Apple released iOS 16.6 beta 3 to public beta testers Friday, less than two weeks after the company announced the forthcoming iOS 17 at its Worldwide Developers Conference. While iOS 16.6 has a few new features, we don’t expect many because of iOS 17’s fall release.
New iOS features can be fun, but we recommend only downloading a beta on something other than your primary phone just in case the new software causes issues. Apple also provides beta testers with an app called Feedback. Testers can notify Apple of any issues in the new software with the app, that way the problem can be addressed before general release.
Here’s what could be coming to your iPhone with iOS 16.6.
“With iMessage Contact Key Verification, users who face extraordinary digital threats … can choose to further verify that they are messaging only with the people they intend,” Apple wrote in a news release at the time.
The first iOS 16.6 beta appeared to include some of the framework for Contact Key Verification, but with iOS 16.6 beta 2, that seems to have disappeared. If you went to Settings and searched for “Contact Key Verification” in the first iOS 16.6 beta, you could see an option for the feature. But that option vanished in the second iOS 16.6 beta.
More Beats Studio Buds icons
The second iOS 16.6 beta adds two new color icons for Beats Studio Buds, according to the website Gadget Hacks. The new color icons are for the ivory and transparent Beats Studio Buds, so if you have either of those earbuds you should see those icons on your iPhone with the latest beta.
New iCloud for Windows prompt
Gadget Hacks also reports iOS 16.6 beta 2 adds a new prompt when you try to log into iCloud for Windows when your iPhone and Windows computer aren’t on the same Wi-Fi network. The new prompt reportedly advises you to use a different network and that your iPhone and Windows computer need to be on the same network.
Apple hasn’t announced a release date for iOS 16.6. Apple might include more features in iOS 16.6, and there’s no guarantee that these features will be included in the update.
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For a decade, I defended my choice to own an Android to countless haters. But at long last, I’ve traded in my beloved Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus for an iPhone 14 Pro. And so far, I have no regrets. (Especially now that I’m no longer teased for having green texts — more on that later.)
It may sound like I’m being overly dramatic, but that trip to the Verizon store signaled a big shift for me. I’ve always prided myself on not buying into the Apple hype. Despite years of pestering from friends to switch to an iPhone, I pushed back, maintaining that I liked being different from the masses. Everyone around me has an iPhone. It felt good to defy the norm. And so for years, I stuck with my Samsung Galaxy devices, which I still believe are incredible phones.
But after conversations with friends and family about what I could get from the iPhone that I could never get with my Android, I started to reconsider my stance. Yes, I loved my Galaxy S10 Plus and everything it offered: a top-notch camera, a customizable interface and Object Eraser, which removes any unwanted people or objects from your pictures (Pixel phones have a similar feature). But at the end of the day, there was one big thing my Android could never offer: a seamless way to communicate with all my friends on the iPhone.
I’ve been told countless times that I ruin group chats by turning all the texts “green.” This is because Apple refuses to make iMessage compatible with Android phones, so when you message someone who isn’t on iOS, you’ll see green text bubbles instead of the standard blue ones. Because this felt like a superficial complaint — and is 100% Apple’s fault — I brushed it aside.
Until I realized I was missing out on other, more significant benefits of owning an iPhone.
Unless you use a third-party app like WhatsApp, there’s no easy way to send high-resolution photos and videos directly between an Android phone and an iPhone. I was OK with just using WhatsApp… until I began to envy my friends who were instantaneously AirDropping pictures and videos after our hangouts. WhatsApp also diminishes the quality of videos, and Google Drive takes a lot longer to upload videos to.
It also was frustrating that apps like TikTok diminished my camera quality on Android. Comparing TikTok videos taken on an iPhone — even an older version like the iPhone X — with those taken on my Galaxy S10 Plus is like night and day. On my Galaxy, TikTok distorted the colors and blurred everything in the most unflattering and unrealistic way. On the iPhone, videos are crisp and clear and appear just as they should. For someone who uses TikTok as much as I do, this was important.
These reasons, along with the fact that I already use a MacBook and would therefore benefit from the Apple ecosystem, led me to start changing my mind about owning an iPhone. Throw in features like the new always-on display on the iPhone 14 Pro models — something I absolutely loved on my Galaxy devices — and fun new elements like Dynamic Island, and suddenly I was sold on the idea of switching over.
A growing number of people are feeling the draw to switch to an iPhone, according to a report from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners. Fifteen percent of people who bought an iPhone from March 2022 to 2023 switched from an Android phone. That’s up from 11% the previous year. So, I have company. (On the flip side, 4% of Android users switched from an iPhone.)
Given the slew of updates coming with iOS 17, which Apple announced during its Worldwide Developers Conference, it’s clear the iPhone maker knows how to keep its products and software enticing for users both new and old. I doubt I’ll be jumping ship anytime soon.
Yes, I had to fight off feelings of being a sellout. But I realized that ultimately, it’s just a phone. And no matter what you do, people will have unsolicited opinions about what device you’re using. My Galaxy worked well for me for many years. Now I was ready for something new. And so far, I have no regrets.
Music created by artificial intelligence isn’t eligible for one of the industry’s biggest awards. The Recording Academy updated its rules for Grammys this week to clarify that only humans are eligible to win awards.
The Grammy Awards will only consider music made by humans to be eligible for the 2024 award show that airs on Jan. 31. “Only human creators are eligible to be submitted for consideration,” read the Grammy Awards new rules, according to Variety. “A work that contains no human authorship is not eligible in any Categories.”
Artists can still utilize AI tools to create music but the work submitted must be “meaningful and more than de minimis.”
In April, an AI-generated song that mimicked the voices of rapper Drake and R&B/pop artist the Weeknd went viral for its uncanniness to the real artists. Its meteoric rise in popularity on TikTok, YouTube and Spotify ended when the song was removed from the platforms, due to copyright claims with Universal Music Group.
Artificial intelligence technologies have been around for years, but the field has advanced rapidly and begun to seep into everyday live. OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Dall-E kicked off a rush of new generative AI tools and products released from Microsoft, Google, Adobe and others. While these tools have vast potential to help people on tasks big and small, they’ve also sparked concerns.
Editors’ note: CNET is using an AI engine to help create some stories. For more, see this post.
Jet Dragon, a dragon racing game, landed on Apple Arcade on Friday. If you subscribe to Apple Arcade ($5, 5 or AU$8 a month), you can play this game at no additional charge, and without ads or in-app purchases.
Jet Dragon is a unique concept that combines the aforementioned mythical beasts with racing and sports management games, like Football Manager 2023. You race your team of dragons, and then invest your winnings back into your team. That means spending money on training, better stables and more.
While the racing is fun, training and building your dragon team can be challenging. You have to find the right balance of speed, stamina and handling to propel your dragons to victory. And don’t overtrain your dragons or they won’t race well. The How to Train Your Dragon movie series made this seem so much simpler.
You can access this game, and others, in Apple Arcade for $5 a month, or $60 annually. You can also try Apple Arcade for free for one month with your first sign-up, or you can get a three-month free trial when you buy a new Apple device. To access Apple Arcade, open the App Store on your iOS device and tap the joystick in the menu bar.
Making sure your personal files are safe and secure from prying eyes should be your first priority when it comes to your data. Your second priority should be making sure that you have an accessible backup in case of unforeseen technological difficulties. Cloud storage has grown in popularity in recent years for these exact reasons.
Right now at StackSocial, you can get lifetime access to Prism Drive cloud storage with subscriptions available at huge discounts. For a limited time, the 10TB lifetime plan is seeing its price slashed to just $70, just a dollar more than the 5TB option and only $21 more than the 2TB plan.
Prism Drive lets you securely store your files and access them from practically anywhere using your computer, phone or tablet. You can upload just about any type of file, including MP4, JPEG, PPT and more, and you can view file previews in the cloud without having to download it first. Note that there is a file size upload limit of 10GB.
It uses zero-knowledge encryption to keep your data secure and deleted files can still be recovered for up to 30 days after. There is no limit on the amount of devices you can use to access your storage drive, and you can create sharable links to safely share files with friends and family.
Microsoft’s Office suite of apps offers industry-standard productivity tools and an essential part of any computer user’s arsenal. It’s used by businesses, schools and individuals around the world, and for word processing, spreadsheets, mail and more, it’s probably an Office app you’re going to want to use. You’ve probably used Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook before, but Office apps aren’t always included with computer purchases, and getting access on your own can carry a hefty price tag.
There is a barebones freebie version of Office out there, but assuming that basic version of Office won’t work for you (see below), your options essentially come down to paying a rolling monthly or yearly fee for a Microsoft 365 subscription or opting instead for a one-time Office license with the full panoply of apps, which typically costs as much as $430. But for a limited time, StackSocial is offering a Microsoft Office 2021 license for just $40. That’s over 80% off its usual price. Better yet, this license, which is available for either Windows or Mac, is a one-time purchase that grants you unlimited access with no recurring charges.
Now, a deal this good comes with some caveats. First, this key is good only for a single computer, so you won’t be able to install it on various machines in your home, and if your current computer happens to die, you could run into a snag when trying to transfer it. Likewise, you’re passing up on other benefits you’d get as a 365 subscriber. You won’t get any OneDrive Cloud Storage, nor will you get the fancy new cloud-based AI features like Microsoft Copilot. And while the apps should continue to work as long as your computer does, Microsoft’s support for this version of Office ends on Oct. 13, 2026.
To that last point: Though this is listed as a “lifetime license” — that is, the lifetime of the computer you installed it on — it’s worth noting there’s always a risk that Microsoft could terminate the license. But versions of Stack’s deal have been running for more than a year — the one we bought in early 2022, for instance, still works fine. At this cost, it takes a little over four months for you to get a full return on the investment compared with buying the subscription, so the risk factor isn’t super high here.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said that the tech giant’s greatest contribution to mankind will be about health when he spoke with CNBC in 2019. The Apple Watch, with its ability to measure all sorts of bodily markers, may be the biggest contributor to that mission yet. But Apple also has another important purpose in mind for its nearly decade-old smartwatch: acting as your “key to the world.”
That’s according to Kevin Lynch, Apple’s vice president of technology, who recently sat down for a virtual interview with CNET. This direction isn’t new; Apple has been gradually extending the Apple Watch’s functionality over the years, enabling it to work as a digital key for your car and home. In fact, that goal was part of the Apple Watch from the beginning through the original model’s support for Apple Pay.
But this theme feels more prevalent than ever in WatchOS 10, the upcoming software update launching in the fall and arriving in public beta next month. The new software introduces updated widgets to help the watch surface information as needed, perhaps a testament to just how much we’re doing on these tiny wrist-worn devices today. The goal is to provide a lot of data at a glance while maintaining the watch face aesthetic, Lynch said.
“This has been a journey for us over a number of years as we really found the best path and the richest way to balance these things,” Lynch said.
Watch this: WatchOS 10: Biggest Apple Watch Features Coming This Year
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WatchOS 10 widgets could make the Apple Watch easier to use
The Apple Watch has gained many new features and functionality since its 2015 debut, especially when it comes to health. But the general interface has largely remained the same.
That’s about to change in WatchOS 10 with the introduction of widgets, or informational cards that are accessible from the watch face with a twist of the digital crown. You’ll be able to add widgets for viewing the weather forecast, reminders and news headlines among other tidbits, similar to the iPhone. This should mean significantly less tapping and swiping would be required to set a timer or view your next meeting.
The order of these cards will contextually change depending on factors like the time of day similar to the iPhone’s widgets, which Apple calls the “smart stack.” The idea is to show the right data as you need it throughout the day. For example, the weather might appear first in the morning, while a medication reminder may surface at night.
The timer widget in WatchOS 10.
Apple/Screenshot by James Martin/CNET
It might sound like a small update, yet it’s one that could make the Apple Watch better at serving up relevant information with minimal effort. When the first Apple Watch arrived eight years ago, some reviewers criticized the device’s software as being too complicated and complex.
Those concerns have seemingly faded away as the Apple Watch became more prevalent. According to Counterpoint Research, Apple accounted for 26% of the global smartwatch market as of the first quarter of 2023, more than any other company. But the arrival of these new widgets, along with other updates like redesigned apps and a shortcut that launches the Control Center menu with the side button, show that there’s still work to be done when it comes to making the Apple Watch more intuitive.
Apple’s intention to have your Apple Watch unlock the world around you has been evident for a while; it announced the ability for the watch to double as a key to your office, home or hotel in 2021, for example. That raises the question of why Apple waited until 2023 to update the interface in a way that makes relevant information more easily accessible.
Apple Pay was available even on the first Apple Watch.
Lynch said it comes down to a combination of user feedback and hardware improvements that enable the machine learning that’s necessary to power the smart stack. The company also didn’t want to change the Apple Watch’s user interface too often or in a way that would feel jarring.
“It was informed by all of our experiences that we’ve had over time, of course, about how people interact with the watch,” he said.
Apple’s approach to new features is about hardware and software
Many of the Apple Watch’s major changes come down to how the software and hardware work together. That’s especially true for the Apple Watch’s health tracking functionality, which also gets an upgrade in WatchOS 10. There are new metrics for cyclists and additional features like topographic maps in Apple Maps for hikers, a mood-logging tool and the ability to detect time spent in daylight.
In some ways, Apple takes a different approach than its competitors when it comes to how health data from the watch’s sensors is used and presented throughout the interface. Rivals like Oura and Google’s Fitbit, for example, crunch certain readings to generate a “readiness score,” which communicates whether your body is ready for a tough workout or in need of a rest day.
The Oura app’s daily Readiness score, a combination of multiple measurements.
Scott Stein/CNET
The Apple Watch lacks an equivalent feature in WatchOS 10, and that’s intentional. When asked about whether Apple envisions recovery-related insights like a readiness score for the Apple Watch, Lynch pointed to the company’s approach for developing new features. He said Apple’s strategy focuses on solving broad problems that impact a wide range of people, adding that the company is “optimistic” about getting new health insights from the watch’s existing sensors.
“We actually look at a combination of what we can sense and what are the top health challenges that people have in the world,” he said. “And what’s the intersection of what we can sense, and what are those issues?”
That doesn’t mean Apple will never offer a readiness score-like feature, said Deirdre Caldbeck, director of Apple Watch product marketing, who also spoke with CNET. It’s just that the company focuses its resources on features that it thinks will be universally impactful and offer actionable insights.
“In our discussions and our debates and our decision making, we do try to keep those things in mind because of course Apple Watch is so broadly applicable to so many people,” Caldbeck said.
It’s not just about the insight Apple can provide, but also how that data is presented. Lynch described the Apple Watch as a “supportive partner” that applauds your achievements but doesn’t shame you for missing your stand reminder. Oura takes a similar approach; the company previously told CNET it tries to communicate “truth” and “positivity” in its notifications. Even the nudge you feel on your wrist and the ping you hear when receiving a notification on your Apple Watch was meticulously planned.
“We designed those by actually ringing the material of the Apple Watch case with a little hammer,” Lynch said. “And we recorded the ‘ding’ noise it made so it sounds like the watch itself is being rung.”
A screenshot of the daylight detection feature coming in WatchOS 10.
Apple
But one example of how Apple is leveraging the watch’s sensors in a new way in WatchOS 10 is in the new daylight detection feature. It uses the Apple Watch’s ambient light sensor, along with input from other sensors to determine whether a person is outdoors, Lynch said. Apple is positioning this as a way to help younger users potentially prevent myopia, or nearsightedness, since the Myopia Institute says time spent outdoors can reduce the development of the condition in children.
Apple had been researching eye health and realized the Apple Watch’s ambient light sensor to help figure out whether someone is outside, Lynch said.
“We start with storytelling,” Lynch said. “We start with, ‘Here’s a problem in the world, and let’s tell each other a story around maybe how the world could be different.’ That leads us then to designing and engineering and all that stuff.”
The Apple Watch’s competition and what’s next
As the Apple Watch has evolved and gained new sensors, it’s become increasingly focused on health. But it’s also a big part of Apple’s effort to free us from screens, an objective that the company reiterated when introducing its Vision Pro headset earlier this month.
Apple seems to be succeeding at that goal so far, considering the company’s wearables business is now the size of a Fortune 150 company. Yet the competition is growing; Google entered the smartwatch space with its Pixel Watch last year, and Google and Samsung joined forces in 2021 to redesign the software that powers Android smartwatches. Samsung’s next smartwatches are expected to debut next month, complete with new software that makes sleep statistics and other health insights more prominent.
Apple calls WatchOS 10 a “milestone” for the Apple Watch. That may be telling of the smartwatch’s role in our lives at a time when we’re surrounded by an increasing number of screens and sensors. American households owned an average of 16 connected devices as of 2022, according to research firm Parks Associates.
Perhaps now more than ever, there’s a need for gadgets like the Apple Watch to help us navigate and manage those devices. WatchOS 10, with its contextual widgets, redesigned apps and ability to swap contact data with iPhones through a new feature called NameDrop, seems like an attempt to do just that.
Lynch couldn’t say what’s next when asked about other ways the Apple Watch could become a so-called key to the world around you.
But the clue could be sitting in our pockets.
“What do you use a wallet for today, and do you still have things in your wallet?” he asked. “So that would be another area to think about in terms of maybe over time, how we can reduce the amount of stuff you have to carry around with you.”
Ten years ago, Apple executive Craig Federighi introduced a new iOS feature called AirDrop to the crowd of developers and reporters at WWDC. If you want to share a file with someone, he explained, just tap the image of the other nearby iPhone owners.
“No need to wander around the room bumping your phone with others,” Federighi said, as laughter erupted from the audience. It was a dig at how Android phones at the time needed users to “bump” a phone or tablet against another device to send a file. Early iPhone users may even remember the Bump app, where to share contact information all you had to do was open the app and give a little bump to the other phone.
Fast forward to the WWDC Keynote presentation two weeks ago (this time pre-taped in front of a live audience), and Federighi is once again talking about AirDrop. But this time, iOS 17 has a new feature called NameDrop — bring two phones close together (practically bumping them, you could say) to share contact info.
You’ll be able to swap contacts by bringing your iPhones together with NameDrop in iOS17
Apple/Screenshot by CNET
How far we’ve come.
It’s not often iOS updates excite me, but this year is different. Apple is introducing several changes that I think will have a big impact on how we use the iPhone — and they will change some of our old habits. I go into a few of them in today’s One More Thing episode (the video is embedded above).
Live Voicemail just may be the biggest change that brings back some retro feels. Screen a voicemail message in real time by seeing a live transcription as the person leaves their message — and you’ll have the option to pick up the call in the middle of it.
For anyone who grew up screening phone calls on the home answering machine, this will feel quite familiar. In fact, it may have us going back to giving voicemails in a way that assumes the person is listening. (“Frank? Frank are you there? I know you’re reading this, pick up…”)
The best part about screening calls is that we can finally see if the mystery number is something important — or if it’s Rachel from cardholder services with a deal on our vehicle’s extended warranty.
Another change in old habits will be how we summon Siri. If, like me, you yell at your Homepod to control your music and smart home devices, soon you’ll be able to drop the “Hey” — and you should be able to give more than one command without calling her name each time.
Apple makes some of the best laptops and desktop computers on the market, though they don’t come cheap. But the premium Apple experience doesn’t have to come at a ridiculous cost if you’re happy to shop around for deals, and right now, Woot is running a huge Mac sale that can save you hundreds versus buying at the Apple store.
The sale, which is live through June 20 or while supplies last, features MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models, as well as recent iMac releases and even Apple’s Studio Display monitor. There’s a mix of brand new, open-box and factory reconditioned models in the sale, so be sure to read the descriptions carefully. We’ve pulled out a few of our favorite deals below, but you’ll want to hit up the full sale to see all of the options.
Apple’s previous-gen MacBook Air M1 is still a solid buy for everyday use, especially when you can find a good deal on one. We’ve seen it hit $800 brand new before, but this $760 low price is a steal if you don’t mind an open-box model.
Also packing an M1 chip is Apple’s latest iMac. This all-in-one is a great family computer that looks great and offers a lovely 4.5K, 24-inch display. You’d pay $1,300 for this machine brand new, but it’s under $1,000 open-box.
Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Air M2 recently got a $100 price cut following the release of the 15-inch model, but Woot’s open-box offer tops that by another $119. This thin and light machine is plenty powerful and offers all-day battery life.
Though no longer sold by Apple, you’d still pay close to $1,900 for this 14-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Pro chip brand new at places like B&H. It features 16GB RAM and a 256GB SSD at this price, though other configurations are available factory reconditioned and with a one-year warranty.
Apple Studio Display deals are pretty rare, especially ones that drop the monitor as low as $950, so these open-box deals won’t last for long. Choose from standard or nano-texture glass as well as various stand or mount options while supplies last and pair with your preferred Mac.
