Apple's retail stores will be rolling out "merchandise/floor marketing updates" next week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


Gurman did not explicitly say if the store updates are related to any upcoming product announcements, but he did mention that next week is around the time that Apple rolls out its annual Black Unity watch band for the Apple Watch.

In each of the past four years, Apple has announced a Black Unity campaign in the second half of January, and this has typically included a new Apple Watch band, Apple Watch face, and iPhone wallpaper featuring the colors of the Pan-African flag. We recently discovered that the upcoming tvOS 18.3 update for the Apple TV has a new UNITY25 reference hidden within its code, which suggests that the Black Unity campaign may continue in 2025. If so, it is likely that Apple will make an announcement about it next week.


It is unclear if there will be any other product announcements next week beyond a new Black Unity band. Apple is expected to announce updated MacBook Air models with the M4 chip in early 2025, and Powerbeats Pro 2 are also coming soon, but Gurman did not mention anything beyond a potential Black Unity band in his social media post today.

Apple is expected to release iOS 18.3, macOS 15.3, and other software updates next week, following more than a month of beta testing.

Cross your fingers that the merchandise updates means that Apple will have a busy week ahead, but keep your expectations tempered.
This article, "Gurman: Apple Stores Receiving 'Merchandise' Updates Next Week" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

At CES 2025, Belkin began shipping its new headphones. They’re the first wireless headphones with active noise cancellation that Belkin has developed, and they come in at just $60 – making them incredibly affordable over-ear headphones.

more…

According to a tweet from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple will be performing some “merchandise/floor marketing updates” at its retail stores next week. While specific details aren’t confirmed, Apple is likely launching the new Black Unity Apple Watch band for 2025.

more…

Welcome to Indie App Spotlight. This is a weekly 9to5Mac series where we showcase the latest apps in the indie app world. If you’re a developer and would like your app featured, get in contact.

---

Inscreen taps into Apple’s Screen Time API, and aims to help users be more mindful about the time they’re spending on their devices. Rather than forcefully blocking app access, Inscreen takes a different approach, and keeps you aware of how much time you’re spending on each app.

more…

Apple Watch saves lives—the latest example is a dramatic rescue caught on video in Washington state. Rescuers credit the Apple Watch SOS feature for alerting and helping them locate a skier who fell 1,000 feet, preventing them from freezing to death.

more…

Apple @ Work is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the only solution that integrates in a single professional-grade platform all the solutions necessary to seamlessly and automatically deploy, manage & protect Apple devices at work. Over 45,000 organizations trust Mosyle to make millions of Apple devices work-ready with no effort and at an affordable cost. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL today and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple.

With so many organizations looking to deploy the Mac, they might want to know the best path for migration. Apple’s Mac Adoption Blueprint answers that question with data-backed information and easy-to-follow steps for IT technicians and internal IT decision-makers. This guide also highlights how significant cost savings are made by switching. The included research from Forrester claims that companies can save $843 per computer over three years compared to Windows. These savings are gained from lower software costs, reduced IT support needs, and higher Mac trade in value (the latter is absolutely critical). Let’s look deeper at the report.

more…

Rumors about foldable iPhones have circulated for many years, but recent reports have suggested that Apple is finally getting closer to announcing its new product. Apple is reportedly working on two foldable products, a clamshell foldable iPhone and a giant 20-inch foldable iPad, but the foldable iPhone is on track to debut first.

more…

Apple initially introduced the HomePod mini in 2020 alongside the iPhone 12 lineup, and since then, the product has remained mostly untouched. Apple added some new color options in 2021, including blue, orange, and yellow. The company also replaced Space Gray with Midnight this year, which looks the same – except its now 100% recycled mesh fabric.

However, for the first time in half a decade, Apple will finally be updating the HomePod mini, with a couple of enhancements.

more…

Earlier this month, some sources begun to claim that the next generation iPhone SE, which is expected to debut this spring, won’t actually be called ‘iPhone SE’ at all. We’re now starting to hear that it’ll be called ‘iPhone 16E’ instead. This may be a weird rumor, but I think it actually makes a lot of sense, given what we know so far about the 4.

more…

Apple released the release candidate builds of iOS 18.3 earlier this week, meaning that we’re just days away from seeing that update ship to the public. That also means iOS 18.4 beta is just around the corner, which is widely expected to include some of the big Siri improvements with Apple Intelligence. Here’s what we’re expecting with Siri in iOS 18.4.

more…

Last week, Woot brought back a massive sale on the Braided Solo Loop and Solo Loop bands for Apple Watch, and the sale has now been extended through January 31. All bands are in brand new condition and come with a one year Apple limited warranty.

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

You can get the Solo Loop for just $19.99 ($29 off) and the Braided Solo Loop for $29.99 ($69 off). Because the sale has been going on for a few weeks now, some colors and sizes of the Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop are selling out, so be sure to place your order soon if you want one of these cheap bands.



Shoppers should note that this sale is focused on colors of the Braided Solo Loop and Solo Loop that Apple has stopped selling, and it doesn't include any of the new band colors. That being said, all of the bands in this sale are in new condition.

The entire sale is focused on Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop Apple Watch bands, so you'll need to know the size that works best for you before you buy. Apple has a measurement tool on its website that you can use to determine your exact size.

Solo Loop

• Black/White Hues - $19.99, down from $49.00


• Blue Hues - $19.99, down from $49.00


• Green Hues - $19.99, down from $49.00


• Purple Hues - $19.99, down from $49.00


• Red/Orange/Yellow Hues - $19.99, down from $49.00

Braided Solo Loop

• Black/White Hues - $29.99, down from $99.00


• Blue Hues - $29.99, down from $99.00


• Green Hues - $29.99, down from $99.00


• Purple Hues - $29.99, down from $99.00


• Red/Orange/Yellow Hues - $29.99, down from $99.00


• Pride - $29.99, down from $99.00

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.

---

This article, "Get Apple Watch Solo Loop for $19.99 and Braided Solo Loop for $29.99 in Woot's Sale (Up to 70% Off)" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

If you have read or watched any of my content over the last few years, you might have realized that my Pro is my main computer. Yes, I have a Mac Mini, but when it comes to getting actual work done, I always gravitate towards my iPad (I am currently writing this on my iPad). Something about the combination of gorgeous hardware and single app optimization nature of the software really makes the iPad a joy to use. With the release of iPadOS 18 we got an abundance of new features that has helped me double and triple down on this sentiment. We all know the headlining features, but I want to share a few other features that not many people know about. Lets get into it!

more…

After hanging on to my iPhone 14 Pro for a few years, I will likely upgrade to an iPhone 17 model this year. Typically, I only consider the Pro models, but the rumored iPhone 17 Air sounds intriguing. After reflecting on rumors, I have realized that upgrading to this device might not have as many compromises as I first thought.


Of course, the iPhone 17 Air is not yet official. Apple should announce the device in September, and rumors could change between now and then. Below, I have compared the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 17 Air as things currently stand.

Display

The iPhone 17 Air is rumored to have a 6.6-inch OLED display, which would be considerably larger than the iPhone 14 Pro's 6.1-inch OLED display.

ProMotion, the feature that enables a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz for smoother video and scrolling, has been limited to the Pro models since it debuted on the iPhone 13 Pro models. However, the iPhone 17 Air is also rumored to support ProMotion, so going down to a non-Pro model would no longer require giving up 120Hz.

Like the iPhone 14 Pro, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to have Face ID and a Dynamic Island, so you would not have to settle for a notch again.

A bonus with the iPhone 17 Air: It should have significantly thinner bezels around the screen.

Thickness and Weight

The main selling point of the iPhone 17 Air should be its ultra-thin, aluminum design. According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the device will measure just 5.5mm at its thinnest point, which would make it the thinnest iPhone ever.

iPhone 14 Pro models are among Apple's heaviest iPhones, having not yet benefited from the newer titanium design with tapered edges introduced on the iPhone 15 Pro models. Users upgrading from an iPhone 14 Pro to an iPhone 17 Air should notice a remarkable improvement in thinness, lightness, and pocketability.

Battery Life

Okay, but that ultra-thin design means that battery life will take a considerable hit, right?

Not necessarily.

While exact battery life specs remain to be seen, remember that the iPhone 17 Air is rumored to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display, which would make the device physically larger than the iPhone 14 Pro. That means more internal space for a larger battery, so the iPhone 17 Air's battery life might not be as bad as one might think.

Also keep in mind that the iPhone 14 Pro is a few years old now. Not only did Apple make power efficiency improvements on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 models, but even further advancements are likely with the iPhone 17 models.

Cameras

If photography is important to you, the iPhone 17 Air's rear camera system will likely be one of its biggest downsides. The device is rumored to be equipped with only a single 48-megapixel rear camera, with no dedicated Telephoto or Ultra Wide cameras.

That said, upgrading from an iPhone 14 Pro to an iPhone 17 Air might not be all that bad in this department. While it may lack a Telephoto camera, it will likely have Apple's so-called "Fusion" camera, which enables a 2x "optical-quality" Telephoto option. "Optical-quality" is not true optical zoom, but it is meaningfully better than blurry digital zoom.

There will undoubtedly still be a lot of advanced camera features that remain limited to the Pro models, but the iPhone 17 Air will likely be a perfectly fine choice for casual users who mostly take point-and-shoot photos.

One plus is that the iPhone 17 Air is rumored to have a 24-megapixel front camera, whereas the iPhone 14 Pro has a 12-megapixel front camera.

Apple Intelligence

Whether you think Apple Intelligence is useful or overhyped, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to support it, whereas the iPhone 14 Pro does not.

That means you will have access to tools that can help you to write, summarize your notifications, create custom emoji, automatically remove objects from the backgrounds of photos, and more. A variety of Siri enhancements are also coming in iOS 18.4, including on-screen awareness, understanding of personal context, and deeper per-app controls.

Other Specs

Beyond having a larger display and a thinner design, the iPhone 17 Air is rumored to have many other upgraded specs compared to the iPhone 14 Pro:

• A19 chip (vs. A16 Bionic chip)


• USB-C port (vs. Lightning port)


• 8GB of RAM (vs. 6GB)


• Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 (vs. Wi-Fi 6)

On the other hand, the iPhone 17 Air's single speaker would be a downgrade.

While this has yet to be rumored, the iPhone 17 Air is also likely to have an Action button, in place of the iPhone 14 Pro's Ring/Silent switch. It is less clear if the iPhone 17 Air will have a Camera Control button, but given that the feature is available on all four iPhone 16 models, it seems like there is a decent chance that it will.

One more thing to keep in mind is that the iPhone 17 Air is rumored to be eSIM-only, with no physical SIM card slot. If you purchased your iPhone 14 Pro in the U.S., this won't matter, as that model is already eSIM-only there. In other countries, it is a change to take into consideration, but note that the entire iPhone 17 lineup might be eSIM-only in more countries regardless. It is a change that you will have to face eventually.
This article, "iPhone 14 Pro vs. Rumored iPhone 17 Air: Upgrade or Downgrade?" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple has officially agreed to content quota obligations as set out in a 2021 France decree, via Deadline, which means it must invest 20% of Apple TV+ revenues in France to create French and European content.

This effectively commits Apple to create French originals for Apple TV+ on an ongoing basis. Recent French-language releases on the service include La Maison and Drops of God; the latter of which was a hit for TV+ and is returning for a second season.

more…

Rumors about upcoming Apple hardware updates continue to circulate, with the iPhone 17 lineup, iPhone SE 4, and new Powerbeats Pro all in the news over the past week.


On the software side, the public release of iOS 18.3 and related updates is right around the corner while we got a potential first glimpse at what could be some design tweaks for iOS 19 later this year, so read on below for all the details!

Here's How Thin the iPhone 17 Air Might Be

Apple is rumored to be releasing an ultra-thin "iPhone 17 Air" later this year, and one recent rumor claims it could be just 5.5mm thick. To provide an idea of just how thin this would be, we've mocked up what such a device would look like compared to the current iPhone 16 Pro Max at 8.25mm and the 13-inch iPad Pro at just 5.1mm.


In other iPhone 17 rumors, an alleged photo of a pair of rear shells for an upcoming iPhone model appeared this week, with the model presumably being the iPhone 17 Air considering it appears to only feature one rear camera. The unique design includes a horizontal bar across the top of the rear shell, so we'll have to see whether or not this turns out to be accurate.

Here Are Apple's Full Release Notes for iOS 18.3

Apple seeded release candidate versions of iOS 18.3 and related updates this week, suggesting a full public release is likely to come next week.


In addition to previously discussed changes around Apple Intelligence notifications summaries, iOS 18.3 brings several other changes including improvements to the visual intelligence feature for the Camera Control on iPhone 16 models.

iPhone SE 4 Leak Shows Dynamic Island, Casts Doubt on Rumored 'iPhone 16E' Name

Noted mobile phone leaker Evan Blass this week shared some information indicating near-term updates for the iPhone SE, iPad, and iPad Air, but the most intriguing tidbits relate to the next iPhone SE.


Despite a recent rumor that Apple could call the new model the "iPhone 16E," code leaked by Blass refers to the device as "iPhone SE (4th Gen)." That could be a placeholder, but it still casts more uncertainty on the 16E naming possibility.

A purported image of the upcoming devices also depicts the fourth-generation iPhone SE as having a Dynamic Island rather than a notch at the top of the display. There have been conflicting rumors about which way the next iPhone SE will go on that front, so we'll have to wait and see on that one as well.

iOS 19 Rumored to Feature Redesigned Camera App Inspired by visionOS

iOS 19 will feature a redesigned Camera app inspired by visionOS, according to a recent video from Jon Prosser, host of the YouTube channel Front Page Tech.


Prosser obtained video of the alleged new Camera app, but he elected to share his own re-created images to protect his sources. The images reveal that the app will allegedly gain translucent menus for various camera controls, with the design of these menus looking very similar to the visionOS interface on the Apple Vision Pro headset.

Powerbeats Pro 2 Coming Soon: Apple to Announce Them 'Imminently'

In September, Apple said that it would be launching Powerbeats Pro 2 in 2025, and it appears the wireless earbuds are coming very soon.


In his Power On newsletter this week, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the Powerbeats Pro 2 are "due imminently." In addition to Apple filing the Powerbeats Pro 2 in regulatory databases last month, Gurman said Apple is planning to hold product briefings with the media "in a week or so" to go over the new features of the wireless earbuds.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!
This article, "Top Stories: iPhone 17 and iPhone SE 4 Rumors, iOS 18.3 Incoming, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple Intelligence launched just a few months ago, but a lot more additions are expected soon in iOS 18.4 and beyond. Now, a new memo leak has given us insight into Apple’s two main internal priorities for its AI efforts this year.

more…

iOS 18.3 is launching next week. It’s not particularly feature-packed, but the update will offer a significant moment for Apple Intelligence thanks to a bold Apple choice.

more…

This year is set to be big for the iPhone, with a compelling new iPhone SE 4 in the spring and the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air in the fall. But what about Apple’s flagship Pro models? Here are seven new features coming to the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max this September.

more…

Temperature sensors are an important yet often overlooked part of a HomeKit setup. Even working as a passive tracking device, I want to add them to every room to understand more about what’s happening in the air. The is a great option for HomeKit fans with its compact size and detailed monitoring options. Let’s have a look.

more…

The MacRumors Show is back for 2025! On this week's episode, we look at how Samsung's latest announcements challenge Apple.


Samsung this week announced the Galaxy S25, the Galaxy S25+, and the top-of-the-line Galaxy S25 Ultra. The new devices will directly compete with Apple's iPhone 16 and upcoming iPhone 17 lineup.

Similar to the ‌iPhone 16‌, AI is a major focus for the S25 lineup, with Samsung touting a new "Personal Data Engine" with a Dynamic Island-like "Now Bar" with a "Now Brief" that guides users through their day, Circle to Search, generative photo editing, context-aware searches with suggested actions, improved natural language understanding, third-party integrations via Gemini, Portrait Studio, and more.

Samsung also previewed the all-new "Galaxy S25 Edge," a super-thin variant of the S25 set to launch in the first half of 2025. It appears to be positioned as a direct rival to Apple's upcoming "‌iPhone 17‌ Air," which is expected to be the thinnest iPhone ever at just 6mm and a radical departure from previous devices with a 6.6-inch display with ProMotion, a single speaker, a single rear camera, and Apple's custom 5G modem.

Finally, Samsung unveiled its upcoming "Project Moohan" AR/VR headset, which it has designed in collaboration with Google. It is intended to compete with Apple's Vision Pro and bears a striking similarity to it in terms of design.

The MacRumors Show also has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player.


If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up for our discussion about all of Apple's expected hardware announcements for 2025.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kevin Nether, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
This article, "The MacRumors Show: Samsung's 2025 Challenge to Apple" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Do you remember the days when new iOS versions might introduce major redesigns? iOS 7, I’m looking at you. Despite annual whispers predicting another big iOS revamp, I feel very confident in saying those days are over. And one recent app debacle shows why.

more…

This week's deals-related headliner is focused on Samsung's new lineup of Galaxy S25 smartphones, with as much as $1,250 in savings when you pre-order these devices before their February launch. Otherwise, you can also still find great all-time low prices on Apple's AirTag 4-Pack, M3 MacBook Air, and M4 iMac.

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.

Samsung

• What's the deal? Save up to $1,250 when pre-ordering the new Samsung Galaxy S25 smartphones


• Where can I get it? Samsung


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Samsung announced its new lineup of Galaxy S25 smartphones this week, and you can find multiple pre-order discounts and offers on Samsung's website. This includes up to $1,250 in trade-in credits and Samsung credits when pre-ordering the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+, and Galaxy S25 Ultra.

AirTag

• What's the deal? Take $29 off AirTag 4-Pack


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Early in the week, Amazon discounted the AirTag 4-Pack to $69.99, and this all-time low price is still available today.

MacBook Air

• What's the deal? Get up to $250 off M3 MacBook Air


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon and Best Buy introduced solid discounts across the M3 MacBook Air lineup this week, starting at $899.00 for the 13-inch M3 MacBook Air, and including a few 15-inch models as well.

iMac

• What's the deal? Get up to $175 off M4 iMac


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

M4 iMacs are still available at up to $175 off this week on Amazon, starting at $1,194.00 for the 256GB model in multiple colors.

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.

---

This article, "Best Apple Deals of the Week: AirTag 4-Pack on Sale for $69.99, Plus Pre-Order Discounts on Samsung Galaxy S25 Phones" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Meta has officially started testing ads on its Threads micro-blogging social network. The company says this is a “small test” for the time being with a handful of different brands across the United States and Japan.

more…

A private account on social media platform X today leaked the final build number for Apple's upcoming iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3 updates: 22D61. That is a very slight change compared to the 22D60 build number for the iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3 Release Candidates, which are essentially the final beta versions of each update.


The account has a good track record of sharing iOS-related information, but it has had some occasional misses. We continue to respect the account owner's request to not link to its posts, as they wish to remain anonymous and maintain a low profile.

The change suggests that iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3 could include a very minor, last-minute change or two. Exactly what those changes might be remains to be seen, but we can speculate about one possibility: a 2025 Black Unity collection.

In each of the past four years, Apple has announced a Black Unity campaign in the second half of January, and this has typically included a new Apple Watch band, Apple Watch face, and iPhone wallpaper featuring the colors of the Pan-African flag. We recently discovered that the upcoming tvOS 18.3 update for the Apple TV has a new UNITY25 reference hidden within its code, which suggests that the Black Unity campaign may continue in 2025. If so, it is likely that Apple will make an announcement about it next week.

February is Black History Month in the United States, and Apple typically features content from Black creators across apps like Apple Books and Apple Podcasts.

In 2021 and 2022, Apple announced its Black Unity campaign just hours before it released watchOS 7.3 and watchOS 8.3, respectively, with a corresponding Black Unity watch face. Starting in 2023, and continuing in 2024, Apple included a matching iPhone wallpaper as well. As a result, it mentioned the Black Unity wallpaper in its release notes for the iOS 16.3 and iOS 17.3 Release Candidates in those years.

Apple's release notes for the iOS 18.3 Release Candidate made no mention of a Black Unity wallpaper, but perhaps it is something that will still arrive in the final iOS 18.3 release, and this could explain the revised build number.

Apple is expected to release iOS 18.3 next week, so we will find out for sure soon.
This article, "iOS 18.3 Might Have a Last-Minute Change, Here's Why" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums