Apple this week began selling its new Beats Studio Buds+ in the UK and most other countries, with the exceptions of Brazil, Mexico, and Taiwan, where the earbuds will be available starting mid-August. The earbuds first launched in the U.S. in May. Key new features of the Studio Buds+ include a transparent design option similar to the Nothing Ear (2) earbuds, up to 36 hours of battery life with the included USB-C charging case, and up to 1.6× as much active noise cancellation as the original Studio Buds that launched in 2021. In the U.S., the earbuds are priced at $169.99. Studio Buds+ are essentially a sportier alternative to the AirPods Pro, and have a more compact design without "stems"…

Apple today seeded the third beta of macOS Ventura 13.5 to developers for testing purposes, with the beta introduced two weeks after the release of the second beta. Registered developers can download the beta through the Apple Developer Center and after the appropriate profile is installed, with the betas available through the Software Update mechanism in System Settings. No notable features were found in the first beta of macOS 13.5, so it's not yet clear what's included in the update. iOS 16.6 lays the groundwork for iMessage Contact Key Verification, so if that feature ultimately launches in the iOS 16.6 update, iMessage Contact Key Verification will also be included in ‌macOS Ventura‌ 13.5 as it is a cross-platform setting. With…

There’s one reason why Apple stock is a screaming buy right now, and it is not the Vision Pro. Many iPhone users are expected to upgrade their devices when the company launches its next-generation smartphone. Apple’s growing iPhone average selling price means that it could see a nice jump in revenue. Harsh Chauhan for The Motley Fool: Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives has raised his price target on Apple stock from $205 to $220, claiming that the company is on track to win big from its next iPhone. According to Ives, there are around 250 million iPhones in an upgrade window as they are more than four years old. As a result, the next iteration of the iPhone, which should…

Luxury company LVMH today announced that Tap to Pay on iPhone will be available at select Sephora, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., Celine, and Dior stores in the U.S. later this year. The feature will allow customers to tap their iPhone or Apple Watch, credit card, or other contactless payment option on the store employee's iPhone, and the payment will be securely completed using the same NFC technology behind Apple Pay. Launched in 2022, Tap to Pay on iPhone allows for iPhone-to-iPhone contactless payments, with no additional point-of-sale hardware from companies like Square or Clover required. The feature is also available in Australia and Taiwan. LVMH said offering Tap to Pay on iPhone is part of its efforts to ensure…

Macworld If you are thinking of buying an older iPhone, or wondering whether it’s worth updating your current handset, one important factor to consider is for how long Apple will be offering support for that handset. There are two ways in which Apple supports iPhones. One is the software – ensuring that any bugs and security flaws are addressed. The other is the hardware – providing the parts and labor to fix a problem with your phone (for a price, of course). It’s for this reason that we dissuade people from buying particularly old iPhone handsets. The risk that a fault could occur or that you might be exposed to security risks is too high. The good news is that…

Macworld Hardware was by no means in short supply at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference. Not only did Apple launch three new Macs but there was also that little matter of a revolutionary spatial computer. But just as the company uses its annual gathering to show off what software features are coming down the road for its platforms, it turns out that it’s also the ideal occasion for Apple prognosticators to read between the lines and see what additional hardware devices might lie just beyond the horizon. This year, more than most, shed some light on a few places that Apple might be looking to expand its footprint–notably in the home. That’s a market where Apple has staked a few…