Top Five New Features in iPadOS 17

While iPadOS 17 has adopted almost all of the features that are available in iOS 17, there are also several additions designed specifically for the larger display of the iPad. In our latest video, we've highlighted the best new features available for the ‌iPad‌ in the ‌iPadOS 17‌ update.

1. Updated Lock Screen - In ‌iPadOS 17‌, the ‌iPad‌ gets the Lock Screen customization features that came to the iPhone with iOS 16. ‌iPadOS 17‌ users can choose the look of the date and time, select different iPad-optimized wallpaper options, and have multiple Lock Screens that are tied to Focus modes.


2. Widgets and Live Activities - Live Activities are now supported on the ‌iPad‌'s Lock Screen, so you can follow along with timers, food orders, sports games, and more. Widgets on the Lock Screen and the Home Screen are interactive, allowing you to turn on the lights, play a song, mark a reminder as complete, and more, directly from the widget with no need to open an app.


3. Health App - The Health app is available on the ‌iPad‌ in ‌iPadOS 17‌, showing health data in detail. The app is optimized for the ‌iPad‌'s display with an updated Favorites view and interactive charts for categories like Trends and Highlights.


4. PDF & Notes Additions - Enhanced Autofill allows the ‌iPad‌ to identify fields in a PDF or scanned document so names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and other information can be added from contact cards. There's also a new feature for collaborating on PDFs with others directly through the Notes app. The Notes app has been enhanced for PDFs, and PDFs will show up in full width for quick annotations with Apple Pencil.


5. Stage Manager Updates - When using Stage Manager, windows can be freely resized, repositioned, and placed anywhere on the display. ‌Stage Manager‌ also supports an external camera like the one on the Studio Display for FaceTime and conference calls.

For more on what's new in the ‌iPadOS 17‌ update, we have a dedicated iPadOS 17 roundup.
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iOS 17: All the Safety Features in the Latest iPhone Update

Apple is introducing several new safety-focused features in iOS 17, including new measures to keep you safe when you're traveling and to prevent you from seeing images you don't want to see.


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.
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Goldman Sachs Wants to End Apple Partnership, American Express Might Take Over

Goldman Sachs does not want to continue its partnership with Apple, according to a new report from The Wall Street Journal. Apple has teamed up with Goldman Sachs for the Apple Card credit card in the United States, Apple Pay Later, and the Apple Savings account that ‌Apple Card‌ users can opt for.


The banking company wants to cut back on its consumer business, and is now in talks with American Express (or Amex) about a potential takeover. A deal would see Goldman Sachs offloading its credit card partnerships to another company, which would include the ‌Apple Card‌ and other credit cards like one it offers for General Motors.

American Express has not yet established an agreement with Goldman Sachs, and a deal is not "imminent or assured," according to people who spoke to The Wall Street Journal.

Goldman Sachs recently extended its partnership with Apple through the end of the decade. Apple would have to agree to a transfer, and is aware of the talks that Goldman Sachs has been having with Amex.
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Apple Signs Another Multi-Year 5G Patent License Agreement With Nokia

Apple and Nokia have signed a long-term patent license agreement that will give Apple access to patented Nokia inventions in 5G and other technologies, Nokia announced today.


The two companies had a prior licensing deal that was set to expire at the end of 2023, and the new deal will replace the one that is ending. Nokia and Apple have not announced the terms of the deal, but Nokia will be receiving payments from Apple.

Nokia owns more than 20,000 patents, including 5,500 patents that are related to 5G technology. Nokia offers its patents on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms because many of them are considered essential. This means that companies can license Nokia technologies for a reasonable price, but there are sometimes disputes over the definition of reasonable.

Back in 2017, Apple and Nokia established a new patent licensing agreement following a heated legal dispute, and that 2017 agreement was set to expire in 2023. Revenues related to Nokia and Apple's latest deal will be reflected in Nokia's Q1 2024 earnings.
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Popular Reddit App Apollo Shutting Down After Today, Pixel Pals Migration Feature Added

Popular third-party Reddit app Apollo is set to shut down after today as Reddit will be implementing its paid API changes tomorrow. Apollo's shuttering was announced earlier in June after developer Christian Selig was unable to work out a deal with Reddit to keep the app functional.


Reddit as of tomorrow will be charging third-party developers who use its API. Every 1,000 API calls will be priced at $0.24, with 50 million available for $12,000. With the number of users that Apollo has and the average API calls used per person, Selig calculated that he would need to pay $1.7 million per month or $20 million per year to keep Apollo functional, a price point that he was not able to work with.

Selig was only given 30 days notice to implement changes before Reddit would begin charging for API access, which he said was not enough time to change Apollo's business model and make the necessary updates to accommodate the fees. Apollo has free tier users, those who pay by month, lifetime subscription users, and yearly subscribers, a complicated mix that would leave Selig without sufficient monthly revenue to pay for the API usage within Reddit's timeline.

Apollo's yearly subscribers will receive a refund for the time remaining on their subscriptions, but those who have enjoyed Apollo during the time that it was available have the option to decline the refund. Selig estimates that he will need to pay around $250,000 to refund subscribers. "It's been the pleasure of a lifetime building Apollo for you over the last nine years. I thank you so much for your kindness, input, and generosity over the years," Selig wrote yesterday.

Customers who do not want a refund can log into the Apollo app and turn it down, otherwise the refunds are automatic. Selig plans to shut down Apollo in the hours ahead of July 1 to avoid Reddit's fees. Other Reddit apps like Reddit is Fun will also be shutting down prior to tomorrow.


Apollo today received one last update ahead of the app's shutdown, with Selig implementing a feature that allows Apollo users to transfer their Pixel Pals to the official Pixel Pals app. [Direct Link]
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Twitter Rolling Out Support for Picture-in-Picture on iOS

Twitter appears to be adopting support for picture-in-picture mode on the iPhone and iPad, with some Twitter users reporting access to a feature that allows them to watch Twitter videos while doing other tasks on the ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌.


Starting a video in Twitter and then swiping out of the app leaves the video player open, so Twitter users can use other apps while continuing to watch video content from the social network.

Twitter has had an in-app picture-in-picture option previously, but the new feature allows Twitter video to be watched while using other apps, similar to how YouTube and other video content apps work on iPhones and iPads.


Not all Twitter users have access to the picture-in-picture feature as of yet, which suggests that Twitter is still in the process of rolling out support. Accessing the feature requires the latest version of the Twitter app on ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌.
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Apple Supplier TSMC Suffers Data Breach, Hackers Demand $70M

Apple supplier Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company today confirmed to TechCrunch that it recently suffered a data breach. TSMC is responsible for creating all of the A-series and M-series chips used in Apple devices.


A TSMC spokesperson said that a "cybersecurity incident" caused data "pertinent to server initial setup and configuration" to leak, but TSMC customer information was not impacted.

"Upon review, this incident has not affected TSMC's business operations, nor did it compromise any TSMC's customer information. After the incident, TSMC has immediately terminated its data exchange with this concerned supplier in accordance with the Company's security protocols and standard operating procedures."

Data from TSMC was listed on the LockBit ransomware gang's website on Thursday, with LockBit demanding $70 million to prevent it from publishing the stolen data. LockBit has attacked pharmaceutical companies, the UK's Royal Mail, U.S. government websites, and more.

LockBit says that if TSMC does not pay up, it will also publish passwords and logins. The data was stolen from Kinmax Technology, a company that provides IT services like networking, cloud computing, storage, and database management. Kinmax was working with TSMC, and on Thursday, told TSMC that its "internal specific testing environment was attacked," leading to the leak of "system installation preparation."

Other Kinmax partners include Microsoft, Cisco, and VMware, and it is not known if those companies were also impacted.
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Review: Eve Flare Mood Light Gains Thread for Better Reliability

Smart home accessory company Eve Systems has been updating its range of HomeKit devices with Thread support to improve reliability and connectivity, and the Eve Flare smart light is one of the latest products to get Thread support.


The Eve Flare is a product that Eve Systems has had around for years now, and I reviewed it four years ago in 2019. I wanted to see what, if any, difference Thread would make compared to the prior Bluetooth-only connectivity, hence the review update.

There have been no notable design changes to the Eve Flare that I can see. The look, size, and functionality are exactly the same as they were in 2019. Eve Flare is a sphere-shaped accent light, and I want to emphasize accent. The Eve Flare does not put off enough light to be used as the sole light source in a room, unless you just want a nightlight or enough light for watching TV, listening to music, or other activities that don't require bright lighting.


This is a fun indoor/outdoor lamp that you can take with you anywhere because it is battery powered and has a built-in handle at the bottom. The light is made from a durable plastic material, and it is all one piece, so you can't get to the inside. It's water resistant so it can be out in the rain, next to the pool, or next to the bathtub for ambient lighting.

I've had the original Eve Flare for four years. I've taken it from room to room, it's been in water, it's survived a move and being tucked away in boxes for months, and it's still working the same as it did when it was new. With the handle, it can be hung upside down indoors or out, and I'm a big fan of the battery power because it's a light that doesn't go out in a power outage and can go anywhere that I need an extra bit of mood lighting.


The metal handle is not the most comfortable and the size makes it a little bit hard to transport, but since the weight is so low, it's not inconvenient to carry. The battery usually lasts for somewhere around five to six hours, and longer if you have the brightness low. It charges through a docking station so it can be used as a stationary light and then grabbed to take elsewhere when needed.


Eve Flare's draw is the range of colors that can be selected. You can use the Eve app, the Home app, or Siri voice commands to turn it any color and change the brightness level. The updated version of the Eve Flare and the old version are nearly indistinguishable in color, but the old model seems to be just a touch more saturated for some colors. In almost every aspect, it's hard to tell the two apart. If I put the original Eve Flare and the new Eve Flare side by side, I don't think anyone would be able to tell the difference. I kept them carefully separated during this review to avoid mixing them up.

What's different between the two is internal. While the original Eve Flare connects to your ‌HomeKit‌ setup using Bluetooth, the new version offers Thread and Bluetooth support. Thread is a mesh networking protocol that a lot of smart home product manufacturers are adopting right now because it was built specifically for IoT devices. Thread devices can interface with one another, so they're less likely to lose connection and have faster response times, especially at longer ranges.


Thread is similar in function to Zigbee, which is used by the Philips Hue line of lights, but no specific hub is required because Thread uses device-to-device communication. Eve Flare is a Minimal Thread Device, so to notice a difference, you do need a Thread border router like a HomePod mini, but it also helps to have one or more always-on plugged-in Thread devices that are classified as Full Thread Devices (like a smart plug). To put it simply, Thread works best when you have multiple devices using Thread, and if Eve Flare were your only Thread device, you wouldn't notice a performance difference compared to the Bluetooth-only model.


I have a few Thread devices and multiple Thread border routers (HomePod minis and Apple TV) and I can sometimes get the Eve Flare with Thread support to respond faster, mostly when I am in another room. It's still not super quick, and response times are not instantaneous. If I'm in the same room with the original Eve Flare and the new model, they both respond about as quickly to color change requests and update within a couple of seconds. As I adopt more Thread devices, I might see improvements with the new Eve Flare. Even with the original, I have had no connectivity problems, and I expect the same performance from the updated Thread model.

There's no reason to upgrade to the Thread-based Eve Flare if you have the original (unless you want two), but it is a nice update for those who are new to the product. The Eve Flare makes for an attractive mood light or room decoration when it's stationary, and the option to carry it around and use it anywhere just adds to the utility.

Bottom Line

The Eve Flare is a versatile, fun mood light that's nice to have around for ambiance and situations where a little extra light is warranted, but at $100, it's on the pricier side. For ‌Siri‌ integration, portability, decent battery life, and reliability, I think the cost is worth it, but it might be worth waiting for a sale.


I've used the original Eve Flare for multiple years now and I've never had a problem with connection or function, so I don't hesitate to recommend the Eve Flare to those who are interested in what it can do.

How to Buy

The Eve Flare can be purchased from the Eve website or from Amazon.com for $99.95.

Note: Eve provided MacRumors with an Eve Flare for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.
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MacRumors Giveaway: Win a 15-Inch MacBook Air From GRID Studio

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with GRID Studio to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a 15-inch MacBook Air. For those unfamiliar with GRID Studio, it is a company that acquires vintage Apple products, disassembles them, and turns them into art for Apple fans.


Each piece features a deconstructed Apple device with the components artfully displayed behind a glass frame that can be hung on the wall to enhance an office space, living room, or other area. Pricing on GRID artwork starts at around $40, and goes up based on complexity.

The GRID 1 is one of GRID Studio's most popular offerings because it showcases the original iPhone, an important piece of Apple's history. Priced at $400, the GRID 1 features the internal parts of an ‌iPhone‌, with each component separated out and labeled so you can see everything that made the original ‌iPhone‌ special at a glance. The ‌iPhone‌'s shell is displayed next to the power button, headphone socket, speaker, logic board, circuit board, ear piece, and more. Real batteries are not included because of the hazard of using that component, but stand-ins are available.


GRID Studio doesn't just focus on iPhones, with other devices available as well. If you're an iPad fan, a disassembled version of the original ‌iPad‌ is available for $400. Like the ‌iPhone‌ version, the GRID iPad features the casing of the first ‌iPad‌ along with an array of the internals, all labeled and aesthetically arranged.


Fans of Apple's chip work can get the GRID Apple A Series Mobile Processors set, a $99 piece of art that features actual Apple A-series chips arranged in a timeline so you can see the improvements over the years. The piece includes everything from the 2010 A4 chip to the A14 Bionic released in 2020.


GRID Studio has started branching out beyond device teardowns and has a fun Apple badge collection that features a frame filled with pins representing Apple products over the years.

The $500 Apple Badge Collection includes 80 badges that start with the 1976 Apple I and run through the 2022 Studio Display. Each pin is highly detailed, and there are also sets that focus just on the iPhone and iPad or the Mac.


GRID Studio also sells deconstructed Android phones, disassembled Nintendo devices, art featuring consoles from Sony and Microsoft, and more. The company is hosting a summer sale right now, with discounted prices on many of its products. Some frames are discounted up to 55 percent, and the sale will run through July 15.

We have a 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ with 256GB of storage from GRID Studio to give away to one lucky MacRumors reader. To enter to win, use the widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older, UK residents who are 18 years or older, and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. All federal, state, provincial, and/or local taxes, fees, and surcharges are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.


The contest will run from today (June 30) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on July 7. The winner will be chosen randomly on July 7 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.
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iOS 16.4.1, iPadOS 16.4.1, and macOS 13.3.1 Fix Actively Exploited Vulnerabilities

Apple today released iOS 16.4.1, iPadOS 16.4.1, and macOS 13.3.1 for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, respectively, and it's a good idea to install them as soon as you can because all three updates include important security fixes.


According to Apple's security support documents for iOS and macOS, the new software includes fixes for two separate vulnerabilities, both of which were known by Apple to have been actively exploited in the wild.

The IOSurfaceAccelerator vulnerability could allow an app to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. Apple addressed the out-of-bounds write issue with improved input validation. The WebKit vulnerability could allow maliciously crafted web content to execute code. Apple fixed this issue with improved memory management.

Google's Threat Analysis Group and Amnesty International's Security Lab are credited with finding and reporting both issues to Apple.

Apple has also released a new Safari 16.4.1 update for macOS Monterey and macOS Big Sur, which likely addresses the WebKit vulnerability.
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Apple Releases macOS 13.3.1 With Fix for Apple Watch Unlock

Apple today released macOS Ventura 13.3.1, a minor update to the ‌macOS Ventura‌ operating system released last October. ‌macOS Ventura‌ 13.3.1 comes almost two weeks after the launch of macOS Ventura 13.3.


The ‌‌‌‌macOS Ventura‌‌‌‌ 13.3.1 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Settings.

According to Apple’s release notes for the update, it introduces a fix for a bug that could cause Auto Unlock with Apple Watch not to work, plus it includes a fix for an issue that caused the pushing hands emoji not to show skin tone variations.

macOS Ventura 13.3.1 provides important bug fixes and security updates for your Mac including:

- Pushing hands emoji does not show skin tone variations
- Auto Unlock your Mac with Apple Watch may not work

Apple is already beta testing ‌macOS Ventura‌ 13.4, an update that will follow ‌macOS Ventura‌ 13.3 and should see a release in the next month or so.
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Apple Releases iOS 16.4.1 With Fixes For Siri Response Issues and Other Bugs

Apple today released iOS 16.4.1, a minor update to the iOS 16 operating system that first came out last September. iOS 16.4.1 is a bug fix update that comes almost two weeks after the launch of iOS 16.4, an update that introduced new Emoji, Safari Web Push notifications, Voice Isolation for phone calls, and more.


‌‌iOS 16‌‌‌.4.1 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update.

According to Apple's release notes, iOS 16.4.1 add a fix for an issue that could cause Siri not to respond in some cases, and it adds skin tones variations for the pushing hands emoji.

This update provides important bug fixes and security updates for your iPhone including:

- Pushing hands emoji does not show skin tone variations
- Siri does not respond in some cases

Apple is already testing iOS 16.5, a follow up to ‌iOS 16‌, and the company will soon transition to working on iOS 17, the next-generation version of iOS that is expected to see an introduction at WWDC in June.
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Hands-On With Tesla's $300 AirPower-Like Wireless Charger

Back in December, Tesla announced the launch of a $300 multi-device wireless charger able to charge three Qi devices at one time. There are notable parallels to Apple's now-canceled AirPower charging mat, so we thought we'd check it out to see what it's like.


Design wise, the charger is a flat, angular platform made from aluminum with an alcantara fabric top, which Tesla says was inspired by the Cybertruck. There's some subtle Tesla branding at the front, an LED light to let you know when charging is taking place, and an integrated USB-C cable.

The charger is heavy and well made, but the integrated cable is a negative because if it breaks, there's no way to replace it. Tesla includes a 65W wall adapter that's also modeled after the Cybertruck, plus a removable stand that can be used to transition the charger from a flat orientation to more of an angled orientation.

The Tesla Wireless Charging Platform is able to charge up to three devices at one time from any position on the charging base, which is how Apple wanted the AirPower to work. Three devices can receive up to 15W of power, though iPhones will be limited to 7.5W since this is Qi charging.

Unlike the ‌AirPower‌, Tesla's Wireless Charging Platform does not work with the Apple Watch, but it is compatible with Qi-based iPhones and AirPod models. Given the size of the device, you're probably not going to be able to charge three large smartphones, but two smartphones and a set of AirPods works.

Tesla's charging mat is using FreePower, a technology from Aira that we have seen used in other Qi-based wireless chargers. The Base Station Pro from Nomad, for example, used FreePower and it was remarkably similar to the Tesla product. The Base Station Pro ran into trouble because it was not able to work properly with the iPhone 12 and later due to firmware issues, and it remains to be seen if the Tesla charger will have similar problems with future smartphones.

The Tesla Wireless Charging Platform works as advertised, and generally, you can place a device anywhere on the platform to get it to charge. Position does still matter somewhat, though, because you still need to make sure you have a good alignment with a coil to get the full charging speed.

At $300, and with only Qi-based charging, it's not worth buying the Tesla Wireless Charging Platform unless you're a Tesla superfan. At this point, a MagSafe charger is a much better use of your money if you're in the Apple ecosystem.

What do you think of Tesla's charger? Let us know in the comments below.
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TP-Link Launches Matter-Certified Kasa Smart Plug With Energy Monitoring

TP-Link’s Kasa Smart brand today announced the launch of its first Matter-certified smart plug, the KP125M. The KP125M is able to connect to HomeKit, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Samsung SmartThings setups because of the Matter connectivity.


Matter-compatible devices that are added to a ‌HomeKit‌ setup work the same as HomeKit-enabled devices as long as there is a ‌HomeKit‌ Matter hub, which includes the HomePod, HomePod mini, iPad, and Apple TV. If other people in the home use a different device compatible with a smart home platform from Amazon, Google, or Samsung, the Kasa Smart Plug can be used with that platform as well provided an appropriate Matter hub is available.

The Kasa Smart KP125M provides scheduling and timer capabilities, plus it can be used to monitor energy consumption over time for keeping an eye on energy costs.

According to TP-Link, the KP125M features a compact and flame-retardant design that is meant to keep it from blocking additional outlets. It is designed to work over Bluetooth, and with ‌HomeKit‌ setups, it can be used with the Home app and with Siri voice commands.

The KP125M Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Slim is priced at $40 for a two-pack, and it can be purchased from Amazon.com.
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Thieves Tunnel Through Coffee Shop Wall to Steal $500,000 in iPhones From Washington Apple Store

An Apple Store at the Alderwood Mall was burgled last weekend, with thieves infiltrating the location through a nearby coffee shop. According to Seattle's King 5 News, thieves broke into Seattle Coffee Gear, went into the bathroom, and cut a hole in the wall to get to the ‌Apple Store‌ backroom.


The burglars were able to bypass the ‌Apple Store‌'s security system by using the adjacent coffee shop, stealing a total of 436 iPhones that were worth around $500,000.

According to Seattle Coffee Gear manager Eric Marks, the coffee shop is not noticeably adjacent to the ‌Apple Store‌ because of the way that the store is laid out. "I would have never suspected we were adjacent to the ‌Apple Store‌, how it wraps around I mean," Marks told King 5 News. "So, someone really had to think it out and have access to the mall layout."


Police were able to obtain surveillance footage of the theft, but as it is part of an active investigation, it has not yet been released. Nothing was stolen from the coffee shop, but it will cost $1,500 to replace locks and repair the bathroom wall.

No employees were at the ‌Apple Store‌ when the theft happened as the Alderwood Mall had closed for the night. An Alderwood spokesperson said they were working with the police to solve the incident, but Apple has not yet commented.
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T-Mobile Renews MLB Partnership to Offer Subscribers Free MLB.TV Access for Next Six Years

T-Mobile today announced that it has renewed its partnership with Major League Baseball through 2028, providing T-Mobile subscribers with free access to MLB.TV for years to come.


Through T-Mobile Tuesdays, T-Mobile subscribers can get access to MLB.TV, which is valued at $150. According to T-Mobile, MLB.TV access has been one of its most popular offers for the past eight years. With MLB.TV, T-Mobile users get home and away broadcast feeds that offer live and on-demand access to out-of-market regular season games.

The 2023 MLB.TV access window ran through March 28 to April 4, but this is a perk that T-Mobile plans to continue offering in the future.

T-Mobile's MLB partnership also provides 5G access at select MLB stadiums across the United States, and T-Mobile plans to work with MLB to test the automated ball-strike system over the T-Mobile 5G Private Network during select Minor League Baseball games this season.
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Apple Directs Users Not to Hang Up on Operators in Accidental Crash Detection Calls

With the iPhone 14 models, Apple introduced a Crash Detection feature that is designed to contact emergency services automatically should a collision be detected. Crash Detection has already saved lives, but there have also been a number of complaints about the option accidentally triggering at ski resorts, amusement parks, and in other non-emergency high-activity situations.


Apple has introduced Crash Detection optimizations in the last several iOS 16 updates to try to cut down on false calls, and now the company has new recommendations for users that accidentally activate the crash detection feature. In an updated Crash Detection support document, Apple directs users not to hang up if an accidental call is placed, and to instead explain to the emergency responder that help is not required.

If the call has been made, but you don't need emergency services, don't hang up. Wait until a responder answers, then explain that you don't need help.

Apple also removed a line in the support document that suggested users cancel a call during the timer period. "If you don't need to contact emergency services, tap Cancel and confirm that you don't need emergency services," read the sentence that has been pulled from the document.

The Crash Detection support site continues to suggest that users should dismiss an alert if they are able to do so, but Apple appears to want to put a stop to iPhone users canceling or hanging up on an already-started emergency call and leaving emergency responders wondering what happened.

Emergency dispatchers around ski slopes have been particularly unhappy with the number of accidental calls that are being received from Crash Detection. Skiing and snowboarding tumbles are able to trigger Crash Detection, and with the heavy clothing worn with these activities, ‌iPhone‌ and Apple Watch users sometimes don't notice that an emergency call has been placed.

In Colorado's Summit County, for example, 185 accidental Crash Detection calls were received in a week in January, wasting time and resources needed for actual emergencies. Summit County emergency services director Trina Dummer said in February that the situation threatens to "desensitize dispatchers and divert limited resources from true emergencies."

Apple in response sent four representatives to Summit County to observe the emergency call center, and further optimizations have since been added.

Crash Detection is available on the ‌iPhone 14‌ models and the latest Apple Watch models. Using sensors like the accelerometer and gyroscope, it can detect a severe car crash and automatically call emergency services if a user does not respond to an alert within 20 seconds.
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WWDC Apple Park Viewing Event Invites Going Out to Lucky Developers Who Won Lottery

Apple is now sending out emails to let developers know if they've been selected to attend the special WWDC viewing event that will be held on Monday, June 5 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California.


Apple began accepting invites for the viewing event on Wednesday, March 29, the same day that the company announced the official dates for the 34th Worldwide Developers Conference. At the time, Apple said that developers would be informed if they were selected by 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Wednesday, April 5, following an April 4 submission deadline.

Attendees are selected based on a random lottery system, with Apple Developer Program members, prior-year Swift Student Challenge winners, and Apple Entrepreneur Camp alumni eligible to enter. Apple also plans to invite students who win this year's Student Challenge, but that will involve a separate lottery.


Developers and students selected to attend will be able to visit the ‌Apple Park‌ campus on Monday, June 5. There will be a viewing party for the WWDC 2023 keynote event, as well as a viewing of the Platforms State of the Union. Developers will be able to interface with Apple engineers, visit the Developer Center, attend the Apple Design Awards ceremony, and "enjoy activities into the evening."

Those who plan to go to the viewing event will need to RSVP by April 10, and invitations are non-transferable. Apple is not providing travel or accommodations, so developers and students will need to fund their own travel costs, but the event itself is free to attend.
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Apple Subject to 'Special Abuse Control' Says German Antitrust Regulator [Updated]

Germany's Bundeskartellamt (Federal Cartel Office or FCO) antitrust authority today announced that Apple is subject to "extended abuse control" under the German Competition Act, which means that German regulators can prevent the company from engaging in "anti-competitive practices."


FCO president Andreas Mundt said that Apple's economic position is not adequately controlled by competition, giving German authorities the right to step in.

Apple has an economic position of power across markets which gives rise to a scope of action that is not sufficiently controlled by competition. Based on its mobile end devices such as the iPhone, Apple operates a wide-ranging digital ecosystem which is of great importance to competition not only in Germany, but also throughout Europe and the world. With its proprietary products iOS and the App Store, Apple holds a key position for competition as well as for gaining access to the ecosystem and Apple customers. This decision enables us to specifically take action against and effectively prohibit anti-competitive practices.

In the press release, the FCO says that Apple's two billion device active install base gives it a "strong power" to create rules for third parties, with Apple exerting control over customers and access to customers. Combined with Apple's resources, Apple is in a "position of power" that makes it subject to the aforementioned "special abuse control." This designation is valid for five years.

German regulators are already looking into Apple's ad tracking rules and App Tracking Transparency, a measure that requires apps to get explicit user consent before tracking them. The investigation began in 2022 with the aim of determining whether Apple's anti-tracking technology is anti-competitive.

At the current time, the FCO has not decided whether to initiate further proceedings against Apple. Alphabet/Google, Meta/Facebook, and Amazon have previously been subject to these rules. A 2021 amendment to the German Competition Act provided the FCO with the power to "intervene early and more effectively" to prevent major tech companies from engaging in anti-competitive practices.

In a statement to MacRumors, Apple said that it plans to appeal the decision, and that it does not agree with some of the claims used to classify the company as in a position of power.

Apple is proud to be an engine for innovation, job creation, and competition in every market where we operate. The FCO’s designation misrepresents the fierce competition Apple faces in Germany, and it discounts the value of a business model that puts user privacy and security at its core. While we will continue to work with the FCO to understand their concerns, we plan to appeal their decision.

Apple said that the FCO is not presenting an accurate picture of the hardware market in Germany, and that the decision is not based on Apple's true competitive significance. Despite the FCO's claims that Apple's ecosystem limits customer choice, Apple says that iPhone and iPad are not stuck with the Apple ecosystem, but rather choose to use Apple products due to loyalty to the company.


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Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 167 With Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements

Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser Apple first introduced in March 2016. Apple designed the ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ to test features that may be introduced into future release versions of Safari.


‌Safari Technology Preview‌ release 167 includes bug fixes and performance improvements for Web Inspector, CSS, JavaScript, WebAssembly, Media, Popover, Rendering, Web API, Accessibility, MathML, and SVG.

The current ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ release is version 16.4 and is compatible with machines running macOS Ventura and macOS Monterey.

The ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ update is available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences or System Settings to anyone who has downloaded the browser. Full release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website.

Apple's aim with ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download.
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