Macworld When Apple unveiled its first-ever smartwatch back in 2014, it’s fair to say that the world wasn’t exactly sure what it was for… and neither was Apple. In those early days, along with the fitness elements which would remain an enduring part of the product’s appeal, the company talked enthusiastically about sharing taps, sketches, and heartbeats with friends, which would not. It took time for users and third-party developers to teach Apple what they wanted from a smartwatch, and for the company to take that on board. Today, the Apple Watch is a mature and versatile product. It’s so versatile, indeed, that you may not be aware of some of its most useful capabilities. In this article, we’re going…

Apple is the Online Safety Bill as it could be used to force encrypted messaging tools like iMessage, WhatsApp, Signal and other to scan messages for, ostensibly, child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Apple’s opposition comes as 80 organizations and tech experts have written to UK Technology Minister Chloe Smith urging a rethink. Chris Vallance for The Beeb: Apple told the BBC the bill should be amended to protect encryption. Police, the government and some high-profile child protection charities maintain the tech – used in apps such as WhatsApp and Apple’s iMessage – prevents law enforcement and the firms themselves from identifying the sharing of child sexual abuse material. But in a statement Apple said: “End-to-end encryption is a critical capability…

All of Monday’s best deals are headlined by some of the best prices yet on some of Apple’s latest releases. Now arriving with the ability to detect conversations and adapt audio to your surroundings, AirPods Pro 2 are on sale for $200. You can also head into summer with $70 in savings on nearly every Apple Watch Series 8 style from $329, while also making Anker’s new MagGo MagSafe Power Bank now even more affordable at $25. Hit the jump for all that and more in the latest 9to5Toys Lunch Break. more… The post Monday’s best deals: AirPods Pro 2 hit $200, Apple Watch Series 8 now $70 off, more appeared first on 9to5Mac.

The upcoming iOS 17 update will bring a Live Voicemail feature, enabling users to view a live transcription of their phone conversations and pick up the call while a message is being left. Here's how to use it.Live Voicemail in iOS 17Live Voicemail displays the caller's spoken words on the screen in real time. The feature is helpful when you're uncertain about whether to answer a call or not, as it allows you to preview the message and screen the call before making a decision. Read more...

Macworld There was a roughly two-year gap between the second and third iPhone SE models, launched in April 2020 and March 2022 respectively, so it would be reasonable to hope that a fourth model might make an appearance in spring next year. But the latest word from the analyst grapevine is that it won’t appear until 2025 at the earliest. In a research note shared with MacRumors, Barclays analysts Blayne Curtis and Tom O’Malley this week said that, based on multiple conversations with Apple’s supply-chain partners, the company is unlikely to release a new iPhone SE in 2024. The news will be a disappointment for some (although perhaps not as much of a disappointment as the third-gen SE) but there…

After having "multiple conversations" with companies within Apple's supply chain this week, Barclays analysts Blayne Curtis and Tom O'Malley believe that Apple is unlikely to release a fourth-generation iPhone SE in 2024. In a research note shared with MacRumors, the analysts said Apple's decision not to launch a new iPhone SE next year could indicate that the company's rumored in-house 5G modem will not be ready any time soon, which would benefit Apple's existing iPhone modem supplier Qualcomm. Apple has reportedly been planning its own modem since at least 2018, and acquired the majority of Intel's smartphone modem business in 2019. In April, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said mass production of Apple's modem would begin in 2025 at…