Plenty of Apple, iPhone, and iPad news gets released every single day – but we know you’re busy, so we’ve got your back. Here, we’ve picked out some of the most important stories from the past week or so and summarized them for easy digestion. You’re welcome.
Let’s take a quickfire look at some of the most interesting recent headlines of late. As ever, click through to read the full stories if you want to know more!
iOS 15.2 to add Digital Legacy, AirTags protection, and more
iOS 15.1 is barely out of the door, but Apple has already started seeding beta versions of iOS 15.2 to developers. These early betas show that a couple of interesting features are coming to the next major update. These includes Digital Legacy, which enables you to nominate a Legacy Contact to access all your iCloud data in the event of your death. Another big feature that’s coming is the ability to scan for any AirTags that might have been unwittingly place on your person, avoiding their potential use as a snooping tool. You’ll also be able to set Hide My Email up directly from the Mail app.
Apple upgrading repair loan units to iPhone XR
When you send your iPhone in for a lengthy repair, Apple will typically supply you with an older iPhone to use in its stead. Up until recently, that phone would have been an iPhone 8. Now, however, Apple is apparently upgrading its fleet of repair phones to the iPhone XR, according to an internal memo seen by MacRumors. This should make for a much more modern and less grating experience for iPhone users, as the iPhone XR brings a 6.1-inch screen, Face ID, and a faster Apple A12 Bionic chip.
Wooden Apple-1 fetches $400,000 at auction
An extremely rare version of Apple’s first computer, the Apple-1, has just been sold at auction in the US for a staggering $400,000. This 1976 computer was special for having a case made of Hawaiian koa wood, and for still being in working order. Only 200 Apple-1 computers were made and sold in this kit form, and there are only believed to be around 20 in the world that are still functional. As the BBC points out, this isn’t even the highest fee paid for such a model, with one previous example going for $905,000 back in 2014.
Netflix Games comes to iOS
Apple has been on a roll with its own Apple Arcade gaming offering, but it’s just welcomed a potentially major rival onto its platform. Netflix has rolled out its own mobile gaming service, Netflix Games, which is available now on iOS. Access to Netflix Games comes as part of your Netflix subscription and through the existing Netflix app. It enables you to play five initial IAP and ad-free games: Stranger Things: 1984, Stranger Things 3: The Game, Shooting Hoops, Card Blast, and Teeter Up.