s battery. more…

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It Sure Looks Like FineWoven is Dead
An anonymous reader shares a report: It seems like Apple is already moving on from FineWoven. After introducing the FineWoven brand with a series of very bad cases and accessories last year, it appears as though Apple opted not to release new cases featuring the material for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro. Apple has stopped offering FineWoven cases for the iPhone 15 lineup on its website, too. Apple launched FineWoven, which had a microtwill material, as a replacement for its leather cases. But the cases quickly accumulated visible wear and tear and picked up bits of lint, which could make them look dirty relatively quickly. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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Thinnest-ever Apple Watch Series 10 is here with larger display, health upgrades
Macworld At the “It’s Glowtime!” event today, Apple unveiled the latest updates to its line of smartwatches. The all-new Apple Watch Series 10 features a major redesign and new health features, while the Apple Watch Ultra 2 from last year gets a new color finish and a range of new accessories. Apple Watch Series 10 release date The Apple Watch Series 10 was announced on September 9. Preorders have already begun, and the watch will ship and appear in stores on September 20. Apple Watch Series 10 design: Bigger, but slimmer The most obvious update for the Apple Watch in 2024 is a major redesign–perhaps the most comprehensive redesign in the product’s history. This has three main strands: the Series 10 has a bigger screen, it has a thinner body, and it’s lighter. First, the display. It’s the biggest ever on an Apple Watch–even (only just) beating the Ultra, which doesn’t get a redesign this year (although it does get some new buying options, as you can read below). The larger 46mm version of the Series 10 has a 416×496 display occupying 1220 sq mm, compared to 410×502 and 1185 sq mm for the (always 49mm) Ultra 2. The 42mm Series 10 has a smaller screen, of course, at 374×446 and 989 sq mm. The corners of the screen are also more rounded, and there’s a wider aspect ratio. Apple Apple Apple But the changes aren’t limited to the screen’s physical dimensions. It’s up to 40 percent brighter than previous models when viewed at an angle; phones are usually looked at straight on, but watches may be looked at in the middle of a workout and thus from an odd angle. Similarly, active users often find that they need to look at the watch without raising their wrist, and therefore while it’s still in always-on mode; with this in mind, and thanks to improvements in power efficiency, the Series 10 updates once a second in always-on mode instead of once a minute, so you’ll be able to see the second hand moving normally. The Series 10 is also the thinnest Apple Watch ever. At 9.7mm thick for both 42mm and 46mm versions, it’s nearly 10 percent thinner than the Series 9, which means it’ll be less obtrusive on the wrist. (The Series 9 is 10.7mm thick, while the Ultra 2 is a whopping 14.4mm.) It’s also lighter, but this isn’t just because of the slimmer chassis; it’s also because of the redesigned all-metal body. (The rear of the Series 9 was ceramic, but now it’s metal.) The larger Series 10 with cellular weighs 35.3g, down from 39g for the equivalent Series 9. And remember, you’re getting a bigger screen too. Apple Apple Apple These are the design changes that will make the most difference to users, but some more cosmetic differences are important too. There’s a new Jet Black aluminum finish, with a cool matte texture achieved (Apple says) by polishing with nanoparticles. It looks pretty great and will be available alongside three other aluminum colors: rose gold, silver, and slate. There isn’t currently a (Product)Red option, but that may appear partway through the run. While we’re talking finishes, it’s worth mentioning the new titanium model. Made of Grade 5 titanium, this is lighter still, and replaces the stainless steel option. You can choose natural or (pictured below) gold titanium. Apple Apple Apple Apple Watch Series 10 new features: Quicker charging, new health features With an Apple launch, we often expect either a major redesign, or a significant raft of new features, but very rarely both. But the Series 10 appears to be the exception, offering lots of upgrades and new functions. Thanks to what it describes as a larger and more efficient charging coil, the Series 10 offers faster charging than previous models. Apple claims that 30 minutes of charging will be enough to get the device from zero to 80 percent. The company claims the Series 9 takes 45 minutes to achieve the same thing. That sounds good, but I will add that when I was reviewing the Series 9 I kept an eye on how quickly it charged, and noted that after 20 minutes it had got from zero to 43 percent, and after a total of 32 minutes it had got to 73 percent… so would have been on around 68% after half an hour, and there’s no way it would have taken 45 minutes to reach 80%. Then again, real-world performance and claimed figures are not the same thing, and we may find that the Series 10 too surpasses Apple’s charging claims. Estimated battery life remains the same as the Series 9, at “up to 18 hours,” but of course, we’ll test that out too. Apple Apple Apple Thanks to changes to the speaker setup (which were necessary to reduce the thickness of the chassis) it’s now possible to play audio through the watch’s speakers rather than via headphones. Whether you’re blaring out music or podcasts, that seems like a double-edged sword for those around you. On the health side, the Series 10 is designed to detect sleep apnea, a medical condition that can cause breathing difficulties and disturbances while asleep. It’s believed that 80 percent of cases are undiagnosed, but it’s hoped that the new Apple Watch could help to lower that number by identifying telltale patterns of nighttime disturbance across 30-day periods. (So a single disturbed night wouldn’t trigger a diagnosis.) Apple Apple Apple Note, however, that Apple says it’s still waiting on FDA approval for this feature, so it’s difficult to be sure when it will become operative. Following the lead of the Ultra line, the Series 10 gains a built-in depth gauge and the associated Depth app. For some reason, however–it isn’t clear if this is related to the power of the gauge or the water resistance of the watch itself, but I’d suspect the latter–the Series 9’s depth functions can only be used to a depth of 6m, compared to 40m for the Ultra 2. In other words, whereas the Ultra 2 is designed to cater for divers, the Series 9 is for snorkellers. Apple Apple Apple And finally, the Series 10 has a new S10 chip. Which may be faster than the S9, or may be essentially the same with a new branding; it still has a 64-bit dual-core processor and a 4-core Neural Engine, and Apple is coy about details beyond that. Apple Watch Series 10 pricing Convinced? If you’re tempted to buy the new model, you’ll need to know the prices. Apple Watch Series 10 starts from $399 for the GPS model, and from $499 for the cellular model. You can check out (and preorder) all the models and variants on Apple’s website now, but here’s the (mostly) full pricing. There are some bands that will push the price up further. Apple Watch Series 10 (aluminum, GPS, 42mm): $399 / £399 / AU$649 Apple Watch Series 10 (aluminum, GPS, 46mm): $429 / £429 / AU$699 Apple Watch Series 10 (aluminum, GPS + cellular, 42mm): $499 / £499 / AU$809 Apple Watch Series 10 (aluminum, GPS + cellular, 46mm): $529 / £529 / AU$859 Apple Watch Series 10 (titanium, GPS + cellular, 42mm): $699 / £699 / AU$1,199 Apple Watch Series 10 (titanium, GPS + cellular, 46mm): $749 / £749 / AU$1,279 Updates to the Apple Watch Ultra What of the other models in the Apple Watch line? Not much is happening, to be honest. The Apple Watch SE, for example, wasn’t mentioned at all. That remains in the lineup but it’s still the 2nd-gen model. Likewise, the 2nd-gen Ultra remains on sale and there’s no sign of the 3rd generation. But the Ultra 2 does at least get a new finish: a frankly gorgeous satin black. That’s available on the same timeframe as the Series 9: preorder now, in stores on September 20. Apple Apple Apple There are also some new accessories. There’s a new version of the Milanese loop in black titanium which you can buy on its own for $199 or £199. (If you select it when buying the Ultra 2, however, it’ll only add $100 to the price, bringing it to $899.)

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AirPods 4 vs AirPods Pro: here’s all the differences
So, Apple just updated its base model AirPods for the first time in years. There’s now two new models, one with Active Noise Cancellation, and one without. ANC was the hero exclusive feature of … until today. So how do the new AirPods (not Pro) stack up? Here’s all the differences. more…

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AirPods 4 vs AirPods Pro: here’s all the differences
So, Apple just updated its for the first time in years. There’s now two new models, one with Active Noise Cancellation, and one without – starting at $129. ANC was the hero exclusive feature of … until today. So how do the new AirPods (not Pro) stack up? Here’s all the differences. more…

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iPhone 16 Camera Control makes getting the shot a click away
With Camera Control, you can launch the camera, initiate a visual search, and more, all with a simple tap or click. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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iPhone 16 Camera Control makes getting the shot a click away
With Camera Control, you can launch the camera, initiate a visual search, and more, all with a simple tap or click. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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