The holidays are right around the corner, which means Apple is wrapping up its final announcements and launches of 2022. This week, Apple announced expanded encryption options for iCloud, a new karaoke-like experience called Apple Music Sing, and the launch of HomePod mini. in new countries.
Apple is also rolling out the “biggest upgrade ever” to App Store pricing options for developers, and for those struggling to get an iPhone 14 Pro due to shortages, we’ve taken a look at why. you might just want to wait for next year’s model upgrades, so read on for all the details on these stories and more!
Apple announces end-to-end encryption option for photos, notes, iCloud backups, etc.
apple this week announced a major end-to-end encryption extension for iCloud on an opt-in basis.
Starting with iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2 and macOS 13.1, coming later this month, a new Advanced Data Protection feature gives users the ability to enable end-to-end encryption in many more categories of iCloud data including Backups, Photos, Notes, and Suite.
apple too preview of two more security features for iMessage and Apple ID accounts which will be available in 2023.
Apple Music Sing: new karaoke feature announced for iPhone, iPad and Apple TV
Apple Music Sing is a new karaoke-like feature in the Apple Music app which allows you to sing tens of millions of songs.
The feature allows users to lower the voice volume in a song and then take over as the singer in the lyrics section of the Apple Music app. You go need device with A13 chip or newerincluding iPhone 11 and newer, select iPads and the latest Apple TV 4K.
It will officially launch later this month, but is now available to users running the iOS 16.2 beta and we took a look at the new feature to get an idea of how it works.
iOS 16.2 for iPhone should launch next week with these 12 new features
iOS 16.2 is expected to be released next week after nearly two months of beta testing. With late-breaking additions like Apple Music Sing and Advanced Data Protection, the software update now delivers over a dozen new features for the iPhone.
We gathered a list of 12 notable features and changes for the iPhone with iOS 16.2including the Freeform app, a new AirDrop setting, and more.
Can’t get an iPhone 14 Pro? Here’s why you should wait for the iPhone 15 Ultra
Due to production issues at the main iPhone factory in China, the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are currently very hard to find.
If you can’t get your hands on an iPhone 14 Pro right now, it might be a good idea to check out our list of reasons to consider waiting for the “iPhone 15 Ultra” rumored to launch next year. Expected new features include a faster USB-C port and more.
Apple announces App Store changes, including extended pricing up to $10,000
Apple announced this week that it is offering developers 700 additional prizes for App Store apps, allowing apps to be priced as low as 29 cents, or up to $10,000 on demand.
Apple also makes it easier for developers to deal with fluctuations in exchange rates. These changes now apply to apps with auto-renewable subscriptions and will be available to all apps in 2023.
HomePod Mini launching in more countries this month
Apple says the HomePod mini will be available in Finland, Norway and Sweden from December 13, with orders available now.
The smart speaker will also launch in South Africa on December 19 and Denmark in early 2023.
It’s been over two years since Apple released the HomePod mini in the United States. Earlier this week we describes what’s to come for the smart speaker.
MacRumors Newsletter
Every week we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the best stories from Apple, making it a great way to get a quick recap of the week on all the major topics we’ve covered and link related stories for a big-picture view.
So if you want to have Top stories like the recap above sent to your inbox every week, Subscribe to our newsletter!