iPhones are finally getting a much-requested setting, but availability is limited.


The upcoming iOS 18.4 update introduces an option to set a default navigation app, other than Apple Maps, but unfortunately this new setting is limited to users in the EU. There, you can now set an app like Google Maps or Waze as your default navigation app on the iPhone by opening the Settings app and tapping Apps → Default Apps → Navigation.

Apple made this change in response to the EU's Digital Markets Act.

Apple, we would love to see this option made available worldwide.

Apple has at least made a small concession for U.S. users, allowing them to set a default translation app on iOS 18.4. For example, you can set Google Translate as your iPhone's default translation app, instead of Apple Translate.

iOS 18.4 is currently in beta testing. The update will be released to the general public in early April, according to Apple's website.
This article, "iOS 18.4 Adds a Highly-Requested Setting to iPhones — But Not in U.S." first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple’s new Mac Studio with M4 Max and M3 Ultra is officially now available. To coincide with its launch, Apple has updated a support document that reveals which macOS power mode the new Mac Studio supports, and which it doesn’t. The answer is a bit surprising.

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Sonos has ended work on a high-end streaming set-top box that was expected to launch sometime in 2025, reports The Verge. Sonos informed employees of the streaming box's cancelation in a meeting today, and has reassigned those that were working on the product to other teams.


The set-top box was supposed to be Sonos' major product for the second half of 2025, and Sonos spent considerable resources on it. It was almost completed, and was even beta tested for months, but interim CEO Tom Conrad has decided to reprioritize Sonos' roadmap, and a push into video is no longer happening at the current time.

Sonos planned to compete with the Apple TV and other streaming boxes with its now-canceled "Pinewood" project, and the device would have been priced between $200 and $400. It was described as a simple black box with a "beautiful" Android interface that offered content from Netflix, Max, Disney Plus, and other streaming services.

Sonos wanted to reduce fragmentation in the streaming ecosystem, and to distinguish the streaming box from competing products, it would have doubled as an HDMI switch. Users would have been able to plug in gaming consoles, soundbars, and other devices using passthrough functionality, and it is said to have solved a latency problem that long annoyed Sonos.

Sonos plans to work on software improvements to continue to repair the damage done by last May's disastrous app update.
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The new Mac Studio models with M4 Max and M3 Ultra chips support Low Power Mode, according to an Apple support document updated today.


Apple says turning on Low Power Mode reduces the Mac Studio's fan noise, which is useful for tasks that require a quieter environment, and it also allows for reduced power consumption if the computer is left running continuously.

The reduced fan noise aspect of Low Power Mode requires macOS Sequoia 15.1 or later. The new Mac Studio ships with macOS Sequoia 15.3.

A few Reddit users said macOS Sequoia 15.3 enabled Low Power Mode on the previous-generation Mac Studio with the M2 Max chip, and presumably on M2 Ultra configurations too. This is not reflected in Apple's support document.

In any case, Low Power Mode on the Mac Studio is fairly new.

As obvious as it may sound, Apple's support document also confirms that the Mac Studio still lacks High Power Mode for additional cooling.

Apple's document has a list of Macs that support Low Power Mode with reduced fan noise.
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Last month, The Verge reported that Sonos was hard at work on a major new hardware product: a streaming box that would compete with the Apple TV 4K and cost up to $400. Now, it seems, Sonos has changed its plans and canceled its TV streaming product.

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Apple’s new is officially available today, alongside its upgraded Magic Keyboard. Here’s why the new Air is the best iPad for most people, but the M4 iPad Pro is still my favorite device and well worth the premium price tag.

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Apple refreshed the MacBook Air lineup last week, and those new models are available starting today. We picked up one of the M4 ‌MacBook Air‌ models for a quick unboxing and first impressions overview.


If you've seen the M2 or M3 ‌MacBook Air‌ models, then you know exactly what the M4 version looks like. Apple didn't change the design one bit, though there is a new Sky Blue color that replaces Space Gray. It's a subtle blue that doesn't even look blue depending on the lighting, so it's not the most exciting update.

What's new is inside, and it's primarily the M4 chip. The M4 chip is Apple's latest, and you don't need us to tell you that it's fast. CPU performance is up to 30 percent faster, and GPU performance is up to 21 percent faster compared to the M3.

Both the M3 and the M4 are built on a 3-nanometer process, so there isn't a huge year-over-year improvement, but the new ‌MacBook Air‌ models weren't designed for people coming from M3. If you're upgrading from an Intel-based Mac, a Windows PC, or even the M1 ‌MacBook Air‌ from 2020, you're going to see a night and day leap in performance.

You can get the ‌MacBook Air‌ in 13-inch and 15-inch sizes, and they're about identical except for the display size, the weight, the speaker system, and the cost. There aren't differences in battery life, and both last for up to 18 hours when streaming video or 15 hours when browsing the web, so you can work all day without needing a charge.

There are two Thunderbolt 4 ports for connecting peripherals, and this year, the ‌MacBook Air‌ can drive two external displays at 6K resolution at 60Hz with no compromises. Apple added a new 12-megapixel front-facing camera this year, and it's a huge improvement over the 1080p camera that's been in multiple generations of prior ‌MacBook Air‌ models. The camera supports the latest features like Center Stage for keeping you in frame and Desk View if you need to demonstrate something on your desk.

The 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ is priced at $999 and it comes with 16GB RAM, an 8-core GPU, and a 10-core CPU. If you want the larger screen size, the 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ starts with 16GB RAM, a 10-core GPU, and 10-core CPU. You can upgrade the 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ to the 10-core GPU, and both models support up to 32GB RAM if you want to improve performance for tasks like video editing, gaming, and AI.

While the ‌MacBook Air‌ only got an incremental update this year, it's still the best Mac for most people. The $999 model is a solid deal with the M4 chip and the 16GB RAM. You can't get a cheaper current-generation notebook from Apple, but if you don't need portability, you can get a Mac mini with about the same specs for $599.

The main compromise between the ‌MacBook Air‌ and the more expensive MacBook Pro is essentially the display. The ‌MacBook Pro‌ has a much brighter mini-LED display that supports HDR and ProMotion. It also has more ports, a longer battery life, and the option to upgrade to faster M4 Pro or M4 Max chips for those who need even more performance.

It's probably going to be a few more years before Apple makes any notable design changes to the ‌MacBook Air‌, so it's not a bad time to upgrade from an older Intel or ‌M1‌ ‌MacBook Air‌ model.
This article, "Hands-On With Apple's New M4 MacBook Air" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today reiterated his belief that a new HomePod with a screen will enter mass production in the third quarter of 2025.


Kuo is likely referring to Apple's rumored smart home hub, which is expected to have a square iPad-like screen that can be attached to a HomePod-like speaker base, or mounted on a wall. If his timeframe is accurate, it means that the device would enter mass production after Apple's annual developers conference WWDC in June.

Kuo originally predicted that the HomePod with a screen would enter mass production in the first quarter of 2025, but he said manufacturing was pushed back due to "software development issues," including Apple Intelligence. Last week, Apple said that the more personalized version of Siri that it previewed at WWDC 2024 last year is taking longer than it expected, and it now anticipates rolling out the new Siri features "in the coming year." It would make sense if Apple's smart home hub has been postponed too, as a result.

Kuo said another reason for the delay is ensuring that the device's interface aligns with software updates coming later this year, including iOS 19. Maybe (or maybe not) this relates to Apple's rumored visionOS-like software redesign plans, which could extend to the all-new homeOS operating system that is expected on the smart home hub.

Apple's smart home hub is rumored to feature a 6-inch or 7-inch display, and an A18 chip. It would allow users to control smart home accessories, make FaceTime video calls, use Apple's intercom feature between rooms in a house, and more. It might even double as a home security system with an Apple-designed camera.

It is unclear if the home hub will launch in late 2025, or if the delays will push it back until 2026.
This article, "Kuo: New 'HomePod' With Screen to Enter Mass Production After WWDC" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple was originally expected to launch a new Home product this month, which I’ve been calling ‘HomePad.’ However, reports have pointed to delays related to Apple’s challenges developing new Siri capabilities. Now, per Ming-Chi Kuo, it seems that iOS 19’s new design might be related to HomePad’s delayed launch too.

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Apple just wrapped up a busy couple weeks of product launches, like the and iPhone 16e. But its next major launch season—this fall—is shaping up to be far more exciting. In fact, all the rumors so far point to Apple preparing its biggest fall lineup in years.

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Launch day for the new M4 MacBook Air, M3 iPad Air, and the new iPad (A16) has arrived, and we have deals on all of them. Not only are there some seriously notable trade-in savings, but this morning we saw the first straight up cash deals go live at Amazon on the brand new M4 MacBook Air – they are now $50 off for anyone to deliver the best deals yet. We also spotted $119 price drops on Apple Watch Ultra 2 alongside a series of rare deals on official Alpine and Trail Loop models at 20% off, and a return of the best price ever on the Apple’s 4-pack of AirTags ($16 each). All of that and more awaits below in today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break.

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Today we're tracking a handful of Apple accessory discounts on Amazon, including all-time low prices for both the Apple Pencil Pro and AirTag 4-Pack. Neither deal requires a coupon code this time around, as both have been applied automatically by Amazon.

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.

Starting with the AirTag 4-Pack, you can get this accessory for $64.49, down from $99.00. This is an all-time low price, and you can find the 1-Pack on sale as well on Amazon, available for $22.99, down from $29.00.



Secondly, Amazon has the Apple Pencil Pro for $99.00, down from $129.00. This is a match for the record low price on the Apple Pencil Pro, and it's a deal that doesn't typically stick around long on Amazon, so if you've been waiting for it to return, be sure to check it out soon.



If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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Money can buy an ultra-fast Mac, but it cannot buy ultra-fast delivery, apparently.


Apple's new Mac Studio with M4 Max and M3 Ultra chip options began arriving to customers today, but the highest-end model is facing delays.

If you order a maxed-out Mac Studio with a 32-core M3 Ultra chip, 512GB of unified RAM, and 16TB of SSD storage on Apple's online store today, the mind-boggling $14,099 configuration will not arrive until late March. Unsurprisingly, it is the massive 512GB of RAM upgrade option that seems to be causing the longer wait here.

If ordered today, that configuration is estimated for delivery between March 26 and March 31, so there is currently a two- to three-week wait.

Thanks, Paul!
This article, "Mac Studio With Massive 512GB RAM Facing Two-Week Delivery Delay" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple plans to release a new Studio Display in late 2025 or early 2026, according to Ross Young, a display industry expert and VP at Counterpoint Research.


In a subscriber-only post shared on X last month, Young said the new Studio Display will feature the same 27-inch screen size as the current model, but add mini-LED backlighting. This upgrade would result in increased brightness and higher contrast ratio compared to the current model, which has traditional LED backlighting.

Young did not share any further details, so it is unclear if any other Studio Display specifications would change, such as the refresh rate.

Apple released the Studio Display in March 2022, alongside the first Mac Studio. The standalone display features a 27-inch LCD screen with a 5K resolution, a 60Hz refresh rate, up to 600 nits brightness, a built-in camera and speakers, one Thunderbolt 3 port, and three USB-C ports. In the U.S., the monitor starts at $1,599.

In November 2024, an anonymous listener of the Relay FM tech podcast "Upgrade" claimed that Apple was developing 90Hz display technology that could be used for the next Studio Display. This higher refresh rate would make content like videos and text while scrolling look smoother to the eye, but 90Hz would stop short of the 120Hz refresh rate that iPhones and Macs with ProMotion support can achieve. It is not clear to us if this individual has any established track record with Apple-related rumors, so keep that in mind.

A new Studio Display with mini-LED backlighting has been rumored by a few other sources, including Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The display will likely launch in 2026, according to Gurman.

Young has a pretty good track record with display-related information for future Apple products. For example, he was the first source to reveal the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max would feature 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays, respectively, over a year before the devices launched. He is the founder and former CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants, a research firm that was acquired by Counterpoint Research in late 2023.
This article, "What to Expect From Apple's Studio Display 2" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple TV+ is more popular than it’s ever been, thanks primarily to its biggest hit ever: Severance. But the current season is wrapping up quickly, as Severance’s season finale is coming next week.

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Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

Supported by Setapp: Get access to 240+ apps on your Mac for just $9.99. Sign up today for a free 7-day trial. 

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When Apple launched its iPhone 16e last month, it included a brand new component: A16 iPad haven’t included it. Here’s where the C1 will appear next, and which products are not expected to get it.

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Apple's new M4 MacBook Air launches today, and Amazon has launch day discounts worth $50 across nearly every model. You'll need to clip an on-page coupon in order to see these deal prices at checkout, and Best Buy is matching many of these deals if you're a My Best Buy Plus/Total member.

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

13-Inch M4 MacBook Air

Starting with the 13-inch models, Amazon has $50 off all three of the new configurations of this notebook. Prices start at $949.00 for the 256GB model, then raise to $1,149.00 for the 16GB/256GB model and $1,349.00 for the 24GB/512GB model. Best Buy is matching these deals for members.

15-Inch M4 MacBook Air

Moving to the larger display models, Amazon has both 512GB versions of the 15-inch M4 MacBook Air on sale for launch day. The 16GB/512GB model is available for $1,349.00 and the 24GB/512GB model is on sale for $1,549.00, both $50 discounts.





The only new M4 MacBook Air that Amazon does not have a discount for is the 256GB 15-inch MacBook Air, so if that's the one you're shopping for you'll need to look at Best Buy. At that retailer, My Best Buy Plus/Total members can get the computer for $1,149.00, down from $1,199.00.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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Apple TV+ today released the trailer for its buzzy new drama series, called Your Friends & Neighbors. The show stars Jon Hamm in the lead role as a man named Coop, a hedge fund manager who is down on his luck. In an effort to maintain his luxurious lifestyle, he turns to the world of crime, secretly stealing possessions from his affluent neighbors to sell them on.

The show has received early praise and — months ahead of its premiere — Apple renewed the show for a second season as another sign of confidence in the project. Watch the trailer after the break …

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Apple continues to inform customers that a more personalized version of Siri has been delayed.


As noted by 9to5Mac today, Apple has added the following disclosure to all of the iPhone 16 product pages on its website:

Siri's personal context understanding, onscreen awareness, and in-app actions are in development and will be available with a future software update.

The overall Apple Intelligence page has gained similar fine print below each delayed Siri feature:

This feature is in development and will be available with a future software update.

We previously reported that Apple removed references to the personalized Siri entirely in some spots on its website, for now. And on its YouTube channel, Apple recently hid an iPhone 16 Pro ad in which actress Bella Ramsey demonstrated a personalized Siri feature.

In a statement last week, Apple confirmed that it needed more time to finish developing the new Siri features. Apple said it aimed to begin rolling out the features "in the coming year," but it did not provide a more specific timeframe.

Apple's full statement:

Siri helps our users find what they need and get things done quickly, and in just the past six months, we've made Siri more conversational, introduced new features like type to Siri and product knowledge, and added an integration with ChatGPT. We've also been working on a more personalized Siri, giving it more awareness of your personal context, as well as the ability to take action for you within and across your apps. It's going to take us longer than we thought to deliver on these features and we anticipate rolling them out in the coming year.

Our best guess is that the personalized Siri will launch at some point between iOS 19 in September 2025 and iOS 19.4 in March 2026.

Whenever they launch, the Siri upgrades will include understanding of a user's personal context, on-screen awareness, and deeper per-app controls. For example, during its WWDC 2024 keynote, Apple showed an iPhone user asking Siri about their mother's flight and lunch reservation plans based on info from the Mail and Messages apps.

The new capabilities will be powered by Apple Intelligence, so you will need an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 16e, iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, or any of the iPhone 17 models coming later this year.
This article, "Apple Adds Disclosure About Delayed Siri Features to iPhone 16 Pages" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The upcoming iOS 18.4 update for the iPhone includes a smaller but meaningful improvement for Apple's in-car iPhone mirroring system CarPlay.


Specifically, CarPlay now shows a third row of icons, up from two rows previously. However, this change is only visible in vehicles with a larger center display. For example, a MacRumors Forums member noticed the change in a Toyota Tundra with a 14-inch screen.

In our testing, CarPlay still showed two rows of four icons in a Honda Civic with a 9-inch screen.

While this is only a minor change, CarPlay showing more icons when possible is a nice quality-of-life improvement, allowing drivers to quickly access more apps with less swiping between pages and keep their eyes on the road.

iOS 18.4 is currently in beta testing. The software update will be released to the general public in early April, according to Apple's website.

In addition, the Apple Maps electric vehicle routing feature on CarPlay gained support for the North American Charging System (NACS) charging connector standard this week. Ford recently began selling an adapter that allows its Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning vehicles to be charged by a Tesla Supercharger, and now the Apple Maps electric vehicle routing feature can plan routes that include stops at Tesla Superchargers.


Ford says this capability is available now on CarPlay with an iPhone running iOS 17 or later, so no new software update is required.

Here are Ford's instructions on how to use the feature:

- Connect your Apple iPhone to CarPlay.
- Open Apple Maps, go to Settings and confirm your preferred charging network(s) – make sure you select a NACS fast charging station, such as Tesla Supercharger. You only have to do this once.
- Enter a destination.
- Apple Maps will then calculate the estimated state of charge you will have when you get to a destination.
- If a charge is required, depending on the fastest route, it will automatically route you to a NACS fast charging station.*

* When a route is started that includes Tesla Superchargers, drivers may see a warning that the route requires a Fast Charging Adapter (NACS) – drivers should make sure to have it with them to use. Battery preconditioning when enroute to a charger is not available for Apple Maps EV Routing.

Looking further ahead into the future, Apple confirmed that it continues to work with several auto makers on next-generation CarPlay. However, Apple is no longer providing a timeframe for next-generation CarPlay's launch.
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The upcoming iPhone 17 Air is expected to be all about sleekness – getting the thinnest iPhone ever, though at the expense of specifications.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo surprised everyone earlier this year when he suggested that the device may be even thinner than expected, and his view has now been echoed by another leaker …

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One of the most attention-grabbing aspects of the new M4 MacBook Air was the announcement of a new color: sky blue. While I’m of the view that gadgets should be silver or black, plenty of people clearly welcome the idea of more colorful MacBook Air models.

Only, reviewers all seem to agree that the new blue color isn’t very, well, either blue or colorful. So is it time for Apple to offer some truly colorful MacBook Air finishes … ?

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There have been a couple of previous reports suggesting that at least one iPhone 17 model will run cooler, thanks to a hi-tech liquid cooling system known as a vapor chamber. This has today been backed by a third one – though it’s uncertain which models will get the new feature.

While Apple chips have grown progressively more powerful each year, they can run hot when performing demanding tasks like running graphic-intensive games, forcing the device to reduce power …

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Apple's new M4 MacBook Air is now being delivered to customers worldwide following the pre-order period that began on March 5. The same goes for Apple's new versions of the iPad, iPad Air, and Mac Studio. For those who didn't pre-order or chose to wait, the new models are currently readily available, and select Apple Store locations globally are offering same-day or next-day pickup options.


As of writing, Apple's online stores in the United States and Canada haven't yet been updated to show pickup availability, but shortages aren't generally expected and there is unlikely to be much variation state by state. Meanwhile across the pond, all models and configurations are available for Apple Store pickup today in many European countries including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

To order a product with ‌Apple Store‌ pickup, add the product to your bag on Apple.com or in the ‌Apple Store‌ app, proceed to checkout, select the "I'll pick it up" option, enter your ZIP or postal code, choose an available ‌Apple Store‌ location, select a pickup date, and select a 15-minute check-in window. Payment is completed online, and a valid government-issued photo ID and the order number may be required upon pickup.

The new devices are also available for walk-in customers at ‌Apple Store‌ locations with sufficient inventory, but availability can't be guaranteed. Walk-in customers may be placed into a separate queue with lower priority upon arrival to the store.

Apple's updates focused on more powerful chips with minimal other changes. The MacBook Air now features an M4 chip and a new Sky Blue color, while the Mac Studio gains Thunderbolt 5 ports and options for either an M4 Max or M3 Ultra chip.

On Apple's iPad lineup, the 11-inch iPad now runs on an A16 chip (which lacks Apple Intelligence support), while the iPad Air upgrades to an M3 chip, replacing the M2. Pricing starts at $349 for the iPad, $599 for the iPad Air, $999 for the MacBook Air, and $1,999 for the Mac Studio.

Did you get a new iPad or Mac? Share your first impressions in the comments below. We'd love to know what you think.
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Apple is expected to replace the iPhone "Plus" model in its upcoming iPhone 17 lineup with an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air, and so a lot of the rumors about the device have naturally concerned its thickness. Today, we may have learned one more detail in that regard.


The Information has said the iPhone 17 Air will be around 6mm thick, while Jeff Pu thinks it will be 6mm thick. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes the iPhone 17 Air will be 5.5mm thick at its thinnest point, which likely means it will have a 5.5mm chassis with a thicker rear camera bump area.

Apparently taking Kuo's prediction as accurate, Chinese leaker Ice Universe has today claimed that the camera bump on the iPhone 17 Air is 4.00mm thick, indicating that the device is 9.5mm thick in total at its thickest point.

According to leaks and renders, the iPhone 17 Air has a single rear camera on the left and a microphone and LED flash on the right, all within the confines of an elongated bump, similar to the runway-style bar seen on Google Pixel phones.

• iPhone 17 in New Sizes This Year: What to Know

Other rumors suggest the iPhone 17 Air has a 6.6-inch to 6.7-inch display, which means it will be larger than the iPhone 17 (6.3 inches) but smaller than the iPhone 17 Pro Max (6.9 inches). It's worth noting that Ice Universe last week claimed that the Air model is the same size of the Pro Max model in all but thickness, but this is inconsistent with the majority of rumors so far.

• iPhone 17 Air Design, Specs, and More: All the Rumors So Far

Ice Universe has previously revealed accurate dimensions of iPhones before they are released, including the sizes of the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. If the leaker's claim last week was just a blip, there could be something to this latest leak about the device's dimensions at its thickest point. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17 lineup around its usual mid-September time frame.
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If you haven’t already ordered an M4 MacBook Air, you can still buy one today for immediate pickup, as orders go live for the new Macs and iPads.

The new sky blue base model seemed likely to be in high demand, but quick checks on countries in timezones where stores are open shows immediate availability …

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Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models will utilize vapor chamber cooling technology to improve thermal performance, according to the Chinese leaker known as Instant Digital.


Vapor chamber technology is already common in many premium Android smartphones. By dispersing heat across a larger surface area, it helps prevent thermal throttling and keeps performance stable, which is a major advantage in thinner, more compact devices.

This isn't the first time we have heard rumors about Apple's use of vapour chamber heatsinks in the iPhone 17 series. In January, Chinese tech news site MyDrivers claimed that the entire iPhone 17 lineup, including the regular iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max, would use the tech.

In contrast, Instant Digital believes that it will only feature in the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models, which are expected to be powered by Apple's A19 Pro chip. "Combined with the A19 Pro's enhanced thermal management, the devices maintain high performance under heavy load with virtually no throttling," added the leaker.

In another post on Weibo, Instant Digital also played down rumors that there will be any changes to the front of the iPhone 17: "This year's upgrades are focused on the internals and back, so there's likely no change on the front. The notch size and bezel are probably the same."

Last month, another rumor out of China claimed that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature a smaller Dynamic Island, siding with analyst Jeff Pu's prediction last year that the device will adopt a metalens for Face ID that results in a "much narrowed" Dynamic Island. Pu in 2024 reiterated the claim several times, and he has a fairly good track record with Apple rumors. However, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in January said that the Dynamic Island on iPhone 17 models will remain unchanged.

Apple introduced the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 14 Pro models in 2022, and it is also available on all iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 models (except the entry-level iPhone 16e), but the size has not changed in successive models.

Apple plans to significantly revamp the rear camera design on its upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models, moving away from the familiar square camera bump to a distinctive aluminum camera bar that spans the device's width, according to recent reports.

The redesign extends to the new iPhone 17 Air model, which is set to replace the Plus variant in Apple's lineup. This thinner device will allegedly feature a similar horizontal camera bar design, though it will accommodate just a single camera lens.

• 15 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

In contrast, the base iPhone 17 is expected to maintain the current camera design language seen in the iPhone 16 series, helping to further differentiate Apple's premium and standard offerings. Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series next September.
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Apple is still reeling from the last-week’s news that the most compelling new Apple Intelligence features for Siri have been indefinitely delayed. Over the weekend, it pulled a YouTube ad showcasing personal context running on the .

Now, it has updated the Apple website with a new disclaimer wherever the unreleased Siri features are mentioned on the iPhone marketing pages.

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Mac gamers are probably familiar with CrossOver, a platform that lets users run Windows software on macOS and Linux as if it were native software. CodeWeavers, the company behind the app, has now released CrossOver 25 with a series of enhancements – including support for more games like Red Dead Redemption 2.

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Severance has become the most popular show on Apple TV+, and it’s no surprise. Each episode has details that make the show unique – and believe it or not, that includes the cars we see in it. In an interview with The Drive, Severance creative consultants Catherine Miller and Peter Dancy detailed the difficult task of choosing the cars for the show.

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Apple is bringing support for the Apple Account Card in the Wallet app to the UK, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Sweden, and Austria, according to Nicolás Alvarez.


The Apple Account Card option for Wallet started rolling out in 2022, but it has been limited to a small number of countries since launch. The card displays the Apple credit balance associated with a user's Apple Account, and the card can be used to make purchases in the Apple Store, online, or for apps, subscriptions, and other Apple services.

Money can be added to an Apple Account Card in Wallet using the included "Add Money" feature, which relies on a linked credit or debit card. ‌Apple Store‌ gift cards also add to the Apple Account balance.

Adding an Apple Account Card can be done by opening up the Wallet app, tapping the "+" button, and choosing the option from the Available Cards list.

The Apple Account Card shows the account balance associated with the Apple Account, as well as transactions that have been made with the card.

Support for Apple Account Cards in additional countries is either available now, or will be coming soon, per Alvarez.
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On Friday, March 14, Apple plans to release a new Apple Immersive Video featuring Metallica, with Apple retail stores offering a preview for customers who do not have a Vision Pro headset.


The Metallica concert experience was filmed in Mexico City during the second-year finale of the band's M72 World Tour. It includes full performances of three songs, including "Whiplash," "One," and "Enter Sandman."

The concert was captured using Apple Immersive Video, and it provides a high-resolution 180-degree video along with Spatial Audio. Apple built a custom stage layout with 14 Apple Immersive Video cameras using a mix os stabilized cameras, cable-suspended cameras, and remote-controlled camera dolly systems that moved around the stage.

Apple says that the experience provides "unprecedented access" to Metallica members James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Robert Trujillo, with views as close as the Snake Pit.

"Game changing is putting it lightly," said Lars Ulrich of Metallica. "Seeing our concert like that, along with the energy of the Mexico City fans -- it's very immersive, and it's super fun. We've always been interested in pushing the boundaries, and Metallica on Apple Vision Pro is exactly that."

The video launches on Friday, and Apple Vision Pro demos at retail stores will provide a preview. Metallica's new EP, M72 World Tour: Mexico City is also launching on Apple Music on Friday.
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According to recent rumors, Apple has been exploring the idea of putting cameras in the . Although this project probably won’t see the light of day any time soon, I can’t stop imagining how AirPods with cameras would be a good match with the promised contextual Siri – which was recently delayed by Apple.

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Apple last week introduced new versions of the iPad, iPad Air, MacBook Air, and Mac Studio, with plans to launch the devices on March 12. It's already Wednesday, March 12 in New Zealand and Australia, which means customers who pre-ordered one of Apple's new iPads or Macs have started receiving their devices.


Apple's updates focused primarily on introducing more powerful chips, with few other changes. The ‌MacBook Air‌ received an M4 chip and a new Sky Blue color option, while the ‌Mac Studio‌ is available with Thunderbolt 5 ports and either an M4 Max chip or an M3 Ultra chip.

The low-cost 11-inch ‌iPad‌ now comes with an A16 chip (which does not support Apple Intelligence), while the ‌iPad Air‌ has an updated M3 chip, an improvement over the prior M2. Pricing on the ‌iPad‌ starts at $349, while pricing on the ‌iPad Air‌ starts at $599. Apple's ‌MacBook Air‌ is its most affordable notebook with a $999 starting price, while the ‌Mac Studio‌ starts at $1,999.

Customers who did not pre-order will be able to visit an Apple retail store to pick up one of the new iPads or a stock ‌MacBook Air‌ or ‌Mac Studio‌ configuration. Apple should have adequate stock of base ‌iPad‌ and Mac configurations around the world, and customers in Australia will be the first to be able to purchase one of the new products from an Apple Store.

The new iPads and Macs are available in Australia and New Zealand now, and will soon launch in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and finally, North America.

Did you get a new ‌iPad‌ or Mac? Let us know what you think and share your first impressions in the comments below.
This article, "New Macs and iPads Begin Arriving to Customers Around the World" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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A new “Apple Immersive concert experience” is coming to Apple Vision Pro users. On Friday, Apple will release “Metallica,” featuring 180-degree Immersive Video footage shot in Mexico City as part of Metallica’s M72 World Tour.

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This fall, the iPhone lineup is getting a brand new model: the iPhone 17 Air. Apple plans to drop its Plus model in favor of an iPhone with a fresh form factor that could tempt a lot of Pro users. Here are seven features coming to the iPhone 17 Air.

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iOS 18.4 is currently being beta tested, and it packs a ton of new features and changes. Among those updates are some easy-to-miss changes to Apple’s Photos app that give users more flexibility and options than before. Here are the details on iOS 18.4’s Photos enhancements.

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With new iOS software updates, Apple has been automatically turning Apple Intelligence on again even for users who have disabled it, a decision that has become increasingly frustrating for those that don't want to use ‌Apple Intelligence‌.


After installing iOS 18.3.2, iPhone users have noticed that ‌Apple Intelligence‌ is automatically turned on, regardless of whether it was turned off prior to the update being installed. There is an ‌Apple Intelligence‌ splash screen that comes up after updating, and there is no option other than tapping "Continue," which turns on ‌Apple Intelligence‌.

If you've updated to iOS 18.3.2 and do not want ‌Apple Intelligence‌ enabled, you will need to go the Settings app, tap on ‌Apple Intelligence‌, and then toggle it off. When ‌Apple Intelligence‌ is enabled, it consumes up to 7GB of storage space for local AI models, which is an inconvenience when storage space is limited.

Auto-on for ‌Apple Intelligence‌ was also a problem for some users with the prior iOS 18.3.1 update, and Apple has not changed the setting despite complaints after iOS 18.3.1 was released. The issue can also affect iPadOS and macOS users, so make sure to check your ‌Apple Intelligence‌ settings on each device after updating.
This article, "PSA: iOS 18.3.2 Re-Enables Apple Intelligence If You Turned It Off" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Today Apple released new bug fix and security updates for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and more. Though we still don’t know which specific bugs were addressed by the new software, Apple has now shared that a single security fix was implemented in iOS 18.3.2, macOS 15.3.2, and visionOS 2.3.2.

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