Registered developers are able to opt into the betas by opening up the Settings app, going to the Software Update section, tapping on the “Beta Updates” option, and toggling on the iOS 16 Developer Beta. Note that an Apple ID associated with a developer account is required to download and install the beta.

‌iOS 17‌ is a major update that introduces a customized look for each person that calls, with the person who places the call able to customize their look. Live voicemails let you see a transcript of a message someone is leaving in real time so you can choose to pick up the phone if you want, and voice messages people send in iMessage are now transcribed into text. You can also record a video or audio message when someone misses your FaceTime call, and ‌FaceTime‌ works on the Apple TV through Continuity functionality.

In Messages, apps have been moved to a new tucked-away interface for a cleaner look, and there is a new Check In feature that is designed to let your friends and family keep an eye on you when you’re traveling. Check In automatically notifies friends or family members when you arrive at a destination, such as home. Locations can also now be shared directly from the Messages app.

In a group chat, there’s a catch-up arrow so you can see the first message you haven’t seen in a conversation, and with search filters, you can more easily find what you’re looking for. Stickers have been overhauled, and all emoji are now stickers, living alongside sticker packs and Memoji. Using the remove from background feature in ‌iOS 17‌, you can turn the subject from any image into a sticker.

With StandBy, an iPhone placed horizontally turns into a little home hub that displays information like the calendar, time, home controls, and more, and Live Activities can be displayed in full screen too.

Widgets on the Home Screen are interactive, so you can do things like check off an item on a to-do list or turn off the lights without having to open an app. AirDrop has been improved and there’s a NameDrop function for sharing contacts quickly, plus you can hold two iPhones together to start a SharePlay session. SharePlay also now works with CarPlay so passengers can play their music in the car too.

Other new features include a journaling app coming later this year, AirPlay in select hotel rooms, improvements to AirPods Pro 2 thanks to a new Adaptive Audio feature, offline Maps, Siri that does not require the “Hey” activation, and improvements to search and spotlight.

While today’s beta is limited to developers, Apple said there will be a public beta in July.

This article, "Apple Seeds Third Betas of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 to Developers" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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This guide highlights all of the safety functions that Apple added to ‌iOS 17‌, and it accompanies our iOS 17 privacy and security guide.

Sensitive Content Warnings

With Sensitive Content Warnings, incoming files, videos, and images are scanned on-device and blocked if they contain nudity. It is a function that will put a stop to unsolicited nude photos and similar content.

The opt-in blurring can be applied to images in Messages, AirDrop, Contact Posters for the Phone app, FaceTime messages, and third-party apps. This is separate from the Communication Safety features implemented for children, and is designed for people of all ages.

All nudity will be blocked by default if the feature is enabled, but it can be viewed by tapping on the “Show” button. Sensitive Content Warnings can be enabled in the Settings app.

1. Open up the Settings app.
2. Choose Privacy & Security.
3. Tap on Sensitive Content Warning.
4. Tap to toggle on Sensitive Content Warning.

You can turn on Sensitive Content Warnings for specific services, including AirDrop, Messages, and Video Messages. All detection of images is done on device, and there are Safety Resources that can be accessed.

Messages Check In

Messages Check In is a feature that lets you inform other people when you’re going somewhere so they can keep tabs on you and make sure that you get to that location safely.

It tells a friend or family member your destination and the time that you’re meant to be there, and if you don’t check in at the proper time, they can ping you to see what’s going on and get access to your location in case of emergency. Here’s how to use it:

1. Open up the Messages app.
2. Open the conversation with the person you want to use Check In with.
3. Tap on the “+” button next to the text input bar.
4. Tap on More.
5. Tap on Check In.
6. Tap on Continue.
7. Follow the prompts to start the feature.

With Check In, a friend or family member will be notified of your destination and approximate travel time, with another automatic notification sent when you reach your destination. So if you’re going from a friend’s house to your house late at night, you can set up Check In and your friend will get an alert when you make it home.

If you are not making progress toward your destination, you’ll be prompted and will have 15 minutes to respond on your iPhone. If you don’t respond, your friend will get an alert.

There are two data sharing options for Check In. With “Limited,” current location, details about battery level, and network signal for your ‌iPhone‌ and Apple Watch are shared. With “Full” data selected, all of that information will be shared along with route traveled and location of last ‌iPhone‌ unlock and Apple Watch removal.

Check In requires your friends or family members to be running ‌iOS 17‌.

Communication Safety

Apple last year introduced Communication Safety, an opt-in feature that warns children when sending or receiving photos that contain nudity. It blurs nude photos and provides children with helpful resources and suggests that they get in touch with a trusted adult.

Communication Safety in ‌iOS 17‌ is expanding worldwide, so it will be available in more countries than it was previously. It will be turned on by default for children under the age of 13 who are signed in to their Apple ID and who are part of a Family Sharing group.

Parents can enable it for older teens as well, with the option to turn it on available in the Settings app under Screen Time.

In addition to being available worldwide, Communication Safety’s protections will expand to AirDrop, the systemwide photo picker, ‌FaceTime‌ messages, and third-party apps in addition to the Messages app.

Offline Maps

The Maps app works offline in ‌iOS 17‌, providing access to turn-by-turn directions and information for the area that you’re in even if you do not have a cellular or Wi-Fi connection.

Offline Maps is useful if you’re planning to travel somewhere remote, such as when hiking or traveling in rural areas. Downloading a map can be done by putting in a location, tapping on the “More” button, and then choosing the “Download Map” option.

You can select the size of the area that you want to save, and multiple areas can be downloaded. You can manage Map downloads by opening up the Maps app, tapping on your profile picture, and selecting Offline Maps.

Maps can be updated, deleted, renamed, and resized, and you can download new maps from this interface too. Downloads can be set to automatically update, and there is an option to use offline maps even when a connection is available.

Critical Medication Reminders

The Medications feature in the Health app can send a follow up reminder if you haven’t marked a medication as taken 30 minutes after the initial notification.

Apple also plans to add a Critical Alerts feature for important medications that will appear on the Lock Screen and play a sound even if the ‌iPhone‌ is muted or a Focus mode is turned on.

Read More

More information on the additions in the ‌iOS 17‌ update can be found in our iOS 17 roundup.

This article, "iOS 17: All the Safety Features in the Latest iPhone Update" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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While year-over-year iPhone upgrades are not always significant, new features begin to stack up over multiple generations. For this reason, the iPhone 15 Pro will be a notable upgrade for those who still have a four-year-old iPhone 11 Pro.

The list below includes major iPhone changes introduced since 2019, as well as new features rumored for iPhone 15 Pro models.

iPhone 11 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro

• A17 chip vs. A13 chip: The 5nm-based A16 chip in the iPhone 14 Pro is already up to 72% faster than the A13 chip in the iPhone 11 Pro, according to the Geekbench 6 benchmark. The iPhone 15 Pro is expected to be equipped with an A17 chip manufactured based on TSMC’s latest 3nm process for even faster performance and improved power efficiency compared to previous chips.
• USB-C port: With the iPhone 15 Pro, Apple is finally expected to switch from Lightning to a USB-C port. This change will provide a more universal charging standard and allow for faster wired data transfer speeds.
• Titanium frame: Like the Apple Watch Ultra, the iPhone 15 Pro is rumored to have a titanium frame instead of stainless steel. The back glass and display bezels are also expected to have slightly curved edges.
• Action button: iPhone 15 Pro models are rumored to be equipped with a customizable Action button like the Apple Watch Ultra. The button would replace the Ring/Silent switch that has been included on every iPhone model since 2007. Users would likely be able to assign the button to various system functions, such as Ring/Silent, Do Not Disturb, Flashlight, Low Power Mode, and more.
• Larger display: iPhone 11 Pro is equipped with a 5.8-inch display, while the 15 Pro is expected to have a 6.1-inch display.
• Brighter display: Compared to the iPhone 11 Pro, the 15 Pro’s display should have at least 200 nits higher peak brightness.
• ProMotion: Introduced on the iPhone 13 Pro, ProMotion allows for a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz for smoother appearing content and scrolling.
• Dynamic Island: With the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple replaced the notch with the Dynamic Island, a pill-shaped area surrounding the Face ID sensors and front camera. The Dynamic Island displays system alerts and supports the Live Activities feature for live sports scores, the status of an Uber ride, and more.
• Always-on display option: With the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple introduced an always-on display option that dims the entire Lock Screen, but still shows the time and date, widgets, wallpaper, and notifications. Once you raise the iPhone, tap the screen, or press the side button, the display returns to normal brightness.
• Ceramic Shield: Introduced on the iPhone 12 Pro, Apple said the Ceramic Shield front cover increased drop performance by 4x compared to the 11 Pro.
• Thinner bezels: Similar to the Apple Watch Series 7 and Series 8, the iPhone 15 Pro is rumored to have ultra-thin bezels around the display.
• Flat edges: While the iPhone 11 Pro’s stainless steel frame has round edges, Apple switched to flat edges with the 12 Pro and newer.
• Longer battery life: Already, the iPhone 14 Pro lasts up to 23 hours for offline video playback, compared to 18 hours for the iPhone 11 Pro. With components like the A17 chip and the LiDAR Scanner expected to be more power efficient this year, the iPhone 15 Pro could have even longer battery life.
• Camera improvements: iPhone 11 Pro users upgrading to the 15 Pro will gain access to a wide range of camera upgrades added over the years, including a 48-megapixel main lens, an upgraded front camera with autofocus, sensor-shift image stabilization, a 3x optical zoom option, Action mode, Macro mode, Cinematic mode, ProRAW photos, ProRes video, Night mode portraits and time lapses, and much more. Up to 5-6x optical zoom is expected for the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
• eSIM only in U.S.: Apple removed the physical SIM card tray from all iPhone 14 models sold in the U.S., meaning the devices work with eSIMs only. The devices are still compatible with SIM cards in other countries, but rumors suggest that iPhone 15 models might be eSIM-only in France, and perhaps some other countries.
• Increased RAM: iPhone 15 Pro models are rumored to be equipped with an increased 8GB of RAM, compared to 4GB for the iPhone 11 Pro. Increased RAM can benefit multitasking on the iPhone by allowing more apps to be open in the background simultaneously without reloading.
• Wi-Fi 6E: iPhone 15 Pro models are rumored to support Wi-Fi 6E, which supports the 6GHz band for faster wireless speeds, lower latency, and less signal interference compared to standard Wi-Fi 6.
• Emergency SOS via Satellite: iPhone 14 models can connect to Globalstar satellites, enabling users to send text messages to emergency services when outside the range of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. The service is free for two years after activation, and is currently available in the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, the U.K., Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, and select other countries.
• Crash Detection: New for the iPhone 14 series, Crash Detection is designed to detect severe car crashes and contact emergency services via Emergency SOS if the user does not respond. The feature is enabled by default.
• 5G: While the iPhone 11 Pro is limited to LTE, the iPhone 12 and newer support 5G for faster cellular data speeds, where available.
• MagSafe: iPhone 12 and newer models feature MagSafe, a system that lets you magnetically attach accessories to the back of the iPhone, such as Apple’s own MagSafe Charger, MagSafe Wallet, and MagSafe Battery Pack.
• Increased storage: iPhone 11 Pro started with 64GB of storage, but the 15 Pro should have at least 128GB of base storage.
• LiDAR Scanner: Introduced on the iPhone 12 Pro, the LiDAR Scanner is situated next to the rear camera and offers faster augmented reality experiences and improves autofocus by 6x in low-light photos and videos, according to Apple.
• Improved water resistance: Apple says the iPhone 11 Pro is water resistant up to a depth of four meters for up to 30 minutes, while the 12 Pro and newer are water resistant up to a depth of six meters for up to 30 minutes.

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max in September, and the devices could have additional features that have yet to be rumored.

This article, "iPhone 11 Pro vs. 15 Pro: What to Expect if You've Waited to Upgrade" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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If you are still using an iPhone 13 Pro or Pro Max and will consider upgrading to the iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max when the devices launch later this year, we have put together a list of features to expect below. The list includes major changes introduced with the iPhone 14 Pro last year, as well as new features rumored for iPhone 15 Pro models.

We also shared an iPhone 12 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro comparison.

iPhone 13 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro

• A17 chip vs. A15 chip: The 5nm-based A16 chip in the iPhone 14 Pro is already up to 17% faster than the A15 chip in the iPhone 13 Pro, according to the Geekbench 6 benchmark. The iPhone 15 Pro will be equipped with the A17 chip, which is expected to be manufactured based on TSMC’s latest 3nm process for even faster performance and improved power efficiency over the previous generation.
• USB-C port: With the iPhone 15 Pro, Apple is finally expected to switch from Lightning to a USB-C port. This change will provide a more universal charging standard and allow for faster wired data transfer speeds.
• Titanium frame: Like the Apple Watch Ultra, the iPhone 15 Pro is rumored to have a titanium frame instead of stainless steel. The back glass and display bezels are also expected to have slightly curved edges.
• Action button: iPhone 15 Pro models are rumored to be equipped with a customizable Action button like the Apple Watch Ultra. The button would replace the Ring/Silent switch that has been included on every iPhone model since 2007. Users would likely be able to assign the button to various system functions, such as Ring/Silent, Do Not Disturb, Flashlight, Low Power Mode, and more.
• Dynamic Island: With the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple replaced the notch with the Dynamic Island, a pill-shaped area surrounding the Face ID sensors and front camera. The Dynamic Island displays system alerts and integrates with iOS 16’s Live Activities feature to show live NBA scores, the status of an Uber ride, and more.
• Always-on display option: With the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple introduced an always-on display option that dims the entire Lock Screen, but still shows the time and date, widgets, wallpaper, and notifications. Once you raise the iPhone, tap the screen, or press the side button, the display returns to normal brightness.
• Thinner bezels: Similar to the Apple Watch Series 7 and Series 8, the iPhone 15 Pro is rumored to have even thinner bezels around the display.
• Longer battery life: Already, the iPhone 14 Pro lasts up to 23 hours for offline video playback, compared to 22 hours for the iPhone 13 Pro. With components like the A17 chip and the LiDAR Scanner expected to be more power efficient this year, the iPhone 15 Pro could have even longer battery life.
• Numerous camera improvements: iPhone 13 Pro users upgrading to the iPhone 15 Pro will get access to a wide range of camera upgrades, including a 48-megapixel Wide lens, an upgraded front camera with autofocus, Action mode, and more. Increased optical zoom is also expected for the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
• eSIM only in U.S.: Apple removed the physical SIM card tray from all iPhone 14 models sold in the U.S., meaning the devices work with eSIMs only. The devices are still compatible with physical SIM cards in other countries.
• Increased RAM: iPhone 15 Pro models are rumored to be equipped with an increased 8GB of RAM, compared to 6GB for the iPhone 13 Pro. Increased RAM can benefit multitasking on the iPhone by allowing more apps to be open in the background simultaneously without reloading.
• Wi-Fi 6E: iPhone 15 Pro models are rumored to support Wi-Fi 6E, which supports the 6GHz band for faster wireless speeds, lower latency, and less signal interference compared to standard Wi-Fi 6.
• Emergency SOS via Satellite: iPhone 14 models can connect to Globalstar satellites, enabling users to send text messages to emergency services when outside the range of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. The service is free for two years after activation, and is currently available in the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, the U.K., Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, and select other countries.
• Crash Detection: New for the iPhone 14 series, Crash Detection is designed to detect severe car crashes and contact emergency services via Emergency SOS if the user does not respond. The feature is enabled by default.
• 5G improvements: iPhone 15 Pro models are expected to be equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X70 modem for improved 5G performance.

Apple will likely unveil the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max in September, and the devices could have additional features that have yet to be rumored.

This article, "iPhone 13 Pro vs. 15 Pro: What to Expect if You've Waited to Upgrade" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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‌watchOS 10‌ is a major update for the Apple Watch, overhauling its entire user interface. The update refocuses the Apple Watch around a scrollable view of widgets, remaps the buttons, and rearranges the Home Screen of apps. Almost all of Apple’s stock apps have received complete redesigns centered around a vertically scrollable view of pages. The update also brings Time in Daylight tracking to Apple Health and adds mood logging to the Mindfulness app.

‌iOS 17‌ introduces features like StandBy mode, Contact Posters, and Live Voicemail, while ‌iPadOS 17‌ makes some meaningful enhancements to Stage Manager, introduces external camera support, and brings over Lock Screen customization, Live Activities, and the Health app from the iPhone.

‌macOS Sonoma‌ adds an integrated video screen saver and wallpaper experience, desktop widgets, Safari web apps, and Game Mode. tvOS 17 is a modest update that redesigns the Control Center and introduces FaceTime via Continuity Camera.

A large number of new features, like interactive widgets, improved autocorrect, the Messages redesign, offline maps, authentication code autofill, Apple Music crossfade, Note links, support for multiple timers, video call reactions and presenter overlays, and improved PDF support, come to several of Apple’s updated operating systems.

Listen to The MacRumors Show in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castro, Google Podcasts, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player. Watch a video version of the show on the MacRumors YouTube channel.

If you haven’t already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, listen to our deep dive into the experience of using Apple’s Vision Pro headset and what to expect when it goes on sale next year.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for more episodes, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by exciting guests like Andru Edwards, Kevin Nether, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Mark Gurman, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Jon Prosser, Sam Kohl, Quinn Nelson, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Sara Dietschy, Luke Miani, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, iJustine, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, Jon Rettinger, and Rene Ritchie. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the show, and let us know what subjects you would like the podcast to cover in the future.

This article, "The MacRumors Show: Two Weeks Using watchOS 10, iOS 17, and macOS Sonoma" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Registered developers are able to opt into the betas by opening up the Settings app, going to the Software Update section, tapping on the “Beta Updates” option, and toggling on the iOS 16 Developer Beta. Note that an Apple ID associated with a developer account is required to download and install the beta.

‌iOS 17‌ is a major update that introduces a customized look for each person that calls, with the person who places the call able to customize their look. Live voicemails let you see a transcript of a message someone is leaving in real time so you can choose to pick up the phone if you want, and voice messages people send in iMessage are now transcribed into text. You can also record a video or audio message when someone misses your FaceTime call, and ‌FaceTime‌ works on the Apple TV through Continuity functionality.

In Messages, apps have been moved to a new tucked-away interface for a cleaner look, and there is a new Check In feature that is designed to let your friends and family keep an eye on you when you’re traveling. Check In automatically notifies friends or family members when you arrive at a destination, such as home. Locations can also now be shared directly from the Messages app.

In a group chat, there’s a catch-up arrow so you can see the first message you haven’t seen in a conversation, and with search filters, you can more easily find what you’re looking for. Stickers have been overhauled, and all emoji are now stickers, living alongside sticker packs and Memoji. Using the remove from background feature in ‌iOS 17‌, you can turn the subject from any image into a sticker.

With StandBy, an iPhone placed horizontally turns into a little home hub that displays information like the calendar, time, home controls, and more, and Live Activities can be displayed in full screen too.

Widgets on the Home Screen are interactive, so you can do things like check off an item on a to-do list or turn off the lights without having to open an app. AirDrop has been improved and there’s a NameDrop function for sharing contacts quickly, plus you can hold two iPhones together to start a SharePlay session. SharePlay also now works with CarPlay so passengers can play their music in the car too.

Other new features include a journaling app coming later this year, AirPlay in select hotel rooms, improvements to AirPods Pro 2 thanks to a new Adaptive Audio feature, offline Maps, Siri that does not require the “Hey” activation, and improvements to search and spotlight.

While today’s beta is limited to developers, Apple will be providing a public beta later this summer.

This article, "Apple Seeds Second Betas of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 to Developers" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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New features are coming to CarPlay

One of the best facets of CarPlay is that there is no need to wait for an auto manufacturer to update their vehicle to get the latest features. Instead, updates arrive as part of iOS.

Read more…

New features are coming to CarPlay

One of the best facets of CarPlay is that there is no need to wait for an auto manufacturer to update their vehicle to get the latest features. Instead, updates arrive as part of iOS.

Read more…

Reddit CEO Steve Huffman is continuing his damage control tour, this time via a new interview with The Verge. Despite a large number of subreddits still offline in protest over Reddit’s changes to third-party apps, Huffman is once again doubling down on that decision.

This time, his argument is that the Reddit API – which has been used by third-party apps successfully for years – “was never designed to support third-party apps.”

I’ll save my full opinion on this for the “9to5Mac’s Take” section below…but I’ll give you the gist of it here: “bullshit.”

more…

The post Reddit’s CEO really wants you to know that he doesn’t care about your feedback appeared first on 9to5Mac.