The iOS 17.3 testing cycle is about to end as Apple releases the RC version of this upcoming operating system update. With a few new features and a bug that made the company pull out one of the beta updates early this year‚ iOS 17.3 brings an important security update‚ in addition to Apple Music changes and more. Here's what you can expect from this operating system update so far: Stolen Device Protection: This new layer of protection helps you keep your data safe if your iPhone is stolen. Face ID authentication is required for viewing passwords or passkeys‚ turning off Lost Mode‚ erasing all contents‚ and more. Apple Music Collaborative Playlists:  In 2024‚ you’ll be able to invite friends to collaborate on playlists. They will be able to add‚ reorder‚ and remove songs. React to Collaborative Playlists: Unavailable with the iOS 17.2 beta‚ iOS 17.3 beta adds the ability to react with an emoji to a song someone added to a collaborative playlist. Journal app settings: With the new testing version‚ Apple is adding more options to the Journal app settings‚ such as enabling media and Apple Music suggestions‚ cellular data usage‚ and more. Apple is also releasing the Release Candidate versions of iPadOS 17.3‚ watchOS 10.3‚ macOS 14.3‚ and tvOS 17.3. With iOS 17.2‚ Cupertino added several features that have been delayed from the original iOS 17 launch‚ such as: Journal app: Apple says this app lets you “capture your thoughts on life’s big events or everyday activities. Add details to any entry with photos‚ music‚ audio recordings‚ and more. Mark important moments and revisit them later to find new insights or set new goals.” Catch-up arrow in the Messages app so you can easily go to the last message you saw; The ability to react to a message with any sticker through the Tapback menu; Play and pause podcasts or Apple News+ audio stories in the Apple News widget; Intelligent form detection and enhanced AutoFill for PDFs (one of the most important features for iPadOS 17); Audio Focus feature for Apple Fitness+ so you can prioritize the volume of the music or the trainers’ voice. BGR will let you know if we learn anything else about iOS 17.3 RC. Don't Miss: iOS 17.3 coming next week: Everything new for iPhone users The post iOS 17.3 RC now available with these 4 new features appeared first on BGR. Trending Right Now: 6 new Netflix releases that everyone will be streaming next week DC Universe release dates: Every upcoming movie and TV show Watch these 5 Netflix sci-fi and horror shows the second you’re done with Stranger Things

A week after releasing the second macOS 14.3 beta version‚ Apple is now seeding the RC version of this upcoming operation system update. At the moment‚ the main feature spotted by BGR is the addition to the Apple Music Collaborative Playlists. This function was first tested for the previous software update‚ but all references were removed during the beta period. Now‚ starting with macOS 14.3 beta 2‚ Apple re-added the Apple Music Collaborative Playlists function for Mac users. Once the feature is available‚ users can expect the following: Apple Music Collaborative Playlists:  Invite friends to collaborate on playlists. They will be able to add‚ reorder‚ and remove songs. React to Collaborative Playlists: Unavailable with the iOS 17.2 beta‚ iOS 17.3 beta adds the ability to react with an emoji to a song someone added to a collaborative playlist. In addition‚ macOS Sonoma still lacks these other two features: Messages in iCloud improvements: Enabling Messages in iCloud will sync Messages settings such as Text Message Forwarding‚ Send &; Receive accounts‚ and SMS filters across devices. PDF intelligent form detection: Fillable documents and forms can now be automatically identified across the system‚ like in Files‚ Mail‚ or scanned documents. Alongside macOS 14.3 RC‚ Apple is also seeding the Release Candidate versions of iOS 17.3‚ iPadOS 17.3‚ watchOS 10.3‚ and tvOS 17.3. With macOS 14.2‚ Apple added the following features: Sticker reactions: React to a message with any Live Sticker‚ Memoji‚ or Animoji through the Sticker drawer or directly through the Tapback menu. Edit playlists: There’s a new edit button for playlists to add custom covers (an iOS 17.1 feature) and a description with macOS 14.2 beta. Message Contact Key Verification: Contact key verification allows you to manually verify who you are messaging with by comparing contact verification codes in person or over the phone. Conversations with people with contact key verification turned on also receive advanced protections to help prevent even very sophisticated attackers from impersonating anyone in a conversation. Enhanced AutoFill identifies fields in PDFs and other forms‚ enabling you to add names and addresses from your contacts. Favorite Songs Playlist in Apple Music lets you quickly get back to the songs you mark as favorites Use Listening History in Apple Music can be disabled in Focus so the music you listen to does not appear in Recently Played or influence your recommendations Shazam Music Recognition allows you to quickly identify songs playing online or around you‚ even when wearing AirPods We’ll let you know if we learn more about macOS 14.3 RC. Don't Miss: macOS 14 Sonoma: Release date‚ features‚ Mac compatibility The post macOS 14.3 RC now available as the official release nears appeared first on BGR. Trending Right Now: 6 new Netflix releases that everyone will be streaming next week DC Universe release dates: Every upcoming movie and TV show Watch these 5 Netflix sci-fi and horror shows the second you’re done with Stranger Things

After releasing a packed tvOS 17.2‚ Apple is now seeding the RC version of tvOS 17.3. At the moment‚ it’s unclear what changes Cupertino is bringing to this operating system update besides the Apple Music Collaborative Playlist function. During iOS 17.2 beta testing‚ Apple was readying this function. However‚ the company removed all references for this feature during the testing cycle. On tvOS 17.2‚ it wasn’t possible to create collaborative playlists‚ but you could see if a playlist had a friend collaborating. With tvOS 17.3 beta 1‚ it’s possible that Apple is improving the Apple TV app‚ in addition to removing the iTunes Movies application‚ as with the stable version‚ you can access it but not use it. Alongside tvOS 17.3 RC‚ Apple is seeding the Release Candidate versions of iOS 17.3‚ iPadOS 17.3‚ watchOS 10.3‚ and macOS 14.3. With tvOS 17.2‚ Cupertino added several features‚ such as: Revamped Apple TV app: Apple has a new sidebar menu showing everything related to Apple‚ such as TV+‚ MLS Season Pass‚ Store‚ and Library‚ in addition to the user’s channels and apps. What’s interesting with this change is that you can now quickly access channels and apps. Previously‚ you could find TV shows and movies from third-party apps‚ but this is the first time Apple has made it so much easier to discover everything users are watching on other platforms; iTunes Movies and TV: iTunes Movies and shows have moved to the Apple TV app. Buy and rent from the Store‚ and find your purchases in the Library; Dolby Atmos for SharePlay: Experience Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital surround sound when using SharePlay‚ when available; Voice Search in Apps: Press the Siri button to dictate a search from the home screen‚ or anywhere in supported apps like TV and Music; FaceTime Improvements: You can now answer FaceTime calls directly on your Apple TV 4K‚ and start or receive FaceTime audio calls; Audio Focus: On an Apple Fitness+ workout‚ the user can decide whether the main focus will be on the trainer’s voice or on the playing song; 3D movie support: Apple is testing 3D movie support for the upcoming Apple Vision Pro. BGR will let you know if we discover anything new with tvOS 17.3 RC. Don't Miss: tvOS 17: Features‚ release date‚ Apple TV compatibility‚ more The post tvOS 17.3 RC now available with Apple Music Collaborative Playlists support appeared first on BGR. Trending Right Now: 6 new Netflix releases that everyone will be streaming next week DC Universe release dates: Every upcoming movie and TV show Watch these 5 Netflix sci-fi and horror shows the second you’re done with Stranger Things

After releasing watchOS 10.2 last month‚ Apple is seeding the RC of watchOS 10.3. At the moment‚ it’s unclear what’s new with this operating system update‚ as Apple has already rolled out every delayed watchOS 10 feature expected. Over the past few months‚ Apple added several new features to Apple Watch users‚ such as: Double tap gestures: Users can easily control the Apple Watch Series 9 using just one hand and without touching the display by tapping the index finger and thumb of their watch hand together twice to quickly and conveniently perform many of the most common actions on the Watch. NameDrop from iPhone to Apple Watch: NameDrop is a new feature that lets you easily share your contact information from one iPhone to another by approaching them. On-device queries: Users can ask Siri to read and long on-device Health requests. Apple Fitness+ Audio Focus: Prioritize the volume of either the music or trainers’ voices in most Fitness+ workouts HomePod feature: Users can automatically view Now Playing when in the proximity of HomePod (2nd generation) or HomePod mini playing media from Music or Podcasts. HomePod feature: Media suggestions will appear at the top of the Smart Stack if nothing is playing on a nearby HomePod It's possible that Apple might be planning to support the Apple Music Collaborative Playlists view with watchOS 10.3 RC. In addition‚ the company revealed that watchOS 10.3 will add a new Black Unity watch face to celebrate Black resilience. Apple already stated it will be available next week‚ so if it doesn't appear on your Apple Watch after you update to the Release Candidate version‚ it probably means Apple needs to enable it through its server. Image source: Apple Inc. With watchOS 10.2‚ Apple added the ability to ask Siri to read and log on-device Health requests. Users can also automatically view Now Playing when in the proximity of HomePod (2nd generation) or HomePod mini playing media from Music or Podcasts. In addition‚ you can swipe to switch your main watch face after enabling this change under Settings and Clock. Once we learn more about watchOS 10.3 RC‚ we’ll make sure to update the story. Apple is also rolling out the Release Candidate versions of iOS 17.3‚ iPadOS 17.3‚ macOS 14.3‚ and tvOS 17.3. Don't Miss: watchOS 10: Release date‚ new Apple Watch features‚ beta‚ more The post watchOS 10.3 RC now available with new Black Unity watch face appeared first on BGR. Trending Right Now: 6 new Netflix releases that everyone will be streaming next week DC Universe release dates: Every upcoming movie and TV show Watch these 5 Netflix sci-fi and horror shows the second you’re done with Stranger Things

In 2017‚ Jony Ive‚ Apple's former design chief‚ turned 50. To celebrate his birthday‚ there's a story that Apple developed a unique Cloud Sport Band with an Apple Watch Series 2 in Ceramic to celebrate Jony Ive's half-century. This Apple Watch band is similar to Apple's other accessories‚ except for a tiny detail: An "I50" engraved on the pin. Luckily‚ we can have a better look at this unreleased product thanks to Apple Collector Stella Fudge. They posted four pictures on X (formerly known as Twitter) with this band. According to Fudge‚ there are around ten or so existing Jony Ive's special Cloud Sport Band. "Most are a test batch with the finalized one given to Ive." Interestingly‚ this unique band was given to Jony Ive a couple of years before it left Apple in 2019. The Apple Watch Series 2 was the first model to introduce a ceramic finish‚ as the previous generation offered a 24K gold finish‚ which sold for up to $17‚000. With Series 2‚ Apple lowered the Edition price to around $1‚000. Image source: Stella Fudge/X It's unclear if Jony Ive's ever worn this special Apple Watch band‚ but it surely is a unique piece for collectors to have. Now and then‚ Apple collectors share interesting unreleased products‚ such as unfinalized MagSafes‚ HomePod‚ and more. Jony Ive was one of the key Apple employees‚ and even though he left the company in 2019 due to "culture changes and growing frustration‚" he continued to work with Cupertino for at least 2022 when its LoveFrom company broke its contract with Apple. At the time‚ The New York Times reported on the matter: "(...) With the contract coming up for renewal‚ the parties agreed not to extend it. Some Apple executives had questioned how much the company was paying Mr. Ive and had grown frustrated after several of its designers left to join Mr. Ive’s firm. And Mr. Ive wanted the freedom to take on clients without needing Apple’s clearance‚ these people said." While Apple and Jony Ive's future together is unclear‚ it's nice to see these little pieces of history shared. Wouldn't you like Jony Ive's unique Apple Watch band? Don't Miss: Jony Ive opens up about his life at Apple and projects after leaving The post Apple collector shows off the rarest Apple Watch band in the world appeared first on BGR. Trending Right Now: 6 new Netflix releases that everyone will be streaming next week DC Universe release dates: Every upcoming movie and TV show Watch these 5 Netflix sci-fi and horror shows the second you’re done with Stranger Things

Now that the Samsung Galaxy S24 has been announced‚ people might be wondering about the differences between Samsung's top smartphone and Apple's iPhone 15. While this article is not meant to convince Android hardcore fans or Apple evangelists to switch from one device to the other‚ it's interesting to highlight the top differences between these two market-leading devices. 🚨 PREORDERS ARE LIVE! You won't believe the Galaxy S24 preorder deals Samsung is running! While both Apple and Samsung offer the best chipsets available (A17 Pro and Snapdragon 8 Gen 3)‚ beautiful displays‚ and impressive cameras‚ Samsung's latest offering has 8GB of RAM for the regular models and 12GB of RAM for the Plus and Ultra iterations. A vital difference relies on connectivity support‚ as Samsung Galaxy S24 already offers Wi-Fi 7 while the iPhone 15 Pro offers Wi-FI 6E. While we still have to see how Samsung's new chipset and battery compare to Apple's‚ it's interesting to highlight the AI differences coming to the South Korean company‚ as we still have several months before Apple introduces the iPhone 16 with the long-rumored AI features. Samsung Galaxy S24 is all about AI – and I wish the iPhone 15 were too Using Google's Circle to Search AI feature on the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Image source: Samsung The keyword for Samsung Galaxy S24 is AI. Google plays a big role in the new capabilities. These are some of the key differences between the S24 and the iPhone 15: Circle to Search: Circle to Search lets you search for anything without leaving the app you’re in. Whether you see something on the web‚ in a clip‚ or in real life‚ you can just use the gesture to perform a Google Search. It’s not just the circle movement that will bring up results. You can highlight‚ scribble‚ and tap. Google will know what section of the image to extract to perform a search. Fortunately‚ it might arrive for iPhone users in the future. Google Lens multi-search: Just point and shoot your camera or use a screenshot while typing a question about the elements in the image. You’ll perform a multi-search with AI‚ considering both the contents in the photo and your text-based question. Apple‚ for example‚ uses AI to identify objects in an image‚ so you can search for them. But it's not as powerful. ChatGPT-like features: Galaxy AI will be able to summarize the contents of web pages‚ notes‚ and voice recordings. Transcript Assist is a feature that uses AI and speed-to-text technology to translate‚ transcribe‚ and summarize audio recordings. Of all these features‚ only voice recordings being transcripted are part of iOS 17 AI capabilities. Generative Edit: You’ll be able to fill in parts of an image background with Generative Edit. The feature will come in handy if a picture is crooked. The feature also lets you move subjects in images.  Will the iPhone 15 get any of these features? iPhone 15 Plus Dynamic Island. Image source: Christian de Looper for BGR It's hard to predict the future‚ but rumors suggest iOS 18 will be all about AI features. It's unclear how many new capabilities will be available for the iPhone 15 – or exclusive to the iPhone 16. That said‚ even if iOS 18 is full of AI functions‚ the operating system will only be released by September. At the time‚ we'll be closer to the Galaxy S25 than anything else. In addition‚ rumors suggest that the best AI capabilities would come later‚ which means Apple wouldn't release them alongside the first official version of iOS 18. If AI is what you're looking for in a new smartphone in 2024‚ the Galaxy S24 Ultra or the Google Pixel 8 Pro are among the best devices for you. If you're all about the Apple ecosystem‚ you probably have the iPhone 15 Pro by now. Don't Miss: iOS 18: Release date‚ AI‚ supported iPhones‚ and everything we know The post Galaxy S24 vs. iPhone 15: AI‚ Wi-Fi 7 support‚ more appeared first on BGR. Trending Right Now: 6 new Netflix releases that everyone will be streaming next week DC Universe release dates: Every upcoming movie and TV show Watch these 5 Netflix sci-fi and horror shows the second you’re done with Stranger Things

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