Apple today announced the launch of an Advanced Data Protection feature that expands end-to-end encryption to additional data stored in iCloud, including ‌iCloud‌ Backup, iCloud Drive, Reminders, Notes, and more. With the launch of the feature, Apple's Craig Federighi did a quick interview with The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern to discuss the change, and other new security features that are coming in the future.

Federighi said that expanding ‌iCloud‌ end-to-end encryption took a long time to implement because Apple needed to "build toward the moment" and prove the technology.Some of the steps we took over a decade ago designing iCloud and the way we encrypted were necessary precursors to build toward this moment, and...

With the launch of iOS 16.2, Apple is expanding an AirDrop limitation that was introduced in China with the launch of iOS 16.1.1. Going forward, AirDrop will be primarily restricted to Contacts Only, and the option to turn on AirDrop for "Everyone" will be limited to 10 minutes.

Right now, AirDrop has three options: "Receiving Off," "Contacts Only," and "Everyone." The current "Everyone" option allows users to receive files and photos from all other iPhone users that are in close proximity using AirDrop, but in iOS 16.2, it is changing to "Everyone for 10 Minutes."

With the change, "Everyone" can still be enabled to allow users to receive content from anyone, but it will switch off after a 10 minute period, reverting to "Contacts Only." The tweak will require users to explicitly activate AirDrop to receive files and photos from strangers.

Apple reportedly made this change in China in the iOS 16.1.1 beta...

The Apple Music Sing feature that Apple announced earlier this week is now available in the iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, and tvOS 16.2 release candidates that were released this morning.

Designed as a karaoke feature, ‌Apple Music‌ Sing provides real-time lyrics that iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV users can sing along with.

Features include adjustable vocals for changing the volume of the original singer, real-time lyrics that move to the rhythm of the vocals, background vocal options, and a duet view for multi-singer tracks.

Apple has introduced more than 50 playlists that include songs, duets, choruses, and anthems ideal for use with ‌Apple Music‌ Sing.

‌Apple...

Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the betas coming less than a week after Apple seeded the fourth betas of iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2.

Registered developers are able to download the iOS 16‌.2 and iPadOS 16.2 profiles from the Apple Developer Center, and once installed, the beta is available over the air.

Today's RC brings an opt-in end-to-end encryption to additional iCloud features, with the feature coming to all U.S. users with the launch of iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2. Advanced Data Protection for ‌iCloud‌ adds end-to-end encryption for ‌iCloud‌ Backup, Notes, Photos, iCloud Drive...

Apple today announced it is expanding end-to-end encryption to many additional iCloud data categories on an opt-in basis for enhanced security.

iCloud already protects 14 data categories using end-to-end encryption by default, including the Messages app when backups are disabled, passwords stored in iCloud Keychain, Health data, Apple Maps search history, Apple Card transactions, and more, as outlined in this Apple support document. With a new Advanced Data Protection option, the number of iCloud data categories that use end-to-end encryption rises to 23.

Advanced Data Protection will be available on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac starting with iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, and macOS 13.1 later this month and provides end-to-end encryption for the following additional iCloud categories:

• Device...

Apple today seeded the release candidate version of an upcoming tvOS 16.2 update to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming less than a week after Apple released the fourth beta.

Developers can download the tvOS 16.2 beta by downloading a profile onto the Apple TV using Xcode. Today's update adds the Apple Music Sing karaoke feature for the third-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K, which Apple announced earlier this week.

tvOS updates are often minor in scale, focusing on internal bug fixes and improvements rather than notable outward-facing changes, but there are some noteworthy features in the tvOS 16.2 update. It adds support for the new Home app architecture, which is designed to make Home setups faster and more reliable.

tvOS 16.2 also adds a new...

Apple yesterday announced a karaoke experience coming to Apple Music called "Apple Music Sing," which will be available later this month to Apple Music subscribers.

Despite its seemingly simple functionality of showing lyrics and allowing users to sing along in an interactive way, Apple Music Sing will only be supported on select Apple devices. Below, we've listed the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV models that will support the new experience later this month. Apple Music Sing will not be available on the Mac.

iPhone

• iPhone 11
• iPhone 11 Pro
• iPhone 11 Pro Max
• iPhone 12 mini
• iPhone 12
• iPhone 12 Pro
• iPhone 12 Pro Max
• iPhone 13 mini
• iPhone 13
• iPhone 13 Pro
• iPhone 13 Pro Max
• ...

Apple has reportedly kicked off the development of a 20-inch display, possibly for a future MacBook Pro model, according to a report today by The Elec, citing industry sources.

Concept by Astropad

Per the report, the 20-inch device will feature a 20.25-inch OLED display made by an unknown South Korean component supplier. With a 20.25-inch display unfolded, the device would feature a 15.3-inch screen when folded, larger than the current largest iPad Pro but smaller than the 16-inch MacBook Pro.

Given that the screen size is in its early 20 inches when unfolded, the project product is likely to be in a form close to a MacBook (laptop). Assuming a 20-inch product is 20.25 inches, it will be 15.3 inches in size when folded. The currently available Apple...

Yesterday TSMC announced that it has increased its investment in a new plant in Phoenix, the United States. Today's report presents a video of TSMC's construction site in Arizona.

Swiss-based privacy startup Proton today announced the availability of mobile apps for its Proton Drive cloud storage service, providing users with an easier way to securely upload, store, and share files from their iOS and Android devices.

All files and folders uploaded to the storage service are protected by Proton's open-source, publicly-audited end-to-end encryption, which uses on-device encryption keys ensuring no one else – not even Proton – has access to the contents. That includes associated metadata, such as file and folder names, real file size, file extensions, thumbnails, and more.

Data uploaded and stored on Proton's servers reside in data centers in Switzerland and Germany, giving users strong legal and hardware protections (the company claims it falls outside US and EU jurisdiction and isn't subject to intelligence-sharing agreements). There are no file size limits, so users can share...

In January 2021 Patently Apple posted a report titled "Apple Supplier Murata is building out Production of key Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors to Keep Up with demand for 5G iPhones" Today, it's a different story. A new report this morning states that Mobile industry bellwether Murata Manufacturing Co. expects Apple Inc. to reduce iPhone 14 production plans further in the coming months ...

Avatars are officially coming to WhatsApp. The customizable, expressive characters, which are already available on Facebook and Instagram, can now be used as profile pictures on the messaging service or sent in the form of one of 36 custom stickers.

The process of customizing the cartoony virtual characters is similar to Apple's Memoji, except WhatsApp's avatars also include bodies for customizing additional outfits, which makes them resemble how users could one day look in Mark Zuckerberg's vision of a future metaverse.

Apart from being fun, Meta says the avatars will boost privacy and personalization. "Sending an avatar is a fast and fun way to share feelings with friends and family," the company wrote in a blog post. "It can also be a great way to represent yourself without using your real photo so it feels more private."

To see if the feature has rolled out to you yet, open WhatsApp, go to the Settings screen, then check under your profile picture for an...

The United States Patent and Trademark Office's Patent Trial and Appeal Board today invalidated a trio of AliveCor patents that AliveCor used in a complaint with the International Trade Commission, which is a win for Apple. The patents all related to heart rate monitoring technology used in AliveCor products.

AliveCor in April 2021 filed a complaint with the ITC alleging that Apple had infringed on several of its patents with the Apple Watch, and an ITC judge ultimately ruled in AliveCor's favor in June. The ITC at the time issued an initial determination that Apple infringed on AliveCor patent technology, which Apple is now appealing. If a final ruling determines Apple infringed on the patents...

Apple's Magic Keyboard for the 11-inch iPad Pro and iPad Air is seeing big discounts at Amazon today and is now available for $209.99, down from $299.00. The keyboard is available in both black and white at this price, although Amazon is showing limited stock of the white version and delivery of both models won't be until just a few days before Christmas.

MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

This Magic Keyboard is compatible with all four generations of the 11-inch iPad Pro, as well as the fourth- and fifth-generation iPad Air models. It features a full QWERTY keyboard, trackpad, USB-C port for charging, backlit keys, and a floating cantilever design.

$89 OFF11.9-Inch Magic Keyboard for $209.99...

Apple CEO Tim Cook today confirmed that Apple plans to purchase chips from U.S.-based TSMC factories that are being constructed in Arizona, reports CNBC.

Cook was in Arizona at the announcement of TSMC's investment in the state, which was also attended by U.S. President Joe Biden. "And now, thanks to the hard work of so many people, these chips can be proudly stamped Made in America," said Cook. "This is an incredibly significant moment."

Today is only the beginning. Today we're combining TSMC's expertise with the unrivaled ingenuity of American workers. We are investing in a stronger brighter future, we are planting our seed in the Arizona desert. And at Apple, we are proud to help nurture its growth.

TSMC manufactures all of the chips that are used in Apple's...

Apple has scaled back its Apple Car project and the company no longer plans to release a fully self-driving vehicle, reports Bloomberg.

Apple wanted to create a self-driving car without a steering wheel or pedals, but has decided that such a plan is not feasible at the current time. The vehicle will have guided driving features that work on highways, but it will not be able to operate entirely on its own at all times.

The car will have an Apple-designed custom processor to power AI functionality, similar to the Mac, iPhone, and iPad. The chip is equivalent to four of the highest-end Mac chips and is nearly production ready. It will include a custom array of lidar...

This morning Apple announced Apple Music Sing, an exciting new feature that allows users to sing along to their favorite songs with adjustable vocals and real-time lyrics.

Apple earlier today announced a new feature coming to Apple Music that will allow users to sing along to their favorite songs, either alone or with friends and family. The new feature will be a perfect fit ahead of the holidays and parties; unfortunately, there is one big catch.

‌Apple Music‌ Sing will only work with the latest Apple TV 4K model, which was announced in October, according to Apple's press release earlier today. The limitation will mean customers of older ‌Apple TV‌ models will miss out on the new feature. ‌Apple Music‌ Sing will also be available on the iPhone 11 and later and the third-generation...

Microsoft is looking to build a "super app" that incorporates a messaging platform, shopping, web search, and news into a single app, an apparent attempt to go after Apple and Google's app store platforms.

According to a report today by The Information, Microsoft has been in the early stages of building a "super app" at the direction of the company's CEO Satya Nadella. Nadella has reportedly instructed teams at Microsoft to better integrate Bing, the company's search engine, into other services and apps, such as Microsoft Teams and Outlook, as a groundwork for the "super app."

While it isn't clear whether Microsoft will ultimately launch such an app, the people with knowledge of the discussions said CEO Satya Nadella has laid the groundwork by pushing the Bing search engine to work better with other Microsoft mobile...

Pixelmator 3.2 "Lumière" went live on the Mac App Store today, and the latest major update to the popular image editing app brings the ability to edit videos, along with other notable feature additions.

Version 3.2 of the app lets users make quick edits to videos, such as trimming, cropping, and color adjustment, and lets users combine them with text, images, and shapes, apply masks, and more, without leaving Pixelmator Pro.

To make editing easier, the interface now includes on-canvas video controls with which users can play, mute, scrub, and set the poster frame of videos in multi-video compositions.

As part of the support for video editing, the update also comes with support for new video and animated image formats including MP4 and QuickTime Movie, as well as the ability to open and export animated GIFs and PNGs. Videos can be exported with variable...

During last year's WWDC keynote, Apple's SVP (SVP) of software engineering introduced Spatial Audio for FaceTime. Today, Apple was granted a patent for this feature while describing a possible future feature that's pretty cool.

It's being report today that Facebook has publicly threatened to remove news content from its American platform if the US Congress forces big tech groups to systematically pay publishers and broadcasters for carrying their content

Later today President Joe Biden will be joining the founder of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. to announce the opening of a second chip plant in Arizona, raising the company’s investment in the state from $12 billion to $40 billion.

Apple was sued by two women who say its AirTag devices make it easy for stalkers to track and terrorize victims.

Apple will label Wi-Fi-only and cellular models of the third-generation iPad mini as obsolete products in a few weeks, according to a memo sent out earlier today obtained by MacRumors.

Currently, only a specific cellular variant of the ‌iPad mini‌ 3 is marked as obsolete, but this will soon change. The third-generation ‌iPad mini‌ kept the same design as its predecessor but included improved performance thanks to the A7 chip and a Touch ID home button.

Apple designates products as obsolete seven years after they were last on sale. All hardware service is discontinued for obsolete products, and service providers are not able to order parts for obsolete devices.Tag: Vintage and Obsolete Apple Products
This article, "...

Apple Store employees at the St. Louis Galleria location this week decided not to unionize, rejecting unionization in a filing with the National Labor Relations Board, reports Bloomberg.

Employees said that they did not believe the union would provide "anything complementary to Apple's culture and existing benefits," which suggests that Apple's efforts to improve benefits to stymie unionization have been successful. Apple in February increased paid sick days and vacation days, and in June, improved working conditions by increasing time limits between shifts, limiting late night shifts, and not scheduling employees to work for more than five days in a row.

Workers at the store said they do not...

This afternoon, Apple TV+ released the eerie season four trailer for its acclaimed psychological thriller “Servant,” which will return for its epic conclusion on Friday, January 13, 2023. Apple also announced the top Podcast series for 2022.

Apple today revealed the top podcast episodes, shows, channels, and subscriptions that listeners engaged with in the Podcasts app throughout 2022. Crime Junkie, The Daily, and Dateline NBC were the top three overall podcasts of 2022, and among new shows, The Deck, Fly on the Wall, and The Thing About Helen and Olga topped the charts.

Shows with the most subscribers include...

Apple's iPad mini 6 has returned to its all-time low price of $399.99 on Amazon this week. Be sure to make your purchase soon if you're interested as stock is dwindling fast and delivery estimates for Christmas may require you to pay for faster shipping if you don't have Prime.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

The 64GB Wi-Fi iPad mini is on sale at this price in Space Gray, Purple, and Starlight colors, and the sale is a match of the previous all-time low seen on this model during Black Friday. Be sure to check the delivery window before you place your order, especially if you need it to arrive for Christmas Day, as you may need to choose the faster options.

...

Last week on Cyber Monday, we shared a list of deals including Samsung's popular 32-inch 4K UHD Smart Monitor M8. Today, this monitor has dropped even more on Samsung's website and is available for $399.99, down from $729.99 in select colors.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Samsung. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Specifically, the sale is available in Spring Green, Sunset Pink, and Daylight Blue. Samsung's Smart Monitor M8 has a design very similar to the new 24-inch iMacs, and it uses USB-C charging connectivity and includes AirPlay support.

$330 OFFSamsung Smart Monitor M8 for $399.99

The M8 houses a 4K UHD flat LCD panel providing 400 nits of brightness, a 60Hz refresh rate, HDR support, and adaptive picture technology that automatically adjust display brightness and...

Amazon and Best Buy are kicking off the week with a return of the year's best prices on Apple's 14-inch MacBook Pro. Additionally, we're tracking a new all-time low on the high-end 16-inch MacBook Pro at B&H Photo.

14-Inch MacBook Pro

Starting with the 14-inch models, you can get the 512GB 14-inch MacBook Pro from Best Buy for $1,599.00, down from $1,999.00. This deal is available in both colors and Best Buy has both Silver and Space Gray in stock.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

$400 OFF14-inch MacBook Pro (512GB) for $1,599.00

For more storage, the 1TB 14-inch MacBook Pro is on sale for...

Apple manufacturing partner Foxconn expects its main iPhone plant in China to resume full production around late December to early January, following worker unrest last month that disrupted the factory.

"The situation has stabilized," a Foxconn source told Reuters, referring to the protests in Zhengzhou and the government's easing of COVID restrictions.

"The local government is actively helping with the resumption. The capacity is now being gradually resumed with new staff hiring under way. If the recruitment goes smoothly, it could take around three to four weeks to resume full production," the person said."At present, the overall epidemic situation has been brought under...

Amazon this weekend has returned with its popular Black Friday price on Apple's AirPods Pro 2, available for $199.99, down from $249.00. As of writing, only Amazon is offering this sale.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

The further we get into December, the harder it will be to get AirPods (and all Apple products) in time for Christmas Day delivery. With this in mind, the AirPods Pro 2 today have a December 14-15 delivery date, so if you held off for Black Friday we recommend making your purchases soon.

$49 OFFAirPods Pro 2 for $199.99

Head to our full Deals...

Back in 2013, Patently Apple posted a patent report about a potential MacBook with a detachable display to act as tablet for leisurely reading and web surfing. I thought then as I still do, that it was a very innovative idea for its time. In the end, Apple didn't want to hurt iPad sales and never brought it to market. Apple's competitor Microsoft loved the idea and quickly brought the Surface Book to market in 2015. This week a new Microsoft patent came to light that expanded on Apple's Touch Bar concept ...

iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max, iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max, and iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max models feature a LiDAR Scanner next to the rear camera that can be used to measure a person's height instantly in Apple's preinstalled Measure app.

To measure a person's height, simply open the Measure app, point your iPhone at the person you want to measure, and make sure they are visible on the screen from head to toe. After a brief moment, a line should appear at the top of the person's head with their height measurement. You can choose to have the measurement displayed in feet-and-inches or in centimeters in the Settings app under Measure → Measure Units.

The app measures a person's height from the floor to the top of their head, hair, or hat. You can even measure the seated height of a person in a chair.

The circular shutter button in the bottom-right corner allows you to take a photo of the person...

With Black Friday and Cyber Week shopping events winding down and the calendar flipping over to December, our attention is starting to turn to 2023 and all of the Apple news we're expecting to see.

This week saw an alleged benchmark leak for an "M2 Max" chip expected to make an appearance in upcoming Macs like the MacBook Pro early next year, as well as fresh rumors about the iPhone 15 coming later in the year.

Other news included Apple's annual App Store Awards, the high-profile launch of the Oceanic+ diving app for Apple Watch Ultra, and our look at some of the other things in Apple's pipeline that we're hoping to see in the fairly near future, so read on for all of the details on these stories and more!

'M2 Max' Performance Revealed in Leaked Benchmark

Alleged benchmark results for Apple's as-yet-unannounced M2 Max chip surfaced on Geekbench this week, offering a...

Apple has been sued by Geoscope Technologies Pte. Ltd, a company organized under the laws of Singapore and registered to do business in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The company owns six patents relating to the field of geolocation services for mobile devices. The company claims that Apple's mobile devices infringe ...

Goldman Sachs this week updated its Apple Card customer agreement to reflect the credit card's upcoming Daily Cash savings account feature, which was expected to launch with iOS 16.1 but appears to have been delayed.

"To enable new ways to use Daily Cash like the upcoming Savings account feature, we are updating the Daily Cash Program section of your Apple Card Customer Agreement," reads an email sent to Apple Card holders this week.

In October, Apple announced that Apple Card users would soon be able to open a new high-yield savings account from Goldman Sachs and have their Daily Cash cashback rewards automatically deposited into it, with no fees, no minimum deposits, and no minimum balance requirements...

Apple today in collaboration with artist Zedd announced that a new Remix Session of Zedd's hit song "Clarity" is now available in GarageBand.

iPhone and iPad users can now open the GarageBand app and remix "Clarity" with guided instruction from Zedd. The free Remix Session can be downloaded in GarageBand's Sound Library and Zedd has shared a companion video on YouTube with tips on how to remix the song in a couple of minutes using the app's Live Loops interface.

"Clarity" is also available in Spatial Audio on Apple Music starting today following the 10-year anniversary of the song's release last month.

Tag: GarageBand
This article, "Apple and Zedd Collaborate to Allow GarageBand Users to Remix Hit Song 'Clarity'" first appeared on MacRumors.com

...

Apple's iCloud Mail service is experiencing issues for the second day in a row, and Apple's System Status page says that the service may be slow or unavailable for some users.

The outage began at 5:06 a.m. Pacific Time, and affected users may not be able to access their mail until the issue is resolved, which is the same problem that the service was having yesterday.

Apple has not provided a timeline on when a fix might be available, but we'll update this article when the outage has been addressed. Yesterday's outage lasted for several hours, and has recurred twice now.Tags: iCloud, Apple MailRelated Forum: Apple Music, Apple Pay/Card, iCloud, Fitness+...

Technicians in China have developed an arduous modification to eliminate the 24-inch iMac's "chin," achieving an all-screen design.

Io Technology, a group that makes hardware and chip-related modification and repair videos, posted a video that reveals some of the engineering behind the striking ‌iMac‌ modification on Chinese video sharing website Bilibili. It garnered attention on Twitter after being reposted by users like "DuanRui."

2002's ‌iMac‌ G4, which had equal bezels around the display, was cited as an inspiration for the modification. While moving most of the ‌iMac‌'s internal components to the stand like the G4 was initially considered, placing them directly behind the bottom edge of the display was the method eventually chosen to reduce the device's front profile, while retaining most of its thin...

In a small but significant change to the way the Notification Center works in the latest iOS 16.2 beta, older notifications are now shown by default without having to swipe up.

In the current release as well as earlier versions of iOS 16, users do not automatically see older notifications in the Notification Center like they did in iOS 15, and instead must manually swipe up from the middle to reveal them, if there are any.

In other words, if a new notification is received and the user unlocks and then locks their iPhone without interacting with it, iOS treats it as an old notification and sends it to the Notification Center where it is hidden, which some users say often results in important notifications being missed.

Note that in iOS 16.2 beta 4, the Lock Screen still hides older...

With the launch of iOS 16.1, Apple rolled out a Emergency SOS via Satellite, which is designed to allow iPhone 14 owners to contact emergency services using satellite connectivity when no cellular or WiFi connection is available. The feature was put to the test in Alaska today, when a man became stranded in a rural area.

In the early hours of the morning on December 1, Alaska State Troopers received an alert that a man traveling by snow machine from Noorvik to Kotzebue had become stranded. The man was in a cold, remote location with no connectivity, and he activated the Emergency SOS via satellite feature on his ‌iPhone 14‌ to alert authorities to his predicament.

Apple's Emergency Response Center worked with local search...

Today, a rumor claims that Apple has renamed its Mixed-Reality Software from realityOS to 'xrOS' representing "Extended Reality OS."

Apple has decided to call the software that will run on its upcoming AR/VR headset "xrOS," an update from the original "RealityOS or "rOS" naming the company was planning on, according to Bloomberg.

Render created by Ian Zelbo based on rumored information

The name change comes as Apple begins to prepare for the launch of the headset, which is expected at some point in 2023. The headset will feature its own operating system, much like the Apple TV and the Apple Watch, and it will have a dedicated App Store.

"XR" is meant to stand for extended reality, which pertains to both augmented and virtual reality. Rumors indicate that the...

Nothing, known for a range of Android-based lower-cost devices, recently came out with a new set of $99 "Ear Stick" earbuds. We picked up some of the new earbuds and thought we'd check them out to see how they measure up to Apple's AirPods.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.

Stylized as the Nothing Ear (stick), the earbuds from Nothing have a rather unique design. You can see the hardware inside the stem thanks to the clear housing, something that Nothing also did with the matching Nothing Phone.

The Nothing Ear Stick earbuds are more similar in design to the third-generation AirPods than AirPods Pro, and there is no silicone tip. Instead, it features what Nothing says is an ergonomic design, with an earbud that sits in the outer part...