Search focused on iPhones

2+ min ago (295+ words) The first iOS 26.3 beta includes a new user interface in preparation for the EU rule that will require Apple to allow third-party devices to access users" notifications. Here"s how it"s going to work One of the biggest points of contention between Apple and the European Union regarding the Digital Markets Act is the upcoming requirement to allow third-party devices to display notifications forwarded from the iPhone. This, according to Apple, represents a serious privacy and security threat: This data includes the content of a user"s messages, emails, medical alerts, and any other notifications a user receives. And it would reveal data to other companies that currently, even Apple can"t access. Still, Apple has been laying the groundwork to comply with the mandate since iOS 26.1. With iOS 26.3, Apple added a new'Notification Forwarding'interface under'Settings > Notifications, where users can…...

32+ min ago (258+ words) iOS 26.3 adds a new "Notification Forwarding" setting that allows incoming notifications on an iPhone to be forwarded to a third-party device. The setting is located in the Notification section of the Settings app under a new "Notification Forwarding" option. Apple says that notifications can only be forwarded to a single device at a time, so if Notification Forwarding is enabled with a third-party wearable, the Apple Watch won't able to receive and display notifications. Users can choose to have a device receive notifications only from selected apps rather than all apps, and notifications will include the name of the app and all content contained in the notification. Apple is adding this feature to relieve worldwide regulatory pressure that it is facing. The Digital Markets Act in the European Union requires Apple to provide third-party smartwatches and other devices with access…...

42+ min ago (217+ words) With iOS 26.3, Apple is making it simpler for iPhone users to transition to an Android smartphone, with new built-in tools for transferring data. Health data, devices paired with Bluetooth, and protected items like locked notes are not transferred over to the new device. Transferring data from an "iPhone" to an Android device wirelessly requires both devices to have the latest software, and to be connected to Wi-Fi with Bluetooth enabled. There will be an option to display a QR code on the Android device that the "iPhone" can scan to initiate the process, or there is an option to use a session ID and pairing code instead. Google has also implemented a similar feature for transferring data from an Android to an "iPhone", so it is a two-way process between the platforms. Last week, the European Commission said that Apple…...

53+ min ago (224+ words) Following the release of iOS 16.2 on Friday, December 12, the first beta release of iOS 26.3 was made available to developers a few days later, on December 15. We expect a final release to the public sometime in late January or early February. This is reportedly the last minor refresh before iOS 26.4 brings the revamped Siri upgrade we've waited over a year to get. We don't yet know what new features and changes to expect in iOS 26.3. We'll update this section as we learn more. Easier switching between Android and iPhone: We expect iOS 26.3 will ship with support for an easier iOS/Android switching system made in collaboration with Google, and at the behest of the European Union. You can read more about that here. If you want to test the iOS 26 beta releases but are not a registered developer, follow these steps:…...

1+ hour, 6+ min ago (282+ words) Apple is rumored to launch five new Home products in the year ahead, and ahead of that renewed smart home push, iOS 26.2 has just added a key enhancement to make adding new accessories easier. The evolution of smart home technology has come with all sorts of steps forward and steps back over the past decade. In the latter category, there's news like we got today of important smart device manufacturers going out of business. On the positive side though, platforms like Matter have made smart home accessories more interoperable than ever. And Apple has progressively made the device setup process easier too. iOS 26.2 takes another step in that direction. It improves the setup process'specifically when you have a pack of accessories sold together. From Apple's official release notes: Multipack accessory pairing in the Home app lets you use the same…...

1+ hour, 7+ min ago (491+ words) For me, Qi 2.2 is quietly becoming one of the biggest upgrades to MagSafe we have seen since it launched with the iPhone 12. Faster charging speeds, better heat management, and stronger magnets make wireless charging feel a lot closer to a wired experience. ESR is already out front with hardware that takes full advantage of it, and their new 3-in-1 charging station is one of the best examples yet. more" MagSafe Monday: ESR delivers near wired charging speeds with its new Qi 2.2 3-in-1 charging station For me, Qi 2.2 is quietly becoming one of the biggest upgrades to MagSafe we have seen since it launched with the iPhone 12. Faster charging speeds, better heat management, and stronger magnets make wireless charging feel a lot closer to a wired experience. ESR is already out front with hardware that takes full advantage of it, and…...

1+ hour, 18+ min ago (206+ words) Apple has just kicked off a new software cycle, with beta 1 now available for watchOS 26.3, tvOS 26.3, HomePod 26.3, and more. Last week, Apple shipped its expected last public software updates of the year. iOS 26.2, iPadOS 26.2, and macOS Tahoe 26.2 came packed with new features. And even smaller releases like watchOS 26.2 and tvOS 26.2 brought several solid upgrades. But now another wave of software is ready for beta testing. Beta 1 releases for watchOS 26.3, tvOS 26.3, and more are rolling out now for developers. Since they've debuted shortly before Apple's holiday break, we're unlikely to see much in the way of new features just yet. Per Apple's typical annual software pattern, the x.2 releases tend to bring a lot of new features. But they're usually followed by much smaller x.3 updates. That could certainly always change, and we could see bigger-than-usual updates. But even if this round of…...

1+ hour, 25+ min ago (273+ words) Android's motion-sickness feature has been in the works for some time, but what's taking so long? Like Apple's Vehicle Motion Cues, Google's version overlays motion dots to give the user signals as to which direction the vehicle is moving. This could allow people suffering from motion sickness to use their Android phone while riding in car. However, as currently built, Motion Cues can only display over other apps " not system elements. Google's solution to this problem could be to introduce a new Motion Cues API, per the report. There are signs in Android Canary's 2512 build that an upcoming Motion Cues API could use SystemUI for the rendering of motion dots. As the SystemUI app is responsible for handling system elements, the new API and integrations could solve the problems with Motion Cues in its current, unreleased form. In a future…...

1+ hour, 26+ min ago (141+ words) Apple today provided the first beta of an upcoming macOS Tahoe 26.3 update to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming three days after the launch of macOS Tahoe 26.2. Developers can download the macOS Tahoe 26.3 update by opening up the System Settings app, selecting the General category, and then choosing Software Update. Beta Updates will need to be enabled, and a free developer account is required. There's no word yet on what's included in macOS Tahoe 26.3, but we'll update this article if new Mac features are found. The beta is available to developers right now, but a public beta is expected later this week. We'll likely see Apple release macOS Tahoe 26.3 at the end of January given past launch timelines. Reminder alarms, more Liquid Glass tweaks, AirDrop improvements, and more. 1 week ago by Juli Clover...

1+ hour, 29+ min ago (155+ words) Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming just a few days after Apple released iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2. Registered developers can download the betas from the Settings app on the iPhone or iPad by going to the General section and selecting Software Update. We don't yet know what's included in the new beta software, but because that these updates will be tested over the holiday period, Apple may be planning to focus on bug fixes and performance improvements rather than adding major new features. When we learn what's new in the updates, we'll share details. iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 are limited to developers at the current time, but Apple will likely release a public beta in the next couple of days. Reminder alarms, more Liquid Glass tweaks, AirDrop…...