Apple is currently testing iOS 17.5, the fifth major update to the iOS 17 operating system that came out last September. Like iOS 17.4, iOS 17.5 primarily focuses on regulatory changes in the European Union, but there are a few other features worth noting. This guide aggregates everything that's been found during the iOS 17.5 beta testing period so far. App Downloads From Websites (EU Only) iOS 17.5 introduces support for web-based app distribution in the European Union, allowing developers to offer their apps for download directly on their websites. Apps can be downloaded from websites in ..read more

The first approved Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) emulator for the iPhone and iPad was made available on the App Store today following Apple's rule change. The emulator is called Bimmy, and it was developed by Tom Salvo. On the App Store, Bimmy is described as a tool for testing and playing public domain/"homebrew" games created for the NES, but the app allows you to load ROMs for any NES games available for download online, such as Super Mario Bros. and Donkey Kong. Nintendo released the NES game console in 1985, so some of these games are nearly 40 years old. On its website, Nintendo ..read more

Apple will launch its next Apple Watch activity challenge on Saturday, April 22 in celebration of Earth Day. To complete the challenge, Apple Watch owners will need to complete a workout that lasts for 30 minutes or longer, with the activity recorded through the Workout app or an app that adds information to the Health app. Let's get moving for the planet. On April 22, do any workout for 30 minutes or more to earn this award. Record it with the Workout app or any app that adds to Health. Apple Watch owners who earn the award will unlock a dedicated in the Fitness app, plus they will get a se ..read more

With the second beta of iOS 17.5 that's available today, iPhone users located in the European Union are able to download apps directly from the websites of Apple app developers without going through the App Store or an alternative app marketplace. Since March, Apple has been working on support for downloading apps from websites, and the feature is finally ready for testing. Apple started letting developers offer their apps through alternative app marketplaces in the EU in iOS 17.4, but the website option adds a new method for acquiring apps. App developers that want to offer iOS apps from t ..read more

Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming two weeks after Apple released the first betas. Registered developers are able to opt into the betas by opening up the Settings app, going to the Software Update section, tapping on the "Beta Updates" option, and toggling on the iOS 17 or iPadOS 17 Developer Beta. An Apple ID associated with a developer account is required to download and install the beta. Most of the features that Apple promised would be coming in ‌iOS 17‌ have now been released, but ..read more

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming macOS Sonoma 14.5 update to developers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple released the first beta. Registered developers can opt-in to the beta through the Software Update section of the System Settings app. Note that an Apple ID associated with an Apple Developer account is required to get the beta. We don't yet know what might be included in ‌macOS Sonoma‌ 14.5, and no new features were found in the first developer beta. Related Roundup: macOS Sonoma Related Forum: macOS Sonoma This article, "Apple Seeds Second Beta of macOS ..read more

Apple today released the second beta of an upcoming visionOS 1.2 update to developers, allowing them to test new features ahead of the software seeing a public launch. The second ‌visionOS‌ 1.2 beta comes two weeks after the release the first beta. The ‌visionOS‌ beta can be downloaded by going to the Settings app on the device and toggling on developer betas. A registered developer account is required, and Apple recommends making a backup before installing new software. Apple may make further improvements to Personas, EyeSight, and other features with ‌visionOS‌ 1.2, but no major new addit ..read more

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming watchOS 10.5 update to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming two weeks after the release of the first beta. To install the ‌watchOS 10.5 update, developers need to open the Apple Watch app, go to the Software Update section under "General" in Settings, and toggle on the watchOS 10 Developer Beta. An Apple ID linked to a developer account is required. Once beta updates have been activated, watchOS 10.5 can be downloaded under the same Software Update section. To install software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery ..read more

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming tvOS 17.5 to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming two weeks after the release of the first beta. Registered developers are able to download the tvOS 17.5 update by opting in to the beta through the Settings app on the Apple TV. A registered developer account is required. tvOS software updates are often minor in scale compared to other operating system updates, focusing primarily on smaller improvements rather than outward-facing changes. We don't yet know what's included in tvOS 17.5. Apple shares some information on tvOS r ..read more

Apple's 40mm GPS Apple Watch SE is on sale for $189.00 today on Amazon, down from $249.00. This is just $10 higher compared to its all-time low price on the wearable. This deal is available in the Silver, Midnight, and Starlight Aluminum Case options, and only Amazon has the discount. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. You can also get the 44mm GPS Apple Watch SE on sale right now, available for $219.00 on Amazon, down from $279.00. This is another near all-time ..read more