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In a move that bridges luxury automotive engineering with wearable technology, Mercedes-Benz has just transformed the Apple Watch into a sophisticated car key. The prestigious automaker today unveiled its highly anticipated Apple Watch app, marking a significant shift in how owners interact with their vehicles.
Smart Features for the Modern Driver
The app’s capabilities extend far beyond basic remote control. Owners can now monitor their vehicle’s vital statistics, including real-time fuel or battery levels and remaining range, with just a glance at their wrist. Perhaps most impressively, the app includes an intelligent vehicle locator that not only pinpoints your parked Mercedes but also provides turn-by-turn walking directions to reach it.
For those adventures off the beaten path, Mercedes has implemented a clever solution: when traditional mapping isn’t available, the app switches to a virtual compass mode, ensuring you can always find your way back to your vehicle.
While the future of car control may be here, there are some requirements to note. The app works with Apple Watch models running watchOS 9 or later and requires the Mercedes-Benz mobile app on a paired iPhone. Additionally, these smart features are limited to Mercedes-Benz vehicles from 2019 onwards, with specific capabilities varying based on model and trim level.
The app’s launch responds directly to customer demand for more seamless vehicle interaction. “This new integration allows owners to interact with their vehicles seamlessly, without needing to access their smartphone,” Mercedes-Benz stated in today’s announcement.
With this release, Mercedes-Benz isn’t just launching an app – they’re redefining the relationship between luxury cars and personal technology, making vehicle management as simple as checking the time. The app is available for download now through theApple Watch App Store, marking another step forward in the integration of automotive luxury and wearable tech.
If you were among those who purchased a new iPhone in 2022, your device might now feel a little less helpful, at least in emergency situations.
That’s because the two-year free trial of Apple’s Emergency SOS Satellite feature, a groundbreaking technology introduced with theiPhone 14 series, has officially expired.
While Apple has granted users an additional year of free access, the clock is ticking, and the long-term cost of the service remains a mystery.
Apple’s Emergency SOS Satellite feature debuted in November 2022, positioning the company as a leader in integrating satellite telecommunications into flagship phones.
Powered by a partnership with Globalstar, the technology enables users to connect with emergency services or share their location via theFind My appin areas without cellular or WiFi coverage.
When theiPhone 14,iPhone 14 Plus,iPhone 14 ProandiPhone 14 Pro Maxlaunched, Apple promised a free two-year trial of the Emergency SOS Satellite feature. That period has now come to an end.
Despite the nearly seven-year delay between the release of the first commercial foldable phone and now, Apple is expected to release its own folding iPhone eventually.
We’ve seen rumors about a supposed iPhone Flip for years now, but the latest rumor suggests that the phone is actually getting closer to becoming a tangible product.
According to Korean tipster Yeux1122 (via Jukanlosreve on X), the iPhone Flip is entering the “formal development process” with display manufacturers like LG Display or Samsung Display. The leaker alleges this information came from a “supply chain source.”
We understand that that means that Apple is working with display makers to turn a conceptual product into a real one. It means that prototypes will be created, testing and refinement will take place and towards the latter half of the phase, prepping the device for release on the production line and marketing.
Simply, Apple wants to make a folding phone with the leaker saying (machine translated) that Apple was “previously responding piecemeal to technology and key requirements.”
If Apple is only just entering a developmental phase for the foldable iPhone, the earliest we expect to see a new device is two to three years. This aligns with previous leaks suggesting that we might see aniPhone Flip in 2026 or 2027.
Interestingly, Yeux1122 claims that this development will make Samsung respond by fast-tracking the development of its own future foldables, including introducing a “heterogeneous fold, the FE lineup and design changes after the Fold SE.”
This hints at previously leaked Samsung foldables like theSamsung tri-fold phone, which is expected to launch next year. It may debut alongside a cheaperSamsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE,finally bringing an entry-level (read: cheaper) foldable to the market — somethingthe world needs.
Samsung would perhaps have more insight into when Apple will release a foldable phone via its Display subdivision. So, it’s plausible that the company would push development forward on the mentioned devices to get ahead of Apple’s future handset.
While the Apple Watch Series 10 has many eye-catching features, older models still have one clear advantage.
Some new features make the new Apple Watch Series 10 an attractive prospect, but my old Apple Watch Series 7 has one notable thing that Apple’s new smartwatches lack: blood oxygen tracking. This is enough to keep me happy with my older model.
The blood oxygen monitoring feature is only available in the Apple Watch Series 6, 7, 8, and the Ultra released in 2022. Notably, Apple is now releasing the Apple Watch Series 10 without the feature in the US.
Apple removed the blood oxygen capability in the US in January 2024, just a few months after the release of the Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 a year ago.
My old Apple Watch Series 7 still tracks my oxygen.
A patent lawsuit with Masimo brought about the removal. The highly publicized dispute resulted in the US International Trade Commission (ITC) ruling in October 2023 that the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 infringe Masimo’s patents for pulse oximeters. The ITC banned the sale of new models with this feature in the US — the rest of the world still has access to it.
Apple disabled the blood oxygen monitor in the new smartwatch models, which allowed the tech giant to continue selling the Series 9 and Ultra 2 without pulse oximetry.
Blood oxygen tracking measures oxygen saturation in the wearer’s blood by using light sensors and shining red and infrared lights, then assessing how light is absorbed through the blood. The oximeter analyzes light absorption to estimate the amount of oxygen in the blood, as oxygen-rich blood absorbs more infrared light and reflects more red light. Masimo alleges that Apple used its patented methods for measuring oxygen levels through light-based sensors and algorithms to analyze light absorption in the blood. Masimo had designed and patented this technology for medical-grade blood oxygen sensors but claimed Apple used them in its consumer products without proper licensing.
When it came time to announce a new lineup of Apple Watch models during the “It’s Glowtime” event, Apple focused on other health-tracking features in the new Apple Watch Series 10, now available for pre-order, avoiding the blood oxygen subject altogether.
Instead, Apple touted its new sleep apnea monitoring feature, which uses sleep data captured by the watch and combines it with a new measure that employs the accelerometer to detect breathing disruptions, a telltale sign of sleep apnea.
The Apple Watch Series 10 offers Sleep Apnea Detection.
The blood oxygen feature was very popular on the Apple Watch. While the pulse oximetry in the Apple Watch isn’t as accurate as that of medical-grade devices, some medical studies have found it tends to be within acceptable limits, considering it’s not meant as a diagnostic tool.
As an Apple Watch Series 7 user, I am lucky to still have access to the pulse oximetry feature. I like checking my blood oxygen and seeing how it trends over time and with different life changes, like adopting a new exercise regimen. Plus, since I am at high risk for lung disease due to an autoimmune illness, the SpO2 measurements serve a double purpose in my life. To be clear, the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 still ship with the oximetry sensor as will the Apple Watch Series 10. The feature is only banned for Apple Watches sold in the US, so the rest of the world can still access blood oxygen monitoring on the Series 9, 10, and Ultra 2. Apple is expected to continue working towards bringing back the pulse oximetry feature, which is partly why it was only half surprising not to see it reintroduced during the latest iPhone event.
Apple is also reportedly working on adding blood pressure monitoring to its smartwatches, though that’ll likely come in the Apple Watch Series 11 or later. Blood pressure tracking works differently on a smartwatch than oxygen tracking, though both use similar photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor technology. Blood pressure requires PPG and ECG to measure pulse transit time or heart activity.
The iPhone XS Max and iPhone 6s Plus are now ‘vintage’
Apple also labels the Apple Watch 2 as obsolete
These statuses affect whether or not you can get repairs
Applehas just done some reorganizing of its vintage and obsoleteproducts list, and theiPhone XS Max(launched in 2018) andiPhone 6s Plus(launched in 2015) are now both officially labeled as ‘vintage’ gadgets.
The changes were spotted byMacRumors, andare a normal partof the lifecycle of an Apple product. A device becomes vintage when more than five years have passed since it was last sold as new by Apple.
Before that five years passes, you can always get repairs and replacement parts from Apple and authorized repair stores. Once a product is vintage though, you may or may not be able to get repairs or parts – it depends on stock levels and what the issue is.
Exact timings on vintage status can vary, and it’s worth noting that the iPhone 6s Plus with 32GB of storage is already categorized as obsolete (the next stage past vintage). Once Apple updates its lists though, it’s official as far as product status goes.
Not just vintage – obsolete
(Photo: Apple)
Another update to Apple’s list is that the aluminum and stainless steelApple Watch 2models are now obsolete. A gadget becomes obsolete when it’s been more than seven years since it was last sold as new by Apple.
Past that point, you can’t get repairs from Apple or its authorized partners, and new parts can’t be ordered. The only exception to the rule is some MacBooks, which are eligible for battery replacements for up to 10 years in certain cases.
You can certainly try and get an obsolete product repaired, but you’ll have to go somewhere other than Apple – and once you hit the seven-year mark, it’s probably worth thinking about investing in an upgrade anyway.
For now, the Apple Watch 2 with the ceramic casing clings on to its vintage status, so it’s not yet obsolete – but if you’re still wearing the smartwatch, which launched in 2016, you’d be best getting any necessary repairs sorted sooner rather than later.
New emoji proposals have been put forward for 2025
Unicode and developers will continue to refine the designs
Fresh icons include Bigfoot and a “distorted face”
Yes, there is an official organization in charge of emojis, called the Unicode Consortium – and it’s just put forward its annual proposal for the new graphics we might be seeing on thebest iPhonesandbest Android phones in the next year or two.
There are plenty of interesting additionsin the list(viaEmojipedia). We’ve got a bulging, slightly overwhelmed smiley (“distorted face”, above) that we can imagine getting used a lot on social media; there’s also a Bigfoot-inspired one called “hairy creature” (above right).
For the times when your friends or family are scrapping in a digital space – perfect for group chats, then – we have “fight cloud” (above left), which looks like the usual cartoon depiction of a brawl, with everything hidden with smoke and stars.
On the fighting theme, another proposed emoji features two people wrestling (see below). For nature lovers, a new emoji called “orca” would add to the number of marine-themed emojis you’ve got to pick from.
Emoji approval
（Above: Unicode’s sample images for a selection of the emojis proposed for Emoji 17.0, due to approval in September 2025.
Image from: Emojipedia）
（Above: how single skin tone support for the various 👯 People With Bunny Ears and 🤼 People Wrestling emojis appears within Samsung’s One UI 6.1.1.Image from: Emojipedia）
（Above: a selection of different 🧑🤝🧑 People Holding Hands emojis with single and multple skin tone support, shown in the Noto Color Emoji style.Image from: Emojipedia）
（Above: the NSAdaptiveImageGlyph API in iOS 18 allows emoji sticker images to be placed alongside one another as if they were Unicode-recommended emoji characters.Image from: Emojipedia）
Rounding out the Unicode 17.0 proposals we’ve got anapplecore, a trombone, a treasure chest, and a depiction of a landslide – so if you’re about to be hit by falling rocks and don’t have time to type out a full message, you can send an emoji instead.
There are actually 164 new emojis in the proposal, but we’ve covered the main icons – all of the others are skin tone variations on the ones mentioned above (in case you want wrestlers with two different skin tones, for example).
The procedure this year is the same as it is every year: the Unicode Consortium will continue to consult on these graphics and tweak their designs, before final approval on the official new emojis is given in September 2025.
After that, it’s down to Apple,Google, and everyone else (fromMicrosoftto Meta) to do their own takes on these emojis and add them to their various software platforms. In the meantime, you’ll need to rely on a sticker or GIF for “distorted face”.
The Eye Tracking accessibility feature follows the movement of your eyes as you gaze at the screen, select items, and activate controls.
Most people navigate their iPhone or iPad with their fingers, but Apple recently added eye tracking to its suite of accessibility features, which also supporthead-andvoice-based gestures.
Known as Eye Tracking, this new accessibility option is available iniOS 18andiPadOS 18on iPhone 12 and up and follows the movement of your eyes as you look at the screen, select items, and activate controls. An onscreen pointer shows where your eyes are looking, and a dwell control lets you perform a specific action by holding your gaze on an item for a few seconds.
Eye Tracking is designed for people with physical disabilities, but anyone can use it. It doesn’t require any extra hardware or accessories to activate physical buttons, swipes, and other gestures across all your apps.
Tapping into artificial intelligence, Eye Tracking uses the front-facing camera to track your eye movements. You can set up and calibrate the feature relatively quickly. Any data used to set up and control Eye Tracking is processed through machine learning and secured on the device and isn’t shared with Apple. Now, here’s how this works.
First, you’ll need to update your iPhone to iOS 18 and your iPad to iPadOS 18, if you haven’t already. Head toSettings > General > Software Updateand install the new OS. To enable Eye Tracking, go toSettings > Accessibility > Eye Trackingand enableEye Tracking.
You’ll be prompted to calibrate the tracking by following a dot around the screen. For best results, make sure your face is well lit and the phone’s camera has a clear view. The phone should also be on a stable surface about a foot and a half away from your face.
Follow the dot with the gaze of your eyes. When you’re done, a checkmark appears on the screen, indicating that you’ve successfully completed the setup. Whenever you turn off Eye Tracking and then turn it back on, you’ll need to go through the calibration again.
You’re then returned to the Eye Tracking settings screen, where you can get a feel for eye tracking. Move your gaze slowly up and then back down. You’ll see an outline around each icon, setting, or other item as you adjust your gaze.
To rest on a certain control, keep your gaze on that area as outlined by the cursor. A circular icon will then appear. Rest your gaze on the control you wish to activate or change. When that icon is fully circled, then the control will activate or deactivate.
Change Eye Tracking Settings
At the Eye Tracking settings screen, you can tweak its behavior. The Smoothing option controls the movement of the pointer. Move the slider to the right to make the movement smoother. Note that moving it too far to the right could decrease its responsiveness.
Snap to Item automatically snaps the pointer to the nearest item as you gaze around the screen. The Zoom on Keyboard Keys option zooms in when the pointer is resting on one of the keys on the keyboard. Turn the switch off or on for each of the options to test them.
Snap to Item automatically snaps the pointer to the nearest item as you gaze around the screen. The Zoom on Keyboard Keys option zooms in when the pointer is resting on one of the keys on the keyboard. Turn the switch off or on for each of the options to test them.
Turn on Auto-Hide to automatically hide the cursor when you look away. Tap the plus (+) and minus (–) keys to set the amount of time you need to gaze at the screen to display the cursor again. Move the slider to decrease the visibility of the pointer when you’re in Auto-Hide mode.
You can also customize the onscreen pointer to increase or decrease the size and change the color. Head to Settings > Accessibility > Pointer Control and move the slider on the Pointer Size to alter the size of the pointer. Tap Color to change the color to white, blue, red, green, yellow, or orange.
Enable and Tweak Dwell Control
EnablingDwell Controlin the Eye Tracking settings menu allows you to hold your gaze on a switch or other object to perform the designated action. For example, holding your gaze on a switch will turn it on or off. To further customize Dwell Control, tapAssistiveTouchto bring up the AssistiveTouch menu.
Choose the Dwell Control icon to turn the feature off or on, switch the default action between Tap and Pause Dwell, adjust the distance you can gaze while dwelling on an item, and set up specific actions when you dwell in any of the four corners of the screen.
How to Use Eye Tracking
Once everything is set up, you’ll want to take Eye Tracking for a spin on your iPhone. Go to the Home screen and point your gaze in different areas of the screen to see how the cursor moves. Rest your gaze on a specific icon to open the associated app.
You’ll need to use AssistiveTouch to perform more types of actions with Eye Tracking. To activate this, hold your gaze on the AssistiveTouch circle moving around the screen. After the menu appears, direct your eyes toward the icon for the action you want to perform. For example, to return to the Home screen, hold your gaze on the Home icon.
Recalibrate Eye Tracking
If the pointer isn’t responding accurately to your eye movements or gaze, try recalibrating the feature. Return toSettings > Accessibility > Eye Trackingand turn the switch off and back on.
As you go through the setup again, keep your iPhone as steady as possible and 1.5 feet away from your face. Also, don’t try to anticipate where the calibration circle is going to appear. Keep your gaze steady on the current spot and move your eyes as the circle moves to the next spot.
Want to use a monitor with your laptop but keep the lid closed? Here’s a quick guide on how to set it up.
(Image credit: Future)
If you’re not a fan of your laptop’s screen, you may prefer to connect up one of the best monitors instead. That way, you can get a more comfortable typing experience and a nicer viewing experience at the same time. Essentially, you’ll have all the advantages of a desktop computer setup, but with the option to disconnect your laptop when you need to work on the go.
There’s just one problem: you don’t want to be distracted by seeing the same thing on two separate screens. Well, actually, that’s not a problem at all. Because it’s pretty easy to set up your laptop so it carries on working even when closed. And that’s the case whether you use a Windows laptop or a MacBook (or any of our best graphic design laptops).
In this short article, we’ll explain how to do both, in turn. Be aware, though, that keeping your lid closed may lead to your laptop heating up more than usual, so you may want to invest in a cooling pad or similar solution.
How to use a monitor with a closed Windows laptop Here’s how to use a monitor with a closed Windows laptop. Firstly, connect up your laptop, keyboard and mouse to your monitor in the usual way. Then you’ll need to tweak the settings of your Windows system.
Open the Control Panel. You can find this by typing ‘control panel’ into your Windows search; the little magnifying glass at the bottom of your screen.
Choose Hardware and Sound from the list that appears. Another list will appear; click on Power Options.
(Note: if you’re still using Windows 10, rather than 11, you can get to this point by clicking on the battery icon at the bottom right hand corner of your screen.)
In the new box, there’s a list of options on the left-hand side. Click on Choose what closing the lid does. Another box will appear, as shown below.
In the centre, there are three options. Next toWhen I close the lid,change the dropdowns (for both battery and plugged-in modes) from Sleep toDo nothing. Finally, click onSave changesat the bottom of the box.
The picture from your laptop should now appear on your monitor even when you close the lid. If it looks a little funny, you can adjust the display settings by going to toSettings > System > Displayand then tweaking the settings to suit. (A shortcut to this is pressing theWindows key + I).
How to use a monitor with a closed MacBook
Using one of the latest MacBooks with a monitor is easy: you don’t have to change single setting inmacOS. The only requirement is that you’ll need to plug your laptop into a power socket; otherwise, it may enter sleep mode after you close the lid.
Once you’ve done that, simply connect up your MacBook, keyboard and mouse to your monitor in the usual way. (If you’re having trouble with the first of these, read our article onHow to connect a monitor to MacBook Pro.) Then, once your MacBook’s display appears on the monitor, close the lid. All done.
However, if you have an older MacBook and this doesn’t work, then you’ll have to tweak the settings like this:
1. ChooseApplemenu > System Settings, then clickBatteryin the sidebar.
2. ClickOptions, then turn onPrevent automatic sleeping on power adapter when the display is off.
(Image credit: Future) Finally, if the picture from your MacBook looks funny on your monitor, click the Apple menu in the top-right corner of the screen, and go to System Settings or System Preferences > Displays. You’ll then be able to fiddle with the settings to get the picture right.
Apple’s AI strategy is purposely slow and deliberate, but it could backfire
Everywhere you look these days there’s the glowing animation of Siri and the name Apple Intelligence. It’s dominating all the ads for the iPhone 16 series so far.
Yup, Apple seems to be pinning all of its would-be upgraders’ hopes on Apple Intelligence, which is the company’s umbrella title for all of its AI features. Current offerings range from Writing Tools and asking Siri iPhone questions to creating Memory Movies. Plus, Apple Intelligence is available on all Macs and iPads with an M1 chip or newer.
But there’s still a lot of Apple Intelligence features not available yet — Visual Intelligence, ChatGPT integration, Genmoji and Image Playground are coming in iOS 18.2 in December. And other features are promised in future iOS 18 updates. Meanwhile, Bloomberg’s Mark German recently reported that some Apple employees believe that the company is around two years behind in artificial intelligence development.
(Image credit: Apple)
So is Apple Intelligence on the right track or in trouble?
‘Behind the competition’
(Image credit: ChatGPT vs Gemini) I can definitely understand why customers might expect all Apple Intelligence features to work from day one, and it’s clear that the likes of OpenAI, Google and Anthropic have more advanced models at this stage.
“Apple’s AI models are demonstrably behind the competition, and it is just now adding imaging editing features that Samsung and Google introduced two generations ago,” says Avi Greengart, founder and lead analyst at Techsponential. “However, I’m not convinced that this means that Apple is behind in AI overall.”
Greengart told me that having a lead in AI technology is only meaningful if it leads both to consumer benefits and a sustainable business model. Apple’s monetization model is selling premium hardware and software/ecosystem subscriptions, so for now Apple Intelligence is about getting people to upgrade to iPhones and other devices that support the platform. Any possible subscriptions would come later once Apple gets a sense for what users want.
I asked Bob Borchers, Apple’s vice president of worldwide marketing, about the perceived gap between Apple and the competition on AI. “This is very much the early innings of generative AI,” he told me.
A different approach to AI
(Image credit: Future)
“What we’ve done with Apple Intelligence is really look at how can we help our users do the things that they care about most, simply and easily, and really to make that as integrated and local to the experience as possible.”— Bob Borchers, Apple
For better or worse, Apple’s approach to AI is what truly sets it apart from the competition. It’s not a separate thing that’s tacked on; instead, it’s deeply integrated into the apps and tools you use everyday.
For example, Apple Intelligence will boil down your notifications into a quick summary to help you prioritize. Or if you want to remove an unwanted person or object from your photo, you’ll see the Clean Up icon there along the bottom of the screen.
“What we’ve done with Apple Intelligence is really look at how can we help our users do the things that they care about most, simply and easily, and really to make that as integrated and local to the experience as possible,” says Borchers. “And to do that, we started by building our own large language and diffusion models here at Apple, and then we specialized them for everyday tasks.”
Still, Apple’s cautious approach to AI image generation in particular seems to put them at a disadvantage when compared tools you’ll find in the latest Samsung Galaxy S24 and Pixel phones. For example, with the Pixel 9 series, you can completely reimagine what’s in the frame with a text prompt. But Apple seems to be deliberately holding back some features or simply deciding not to include them in order to avoid potentially harmful or misleading images from circulating.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Apple software chief Craig Federighi said that “It’s important to us that we help purvey accurate information, not fantasy.”
Putting values first, features second And that brings us to one of Apple’s four key Responsible AI Principles, which focuses on taking precautions during the design, model training and feature development process to identify how Apple’s AI tools may be misused or lead to potential harm. The other three principles relate to empowering users with intelligent tools, representing Apple’s users by building personal products that avoid perpetuating stereotypes and protecting privacy.
“Our view has always been that we bring products to market when they are ready, and when we feel like we can do them in a way that is consistent with our values,” said Borchers. “That means making generative AI available in a useful way, in a responsible way, in a way that’s private.”
Private Cloud Compute is a big part of Apple’s AI strategy, which handles requests that go off-device to interact with larger models, including ChatGPT. Apple is so confident that personal user data can’t be accessed by anyone that it recently offered up to $1 million to anyone who could compromise its security.
The Right Move?
(Image credit: Future)
A gradual rollout for Apple Intelligence is the right move given how we will likely see roughness around the edges as people begin to kick the tires on features.— Neil Cybart, Above Avalon
So is Apple making the right call with its measured approach to Apple Intelligence or is it already being passed by? For example, it’s hard not to be impressed with ChatGPT Advanced voice and the ability to chat with what seems like a friend, complete with your choice of intonation on the fly.
For Neil Cybart, an AI analyst with Above Avalon, it’s important to keep in mind that Apple isn’t targeting early adopters but the masses. “A gradual rollout for Apple Intelligence is the right move given how we will likely see roughness around the edges as people begin to kick the tires on features. The average Apple user probably wasn’t going to suddenly embrace everything Apple Intelligence has to offer anyways,” says Cybart. “An Apple Intelligence launch that is spread out over the next year doesn’t concern me.”
As Cybart notes, not only is Apple Intelligence a work in progress on the iPhone, iPad and Mac, Apple hasn’t started extending Apple Intelligence to the rest of its ecosystem yet, whether it’s the Apple Watch with fitness and health, the AirPods or the Vision Pro.
So where does that leave Apple users now? According to CEO Tim Cook during Apple’s most recent earnings call, “users are adopting iOS 18.1 at twice the rate that they adopted 17.1 in the year-ago quarter.” Granted, that’s based on only three days’ worth of data, but it shows that the glow around Apple Intelligence seems to be spurring excitement.
But as Apple’s Borchers said, it’s still early innings for Apple Intelligence, and between Gemini Live rolling out, ChatGPT getting into search and new AI video generators starting to like Runway starting to appear, it remains to be seen whether Apple’s stepwise strategy will pay off or not.
If you are in the small batch of iPhone 14 Plus users with a glitchy camera, Apple says it will fix it for you. Here’s what to do if you’ve run into this glitch.
Do you own an iPhone 14 Plus with a defective camera? If so, you can now get it fixed by Apple — for free. On a new support page posted last Friday, Apple explained the issue with the camera and the requirements for getting it repaired.
A “very small percentage” of iPhone 14 Plus models exhibit no preview when you use the camera. Yep, that means you can’t see anything when you aim the camera at something, certainly a huge drawback when you’re trying to snap the right photo. The affected devices were made between April 10, 2023, and April 28, 2024.
If you’ve run into this glitch, you should check to make sure your device is eligible for the free repair service by entering your serial number on the support page. To access the page, go to Settings, select General, and tap About. The serial number should appear; tap it to copy it. When on the support page, enter or paste that number in the appropriate field and click or tap Submit.
If your phone’s serial number is one of the affected devices, here’s how to get it repaired.
Head to Apple’s Get Support page and sign in with your account. Select the problematic iPhone from the list of your devices. Choose the closest Apple Store or authorized service provider and pick a date and time to schedule a visit. If no store or service provider is near you, you can send in your phone by mail. The repair typically takes 5-10 days, so, keep in mind, that you’ll be without your phone for that long.
Before you bring in or mail your phone, make sure you run a current backup either to your computer or to iCloud. You should also disable Apple Cash and consider removing your credit or debit cards from Apple Wallet. Further, you’ll want to turn off the Find My feature.
Here are a few other items to note. If your iPhone 14 Plus was affected by this problem and you already paid to fix it, you can contact Apple to request a refund. The program covers eligible iPhone 14 Plus for three years after the first retail sale of the model. Further, the repair program doesn’t extend the standard warranty coverage of your phone.
Service Options for iPhone 14 Plus Camera Repairs Eligible iPhone 14 Plus users have several service options to choose from:
Apple Authorized Service Providers: Users can bring their device to an authorized provider for an in-person inspection and repair.
Apple Retail Stores: Users can schedule an appointment at an Apple Store for in-store repair services.
Mail-in Service: Apple Support can assist users in arranging a mail-in repair through the Apple Repair Center for added convenience.
KeyInformation About the Repair Program Here are the essential details for those considering this free repair option:
Eligibility Check: Users can verify eligibility using Apple’s serial number lookup tool.
Limited to iPhone 14 Plus: The program applies exclusively to iPhone 14 Plus models, with no other iPhone models included.
Region-Specific Repair: Repairs may be limited to the original country or region where the device was purchased.
No Warranty Extension: This repair program does not extend the device’s standard warranty.
However, if a user previously paid for a rear camera repair
due to this specific issue, they may be eligible for a refund by contacting Apple Support.
Why This Program is lmportant Apple’s free repair initiative underscores the company’s commitment to quality and customer service. By addressing this manufacturing defect through free repairs Apple not only ensures device reliability but also builds trust with users who miaht otherwise be left with an unusable feature. This service program reinforces Apple’s dedication to product support while also providing users a clear path to address technical issues effectively, helping ensure the iPhone 14 Plus functions as intended for its users.
(Image credit: Future)
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