Fans of the hit Apple TV+ show Severance are aware of the important role that self-help book "The You You Are" from Ricken Hale plays in the TV show, and now Apple has made a version of the book available to read or listen to.


The You You Are is available as a 39-page book or an hour-long audio book that's narrated by Michael Chernus, the actor who plays Ricken Hale on the show. In the foreword, Ricken Hale says that this is the first eight chapters of the book and the "first steps on the journey," suggesting Apple might debut additional chapters in the future.

Severance viewers who like to theorize about what's going on in the show will undoubtedly want to take a deep dive into the new book, which Apple is using to promote the show.

The second season of Severance debuted earlier this month, with Apple releasing new episodes on a weekly basis.
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Google’s $20 billion per year search deal with Apple was ruled last summer to violate antitrust law. Though Apple isn’t a defendant in the case, its outcome could have a big impact on the company. As a result, Apple has just asked for a stay on proceedings.

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Your Friday edition of 9to5Toys Lunch Break is now ready to go with a fresh batch of discounts to save you some cash. Firstly, we just caught the very best Amazon price ever on the Jet Black and silver Apple Watch Series 10 GPS + Cell models at $80 off, alongside ongoing Black Friday pricing on the rest of them from $329. From there, we move over to the new M4 Pro MacBook Pro – the 16-inchers with 24GB of RAM are now $250 off the going rate – as well as some official Apple iPad cases – a rare return low on the M2 iPad Air Folio and the M4 iPad Magic Keyboard. We also have some rare Valentine’s Day deals on the super popular metal Arc Pulse Bumper iPhone cases. All of that and more awaits down below. 

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On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through all of the latest rumors about the iPhone SE 4 as it nears launch.


The fourth-generation ‌iPhone SE‌ is widely rumored to feature an iPhone 14-style all-screen design with a 6.1-inch OLED display, Face ID, and USB-C. Images of dummy models showcasing the new design were recently shared online.

Recent reports suggest that the fourth-generation ‌iPhone SE‌ is expected to support Apple Intelligence thanks to the A18 chip and 8GB of memory. Both the main and front-facing cameras are expected to receive major upgrades to 48- and 12-megapixel sensors, respectively. Contrary to earlier rumors, the device is no longer expected to feature the Camera Control, Action Button, or Dynamic Island.

The fourth-generation ‌iPhone SE‌ is highly likely to be the first to feature Apple's custom 5G modem. While it won't feature mmWave connectivity and may be slower than the Qualcomm components currently used in iPhones, it is expected to offer lower power consumption, improved cellular network scanning, and satellite connectivity enhancements.

The ‌iPhone SE‌ 4 is due to be released before iOS 18.4, sometime around March or April. It is expected to be slightly more expensive than the current model with a price point of about $470.

We also look ahead to the Apple Watch SE 3, which is expected to debut later this year. With an all-new plastic casing that evokes the ‌iPhone‌ 5C, we reflect on the direction of Apple's entry-level devices. 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 how Samsung's latest announcements challenge Apple.

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.
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With iOS 18.2, Apple introduced ChatGPT integration with Apple Intelligence to expand the range of AI capabilities accessible to users on supported iPhone models. One skill in particular that you may not be aware of is the ability to generate images in the Messages app, ready for sharing. ChatGPT leverages DALL·E to generate the images, and the results are almost invariably better than Apple's Image Playground. Keep reading to learn how it's done.

Set Up ChatGPT on Your iPhone

If you have Apple Intelligence enabled on an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16, setting up ChatGPT integration requires just a few steps, and you can begin without even having a ChatGPT account. You can always start with the basic setup and upgrade to a connected account later if needed, although in our tests there isn't too much difference between them when used within the context of daily iPhone usage.

1. Open Settings.


2. Tap Apple Intelligence & Siri.


3. Under "Extensions," tap ChatGPT.


4. Toggle on the switch next to Use ChatGPT.

If you have a ChatGPT account (free or paid), you can optionally Sign In from this last screen using your account credentials.

Generate Images in Messages

When ChatGPT integration is enabled, whenever you invoke Siri, the voice assistant analyzes your request to see if it's something that needs to be answered by ChatGPT. However, you can specify that you want to use ChatGPT simply by starting a Siri query with "ChatGPT."

So the next time you're in a Messages conversation and want to express something with an image, tap inside the input field, hold down the Side button on your device to rouse Siri, then say something like, "ChatGPT, generate an image of a cat reading a book about fish." Give it a few seconds to think, and ChatGPT will drop the image into the text field, ready for it to be shared in the conversation.


If you're happy with the output, just tap the Send button to send it on its way. If the image doesn't turn out quite how you hoped, you have a few options. You can tap Rewrite, and ChatGPT will re-generate from scratch a new image based on your prompt.

Alternatively, you can tap one of the provided suggestions from ChatGPT to add specific details to the image, or you can tap Refine with ChatGPT and type your own description for more exact detail requests. Simply hit the colored arrow button to send the prompt to ChatGPT, and it will work its magic.


As you can see, the combination of Siri and ChatGPT easily enhances the voice assistant's capabilities compared to what most iPhone users will be used to. The integration works well even for complex queries involving problem solving, writing assistance, detailed explanations, and step-by-step instructions. For everything you can do with ChatGPT in iOS 18.2 and later, be sure to check out our dedicated guide.
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Tired of hearing about DeepSeek yet? The China-based LLM chatbot beached itself onto the scene this week, dominating the tech news cycle and even taking #1 on the App Store, where it still sits as of writing. However, its rapid popularity has led to a wave of new phishing campaigns, investment scams, and macOS malware disguised as real DeepSeek applications. Here’s the latest.

You’re reading 9to5Mac Security Bite, where each week, I share insights on data privacy, discuss the latest vulnerabilities, and shed light on emerging threats within Apple’s vast ecosystem of over 2 billion active devices.

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The basic design of the iPhone hasn’t changed much in the last few years. New models get better annually, but the average person probably wouldn’t use the word ‘innovation’ to describe Apple’s recent upgrades. According to Tim Cook though, the iPhone roadmap looks especially exciting and there’s ‘a lot of innovation’ ahead.

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TikTok has bounced back from its time offline according to traffic logs, but creators are worried about the uncertain future of the app.

Some are assuming the worst, and preparing for the platform to shut down, while others feel TikTok has a unique role and it would be difficult to replicate their success on other platforms …

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If you own one of Apple's latest Mac mini or MacBook Pro models with M4 Pro and M4 Max processors, you may be interested to learn that CalDigit today announced its first Thunderbolt 5 product, the Element 5 Hub.


The Element 5 Hub boasts nine ports, including four Thunderbolt 5 ports capable of up to 120Gb/s bandwidth, two USB-C ports at 10Gb/s, and three USB-A ports also running at 10Gb/s. The hub delivers consistent 90W charging to host devices, regardless of connected peripherals, thanks to its compact 180W power supply.

Display support includes dual 8K monitors at 60Hz or dual 4K at 240Hz refresh rates, leveraging Thunderbolt 5's new Bandwidth Boost feature. CalDigit notes that Windows machines can handle up to three displays through a single Thunderbolt 5 connection, but unfortunately Mac users are limited to dual displays due to macOS limitations, even when using Apple's latest M4 chips.

The hub doubles PCIe bandwidth to 64Gb/s compared to its predecessor, allowing it to accommodate faster storage devices. Meanwhile, power delivery remains stable at 90W for host charging, with 15W available from each downstream Thunderbolt 5 port and 7.5W from USB ports.


The Element 5 Hub is available now direct from CalDigit in the United States for $249.95, with UK and EU availability expected in mid to late February 2025. Pricing is set at £249.99 in the UK and €249.99 (minus VAT) in the EU.
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Apple has reached a $20 million settlement to resolve a class-action lawsuit alleging that certain early Apple Watch models suffered from a battery defect that caused screens to detach or crack (via CNET).


Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the lawsuit accused Apple of manufacturing the original, Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3 Apple Watches without sufficient internal space to accommodate normal battery swelling. The plaintiffs argued that the lithium-ion batteries put pressure on the display and other components when they expanded, leading to structural damage. In some cases, users reported that the screens separated entirely from the watch casing. Apple has strongly denied any wrongdoing, but the company has agreed to settle the case to avoid prolonged litigation.

Under the terms of the settlement, Apple will create a $20 million non-reversionary fund to compensate consumers who experienced battery swelling issues with the affected models. Consumers who qualify will receive a payment of $20 per affected device, with the potential for a higher amount depending on the total number of claims filed. As with most class-action settlements, the total amount received by individual claimants will depend on the number of participants and a significant portion of the $20 million fund will also go toward legal fees and administrative costs.

No claim form is required for class members who are already registered in Apple's records as having reported battery swelling issues. These individuals will automatically receive compensation unless they choose to opt out of the settlement by February 24, 2025. Apple Watch owners who believe they qualify but have not yet confirmed their eligibility need to do so by submitting their payment method on the official settlement website before April 10, 2025.
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Today CalDigit took the wraps off its first Thunderbolt 5-enabled device, the nine port, and aptly-titled Element 5 Hub. The follow up to the company’s original eight-port Element hub, the $249 Element 5 features four Thunderbolt 5 ports supporting 80Gb/s, plus a whole host of additional features and tidbits to consider. Let’s take a closer look.

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Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg apparently isn’t very happy about employees leaking things he says during internal company-wide meetings. The company issued a memo threatening to fire people for leaking internal comms – and that memo was of course immediately leaked …

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Way back in 2018, a class action lawsuit was filed against Apple, alleging a defect in early Apple Watch models that could allegedly cause the display to crack or detach from the casing.

While Apple has acknowledged some issues related to swollen batteries, and offered free service, it refused coverage for cracked or detached screens. The company has now agreed to a financial settlement for this …

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Apple is in the final stages of selecting a key supplier for its next-generation foldable display technology, according to a new report from the Naver blog account "yeux1122," citing a source within Apple's supply chain.


According to the report, Apple has maintained strict technical requirements for potential suppliers, focusing on maintaining current industry standards for thickness, size, and curvature radius while demanding significant improvements in durability and crease prevention. Some domestic component manufacturers are said to have recently made substantial progress in meeting Apple's exacting specifications.

The supplier selection process is reportedly expected to conclude between late February and early April, though Apple has not yet made a final decision.

While the report doesn't specify which device this display is intended for, the timing suggests a foldable iPhone. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently indicated that Apple's foldable iPhone remains in the planning stage, with various analysts projecting a release between late 2025 and 2027. The Information has suggested Apple could release a clamshell-style foldable iPhone as soon as 2026.

Apple is also reportedly exploring larger foldable devices. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that the company is developing a roughly 19-inch foldable device "intended to serve as a laptop." Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has also mentioned plans for a "giant" foldable iPad that could launch in 2028, noting Apple's intention to create a device without a visible crease that appears as a single piece of glass.
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Apple CEO Tim Cook announced during the company's Q4 2024 earnings call that Apple Intelligence will soon support eight additional languages, including French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and simplified Chinese.


An update coming in April, likely as part of iOS 18.4, will also bring localized English support for users in India and Singapore, said Cook. Apple Intelligence is currently limited to English-speaking regions including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa.

During the earnings call, Cook expressed his belief in the importance of Apple Intelligence features, noting that "once you start using the features you can't imagine not using them anymore." He specifically mentioned the email summarization function as a particularly valuable tool, stating that he personally relies on it to manage hundreds of daily emails.

Several Apple Intelligence features have been available since the release of iOS 18.1, but its limited language support has restricted its global reach.
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Compared to Android, only some of Google’s iOS apps use the latest version of Material Design. Gmail for iPhone and iPad was finally updated with a Material 3 redesign today.

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Popular game series PGA Tour is coming to Apple Arcade, with PGA Tour Pro Golf set to launch on the gaming service on February 6. This will be the first PGA Tour game on ‌Apple Arcade‌, and it will feature true-to-life PGA Tour locations.


Recreations of iconic golf courses at Pebble Beach, Spanish Bay, Latrobe Country Club, and more will be featured. According to Apple, players can expect real-time competitive gameplay where everyone plays simultaneously, without the need to wait for turns. "It's golf like you've never played before," reads the app's description.

There will be daily and multi-day tournaments to complete, with exclusive rewards offered. Players will earn coins and cash in all game modes, and that currency will be used to purchase new clubs and equipment.

Next week, ‌Apple Arcade‌ Vision Pro game Synth Riders is set to gain a new Kendrick Lamar experience that features moody spotlights shifting to the beat. The soundscape is designed to accompany Kendrick Lamar's halftime performance at Super Bowl LIX.

This week, existing games like Jetpack Joyride 2, Temple Run: Legends, Wheel of Fortune Daily, and Stitch are receiving content updates.

Apple Arcade is a gaming service that's priced at $6.99 per month in the U.S., and it is also included in Apple One bundles. Games that are available through ‌Apple Arcade‌ do not include ads or in-app purchases.
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Apple Maps is about to get a notable upgrade that will lead to more efficient EV routing suggestions for Ford Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning drivers.

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Apple designed Macs with Apple silicon chips to automatically turn on and start up when the Mac's lid is opened or when the Mac is connected to power, but there is a workaround in macOS Sequoia if you don't like this behavior.


In a new support document, Apple provided separate instructions on how to prevent an Apple silicon Mac from turning on when the lid is opened or when it's connected to power. Both processes require the Terminal app. Apple's instructions:

1. Make sure that your Mac laptop with Apple silicon is using ‌macOS Sequoia‌ or later.
2. Open the Terminal app, which is in the Utilities folder of your Applications folder.
3. Type one of these commands in Terminal, then press Return:
- To prevent startup when opening the lid or connecting to power: sudo nvram BootPreference=%00
- To prevent startup only when opening the lid: sudo nvram BootPreference=%01
- To prevent startup only when connecting to power: sudo nvram BootPreference=%02
4. Type your administrator password when prompted (Terminal doesn't show the password as it's typed), then press Return.

If you use these commands to change your Mac's behavior and want to undo it, you can open up Terminal and enter sudo nvram -d BootPreference.
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In perhaps yet another sign of the growing reach of Apple TV+ content, the sci-fi series Silo has ranked on the Nielsen U.S. streaming originals chart for the first time ever. The show ranked 9th with 417 million minutes viewed, for the week of December 30 through January 5.

This is one in just a handful of appearances of an Apple TV+ title on this chart. Typically, Apple shows are not popular enough to make it onto the Top 10 list of streaming originals, according to Nielsen’s numbers anyway.

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Apple today held an earnings call to report results for the first fiscal quarter of 2025 (fourth calendar quarter of 2024), with Apple CEO Tim Cook and new Apple CFO Kevan Parekh providing insight into Apple's performance, holiday quarter product sales, and more.


We've highlighted the most interesting takeaways from the Q1 2025 earnings call.

iPhone Sales and Apple Intelligence

Services revenue was up, and there was an increase in Mac and iPad sales, but iPhone sales were down. ‌iPhone‌ revenue came in at $69.1 billion, down from $69.7 billion last year. Apple Intelligence, which debuted in updates to iOS 18, does not appear to have resulted in a major upgrade cycle.

Cook said that the iPhone 16 models are, however, selling better in markets where ‌Apple Intelligence‌ is available.

On ‌Apple Intelligence‌ adoption increasing over time, Cook said that since the feature set is limited to the iPhone 15 Pro models and the ‌iPhone 16‌ models in the ‌iPhone‌ lineup, growth will come as people upgrade to newer devices. Cook also said he expects to see some improvement when ‌Apple Intelligence‌ becomes available in additional languages in April.

"And I think I know from my own personal experience, once you start using the features you can't imagine not using them anymore," Cook said. "I know I get hundreds of emails a day, and the summarization function is so important."

In a separate answer, Cook said that new Siri ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features will be coming "over the next several months." ‌Siri‌ features were expected in iOS 18.4, and it's not yet clear if Apple's plans have changed or the "next several months" means April.

Best Quarter to Date

Apple CEO ‌Tim Cook‌ said that Q1 2025 was Apple's best quarter to date with revenue of $124.3 billion, a four percent increase year-over-year.

Apple's installed base of active devices reached a new all-time high across all products and geographic segments, and Apple now has over 2.35 billion active devices worldwide. Sales in China were down, however. China brought in $18.5 billion, down from $20.8 billion last year.

Services Revenue

Services revenue continues to see notable growth, and the category brought in $26.3 billion, up 14 percent from $23 billion in the year-ago quarter.

All-time records were set in the Americas, Europe, and the rest of Asia-Pacific.

Paid subscriptions grew double digits, and Apple has more than a billion subscriptions across its services.

Mac Sales

Mac sales saw significant year-over-year growth, with revenue at $9 billion, up from $7.8 billion last year. Cook said Mac growth was thanks to new M4 Mac models.

There was double digit growth in both upgraders and people new to the Mac.

iPad Sales

‌iPad‌ sales grew 15 percent, and Cook said it was largely driven by the iPad Air and the low-cost ‌iPad‌ rather than the iPad Pro. Over half of sales in the December quarter went to customers who were new to ‌iPad‌.

DeepSeek

Cook was asked about DeepSeek, and the perspective that Apple will benefit from lower cost on-device compute. Cook said that he believes that "innovation that drives efficiency is a good thing."

Upcoming Products

When Cook was asked if there was "a lot of room for form factor innovation" for future ‌iPhone‌ models, Cook said that "there's a lot more to come" and that "there's a lot of innovation left on the smartphone."

Tariffs

On the potential for tariffs, Cook said that Apple is "monitoring the situation" and doesn't have anything more to say.

Next Quarter

In the March quarter, Apple expects its overall revenue to grow low to mid single digits with gross margin between 46.5 and 47.5 percent.
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When asked about Chinese AI firm DeepSeek on today’s investor call, Apple CEO Tim Cook explained how the disruptive new model is a positive development for the iPhone maker.

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During today's earnings call covering the first fiscal quarter of 2025, Apple CEO Tim Cook was asked about whether he felt there was room for form factor innovation in future iPhone models, with the question hinting perhaps spurred by rumors of the upcoming
"iPhone 17 Air."


Cook often declines to provide insight into future products during earnings calls, but he did give an encouraging answer. "I think there's a lot more to come," Cook said. "I could not feel more optimistic about our product pipeline."

Cook went on to say that there is indeed room for change in the ‌iPhone‌ lineup. "I think there's a lot of innovation left on the smartphone," said Cook.

Rumors suggest that Apple is designing a super thin version of the ‌iPhone‌ that will replace the "Plus" model in the series. The device is expected to be between 5mm and 6mm thick, which would make it the thinnest ‌iPhone‌ to date.

In a separate question, Cook was asked whether the super thin design of the 12.9-inch M4 iPad Pro was driving iPad revenue, but Cook said that wasn't the case. It's the iPad Air and the ‌iPad‌ that were responsible for the 15 percent revenue growth the ‌iPad‌ category saw during the holiday quarter.

That's not a surprise given the high price of the ‌iPad Pro‌. Rumors have been split on how much Apple's super thin ‌iPhone‌ will cost, but it is expected to be less expensive than the Pro models. Apple will focus on design, with the device set to use a lower powered chip than the Pro models and a single-lens camera.
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Apple disclosed today that its global install base has reached a new high. However, the active device growth rate is down compared to the previous year.

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