Last month Apple unveiled a redesigned iPad Air with slimmer bezels that it said would become available in October, but it didn't give an exact date for when it would start taking orders. With October now upon us, there are indications that the new ‌iPad‌ Air could launch imminently, rather than later on in the month.

According to a tweet late on Wednesday from well-connected Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, "Apple marketing materials for the new ‌iPad‌ Air are starting to land at retail stores, suggesting a launch sooner rather than later."

The new ‌iPad‌ Air is the first Apple device with Touch ID built into the power button. That has allowed Apple to add a fully laminated 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone, P3 wide color support, and an anti-reflective coating.

It's also the first time Apple has debuted a new AXX-series chip in an ‌iPad‌ before an iPhone. The new ‌iPad‌ Air is powered by the new 5nm-based, six-core A14 Bionic chip for up to 40 percent faster performance and up to 30 percent faster graphics than the previous-generation ‌iPad‌ Air. It's the same chip expected to be used for the iPhone 12 and ‌iPhone 12‌ Pro models, which are expected to be announced this month.

Apple marketing materials for the new ‌iPad‌ Air are starting to land at retail stores, suggesting a launch sooner rather than later. Apple said October, which is tomorrow — so not a surprise. — Mark Gurman (@markgurman) September 30, 2020

Apple's ‌iPad‌ Air is also the first ‌iPad‌ to offer unique color options similar to ‌iPhone‌ colors. The ‌iPad‌ Air is available in silver, space gray, rose gold, green, and sky blue.

Like the iPad Pro, the new ‌iPad‌ Air features a USB-C port instead of a Lightning connector, and similarly features a 12-megapixel rear camera for higher-resolution photos and 4K video recording.

The new ‌iPad‌ Air will be available on Apple.com and the Apple Store app in 30 countries and regions when it launches. Wi-Fi models will start at $599, while cellular models will start at $729, with 64GB and 256GB storage capacities available.

Popular writing app Ulysses receives its 21st major release on October 6, and will bring with it the revision mode that was introduced to Mac this summer to iPad and iPhone.

Revision mode, as the name suggests, aims to aid focused text revision by hiding unnecessary features, dimming the editor theme, and highlighting annotations and suggestions.

Revision mode also includes an advanced grammar and style check powered by the LanguageTool Plus service, which can analyze texts and provide informed suggestions in categories such as capitalization, punctuation, semantics, redundancy, typography, and style.

On top of the grammar and style suggestions, users can review annotations, comments, deletions and marked text passages in this mode.

In addition to the new mode, Ulysses' developers have reworked the app's appearance to match the look-and-feel of iOS 14.

Ulysses can be downloaded for free on the App Store and the Mac App Store, with version 21 rolling out to existing users today. After a 14-day trial period, a subscription is required to unlock the app on all devices. A monthly subscription costs $5.99, while a yearly subscription is $49.99.

Students can use Ulysses at a discounted price of $11.99 per six months. The discount is granted from within the app. Ulysses is also included in Setapp, the subscription-based service for Mac applications created by MacPaw.

Apple's upcoming macOS Big Sur operating system introduces HDR video support and allows Netflix users to watch content in 4K HDR for the first time. However, it turns out that only Macs with an Apple T2 Security chip are compatible with Ultra HD streaming.

Apple Terminal spotted a recently updated support document on Netflix's Help Center that now includes hardware requirements for viewing 4K HDR content in Safari on macOS Big Sur.

According to the web page, viewing Ultra HD content can only be achieved on a "select 2018 or later Mac computer with an Apple T2 Security chip." In addition to that, every monitor connected to the computer on which Ultra HD is streamed must be a 60Hz 4K capable display with a HDCP 2.2 connection.

It's not clear why Macs need a T2 security chip to play back 4K HDR content, given that Windows machines obviously don't, but it could be that this is Netflix's way of ensuring that viewers aren't trying to stream the high-definition content on older Macs, which could result in less-than-stellar performance.

The following Macs have the Apple T2 Security Chip, and can therefore stream Netflix in Ultra HD on macOS Big Sur:

• iMac introduced in 2020
• iMac Pro
• Mac Pro introduced in 2019
• Mac mini introduced in 2018
• MacBook Air introduced in 2018 or later
• MacBook Pro introduced in 2018 or later

macOS Big Sur is now up to its ninth public beta, and is likely to officially debut sometime this month.

As expected, Apple has added the seventh-generation iPod nano to its list of Vintage and Obsolete products, officially designating the last iPod in the iconic nano lineup as "vintage."

The vintage products list features devices that have not been updated for more than five years and less than seven years. After products pass the seven year mark, they are considered obsolete.

Apple debuted a refreshed version of the seventh-generation iPod nano in mid-2015, and that was the final iPod nano that came out. Now that the device is five years old, it is being added to the vintage list.

Apple launched the first iPod nano in September 2005, and over the course of the nano's lifetime, it got several redesigns. The first iPod nano model was similar in design to a standard iPod but with a slimmer, easier to pocket shape.

Fast forward seven years to October 2020 and the seventh-generation iPod nano, which ended up being the final model that was introduced. It had an iPod touch-style multi-touch display and a Home button, but the nano and touch product lines were ultimately so similar that Apple did away with the iPod nano.

Apple refreshed the seventh-generation iPod nano in 2015 to add new colors, but the design remained the same. The iPod nano was discontinued along with the iPod shuffle in mid-2017, leaving the iPod touch as the only iPod Apple sells.

Devices on Apple's vintage list are able to receive hardware service from Apple and Apple service providers, but it is subject to the availability of repair components and where required by law. Obsolete products have no hardware service available with no exceptions.

In addition to the seventh-generation iPod nano, the 5th-generation ‌‌iPod touch‌‌, which was originally released on October 11, 2012, has also been added to the Vintage and Obsolete list.

Shortly after the release of iOS 14 and watchOS 7, many users ran into problems with their iPhone and Apple Watch.

Multiple online support threads including our own found GPS data was not being properly recorded during activities. The issue appeared to affect all models of Apple Watches.

In the majority of cases, users record a workout on their watch while leaving their ‌iPhone‌ at home, but when they later look at the Activity app it only shows the workout's starting point on the GPS map, and nothing else.

In addition, some users have been reporting excess battery drain of their Apple Watch, ‌iPhone‌ or both under ‌iOS 14‌ and ‌watchOS 7‌. In the support threads, the unofficial fix seemed to be unpairing and restoring your Apple Watch. Jack Taylor from our forums reported resolving both issues with this method:

Both the GPS and severe battery drain issues on ‌watchOS 7‌ were fixed for me simply by in-pairing and re-pairing my watch. Both issues resolved themselves immediately after as noted in many of the support groups

It appears that Apple has adopted this advice as the official solution to this problem. In a newly published support document titled If you're missing Workout GPS routes or Health data after updating to ‌iOS 14‌ and ‌watchOS 7‌, Apple writes that users may see the following issues after upgrading to ‌iOS 14‌ and ‌watchOS 7‌:

Possible Symptoms

• Your workout route maps are missing in the Fitness app on ‌iPhone‌ for previous GPS-enabled workouts from your Apple Watch.
• The Activity, Heart Rate, or other health-related apps fail to launch or load data on your Apple Watch.
• The Fitness app or Health app fail to launch or load data on your ‌iPhone‌.
• The Health app or Fitness app is reporting an inaccurate amount of data storage on your ‌iPhone‌.
• The Activity app is reporting an inaccurate amount of data storage on your Apple Watch.
• Your environmental sound levels data or headphone audio levels data from Apple Watch is missing in the Health app on ‌iPhone‌.
• Increased battery drain on your ‌iPhone‌ or Apple Watch.

If you are experiencing two or more of these symptoms, Apple suggests unpairing your Apple Watch, backing up both your ‌iPhone‌ and Apple Watch, wiping both devices and restoring from backup. Apple provides steps to accomplish these tasks in their support document which was published today.

In iOS 14, Apple overhauled widgets and introduced an option for adding ‌widgets‌ to the Home Screen, but in the process, a well-loved Favorites widget that existed in iOS 13 was removed.

The Favorites widget allowed users to set certain contacts and contact methods as favorites that were easily accessible, so you could, for example, add a favorite option for messaging Eric or calling Dan, with those actions executed with a tap on the widget.

Why the Favorites widget was removed is a mystery and it could be a simple oversight with Apple planning to reintroduce it later, but for now, those who relied on the widget can recreate its functionality with Shortcuts. It takes some effort, but it may be worth the time investment if you often relied on your Favorites.

Creating a Favorites Shortcut

Making a shortcut that replicates the behavior of the Favorites widget isn't too tough, but if you want multiple favorite options, you'll need to create a separate shortcut for each one in the Shortcuts app.

1. Open the Shortcuts app.
2. Tap on the "← Shortcuts" label in the upper left hand corner.
3. Tap on the folder icon in the top right to create a new folder. Your favorites shortcuts need to be in a folder if you want to use them with the Shortcuts widget.
4. Name the folder ("Favorites" in our case) and choose an icon.
5. Tap on the new folder ("Favorites") and then tap the "+" icon to start creating shortcuts.

After this step, there are slightly different Shortcut creation methods that can be used to create quick contact options for calling, FaceTiming, and messaging someone.

Making a Shortcut to Call Someone

1. Tap Add Action and then search for "Phone" or "Call."
2. Tap the Phone app.
3. Tap on one of the suggested contacts that Shortcuts offers or tap on the "+" button to select a different contact.
4. Make sure the Shortcut you've created says Call [Contact Name].
5. Tap Next.
6. Give the Shortcut a name. ("Call John" in our case)
7. Tap the icon to the left to the name to select both a color and an icon for your Shortcut.
8. Tap "Done."

After you tap Done, your shortcut to make a phone call to one of your contacts will be listed in the appropriate folder in the Shortcuts app. To activate it, just tap it and it will automatically call the intended person. Repeat these steps for anyone you want to create a call shortcut for.

Making a Shortcut to FaceTime Someone

1. Tap Add Action and then search for "FaceTime" or "Call."
2. Tap the ‌FaceTime‌ app to get to the Shortcut editing options.
3. Tap on "‌FaceTime‌" to select either standard ‌FaceTime‌ or ‌FaceTime‌ Audio.
4. Tap on the [Contact] blank to select a contact from the list.
5. Make sure the Shortcut you've created says ‌FaceTime‌ [Contact Name].
6. Tap Next.
7. Give the Shortcut a name.
8. Tap the icon next to the name to select both a color and an icon for your Shortcut.
9. Tap "Done."

When you tap this Shortcut, it will initiate a ‌FaceTime‌ call to the person that was added as the contact.

Making a Shortcut to Message Someone

1. Tap Add Action and then search for "Messages."
2. Tap on "Send Message."
3. Tap on the [Recipients] blank to select a contact.
4. Type in the name of the person you want to be able to message.
5. Make sure the Shortcut you've created says Send "Message" to [Contact].
6. Tap Next.
7. Give the Shortcut a name.
8. Tap the icon next to the name to select both a color and an icon for your Shortcut.
9. Tap "Done."

Tapping the finished Shortcut will open up the Messages app with a compose window for the person who you added as your target contact. Note that if you want to send a message to more than one person, just type in multiple names at the part where you're entering the name of your contact.

Adding the Shortcuts Favorites Widget to Your Home Screen

Once you've created all your shortcuts for quickly sending a message, calling, or FaceTiming your contacts, you're ready to add a widget that can be accessed from the widget interface or right from the ‌Home Screen‌.

1. Go to the iPhone's ‌Home Screen‌.
2. Swipe over to where you want to place your new Favorite Widget.
3. Press and hold on the ‌Home Screen‌ to enter "Jiggle" Mode, and then tap the "+" button in the upper left hand corner.
4. Search for Shortcuts and tap the icon.
5. Choose the widget you want. If you made a single favorites Shortcut, tap the single option. If you have two to four, tap the size with four, and choose eight if you have more.
6. Tap Add Widget.
7. Tap on the widget to customize it.
8. Tap on the folder where you put all your favorites shortcuts.
9. Tap out of the interface and tap "Done."

That's all there is to it. Once the Shortcuts widget is set up with the appropriate folder that contains all of your contact shortcuts, a tap on any one of the widget options will initiate the action right from the widget interface, just like the prior favorites widget.

Note that the Shortcuts widget has limited space when it comes to names, so you may need to shorten some of the Shortcut names you've created to make it clear who's going to be contacted if you have multiples.

If you need more detailed instructions on adding ‌widgets‌, see our dedicated Widgets how to.

Favorites Still in the Contacts App

Just to be clear, it's the Favorites widget that's been removed, not the Favorites functionality in its entirety. You can still create and access your previously made favorite options in the Phone app under the "Favorites" tab if that's easier than making a whole bunch of Shortcuts.

For more on how to make use of ‌widgets‌ and the new ‌Home Screen‌ changes in ‌iOS 14‌, make sure to check out our widget how to and our Home Screen guide.

Ahead of Apple's rumored October event that will see the unveiling of the new iPhone 12 lineup, Google today held a virtual event to unveil its latest flagship smartphones, the 5G-enabled Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a with 5G.

Priced starting at $699, the Pixel 5 features a 6-inch OLED display, 8GB RAM, 128GB of storage, a 4080mAh battery, an aluminum body, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chip with 5G connectivity. Google is not using the latest Qualcomm chip technology, likely in order to keep the price down.

The Pixel 5 also includes a two-lens camera setup with a 12-megapixel wide-angle lens and a 16-megapixel ultra wide-angle lens, and it supports bilateral wireless charging for charging Qi-based accessories like headphones.

The more affordable Pixel 4a with 5G is priced starting at $499. It features a 6.2-inch OLED display, the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chip, a dual-lens camera, 6GB RAM, 128GB storage, and a 3.5mm audio jack, which is missing from the Pixel 5.

Compared to the 5G Pixel 4a, the higher-priced Pixel 5 offers IPX8 water resistance, a Gorilla Glass 6 display, the aforementioned reverse wireless charging feature, larger battery, and a bump in RAM.

Pre-orders for the Pixel 5 are available now from Google's website, while the Pixel 4a 5G will be available for purchase in November.

Google today also unveiled a new Nest Audio speaker and an updated Chromecast with Google TV service. The Nest Audio is 75 percent louder than the Google Home, with 50 percent stronger bass. It features a 19mm tweeter and a 75mm mid-woofer for what Google says is "full, clear and natural" sound.

A Media EQ feature lets Nest Audio tune itself to the music that's being played, and Ambient IQ lets it adjust the volume of Assistant, news, podcasts, and more based on the background noise in the home. Google designed the fabric-covered Nest Audio with a slim profile and multiple color options.

Google's redesigned Chromecast with Google TV combines Chromecast features with the new Google TV experience. The TV service features a "For You" tab for finding content suggestions across subscriptions, and it is designed to work with the YouTube TV membership with live TV recommendations and curated content from other services.

The updated Chromecast has a thin design with 4K HDR support and a new remote to control it. It supports Dolby Vision and HDMI pass-through of Dolby Audio content. The remote has a dedicated Google Assistant button for answering queries and finding content, plus there are dedicated buttons for launching YouTube and Netflix.

The Chromecast with Google TV is available as of today for $50, as is the Nest Audio, which can pre-ordered for $100.

Apple today seeded a new beta of the upcoming macOS 11 Big Sur update to its public beta testing group, allowing non-developers to give the software a try ahead of its public release this fall. The new beta release for public testers comes a few weeks after the last beta, and a day after the ninth beta was seeded to developers.

Beta testers who signed up for Apple's beta testing program can download the macOS Big Sur beta through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after installing the proper profile.

Mac users who want to be a part of Apple's beta testing program can sign up to participate on the beta website, which gives users access to iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS betas. Potential beta testers should make a full backup before installing ‌macOS Big Sur‌, and it may not be wise to install the update on a primary machine because betas can be unstable.

macOS Big Sur introduces a refined design for the macOS operating system, which is more similar to iOS but immediately familiar to Mac users with tweaks to window design, color palette, app icons, system sounds, menu bars, and sidebars.

The update brings Control Center to the Mac for the first time, providing quicker access to system controls for things like volume, keyboard brightness, screen brightness, Wi-Fi connection, and more.

An updated Notification Center includes more interactive notifications and redesigned widgets that mirror the new ‌widgets‌ in iOS 14. Notifications are now grouped by app, and you can customize which ‌widgets‌ show up.

Safari has a new customizable start page, built-in translation, and a Privacy Report feature that lets you know which trackers each website is using to follow you across the web. There's a new Mac App Store category for extensions, and you can now control the specific sites that extensions are able to work with for more privacy.

The Messages app for Mac has been overhauled to bring it more in line with the Messages app for iOS and it supports features like pinned conversations, mentions, inline replies, Messages effects, and Memoji creation and Memoji stickers. Search is also better to make it easier to find old conversations, photos, links, and more.

A redesigned Maps app in macOS Big Sur adds support for Look Around, indoor maps, Guides, and Shared ETA updates, plus it can be used to generate cycling routes and routes with charging stops for electric vehicles, which can be sent to iPhone.

There are also smaller updates for apps like Photos, Music, and Home, with a full list of everything new in macOS Big Sur available in our roundup.

Apple today seeded the second public betas of upcoming iOS 14.2 and iPadOS 14.2 updates to its public beta testing group, two weeks after releasing the first betas and a few day after providing the second betas to developers.

Public beta testers who have signed up for Apple's beta testing program can download the iOS and iPadOS‌ 14.2 updates over the air after installing the proper certificate from the Public Beta website on an iOS device.

Apple in iOS and iPadOS 14.2 is adding new Emoji 13 emoji characters, with options that include smiling face with tear, ninja, pinched fingers, anatomical heart, black cat, mammoth, polar bear, dodo, fly, bell pepper, tamale, bubble tea, potted plant, piñata, plunger, wand, feather, hut, and more, with a full list available here.

iOS 14.2 introduces a new Music Recognition control for the Control Center, deepening the integration of the Apple-owned Shazam app in the iOS operating system. Music Recognition lets you discover music playing around you and it can recognize music playing in apps even when you're wearing AirPods.

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The Shazam Music Recognition feature can be added to Control Center through the Control Center options in the Settings app. To use the feature, open up Control Center and then tap on the Shazam icon to initiate a single recognition.

The new update brings a redesigned Now Playing widget for the Control Center that lists recently played albums that you might want to listen to when you have no music playing. There's also a redesigned interface for AirPlay, making it easier to play music across multiple ‌AirPlay‌ 2-enabled devices in the home.

For those who have low vision, Apple added a "People Detection" feature in the Magnifier app that uses the camera to let iPhone users know how far away other people are, which can be useful for social distancing purposes.

As for smaller but interesting tweaks, iOS 14.2 brings a new icon for the Apple Watch app, with the watch now sporting one of Apple's new Solo Loop bands.

The new iOS 14.2 beta will likely be in testing for some time as Apple works on releasing new iPhones, with the new iPhones expected to debut sometime in October.

Apple with the Apple Watch Series 6 introduced a new feature for monitoring blood oxygen level, using the LEDs at the back of the Apple Watch to determine the amount of oxygen in the blood. A low blood oxygen level can be indicative of a serious health issue that needs immediate attention.

Taking a blood oxygen reading is rather straightforward, but there are automatic measurement settings to be aware of as well as necessary tips for getting an accurate measurement, all of which can be found in the guide below.

How Blood Oxygen Readings on Apple Watch Work

The ‌Apple Watch Series 6‌ is equipped with green, red, and infrared LEDs that shine light onto the blood vessels in the wrist, with photodiodes measuring the amount of light reflected back.

Apple's algorithms use this information to calculate the color of the blood, which is an indication of how much oxygen is in the blood. Bright red blood is well oxygenated, while darker blood has less oxygen.

The ‌Apple Watch Series 6‌ can measure blood oxygen levels between 70 and 100 percent. Most healthy people have blood oxygen levels that range from 95 to 100 percent, though those with COPD and other lung diseases may have a lower average percentage.

Apple does not expect the Blood Oxygen function in the Series 6 to be intended for medical use, and so the Apple Watch will not send a notification if a lower than normal blood oxygen level is detected.

Hardware Requirements

Using the Blood Oxygen monitoring feature requires an ‌Apple Watch Series 6‌ running the latest version of watchOS along with an iPhone 6s or later with the latest version of iOS.

The Blood Oxygen app is available in almost all countries around the world, but if you're not seeing it, it might not be in your country. Apple has a list here.

Note that the Blood Oxygen app is not available to users under 18 and it is not enabled when an Apple Watch has been paired to an ‌iPhone‌ using Family Setup.

Enabling Blood Oxygen Measurements

When you set up a Series 6 Apple Watch, you'll be asked during the setup process if you want to enable Blood Oxygen measurements. If you tap "enable" when asked, the feature will be turned on automatically and will be usable through the Blood Oxygen app.

How to Take a Blood Oxygen Measurement on Apple Watch

1. Make sure your ‌Apple Watch Series 6‌ is snug but comfortable on your wrist.
   
   

2. Open the Blood Oxygen app on your Apple Watch.
   
   

3. Keep still, and make sure your wrist is flat with the Apple Watch facing upwards.
   
   

4. Tap Start, then keep your arm steady for 15 seconds.
   
   

5. Wait for the measurement to be taken - you'll see the result when it's complete. Then tap Done.
   

You can view blood oxygen measurements taken over days, weeks, months, and years in the Health app on your ‌iPhone‌. Simply search for "Blood Oxygen."

Automatic Blood Oxygen Readings

In addition to on-demand readings, the ‌Apple Watch Series 6‌ takes automatic blood oxygen readings throughout the day. Automatic blood oxygen measurements are enabled as long as Blood Oxygen Measurements are turned on and enabled, which is the default setting on the new Apple Watch.

Automatic blood oxygen readings are taken infrequently during the day, so you may only see these measurements a few times throughout your day, a departure from the frequency of heart rate measurements. Blood oxygen readings aren't taken as often simply because the wrist needs to be held still and in a specific orientation for a measurement.

Enabling Automatic Blood Oxygen Readings in Theater Mode

The Apple Watch has a Theater Mode that keeps the display of the Apple Watch dim to prevent it from being a nuisance in dark places like movie theaters, and there's a blood oxygen setting that can enable or disable readings during Theater Mode.

Apple says that blood oxygen readings require the use of a bright red light, which has the potential to be distracting in a dark room. Here's how to enable or disable readings in Theater Mode.

1. Open up the Settings app on the Apple Watch.
2. Scroll down and tap on the Blood Oxygen app.
3. Scroll down and tap the toggle next to "In Theater Mode" to turn the feature on or off.

Enabling Automatic Blood Oxygen Readings During Sleep

As with Theater Mode, Apple has an option to disable blood oxygen readings when the Apple Watch is in Sleep Mode because the bright light might be distracting in the dark. Here's how to enable or disable readings for Sleep Mode.

1. Open up the Settings app on the Apple Watch.
2. Scroll down and tap on the Blood Oxygen app.
3. Scroll down and tap the toggle next to "In Sleep Mode" to turn the feature on or off.

Viewing Blood Oxygen Data

No blood oxygen data can be viewed on the Apple Watch outside of the reading that you just took if you have the app open. Historical data needs to be viewed on the ‌iPhone‌, and it can be a little bit hard to find.

Here's the easiest way to get to your data.

1. Open up the Health app on the ‌iPhone‌.
2. Tap on Browse at the bottom of the app.
3. Tap on Vitals or at the top of the app, search for Blood Oxygen.
4. Tap on the reading that comes up.

From here, you can see your average Blood Oxygen measurements by day, week, month or year, tapping on the chart to see specific information about each reading in day view or ranges for the other view options.

Tapping on "Show More Blood Oxygen Data" provides the latest reading, range over time, daily average, and readings in a High Elevation Environment or during sleep if those apply.

If you scroll all the way to the bottom of the app, there's a "Show All Data" option that you can tap to see all of the blood oxygen measurements that have been taken with specific information on date, barometric pressure, and more.

Turn Off Blood Oxygen Monitoring

Don't want to use blood oxygen monitoring at all? It can be disabled in the Settings app.

1. Open up the Settings app on the Apple Watch.
2. Scroll down and tap on the Blood Oxygen app.
3. Tap on the toggle next to "Blood Oxygen Measurements" to turn the feature off.

If you want to reenable blood oxygen readings at a later date, just turn the toggle back on. It's enabled by default when you set up the Apple Watch, so the only reason you might need to enable it is if you've previously disabled it.

Blood Oxygen Troubleshooting

The sensors that measure oxygen level in the blood on the Apple Watch are highly sensitive and the reading will fail even if there's minor movement. If you're frequently getting an "Unsuccessful Measurement" warning, make sure to follow these steps.

1. Hold your wrist flat and face up, with your fingers also resting open. Blood oxygen measurements will not work if the arm is hanging down or if your fingers are in a fist.
2. Make sure the Apple Watch is snug against the wrist with a band that fits well and is not too loose or too tight.
3. Make sure the Apple Watch is flat against the wrist and not impeded by the wrist bone. If it is over the wrist bone, adjust the positioning of the watch.
4. For more stability, put your wrist on a table or flat surface such as your lap.
5. Minimize all movement for 15 seconds. The stiller you are, the better.
6. Don't tap or otherwise engage with the Apple Watch. A tap on the screen or touching the Digital Crown can cause minute movement that disrupts the reading.

If you're following all of the above steps and are still having trouble, Apple warns that there are a few scenarios that can cause poor readings.

• Tattoos - Dark tattoos in the area where the sensors are located can cause the light that shines through the skin to measure oxygen level to fail to work properly. There's no fix for this, unless there's a non-tattooed wrist area available. Note that lighter tattoos may not interfere with the sensor, and it may also work with those that leave a good amount of skin visible.
• Cold weather - If it's cold outside, it can affect how much blood flows through your arm at any given time, which in turn can cause blood oxygen measurements to fail.
• Skin perfusion - Regardless of weather, sometimes the blood flowing through the skin is slower, and this can vary significantly from person to person. Skin perfusion is a factor in how well the blood oxygen measurements work.
• High heart rate - If your heart rate is above 150 beats per minute at rest, the blood oxygen measurement feature will not work.
• Motion - As mentioned above, blood oxygen measurements tolerate little to no motion at all, and arm position is a factor. Hold the arm straight with your fingers out and try not to move if you're having issues.

Guide Feedback

Have questions about blood oxygen monitoring on ‌Apple Watch Series 6‌ or want to offer feedback on this guide? Send us an email here.

The Apple TV app is coming to Xbox, according to Windows Central, which tweeted that it can "confirm" the news. It is unclear when the app will arrive on Xbox, but the report claims it will "likely" be available in time for the launch of the new Xbox Series X and Series S consoles on November 10. It is unclear if older consoles like the Xbox One would be supported.

A member of the Xbox Insider beta program recently shared a photo that appears to show the Apple TV app in a list of apps available to test, although they said the app was non-functional and disappeared shortly after.

The Apple TV app allows users to stream TV shows and movies from Apple TV+, Apple TV Channels, and their iTunes libraries, as well as buy or rent TV shows and movies from the iTunes Store. The app is already available on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, PC, Apple TV, select Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, and select Samsung, LG, and Vizio smart TVs.

We can confirm Apple TV / Apple TV+ is coming to Xbox consoles ... likely in time for Xbox Series X|S launch 👐https://t.co/Oy63RPl5B6 — Windows Central (@windowscentral) September 30, 2020

OhSnap! #AppleTV is coming to #Xbox!!! Now I’m not as upset about them removing the second HDMI port cuz that’s all I used it for. But now we get 4k! #XboxInsiders
😩🙌🏾🍏📺+❎😎#KeepItWavy 🌊🏄🏾‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/hx32MhUwWp — Tzunami 🌊 Sapp ❎🕙 #AmbassadorBots (@Tzunami_Sapp) September 24, 2020

Back in March, we noted that optical Thunderbolt 3 cables were starting to become available some four years after the standard's debut. Availability of these high-end optical cables has taken another step forward recently, as Corning has begun shipping out its cables in lengths ranging from 5 meters to 50 meters.

Corning's 10-meter optical Thunderbolt 3 cable
Compared to passive and active copper Thunderbolt 3 cables that support relatively short lengths most appropriate for a desktop setting, optical cables allow for much longer cable lengths needed by certain professional and corporate users. But for anyone who wants to be able to put their computer and/or accessories like external storage some distance away from their workspace, such as for heat, noise, or aesthetic reasons, these cables are certainly an option.

While optical Thunderbolt 3 cables allow for long cable runs, they do have some limitations compared to traditional copper cables, with one of the most significant being a lack of power capabilities. That means small accessories like external SSDs that need to draw bus power from the host devices they're attached to won't work with optical cables.

Optical Thunderbolt 3 cables also only support Thunderbolt 3 connections and can not fall back to USB modes running at slower speeds, so you won't be able to use one of these optical Thunderbolt 3 cables to directly connect USB-C devices that don't support Thunderbolt 3, for example.

They can, however, be used with Thunderbolt 3 docks that can in turn support a variety of other types of connections such as USB, displays, audio, and more, as the Thunderbolt controller in the dock handles converting everything to run over Thunderbolt. Daisy-chaining of multiple Thunderbolt 3 accessories is also supported with optical cables.

Connectors on optical Thunderbolt 3 cables are a little on the bulky side given the components needed to convert the electrical Thunderbolt 3 signal to an optical one and back. They are, however, only a bit larger than typical passive copper cable connectors and similar in size to active copper cable ones, so they shouldn't block adjacent ports. With only the fiber optic strands inside, the cable itself is also significantly thinner than most traditional USB and Thunderbolt cables.

Unsurprisingly, all of this optical technology comes at a cost that may put these cables out of reach for many consumers. The shortest Corning optical Thunderbolt 3 cable, the 5-meter version, is priced at $360 at vendors like B&H; Photo. The price does not, however, rise significantly with cable length as the expensive parts are in the connectors, with 10-meter cables priced at $370, 15-meter cables at $390, 25-meter cables at $410, and, 50-meter cables at $480.

B&H; is currently quoting special order status with availability in 7-14 business days for all but the 50-meter version, which is listed as in stock. Corning says significantly improved supplies will be available in just a couple of weeks.

As noted on Reddit, the second developer beta of iOS 14.2 introduces a new yearly spending history option for the Apple Card, allowing cardholders to see how much they have spent with the card within the current calendar year.

Apple Card spending activity was previously limited to weekly or monthly summaries. The new yearly option can be accessed by opening the Wallet app, tapping on the Apple Card, and tapping on the Activity bars below Card Balance. As of the second developer beta of iOS 14.2, there are now three tabs at the top for Week, Month, and Year overviews.

The yearly summary also shows how much Daily Cash a user has earned with the Apple Card within the current calendar year.

To apply for an ‌Apple Card‌, open the Wallet app on an iPhone running iOS 12.4 or later, tap the plus button in the top-right corner, and follow the on-screen steps. The process takes just a few minutes, and if approved, a virtual ‌Apple Card‌ will be ready for purchases immediately. A physical, titanium Apple Card can also be requested through the Wallet app for use at retail stores that do not accept contactless payments.

Apple Card's key features include color-coded spending summaries, no fees, and up to three percent cashback on purchases, paid out daily. The card remains limited to the United States, but an international expansion may be on the horizon.

Around a month after Facebook began quietly merging its Messenger service with Instagram direct messaging, the transition has been officially launched, with a full rollout to all users soon to follow.

As a result of the merging of the chat services, Instagram users can chat with Facebook users and vice versa using the same platform. Features previously only available on Facebook Messenger can now be accessed in Instagram, including colorful chats, more emoji reactions, and swipe-to-reply. In addition, the regular paper airplane DM icon in the top-right corner of the Instagram UI has been replaced by the Facebook Messenger logo.

The move is part of Facebook's long-term plan to merge Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp chat platforms. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg reportedly wants all the apps to incorporate WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption and put a new focus on user privacy.

The company hopes that unifying its messaging infrastructure will help to keep its billions of users engaged in the Facebook ecosystem, in an attempt to ward off rival messaging services such as Apple's iMessage.

Last week, Facebook began lobbying Apple for an option to make its Messenger service the default messaging app on iOS, arguing that now users can select a third-party app as the default browser and email app, it is unfair to exclude messaging apps.

Apple has reportedly removed two RSS feed reader apps from China's App Store to comply with Chinese law. Fiery Feeds and Reeder both tweeted that their iOS apps had been removed in China over content that is considered "illegal" in the country.

Same here. Reeder 4 (iOS) was also removed from the Chinese ‌App Store‌. https://t.co/95aXs4MaEh — Reeder (@reederapp) September 29, 2020

Fiery Feeds quoted a three-year-old tweet from Inoreader, a similar RRS service that was banned from Apple's Chinese ‌App Store‌ back in 2017 and had its entire service blocked in the country in April. Apple's original message to Inoreader read:

We are writing to notify you that your application will be removed from the China ‌App Store‌ because it includes content that it illegal in China, which is not in compliance with the ‌App Store‌ Review Guidelines:

5. Legal
Apps must comply with all legal requirements in any location where you make them available (if you're not sure, check with a lawyer). We know this stuff is complicated, but it is your responsibility to understand and make sure your app conforms with all local laws, not just the guidelines below. And of course, apps that solicit, promote, or encourage criminal or clearly reckless behavior will be rejected.

It's not clear why Apple waited until now to block the additional feed readers, but the fact that it pulled these apps at all suggests RSS readers can sometimes circumvent China's Great Firewall and pull in content from third-party websites that are otherwise on its blocked list.

Apple has faced increasing pressure from investors and human rights activists about its relationship with China and its tendency to comply with Beijing's demands. Last year, for example, Apple removed the app of news outlet Quartz from China's ‌‌‌App Store‌‌‌ after complaints from the government that it included content that is illegal in the country. The app was covering the Hong Kong Umbrella Movement protests at the time.

Apple has also been forced to remove many VPN apps from the ‌‌‌App Store‌‌‌ in China due to the administration's regulations. Other apps affected in the past include WhatsApp, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, and the New York Times app.

Earlier this month, Apple published a human rights policy document that commits to "freedom of information and expression," following years of criticism from investors that it shows too much deference to Beijing and accedes to China's censorship demands.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Twitter says it's making its voice tweets feature available to more users on iOS. Launched in June for a limited number of users, voice tweets is designed to allow people to tweet with their voice, sending voice-based messages instead of text.

Voice tweets can be created by opening up the tweet composer and tapping the new wavelengths icon. A screen then opens with a user's Twitter icon, which can be tapped to begin a recording.

Twitter users can capture up to 140 seconds of audio, but continuous recording is possible and longer audio will create multiple voice tweets.

Listening to a voice tweet can be done by tapping on the image in the Twitter timeline. On iOS, playback starts in an audio player that's docked at the bottom of the timeline so users can continue to scroll through Twitter.

Transcription for audio and video is part of our larger plan to make Twitter accessible for everyone across all features, both existing and new.https://t.co/c9LTPiE003 (2/2) — Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) September 29, 2020

Since their arrival on iOS, voice tweets have been criticized for lacking accessibility in the form of audio transcriptions. That criticism led Twitter employees to reveal they'd been asked to volunteer their time on top of their usual work to focus on accessibility.

The ensuing flak led Twitter to tell The Verge that it was exploring how to build a "more dedicated group" to focus on accessibility, and the company has since announced new two teams in that vein. Twitter subsequently said it plans to add automated captions to audio and video on the platform by "early 2021."

Apple has officially retired Beats Updater, the software utility that lets users update the firmware of their Beats Wireless headphones, earphones, and speakers.

Beats Updater allows users to plug their Beats product directly into the USB port of their computer to check for firmware updates online, but with Apple's growing tendency to deliver over-the-air updates to wireless products via iOS and iPadOS, the company clearly feels the utility has reached the end of its life.

Beats Updater is still available to download for use with the following products, but Apple says no new versions will be available in future.

If you have one of the Beats headphones or earphones listed below, pairing them with your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch will update them automatically. If you have an Android device, download the Beats app for Android from the Google Play store to update your firmware.

Apple recently released over-the-air firmware updates for AirPods (second generation), AirPods Pro, Powerbeats, ‌Powerbeats Pro‌, and Solo Pro. The new firmware adds automatic switching support to these models and requires iOS 14, iPadOS 14, macOS Big Sur, or later. In addition to automatic switching, ‌AirPods Pro‌ also gained a new spatial audio feature.

Several of Apple's services appear to be experiencing issues, with MacRumors readers reporting problems with Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple News+, the App Store, and more.

When attempting to access ‌Apple Music‌ or ‌Apple TV‌+, for example, the services refuse to load for some people and pop up a connection warning.

Apple's System Status page lists ‌App Store‌, Apple Arcade, ‌Apple Music‌, ‌Apple TV‌+, Radio, Apple Books, Find My, Game Center, iCloud Account, ‌iCloud‌ backup, ‌iCloud‌ Calendar, ‌iCloud‌ Contacts, Photos, ‌iCloud‌ Mail, and iWork outages.

We'll update this article when Apple's services come back online. Update: Apple has resolved the outages.