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Top Stories: iOS 16.5 Released, Apple Headset Rumors, and More

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This week saw a good mix of Apple news and rumors including the release of iOS 16.5 and related software updates, as well as the Beats Studio Buds + earphones and an early announcement of upcoming accessibility features from Apple.

top-stories-20may2023.jpg

On the rumor front, we heard a bit more about what we should expect to see with the iPhone 15 lineup and the M3 family of Mac and iPad chips coming later this year, but the biggest focus of attention in the lead-up to WWDC in a few weeks is the Apple headset, so read on for all the details on these stories and more!

Apple Releases iOS 16.5 and iPadOS 16.5 With Sports Tab in Apple News, Bug Fixes and More

After almost two months of beta testing, Apple this week released iOS 16.5 to the public, bringing some sports-related enhancements to Apple News, a new Pride Celebration wallpaper, and several bug fixes.

ios-16-5-whats-new.jpg

It's a relatively minor update as iOS 16 work winds down ahead of the iOS 17 introduction at WWDC next month, but we'll be seeing at least one more iOS 16 update to tide us over to the public release of iOS 17 in September as Apple has seeded initial betas of iOS 16.6 and related updates for testing.

Alongside iOS 16.5 and iPadOS 16.5, we also saw the releases of macOS Ventura 13.4, watchOS 9.5, tvOS 16.5 with multiview for MLB and MLS, and HomePod software version 16.5.

Apple Headset's Capabilities Said to 'Far Exceed' Those of Rival Devices

With an introduction at WWDC coming up in just a few weeks, rumors about Apple's AR/VR headset are flying about, with a recent report from The Wall Street Journal claiming its capabilities will "far exceed" those of rival devices.

apple-ar-concept-2-blue.jpg
Apple headset mockup by designer Ian Zelbo​

Other reports are more cautious, however, with Bloomberg reporting that key Apple executives including Tim Cook and Craig Federighi have largely kept their distance from the product during its development, calling into question whether Apple itself is fully behind it.

Beats Studio Buds + Deliver Improved Performance and a Transparent Design Option for $169.99

In one of the poorest-kept secrets that has seen multiple leaks over the past couple of months, Apple's Beats brand this week introduced the Beats Studio Buds + earphones.

beats-studio-plus-triple.jpg

The new $170 earphones offer improved performance, better battery life, and an eye-catching new Transparent color option compared to their predecessors. They're available now in the U.S., Canada, and China, with launches in other countries to follow in the coming months.

iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus Rumored to Feature 48-Megapixel Camera Like Pro Models

While the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max received an upgraded 48-megapixel Main camera last year, the lower-cost iPhone 14 and 14 Plus did not get the same upgrade. It looks like those cheaper options may catch up this year, however, as a new report claims the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus will get that 48-megapixel camera.

iPhone-15-Cyan-and-Magenta-Frosted-Back-Feature.jpg

As for the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, those devices may be seeing a rearranged rear camera layout to accommodate the higher-zoom periscope camera that will be exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Apple Testing 'M3 Pro' Chip for MacBook Pro With 12-Core CPU and 18-Core GPU

Apple's next-generation M3 chips for the Mac and iPad aren't coming until later this year, but Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has shared some details on what to expect for the "M3 Pro" chip that will likely make its way into the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro and other device... Click here to read rest of article

Article Link: Top Stories: iOS 16.5 Released, Apple Headset Rumors, and More
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2023/05/20/top-stories-ios-16-5-release-headset-rumors/
As great as adding more cores is, few software out there can take advantage of it, including macOS.
 
More correct heading:
Apple Releases iOS 16.5 and iPadOS 16.5 With Sports Tab in Apple News, Bug Fixes and More Bugs 🤣
 
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Here is hoping all the same phones that run iOS 16 will also be able to run iOS 17.

Really loving being back to a small screen iPhone 8 from my iPhone 14 Max. too expensive. too big. phone in pants pocket once again.

Just 1 more year of iOS updates for the 8 Apple please.
 
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The trend with companies these days is for them to release something that loses them a considerable amount of money. As great as a VR device is, it needs an audience willing to escape from the real world enough to make all the fees associated with using it worth the price. The product will be ahead of its time, if it is too far ahead, it will lose money until the rest of the world catches up to the idea. But the though of leaving this world to be in some other for hours at a time is simply not something people have time for. If I can get stuff done around the house and it helps me do those things better, that could really change things. AR can definitely do that, but will Apple offer such a thing to begin with or catch up later with those that do?
 
MacRumors said:
This week saw a good mix of Apple news and rumors including the release of iOS 16.5 and related software updates, as well as the Beats Studio Buds + earphones and an early announcement of upcoming accessibility features from Apple.
Click to expand...
It seemed like we would never get the software updates this week, but we finally did on Thursday. This time there were multiple things fixed as well as some more security vulnerabilities with WebKit addressed. I expect most that had some concerns updating to Ventura will do so now. 60% already have per stats.

Also Friday the first beta of iOS/iPadOS/tvOS 16.6 and MacOS 13.5 was released. It is thought this next testing phase for correcting a few issues will last thru July well past WWDC 2023 introductions of the next OS’s to devs during June. 17 days more to WWDC.
 
ct2k7 said:
As great as adding more cores is, few software out there can take advantage of it, including macOS.
Click to expand...
Software often takes time to support new hardware features. That’s no reason to put off purchasing a M3 Mac. If you waited until all your software supported the M3 you’d never make a purchases, ever. I’m not understanding your point here.
 
MacRumors said:
On the rumor front, we heard a bit more about what we should expect to see with the iPhone 15 lineup and the M3 family of Mac and iPad chips coming later this year, but the biggest focus of attention in the lead-up to WWDC in a few weeks is the Apple headset, so read on for all the details on these stories and more!
Click to expand...
Yes lots of rumors this year, but the amount of information from Apple this year, is essentially zero. They done a nice job chasing all those thoughts away about what will show up at WWDC. Prepare for about anything this year. :cool::eek:
 
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Darren.h said:
Here is hoping all the same phones that run iOS 16 will also be able to run iOS 17.

Really loving being back to a small screen iPhone 8 from my iPhone 14 Max. too expensive. too big. phone in pants pocket once again.

Just 1 more year of iOS updates for the 8 Apple please.
Click to expand...
I can't help but think iOS 17 will not be supported on iPhone 8 and X series (A11 chip). Sadly, their time may be up, similar to how iOS 16 dropped support on iPhone 7 (A10 chip). Then next year, Apple will drop support of iPhone XS and XR (A12 chip) series phones with iOS 18.

It seems there's usually a generation of phones that lose support from new version of iOS each year.

But that doesn't mean you can't keep using your iPhone 8. Any apps you use should still receive updates and support on iOS 16 for another year or so. And I'd expect Apple to release major security fixes for iOS 16 for a bit longer.
 
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lkrupp said:
Software often takes time to support new hardware features. That’s no reason to put off purchasing a M3 Mac. If you waited until all your software supported the M3 you’d never make a purchases, ever. I’m not understanding your point here.
Click to expand...

how many years have we had multi core and multi threaded systems?
 
ct2k7 said:
how many years have we had multi core and multi threaded systems?
Click to expand...
And most important software packages already take advantage, including macOS, and are optimized to make use of those features. Believe whatever you wish I suppose.
 
reyesmac said:
The trend with companies these days is for them to release something that loses them a considerable amount of money. As great as a VR device is, it needs an audience willing to escape from the real world enough to make all the fees associated with using it worth the price. The product will be ahead of its time, if it is too far ahead, it will lose money until the rest of the world catches up to the idea. But the though of leaving this world to be in some other for hours at a time is simply not something people have time for. If I can get stuff done around the house and it helps me do those things better, that could really change things. AR can definitely do that, but will Apple offer such a thing to begin with or catch up later with those that do?
Click to expand...
It is not about "great as a VR device is." Unfortunately (perhaps due to exposure to existing early VR concepts) that appears to be the simplistic vision/mindset of most consumers, but it is wrong-headed thinking; or maybe just short-sighted.

Apple's new headset is an important step into AR, very different from VR, especially from today's early VR. It may not even be an initial market success, but it will be a critical entry into the AR space for Apple. Note that the AR space is not even well defined yet, so odds are that this coming v1 entry product from Apple will evolve substantially.

Yes of course the new device will likely do VR as well as AR, but the AR will be what we should be focusing on.

Just my $0.02.
 
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vegetassj4 said:
iOS/MacOS: Now I am become Windows, destroyer of stability.
Click to expand...

They’re not quite there yet but with all their API uncertainty I hope they aren’t following in Windows’ footsteps of deprecating the good API everyone uses and forcing everyone into one that’s not done.
 
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