Apple this week introduced a new feature designed to allow prospective Apple Music users to import their saved music and playlists from third-party music services to ‌Apple Music‌.


The feature is either in an expanded testing phase or it has started rolling out, and it is available in Australia and New Zealand according to an Apple Support document. Signs of the transfer option first surfaced back in February 2024, when an Android user saw a reference to the option in the ‌Apple Music‌ beta for Android. There is no word on when library and playlist transfer options might expand to other countries, but it is likely Apple is planning to expand the rollout in the near future.

Apple is partnering with SongShift for the new ‌Apple Music‌ feature. SongShift is an app that transfers music playlists across streaming platforms, but by working with Apple, the functionality has been integrated directly in the ‌Apple Music‌ app. Adding a simple option for transferring content from another service to ‌Apple Music‌ could spur people with large, curated libraries and playlists to make the jump to Apple's music service.

‌Apple Music‌ subscribers in Australia and New Zealand can initiate song transfers on the web or using the ‌Apple Music‌ app for iPhone, iPad, or Android. Songs, albums, and playlists from music services like Spotify can be transferred to ‌Apple Music‌, though what can be transferred does depend on the service.

On an ‌iPhone‌ or an ‌iPad‌, transfers can be initiated by opening up the Settings app, navigating to Apps, and selecting ‌Apple Music‌. In the ‌Apple Music‌ settings, there is a "Transfer Music from Other Music Services" option that lists supported music services. Users can select what they want to transfer, and then ‌Apple Music‌ will locate matches for songs in the ‌Apple Music‌ catalog, adding them to the ‌Apple Music‌ library.

In instances where an exact match for a song isn't able to be located, Apple will flag the music as Needs Review, displaying alternate versions that can be selected. Apple warns that some content might not be available or have an exact match in ‌Apple Music‌, and the company also notes that only user created playlists are able to be transferred, not playlists created by another music service.

Source playlists and libraries in the other music service will not be impacted and will still be available.
This article, "Apple Music Gets New Transfer Tool to Make Switching From Spotify Easier" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Two years after changing the name of HBO Max to just Max, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is reversing its decision. Starting this summer, Max is going to be rebranded as HBO Max.


It turns out that it may have been a bad idea dropping the well-recognized HBO brand name from the Max streaming service and opting for a much more generic name. In a blog post explaining the decision, WBD says that the HBO brand is best known for its consistent, high-quality content, which is what the company wants to focus on.

This evolution has also been influenced by changing consumer needs, and the fact that no consumer today is saying they want more content, but most consumers are saying they want better content. With other services filling the more basic needs with volume, WBD has clearly distinguished itself through its quality and distinct stories, and no brand has done that better and more consistently over 50+ years than HBO.

WBD says that the decision to go back to HBO Max demonstrates the company's willingness to use "consumer data and insights" to "position itself for success," suggesting the name change and the effort to include Discovery content for a wider audience wasn't popular with customers.

WBD Streaming CEO JB Perrette said that going forward, HBO Max won't provide "everything for everyone," but "something distinct and great for adults and families."

The HBO service has undergone several rebranding efforts over the years. The first HBO streaming service was known as HBO Go, and it later became HBO Now. HBO Now was rebranded as just HBO, and then it became HBO Max. After that it was just Max, and now we're back to HBO Max.
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Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser that was first introduced in March 2016. Apple designed ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ to allow users to test features that are planned for future release versions of the Safari browser.


‌Safari Technology Preview‌ 219 includes fixes and updates for Canvas, CSS, JavaScript, Media, Rendering, Web API, Web Extensions, and WebRTC.

The current ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ release is compatible with machines running macOS Sonoma and macOS Sequoia, the newest version of macOS.

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 from Apple’s website. Complete 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 it is designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download and use.
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On Friday, Epic Games submitted Fortnite to the U.S. App Store, and since then, we've been waiting to see if Apple would approve the game and allow it back on the iPhone and the iPad. There's been no word from Apple so far, but ‌Epic Games‌ opted to pull its first App Store review request, and has now resubmitted Fortnite.


Fortnite leaker Shiina shared the news, with the information reposted by ‌Epic Games‌ CEO Tim Sweeney. According to Sweeney, ‌Epic Games‌ needs to release a weekly Fortnite update with new content on Friday, and platforms need to be updated simultaneously. The company pulled the prior version, and submitted a new version with the update for review.

‌Epic Games‌ apparently had not heard from Apple since submitting Fortnite to the ‌App Store‌ on Friday. "The first request went unreviewed for 120+ hours," wrote Shiina. Apple's App Review guidelines suggest that 90 percent of ‌App Store‌ submissions are reviewed in less than 24 hours, but it's clear that Fortnite's return to the ‌App Store‌ is not straightforward for Apple.

Apple banned the ‌Epic Games‌ developer account back in 2020 when ‌Epic Games‌ violated its ‌App Store‌ rules to add web-based purchases, kicking off a multi-year legal battle. Because the main ‌Epic Games‌ developer account continues to be banned, Epic submitted Fortnite to the U.S. ‌App Store‌ using an account from Epic Games Sweden, a subsidiary that Epic formed to create the ‌Epic Games‌ Store alternative app marketplace in the European Union.

Prior to submitting Fortnite to the U.S. ‌App Store‌, ‌Epic Games‌ CEO Tim Sweeney said that Epic "conversed" with Apple about its plan, but at no point did he say that Apple had okayed the idea. It's still not clear if Apple will approve Fortnite for the U.S. ‌App Store‌, because the Epic Games vs. Apple lawsuit made it clear that Apple was well within its rights to terminate Epic's account, and does not have an obligation to allow Fortnite into the ‌App Store‌.

‌Epic Games‌ is trying to bring Fortnite back to the U.S. ‌App Store‌ because Apple is now required to allow U.S. developers to direct customers to web-based purchase options available outside of the ‌App Store‌, which is what Fortnite got banned for in the first place. The order was part of an injunction levied by the judge overseeing ‌Epic Games vs. Apple‌, and it is now being enforced. Apple is appealing the ruling, but has to follow it until Apple hears from the appeals court.

Sweeney said that he would be "very surprised" if Apple "decided to brave the geopolitical storm of blocking a major app from iOS," and it is true that Apple might not want to risk further angering the judge overseeing the case.
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Apple is updating the Maps app with insights, ratings, and reviews from expert sources, with the aim of helping users find top-ranked restaurants, hotels, and more.


There are now options to search for and view Michelin-starred, Green Star, and Bib Gourmand restaurants, along with Michelin Key hotels. As of right now, the search options are available for locations in the U.S., but Apple plans to expand them to additional regions in the future. Searching for Michelin restaurants and hotels can be done with the filters feature in the Maps app.

"MICHELIN Guide, The Infatuation, and Golf Digest are leading industry experts that consumers rely on for finding the best restaurants, hotels, and golf courses, and we're excited to bring their valuable insights and accolades to our users in Apple Maps," said David Dorn, Apple's senior director of Internet Software and Services Product. "These new integrations make Maps an even more useful and seamless resource for users to discover great new places whether in their hometown or traveling somewhere new."

Apple also plans to add rankings and insights from The Infatuation and Golf Digest to Maps, along with additional expert sources.

Apple says that place cards in the Maps app will show distinctions, descriptions, and images from expert sources. For select hotels, users will be able to book directly from the Maps app, and Apple will soon introduce options to schedule restaurant reservations through Michelin and tee times through Supreme Golf.

The new information will come up in searches for various places, but Apple also has curated Maps guides from Michelin Guide, The Infatuation, and Golf Digest.
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Time sure flies, and we're now less than a month away from the 2025 Worldwide Developers Conference where Apple will introduce new software updates. Rumors are picking up ahead of the event, so we thought we'd highlight some of the updates that we're looking forward to learning more about.

1. The new iOS design. We've been hearing that Apple is planning a major design overhaul for iOS 19, with a look that's inspired by visionOS. Round buttons, glassier interface elements, and a simplified design style are expected. It's going to be the biggest design change since iOS 7, which was controversial when it launched. We're sure to see some of the same love it or hate it type of reactions with the 2025 revamp.


2. macOS 16's name. One of the big mysteries that's always unveiled at WWDC is what Apple plans to name the next-generation version of macOS. Apple has been naming new versions of macOS after California landmarks since 2013, and we're not out of names yet. There are a bunch of names Apple has trademarked over the years, including Condor, Redwood, Shasta, Skyline, Pacific Miramar, Mammoth, Grizzly, Redtail, Tiburon, and Rincon.


3. New app designs. Along with the overall ‌iOS 19‌ interface update, Apple is overhauling its apps to adopt the new design language. Expect buttons with more transparency that puts more focus on content, pop out menus, rounded buttons and tab bars, and that same glassy visionOS look.


4. More battery life. ‌iOS 19‌ will bring an AI-powered battery management feature that will analyze how you use your device and make automatic adjustments where possible to minimize battery usage. The new AI battery mode will be able to limit app and system feature power draw based on your usage habits.


5. Live translation for AirPods. Apple is developing an AirPods feature that will translate in-person conversations from one language to another, and it's a feature that is expected to come in ‌iOS 19‌ and an AirPods firmware update. It's likely going to be limited to the AirPods Pro, and could be tied in some way to the AirPods Pro 3 that are coming this year.

We've got more on what's coming at WWDC in our iOS 19 roundup and our WWDC 2025 roundup, so make sure to check those out.

WWDC 2025 will begin with a keynote event on June 9 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Apple will have a live stream available, but we'll also be providing coverage here on MacRumors.com and through the MacRumorsLive Twitter account for those who aren't able to watch.
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As WWDC 2025 approaches, Apple has updated its Developer app to prepare for the week-long event. The refreshed version of the developer app will host the ‌WWDC 2025‌ session videos, 1-on-1 labs with Apple engineers, and more.


Apple will stream the ‌WWDC 2025‌ keynote event in the Apple Developer app, plus the app will feature the Platforms State of the Union and other developer sessions that will be debuting throughout WWDC week.


When Apple refreshes the Developer app for WWDC each year, it adds new stickers that can be used in the Messages app. This year's sticker selection includes Genmoji-inspired options, such as a dinosaur surfing, an octopus with a keyboard, and a flying pig. There's also a colorful Hello sticker, and a California sticker that features California poppies. Each sticker is animated.




















At ‌WWDC 2025‌, Apple will unveil iOS 19, iPadOS 19, macOS 16, tvOS 19, visionOS 3, and watchOS 12. We're not expecting any hardware products this year.

‌WWDC 2025‌ is set to kick off on Monday, June 9 with a keynote event that will see Apple introducing the new software updates. The Developer app is available from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
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Apple Vision Pro users could soon be able to scroll through content with their eyes, according to Bloomberg. Apple is working on a visionOS 3 feature that would eliminate the need for hand gestures when browsing websites, reading, and more.


The Vision Pro already supports navigating through the operating system by looking at an item and then using a hand gesture to "tap" it, so eye-based scrolling would be a natural extension of that existing functionality. Apple plans to add eye scrolling capabilities to all of the built-in apps on the Vision Pro, and it is developing APIs that will let developers do the same.

There are multiple cameras in the Vision Pro that are used for eye tracking purposes and for iris scanning, a biometric authentication feature. Apple has experimented with eye tracking on other devices too, with an Accessibility feature on the iPhone and iPad allowing iOS users to look at an onscreen pointer that follows eye movement. With this option, users can look to navigate, and then focus their eyes on one spot to perform a tap action.

visionOS 3 is set to debut at the Worldwide Developers Conference that starts on Monday, June 9.
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Google today previewed the next-generation version of Android, which has an updated design language that's more expressive, and a range of new features. One of the main new additions is Live Updates, a feature that mirrors Live Activity on the iPhone.


Live Updates lets Android users track progress notifications from apps in real-time, much like Live Activity. Google says that Live Updates will work with top delivery, ride share, and navigation apps.

With Live Activity, incoming food deliveries, sports games, and more can be tracked from the ‌iPhone‌'s Lock Screen or with the Dynamic Island, and Google's feature works in a similar way. Android users will see Live Updates on the lock screen and home screen, and can tap into a menu bar option to get more information.

Google is revamping Android with an interface focused on color, movement, and haptics, and it'll be interesting to see how it compares to the rumored iOS 19 redesign that Apple has in the works.


Google took some cues from Apple on security, adding a Find Hub that's similar to the Find My app for tracking people, items, and devices, with Google even teaming up with airlines for luggage recovery. There's also an Advanced Protection option that looks similar to Lockdown Mode, offering additional safeguards against malware and suspicious contact for journalists and politicians.

More new features that are coming to Android 16 will be introduced at Google I/O next week.
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Over a billion RCS messages are sent on a daily basis in the United States, Google said today. ‌RCS‌, or Rich Communication Services, is a communication protocol that replaced the prior SMS and MMS messaging standards.


It was developed by the GSM Association, but Google has been championing it for years. Apple held out on adopting ‌RCS‌ for quite some time, but finally added support with the launch of iOS 18. On devices running ‌iOS 18‌, ‌RCS‌ is the default messaging protocol for texts between an iPhone user and an Android user.

Apple's adoption of ‌RCS‌ has undoubtedly increased the number of ‌RCS‌ messages sent per day, but Google's 1 billion figure includes Android to Android text messages along with Android to ‌iPhone‌ text messages (and vice versa).

‌RCS‌ is a notable improvement over SMS and MMS, and it makes for a better texting experience between ‌iPhone‌ users and Android users, as Android users can't take advantage of iMessage. Some of the ‌RCS‌ features:

• Support for higher resolution photos and videos.


• Support for larger file sizes and file sharing.


• Audio messages.


• Cross-platform emoji reactions.


• Real-time typing indicators and read receipts.


• Better group chats with support for removing people.


• The option to send messages over cellular or Wi-Fi.

For ‌iPhone‌ to ‌iPhone‌ conversations, iMessage is still the default, but ‌RCS‌ has made "green bubble" texting with Android users less of a hassle.

‌RCS‌ is supported by the major carriers in the United States, but some smaller carriers like Boost Mobile, Mint Mobile, Ting, and others have yet to add support.
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Ecovacs today announced the launch of its new flagship robot vacuum, the X9 Pro Omni. The robot is able to vacuum and mop floors, and it includes HomeKit integration so it can be controlled using Siri and the Home app.


The X9 Pro Omni is a sensor-laden cleaning bot that can vacuum and mop floors throughout the home, while also using AI to navigate obstacles like pets, items on the floor, furniture, and more. The bot is able to map an entire home with its 3D sensors, detecting walls and using a moving mop and side brush to get debris out of corners and along walls.

Like the prior-generation X8 Pro Omni, the new X9 model features Ecovacs' standout mopping feature, the Ozmo Roller Mop that self washes as it cleans, so that dirty water isn't spread over the floor. The X9 Pro Omni has separate clean and dirty water tanks in the robot itself, which is a unique cleaning feature, plus the mopping brush offers more downward pressure than traditional mop heads for a better clean. The mop is able to lift when the robot encounters carpets, so water does not get on rugs or carpeted areas, and it has hot air drying when cleaning is finished.

As for vacuuming, the X9 Pro Omni uses what Ecovacs calls "Blast" technology, with a 100W high-torque motor and optimized airflow path for better, quieter suction. There is a ZeroTangle brush for pet and human hair that does not get clogged up, cutting down on maintenance.

The X9 Pro Omni refills itself at a base station equipped with clean water, a dust bag, cleaning fluid, and a dirty water reservoir, and all of its functions are controlled via the Ecovacs iPhone app. There are a range of cleaning modes, from just vacuuming to a deep clean, and there are options for using the robot as a home camera that can move from room to room.

The X9 Pro Omni is one of a handful of robot vacuums that offers Matter integration, and with Matter, it is able to connect to ‌HomeKit‌. As of iOS 18.4, Apple's Home app has supported robot vacuums, which means you can ask ‌Siri‌ to vacuum or mop your house. ‌Siri‌ can be used for an overall cleaning, or you can ask ‌Siri‌ to clean specific rooms. The Home app is also available, as is the Ecovacs app.

The X9 Pro Omni can be purchased from the Ecovacs website for $1,300, which includes a limited time $300 discount to celebrate the launch. We'll have a review of the new robot coming in the next few weeks.
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Earlier this month, PayPal said that it would debut contactless iPhone payments in Germany, and German iPhone users now appear to be able to use the feature. According to German site iPhone Ticker, some PayPal customers in Germany have access to PayPal as an alternative to Apple Pay.


PayPal can be used for NFC tap to pay functionality just like ‌Apple Pay‌, with payments initiated in the same way. PayPal users in Germany are able to set PayPal as the default payment app over ‌Apple Pay‌, using the side button to bring up PayPal as a payment option for one-tap contactless payments in retail locations.

If PayPal is not set as the default payment method, contactless payments can be made by opening up the PayPal app.

PayPal is able to offer direct tap to pay options in Germany because the Digital Markets Act in Europe forced Apple to allow third-party apps to use the ‌iPhone‌'s NFC chip. Apple has historically restricted access to NFC for payment purposes, only allowing contactless payments with ‌Apple Pay‌.

With the new regulations, third-party apps from payment services and banks can access the full functionality of the NFC chip, giving ‌iPhone‌ users an alternative to ‌Apple Pay‌ and the Wallet app.

Germany is PayPal's first test market, but the rollout is likely to expand to other European countries in the coming months. To use PayPal for contactless payments, German ‌iPhone‌ users will need the latest version of the PayPal app and a compatible debit or credit card. PayPal can be used in retail stores where Mastercard payments are accepted.

PayPal's tap to pay options are limited to the ‌iPhone‌, and the feature does not work on the Apple Watch because Apple has not been required to open up NFC on the Apple Watch. PayPal won't be able to bring the contactless payment option to the United States or other countries unless those locations adopt similar rules requiring Apple to expand NFC access.

To attract customers to use PayPal instead of ‌Apple Pay‌, PayPal is offering cashback promotions in the PayPal app, and will eventually add a pay over time feature with options for six, 12, and 24 monthly installments for purchases.

NFC access is available for banking and wallet apps in the European Economic Area, which includes the 27 European Union countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.
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The tvOS 18.5 update that Apple released yesterday adds support for synchronizing Dolby Atmos playback to speakers over AirPlay or Bluetooth, according to Apple's release notes for the update.


The feature could help address some persistent syncing issue that some Apple TV users have encountered when trying to play audio with Dolby Atmos. There are multiple complaints on Reddit and the Apple Support forums about Dolby Atmos audio syncing issues with sound bars and speakers, including those connected via ‌AirPlay‌ and Bluetooth, such as the HomePod.

On affected devices, users find that dialog and other audio can be slightly out of sync with the content that's playing, so lips do not move correctly when people speak in TV shows and movies, and sound effects like explosions are delayed. Switching to 5.1 surround sound eliminates the problem, but people with expensive audio setups have been understandably disappointed not to be able to use Dolby Atmos.

Apple says that the new Dolby Atmos synchronization feature for ‌AirPlay‌ and Bluetooth speakers can be found by going to Settings > Video and Audio > Wireless Audio Sync.
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Samsung today introduced the Galaxy S25 Edge, an ultra thin smartphone that will compete with Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 "Air." The Galaxy S25 Edge features a 6.7-inch AMOLED display and it measures in at 5.8mm thick.


Comparatively, rumors suggest that the iPhone 17 Air will have a 6.6-inch display and a thickness of 5.5mm, so it may be slightly smaller and thinner than the S25 Edge. The Galaxy S25 Edge weighs 163 grams, so the thin design and the light weight are noticeable when it is compared to a standard Galaxy S25 Ultra or a current iPhone 16 Pro Max. The Galaxy S25 Ultra weighs 218 grams, while the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max weighs 227 grams.

Samsung is using a titanium frame for the Galaxy S25 Edge, which is also what we're expecting for the ‌iPhone 17 Air‌. It also includes Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2, which Samsung says improves resilience.


While the ‌iPhone 17 Air‌ will only get a single 48-megapixel Wide lens, Samsung equipped the Galaxy S25 Edge with a dual-lens camera setup. There's a 200-megapixel wide-angle lens and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens.

Aside from the thin and light design, the Galaxy S25 Edge is basically identical to the other smartphones in the Galaxy S25 lineup, offering the same performance and feature set. It includes the Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform from Qualcomm, and a revamped vapor chamber for heat dissipation.


It has AI tools like Drawing Assist and Audio Eraser, along with ProScaler for improved image scaling functionality. There's a Now Brief and Now Bar with AI-updated information that changes throughout the day and incorporates info from third-party apps, plus it includes Google Gemini features thanks to Samsung's partnership with Google.


Samsung's Galaxy S25 Edge can be pre-ordered from the Samsung website, and pricing starts at $1,099.99 for the 256GB model. Samsung is offering a $50 credit for those who pre-order, and upgrading anyone who purchases the 256GB model to 512GB. The deal is available through May 30.

Samsung is also offering up to $630 in trade-in credits toward the purchase of a Galaxy S25 Edge.
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Apple is planning to implement a change to pasteboard (aka your iPhone's internal clipboard) that will prevent Mac apps from being able to read the pasteboard without the user being alerted, according to information Apple has shared with developers.


In macOS 16, Mac users will get an alert when a Mac app reads the pasteboard without direct user interaction. This change means apps won't be able to surreptitiously view the things you've copied and pasted.

Mac users won't see an alert with a direct pasteboard-related action, like when copying and pasting text within an app that supports it. Users will be notified if an app tries to view pasteboard data when the paste feature hasn't been used.

Apple says that the Mac pasteboard will work similarly to the iOS pasteboard going forward. On the ‌iPhone‌ and iPad, Apple blocks apps from snooping on pasteboard data, and has done so since iOS 14 after security researchers found that dozens of popular iOS apps were reading the contents of the pasteboard without user consent.

Apple addressed the problem by adding a banner that notifies you when an iOS app accesses the clipboard. In iOS 15, Apple further enhanced the feature by introducing a secure paste option that prevents developers from seeing the clipboard entirely unless you copy something from one app and paste it into the app you're actively using.

With the upcoming Mac changes, Mac developers will be able to "examine the kinds of data" on the pasteboard without actually reading them, improving pasteboard privacy. Pasteboard data used with the privacy-focused API won't show the alert to end users. From Apple's notice to developers:

Prepare your app for an upcoming feature in macOS that alerts a person using a device when your app programmatically reads the general pasteboard. The system shows the alert only if the pasteboard access wasn't a result of someone's input on a UI element that the system considers paste-related. This behavior is similar to how UIPasteboard behaves in iOS.

New detect methods in NSPasteboard and NSPasteboardItem make it possible for an app to examine the kinds of data on the pasteboard without actually reading them and showing the alert. NSPasteboard also adds an accessBehavior property to determine if programmatic pasteboard access is always allowed, never allowed, or if it prompts an alert requesting permission. You can adopt these APIs ahead of the change, and set a user default to test the new behavior on your Mac.

Apple software engineer Jeff Nadeau mentioned on Mastodon that Apple has come across Mac apps that are continuously scraping the pasteboard in the background, but at the same time, there are apps that need pasteboard manipulation, which is why Apple has designed the new APIs.

Mac apps will also need to get user permission to access the pasteboard in some situations. Apple says that developers are able to test the upcoming pasteboard changes with their apps ahead of when the functionality rolls out to users.
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Apple will officially end support for the previous version of Apple Home in the fall of 2025, according to an updated HomeKit support document. Apple says that users will need to update to the new HomeKit architecture by then to avoid interruptions with accessories and automations.


The updated ‌HomeKit‌ architecture was initially introduced in March 2023 alongside iOS 16.4, iPadOS 16.4, and macOS Ventura 13.3, but there were some issues with stability that may have prevented some users from upgrading. In fact, it actually came out briefly in December 2022, but there were issues with missing devices, home sharing invitations that didn't work, problems with HomeKit Secure Video, and more, so Apple removed it until 2023.

Since then, Apple has fixed the ‌HomeKit‌ architecture and the problems have been addressed, but it is worth noting that the architecture breaks support for the Home app on devices running older versions of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS.

Users will have to upgrade by the end of 2025, though, in order to keep using ‌HomeKit‌. The upgrade does bring some tangible features like guest access, support for robot vacuum cleaners, and Activity History. Apple says it also provides faster, more reliable performance, especially for smart homes with a lot of ‌HomeKit‌ and Matter accessories installed.

The upgrade can be installed in the Home app by tapping on the More button, choosing Home Settings, and then tapping on Software Update.
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There's an issue with the Messages app that prevents users from sending voice-based messages that include ampersands, resulting in a curious bug that means you can't use audio messages to tell your friends about Dave & Buster's, H&M, Tiffany & Co., or any other similar proper name.


The bug was first highlighted on the Search Engine podcast, and then further investigated by app developer Guilherme Rambo. Basically, if you try to send someone an audio message in the Messages app that includes the phrase "Dave and Buster's," it won't go through.

After you send the message, it'll show on your own iPhone, and the person on the other end will see three dots as if you're typing something. The message ultimately just disappears after a few seconds, never showing up for the person that you're speaking to. It was Dave & Buster's that led to the bug being discovered, but it in fact impacts any company with an ampersand in the name.

As it turns out, the problem isn't with the audio message itself, but with the transcript that accompanies any audio message that you send. Apple's transcription engine understands proper company names like H&M or Dave & Buster's, displaying them with an ampersand rather than the word "and," so when you send someone a voice message saying something like "Do you want to go to Dave & Buster's?" the transcript is rendered just like that, with the proper name.

It's the ampersand symbol that's causing an issue, because Apple's transcription engine isn't rendering the ampersand XHTML correctly, causing a parsing error on the device of the person receiving the message. The parsing error triggers Apple's BlastDoor Messages feature that protects users from malicious messages that might rely on problematic parsing, so ultimately, the audio message fails to send.

Rambo goes into more detail about the root of the issue, and the original Search Engine podcast also has more on the bug, so check those out if you want to hear more about Apple's minor error that's nixing any audio message with an ampersand.
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Google has updated the look of its well-known "G" logo, changing the design of the character for the first time in 10 years.


The new logo was first noticed by 9to5Google, and while it has the same shape and color palette as the original, there is a gradient that blends each of the colors together instead of the previous color block look.

Google is already using the new logo for the Google Search app on iOS and the Android Google app. Google has not updated its full six character logo with the change to the G logo, as that design does not use blended colors.
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Apple Card users can get additional Daily Cash when making purchases from Nike for the next month, according to an email that Apple is sending out to card holders.


Through June 15, making a purchase with an ‌Apple Card‌ using Apple Pay at a Nike retail store, online, or in the Nike app will earn six percent Daily Cash, instead of the standard three percent that's normally available when shopping from Nike.

‌Apple Card‌ holders can get the six percent Daily Cash back on up to $500 in purchases, for a total of $30 back. The deal is available to ‌Apple Card‌ owners, co-owners, and participants, so multiple family members can get the bonus cash back offer.

Typically, ‌Apple Pay‌ purchases with ‌Apple Card‌ provide two percent Daily Cash, but Apple has partnered with some companies like Nike to up that to three percent. You can get three percent Daily Cash when using ‌Apple Pay‌ and ‌Apple Card‌ for purchases at Ace, Apple retail stores, Booking.com, ChargePoint, Exxon, Mobil, Uber, and Walgreens.
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With Safari 18.5, included in macOS 15.5, Apple added Declarative Web Push, an updated method to deliver web-based push notifications even when a website isn't open. With Declarative Web Push, developers can display notifications without the need for a service worker, which preserves battery life for Web Push notifications.


Declarative Web Push is more energy efficient, and it's also more private and easier for developers to implement. It does not rely on JavaScript, instead using a standardized JSON format that lets browsers directly display notifications without additional code.

Declarative Web Push isn't subject to the same feature-breaking bugs and network issues as the standard web push, nor will anti-tracking prevention features disable it on websites that the user hasn't visited in some time.

Apple says that Declarative Web Push is backwards compatible with browser engines that haven't yet added support. End users do not need to do anything to see Declarative Web Pushes, as this is a behind-the-scenes feature for developers to implement.

Apple previously added support for Declarative Web Push on iPhone and iPad with the iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 updates. More information is available on Apple's WebKit blog.

Safari 18.5 is included in macOS 15.5, but the browser update is also available for Macs that are still running macOS Sonoma and macOS Ventura.
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With the iOS 19 update, Apple plans to use AI to help you better manage your iPhone's battery life, reports Bloomberg. ‌iOS 19‌ will have an AI-powered battery management option that will analyze how you use your device and make adjustments where possible to cut down on battery usage.


The battery option will be included in the Apple Intelligence suite of features, with Apple drawing on battery data that it has collected from users over time. The battery mode will be able to cut the power draw of apps and other system features based on device usage, and it will also include a Lock Screen indicator that shows how long it will take an ‌iPhone‌ charge.

‌iOS 19‌'s new battery management tool was designed with the super slim iPhone 17 Air in mind. Apple's new ultra thin ‌iPhone‌ doesn't have as much space for a battery inside, and some rumors have suggested that the ‌iPhone 17 Air‌'s battery will not be up to par with the battery life of other iPhone 17 models. Apple plans to improve ‌iPhone 17 Air‌ battery life with the AI optimizations, though the feature set will be available for all iPhones that are able to run ‌iOS 19‌.

Along with the AI battery mode, several new features coming in ‌iOS 19‌ will be described as "powered by" ‌Apple Intelligence‌, with Apple also planning to use that wording for some Apple Watch features.

Other features coming in ‌iOS 19‌ include a glass-inspired design that looks similar to visionOS, a redesigned Health app with new functionality, updates to Siri, and more. Gurman says that Apple is also "pushing" engineers to make sure that the ‌iOS 19‌ update is "more functional and less glitchy."

Additional details on all the features coming in ‌iOS 19‌ can be found in our dedicated iOS 19 roundup.
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The iOS 18.5 update that Apple released today includes a security fix for the iPhone 16e's C1 modem, which is the first Apple-designed modem.


According to Apple's security support document for iOS 18.5, there's a fix for a vulnerability with the C1 modem. Apple says that it addressed a baseband security flaw that could allow an attacker "in a privileged network position" to intercept network traffic. Basically, a hacker that had access to cellular network infrastructure could potentially exploit the vulnerability for surveillance or to employ a man-in-the-middle attack.

The C1's baseband is used for signal processing, so it encodes and decodes data for communication between devices and networks, and processes calls, texts, and data connections. Apple addressed the vulnerability with improved state management, which could mean new validation checks to prevent attackers from exploiting weaknesses between operational states.

Apple released the ‌iPhone 16e‌ earlier this year, and today's security update is notable because it marks the first security flaw discovered and addressed in the C1 modem.

iOS 18.5 also includes several other security fixes for vulnerabilities with image processing, call history, Bluetooth, file parsing, FaceTime, Notes, ProRes, WebKit, and more. None of the vulnerabilities fixed today were known to have been actively exploited, but it's still a good idea to update right away.
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Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.5, the fifth major update to the ‌macOS Sequoia‌ operating system that launched last September. ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.5 comes a little over a month after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.4.


Mac users can download the ‌‌‌‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.5‌‌‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. It is available for free on all Macs able to run macOS 15. Apple has also released macOS 13.7.6 and macOS 14.7.6 for older Macs not able to run macOS 15.

‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.5 is light on new features, with Apple listing only a change to Screen Time in its notes.

This update includes enhancements, bug fixes, and security updates for your Mac.

- Parents now receive a notification when the Screen Time passcode is used on a child's device

More information on what's new in ‌macOS Sequoia‌ can be found in our macOS Sequoia roundup.
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Apple today released iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5, the fifth updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 come a little over a month after Apple released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4.


The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. The iOS 18.5 update has a build number of 22F76, so those that had the RC installed will see another update.

iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 are on the smaller side, featuring a limited number of new features. There's an update to Screen Time that lets parents know when a Screen Time passcode is used on a child's device, and there is support for carrier-provided satellite features on iPhone 13 models. Apple's full release notes are below.

This update also includes the following enhancements and bug fixes:

• A new Pride Harmony wallpaper


• Parents now receive a notification when the Screen Time passcode is used on a child's device


• Buy with iPhone is available when purchasing content within the Apple TV app on a 3rd party device


• Fixes an issue where the Apple Vision Pro app may display a black screen


• Support for carrier-provided satellite features is available on iPhone 13 (all models). For more information visit: https://support.apple.com/122339

Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit: https://support.apple.com/100100

Apple will soon be shifting focus to iOS 19 and iPadOS 19, which are set to debut at the June Worldwide Developers Conference, but Apple does plan to release an iOS 18.6 update to bring Apple Intelligence to China.
This article, "Apple Releases iOS 18.5 With New Wallpaper, Screen Time Changes, Carrier Satellite Support for iPhone 13 and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today released watchOS 11.5, the fifth major update to the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 11.5 comes over a month after Apple released watchOS 11.4, and it is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, all Apple Watch Ultra models, and the Apple Watch SE 2.


watchOS 11.5 can be downloaded on a connected iPhone by opening up the Apple Watch app and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery and it needs to be placed on a charger.

The watchOS 11.5 update adds a new Pride Harmony watch face and it fixes an issue that could prevent the ‌iPhone‌ from showing a notification when the Apple Watch battery is fully charged. Apple's release notes are below.

This update includes new features, improvements, and bug fixes, including:

- A new Pride Harmony watch face
- Buy with Apple Watch is available when purchasing content within the Apple TV app on a 3rd party device
- Resolves an issue that may prevent your iPhone from showing a notification when the watch battery is fully charged

More of the features available in watchOS 11 can be found in our watchOS 11 roundup.
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Apple today released visionOS 2.5, the fifth update to the visionOS 2 operating system that came out in September. visionOS 2.5 comes a little over a month after the launch of visionOS 2.4.


visionOS 2.5 can be downloaded on all Vision Pro headsets by navigating to the Settings app, selecting the General section, and choosing the Software Update option.

With visionOS 2.5, Apple added a Vision tab to the Apple TV app to make it easier for users to find content created for the Vision Pro.

This release includes improvements and bug fixes, including a new Vision tab in the Apple TV app to easily discover and watch Apple Immersive Video and 3D movies available on Apple Vision Pro.

More on the features available in visionOS can be found in our visionOS roundup.
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Apple today released tvOS 18.5, the latest version of the tvOS operating system. tvOS 18.5 comes a little over a month after the launch of tvOS 18.4, and it is available for the Apple TV 4K and ‌Apple TV‌ HD models.


tvOS 18.5 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the ‌‌Apple TV‌‌. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software. ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ owners who have automatic software updates activated will be upgraded to the new version of tvOS automatically.

Apple shares full release notes for tvOS in its tvOS support document, which is updated after each new version of tvOS comes out.

Apple has also released a new version of the HomePod Software 18.5 for the ‌HomePod‌ and HomePod mini. ‌HomePod‌ software is based on tvOS.
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Apple is known for its privacy policies that keep user data collected to a minimum, but the company has also worked to incorporate many safety features into its devices. From summoning help when you can't to making sure you're not being tracked or followed, the iPhone has tools that are meant to keep you safe.


We've rounded up some of the most important options that everyone should be reminded about.

Emergency SOS

If you're in danger or there's a medical emergency, the ‌iPhone‌ has ways to quickly summon help by automatically calling emergency services. The Emergency SOS feature will dial the local emergency helpline based on your location, so it's available even when you're traveling.

In the United States, for example, activating it dials 911. In the UK, it dials 999, and in Europe, 112. With Emergency SOS, you don't need to know the emergency number for the country you're in, which can be a relief when you just need help as soon as possible.

There are several setup options for Emergency SOS, so you can choose the one that works best for you. There are two automatic calling options where you can dial immediately by either holding the side button and a volume button together or pressing the side button five times in rapid succession.

There's also an option where you'll need to use a swipe to place the call, which eliminates accidental activations. Emergency SOS can be set up in the Emergency SOS section of the Settings app. Toggle on one of the two activation options if you want auto calling.

If you don't want auto calling, turn off both toggles. The gestures still work the same way, but using them will bring you to the ‌iPhone‌ shut down screen where you can use a single swipe to place an emergency call. Emergency SOS is always on and available even if you don't have the automatic options enabled.

Note: This screen for emergency services has another important function that's worth knowing about. It will lock your ‌iPhone‌ so that it won't unlock with Face ID, and your passcode will be needed to access your data. If you're ever asked to hand over your phone to someone, you can quickly use one of the two gestures to disable ‌Face ID‌. In the U.S., you can't be compelled to provide your passcode to law enforcement. You can, however, be required to unlock your ‌iPhone‌ with a facial scan or fingerprint.

Emergency SOS will work over a cellular connection, Wi-Fi, and on the ‌iPhone‌ 14 or later, satellite if a standard connection is not available. Emergency SOS via Satellite will also work on a phone that does not have cellular service, but the auto calling features require a SIM. If you have emergency contacts set, they will be notified with a text message if you need to use Emergency SOS.

Medical ID

Medical ID provides your relevant medical information and emergency contacts to first responders if you're in an accident, so it's useful to keep it up to date and available.

It includes your name, age, allergies, and emergency contact numbers, along with a photo, language spoken, height, weight, blood type, medications, and medical conditions including pregnancy.

You can set up your own Medical ID in the Health app settings. Open up the Settings app, scroll down to Apps, look for the Health app, and tap into it. From there, tap into each category to add data. Alternatively, open the Health app, tap on your profile picture, and tap Medical ID.

If you're in an emergency situation and there's an unresponsive ‌iPhone‌ user, it's also good to know how to get to the Medical ID information. From the Lock Screen, swipe up to the Passcode interface, tap on Emergency, and then tap on Medical ID in the bottom left of the display. You can also press the side button five times, or hold the side button and the volume button together to get to the Medical ID interface.

Crash Detection

With the ‌iPhone‌ 14 or later, the gyroscope and accelerometer in the ‌iPhone‌ can detect a car crash, alerting emergency services. Crash Detection can have some false alarms and early on, there were problems when people were skiing or on rollercoasters, but Apple has worked to refine it.

Crash Detection is enabled automatically on the ‌iPhone‌ 14 or later, but you can double check that it's on by going to Emergency SOS in the Settings app and scrolling down to the "Call After Severe Crash" option.

If Crash Detection is activated, the ‌iPhone‌ will play an alarm and start a countdown before the call is placed, so there is time to cancel it if there's movement that causes the feature to detect a crash when there hasn't been one.

Location Sharing

With the Find My app and location sharing, you can share your location with trusted friends and family members. Location sharing can be good for peace of mind, because it ensures that someone always knows where you are. This isn't always desirable because you're not going to want to share your whereabouts with someone unsafe, but it's good to know about.

You can share your location for different lengths of time, including for an hour, until the end of the day, or indefinitely. One of the easiest ways to share your location with someone is to open up the ‌Find My‌ app, tap on the People tab, and then tap the "+" button to select a contact. You can also share from the Messages app and the Contacts app.

The ‌Find My‌ app's People tab will show you who you're sharing your location with so you can turn it off, but you can also go to the Privacy and Security section of the ‌iPhone‌ Settings app, tap on Location Services, and then select Share My Location to see who can view your location.

Check In

If you don't want to permanently share your location with someone, or you just want extra oversight when you're using a ride share service or taking a late night walk, you can use the Check In feature.

With Check In, you can choose a person that will see your current location, your intended destination, and the approximate time that it will take you to get there. Check In can also be tied to a workout, so that it's active while the workout is in progress, or it can be a simple timer that's not linked to a specific route.

If you're using Check In with a destination, it ends when you arrive. With a timer, it prompts you to respond within 15 minutes of when the timer ends to make sure you're okay, and with a workout, it sends a notification when the workout ends. If you do not arrive at your destination or tap a prompt when a timer ends, the person on the other end of the Check In procedure will get an alert.

From there, the person can see your starting location, the route you took, your current or most recent location, when you last unlocked your ‌iPhone‌, or, if you have an Apple Watch, when it was removed. It also includes the connectivity status of your devices and battery level. Data is only shared if you do not respond to Check In prompts, and you can also choose to share a more limited amount of data that includes only your most recent location.

Check In is a Messages feature, and you can use it by choosing a conversation in the Messages app, tapping on the "+" button, and selecting Check In. To change the parameters, tap on the Edit button.

Safety Check

Safety Check is an important feature that walks you through all of the privacy settings on your ‌iPhone‌, and it's worth using every now and then. It lets you know which people, apps, and devices can see your personal information like location.

Safety Check can be initiated by opening the Settings app, selecting Privacy and Security, and scrolling down to Safety Check. There is an Emergency Reset option, and a Manage Sharing and Access option.

Emergency Reset immediately resets the data sharing permissions of all of your apps, and it stops sharing your location both with people and apps. It's good in situations where a disgruntled partner or friend might be able to track you. Manage Sharing and Access is the option most people will want to use.

In this interface, the ‌iPhone‌ walks through what you are sharing with people, including location, photos, calendars, passwords, activity, home devices, notes, and more. You can see these settings on a person by person basis, or an overview of how many people have access to each category by tapping on the "Information" button.

You'll also be able to see what information you're sharing publicly through shared albums or notes, and which apps have access to your data.
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As promised, Epic Games today submitted Fortnite to the U.S. App Store, and if approved by Apple, it will mark the first time that the Fortnite app has been available in the United States since 2020.


Fortnite will include options to purchase in-app currency from the web rather than through in-app purchase, which is what got the game banned to begin with. This time, though, Apple has been ordered to allow all developers, including ‌Epic Games‌, to direct customers to purchase options that are available outside of the ‌App Store‌.

‌Epic Games‌' U.S. developer account has been banned since the initial Apple vs. ‌Epic Games‌ battle in 2020, so ‌Epic Games‌ is using the developer account that it established in Sweden to submit Fortnite to the ‌App Store‌. ‌Epic Games‌ created a Swedish ‌App Store‌ account last year in order to create an ‌Epic Games‌ app marketplace in the European Union, as allowed by the Digital Markets Act.

‌Epic Games‌ CEO Tim Sweeney said that the company has "conversed" with Apple about the plan, and that Apple is aware that ‌Epic Games‌ is submitting Fortnite using the ‌Epic Games‌ Sweden subsidiary that it established for the EU. Sweeney has not confirmed whether Apple said that's okay, and it's not clear if Apple will approve the ‌App Store‌ submission. In an interview this week, Sweeney said he would be "very surprised" if Apple "decided to brave the geopolitical storm of blocking a major app from iOS."

When ‌Epic Games‌ first made a new developer account in the EU, Apple shut it down due to Epic's pattern of untrustworthy behavior. ‌Epic Games‌ complained to EU regulators, and regulators in turn started questioning Apple. At that point, Apple decided to reinstate the account after ‌Epic Games‌ pledged to follow the alternative marketplace rules.

During the Apple vs. ‌Epic Games‌ legal battle, Apple was at no point ordered to allow Fortnite to return to the ‌App Store‌, and the case in fact suggested that Apple was well within its rights to terminate Epic's account, and under no obligation to allow Fortnite in the ‌App Store‌ at all.

It's possible Apple will not allow ‌Epic Games‌ to use its European developer account to submit Fortnite given that the U.S. account is still banned, but Apple might not want to further anger the judge overseeing the case. Apple has also already approved external purchase links in Spotify, Kindle, Patreon, and other apps.

As of now, Apple is required to allow developers to add links and buttons to their apps directing customers to digital purchase options available outside of the ‌App Store‌, and more importantly, Apple is not allowed to collect a commission on these purchases.

Apple has filed an emergency motion with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to pause the "extraordinary" ruling that it argues requires it to give up "core aspects of its business operations." Apple has specifically asked the appeals court to allow it to charge fees for purchases made using external links while the appeals process is playing out, with the company also requesting control over how those links are displayed.

Apple asked the appeals court to issue a ruling by May 28, but until Apple hears back, the ‌App Store‌ link changes that are in place will stand.
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