iOS 15.4 will arrive next week, allowing you to use Face ID with a mask

Apple has confirmed it will roll out iOS 15.4 next week. One especially useful feature that’ll hit iPhones in the coming days is another way to unlock your device with Face ID while wearing a mask. You’ll no longer need an Apple Watch to unlock your phone without removing your mask or punching in your passcode.

Apple has been testing the feature in public betas since January. You’ll need to activate it manually in the Face ID & Passcode section of Settings. There’s one key caveat: it doesn’t work with sunglasses.

Other features expected to arrive as part of iOS 15.4 include an anti-stalking warning for AirTags, a less-gendered voice option for Siri, PS5 DualSense controller adaptive trigger support, a way to add notes to iCloud Keychain passwords and dozens more emoji.

In addition, macOS Monterey 12.3 and iPadOS 15.4 will be released next week. Those updates will include the long-awaited Universal Control feature, which will allow you to control multiple Macs and iPads with one keyboard and trackpad or mouse. Apple announced Universal Control at WWDC in June, but delayed it from the fall until this spring.

Apple’s Mac Studio is a tiny pro-level desktop powered by M1 Ultra

The rumors were true: Apple has introduced a high-powered headless desktop that sits between the Mac mini and Mac Pro. The company has launched the Mac Studio, a compact machine with up to a 20-core M1 Ultra chip, a 64-core GPU and more expansion than its mini counterpart. Not surprisingly, Apple is making bold performance claims — it believes the Studio is up to 60 percent faster than a 28-core Intel Mac Pro in CPU tasks, 80 percent faster than the fastest Mac graphics card and capable of handling up to 18 8K ProRes 4:2:2 video streams at once.

You’ll have plenty of choice for peripherals with four Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB-A ports, HDMI and 10Gbps Ethernet on the back. And yes, Apple is aware you want front ports — two USB-C connectors and an SD card slot will spare you from reaching behind the system to upload photos. The computer is also power-efficient. Apple claims the Mac Studio uses about 100W less power than a 16-core Windows at similar performance levels. It’s not clear how performance stacks up in real life, of course, but it’s notable that Apple is even comparing a desktop Mac against high-end consumer PC towers.

The Mac Studio starts at $1,999 with an M1 Max, 32GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, and will be available on March 18th. Pre-orders start today. A version with the M1 Ultra, 64GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD costs $3,999, and maxing out the system with 128GB of RAM and an 8TB SSD will cost a whopping $7,999. The complementing 27-inch Apple Studio Display is $1,599, and you can once again buy the Magic Keyboard (with Touch ID), Magic Trackpad and Magic Mouse in silver and black at respective $199, $149 and $99 prices.

This isn’t the Apple Silicon-based Mac Pro some creatives want. That’s “for another day,” Apple said at its event. It also isn’t cheap, as you’re looking at a cool $3,600 (plus peripherals) if you want an all-Apple setup. Still, this might be appealing if you’ve craved a fast Mac desktop but didn’t want to tie yourself to a built-in display or the overkill of a full-size workstation. This might be a dream machine for Power Mac G4 Cube fans.

Catch up on all of the news from Apple’s Peek Performance event right here!

Watch Apple’s ‘Peek Performance’ event here at 1PM ET

Apple is holding its latest hardware event today (March 8th) and you’ll be able to watch it right here. The event gets under way at 1PM ET. The stream is also available on Apple’s website and the Apple TV app 

As for what to expect, it’s highly likely that Apple will reveal a new iPhone SE with the A15 Bionic chip used in iPhone 13 devices as well as 5G support. There are also rumors about a refreshed iPad Air with the same features. Elsewhere, tied into the “Peek Performance” tagline Apple is using for the event, it’s believed the company will update the 13-inch MacBook Pro with an M2 Apple silicon chip after its larger siblings got CPU upgrades late last year.

Although those seem like the surer bets, there are some other devices Apple’s said to be working on that could make an appearance, such as an external 7K monitor, a Mac Studio desktop (i.e. a souped-up Mac mini) or other Macs. In any case, we won’t have to wait long to find out.

After the event, be sure to join deputy editor Cherlynn Low and senior writer Sam Rutherford for Engadget’s post-show livestream. They’ll break down Apple’s announcements and share their thoughts on all the news. You can check out the post-event stream below or on Engadget’s YouTube channel.

Catch up on all of the news from Apple’s Peek Performance event right here!

Apple, Google and Microsoft score poorly in repairability report

You’re probably aware that some brands’ devices are easier to repair than others, but an influential advocacy team may have just confirmed your suspicions. The Vergenotes the US Public Interest Research Group has published a repairability report card grading major laptop and phone brands both on the ease of fixing their devices (based partly on French repair scores) and the company’s overall stance on repairs. As you might guess, Apple, Google and Microsoft fared poorly with D grades and one F for iPhones — their historically sealed-in designs, lack of parts and lobbying against Right to Repair legislation didn’t win them any points.

No company on the report card received an A grade. However, there were some highlights. Laptops from Acer, ASUS, Dell and Lenovo all earned solid B grades for easier access and reduced opposition to Right to Repair, while Motorola was the only phone maker to match that performance with its relatively fixable phones. HP and Samsung each mustered a C grade.

PIRG’s aim is clear. As with its campaign to open up ventilator repairs, the interest group wants PC and phone makers to factor repairability into their designs, after-sale service and politics. Easier-to-fix products reduce e-waste and save money, PIRG argued.

The tech industry is already evolving to some extent. The Biden administration has ramped up pressure on American companies to embrace Right to Repair, including a plan to enforce pro-repair laws. Some of the companies are already changing their attitudes, if partly to head off potential legislation. Apple will start selling parts to customers this year, while newer Microsoft Surface devices are relatively simple to fix. PIRG’s clout may still help, but it isn’t the only one nudging the tech world toward better repairability.

Google is buying cybersecurity company Mandiant for $5.4 billion

Google has todayannounced that it has signed an agreement to buy Mandiant, a notable cybersecurity company, for $5.4 billion. The unit, once acquired, will be folded into Google’s Cloud team to ensure that it can offer an “end-to-end security operations suite” for its business customers. Mandiant CEO Kevin Mandia says that the deal will enable “organizations [to] effectively, efficiently and continuously manage and configure their complex mix of security products.” Google’s cloud platform is used by a number of major companies, and an outage towards the end of 2021 briefly knocked out Spotify, Snapchat, Etsy and Discord, amongst others.

Mandiant isn’t likely to be a name on everyone’s lips, but it’s one of those companies who gets called in whenever bad things go down. It discovered the SolarWinds hack, and it was hired by Equifax to look into its security practices after its massive security snafu in 2017, and T-Mobile entered into partnership with the company after its 2021 breach. It also works with major banks and governments to work on high-profile attacks involving state actors. Mandiant was previously a part of FireEye after being acquired in 2013, but the company was spun back out last year.

The news comes just a month after Bloomberg reported that Microsoft might be interested in acquiring the company. It said that any deal would enable its new buyer to offer “unparalleled cybersecurity knowledge,” although Microsoft — obviously — subsequently pulled out of negotiations. But Google clearly feels that the deal is worth it, and is the second most expensive purchase the company has ever made, after its $12.5 billion purchase of Motorola.

Google says the latest Chrome on Mac outperforms Safari

Google is determined to claim the browser performance crown, and not just on its own platform. The company claims Chrome 99 is significantly faster on macOS and Android, with some particularly large gains on Macs. Thanks to a speed-focused “build optimization technique” and refined graphics processing, Chrome is reportedly 7 percent faster overall than Safari, with 15 percent faster graphics — it even outperforms Safari in Apple’s own Speedometer benchmark on an M1 Max-equipped MacBook Pro, according to Google.

The internet pioneer added that Chrome is nearly 43 percent faster than it was when the first M1 Macs arrived in late 2020. One of the largest improvements came in late 2021, when Google introduced a new JavaScript compiler that offered particularly strong benefits for Apple Silicon.

Android users should see a meaningful upgrade, too. Chrome on Google’s mobile OS is 15 percent faster (in aggregated real-world data) thanks to optimized navigation that includes prioritizing “critical” interface moments. Performance isn’t directly comparable between this and Safari on iOS, of course, but it could still make a noticeable difference if you thrive on the mobile web.

The claimed speed-ups won’t always translate to your own experience. We also wouldn’t be surprised if Apple has a response before too long. There’s a historical back-and-forth as Apple and Google tweak their browser code to beat each other and win users. In that sense, the Chrome speed boost might be useful simply to spur competition.

Apple TV+ is now available on Comcast Xfinity

Apple TV+ has reached one of its last frontiers: the American cable subscriber. As promised, Apple’s streaming service is now available across Comcast’s Xfinity platforms, including the Xfinity X1 set-top, XClass TVs and the Xfinity Flex streaming service. You can now watch the likes of Ted Lasso or Severance even if you can’t use a dedicated streaming device or Apple’s own smart TV apps.

Any Xfinity users new to Apple TV+ can get a three-month free trial if they sign up by April 25th. Comcast first revealed plans to support Apple’s service in October. Americans are latecomers to some degree — Sky Q and Sky Glass users in Europe and the UK had access to Apple TV+ in December.

The expansion comes long after Apple TV+ was available elsewhere, including many common TV models, media players and game consoles. However, the Xfinity launch might help Apple cover the “last mile” of potential viewers who either won’t buy separate hardware or are simply unaware of services that aren’t available through their cable hardware.

Amazon knocks up to 38 percent off HyperX gaming accessories today

You don’t have to spend thousands on a new system for a better gaming experience; sometimes all it takes is a few well-chosen accessories. HyperX is one of the companies we at Engadget often turn to when we need to make recommendations, and today you can save on a selection of headsets, keyboards and even a gaming-focused mic from the HP-owned brand.

Our own Jess Conditt really liked the QuadCast S enough to put it in last year’s game streaming guide, and right now you can save 25 percent at Amazon, a $40 discount. This colorful mic works with your PC (both Windows and macOS), PS4 and PS5. It’ll look great on your next livestream, but it will also sound great thanks to features like four selectable polar patterns — stereo, omnidirectional, cardioid and bidirectional. That means you can really tweak what audio you want it to pick up when you’re streaming on Twitch or YouTube.

Buy QuadCast S at Amazon – $120

HyperX’s headsets have always been standouts, and today you can save up to 38 percent on select models. That includes the wired Cloud Alpha S, a 7.1 surround-sound set that would normally run you $130 but right now you can snag for under $100 — it’s only $80 today, a great deal on a headset that also comes with a chat mixer.

Buy Cloud Alpha S at Amazon – $80

If you’re looking for something with no wires, HyperX has multiple options for you as well. The best deal is probably the massive $60 savings on the CloudX Flight for Xbox, which has the chat mixer built right into the ear cups. It’s normally $160, but today it’s only $100 at Amazon. Meanwhile, PlayStation gamers can pick up the Cloud Flight instead for only $90 and still enjoy the benefits of super-soft padding and a classic design at a $50 discount.

Buy CloudX Flight at Amazon – $100Buy Cloud Flight at Amazon – $90

If you’re in the market for a new mechanical keyboard, the sale also includes the Hyper Alloy Origins keyboard for only $70. All of these discounts are part of a daily deal at Amazon, so don’t spend too long mulling it over — the sale ends tonight at 12am PT.

Buy Alloy Origins at Amazon – $70

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

Halo Infinite’s campaign co-op won’t be available when season two kicks off in May

The last we heard, Halo Infinite‘s campaign co-op was supposed to arrive with season two when it launched in May this year. Now, developer 343 Industries has announced that it won’t be available when season 2 debuts but will instead come “later” at an unspecified date in the second season. 

“We are still aiming to deliver campaign network co-op later in season two, and we will share a release date for that and for split-screen co-op as soon as we can,” said the game’s head of creative, Joseph Staten. “It’s going to take more time to land a high-quality, full-featured 4-player network co-op experience in the massive, wide-open world of Halo Infinite.”

It seems likely that split-screen for co-op will arrive at the same time, though the company didn’t confirm that. “We’re also committed to a great two-player split-screen co-op experience on all Xbox consoles, from the original Xbox One through Xbox Series X — the non-linear, wide-open sections of the Campaign present some big challenges for split-screen that have taken us more time to solve,” Staten wrote. 

Forge, meanwhile, is still slated to arrive with season three. It’s currently in level editor testing with a small group of players and public flights are set for “later this year,” the company said. 

Season two was supposed to come three months after Halo Infinite‘s launch on December 8th, but it was pushed back by a couple of months as 343 decided to extend season one. What you will see when it launches on May 3rd are new arena (“Catalyst”) and Big Team Battle (“Breaker”) maps. It’ll also feature new game modes known as Land Grab and Last Spartan Standing, which the company calls “a free-for-all elimination mode.”