Category: Technologies

Apple’s “Wonderlust” event is set for Sept. 12, and the company’s invitation could be our first “official” clue hinting at the rumored iPhone 15. We’ve been collecting rumors about the gadget for months, but Apple sometimes drops an early hint about its September event into the invite. This doesn’t always mean there are true connections between what’s said and shown in the invitation and what actually emerges at the show, but the invite creates a jumping off point for discussing what we think Apple might spotlight.

Examining Apple’s ‘Wonderlust’ invite

Let’s start by thinking about the name: Wonderlust. With this tweak of “wanderlust,” Apple appears to be invoking a travel theme. And it’s no stretch to say phones are essential travel companions: We use them for photography, GPS, looking up where we want to eat — there are endless possible features that could be developed with just travel in mind.

Moving onto the invitation’s design, we get a disintegrating graphic that shows a blue-and-sand-colored Apple logo being blown apart by an invisible force — perhaps the wind? Or perhaps the pieces of the Apple logo are being pulled together via a magnetic attraction? Either way, an atmospheric element might be what we could extrapolate from this design choice, and phones by their very nature are wireless devices that create constant connections through the atmosphere.

(It’s also true that blue and gray have been iPhone colors in the past, and maybe this logo’s colors provide an early look at what a few of the iPhone 15 models might look like.)

I should reiterate that these thoughts are speculation, but they’re enough to warrant a closer look at how Apple could improve the iPhone 15. The following things all tie into the themes of travel and atmosphere, but they’re also areas in which Apple could demonstrate improvement where rival phones have already staked out territory, or they’re realms closely related to iOS 17 features we already learned about at Apple’s WWDC event.

Even more satellite communication

Tying into both travel and the atmosphere, Apple could make new announcements related to the satellite connectivity features first launched with the iPhone 14 line. Right now Apple’s efforts are focused on its Emergency SOS feature, which lets people with a clear view of the sky use the iPhone to text emergency services where cellular service isn’t available. The iPhone 14 line comes with two years of free emergency satellite service.

Though Apple kicked off bringing satellite service to phones, it won’t be alone for long. Qualcomm, Samsung and other companies have announced plans to bring their own spin to satellite connectivity, including voicing their intention to allow for nonemergency communication over those airwaves.

On this year’s stage, Apple could announce new improvements to its satellite connectivity features, perhaps allowing for an iMessage service while in the wilderness, or limited voice calls.

Faster wireless charging and more MagSafe

Apple’s MagSafe made a splash when it debuted alongside the iPhone 12 in 2020, very literally snapping separate objects together for enhanced wireless charging and stackable accessories. The particle effect in our Apple event invitation — whether it means the logo is being pulled together or apart — could indicate MagSafe as well as the wireless charging feature that MagSafe supports.

And if so, it’s about time. Apple has room to improve the iPhone’s wireless charging speeds, especially when compared with those of rival flagship Android phones. Currently, Apple supports 7.5-watt wireless charging speeds with a regular Qi wireless charger, and 15W speeds with an officially certified MagSafe charger. Meanwhile, Google’s Pixel 7 can wirelessly charge at 12W on a Qi charger with an extended power profile, and that bumps up to 20W when using Google’s Pixel Stand that has a built-in fan. Previous OnePlus phones can get 15W charging from Qi wireless chargers with an extended power profile, and a ludicrously fast 50W on their official stand, thanks to the use of a split battery. All this leaves a lot of room for growth for Apple, and matching Google’s speeds, at least, would be a solid step in making wireless charging more useful on the iPhone.

A new Qi2 wireless charging standard is in the works though, and Apple is a member of the Wireless Power Consortium that’s developing it. Whenever that standard is ready, that might lead to faster wireless charging speeds on future iPhone models.

Regardless of charging, there’s likely even more room to grow MagSafe into a modular accessory platform. Maybe Apple could create a MagSafe dock that instantly starts an AirPlay session with a TV. Or create an attachable projector like Motorola once tried with the Moto Z phone line. How about a portable HomePod speaker that snaps right onto your phone, similar to a number of magnetic speakers that already exist on Amazon? There’s still a lot of untapped potential for MagSafe.

NameDrop and new ways to share in person

Another atmospheric idea starts with an iOS 17 feature we already know: NameDrop. This feature lets you quickly share contact information with someone in person by bringing two iPhones together. But Apple could do so much more with local wireless sharing.

For instance, Apple already allows for sharing iPhone audio between two different sets of AirPods. What if this wireless sharing expanded SharePlay, allowing for simultaneously playing music and video across multiple phones at once — without being on a FaceTime call.

This could be instantly useful if you wanted to share a YouTube video with a friend without having to hand over your phone. Or if you wanted to create a quick surround-sound system by syncing five iPhones together to play music during a dinner party, since your phones are probably sitting on the table anyway.

These all could be natural extensions of other features we already know are on the way. For instance, FaceTime on Apple TV will use its own wireless magic to connect an iPhone’s camera and microphone for video calls. Why not think even bigger and let multiple iPhones share even more media, just by being right next to each other?

Using your camera to scan even more places

Returning to travel, Apple’s Visual Look Up is already capable of identifying landmarks, plants and pets, but you need to move over to the Photos app to take advantage of those features. Perhaps the next iPhone and iOS 17 could speed this, and let you start scanning these items directly from the camera app.

This would bring Visual Look Up into better parity with Google Lens, which quickly identifies items for you without the need to save them into your camera roll. Maybe you could scan a restaurant while you were standing in front of it, and then get its menu. Or scan a friend’s shirt, and then find it on sale to get it yourself. These scenarios are already possible with Google Lens, making this a very noticeable way for Apple to bring more features into its camera app.

Expanding safety features

When you travel in a vehicle, Apple’s new Crash Detection features could provide an essential lifeline in the event of an accident. As it stands, the feature can automatically contact emergency services should a supported iPhone or Apple Watch detect such an event. But perhaps Apple could augment this further by taking advantage of other sensors within the iPhone or a paired up Apple Watch to activate a heart rate sensor at the same time to provide a quick health check to the wearer.

Or maybe Apple could expand its Crash Detection feature so it shares your physical location with your emergency contacts. This could be similar to Apple’s new Check-In feature, which will proactively send alerts when friends or family make it home safely. And maybe it’s already worthwhile to expand this feature for emergency situations, like being unexpectedly taken to the hospital.

Other iPhone 15 rumors we’re watching

Though we don’t have any solid evidence that the above ideas are coming to the iPhone 15, these are all areas where Apple could improve.

The iPhone 15 rumor mill is a busy one though, and even without an invitation to pore over, we’re monitoring the possibility of a USB-C port arriving to replace Lightning, seeing if the new Dynamic Island will expand to every iPhone model after its debut on the iPhone 14 Pro, and wondering whether the iPhone 15 Pro will move toward solid-state volume and power buttons.

Whatever’s ultimately on the way to Apple’s iPhone 15, we’ll likely find out for sure when Apple’s event begins on Sept. 12.

Smartphone shipments are predicted to drop 4.7% globally this year, according to a new report from the International Data Corporation, which forecast 1.15 billion devices in 2023, the lowest volume in a decade.

In its Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker data published Wednesday, IDC pointed to a weaker global economy and ongoing inflation as the cause for the drop. The 4.7% reduction is actually a downward revision of IDC’s original forecast of a 3.2% decline.

Nabila Popal, research director with IDC’s Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers team, said that while inventory levels have normalized, phone makers are still cautious and are “yet again kicking the recovery can down the road.”

Measuring the number of phones sent from vendors to retailers, shipment numbers are not an exact equivalent to sales figures, but they can point to industry trends.

And if fewer customers are getting new phones, Popal said, retailers will need to lean into incentives, promotions and flexible financing options.
There may be a silver lining, though.
“As consumers hold onto their devices longer, the bright side is they are willing to pay more,” Popal said. “Which will in turn help average selling prices to rise for the fourth consecutive year in 2023.”
The market intelligence firm also has rosier predictions for sales volume in 2024, forecasting 4.5% growth year-over-year.

Apple iPhone shipments to rise

Apple has weathered the slump considerably better than its competitors: While shipments of Androids are expected to decline 6% year over year, IDC expects shipments of the iPhone to actually increase by 1.1%, enabling iOS-driven devices to snag an all-time high market share of 19.9%.

“During a time when the entire market is struggling, it speaks volumes to once again see Apple going the opposite direction,” IDC vice president Ryan Reith said in a statement.

The iPhone 15 is expected to launch next month, which could help Apple snag the number one spot for global annual shipments for the first time.

If you want the ultimate soundbar — to hell with the expense! — it’s the $2,500 Sennheiser Ambeo Max you should be looking at. The rest of us are perhaps looking for a bit more bang, buzz and boom for our buck, and the new Sennheiser Ambeo Mini is here to more readily fit the bill.

This is a $900 smart soundbar that offers the company’s Ambeo processing, though in a more compact size. At 27 inches wide by 4 inches deep and 2.5 inches high, the Ambeo Mini stacks like a Pringle on top of the Sonos Beam — though the Sonos is half the price.

The Sennheiser boasts 250 watts of Class D amplification, powering four full-range drivers and dual 4-inch subwoofers. Like the Beam, the Mini appears to lack dedicated height drivers and likely uses processing to make up the difference.

As a smart soundbar, the Ambeo has Amazon Alexa onboard, and its four integrated microphones can be used for both voice commands and room calibration.

The soundbar includes support for Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Sony’s 360 Reality Audio formats via its HDMI-ARC input. In addition, this web-connected speaker includes support for Google Assistant and Siri.

The market is crowded in the sub-$1,000 category, with great soundbars from the likes of Vizio, Sonos and Bose all competing for your hard-earned. The best models also throw in a subwoofer, while the Ambeo offers an optional model for an extra $700.

Look out for a full review of the Sennheiser Ambeo Mini soon.

If you’re thinking of subscribing to the Starz streaming service — perhaps to catch up on hit romantic time-traveling drama Outlander — then paying annually might be the way to go. Starz is dropping its annual subscription price from $75 to $70, TechCrunch reports. Current Starz subscribers will see the new price on their next bill.

The annual price drop comes just two months after Starz raised its monthly subscription price from $9 to $10 per month on June 26. The June price hike was the first price increase for Starz since 2016, when it launched as a stand-alone digital service. The channel began as a premium cable offering.

Starz, an ad-free service, may be best known for such shows as Outlander, Power and The White Queen. As a Lionsgate-owned company, Starz also airs the studio’s movies and shows, such as John Wick and Saw.

Starz has a deal with Universal to broadcast its lineup too, including movies such as Jurassic World Dominion, Minions: The Rise of Gru and Oppenheimer. Check out CNET’s rundown of the Starz app.

Starz did not immediately respond to a request for comment. You can sign up for Starz here.

Read more: YouTube TV vs. Hulu Plus Live TV: The Top Streaming Services Compared

Google has sent out invites to an event on Oct. 4 where it’ll unveil the latest additions to its “Pixel portfolio of devices.” The in-person Made by Google event is set to take place in New York City at 10 a.m. ET, Google said Wednesday.

Though Google didn’t name any specific devices, it implied in a post on Threads that the event will include the reveal of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. Google has released a next-gen Pixel phone every fall since 2016.

“Big fall launches are stressful, but Pixel helps these Best Phones Forever stay cool as cucumbers. The w8 is almost over. Rest up for Made By Google on October 4th,” Google posted on Threads.

The Threads post included a video of an iPhone talking to a Pixel phone about everything it can’t do that Google’s phone can — like “unblurring old photos, answering unknown calls with AI and live translating messages.” The iPhone in Google’s video also suggests it’ll “finally” be getting USB-C charging during the iPhone 15 event next month.

There are already rumors swirling around the expected Pixel 8 lineup. The phones could have an improved ultrawide camera, and Google may add new AI-powered features to its camera system. The phones will also likely see some display and design tweaks, but the changes are expected to be subtle.

One of the more interesting rumors is that the Pixel 8 Pro might include a contactless thermometer feature that could be used to determine if you’re running a fever.

It’s also possible Google uses the event to unveil the Pixel Watch 2, the next generation of its smartwatch. The watch is rumored to feature better battery life and new health-tracking features.

Google’s Pixel 7 lineup was well received, with both the Pixel 7 Pro and more affordable Pixel 7A earning spots on CNET’s best phones list for 2023. Google also earlier this year launched its first foldable phone, the Pixel Fold. CNET phone expert Lisa Eadicicco says Google may need make some noticeable upgrades in order for the Pixel 8 to stand out from the company’s other phones.

Google’s invites came out just a day after Apple set the date for its iPhone 15 reveal, which is scheduled to take place on Sept. 12 at the company’s Apple Park headquarters in Cupertino, California.

While most people are waiting for Apple to release iOS 17 after Apple’s next event on Sept. 12, the tech giant still released iOS 16.6 on July 27. The update doesn’t bring many new features to your iPhone, but it includes a lot of bug fixes and security patches, with some for a few issues Apple said might be actively exploited.

To download the update, got to Settings > General > Software Update, tap Install Now and follow the onscreen prompts.

Apple said the iPhone update patches two issues that might be actively exploited. One issue is in WebKit — the engine that powers Safari and other third-party browsers on iOS — and might lead to an arbitrary code execution. That means a third party could steal your data or hack your device for other nefarious purposes, according to the IT services company Okta. The second issue allowed an app to modify your iPhone’s core iOS code, called the kernel.

The update also fixes other issues, including one with the Find My app where an app might be able to read your sensitive location information. Apple doesn’t say this was actively exploited, but you should still download iOS 16.6 to fix this issue.

What else is new on iOS 16.6?

Other than patches and fixes, iOS 16.6 doesn’t bring many new features to your iPhone. An early beta version of iOS 16.6 appeared to have some of the framework for iMessage Contact Key Verification. But that framework isn’t included in the final version of iOS 16.6.

There are some new prompt messages in iOS 16.6 that you might see, like if you try to log into iCloud for Windows when your iPhone and Windows computer aren’t on the same Wi-Fi network.

The website Gadget Hacks also reports there are new alerts for Apple Card, Apple Card Family Sharing and Apple Card Savings. Some of those new alerts include a prompt asking you to verify a purchase with your Apple Card and a prompt asking you to complete your savings account information by including your employment status and source of income.

For more iOS news, check out when Apple might release iOS 17, features we’re most excited about in iOS 17 and five hidden iOS 17 features you should know about.

The days of losing access to your iPhone’s GPS due to a no-signal zone are about to be over. In just weeks, your iPhone is finally getting a new feature that Android users have had for years. With the iOS 17 update, Apple Maps users will be able to use the GPS offline (if they have a compatible iPhone).

This isn’t the only update coming with Apple’s newest software. Electric vehicle owners will also soon be able to see real-time charging availability via Apple Maps.

How do offline maps work?

The iPhone is getting offline maps for its Maps app this year. That means you’ll be able to access any map you’ve downloaded, even if you don’t have Wi-Fi or a cell signal. For instance, if you’re going on a trip, you can download the route and access it without using cellular data. This is helpful if you’re low on data or if your route takes you through an area with little to no signal that would cause the Maps app to stop navigating correctly, potentially causing you to veer off course.

What can you do with Apple Maps offline?

When iOS 17 becomes available, you’ll be able to download designated areas and access turn-by-turn navigation while using Maps offline. Also, you’ll be able to see your estimated time of arrival and find places in Maps, among other things.

When will iPhone’s offline maps be available?

Offline maps will be available on iPhone with the launch of iOS 17, which is coming this fall. (It usually arrives in late September with the new iPhone.) You’ll want to make sure your iPhone is compatible with Apple’s latest software. If it isn’t, you won’t have access to this new feature.

What else is changing with Apple Maps?

Maps will make it easier to find thousands of trails in parks across the US. The app will also support drivers of electric vehicles with real-time charging availability information. This can be filtered by charging network and plug type, among other things. EV owners with compatible vehicles will also be able to designate a preferred charging network.

What else did Apple announce at WWDC? The company unveiled MacOS Sonoma, as well as the new 15-inch MacBook Air and the Vision Pro VR headset. Apple showed off a feature that will let you turn your photos into stickers with its Messages app in iOS 17. Also, changes are coming to the autocorrect feature in iOS 17, and Apple unveiled iPadOS 17 and WatchOS 10.

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5 may no longer be Samsung’s flagship smartwatch model, but our review found that “the regular Galaxy Watch 6 is an incremental update to last year’s model.” That means that if you don’t necessarily need the latest and greatest model out there, the previous-gen Galaxy Watch 5 is still a great Android watch, especially when you can find a solid deal.

Right now Amazon has slashed prices on a number of models, with some marked down as much as 47%. Prices start at just $179. We don’t know how long this offer will last, so we recommend making your purchase sooner rather than later.

Our roundup of the best smartwatches for 2023 still touts the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 as one of the best Android watches you can get, and Amazon has both regular and Bespoke edition 5th-gen smartwatch models available in its sale — including some models that sport LTE connectivity.

Each of these models sports either a 40mm or 44mm display, as well as a blood-oxygen sensor, an FDA-cleared ECG for Galaxy phone users and a sensor for measuring skin temperature. It also has plenty of fitness tracking features, along with a wide range of Google apps like YouTube Music, Google Assistant and Google Maps.

While the battery life on the 5th-gen Galaxy Watch is an improvement over the 4th edition, it does tend to drain faster with the always-on display activated, but a 90-minute charge is all it takes to fill that battery back to 100%, with a 30-minute boost getting you up to 45%.

Choosing the best soundbar or speakers for your home can be a difficult process, especially when you see the prices involved. But saving money on great hardware doesn’t have to be difficult, especially if you know where to look. Right now, you can save on JBL speakers and soundbars by taking advantage of a Woot sale that offers reconditioned units at great prices.

Woot has no fewer than nine different JBL products available in refurbished condition, while the amazing Harman Kardon SoundStick system is also available as well. You don’t need to do anything special to get these prices, either. No standing on one leg or offering a sacrifice to the deal gods here, not even a discount code. Just click through the link below and choose the best speakers for you before ordering.

We won’t go through all of the options because that takes all the fun out of you perusing for yourself, but we absolutely must highlight that SoundStick Bluetooth speaker system. It’s yours for just $180 right now, and desktop speakers don’t get more iconic than this.

On the JBL soundbar front, the JBL Bar 5.0 is available for just $190, while the cheaper option is the $90 JBL Bar 2.0 channel option. There are others as well, but we would suggest acting soon no matter the one that you’re interested in picking up. This collection of reconditioned products is only going to be available for a limited time; very limited, as it turns out. These prices are only here until 12 a.m. CT tonight, so act now before it’s too late.

WhatsApp, the messaging app owned by Facebook parent company Meta, has just launched an app for Mac computers.

In a continuing bid to compete with business video calling giant Zoom, the WhatsApp Mac app includes group audio and video calls for multiple people.

“Launching a new WhatsApp app for Mac. Group calls up to 8 people on video and 32 on audio,” Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg posted on his Instagram broadcast channel Tuesday morning.

WhatsApp had earlier launched a desktop app for Windows. Both desktop apps include end-to-end encryption of your calls and chats across your devices.

How to download WhatsApp for Mac

The app will be available on Apple’s App Store soon, but for now here’s how to download it onto your Mac:

1. Head to the WhatsApp website.
2. Hit the green download button in the top right corner.
3. There will be three options for download: Android, iOS and Mac. Hit the download button under Mac.
4. The download will begin. Once it’s done, click on the file.
5. Drag and drop the green WhatsApp file into your Applications folder.
6. You can then open the Applications folder to see the WhatsApp app, and click on it to run it.
7. Log in to your account or set up a new one to get started.

WhatsApp for Mac requires macOS 11 or later.

WhatsApp for Mac: new features

• You can select to receive incoming call notifications while your app is closed.
• You can now drag and drop files from your desktop into a chat to share them.

The new app follows WhatsApp this month introducing screen sharing during video calls.

Meta has been focused on bringing new features to expand the use of WhatsApp over the past few months, including instant video messages, channels to follow people and brands, locking your intimate chats, editing sent messages, Wear OS integration, and the ability to use WhatsApp across multiple phones and move your messages to a new phone.