MacRumors

Apple's HomePod is being credited for saving a family in Colorado, alerting them to a house fire that was accidentally set by the family dog.

On June 26th, the Colorado Springs Fire Department received a call about a house fire, and shared the details and a video on Facebook. The homeowners were alerted to the fire by their ‌HomePod‌, which woke them up in the early hours of the morning.

The Colorado Springs Fire Department claims the homeowners received a "high heat" notification from the ‌HomePod‌, which alerted them to the fire, but the ‌HomePod‌ doesn't have a feature for sending alerts about high temperatures.

Instead, the ‌HomePod‌ has Sound Recognition, an option that is able to detect the sound of a fire alarm and send an alert. It's likely that the ‌HomePod‌ used Sound Recognition to detect the fire, and proceeded to send an alert to the homeowners to let them know what was going on. It is unclear why the family did not hear the fire alarm that the ‌HomePod‌ must have detected.

Sound Recognition on ‌HomePod‌ sends an alert to connected iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches, but does not provide an audio notification. Sound Recognition can be turned on in the Home app by opening up the settings, going to Safety and Security, and toggling on Smoke and CO Alarm under Sound Recognition.

The fire started because the family's dog accidentally turned on the stove. The homeowners had several boxes on the stovetop, and when the dog got up on its hind legs to look at them, the stove knob was turned, activating the burner. The video shows the fire starting shortly after the dog hit the knob.

The homeowners were able to extinguish the fire before the fire department arrived, and there were no injuries aside from treatment for smoke inhalation.

With the third betas of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 that Apple released today, there are additional tweaks to a number of features like Dark Mode icons, the Photos app, emoji in Messages, and more, with Apple appearing to be preparing for the launch of Apple Intelligence.

Apple will continue updating ‌iOS 18‌‌ over the course of the next couple of months, refining the beta prior to its launch. We've highlighted everything new in the third ‌‌iOS 18‌‌ beta.

Dark Mode Icons

There are now ‌Dark Mode‌ icons for many third-party apps like Facebook, Etsy, Telegram, Signal, Slack, Notion, YouTube, and more. Apple appears to be adding the ‌Dark Mode‌ icons automatically to apps that have icons with a handful colors.

With some icons, the secondary color becomes the main color, while the background color is turned to black, and in others, a white icon background transitions to black.

Apps with complicated icon designs in many colors do not change to a ‌Dark Mode‌ color at this time, but Apple does tint them to be darker. When ‌iOS 18‌ launches, app developers will be able to provide their own dark-tinted icons to be used in lieu of Apple's defaults.

Photos App

Apple added a Select button for choosing multiple images to the main ‌Photos‌ interface, so there is no longer a need to swipe down to get to the Select button.

With this change, the Search button is now just a magnifying glass, but it is highlighted blue to make it stand out more.

Emoji

In Messages, emoji, Memoji, and stickers have all been combined into one interface, which can be navigated using the tiny icons at the bottom of the display. There are icons you can tap into to get to stickers or Memoji, and you can scroll through your Memoji to more quickly find specific characters and poses.

You can create both stickers and Memoji from this interface, and you can use stickers right in your messages like you can use emoji. This works with non-moving stickers only, and those with animation from Live Photos will display in the larger attachment sticker size. The smaller stickers used as emoji are, however, hard to see.

Emoji are displayed larger than before, so you see more detail but fewer characters before having to scroll, and there are more emoji and stickers displayed at once in the Recent section.

Apple likely made these changes to prepare for the debut of Apple Intelligence, Genmoji, and Image Playground.

Wallpaper

There is a dynamic version of the ‌iOS 18‌ wallpaper that transitions through different colors based on the time of day.

Flashlight Interface

When you activate the Flashlight, or tap on the controls from the Dynamic Island, there is a larger and more intuitive interface for changing the brightness and the spread of the LED Flash used for the Flashlight feature.

Maps

Apple has once again tweaked the colors of the Maps icon when ‌Dark Mode‌ is activated.

RCS in Messages

The interface for RCS in the Messages section of the Settings app has changed. Rather than just showing up as an on/off toggle, it is now a tap-in menu that provides some additional context. Apple explains that sending and receiving messages with ‌RCS‌ uses wireless data, and cellular network identifiers may be shared with carriers and their partners.

Some iPhone users in Canada and other countries are also now seeing the ‌RCS‌ toggle, though it is unclear if ‌RCS‌ is working outside of the United States.

Apple Intelligence

There are some mentions of Apple Intelligence features in the code, further hinting at the upcoming addition of AI to the ‌iOS 18‌ beta. Code references Genmoji, Image Playground, Writing Tools, Image Wand, and more.

More New Changes

Know of a new feature in ‌iOS 18‌ beta 3 that we left out? Let us know in the comments below.

Apple is preparing to release a minor iOS 17.5.2 update for the iPhone, according to a post shared today by an anonymous leaker on X, formerly known as Twitter. The leaker has a private account, so we are not identifying it or linking to it, but they have proven to be a consistently accurate source for upcoming iOS updates.

Nothing is known about iOS 17.5.2, beyond the leaker claiming that the update will have a build number of 21F101. However, the update will almost certainly be a minor one, especially given that Apple is now focused on iOS 18 beta testing. iPhone users still running iOS 17 can expect the update to include bug fixes and/or security patches.

It is unclear when iOS 17.5.2 will be released to the public, but updates revealed by this leaker typically become available within a few weeks after they post on social media, so it will likely be released at some point in July.

iOS 17.5.2 will come out ahead of iOS 17.6 and iOS 18, which both remain in beta testing. The second beta of iOS 17.6 was released to developers and public beta testers last week, while the third beta of iOS 18 was seeded to developers earlier today. So far, no major changes have been discovered in iOS 17.6.

Apple today seeded the third betas of upcoming iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming two weeks after the release of the second betas.

Registered developers are able to opt into the betas by opening up the Settings app, going to the Software Update section, tapping on the "Beta Updates" option, and toggling on the ‌‌iOS 18‌/‌iPadOS 18‌‌ Developer Beta setting. Note that an Apple ID associated with a developer account is required to download and install the beta.

‌iOS 18‌ introduces Apple Intelligence, a set of AI features that are built deeply into the operating system. Apple Intelligence won't be coming until later in the beta testing process, but it includes features for refining and editing writing, generating images and emoji, and most notably, improving Siri and search. ‌Siri‌ is gaining a better understanding of natural language, improved contextual awareness, and the personal assistant will integrate with ChatGPT to answer more complex queries.

Apple Intelligence features are limited to the iPhone 15 Pro models and iPads with an M-series chip, but there are a number of other features that are coming. Apple is allowing users to rearrange Home screen apps to have open spaces, plus there's a dark mode for app icons and tinting options.

The Control Center is customizable and third-party developers can add controls for their apps, with the Lock Screen Flashlight and Camera icons able to be replaced or removed. Messages is gaining Rich Communication Services support to improve conversations with Android users, the option to schedule texts to be sent later, new text effects, messages over satellite when there's no cellular, and the option to use any emoji for Tapback responses.

There's a dedicated Passwords app for logins, passkeys, Wi-Fi passwords, and verification codes, and there's now an option to lock and hide apps, which means they can't be opened without secondary Face ID or Touch ID authentication even when your phone is unlocked.

Safari has a highlights feature that summarizes articles and surfaces key information on websites, the Photos app interface has been overhauled, and there's a new Tap to Cash feature for privately and securely transferring money using Apple Cash. Other features include equation solving and voice memo transcription in Notes, a game mode for improving game performance, and an option to respond to ‌Siri‌ on AirPods with head gestures.

‌iOS 18‌ is only available to registered developers at the current time, but Apple plans to make a public beta later this month. ‌iOS 18‌ and ‌iPadOS 18‌ will see a public launch this fall.

Apple today released the third beta of an upcoming visionOS 2 update to developers, with the third beta coming two weeks after the second beta.

Registered developers are able to opt into the betas by opening up the Settings app on their device, going to the Software Update Section, tapping on the "Beta Updates" option, and toggling on the Developer Beta. Note that an Apple ID associated with a developer account is required to download and install the beta.

‌visionOS 2‌ is able to take the depth information from 2D photos and turn them into 3D photos using advanced machine learning. Apple says that the feature is meant to add depth to photos to make memories more immersive.

There are new hand gestures for activating the Home View and Control Center, and the Home View is also now customizable with apps able to be rearranged. Travel Mode now includes support for trains, and Guest User profiles are now saved for 30 days so guests don't have to do the setup process every time they try out the headset.

Later in the year, Mac Virtual Display will support higher resolution and larger sized virtual displays, which Apple says will be equivalent to two 4K monitors side by side. With an AirPlay update, the Vision Pro can serve as an ‌AirPlay‌ receiver, so content from the iPhone, iPad, or Mac can be shared to the headset.

The Mindfulness app can track and respond to breathing patterns using the camera for an improved meditation experience, and the Vision Pro supports Bluetooth mice with ‌visionOS 2‌.

Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming watchOS 11 update to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming two weeks after the second beta was released.

To install the ‌‌watchOS 11‌ update, developers need to open the Apple Watch app, go to the Software Update section under "General" in Settings, and toggle on the ‌watchOS 11‌ Developer Beta. An Apple ID linked to a developer account is required.

Once beta updates have been activated, ‌watchOS 11‌ can be downloaded under the same Software Update section. To install software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life and it must be placed on an Apple Watch charger.

‌watchOS 11‌ introduces a new Vitals app that aggregates health metrics collected during sleep like heart rate and respiratory rate, providing day-to-day health insights to track whether something has changed. There's also a Training Load feature for monitoring the intensity of workouts and how that impacts the body over time.

The Smart Stack has been updated with new widgets and support for Live Activities and Translate, plus it is better able to suggest widgets based on time and daily routine. The Photos watch face includes suggestions for the best images to use, and the Check In safety feature now works with Workouts.

Activity Rings can be customized to change the goals for each day, and there is an option to pause for rest days or when ill without losing an activity streak. Double Tap now works for navigating through apps with one hand, and Apple Maps lets users create their own walking and hiking routes.

Apple today seeded the third beta of the upcoming tvOS 18 refresh to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming two weeks after the second beta came out.

Registered developers are able to download the tvOS 18 update by opting in to the beta through the Settings app on the Apple TV. A registered developer account is required.

tvOS 18 adds an InSight feature to the TV app, and it is able to provide real-time information about actors, music, and more in Apple TV+ shows and music. Enhanced Dialogue has been refined with machine learning and computational audio so it is better able to boost vocal clarity over background noise and music, plus it is now available on built-in TV speakers, AirPods, and other Bluetooth devices.

Subtitles will now show up automatically when relevant, such as when the TV's volume is muted, a show or movie is rewound, or when the language of a show doesn't match the device language.

Other new features include 21:9 aspect ratio support for projectors, new screen savers and improved controls for swapping screen savers, and support for Live Captions during FaceTime calls through an iPhone or iPad.

Amazon today introduced a new all-time low price on Apple's AirPods 3, now available for $129.89, down from $169.00. This is the model that comes with a Lightning Charging Case, and this sale price beats the previous record low price by about $10.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

AirPods 3 feature force sensor controls, Adaptive EQ, spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, and a streamlined design compared to the AirPods 2. The third-generation AirPods are a few years old at this point, with an updated model expected in just a few months, which is likely why we're starting to see big price drops online.

If you're looking for an even cheaper model, Amazon also has the AirPods 2 for $79.99, down from $129.00. Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.

Starting today, select Walmart stores in the U.S. and Walmart.com will be selling the MacBook Air with the M1 chip at a bargain $649 price.

Walmart+ members have early access to the deal as of 12 p.m. Eastern Time today, and it will be available to all Walmart customers starting at 6 p.m. Eastern Time today.

Walmart first began selling the MacBook Air with the M1 chip for $699 in March, marking the first time the retailer ever sold Macs directly. Now, it is available for an even lower $649 heading into the back-to-school shopping season. It is unclear how long the deal will last.

Apple first released the MacBook Air with the M1 chip in November 2020, as one of the first Macs with an Apple silicon chip instead of an Intel processor. The configuration being sold for $649 includes the M1 chip, 256GB of storage, and 8GB of RAM/unified memory, with Gold, Silver, and Space Gray color options available. Walmart's product listing says the MacBook Air is in brand new condition, so this is not a used/refurbished model.

Apple discontinued the MacBook Air with the M1 chip earlier this year, following the launch of new MacBook Air models with the M3 chip. Prior to being discontinued, the model with the M1 chip was being sold for a starting price of $999 brand new.

While this model of the MacBook Air is now over three and a half years old, it is still a very capable machine for many average day-to-day tasks. However, it has an older design and has fewer remaining years of macOS compatibility than the latest MacBook Air models, so those aspects should be factored into your purchasing decision.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Walmart, and we may receive a small payment if you click a link in this article and proceed to make a purchase.

In iOS 18, Apple added several new accessibility features, and one feature in particular that is likely to have widespread appeal among car passengers is Vehicle Motion Cues, which aims to prevent motion sickness when looking at an iPhone or iPad.

According to Apple, research shows that motion sickness is commonly caused by a sensory conflict between what a person sees and what they feel, which can prevent some users from comfortably using ‌‌iPhone‌‌ or ‌‌iPad‌‌ while riding in a moving vehicle.

Vehicle Motion Cues are designed to avoid this sensory conflict with the use of visual elements on the display that indicate real-time changes in motion. Apple explains:

With Vehicle Motion Cues, animated dots on the edges of the screen represent changes in vehicle motion to help reduce sensory conflict without interfering with the main content. Using sensors built into iPhone and iPad, Vehicle Motion Cues recognizes when a user is in a moving vehicle and responds accordingly. The feature can be set to show automatically on iPhone, or can be turned on and off in Control Center.

As things stand in the latest ‌iOS 18‌ beta, the Vehicle Motion Cues switch does not work in Settings ➝ Accessibility ➝ Motion, likely because of a bug that hasn't been fixed yet, but that doesn't mean you can't try it out and see if it works for you. Fortunately, the same option works in Control Center. If you're running the ‌iOS 18‌ beta, here's how to enable it.

1. Invoke Control Center with a diagonal swipe from the top-right corner of the screen (or with a swipe up from the bottom if your ‌iPhone‌ has a Home button).
2. Press and hold on any space in the Control Center to enter the customize mode, then tap Add a Control at the bottom.
3. Swipe up to the "Vision Accessibility" controls, then choose Vehicle Motion Cues.
   
   

4. Press and hold a space in the Control Center to exit the customize mode.
5. Tap the Vehicle Motion Cues button, then choose On or Only in Vehicle.

If you turned on the feature, you should now see the motion cues – roving little dots – around the edges of your ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌ screen. If you opted for the automatic activation, wait until you're in a moving vehicle for the cues to appear.

There's no guarantee that it will work, but with a bit of luck, the feature will allow you to look at what's on your device for the duration of your journey without you starting to feel nauseous.

Apple today added the lower-cost Apple Pencil with a USB-C port to its online refurbished store for the first time in select European countries, including Austria, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK.

The refurbished model is discounted by around 15% in each country. For example, pricing is set at £69 in the UK, down from £79 brand new.

Originally released in November 2023, the lower-cost Apple Pencil has a similar design as the Apple Pencil 2 and Apple Pencil Pro, but with a USB-C port hidden under a sliding cap for charging and pairing with a USB-C cable. It attaches magnetically to any iPad with a USB-C port, but it does not support wireless charging or wireless pairing. It also lacks pressure sensitivity and a double-tap gesture for switching between drawing tools.

Apple says its refurbished products undergo full functionality testing, and are subject to a thorough cleaning process and inspection. The refurbished Apple Pencils are repackaged in a plainer white box with a refurbished label.

Availability of the refurbished USB-C Apple Pencil will likely extend to the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries within the next few weeks.

Apple has announced that its retail store at the Väla Centrum shopping mall near Helsingborg, Sweden will be permanently closed after July 13. The date was spotted by Michael Steeber, who writes a weekly newsletter about Apple retail.

Apple in January told Swedish publication Feber that it would not be renewing its lease at the mall, but it did not provide a reason for the decision. At the same time, Apple announced that it would be opening a new retail store at the Mall of Scandinavia near Stockholm this year, but it has yet to reveal a grand opening date for that location.

All in all, Apple will continue to operate three retail stores in Sweden by the end of 2024. However, customers in the Helsingborg area will now have to make around a one-hour commute to Malmö to visit Apple's nearest store in the country.

Apple recently announced that its next quarterly earnings conference call will be held on Thursday, August 1 at 2 p.m. Pacific Time.

On the call, which anyone can listen to, Apple's CEO Tim Cook and CFO Luca Maestri will discuss the company's earnings results for the third quarter of the 2024 fiscal year. During the quarter, spanning March 31 through June 29, Apple released new iPad Pro models with the M4 chip, new iPad Air models with the M2 chip, and the Apple Pencil Pro. Near the end of the quarter, Apple also began accepting orders for the Vision Pro in eight more countries and regions, including Australia, Canada, the U.K., China, Japan, and more.

Apple has not provided formal guidance since early 2020, but analysts expect the company to report quarterly revenue of $77.2 billion on average, according to Yahoo Finance. Apple reported $81.8 billion revenue in the year-ago quarter.

Best Buy today has some of the biggest discounts on the M2 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro that we've tracked in months, starting as low as $699.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi 11-inch tablet. A My Best Buy Plus/Total membership is not required to see these discounts.

Best Buy has every model of the 2022 iPad Pro on sale except the 128GB Wi-Fi model of the 12.9-inch tablet. Otherwise, you'll find every Wi-Fi tablet and every cellular tablet on sale at this time, and at record low prices with up to $550 off the iPad Pro.

With such steep savings, these previous generation iPad Pros are worth looking into purchasing for anyone who wants to prioritize saving money over owning the newest M4 iPad Pro. There are some major differences between the two generations, like the M4's support for Apple Pencil Pro and a new nano-texture display option, so be sure to read about which one works best for you in our Buyer's Guide.

11-Inch iPad Pro

Wi-Fi

• 128GB Wi-Fi for $699.00 ($100 off)
• 256GB Wi-Fi for $799.00 ($100 off)
• 512GB Wi-Fi for $899.00 ($200 off)
• 1TB Wi-Fi for $1,199.00 ($300 off)
• 2TB Wi-Fi for $1,599.00 ($300 off)

Cellular

• 128GB Cellular for $799.00 ($200 off)
• 256GB Cellular for $899.00 ($200 off)
• 512GB Cellular for $949.00 ($350 off)
• 1TB Cellular for $1,249.00 ($450 off)
• 2TB Cellular for $1,649.00 ($450 off)

12.9-Inch iPad Pro

Wi-Fi

• 256GB Wi-Fi for $999.00 ($200 off)
• 512GB Wi-Fi for $1,099.00 ($300 off)
• 1TB Wi-Fi for $1,399.00 ($400 off)
• 2TB Wi-Fi for $1,799.00 ($400 off)

Cellular

• 128GB Cellular for $999.00 ($300 off)
• 256GB Cellular for $1,099.00 ($300 off)
• 512GB Cellular for $1,149.00 ($450 off)
• 1TB Cellular for $1,449.00 ($550 off)
• 2TB Cellular for $1,849.00 ($550 off)

Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

CMF, a London-based sub-brand of Nothing, has officially announced the CMF Phone 1, boasting a highly customizable modular design and featuring some decent hardware specs for an Android smartphone that starts at just $199.

The CMF Phone (1) is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7300 chipset and features a 6.67-inch FHD, 120Hz AMOLED display. There's a 50MP Sony camera on the back, accompanied by a second depth sensor for portraits, and a 16MP front-facing camera.

A 5,000 mAh battery offers up to two days of power on a single charge, and the base model comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It also supports Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3 and 9-band Dual 5G. As it's a budget device, there are a few tradeoffs – there's no NFC, for example, and the device is only splash-resistant. There's also no wireless charging.

Look beyond the specs though, and the Android phone's big selling point is its unique screw-based system of interchangeable backplates and accessories. CMF Phone (1) users can switch out different colored shells (black, orange, blue, and light green, costing $35 each) using a supplied flathead screwdriver and screws, resulting in a completely different look, right down to a color-matched SIM tray.

One of the screw points includes a dial-style pop-out for mounting optional accessories, including a kickstand, a MagSafe-style wallet case, and lanyard, each costing $25. Accompanying the release of the phone are new CMF Buds Pro 2 wireless earbuds and a CMF Watch Pro 2 smartwatch.

Nothing's CMF Phone (1) is launching in the UK and the EU this week, with a launch in the US scheduled for later in July under a "Beta Program," so expect high demand and a possible waitlist. The device costs $199 in the US, £209 in the UK, and €239 in the EU.

Best Buy this weekend is offering a big selection of discounts on Apple's late 2023 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, with up to $500 off select models. These deals are available to all shoppers and do not require a My Best Buy Plus or Total membership.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

14-Inch MacBook Pro

Starting with the 14-inch MacBook Pro, Best Buy's new sale is focusing on the higher-end M3 Pro and M3 Max models. Prices start at $1,699.00 for the M3 Pro 512GB model, and also include the M3 Max 1TB model for $2,899.00, both of which represent $300 discounts and all-time low prices.

16-Inch MacBook Pro

Moving to the larger display models, you'll find up to $500 off select 16-inch MacBook Pros at Best Buy this weekend. Prices start at $2,199.00 for the M3 Pro, 18GB RAM, 512GB model, and reach $3,499.00 for the high-end M3 Max, 48GB RAM, 1TB model. Just like the 14-inch devices, every discount in this sale represents a record low price on each computer.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

Apple is developing a new version of the low-cost Apple Watch SE with a plastic casing, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today claimed.

Writing in this weekend's "Power On" newsletter, Gurman mentioned Apple's work on an ‌Apple Watch SE‌ that features a rigid plastic casing in lieu of anodized aluminum. He postulated that this may be one technique Apple may be planning to use to bring the cost of the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ down. The current ‌Apple Watch SE‌ sells for $249, but Samsung's cheapest rival watch, the Galaxy Watch FE, sells for $199.

Apple famously released the iPhone 5C with an "unapologetically" plastic casing in 2013, which was effectively a rehoused version of the ‌iPhone‌ 5. The polycarbonate exterior was available in various vibrant color options. The device was somewhat controversial because critics argued that the plastic casing was a step down from the luxurious metal finishes of previous models and some consumers felt that the device's price point was still too high for what was perceived as an inferior product.

Amazon today has Apple's AirPods 2, AirPods 3 with Lightning Charging Case, and AirPods Max on sale, with up to $100 in savings on these earbuds. For the AirPods 3, this is the first time we've tracked a discount on the device since Father's Day in June.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

The AirPods 2 are on sale for $79.99, down from $129.00, and the AirPods 3 with Lightning Charging Case are on sale for $129.89, down from $169.00. This discount on the AirPods 2 isn't quite an all-time low price, but it's still a great deal on the headphones that's about $10 higher compared to the record low price.

Amazon also has the AirPods Max on sale for $449.00, down from $549.00. This is another solid second-best price on the AirPods, and similar to the other models it'll arrive between July 9 and July 12, depending on shipping speed.

Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.

Update: The AirPods 3 have dropped even more in price on Amazon, hitting a new all-time low of $129.89.