Engadget

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• How to pre-order Apple's M2 MacBook Air
• The MacBook Air M2 comes with a dual-port power adapter
• MacBook Air M2 hands-on: Bye-bye wedge
• Here's everything Apple announced at WWDC 2022
• iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS Ventura and watchOS 9 public betas arrive in July
• MetalFX is Apple's take on upscaling tech for games
• Apple's passkeys offer even better protection for your passwords
• Apple previews 'Freeform' whiteboard app for real-time collaboration
• Apple will let you use iPhones for video chats on Mac (because its webcams stink)
• iPadOS 16 will feature overlapping windows for the first time
• macOS Ventura offers new tools for efficient multitasking
• Apple introduces an updated 13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 chip
• Apple redesigns the MacBook Air with a bigger screen and M2 chip
• Apple's Fitness app no longer requires an Apple Watch
• watchOS 9 will include improved sleep tracking and medication reminders
• Apple's M2 chip will make Macs even more efficient
• watchOS 9 will know what heart rate zones you're in during sleep and workouts
• Apple expands personal safety features with 'Safety Check'
• Apple's next-gen CarPlay will better integrate with your car's infotainment system
• Apple Maps adds multi-stop navigation routes in iOS 16
• Apple Pay Later will let you make no-interest payments on purchases
• Apple adds Undo Send and new dictation tools to Messages in iOS 16
• iOS 16 brings big updates to the lock screen
• Google's latest Pixel feature drop includes a Teenage Engineering music app
• Google settles Photos facial recognition lawsuit for $100 million

How to pre-order Apple's M2 MacBook Air Posted: 06 Jun 2022 12:55 PM PDT Apple's WWDC doesn't typically bring new hardware into the mix, but the company decided to do things a bit differently for 2022. Apple announced an updated MacBook Air and an updated 13-inch MacBook Pro alongside all of the new software features it debuted at today's keynote. Both will be powered by Apple's new M2 chipset, which will provide significant performance gains when compared to the previous M1 versions. Here's everything we know about how to pre-order the latest MacBooks. MacBook Air with M2 Apple The M2 MacBook Air will be available for pre-order directly from Apple and authorized retailers starting in July for $1,199. It'll be available in four colors: silver, space gray, midnight, starlight. The MacBook Air M1 will remain in the lineup and will start at $999. Apple eschewed the wedge design of previous Airs here and opted for an all-new, more squared-off profile. However, that doesn't mean the new Air is any less svelte than before, measuring 11.3mm thick and weighing 2.7 pounds. It remains a fanless laptop, so it will run quietly even when you're pushing it to its limits. Apple claims the M2 chipset will provide 18 percent faster CPU performance and 35 percent faster GPU performance than the M1 processor, so you will notice the difference if you're upgrading from a 2020 MacBook Air. Elsewhere, Apple updated the display to a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina panel that's 25 percent brighter than the panel on the previous notebook, plus it supports one billion colors. The company upped the webcam to a 1080p lens with better low-light performance, but alas, no Center Stage capabilities. The laptop features a four-speaker sound system and a TouchID keyboard with a full Function row. As for battery life, Apple estimates the new Air will get up to 18 hours of video playback and it's capable of recharging 50 percent in only 30 minutes. You'll still find two Thunderbolt ports make up the majority of the connections (along with a headphone jack), but Apple did bring back a dedicated MagSafe charging port on this laptop. That means you won't have to hog one of the Thunderbolt ports when you need to power up the machine. 13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Apple The 13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 will be available for pre-order directly from Apple and authorized retailers starting in July for $1,299. It'll be available in two colors: silver and space gray. Unlike the updated MacBook Air, the M2-powered MacBook Pro didn't get a design facelift. Instead, apple focused on the guts and overall efficiency. The Pro M2 has an 8-core CPU and a 10-core GPU that should provide up to 40 percent faster performance when playing graphics-intensive games and a similar boost when working in apps like Affinity Photo. The laptop will support up to 24GB of RAM and up to 2TB of onboard storage, plus a video-playback battery life of up to 20 hours. Follow all of the news from WWDC right here!

The MacBook Air M2 comes with a dual-port power adapter Posted: 06 Jun 2022 12:50 PM PDT One of the MacBook Air M2's most important upgrades might sit outside the computer. As part of the announcement, Apple revealed that the 10-core GPU version of the new Air comes with a 35W adapter that includes two USB-C ports. You won't have to give up one of your laptop's connections (or plug in a separate power brick) just to charge your iPhone at the same time. Given that the portable only has two Thunderbolt/USB-C jacks, this could prove a life-saver if you use multiple peripherals. If you're not worried about connectivity, there's also an optional 67W adapter that can fast-charge the MacBook Air to 50 percent in 30 minutes. This is the adapter that comes with the base 14-inch MacBook Pro, but the Air M2's lower power draw makes fast charging practical where it requires a 96W upgrade for the Pro. The 35W Dual USB-C Port Power Adapter is listed as "coming soon" in compact and regular sizes, and will sell for $59 in stand-alone form if you either buy the 8-core GPU Air or want to use the brick for powering other devices. You can buy the 67W charger for the same $59. The dual-port model will only be available to customers in Canada, China, Japan, Mexico, Philiippines, Taiwan, Thailand and the US, so you're currently out of luck if you want the added convenience in other parts of the world.   Follow all of the news from WWDC right here!

MacBook Air M2 hands-on: Bye-bye wedge Posted: 06 Jun 2022 12:28 PM PDT At WWDC today, Apple not only unveiled its new M2 Silicon, but also a pair of devices that will be equipped with it — the new MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro. Though most of the Pro seems similar to older models, the Air is also getting a redesign, making it thinner and lighter than before. It also comes in four colors and sports a new, squarish look. I was able to quickly play with the new Air today at Apple Park, and so far, I'm just glad it looks noticeably different, given it's been four years since Apple last redesigned the MacBook Air.. Of the four colors the Air now comes in, my personal favorite is Midnight, which is a deep blue. Our editor-in-chief, who attended the event with me, also preferred that hue. The silver and space grey models are very familiar, while starlight did not stand out to me. If you're a fan of Apple's distinct wedge design on previous MacBooks, you might be concerned about the new, squarer look. I didn't mind it — I actually prefer the refresh since the older aesthetic feels pretty outdated to me by now. It's similar to the new MacBook Pros, though, so if you liked those you'll appreciate this. Just like the recent Pros, too, the new Air has a fullsize row of physical function keys. At the right end of this sits the power button with a Touch ID sensor. Dana is a fan of the groove here, which makes it easy to tell by touch where you should lay your finger. It also doesn't have a glossy finish that would attract fingerprints.  Importantly, the new MacBook Air has a larger 13.6-inch Liquid Retina, up from the last model's 13.3-inch Retina display. This made the photo that was being edited on some of the demo units look bright and crisp. The new Air goes up to 500 nits of brightness, compared to 400 nits before, and is just about 64 pixels taller.  I also liked the quality of the webcam's feed when I opened up the FaceTime app, though I didn't actually snap a picture or spend too much time scrutinizing my face. Cherlynn Low / Engadget Of course, the quality has a lot to do with the improved webcam, which is now 1080p (as opposed to 720p before). Again, I didn't actually take a call or get enough time with the device so I can't tell you if it's significantly better than before.  I can tell you that I definitely noticed the new notch that houses the camera. Again, this is similar to the recent MacBook Pros and has been a polarizing feature since its introduction. My colleague Devindra Hardawar, who reviewed the MacBook Pros, did not mind it and I'm inclined to agree with him. Though I thought the notch was oddly tall, it didn't extend beyond macOS' title bar, ending just a bit before its bottom boundary.  This story is developing, please refresh for updates. Follow all of the news from WWDC right here!

Here's everything Apple announced at WWDC 2022 Posted: 06 Jun 2022 12:25 PM PDT Apple packed a lot into its annual developer's conference keynote. On the WWDC stage, company execs touted the latest improvements coming to iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 in the fall, plus forthcoming enhancements to macOS, watchOS and others. Apple also announced new hardware at the keynote this year: a new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro powered by the new M2 processor. Here are the biggest announcement to come out of WWDC 2022. iOS 16 Apple The next iteration of the iPhone's operating system will include new intelligence, sharing and communication features, plus new ways to customize your smartphone. Key among the latter is the completely designed Lock Screen, which lets you personalize most elements you'll see before unlocking your iPhone. You'll be able to tap on any element of your Lock Screen and customize it, changing the color and font of the time, adding widgets from the widget gallery and changing the backdrop with filters. If you prefer to have a photo as your Lock Screen backdrop, you'll be able to now set a "photo shuffle" as your background, which will cycle through multiple photos throughout the day. Also coming to the Lock Screen are Live Activities, which are essentially widgets that will update in real time as events happen. They'll let you better keep track of things like sports games that are going on right now, Uber rides, workouts and more. The new Lock Screen will also better support different Focus modes, allowing you to customize which alerts and notifications you receive on your Lock Screen when you're in a particular Focus mode. So, for example, you'll be able to make a work-specific Lock Screen that will accompany your Work Focus mode. iOS 16 will also bring some highly anticipated updates to Messages, namely message editing, undo send and mark as unread. You'll be able to edit sent messages so you can get rid of any typos, undo messages you just sent and mark Message threads unread, in case you want to go back to them with fresh eyes. Apple's also extending SharePlay's abilities into Messages, allowing you to share things like videos and watch them with friends while sending messages back and forth. Apple iPhone users will also have access to a new feature dubbed Apple Pay Later in iOS 16. This splits purchases into four equal payments and spreads them out over many weeks, with zero interest and fees applied. That should make it easier to pay for big purchases over time, and it'll accompany the new Order Tracking feature, which will let you monitor where you're shipments are before they actually arrive at your doorstep. Apple has a number of Family sharing updates planned for iOS 16, including easier ways for parents to manage their kids accounts and devices. The new Quick Start setup process will let parents more easily set up a new Apple device for their child with all the necessary parental controls and restrictions in place. A more general new feature coming to Family Sharing involves Photos — within your family, you'll be able to have a dedicated iCloud Shared Photo Library, a separate space into which you can share specific photos that you want everyone in your family to see. The Photos app will even give you sharing suggestions based on who's in the photo and other factors, allowing you to more easily pick and choose which images you want everyone to be able to access. There are a bunch of other updates coming to Wallet, HomeKit, CarPlay and more, but the other new feature in iOS 16 that we wanted to touch upon here is Safety Check. It's a new privacy feature that will let you review and reset access you've granted to others. In case you ever need to remove someone's access, you'll be able to use Safety Check to do things like stop location sharing via Find My and reset permissions you previously granted for certain apps. MacBook Air M2, 13-inch MacBook Pro M2 Apple Uncharacteristic for WWDC, Apple unveiled a new piece of hardware at today's keynote: the new MacBook Air M2. As the name suggests, the laptop runs on the company's updated M2 chipset, which Apple promises to provide up to 18 percent faster CPU performance and 35 percent faster GPU performance than M1 chipsets. The new MacBook Air also has a totally new design — gone is the wedge shape from the previous model, as it's been replaced by a more squared-off design that remains quite svelte at 11.3mm thick and only 2.7 pounds. The MacBook Air M1 will sport a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display that's 25 percent brighter than the screen on the previous model and has support for one billion colors. It also has a 1080p webcam, a four-speaker sound system, a TouchID keyboard with a full Function row and a fanless interior design. Unfortunately, there are still only two Thunderbolt ports on this machine, but Apple did bring back MagSafe charging with a dedicated power port, so at least you will not tie up one of the two Thunderbolt ports with a charging cable. As for battery life, Apple estimates up to 18 hours of video playback on the MacBook Air M2. The new laptop will be available next month starting at $1,199. The M2 chipset will also hit the 13-inch MacBook Pro soon, providing a similar performance boost to another one of the company's most popular laptops. The MacBook Pro M2 will have an 8-core CPU and a 10-core GPU, support for up to 24GB of RAM and up to 2TB of storage, plus a battery life of up to 20 hours. The updated 13-inch MacBook Pro M2 will also be available next month and it starts at $1,299. macOS Ventura Apple The upcoming version of macOS, dubbed Ventura, will bring a handful of new organization and collaboration features to Macs. Stage Manager presents a new way to organize app windows on desktop, automatically putting the app you're currently working in front and center. Other active apps will be highlighted in a separate side dock into which you can drag and drop files to share, copy/paste and more. Mail will get similar updates to Messages in iOS 16, like rescind send, schedule send and reminders to come back to emails at a later time. Elsewhere in Safari, it'll be easier to share multiple tabs with friends and family, and collaborate with them in real time. For example, if you're planning a camping trip with many people, you can share multiple tabs with camping gear, locations, information and more with your group, see which tabs they're actively looking at and more.  New Handoff and Continuity features are coming to FaceTime on macOS, too. For the former, you'll be able to hand off a FaceTime call you started on your iPhone to your Mac seamlessly, allowing you to use a larger screen when you need it. The new Continuity Camera feature present an interesting way for you to use your iPhone as a webcam. Using in-development magnetic stands, you'll be able to attach your iPhone to your Mac's screen and use its camera array as your webcam for FaceTime, Zoom, Microsoft Team and other video calls. Also, this process is completely wireless, so you won't have to worry about hogging one of your computer's ports for this like you would a standard external webcam. Also worth noting here are Apple's new passkeys, or digital keys securely stored on your device. Designed to replace passwords, these unique passkeys aren't stored in the cloud, which Apple claims makes them much less susceptible to phishing and theft attempts. Passkeys will integrate with TouchID and FaceID on Apple devices for biometric authentication, and they can be synced with other Apple devices via iCloud Keychain.  iPadOS 16 Apple Many of the new features that will hit iPadOS 16 are those we've discussed from iOS 16 and macOS Venture. But iPads will also gain things like new collaboration perks, updated Game Center profiles and sharing capabilities and its own version of macOS' Stage Manager feature. The latter is arguably the most interesting new feature as it pushes helps push the iPad further into the desktop-alternative realm. Stage Manager on iPad will let users resize app windows for the first time and overlap app windows as well, making them more similar to browser and program windows you'd use on desktop. Add in full external display support and the iPad inches even closer to being a true laptop-replacement device. watchOS 9 Apple Apple Watches will gain a number of handy new exercise features in watchOS 9. Most of these are confined to the Workout app, where you'll be able to keep track of heart rate zones while exercising and even set goals based on the heart rate zone you want to stay. Runners will appreciate the new trackable metrics available in the Workout app, including vertical oscillation, stride length and ground contact time. When you're tracking a run, you'll be able to see more on your Watch's screen by using the Digital Crown to scroll through various screens with different data recorded on them. Apple will also add a Custom Workout feature to the app, which lets users create exercise routines with specific goals that they can go back to on certain training days. Sleep tracking on Apple Watch will also get better in watchOS 9 thanks to the addition of sleep stages. The Watch will now be able to monitor when you're in REM, core and deep sleep, recording the amount of time you spend in each phase, as well as the amount of time you spend awake each night. Finally in the health and fitness realm, Apple's new Medications app will make it easier for Watch users to track the medications, vitamins and supplements they take and how often they take them. It has a reminders feature, which will use the audio and haptic alerts on the Watch to ping you when you need to take one of our medications throughout the day. Follow all of the news from WWDC right here!

iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS Ventura and watchOS 9 public betas arrive in July Posted: 06 Jun 2022 12:22 PM PDT You won't have to wait ages to try Apple's major software updates this year. Apple has confirmed that public betas of iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS Ventura and watchOS 9 will be available in July through the company's testing website. Developers already have access, but this is welcome news if you're eager to try new features on a personal device. Each update has at least one clear draw. iOS 16 offers a much-improved lock screen with widgets and a customizable look. You can also expect major improvements to Messages, Wallet, Home and CarPlay. iPadOS 16, meanwhile, finally adds overlapping windows and proper external monitor support. Use macOS Ventura and you'll find improvements to multitasking, Spotlight searches and core apps, while watchOS 9 delivers big updates to fitness tracking, faces and notifications. Like any beta, you'll want to be cautious about installing the public test releases. You'll likely encounter bugs and incompatible apps. These are for risk-aware early adopters, or at least those enthusiasts who can afford to install a beta on a secondary device. You'll want to wait for the polished versions if you absolutely need stable software.  Follow all of the news from WWDC right here!

MetalFX is Apple's take on upscaling tech for games Posted: 06 Jun 2022 12:09 PM PDT Apple is getting more serious about gaming on Mac and iPad with the help of its M2 chips. At WWDC, the company showed off upscaling tech along the lines of NVIDIA's Deep Learning Super Sampling and AMD's FidelityFX Super Resolution. Metal 3 will include support for MetalFX Upscaling. Your Mac will render smaller frames that are less compute-intensive. MetalFX will upscale the visuals and apply temporal anti-aliasing. The idea is to deliver better and more efficient gaming performance with higher frame rates than might be possible from pure hardware-driven rendering. Apple Resident Evil Village will utilize the tech when that game comes to Mac. Capcom says the game will run at 1080p "effortlessly" on MacBook Air and at 4K on Mac Studio. No Man's Sky will also use MetalFX upscaling when it arrives on Mac and iPad later this year. Grid Legends is on the way to Mac as well. Apple also announced a fast resource loading API that's designed to minimize loading time, akin to Microsoft's DirectStorage tech. It works by routing directing game data more directly from storage to the CPU. Apple says this will enable games to "easily access high-quality textures and geometry needed to create expansive worlds for realistic and immersive gameplay." While Apple historically hasn't done a great job with supporting games (there's no native iOS app support for Stadia and Xbox Cloud Gaming for one thing), the introduction of MetalFX upscaling is a positive move. Getting big-name studios and publishers such as Capcom, EA and Hello Games on board could help turn the tide for Mac as a viable option for gamers. However, broader support for Steam games would be a bigger step in the right direction. Follow all of the news from WWDC right here!

Apple's passkeys offer even better protection for your passwords Posted: 06 Jun 2022 12:03 PM PDT As part of the company's ongoing efforts to improve user security, at WWDC 2022 Apple announced new digital passkeys that add an extra layer of security to your passwords. Available on both iOS and macOS, Apple's passkeys are designed to replace standard passwords by providing unique digital keys that are stashed locally on your device. Apple says that by not storing passkeys in the cloud, they are much less susceptible to being stolen in the case of a data breach or phishing attempt.  Passkeys will feature integration with biometric security including Touch ID and Face ID, and can be synced to other Apple devices via your iCloud Keychain. They will also work with apps and on the web, allowing users to sign into their accounts using their iPhone instead of their password.  The arrival of passkeys comes after Apple, alongside Google and Microsoft, announced a partnership with the FIDO Alliance and the WWDC earlier this spring. Apple's passkeys look to be the company's attempt to simplify and streamline the use of passwordless sign-on methods and will feature end-to-end encryption and compatibility with a wide range of Apple devices including the iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV when it arrives sometime later this year.  Follow all of the news from WWDC right here!

Apple previews 'Freeform' whiteboard app for real-time collaboration Posted: 06 Jun 2022 11:52 AM PDT Apple is working on a new whiteboard-style app to enable people to collaborate in real-time. Called "Freeform," the app allow groups to work together via FaceTime. Freeform will be available on iPadOS 16 "later this year," and will also be available on macOS and iOS. Freeform provides a "flexible canvas" where participants can add text, photos, drawings, PDFs and other content into a single space. Groups can edit together in real-time, similar to the way Google Docs or other collaboration tools work. The group will also be able to see each person's cursor when multiple people are working on a canvas at once. Apple The app is also closely tied to Messages and FaceTime — Freeform sessions can be initiated during a FaceTime call, and each person's changes will be reflected in the corresponding group thread in Messages.  Apple didn't say exactly when Freeform would be released, only that it would land on iPadOS in a future update. Both iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 are expected to launch in the fall, though it's unclear if Freeform will arrive in the initial rollout or in a separate update.   Follow all of the news from WWDC right here!

Apple will let you use iPhones for video chats on Mac (because its webcams stink) Posted: 06 Jun 2022 11:45 AM PDT iPhone users are walking around with great cameras in their pockets, so why not use that with their Macs? That's the basic idea behind Continuity Camera, a new feature that'll let you plop an iPhone on top of your Mac, and use those mobile cameras to power video chats in FaceTime, Teams and any other conferencing app. While cool, the feature is a bit clunkier than typical Apple offerings, since it requires a phone stand. It's also a slight admission from Apple that its laptop and desktop webcams aren't the best. (That's something we noticed with the pricey Studio Display.)  The entire Continuity Camera setup works wirelessly, and it also brings over features like Center Stage, which helps the camera follow you around the room. It can also tap into your phone's ultrawide camera to show a top-down view of your desk. Mostly, though, it's a nice way to get better background blur and lighting effects for all of your video chats. The only problem? You won't be able to surreptitiously use your phone while you're stuck in a work meeting.  Follow all of the news from WWDC right here!

iPadOS 16 will feature overlapping windows for the first time Posted: 06 Jun 2022 11:43 AM PDT If you're an iPad user who always wished your tablet could do more, Apple has you in mind this year. At WWDC, the company just unveiled iPadOS 16, the annual update to the company's iPad software. Naturally, many of the new iOS 16 features are coming here as well, including big updates to Mail, Safari, Messages and more. Oh, and 12 years after the first iPad was released, Apple is finally bringing the Weather app to iPadOS.  For the first time, iPadOS will allow you to have overlapping windows through a multitasking interface called Stage Manager that Apple is also bringing to the Mac this year. That said, some of these features will only be available on iPads with the M1 processor. When you use stage manager, you can resize windows, so you can easily tuck away other apps behind the main window. There's also a few on the left side of the display that shows all your most recent apps. Based on the demo we saw during the keynote, windows dynamically resize and adjust their content view based on how big you make them. It's very important to note, though that Stage Manager only works if you have an M1-powered iPad. So if you don't have the iPad Air released last fall, or the 11- or 12.9-inch iPad Pro that was released in the Spring of 2021, you're out of luck here. The iPad also supports external displays for the first time, as well. Instead of just mirroring your iPad display, it fully extends your iPad experience to the second screen. You can have up to four distinct apps open on each screen at once, so an external display would let you have windows for eight different apps open at once. This is a massive change for iPadOS multitasking, something that people have requested for literally years now.  One big new feature is called Collaboration; when you share a document from an app like Pages, you can immediately make it sometime that everyone can work on simultaneously. Before, sharing would just send a copy, but now you can share a document through the Messages app and everyone you send it to can start editing it. You can also jump right into a FaceTime call directly from the document, as well. Naturally, this will work first with Apple apps, but Apple is releasing a third-party collaboration API as well. Other examples of Collaboration that Apple showed off is sharing a tab group from Safari, and it'll work in Notes as well. Another collaboration-related feature that Apple has just announced is called Freeform. You can jump into a board from a FaceTime group call and it basically creates a shared notes document that you can type, draw or paste other content into. This feature will be coming to iOS and macOS, as well. Game Center will also get some SharePlay features, but they're coming later this year. When they do come out, you'll be able to play multi-player games while keeping a FaceTime call going, for example. This comes a year after iPadOS 15 added some major new multitasking features that made it a lot easier to access different apps in the iPad's traditional split-view setup. That update also included the handy Quick Notes feature, a controversial Safari rdesign that was eventually rolled back, major updates to the Home Screen experience through a new set of widgets and the expected handful of other smaller changes.  Follow all of the news from WWDC right here!

macOS Ventura offers new tools for efficient multitasking Posted: 06 Jun 2022 11:17 AM PDT Ventura, the next version of Apple's Mac operating system, will make it easier for you to keep track of all your disparate apps and windows. New to macOS 13 is Stage Manager, a feature that will group windows to the side of your desktop, organizing them by app. Whenever you switch between programs, Ventura will move the app and its accompanying windows to the center of your screen. Think of a Stage Manager as a dock for your currently open apps.  Apple Ventura will also ship with enhancements to Spotlight, Apple's system-wide feature for finding files. With macOS 13, the tool will allow you to find images from your photo library, as well as search for text within photos with the help of Apple's Live Text API. Additionally, Spotlight will soon allow you to start timers.    As expected, Apple is refreshing many of the operating system's default apps, including Safari and Mail. Of the latter, the company claims Ventura will include the biggest overhaul to the software in years. Like Messages on iOS 16, Mail will include an undo send feature, allowing you to "take back" an email if you notice a typo or other error shortly after sending it out. Apple is also adding the option to schedule emails. Additionally, the company says it has overhauled the software's search tool to make it better at delivering accurate results.        As for Safari, it includes a new Shared Tab Groups feature, allowing you to see in real-time what tabs your friends are viewing. It's also possible to use the feature to build a list of shared bookmarks, and start a Messages conversation or FaceTime call directly from Safari. As part of a wider industry initiative to do away with passwords, Apple is also introducing a feature called Passkeys. The company describes them as unique digital keys that will always stay on your device, thereby making it difficult — if not impossible — for bad actors to trick you into sharing your login credentials. The feature uses Face ID and Touch ID to authenticate your identity and iCloud Keychain to sync your logins across your Apple devices.  Apple For those with access to both an iPhone and Mac computer, Ventura includes new Continuity tools. A feature called Continuity Camera allows you to use the front-facing camera on your iPhone with video calling apps on your Mac. Your computer will automatically recognize that you have an iPhone nearby and connect to it wirelessly. While the two are connected to one another, you'll still have access to your iPhone's portrait mode and Studio Light functionality. What's more, with Desk View, you'll have the option to use your phone to stream an overhead video of your desk. Apple suggests that feature will be useful to people who want to collaborate on projects over FaceTime and other apps. Speaking of FaceTime, Ventura will also extend Apple's Handoff feature to the video calling software, allowing you to start a FaceTime chat on your Mac and then transfer it to an iPhone or iPad, and vice versa.        As rumored, Apple has overhauled the System Preferences menu to make it look and function more like the Settings app on iPhone and iPad. Lastly, Ventura will introduce new accessibility features, including support for Live Captions across all audio content. Apple will release a public beta of macOS Ventura next month, with official availability to follow this fall as part of a free update for users with compatible Mac models.  Follow all of the news from WWDC right here!

Apple introduces an updated 13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 chip Posted: 06 Jun 2022 11:15 AM PDT Apple didn't just introduce a new MacBook Air at WWDC — it also unveiled an overhaul of the 13-inch MacBook Pro. The new 'entry' pro laptop unsurprisingly uses an M2 chip that promises improved performance and efficiency, including a hefty 20 hours of peak battery life (during video playback) and accelerated ProRes video processing. The new model isn't a major redesign like its Air counterpart, and keeps the Touch Bar. You can also expect "studio-quality" microphones, up to 24GB of RAM and a maximum 2TB of storage. As with its M1 predecessor, then, this isn't a no-holds-barred workstation. You'll need to buy a higher-tier MacBook Pro if you demand a ton of memory or drive capacity.  The MacBook Pro M2 will start at $1,299 ($1,199 for education) when it arrives in July. This system's position in the lineup hasn't changed, then. This is the Mac portable for users who want an active cooling for heavy workloads, but don't need the extra power of premium machines like the 14- and 16-inch Pro models. With that said, the 13-inch machine is a tougher sell when the new Air offers similar performance, a larger screen and a MagSafe power connection for less money. Follow all of the news from WWDC right here!

Apple redesigns the MacBook Air with a bigger screen and M2 chip Posted: 06 Jun 2022 11:07 AM PDT Somehow, it's already been almost four years since Apple redesigned the MacBook Air with a Retina display. That laptop got a big performance upgrade in late 2020 as one of the first computers to ship with Apple's M1 silicon, but lately the device has started to feel long in the tooth. As expected, Apple is refreshing the MacBook Air today with the just-announced M2 chip inside and a larger, 13.6-inch display. It also includes MagSafe for the first time in years, just like the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro that Apple released last fall. It also has two Thunderbolt ports (now you don't have to give one up for charging) and a headphone jack. The M2 chip comes with an 8-core CPU, up to a 10-core GPU and up to 24GB of RAM — though the base model only comes with 8GB of RAM and an 8-core GPU. And as before, Apple is promising 18 hours of battery life for the MacBook Air. The new Air has a little notch, just like the MacBook Pro, and that notch holds a 1080p webcam that Apple says has twice the resolution and twice the low-light performance of the previous MacBook Air camera. The keyboard also mimics the one on the new MacBook Pro, with a full size row of function keys.  Its design is also reminiscent of the new MacBook Pro, too, with a slightly more squared-off body — and for the first time, the MacBook Air isn't a tapered wedge design like all the previous models. It's still extremely thin and comes in a 2.7 pounds, just slightly less than the old model. Colors have been tweaked as well, although we're unfortunately not getting the bright, iMac-style colors that were rumored. Instead, we're looking at silver, space grey, "starlight" and "midnight."  The MacBook Air is, unfortunately, more expensive than before. It starts at $1,199, $200 more than the old model. There's no word on exactly when it'll ship, though — they said it would ship next month. And the old M1-powered MacBook Air will stay in the lineup at $999. Follow all of the news from WWDC right here!

Apple's Fitness app no longer requires an Apple Watch Posted: 06 Jun 2022 11:05 AM PDT You won't need an Apple Watch to access the company's Fitness app anymore. With iOS 16, Apple is bringing the software to iPhone, the company announced during WWDC 2022. Like its watchOS counterpart, the app will allow you to set daily activity goals, with a "Move ring" there to motivate you to stay active throughout the day. Your iPhone will use its sensors to track your steps and workouts and then convert that information into an estimation of the calories you've burned. At any time, you can share your Move ring with friends and family to push them to achieve their activity goals too.   Follow all of the news from WWDC right here!

watchOS 9 will include improved sleep tracking and medication reminders Posted: 06 Jun 2022 11:04 AM PDT Apple is at last promising better sleep tracking for Apple Watch as part of watchOS 9. The updated Sleep app will include a sleep stage function. It will be able to detect the REM, core and deep sleep stages and track those over time.  You'll be able to view your sleep metrics alongside other data, such as heart rate and respiratory rate, in the Health app on your iPhone. Those who participate in the health research program will be able to submit their sleep stage data to Apple Heart and Movement Study researchers. One of the more notable health features for watchOS 9 is that it will show how long a wearer is in a state of atrial fibrillation (AFib). It will inform you of the time of day or week that AFib is most active. You'll receive weekly notifications to help you gain a better insight of your AFib frequency. The Health app will show a detailed history, along with information about lifestyle factors that may impact the condition, such as exercise, sleep and alcohol intake. You'll be able to download a PDF that includes your AFib history and lifestyle factors to share with your healthcare professionals. The US Food and Drug Administration granted Apple approval just last week for the AFib history feature. It's only cleared for users in the US aged 22 and older who have been diagnosed with the condition. In addition, Apple is introducing a Medications app for iPhone and Apple Watch to help users keep track of when to take their meds. You can set up custom schedules and reminders for each medication. Users in the US will be able to receive an alert if there are "potential critical interactions" with medications they add to the Health app. Apple Follow all of the news from WWDC right here!

Apple's M2 chip will make Macs even more efficient Posted: 06 Jun 2022 11:02 AM PDT Almost two years since the launch of Apple's M1 chip — the first ARM-based "Apple Silicon" hardware — we finally have a successor: M2. While the M1 chip was notable for showing what Apple could accomplish with a more efficient mobile design (a dramatic departure from Intel's power-hungry x86 processors), the goal of M2 is about refinement rather than breaking new ground. This time, it's all about efficiency. But given how far Apple has scaled the M1 — to the point where it basically fused two chips together to create the mighty M1 Ultra on the Mac Studio — it'll be intriguing to see how far Apple can take the M2's design (we've yet to hear about an updated Mac Pro, don't forget). Apple The M2 chip supports up to 24GB of unified memory, compared to just 16GB with the M1, as well as double the memory bandwidth (1000 GB/s). And once again, it offers 8 cores (4 high performance, 4 high-efficiency). Apple claims the efficiency cores are vastly improved, and overall you can expect an 18 percent increase in multithreaded performance over the M1. The M2 chip can be equipped with up to 10 GPU cores, which are 35 percent more powerful than the M1's at their greatest power state. Video editors may benefit the most from this new chip, as the M2 includes support for ProRes encoding and decoding, along with 6K external displays. The chip's neural engine is also 40 percent faster, which will significantly speed up AI tasks. The M2 chip will arrive first in the redesigned MacBook Air, which adds a bigger screen and loses the iconic wedge shape, as well as the 13-inch MacBook Pro. (Hopefully, it'll make its way to the Mac Mini soon.) While the M2 may seem like an incremental update, that's not exactly a bad thing for Apple. The M1 astounded us two years ago, and the many variations of that chip can still take on the latest from Intel and AMD. If anything, the existence of the M2 chip should drive down the cost of M1 machines significantly. Follow all of the news from WWDC right here!

watchOS 9 will know what heart rate zones you're in during sleep and workouts Posted: 06 Jun 2022 10:52 AM PDT As expected, Apple has introduced watchOS 9 at WWDC. The new Apple Watch platform includes a big upgrade to fitness features with enhanced metrics that include distance and time intervals. You'll know when to slow down for a recovery, for instance. There are also heart rate zones (for both sleep and workouts), multi-sport workouts and personal bests that can help you improve performance over time. You won't always need the wristwear, though— Apple has also promised to offer fitness features on the iPhone. Fitness+ is more useful, too, with on-screen guidance to help you tackle all-out pushes and recoveries in several workout types. You'll also find support for AirPlay to devices besides the Apple TV. A new Medications feature in Health on the Apple Watch and iPhone helps you manage notifications, and will give you alerts when it's time for your next dose. You can even learn about potentially harmful drug interactions. If you're taking care of a loved one, they can also volunteer to share their health information with you. Atrial fibrillation tracking, meanwhile, now provides a history to let you know often your heart stays in an irregular rhythm. You'll also see some interface tweaks such as banner notifications, a priority-focused dock, a redesigned Calendar app, double-pinch "Quick Actions" gestures and a new Siri presentation. Apple has both revamped existing watch faces (such as Astronomy, Simple and Utility) and introduced new ones like Lunar, Metropolitan and Playtime. The developer beta of watchOS 9 is available today, with a public beta expected in July. The finished update will arrive this fall for anyone using an Apple Watch Series 4 or later. This is the swan song for Apple's original smartwatch form factor, in other words — you may want to think twice about buying the Series 3 (still on sale) knowing that it won't get major updates from here on out. Follow all of the news from WWDC right here!

Apple expands personal safety features with 'Safety Check' Posted: 06 Jun 2022 10:48 AM PDT Apple is expanding its personal safety features in iOS 16 with Safety Check, a new feature meant to make it easier to lock down privacy and security settings. Safety check allows users to quickly review which contacts may have access to their location or calendar info, as well as the permissions being used by individual apps. The feature is formatted into a checklist to make it easy to review and revoke access on an app-by-app or contact-by-contact basis. The company said the feature could be particularly impactful for people trying to flee an abusive relationship. In addition to the checklist, there's an "emergency reset" that allows users to sign out of iCloud, lock down privacy settings and limit incoming messages to only "the device in their hand." The update comes after Apple has faced widespread scrutiny over AirTag-enabled tracking features that have since been linked to dozens of reported stalking incidents. Follow all of the news from WWDC right here!

Apple's next-gen CarPlay will better integrate with your car's infotainment system Posted: 06 Jun 2022 10:47 AM PDT Apple has designs to reinvent the driving experience with a new generation of CarPlay app, one that more deeply melds the forms and functionality between your vehicle's infotainment system and your iPhone. The company is remaining tight lipped about what exactly this reimagined version of the app will be able to do — those announcements will reportedly be teased out later next year — but hinted that they would effectively make your phone the "core" of the in-cabin systems.  According to the company, this evolved CarPlay will source content and information to multiple screens within the vehicle - think Apple aesthetics on your phone, in your home and soon your car — as well as control in-cabin systems like the radio and climate directly through CarPlay. It can even replace the factory-set instrument cluster displays with its own UI so you can read your fuel gauge. Users will also be able to personalize their screens with a variety of widgets, skins and apps.  Follow all of the news from WWDC right here!

Apple Maps adds multi-stop navigation routes in iOS 16 Posted: 06 Jun 2022 10:33 AM PDT During the WWDC 2022 developers conference on Monday, Apple executives announced that that its Maps app will be receiving a number of feature updates, including one long sought after by users: the ability to add multiple stops to a route.  Users will be able to preload up to fifteen stops for a trip on their Mac, then send the route to their iPhone. Further stops can be added on, either tactilely through the phone app or using CarPlay voice commands if you're already behind the wheel.  The company is also expanding Maps to nearly a dozen more countries — France, Switzerland, New Zealand, Belgium, Israel, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Palestinian Territories, Saudi Arabia and the Netherlands — out from the 10 nations already covered. On the development side, the new version of Maps will make the process of integrating Maps' high resolution imagery with other apps, like Zillow. Follow all of the news from WWDC right here!

Apple Pay Later will let you make no-interest payments on purchases Posted: 06 Jun 2022 10:27 AM PDT As expected, Apple is adding pay later functionality to its Apple Pay service, the company announced today during WWDC 2022. The feature will allow you to split the cost of purchases into four equal payments over six weeks with no interest and late fees. When making purchases with Apple Pay, you'll see a new interface that gives you the option to either pay for a new item or service in full or over time. In the latter case, you'll need to make one partial payment upfront, with three more to follow every two weeks thereafter. Reports that Apple was working on a pay later service first started circulating in 2021.  Apple As part of iOS 16, Apple is also introducing enhancements to Wallet. You'll soon have the ability to share digital hotel keys with others, including those with Android phones thanks to a partnership Apple has signed with the Internet Engineering Task Force. The feature will be supported by Mail, Messages and WhatsApp, among other apps. The company is also adding in-app ID verification, allowing those who live in states where you can store a digital version of your photo identification card to use that information for verification purposes. Apple Pay Order Tracking, meanwhile, will see receipts and tracking details delivered directly to your Wallet app. You can expect all of the Wallet features Apple detailed today to make their way to your iPhone and iPad later this year. Follow all of the news from WWDC right here!

Apple adds Undo Send and new dictation tools to Messages in iOS 16 Posted: 06 Jun 2022 10:23 AM PDT Apple will soon allow you to take back messages you didn't really want to send. The upgraded Messages app in iOS 16 is getting a new "undo send" feature, as well as the ability to edit chats you've already sent and mark threads as unread.  The new message-recalling and editing features will only apply to "recently sent" chats, with a 15-minute window for making changes. Apple will also allow users to recover deleted messages for a period of up to 30 days.  The company is also giving dictation a significant upgrade with the ability to automatically add punctuation to longer messages, and dictate emoji characters. Users can also multitask between the keyboard and QuickType suggestions while using dictation, in order to make it easier to tweak specific messages. Apple Apple is also building on the improved sharing features introduced last year with iOS 15. Now, the company is adding SharePlay to Messages, so friends can watch video and listen to music together while chatting. (Previously, SharePlay was limited to FaceTime calls.) Messages will also be able to take advantage of other new iOS 16 features. Notably, "visual lookup," will enable users to drag-and-drop portions of images directly into message threads. Parents using Family Sharing will also be able to approve or deny requests for more screen time from their children directly in Messages. Follow all of the news from WWDC right here!

iOS 16 brings big updates to the lock screen Posted: 06 Jun 2022 10:17 AM PDT Ahead of its official release sometime later this fall Apple announced a number of exciting new features heading to iOS 16.  One of the most important changes in iOS 16 is a revamped lock screen, which features a wide range of customization options and layouts. There will be templates that let you choose different fonts and accent colors, in addition to support for widgets — all of which can be accessed without needing to unlock your phone. Additionally, there's also a new wallpaper feature that lets you select from a range of categories including dynamic wallpapers that change based on the time or even the weather. Apple Another big update is revamped notifications, which will now roll up from the bottom of the screen. Meanwhile, the new Live Activities features is designed to help you keep track of current events and appointments like live game scores or an Uber ride.  iOS 16's Focus Mode is also getting an upgrade that works with the new lock screen, so you can use widgets or things like to-do lists to stay on top of your tasks. And when it comes to Messages, iOS 16 will let you to edit texts even after they've been sent, dictate messages or recall them entirely in case you sent something accidentally. And Apple is expanding Live Text to convert and translate things during videos. Alternatively, for those who want better voice input, iOS 16's Dictation feature will no longer replace your on-screen keyboard while you're talking. This will let you manually type, move the cursor and more without needing to end your transcription. Apple In the Wallet app, Apple is adding a Pay Later feature that lets you split purchases in Apple Pay into multiple installments without any late fees or interest. And in iCloud, Apple is adding support for shared photo libraries so you can sync albums with friends and family. There's also a new Safety Check feature to make it easier to call for help in potentially dangerous situations. And to help improve security, the Wallet app will soon be able to share saved IDs while only displaying necessary information, like a message that says "over 21" for people trying to purchase alcohol.  In the Mail app, Apple is also adding the ability to send scheduled emails. And similar to Gmail, Mail will also detect when you forget an important attachment. Meanwhile, thanks to improved search algorithms, it should be easier to find old emails and contacts than ever before. In Safari, Apple is adding shared Tab Groups that you can send to friends and family, while new passkeys add an extra layer of security for your passwords. As for Apple Maps, today the company announced the ability to create routes with multiple stops in iOS 16, which has been a long-requested feature. Apple says up to 15 stops can be added to a single trip, both manually or hands-free via voice commands.  Apple Sometime later this year, CarPlay is slated for a huge update with improved integration for things like music, a new UI than can be personalized for your driving needs and improved at-a-glance visibility for Weather, widgets and more.  Finally, for people who love Spatial Audio, iOS 16 is getting the ability to use the cameras on their iPhone to create a personalized audio profile for a unique listening experience. And for those with young children, the Family Sharing feature will make it easier to configure accounts with the proper security protections, screen time limits and parental controls.  Follow all of the news from WWDC right here!

Google's latest Pixel feature drop includes a Teenage Engineering music app Posted: 06 Jun 2022 10:00 AM PDT Google's newest Pixel feature drop is meant as much for spur-of-the-moment creativity as it is everyday conveniences. The company is rolling out a June feature update that, with a separate download, offers a free music-making tool from Teenage Engineering. The Pocket Operator for Pixel app (shown at middle) turns your videos into music and video "cut-ups" with a mix of sounds, patterns and visual effects. You'll need a Pixel 5 or newer to get started, but It could be worth a try if you'd like to craft beats during your downtime. The feature drop also lets you see imagery from your Nest Doorbell on your Pixel phone's lock screen (pictured at left). You'll know right away if it's worth answering the door. And if you need to show proof of your COVID-19 shots, you can now take a screenshot of your digital vaccine card and create a shortcut for your home screen (right). This will only be available in Australia, Canada and the US, but could be helpful if you still need to show proof of vaccination to hop on a flight or enter a venue. Other upgrades include a previously beta-only Conversation mode in the Sound Amplifier app (to enhance chats for people with hearing loss), a reminder to turn off your flashlight and (soon) air quality alerts for Australia, India and the US. You'll also find a trio of new Pride-themed wallpapers from Yann Bastard, while skin tone-friendly image filters are now active in Google Photos. The update starts rolling out today to Pixel 4 and later devices. You can also expect broader support for existing features, including Car Crash Detection in Canada as well as new languages in Messages' chat translation (Dutch, Korean, Thai, Traditional Chinese and Turkish).

Google settles Photos facial recognition lawsuit for $100 million Posted: 06 Jun 2022 09:12 AM PDT Facebook isn't the only one compensating Illinois residents over alleged privacy violations. The Vergenotes Google has agreed to pay $100 million to settle a class action lawsuit accusing the company of violating Illinois' Biometric Information Protection Act (BIPA) through Photos' "Face Grouping" feature. The settlement will let you claim between $200 and $400 if you appeared in a picture on Photos between May 1st, 2015 and April 25th, 2022. Google supposedly broke the law by collecting and analyzing faces without appropriate notice, asking for "informed" consent or sharing data retention policies with the public. Face Grouping is meant to help you find photos of given people by detecting faces and automatically organizing them into collections. You have until September 24th to submit a claim, and can object to the settlement terms before August 10th. The final approval hearing is slated for September 28th. We've asked Google for comment. In a statement to The Verge, the company defended Face Grouping by stressing that collections were only visible to you and can be disabled. The settlement is relatively modest. In 2021, Facebook agreed to pay $650 million to settle a lawsuit over its defunct face-based Tag Suggestions feature. This might not be the last big payout in the near future, though. Snap is dealing with a class action suit over purportedly illegal collection of face and voice data for its augmented reality effects, and it might face a similar expense if the plaintiffs prevail. Update 6/6 3:53PM ET: Google has provided its full statement to Engadget. You can read it below. "We're pleased to resolve this matter relating to specific laws in Illinois, and we remain committed to building easy-to-use controls for our users. Google Photos can group similar faces  to help you organize pictures of the same person so you can easily find old photos and memories. Of course, all this is only visible to you and you can easily turn off this functionality if you choose."

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