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NOVEMBER 2023 CONTENTS

MACUSER
macOS 14 Sonoma is here, but these
features are coming later 7
Add widgets to the Sonoma Desktop 9
Safari 17: Everything you need to know
about the new features 13
Intel announces Thunderbolt 5 16
MacUser Reviews 19
Hot Stuff 26
iOSCENTRAL
3 new Apple features I’d literally be lost
without 31
How to customize StandBy for the perfect
full-screen experience 34
How to create and customize your
Contact Poster in iOS 17 37
iOS 17: Crosswords with Apple News+ 39
RIP Lightning 42
iPhone 15 Pro Max review 50 iOS Central Reviews 45
WORKINGMAC
Three overlooked Apple apps 71
Need help from Apple? Don’t go to social
media 75
macOS Sonoma: Using web apps 77
Insert fractions in Word and Pages 82
PLAYLIST
Sonos Move 2 review 87
PreSonus Eris HD10BT review 94
Review: Final Audio ZE8000 98
iOS 17: How to set and adjust crossfade in
Apple Music 104
Apple connects Podcasts app with Music,
News+, and other subscriptions 106
HELPDESK
Find a picture that appears in a
Photos memory; Share raw and HEIC
photos from your iPhone; Set Messages to
watchOS 10 rethinks Apple Watch 64 auto-reply while driving; What does ‘Allow
More Data on 5G’ do an iPhone? 109
COVER IMAGE COURTESY OF APPLE NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 3

MASTHEAD
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Matt Egan

EDITOR IN CHIEF, CONSUMER BRANDS Jon Phillips
DESIGN DIRECTOR Robert Schultz
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Michael Simon
Editorial
SENIOR EDITOR Roman Loyola
STAFF WRITER Jason Cross
SENIOR CONTRIBUTORS Glenn Fleishman, Rob Griffiths,
Joe Kissell, Kirk McElhearn, John Moltz, Dan Moren, Jason Snell
COPY EDITOR Gail Nelson-Bonebrake
Design
ART DIRECTOR Steve Traynor
DESIGNER Rob Woodcock
Advertising
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INTERNATIONAL DATA GROUP CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Walter Boyd
FOUNDRY CEO
Kumaran Ramanathan
4 MACWORLD NOVEMBER 2023

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November 2023, Volume 40, Issue 11
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NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 5

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MACUSER News and analysis about
Macs, macOS, and Apple
macOS 14 Sonoma is here,

but these features are coming later
A few features will arrive in OS updates.
BY ROMAN LOYOLA
M
acOS Sonoma is here (fave. features won’t be available until a future
co/42cIBqT) and it brings a update later this year or in early 2024.
bunch of new features, such Here’s a list of features to look forward to
as desktop widgets (fave. in macOS Sonoma.
co/3RzYK87), a new Lock Screen (fave.
co/3taQT6Z), Game Mode (fave. APPLE MUSIC
co/3RCyycY), pet recognition in Photos, macOS Sonoma has plenty of Desktop
Mail updates, and a lot more. Widgets you can use, but the Music
However, several features that Apple widget isn’t available yet. It allows users to
showcased at WWDC this past June won’t control playback from the Music app, as
be available in the first release of well as show a dynamic list of the top
Sonoma. As is the case for iOS 17, some charts and recommendations.
IMAGE: APPLE NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 7

MACUSER M ACO S SONOMA FEATU R ES TO COME
Other Music features that will come at a will be able to sync settings such as Text
later date: Message Forwarding, Send & Receive
Playlist collaboration: Friends can put accounts, and SMS filters across devices.
together a playlist and add, reorder, and
remove songs. You can use emoji to react PDFS
to songs. When you open a PDF, the Intelligent
Favorite Songs playlist: This is just form detection can automatically identify
what it sounds like, a playlist of your PDFs with a field that needs to be filled
favorite songs. You can ask Siri to play it. out. Enhanced AutoFill can sense fields
Favorites in Library: Your favorite such as names and addresses and quickly
songs, artists, and playlists are populate them—but it won’t be available
automatically added to your Library. until a future update.
MESSAGES INLINE PREDICTIVE TEXT

Messages offers a bunch of new features, When using English, Sonoma can provide
such as swipe to reply, verification code single and multi-word predictions for text
auto-delete, and enhanced audio fields, based on what you are typing. You
messages. But these three features won’t can then accept the predictive text
be available until later: suggestion by pressing the space bar.
Stickers: A Sticker drawer will have Like iOS 17, the feature is delayed until
Live Stickers, Memoji, or Animoji that you later this year. ■
can use to react to a
message.
Catch-up Arrow:
In a group
conversation, an
arrow appears in the
top right corner. Tap
it and you’ll jump to
the first unread
message.
iCloud
improvements: In a later update to macOS Sonoma, group messages will have a
Messages in iCloud catch-up arrow to take the user to the first unread message.

How to add widgets to the macOS
Sonoma Desktop
Widgets provide quick access to the information you need.
BY ROMAN LOYOLA
T
he key new feature in macOS time. This new widget implementation
Sonoma is the ability to add gives you instant access to the information
widgets to the Desktop. They’re you need. Let’s look at how to add widgets
no longer banished to the to your Desktop.
notification shade that slides open when Check out our macOS Sonoma guide
you click on the time in the menu bar. In (fave.co/42cIBqT) for more information
Sonoma, widgets can exist anywhere on about the latest version of the Mac
the Desktop, so you can see them all the operating system.

MACUSER A D D W I DGETS TO SONOMA D ESKTOP
1. EDIT WIDGETS You can also Control-click (or two-

When you first install macOS Sonoma, you finger tap on a trackpad) on the Finder and
can find your widgets as before by clicking select Edit Widgets in the pop-up menu.
the date and time in the menu bar. In the
sidebar that appears, you’ll find a tab for 2. PICK YOUR WIDGETS
the new Desktop widgets. You can click it The widget browser will appear from the
to get started, but if you don’t see that bottom of the screen. Peruse the browser
section, just click Edit Widgets at the until you find the widget you want. You’ll
bottom of the column. find that widgets are available in different
sizes and styles.
For example, the
Clock widget has
options for
displaying the
time in a different
city, or options for
a World Clock.
3. PLACE A
WIDGET
To place a
1. widget, you can
click and then
drag the widget
wherever you
want on the
Desktop. Or you
can click it and it
automatically
appears in the
upper left of the
Desktop; you can
then click and
2. drag to move it.

expanded interface.
Some widgets, such
as the Podcast
widget, have a limited
set of controls within
the widget that you
can use so the full
app doesn’t have to
be opened.
If you drag a file,
folder, or other item to
3. the Desktop and on
top of a widget,
4. CUSTOMIZE YOUR WIDGETS macOS places the item in the closest
After you’ve placed a widget, it can be available Desktop space. It does not
adjusted at any time. launch the file in the widget’s app.
> You can move it by clicking and
dragging. 5. WIDGET SETTINGS IN
> Control-click on a widget for a pop-up DESKTOP & DOCK
menu to adjust its size or remove it. The Desktop & Dock system setting has a
> Some widgets allow you to click on few helpful options.
them to open the full app or to access an Show widgets: Maybe y don’t want
widgets at all on
the Desktop. The
Desktop section of
this setting has a
place where you
can turn them off
with the flip of
a switch.
Widget style:
In the Widgets
section of this
4. setting, you have

MACUSER A D D W I DGETS TO SONOMA D ESKTOP
Use iPhone
widgets: This
provides the option to
allow or not allow
iPhone widgets. The
iPhone needs to be
on the same Wi-Fi
network or nearby for
widgets to update.
6. ON EVERY
5. DESKTOP
If you like to use
various options to adjust the color and multiple Desktops, know that widgets will
appearance of widgets: appear on all Desktops. For example, if
> Automatic: Adjusts the appearance you create a second Desktop in Mission
between Full-color and Monochrome. Control, when you switch back and forth
When you’re in the Finder, widgets appear between the two, your widgets follow you.
as Full-color. Widgets will dim to During the Sonoma beta period, Apple
Monochrome whenever you are in an app, did not provide a way to assign widgets to
and you can see the Finder in the specific Desktops. Whether Apple will
background. provide this feature is unknown. ■
> Monochrome:
Displays the widget
as it looks when it’s
dimmed all the
time, even while in
the Finder.
> Full-color:
Displays the full set
of colors all the
time, even when
widgets are in the
background. 6.

Safari 17: Everything you need to
know about the new features
In Sonoma, Ventura, and Monterey, Safari helps you be more productive and secure.
BY ROMAN LOYOLA
A
pple’s built-in browser might helps you be more productive and
be the most frequently used secure, and it’s available for macOS
app on your Mac (yes, even Monterey, Ventura, and Sonoma. Let’s
more than the Finder, super take a look at the new features.
Mac geeks). So Apple always adds
helpful new features to Safari, its browser. WEB APPS
In version 17, available with macOS Safari for Mac has finally caught up with
Sonoma or as a separate download for iOS and iPadOS, which have had this
macOS Ventura and Monterey, Safari feature for a while. A web app is basically

MACUSER SA FA R I 17
a website saved as a self-contained app Locked Private Browsing: When a

that appears in the Dock. Just click on its private window isn’t being used (you step
icon to launch it. We have a separate away from your Mac, for example), the
guide to web apps in macOS Sonoma (see window locks, and its contents are hidden.
page 77) that details how to make and To open the window, you must enter the
manage them. password of the active user account.
Link tracking protection: Websites
PROFILES often use trackers in links, but now when
With a profile, you can set up separate you use Private Browsing (as well as links
browsing sessions based on topics. For shared in Messages and Mail), the trackers
example, you can set up a Work profile for are removed.
all the sites that you use for your job, and Advanced tracking and fingerprinting
you can then set up a separate Personal protection: This prevents known trackers
profile for when you’re using the web on from loading on pages and from identifying
your own time. your device. You can adjust this setting in
You can get more specific with your Safari → Settings → Advanced, then check
profiles if you want, say, a profile for the box for “Use advanced tracking and
making travel plans, or another for your fingerprinting protection.” You can always
hobby. We have a separate guide to set it to work always or just when using
profiles in Safari with instructions (fave. Private Browsing.
co/3LC92kf) on how to set them up. Extensions are turned off by default:
Browser extensions can be turned on by
PRIVATE BROWSING going to Safari → Settings → Extensions and
ENHANCEMENTS selecting the extension in the left column.
When you open a private window, fave. Then in the main section, look for a setting
co/3rx8yFq (File → New Private Window, or checkbox for Allow in Private Browsing
Shift+Command+N), it opens a browser and check the box.
window that does not save the details of
your session (such as the history), nor MULTITAB SELECTION
does it share the session with your other Multiple tabs can be selected by holding
Apple devices. This has long been a part down the Shift key and clicking on each
of Safari’s Private Browsing, but Apple has tab. Once you have your tabs selected,
made a few more enhancements in Control+click, and a pop-up will appear
version 17. with options on what you can do.

Desktop (fave.
co/3RzYK87).
PRIVACY
PROTECTIONS
FOR APP
EXTENSIONS
Per-site privacy
settings are now
available for app
extensions, in
After selecting tabs, you can open them in a new window, create a addition to web
Tab Group, and do other tasks. extensions.
FAVORITES BAR FAVICONS ONE-TIME VERIFICATION CODE

Before version 17, the Favorites bar AUTOFILL WITH APPLE MAIL
showed links with just text labels. Now, When you get a one-time verification code
a favicon is included so you can in Apple Mail, Safari can now grab that
quickly spot the link. code for use in the browser. ■
DESKTOP
READING LIST
WIDGET
One of the key new
features of macOS
Sonoma is Desktop
Widgets. Among the
widgets you can use is
a Reading List widget,
which lets you access
your Safari Reading List
on the Desktop. Learn
how to add widgets to Among the new Desktop widgets in macOS Sonoma is one for
the macOS Sonoma Safari’s Reading List.

MACUSER
Intel announces Thunderbolt 5

with double the bandwidth
The new standard will likely be available on Macs in 2024 or 2025.
BY JASON CROSS
I
ntel has just announced Thunderbolt 5 Thunderbolt versions. This performance is
(fave.co/457JfYd), a new update to the achieved using a new signaling
Thunderbolt specification that doubles technology called PAM-3, which should
the bidirectional bandwidth to 80 Gbps enable today’s printed circuit boards and
(Thunderbolt 4 supports up to 40 Gbps). A passive cables (up to 1 meter) to achieve
feature called Bandwidth Boost provides this performance.
up to 120 Gbps for video content. Apple includes Thunderbolt 4
The standard is built on USB4 V2, connectors on many Mac computers and
DisplayPort 2.1, and PCI Express Gen 4 and the iPad Pro, and it’s expected that future
is fully compatible with previous models will support Thunderbolt 5. Intel’s
16 MACWORLD NOVEMBER 2023 IMAGE: INTEL

Intel’s comparison image shows the use cases supported by Thunderbolt 5 compared to
Thunderbolt 4.
press release says, “Computers and ports. The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max
accessories based on Intel’s Thunderbolt models feature 10 Gbps USB-C, not
5 controller, code-named Barlow Ridge, Thunderbolt 4. ■
are expected to be
available starting in
2024.” It’s unlikely
that Apple will ship
a product using its
own controller
before then, so it’s
going to be at least
2024 and possibly
2025 before we
see Macs or other
Apple products
with Thunderbolt 5 Thunderbolt 5 offers up to 120 Gbps for video content.

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MACUSER
The Latest Mac Products

Reviewed & Rated REVIEWS
MAC MONITORS
While it is easy to connect external
LIMINK AL ALLOY displays to your MacBook for expanded
desk-based screen space, you can’t easily
PORTABLE TRIPLE take this set up on the road with you or
MONITOR (LK14) pack it neatly away in a drawer.
BY SIMON JARY The Limink Al Alloy Portable Triple
Monitor (LK14; fave.co/3Zwdas1) is a
foldable package weighing 3.3 pounds
(1.5kg) that physically attaches to your
MacBook to add a 14-inch 1080p HD
screen to each side of the laptop screen.
IMAGE: LIMINK NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 19

MACUSER REVIEW: LI MINK A L A L LOY P ORTA BL E TR IPL E M ONI TOR
screen, and
snap into place.
Then
connect the
required cables
from the
MacBook to
each screen.
Finally, go
1. into your
System
DESIGN Settings → Displays to arrange the screens
We’ve tested some screen extenders that in the right order and set the resolution of
hang off one side of the laptop and look each screen (1).
rather strange and lopsided, like a If you want the three screens to flow
motorbike with a dangling sidecar. seamlessly together, you’ll need to make
The LK14 is a much more symmetrical sure they are not set as separate Spaces;
screen setup and looks impressive sitting see our guide to how to set up two Mac
next to a standard one-screen MacBook. monitors as a single screen (fave.co/48zESbi).
The aluminum looks don’t detract from the The LK14 comes with a bunch of cables:
Apple aesthetic, and the whole package is two USB-C to USB-C, and two HDMI to Mini
not as heavy or bulky as you
might expect.
The second and third
screens measure 14 inches
diagonally, and the system is
compatible with 13-inch to
16-inch MacBooks. I tested it
with a 14-inch MacBook Pro.
Attaching the screens is
easy. Simply unfold the screens,
rotate a couple of metal clips at
the top, pull a ring to force the Connect each side screen to your MacBook with a USB-C
stand to expand to fit the laptop cable to the Thunderbolt port.

HDMI cables. There are
also USB-C to USB-A
cables in case you need to
power the screens with a
source other than the
laptop, but MacBooks with
three Thunderbolt ports
should be fine with
connecting just via USB-C,
leaving one Thunderbolt
port on the laptop free for
power or a docking station. As with an external display, you can set extra screens to either
The USB-C cables are mirror your laptop’s screen or extend it for more real estate.
over 1m long and
therefore hang around the back of the The 14-inch size is enough to host even
screens—they don’t get in the way but quite dense spreadsheets, browser
could surely have been shorter to windows or other applications.
reduce clutter, albeit unseen. Using the LK14 setup during a video
The stand is adjustable and firm. I call is a great use case. Leave the
preferred to use my laptop stand, and the MacBook’s screen for the Zoom, Teams, or
LK14 didn’t unbalance when atop it. Google Meet window, and you can keep
After use, the MacBook can be quickly supporting apps open on either side.
released, and the LK14 easily folded up You can control the Brightness,
and put away. It even comes with an Contrast, Black Level, ECO (Standard,
attractive leather protection cover. Games, Movie or Text modes), DCR
(Dynamic Contrast Ratio), image aspect
PERFORMANCE ration, color temperature, language,
The screens are not as sharp and clear as Signal Source, Low Blue Light, and
the MacBook’s own—available resolutions Freesync via a small wheel at the top of
cover a range including 960×540, each external screen.
1920×1080, 1600×900, or 1280×720 at Each extra screen has a brightness of
60Hz—but they are better than some 350-400 nits, compared to the peak
other rival portable screens that we MacBook brightness of 500 nits for
have tested. standard SDR content.

MACUSER REVIEW: LI MINK A L A L LOY P ORTA BL E TR IPL E M ONI TOR
As with
an external
display, you
can set the
extra screens
to either mirror
your laptop’s
screen or
extend it for
extra real The aluminum looks don’t detract from the Apple aesthetic.
estate. For
example, in Slide Show mode VERDICT
presentations can be split across the two It’s not a cheap accessory, but having the
screens—one showing the full-screen option of two HD screens added to your
slides and the other for the presenter with MacBook’s integrated screen offers
the next slide and notes. Just click Swap multitasking functionality on a grand scale.
Displays in PowerPoint, depending on how While a desktop solution with larger
you want it. external displays offers far greater screen
real estate potential, the LK15 can be
PRICE AND AVAILABILITY attached and detached with ease and
The Limink Al Alloy Portable Triple stored away when not in use.
Monitor (LK14) is available in If you want a permanent
the U.S. and Canada at large screen at home or in the
mmmm
$699.99, and fits 13-, 14-, 15-, office, buy a bigger external
Limink Al Alloy
and i6-inch laptops. Plain Portable Triple display. See our recommended
non-Pro/Max M1 and M2 Macs Monitor (LK14 best monitors for Mac (fave.
PROS
are limited to connecting just a • Adds two 14-inch screens.
co/435WyIB).
single monitor, but you can • Portable. But if you need a more
connect two displays to an M1 • Easy setup. portable solution that’s perfect
CONS
or M2 Mac (fave.co/3RbaED1) for videoconferencing or
• HD screens, not 4K.
with some software and PRICE working in multiple
hardware solutions if you want $699 applications, the Limink LK14 is
COMPANY
to use the LK14 with M1/M2 a premium, neat, and easy-to-
Limink
MacBooks. use, if pricey, solution. ■

ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE
For years, the name McAfee has been
MCAFEE TOTAL synonymous with antiviral and security
software. Its Total Protection suite for
PROTECTION the macOS continues to be steadily
BY CHRIS BARYLICK updated (currently version 4.19.0.0) and
offers a good suite of anti-viral, anti-
malware, identity protection, VPN, and
scheduling tools.
As expected, Total Protection’s bread
and butter of antiviral and anti-malware
tools remains ever present, and it’s easy
to download the software, install it, give
it its requisite access to your hard drive
through the macOS Privacy and Security
settings, update the virus definitions, and
go from there.
IMAGE: MCAFEE NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 23

MACUSER REVIEW: MCA FEE TOTA L P R OTECTION
The software allows you to perform a The program compares your email
full scan of your hard drive as well as scan address to known data and password
custom locations such as external breaches, then offers a detailed view as
volumes, schedule scan times, and control to what information may have been
the actions of what Total Protection does compromised. It can’t fix the past, but it
when it finds suspect files, such as can tell you which of your subscriptions
notifying you, quarantining them, or have been compromised and which
deleting the files. passwords to reset.
A real-time background scanning Where network security is concerned,
feature not only comes in handy but is Total Protection adds a reliable firewall and
able to catch suspect files as they surface allows you to quickly set up a Virtual
and then offers you a choice as to what to Private Network (VPN) through its Secure
do with the detected files. During my tests, VPN feature. This allows you to customize
it located and quarantined two suspected your location and functions as a basic VPN
virus files I didn’t know about, thereby for when you might have to access a
earning its keep. public Wi-Fi network or hotspot on the
Total Protection’s ID Protection tool road. Devoted VPN clients offer additional
may be spartan, but it’s still effective. features and customization, but this can
work in situations where you’re on the
road and have to hop online safely.
McAfee still offers its WebAdvisor web
browser extensions for free outside of the
Total Protection suite, and they act as a
filter but will need to be downloaded and
installed separately from the Total
Protection package.
McAfee’s Total Protection package
extends up to five devices on one
account, so it’s easy to add the app to
other Macs, iPhones, iPads, and Android-
based phones and tablets as needed,
then log into your account on those
McAfee Total Protection locates two suspect devices. The software allows you to scan
files during a background scan. the wireless network you may be on and

which can be found here (fave.
co/48BMU3F). McAfee also
makes it difficult to cancel your
subscription, and you’ll have to go
to this page (fave.co/3Zz8fq4) to
turn off the auto-renewal function,
which then generates two
screens in which they cite the
attributes of the program and
make sure you want to stay.
Should you decide to stay with
Total Protection, the software will cost
Secure VPN setup in Total Protection. you $39.99/£34.99 (fave.co/3RFftqW,
fave.co/3RGcOgC) for the first year,
gauges your security, offering suggestions and will offer protection for up to five
as to how to improve it if needed. devices. After the first year that price goes
When we reviewed the previous up to $119.99/£95.99 a year. Alternatively, in
version in 2021, McAfee Total the UK you can sign up for two
Protection felt laggy when years and pay £69.99 upfront.
mmmm
initially launched, and this This deal doesn’t appear to be
McAfee Total
hasn’t changed. While the Protection available in the U.S.,
software is quick and PROS unfortunately.
• Good, customizable set of
responsive after initially security tools for multiple
loading, this felt out of place on devices. VERDICT
• Background scanning
an M2-based MacBook Pro. feature comes in handy. Total Protection spots and
The largest caveat is the CONS eradicates a wide range of
• Program feels laggy when
fact that downloading and initially launched
potential threats and unwanted
installing a 30-day free trial of • McAfee demands your software activity, and it can
credit or debit card to create
the software requires you to an account and download cover mobile devices as well
not only create an account but and use the software, even as Macs and PCs. We did
on a 30-day trial basis.
also requires you to enter your PRICE notice an impact on our Mac’s
credit or debit card information. From $39 performance during our tests,
COMPANY
Once this account has been but overall it did its job well and
McAfee
created, you face the fine print, was usually unobtrusive. ■

MACUSER
Hot Stuff What we’re

raving about
this month
SATECHI VEGAN-
LEATHER MAGNETIC
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iOSCENTRAL The latest on iOS, iPhone, iPad,
Apple Watch, and App Store
3 new Apple features I’d literally

be lost without
iOS 17 and watchOS 10 get new features to help you find your way (and your remote).
BY DAN MOREN
A
h, autumn: The time of year smell something else in the air: fresh
when hot summer days turn to Apple software updates.
crisp fall ones, leaves are Yes, Apple in September dropped a
burnished in shades of red and slew of revisions to almost all of its major
gold, and pumpkin spice begins its platforms. You’ve no doubt already read of
inexorable creep back into all our lives. But contact posters, new widget interfaces,
if you breathe deep, you can just barely and FaceTime on the Apple TV 4K, but I
IMAGE: BODNAR.PHOTO/SHUTTERSTOCK NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 31

iOSCENTRAL 3 N EW FEATU R ES I’ D L ITER A L LY BE LOST WI T HOUT
wanted to take a few moments to wax only does this feature work really well, but
rhapsodic about a few of my favorite Apple has also provided an
overlooked features—and, specifically, uncharacteristic amount of control over
features that help you not overlook things. exactly how it functions, including letting
Because this year’s updates all you bookmark specific areas, easily and
provide better ways to navigate the automatically update those maps, and
world around us, and even without a even opt to use those maps when you’re
second-generation ultrawideband still connected. But it can be a little difficult
chip, you can still find exactly what to find: It’s all squirreled away behind your
you’re looking for. profile picture in the Maps app.
While there are a few places in the U.S.
1. NO GRID, NO PROBLEM that I do travel to that have limited
For those of us of a certain age, it’s funny to connectivity, one place I really foresee
look back at a time when we couldn’t rely taking advantage of this is traveling
on a device in our pocket to tell us where abroad. Because it’s not limited purely to
to go—unless that “device” was a gigantic maps but also includes directions,
folded-up piece of paper called a map. estimated arrival times, and public transit
Nowadays, we’re so reliant on our devices information, it’s incredibly handy for getting
to get to our destinations that it’s a real around without having to spend a fortune
shock when we end
up someplace
where we can’t rely
on them.
Apple has finally
addressed this
omission in iOS 17
with offline maps,
which let you
download portions
of its mapping data
for reference even
when you don’t
have a network
connection. Not iOS 17 introduces offline maps.

on international data plans or local SIMs. 3. REMOTELY INTERESTING
So maybe getting lost really is a thing of If you’re an Apple TV user, one thing is for
the past. certain: You have misplaced your remote.
That’s nothing to be ashamed about. It’s
2. WALK THIS WAY small and it fits perfectly between couch
I enjoy a good walk, especially when I’m cushions, and if you happen to have an
exploring a new city, but it’s a pain to have enterprising toddler in the house, that’s
to constantly pull out my phone and check the best-case scenario—don’t ask me
Maps—not to mention the risk of looking how I know.
like a tourist. The Apple Watch has long With iOS 17 and tvOS 17 installed,
had walking directions, of course, but I’ve you can finally track down that errant
always felt like they weren’t particularly little slab of silver with the Find Remote
useful, cueing you only to the next turn feature. It’s a little tricky to find: You need
you were going to take, with little context to open the Apple TV Remote from
about your surroundings. Control Center, select the name of your
In watchOS 10, Maps’ walking Apple TV at the top, and then tap the
directions have gotten a significant and Find button that appears. Then you’ll be
much-needed overhaul and it’s simply taken to an AirTag-like interface where
great. Rather than just providing text for you’re told, Grover-style, whether you’re
your next turn, your Apple Watch will far from or near the remote. Haptics cue
actually show you a bird’s-eye view of your progress until you’re alerted that
the map and your route along it. It’s a the remote is “here” and prompted to
great use of the bigger and better look around.
display on recent Apple Watches and a Without an ultrawideband chip, this
far more useful way to navigate by foot. process isn’t as precise as with an AirTag,
There’s no longer any need to pull out and the Siri Remote doesn’t have a built-in
your phone. speaker to play sounds helping you zero
During the beta period, I was traveling in on its exact location, but at least it helps
in a city I’d never been to before, and used you narrow it down. On the very day
my Watch for walking directions between a Apple’s software came out, I used this
couple of locations. Not only was it far feature to track down my remote, you
more useful than relying on my phone, but guessed it, between the couch cushions.
somehow, unlike the previous version of Honestly, I should probably just start by
this feature, it felt, well, futuristic. looking there. ■

iOSCENTRAL
How to customize StandBy for the

perfect full-screen experience
How to use StandBy in iOS 17 to display the time, photos, and other widgets on
your iPhone when it’s not in use.
BY JASON CROSS
A
pple has created an all-new works with any iPhone that runs iOS 17—all
“charging stand” experience you have to do is turn it landscape
for iPhones with iOS 17. (sideways) while connected to power,
Branded StandBy, this new either plugged in or using wireless
feature turns your iPhone into a charging. On iPhones without an
pseudo-smart-home hub whenever it is always-on display, your StandBy
connected to power and turned to experience will be limited as the screen
landscape orientation. goes black after a few minutes, just as it
You can view a digital photo album, always does. So this really seems like a
see the time and date, and access widgets feature aimed at those who have a Pro
for weather, Home, and more. The feature iPhone with an always-on display.
34 MACWORLD NOVEMBER 2023 IMAGE: APPLE

ENABLE STANDBY
StandBy is enabled by
default in iOS 17, but if you
need to make sure it’s
turned on (or you want to
turn it off), open Settings
and choose StandBy.
There are other useful
features here, like the
The default StandBy screen shows a clock on the left and a
ability to hide Notifications calendar on the right.
(critical notifications will still
display), enable or disable always-on full-screen clock mode. Swiping up and
display, and turn the Night Mode on or down changes the clock type to one of
off. Night Mode gives the screen a dim five designs.
red tint in ambient light, which is ideal if
your phone is on your bedside table. CUSTOMIZE WIDGETS,
PHOTOS, AND CLOCKS
SWIPE THROUGH DISPLAY In any view, a long press allows you to
LAYOUTS customize further. On the widgets
To use StandBy, just have your phone display, for example, long-press on
plugged in or on a wireless charger and either the left or right side to choose
turn it to landscape orientation while at the which widgets are included in each
lock screen. It might take a few seconds stack. You can also choose to enable or
for StandBy to kick in, so don’t worry if it disable Smart Rotate and widget
doesn’t turn on immediately. suggestions.
The default StandBy screen shows a This is where the real power of
clock on the left and a calendar on the StandBy will be realized, as third-party
right. These are actually stacks of developers will be able to make widgets
widgets—swipe up and down to go optimized for the StandBy view.
through them. On the photos display, long-press to
If you swipe left on the screen, you’ll choose which photo types you want to
see a full-screen smart photo album. display, and you can even add a folder
Swiping up and down cycles through the from your Photos collection.
images. Swipe left again to enter the The clock display doesn’t have as

iOSCENTRAL i O S 17 : H OW TO CU STOMIZE STA ND BY
many options. It’s limited to changing default clock.

color themes for each clock face.
SIRI AND APP INTEGRATION
HOW TO CHOOSE THE StandBy isn’t all clocks and widgets!
CORRECT TIME FOR THE There are StandBy-optimized visual
CLOCK IN STANDBY MODE experiences for several of the things
If you find that the clock isn’t showing the your iPhone can do. Start playing music,
correct time, follow these steps: for example, and you’ll see a little
1. Long-press the clock in Standby mode. animated waveform icon at the top
2. Tap the plus sign (+) in the top left of of your StandBy display. Tapping this
the next screen. opens a music view that lets you
3. Add the clock widget with the control playback.
correct time to the list. This will now be the Siri is a big part of the StandBy
experience, too. With iOS 17,
you no longer have to say
“Hey”—it’s just “Siri” now—and
the voice recognition model is
a lot smarter. If your iPhone is in
StandBy mode, there are new
information displays for
common Siri responses like
weather, calendar events,
There are visualizations for music playback, timers, reminders, and so on.
and other functions.
It seems clear that StandBy
is laying the groundwork for a
future Apple product that
integrates HomePod with a
display, either built in or by
docking your iPhone or iPad.
Even if that doesn’t come, it’s a
useful new display that makes
us want a MagSafe charging
StandBy has new visualizations for common Siri stand (fave.co/3vXHzkx) more
functions. than ever before. ■

How to create and customize your
Contact Poster in iOS 17
It’s an all-new way to express yourself to those you call or message.
BY JASON CROSS
i
OS 17 has arrived, and one of its iPhone next to someone else’s for a few
coolest new features is the Contact seconds using Apple’s NameDrop feature.
Poster. It’s a large-screen visual you can But first, you’ll need to get started by
customize—similar to your Lock making your Contact Poster look just the
Screen—that displays on other iPhone way you want. Here’s how.
users’ screens when you call them or
when they display your contact 1. OPEN YOUR CONTACT CARD
information. Apple’s making it easy to First, you need to open your Contact Card.
share it with others…you can swap Contact There are several ways to do this—
Posters just by holding the top of your including tapping on the Contacts tab in
IMAGE: FOUNDRY NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 37

iOSCENTRAL i O S 17 : CR EATE A ND CU STOMIZE A CONTACT POST E R
like Messages. Tap Edit to change your

Contact Poster and Contact Photo.
On this screen, you can also disable
name and photo sharing, edit how your
name will appear, and choose whether to
automatically share your contact poster
with your contacts or to always ask if you
1. want to share it.
the Phone app or opening the Contacts 3. CUSTOMIZE YOUR

app. Whichever way you get there, your CONTACT POSTER
Contact should be at the top of the list. Tap To edit the current Contact Poster and
it to open it. Contact Photo, tap Customize. To create a
new Contact Poster and Contact Photo
2. OPEN CONTACT PHOTO & pair, tap the Plus icon.
POSTER Then choose the type of poster you
Underneath your main contact image and wish to make: Camera (to take a new
contact methods, you’ll see Contact Photo photo), Photos (to select from your existing
& Poster. Tap that. On the Contact Photo photos), Memoji (choose an existing
and Poster screen, you’ll see an animation Memoji or Animoji, or create a new one),
that shows what your contact poster will or Monogram ( just your name and initials).
look like during a call, in Contacts, and When editing your Contact Poster, swipe
your round Contact Photo used in places left and right to change between filters,
use two
fingers to
zoom, pan,
and crop your
image, and
tap your
name to
adjust the
font’s style,
boldness,
2. 3. and color. ■

iOS 17: How to play daily
crosswords with Apple News+
Your Apple News+ subscription includes a full-size and mini crossword every day.
BY JASON CROSS
W
ith iOS 17 (fave.co/3swAnhn) and center when you open the News app,
and macOS Sonoma (fave. so you need to know where to look for it.
co/42cIBqT), Apple News+ Here’s how to find the Crosswords in the
subscribers (fave.co/ News app on iOS 17 and macOS Sonoma.
3PXJVv4) get a new perk: a daily crossword
puzzle built right into the News app. In fact, 1. OPEN NEWS AND SELECT
they get two: a standard one and a 5×5 mini. THE FOLLOWING TAB
It’s a nice addition and a mainstay of When you first open the News app, you
traditional newspapers, but it’s not front won’t see any mention of crossword
IMAGE: CLAUDIO DIVIZIA/SHUTTERSTOCK NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 39

iOSCENTRAL i O S 17 : P L AY DA ILY CR OSSWOR D S
1. 2. 3.
puzzles or anything like that. Tap the 4. MACOS SONOMA: JUST

Following tab. CHECK THE SIDEBAR!
In MacOS Sonoma, you’ll find Puzzles
2. SELECT PUZZLES right there in the sidebar. Just select it
At the top of the Following tab, select and choose which crossword you would
Puzzles. The only puzzles on offer are like to play. ■
crosswords, but it’s interesting
that it is labeled Puzzles, isn’t it?
Apple is leaving room for other
forms of puzzles in the future.
3. SELECT YOUR
CROSSWORD
Now, in the News+ Puzzles
section, you can select from a
list of recent daily crosswords
and mini crosswords. 4.

RIP Lightning: In lieu of flowers,
please send dongles
A eulogy for the little iPhone port that could.
BY DAN MOREN
D
early beloved, we are gathered supplanted by one of its eternal rivals, the
here to bid goodbye to a titan of USB-C connection.
technology, a revolutionary But let us not simply mourn what is
among rebels, a connoisseur of being taken from us: Let us instead
connections, taken from us—well, perhaps remember and celebrate what Lightning
not too soon. I speak, of course, of our did with its life, the joy and happiness it
friend and colleague, the Lightning cable. brought to an entire ecosystem and its
When Apple unveiled its latest iPhone many users. Its presence will not soon
in September, the Lightning port was finally or easily be forgotten.
IMAGE: CHARNSITR / SHUTTERSTOCK NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 41

iOSCENTRAL R IP LI G H TNING
A BOLT FROM THE BLUE meant there was no wrong way to

Lightning was born on September 12, connect it to the iPhone. (Well, mostly
2012 (fave.co/3PYJyQH), ushered into that was the case.)
this world by Apple senior vice All in all, Lightning boasted an
president Phil Schiller. Schiller touted impressive resume with which to introduce
the benefits it would bring over its itself to the world, and it quickly took
predecessor, the 30-pin dock connector Apple’s lineup by storm, spreading from
that had originated on 2003’s third- the iPhone 5 to not only the iPod and iPad
generation iPod. but the Mac and accessories as well. It
“A modern connector for the next seemed Lightning was well on its way to
decade” was how Schiller presciently the world domination.
new connector. (Had it been me, I
perhaps would have gone for “a more CHARGING POINT
elegant connector for a more civilized Of course, Lightning’s early days weren’t
age,” but I digress.) all smooth sailing. Many consumers
Lightning boasted an all-digital protested its sudden appearance on the
design, improved durability, and an scene, clinging tightly to their many dock-
adaptive interface that let it handle connector cables and accessories. It
whatever function was required: power, would take some years for Lightning to win
video, audio, data, and so on. Most them all over, and in many cases, it was a
importantly for Apple, it was 80 percent war of attrition.
smaller than the dock connector, freeing And yet, despite its eventual success,
up valuable space inside the iPhone. Lightning never quite rose to the same
Most important for users, on the other prominence as its storied predecessor.
hand, was probably the reversibility that Yes, there were third-party accessories
with a built-in
connector—portable
batteries and speaker
docks, and no end of
adapters. But the world
into which Lightning
was born was very
iPhones started with a 30-pin connector (left), which was replaced different from the world
by Lightning (middle), which will be replaced by USB-C (right). of the dock connector.

For one thing, the evolution
of technologies like Bluetooth
and Wi-Fi had already begun to
supplant a lot of the uses for
which the cable had once been
considered king. Apple offered
features like the ability to sync
to one’s Mac via Wi-Fi or send
audio via AirPlay, and the
convenience of those Wireless technologies like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth have
features—not having to hunt up reduced the need for a cable.
a cable when you needed one,
or fiddle with connectors—was hard A LONG, SLOW DECLINE
to beat. And so we come to both praise Lighting
Moreover, the companies that had and bury it. But for those who retain some
been so bullish to jump on the 30-pin dock fondness for the connector, never fear: Its
connector integration in the heyday of the demise will not be sudden and swift, but
iPod and early days of the iPhone seemed long and drawn out. I fully expect to be
to be rethinking things in the Lightning era. finding Lightning cables in my drawers for
After all, why design a product to only the next decade.
work with one company’s devices if you The introduction of a USB-C iPhone is
could instead use a wireless standard that only one step in the end of Lightning’s
would work with any mobile device? journey—albeit a major one. The port has
Even Apple’s relationship with already been supplanted across the iPad
Lightning wasn’t entirely monogamous, as lineup and even on the Apple TV’s Siri
in recent years it’s introduced multiple Remote, but it survives in Mac accessories,
ways to power up one’s iPhone without the AirPods, and the first-gen Apple Pencil
having to resort to a cable that you plug (fave.co/3rqMmgl), at least for the time
in: first Qi wireless charging, and then being. So let’s raise our glasses to Lighting
with its own improvement on the and all it accomplished in the more than a
standard, MagSafe. decade it was on the scene. It did its job
Lightning might have been a solid and it did it well, and now it goes to a
standby, but it was hardly the undisputed well-deserved rest. In lieu of flowers,
champion of charging. please send dongles. ■

It’s always been
easier for me to
help others
than to
help myself
As a Veteran, when someone raises their hand for help, you’re often one of the first ones to
respond. But it’s also okay to get help for yourself. Maybe you want or need assistance with
employment, stress, finances, mental health or finding the right resources. No matter what it
is, you earned it. And there’s no better time than right now to ask for it. Don’t wait. Reach out.
Find resources at VA.GOV/REACH

iOSCENTRAL
The Latest iOS Products

Reviewed & Rated REVIEWS
MULTI-DEVICE CHARGING STATION Many of us have bought

TWELVE SOUTH wholeheartedly into the
Apple ecosystem, with Mac
HIRISE 3 DELUXE: computer, iPhone, AirPods
STYLISH 3-IN-1 and Apple Watch. That can lead to a lot of
different chargers and cables to keep
iPHONE, APPLE under control on our desk, bedside table
WATCH, AIRPODS or backpack.
CHARGER A charging station that can power

more than one Apple device is the
BY SIMON JARY
taming solution to this mess of multiple
chargers. We’ve reviewed the best
IMAGE: TWELVE SOUTH NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 45

iOSCENTRAL REVIEW: TW ELV E SOU TH H IR ISE 3 D ELU XE
iPhone chargers and

best Apple Watch
chargers, but some can
tackle the charging
demands of both, and
handle an AirPods charging
case and even a second
phone at the same time.
Twelve South makes some
high-quality, stylish Apple
You can place your Apple Watch in Nightstand mode or
accessories, and its HiRise 3 flat on the base. The Qi charging base can accept either
Deluxe is another premium hit. AirPods or a second phone.
It is fully Apple certified, so
can fast-charge any MagSafe iPhone (15.4cm) tall, and weighs 14oz (396g).
(iPhone 12, 13, 14, or 15 models but not SE) There’s just one model, in black—we’d
at 15W as well as fast-charge an Apple have appreciated a white option to fit with
Watch (Series 7, 8, 9, SE and Ultra) at 5W alternative aesthetics.
and Apple AirPods (2nd and 3rd The MagSafe iPhone charger can
generation AirPods, and all AirPods Pro) angle and tilt by 35 degrees, and hold the
at 7.5W. You can even swap out the device in either landscape or portrait—so
AirPods for a second iPhone (iPhone 8 great in StandBy mode.
and later) via 7.5W Qi rather than full The Apple Watch Fast Charger can lay
MagSafe. flat or pop up to power up your Watch in
Nightstand mode.
DESIGN It comes with a 40W power adapter,
As with other Twelve South products, the with four international plug heads to
compact HiRise 3 Deluxe will not shame choose from: U.S., U.K., EU and AU/NZ.
your Apple products. It’s made of The power cable is 5 feet (1.5m) long.
aluminum with a soft vegan leather–
wrapped base, so it fits with Apple’s new PERFORMANCE
no-leather mandate. It’s a small-footprint Charging all three devices at the fastest
design—taking up about the same space possible speeds is the HiRise 3 Deluxe’s
on your desk as an iPhone Pro Max: superpower related to its competition. In
6.3×3.4 inches (15.9×8.5cm). It’s 6 inches tests it charged an Apple Watch to 50% in

35 minutes, and to 100% in 84 minutes. A AirPods case at the same time.
quick 10-minute blast will easily keep your We have reviewed more products in
Watch going through the night. At the our roundups of the best MagSafe
same time it pushed a fading iPhone to chargers (fave.co/3vXHzkx) and best
80% in around 100 minutes. Apple Watch chargers (fave.co/46b5LRh).
Its closest competitor is Belkin’s
Boost Up Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless PRICE & AVAILABILITY
Charger Stand with MagSafe (fave. The HiRise 3 Deluxe costs $149.99 /
co/3ZDFzfy), which is similarly priced. £149.99 / €169.99, and is available direct
The HiRise 3 Deluxe wins with its Watch from Twelve South (U.S., fave.co/
fast charging and also its tiltable 3rwWbsZ, and EU, fave.co/461uhUZ) or the
MagSafe iPhone charging pad. U.S. Apple Store (fave.co/3PWHclm). It is
The Journey Rapid Trio 3-in-1 Wireless expected to hit the U.K. Apple Store by
Charging Station (fave.co/3thuYLy) is mid-October.
cheaper and has a detachable Watch
charger, but its charging speeds are not as VERDICT
fast, as it’s not fully Apple certified for fast A multi-device charging station is a great
charging (iPhone or Watch). way to declutter your desk or bedside
Anker’s 3-in-1 Cube (fave.co/3ZDaSY6) table, removing multiple cables and wall
can fast-charge an iPhone, but is not as chargers. The Twelve South HiRise 3
fast as the HiRise at charging a Watch. Deluxe is a small-footprint charging station
ESR’s HaloLock 3-in-1 Travel for iPhone, Apple Watch and
Wireless Charging Set (fave. mmmmm AirPods that is fully certified and
co/3LFGOVY) is great for Twelve South HiRise so charges your Apple devices
3 Deluxe
portability—you’ll need a very PROS
at the fastest possible speeds,
large pocket to slip the 6-inch • Charges Watch, iPhone, unlike any other currently
AirPods.
high HiRise in—but doesn’t offer available 3-in-1 charger.
• Fast-charges Watch.
fast charging for either iPhone or • 15W MagSafe for iPhone. We’d have loved a version in
Watch. • Small footprint. white, but it ticks every other
CONS
The 2-in-1 Zens MagSafe + top-specification box we’d
• In black only.
Watch travel charger (fave. PRICE
expect from a premium charging
co/46afFm6) is likewise more $149 station. It goes straight to the top
COMPANY
portable but not a Watch fast of our charts for 3-in-1 Apple-
Twelve South
charger—and can’t handle an device charging stations. ■

iOSCENTRAL
MULTI-DEVICE CHARGER The Anker Prime 67W

ANKER PRIME 67W Charger is smaller than
Apple’s original 67W charger
CHARGER: THREE (fave.co/46icSrd), which is a
PORTS WITH POWER popular charger among MacBook owners.
BY THOMAS BERGBOLD
Apple’s new 70W charger (fave.co/
3ZDMFAN) is as compact as the Prime
735, though the 67W Prime has a few
features that make it more appealing.
What gives the Prime 67W an
advantage over Apple’s 70W charger is
that it offers a total of three charging ports
that can be used at the same time. The
two USB-C ports support Power Delivery
3.0, and each USB-C port can handle a
maximum of 65 watts. The 67W Prime’s
USB-A port has a maximum of up to 22.5
watts. However, if more than one port is
48 MACWORLD NOVEMBER 2023 IMAGE: ANKER

used at the same time, the Prime
735 divides the power between the
devices. The charging times (using a
single USB-C port) with the 67W
Prime are impressive. Within 30
minutes, an iPhone 13 charges 51
percent, an 11-inch iPad Pro 11-inch
charges 35 percent, and an M1
MacBook Air M1 charges 37 percent.
The Prime 67W is a gallium
nitride (GaN) charger, which helps The charger’s three ports can power three devices
with the compact design, and it does simultaneously up to a maximum 67W total output.
a more efficient job of transferring
current than non-GaN chargers. Smaller and more importantly, the construction
chargers often are warmer to the touch, does not appear wobbly but quite robust.
but this is where the Prime 67W surprises Another nice touch is that the
us. At full load with two devices packaging for the Prime 735 is mostly
connected, the charger gets warm, but not plastic-free, with only a recycled plastic
if you only have a MacBook connected, for bag used to protect the charger. The
example. The charger has a protective entire packaging is made from recycled
circuit called Active Shield 2.0 to paper, printed with vegetable
make sure it doesn’t get too hot soy ink. Anker also offers a
to handle. Anker recommends
mmmmh 24-month warranty.
Anker Prime 67W
that the ambient temperature for Charger
operation should be 0 to 25 PROS VERDICT
• Two USB-C ports and one
degrees Celsius, which seems a USB-A port. The Anker Prime 6&W Charger is
little restrictive. • Fast charging. very compact yet supports three
A cool feature is that the plug • Doesn’t get hot. connections with fast charging
CONS
is foldable for both the U.S. and • Recommended operating
speeds, and it maintains a
European plugs. Some temperatures seem proper operating temperature.
restrictive.
manufacturers use an PRICE
You get good performance for
interchangeable plug that can $149 the price. If you’re looking for a
COMPANY
simply be removed. The folding new charger, the Prime 735 is
Anker
plug works very well in practice, one to consider. ■

FEATURE
REVIEW:
iPHONE
15 PRO
MAX
APPLE’S
BEST,
BORINGEST
iPHONE
APPLE’S LATEST MAY BE
IMPROVED IN SEVERAL
USEFUL WAYS BUT
FEELS UNINSPIRED.
BY JASON CROSS
FEATURE REVIEW: i PH ONE 15 P R O MA X
A
pple’s latest, most expensive, It’s as if Apple is out of ideas, or the
best iPhone is better than last iPhone is just too important to take any
year’s model. It is a little lighter, a risks with, or all the company’s best
little faster, a little more efforts have been spent working on
convenient, and has a slightly better camera. Apple Vision Pro (fave.co/40wN1ca).
And yet it’s hard not to feel decidedly The best case one can make for the
underwhelmed. After days of use and a latest iPhone is that it’s an iPhone—it runs
battery of tests, I can’t help but feel bored iOS, it runs iPhone apps, it’s fairly privacy
with it. All the improvements are minded, and it works great with all your
welcome, but they’re largely uninspired. other Apple products and services. But
you can say that of every modern iPhone,
so why choose this one?
Because, though it’s somewhat
uninspired, it’s still the best iPhone. And if
you want the best iPhone, the iPhone 15
Pro Max is it.
DESIGN AND BUILD

The first thing you’ll notice upon picking
up an iPhone 15 Pro Max (or the regular
Pro model) is how much lighter it feels
than previous Pro phones. Apple’s switch
from stainless steel to titanium for the
outer frame has only reduced weight by
about 10 percent, but all that weight
comes from the outer edges, so it seems
like an even bigger weight reduction.
This doesn’t really make it a light
phone, mind you. Other premium
smartphones of this size—the Pixel 7 Pro
and the Galaxy S23+, for example—have
been lighter than the iPhone Pro Max
If you want the best iPhone, the iPhone 15 models for some time, and this change
Pro Max is it. brings Apple in line with them. It’s

welcome, but not revolutionary or
even a competitive advantage.
You also won’t find that the
titanium (bonded to aluminum)
frame offers better durability. It’s
not more scratch resistant, harder
to dent or ding, or really less prone
to showing fingerprints—though
the natural titanium color seems to
hide them well. Otherwise, the
brushed and matte finish of the
titanium sides feels a little nicer The iPhone 15 Pro USB-C port (top) looks similar to the
than the glossy stainless steel, and Lightning port (bottom) but offers greater flexibility.
the corners are smoothed out a
little, making the phone a little nicer to charge your iPhone, MacBook, and likely
hold without a case on it. most of your other digital devices. On the
Speaking of colors, they’re all a bit Pro models, this port supports USB3
boring, though that’s not uncommon in the transfer speeds, handy for offloading lots
Pro models. Gold is gone, replaced by a of video. You can plug in an external drive
Natural Titanium color that is…gray…but and shoot video directly to it—in fact, this
looks quite handsome and sophisticated. is required to shoot 4K/60 ProRaw format
White and black are still available, but the (shooting to internal storage tops out at
white isn’t as bright, and the black isn’t as 30fps). You can plug in an external display
dark as previous iterations. So three of the straight into your iPhone and get a very
four colors are shades of gray, more or low-latency mirror, perfect for playing
less. This year’s special color is Blue premium games that are made for using a
Titanium, a dark blue shade that feels paired Bluetooth controller. You can read
classy but conservative. photos off a USB-C card reader. I plugged
Much has been made of Apple’s move in my USB-C to Ethernet adapter and got
away from the Lightning port, replacing it online without a Wi-Fi connection. USB
with USB-C. Apple isn’t giving us faster audio interfaces work too, provided they
charging than the iPhone 14 Pro Max, but get enough power.
the USB-C port is quite a bit more It’s all very convenient, and very
convenient for using the same cable to frustrating that Apple only made this leap

when forced to by EU regulations (which it also change the button to perform a

opposed). The switch to USB-C is variety of different actions in Settings: Set
unequivocally an improvement, and one a Focus mode, launch the Camera app
Apple could have easily made years ago. (and act as a shutter), turn on the flashlight,
This is far from cutting-edge technology start recording a voice memo, launch the
and has been standard in Android phones magnifier, turn on an Accessibility feature,
for a very long time. It’s hard to give pointsor launch a Shortcut.
to Apple for doing better by its customers That last option is perhaps the most
only under protest. powerful if you know how to make
The move to USB-C isn’t the only way shortcuts (if not, you can copy one you find
in which Apple has made the iPhone 15 online). It provides almost infinite flexibility
Pro more convenient. The on/off mute to make the Action Button do whatever
switch has been replaced with what Apple you want. You can launch any app
calls the Action Button. Press and hold it instantly, and even perform some actions
for a second to mute or unmute, with a within. You can make it conditional, so it
distinct vibration pattern so you can switch does different things at different locations.
between modes without looking. You can Changing a switch into a button isn’t
exactly what I would call a creative
innovation—OnePlus and Samsung
have dabbled with this in the
past–but it is well executed. One
oddity: The settings menu to adjust
the Action Button looks oddly out
of place, stylistically completely
different from any other Settings
menu, but it’s simple to
understand. Perhaps best of all,
because the functions of the
button are defined by software, the
Action Button’s capabilities can
(and should) be improved in further
iOS software updates. However,
Replacing the mute switch with a programmable it’s hard to understand why the
button has been a long time coming. Action Button is a “Pro” feature and

The Action accuracy with great HDR quality, peaking
Button menu at 1,000 nits for standard dynamic range,
looks nothing
1,600 nits for peak bright areas on HDR
like any other
Settings content, and cranking up to a blistering
menu. 2,000 nits for a short time in bright
sunlight outdoors, making it very easy to
see on a sunny day.
The speakers sound similar, as does
the microphone quality. Apple has made
some internal design adjustments to make
components easier and therefore less
costly to repair, which is a nice thing we
hope you never have to deal with.
CAMERAS
Let’s get this out of the way: Most of the
cameras on the iPhone 15 Pro Max are
wasn’t brought to the standard iPhone 15 identical to those on the iPhone 14 Pro
models as well. It feels arbitrary and Max. The main 48MP wide camera, ultra-
capricious. wide, and front camera remain unchanged.
At a glance, this is recognizably an The telephoto camera is a new sensor and
iPhone Pro model, but casual observers periscope lens array that enables 5X
wouldn’t even necessarily know it’s the optical zoom, equivalent to 120mm. This is
iPhone 15 Pro if they’re not up to date on only available on the iPhone 15 Pro Max—
available color options. the iPhone 15 Pro has the same 12MP, 3X
optical camera as it did last year.
SCREEN AND SPEAKERS That zoom level is nice, and a bit of
On the outside, the rest of the iPhone 15 catch-up to premium Android phones that
Pro models seem very much like last have employed this technology already. It
year’s. There are no differences in the produces noticeably “zoomier” shots and
display’s size or capabilities, though the when you use digital zoom to push in to
bezels around it have shrunk ever so around 10X, you get a cleaner shot than on
slightly (making the phone body just a the standard iPhone 15 Pro or earlier
teensy bit smaller). It still boasts nice color iPhone Pro models.

It’s not such a super-zoom that you can tap that 1X button in the camera app you
take awesome photos of very distant or and can toggle between 28mm and 35mm
tiny objects…your hummingbird crops. These new settings still produce
photography game is not going to be 2MP images but use different sets of pixels
forever changed. But it
does get you closer to the
action for sports, or just
getting a nice natural
bokeh taking candid pics
at a park or cookout or
whatever.
It’s the software side of
things where photography
on the new iPhone 15 Pro
models gets interesting.
Apple has enabled a new
default 2MP image size
with new image
processing, and it works in
HEIF or JPEG modes. The
48MP “Pro” shots can now
be saved in a “HEIF Max”
format instead of
requiring ProRaw, which
means you have a little
less control if you do lots of
post-processing but the
images take up about 15
times less storage space.
What’s more, you now
have three different
options for the standard
wide shot. The default 1X is The difference between 3X optical zoom (top) and the new 5X
equivalent to 22mm, but zoom exclusive to the Pro Max model (bottom) is significant.

from the image sensor
through parts of the image
processing pipeline. It’s a
form of digital zoom, but
delivers clearer, sharper
results than what you’re
used to with digital zoom.
One handy new trick:
When you take a photo of
a person, dog, or cat, the
iPhone 15 recognizes that
subject and automatically
saves the depth map
information along with the
image. Then, even if you With 5X optical zoom, pushing into 10X digital still produces
weren’t in Portrait mode, very usable results.
you can go back and
enable Portrait mode after the fact in the smartphone’s included cable.
Photos app, adjusting depth-of-field and More interesting is the ability to shoot
selecting the focal point. So for most in a Log color format. This is a true “Pro”
shots of people or pets (dogs and cats feature, a flattened color gamut that
anyway), you won’t have to say “I wish I requires post-processing. Apple
took a portrait mode shot” or “I wish I provides LUTs (look-up tables) to convert
didn’t take a portrait mode shot.” Just these Log-encoded ProRaw videos to
shoot, and worry about it later. Handy! HDR, but the idea is that they contain a
Video shooting has two new useful wider range of data to give you much
tricks. If you want to shoot ProRaw at 4K better control when color grading videos
and 60fps, you can, provided you plug in in post-production.
an external drive and record directly to it For the Adobe Premiere and Final Cut
(those files are so big you’re going to want Pro crowd, it really is a killer feature.
to do that anyway). You’ll need a USB-3 There are just two significant drawbacks.
compatible cable to do this; the one that First, playback on your iPhone does not
comes in the box is only rated for USB2 have any sort of LUT applied, so you can
speeds, which is typical of nearly every only see the flattened color space. You

should have the option to see the

restored HDR with a default LUT applied BATTERY LIFE
Minutes
(and perhaps tap to change between
iPhone 15 Pro Max
782
them). Second, the Log color space
iPhone 14 Pro Max
760
option is only available when shooting in
iPhone 13 Pro Max
ProRaw, which takes an enormous 701
iPhone 15 Pro
amount of space. I think the flexibility to 643
iPhone 14 Pro
shoot more compact HEVC files with Log 584
iPhone 13 Pro
color space would be greatly appreciated 555
and seems like something Apple could HIGHER SCORES ARE BETTER
easily manage in a software update.

There’s nothing to wow you about the couple percent longer than last year’s Pro
iPhone 15 Pro Max’s camera. Apple’s Max phone.
image processing still seems a little That may not be an improvement, but
aggressive and can give your images a it’s still fantastic battery life, especially for a
bit of an oversmoothed and oversaturated phone with a 120Hz display. Apple’s official
look, but the bump to 24 megapixels specs list the exact same battery life as the
does help give sharp detail without as iPhone 14 Pro Max, and that’s probably
many sharpening artifacts. But you’re not what you’re going to experience in regular
going to be floored by what you get. everyday use; you won’t really notice just a
There’s no big breakthrough, no never- few percent here or there.
seen-that-before feature that makes this a Despite the shift to USB-C, charging
must-have. performance hasn’t changed either. Apple
says you still get about 50 percent in 35
BATTERY LIFE AND CHARGING minutes, which is pretty accurate.
It’s not clear if the A17 Pro processor in the But the shift to USB-C does bring one
iPhone 15 Pro Max uses less power than welcome improvement in the ability to
the A16 Bionic did, but the entire phone charge other devices that support USB
system as a whole gets roughly the same power delivery, albeit at a rate of only 4.5
battery life as last year’s iPhone 14 Pro watts. That includes accessories like
Max. In our battery rundown tests, where AirPods or Apple Watch, and even other
we loop the Geekbench 4 tests with a phones, including Android phones (if they
fixed screen brightness of 200 nits, it support USB Power Delivery). You
lasted 13 hours and 2 minutes, just a probably won’t rescue one phone with

your iPhone very often, but topping off chips for Android phones.
your almost-dead AirPods or Apple Watch In the GeekBench 6 GPU compute test,
is a very real possibility. which measures using the GPU for general
computation tasks rather than graphics
PERFORMANCE rendering, we saw a performance jump
The A17 Pro is the beating heart of the very near the claimed 20 percent. In the
iPhone 15 Pro models, while the standard 3DMark Wild Life Extreme high-end
iPhone 15 gets the A16 Bionic that was
found in last year’s Pro phones. The name
change is interesting and probably GEEKBENCH 6.2
Single-core
deliberate: We wouldn’t be surprised if iPhone 15 Pro Max
2,963
future products get an A17 non-Pro chip. iPhone 14 Pro Max
2,637
It’s a bigger and more complex chip,
iPhone 13 Pro Max
2,274
but still sports six CPU cores: two
iPhone 12 Pro Max
2,053
performance and four efficiency. The SoC
HIGHER SCORES ARE BETTER
is connected to 8GB of RAM, up from 6GB
in last year’s Pro iPhones. We measured
CPU performance at about 10 to 12
percent faster, which is the kind of
GEEKBENCH 6.2
Multi-core
performance uplift that you see in iPhone 15 Pro Max
7,422
benchmark charts but don’t really feel in iPhone 14 Pro Max
6,695
practice. iPhones have been more than iPhone 13 Pro Max
5,493
fast enough for a long time, and every year
iPhone 12 Pro Max
4,691
run circles around the best Android
phones. Nothing has changed there.
The GPU is an all-new six-core design,
up from 5 cores in the A16. Apple says it’s
20 percent faster, but that’s what we
GEEKBENCH 6.2
Compute
would expect from 20 percent more iPhone 15 Pro Max
27,105
cores. But the cores are an all-new iPhone 14 Pro Max
22,668
design and support ray-tracing hardware iPhone 13 Pro Max
19,983
acceleration and mesh shaders, common
iPhone 12 Pro Max
16,021
features in PC graphics chips for years
now and found in the latest smartphone

3DMARK 3DMARK
Solar Bay Solar Bay Unlimted
iPhone 15 Pro Max iPhone 15 Pro Max
6,520 6,217
4,298 3,816
3,951 3,182
2,963 2,419
iPhone 11 Pro iPhone 11 Pro
2,681 2,402
HIGHER SCORES ARE BETTER HIGHER SCORES ARE BETTER
3DMARK 3DMARK
Wild Life Extreme Wild Life Extreme Unlimited
3,971 3,917
3,295 3,035
3,042 2,713
2,271 2,039
iPhone 11 Pro iPhone 11 Pro
2,055 1,833
HIGHER SCORES ARE BETTER HIGHER SCORES ARE BETTER
graphics test, again, there’s about a 20 reduction in resolution and overall

percent boost. graphics fidelity. It’s still an incredibly
New this year is the 3DMark Solar Bay impressive feat, but you should disabuse
test, which runs a very high-end test using yourself of the idea that the A17 Pro turns
ray tracing with three different quality your iPhone into a pocket game console.
levels. Here, the phone runs 50 to 60 That’s only true if you jump back to the
percent faster than the iPhone 14 Pro Max. prior generation of game consoles, and
Apple is pitching the iPhone 15 Pro as we’ve heard the “as powerful as a
capable of running console-quality games, console!” argument about iPhones
as evidenced by the Resident Evil: Village before. It was a major selling point of the
port that it says is equivalent to the Xbox iPhone 5 (fave.co/3rBqsXD), which as we
and PlayStation console versions. Well…no. all know did not replace anyone’s
It’s the full game, yes, but at a noticeable PlayStation or Xbox.

This new GPU is most
exciting in what it means
for Macs. When this new
architecture makes its way
to M-series processors, it
will really help the Mac
catch up to the feature set
that Windows gamers take
for granted, and may help it
catch up on performance
as well.
A quick aside about
thermals. Some have
noticed that the iPhone 15
Pro and Pro Max get very
hot when running high-end
premium games. This is
true, but so did the iPhone
The thermal performance throttling of the iPhone 15 Pro is
14 Pro, and the seems at
similar to the iPhone 14 Pro’s.
most just a few degrees
hotter. However, I really felt the heat while the first run!—and then stabilize. The main
using the phone while it was charging, difference is that at all times, the iPhone 15
where it sometimes got hot enough to be Pro runs about 20 percent faster than last
uncomfortable to hold. year’s best. This isn’t a shocking result,
Is there thermal throttling that really. The best high-end smartphones
decreases the performance of the A17 Pro have a “Stability” score in this test of less
when running extended heavy workloads? than 70 percent, and it’s not uncommon to
Yes, but again, this was true of prior chips see some below 60 percent.
as well. Consider these results from the
3DMark Wild Life Extreme stress test, VERDICT
which loops the high-end benchmark for In almost every way, the iPhone 15 Pro Max
20 minutes. Both the iPhone 14 Pro (left) is better than its predecessor. It’s a little
and iPhone 15 Pro (right) lose about a third lighter, a little faster, a little more
of their performance very quickly—after convenient, has a little bit better camera,

Action Button, which should really be on

every iPhone and not relegated to $1,000-
plus models, but even that just saves a
tap or two.
Perhaps this is just where smartphones
are now; modest yearly improvements are
appreciated, but hardly a reason to
upgrade. Like laptops and desktops, the
technology is at a plateau. You either do
something gimmicky that won’t last or you
keep making modest improvements year
over year, expecting users to hang on to
their old device for three or four years
before considering a new one. I’m sure a
big breakthrough is out there, somewhere,
If you want the best big iPhone, this is the but it may take years to arrive.
model for you. So should you buy the iPhone 15 Pro
Max? Well, if you want the best big iPhone,
and has the same battery life. And yet the this is it, so get it. Once the “new phone
improvements are rather boring. USB-C is euphoria” wears off, you probably won’t
finally here, and if it wasn’t years late, that notice much of a difference in your day-to-
might be exciting. The lighter day life if you’re coming from an
titanium frame only brings Apple mmmm iPhone 14 Pro Max or 13 Pro Max.
iPhone 15 Pro Max
in line with the weight of its Essentially, if your old iPhone
PROS
competitors. The 5X optical • USB-C. is three years old or older, this is
zoom is fun and can be useful, • Lighter weight. a nice upgrade. If it’s newer than
but it’s no game-changer. • A few nice camera system that, you can safely wait another
improvements.
Shooting video in the Log color CONS year. With a new higher starting
space is an awesome pro • Same battery life. price of $1,199/£1,199 (not a price
• Very expensive.
feature that’s hamstrung by increase per se; Apple just got
• Higher starting price.
requiring you to shoot ProRes PRICE
rid of the cheaper 128GB
and the lack of any LUT $1,199 model), this is a great phone
COMPANY
application in playback. but not a phone worth having
Apple
The best new feature is the FOMO over. ■

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FEATURE
CHANGING THE WAY YOU

watch
LOCK SCREEN CUSTOMIZATION, AUDIO ME

AND HEALTH APP ARE AMONG TH
hOS 10
USE YOUR APPLE WATCH
ESSAGE TRANSCRIPTS, SMART PDF EDITING,

HE HIGHLIGHTS. BY DAVID PRICE
FEATURE WATCHO S 10
A
t WWDC 2023 (fave.co information at the start of the day, for
/3XrG9fq), Apple announced instance, or boarding passes when
the watchOS 10 (fave.co/ traveling. By focusing on bite-size
3ZIaqIf) software update, which versions of apps with key data rather than
brings a complete rethinking of how we full apps, Apple is trying to find the
use and interact with the Apple Watch. A optimal way to reduce interaction and
leak (fave.co/3QbtXxD) ahead of the event maximize informativeness. This is the key
claimed the company was redesigning the battle when making a smartwatch
famous Grid View of apps, but that didn’t interface usable.
happen. However, other fundamental Another example of this change in
aspects of the interface have received philosophy—away from apps and toward
major revamps.
“With watchOS 10,
we’ve redesigned the
interface, allowing
users to experience
Apple Watch like never
before,” said Alan Dye
(fave.co/46yTNAR),
Apple’s vice president
of Human Interface
Design.
The most striking Smart Stack is accessible from any watch face.
change is the
introduction of the
new Smart Stack, a
collection of widgets
accessible from any
watch face (with a turn
of the Digital Crown)
that adjusts the
information presented
to the user based on
the context: weather Weather, Activity, and Messages look very different in watchOS 10.

bite-size chunks of data and mini toggles— previews may prove a negative. These
is the new way Control Center is redesign decisions are so significant and
accessed. Instead of swiping up from the fundamental that it will take time to
bottom of the screen, you use the side evaluate their impact.
button, which should be a lot easier. The
app dock (accessed in watchOS 9 using HEALTH AND FITNESS
the side button) is now accessed by FEATURES
double-pressing the Digital Crown. There are numerous less fundamental
Numerous apps themselves have been changes in watchOS 10, although this isn’t
redesigned, with the common theme to downplay their importance.
being an expansion of their interfaces to The Apple Watch is continuing (and
take up more of the Apple Watch’s screen; deepening) its focus on health and fitness.
framing furniture and blank space around The Mindfulness app gets the ability to log
the edge of the interface has been emotions and moods, information that can
minimized. The Weather, Music, and then be analyzed in the Health app on
Stocks apps, for example, get colorful iPhone to identify concerns and find
background images to illustrate the current solutions. Apple Watches running watchOS
conditions or artist playing, or to match the 10 will be able to measure time spent in
stock currently being viewed. Similarly, daylight using the light sensor, and this too
incoming calls are signaled with a full- can be monitored in Health. And the
screen notification showing the contact Medications app gains the ability to chase
image for the caller. And the Activity app
gets extra icon buttons around the edge of
the rings. Apple says some third-party
apps have already come up with new
designs to match this style, and that others
will be able to follow soon.
Other apps have been redesigned Logging your
more fundamentally to make them easier emotional state
can be helpful
to use. The main interface of the
in diagnosing
Messages app is now organized according mental health
to contact, with contact face icons instead problems.
of the first line of recent messages; this
seems more intuitive, but the loss of those

FEATURE WATCHO S 10
get more visual information when using a

phone holder on your bike. This includes a
new Cycling Speed view.
OTHER CHANGES
Like most watchOS updates, this one
includes new watch faces. There’s Palette,
a minimalist design whose colors shift over
time, and a Snoopy face for fans of the
Peanuts cartoons.
Also in the miscellaneous category, you
The Palette face changes color throughout
can now view FaceTime video messages
the day.
on your Apple Watch and easily share your
up with follow-up reminders when the user contact details by bringing your Apple
doesn’t log the use of a medicine. Watch close to someone else’s iPhone.
On the fitness side, Apple announced the
new ability to connect your Apple Watch WHICH DEVICES GET
automatically to Bluetooth cycling WATCHOS 10?
accessories such as speed sensors, as well watchOS 10 will become available in the
as new algorithms for monitoring cycling fall and is available for Apple Watch Series
performance. Cycling workouts will now 4 and later. The companion iPhone needs
show up on the companion iPhone and be to be an XS or later and must be running
offered as a full-screen display so you can iOS 17 (fave.co/3swAnhn). ■
NameDrop lets
you share your
details more
easily.

We Help You Help.
When you help care for a loved one, you take care of everything.
But are you taking care of yourself?
AARP can help with information and useful tips on how

you can maintain a healthy life balance, care for your own physical and mental
well-being, and manage the challenges of caring for a loved one.
Get help from others. Ask family and friends for assistance.
Seek advice from other people caring for their loved ones.
Care for yourself. Don’t forget about your own needs. It’s just as
important to make a plan to take care of yourself as it is to create a
caregiving plan for your loved one.
Tap into AARP’s resources. AARP.org/caregiving has a wide array

of information, including legal and ﬁnancial guidance.
You’re there for them. We’re here for you.
Find free Care Guides to support you

and your loved one at AARP.org/caregiving
Small acts of kindness can have a big impact in making people feel welcome.
When we reach out and connect with others, we can build a stronger community
where everyone – regardless of their background – feels like they belong.
LEARN HOW AT
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ARTWORK BY
WORKINGMAC Tips, tricks, and tools to make you and
your Mac or iOS device more productive
Three overlooked Apple apps you

should start using right now
The company has spent a lot of time working on several of the core apps across its
platforms, trying to ensure that they provide a great experience.
BY DAN MOREN
S
oftware—good software, at even if it’s something most of us take for
least—is in a continual state of granted. Once upon a time, you bought
evolution. It’s one of the most a device, and how it was at that point
impressive things about the was basically how it was for the rest of
current state of affairs in technology, its lifetime.
IMAGE: FARKNOT ARCHITECT/SHUTTERSTOCK NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 71

WORKINGMAC 3 OV ER LOOKED A P P L E A PPS
But software can change and improve. there are plenty of places where it has
Case in point: A recent story in The Wall added features and enhanced capabilities
Street Journal suggested that opinions on year after year. If you haven’t checked
Apple Maps (fave.co/3PXck4e) have them out recently, here are three that may
changed in the decade since its be worth another look.
tumultuous release. Once the (rightful) butt
of jokes (fave.co/46jy1By), it’s now become TAKE NOTE
a respectable piece of mapping software Perhaps no app in Apple’s catalog has
in its own right, a worthy competitor to come as far as Notes. When it debuted
Google Maps. with the original iPhone in 2007, Notes
And it’s not the only piece of Apple was the height of skeuomorphic design: a
software to follow such a trajectory. The yellow-ruled notepad with just a single font
company has spent a lot of time working option, the much-maligned Marker Felt.
on several of the core apps across its But those days are long behind it.
platforms, trying to ensure that they Notes has had a few major overhauls over
provide a great experience. Are there the last 16 years, and along the way it has
third-party options that are equally good? become an incredibly capable app that
Absolutely, and in some cases they are rivals its more full-fledged text editors and
better. Still, while Apple could have rested word processing: improved formatting,
on its laurels with its built-in apps, getting tables, checklists, collaboration, password
them just to the point of “good enough,” protection (including using Face ID or
Touch ID), tags,
smart folders,
drawing, and
handwriting
recognition, just to
name a few. Plus,
on the Mac, you
can use any font
you’ve got
installed. Even, yes,
Marker Felt.
This year’s
Notes has evolved with a robust set of formatting tools. platform updates

are also adding
two features
that take Notes
even further.
First, you’ll be
able to link
between notes
(the easiest way
to do so is to
type >>, at which
point you’ll get a
drop-down
menu of notes
that you can
search), which is
helpful for cross- Like many of Apple’s built-in apps, Reminders syncs across the iPhone,
referencing. iPad, and Mac.
Second, you
can embed full PDFs within a note and underpowered compared to most of the
even mark them up in real time, which is a existing options in the space. But the
particularly helpful feature if you happen to team building it (which, not coincidentally,
collaborate on those documents with is also the team responsible for Notes)
co-workers or others. has spent a lot of time beefing it up in
I’ve used Notes as my go-to brain recent years to the point where it
dump for years now, simply by virtue of its respectably holds its own.
solid syncing features. I’ve got almost a I’ve tried a variety of different to-do
thousand notes in there now, and I don’t apps over the years, but Reminders has
think I’ll be slowing down anytime soon. ended up being the one that I’ve stuck
with, thanks not only to its existence
BE KIND, REMIND across Apple’s platforms but also to its
The original Reminders app was—not integrations with other apps and services.
unlike Notes—a bit sparse. Debuting in With the addition of features like tagging,
iOS 5 and macOS 10.8, it was a very list templates, pinned lists, smart lists,
simple and straightforward to-do app, subtasks, and way, way more, Reminders

WORKINGMAC 3 OV ER LOOKED A P P L E A PPS
has become a to-do app that can fit just isn’t perfect, I’ve found it to do the job
about any need. more than adequately.
I’m really looking forward to the latest The more recent versions might lack
updates to Reminders, though: This year the whimsical reel-to-reel tape designs of
it’ll get the ability to automatically the original app, but I appreciate its Up
categorize items on a grocery list Next queue, ability to create stations of
(produce, bakery, butcher, and so on) as podcasts, and quick access to chapter
well as create your own categories of markers. Plus it’s got stellar CarPlay
reminders. As someone whose support and, obviously, it has the virtue of
household currently relies on AnyList for offering built-in access to Apple’s podcast
our grocery shopping, I think these latest directory. Upcoming updates like search
additions might finally get me to the filters, queue improvements, and the
point of choosing one to-do app to rule ability to display per-episode artwork look
them all. like they’re going to make the Podcasts
user experience even richer.
POD PEOPLE While apps like Overcast (fave.
Apple’s Podcasts app is hardly co/48yCNMX), Castro (fave.co/3t7fvgL),
unpopular, but among certain groups of and Pocket Casts (fave.co/3Q0T1Hu) have
users, it’s definitely an also-ran. But I’ve their stalwart fans, there are a lot of casual
been using Podcasts as my go-to users for whom Podcasts simply works the
podcast app for a long time, and while it way their brain does. ■
Apple’s
Podcasts
app has
stellar
CarPlay
support.

Need help from Apple? Don’t go
to social media
Help may no longer be available through X, YouTube, or the Apple Support Community.
BY ROMAN LOYOLA
A
pple is undergoing some replies that explain other ways to get
staffing changes that include the support from Apple. Also, comment replies
elimination of social media to the Apple Support YouTube channel
support staff. As a result, Apple (fave.co/46dheQq), which has 1.55 million
will soon no longer provide customer subscribers, will cease.
support through X (formerly Twitter), Most concerning is that Apple will no
YouTube, and its Apple Support Community, longer have officials who post to the Apple
according to MacRumors (fave.co/48DHRzG). Support Community forum (fave.co/
MacRumors cites anonymous sources 3RCQcgV), which launched 12 years ago
that state that on October 1, @AppleSupport (fave.co/3ZCWY8i). It is a very active web
(fave.co/46bUY9H) on X, which has 1.5 resource for users to discuss issues with
million followers, will provide automated Apple products. MacRumors’ report does

WORKINGMAC N EED A PPL E H EL P? D ON’ T GO TO SOCIAL M E DI A
not state if the forum will remain available provide a phone number, and then an
for users to help each other without officialApple rep will call the customer. Apple
also offers an Apple Support app (fave.
input, or if it will be taken down completely.
co/3rrLisx) for the iPhone and iPad.
HOW TO GET SUPPORT Customers can also visit the Genius
FROM APPLE Bar at their local Apple Store.
Apple has a Support website (fave. Appointments are required and can be
co/3NOpfEI) that details how customers made on the Apple Store website (fave.
can get assistance from Apple. It co/3LL2osl) by finding a store and then
provides access to Apple’s vast clicking the “Make a reservation” link. Not
database of support documents that you all Apple Stores provide Genius Bar
can search through. The Support services. Learn more about booking a
website also provides a means to chat Genius Bar appointment (fave.co/
with or talk on the phone to an Apple 3R4DtAY).
Support representative—for phone calls, MacRumors reports that the
users have to fill out an online form and employees who worked in social media
roles have the
option to switch to
a phone-based
support role, but
chat-based roles
are not offered.
Those who decline
the option will
need to find
employment
outside of Apple.
Macworld has
asked Apple for
confirmation of
these changes and
will update this
You may need to make an appointment with an Apple Genius at one article if we hear
of the company’s physical stores. anything. ■

macOS Sonoma: How to make
and use web apps
The age-old iOS feature finally comes to the Mac.
BY ROMAN LOYOLA
T
he ability to create a web app has What is a “web app” in the first place?
been a feature in iOS and iPadOS Basically, it’s software that is using web-
for years and it’s finally coming to based tech—most people just call them
macOS with the release of “websites.” If you’ve ever used a social
Sonoma. While most Mac users work in network in a browser, you’re using a web
dedicated macOS apps, it’s not unusual to app. Other web apps include services
use a web app, and the new ability to (Uber, DoorDash), stores (Amazon), any of
create a standalone web app can help Google’s services, or even iCloud.com.
users navigate software more efficiently. Web-based tools such as Microsoft Office

WORKINGMAC M AC OS SONOMA : H OW TO MA KE A ND USE WE B APPS
Here’s how to
make a web app, as
well as some tips for
managing it. Web
apps require Safari 17,
which is included
with macOS Sonoma.
Check out our
macOS Sonoma
guide (fave.
1. co/42cIBqT) for
more information
365 or Adobe Creative Cloud are more about the latest version of the Mac
familiar as web apps. operating system.
On the Mac before Sonoma, you
accessed these web apps by launching a 1. ADD TO DOCK
browser and entering a URL. Now you’ll be Launch Safari in macOS Sonoma. Then
able to save that site as self-contained open the website you want to make into a
apps, so when you need them, you need web app. Click on the File menu and
only click on the icon to launch it. You can select Add to Dock.
turn just about any website into a web app,
even content sites like Macworld. If there’s 2. RENAME THE WEB APP
a site you use frequently and it would help A window will appear, asking you to enter
your workflow to run it as a separate app, the name of the web app. By default, the
this feature will speed things app. name is the one that the site has as its
HTML title, which often
includes the name and tags to
be used by web crawlers such
as Google. That means the
default name can be
excessively long. Give it a
shorter name that’s useful to
you. Click Add when your name
2. is ready, and you’re good to go.

Spotlight: Web
apps can be found
when performing a
Spotlight search.
If you remove the
web app from the
Dock, you can get to it
through Launchpad
3. or Spotlight.
Wait, what about
3. WHERE IS THE WEB the Applications folder—isn’t the web app
APP YOU JUST MADE? in there? That’s when it gets confusing.
Here’s where you can access the We have separate instructions in a
web app. section below (after this set of
Dock: The web app you just made instructions) on how to put the web app in
appears in the Dock. Move it within the the Applications folder.
Dock by clicking and dragging. Control-
click on the icon, and you can access the 4. WEB APP MENUS
management options available to all Dock Since a web app’s functions are web
items, such as “Remove from Dock” and based and not Mac based, the menu bar
“Open at Login.” isn’t really used for web app functions. All
Launchpad: The web app is added to the functions are within the web app itself,
the last screen of Launchpad. Move it and some web apps, such as Microsoft
within Launchpad screens by clicking and Office 365, have their own menu bar
dragging it. sitting below the Mac’s menu bar.
5. WEB APP
GENERAL
SETTINGS
The General settings
(web app name →
Settings → General, or
press Command+, and
4. then click on the

WORKINGMAC M AC OS SONOMA : H OW TO MA KE A ND USE WE B APPS
& Security Settings, where they

are managed.
Also available is the ability to
clear the app’s website data,
similar to how it works in Safari.
HOW TO PUT
MACOS SONOMA
5. WEB APPS IN THE
APPLICATIONS FOLDER
General tab) is where you can: There’s a peculiarity that occurs with
> Change the name; where Sonoma puts the web app when
> Customize the icon; it’s made. It doesn’t affect how the Mac
> Turn navigation controls that appear works or a web app’s functionality, but it
at the very top on/off; affects your personal file and app
> Turn the color in the title bar on/off. housekeeping habits.
If you look in the Applications folder in
6. WEB APP PRIVACY the sidebar of a Finder window, or you are
SETTINGS in the Finder and select Go → Applications
The Privacy settings (web app name → (Shift+Command+A), you won’t find the
Settings → Privacy, or press Command+, web app, but you’ll see your Mac apps.
and then click on the Privacy tab) is where This specific Applications folder is located
you can manage the settings for the at the surface level of your Mac’s storage;
camera, microphone, screen sharing, and if your storage appears as an icon on the
location. This redirects you to the Privacy Desktop, open it and you’ll see this folder.
Web apps aren’t saved to this
Applications folder. Instead, it’s
in the Applications folder of your
user account. The easiest way to
navigate to this location is to
Control-click on the web app
icon in the Dock and select
Show in Finder. A Finder
6. window called Applications will

and then placing it in the
main Applications folder.
To make an alias,
select the web app in the
Users → username →
Applications folder, then
select File → Make alias.
An alias icon will appear,
and you can then drag
it to Applications in
the sidebar.
Web apps are placed in an Applications folder specific to the
user, not the “main” Applications folder that you find at the top When you open the
level of your Mac’s storage. main Applications folder,
you should see the alias.
open, and the web app will likely be the You can rename it if you wish.
only app you see. The main Applications folder is seen
If you Control-click the Applications by all the user accounts for that Mac. If
header at the top of the window, a you leave the web app in its original
pop-up will appear, showing you the location, only that specific user account
location of the folder, which will be can see it. If you want all the users of
something similar to (starting from the that Mac to see the web app, place an
bottom of the list) your Mac’s name → alias in the main folder. ■
your storage name → Users →
username → Applications.
How to fix this if you think it

needs fixing
What if you prefer to have the web
app in the “main” Applications
folder, the one with all your Mac
apps? After all, this is the default
folder that opens in Finder sidebars
and other places. You can fix this When you open the main Applications folder, you
by making an alias of the web app should see the alias.

WORKINGMAC
How to insert fractions in Word

and Pages
Microsoft and Apple try to help you put the numbers in the correct
place and have it look good, too.
BY GLENN FLEISHMAN
D
espite the existence of the But you can easily be stymied when
metric system and an increased typing in Microsoft Word or Apple’s Pages:
reliance in recent years on Not all fractions appear to be available. You
decimal fractions to write partial can simulate them by using font styling to
amounts (such as 2.5), we often find choose superscript (for the top number, or
ourselves wanting to drop in a true numerator) and subscript (for the bottom
fraction. We know that ½ or ¾ looks one, the divisor called the denominator), but
snazzier than 1/2 and 3/4, like making sure then doesn’t the slash look wrong?
you’re using curly or typographer’s There are two cascading issues:
quotation marks instead of straight > First, does your software identify
typewriter ones. when you’re typing a fraction and
82 MACWORLD NOVEMBER 2023 IMAGE: ANDREY_POPOV/SHUTTERSTOCK

convert it to something more compact every possible character, as most people
and cleanly styled? need only a certain number for day-to-day
> Second, does the typeface you’re use. A fancier typeface, one designed for
using include “drawn” fractions for the more sophisticated or subtler typographic
ones in question? purposes, often includes a lot of extras, like
many ligatures, or drawn-as-joined
WHAT WORD AND characters. The fi and ff ones are common,
PAGES CAN DO but some faces include st and Th as well.
Word only automatically substitutes a small With fractions, some fonts—individual
subset of typed numbers with the “correct” styles of a typeface, like bold or 800 or
fractions from a typeface: 1/2, 1/4, and 3/4. condensed oblique—may have only the
Pages has a greater variety. In my most basic ratios, which are typically 1/2,
testing and seemingly depending on the 1/4, 3/4, 1/3, 2/3, and 3/3. Others may fill out
typeface, it will drop in all available the fraction family for eighths, too.
fractions when the denominator is 2 up However, many fonts do include
through 10 (from 1/2 to 9/10, say). So type drawn superscripts and subscripts
5/8, and you get the neat-looking ⅝. designed to be used for footnotes,
However, these fractions can vary in scientific notation, and fractions. These
appearance, as Pages will show ones that are created by the type designer to have
are both using the design of the typeface the same feel and weight as other
and ones that look much more generic characters in a given style of a typeface.
and are clearly pulled from another font. But you have to work to pick them.
What if you’re using something that You can choose superscript (the upper
doesn’t fit the autoformatting options? Or number) and subscript (the lower) for
what if you want something more precise? numerals by using styling choices in Word
You can leap into a manual process using or Pages. When chosen, those apps don’t
some shortcuts. pick the drawn letter but rather shrink a
regular numeral down and reposition it
FORMAT WITH “FAKE” vertically. This can make the fractions stand
FRACTIONS out awkwardly if your document is
We think of typefaces as having all the otherwise well designed or even if it uses a
necessary letters, numbers, and symbols single weight (like Georgia Roman) and a
we need to write essays, reports, and single size of a typeface. (You can tell when
webpages. In fact, few typefaces contain someone relies on footnotes that haven’t

WORKINGMAC I N SERT FR ACTIONS IN WOR D & PAGES
been given a designer’s pass, as the

superscript numbers will seem
lighter or thinner compared to the
main body text—sometimes nearly
unreadably so.)
However, this method is
straightforward and fast; it’s
appropriate for personal and
informal uses. Here’s how to make
“fake” superscripts and subscripts: The Character Viewer gives you direct access to
> In Word with Home chosen in choosing well-proportioned fractions.
the toolbar, select numbers in the
text, and then click the x-sub-2 and 2. Choose Customize List.
x-super-2 buttons. 3. In the Symbols section, check the
> In Pages, with text selected, either Digits—All box.
choose Format → Font → Baseline and then 4. Click Done.
Superscript or Subscript, or press Now when you bring up the palette
Command-Control-plus for superscript or and click Digits—All, you’ll see every
Command-Control-minus for subscript. number available in Unicode, which
includes fractions and the characters for
FORMAT WITH “TRUE” OR drawn superscripts and subscripts.
DRAWN FRACTIONS You can drag or double-click any item
If you want to aim for something in the palette into a document. If you have
typographically consistent, you can access the text insertion cursor at a point where
the drawn superscripts and subscripts in a you can enter text in Word or Pages,
font through the Character Viewer. If you double-clicking inserts. Otherwise, drag
don’t know how to access this palette, see the character into the document. If you
“How to use macOS’s Character Viewer to copy (Command+C) the fraction and then
type emoji and other symbols” (fave. paste it, it will paste the fraction and its
co/3tmuhQO). The easiest way to use the character info; you can delete the
Character Viewer to find fractions is to unneeded info.
customize the display: It can be annoying to scroll each time
1. Click the ellipsis (…) symbol for More to find what you need. To bypass the
in the upper-left corner. scrolling, choose each fraction and click

Add to Favorites under its preview at the
right side of the viewer. Then you can click
the Favorites link in the left-hand list.
I’ve found that in some typefaces, the
superscript 1, 2, and 3 don’t match the
other numbers, likely for historic reasons. If
you notice that difference, you have a
workaround that relies on OpenType With the right typeface, you can use the
features you can access through the Typography palette to construct a fraction.
Typography palette in Pages only:
1. Press Command-T to open the forward slashes in most typefaces and
Fonts palette. defined in the overarching Unicode
2. Select a numeral in your Pages format. A regular slash is about 20
document. degrees from the vertical; one used with
3. In the palette, click the More button a fraction is closer to 30 degrees. The
to select Typography and reveal the fraction slash in a typeface fits more
Typography palette. neatly with the drawn superscript and
4. Click the Vertical Position section to subscripts, and have the correct thickness
show options, and choose Superiors/ of stroke to make it all look like a
Superscripts or Inferiors/Subscripts as designed unit.
appropriate. Search in the Character palette for
If the typeface contains the correct “fraction slash” to find and favorite that
characters, you’ll then be able to compose extra-special diagonal.
perfect fractions. You may also need to
adjust character spacing to make the BUILD WHAT YOU NEED
fractions look just right: Click the gear If you frequently need fractions, you
menu in the Format → Text palette and could build a document with common
reduce Character Spacing. fractions constructed from superscripts,
fraction slash, and subscripts, and then
GET THE RIGHT copy and paste them in as needed into
FORWARD SLASH your main document. Or you could type
There’s one more subtlety you can invoke normal fractions, like 5/8, and then
if you want to put the cherry on top of the search for that text, replacing it with
fraction cake. There are several kinds of drawn numbers such as ⅝. ■

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PLAYLIST Everything you need to know about Apple Music,
Apple TV, and Mac or iOS-based entertainment
Sonos Move 2: An indoor /

outdoor entertainer
It doesn’t look much different from the original groundbreaking speaker,
but there’s virtually nothing here that hasn’t been improved.
BY MICHAEL BROWN
When I heard Sonos was 2019 review (fave.co/3tfQ9NR). I clearly

working on a second suffer from a lack of imagination. The
generation of its first portable Sonos Move 2 is superior to that excellent
speaker, the Move, I speaker in nearly every way. It’s also $50
wondered how they could make it better more expensive than the original, which
than the first, which I raved about in my remains on the market at $399. Yes, Sonos
IMAGE: SONOS NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 87

PLAYLIST REVIEW: SONOS MOV E 2
expects to fetch $449 for

the Move 2.
Outfitted with dual
angled tweeters, the Sonos
Move 2 is a stereo speaker
where the original delivers
mono performances. What
could be better than
stereo? A less-directional
sound stage that doesn’t
ignore listeners sitting
behind the speaker, as
might happen if a group of
The Sonos Move 2 supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity
partygoers are gathered simultaneously, so friends can connect to the speaker without
around a picnic table. The needing the Sonos app or your Wi-Fi credentials.
first Move was so highly
directional you needed to be right in front back to my house, and the speaker
of it to get the most enjoyment. And the automatically restored its connection to my
only way to listen in stereo was to buy two Wi-Fi network without interrupting the
Moves. That feature has been carried over song. What’s even more impressive is that
to this new model if you want it, but you’ll the music playing on the speaker was still
get a great two-channel experience with in sync with a Sonos One speaker inside
just one of the new models. my house.
The Move 2 once again supports both Concurrent Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity (Wi-Fi 6 connectivity offers a second advantage:
and Bluetooth 5.0, respectively), but those Friends can stream music to the Move 2
connections are concurrent this time without needing to install the Sonos app
around. While streaming music over my on their phones or getting on your Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi network, I walked down the street network. But with the app on your phone,
until the speaker lost its connection to my you can then group the Move 2 with any
network and the music stopped. I lifted the other Sonos speakers on your network
speaker, pressed the Bluetooth button in and stream that same music to all of them.
back, and the music resumed, now Like other Sonos speakers, the Move also
streaming from my phone. I then walked supports Apple’s AirPlay 2 multi-room

audio technology in addition to Sonos’ to go in your backpack.
own powerful ecosystem. That said, you needn’t worry too much
about exposing the Move 2 to the
DESIGN & BUILD elements, as it carries the same IP56
> Dimensions: 9.5×6.3 x 5 inches (H×W×D) weatherization as the first. That means no
> Weight: 6.61 pounds particulate matter should ever cause the
> IP56 weatherization speaker to fail, and it has the highest
> Touch-sensitive controls protection from water short of immersion.
> Color choices: Black, white, or olive Should it ever fall in the mud, you can
green (a new color) spray it with a jet nozzle without worrying
On the downside, Sonos hasn’t done about damage—but don’t drop it in the
much of anything to reduce the Move 2’s pool. We’ll tell you everything you need to
hefty weight; in fact, at 6.61 pounds, it’s know about IP codes at this link: fave.
slightly heavier than the first-generation co/3kJZy8J.
speaker, which tipped the scales at 6.6 Sonos says that the Move is
pounds. As before, a scoop-like handle constructed from impact-resistant materials
molded into the back of the speaker and that it can withstand exposure to the
makes it easy to pick up and lug around, sun’s ultraviolet rays as well. I left it
but this clearly isn’t an entertainer destined operating it in direct sunlight on an
unseasonably warm day in Portland for
several hours, and a noncontact
temperature sensor reported the surface
temperature of its enclosure at 120
degrees Fahrenheit (both the top and the
front grill).
AUDIO PERFORMANCE
> Three Class-D amplifiers (one for each
driver)
> Dual tweeters and one mid-bass
(single-speaker stereo)
> Sealed enclosure
Weighing in at 6.61 pounds, the Sonos Move > Bluetooth 5.0 (SBC and AAC codec
2’s bulk is best described as lovably luggable. support)

The Move 2 has a single midwoofer in passive radiators. More importantly, the
addition to the dual angled tweeters I’ve higher frequencies of the drum machine,
already mentioned. Each of these drivers finger snaps, and vocals were rendered
is powered by a separate Class D with explicit clarity. The Move 2 sounds
amplifier. As usual, Sonos doesn’t disclose tight and cohesive, and its enclosure
driver sizes or materials or its amplifier doesn’t transfer energy to the surface it’s
power specifications. resting on to cause unwanted resonance.
Portable speaker designers often make Playing Steely Dan’s “Home at Last,”
use of bass ports and/or passive radiators from the band’s 1977 masterwork Aja, the
to enhance bass response; Sonos doesn’t, Move 2 delivered the three bass notes
as the Move 2 has only active drivers in a that joins the piano at the end of the
sealed enclosure. As such, it’s no bass second bar with a satisfying thump. When
monster, but it’s not bass shy, either. the horns enter the mix, the pealing
Listening to Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy,” from trumpets are delivered with sparkling
her debut album When We All Fall Asleep, clarity. On the next track, “I Got the News,”
Where Do We Go?, the thumping opening I could hear each strike of the drummer’s
bass line felt rich and full, although I didn’t stick on his hi-hat. The vocals, with Michael
feel the pounding in my chest as I would McDonald’s unmistakable tenor in the
with a much larger speaker—or one with chorus, were equally well defined.
I listened to the
speakers indoors in
several sizes of rooms—
including with different
ceiling heights—and out
of doors, taking
advantage of Sonos’
Automatic Trueplay
technology that uses the
speaker’s onboard
microphones to monitor
its own performance and
adjust its tuning in
Thanks to its real-time Trueplay EQ adjustments, the Sonos Move response to its
2 sounds every bit as good outdoor as it does in the house. surroundings. The Move

2 sounded great everywhere:
right next to a wall, on an open
counter, and in the backyard.
Trueplay is wonderful and it
works in both Wi-Fi and
Bluetooth modes, although you
can disable it if you find it
annoying. I certainly didn’t.
The Sonos Move 2 is an
immensely satisfying speaker to
listen to, whether you’re
streaming over Wi-Fi or Sonos significantly improved the Sonos Move 2’s volume
Bluetooth. I can’t help but control with this touch-sensitive groove slider.
wonder, however, if it would
sound even better over Bluetooth if Sonos compared to the previous model, thanks to a
supported a high-resolution Bluetooth horizontal groove (slide your finger left to
codec like Sony’s LDAC or Qualcomm’s lower the volume, up to raise it). These
aptX Adaptive. The speaker does support controls are operational whether you’re
Apple’s AAC codec. Audiophiles will find listening via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. The same
nits to pick, but if you’re looking for a controls are available in the Sonos app if
reference-quality speaker, you shouldn’t you’re using Wi-Fi (provided your phone and
expect it to be suitable for both outdoor the speaker are on the same network).
and indoor performances. You can also control the speaker with
voice commands, using the onboard mic
ONBOARD CONTROLS and either Alexa or Sonos Voice Control,
> Play/pause the latter featuring the mellifluous pipes of
> Track forward/back Giancarlo Esposito. Unlike the first-gen
> Volume speaker, Google Assistant is not supported
> Activate voice assistant here. The Move 2 is adept at hearing
As before, the Sonos Move 2 has either wake word—“Alexa” or “Hey
capacitive touch controls on the top of the Sonos”—even when you’ve cranked up
speaker, with dedicated buttons for play/ your tunes. As a last resort, however, you
pause, track forward, and previous track. It’s can tap the “voice bubble” button on the
much easier to control the speaker’s volume, top of the speaker.

For the privacy-conscious, Sonos Voice listening to, you just can’t request a
Control offers the advantage of processing particular artist, album, or song by asking
your requests on the speaker itself— for it—you need to use the app for that.
nothing is uploaded to the cloud. If you Music service apps are slightly more
want additional privacy assurance, the embracing of Amazon’s Alexa: You can
speaker’s mics can be electrically use the same apps, plus a few more
defeated by flipping a switch on the back including Tidal (but not Qobuz). Apart from
of the speaker. The on/off and Bluetooth voice control, Sonos supports just every
buttons are also there. service you can think of.
The major downside to using Sonos
Voice Control is the limited support for BATTERY LIFE
third-party music-streaming services. You Sonos has managed to more than double
can use it with subscriptions to Sonos the Move’s battery life, going from 11 hours
Radio, Apple Music, Amazon Music, of playback time on the first-gen speaker
Deezer, or Pandora, but it’s not compatible to a full 24 hours on this one (a claim I
with Qobuz, Tidal, Spotify, YouTube Music didn’t attempt to verify). The speaker
Premium, and many other services. It’s not comes with a wireless cradle with physical
all bad news, though: You can use voice contacts that touch a pair of pads on the
control to pause, resume, and adjust the back of the speaker (it’s not a Qi-type
volume no matter which service you’re charger). The wall wart for the charging
base retains the right-angle
form factor of the original, so
its cord won’t block an
adjacent wall outlet, but the
cradle’s power cord is
removable this time.
You won’t need to
remember to bring the
charging base with you,
because you can plug any
USB-PD charger into the
speaker’s USB-C port. You
You’ll place the Move 2 on this ring-shaped charging cradle probably won’t want to take
when its battery runs low. the charging base with you

line-in adapter lets you use the
USB-C as a line-level aux input,
which is great if you want to
plug in a turntable with its own
preamp; the battery-powered
Audio-Technica Sound Burger
(fave.co/48Ni7ku), for example.
A $39 combo adapter lets you
do that and hardwire the
speaker to your home network
with an ethernet cable.
VERDICT
The USB-C port on the back of the Move 2 serves several You’ll find a host of portable,
functions when you add optional accessories. weatherized Bluetooth
speakers that cost
anyway, because replacing a lost one will significantly less than the Sonos Move 2,
set you back $79. No battery lasts forever, but none that are as smart or as flexible,
and you might be tempted to just upgrade that deliver such long battery life, that
to a new model should the one can operate over both Wi-Fi
in a cheaper speaker reach the mmmmh and Bluetooth, or, most
end of its lifespan. Given the Sonos Move 2 importantly, that sound
Move 2’s high price tag, I’m PROS remotely as fabulous. If you
• Excellent audio
happy to report that Sonos sells performance—in stereo!
already own a first-generation
a reasonably priced replacement • Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Move and are weary of that
connectivity—
battery kit for $79 (ditto for the simultaneously! speaker’s 11-hour battery life,
original Move). • Very wide sound stage. moving up to this model might
The Move 2’s USB-C port can CONS be worth it; personally, I’d
• Still no support for hi-res
also charge another device from Bluetooth codecs. rather spend that money on my
the speaker’s battery, a common • Still best described as favorite artists’ live shows.
luggable.
feature on portable speakers PRICE
If you have the budget and
these days. Less typical, it serves From $449 want the best portable speaker
COMPANY
two other functions, albeit with on the market, nothing comes
Sonos
added-cost accessories: A $19 close to the Sonos Move 2. ■

PLAYLIST
PreSonus Eris HD10BT: Good

cans–just don’t use ANC
Marketed as professional headphones, the Eris HD10BT deliver largely accurate
audio reproduction. But they won’t once you enable active noise cancellation.
BY JON JACOBI
O
ut of the box, the $130 appreciated its relatively flat frequency
PreSonus HD10BT (fave. reproduction, which makes this
co/3tmxsrI) Bluetooth headphone a better choice for home A/V
headphone with active noise studio use than many consumer cans.
cancellation (ANC) impressed me with On the other hand, PreSonus’
both its styling and its solid feel. I also otherwise effective noise-cancellation
94 MACWORLD NOVEMBER 2023 IMAGE: PRESONUS

tech appreciably alters the HD10BT’s Also, the center panel with the
sound, and there’s no app you can use to Bluetooth pairing button was popping
change its EQ. out a bit when I took the headphone out
of its box. I pressed it back in and it
DESIGN AND BUILD remained in place, but the fitment of
The Eris HD10BT are over-ear, closed-back these plastic parts on both cups could
headphones with 40mm drivers and a mic be more precise.
on each ear cup to facilitate the ANC and The HD10BT ship with a straight 4-foot
phone calls. The headphones are styled in 3.5mm cable, a 3.5mm-to-1/4-inch adapter,
black and silver, and as I said, they look a USB-A to micro-USB charging cable, and
good out of the box. a zippered hardshell case.
The left cup is home to the ANC switch,
as well as the micro-USB charging port. AUDIO AND ACTIVE NOISE-
The right cup has the up/down/call- CANCELLING QUALITY
answering buttons and the Bluetooth The best way to describe the Eris
pairing button. HD10BT’s sound (sans ANC, that is) is flat
Though I love the way the Eris HD10BT and accurate: that is, it doesn’t accentuate
looks—with its sturdy, partly metal any particular frequency, including the high
construction and the heft that comes with end or the bass. And that’s what you want
that material—I have some
niggles with its fit and finish.
While the texture of the
material covering part of the
back, outer portion of its ear
cups offers a nice tactile
sensation and a good grip, it
was already starting to
abrade in two locations after
just a couple of trips into the
carrying case. I can only
imagine what they would look
life after a few months of
If this had been a one-off, I wouldn’t complain; however, this
anything less than the most type of premature wear showed up in a couple of places after
delicate handling. I handled the HD10BT just a few times.

PLAYLIST REVIEW: P R ESONU S ER IS H D 10BT
pollution; however, it does

affect the EQ. That’s not
something you want from a
professional headphone.
There’s a drop-off in the high
end—as with many middle-of-
the-road ANC designs—but
it’s very slight. Quite
unusually, activating ANC also
delivered a slight boost in the
lower registers.
So forget what I said about
The Presonus HD10BT in its hardshell carrying case. flat response the moment you
flip this headphone’s ANC
when you’re mixing audio tracks—minimal switch to the on position. That’s not to say
coloration by your playback equipment. the Eris HD10BT sounds bad with active
The midrange and field definition was noise cancellation engaged, it’s just not
spot on. I had no problem picking as balanced or precise in its frequency
instruments or parts out from the mix; reproduction. And I tested it with both
another plus for home studio use.
The HD10BT also handle volume
well, not overly changing timbre as
you crank things up.
But for recreational listening, I
was quickly wishing for an app with
EQ capabilities, as my older ears
like a bit more sparkle. Many music
apps have their own EQ, so if the
one you use has that feature, you
won’t mind that PreSonus doesn’t
provide its own.
PreSonus’ active noise
Notice the center panel sticking out slightly. This
cancellation is very effective at was before I pushed in back in, but the poor fit of the
taming environmental sound plastic inserts is a bit concerning.

Bluetooth and connected
to my source with a cable.
PreSonus claims up to
16 hours of battery life,
which typically means
without ANC engaged.
With ANC on, the
headphone had about 70
percent battery life
remaining after two hours
of listening, so figure a bit
less than what PreSonus
thinks It will deliver. The Eris HD10BT sound decent and cancel noise well.
COMFORT LEVEL To compensate, I found myself moving

My first impression of the Eris HD10BT the pressure point by rotating the
was that it was one of the more headband slightly backward and then
comfortable over-ear headphones I’ve forward. After a time, I added some
tried. The ear cups are soft but not external padding to the headband. You
squishy, and they’re deep might not be as sensitive.
enough to keep my auricles
from bottoming out on the
mmm VERDICT
PreSonus Eris
speaker grill. Good job there. HD10BT Despite its flaws, I enjoyed my
After a few hours, however, I PROS time with the PreSonus Eris
• Good sound with a flat
found myself wishing for a bit reproduction curve. HD10BT. It’s a handsome
more padding on the headband. • Comfortable ear cups. headphone that sounds
It’s a two-rail design, which is • Attractive styling. decent, cancels noise well,
CONS
sturdy but puts all the pressure • ANC alters the sound.
and is relatively affordable. But
in two smaller areas. The metal • No app for EQ adjustments. I would be remiss if I didn’t
in the HD10BT makes it rather • Headband needs more mention that the Anker Space
padding.
weighty for its class—0.9 PRICE
Q35 (fave.co/46fi3bx) are a
pounds—and that weight led to $130 better headphone for casual
COMPANY
pressure forming on the top of listening—and they’re a bit
PreSonus
my head. less coin. ■

PLAYLIST
Final Audio ZE8000: Wildly

different, exceptionally good
The industrial design is polarizing, and noise cancellation plays second fiddle to
fidelity, but the Final ZE8000 are among the best ANC earbuds on the market.
BY JAMES BARBER
F
inal Audio has delivered one of of the ZE8000. They’ve created an
the best-sounding noise- earphone that has no real parallels in the
cancelling earbuds you can buy: consumer audio world, so buyers will
the ZE8000 (fave.co/3ZMRoAj). stand out from the white earbud hordes.
Buy a set and you’ll also get one of the
more outrageous designs in the earphone HOW DO THE FINAL
market, a look that will enchant some and ZE8000 SOUND?
completely turn off others. The ZE8000 have an impressive
Final is based in Japan, a country that soundstage and excellent detail,
fully embraced the Brutalist architectural comparing favorably to the Astell&Kern AK
movement that seems to have inspired the UW100 (fave.co/40ZXHjt) and Campfire
sharp corners and concrete-textured finish Audio Orbit (fave.co/3tffVC3) earbuds, two
98 MACWORLD NOVEMBER 2023 IMAGE: FINAL AUDIO

models that ditch active noise
cancellation in pursuit of the best
possible audio reproduction.
Final offers a feature called
8K Sound+, a setting activated
from the Final Connect app that
“upgrades the signal processing
algorithm” to improve the sound
quality to the “maximum limit.”
When listening in a quiet
environment, 8K Sound+ offered
a slight but noticeable The pebbled texture of the ZE8000 noise-cancelling
improvement to audio quality. earbuds’ finish evokes painted concrete.
The improvement wasn’t
noticeable when using the ZE8000 Android devices. The ZE8000 are also
earbuds outdoors or in a noisy compatible with Snapdragon Sound-
environment. 8K Sound+ was a massive enabled devices.
drain on the battery, so I ended up turning Final advertises the ZE8000’s
it off and never felt as though I needed it “f-CORE for 8K Sound’ ultra-low
when listening indoors. distortion driver with a large 13mm
I did most of my testing with
an iPhone 13 Pro Max, listening
to Apple Music, but heard an
ever-so-slight increase in audio
quality when playing back
lossless audio on an Android
device that supports the aptX
Adaptive codec.
The earbuds support
Bluetooth 5.2 and the SBC,
AAC, aptX, and aptX Adaptive
codecs, the latter of which
allow for transmission at up to There’s a lot of air inside the Final ZE8000 case, so the lid
24bit/96kHz from compatible has some give if you press down when the case is closed.

PLAYLIST REVIEW: F INA L AU D IO ZE8 000
diaphragm. The lightweight driver uses processing required for ANC to work also
an aluminum-magnesium dome injection- tends to alter the music signal, sometimes
molded onto a highly flexible silicone in unacceptable ways.
surround, with a floating mechanism The Final ZE8000 are meant to appeal
used for the voice coils. to serious music listeners, so the company
The f-CORE drivers are powered by has made a serious effort to balance audio
Class-AB amplifiers, which Final says quality with noise reduction. Both the
delivers a better balance between sound Astell&Kern and Campfire earbuds
quality and power efficiency than the preserve audio quality by ditching the
Class-D amplifiers that most true wireless ANC altogether, so Final is making an
earphones use. Final promises lower total ambitious attempt to balance features that
harmonic distortion (THD) from these are basically in conflict with each other.
drivers than we’ve experienced from other ANC on the ZE8000 is very good, but it’s
true wireless earphone models, resulting not great. The 2nd-gen Apple AirPods Pro
in a higher level of detail and more precise offer the best balance of ANC and music
sound texture. quality that I’ve heard, and the ZE8000 can’t
Janelle Monáe’s 2023 album The Age quite compete with the noise reduction of
of Pleasure features a blend of soul and the Apple earbuds. It’s also substantially less
funk that blends in a mixture of dub and than what you’d get with the Sony
dancehall. The album’s mixes put Monáe’s WF-1000MX4 (fave.co/483TIH0) or the Bose
voice front and center, pushing many of Quiet Comfort Earbuds II (fave.co/44wQrgr),
the musical elements to the sides for a two models that get rave reviews from users
widescreen listening experience. The who prize noise reduction over all else.
ZE8000 did a fantastic job of reproducing
the low-end reverberations essential to the INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
capturing the Jamaican musical influences The ZE8000 are available in black or
the artist employs here. white, even though the white seems to
have gray undertones that emphasize the
DO THE FINAL ZE8000 HAVE rock-like design. They have a distinctive
GOOD ACTIVE NOISE angular design in sharp contrast to the
CANCELLING? rounded corners featured on almost every
Many users value maximum noise other wireless in-ear headphone.
reduction from wireless headphones, but The ZE8000 come with a massive
audiophiles know that the digital signal case, measuring 3×1.25×2.5 inches. The lid

slides back to reveal the
earbuds, and there’s a lot
of empty space inside the
case. That means they’re
very light, despite their
textured concrete
appearance, but it also
means they feel a bit
flimsy. There’s a
surprising amount of give
to the lid when pressing
down on the closed case, The Final ZE8000 case can only be charged with a USB-C cable.
and that lid feels like it
could snap off when it’s open. You’ll need to plug the case in via
The case is a tight fit in the front pocket USB-C to charge. Not supporting
of a pair of jeans, and I wouldn’t want to wireless case charging seems like a big
put it in a back pocket and accidentally sit omission for a product at this price. On
on it. That’s mostly because the lid seems the upside, those wires will give you a
like it’s going to crack, even though it full earbud charge in 1.5 hours and a full
didn’t break during testing. The Final case case charge in 2. A rapid-charging
takes some getting used to if you’ve used option provides 45 minutes of listening
other earphones with rock-solid cases. after a 5-minute charge.
THE FINAL ZE8000 DELIVER ARE THE FINAL ZE8000

ACCEPTABLE BATTERY LIFE COMFORTABLE TO WEAR?
Final says the ZE8000 will deliver 5 The Final ZE8000 come with multiple sizes
hours of continuous playback, but I of eartips, and I had no trouble getting a
never managed to get more than 4.5 great seal with them—they went straight
hours on a charge. A fully charged case into my ear canal with no twisting required
is rated for a total of 15 hours of for a good fit. My first impulse was to twist,
playback, but my experience puts the since that’s a requirement for the best fit
total at something like 13. That’s an with most earbuds. At least for me, twisting
acceptable number for earbuds that offer the ZE8000 caused substantial discomfort
both ANC and signal processing. after only a few minutes.

PLAYLIST REVIEW: F INA L AU D IO ZE8 000
Once I figured out that I got a great fit wear earbuds for five hours at a time, so
without twisting, I was able to wear the maybe Final’s design should be
ZE8000 for a couple of hours before considered a safety feature.
they became uncomfortable. A
substantial amount of their weight sits on HOW DO YOU CONTROL THE
the stem outside of the ear, so that’s not FINAL ZE8000 EARBUDS?
a surprise. I’m able to wear the second- All the touch controls are preset by Final,
gen Apple AirPods Pro (fave.co/ so users can adjust them to their
3ZFswdK) and the Google Pixel Buds Pro preferences. The good news is that they’re
(fave.co/3tgZ8OP) for a lot longer without responsive and provide both audio and
discomfort, sometimes for the full length spoken feedback, so it’s relatively easy to
of a battery charge. keep track of what you’re doing while
Removing the ZE8000 for a couple of mastering the controls.
minutes made any discomfort disappear, The earbuds don’t automatically pause
and I was able to wear them for another music when you remove one from your
long stretch right away. Your audiologist ears, but a single tap on the right-hand
would certainly tell you that you shouldn’t earbud controls play and pause. A single
tap on the left switches between ambient
sound and noise cancellation. A 2-second
touch and hold on the left-hand earbud
activates or turns off wind-cut mode, and
the same gesture on the right controls
voice-through mode.
If you want to activate your phone’s
voice assistant, you can tap either
earbud five times. This gesture takes
some practice, and I never quite
mastered it. Five taps are too many, at
least for me.
WHAT’S THE FINAL

Most of the weight of the Final ZE8000
CONNECT APP LIKE?
earbud is in the stem that sits outside the The Final Connect app for iOS and
ear canal. Android allows users to switch between

the four noise-
cancelling modes,
make EQ
adjustments, and
use Final’s Volume
Step Optimizer
technology for finer
volume adjustment.
Users can also
switch the voice
prompt language
between English and The Final Connect app is straightforward and offers detailed
Japanese. Users can explanations of how each function works.
access the manual
via the app, which includes a helpful chart to the Astell&Kern and Campfire Audio
detailing the earbuds’ touch controls. earbuds, which don’t use any kind of
The app includes a four-band digital signal processing. Whether the
equalizer, so users can create and save Final ZE8000 earbuds are for you
a single custom EQ setting. You can also ultimately comes down to your reaction
see the battery level for each to their design.
earbud (but not the case), Final took the kind of design
update the firmware, and switch
mmmm risks that were common for audio
Final Audio ZE8000
between audio-processing manufacturers in the 1970s and
PROS
modes. • Design sure to attract 80s. Not every one of those
attention.
creative decisions worked, but
• Exceptional audio
VERDICT performance. we got some iconic audio gear
The Final ZE8000 are the • Well-designed app. out of the experimentation. At a
CONS
best-sounding ANC earbuds • No wireless charging.
time when most in-ear monitors
I’ve tried, improving on the • 8K Sound+ is a huge power look so much like each other that
drain.
2nd-gen Apple AirPods Pro it would be nearly impossible to
• Expensive.
audio if not quite matching their PRICE figure out who made them, Final
noise cancellation quality. The $340 has made some bold choices that
COMPANY
ANC had little impact on audio give listeners a compelling
Final Audio
quality, so they compared well alternative to the norm. ■

PLAYLIST
iOS 17: How to set and adjust

crossfade in Apple Music
After years of longing for this feature, you can finally crossfade tracks in
Apple Music on iPhone and iPad.
BY JASON CROSS
C
rossfading between tracks— Music’s biggest competitor Spotify for
fading out the end of the ages, and has been a feature of the Mac
current track while fading in the version of Apple Music since…well, it even
start of the next one to goes back to the iTunes days.
eliminate gaps in playback—has been a But for some reason, Apple Music on
feature of most mainstream music apps for iOS and iPadOS has never offered a
many years. It has been a feature in Apple crossfade feature, despite consistent
104 MACWORLD NOVEMBER 2023 IMAGE: INSTA_PHOTOS/SHUTTERSTOCK

outcries from the
community. With iOS
17 and iPadOS 17,
that finally changes.
Here’s how to
enable or disable
Crossfade and
adjust the length
of the transition.
1. OPEN
SETTINGS
AND SELECT
MUSIC
Most of the settings
for Apple Music are
found in Settings,
not the Music app.
First open Settings. 1. 2.
Then scroll down to
Music and select it.
2. LOOK FOR
CROSSFADE
OPTIONS IN THE
AUDIO SECTION
Scroll down to the Music
section and you’ll see a
toggle for Crossfade. Tap
the switch to enable or
disable it. When enabled,
a slider lets you select the
length of the crossfade
from 1 to 12 second. ■ The same steps apply to iPadOS 17.

PLAYLIST
Apple connects Podcasts app

with Music, News+, and other
subscriptions
Subscriptions to eligible services automatically appear in the Podcasts app.
BY ROMAN LOYOLA
A
pple has added new service Available now, Apple Podcasts has
features for its Podcasts app over 60 podcasts for subscribers to Apple
(fave.co/3RM2jZ0) that give Music, Apple News+, and the Calm (fave.
users access to more content, co/3tk1nkA) and Lingokids (fave.co/
thanks to the newly included ability to tie 3ZHgoc3) apps. When running iOS 17,
shows to in-app subscriptions, Apple iPadOS 17, or macOS Sonoma, users can
Music, and Apple News+a. Apple is also launch the Podcasts app and subscriptions
offering Apple News+ Narrated, a new will automatically link to the app—a splash
show that narrates articles in Apple News+. screen will display what subscriptions and
106 MACWORLD NOVEMBER 2023 IMAGE: INSTA_PHOTOS/SHUTTERSTOCK

apps have been connected. Users can of the best journalism from News+
also manually connect by visiting the app’s publishers on Apple Podcasts as well as in
channel page in Podcasts. Apple News,” said Lauren Kern, Apple
Apple is rolling out a number of app News editor in chief, in a press release.
and podcast connections. Podcasts will be Apple News+ Narrated features
available to app subscribers of Bloomberg, selected articles narrated by professional
Curio, L’Équipe, Mamamia, Sleep Cycle, actors rather than AI-generated voices.
The Economist, The Times, The Wall Street An Apple News+ subscription is required
Journal, The Washington Post, WELT and available in the U.S., the U.K.,
News, and Zen. Canada, and Australia.
Apple has also made shows from The podcast market has become very
Apple Music Radio available in the competitive, with Spotify and its exclusive
Podcasts app. “Apple Music is home to offerings of popular podcasters, as well as
hundreds of original shows featuring the Amazon and other services. Apple’s ability
world’s top artists and tastemakers, and to tie podcasts to its App Store gives it a
our listeners love them,” said Rachel unique service it can offer to companies
Newman, Apple Music’s global head of selling app subscriptions. It also provides
editorial, in a press release. “There is truly exclusive access to users invested in the
something for everyone, which is why Apple ecosystem. ■
we’re excited to make it all available on
Apple Podcasts, so subscribers can follow
their favorites, save episodes to their
library, get notified when new episodes
are released, and listen offline across
their devices.”
APPLE NEWS+ NARRATED:

AUDIO VERSIONS OF
POPULAR ARTICLES
Apple News+ is also tied into the new
Podcasts app subscriber service, with the Apple News+
Narrated
new Apple News+ Narrated among the
requires an
available shows. “Now subscribers can Apple News+
enjoy narrated articles representing some subscription.

MADDY TURNED
HATE
Maddy Park
Founder,
@CafeMaddyCab
INTO
HOPE
AND
STARTED
A MOVEMENT
In 2021, the rise of violence against the Asian
community made even the simple act of taking
public transportation unsafe. So, Maddy started
a fund to pay for cab rides for those in the Asian
community that needed it most, including women,
the elderly, and the LGBTQ+ community. With over
$100,000 raised in just two days, she started a
movement based on love that lives on today.
Join Maddy’s cause and get the tools

to support the Asian community now at
LoveHasNoLabels.com
HELPDESK Answering Your Questions and Sharing Your
Tips About Getting the Most From Your Mac
Mac 911
Solutions to your most vexing Mac problems.
BY GLENN FLEISHMAN
HOW TO FIND A PICTURE As you view a memory, you might want

THAT APPEARS IN A to jump to an individual photo and see it in
PHOTOS MEMORY context in your Photos library or share it
Apple’s algorithmically generated with someone else. There’s a way to do
Memories collections in the Photos app in this with a few taps and holds.
iOS, iPadOS, and macOS can surface
some great images and videos from the iOS or iPadOS: How to find a picture
past, even if the themes are sometimes that appears in a Photos memory
erratic. I understand why it might remind 1. While the memory is playing, tap in
me of Independence Day 2008 or various the center of your device.
trips, but sometimes a collection of eating 2. Tap the grid icon in the lower-right
pictures across many years is baffling. corner.

HELPDESK M AC 9 11
HOW TO SHARE
RAW AND HEIC
PHOTOS FROM
YOUR iPHONE
Ever since Apple added a
raw mode to iPhone and
iPad camera shots, the
pathway diverged for how
to send the highest-
After pressing and holding on an image or video, you can resolution format of a file to
choose to view it in Photos. other people. Raw mode
(sometimes capitalized as
3. Scroll to find the photo or video RAW, even though it’s not an acronym)
you’re interested in, and press and hold. incorporates less-processed color
4. Choose Show in All Photos from and image data that allows better post-
the menu. capture tuning—and even higher-
resolution photographs, as with
macOS: How to find a picture that the iPhone 14 Pro camera system. Any
appears in a Photos memory iPhone 14 Pro model can capture 48
1. Use your pointing device to hover megapixels (MP) in raw mode.
over the memory while it’s playing. However, when you try to transfer
2. Click the grid icon at the lower-right raw images or even regularly processed
corner. images stored locally in the HEIC format,
3. Control-click or right-click an image you can wind up unable to send someone a
or video and choose Show in All Photos. file that contains the full information load. In
You can instead select an image or video the interests of ensuring a compatible or
and choose File → Show in All Photos (1). smaller file, iOS and iPadOS convert a raw
file to HEIC or JPEG or
a HEIC file to JPEG.
(Even with Settings →
Photos → Transfer to
Mac or PC set to
Keep Originals
1. enabled.)

Recently, on the road, I attempted to HOW TO SET MESSAGES TO
transfer a raw image file from my iPhone AUTO-REPLY WHILE YOU’RE
to a colleague when he wasn’t nearby, DRIVING
and I didn’t happen to have my Mac The worst thing for your safety and that
handy. Sharing from Photos via of others while you’re driving is to
Messages or email always results in a interact with your phone, particularly
downsampled image, as does saving to attempting to engage with texting (fave.
iCloud Drive and then sharing a link via co/3RDUe8M). However, sometimes you
Share → Send Copy. want to let people know you’re
Instead, you can try one of the unavailable while driving. Apple offers
following in Photos in iOS or iPadOS after an auto-reply to help.
tapping the Share icon: First, you need to make sure that the
> Use AirDrop. While Driving mode of Focus turns on
> Copy iCloud Link. automatically while you’re driving. Go to
> Save to Files, then switch to the Files Settings → Focus → Driving Focus → While
app, tap the image, choose Share, choose Driving to set options:
Collaborate, then choose the method to Activate: The Automatically option
send, like Messages or email. should be set by default. However, you
> Save to Dropbox. might prefer to use When Connected to
If you have access to your Mac, you Car Bluetooth if you’re never driving
can export the image directly via File → without connecting—that is, other times,
Export → Export
Unmodified Original for
1 Photo, preserving the
original format, and then
send that via a variety of
ways—but not via
Messages! Messages
will quietly downsize it
while retaining the
raw format. In a test, a
68.6MB raw image was
First make sure While Driving
downsampled to 2.5MB engages automatically (left);
without warning. then confirm who gets your auto-reply message.

HELPDESK M AC 9 11
you’re on transit or you’re a passenger. access to a higher-throughput 5G network.

You can also set Manually to enable from For instance, you can enable this option to
Control Center—before driving, have higher-quality FaceTime connections
not while! where using a Wi-Fi network would only
Activate With CarPlay: If you’re one of provide lower-definition FaceTime.
the many people with an automobile that On an iPhone 12 model or later and
has CarPlay installed, enable this switch so on iPads with cellular introduced after
that While Driving is synced with your use that (fave.co/3PAhxO6), enabling Settings
of CarPlay. → Cellular → Cellular Data Options → Data
Having now ensured While Driving will Mode → Allow More Data on 5G lets your
activate…while you’re driving, you can device make different choices. Some
now set up responses. In Settings → carriers may enable this option by
Focus → Driving Focus → Auto-Reply, you default if you have an unlimited-usage
can compose a message; there’s one plan. (That option might be under
there by default: “I’m driving with Focus Settings → Cellular Data or Settings →
turned on. I’ll see your message when I Mobile Data, and nested under a
get where I’m going.” You can choose carrier’s settings if you have a SIM and
whether it’s sent to No One (more like eSIM or two eSIMs installed.)
temporarily turning off the feature), You may have been aware of this
Recents, Favorites, or All Contacts. feature when it was introduced. However, I
In an especially dire situation, discovered recently that Apple quietly
someone responding can send an updated the feature without changing the
additional message reading just “urgent” explanation of how it works in Settings or
as a reply to override your Focus state. I introducing it as a new feature. As a result,
would hope no one would do that without many discussions of Allow More Data on
good reason. 5G rely on Apple’s initial features.
The newer details mix together data
WHAT DOES ‘ALLOW MORE usage and quality into a single group of
DATA ON 5G’ DO AN iPHONE? settings, particularly around video and
When Apple introduced the iPhone 12 downloads. With Allow More Data on 5G
series, the company added an option turned on, your device may switch to
designed to improve your experience on Wi-Fi for what Apple describes as “higher-
your iPhone when you were on a Wi-Fi quality FaceTime,” high-definition content
network, but your cellular plan gave you for streaming video via the TV app, all

Low Data as an option on a Wi-Fi network.)
> Standard is a “normal” mode,
essentially what we’ve seen for many
years with an iPhone or iPad over
cellular. Video streaming and FaceTime
are throttled to “standard quality,” an
ambiguous term only meaningful in
contrast to what is ostensibly higher
quality over 5G or high-performance
Wi-Fi networks connected to high-speed
Internet.
On a network that iOS or iPadOS has
decided to boost data over 5G, you can
opt to override the operating system’s
The Allow More Data on 5G option picks the choice.
highest quality given your carrier plan and You can override this choice for Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi network connection.
networks for which your device has
music and videos played from the Music decided to override Wi-Fi. This option
app, system updates, and automatic appears only if your iPhone or iPad has
iCloud backups. Third-party apps can also performed that override—otherwise,
tap 5G with the option on for higher- you won’t see it. Go to Settings → Wi-Fi
bandwidth purposes. and tap the info (i) icon next to the
How does it choose when to do so? If connected network. If your device ever
you’re on an insecure Wi-Fi network, one preferred 5G to Wi-Fi, you’ll see an
that requires no password to join, or one option labeled Use Wi-Fi for Internet.
you use infrequently (as tracked silently by Enable it to block the override for a
your iPhone or iPad), your device may current network or a future connection.
switch to 5G. All three options above are distinct
The other two choices don’t incorporate from Wi-Fi Assist, found at the very
Wi-Fi usage at all: They’re really a binary bottom of Settings → Cellular, which will
choice—Standard and Low Data: use any generation of a cellular network
> Low Data reduces cellular data usage to provide a data boost—but only
by pausing automatic downloads and when connected to a poorly
many background tasks. (You can also set performing Wi-Fi network. ■

ION OF STA
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WATCHOS 10: CHANGING THE FACE OF THE APPLE WATCH

THE BEST iPHONE

NOVEMBER 2023 CONTENTS

COVER IMAGE COURTESY OF APPLE NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 3

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Matt Egan

INTERNATIONAL DATA GROUP CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

4 MACWORLD NOVEMBER 2023

HOW TO CONTACT MACWORLD STAFF

BACK ISSUES OF MACWORLD

REPRINTS AND PERMISSIONS

NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 5

LIFE DOESN’T ALWAYS

RISK OF TAKE THE RISK TEST TODAY AT

macOS 14 Sonoma is here,

IMAGE: APPLE NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 7

MESSAGES INLINE PREDICTIVE TEXT

8 MACWORLD NOVEMBER 2023

IMAGE: APPLE NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 9

1. EDIT WIDGETS You can also Control-click (or two-

10 MACWORLD NOVEMBER 2023

NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 11

12 MACWORLD NOVEMBER 2023

IMAGE: APPLE NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 13

a website saved as a self-contained app Locked Private Browsing: When a

14 MACWORLD NOVEMBER 2023

FAVORITES BAR FAVICONS ONE-TIME VERIFICATION CODE

NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 15

Intel announces Thunderbolt 5

16 MACWORLD NOVEMBER 2023 IMAGE: INTEL

NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 17

The Latest Mac Products

IMAGE: LIMINK NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 19

20 MACWORLD NOVEMBER 2023

NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 21

22 MACWORLD NOVEMBER 2023

IMAGE: MCAFEE NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 23

24 MACWORLD NOVEMBER 2023

NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 25

Hot Stuff What we’re

Apple’s FineWoven alternative to leather has

26 MACWORLD NOVEMBER 2023

The Body Scan takes the idea of a

NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 27

RAY BAN META

The Smart Glasses have been updated

28 MACWORLD NOVEMBER 2023

MAKE SIGN UP PREPARE

3 new Apple features I’d literally

IMAGE: BODNAR.PHOTO/SHUTTERSTOCK NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 31

32 MACWORLD NOVEMBER 2023

NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 33

How to customize StandBy for the

34 MACWORLD NOVEMBER 2023 IMAGE: APPLE

NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 35

many options. It’s limited to changing default clock.

36 MACWORLD NOVEMBER 2023

IMAGE: FOUNDRY NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 37

like Messages. Tap Edit to change your

the Phone app or opening the Contacts 3. CUSTOMIZE YOUR

38 MACWORLD NOVEMBER 2023

IMAGE: CLAUDIO DIVIZIA/SHUTTERSTOCK NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 39

puzzles or anything like that. Tap the 4. MACOS SONOMA: JUST

40 MACWORLD NOVEMBER 2023

IMAGE: CHARNSITR / SHUTTERSTOCK NOVEMBER 2023 MACWORLD 41