The Bose QuietComfort 35 Series II is a no-brainer purchase at just $299

At $50 off the MSRP, you’d be silly to skip out on this deal.

As someone that’s never been an audiophile, I was a bit hesitant to pick up the Bose QuietComfort 35 (Series II) last year for their staggering retail price of $349. That’s easily the most I’ve ever spent on a pair of headphones by a large margin, and while my wallet certainly felt the sting of that purchase for a couple weeks afterward, I don’t know how I got by for so long without the things.

I called the QC35 II my favorite pair of wireless noise-canceling headphones when I reviewed them earlier this year, saying:

I’ve always enjoyed listening to music, but with these headphones, I find myself wanting to just sit on the couch, throw them on, and close my eyes while listening to some of my favorite tunes.

That’s something I’ve never felt with any other pair of headphones I’ve owned, and when you combine that with the design, noise canceling, and everything else I talked about, you end up with something special. I’ve been using these headphones on a daily basis since I got them in October of last year, and I don’t plan on giving them up anytime soon.

Bose’s combination of excellent sound quality, fantastic design, and the industry’s best noise-canceling make the QC35 II a force to be reckoned with, but like I mentioned above and in my review, $349 is a lot of money to spend on a pair of headphones.

Thankfully, if you’ve been holding out on buying the QC35 II and have been waiting for the perfect moment to do so, now’s your chance. Amazon’s currently selling them for just $299, saving you a cool $50.

This deal started over the weekend, as reported by our pals at Thrifter, and we aren’t sure how long this deal will be around. You’ll want to be sure to hop on it before it disappears. $299 is still a good chunk of change, but for headphones of this caliber, it’s one of the best deals you’ll find.

See at Amazon

Samsung DeX review, 2018 edition: More productive, but still problematic

DeX has come a long way, but there’s still some work to be done.

When Samsung DeX debuted in early 2017 it was… not great. The idea had been tried by Microsoft and Motorola before them, and it sounds good on paper: you already own a phone, so why not expand it into a desktop to be more productive?

Again, that sounds great on paper, but it’s a wildly different experience when the rubber meets the road. Or in this case, when the phone meets the dock. I’ve been playing with DeX for the last few weeks in the ramp up to the Galaxy Note 9’s announcement, so it’s time to see how DeX has grown in the last year and a half.

• What hasn’t changed
• What’s better
• What still needs work
• Compared to other platforms
• Is DeX good enough to replace a standalone computer?

What hasn’t changed

The interface looks mostly the same as it did in Spring 2017, and that’s perfectly fine. The DeX desktop interface takes a few design cues from Windows 10 and Chrome OS: there’s an app list button in the lower left, a taskbar with icons for your active apps along the bottom center, and status icons and quick toggles in the lower right. You also get a proper desktop where you can place app icons, or you can pin them to the taskbar. It’s not a carbon copy of Windows or Chrome, but DeX follows the same design conventions close enough to make it so anyone can start using DeX without trouble.

The interaction with apps hasn’t really changed either. Apps can either be in portrait or landscape, and are the same size and layout as they would be on your phone in those orientations. It’s still not a replacement for a laptop, but then again Samsung isn’t selling a laptop-like dock for this.

What’s better

DeX’s biggest strength now comes from the hardware it ships on. The Note 9 and Galaxy S9+ come with 6GB of RAM, 2GB more than came on the Galaxy S8 that DeX launched alongside. The extra RAM is crucial to keeping the interface smooth, and keeping more apps up at once. Using DeX on my Galaxy S8 still leads to some apps force closing as I try to open more apps up, and extra RAM and newer processors make for a much better experience.

You also need a smaller monetary investment to use DeX. You still need a Galaxy flagship from the last two years, but the S8 are cheaper than ever while still being great phones. With the Note 9, you can use DeX from almost any USB-C hub — you can unofficially do this with other phones too — if you don’t want to spend extra money on a DeX dock. If you do want the dock, it goes on sale regularly. As for other accessories, you still need a separate monitor, but you can use the Note 9’s software keyboard or touchscreen if you don’t want to pony up for desktop accessories.

Galaxy Tab S4 users have it even easier: DeX is built right into the tablet’s software. You can change between the two modes at any time, even when the tablet isn’t docked into its Book Cover keyboard case, but it’s better with a keyboard and mouse.

What still needs work

The biggest limitation from DeX’s launch is still around: the apps. These are still mobile apps, and while companies like Adobe and Microsoft have put effort into making their services great on DeX, that’s definitely not true of all apps. There are other limitations too: you can only have one Google Doc, Slide or Sheet open at once, since that’s what’s expected of those applications on a smartphone. Chrome works well enough, including common shortcuts like Ctrl + Shift + N to open an incognito window. But there aren’t any Chrome plugins or apps, so your favorite ad blocker isn’t available.

This situation isn’t in Samsung’s control since it requires effort from app developers, but it’s definitely to the detriment of the DeX experience. Samsung makes the most popular phones that run Android, so hopefully they keep investing in DeX and application developers put the work in for their apps.

Compared to other platforms

Windows and macOS have been around since dinosaurs roamed the earth, and every piece of software you may need is likely to be on either of these operating systems. Chrome OS is newer, but with a full desktop browser and Android applications that know they’re on a larger screen you can do almost anything.

DeX is much more limited than any of these other platforms. Apps look and behave just they would on any other smartphone, but the app window can’t be used across your entire monitor. Chrome and other browsers have their mobile interfaces, which are much more constrained than the desktop equivalents. You’ll be more limited using DeX than you would another operating system.

Is DeX good enough to replace a standalone computer?

One constant since Spring 2017 is a complex question: who is DeX actually for? Laptops and desktops are common enough to be a commodity, and it makes little sense to replace a perfectly good machine with a DeX dock that will leave you less productive. For heavy mobile users, a macOS, Windows or Chrome laptop is going to worlds better than trying to find a monitor for your DeX dock.

But let’s say you already do 95% of what you need to on your phone. You may already have an old desktop, monitor, keyboard and mouse that have been in your house for years. You don’t really need the desktop anymore, it’s just there because it’s always been there. You may consider DeX because you don’t use that desktop enough for your productivity to suffer from moving to DeX. The limitations listed above don’t apply to you because of the way you use your computer, and that’s okay.

3.5
out of 5

Or, you could be a corporation that issues Galaxy phones to your workforce. Again, a vast majority of their work is done on the go. But again, you likely have a stock of monitors, keyboards and mice. It’s not that much more of an investment to set up a few DeX stations for those workers to type up longer emails and documents. If you just want a bigger screen for the things you do on your phone, DeX makes a lot of sense.

What say you?

Do you still use DeX in 2018? What’s better, and what still frustrates you? Let us know down below!

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

• Samsung Galaxy Note 9 hands-on preview
• Galaxy Note 9 vs. Note 8
• Where to buy the Galaxy Note 9
• Galaxy Note 9 specifications
• Is the Note 8 still a good buy?
• Join our Galaxy Note 9 forums

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Get all the benefits of Alexa with better sound quality than an Echo

Get what Alexa has to offer without having to put up with an Echo’s subpar sound.

If you want everything that Amazon Alexa has to offer, but don’t actually want to put up with the Amazon Echo’s mediocre sound, you can get other speakers with Alexa built in!

Here are our top picks.

• Sonos One
• Sugr Cube Minimalis
• Eufy Genie
• Libratone Zipp
• VAUX Cordless

Sonos One

Sonos is the number one name in wireless home audio, with great sound and ridiculously easy setup, and the Sonos One is the first of its speakers to have Alexa built in. Six mics mean it can hear you from far away, but at its core, it has the Sonos signature — which means it sounds incredible. Get it for $200.

See at Sonos

The Sonos One is the best Alexa-powered speaker you can buy. It sounds amazing, with awesome deep bass, smooth highs and blissful mids. Sonos has added AirPlay 2 to the Sonos One, too, and Google Assistant support is coming soon, too, but it works best with Alexa. Pair it with a second Sonos One for a true stereo pair.

Sugr Cube Minimalist

Get this one mainly for the looks, because at $230 it’s expensive and doesn’t sound all that great. But it’s beautiful in either cherry or maple wood, and that is more than enough for most people. There’s also a massive battery, making it portable.

See at Amazon

Despite the mediocre reviews, Sugr Cube Minimalist is exactly as its name suggests: minimal. It looks great, and operates as an Alexa-powered Wi-Fi or DLNA speaker that can take with you throughout the house.

Eufy Genie

While it looks a lot like the Echo Dot, this tiny speaker has better sound and a lower price tag. Eufy is an upcoming name in smart speakers, and the Genie is a great option.

See at Amazon

If you want something that’s more like an Amazon Echo Dot but comes in even less expensive, then you need to check out the Eufy Genie. It’s currently listed at a mere $35 — or about half the cost of an actual Echo Dot. And you get a pretty good experience from it. I still think I looks better than the Dot, and it performs reasonably well despite having fewer microphones with which to listen for you.

It’s a really inexpensive way to get into the whole Alexa thing, and it’s worth checking out.

Libratone Zipp

Libratone’s Zipp sounds incredible, and while it came to market as a Bluetooth or AirPlay speaker, it has since been gifted Alexa support. You’ll need to pair it with an Echo speaker, but it’s worth it — just look at it! Grab it for $299.

See at Amazon

Libratone is a brand that focuses as much on design as it does on performance, the Zipp speaker has both in spades. While its main function is a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth speaker — it has DLNA and Spotify Connect support, as well as AirPlay compatibility — it pairs with an Echo or Echo Dot for Alexa.

VAUX cordless home speaker

This thing is genius. It uses an existing Echo Dot’s AUX port to improve its sound quality by a lot. Essentially it swallows the Dot and its Alexa integration and makes it into a better-sounding Echo. Grab it for just $40.

See at Amazon

VAUX is a name you’ll see associated with innovative solutions to improve existing products. Why buy a separate speaker with Alexa installed when you can spend just $40 to add a great speaker and a 6-hour battery to your existing Echo Dot? Win-win!

Amazon Echo

• Tap, Echo or Dot: The ultimate Alexa question
• All about Alexa Skills
• Amazon Echo review
• Echo Dot review
• Echo Spot review
• Top Echo Tips & Tricks
• Amazon Echo vs. Google Home
• Get the latest Alexa news

See at Amazon

Samsung Introduces ‘SmartThings Wi-Fi’ Combination Mesh Router and Smart Home Hub

The latest offering for users looking to add mesh networking to their homes has been revealed by Samsung today, called the SmartThings Wi-Fi (via The Verge). The router includes mesh networking technology from Plume, which itself recently revealed its “SuperPod” mesh router along with a $60/year subscription.

Samsung’s SmartThings Wi-Fi isn’t subscription-based, and in addition to the usual mesh networking features, the device also acts as a smart home hub for any SmartThings accessories. Similar to Apple TV and HomePod acting as a hub for HomeKit, SmartThings Wi-Fi will allow customers to set up and manage SmartThings-compatible plugs, switches, lights, cameras, and doorbells from Philips, Ring, Arlo, Kwikset, and much more.

With Plume’s technology, SmartThings Wi-Fi learns the environment to optimize performance for consistent coverage throughout the home. The system is sold on Samsung’s website in a 1-pack for $119.99 (covering 1,500 square feet) or a 3-pack for $279.99 (up to 4,500 square feet).

The company today also revealed a new standalone SmartThings Hub priced at $69.99, for those users who already have a router but still want to implement SmartThings products into their home. As an upgrade to the previous hub, the new device does not need to be plugged directly into your router and can instead work wirelessly anywhere in your home.

There are a few other SmartThings announcements that happened today, including upgrades to the platform’s Motion Sensor, Multipurpose Sensor, and Water Leak Sensor. There’s also a new SmartThings Outlet for $34.99 and a SmartThings Button for $14.99, all available to purchase on Samsung.com beginning today.

The SmartThings product launches today follow last week’s Galaxy Note 9 reveal event, during which Samsung showcased its latest flagship smartphone. The company also detailed a new Galaxy Watch, Wireless Charger Duo, and Galaxy Home Smart Speaker.

Tags: Samsung, mesh routers
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‘Industry Insiders’ Believe AirPower Will Cost Around $149 and Work With All Three 2018 iPhones

Apple previewed its multi-device AirPower charging mat at its iPhone X event last September, and confirmed that it will be released at some point in 2018, but it has yet to reveal how much it will cost.

According to Chinese website Chongdiantou (via LoveiOS), however, so-called “industry insiders” speculate that the AirPower will be priced around 1,000 Chinese yuan, which is roughly $145 based on the current exchange rate. Rounding, this suggests the AirPower could cost around $149 in the United States.

Chongdiantou is the same source that recently leaked photos of what is claimed to be an engineering prototype of Apple’s faster 18-watt USB-C power adapter for 2018 iPhones, but overall, the publication lacks an established track record, so this information should be viewed with some skepticism.

According to the oft-reliable Mark Gurman, Apple aims to release the AirPower by the end of September, so there’s a good chance its pricing and availability will be confirmed at Apple’s usual September event, alongside a trio of new iPhones, Apple Watch Series 4 models, new AirPods with “Hey Siri” support, and more.

$149 would be pricy for a wireless charging mat, but the AirPower can inductively charge multiple Apple devices at the same time, including the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, and Apple Watch Series 3 models. It will also work with AirPods when placed in an optional wireless charging case, likely available next month.

Chongdiantou also recently claimed that all three iPhones expected to be released in 2018 will feature wireless charging, including an all-new 6.1-inch iPhone, making them all compatible with AirPower.

AirPower’s ability to charge multiple devices is achieved with a propriety technology developed by Apple. Apple said it will work to have its technology become part of the universal Qi standard supported by many devices, so there’s a good chance we’ll see true multi-device mats from other companies eventually.

Of note, the AirPower has yet to be authorized by the FCC, a requirement for sale in the United States, according to Apple’s website.

Tag: AirPower
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Deals: AirPods for $140, BOGO 20% Off iTunes Gift Cards, and New Anker Flash Sale

Costco today kicked off a new “5 Days of Deals” event just for its members, and one of the discounts is for Apple’s AirPods. Today only Costco members can purchase the headphones for $139.99, down from $159.99 — one of the best deals online for a new pair when compared to retailers like Adorama and Best Buy. Free shipping is also available.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Costco has a few other sales going on this week, with a members-only savings event that includes the 2018 9.7-inch iPad (128GB) for $359.99, down from $399.99. There are also savings on the Google Home mini, LG TV sets, and more, so be sure to visit Costco to check out all of the discounts before the sale ends.

In other deals, Target this week has App Store and iTunes gift cards on sale with its traditional buy one, get one 20 percent off discount. While not as good as the more common 15 percent discounts for a single card, this is one of the only online iTunes gift card sales going on right now, so it could be a good opportunity to add some credit to your iTunes account.

The offer is valid on $15, $25, $50, and $100 iTunes cards, which will be delivered via email. The 20 percent discount will be applied to the lower priced item, so multiple price tiers can be added at once, and after two cards are placed in your cart you’ll notice the discount. As usual, Target REDcard members can save an additional 5 percent in the sale.

We’ve rounded up a few examples of the savings you can net with Target’s new offer below:

• 2x $15 iTunes gift cards: $27, down from $30
• 2x $25 iTunes gift cards: $45, down from $50
• 2x $50 iTunes gift cards: $90, down from $100

Anker has a one-day-sale of its own today on Amazon, with up to 30 percent off car chargers, Lightning cables, and portable battery packs. Check out all of the items on sale in the list below (no codes are needed), and if you’re interested make sure to get your purchase in before the day ends:

• PowerCore Slim 5000 Portable Charger (All 3 Colors) – $22.49, down from $29.99

• PowerCore Speed 20000 with Quick Charge 3.0 – $41.99, down from $55.99

• Powerline+ Lightning Cable 10ft (White) – $13.49, down from $17.99

• Powerline+ USB C to A 3.0 Cable 3ft (Red) – $7.99, down from $10.99

• Powerline Micro Cable (5-pack)- $9.68, down from $12.99

• Quick Charge 3.0 39W Dual USB Wall Charger – $17.99, down from $23.99

• 39W Dual USB Car Charger – $18.19, down from $25.99

Over at Best Buy, the company is celebrating its anniversary with an all-new savings event that includes markdowns on 4K TV sets, Bluetooth headphones, video games, and more. The new event isn’t particularly focused on Apple products, but Best Buy is providing up to $300 in savings on select iPhone X activations. Check out this deal and more in the list below:

• iPhone X – Save $100 or $300 with eligible trade-in and qualified activation with Verizon
• BeatsX (Black) – $99.99, down from $149.99
• Arlo Security Cameras – Save up to $150
• Bose QuietComfort 35 wireless headphones II – $299.99, down from $349.99
• WD easystore 2TB External USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive – $59.99, down from $129.99
• Tile 4-pack – $44.99, down from $59.99
• Philips Hue – Get 2 free Amazon Echo Dot speakers when purchasing a Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance A19 LED starter kit

Head over to our full Deals Roundup for more sales and bargains going on this week.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals
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Apple Seeds Seventh Beta of New watchOS 5 Operating System to Developers

Apple today seeded the seventh beta of an upcoming watchOS 5 update to developers, one week after releasing the sixth beta and two months after introducing the software at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

To get the beta, you’ll need the proper configuration profile, which can be obtained through the Apple Developer Center. Once the profile is in place, the watchOS 5 beta can be downloaded using the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General –> Software Update.

To install the update, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery, it must be placed on an Apple Watch charger, and it has to be in range of the iPhone. It’s best to install the beta on a secondary device instead of a primary device as betas have bugs to be worked out.

watchOS 5 is a major update to the watchOS operating system, introducing Activity Competitions so you can compete on workouts with friends, Walkie-Talkie with push-to-talk functionality for quickly communicating with the people you talk to most, and auto workout detection to make it easier to start and stop workouts if you forget.

Other new features include an improved Siri watch face with support for third-party apps through Siri Shortcuts, a dedicated Apple Podcasts app, new Workout types that include Yoga and Hiking, new features for runners, WebKit support for viewing some web content on Apple Watch, and enhanced notifications, which will make notifications on the Apple Watch interactive.

watchOS 5 is only available to developers and will not be provided to public beta testers (because there’s no way to downgrade Apple Watch software), so non-developers will need to wait until the software is officially released in the fall to try it out.

The watchOS 5 update runs on all Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3 Apple Watch models, but it is not available for the first-generation “Series 0” Apple Watch models.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 4, watchOS 5Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)
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Apple Seeds Seventh Beta of macOS Mojave to Developers

Apple today seeded the seventh beta of an upcoming macOS Mojave update to developers for testing purposes, one week after releasing the sixth beta and more than two months after introducing the software at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

macOS Mojave introduces a new method of installing software updates, so after you’ve installed the initial beta using the appropriate profile from the Developer Center, additional betas can be downloaded through opening up System Preferences and choosing the “Software Update” icon.

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Apple’s macOS Mojave update introduces a systemwide Dark Mode, with Mojave users able to choose between a light theme or the new dark theme, which changes the color of the dock, menu bar, apps, and other elements. Dark Mode is accompanied by Dynamic Desktops, aka wallpapers that subtly change throughout the day. Additional wallpapers were introduced in the fourth and fifth betas.

Stacks, a new desktop organization system, keeps all of your desktop files neat and organized, while Finder has been enhanced with a Gallery View, a Sidebar, a revamped Quick Look option and Quick Actions, so you can do more in the Finder window than ever before.

Screenshots can now be edited using Markup tools and a new management options that also allow for easy screen recording, while Continuity camera, a new feature, allows you to import photos and document scans directly from an iPhone or iPad to the Mac.

The Apple News, Stocks, Home, and Voice Memos apps have been ported from iOS to macOS as part of a multiyear project Apple is working on to make it easier to bring iOS apps to Macs, and Apple has introduced several new privacy protections to keep your data safer than ever.

Apple is also making it harder for websites to track you with a range of new Safari tools, and it’s also easier to make and store secure, hard-to-guess passwords for each and every website.

Apple has added an entirely revamped Mac App Store to macOS Mojave that makes it easier to discover apps with a featured section and specific categories for games, creative apps, productivity apps, apps for developers, and more.

macOS Mojave is available to developers and public beta testers to work out bugs and other issues ahead of an upcoming fall public release.

Update: According to Apple’s release notes, today’s macOS Mojave beta removes the Group FaceTime feature, which is no longer slated for release when macOS Mojave launches. Apple says Group FaceTime will be coming in an update set to be released “later this fall.”

Related Roundup: macOS Mojave
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Seventh Beta of tvOS 12 Now Available for Registered Developers

Apple today seeded the seventh beta of a new tvOS 12 operating system to developers for testing purposes, one week after releasing the sixth beta and two months after introducing the new software at the 2018 Worldwide Developers Conference.

Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV, the tvOS 12 developer beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV using a profile that’s installed through the Xcode software. Subsequent betas can be downloaded via the software update mechanism on the Apple TV.

tvOS 12 introduces support for Dolby Atmos sound, which was activated in the second beta. Apple says that when tvOS 12 launches this fall, iTunes will be home to the largest collection of Dolby Atmos-supported movies. Customers that have previously purchased movies that gain Dolby Atmos support will see free upgrades to their titles, much like the rollout of 4K support.

Building on single sign-on, a new zero sign-on feature will further simplify the cable authentication process. With zero sign-on, the Apple TV can detect a user’s broadband network and automatically sign them into supported apps they receive through their accompanying cable subscription.

Zero sign-on will be available for Charter Communications customers this fall and will expand to additional cable providers in the future.

Aerial screensavers now include location information and there are new screensavers captured in collaboration with the International Space Station.

Other improvements tvOS-related improvements include AutoFill passwords from iPhone, an Apple TV Remote automatically added to Control Center on the iPhone or iPad, and Apple TV support on Home control systems like Control4, Crestron, and Savant.

tvOS 12 is available for developers and public beta testers to work out bugs and other issues ahead of a fall public launch.

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 12Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Neutral)
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Apple Seeds Seventh Beta of iOS 12 to Developers

Apple today seeded the seventh beta of an upcoming iOS 12 update to developers for testing purposes, one week after seeding the sixth beta and more than two months after introducing the new software at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

Registered developers can download the new iOS 12 beta from Apple’s Developer Center or over-the-air after installing the proper certificate.

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iOS 12 introduces several major new features, with Apple revamping the operating system from top to bottom to make iPhones and iPads, especially the older models, faster and more responsive.

On the iPhone X, there are new Animoji characters along with “Memoji,” which are customizable, personalized, humanoid Animoji that can be used both in Messages and in FaceTime. Messages and FaceTime have also gained fun new camera effects, and Group FaceTime support allows for video chats with up to 32 people.

Siri is smarter in iOS 12 with a new Shortcuts feature that lets you create multi-step customized automations using first and third-party apps that can be activated with Siri voice commands. Shortcuts can be created through the Shortcuts app, available as a beta from Apple’s Developer Center.

Apple built comprehensive time management and monitoring tools into iOS 12 with Screen Time, allowing you to keep track of how much time you’re spending in apps on your iPhone and iPad. App limits can help you cut back on iOS device usage, and robust parental controls are included for families.

Updated Do Not Disturb options make activating Do Not Disturb more intuitive and simple, and a new Do Not Disturb at Bedtime feature cuts down on nighttime distractions and sleep interruptions.

Grouped Notifications make incoming notifications easier to view and manage, while a new Instant Tuning feature lets you tweak your notification settings right on the Lock screen on a notification-by-notification basis.

Apple News has a new Browse feature, the Stocks app has been redesigned and brought to the iPad, iBooks has been overhauled with a new look and a new name — Apple Books — and Voice Memos has been revamped with iCloud support and an iPad app.

ARKit 2.0 introduces new capabilities like shared experiences that let two people see the same AR environment on separate devices, and persistence, which allows AR experiences to be saved across multiple sessions. There’s also a new Apple-built Measure app for measuring objects using AR capabilities.

iOS 12 includes a revamped and rebuilt Maps app that uses a new Apple-designed Maps engine that will display foliage, pools, buildings, pedestrian pathways, and other map elements more accurately. The new Maps also includes significant improvements to traffic, real-time road conditions, construction, and more, plus it will enable Apple to push out changes and fixes more quickly.

The updated Maps app is available in the Northern California area during beta testing. After iOS 12 launches, Apple will continue rolling out the new maps to additional U.S. locations across late 2018 and 2019.

Tons of other small tweaks and features have been added to iOS 12, so make sure to check out our dedicated roundup for additional detail on what’s new in iOS 12.

Early betas of new operating system updates always introduce tweaked features and new functionality, and we’ll be outlining what’s new in the seventh beta below. We also rounded up all of the changes that were introduced in the previous betas: beta 2 and beta 3, beta 4, beta 5, and beta 6.

iOS 12 is available for developers and public beta testers, with a public launch planned for September alongside new iPhones.

Update: According to Apple’s release notes, today’s beta removes the Group FaceTime feature, which is no longer slated for release when iOS 12 launches. Apple says Group FaceTime will be coming in an iOS 12 update “later this fall.”

Apple has removed some Screen Time workarounds that children were using to get around app limits, and after updating to the new beta, Apple suggests parents change the Screen Time passcode to prevent children from signing out of iCloud or changing the system time.

There is a bug with Apple Pay in iOS 12 beta 7, which could cause Apple Pay to become unavailable. Apple recommends retrying Apple Pay or restarting the device to fix it.

Related Roundup: iOS 12
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