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News - page 150

Recurring payments are coming to Apple Cash

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Apple Cash reoccurring payments in iOS 17
Regularly send money to friends, family, etc. with reoccurring payments, coming to Apple Cash.
Photo: Apple

Making regular, reoccurring payments will soon be a feature of Apple Cash. This will make the payment system useful for rent or allowances or other financial transactions that happen each week or month.

Plus, the system will be able to automatically bring in more money when needed.

iOS 17 automatically blurs unsolicited nude images sent to adults

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iOS 17 Sensitive Content Warning
You might never have to look at a stranger’s private parts again.
Photo: Apple

If some random person decides you need to see a picture of his anatomy, iOS 17 will save you. The new Sensitive Content Warning scans texted images and automatically blurs any that contain nudity.

It’s a feature already in iPhone to protect children, and it’s now being extended to adults.

Apple Design Awards go to 12 great apps and games

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Six apps and six games won in six categories, chosen from 36 finalists.
Six apps and six games won in six categories, chosen from 36 finalists.
Photo: Apple
WWDC23

A dozen “best-in-class” apps and games took honors in the Apple Design Awards Monday at WWDC23. Winning development teams hailed from around the world, delivering innovative apps with great design, Apple said.

“Apps and games are integral to how we live, work, and play. At Apple, we love to recognize outstanding developers whose apps reflect incredible creativity and design excellence,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations.

Hands on with iOS 17 Autocorrect and intelligent input improvements

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iOS 17 Keyboard settings
Entering text gets a bit easier, with fewer typos, in iOS 17.
Graphic: Apple
WWDC23

Apple is souping up the systems for entering text into iPhone with iOS 17. Autocorrect is getting enhanced with AI for fewer typos, as part of multiple improvements to what Apple calls “intelligent input.” And Dictation is getting a boost that promises more-accurate voice recognition, too.

I tested the changes in the first iOS 17 beta. Here’s how well they work … so far.

Apple buys AR headset startup Mira

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Mira headsets have been used in different industries, the military and in the Mario Kart ride at Super Nintendo World.
Mira headsets have been used in different industries, the military and in the Mario Kart ride at Super Nintendo World.
Photo: Mira

Just a day after Apple unveiled its Vision Pro AR/VR headset at WWDC23, news came along Tuesday that the company acquired Los Angeles-based AR headset startup Mira.

Mira makes headsets for other companies — notably Super Nintendo World theme parks — and holds contracts with the U.S. military.

Here’s how spatial user interfaces work in visionOS

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UI elements of visionOS
visionOS has a rich library of user interface elements. That will set it above other headsets.
Photo: Apple
WWDC23

How does Apple’s new “spatial computing” platform visionOS work exactly?

At WWDC23 this week, Apple detailed a bunch of interesting tidbits about how the new Vision Pro headset works. Apple detailed how buttons look and behave in the spatial computer, how they are pressed without any physical controls, and how apps work in 3D.

Here’s how Apple’s spatial interface works.

Apple makes downloading iOS 17, iPadOS 17 and other developer betas free

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iOS 17 preview
You can now download OS developer betas for free from Apple.
Photo: Apple

Apple has made its OS developer beta builds free to download. You can now enroll in the Apple Developer Program for free.

This will allow you to download the latest iOS, iPadOS, or macOS beta for free. Previously, Apple made the download available for developers who paid the yearly $99 subscription fees.

watchOS 10 brings Optimized Charge Limit to older Apple Watch models

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Now's your chance to grab an affordable Apple Watch 7.
An Apple Watch Ultra feature is coming to regular Apple Watch models with watchOS 10.
Photo: Apple

watchOS 10 will bring Optimized Charge Limit, as seen on the Apple Watch Ultra, to older Apple smartwatches. The feature debuted with watchOS 9 but was only available for the Ultra wearable.

Optimized Charge Limit is different from Optimized Battery Charging. However, both features aim to extend the lifespan of your Apple Watch’s battery.

iOS 17’s NameDrop makes sharing contact info a breeze

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The new iOS 17 AirPlay feature called NameDrop will help you easily share your contact info and more.
The new iOS 17 AirPlay feature called NameDrop will help you easily share your contact info and more.
Photo: Apple
WWDC23

Sharing your contact information and more with people will get easier with new AirDrop functionality in iOS 17. A new feature called NameDrop makes it about as simple as knocking iPhones together.

“Today, you either hand your phone to them, or one of you dictates your information while the other types it. Now there’s a better way,” said Apple SVP of Software Engineering Craig Federighi during Monday’s WWDC23 keynote. “Now you can just bring your phones close together.”

iOS 17 Messages app can make Live Photos and all emoji into stickers

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With Messages in iOS 17, you can turn subjects you've taken from your photos into stickers.
With Messages in iOS 17, you can turn subjects you've taken from your photos into stickers.
Photo: Apple
WWDC23

WWDC23’s keynote wasn’t just about big OS and hardware releases. It also brought some fun stuff — like new sticker functionality coming to the Messages app and beyond.

Using Messages on your iPhone (and perhaps elsewhere), you should be able to liven up your texting by turning any emoji, photo subject or even Live Photo (short video) into a sticker you can drag into any text bubble — or anywhere you use emoji.

Apple Back to School deal bundles gift card up to $150 with new Mac or iPad

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Apple Back to School deal bundles gift card up to $150 with new Mac or iPad
Mac, iPad and gift cards go hand-in-hand in the 2023 Apple Back to School deal.
Graphic: Apple

It’s barely summer and Apple is already thinking about heading back to school in the fall. But at least it’s offering students a $150 gift card with a qualifying Mac purchase, and a $100 gift card with a qualifying iPad purchase.

That’s on top of educational pricing for these computers. And a deal on AppleCare+.

Safari 17 in macOS Sonoma beefs up user privacy

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Enhanced Private Browsing helps protect against online trackers as well as folks who gain access to your computer.
Enhanced Private Browsing helps protect against online trackers as well as folks who gain access to your computer.
Photo: Apple
WWDC23

Along with macOS Sonoma and its new features will come Safari 17, the new iteration of Apple’s web browser. It brings an enhanced browsing experience with an even greater emphasis than before on privacy, and most changes will probably apply to iOS and iPadOS, as well.

The changes aren’t terribly glamorous, but beefed-up Private Browsing protects against prying eyes online and off, in addition to some other security enhancements.

And in terms of organization, the new Profiles feature helps you keep separate parts of your life separate and website apps keep your favorite sites at your fingertips.

Apple’s Journal app may help you ‘practice gratitude’

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Apple Journal App press images creating new entry and list of past entries
Journal can help you create personalized entries, with content from multiple apps, to help you preserve life’s memories.
Screenshots: Apple
WWDC23

During their WWDC23 keynote, along side the introduction of iOS 17, Apple also previewed their new Journaling app. In line with previous rumors and expectations, the app is designed to make it simple to quickly capture a wide range of aspects about your day.

Go old school with very affordable new USB hub

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Go old school with very affordable new Plugable USBC-HUB4A USB hub
Add four useful ports to Mac or iPad with Plugable's inexpensive USB-C hub.
Photo: Plugable

Plugable just launched a hub for MacBook or iPad users who need to connect to multiple USB-A accessories. It includes four ports for legacy accessories, and connects to the computer via USB-C.

The inexpensive hub is designed for use in an office or on the go.

First looks at Vision Pro: Apple nails the hardware (and the experience)

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Apple Vision Pro
The Vision Pro sizzle reel looks great, of course, but what is the device actually like?
Photo: Apple
WWDC23

First impressions of the Vision Pro headset make it sound like Apple absolutely nailed both the industrial design and the overall “experience” of wearing a mixed-reality headset.

Apple didn’t let most reporters go hands-on (or rather “heads-on”) with the new device following the Vision Pro’s unveiling at Monday’s WWDC23 keynote. However, the company’s handlers let some members of the media into a private area to gawk at the Vision Pro — and a handful of people actually got to strap one on.

The very first glimpses reveal hardware that looks far better than the competition, paired with a compelling visual experience, and triggers only a few negative reactions.

First iOS 17, macOS Sonoma, watchOS 10 developer betas now ready for testing

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iOS 17, iPadOS 17, watchOS 10 and macOS Sonoma are coming to these devices.
Nearly every Apple device has a new beta out.
Photo: Apple

With macOS Sonoma, iOS 17, iPadOS 17, watchOS 10 and tvOS 17 unveiled at WWDC23 on Monday, Apple made the initial betas available to developers. These are major updates for the various operating systems that run all Apple computers.

Beta testing will stretch through summer, with the full release of these OSs not coming until autumn.

Even at $3,500, Apple’s Vision Pro headset looks like a relative bargain

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A panoramic photo in Apple's Vision Pro headset.
Apple's Vision Pro headset ain't cheap; new technology never is.
Photo: Apple
WWDC23

People might be squawking about the $3,499 price tag of Apple’s new Vision Pro headset, but let’s put things in perspective. When Apple introduced the Macintosh — the first computer with a graphical user interface — it cost an eye-watering $7,400 in today’s dollars.

The Apple II — the first truly “personal computer’ — proved even more expensive. In 1977, an Apple II with maxed-out memory (a whopping 48KB of RAM, yes kilobytes) cost the equivalent of $14,400.

All that makes the $3,499 price tag of Apple’s new Vision Pro VR headset seem like a relative bargain. It packs insane 4K OLED screens to mesmerize your eyes, an outside screen that shows your face while wearing it, and an array of sensors to capture your hand movements, facial expressions and more.

If Apple is right, and the headset represents the dawn of a new era of 3D spatial computing, then 3,500 bucks isn’t so much to be at the cutting edge. New technology is always pricey … and it could have been even worse. Given the amount of new tech involved, and the high price of nearly a decade of development, the Vision Pro could have been even more expensive. It’s no $10,000 Apple Watch Edition!

Apple’s biggest reveals at WWDC23

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Here's everything you need to know about WWDC23, Apple's
Here's everything you need to know from the WWDC23 keynote, the beginning of Apple's "best ever" developer event!
Image: Cult of Mac
WWDC23

The Keynote from WWDC23 was unusually jam-packed with huge announcements. Naturally, the first official details of new iOS, macOS, iPadOS and watchOS versions came to light, as is traditional. But Apple also used its annual developer conference to take the wraps off quite a bit of hardware.

And CEO Tim Cook used Apple’s classic “One more thing” line to unveil Vision Pro, the augmented-reality headset that was the absolute star of Monday’s Keynote.

tvOS 17 takes FaceTime to the big (TV) screen

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With the tvOS 17 update, FaceTime comes to Apple TV 4K for the first time.
With the tvOS 17 update, FaceTime comes to Apple TV 4K for the first time.
Photo: Apple
WWDC23

Apple said Monday in the WWDC23 Keynote that tvOS 17 brings FaceTime to Apple TV 4K for the first time. So you can put your calls with family, friends and colleagues on the biggest screen you have.

“tvOS 17 transforms the biggest screen in the home with FaceTime and new video conferencing capabilities, giving Apple TV 4K users the ability to easily connect with anyone right from their living room,” said Bob Borchers, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing.

“New features and enhancements make Apple TV simpler to use and even more enjoyable, reinforcing it as the absolute best option in the living room for Apple customers,” he added.

AirPods Pro 2 software update will bring awesome new features

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AirPods Pro 2 internal view
An AirPods Pro 2 software upgrade will add important new audio features. And all Apple wireless earbuds are getting some enhancements.
Photo: Apple
WWDC23

An upcoming software update will add multiple new listening modes to AirPods Pro 2. These are designed to make it easier for the user to listen to music while also hearing what’s going on around them.

Apple also announced at WWDC23 that all AirPods will get better at switching connections between devices, plus a change intended to make conference calls easier.

Apple gives the nitty-gritty details on new software features and Vision Pro

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A focus on Experiences, Hardware, Values, Tools and visionOS.
The Platforms State of the Union focused on experiences, hardware, values, tools and the new visionOS that powers the Vision Pro headset.
Photo: Apple
WWDC23

At today’s Platforms State of the Union, Apple went into more depth on the updates coming to their software: interactive widgets for iOS, iPadOS and now on the macOS desktop; big updates to watchOS; and the introduction of visionOS, the operating system that runs on Apple’s new Vision Pro.

There are loads of new features that developers will be able to take advantage of that Apple didn’t highlight in the main Keynote. Thus far, they’ve covered improvements to the in-app camera, a standard tips balloon, and an easier way to make animations in SwiftUI.

‘For $3500,’ Apple’s Vision Pro headset better …

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Apple Vision Pro price tag: $3,499.
That $3,500 price tag certainly got people's attention.
Photo: Apple
WWDC23

One key feature of Apple’s upcoming Vision Pro headset certainly made a splash after Monday’s unveiling. But it wasn’t “spatial computing” or the way you dial in reality while wearing the sci-fi-looking goggles — it was the Vision Pro’s eye-popping $3,499 price tag.

Shortly after the big reveal during the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference keynote, “For $3500” trended on Twitter, with people jumping on the chance to take the piss out of Apple’s pricey new product.

This might be the future of computing, but some of these jokes are hilarious.

Widget fans and cyclists and will love watchOS 10

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watchOS 10 will work with Apple Watch Series 4 and newer.
watchOS 10 will work with Apple Watch Series 4 and newer.
Photo: Apple
WWDC23

watchOS 10 will introduce widgets and bring a new look for many built-in Apple Watch apps. But the biggest changes come to the Workout app, which adds features that serious cyclists have been demanding for years, including support for third-party Bluetooth power and cadence meters.

Will your devices run Apple’s latest operating systems?

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iOS 17, iPadOS 17, watchOS 10 and macOS Sonoma are coming to these devices.
Apple is dropping support for several devices with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17.
Photo: Apple
WWDC23

Apple announced iOS 17, iPadOS 17, watchOS 10, and macOS Sonoma at the opening keynote of WWDC23. While these OS’s won’t launch anytime soon, when they do land, your old Apple device might be incompatible.

Below is a list of all the iPhones, iPads, Apple Watch, and Macs compatible with iOS 17, iPadOS 17, watchOS 10, and macOS Sonoma.