You can now enjoy surround sound while streaming YouTube TV content on your Apple TV and Fire TV devices. As The Verge reports, the streaming television service has expanded the list of devices supporting its shows and movies with 5.1 audio after rolling out the capability to Android TV, Google TV and Roku devices back in June. YouTube TV first started testing 5.1 channel audio for those first three devices back in March, while also promising to work on support for Apple TV and Fire TV devices, as well as for gaming consoles. This rollout covers two out of those three — a tweet on the official YouTube TV page says the service is still in the process of bringing the capability to consoles.
5.1 Audio Update! 🔈🔉🔊 We now support 5.1 audio on Apple TV & Fire TV devices for compatible YouTube TV content (live, DVR, & video on-demand).
If you’re a game console user, we’re working on getting this available to you as soon as possible, and will share live updates here. pic.twitter.com/8Pmxrt1WqU
The Help page for YouTube TV doesn’t explicitly mention Apple TV as a supported device yet, but it does list the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Stick Lite, Fire TV Cube, Fire TV Stick 4K and Fire TV Stick with 4K Ultra HD. To note, surround sound isn’t available for all YouTube TV content, only those that have it. So long as a user is streaming on a compatible device, 5.1 audio will be automatically switched on. That said, those who want to make sure that it’s available for a specific video can do so by playing it, going to “More” under player controls and selecting the “bug” icon. YouTube TV’s “Stats for nerds” will be displayed at the top of the video, and it should show AC-3/EAC-3 in the codecs section if it has surround sound.
As is tradition, Apple is pulling the cover off of a new Apple Watch at its September event. Rumors suggested that the Apple Watch Series 8 would be a mostly iterative update to last year’s model, and that appears to be the case so far: It looks essentially identical to the Series 7.
The first main new feature is a temperature sensor that Apple is tying to women’s health. It’ll use readings to give an estimate on when you may be ovulating. It’s meant to be used overnight, sampling your wrist temperature every five seconds so you can see nightly shifts from your baseline temperature. This will work for everyone, but for people that ovulate it’ll help indicate where they are in their cycle. You’ll also get notifications on potential deviations from your norm.
There’s also a new safety feature called Crash Detection. Much as current watches can detect when you fall, the Series 8 can detect car crashes thanks to two new accelerometers. It works in concert with the other sensors already included in the Apple Watch to detect four different types of crashes, including rollovers, front impact, back impact and side impact.
Apple says that the Series 8 has the same 18-hour battery life, but there’s a new low power mode that can give you up to 36 hours on a full charge. It keeps a lot of the core features like activity tracking and fall detection while also turning off things like the always-on display. Anyone who knows they’ll be away from a charger for a long time should appreciate this feature, and it’s coming to older Watch models as well, from Series 4 onward.
Apple Watch Series 8 comes in four aluminum colors (silver, a black-ish midnight, a gold-ish starlight, and red), as well as three stainless steel finishes — looks like the titanium models are going to be saved for the Apple Watch Pro, which we’ll probably hear about momentarily. The GPS-only model starts at $399, while the cellular models start at $499. All will be available on September 16th.
Follow all of the news from Apple’s iPhone event right here.
In addition to the debut of the Watch Series 8, Apple had another wearable on deck for today’s iPhone 14 event. True to the rumors, the company has built a version of its wrist-worn device that’s larger and more durable with longer battery life than the standard models. Aimed solely at folks who are either very active or spend loads of time outdoors, the Apple Watch Ultra offers a host of premium upgrades over the rest of series 8. But all of those extras come with a higher asking price.
The most obvious difference between the new Ultra model and the rest of the Series 8 lineup is size. The 49mm Watch Ultra is noticeably larger with a bigger screen, which means it might not be ideal for people with smaller wrists. That extra display real estate is meant to enable users to view more health and activity data than the smaller versions of the wearable. And of course, the Ultra will have its own watch faces specifically designed for the larger screen, like the new wayfinder option. The wayfinder face, for example, not only shows a compass, but it also has room for up to eight more complications. The display is twice as bright as any Apple Watch so far, up to 2,000 nits.
The Apple Watch Ultra is more rugged, which the company says will make the device more durable for all sorts of activities. The aerospace-grade titanium casing is built to withstand edge impacts. There’s also a new action button that’s customizable for a range of controls like starting a workout or dropping a wayfinding pin. Improved speakers insure yon can hear and be heard even when outside. An 86-decibel siren should help keep you safe, a tone Apple says can be heard up to 600 feet away.
The Apple Watch Ultra is more waterproof as well, meaning you can take it in deeper waters, including while scuba diving. The GPS has also been upgraded so you have the most accurate stats available at all times and the compass app now offers a backtracking tool that drops pins along your path. Apple says the Ultra offers the most accurate GPS of any Watch so far, thanks to its dual-frequency setup and new positioning algorithms.
Apple
Inside, the Watch Ultra is equipped with a temperature sensor that can alert you to a host of health data. The new sensor will also provide information to fertility and cycle-tracking apps to notify you when you might be ovulating. Apple has also improved crash detection thanks to updates to the accelerometer and barometer across the Series 8 line. All of that is in addition to existing features like heart-rate tracking, emergency SOS and fall detection.
A larger wearable also means a bigger battery. Apple says the Watch Ultra can last 36 hours on a charge. Thanks to a new low-power mode across watchOS 9, the device can run more efficiently to stretch out wear time up to 60 hours. A night mode will block blue light to reduce eye strain in the dark. What’s more, there are a host of activity specific upgrades to watchOS for running, hiking, diving and other activities, expanding the abilities of the Watch Ultra well beyond the rest of the Series 8 lineup.
As you might expect, all of these upgrades come with a significant price increase. The Apple Watch Ultra will cost $799 when it arrives September 23rd, but pre-orders start today. That price tag matches the current Apple Watch edition which starts at $799 for the Series 7. Apple also has new bands: Trail Loop for runners, Alpine Loop for hikers/explorers and the Ocean Band for water sports and diving.
Follow all of the news from Apple’s iPhone event right here.
Two years after introducing the Apple Watch SE, Apple is refreshing its entry-level smartwatch. In the process, the company is bringing over some of the features found in the SE’s more expensive siblings. To start, the second-generation model features the same processor as the company’s newly announced Series 8 smartwatch. According to Apple, the new SE offers up to 20 percent faster performance than its predecessor. Like the Series 8, it also comes with a vehicle crash detection feature. Two new accelerometers allow the SE to detect when your car rolls over or is hit from the front, side or back.
Apple
Apple also plans to sell the second-generation SE at a more affordable price. The GPS model will start at $249, while the cellular variant will set you back $299. As before, the company plans to offer the wearable in three different colors: Silver, Midnight and Starlight. Apple has tweaked the design of the SE to color match the back of the wearable to the rest of the case. You can pre-order the Apple Watch SE starting today, with general availability to follow on September 16th.
Follow all of the news from Apple’s iPhone event right here.
Three years after Apple released the AirPods Pro, the company is at long last ready to talk about the second incarnation of the earbuds at its big September hardware event. Previous reports indicated that AirPods Pro 2 wouldn’t have significant design changes, with most of the changes reserved for the interior. But there’s one big update to the exterior: touch controls. You’ll be able to control audio playback and the volume with swipe gestures on the AirPods Pro’s stems.
The earbuds are powered by a new chip, the H2. Apple claims this will help AirPods Pro cancel out up to twice as much noise. You can expect an upgraded transparency mode too. There’s also a new driver that could help to improve the audio quality, and there’s spatial audio and dynamic head tracking support. Additionally, you’ll be able to use your iPhone’s camera to set up a custom spatial audio profile.
Apple
As for listening time, Apple says you’ll get up to six hours of use from a single charge with active noise cancellation on or 5.5 hours when using spatial audio. Apple claimed the original AirPods Pro would offer 4.5 hours of playback with ANC enabled, so that’s a 33 percent improvement. The charging case, meanwhile, offers 30 hours of listening time, which is six hours more than the last model. Speaking of which, you’ll be able to juice up the new charging case with an Apple Watch charger, as well as a Lightning cable, MagSafe or a Qi charger (no USB-C yet, sadly).
This time around, each earbud can play a sound when it’s missing to hopefully make it easier to locate with the help of Find My. The charging case also has a speaker to help you to find it when it’s misplaced.
You won’t have to wait too long to get your hands on the second-gen AirPods Pro: They’ll be available to order on September 9th for $249, and will ship on September 23rd.
Follow all of the news from Apple’s iPhone event right here.
The iPhone 14 delivers a 49 percent improvement in low-light performance and it’s all thanks to a tweak Apple made to its Deep Fusion image pipeline. During its Far Out event on Wednesday, Apple detailed all the camera enhancements coming to the 2022 iPhone lineup, with the company’s new “Photonic Engine” leading the list of improvements. When you go to take a nighttime photo with the new iPhones, Apple’s Deep Fusion image processing algorithm will jump into action earlier than before, resulting in better colors and faster performance.
On the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple claims the Photonic Engine delivers improved low-light performance across all of the device’s cameras. The front-facing, telephoto and main cameras are apparently up to two times better at capturing nighttime scenes, while the ultra-wide is up to three times better in less than ideal lighting. A new Action Mode available on all four new iPhone models allows the smartphones to use the entirety of their sensors to capture more stable video.
Apple
Apple is pairing those software enhancements with new hardware. For the first time, the company has gone with a 48-megapixel main sensor on one of its Pro models. Going against industry trends, Apple had stuck with 12MP sensors while many of its Android peers began shipping phones with 48MP and 108MP main cameras. That allowed them to leverage techniques like pixel binning so their phones to capture more detailed photos in optimal lighting conditions, something Apple will do now as well.
In most instances, the iPhone 14 Pro will use its 48MP camera to snap 12MP photos, thereby maximizing the amount of light it can capture. However, the phone’s ProRAW mode will also allow you to shoot full 48MP files, opening the door to plenty of editing opportunities. Another advantage of the new sensor is that it will let the iPhone 14 Pro offer true 2x zoom.
Apple has also outfitted the main camera with new glass. It now sports an f/1.78 aperture lens with seven elements and a 24mm equivalent focal length. Apple said 24mm is ideal for a variety of subjects, including portraiture, but it’s definitely on the wide end of what you would want for taking photos of people.
Apple
Other hardware improvements to the photography experience include a new ultra-wide camera with a 1.4µm pixel pitch that delivers a better macro mode. Apple has also completely redesigned the flash module on the iPhone 14 Pro. According to the company, it will now automatically account for the focal length of the photo you’re about to take, leading, in theory, to better results. In practice, you will still be shooting the flash directly at your subject so still expect harsh light. The regular iPhone 14 does not have the redesigned module, but Apple says the flash on the standard models is 10 percent brighter. For selfies, there’s a 12MP front-facing camera with autofocus, a feature that’s also found on the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus.
On the video front, the iPhone 14 Pro’s cinematic mode can now capture 4K video at up to 30 frames per second — though you’re free to stick to 24fps for results that look more like a movie. As before, the iPhone 14 Pro can capture ProRes content at 4K and 30 frames per second on everything but the 128GB model — which is limited to 1080p due to storage constraints.
Follow all of the news from Apple’s iPhone event right here.
The iPhone 14 Pro is here, and it’s one of Apple’s most significant upgrades in years. We’re used to seeing better camera and screen technology in Apple’s “Pro” lineup, but this time around it’s a dramatic departure from the standard iPhone 14. For one, Apple has done away with the notch, which first arrived with the iPhone X way back in 2017. Instead, there’s a large cutout Apple is calling the “Dynamic Island,” which can expand via software to include notifications and other app information. The result is a portion of the screen that looks, well, very dynamic.
Apple
The iPhone 14 Pro features Apple’s new Super Retina XDR display, which can reach up to 2,000 nits of peak brightness outside. That new screen tech also allows the Pro’s 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch screens to stay on all of the time, so you don’t have to tap your phone to see essential information. How is that possible? Apple has developed a new low power mode, which allows the screens to drop down to a super low 1Hz refresh rate.
As expected, there’s also a new mobile chip powering all of this magic, the A16 Bionic. It’s a 6-core CPU (2 high performance cores and four high efficiency) paired together with a 5-core GPU. Apple claims the high-performance cores use 20 percent less power than the A15’s, and, not surprisingly, they’re also faster. The A16 will be a big draw for the Pro lineup, as the standard iPhone 14 is stuck with last year’s (still very capable) A15 chip.
Apple
The iPhone 14 Pro’s beefier processing power will come in handy for its new 48 megapixel main camera, a huge leap from the standard 12MP shooters Apple has relied on for years. It sports a quad-pixel sensor, which allows it to easily oversample large photos into 12MP-sized pictures. And if you actually want a beefy 48MP photo, you can shoot that in ProRAW as well. For on-the-go video shooting, a new action mode can also significantly smooth out bumps and shakes.
Apple’s Photonic Engine improves low-light performance across all of the iPhone 14 Pro’s cameras, something that it also shares with the standard model. There’s also a new telephoto camera offering 2x optical zoom (down from 3x with the iPhone 13 Pro), along with a refreshed 12MP ultrawide shooter. Even the flash has been updated, allowing for twice the brightness thanks to a 9 LED array.
Apple
You’ll also be able to tap into Apple’s Emergency SOS feature, which relies on satellites to send messages when you’re out of cellular range. It’s a nifty feature, but it will also be available on the non-Pro iPhone 14.
Overall, the iPhone 14 Pro looks like a bigger step forward than last year’s model. The Dynamic Island fundamentally reshapes the way notifications will work in iOS, and for many photographers, the larger camera sensor has been a long time coming. The iPhone 14 Pro will start at $999, while the Pro Max will go for $1,099, just like last year. You can pre-order both models on September 9th, and they’ll be available in stores on September 16th.
Follow all of the news from Apple’s iPhone event right here.
Probably the biggest new feature for the iPhone 14, 14 Plus and 14 Pro isn’t one you’ll use ever day, but you’ll be glad you have it if you need it. The new phones have a built-in satellite connection that people can use to send emergency SOS messages in places where there’s no available cellular signal.
First, your iPhone will help you orient your phone in the direction you need to point it to get the best signal. Once you have a connection, you can open up a message interface that lets you communicate with emergency service providers. Apple says that because of satellite connectivity limits, it’ll take much longer to send messages than you’re used to, so the feature includes some automatic questions it prompts you to answer, like “is anyone hurt?” It’ll have auto-populated answers that you can tap to respond. Apple is also compressing messages to a third of their normal size to make sending them a little quicker.
Apple say that once the message is sent to the satellite, it then gets routed to emergency response centers; if those centers are only set up for voice calls, they’ll first be passed to a response center that’ll then get in touch with emergency response.
This feature will be included for free for two years with all iPhone 14 and 14 Pro models; it’s not clear how much it’ll cost after that. For people who are frequently away from cellular signals — perhaps the same people who are looking at an Apple Watch Ultra — this feature could be extremely useful in a tough spot.
Follow all of the news from Apple’s iPhone event right here.
It’s September, and that means new iPhones are right around the corner. Apple announced its latest smartphones at its “far out” event today, ushering in the era of the iPhone 14. Fans will have four options this time around: the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus, along with the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, with the latter two showcasing all of the latest hardware improvements you can get on an Apple handset today. The company also announced the much-rumored Apple Watch Ultra, a more durable, outdoorsy version of the classic smartwatch, as well as a slightly updated versions of the standard Apple Watch, Apple Watch SE and AirPods Pro. You’ll be able to get your hands on all of these gadgets soon, so here’s everything you need to know about how to pre-order the iPhone 14, the iPhone 14 Pro and all of the other devices announced today.
iPhone 14
Apple
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus will be available for pre-order starting on September 9th and will cost $799 and $899, respectively. The iPhone 14 will be more widely available on September 16th, while the iPhone 14 Plus will hit stores on October 7th.
Both the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus offer minor improvements over last year’s iPhone 13 series. The iPhone 14 has a 6.1-inch display while the 14 Plus has a 6.7-inch display, and both use Apple’s Liquid Retina XDR panel technology. Both run on last year’s A15 Bionic chipset, and Apple claims the iPhone 14 Plus has the best battery life of any iPhone to date. The company gave the cameras a slight upgrade as well: both smartphones have a new 12MP main camera with a larger sensor and faster aperture, while the front-facing camera has been updated to a 12MP TrueDepth shooter with autofocus. The main camera also supports a new feature called Action Mode, which makes videos with a lot of movement look smoother and more stabilized.
iPhone 14 models support 5G connectivity and enhanced eSIM capabilities. All US models lack physical SIM trays, which means you can more easily connect to your cellular service provider using eSIM technology. As for new safety features, the iPhone 14 will support crash detection, which can detect when you’ve been in a car crash and automatically contact emergency services on your behalf, plus a new feature called Emergency SOS via Satellite. The latter will help you contact emergency services even when you’re in an outdoor dead zone. That feature is coming in November and will be free for two years for those who buy an iPhone 14.
iPhone 14 Pro
Apple
The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will be available for pre-order starting on September 9th and will start at $999 and $1,099, respectively. They will be more widely available on September 16th.
This year, the Pro phones have a noticeably different design than previous iPhones. The rumors about a pill-shaped cutout turned out to be true — the screen notch is now gone and has been replaced by a floating space that houses the front-facing cameras as well as Apple’s privacy dots, which turn on when apps use your camera or microphone. From a software standpoint, that space is dubbed the “Dynamic Island” as it will change and expand to adapt to what you’re doing on your iPhone, notifications you receive and more.
The iPhone 14 Pro has a 6.1-inch display while the Pro Max has a 6.7-inch screen, and they’re always-on for the first time ever. Apple designed the panel to be as power efficient as possible, dynamically adjusting the refresh rate down to as low as 1Hz when necessary. The new Lock Screen in iOS 16 can show a bunch of things on the display like the time, widgets, live activities and more, and the Pro screens will do things like automatically dim to preserve power while continuing to show you relevant information, Lock Screen photos and backgrounds and more.
As expected, the Pro handsets run on Apple’s new A16 Bionic chip and they have an updated rear camera array along with a new TrueDepth front-facing camera. The rear setup includes a new 12MP telephoto lens, a 12MP ultra wide camera and a 48-megapixel main shooter that has a 65-percent larger sensor than that in the iPhone 13 Pro. The Pro phones will also support all of the new features found on the standard iPhone 14 models, including 5G and eSIM connectivity, crash detection, Emergency SOS with Satellite and more.
Apple Watch Ultra
Apple
The Apple Watch Ultra will be available to order starting today and will cost $799. It will be more widely available starting on September 23rd.
The new Apple Watch Ultra is designed for those that are avid outdoor adventurers, water sport athletes and endurance trainers. It has a bulkier design with a larger, sapphire crystal display that sits flat against the Watch’s 49mm titanium case. Apple added a new orange action button to the side of the case that can be customized to suit each user’s quick-action preferences. The Digital Crown is larger as well, and the other side button protrudes a bit from the Watch’s edge; all of these hardware charges are supports to make the Ultra easier to use with gloves on.
The Apple Watch has been water resistant for quite some time, but the Ultra takes this up a notch with WR100 water resistance and a new built-in depth gauge that helps it be a tool for tracking activities like scuba diving. Apple also redesigned the compass app to be easier to use and show more precise locations, and the Ultra has a built-in siren that can alert others to your location from up to 600 feet away.
All Apple Watch Ultra models come with cellular connectivity built in, plus this model has the biggest battery of any Apple Watch to date. The company promises up to 36 hours of battery life on a single charge, and up to 60 hours of total battery life when using a “battery optimization setting” that’s coming later to watchOS 9.
Apple Watch Series 8
Apple
The Apple Watch Series 8 will be available to order today and starts at $399 for the GPS-only models and $499 for the GPS + Cellular models. It’ll be more widely available on September 16th. Those who order a new Apple Watch will also receive three months of Apple Fitness+ for free.
The Apple Watch Series 8 isn’t as big of a departure from the Series 7 as the new Ultra model is. The Series 8 looks largely the same as the last year’s model, but it now includes two temperature sensors that could help detect when you’re running a fever and also enable Apple’s new ovulation tracking features. The Watch will take your temperature on a regular basis and record that data in the Health app, providing alerts that show when you were likely ovulating based on that data and additional cycle data. In addition to new ovulation tracking, the Series 8 with watchOS 9 will also support possible cycle deviation alerts.
Another new feature available on the Series 8 (as well as the Ultra) is crash detection. This builds upon the existing emergency services features found on previous generations: the Watch can detect when you’ve been in a car crash, and when it does, it’ll automatically alert your emergency contact as well as contact emergency services and send them your location.
Otherwise, it’s much the same as the Series 7 with an always-on display that reaches almost to the border of the case, a dust-proof and crack resistant design. It also still supports an all-day, 18-hour battery life, but it will also have a new low-power mode that can extend battery life to up to 36 hours in total. Low-power mode will be available on Apple Watch Series 4 and higher that run watchOS 9, so those with older Watches will be able to make use of this new feature.
Apple Watch SE
Apple
The new Apple Watch SE will be available to order today starting at $249 for the GPS-only models and $299 for the GPS + Cellular models. It’ll be more widely available on September 16th.
Apple’s minor update to its entry-level Watch brings the same processor that’s in the Series 8 to the more affordable smartwatch. The new SE will also support high heart rate alerts, fall detection and crash detection thanks to the upgraded sensors inside of the device.
AirPods Pro (second-generation)
Apple
The second-generation AirPods Pro will be available to order starting on September 9th and will cost $249. They’ll be more widely available on September 23rd.
If you were hoping for drastically different AirPods here, you may be disappointed. Apple’s latest AirPods Pro look almost identical to the previous model as most of the changes are internal. The buds have an updated H2 chip that enable features like personalized spatial audio and advanced computational audio. Apple’s also promising up to two times better active noise cancellation on these earbuds when compared to the previous generation. The new buds also now support touch controls thanks to a new capacitive sensing layer on their stems, plus a longer, six-hour base listening time.
Follow all of the news from Apple’s iPhone event right here.
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