Apple has introduced some new tools to its Apple Business Connect program that could be useful for everyday consumers. The most notable update is the introduction of Business Caller ID. When the feature launches next year, companies of any size can register to show their name, logo, and department when contacting customers. In practice, this could help people distinguish between a phone call from a legitimate business and spam.
Apple Business Connect allows companies to have more control over how they appear in various apps across the Apple ecosystem. In 2023, Apple offered businesses customization for their listings in Maps, Messages, Siri, and Wallet. Today’s updates make the Business Connect branding tools available to any company, including those without a brick-and-mortar location.
In addition to the eventual rollout of Business Caller ID, the program is also adding brand information within the Mail and Phone apps. Participating companies can also add their logo to the Tap to Pay feature for contactless payments.
There are some discounts on Bluetooth trackers to help you keep track of your keys and bags. And Best Buy is still running a promotion to give away three free months of Apple TV+ so you can start watching the recently released season two of Severance. Here are this week’s best tech deals you can still find today.
If you’re a Prime member, you can save $50 on the recently released Colorsoft Kindle, also known as the first Kindle with color. This is the first discount we’ve seen since this model debuted.
We encountered a “yellow band” problem with our review unit, but we later received an updated reader for which Amazon made “reasonable adjustments” to solve the problem. The software and display adjustments the company implemented worked — and we actually liked the overall effect better. Check out our review for the full story.
The Chipolo One point came out shortly after Google launched its Find My Device feature, a crowd-sourced finding network that relies on other Android phones to track down your lost belongings (a bit like Apple’s Find My function). It’s currently our favorite Bluetooth tracker for Android.
We liked how easy it was to set up and how loud it rings. Plus, unlike AirTags, it has a hole, so it’s easy to attach the tracker to a key ring. Also available at Amazon. Chipolo is also selling a pack combining its wallet and two standard One trackers for $52.
A new model of AirTags may come later this year, but as it is, we consider Apple’s current AirTag to be the best Bluetooth tracker for iPhone owners. It’s not the lowest price ever, but it beats the $73 going rate for a four-pack over the past few months. Also available at Best Buy.