Category: News

  • AirPods Pro 2 may include new motion sensors, delayed until 2022

    AirPods Pro 2 may include new motion sensors, delayed until 2022

    The rumor: Apple’s second-generation AirPods Pro won’t be seeing their release this year after all, according to Mark Gurman (88.7% accurate, via Bloomberg).

    • New Pro AirPods “will include updated motion sensors with a focus on fitness tracking” Gurman says
    • There may also be a radical smaller, stemless design that debuts on these new AirPods
    • AirPods Pro 2 are currently expected to debut sometime in 2022

    Our take: Considering that these aren’t coming this year, I would bet we’ll see the new stemless design here. To hold us over until 2022, we’re getting AirPods 3.

  • Apple ‘readying’ AirPods 3, coming later this year with new design

    Apple ‘readying’ AirPods 3, coming later this year with new design

    The rumor: Apple’s third-generation version of entry-level AirPods are coming later this year, according to Mark Gurman (88.7% accurate, via Bloomberg).

    • The new design, which has been leaked extensively, looks similar to the current version of AirPods Pro
    • A new charging case is also coming, but details are sparse on what other improvements we’ll be seeing feature-wise

    Our take: With the time of this report and Gurman using the word “readying,” I would bet these new AirPods are coming this Summer sometime.

  • Beats Studio Buds leaked in new images

    Beats Studio Buds leaked in new images

    The leak: Our first hands-on images of the upcoming Beats Studio Buds headphones have leaked, courtesy of MySmartPrice (100% accurate, source).

    • Matching up with the previous images found in software, the new headphones are truly wireless and don’t have a stem
    • With recent FCC filings, a launch for the new Beats seems to be happening very soon

    Our take: Honestly, these look a bit weirder in real life than I thought they would. Also seems like they are releasing imminently.

  • New iOS 15 rumor says upgraded dark mode, Messages improvements & food tracking coming

    New iOS 15 rumor says upgraded dark mode, Messages improvements & food tracking coming

    The rumor: Apple may be introducing an improved dark mode, an upgraded Messages app and more with iOS 15, according to an unverified source who shared the info with MakeUseOf’s Connor Jewiss.

    Here is what’s reportedly coming:

    • UI tweaks for Dark Mode
    • Upgrade Messages app (no details here)
    • Food tracking alongside other additional features in the Health app
    • “New notification settings and look” on the Lock Screen (previously reported by Mark Gurman)

    Our take: I’m always skeptical of unverified rumors like this…but all of this sounds super reasonable. Excited to see the UI tweaks shipping with iOS 15!

  • Mac mini first look shows all-new design, lots of ports & more

    Mac mini first look shows all-new design, lots of ports & more

    The leak: Apple is planning a redesigned Mac mini with Apple Silicon inside, according to Jon Prosser (78.1% accurate).

    • On top of the new Mac mini is a “plexiglass” cover instead of metal…Prosser suggests that two-tone colors could make an appearance here, but not for sure
    • The updated desktop will feature the same magnetic power cable as the iMac 24-inch, complemented by 4 USB-C ports, 2 USB-A ports, ethernet and HDMI
    • 2 rubber strips sit on the bottom of the computer where the fan vent is located

    Our take: Another incredible Apple Silicon redesign. Really hoping we see the two-tone color scheme on here similar to the new iMacs but even in white and silver it looks gorgeous. With M1X inside, this will be a beast.

  • New rumor says MacBook Pro ‘confirmed’ for WWDC

    New rumor says MacBook Pro ‘confirmed’ for WWDC

    The rumor: A new version of the MacBook Pro is set to be announced at WWDC, according to Jon Prosser (78.1% accurate).

    • In a response to our story about Apple potentially hinting at the launch of new MacBook models, Prosser says he “can confirm MacBook Pro is coming”
    • Mark Gurman (88.7% accurate) has also rumored a Summer launch for new MacBook Pros

    Our take: And here’s confirmation of our hunch. New MacBook Pros, at the very least, should be shown off in exactly two weeks on June 7.

  • Apple may have hinted at new MacBooks coming at WWDC

    Apple may have hinted at new MacBooks coming at WWDC

    The news: Apple published a new WWDC 2021 image ahead of their developer conference that kicks off in two weeks, and there may be a hint inside.

    • Hidden in the reflection of one character’s eye are 3 emoji characters referenced via their unicode name
      • Fork and knife, sleeping z’s and the MacBook emoji are all shown as rumors have suggested the new MacBook Pro models are coming this Summer
    • Apple is known to leave subtle hints about upcoming announcements in the marketing materials for events

    Our take: This could be a play on this meme… but this hint comes atop other credible sources saying that new MacBook Pro models are coming sooner rather than later. I’m sure a lot of developers make apps on MacBook Pro, so this could be a perfect time to unveil the new one.

  • iOS 14.6 update released, what’s new?

    iOS 14.6 update released, what’s new?

    The news: Apple just released iOS 14.6 with a handful of new features and changes after a brief time in testing.

    Changelog

    Apple Card Family

    • Apple Card can be shared with up to five people, including anyone 13 years or older in your Family Sharing group
    • Apple Card Family adds support for families to track expenses, manage spending with optional limits and controls, and build credit together

    Podcasts

    • Subscription support for channels and individual shows

    AirTag and Find My

    • Lost mode option to add an email address instead of a phone number for AirTag and Find My network accessories
    • AirTag will show the partially masked phone number of the owner when tapped with an NFC-capable device

    Accessibility

    • Voice Control users can unlock their iPhone for the first time after a restart using only their voice

    This release also fixes the following issues:

    • Unlock with Apple Watch may not work after using Lock iPhone on Apple Watch
    • Reminders may appear as blank lines
    • Call blocking extensions may not appear in Settings
    • Bluetooth devices could sometimes disconnect or send audio to a different device during an active call
    • iPhone may experience reduced performance during startup
  • New rumor suggests hardware coming at WWDC

    New rumor suggests hardware coming at WWDC

    The rumor: Apple is preparing to launch new hardware at what is traditionally a software-only event, according to Jon Prosser (78.1% accurate).

    • New hardware is said to be announced on June 7 when WWDC 2021 kicks off, but we currently don’t have the details on what exactly is coming
    • Mark Gurman (88.7% accurate) previously suggested that new MacBook Pro models could launch as soon as this Summer

    Our take: While I’m always skeptical of WWDC hardware rumors, it seems like Apple has a lot to announce this year. I hope it’s MacBooks, but perhaps it is something else even more special…

  • Apple may have given us our first look at iOS 15

    Apple may have given us our first look at iOS 15

    The news: Included in the press release for some major accessibility updates are some never-before-seen iPhone UI tweaks (via 9to5Mac).

    • Settings cells no longer go edge-to-edge and are now inset, similar to their appearance on iPadOS
    • The navigation bar and background are also merged in the screenshots for a more unified UI

    Our take: While none of this is certain, I’d say these UI changes are safe bet. I can’t wait to see more of iOS 15, and the fact that Apple announced all of this early suggests it will be a packed WWDC.

  • Apple announces new accessibility features coming in future software updates

    Apple announces new accessibility features coming in future software updates

    The news: To celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day, Apple has announced a slew of new accessibility features said to be rolling out in future software updates later this year.

    • AssistiveTouch for Apple Watch: “Using built-in motion sensors like the gyroscope and accelerometer, along with the optical heart rate sensor and on-device machine learning, Apple Watch can detect subtle differences in muscle movement and tendon activity, which lets users navigate a cursor on the display through a series of hand gestures, like a pinch or a clench.”
    • Eye-Tracking Support for iPad allows you to use third-party eye-tracking devices to control your device
    • Explore Images with VoiceOver: “Users can now explore even more details about the people, text, table data, and other objects within images. Users can navigate a photo of a receipt like a table: by row and column, complete with table headers.”
    • Made for iPhone Hearing Aids and Audiogram Support: “In a significant update to the MFi hearing devices program, Apple is adding support for new bi-directional hearing aids…Apple is also bringing support for recognizing audiograms — charts that show the results of a hearing test — to Headphone Accommodations.”
    • New Background Sounds “help minimize distractions and help users focus, stay calm, or rest. Balanced, bright, or dark noise, as well as ocean, rain, or stream sounds continuously play in the background to mask unwanted environmental or external noise…”
    • Other features coming: Sound Actions for Switch Control (replaces physical buttons and switches with mouth sounds), per-app display and text size settings and new Memoji customizations (oxygen tubes, cochlear implants and a soft helmet)

    Our take: This is a pretty sweeping set of announcements, but I’m most impressed by AssistiveTouch on Apple Watch. That looks like a monumental step forward for individuals who are motion impaired and could be a game-changer. Plus, eye-tracking on iPad? I never thought we’d see something like that.