Apple adds ‘Test Alert’ feature for American iPhone users

According to MacRumors, Apple has added a new “Test Alert” feature to Beta 3 of iOS 15.6 and iOS 16. The feature is only visible on iPhones that use U.S. carriers and allows users to enable test emergency alerts from the U.S. government, the report claims. Once users turn on Test Alerts, they can receive test emergency alerts on iPhone and Apple Watch. The switch is located in the Settings app under Notifications → Government Alerts and is off by default. Apple claims that the U.S. government is responsible for the content and frequency of test alerts.

The test alert feature has been available for some time now. Some users were able to turn on the test alert feature by installing a configuration file or entering a code on the phone. However, this latest version provides users with an easier way to choose to receive test alerts.

According to Apple, in an emergency, the iPhone may display:

• Alerts by the carrier’s country’s government
• Alerts involving imminent threats to safety or life
• Extreme Weather Conditions Alert
• AMBER Alert (Missing America: Broadcast Emergency Response)
• Public safety alert

Apple iPhone shipments in China rose 227% in June

According to UBS estimates, Apple’s iPhone shipments in China increased by more than 200% year-on-year. This suggests that the company’s June quarter results were quite solid. In a note to investors, UBS analyst David Vogt offered some thoughts on Apple’s iPhone shipments in the June quarter and shipments so far in 2022.

On the one hand, Apple’s shipments in China appear to have rebounded strongly from May (down 9% YoY in May). For example, in the June quarter, shipments improved and are now up about 227%, although Vogt points out that this is based on a simple comparison.

So far this quarter, Apple’s iPhone shipments have grown 25% year-over-year despite macroeconomic headwinds such as the coronavirus lockdown and broader supply chain issues. Overall smartphone shipments in China fell by about 12% year-on-year, mainly due to the COVID-19 lockdown in April and May.

Vogt now estimates that the iPhone’s share of the Chinese market has grown larger, at 11.4%, thanks to the growth in Apple’s smartphone shipments.