This week also saw the release of the third set of developer betas for iOS 16, macOS Ventura, and other upcoming updates, and we expect the public betas to debut next week. Finally, we continue to hear rumors about Apple’s iPhone and Apple Watch lineup, so read on for details on all of these stories!
Apple is now accepting pre-orders for new MacBook Air with M2 chip
Apple on Friday began accepting orders for the new MacBook Air equipped with the M2 chip, after announcing the date earlier in the week to confirm our exclusive report from last month. The first customer deliveries and in-store availability will begin a week later on Friday, July 15, but launch day availability is already starting to dwindle. The new MacBook Air has been redesigned with a slightly larger 13.6-inch screen, notch, flatter edges and new color options. The laptop features MagSafe charging, an upgraded 1080p camera, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, and more.
iOS 16 Beta 3 is out: Here’s what’s new
Apple this week released the third beta version of iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS Ventura, watchOS 9 and tvOS 16, and a handful of new features have been added across all platforms. We’ve unpacked everything new in the latest iOS 16 beta for iPhone, including a new lock feature that offers “extreme” security for high-profile individuals targeted by state-sponsored eavesdropping software, a new Clownfish wallpaper inspired by the original iPhone, the Lock screen changes and more. Apple also enabled two new features in the latest beta versions: iCloud Shared Photo Library and AFib History.
Apple announces new lock feature in iOS 16 with ‘Excellent’ level of security
Apple has shared more details about the new Lockdown feature enabled in the third betas of iOS 16, iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura this week. The lock feature can be found in the Settings app under Privacy & security. When enabled, Apple said the optional feature provided an “extreme” level of security by severely limiting or disabling the functionality of features, apps and websites, such as Safari, Messages and FaceTime.
Added iCloud Shared Photo Library support in the latest iOS 16 and MacOS Ventura Beta
The new iCloud Shared Photo Library feature that Apple previewed at WWDC has been enabled in the third beta of iOS 16 and macOS Ventura this week. iCloud Photo Library Sharing is designed to make it easy for you to share photos with family members or friends. The feature lets you and up to five other people add, edit, or remove photos to a shared library accessible across multiple devices via iCloud.
Apple Watch Series 8 may be able to detect fever
Apple Watch Series 8 models coming later this year will be able to detect if you have a fever if the feature passes final testing, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said in the latest edition of his newsletter. Fever detection is also expected to be a feature in a new “rugged” version of the Apple Watch Series 8, which is rumored to have a strong metal casing, a larger and more shatter-resistant display and a bigger battery.
Apple’s latest brands will remain exclusive to Pro models for iPhone 15 and beyond
In March, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that only the iPhone 14 Pro models will be upgraded with Apple’s latest A16 chip this year, with the standard iPhone 14 models sticking to the A15 chip. It was unclear if this would be an isolated change due to the ongoing chip shortage, but Kuo has now claimed that the trend of only Pro models getting Apple’s latest chip will continue with the iPhone 15 series and beyond.
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