Macworld

Macworld Apple tries to simulate the experience of a snapshot camera when you take a picture in the Photos app on an iPhone or iPad by issuing a little click sound. Many of us prefer to avoid that sound. Remarkably, there’s no click on/off switch in the Camera settings! Instead, you have one of three alternatives: Enable Live Photo: If you’re hearing a click, you don’t have this feature turned on, which retains some still images from before and after the point at which you take pictures, providing some animation—and audio. If the click were on, it would be captured in a Live Photo. You can have Live Photo always on when you launch the Camera by enabling Settings > Camera > Preserve Settings > Live Photo. Mute switch: With the hardware Ring/Silent switch set to Silent, the snapshot sound is disabled. On iPhones with this switch, you can flip this switch on and off at will if you prefer to have the click off sometimes and on at others. If you have an iPhone with an Action button, the default is Ring/Silent switch, but if you’ve reassigned the button, you have to now go into Control Center and mute the iPhone (if you’re iPhone is locked and you use the Volume Down button, that turns down the Ringer for the phone.) However, the Silent switch is a system-wide mute, so no iPhone sounds will be made. Set system volume to zero: You can also or instead set your alert sounds volume to zero. If Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Change with Buttons is enabled, you can use the Control Center or the side volume down button. However, if that switch is disabled, you have to separately slide the Ringer and Alerts level to the far left in Settings > Sounds & Haptics. One further note: A few countries require a shutter sound on devices that take photos. While in those countries, which include Japan and South Korea, the snapshot sound will always trigger. It appears to be based on the SIM, as travelers from other countries who swap in a local SIM find their snapshot preference overridden. This Mac 911 article is in response to a question submitted by Macworld reader Ron. Ask Mac 911 We’ve compiled a list of the questions we get asked most frequently along with answers and links to columns: read our super FAQ to see if your question is covered. If not, we’re always looking for new problems to solve! Email yours to mac911@macworld.com including screen captures as appropriate, and whether you want your full name used. Not every question will be answered, we don’t reply to email, and we cannot provide direct troubleshooting advice.

Macworld While people are at the greatest risk from high temperatures during the summer season, your Mac may be even more fragile. (People can be water-cooled and no current Mac offers that option—though some have tried.) An iPhone or iPad will warn you when it detects it’s too hot before shutting down, while a Mac may simply suddenly power off. If it doesn’t power down, you may be running it to close to its maximum capability and putting a lot of additional wear in the process on components that might fail later during other seasons. Knowing the temperature is one thing. The other is how hot should your internal components run? Apple says you should only use a Mac when the ambient temperature–the temperature around you–is in the range of 50°F to 95°F (10° to 35°C) and 95 percent or lower humidity. Internal components produce far more heat than the ambient temperature, with around 100°F or 40°C often the minimum at which they operate in normal indoor circumstances. CPUs, GPUs, ports, and other elements shouldn’t exceed about 192°F (89°C) for extended periods. At 212°F (100°C), the boiling temperature for water at sea level, you should either figure out what energy hogs are making your computer work that hard or shut the system down for a while. (Hint: It’s almost always a browser.) You can use the Activity Monitor app in Applications > Utilities to look at Energy Impact in the Energy column for more particulars. Monitoring the Mac’s temperature Modern Macs have an inordinate number of power sensors to detect problems and manage fan speeds in models that contain them–I count 34 using one tool on an M1 Mac mini. These sensors can be monitored with the right knowledge or software. (Also read: Why is my Mac fan so loud). On some Intel Macs, you can use Terminal or a free utility for basic temperature monitoring. In Terminal enter the following command and press return: sudo powermetrics --samplers smc |grep -i "CPU die temperature" (Note that those quotation marks are straight double-quotes.) Enter your administrative password when prompted. This will provide a continuous temperature reading of the CPU’s temperature. Press Control-C to stop the monitoring. You can also install the free app Fanny (not the most perfect name for U.K. and other Commonwealth Mac owners), which offers a simple drop-down set of information in the menu bar or as a notifications widget. Details include the average CPU and GPU temperature along with current fan speeds. For any Intel Mac and M-series Mac, the utility TG Pro ($20 but often on sale for $10) provides detailed monitoring and fan control. You can see the temperature recorded by every sensor in your Mac and for hard disks and SSDs that support the industry-standard SMART diagnostics. Information and controls are available both in a standard app window and a drop-down menu bar. That bar shows the highest port and CPU temperature and the current fan rotation. TG Pro provides an enormous amount of detail on demand and control of built-in fans, but uses color coding and a menu bar summary for at-a-glance status. You can also monitor the speed of internal fans and override Apple’s settings. This includes creating rules for when fans and how fast fans run. The app comes with a preset rule that turns the blades up to their maximum rotation if the highest temperature of any CPU parameter is at least 158°F (70°C). Just note, your MacBook Air doesn’t have a fan. Best Mac Temperature Monitoring apps Fanny TG Pro Read our review Best Prices Today: $20 at Tunabelly Software Ask Mac 911 We’ve compiled a list of the questions we get asked most frequently, along with answers and links to columns: read our super FAQ to see if your question is covered. If not, we’re always looking for new problems to solve! Email yours to mac911@macworld.com, including screen captures as appropriate and whether you want your full name used. Not every question will be answered, we don’t reply to email, and we cannot provide direct troubleshooting advice.

Macworld Sure, the AirPods Pro 2 might be a couple of years old, but Apple keeps making them better through firmware features. The latest turns them into a bonafide hearing aid with iOS 18.1, but what’s even better, however, is the fact that you can get these $249 earbuds for just $179 right now. When we reviewed the AirPods Pro 2, we gave these earbuds a near-perfect 4.5-star rating, appreciating the audio quality, the excellent noise canceling, and the superb transparency mode. “On the outside, not much has changed with these second-generation AirPods Pro. But the sound quality has improved a lot, noise canceling is much better, transparency mode is top-notch, and battery life is finally up to par. There’s not a lot here you can’t find on other models, but Apple makes it easy and has caught up to its fierce competition,” our review reads. Featuring the H2 chip, these earbuds promise a deep and immersive sound with crisp, high notes and a rich bass. They come with four pairs of silicone tips in multiple sizes so you can obtain that perfect noise cancellation level. Since our review, the AirPods Pro 2 has gained a USB-C case, Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, and Personalized Volume, and can even act as a hearing aid with a built-in clinical-grade test. And since they’re available for nearly 30 percent off their regular price, it would be a shame not to take advantage of this Amazon deal. So go grab the AirPods Pro 2 for $179 and treat your ears to great sound and good health. Get the best earbuds for $70 offBuy it now at Amazon

Macworld One of my favorite Mac apps is Pixelmator Pro, an image editing tool I use daily. On Friday, the company behind the app announced that Apple is acquiring it. While that sounds like great news for the Pixelmator team and Apple users, my first reaction was a sense of dread that an app I frequently use will be drastically different in the future or may no longer exist in its current form. I started using Pixelmator primarily to escape Adobe’s subscription-only model for Photoshop. Pixelmator is available for a one-time purchase of $50, which is much friendlier to my wallet than Photoshop’s $20 per month or Photoshop Elements’ $100 for a “3-year term license,” whatever that means. I also wanted to support the Pixelmator team in making Mac-only apps. While developers can make a living as a Mac-only developer, the market isn’t as big as Windows, or even iOS. The Pixelmator team makes top-notch software and they deserve as much support as they can get. When I first started using Pixelmator Pro instead of Photoshop, I had a lot to learn about the app’s user interface. After using Photoshop for years, undoing all that muscle memory took time. But it helped that Pixelmator Pro has a great UI that makes sense, and it didn’t take long to get comfortable. But now, with the acquisition news, I’m afraid that’s all going to be thrown out the window. Pixelmator Pro isn’t going to change “at this time,” says the Pixelmator Team. That’s not very reassuring. My major concern is that the one-time purchase plan is going to disappear. Apple’s Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro are one-time purchase Mac apps, so there’s hope that this will be the case with Apple Pixelmator Pro. But the iPad versions of Apple’s Pro apps are subscription purchases, so there’s a recent precedent of Apple implementing such purchase plans. Apple’s Services revenue is valuable to its bottom line and making its Mac apps subscription-based is something the company could do to help Services revenue grow. Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro were Apple acquisitions, but Apple didn’t have a presence in those software categories in the first place. They do with Pixelmator and Photos, so my other concern is unfounded and far-fetched, but what if Apple decides to end Pixelmator as a stand-alone app and incorporate it into the Photos app, possibly as a paid Photos+ option? That’s not ideal—Photos is an app for maintaining your photo library, and it’s not ideal for my work. What makes more sense is if Apple incorporated the Photomator app into Photos and left Pixelmator as its own app. Overall, this seems like good news for the Pixelmator Team–Apple made a great acquisition and I’m happy to see them succeed. But let this be my plea to Apple to keep Pixelmator Pro as an affordable, stand-alone app that I can rely on for years and years.

Macworld Apple has agreed to acquire Pixelmator, the creators of popular professional image editing apps Pixelmator Pro and photo editing software Photomator. In a blog post, the Pixelmator team announced its sale (subject to regulatory approval), and assured its customers that, “There will be no material changes to the Pixelmator Pro, Pixelmator for iOS, and Photomator apps at this time.” Of course, that was followed by, “Stay tuned for exciting updates to come,” so we can obviously expect some changes once the deal goes through and Apple has something specific to announce. Pixelmator Pro is a popular professional image editing app that is often spoken of as an alternative to Photoshop, especially for those on a tighter budget (Pixelmator Pro is a one-time purchase of $49.99 in the App Store). It has only been available for the Mac and uses a lot of Mac-specific technologies to improve performance. There is also an iOS companion app. It is unclear what Apple will do with the acquisition. If we had to guess, we would say that Apple will continue to develop the app, offering it as a third pro-level software offering alongside Logic Pro and Final Cut Pro. Pixelmator’s photo-editing app, Photomator, may find some of its features wrapped up into the editing interface for the Photos app, but Apple seemingly has little need for a separate consumer photo editing app of that nature.

Macworld Apple has planted its own flag in the streaming wars with Apple TV+, its in-house streaming service that focuses almost entirely on original programming rather than an extensive library of existing TV shows or movies. This guide will list all the Apple TV+ content you can watch today, divided into episodic shows or series and movies. There’s also a ton of new content in the works for Apple’s $9.99-a-month service. If you want to know what’s on the way, check out our list of upcoming Apple TV+ shows and movies. Updated November 1, 2024: You Would Do It Too is now streaming. Mentioned IN THIS story Apple TV 4K (2022, 3. Gen.) 128GB WiFi + Ethernet Read our review What’s new on Apple TV+ You Would Do It TooReleased: October 30, 2024 BeforeReleased: October 25, 2024 ShrinkingReleased: October 16, 2025 DisclaimerReleased: October 11, 2024 The Last of the Sea WomenReleased: October 11, 2024 Curses!Released: October 4, 2024 Where’s Wanda?Released: October 2, 2024 How to get Apple TV+ If you want to start watching Apple TV Plus here’s how. You can subscribe to Apple TV+ on Apple’s website here, or via the Apple TV app on your device. It costs $9.99/£8.99 a month, which you can cancel at any time (Read: How to cancel and Apple subscription). You can also opt for a one-year subscription for $99/£89, which essentially gives you two months free each year. Apple also offers various trials so that you can try out Apple TV+ before you subscribe. Take a look at our article explaining all the ways you can watch Apple TV for free, and the best Apple TV+ deals you can get. Students can get Apple TV+ for free with an already subsidized Apple Music subscription. Best shows on Apple TV+ There’s far too much content on Apple TV+ to sift through it all yourself. If you’re looking for something to watch and don’t know where to start, here are a few of the Macworld staff’s favorite shows, series, and movies. Bad Sisters Synopsis: A dark comedy about a group of Irish sisters who find themselves at the center of a life insurance investigation after John Paul–the abusive husband to one of the sisters–dies unexpectedly. Number of seasons: 1 Release date: August 19, 2022 Black Bird Synopsis: A gripping miniseries about a convicted con artist who works for the FBI to try to get a serial killer’s confession before he is released from prison. Based on the true story of James Keene and Larry Hall. Number of seasons: 1 Release date: July 8, 2022 For All Mankind Synopsis: What if the U.S.S.R. put a man on the moon before the U.S.? How would the ensuing space race change history throughout the decades? That’s the high concept behind this gripping big-budget sci-fi series. Number of seasons: 4 Release date: November 1, 2019 Mythic Quest Synopsis: A lighthearted workplace comedy about a game development studio and the big egos and personal conflicts that happen within. It’s goofy good fun but sometimes quite touching. Number of seasons: 3 Release date: February 7, 2020 Physical Synopsis: Even if you’re not old enough to remember the aerobics craze in the 80s, Physical will give you all the big hair and leotard vibes. Starting Rose Byrne as an alternate-universe Jane Fonda, this dark comedy will keep you laughing, guessing, and sweating with plot twists and crisp writing. Number of seasons: 3 Release date: June 18, 2021 Severance Synopsis: A combination of dystopian sci-fi drama and workplace comedy about a company where employees are “severed”–when at work, they can’t remember their outside lives, and vice-versa. Number of seasons: 1 Release date: February 18, 2022 Shrinking Synopsis: A surprisingly quick-witted comedy about a therapist who has trouble dealing with the death of his wife and his eccentric patients. Number of seasons: 2 Release date: January 27, 2023 Slow Horses Synopsis: Gary Oldman turns in a great performance as the cranky leader of a band of misfit spies. Number of seasons: 4 Release date: April 1, 2022 Ted Lasso Synopsis: Apple’s fish-out-of-water comedy/drama about a midwestern college football coach who heads to England to coach Premiere League soccer is a breakout hit for good reason. Number of seasons: 3 Release date: August 14, 2020 The Morning Show Synopsis: Big star power and a fantastic performance by Jenniffer Aniston highlight this fast-paced drama that goes behind the scenes of a fictional morning news program. Number of seasons: 3 Release date: November 1, 2019 Apple TV+ shows and series These are all the episodic series you can currently watch on Apple TV+, including both recurring and limited series. This list is in alphabetical order. TitlePremiereSeasons / Episodes1971: The Year That Music Changed EverythingMay 21, 20218 episodesAcapulcoOctober 8, 20213 seasons, 30 episodesAmazing StoriesMarch 6, 20201 season, 5 episodesAmber BrownJuly 29, 20221 season, 10 episodesBad MonkeyAugust 14, 20241 season, 10 episodesBad SistersAugust 19, 20221 season, 10 episodesBecoming YouNovember 13, 20201 season, 6 episodesBeforeOctober 25, 202410 episodesBest Foot ForwardJuly 22, 20221 season, 10 episodesBig BeastsApril 21, 20231 season, 10 episodesBlack BirdJuly 8, 20226 episodesBoom! Boom! The World vs Boris BeckerApril 7, 20232 episodesThe BuccaneersNovember 8, 20231 season, 8 episodesCallsMarch 19, 20211 season, 9 episodesCamp SnoopyJune 14, 202410 episodesCarpool KaraokeAugust 8, 20175 seasons, 75 episodesCentral ParkMay 29, 20203 seasons, 39 episodesCircuit BreakersNovember 11, 20221 season, 7 episodesCity on FireMay 12, 20231 season, 8 episodesConstellationFebruary 21, 20241 season, 8 episodesCowboy CartelAugust 2, 20244 episodesCriminal RecordJanuary 10, 20241 season, 8 episodesCurses!October 27, 20232 seasons, 20 episodesDark MatterMay 8, 20241 season, 9 episodesDear EdwardFebruary 3, 20231 season, 10 episodesDear…June 5, 20202 seasons, 20 episodesDefending JacobApril 24, 20208 episodesDickinsonNovember 1, 20193 seasons, 30 episodesDisclaimerOctober 11, 20247 episodesDoug UnplugsNovember 13, 20202 seasons, 26 episodesDr. BrainNovember 3, 20211 season, 6 episodesDrops of GodApril 21, 20231 season, 8 episodesDuck & GooseJuly 8, 20222 seasons, 17 episodesEarth at Night in ColorDecember 4, 20202 seasons, 12 episodesEarthsoundsFebruary 23, 20241 season, 12 episodesEcho 3November 23, 20221 season, 10 episodesEl DeafoJanuary 7, 20223 episodesEva the OwletMarch 31, 20231 season, 8 episodesExtrapolationsMarch 17, 20231 season, 8 episodesFive Days at MemorialAugust 12, 20228 episodesFor All MankindNovember 1, 20194 seasons, 40 episodesFoundationSeptember 24, 20212 seasons, 20 episodesFraggle Rock: Back to the RockJanuary 21, 20222 seasons, 27 episodesFraggle Rock: Rock On!April 21, 20201 season, 6 episodesFrog and ToadApril 28, 20232 seasons, 18 episodesGet Rolling with OtisOctober 8, 20212 seasons, 18 episodesGhostwriterNovember 1, 20193 seasons, 39 episodesGreatness CodeJuly 10, 20202 seasons, 13 episodesGutsySeptember 9, 20221 season, 8 episodesHarriet the SpyNovember 19, 20212 seasons, 20 episodesHello Tomorrow!February 17, 20231 season, 10 episodesHello, Jack! The Kindness ShowNovember 5, 20212 seasons, 16 episodesHelpstersNovember 1, 20193 seasons, 40 episodesHelpsters Help YouApril 24, 20206 episodesHigh DesertMay 17, 20231 season, 8 episodesHijackJune 28, 20237 episodesHollywood Con QueenMay 8, 20243 episodesHomeApril 17, 20202 season, 19 episodesHome Before DarkApril 3, 20202 seasons, 20 episodesInterrupting ChickenNovember 18, 20222 seasons, 17 episodesInvasionOctober 22, 20212 seasons, 20 episodesJaneApril 14, 20232 seasons, 15 episodesJohn Lennon: Murder Without A TrialDecember 6, 20233 episodesK-Pop IdolsAugust 30, 20246 episodesLa MaisonSeptember 20, 20241 season, 10 episodesLady in the LakeJuly 19, 20247 episodesLand of WomenJune 26, 20241 season, 6 episodesLessons in ChemistryOctober 13, 20238 episodesLiaisonFebruary 24, 20231 season, 6 episodesLife by EllaSeptember 2, 20221 season, 10 episodesLincoln’s DilemmaFebruary 18, 20224 episodesLisey’s StoryJune 4, 20218 episodesLittle AmericaJanuary 17, 20202 seasons, 16 episodesLittle VoiceJuly 10, 20201 season, 9 episodesLong Way UpSeptember 18, 202011 episodesLootJune 24, 20222 seasons, 20 episodesLosing AliceJanuary 22, 20211 season, 8 episodesLovely Little FarmJune 10, 20222 seasons, 14 episodesMake or BreakApril 29, 20222 seasons, 15 episodesManhuntMarch 15, 20247 episodesMasters of the AirJanuary 26, 20249 episodesMeJuly 12, 20241 seasons, 10 episodesMessi Meets AmericaOctober 11, 20236 episodesMessi’s World Cup: Rise of a LegendFebruary 21, 20244 episodesMidnight FamilySeptember 25, 20241 season, 10 episodesMonarch: Legacy of MonstersNovember 17, 20231 season, 10 episodesMonster FactoryMarch 17, 20236 episodesMr. CormanAugust 6, 20211 season, 10 episodesMy Kind of CountryMarch 24, 20231 season, 8 episodesMythic QuestFebruary 7, 20203 seasons, 30 episodesNow and ThenMay 20, 20221 season, 8 episodesOmnivoreJuly 19, 20241 season, 8 episodesOne-of-a-Kind MarcieAugust 18, 202339 min.Oprah Talks COVID-19March 21, 20201 season, 13 episodesOprah’s Book ClubNovember 1, 20191 season, 14 episodesPachinkoMarch 25, 20222 seasons, 16 episodesPalm RoyaleMarch 20, 202410 episodesPhysicalJune 18, 20213 seasons, 30 episodesPinecone & PonyApril 8, 20222 seasons, 16 episodesPlatonicMay 24, 20231 season, 10 episodesPrehistoric PlanetMay 23, 20222 season, 10 episodesPresumed InnocentJune 12, 20248 episodesPretzel and the PuppiesFebruary 11, 20222 seasons, 18 ep

Macworld If you go to Apple’s website to check out the new M4 Macs, you’ll see one phrase repeated over and over again: Apple Intelligence. However, if you buy one of those new Macs, it won’t actually be able to run the new AI suite right when it arrives next week. Don’t worry, it’s not like the iPhone 16—the new computers do have the hardware and software to support Apple Intelligence on day one. They’ll just need a quick software update first. According to Macrumors, the new M4 iMac, MacBook, and Mac mini will need an update to ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.1 (build number 24B2083). The computers all ship with a special version of macOS Sequoia‌ 15.0 with build number 24A8332. MacOS 15.1, of course, brings Apple intelligence to Apple silicon Macs, including Writing Tools, summaries, the new Siri interface, better search in Photos, and a new Reduce Interruptions Focus mode.  Users can also sign up for the macOS 15.2 beta, which brings several new Apple Intelligence features, including Genmoji, the Image Playground app, the new Mail app with AI-sorted categories, and integration with ChatGPT. That update is expected to arrive for all users in December.

Macworld Charging your iPhone on the go is no longer going to be an issue if you have one of these Anker power banks. The Anker 633 Magnetic Battery is down to $40, a 31% discount from the $55 MSRP, while the MagGo Power Bank that also allows users to charge their Apple Watch is available for $65 with Prime, a savings of $15 on its usual $80 MSRP. Now, the first one is a tiny gadget that you can magnetically attach to your iPhone and wirelessly charge your device. Alternatively, you can plug in a USB-C cable and enjoy 20W charging. The coolest part about it is that it also comes with a kickstand, so you can prop your phone up while it’s charging to watch videos. The newer Anker MagGo power bank comes with a flippable charger for your Apple Watch. You can either leave that down if you’re on the go or flip it open if you’re at your desk. It also comes with a built-in cable that you can plug into your phone for 30W charging. That same cable goes into a wall plug when the power bank needs a recharge. Both battery packs feature a 10,000mAh capacity, while the prices aren’t all that different either. Ultimately, it depends on whether or not you need to charge both your iPhone and your smartwatch at the same time or not. But whichever you choose, don’t miss out on getting the Anker 633 MagGo power bank for $40 or the model with the Apple Watch charging capabilities for $65 at Amazon. Buy the Anker 633 now at Amazon Buy the Anker power bank for Apple Watch at Amazon

Macworld November is usually a pretty quiet month for Apple releases, and we expect this 2024 to be no different. The new M4 Macs, announced at the end of October, will be available in stores on November 8. If you’re planning to pick up that new Mac mini, MacBook Pro, or iMac, November could be an exciting month for you. Those have been announced already, though, and we don’t think there’s a lot else going on outside of the usual Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade releases. The next OS betas—iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, macOS 15.2, and so on—have already begun and will continue through November, but their release is expected in December. New hardware releases Apple just announced a trio of new Macs sporting the M4 processor line (M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max) at the end of October. All of them ship on Friday, November 8. M4 iMac: In addition to the upgrade to an M4 processor and 16GB of RAM minimum, the iMac gets an improved 12 megapixel camera that supports Center Stage and Desk View. M4 MacBook Pro: The M4 MacBook Pro is much like the prior model, but with the upgraded 12 megapixel camera that supports Center Stage and Desk View, and 16 GB of RAM at minimum. There are three processors available—M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max. M4 Pro and M4 Max models also sport Thunderbolt 5 ports. M4 Mac mini: Apple’s smallest Mac gets its first redesign in years, and is now much smaller (5 inches x 5 inches), and a little taller. You can get it with the M4 or M4 Pro, prices still start at $599, and it comes with 16GB of RAM minimum. Apps and software updates The iOS 18.1 and macOS 15.1 updates are with us, bringing the first set of Apple Intelligence features. Apple has already begun the beta-testing cycle for iOS 18.2 and macOS 15.2. That will continue throughout November with several updates, but the wide release isn’t scheduled until December. The big new features in the x.2 release are the image-generation-related features of Apple Intelligence: Genmoji, Image Playground, Visual Intelligence for iPhone 16, and Image Wand in notes. ChatGPT integration is another big improvement. Services Apple TV+ Here are the shows, series, and movies we expect to release on Apple TV+ in TK. If you want to know what’s coming later, check our full guide to upcoming Apple TV+ content. Bad Sisters (season 2): Two years after the “accidental death” of Grace’s abusive husband, the close-knit Garvey sisters may have moved on, but when past truths resurface, the ladies are thrust back into the spotlight, suspicions are at an all-time high, lies are told, secrets revealed and the sisters are forced to work out who they can trust. November 13 Silo (season 2): A sci-fi series of the last ten thousand people on earth, their mile-deep home protecting them from the toxic and deadly world outside. However, no one knows when or why the silo was built and any who try to find out face fatal consequences.  November 15 Blitz: Follows the epic journey of George, a 9-year-old boy in World War II London whose mother Rita sends him to safety in the English countryside. George, defiant and determined to return home to his mom and his grandfather Gerald in East London, embarks on an adventure, only to find himself in immense peril, while a distraught Rita searches for her missing son. November 22 Bread & Roses: The film follows three women in real-time as they fight to recover their autonomy after the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in 2021. November 22 Apple Arcade Apple releases most Apple Arcade games on the first Friday of each month. Check our Apple Arcade FAQ for a full list of Apple Arcade games and more details on the service. Occasionally, games are released with no forewarning, but you’ll usually see next month’s releases listed in the Coming Soon section. Drive Ahead! Carcade: A crazy, side-scrolling, arcade car battle game where you win by knocking your opponents on the head with your car. November 7 Texas Hold’em Poker: Pokerist+: Play live poker with real players from around the world (but not for real money). November 7 Arkanoid vs Space Invaders+: A fusion of these two classic arcade games. November 7 Wheel of Fortune Daily: A simple, short, daily Wheel of Fortune puzzle. November 7

Macworld iPhones, in my opinion, aren’t really designed to be upgraded every year. Obviously, Apple is happy for hardcore fans and the uber-wealthy (and my friend Lewis) to splash the cash whenever a new model is announced, but the rate of spec bumps and new features lends itself to a noticeable improvement in the user experience only if you wait two or three generations between upgrades. And so, when I upgraded from the iPhone 15 Plus to the 16 Plus last month, I wasn’t expecting any huge changes. And for the most part, I was right. As I explained in my upgrade thoughts article, the design is slightly nicer but basically the same; the Action button hasn’t made much of a difference so far; Camera Control doesn’t feel like much of an upgrade; and the extra processing power isn’t noticeable in real-world use. As for Apple Intelligence, it’s finally arrived, but it’s missing features and still needs a ton of time before it can be a serious competitor to Gemini and other rival AIs. But there is one really significant upgrade I’ve noticed, and it has to do with the camera. Not Camera Control or Visual Intelligence— the actual camera. Things that have stayed the same Now, most of the time, and in most contexts and shooting conditions, your photos will look the same. That makes sense since the main lens remains 48MP and f/1.6. (The ultra-wide lens has been bumped from f/2.4 to f/2.2 so we might expect slightly better performance there, but it’s still 12MP.) As you can see in this shot, color reproduction, and vibrancy are basically identical across the two devices. Taken with iPhone 15 Plus (left) and 16 Plus (right) Here’s a shot of a less colorful object so you can focus on the clarity and level of detail. Taken with iPhone 15 Plus (left) and 16 Plus (right) What about more challenging shooting conditions? Again, we should expect the two devices to handle complex or difficult lighting with roughly the same aplomb since they both feature Smart HDR 5. The 16 Plus has a faster processor which could in theory mean more computational power being applied to this process, but I couldn’t see any difference when shooting trees silhouetted against the sun: Taken with iPhone 15 Plus (left) and 16 Plus (right) And what about the front-facing camera? Is that any different? Not really. In both cases, we’re working with a 12MP, f/1.9 lens. Taken with iPhone 15 Plus (left) and 16 Plus (right) Macro perspective Here’s where photography has changed dramatically: macro performance is miles ahead. Taken with iPhone 15 Plus (left) and 16 Plus (right) Get up close and the iPhone 16 Plus flips to a macro photography mode (you can tell this has been engaged because a small flower icon appears in the bottom corner), bringing the subject into sharp focus. It’s incredibly impressive. Taken with iPhone 15 Plus (left) and 16 Plus (right) It’s good for nature photography. It’s also very handy if you paint little models and take photos of them for social media. Taken with iPhone 15 Plus (left) and 16 Plus (right) Honestly, it’s rare to get such satisfyingly different test photos when comparing two phones. And to see this across a single generation is almost unheard of. Taken with iPhone 15 Plus (left) and 16 Plus (right) So there you go. The upgrade from iPhone 15 (or in my case 15 Plus) to iPhone 16 (or 16 Plus) is in the main an experience defined by lots of small tweaks and minor iterative improvements. But the new macro mode has an enormous impact on close-up photography, and if that’s a priority for you this is a purchase well worth making. And if you’re interested in iPhonography, you might be interested in our guide to the best iPhone cameras. Apple iPhone 16 Plus Best Prices Today: $929.99 at Best Buy

Macworld Many websites that offer financial services (such as banks and investing companies) let you connect your accounts to other software, such as Quicken. However, it’s often unwise to let any third party see your login credentials. The workaround is that you can start at the app, which switches to a browser in which you log in directly to the site in question and authorize the conduit, and then the site provides a token directly to your app to allow data to flow. I’ve found lately that this process fails as often as it succeeds when I use Safari. Apple has added more privacy protections with each successive release of Safari, and version 18 for macOS (released as part of macOS 15 Sequoia and to previous versions of macOS, like 14 Sonoma) seems to break some banking sites authorization loops. The trouble is that the app-to-browser authorization process doesn’t reveal a URL you could copy and paste in another location: the app opens a web page in the browser. The solution is to change the default browser on your Mac to another one that is built differently, like Google Chrome or Firefox. Here’s how to change your default browser in macOS: Go to  > System Settings. Navigate to Desktop & Dock. From the “Default web browser” pop-up menu, choose a different browser. In the accounting or other app, start and complete the browser-based authentication process. Return Desktop & Dock and change the default browser back to Safari. Sometimes changing your default browser solves an app-to-website authorization problem that Safari stalls.Foundry Ask Mac 911 We’ve compiled a list of the questions we get asked most frequently, along with answers and links to columns: read our super FAQ to see if your question is covered. If not, we’re always looking for new problems to solve! Email yours to mac911@macworld.com, including screen captures as appropriate and whether you want your full name used. Not every question will be answered; we don’t reply to emails, and we cannot provide direct troubleshooting advice.

Macworld Apple on Thursday announced its fourth quarter 2024 earnings, posting revenue of $94.9 billion for the quarter, a 6 percent increase year over year, and a record for the quarter. Quarterly earnings per diluted share are $0.97. Diluted earnings per share was $1.64, up 12 percent year over year. The company reported $14.7 billion in profit. Apple beat the analysts’ predicted revenue of $94.58 billion expected, $1.60 diluted earnings per share. Apple continues to see growth in Services, which posted $25 billion in revenue, a 12 percent increase from last year’s $22.3 billion. iPhone sales were up year over year, posting $46.2 billion in revenue, which is a 5.5 percent increase from the fourth quarter of 2023. iPad sales were also up, posting $6.9 billion in revenue, which is a 7.9 percent increase. Mac sales were also up slightly to $7.4 billion, compared to $7.6 billion in 2023. Apple’s Wearables, Home, and Accessories category was the one place where the company saw a decline, posting $9 billion in revenue, a 3 percent decrease from 2023’s $9.3 billion. Apple did state during the announcement call that the Apple Watch installed base reached an all-time high, but did not offer specifics. Apple’s profit this year took a hit due to tax provisions. In a September filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Apple stated that it would “record a one-time income tax charge in its fourth fiscal quarter ending September 28, 2024, of up to approximately $10 billion.” Apple posted a profit of $23 billion for the same quarter a year ago. How the quarter ended year-over-year for Apple: iPhone: $46.2 billion (up from $43.8 billion) iPad: $6.9 billion (up from $6.4 billion) Mac: $7.7 billion (up from $7.6 billion) Wearables: $9 billion (down from $9.3 billion) Services: $25 billion (up from $22.3 billion) Apple declared a cash dividend of $0.25 per share of common stock payable on November 14, 2024, to shareholders of record at the close of business on November 11, 2024. “Today Apple is reporting a new September quarter revenue record of $94.9 billion, up 6 percent from a year ago,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, in a press release. “During the quarter, we were excited to announce our best products yet, with the all-new iPhone 16 lineup, Apple Watch Series 10, AirPods 4, and remarkable features for hearing health and sleep apnea detection. And this week, we released our first set of features for Apple Intelligence, which sets a new standard for privacy in AI and supercharges our lineup heading into the holiday season.” This financial earnings announcement was the last for Apple CFO Luca Maestri, who announced last August that he is stepping down from the role. Kevan Parekh will become Apple’s new CFO next year.

Macworld Apple currently sells two laptop lines: the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. The MacBook Pro comes with a 14-inch or 16-inch display and the MacBook Air has either a 13.6-inch or a 15-inch display. And among those models are an even wider range of specs. In this article, we are concerned with the Mac laptops best suited to average use: home, student, and office work. There are 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models powered by M4 Pro or M4 Max chips that are better suited to pro users and have much higher prices, and they aren’t included here. But if you are thinking your needs might extend a little further on the pro side, you may be interested to read Which MacBook Pro or our guide to all of Apple’s laptops. We’ll be considering the following similarly specced Mac laptops: 13.6-inch MacBook Air, M2 (launched July 2022) 13.6-inch MacBook Air, M3 (launched March 2024) 14-inch MacBook Pro, M4 (launched October 2024) 15-inch MacBook Air, M3 (launched March 2024) For advice about the best MacBook, we also have a buying guide, see: Best MacBook: Which Mac laptop is best? We also offer advice about how much storage, RAM and cores in How much MacBook do you really need? Off to university? Read our guide to the best MacBook for students. MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro compared Here are the four Mac laptops that have our attention. We will compare design, specs, displays, price and other features below. 1. Apple 13-inch MacBook Air (M2, 2022) Best Prices Today: $899 at Amazon$899 at Best Buy$934 at Adorama Read our full Apple 13-inch MacBook Air (M2, 2022) review 2. Apple 13-inch MacBook Air (M3, 2024) Best Prices Today: $989.94 at Amazon$999 at Best Buy$1049 at Adorama 3. Apple 15-Inch MacBook Air (M3, 2024) Best Prices Today: $1,091 at Amazon$1199 at Best Buy$1249 at Adorama Read our full Apple 15-inch MacBook Air (M3, 2024) review 4. Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4, 2024) MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro: Design The design of the MacBook Air hasn’t changed since Apple revealed it in June 2022 and you could have been forgiven for thinking you were looking at a MacBook Pro. Gone is the tapered edge for which the Air was famous, replaced with a more uniform design. The MacBook Air is still thinner–albeit fractionally–but it is also very slightly larger than the old version of the Air, thanks to the bigger screen. Looking at the screen you will notice the other glaring difference in the new design: the MacBook Air has a notch like the one that’s also seen on the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro and iPhones. This enables the bigger screen and conceals a much better FaceTime camera, so it’s not a bad thing, although some people don’t like notches. If you miss that tapered design that made the MacBook Air instantly identifiable it is still available if you buy the M1 version of the MacBook Air. Apple no longer sells this model as a new laptop, but limited M1 MacBook Air inventory may be available in the Apple Certified Refurbished Store and you may still be able to pick one up from a third party–see our round-up of the Best MacBook Air deals. If a 13.6-inch screen isn’t big enough for you, Apple added a 15.3-inch MacBook Air to the lineup in June 2023. This larger model looks identical to the 13.6-inch MacBook Air, and shares (mostly) the same specs, it’s just bigger. 15-inch MacBook Air (left) and 14-inch MacBook Pro (right).Foundry The 14-inch MacBook Pro is a bit chunkier and heavier than the 15-inch MacBook Air due to the fans needed for heat dissipation, while the Air is, unsurprisingly, wider and taller, thanks to the bigger display. Both models have a Touch ID sensor built into the keyboard, and six-speaker arrays (the 13-inch Air only has a four-speaker sound system). The sound on the MacBook Pro is described by Apple as “High Fidelity,” by which we assume Apple is indicating it is superior to the Air. Connectivity for both models is via Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E. With the October 2024 MacBook Pro update to the M4 chip, the 14-inch MacBook Pro now has a 12-megapixel camera with support for Center Stage and Desk View. The MacBook Air still has the 1080p FaceTime HD camera. The MacBook Pro camera is much better, in case you’re concerned with quality for video conferences. Another difference between these MacBooks is the color choices. There are four color choices for the 13-inch MacBook Air and the 15-inch MacBook Air: Midnight (dark blue), Starlight (gold), Space Gray and Silver. The Starlight shade is paler gold, while Midnight is close to black with a dark blue hue. The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 offers only Silver and Space Black options. There are four different color options for the MacBook Air.Apple MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro: Dimensions The 13-inch MacBook Air is lighter than the 14-inch MacBook Pro, as you’d expect, but the 15-inch MacBook Air is also lighter than the 14-inch MacBook Pro. 14-inch MacBook Pro, M4: 3.4 pounds (1.55 kg) 15-inch MacBook Air, M3: 3.3 pounds (1.51 kg) 13-inch MacBook Air, M3: 2.7 pounds (1.24 kg) The MacBook Air is thinner than the MacBook Pro. Apple The 15-inch MacBook Air is the largest of the M3 laptops, but because it’s thinner, it weighs less than the Pro. The 13-inch MacBook Air dimensions aren’t much smaller than those of the 14-inch MacBook Air. 15-inch MacBook Air, M3: 13.40 x 9.35 x 0.45 inches (34.04 x 23.76 x 1.15cm) 14-inch MacBook Pro, M3: 12.31 x 8.71 x 0.61 inches (31.26cm x 22.12cm x 1.55cm) 13-inch MacBook Air, M3: 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches (30.41 x 21.5 x 1.13cm) MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro: Display Here are the specs at a glance: 13-inch MacBook Air M3: 13.6 inches diagonal, 2,560 by 1,664 pixels 14-inch MacBook Pro M4: 14.2 inches diagonal, 3,024 by 1,964 pixels 15-inch MacBook Air M3: 15.3 inches diagonal, 2,880 by 1,864 pixels The MacBook Air has either a 15.3-inch or a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display. The MacBook Pro comes with a superior 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR panel. The screen on the Air is a bit bigger, but the image quality is not as good as the screen on the MacBook Pro–it still looks great, though. The 15-inch Air’s display runs at a resolution of 2,880 by 1,864, while the 13-inch offers 2,560 by 1,664. Both Airs have a maximum brightness of 500 nits, which is half of the Pro’s 1,000 nits in normal use, or a third if you’re running HDR content at a max of 1,600 nits. This is achieved by the Pro display incorporating mini-LEDs rather than the Air’s standard LCD screen. Perhaps the biggest difference though is that the Pro features ProMotion, meaning that the refresh rate tops out at 120Hz, again double that of the Air’s 60Hz refresh rate. This helps keep scrolling and animations smooth and crisp. Any of these displays will be great for everyday use and long hours of work, but the Pro has the edge when it comes to features. With the M4 MacBook Pro, Apple introduced a nano-texture glass option that has a matte-like finish for $150. This option is not available on the MacBook Air, and if you need to cut down the glare from the display, it’s a feature to consider. 15-inch MacBook Air (left) and 14-inch MacBook Pro 2023.Foundry MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro: Specs All of Apple’s laptops are powered by Apple’s silicon. Amidst the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro offerings are two generations of chip: the M2 in the $999 13.6-inch MacBook Air, an M3 in the 13.6-inch and 15-inch Air models, and an M4 in the 14-inch MacBook Pro that we are considering here (there are also M4 Pro and M4 Max MacBook Pro options for those who need more power). To learn more about all the Mac processors read our Mac processor comparison and see how the M3 stacks up against all of Apple’s chips. This is how the specs in the various MacBook Air and the 14-inch MacBook Pro standard configurations compare: MacBookPriceCPUGPUMemorySSD13.6-inch MacBook Air, M2 (2022)$999/£9998-core, M28-core, M216GB (up to 24GB)256GB SSD13.6-inch MacBook Air, M3 (2

Macworld Following reports earlier this month that Apple is planning to use its own 5G modem in the next iPhone SE, a new report claims that Apple will start to implement its own Wi-Fi chip in the iPhone 17 starting next year. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo posted on X that in the second half of 2025, Apple will use its own Wi-Fi chip in new products, ditching the chip created by Qualcomm. The chip will be manufactured using “TSMC’s N7 process and support the latest Wi-Fi 7 spec.” See the X post below: Broadcom currently supplies over 300 million Wi-Fi+BT chips (hereafter referred to as Wi-Fi chips) per year to Apple. However, Apple will rapidly reduce its reliance on Broadcom. With new products in 2H25 (e.g., iPhone 17), Apple plans to use its own Wi-Fi chips, which will be made by TSMC’s N7 process and support the latest Wi-Fi 7 spec. Apple expects to move nearly all products to in-house Wi-Fi chips within about three years. This move will reduce costs and enhance Apple’s ecosystem integration advantages. Ming-Chi Kuo, October 31, 2024 Interestingly, Kuo states the iPhone 17 as an example, which makes it unclear if he thinks the iPhone 17 will use the same 5G, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth combo chip that was reported by 9to5Mac earlier this month, or if he’s referring to a different chip altogether. Apple could also update its just-released M4 Mac lineup with the M5 chip in the second half of 2025 and install its own Wi-Fi chip, which will use “the latest W-Fi 7 spec” according to Kuo. The new M4 Macs surprisingly do not feature Wi-Fi 7 like the iPhone 16 lineup. Instead, they have Wi-Fi 6E, so perhaps Apple held off on Wi-Fi 7 until its own chip is ready. Rumors of an Apple-made 5G modem have been making the rounds for years, and it seems that it could finally come to fruition next year. By creating its own chip instead of relying on a third-party one, Apple can optimize it for performance, which could help with power efficiency and performance. It could also save the company some money, too.

Macworld macOS Sequoia has been available for compatible Macs since September 2024, but further updates to Seqoia are expected over the next few months, with the first major update being macOS 15.1, which arrived on October 28. If you want to know what the new features are, whether you will be able to enjoy all of them, and if your Mac is ebven compatible with Sequoia, read on. We are also tracking any problems, the latest updates, and what’s new in the beta. The new version of macOS is called Sequoia, named after the Californian National Park and, more specifically, the world’s largest trees. Among the new features coming to Macs in Sequoia are iPhone mirroring, which puts your iPhone screen on your Mac’s display and lets you interact with it via your mouse and keyboard, a new Video conferencing presenter preview, and changes to Safari. In addition, developers will be easily able to port games between iPhone, Mac, and iPad. The free software update brings a raft of interface tweaks, bug fixes, and new features. In this article, we discuss everything you need to know about macOS 15 Sequoia including how to download it. We also link to various tutorials about how to use the new features. Some features will only work on Macs with an M-series chip, including several Apple Intelligence features that will offer help with writing, creating images, editing photos, and more. Some people have been running Sequoia for some time thanks to Apple’s beta testing program. In this article, we also discuss the latest versions of both the developer and public beta. Update: Apple released macOS Sequoia 15.1 on October 28. macOS Sequoia: Latest version macOS 15.1 The latest version of macOS Sequoia is macOS 15.1. It arrived on October 28. This major update brings the first rast of Apple Intelligence features to Macs with the M-series chip. macOS 15.0.1 was released on October 3, 2024. It did not contain new features, but it did include two important bug fixes. One bug fix corrected the error that led Messages to quit when replying to a message that shared an Apple Watch face. The other fix was for compatibility with third-party security software. Apple released macOS Sequoia to the public earlier than usual, alongside iOS 18 on Monday, September 16. iOS 18, watchOS and iPadOS 18 were released at the same time. The next major update to Sequoia will be macOS 15.1 which is expected by the end of the month. For information about what is coming in the next version look at the latest version of the Sequoia beta section below. macOS Sequoia: Features in macOS Sequoia 15.1 Screenshot Foundry macOS Sequoia 15.1 includes a number of new AI features that work on M-series Macs: Writing Tools – offering spelling and grammar support and helping you edit or summarize text. These features can be used around the operating system. Siri – new design and Type To Siri. (Type to Siri isn’t a new feature, but Apple’s making it more obvious for those of us who hate talking to Siri). Siri will be better at maintaining context while you ask related questions. Reduce Interruptions – a new AI Focus Mode that will filter out unimportant notifications. Smart Reply – you’ll be able to use these in Messages and Mail. Photos – Memory Movie will create slideshows based on a text description. You can also use a Clean Up tool to remove unwanted elements of a photo. Improvements to photo search. Summaries – Safari will be able to summarize articles. iPhone Mirroring – Drag files from iPhone to Mac and back. Audio transcriptions – You can get audio transcriptions of your audio recordings in Notes. macOS Sequoia: What’s coming in in macOS Sequoia 15.2 Release date: December 2024 (expected) On October 23, Apple released the macOS Sequoia 15.2 beta 1 to developers. This update will bring even more Apple Intelligence features including improvements to Writing T~ools, generative AI Image Playground, ChatGPT integration for Siri and Writing Tools. macOS Sequoia: Problems & bugs Several third-party security tools have reported issues with the new version of the Mac operating system. Read more here: Hold off on updating to macOS Sequoia if you’re using cybersecurity tools. CrowdStrike referenced “changes in the network stack” in an alert sent to its customers and has held off on support for the new OS. ESET indicated that there is a problem is with ESET Cyber Security version 6, an older version that “will be End of Life soon.” Firefox apparently has firewall-related issues with Sequoia. Messages could quit if a message including an Apple Watch face was replied to (fixed in macOS 15.0.1) Compatibility with third-party security software was addressed in macOS 15.0.1. Having problems with Sequoia? Read: How to downgrade macOS Sequoia to Sonoma macOS Sequoia compatibility: Which Macs will be able to run macOS 15? Screenshot Foundry The following Macs get support for macOS 15. iMac from 2019 and later Mac Pro from 2019 and later iMac Pro from 2017 Mac Studio from 2022 and later MacBook Air from 2020 and later Mac mini from 2018 and later MacBook Pro from 2018 and later There are two 13-inch MacBook Air models from 2018 and 2019 running Sonoma that won’t be able to install Sequoia. The compatibility list is becoming a pressing concern for users of Intel Macs. After Apple introduced its M-series Macs, the company said it would continue to support Intel Macs for several years, but it did not offer specifics. The clock is ticking on Intel Macs, but the last generation of Intel Macs remains on the macOS 15 compatibility list with a few Intel Macs that can run macOS Sequoia. However, only Macs with an M1, M2, or M3-series chip will support the new AI features referred to as “Apple Intelligence.” That includes the following: iMac from 2021 and later Mac Pro from 2023 Mac Studio from 2022 and later MacBook Air from late 2020 and later Mac mini from late 2020 and later MacBook Pro from late 2020 and later If your Mac can’t be updated to Sequoia that doesn’t mean you are completely abandoned by Apple. Apple will provide security updates for some Macs that don’t run macOS 15. Generally, Apple provides software updates for the past two versions of macOS. See: How long does Apple support Macs? On average, Macs get 6.6 years of macOS updates. To find out which version of macOS and older Mac can run take a look at our macOS compatibility list. macOS Sequoia: Should I install Sequoia? As long as your Mac can run it, we recommend updating to Sequoia. The new features–all of which we discuss below–look enticing enough. We address how macOS Sequoia compares to Sonoma? in a separate article. We also run through 6 reasons why you need to upgrade to macOS Sequoia. However, it’s wise to wait a week or so for the inevitable issues with the early release to be addressed: despite the beta program, there are often issues once the software update gets out into the wide Mac world. It’s also wise to wait because the download will likely take a lot longer if you try soon after it becomes available. Refer to the problems and bugs section above to see if any of the identified issues might affect you. macOS Sequoia: How to install Installing macOS Sequoia is a breeze. Open System Settings and go to General > Software Update; macOS will check for any available updates and guide you through the process of installing them. You simply have to follow the instructions, which we explain in our macOS updating guide. And it’s easier still if you’ve turned on Automatic Updates, which you can do from the same screen. However, if you do encounter problems the following may be useful: How to install macOS Sequoia on your Mac How to get your Mac ready for macOS Sequoia How to fix macOS installation problems macOS Sequoia Beta: Latest version Apple’s beta testing program for developers and public testers has been running since June/July and will continue even after the launch of macOS Sequoia to the general public. There is a separate macOS Sequoia 15.1 beta that includes Apple Intelligence features. Below you can find information about the latest beta versions and how to install them. If you want to run the developer beta, you need to be a registered Apple software developer, which has both free and paid ($99/£79) versions. Since June 2023 Apple has opened the beta to all registered developers–so now everyone can get the earliest possible access to the macOS beta without paying a penny. Anyone can sign up for the Public Beta, which should be more stable than the developer beta, but it may still be unstable. By nature, beta software is not as stable as the final version–features may be implemented and then withdrawn, or they may not work properly, UI can change, and third-party app compatibility isn’t guaranteed. Once registered, when you go to System Settings > General > Software Update on your Mac, you’ll see a new tab for Beta Updates, which will list the version of the beta you’re running. For example, if you want to install the developer beta select macOS 15 Public Beta, alternatively, if it’s the public beta you want, select macOS 15 Public Beta. We explain How to join Apple’s beta program separately, including details of how to get a free developer account. If you want to install the beta, follow our macOS beta installation guide. If you then want to uninstall it, we have a guide for that: How to remove macOS beta. The beta testing will continue even after Apple releases macOS Sequoia to the general public as Apple develops new features unavailable at launch. Read How to join Apple’s beta program for more advice. Latest developer beta macOS 15.2 beta 1 macOS Sequoia 15.1 release candidate Apple began the beta program so

Macworld If you are thinking of buying an older generation or used iPhone, or wondering whether it’s worth upgrading your current iPhone to a new one, one important factor to consider is how long Apple will continue to offer support for that handset. The good news is that Apple supports iPhones for a long time. In general, you’ll get seven to eight years of software updates, while battery and other repairs are often available on five to seven-year-old handsets, according to Apple’s Vintage and Obsolete categorizations. Read on to find out which iPhones are supported with the latest operating systems, and which are supported for servicing and repairs. We also have guides for getting a broken iPhone fixed and how much Apple product repairs cost. How long does Apple support iOS? As a general rule, Apple doesn’t guarantee any length of time for updates. However, buyers can expect at least five years of iOS updates and six years of security updates, though Apple regularly goes beyond that. For example, we expect the iPhone XS and XR to be dropped from support when iOS 19 arrives in 2025, giving those phones seven years of OS and security updates. The chart below shows each version of iOS and the iPhones it ran on. As you can see, in recent years support for new iOS versions has stretched back for around six years, while if you include the past three versions, security support goes back a further year. Every version of iOS and the iPhones it ran on.Foundry Apple issues security updates for the current version of iOS and, usually, the two preceding versions. Since the arrival of iOS 18 on September 16, 2024, we can expect security updates for iOS 18, iOS 17 and iOS 16. Indeed, iOS 17 received a security update on the day iOS 18 was released. (Note: It is possible Apple won’t continue to update iOS 17 because iOS 18 is compatible with the same phones.) iOS 16 was last updated on Augsut 7, 2024. From time to time Apple issues important security updates for iOS. It doesn’t issue an update for every version of iOS though, which means that some iPhones will not get this fix for what could be dangerous vulnerabilities. iPhone OS history The first iPhone, which launched in 2007, was able to run iPhone OS 3, which was supported by Apple up until 2010. The iPhone is considered obsolete by Apple. The iPhone 3G, which launched in 2008, was able to run iOS 4.0, which was itself supported until 2011. The iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS are considered obsolete by Apple. The length of support increased with the launch of the iPhone 4s in 2011. That phone was able to run operating systems all the way up to iOS 9. Apple was still supporting iOS 9 in 2019 when it issued a GPS-related update that July. The iPhones 4 and 4s are considered obsolete by Apple. The iPhone 5c runs iOS 10, which also received the GPS-related update in July 2019. The iPhones 5 and 5c are considered obsolete by Apple. The iPhone 5s and iPhone 6 both run iOS 12, for which Apple issued a security update in January 2023. This update was issued for those few devices that don’t support iOS 15. Apple is unlikely to continue support for iOS 12. These phones are considered vintage by Apple. iOS 15, which arrived in September 2021, supports all iPhones from iPhone 6s onwards, just as with iOS 14 and iOS 13. Both iOS 14 and 13 are considered obsolete by Apple because the same phones can run iOS 15. The iPhone 6s is already considered vintage by Apple. iOS 16, which arrived in September 2022 runs on all iPhones from the iPhone 8 onwards – but do note that not all features are available on the older handsets. iOS 17 arrived in September 2023 and runs on all iPhones from the iPhone XS onwards – meaning the iPhone X and iPhone 8 will be stuck with iOS 16. iOS 18 arrives on September 16, 2024, and, like iOS 17, will run on all iPhones from the iPhone XS onwards. What is the oldest iPhone still supported? If the oldest version of iOS supported with regular security updates is iOS 17, the oldest iPhones supported by Apple will be the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR. These phones were all introduced six years ago in 2018. That means the following iPhone models will no longer receive regular updates, though some models may occasionally get a critical security update: iPhone X (2017) iPhone 8/8 Plus (2017) iPhone 7/7 Plus (2016) iPhone SE (2016) iPhone 6s/6s Plus (2014) iPhone 6/6 Plus (2014) iPhone 5s (2013) iPhone 5c (2013) iPhone 5 (2012) iPhone 4s (2011) iPhone 4 (2010) iPhone 3GS (2009) iPhone 3G (2008) iPhone (2007) For more information, see our list of every version of iOS. The iPhone 5S. Remember? It’s been a while.IDG When will Apple stop supporting each iPhone? Truth is we don’t know for sure, but on the basis that Apple supports phones for five to seven years after they are removed from sale: iPhone XS (2018-2019) – Approx 2024-2026 iPhone XR (2018-2021) – Approx 2026-2028 iPhone 11 (2019-2022) – Approx 2027-2029 iPhone SE2 (2020-2022) – Approx 2027-2029 iPhone 12 (2020-2023) – Approx 2028-2030 iPhone 13 (2021) – Approx 2032 iPhone SE3 (2022) – Approx 2033 iPhone 14 (2022) – Approx 2034 iPhone 15 (2023) – Approx 2035 iPhone 16 (2024) – Approx 2036 It is possible that the arrival of AI features and their requirement will mean that the older iPhones become obsolete faster. When does Apple stop fixing iPhones? When it comes to repairs, Apple supports iPhones (and all devices it makes) for seven years from the last time it sold that particular model. So as long as your iPhone was still being sold by Apple up to seven years ago, the company or a third-party service provider will still service it. Apple states on its website that “Owners of iPhone, iPad, iPod or Mac products may obtain a service and parts from Apple or Apple service providers for five years after the product is no longer sold.” The following iPhones are considered Obsolete, which means sales were discontinued more than seven years ago and Apple has now discontinued all hardware servicing. iPhone iPhone 3G iPhone 3GS iPhone 4 (certain models are now obsolete) iPhone 4s iPhone 5c (discontinued September 2013, obsolete in 2021) iPhone 5S (discontinued in 2016, vintage in 2021, obsolete in 2024) iPhone 6 Plus (discontinued in 2016, vintage in 2021, obsolete in 2024) iPhone 6s (32GB) (discontinued in 2018, obsolete in 2024) iPhone 6s Plus (32 GB) (discontinued in 2018, obsolete in 2024) And the iPhones below are listed as Vintage, which means they have not been sold for more than five years (but less than seven years). Apple will still service these products as long as it has the required parts. iPhone 4 8GB (discontinued in 2013, but sold in India until February 2014, likely to be obsolete very soon) iPhone 5 (discontinued September 2013, likely to become obsolete soon) iPhone 6 (discontinued in 2016, vintage in 2021) iPhone 6s (16GB) (discontinued in 2016, vintage in 2022) iPhone 6s Plus (16GB) (discontinued in 2018, vintage in 2022) iPhone SE, 2016 (discontinued in 2018, vintage in 2023) iPhone 8 (discontinued in 2020, vintage in 2024) iPhone 8 Plus (discontinued in 2020, vintage in 2024) iPhone X (discontinued in 2018, vintage in 2024) All iPhones that followed those handsets should be supported by Apple. You may also be interested to learn how long Apple supports Macs and how long Apple supports iPads. Is your iPhone slipping into obscurity? Find a great deal on a new iPhone here or check the best prices below and take a look at our round-up to choose the Best iPhone for you. Apple iPhone 16 Read our review Best Prices Today: $829.99 at Best Buy Apple iPhone 16 Pro Read our review Best Prices Today: $999.99 at Best Buy

Macworld With the iOS 18.1 release (and a corresponding AirPods firmware update), you can use your AirPods Pro 2 to take a “clinical-grade” hearing test, and then optionally use them as over-the-counter hearing aids or just adjust media playback to match your hearing loss. It’s a fantastic new feature that we recommend everyone make use of. Hearing loss is far more common than most people realize, and even if you don’t suffer significant loss of hearing or don’t want to use your AirPods 2 as hearing aids. What you’ll need To run the hearing test and use your AirPods Pro 2 as hearing aids (or just adjust media playback to match your hearing profile) you’ll need three things: An iPhone running iOS 18.1 or later AirPods Pro 2 (either the Lightning or USB-C version) AirPods Pro 2 updated to firmware 7B19 or later That last one might be tricky. There isn’t a way to force an upgrade to the new firmware, but it will automatically install when the AirPods are in their case and charging. However, it can take hours or even days to get the latest firmware. To check your firmware version, open your AirPods Pro 2 case and then head to the Settings app on your iPhone, select your connected AirPods (near the top), scroll down past all the options to the About section, and look at the Version line. You can also find this information in General > About > [name of your AirPods]. Foundry How to test your hearing with AirPods Start by putting your AirPods Pro 2 in your ears and then open Settings. Tap on your AirPods (near the top of the Settings page) and look for the Hearing Health section. You’ll see options for Hearing Protection, Hearing Assistance, and Take a Hearing Test. Tap that to get started. Before you begin, several screens will describe the process for you, and direct you to make sure your AirPods Pro 2 are secure in your ears with a good fit (it will run through the fit test to be sure). You’ll also want to be in a quiet environment to take the test. Foundry The test takes about five minutes. You’ll hear a series of tones at different intensities and frequencies, beeping three times each. Just tap the big moving circle in the middle of the screen when you hear a tone. Your left ear will be tested by itself, then your right ear. Foundry There will be times when you don’t hear anything at all for several seconds at a time. The tones are meant to play at different intervals so you can’t game the system by just tapping the screen every few seconds. Don’t be alarmed if 10 or so seconds go by without a sound, just take your time and don’t try to “win”—it’s not a game and there’s no high score, and trying to anticipate the tones and get a better result won’t do anything but make an inaccurate model of your hearing. When it’s done, you’ll get a result that shows the hearing loss for your left and right ear across a wide frequency range. It is common to lose hearing in high frequencies as you age, but this test is most concerned with how much hearing loss you have in the spoken voice range between around 90 Hz and 300 Hz. These results will be stored in the Health app where you’ll find them in the Hearing category. Though I have some loss at high frequencies, I have very little hearing loss in the frequencies at which people speak.Foundry How to tune your Hearing options on AirPods Once you have taken a hearing test, the Hearing Assistance menu will gain lots of options for you. Apple will suggest Hearing Aid be enabled only if you have mild-to-moderate hearing loss in the spoken word frequencies, but not if you are losing high-frequency hearing. In a case such as mine, where my hearing is fine for speaking but is starting to fade in high frequencies, Apple will suggest enabling Media Assist. This will alter the volume of various frequencies across the entire spectrum to match your hearing results exactly, restoring the exact frequencies you may have trouble hearing individually for each ear. It’s active when playing back music, videos, making calls, or using FaceTime. The difference can be dramatic! Start playing some music and then come back to this Settings menu to toggle Media Assist on and off to see what a difference it makes. If you enable Hearing Aid, you’ll have some options to set in the Adjustments menu. You can change the level of sound amplification, adjust how much noise reduction to apply, enable conversation boost, and more. Foundry The Hearing Protection feature is enabled by default whenever you’re using Transparency, Adaptive, or Noise Cancelling modes. It reduces loud noises by 25-30 dB in Noise Cancelling or Adaptive Audio modes (losing a bit of efficacy for lower-volume sounds in Adaptive mode) and can shave off 11-18 dB for noises over 100 dB when in Transparency mode. It doesn’t handle very sudden loud noises like fireworks or gunfire, though, so be aware that it’s more about reducing sustained loud noises like a loud rock concert or motorcycle engine.

Macworld Apple’s AirPods–which dropped with a bit of controversy and little interest back in 2016–hit some kind of inflection point around 2018, and suddenly became the hot thing. This was handily timed for the 2019 updates, as the 2nd-gen and then Pro versions of the AirPods launched to a newly receptive public and sold like the proverbial hotcakes. Then came the AirPods Max in late 2020, the 3rd-generation AirPods in 2021, and the 2nd-gen AirPods Pro in 2022. Where next, then, for the AirPods? In this article we will look at all the different AirPods, evaluating when Apple might next update them and the new features that could arrive with the next generation. At the Apple Event on September 9, Apple unveiled the new AirPods 4, replacing the 2nd and 3rd generation AirPods. There are two models, a cheaper AirPods 4 and a more expensive AirPods 4 with ANC. The cheaper version matches up to the expectation that Apple was planning to launch AirPods Lite. Apple also updated the AirPods Max with a USB-C plug, and refreshed the colors. Nothing else has changed about those models though. In addition, Apple revealed that new hearing-related features are coming to the AirPods Pro in 2024. On September 12, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it authorized Apple’s “Hearing Aid Feature” for the AirPods Pro. The technology then arrived in late October 2024. Read about How to set up AirPods Pro 2 to work as a hearing aid. Read on for more information about the newest AirPods and what’s expected for the models Apple still hasn’t updated. We also have a comparison of all the AirPods. Are there new AirPods? AirPods 4: Apple updated the standard AirPods in September 2024. The AirPods 4 replace the 2nd-gen AirPods and the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) replace the 3rd-gen AirPods. Read our AirPods 4 with ANC review and AirPods 4 vs old AirPods to find out what’s new. AirPods Max: The AirPods Max also had an update in September 2024, nearly four years after they were introduced in December 2020, but Apple isn’t acknowledging it as a generational update. Instead, Apple introduced “New colors” and has updated the plug to USB-C (replacing lightning). AirPods Pro 2: While the 2nd-gen models were introduced in 2022, in September 2023 they were updated. Apple didn’t consider this update significant enough for a generational change, so they are still known as the 2nd generation AirPods Pro, but the ‘new’ model that was introduced in September 2023 comes with a USB-C charging case (replacing the lightning port) and slightly better dust proofing. Alongside the USB-C charging case, there is also a change to their IP rating, now IP54 (which indicates better dustproofing). They went on sale on September 22, 2023. In September 2024, Apple revealed that new hearing-related features are coming to AirPods Pro. These features arrived in October 2024 with the iOS 18.1 update. EarPods: Apple last updated the wired EarPods with a USB-C cable at the September 2023 event, they previously had a Lightning cable. AirPods 4 release date: When will the new AirPods come out?  On sale from September 20 Below you will see the pricing and where to buy information for the new AirPods where you are, and the best prices from third parties. Apple AirPods 4 (with ANC) Read our review Best Prices Today: $168.99 at Amazon | $179 at Adorama | $179.99 at Best Buy Apple AirPods 4 (without ANC) Best Prices Today: $119 at Amazon How much do AirPods cost? The rumors suggested that Apple was going to introduce AirPods LIte at a lower price, possibly as little as $99. Ming-Chi Kuo referred to $99 as the price target for the AirPods Lite in January 2023. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case and the entry-level AirPods 4 are $129/£129, while if you want Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) that will cost $50 more at $179/£179. Here’s how much each AirPod model costs right now in the U.S. and U.K.: Apple Earbuds: $19/£19 AirPods 4: $129/£129 AirPoids 4 with ANC: $179/£179 AirPods Pro 2nd-gen $249/£229 AirPods Max $549/£499 Apple used to sell versions of the AirPods with and without a MagSafe charging case, the MagSafe option cost $10/£10 more. This is no longer available. Prior to September 2024 pricing was as follows: Apple Earbuds $19/£19 AirPods 2nd-gen $129/£129 (was £139) AirPoids 3rd-gen (Lightning) $169/£169 (was £179 at launch) AirPoids 3rd-gen (MagSafe) $179/£179 (was £189 at launch) AirPods Pro 2nd-gen $249/£229 (was £249 at launch) AirPods Max $549/£499 (was £549 at launch) We have a round-up of the Best wireless earbuds for iPhones and the best wired headphones if you’d like to consider alternatives to AirPods. Also read AirPods Pro vs AirPods to find out how the models compare. New AirPods features The AirPods 4 introduce the following new features: New design to make them the “most comfortable AirPods ever”, according to Apple New acoustic architecture, low-distortion driver, and high dynamic range amplifier Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking H2 chip for “low wireless audio latency and excellent voice quality” USB-C charging (AirPods 4 with ANC can charge using an Apple Watch charger or Qi-certified charger) 50mm wide charging case (smallest in the industry, according to Apple) Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), Adaptive Audio and Conversation Awareness (for ANC model) The AirPods Max (2024 update) introduce the following new features: New colors: midnight, starlight, blue, purple, and orange USB-C charging capabilities The AirPods Pro 2 gained new hearing features in October 2024 including: Loud Sound Reduction Hearing Test Hearing Aid features On September 12, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it authorized Apple’s “Hearing Aid Feature” for the AirPods Pro. This new feature arrived with the iOS 18.1 update on October 28. Bloomberg’s Gurman had predicted that hearing health was going to be an area of AirPods innovation, writing in March 2023 that Apple’s looking at the “ability to get hearing data of some sort.” In a report in July 2023, Gurman predicted, a “new hearing test feature that will play different tones and sounds to allow the AirPods to determine how well a person can hear. The idea is to help users screen for hearing issues.” The AirPods Pro models already had Conversation Boost and Live Listen that go some way to turn them into semi-hearing aids. AirPods updated we are waiting for That’s where we are so far, but what new features are expected for the remaining AirPods? AirPods Pro (3rd-gen): Rumors and release date Current model: AirPods Pro 2nd-gen – launched September 2022, updated September 2023 Next model: AirPods Pro 3rd gen – predicted launch 2025 The 2nd generation AirPods Pro have been on sale since September 2022, although Apple did make some changes to them in September 2023. The next update to the AirPods Pro probably won’t happen until 2025. When the 3rd-generation AirPods Pro do arrive the indications are that they will get a new design and some new health-related features. AirPods Max (2nd-gen): Rumors and Release Date Current model: AirPods Max 1st-gen – launched December 2020, updated September 2024. Next model: AirPods Max 2nd-gen – predicted launch 2025 In the winter of 2024 the AirPods Max will be four years old and due an update–especially in the light of competition from other headphones, including Apple’s own Beats Studio Pro. The AirPods Max cannot even play Apple’s lossless audio which is an omission that needs to be rectified. In September 2024 Apple made a few updates to the AirPods Max, including a new range of colors and the addition of USB-C, but there are still missing features, some of which we discuss here: Apple needs to scrap the AirPods Max and start over these include: Lighter and foldable. USB-C to 3.5mm audio cable. A proper case. Ability to use them as wired headphones. Better sound quality, noise cancellation, and transparency. Gurman suggested in an October 2023 report that the new AirPod Max will come in new colors and offer USB-C, but they “won’t see many other changes.” Gurman’s predictions were correct. It was thought that Apple would incorporate the H2 processor found in the newer AirPods Pro, but it seems that it hasn’t done so yet, so that can be expected for the 2nd generation. The AirPods Max may not be a big concern for Apple though. While Gurman notes in a December newsletter that “Apple also looks to breathe new life into the AirPods Max headphones,” he allows that: “The cans don’t sell well enough for the company to invest in entirely new hardware or software features”. Other new features coming to AirPods There are a few limitations that Apple may be addressing with new AirPods. Lossless audio One area ripe for improvement is the ability to play Apple’s hi-res lossless audio, which the company introduced in June 2021. Bluetooth headphones–including all of Apple’s AirPods–aren’t capable of playing audio at thi

Macworld I’ve been thinking a lot about the new M4 Mac mini. When I saw it on Tuesday, I decided that, contrary to widespread allegations, it does not look like an Apple TV 4K; it’s more like a shrunken Mac Studio. But I’m prepared to concede that the new mini is quite a bit more Apple TV 4K than we expected. Case in point: have you ever seen an on/off button on your Apple TV? Of course not, because it hasn’t got one. And based on recent developments it might not be long before the same policy applies to the Mac. Apple appears to think that you switch a Mac on once, and then work with it for years without switching it off. You just send it to sleep or let the software shut it down and start it up again during an operating system update. Since you never need to turn the Mac off, it stands to reason that you don’t need to be able to find the power button. On desktops, Apple hides it rather coyly around the back. The equivalent button on a MacBook is slightly more prominent–at the top right of the keyboard–but since it now has Touch ID built in, there’s no label, and it’s pretty inconspicuous. With the Mac mini M4, however, Apple has taken its quest to hide the on/off switch to the next level. It’s now located on the bottom of the housing. Seriously. Instead of awkwardly reaching behind the Mac mini to switch it on, you now have to awkwardly lift it slightly to find the power button. Who came up with this nonsense? It wasn’t Jony Ive, but his aversion to buttons and ports obviously still runs deep in Apple’s DNA. Apple’s climate contradictions Let’s get back to the idea of never having to switch off a device. If you don’t use the Apple TV 4K for a while, it shows pretty pictures from around the world and then goes to sleep on its own. But if I really want to switch the thing off, I press and hold the power button on the remote control and the TV goes to sleep too. Does the Mac mini M4 have a remote control? No! So I switch it on once and never switch it off again… how does that fit in with Apple’s claim of carbon neutrality? Yes, I cover part of my electricity needs with a solar panel on the roof. And yes, my local provider uses some renewable energy too. But this is still going to involve coal and gas getting burned somewhere along the line. It may well be that the aluminum in the casing is 100 percent recycled, as is the gold in the conductors and sockets inside. It may also be that Apple is now saving even more material in the packaging and not using plastic. It may also be that my Mac mini M4 came by ship from China to Rotterdam and was then transported from there by rail. Okay, the M4 is damn efficient and requires far less energy with far higher performance than my Intel mini from 2018. But I still want to switch off the Mac mini if I don’t need it for a long time, as it draws a few watts even when it’s idle. And when I switch it on again, I don’t want to have to lift the thing, no matter how light it may be. Current best prices: Mac Mini M4 Retailer Price €699 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket

Macworld Apple hasn’t yet provided a consistent way to mark unwanted incoming text messages and block and delete them. Nor do they identify texts for patterns–as the Mail app and iCloud.com does to mark commercial and fraudulent emails–to see if they look like something that should go right into the bit bucket. Here are a few things you can do to block annoying texts on your iPhone. Delete and Report In some cases, iOS may display an option that says Report Junk or Delete and Report Junk for SMS messages from unknown senders. This depends on whether your wireless carrier supports the option and other configurations choices you’ve made for the Phone app and texting. If it’s available, you can swipe left in the conversation list on an unwanted message, tap the Trash icon, and tap Delete and Report Junk. In a conversation, a Report Junk option appears below the most recent text: tap it and then tap Delete and Report Junk. Use SMS filters You can install third-party SMS filters, an option Apple allowed starting in 2017. These filters do see the contents of your SMS messages, which is a privacy risk, but one that the companies involved have detailed policy statements about and bear the liability for if your messages were to be breached. I wrote about how to use these filters in 2017, and the process remains identical today (though in iOS 18, the configuration is handled at Settings > Apps > Messages > Unknown & Spam). To find apps that offer SMS filtering, go to the iOS App Store and search on “SMS filter.” The App Store doesn’t have a category specifically for this task. Apple lets you work with third-party apps that can examine your SMS messages for junk. Tagged messages are sorted into a filtered category.Foundry Due to the end-to-end encryption and privacy intent by Apple for iMessage, Apple doesn’t offer third-party filtering for that category of message. However, because all iMessage posts require validated Apple ID accounts, you can reliably block the source of an iMessage—they can’t just generate endless iMessage accounts, unlike the potential of creating false originating phone numbers for text messages. Develop a manual reflex I’ve developed a quick set of actions for blocking unwanted texts that I wish I could make into a Shortcut in iOS, but which appears to require too many elements that aren’t available in Shortcuts. When I receive an illegitimate text, or one from a real source that I didn’t give permission to text me, here’s what I do: Tap the conversation to view the message. Tap the profile link at the top. Tap the Info button. Tap Block Caller. Tap the back button in the upper-left corner (<). Tap Hide Alerts. Tap the back button again to get to the top level of Messages. Swipe left on the conversation and tap the Delete Conversation trash can icon. What this does is: Blocks further calls or texts, which has become more reliable since the FCC tightened rules about validating phone numbers in Caller ID a couple of years. Prevents notifications if that block is somehow eluded. Deletes the conversation from your field of view, reducing clutter in Messages. Ask Mac 911 We’ve compiled a list of the questions we get asked most frequently, along with answers and links to columns: read our super FAQ to see if your question is covered. If not, we’re always looking for new problems to solve! Email yours to mac911@macworld.com, including screen captures as appropriate and whether you want your full name used. Not every question will be answered; we don’t reply to emails, and we cannot provide direct troubleshooting advice.