In the mid-to-late 2000s, Facebook was all about staying connected with friends and family. However, as the social media platform added new features and grew over time, that core experience began to get drowned out.


That changes starting now, according to Meta, which today introduced a new feature that will "bring back the joy" of classic Facebook.

Specifically, Meta has redesigned the Friends tab on Facebook to focus on the "magic of friends." The page now shows content from only your Facebook friends, with no recommended content or other distractions. The tab will show your friends' posts, reels, birthdays, and more, and it will continue to show your friend requests too.


Until now, the Friends tab only showed your friends requests and people you may know.

The updated Friends tab is rolling out starting today in the U.S. and Canada, so you might not see it right away. The redesigned page appears to be a server-side change, with no update required, but installing the latest version of the app doesn't hurt. To access the tab, tap on your profile picture in the bottom-right corner, and select Friends.

You can pin the Friends tab, so that it is easily accessible from the bottom navigation bar. To do so, tap on your profile picture in the bottom-right corner, and then select Settings & Privacy → Settings → Tab bar → Customize the bar.

Meta promises to introduce other classic Facebook features throughout the year.
This article, "Facebook's New iPhone App Feature Turns the Clock Back to 2007" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Nintendo today released a new iPhone app that can provide you with daily updates about company news, upcoming game releases, and more.


Nintendo Today! is available in the App Store for the iPhone for free, and it is also available in the Google Play Store for Android.

After signing into your Nintendo Account, you can scroll through a news feed with video clips, images, and other fun content. There is also a calendar tab that lists upcoming Nintendo Direct presentations, game releases, in-game events, and more. The app offers a Home Screen widget that lets you view the calendar at a glance.

The app will also keep customers informed about Nintendo's upcoming Switch 2 launch.

You can personalize the news feed by selecting your favorite Nintendo games, and you can theme the app's design based on popular Nintendo game franchises, like Super Mario, Animal Crossing, The Legend of Zelda, and others.

Let's-a go!
This article, "Are You a Nintendo Fan? There's an iPhone App For That Now" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

The upcoming iOS 18.4 update for the iPhone adds an Ambient Music feature to Control Center. Below, we take a closer look at how it works.


iOS 18.4 is currently in beta, so the Ambient Music feature is not widely available yet. The update will likely be released to the general public next week.

To use the feature on iOS 18.4, open Control Center and tap on the plus sign in the top-left corner. Then, tap on "Add a Control" at the bottom of the screen, scroll down to the Ambient Music section, and add one or more of the controls.

Here is how Apple describes the four Ambient Music themes:

• Sleep: Music for a restful sleep.


• Chill: Music for relaxation.


• Productivity: Music for focusing on tasks.


• Wellbeing: Music for meditation and self-care.

You can add any of the four Ambient Music controls to your Control Center, and then tap on one to start a playlist of songs that matches the theme. The feature is free and easy to use, with no Apple Music subscription or app download required.

While the Ambient Music feature is turned on, music controls will appear on the screen, and there is also Dynamic Island integration on newer iPhones.

There are four playlists available for each theme, or you can set your own. To change the playlist, open Control Center, and then tap on the plus sign in the top-left corner of the screen. Next, tap on an Ambient Music control that you added to Control Center, and tap on the playlist name. A drop-down menu will show additional playlist options.

• Sleep: Sleep Sounds, Bedtime Beats, Sound Bath, and Piano Sleep.


• Chill: Piano Chill, Ambient Chill, Lo-Fi Jazz, and Pure Chill.


• Productivity: BEATstrumentals, Binaural Frequencies, Pure Focus, and Classical Concentration.


• Wellbeing: Pure Meditation, Spa, Beats & Breath, and Pure Calm.

To update your iPhone to iOS 18.4, once the update is released, open the Settings app and select General → Software Update.
This article, "How to Use iOS 18.4's New Ambient Music Feature in Control Center" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Starting today, the Apple Maps app on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac now displays Indigenous lands in Australia and New Zealand, such as reserves and protected areas.


In a press release, Apple said the mapping updates were informed by Indigenous peoples, cartographers, language holders, and others in each country.

In Australia, Apple said it referenced language data published by the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.

In New Zealand, Apple said it collaborated with local Māori tribes and Indigenous cartographers to develop detailed place cards and map icons for Indigenous lands in the country. The place cards feature information about the local area, and communities can update them with destinations, photos, and text in their own languages.

The mapping updates are available now, with no software updates required.

More details about these mapping updates, and Apple's recent community initiatives in Australia and New Zealand, can be found in Apple's press release.
This article, "Apple Maps Now Shows Indigenous Lands in Australia and New Zealand" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple is preparing to sell new Beats-branded charging cables, according to placeholder product listings on a handful of reseller websites in Canada and Europe.


There are listings for three different 5-foot/1.5-meter cables, including USB-C to USB-C, USB-C to Lightning, and USB-C to USB-A variants. All of the cables have a tangle-free, braided design for extra durability and convenience. The cables will be available in at least three never-before-seen color options, including Bolt Black, Surge Stone, and Rapid Red, and it appears that they will be sold in one-pack and two-pack varieties.

The USB-C to USB-C cable supports 60W fast charging, and it has USB 2.0 data transfer speeds of up to 480 Mbps, according to one of the listings.

Here is the full product description for that cable:

Elevate your charging game and ditch the tangles, kinks and frays with our new reinforced braided cables. This package includes two 1.5-meter Beats USB-C to USB-C woven charging cables.

Key Selling Points
• Each cable is made with a tangle-free woven design for extra durability and convenience.
• Beats cables undergo thousands of hours of testing throughout the design and manufacturing process and are reinforced to help prevent fraying.
• Compatible with all USB-C Apple and Android devices, the braided cables are built for charging, syncing, audio, CarPlay, and transferring data.
• The cable lets you charge USB-C compatible Beats headphones or speakers while you listen to audio or stream lossless audio.
• They support fast charging of up to 60 watts and can transfer data at USB 2.0 rates. For fast, efficient charging, pair a USB-C cable with a USB-C power adapter and conveniently charge your compatible iPhone or other devices from a wall outlet.
• USB-C power adapter not included.

The cables were added to one reseller's website on Monday, March 24, while another lists an estimated in-stock date of Tuesday, April 8, but it is unclear if that date is accurate. Apple and Beats have yet to make any official announcements.

The USB-C to USB-C cable is listed at $24.95 in Canadian dollars, so it could be priced below $20 in U.S. dollars on Apple's online store.

The cables are designed for use with Apple devices, Android devices, and Beats headphones and speakers, according to the listings. However, they do not have any unique features compared to other equivalent cables, aside from having Beats branding. For Apple, the cables would help to boost the company's accessories revenue.

Apple acquired Beats in 2014, in part to gain access to the Beats Music app's underlying technologies, which helped it to launch the Apple Music streaming service the following year. Apple also gained ownership of the popular line of Beats headphones and speakers, and it released the first-ever Beats-branded iPhone cases last year. Now, it looks like Beats-branded cables will be the latest chapter of the story.
This article, "Apple Preparing to Release New Beats Charging Cables" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today shared bad news for fans of the iPhone mini.


In a live-streamed Q&A session today, Gurman said that Apple currently has no plans to reintroduce a smaller iPhone model.

Apple discontinued the iPhone 13 mini in September 2023, and it has not offered a mini model since then. Apple is not expected to release an iPhone 17 mini this year, and Gurman's revelation likely rules out an iPhone 18 mini next year too, given Apple's multi-year planning and development cycle for future iPhone models.

Since it discontinued the third-generation iPhone SE last month, Apple no longer offers any new iPhone models with under a 6-inch screen size. All of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 models that Apple currently sells have between 6.1-inch and 6.9-inch displays, whereas the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini had 5.4-inch displays. The final iPhone SE had a 4.7-inch display, albeit with thicker bezels that increased the device's overall size.

While there is a vocal group of customers who wish that Apple would bring back the iPhone mini, the smaller model simply never sold well enough for the company to continue offering it, according to market research firms. It is not much of a surprise that Apple is not currently reconsidering this decision, but it helps to set expectations for those who may still be holding out hope. Do not expect another iPhone mini any time soon.

The full Q&A audio stream can be replayed on Bloomberg's website.
This article, "Sorry, iPhone Mini Fans: Apple Isn't Planning Another Small Phone" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

In the United States, the Apple Card offers a high-yield savings account option, allowing you to earn far more interest on your money compared to the average bank's basic savings account. However, the account's interest rate was lowered this week, with the annual percentage yield (APY) dropping from 3.9% to 3.75%.


If you deposited $1,000 into the account, and maintained that balance for one year, you would earn $37.50 in interest based on the current APY.

The chart below compares the Apple Card savings account's APY to some other popular high-yield savings accounts in the United States.

Provider	APY*
Ally	3.70%
Discover	3.70%
American Express	3.70%
Capital One	3.70%
Citizens Bank	3.70%
Apple Card Savings	3.75%
Marcus by Goldman Sachs	3.75%
SoFi	3.80%
Barclays	3.90%
PNC Bank	3.95%
Synchrony	4.00%
Betterment	4.00%
Wealthfront	4.00%
UFB Direct	4.01%
CIT Bank	4.10%
Fierce	4.25%
Openbank by Santander	4.40%
Pibank	4.60%

* Advertised APYs as of March 26, 2025, excluding promotional rates and affiliate bonuses. Minimum balance requirements and other conditions vary per account. APYs can change at any time, so we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the rates listed above.

Apple launched its savings account in April 2023, in partnership with Goldman Sachs. The account can be opened and managed in the Wallet app on the iPhone, and it has no fees, no minimum deposits, and no minimum balance requirements. You must have an Apple Card, be a U.S. resident, and be at least 18 years old to open an account.

The account allows Apple Card holders to earn interest on their Daily Cash cashback balance, and on funds deposited via a linked bank account or an Apple Cash balance. The maximum balance allowed is $1 million, up from $250,000 previously.

When the account launched, Apple and Goldman Sachs offered an APY of 4.15%, but the rate has fluctuated, often in line with U.S. Federal Reserve benchmark rate changes. The APY peaked at 4.5% in early 2024, and the current 3.75% is an all-time low.

To open a savings account in the Wallet app, tap on your Apple Card, tap on the circle with three dots in it, tap Daily Cash, and select Set Up next to Savings.

Goldman Sachs may end its consumer lending partnership with Apple early, but it is unclear if this will have any impact on Apple Card holders. According to recent reports, there are at least three companies in the running to replace Goldman Sachs as the Apple Card's financial partner, including Barclays, Synchrony, and JPMorgan Chase.
This article, "Apple Card Savings Account's Interest Rate Lowered" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today announced that WWDC 2025 starts June 9, and the logo for the conference hints at iOS 19's rumored new design.


Multiple sources have claimed that iOS 19 will feature a new design that is inspired by visionOS, the software platform for Apple's Vision Pro headset. The new design is expected to include more translucent buttons and menus, with a glass-like appearance. The "25" in this year's WWDC logo also has a subtle visionOS-like appearance.

iPadOS 19 and macOS 16 are also expected to have visionOS-like designs, which would make Apple's software platforms look more uniform.

In January, the YouTube channel Front Page Tech shared a render of a redesigned Camera app that is allegedly planned for iOS 19.


According to Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser, the Camera app will have more translucent buttons and menus, along with a larger viewfinder.

Earlier this month, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the visionOS-like design changes will extend to other interfaces on iOS 19, meaning that the new look with more transparency will likely extend to other Apple apps, notifications, and more.


Gurman believes that iOS 19 will have the most significant design changes since iOS 7.

Apple is expected to unveil iOS 19 during the WWDC 2025 keynote on June 9, so we should get an official look at the new design in a few more months.
This article, "WWDC 2025 Logo Hints at iOS 19's New Design" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today announced that Apple Music is now integrated with many DJ software and hardware platforms, allowing DJs with an Apple Music subscription to build and mix sets from Apple Music's catalog of more than 100 million songs.


The popular DJing app djay by Algoriddim already offered Apple Music integration since last year, and additional platforms that are now supported include AlphaTheta, Serato, and inMusic's Engine DJ, Denon DJ, Numark, and RANE DJ. For example, you can now access the entire Apple Music catalog in AlphaTheta's rekordbox app for iPhone and iPad.

"Apple Music support has finally arrived," says the release notes for today's rekordbox update.

The integrations are part of a new "DJ with Apple Music" program, with more DJing platforms likely to participate in the future.

Apple Music has launched a related "DJ with Apple Music" page that spotlights a series of DJ-friendly editorial playlists and more.

"Apple Music is committed to supporting DJs," said Stephen Campbell, Global Head of Dance, Electronic & DJ Mixes at Apple Music, in an emailed press release. "This innovation brings the full power of Apple Music into the creative workflow, making it easier than ever for DJs to access, play, and discover music in real time."
This article, "Apple Music Now Integrated With More DJ Apps" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple Music Classical was updated today with time-synced listening guides, curated stations, and personalized recommendations on the Home tab of the app.


"Dive deeper with time-synced listening guides for 150+ popular works, enjoy nonstop music with curated stations, and get daily personalized recommendations on Home," says the release notes for Apple Music Classical version 2.2, released today.

Listening guides provide details about classical music in real time, with descriptions appearing on the screen as you listen. At launch, the feature is available for more than 100 works, in English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Simplified Chinese.

"From identifying the instruments they're hearing to explaining the drama behind a symphony or a concerto, the expert commentary turns the listening experience into a learning experience by opening doors on some of the most enduring and admired works of classical music," an Apple spokesperson said, in an email.

As for the curated stations, they are arranged by instrument, composer, period, and genre. They are curated by Apple Music Classical's editors.

Last, personalized recommendations improve classical music discovery based on your Apple Music Classical listening history.

"The features in this update are the most significant additions to Apple Music Classical since launch," said Apple Music Classical director Anjali Malhotra.

Apple Music Classical is available in the App Store for the iPhone and iPad, and it also recently became available on the web. Apple Music Classical is also available on CarPlay and Android, but there is still no Mac app for the service.

Apple Music Classical launched in most countries in March 2023, allowing users with a standard Apple Music subscription to stream more than five million classical music tracks, at no additional cost. Apple Music Classical is based on Primephonic, a classical music streaming service that was acquired by Apple in 2021.
This article, "Apple Music Classical Updated With Three New Features" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple is expected to release iOS 18.4 to the general public as soon as next week, following more than a month of beta testing.


Apple's website says some iOS 18.4 features will be released in "early April," so the update should be out as early as Tuesday, April 1.

Apple this week seeded the iOS 18.4 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, barring the discovery of any major last-minute software bugs. iOS updates are typically released one week after the Release Candidate, and next week will be early April, so that would align with the timeframe that Apple has provided.

There is always a possibility of a Release Candidate 2, however, which could push back the release schedule by up to one more week.

iOS 18.4 is compatible with the iPhone XS series and newer, and it will be available in the Settings app under General → Software Update once it is released.

While the personalized Siri features that were originally expected to launch as part of iOS 18.4 have been delayed, the update still includes a handful of new features. There are a few Apple Intelligence additions, including Priority Notifications, along with an Ambient Music feature in Control Center, new emoji options, support for lossless audio and low-latency audio on AirPods Max with a USB-C port, and more.

• All of the New Features in iOS 18.4


• Top 5 New Features Coming in iOS 18.4


• AirPods Max to Gain Lossless Audio and Low-Latency Audio in iOS 18.4


• iOS 18.4 Adds New Emoji: Face With Eye Bags, Splatter, Fingerprint, Shovel, and More


• Vision Pro App for iPhone Available in iOS 18.4


• iOS 18.4 Lets You Select a Default Maps App in the EU


• iOS 18.4 Includes a Small Change for CarPlay

Other software updates like iPadOS 18.4, macOS 15.4, watchOS 11.4, tvOS 18.4, visionOS 2.4, and more should also be released as soon as next week.
This article, "iOS 18.4 Coming Soon With These New Features for Your iPhone" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today announced that AirPods Max with a USB-C port will be gaining support for lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio with a firmware update next month, alongside the release of iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS 15.4.


For context, audio files are typically compressed to keep file sizes smaller. There are lossy compression standards like MP3, and Apple's own Advanced Audio Codec (AAC), which result in some data loss. Then, there are lossless compression standards like Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC), which preserve all of the original data. The entire Apple Music catalog of more than 100 million songs is encoded in both AAC and ALAC.

In a post on X today, Apple's marketing chief Greg Joswiak said lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio are the "ultimate" audio upgrades for the AirPods Max, promising "mind-blowing sound quality." However, this marketing claim appears to be at odds with what Apple states in a support document on its website.

In the document, Apple says AAC already delivers audio that is "virtually indistinguishable" from an original studio recording. Accordingly, the company also says "the difference between AAC and lossless audio is virtually indistinguishable."

If lossless audio offers no major improvement over AAC, according to Apple, then calling it an "ultimate" upgrade is unjustified marketing hype.

As for lower latency, that does not directly impact sound quality.

All in all, lossless audio is far less significant of an upgrade than Joswiak is making it out to be, as Apple admits on its very own website.

Update — March 25: While the increased sound quality of lossless audio is not perceptible to everyone, it is worth keeping in mind that the upgrade will unlock another benefit when paired with ultra-low latency. According to Apple's announcement, these two upgrades combined will make the AirPods Max with a USB-C port the only headphones that enable musicians to both create and mix in Personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking.
This article, "Don't Buy Into Apple's Hype About AirPods Max Gaining Lossless Audio" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

In a blog post this week, software engineer Andrew Rossignol (my brother!) detailed how he managed to run generative AI on an old PowerBook G4.


While hardware requirements for large language models (LLMs) are typically high, this particular PowerBook G4 model from 2005 is equipped with a mere 1.5GHz PowerPC G4 processor and 1GB of RAM. Despite this 20-year-old hardware, my brother was able to achieve inference with Meta's LLM model Llama 2 on the laptop.

The experiment involved porting the open-source llama2.c project, and then accelerating performance with a PowerPC vector extension called AltiVec.

His full blog post offers more technical details about the project.

Similar examples of generative AI models running on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and other old devices have surfaced in the news from time to time.
This article, "Software Engineer Runs Generative AI on 20-Year-Old PowerBook G4" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today announced it has committed up to 720 million yuan (nearly $100 million) towards accelerating the development of clean energy sources in China, as part of the company's goal of transitioning its supply chain to 100% renewable energy by 2030.


The investment will go towards the second phase of the China Clean Energy Fund, which aims to add approximately 550,000 megawatt-hours of wind and solar capacity to China's grid each year, according to Apple. The first phase added more than a gigawatt of new wind and solar projects across the country, the company said.

Apple's overall goal is to become completely carbon neutral across its entire business, manufacturing supply chain, and product life cycle by 2030. More details about this plan are available on Apple's environment page.

In related news, Apple CEO Tim Cook is currently visiting China, and he has been sharing some photos from his trip on his Weibo account. Cook is once again attending the annual China Development Forum in Beijing, and reports said he described Chinese artificial intelligence platform DeepSeek as "excellent" while there.

As part of this pro-China campaign, Apple also announced it is donating to help expand rural teacher training programs in China.
This article, "Apple Announces Next Step Towards Achieving 2030 Environmental Goal" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.


Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025:

• Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone X through iPhone 14 Pro have a stainless steel frame. The back of the devices will supposedly have a new "part-aluminum, part-glass" design.


• Rectangular camera bump: iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to have a large rectangular camera bump with rounded corners. Apple apparently plans to stick with a triangular arrangement for the rear camera lenses.


• More scratch-resistant display: iPhone 17 Pro screens are rumored to have a new anti-reflective coating that increases scratch resistance compared to previous models.


• Larger battery: The iPhone 17 Pro Max is rumored to have a slightly thicker design that allows for a larger battery.


• A19 Pro chip: iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to use Apple's next-generation A19 Pro chip, which will reportedly be manufactured with TSMC's newer third-generation 3nm process. Like usual, expect modest year-over-year performance gains and power efficiency improvements compared to the current iPhones.


• Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip: All four iPhone 17 models are rumored to get a Wi-Fi 7 chip designed by Apple rather than Broadcom.


• 24-megapixel front camera: All four iPhone 17 models are said to feature an upgraded 24-megapixel front-facing camera, whereas all iPhone 16 models are equipped with a 12-megapixel front-facing camera.


• 48-megapixel rear Telephoto camera: An upgraded 48-megapixel Telephoto camera is rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models, up from the 12-megapixel Telephoto camera on iPhone 16 Pro models.


• 12GB of RAM: An increased 12GB of RAM was initially rumored exclusively for the iPhone 17 Pro Max, but later the iPhone 17 Pro as well. This upgrade should help to improve the performance of Apple Intelligence and multitasking. All four iPhone 16 models have 8GB of RAM.


• Improved cooling: All four iPhone 17 models are rumored to feature internal design changes that result in better heat dissipation. A vapor chamber cooling system has been rumored for the Pro models.

Bookmark our iPhone 17 Pro roundup to stay up to date with more rumors.
This article, "iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple is working on multiple new Apple Watch models with built-in cameras for release by 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said Apple plans to add a camera in the screen area on a future Apple Watch Series model. On a future Apple Watch Ultra, he expects the camera to be on the right side of the watch, near the Digital Crown.

Gurman does not expect the cameras to enable FaceTime on the Apple Watch. Instead, he said the cameras would enable Visual Intelligence on future Apple Watch models. This feature would allow Apple Watch users to quickly receive information about items or places their surroundings. For example, they could point their Apple Watch at a restaurant to receive its hours or ratings as they pass by on the sidewalk.

Visual Intelligence debuted on all iPhone 16 models last year, and it is available on iPhone 15 Pro models starting with iOS 18.4.

Apple is also planning to add tiny cameras to future AirPods models, he said. The cameras will bring more AI capabilities to both the Apple Watch and AirPods, allowing Apple to better compete with other AI-powered wearables on the market.
This article, "Apple Watches With Cameras Rumored, But FaceTime Unlikely" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

There might not be a plastic Apple Watch SE this year after all, according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the plastic Apple Watch SE is now in "jeopardy" for two reasons: design and cost issues.

"The design team doesn't like the look, and the operations team is finding it difficult to make the casing materially cheaper than the current aluminum chassis," he said.

Gurman first mentioned the possibility of a plastic Apple Watch SE last year.

An even more affordable Apple Watch SE with a colorful plastic design could have been appealing to parents who are looking to purchase an Apple Watch for their children.

The current Apple Watch SE was released in 2022. In the U.S., it starts at $249.
This article, "Apple Watch SE With Plastic Design Now in 'Jeopardy' for Two Reasons" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today reiterated that the A20 chip in iPhone 18 models will be manufactured with TSMC's 2nm process.


Kuo said TSMC's trial production of 2nm chips has now reached yields well above the 60-70% range. The yield refers to the percentage of functional chips that can be obtained per silicon wafer, which is essentially a large, circular disc of chips.

Kuo first said that the A20 chip would be 2nm around six months ago, and another analyst Jeff Pu said likewise earlier this week.

An earlier rumor saying the A20 chip would remain 3nm was retracted.

This is ultimately good news, as the A20 chip being 2nm instead of 3nm means it will have more substantial performance and power efficiency improvements over the A19 chip for iPhone 17 models. Kuo, Pu, and others have all said that the A19 chip will be manufactured with TSMC's third-generation 3nm process, called N3P.

The move from a 3nm to 2nm process allows for more transistors in each chip, which helps to boost performance. Specifically, reports indicate that A20 chips should be up to 15% faster and up to 30% more power efficient than A19 chips.

An overview of current and expected chips:

• A17 Pro chip: 3nm (TSMC's first-generation 3nm process N3B)


• A18 and A18 Pro chips: 3nm (TSMC's second-generation 3nm process N3E)


• A19 and A19 Pro chips: 3nm (TSMC's third-generation 3m process N3P)


• A20 and A20 Pro chips: 2nm (TSMC's first-generation 2nm process N2)

Keep in mind that these nanometer sizes are simply TSMC marketing terms, rather than actual measurements.

iPhone 18 models are still a year and a half away from launching.
This article, "Kuo: iPhone 18 Models Will Feature 2nm Chips" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple continues to explore the idea of adding tiny cameras to future AirPods, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


Gurman briefly reiterated this possibility in his report this week about Apple executive Mike Rockwell becoming the new head of Siri development:

Rockwell's experience with hardware also could help the company more deeply embed AI into its future devices. Already, the company is exploring the idea of AirPods with outward-facing cameras that could feed data to AI.

The cameras would technically be infrared sensors.

In a June 2024 blog post, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple planned to mass produce new AirPods with infrared cameras by 2026. He said the infrared camera component would be similar to the iPhone's Face ID receiver.

Kuo said the new AirPods with infrared cameras would provide an enhanced spatial audio experience with Apple's Vision Pro headset.

"For example, when a user is watching a video with Vision Pro and wearing this new AirPods, if users turn their heads to look in a specific direction, the sound source in that direction can be emphasized to enhance the spatial audio/computing experience," wrote Kuo.

The infrared cameras could potentially enable "in-air gesture control" as well, allowing for device interaction with hand movements.

If the alleged 2026 mass production timeframe remains on schedule, the new AirPods with infrared cameras could launch in 2026 or 2027.
This article, "Apple Still Planning AirPods With Tiny Cameras" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

A few years ago, the American automaker General Motors (GM) announced that it would be phasing out support for CarPlay and Android Auto in its new electric vehicles, in favor of its own software platform. It was a controversial decision, as many drivers who are in the market for a new vehicle consider CarPlay to be a must-have feature.


Looking to capitalize on the situation, one GM dealership near Detroit, Michigan last year partnered with a third party to offer an aftermarket CarPlay installation service in GM's newer EV models. But, according to a report this week from automotive blog The Drive (via The Verge), GM recently blocked the dealership from offering that service due to safety concerns.

"We have made the difficult decision to discontinue this product," said White Automotive & Media Services, on its website that previously offered the CarPlay installation service. "This was not a decision we made lightly, but due to a variety of factors, continuing to offer this product is no longer viable in the long term," it said.

A spokesperson for GM told The Drive that unapproved aftermarket services "could affect critical safety features," and pose other issues.

"Aftermarket services that introduce features not originally designed, thoroughly tested, and approved by GM may cause unintended issues for customers," the GM spokesperson said, in response to this matter. "These issues could affect critical safety features and may also void portions of the vehicle's warranty."

It is unclear if the aftermarket CarPlay system actually poses any safety issues, or if GM is simply unhappy that one dealership decided to go against the company's decision to focus on its own software platform. It is also unclear if customers who already had the installation service completed will be affected in any way.

Update: A source connected to GM told us that the aftermarket CarPlay installation impacted critical vehicle functions and vehicle performance, and they said that future software updates might break CarPlay functionality.
This article, "GM Reportedly Blocks Dealership From Installing CarPlay in Newer EVs" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, Apple has a new perk for you, at no additional cost.


The new perk is the ability to create invitations in the Apple Invites app for the iPhone, which launched in the App Store last month.

In the Apple Invites app, iCloud+ subscribers can create invitations for any occasion, such as birthday parties, graduations, baby showers, and more. Anyone can RSVP to an invite, even if they do not have an Apple Account or an Apple device, but creating an invitation is a perk available only to iCloud+ subscribers.


iCloud+ is the official name for Apple's paid iCloud storage plans, which range from 50GB for $0.99 per month to 12TB for $59.99 per month in the United States. iCloud+ plans already came with multiple perks for free, such as Hide My Email and HomeKit Secure Video, and the ability to create invites in the Apple Invites app is the latest perk.

In its press release last month for the Invites app, Apple highlighted other iCloud+ perks:

- Expanded storage allows users to keep large libraries of original, high-resolution photos, videos, and files safe in iCloud, and easily accessible across all of their devices and the web.
- Private Relay keeps browsing in Safari entirely private from network providers, websites, and even Apple.
- Hide My Email generates unique, random email addresses whenever needed.
- HomeKit Secure Video allows users to capture and review home security footage in an end-to-end encrypted format.
- Custom email domains enable users to personalize their iCloud email address.
- Family Sharing allows users to share their iCloud+ subscription with up to five people at no extra cost.

To learn more about the Apple Invites app, watch our hands-on video.
This article, "iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive a New Perk" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Following the introduction of the iPhone 16e, new iPads and Macs, and some new accessories over the past month, what will Apple's next product announcement be? Based on rumors, a second-generation AirTag item tracker is likely next up.


Last year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that a new AirTag would be released around the middle of 2025. More recently, a leaker known as Kosutami claimed that Apple plans to release a new AirTag in May or June this year. Both of those timeframes suggest that the next AirTag is a few months away from launching.

Three upgrades have been rumored for the AirTag 2:

• With a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, the AirTag 2 is expected to have up to 3× longer range compared to the current AirTag. The chip debuted in the iPhone 15 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2. On the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 models, there is a Precision Finding for People feature that can help you to find your friends in crowded places, and it offers a range of up to 200 feet/60 meters.


• The new AirTag's built-in speaker is expected to be more difficult to remove or tamper with, as an anti-stalking safety measure.


• The new AirTag is rumored to have improved integration with the Apple Vision Pro.

No major design changes are expected.

The original AirTag was announced during an Apple Event in April 2021. In the U.S., an individual AirTag costs $29, and a set of four costs $99.
This article, "Apple's Next Product is Likely an AirTag 2 With These New Features" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

While the first iOS 19 beta is still more than two months away, there are already plenty of rumors about the upcoming software update.


Below, we recap the key iOS 19 rumors so far.

visionOS-Like Design

In January, the YouTube channel Front Page Tech revealed a redesigned Camera app that is allegedly planned for iOS 19.


According to Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser, the Camera app will have more translucent menus and buttons, along with a larger viewfinder. The alleged design looks similar to visionOS, the software platform for Apple's Vision Pro headset.

Earlier this month, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the visionOS-like design changes will extend to other interfaces on iOS 19, meaning that the new look with more transparency will likely extend to additional Apple apps, notifications, and more.


Gurman believes that iOS 19 will have the most significant design changes since iOS 7.

Similar design changes are also expected for iPadOS 19 and macOS 16.

Personalized Siri

Apple recently delayed the more personalized version of Siri that it previewed at WWDC last year. The company said it anticipates rolling out the Siri upgrades at some point "in the coming year," so the features could launch as part of iOS 19 later this year, but they are more likely to arrive next year in a later update, such as iOS 19.4.


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

Live Translate With AirPods

At least some AirPods models will be getting a new live translation feature with iOS 19 and an accompanying firmware update, according to Gurman.


Here is how that feature will work, according to his report this month:

The capability will work like this: If an English speaker is hearing someone talk in Spanish, the iPhone will translate the speech and relay it to the user's AirPods in English. The English speaker's words, meanwhile, will be translated into Spanish and played back by the iPhone.

Google already offers a similar Live Translate feature.

He also said iOS 19 will have bolstered translation capabilities, which likely means improvements are coming to the Apple Translate app.

End-to-End Encryption for RCS

Earlier this month, Apple said that it plans to add support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages to the Messages app in future iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS software updates. That likely means iOS 19, macOS 16, and so forth.


Apple promising end-to-end encryption for RCS messages indirectly confirms that it will be adopting the RCS Universal Profile 3.0 specification, which also includes several iMessage-like enhancements that were originally introduced in version 2.7 of the specification. iOS 18 supports RCS Universal Profile 2.4.

Here are five new capabilities to expect for RCS conversations on iOS 19:

• End-to-end encryption, which will prevent Apple and any other third party from being able to read messages and attachments while they are being sent between devices


• In-line replies


• Edit messages


• Unsend messages


• Full-fledged Tapback support for RCS messages, ensuring they always work

iMessage conversations with blue bubbles have supported end-to-end encryption by default since iOS 5. In addition, iMessage has supported in-line replies since iOS 14, while the options to edit and unsend iMessages were introduced with iOS 16.

Apple has not indicated which iOS version will upgrade RCS, but iOS 19 or a follow-up update like iOS 19.1 or iOS 19.2 seems like a safe bet.

EU Changes

The European Commission this week announced a long list of changes that Apple is legally required to implement in future iOS 19 and iOS 20 updates.


The announcement clarifies interoperability requirements that Apple is required to adhere to in the EU, under the Digital Markets Act, which has been fully enforced since March 2024. The changes will further open up the iPhone and its technologies to competing companies and devices, and Apple is not happy about it.

We will be publishing an in-depth overview of all of the requirements, but in the meantime we have highlighted some key items below.

• Third-party smartwatches must be able to display and interact with iOS notifications by the end of 2025, which likely means iOS 19.2 or earlier.


• Apple must make its automatic audio switching feature available to third-party headphones by June 1, 2026, which likely means iOS 19.4 or earlier. This is the feature that allows most AirPods and select Beats to automatically switch connection between Apple devices, such as a Mac and an iPhone.


• Apple must make changes to iOS that allow for third parties to offer equivalent AirDrop alternatives by June 1, 2026.


• Apple must make changes to iOS that allow for third parties to offer equivalent AirPlay alternatives by iOS 20, or the end of 2026. iOS 20 is expected to be released to the general public in September 2026.

The entire list of changes can be found on the European Commission's website.

Compatible iPhones

According to French website iPhoneSoft.fr, iOS 19 will be compatible with any iPhone that is capable of running iOS 18, which would mean the following models:

• iPhone 16e


• iPhone 16


• iPhone 16 Plus


• iPhone 16 Pro


• iPhone 16 Pro Max


• iPhone 15


• iPhone 15 Plus


• iPhone 15 Pro


• iPhone 15 Pro Max


• iPhone 14


• iPhone 14 Plus


• iPhone 14 Pro


• iPhone 14 Pro Max


• iPhone 13


• iPhone 13 mini


• iPhone 13 Pro


• iPhone 13 Pro Max


• iPhone 12


• iPhone 12 mini


• iPhone 12 Pro


• iPhone 12 Pro Max


• iPhone 11


• iPhone 11 Pro


• iPhone 11 Pro Max


• iPhone XS


• iPhone XS Max


• iPhone XR


• iPhone SE (2nd generation or later)

The oldest devices in that list are the iPhone XS, iPhone XS, and iPhone XR, all of which were released in September 2018.

Of course, some iOS 19 features will be unavailable on older iPhone models.

Timing

The first iOS 19 beta should be available immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote in June, and the update should be released to the general public in September.

More

Read our iOS 19 roundup for more details about the upcoming software update.
This article, "iOS 19 Coming in June With These New Features" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums