Apple will unveil iPadOS 19 at WWDC 2025 in June, and while most rumors focus on a new visionOS-inspired interface, a recent report revealed that Apple wants to make the iPad’s operating system “more like macOS.” This sounds too good to be true, and honestly I’m not expecting much. But there are some key changes that would already make iPadOS 19 more like macOS.

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Apple is canceling popular comedy series Mythic Quest after a four season run, with the show to wrap up after a re-released season 4 finale that's coming later this week.


Mythic Quest starred Rob McElhenney, Charlotte Nicdao, Danny Pudi, and David Hornsby, all of whom played characters that worked at the fictional Mythic Quest Studios creating, designing, and running a massively multiplayer online roleplaying game. The show provided a satirical and humorous look at the inner workings of video game development.

Season four was not initially meant to be the show's final season, so the season four finale has been updated with a new ending that will provide Mythic Quest fans with closure. In a statement to Deadline, series producers Megan Ganz, David Hornsby and Rob McElhenney said they wanted to be able to say goodbye.

Endings are hard. But after four incredible seasons, Mythic Quest is coming to a close. We're so proud of the show and the world we got to build -- and deeply grateful to every cast and crew member who poured their heart into it. To all our fans, thank you for playing with us. To our partners at Apple, thank you for believing in the vision from the very beginning. Because endings are hard, with Apple's blessing we made one final update to our last episode -- so we could say goodbye, instead of just game over.

Mythic Quest was one of the first shows that launched on Apple TV+, debuting in February 2020. There have been four seasons and two special episodes, including one that was filmed remotely on iPhones during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Apple's decision to cancel Mythic Quest follows reports of ‌Apple TV‌+ losses. ‌Apple TV‌+ is losing as much as $1 billion per year as Apple works to lure subscribers and add more content to the streaming service.

Mythic Quest has spawned a spinoff show called Side Quest, a four episode miniseries that explores the lives of Mythic Quest employees and players. The final episode of season four aired on March 26 and ended with a cliffhanger. The re-edited final episode with a new ending will be available this week.
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Apple will not be exempt from tariffs after all, with U.S. President Donald Trump working on new semiconductor levies that will likely impact Apple devices, chips from companies like Nvidia, and other electronics.


Over the weekend, the U.S. Customers and Border Protection agency shared a long list of electronic devices excluded from the current tariffs, including iPhones, iPads, Macs, the Apple Watch, and more. Apple scored a reprieve from the 145 percent tariff impacting goods imported from China and the 10 percent tariff on goods imported from other countries, but it doesn't sound like it's going to last.

On his Truth Social network, Trump said that no one is "getting off the hook" and there "was no tariff exception." Apple and other tech companies are "just moving to a different tariff bucket," with the 20 percent "Fentanyl Tariffs" still in place, and additional tariffs coming.

Trump said that his administration will be "taking a look" at semiconductors and the electronics supply chain in the National Security Tariff Investigations. He also reiterated that "we need to make products in the United States." Trump is expected to announce some kind of semiconductor tariff in the coming days.

Trump has suggested that Apple could manufacture the iPhone and other products in the United States, but even if such a move were not wildly expensive, Apple would not be able to find enough people with the necessary skillset to assemble devices in the quantities needed. U.S. manufacturing would also drive the cost of the ‌iPhone‌ up significantly.
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Chipolo today introduced a series of new Bluetooth-enabled item trackers that are compatible with Apple's Find My network. Called the Pop, these trackers come in a range of bright colors, including blue, yellow, red, and green, along with black and white.


The Chipolo Pop item trackers work with Apple ‌Find My‌, so you can use them just like AirTags. The Pop can be added to your Items tab in the ‌Find My‌ app, and once added, it is trackable over Bluetooth and can be placed on an item like a bag or a suitcase for tracking purposes.


When the item is out of range, the Pop is able to connect to the ‌Find My‌ network to leverage the iPhones of other people to locate your item and relay its location.

Like an AirTag, the Chipolo Pop is equipped with a CR2032 battery that lasts for up to a year before it needs to be replaced. The Pop is 6.6mm thick (so a little thinner than an ‌AirTag‌) and it has a 300 ft range, plus it comes with a loop at the top for attaching a keyring or strap.


Compared to prior-generation Chipolo trackers, the Pop has a louder sound when the Play Sound option is selected in ‌Find My‌, a longer range, and IP55 dust and water resistance.

Chipolo is selling the Pop for $29, and it can be purchased from the Chipolo website. Four Pops are priced at $89, and six Pops are priced at $121, or a little over $20 per tracker.
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As we previously reviewed here on 9to5Mac, SongCapsule Quiz is a game inspired by iPod’s Music Quiz in which the player has to guess the name of the song, album or artist playing. With its latest update, SongCapsule Quiz now has new rules aimed at making the game more fun, as well as more artist playlists and a few other changes.

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I’ve used Apple’s Calendar app for years, despite compelling third-party alternatives on the App Store, and one key iOS feature is a great example of why I’d have a hard time switching.

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OpenAI today announced the launch of three new GPT models that are available through the OpenAI API. Called GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini, and GPT-4.1 nano, the models are not available for ChatGPT at the current time.


GPT-4.1 includes major improvements in coding, instruction following, and long context, according to OpenAI. The models outperform GPT-4o and GPT-4o mini in all tasks, especially coding tasks. The new models support up to one million tokens of context, and can use that for better long-context comprehension.

On SWE-bench Verified, GPT-4.1 showed a 21.4 percent improvement over GPT-4o for coding, and a 26.6 percent improvement over GPT-4.5. The slimmed down GPT-4.1 mini matches or exceeds GPT-4o with reduced latency and an 83 percent lower cost. GPT-4.1 nano is OpenAI's fastest and cheapest model, ideal for classification, autocompletion, and similar tasks.

OpenAI says that many of the improvements in GPT-4.1 have already been incorporated into the ChatGPT version of GPT-4o, with more functionality to be added in the future. All GPT-4.1 models have a cutoff date of June 2024, which means they are up to date on events that took place before then.

With the introduction of GPT-4.1, OpenAI is deprecating GPT-4.5 in the API, as GPT-4.1 offers much of the same functionality at a lower cost.

GPT-4.1 costs $2 per million input tokens and $8 per million output tokens, while GPT-4.1 mini costs $0.40 per million input tokens and $1.60 per million output tokens. GPT-4.1 nano is just $0.10 per million input tokens and $0.40 per million output tokens. Customized models are available at a higher price.

This article, "OpenAI Launches New Coding-Focused GPT-4.1 Models" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Dio is a small company focused on delivering a single product for the Apple ecosystem: a low-cost AirPlay speaker system known as Dio Node. Initially launched as a crowdfunded Indiegogo campaign back in 2022, the Dio Node began shipping to backers later that year before later opening up to all customers.


The Dio Node is intended to be a low-cost option for users looking to develop a network of ‌AirPlay‌ speakers scattered throughout their homes, with a single speaker priced at $89.95 and 3-pack and 5-pack options bringing the per-speaker cost down to just under $80. That's just a bit cheaper than a HomePod mini, and I've spent some time with a 3-pack of the Dio Node to understand how the two small speakers compare and what the value proposition of the Dio Node is for users deep in the Apple ecosystem.

From a design perspective, the Dio Node is a pretty simple unidirectional speaker made of dark gray plastic with a light gray or silver speaker grille covering the entire front of the device. It measures around 4 inches (102 mm) square by 1.5 inches (38 mm) deep with a slight taper from front to back, and it weighs just under half a pound (222 grams). The rear of the Node has some very large Dio branding in white, but fortunately this shouldn't be visible in most setups. A soft pad on the bottom edge of the Node helps protect surfaces from potential scratches.


The top of the Node features three subtle rectangular buttons, with the left and right buttons serving to decrease and increase the volume respectively, while the middle one serves as a play/pause button for audio being AirPlayed to the speaker. Holding down multiple buttons in various combinations performs functions such as updating the speaker's firmware, resetting the Wi-Fi connection of the speaker, and conducting a full factory reset.

The speaker is powered through a small 5V2A power adapter with a barrel connector that plugs into the back of the speaker. The integrated cord on the adapter measures about 1.5 meters (59 inches) long, so it does give you some flexibility in terms of placement with respect to an electrical outlet.


Setup is dead simple, with the Node entering a pairing mode as soon as you plug it in for the first time. Once the small LED on the rear of the Node is flashing red, head to the Wi-Fi section of the Settings app on your iOS device, where the Node will appear in a "Set Up New ‌AirPlay‌ Speaker" section.

Tap the Node, select the Wi-Fi network you want to add it to, and give it a useful name to help you identify it in your list of ‌AirPlay‌ destinations. All-in-all, it takes about a minute to get the Node up and running on your network and you can use it just like any other ‌AirPlay‌ destination including accessing it from Control Center or from within compatible apps, using it in combination with additional Dio Nodes or other ‌AirPlay‌ speakers for multi-room audio, and more.


If you want to take your integration a bit further, you can also add your Dio Node to your Apple Home setup. That's also a simple process, requiring you to simply tap the "+" button in the Home app and select "Add an Accessory," choose the "more options" text to see the Node pop up as an available device on your network, tap it, and select which room in your home you want to add it to. The Home app will suggest an automation to automatically pause audio playing to the speaker when you leave your home, but the automation is turned off by default and you can quickly skip past that step to finalize setup.


Once the speaker is set up in the Home app, you can use it as a speaker for the Intercom feature in Apple Home, include the speaker in various other automations and shortcuts, and use Siri to control playback on the Node via the device you're playing from. You can also set up speaker group presets that include the Node.

There's no limit to the number of Dio Nodes that you can link together, which means you can easily scatter them all over your house for a whole-home audio experience, and once they're set up anyone on your network can stream audio to them. The Node offers mono sound rated to 85 dB, so it can get fairly loud for most room sizes, and I would describe its sound quality as adequate but not outstanding.


Compared to the ‌HomePod mini‌, the Dio Node doesn't have as much bass punchiness, and overall I do prefer the ‌HomePod mini‌ sound. Stepping up to a full-size HomePod obviously offers even better sound, but that's a separate class of speaker.

Dio says the equalization of the Node is tuned to accentuate voices, making it ideal for playing podcasts or audiobooks throughout your home as you move from room to room. It can also certainly handle a decent range of music, but it does lack some of the fullness of sound you get with a few other speaker options. The ‌AirPlay‌ protocol running over Wi-Fi delivers improved sound quality including support for Lossless compared to wireless speakers running over Bluetooth, but you won't be able to capture that full quality here due to the small size of the speaker.


The buttons on the Node are simple but work relatively well, with the play/pause commands taking effect almost immediately across all speakers when the middle button on any of the Nodes is pressed. The buttons are on the clicky side, which makes it obvious when they've triggered but potentially a bit disruptive if being used in a quiet environment. Adjusting volume from iOS or within an app on your source device does incur a bit of lag before it changes on the speaker, more so than I see with a ‌HomePod mini‌ in the same setup.

With its singular focus on ‌AirPlay‌ to keep things simple, the Dio Node lacks several features seen on the ‌HomePod mini‌ and a number of other lower-cost speakers, with the most obvious being a microphone. With no microphone on board the Dio Node, it's not able to directly support ‌Siri‌ requests, for example, and it can't support phone calls and other types of two-way communication.

Apps that classify their sound output as audio calls won't be able to send their audio to the Node at all, but you shouldn't have any trouble with playback-focused audio sources. Dio unsurprisingly markets the lack of a microphone as a privacy feature, given concerns about voice-enabled devices potentially being able to listen in on conversations.

While you can pair the Dio Node to an Apple TV, it's not intended to be used as a stereo or home theater system as it can't pair directly to a TV and doesn't support stereo pairing. There is limited support on Mac and iTunes for Windows, though you can expand its Mac capabilities by using something like Rogue Amoeba's Airfoil app. But even without that, I had no problem sending audio from the Music app on a Mac to multiple Dio Nodes, and I experienced no issues with audio sync.

Range appeared to be solid in my testing, with no audio dropouts on any of the Nodes regardless of where in my 1,800-square-foot house my source devices were in relation to the speakers.


Overall, the Dio Node is a reasonable option if you're looking to set up multi-room ‌AirPlay‌ audio across your home and aren't looking to spend a ton of money. It's hard to recommend a single Dio Node over the ‌HomePod mini‌ for a cost savings of only around $10 given the ‌HomePod mini‌'s better overall sound, larger feature set, and tighter ecosystem integration with things like audio handoff. But if you're looking deploy to something like five or even ten or more of these all around your house, the savings becomes more substantial, and if ‌AirPlay‌ to a set of Dio Nodes is sufficient for your needs, then it's a product worth considering.

Dio offers free shipping anywhere in the U.S. and offers 60-day free returns, so you have ample opportunity to give them a try to see if they'll work for your situation. The Node has also been certified for use in Canada and Europe, and Dio is hoping to expand distribution to those regions in the near future.

The Dio Node can be ordered from the Dio website or via Amazon (which still ships from direct from Dio), with a 1-pack priced at $89.95, a 3-pack priced at $239.00 ($79.66 per unit), or a 5-pack priced at $395.00 ($79.00 per unit).

Note: Dio provided MacRumors with a 3-pack of Dio Nodes for the purposes of this review. No other compensation was received. MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
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With its uncompromising focus on user privacy, Apple has faced challenges collecting enough data to train the large language models that power Apple Intelligence features and that will ultimately improve Siri.


To improve ‌Apple Intelligence‌, Apple has to come up with privacy preserving options for AI training, and some of the methods the company is using have been outlined in a new Machine Learning Research blog post.

Basically, Apple needs user data to improve summarization, writing tools, and other ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features, but it doesn't want to collect data from individual users. So instead, Apple has worked out a way to understand usage trends using differential privacy and data that's not linked to any one person. Apple is creating synthetic data that is representative of aggregate trends in real user data, and it is using on-device detection to make comparisons, providing the company with insight without the need to access sensitive information.

It works like this: Apple generates multiple synthetic emails on topics that are common in user emails, such as an invitation to play a game of tennis at 3:00 p.m. Apple then creates an "embedding" from that email with specific language, topic, and length info. Apple might create several embeddings with varying email length and information.

Those embeddings are sent to a small number of iPhone users who have Device Analytics turned on, and the iPhones that receive the embeddings select a sample of actual user emails and compute embeddings for those actual emails. The synthetic embeddings that Apple created are compared to the embedding for the real email, and the user's ‌iPhone‌ decides which of the synthetic embeddings is closest to the actual sample.

Apple then uses differential privacy to determine which of the synthetic embeddings are most commonly selected across all devices, so it knows how emails are most commonly worded without ever seeing user emails and without knowing which specific devices selected which embeddings as the most similar.

Apple says that the most frequently selected synthetic embeddings it collects can be used to generate training or testing data, or can be used as examples for further data refinement. The process provides Apple with a way to improve the topics and language of synthetic emails, which in turn trains models to create better text outputs for email summaries and other features, all without violating user privacy.

Apple does something similar for Genmoji, using differential privacy to identify popular prompts and prompt patterns that can be used to improve the image generation feature. Apple uses a technique to ensure that it only receives ‌Genmoji‌ prompts that have been used by hundreds of people, and nothing specific or unique that could identify an individual person.

Apple can't see ‌Genmoji‌ associated with a personal device, and all signals that are relayed are anonymized and include random noise to hide user identity. Apple also doesn't link any data with an IP address or ID that could be associated with an Apple Account.

With both of these methods, only users that have opted-in to send Device Analytics to Apple participate in the testing, so if you don't want to have your data used in this way, you can turn that option off.

Apple plans to expand its use of differential privacy techniques for improving Image Playground, Memories Creation, Writing Tools, and Visual Intelligence in iOS 18.5, iPadOS 18.5, and macOS Sequoia 15.5.
This article, "Here's How Apple is Working to Improve Apple Intelligence" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Last month, Apple delayed the rollout of its more personal and powerful Siri features. As it looks to right the ship for future Apple Intelligence updates, Bloomberg highlights a shift that Apple is making in how it trains its artificial intelligence models.

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When the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) came into effect last year, Apple was forced to implement many changes to iOS – including letting developers create web browsers with their own engine. A year later, none of the major web browsers have released an EU-specific version.

In an exclusive interview with 9to5Mac, Opera Product Manager Jona Bolin detailed why the changes made by Apple are still not enough to increase competition.

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Amazon today has the USB-C AirPods Max on sale for $479.99 in every color, down from $549.00. This beats the price we tracked last week by about $20, and it's an overall second-best price on the headphones.

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

Colors available on sale include Blue, Midnight, Orange, Starlight, and Purple. All colors are still available to be delivered in April, with most providing a delivery estimate around April 19 for free shipping options. Prime members in certain cities should be able to see same-day delivery options.



It's also worth noting that Amazon has the AirPods Pro 2 on sale for $189.99, down from $249.00. This is another second-best price, but it's been a few weeks since we've seen the AirPods Pro 2 down to their all-time low price, and this is a solid discount for anyone looking to purchase the accessory this week.



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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President Trump met today with the El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, and as part of the press coverage he answered questions related to US tariffs, including a mention of speaking to Apple CEO Tim Cook and helping him out recently.

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Off-topic to begin the article, but Apple’s iSight camera was peak design. I wish it still existed. I think Apple could sell a lot of them today if it were extremely high quality. With that being said, when I unboxed , I immediately thought of the iSight.

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Every day, it seems like hundreds of finance-related apps hit the App Store. Some focus on budgeting, others on credit card points, investing, or even trying to do it all. While scrolling through X, I came across a tweet from someone who said they just wanted a finance app that tracked three things: what they spent today, this week, and this month. The idea was so simple, yet so valuable. A few hours later, I saw that developer Steven Zhang had actually built it. In just two hours. Here it is.

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Apple today provided developers with the second betas of upcoming visionOS 2.5, tvOS 18.5, and watchOS 11.5 updates for testing purposes. The software is available two weeks after Apple seeded the first betas.


The betas are available to registered developers, and can be downloaded from the Settings app on each device.

With the first betas, no notable new features were found in any of the software updates, suggesting Apple is focusing on under-the-hood performance improvements and bug fixes.
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Apple has new betas ready for developers: beta 2 for watchOS 11.5, visionOS 2.5, tvOS 18.5, and more is now available for download.

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Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming macOS Sequoia 15.5 update to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming two weeks after Apple released the first ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.5 beta.


Registered developers can opt-in to the ‌macOS Sequoia‌ beta through the Software Update section of the System Settings app. An Apple ID associated with an Apple Developer account is required to get the beta.

‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.5 appears to be a minor update so far, and no notable new features were found in the first beta.

Work on new features for ‌macOS Sequoia‌ is winding down, as Apple will soon transition to macOS 16. The next-generation version of macOS is set to be unveiled at WWDC in June.
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Apple kicked off a new beta cycle back in early April with macOS Sequoia 15.5 developer beta 1. Though there’s still no public beta in sight, the company just released beta 2 for developers.

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Apple today announced that it has officially rebranded Search Ads as ‘Apple Ads’, reflecting the expanding scope of Apple’s advertising business.

When Apple first launched ads in the App Store, they were only shown as promoted search results, hence the name ‘Search Ads’. But the company now offers advertising placements in many more places beyond just the Search tab, so the old name had become a bit anachronistic.

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Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming two weeks after Apple released the first betas.


iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update.

So far, iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 are relatively minor updates, introducing just a few new design changes. There are more options for reverting the Mail app back to the prior design, including removing contact photos, and AppleCare info is easier to find.

The update also likely has behind the scenes bug fixes and performance improvements.

Apple is transitioning to iOS 19 and iPadOS 19, which are set to be previewed in June at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
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Apple has released the second iPadOS and iOS 18.5 developer beta. The first beta was a big nothing burger for iPhone and iPad users. Hopefully iOS 18.5 beta 2 brings more interesting changes.

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Apple’s Vision Pro launched last year as a cutting-edge technological feat, yet it’s been plagued by issues like its high price and being too heavy for some. But the Vision Pro has one very big advantage in its favor that could make all the difference in the world: Tim Cook’s AR glasses goal.

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In iOS, the Control Center can be used to quickly take a picture, jot down a note, turn on the lights, control your Apple TV, and much more. It's useful and convenient because you don't even have to unlock your iPhone or iPad to use it.


However, with that convenience comes a potential security issue. If you use Control Center to create Instant Notes, for example, you might not want anyone to be able to get at them just by picking up your device and swiping on the Lock screen.

If you're concerned about such a possibility, don't be. Fortunately, there's an option in iOS that enables you to disable access to the Control Center from the Lock screen, it's just hidden away in your device's settings. Here's how to find it.

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.


2. Tap Face ID (or Touch ID) and Passcode.


3. Enter your passcode if prompted.


4. Scroll down and turn off the switch next to Control Center.
   

Of course, finding the right balance between convenience and security is a personal preference, but disabling Control Center on the Lock screen is less of an issue now that most new iPhones have Face ID, which makes unlocking your device as easy as picking it up. Thankfully, anyone who isn't you won't be afforded the same luxury.
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Monday’s best Apple deals are kicking off with the now live, weeklong Best Buy Spring sale featuring deals on iPad Pros, MacBooks, AirPods, and more. These offers join the return of nearly 25% in savings on Apple Pencil Pro alongside the USB-C model from $66 as well as a massive open-box discount on Apple’s 1TB 13-inch M4 iPad Pro at $465 off with a full Apple warranty. We also have discounts on black Apple Watch Ultra models, Apple gift cards, the new ecobee 2025 Smart HomeKit Thermostat Essential, and more waiting down below. 

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Amid all the back-and-forth turmoil surrounding tariffs, and ongoing sales struggles in China, Apple and the iPhone have at times appeared “doomed.” But new data from Counterpoint reveals the iPhone actually just hit a big sales achievement for the first time ever.

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MacRumors readers have a chance to get 20 percent off a collection of Anker's best chargers, power banks, cables, hubs, and docks this week. In order to get this deal, head to Anker's website and add an accessory to your cart, then enter the code Ankermacrumors2025 at checkout to see the discount.

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

Our exclusive 20 percent off code works on most accessories sitewide, including Anker's new "high power" charging accessories. This exclusive discount code does not stack with existing discounts on Anker's website, but it can be used on multiple items in the same cart.



In the lists below, we've collected a few examples of the best products available at a discount with our exclusive promo code, but remember that it works sitewide. You'll have until April 30 to take advantage of this promotion, so be sure to browse Anker's best products on its website before the end of the month.

Portable Chargers

• MagGo 10,000 mAh Power Bank - $60.00, down from $74.99


• 25,000 mAh Power Bank - $88.00, down from $109.99


• Prime 20,000 mAh Power Bank - $100.00, down from $129.99

Wall Chargers

• 67W 3-Port Wall Charger - $48.00, down from $59.99


• 140W 4-Port Charger with USB-C Cable - $80.00, down from $99.99

Charging Stations

• MagGo 3-in-1 Foldable Charging Station - $72.00, down from $89.99


• MagGo 3-in-1 Charging Stand - $84.80, down from $110.99


• 3-in-1 Cube with MagSafe - $100.00, down from $129.99

Hubs

• 200W 6-Port Prime Charger with USB-C Cable - $79.20, down from $103.99


• 250W 6-Port Prime Charger - $128.00, down from $169.99

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 has confirmed that it will be permanently closing its retail store in the heart of Bristol, England, and there is no replacement in sight.


Apple Bristol will be closing its doors on Saturday, August 9, due to redevelopment plans at the Cabot Circus Shopping Centre, and the adjacent Bristol Shopping Quarter. According to news reports, and a building application, the owner of the property is planning to reconfigure the retail space along Philadelphia Street, where Apple is located. The plans call for a mix of residential buildings, medical facilities, restaurants, and more.

Ahead of redevelopment, the shopping area has faced increasing vacancy rates. A few years ago, Cabot Circus lost a large movie theater.

In a statement shared with MacRumors, Apple said employees impacted by the store closure will be able to continue their roles at the company.

"At Apple, we're always focused on providing an exceptional experience for all of our customers," said Apple. "Due to the redevelopment plans at Cabot Circus Shopping Centre, which include the closure of the section where our store is located, Apple Bristol will close on August 9, 2025. We've loved serving the Bristol community for over 15 years, and our valued team members will continue their roles at Apple."

Apple Bristol first opened in 2008, with the location formerly known as Apple Cabot Circus. The two-floor store still had a classic design that was due for a facelift. The lower level serves as a product sales area, while the upper level provides space for Genius Bar appointments and Today at Apple creative sessions.


The company has two other stores in the surrounding areas, including Apple Cribbs Causeway on the outskirts of Bristol, and Apple SouthGate in Bath.

Apple is also permanently closing its store at a dying mall in the Chicago suburb of Northbrook later this month, and it permanently closed its Infinite Loop and Royal Hawaiian stores last year. On the other hand, Apple continues to open new stores, including in Miami, the Los Angeles area, China, Spain, Malaysia, and soon in Downtown Detroit. Apple is also hiring for retail positions in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, after it announced plans to expand its retail presence in those countries last year.
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We’ve seen iPhone 17 Pro Max dummy units, and we’ve gawked at iPhone 17 Pro Max cases. Yet when you put the two together, you get a real sense of the shape of things to come.

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The new Chipolo POP is a colorful new tracking tag that works with both Apple’s Find My and Google’s Find My Device networks. Unlike AirTag, it has a built-in hole for easy attachment to keyrings and bags.

It’s not the first time that we’ve seen Find My-compatible trackers from the company – we tested one of them back in 2021 – but it’s the first time you haven’t had to use an app to get cross-platform compatibility …

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Apple TV+ has canceled one of its longest-running shows, and the oldest comedy series in its lineup: Mythic Quest is no more. Here are the details.

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Ahead of the Apple Watch’s 10th anniversary on April 24th, Apple is out with new research data today that highlights associations between the closure of Activity Rings and sleep, heart health, and mental wellbeing. The data comes from data contributed by over 140,000 participants in the Apple Heart and Movement Study…

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Trump’s rationale for his threatened tariffs is to force companies to manufacture in the US. He’s cited the example of Apple making iPhones in the US, and even recently claimed that the company plans to do so.

Apple has explained many times why it simply wouldn’t be practical to do this, with CEO Tim Cook doing so a full decade ago. Analysts, supply-chain experts, and a former Apple engineer have all added their weight to the view that it simply isn’t possible, and wouldn’t help even if it were …

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To celebrate 10 years of the Apple Watch's Activity ring feature this month, Apple today revealed a limited-edition "Global Close Your Rings Day" award.


Apple wants users to "do something they love, push themselves further, or try something new" with an Apple Watch workout, and share what they did using the hashtag #CloseYourRings.

The original Apple Watch launched on April 24, 2015; Activity rings were a feature from day one. Apple's press release today highlights the impact of the Apple Watch on health and fitness over the past decade. Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams said:

Apple Watch has changed the way people think about, monitor, and engage with their fitness and health. A decade ago, we introduced Activity rings — and since then, Apple Watch has grown to offer an extensive set of features designed to empower every user. People write to us almost every day sharing how Apple Watch has made a difference in their life, from motivating them to move more throughout the day, to changing the trajectory of their health.

To obtain the exclusive digital award, users must close all three of their Activity rings on April 24. 10 animated stickers for the Messages app will also become available.

Customers can also obtain a special physical pin inspired by the award at Apple Stores around the world starting April 24, while supplies last.
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Apple has just announced a special new Apple Watch fitness challenge to mark 10 years of the product’s impact. Separately, there’s a special limited-edition pin that you can pick up at an Apple Store to celebrate a decade of closing Apple Watch rings.

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We’ve been hearing about a foldable iPhone for a great many years, but things do finally seem to be solidifying, with an iPhone Fold now expected to launch next year. The latest report indicates that it will have another long-awaited feature: Face ID embedded beneath the display.

Today’s report also claims to reveal the exact resolutions of both inner and outer displays, which are in line with earlier reports on the diagonal dimensions …

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Apple took the number one position in global smartphone sales during the first quarter of 2025, according to new data from Counterpoint Research. It's the first time Apple has taken the top spot during a first quarter, capturing 19% of the global market.


The iPhone maker's success came despite economic uncertainties, with Apple benefiting from the iPhone 16e launch and strong performance in emerging markets. Starting at $599, the iPhone 16e was released by Apple in March to replace the iPhone SE, the most affordable device in the company's lineup.

Samsung followed in second place with 18% market share, continuing its gradual decline from 21% in Q1 2023. The Korean manufacturer experienced a slow start due to the late launch of its S25 series, but saw sales improve in March.

Xiaomi kept tight to its growth trajectory to secure third position with 14% of the market, up from 13% a year earlier. The Chinese company's expansion benefited from growth in its domestic market, where its entry into electric vehicles has enhanced its brand presence. Meanwhile, vivo and OPPO rounded out the top five.

The global smartphone market grew 3% year-over-year in Q1 2025, but Counterpoint has revised its annual forecast and now expects a slight decline for the full year. The adjustment is due to rising economic uncertainties, particularly related to tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.


Counterpoint believes that economic volatility could lead consumers to postpone smartphone purchases, which could potentially disrupt the supply chain and increase trade risks.

Apple's performance was notably regional in nature. While sales remained flat or declined in the U.S., Europe, and China, the company achieved double-digit growth in Japan, India, Middle East and Africa, and Southeast Asia.
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Let’s see, where are we in the Trump tariff saga? After the White House increased tariffs on Chinese imports <counts> five times in the space of nine weeks, we then got a “pause” and an exemption on consumer electronics products – before the latest development.

Namely, the White House yesterday said that the exemption, which covers all Apple products, was only a temporary one, lasting 1-2 months. However, there are three reasons why this is exceedingly unlikely to be true …

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The next major Apple Watch software update arriving this year will only feature some of the new UI design changes that Apple is preparing for iOS 19, but watchOS 12 won't get a complete interface overhaul like Apple's iPhone software, according to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman.


Writing in the Q&A section of his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says that the Apple Watch will receive "new interface elements here and there," but the changes won't be on the same scale as what's coming in iOS 19. The latter is said to be inspired by visionOS, which has an emphasis on translucency, glassy UI elements, subtle lighting effects, and includes rounded icons and buttons.

The Verifier previously reported that watchOS will eventually have "elements" of visionOS, including a look that is bolder, slightly transparent, and with a floating aesthetic. Buttons, menus, icons, and other user interface elements will reportedly also be refreshed, and Apple is said to be "working on several ideas" for the Home Screen. The report did not say when the changes would be implemented, but Gurman seems confident that they will arrive as part of watchOS 12 later this year.

Gurman reports that Apple is also planning to bring a new set of features to Apple Watch that it is branding as "powered by Apple Intelligence." Unlike iOS 18, Apple Watch does not currently have Apple Intelligence because of the high amount of local storage required by the underlying large language models, and Apple is set to keep it that way – with the watch relying on the paired iPhone to deliver AI features. Gurman did not specify what the new features are.

Apple typically releases new versions of its software for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV in the fall, around September, when new products in these categories are launched.
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Apple CEO Tim Cook is "hell bent" on bringing true augmented reality glasses to market before Meta can achieve the same feat, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says that upcoming new versions of Apple's Vision Pro mixed reality headset are a "stepping stone" towards Cook's ultimate decade-long goal of making AR glasses – lightweight spectacles that users can wear all day and which overlay graphics on the real world.

Cook has apparently made the glasses a "top priority" for the company. "Tim cares about nothing else," Gurman quotes a person with knowledge of the matter as saying. "It's the only thing he's really spending his time on from a product development standpoint."

Meta is currently developing true AR glasses, and has already prototyped a version of the device it envisions bringing to mass market, dubbed Orion.

Gurman notes that it will take "many years" for true AR glasses to be ready, with several technologies still needing to be perfected, including high-resolution displays, a high-performance chip, and a tiny battery that can provide all-day power.

Meta's non-AR Ray-Ban glasses have reportedly been a surprise hit. These glasses are for taking pictures and conversing with an AI assistant. Apple is said to have discussed the possibility of making similar glasses to compete in the same space. Apple's rationale seems to be that creating smart glasses could be a precursor to developing true AR glasses further in the future.

Apple is also said to be adding AI-enabled cameras to the Apple Watch and AirPods over the next couple of years.

There have been rumors about Apple's work on AR glasses – aka Apple Glass – for almost 10 years now, and the Vision Pro headset is what Apple built because the technology doesn't yet exist for the kind of augmented reality glasses that Apple is aiming for.

Gurman has previously reported that Apple is conducting user studies at its offices to gauge the appeal of features and interfaces, and that the company is working on a version of visionOS that will run on glasses. Codenamed "Atlas," the studies are being led by Apple's Product Systems Quality team, part of the hardware engineering division.
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