Apple's online store is now down ahead of today's WWDC keynote at 10 a.m. Pacific Time. In addition to previewing its rumored AR/VR headset, Apple is expected to announce a 15-inch MacBook Air and potentially updated Mac Studio models. Apple routinely takes down its online store prior to launching new hardware, a move that helps to build anticipation. In this case, the store going down is likely primarily related to new Macs, as investment firm Morgan Stanley recently estimated that Apple's headset is still months away from entering mass production and launching. The new 15-inch MacBook Air is rumored to use the M2 chip, while the updated Mac Studio models would likely be available with M2 Max and M2 Ultra…

Apple turned the iPod into a status symbol. A headset might be a taller order. | Photo by Justin Sullivan / Getty Images ‘This is the single greatest thing that could happen to this industry.’ As Apple prepares its long-rumored jump into augmented reality on Monday, doubts have shadowed every step of the way. There are reports of frequent changes in direction and skepticism inside Apple’s ranks. The device has allegedly been hard to manufacture and required numerous compromises. The process has taken years longer than Apple expected. And at a rumored $3,000, even Apple reportedly expects slow short-term sales. But among AR professionals, the mood is jubilant. “This is the single greatest thing that could happen to this industry,”…

WhatsApp appears to have a username feature in the works that could potentially provide people on the messaging service with an additional layer of privacy. As things stand, if someone wants to add you as a WhatsApp contact, you're required to share your phone number with them, even if they add you via the QR code method. That's how it's always worked in WhatsApp, but it looks as if Meta's developers understand that users might sometimes prefer to add certain contacts without revealing their phone number. WABetaInfo has spotted a WhatsApp username field in the latest beta Android app, allowing users to choose unique usernames for their accounts. The likelihood is that WhatsApp intends to let users reach other people…

Image: Apple Apple’s upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is expected to be one of its biggest yet. After years of rumors and leaks, Apple could finally take the wraps off of its mixed reality headset, entering the company into a new product category and giving the world a first look at its attempt to prove that virtual reality is worth investing in. There’s also certain to be a lot more: operating system updates, new apps and features, and possibly some new hardware, too. Here, we’ve pulled together details on how and when you can watch the main WWDC keynote as well as some of the announcements that we expect from Apple. When is the WWDC 2023 keynote? Apple has confirmed…

Apple hasn’t made a major product introduction since it rolled out the Apple Watch in 2015, but with its “Reality Pro” mixed-reality headset, expected to retail for $3,000, the company will be entering into a market that has so far failed to catch on with mainstream consumers. Designer Marcus Kane’s conception Apple’s mixed reality headset (via Yanko Design) Emily Bary for MarketWatch: Apple has a history, though, of turning technology categories into trends, and a team of Goldman Sachs analysts says the company might be able to work its magic again with the Reality Pro headset. “Although we recognize that the [augmented/virtual reality] industry as a whole has generally been disappointing, we believe that Apple’s potential AR/VR headset can succeed…

Macworld There are two main reasons why someone might want to install a VPN on an iPhone. One important reason is to protect their privacy and increase their security. Another key reason is that a VPN can be used to make it look like you are based in a different country, which can unlock content that wouldn’t be available where you actually are. If you are concerned about how secure the data on you iPhone is a VPN may be a solution that could give you peace of mind. We have a selection of VPNs for iPhone that we recommend below. But first we’ll quickly address why you might, or might not, want an VPN to protect the data on…