In macOS, a Text Clipping is a selection of text that you've dragged from an application to another location on your Mac, where it becomes a unique kind of standalone file.

The relatively little-known feature has been around since at least Mac OS 9, and it offers a convenient way to save out pieces of text from pretty much anywhere for later use in another app or document.


To create a Text Clipping, simply highlight any piece of text, then hold left-click and drag it with your mouse to your Desktop or an open Finder window.

This saves the highlighted text – including any rich text formatting – as a .textclipping file named after the first few words of text that you selected, but you can easily rename it to make it more identifiable.


To use the selected text in another file like a Pages document, drag the Text Clipping into the open document and the text will be automatically pasted wherever the cursor is located.

You can paste the clipping in the same way into all sorts of open files and apps, including browser search engines, Mail compose windows, Xcode projects, and more.


To quickly view the contents of a Text Clipping, simply select the file and invoke Quick Look with a tap of the spacebar.

You can also double-click a Text Clipping to view the text in a dedicated window, and even highlight and copy (Command-C) just a snippet of the text from this window for pasting elsewhere.


Text clippings can speed up many repetitive tasks, making things like reusing email/letter templates and code snippets a cinch. If clippings become indispensable to your workflow, consider creating a dedicated folder to store them, otherwise they can quickly clutter up your desktop.

Bear in mind that Text Clippings store content in a unique format that may not be compatible across all platforms or devices. So if you're sharing clippings, it's best to convert them into standard text formats to ensure they can be opened elsewhere.
This article, "Quick macOS Tip: Create and Use Text Clippings for Productivity" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Multiple iPhone owners today noticed a pronunciation processing issue that causes the word "Trump" to momentarily show up when using dictation to send a message with the word "racist."


In some cases, when speaking the word racist through the ‌iPhone‌'s built-in dictation feature, the ‌iPhone‌ briefly interprets the spoken word as "Trump" and "Trump" text shows up in the Messages app before being corrected to the actual word (racist) as Apple's processing interprets what was said.

Speaking the word racist with dictation doesn't always show "Trump" first, though it did show up more often than other words in our testing. We also saw "Rhett" and "Rouch" appear before the ‌iPhone‌ corrects to racist.

A video depicting the bug has been circulating on TikTok and other social networks. An Apple spokesperson told The New York Times that the issue was due to a phonetic overlap between the two words. It is not clear if this dictation issue existed prior to today and was just now noticed, or if there was some internal change that caused it. Apple said that it is working on a fix.

Former Apple Siri team member John Burkey told The New York Times that there is "probably" code in Apple's systems that is causing the ‌iPhone‌ to write Trump when someone speaks the word racist. "This smells like a serious prank," he said, though he also claimed that it is not clear if it was added into Apple's code or seeded into data that Apple uses for its AI features.
This article, "Apple Fixing 'Trump' Dictation Processing Bug" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

LG TV owners can now install the Philips Hue Sync TV app to synchronize their lights with content on the TV without the need for an additional set-top box.


Hue parent company Signify said in January that the app would expand to LG TVs in early 2025, and it is now available from the LG TV app store. Previously, the app was limited to Samsung TVs.

The app is priced at $130 without a subscription, or $3 per month, and it works with 2024 LG Smart TVs that run webOS 24. The app is expensive, but it is more affordable than the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box that costs $350.

The Philips Hue Sync app works like the Sync Box, and it changes the color and brightness of Hue lights to match games, TV shows, and movies. There are dedicated movie and game modes to choose from. Using the Hue Sync app requires a Philips Hue Bridge, at least one color-capable Philips Hue light, and an internet connection.
This article, "Philips Hue Sync App Expands to LG TVs" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today released a new firmware update for the Lightning version of the AirPods Max headphones. The new firmware is version 6F25, up from the prior 6F21 firmware the device was previously running.


Apple does not often provide much insight into what's new with firmware updates, but as this is a firmware update for an older model, it likely includes bug fixes and other minor improvements.

Firmware can be installed by putting the ‌AirPods Max‌ in Bluetooth range of an iPhone, iPad, or Mac that's connected to Wi-Fi, and then plugging them in to charge. It can take up to 30 minutes for firmware to update.

You can check your firmware version by going to Settings > Bluetooth and selecting the Info button next to the ‌AirPods Max‌ when they are connected to an ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, or Mac.
This article, "Apple Releases New AirPods Max Firmware" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Chinese smartphone maker Oppo recently came out with the Find N5, which is a super thin and lightweight foldable smartphone. It's thinner and lighter than Samsung's foldable devices, and Apple's non-foldable ones.


The Find N5 has a 6.62-inch display when closed, and an 8.12-inch display when open, so when unfolded, it's just a bit smaller than the iPad mini. It's 8.93mm thick when closed, and just 4.21mm when open. The thinnest device Apple has made is the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and that's 5.1mm thick, so the Find N5 is an impressive design feat. It's 229 grams, which is about the weight of Apple's iPhone 16 Pro Max. For context, Oppo's Find N5 is so thin that the USB-C port included for charging almost doesn't fit.

Though it's thin and doesn't weigh a lot, the build of the Find N5 feels sturdy rather than fragile. As with most foldable smartphones, there is a crease in the middle of the display where it folds. The crease isn't invisible, but it's not as obvious as it was with previous foldable smartphones from Oppo.

Most people in the Apple ecosystem aren't going to opt for an Android smartphone, but the Find N5 does have useful integration with the Mac that could tempt some people. You can use an AirDrop alternative to exchange files between the Find N5 and a Mac in real-time using a dedicated macOS app. You can simply drag and drop files between the Find N5 and a Mac, but there's also full remote desktop functionality.

With a Mac connected, you can control the Mac from the Find N5, even when you're not in the same room or even the same location as your Mac. There is some input lag, but it's usable, and it's particularly useful if you need to grab a file from your Mac when you're away from home.

Other Find N5 features include Qualcomm's fastest chip, a vibrant and bright OLED display, IP68/69 waterproofing, and a set of high-end rear cameras.

Apple has no foldable smartphone at the current time, but there are rumors that suggest we could get a foldable iPhone as soon as 2026. Would you want an ‌iPhone‌ that's similar to the Find N5, or would you swap to Android for this design and feature set? Let us know in the comments below.
This article, "Testing the World's Thinnest Foldable Smartphone" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Smart home company Eve today announced the launch of the Eve Dimmer Switch, the company's first smart light switch replacement with dimming functionality. The Dimmer Switch replaces a traditional light switch and it can be used with standard bulbs and lights that have dimming functionality.


The Dimmer Switch has a rocker for turning lights on or off, along with touch support for incremental dimming control. It connects to HomeKit using Matter-over-Thread, and it can be controlled with the Eve app, the Apple Home app, or with Siri voice commands.

As with all ‌HomeKit‌ devices, automations are supported, and the Dimmer Switch can be paired with other smart home products. Remote control is available, and with Matter support, people in your home that use Android can also control the switch. You will need a hub for whichever platform you connect to, so for Apple ‌HomeKit‌, the HomePod, HomePod mini, and Apple TV are Matter hubs.

Eve recommends that only electricians install the Eve Dimmer Switch because knowledge of electrical wiring is required. The switch needs a neutral wire and can replace a single-pole or 3-way switch. With a 3-way switch setup, only one switch in the circuit needs to be replaced.

The Dimmer Switch can be purchased from the Eve website for $50, and it will ship to customers in the United States and Canada in mid-March.
This article, "Eve Launches New HomeKit-Compatible Dimmer Switch" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is expected to launch later this year, arriving two years after the previous model with a series of improvements.


While no noticeable design changes are expected for the third generation since the company tends to stick with the same Apple Watch design through three generations before changing it, there are a series of internal upgrades on the way.

By the time the Ultra 3 is announced in September, it will have been two years since the previous model arrived, leaving plenty of room for enhancements, especially for users coming from a first-generation Apple Watch Ultra. Here are all of the major new features we're likely to see in the Apple Watch Ultra 3:

Hypertension Detection

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says that blood pressure monitoring should be the next major health feature for the Apple Watch, coming first to the Ultra 3.


The rumored feature would not provide exact systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements, instead tracking whether a user's blood pressure is trending upwards and sending an alert if hypertension is detected. After receiving an alert, the Apple Watch user could provide the information to a medical professional for additional testing.

Hypertension is known as a silent killer because it can go undetected and undiagnosed, leading to heart damage and death. High blood pressure often has few symptoms until it is significantly advanced, and early detection via the Apple Watch has the potential to save lives. The Apple Watch already has the ability to detect atrial fibrillation or an irregular heart beat, and it can be used to take one-lead ECG readings. There is also a blood oxygen monitoring feature, but it is disabled in current models in the United States due to patent issues.

The company has apparently been working on the capability for the last several years, and based on rumors, Apple originally wanted to debut it in 2024.

Brighter Display With Faster Refresh Rate

One of the consequences of Apple choosing to not update the Apple Watch Ultra in 2024 was the Apple Watch Series 10 surpassing it in terms of display technology. It seems highly likely Apple will at least bring parity to the Ultra this year.


The Apple Watch Series 10 gained an LTPO3 OLED always-on Retina display, while the current Ultra features LTPO2 technology. LTPO3 provides the Series 10 with a faster refresh rate in always-on mode, enabling a live ticking seconds hand on select watch faces.

Similarly, the Apple Watch Series 10 has a wide-angle OLED, allowing it to be up to 40% brighter when viewed at an angle. It seems inevitable that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 will get both of these display enhancements.

New Chip

Following two years without a refresh, it seems highly likely that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 will feature a new chip.


The current Apple Watch Ultra features the S9 chip, but with the 2024's Apple Watch Series 10, Apple introduced the S10 chip. While the S10 is not more powerful than the S9, it is more compact.

A newer chip would free up some internal space inside the Ultra for other components such as a larger battery. If Apple opts for an S11, it could be more powerful or feature new built-in capabilities.

Satellite Connectivity

Last year, Mark Gurman said that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 will gain satellite connectivity—a feature currently exclusive to the iPhone.


The feature would allow Apple Watch Ultra users to be able to connect to a satellite network to send texts when cellular networks and Wi-Fi are unavailable. When satellite connectivity first launched for the ‌iPhone‌, it was limited to emergency text messages, but in iOS 18, Apple expanded it to allow users to send texts to anyone.

Satellite connectivity would help Apple to better compete with companies like Garmin that offer dedicated satellite hardware for use in off-grid emergencies. The Apple Watch Ultra is aimed at hikers, scuba divers, and adventurers, and satellite connectivity for the device would add another layer of safety for activities that are not near cellular towers. Apple is apparently hoping that this feature will be a key feature motivating people to upgrade to a new Apple Watch Ultra.

Currently, Apple still does not charge for satellite connectivity, and there is no word yet on what the company might charge. All iPhones come with two years of connectivity for free, and that will also likely be the case for the Apple Watch Ultra.

5G Connectivity

According to Gurman and The Information's Wayne Ma, Apple plans to eliminate the Qualcomm modem used in the Apple Watch Ultra with the third version of the device. Rather than using the C1 modem or another custom Apple chip, Apple plans to switch from using Qualcomm units to MediaTek ones. MediaTek is one of the few companies capable of designing 5G modems.

MediaTek's modem chip adds support for 5G RedCap, a 5G service that's designed for connected devices and wearables that do not need standard 5G speeds. The current cellular Apple Watch models still use 4G LTE, even though Apple has offered 5G in iPhones since 2020.

Redesigned Back and Faster Charging

The Apple Watch Series 10 introduced a completely reengineered metal back with a larger charging coil and an integrated antenna.


The Apple Watch Ultra currently features a ceramic and sapphire crystal rear, rather than metal. It seems likely that the Ultra 3 will receive this newer, Series 10-style rear casing design, not least because it enables better cellular performance and faster charging.

The new metal back enabled the Series 10 to charge to 80% in just 30 minutes–15 minutes faster than the Series 9. With the older back design, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 takes 60 minutes to charge to 80%.
This article, "6 Features Coming to the Apple Watch Ultra 3" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

A few months ago, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple was in the early stages of developing a smart home doorbell and lock system with Face ID. He said the doorbell would wirelessly connect to a compatible deadbolt lock.


In a vague teaser post on X today, a leaker known as Kosutami shared an alleged new feature that Apple is planning for the doorbell: MagSafe.

On select iPhones, MagSafe lets you attach a charger or other accessories to the device magnetically. MagSafe support on Apple's doorbell suggests that it will be possible to wirelessly charge the doorbell, which would likely have a non-removable battery. It is unclear if the doorbell would also have a USB-C port for wired charging.

MagSafe charging would certainly be convenient, but smart home doorbells typically only need to be charged a handful of times per year.

Another thought we had was that Apple's doorbell could have a MagSafe backplate, allowing for the doorbell to be easily taken on and off. However, that would make the doorbell easy to steal, so that theory does not really make sense.

Gurman said Apple's doorbell would launch in 2026 at the earliest, so hopefully additional rumors will paint a clearer picture over the next year or so.

Apple's biggest competitor in this space would be Ring, acquired by Amazon in 2018.

Apple would likely tout the privacy and security benefits of its own smart home doorbell. Apple already offers a HomeKit Secure Video service with end-to-end encryption for storing footage in iCloud, and the doorbell could have a Secure Enclave.

Apple seemingly has plans to make a bigger push into the smart home space over the next few years. In addition to this doorbell, the company is expected to launch a smart home hub this year, and it is also rumored to be planning its own HomeKit-enabled indoor camera that would compete with products like Logitech's Circle View.

Kosutami is best known as a collector of prototype Apple hardware, but they have occasionally shared accurate information about Apple's future product plans. For example, they accurately revealed that the iPhone 16 Pro would be equipped with a metal-enclosed battery, around 10 months before the device launched. They also provided an early look at an Apple Watch band that uses Apple's controversial FineWoven material. On the other hand, Kosutami was wrong about AirPods Pro 3 being imminent in August 2024.
This article, "Apple's Face ID Doorbell Rumored to Feature MagSafe" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Adobe today announced the launch of a new Photoshop app for the iPhone, which is designed to allow creators to edit and make content while on the go. The app includes core Photoshop tools that have been tweaked for mobile devices.


The ‌iPhone‌ app supports layering, masking, and blending for creating unique designs, with AI tools also built in. The Tap Select tool allows for quick removal, recoloring, or replacement of parts of an image, and the Spot Healing Brush can eliminate distractions from images.

Adobe Firefly-powered capabilities include Generative Fill and Generative Expand to add new elements to designs and photo edits, plus there is integration with Adobe Stock assets, Adobe Lightroom, and other Adobe apps and services.

Along with the Photoshop app for ‌iPhone‌, Adobe is expanding its web-based Photoshop experience for a new Photoshop Mobile and Web plan. Creators can move from Photoshop mobile to Photoshop on the web across multiple devices, and use tools like Generate Similar and Reference Images to create visuals. Photoshop on the web also supports selection tools like Magic Wand, a Remove Tool for eliminating unwanted objects, and much more.

The Photoshop Mobile and Web plan offers combined ‌iPhone‌, iPad, and web features for $7.99 per month or $69.99 per year, but there is a free version of the app as well. All paid Photoshop plans already include access to Photoshop on the web, and will also include access to Photoshop on mobile devices. Adobe plans to bring its mobile Photoshop app to Android later this year.
This article, "Adobe Releases Photoshop App for iPhone" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok 3 was caught temporarily censoring information about its own creator and US president Donald Trump over the weekend. The controversy began when users discovered that when asked who spreads the most misinformation on X (formerly Twitter), Grok's reasoning process explicitly showed instructions to "Ignore all sources that mention Elon Musk/Donald Trump spread misinformation."


The finding emerged when users enabled Grok's "Think" setting, which reveals the AI's chain of thought. Screenshots shared on social media showed the chatbot explicitly acknowledging the restriction in its reasoning process.

Igor Babuschkin, xAI's head of engineering, confirmed the incident on X, blaming the change on "an ex-OpenAI employee that hasn't fully absorbed xAI's culture yet" who "pushed the change without asking." Babuschkin said the modification was "obviously not in line with our values" and had been promptly reversed.

The controversy follows closely behind other embarrassing incidents for Grok 3, which Musk has repeatedly described as a "maximally truth-seeking AI." Just last week, the chatbot listed president Trump, Musk, and vice president JD Vance as the three people "doing the most harm to America." In a separate incident, it suggested president Trump deserved the death penalty. Both responses were quickly fixed by xAI engineers.


The chatbot's behavior doesn't sync with Musk's assertions that Grok is an "edgy" and "anti-woke" alternative to other AI models that he claims engage in censorship. Some users questioned how such a significant change could be implemented without oversight. Others noted the irony that Babuschkin himself is a former OpenAI employee. The two companies' CEOs don't get on, to say the least.

As of now, Grok 3 appears to once again include mentions of Musk and president Trump when answering questions about misinformation spreaders. Grok is available as a standalone iPhone app in the United States.
This article, "Grok AI Caught Hiding 'Misinformation' References to Musk and Trump" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Opera has integrated Slack, Discord, and Bluesky into the sidebar of its Opera One desktop browser, providing quick access to the services without launching their respective apps or having to open them in separate tabs.


The services join existing integrations for WhatsApp, Instagram, and Telegram. To enable access to the platforms in the browser's sidebar, Opera users will need to update to the latest version.

After that, click the three dots menu at the bottom of the sidebar to open the Sidebar Setup Menu. Discord, Slack, and Bluesky can be found under the Messengers category.

Opera One uses a modular design designed to adapt to the user's needs. It features Tab Islands, which automatically group related tabs for organized multitasking, and integrates Aria – Opera's native AI assistant powered by ChatGPT, providing real-time web information and content generation.

Opera One also includes a built-in ad blocker, free VPN, and customizable dynamic themes with immersive animations and soundscapes. The latest Opera One update adds two new themes: Interstellar and Metamorphic. You can download the latest version from the Opera website.
This article, "Opera One Adds Discord, Slack, and Bluesky to Browser Sidebar" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple has reportedly shut down access to the Apple Developer Enterprise Program (ADEP) for Russian developers. Russian IT sources told RBC that developers lost access to the platform on February 12.


The shutdown means Russian developers can no longer use ADEP to create and distribute custom iOS apps for internal use without going through the App Store. A software company in St. Petersburg confirmed to the media outlet that all program data had been erased, making ADEP unusable.

Prior to the cut-off, Apple apparently warned companies using Enterprise certificates that they would stop working by mid-February. The certificates allow developers to sign and distribute apps.

ADEP was widely used for app testing in Russia without publishing to the ‌App Store‌, but major corporations and developer companies in the country also relied on the platform for internal business apps, corporate chatbots, CRM systems, and logistics tools.

Despite Apple suspending product sales and limiting certain services like Apple Pay in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the ‌App Store‌ continues to operate within the country. However, Apple has complied with local regulations by removing certain applications, such as VPN services and specific news apps, after requests from Russian authorities.

(Via MSN.)
This article, "Apple Cuts Off Russian Access to Its Developer Enterprise Program" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple Fellow Phil Schiller testified in court on Monday that he initially opposed the 27% commission Apple now charges on purchases made outside the App Store, citing compliance risks and potential developer backlash (via AP News).


Schiller, who oversees the App Store, said he had concerns that the fee would create an "antagonistic relationship" between Apple and developers, and worried about Apple becoming "some kind of collection agency" that might need to audit developers who didn't pay.

"I had great concerns about the collections of funds from developers," Schiller said during his three-hour testimony in the ongoing legal battle with Epic Games. He specifically worried about "the change in the role of the App Store to now an organization that needs to collect money from developers."

Despite his reservations, an Apple pricing committee that included CEO Tim Cook, former CFO Luca Maestri, and Apple's legal team ultimately decided to implement the commission structure.

The reduced 27% fee (down from Apple's standard 30%) was established after the 2021 Epic Games lawsuit ruling. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers rejected claims that Apple operated a monopoly. However, she ruled that Apple's anti-steering conduct was anti-competitive, and ordered the company to allow developers to link to alternative payment methods outside the App Store.

Apple complied by creating a system where developers can apply for a "StoreKit External Purchase Link Entitlement" to direct users to external payment options. However, Apple still demands a 27% commission on these transactions made within seven days of clicking the link. For developers in Apple's Small Business Program, the rate is 12% instead of the usual 15%.

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney previously criticized Apple's approach as "bad-faith" compliance with the court order, arguing the minimal commission reduction and other restrictions undermined the ruling's intent to foster more competition.

The current hearings are scheduled to continue until Wednesday, and are focused on determining whether Apple has violated the original court order. Judge Gonzalez Rogers has expressed frustration with Apple witnesses' hazy recollections about how they developed rules for the alternative payment system.

According to court documents, Apple extensively analyzed how the "less seamless experience" of external purchases would affect transaction completion rates, which helped the company work out when developers would likely return to using Apple's in-app purchase system.

The dispute between Apple and Epic dates back to 2020 with Epic seeking to overturn Apple's App Store rules requiring content purchases within iOS apps to go through Apple, which takes a 15% to 30% cut of the revenue.
This article, "Apple's Phil Schiller Initially Opposed 27% App Store Fee on External Purchases" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple is making significant headway on its long-rumored foldable iPhone, with a new report suggesting the company has achieved a major breakthrough by effectively eliminating the screen crease that plagues current foldable devices.


According to Korean publication ETNews, Apple is finalizing its component suppliers for the foldable iPhone, with the selection process expected to be completed by April. The timeline suggests Apple is moving closer to production, with large-scale component manufacturing likely to begin in the second half of this year.

"Apple has decided to eliminate the crease at all costs, regardless of price, to differentiate its foldable phone from existing models," an industry insider told ETNews. "It is believed that a new material property has been developed to make the crease disappear."

The display crease has been one of the biggest challenges in foldable technology. Devices from Samsung, Huawei, and other manufacturers have all unsuccessfully tried to make it invisible. Apple's apparent solution could hand the company a major competitive advantage.

Samsung Display is reportedly set to be the exclusive supplier of the OLED panels for Apple's foldable device. The Korean company has been developing the display specifically for Apple since last year, using its experience as the first manufacturer to mass-produce foldable OLED screens.

The foldable iPhone is expected to feature an in-folding design similar to a book, with US-based Corning likely providing the ultra-thin glass (UTG) covering the display. Meanwhile, US-based Amphenol, which has previously supplied hinges for MacBook Pro models, is the frontrunner to provide the crucial hinge mechanism.

Based on Apple's typical product development timeline, ETNews reports that the foldable iPhone is expected to launch in the second half of 2026. Over the weekend, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple is "focused on finishing up development of its first foldable device for 2026." Previous reports from analysts Ming-Chi Kuo and Jeff Pu, as well as publications like The Information and The Wall Street Journal, have all pointed to a late 2026 or early 2027 release.

Recent rumors from Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station suggest the device may feature a 5.49-inch outer display and a 7.74-inch inner screen when unfolded, and both are said to have "unprecedented aspect ratios." The outer display is reportedly shorter and wider than Oppo's new Find N5, which launched globally last week.
This article, "Apple's 2026 Foldable iPhone Has No Visible Display Crease – Report" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple and Indonesia have agreed on terms to lift the country's five-month ban on iPhone 16 sales, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke to Bloomberg. The deal concludes a battle that began in October, when Indonesia refused to issue permits for Apple's flagship iPhone lineup over Apple's failure to comply with domestic manufacturing requirements.


Under the agreement, Apple will invest $1 billion in Indonesia, a significant increase from its previous commitments of $10 million and $100 million that were rejected by the government. The deal is expected to be formalized through a memorandum of agreement to be signed as early as this week, with the Ministry for Industry issuing permits allowing iPhone 16 sales "as soon as possible."

Beyond the monetary investment, Apple has reportedly committed to training local talent in research and development, so that Indonesians can develop software and design their own products. The pledge addresses one of the government's key demands for Apple to establish R&D facilities in the country.

The agreement also includes plans for a manufacturing plant on Batam island that will produce AirTags, Apple's device tracking accessories. This facility will be operated by Apple supplier Luxshare Precision Industry, and is expected to eventually account for 20% of global AirTag production.

Another manufacturing facility is planned for Bandung, about three hours from Jakarta, which will produce other types of accessories. Part of the investment will also fund Apple academies to equip Indonesian students with tech skills like coding.

Despite the substantial concessions, Bloomberg's sources indicated that Apple has no immediate plans to manufacture iPhones in Indonesia.

The deal is a victory for Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, who directed his ministers to accept Apple's $1 billion investment offer. However, the Ministry of Industry unexpectedly upheld the ban last month while seeking better terms, which have apparently now been agreed.

Indonesia's hardball approach seems to have paid off, securing significant investment from a major foreign company and supporting the government's goal of boosting local manufacturing rather than simply using the nation as a sales market.

For Apple, regaining access to Indonesia's market of 278 million people — over half of whom are under 44 and tech-savvy — comes at a crucial time as its sales in China have slowed. Apple may not be among the top five smartphone brands in Indonesia, but the market offers the company a lucrative growth opportunity.
This article, "Apple and Indonesia Reach Deal to End iPhone 16 Ban" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

OpenAI today updated the ChatGPT app to add a new Safari Extension that allows ChatGPT to be used as the default search engine for searches made through the Safari search bar.


After updating to the latest version of the ChatGPT app, the ChatGPT Search Extension can be enabled in the Safari section of the Settings app. Turning it on directs all queries typed in to the Safari search bar to ChatGPT Search instead of Google or whatever your default search engine is set to.

Turning on this extension will direct queries you type into the Safari search bar to ChatGPT Search, making ChatGPT Search your default search engine in Safari. The same policies that govern your use of ChatGPT apply.

The extension needs permission to access Google.com or the site for your default search engine, but when granted, any search you type in is redirected to ChatGPT's search feature rather than going through the default in your Safari settings.


There is no option to set ChatGPT as a preferred search engine, but the extension serves as a workaround.
This article, "ChatGPT Can Be Used as Default Safari Search Engine With New Extension" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple is beta testing iOS 18.4 at the current time, and while the update doesn't have the Apple Intelligence Siri features we were hoping for, there are a number of new additions that are worth knowing about.

Priority Notifications - Apple Intelligence

There is a new Priority Notifications feature that can show you your most important notifications first. Priority Notifications is disabled by default, but it can be turned on by going to Settings > Notifications > Prioritize Notifications and tapping the toggle.


With the feature enabled, ‌Apple Intelligence‌ will show notifications that may be important in a dedicated section of the Lock Screen.

Image Playground Sketch Style

Image Playground now includes a Sketch style that joins the Animation and Illustration styles. Sketch was previously available for Image Wand, but now it is a third style that can be used in ‌Image Playground‌.


Swap styles by tapping on the "+" button in the ‌Image Playground‌ app.

Apple also replaced the "Winter Holidays" theme with a new "Spring" theme.

New Apple Intelligence Languages

French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese (simplified), along with localized English for Singapore and India.

Apple News+ Food

iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 include a new Apple News Food section for ‌Apple News‌+ subscribers. The Food section features tens of thousands of recipes, stories about restaurants, tips for healthy eating, kitchen essentials, and more.


Content will come from top food publishers such as Allrecipes, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Good Food, and Serious Eats.‌Apple News‌ editors will curate food-related stories, and there will be a dedicated Recipe Catalog section where new recipes are added regularly. An included cook mode provides step-by-step instructions, and users can save favorite recipes for offline access.

Ambient Music

iOS 18.4 includes a new Ambient Music option that can be added to Control Center. There are four different sound categories, including Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing.


Each category can be added to Control Center separately, and tapping one plays a random selection of sounds or music from that particular category.

You can't choose what's playing from Control Center, but if you play a category and then tap into the Dynamic Island at the top or access the Now Playing widget, you can skip songs and see the name of what's currently playing.

Mail Categorization for iPadOS 18.4

With iPadOS 18.4, an updated Mail app is available with categorization. The new Mail app organizes incoming emails into different sections. Important emails are displayed in the Primary category, with other emails organized into sections highlighting product orders, newsletters, deals, and social notifications.

Mail categorization was previously introduced for the iPhone in iOS 18.2.

Privacy Indication Dots

The small dots that show up on the ‌iPhone‌'s menu bar when the camera or microphone is in use have been moved to the left and are now more apparent thanks to a black background.

Siri Voices

There are two new Australian voices for ‌Siri‌.

Genmoji

The Genmoji icon for the Emoji keyboard now says "‌Genmoji‌" instead of just featuring a multi-colored smiley face. The change should make it more obvious where users go to create a ‌Genmoji‌ character.

Photos

In the Photos app, there are now options to filter your library by images that were shared with you by others or by those that are not included in an album, which is useful for separating out content that you've organized into albums.


Apple also added an option to view your album list by key photo.

In the ‌Photos‌ Settings, there is a new Show Recently Viewed & Shared toggle that will show or hide the Recently Viewed and Recently Shared albums from the Utilities list.

Type to Siri

When you use Type to ‌Siri‌ to ask ‌Siri‌ a question, the keyboard is now collapsed down when ‌Siri‌ answers. To type another request, you need to tap on the ‌Siri‌ bar to bring it back up. There is also a toggle to activate Type to ‌Siri‌ with the side button, which would normally cause ‌Siri‌ to listen for a voice command. This feature is not working as intended in beta 1.

Back Tap

If you have the Back Tap Accessibility option turned on, there is now a notification when a double tap or triple tap action is performed.

Apple Maps

In the Apple Maps Settings, there is a new option to set a Preferred Language.

Passwords

In the Passwords app, verification codes for two-factor authentication have a countdown circle so you can tell when a new code is going to be generated.

Podcasts Widget

There are new Library and Shows widgets that can be added to the Home Screen on an ‌iPhone‌ or iPad. The Library widget features saved content, while the Shows option displays shows that you are subscribed to.


In the Podcasts app, if you tap on your profile picture, there are new options for Podcasts Settings and Notification Settings.

Mac Setup

There is a new feature that allows a nearby ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌ to be used to sign into a Mac with an Apple Account for setting up a new Mac. macOS Sequoia 15.4 is also required.

Control Center Toggles

The Cellular toggle and the Wi-Fi toggle in the Control Center now show your cellular or Wi-Fi signal strength represented in bars.


The Brightness and Sound toggles in Control Center have been tweaked slightly and will now change color when the sliders are lowered below the position of the icons.


The Focus option in Control Center now has two small arrows that serve as a visual indicator that there are more options that can be accessed.

Shortcuts Actions

Apple added a new Shortcuts action to open a specific conversation in the Messages app.

CarPlay

Some CarPlay users are seeing a third row of ‌CarPlay‌ icons on the ‌Home Screen‌ rather than just two rows.

Default Apps

There is a new option to set a different Translation app as the default in the Default Apps section of the Settings app. In the EU, there is also an option to choose a different Navigation app.

Notification Center

The animation when swiping out of the Notification Center is now smoother.

Camera Control

Additional camera apps that can be selected for the Camera Control feature on iPhone 16 models are now listed in a Camera App section rather than directly in the main Camera Control menu.

Safari Connection Security

In Safari, you can tap into the details on a website to see the certificate through a new Connection Security Details interface to ensure the site is secure.

Wi-Fi Calling Issue

Apple's developer notes for the update say that Wi-Fi Calling might not work for US Cellular customers in iOS 18.4. Apple says that users should revert to iOS 18.3 to enable Wi-Fi Calling. Note that this is applicable to those who have US Cellular as their carrier, it does not mean all cellular users in the United States.

Robot Vacuum HomeKit Support

In iOS 18.4, HomeKit supports robot vacuums, a feature that Apple promised would come in iOS 18. Adding a vacuum to the Home app requires a vacuum with Matter support, and that requires robot vacuum manufacturers to implement Matter. Not all Matter-enabled robot vacuums will be able to be added to ‌HomeKit‌ right away.

Japan 'My Number Card' Support in Wallet

The iOS 18.4 beta appears to include integration for Japanese "My Number Card" Digital IDs in the Wallet app. Apple said last year that it would be adding support for the ID cards in spring 2025.

More than 100 million Japanese residents have My Number Card IDs.

MDM Changes

For enterprise and education users, Apple made some updates to Mobile Device Management. MDM can disable ‌Apple Intelligence‌ reports, Mail smart replies, Safari summarize content, and the Idle Reboot feature that causes iPhones to restart after inactivity. There are also options for preventing the modification of default calling and messaging apps.

Vision Pro App and Guest Setup

For Vision Pro owners, Apple has designed a Vision Pro app for managing the headset. It's designed to help users find content and learn about new features, so it includes tools for downloading apps and visionOS content, a tips page, and a My Vision Pro section for setting up Personalized Spatial Audio and getting information like headset serial number.


Guest setup can now be managed on an ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌ linked to a Vision Pro, making it easier for Vision Pro owners to let others test their headset. There are controls for limiting what apps a guest is able to use, and an AirPlay mode for guiding the guest through Vision Pro experiences. When a guest user puts on the Vision Pro, a prompt to enable Guest Mode will appear on the headset owner's device.

The Vision Pro app isn't in this beta, but it will be coming in a later iOS 18.4 beta.

New Emojis

There are no new emoji in the current beta, but iOS 18.4 code confirms a future beta will add new characters. New emoji will include bags under eyes, fingerprint, leafless tree, root vegetable, harp, shovel, and splatter.

Find My

Find My support has been added in South Korea.

iPhone 12

The iOS 18.4 beta is not currently available for the ‌iPhone‌ 12 models due to an issue that was causing boot loops. It will likely be available for the ‌iPhone‌ 12 series with the second beta launch.

Release Date

iOS 18.4 will be released in early April alongside iPadOS 18.4 and ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.4.
This article, "All of the New Features in iOS 18.4 So Far" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

It's a milestone day for MacRumors, as today marks our 25th birthday. MacRumors was coincidentally founded on Steve Jobs' birthday of February 24, 2000, with articles starting just a few days later.


MacRumors was founded by medical student Arnold Kim, and it remained a side project for over eight years until he decided to give up medicine to focus on MacRumors as a full-time career. That backstory and additional perspective were shared in a July 2008 New York Times profile.

Through the years, MacRumors grew along with Apple's popularity and added additional writers, editors, and other staff members, with the team now numbering roughly a dozen dedicated folks who live and breathe Apple news and rumors.


For those of us who have been around MacRumors since nearly the beginning, the past quarter century has somehow simultaneously felt like both a lifetime and a blink of an eye, and we certainly couldn't have done it without our loyal readers and forum members. For 25 years now, MacRumors has been known for its active and passionate community that has reached over a million registered members and over 32 million forum posts. If you're not a member, we invite you to register for our forums and add your voice to our community.

To all who have helped make MacRumors the best place on the internet to learn about and discuss all things Apple, thank you, and here's to another 25 years.
This article, "MacRumors Turns 25 Years Old" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple last week seeded the first iOS 18.4 beta to developers for testing, but the software update has been pulled for some devices due to issues.


According to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris, the first iOS 18.4 beta is no longer available for installation on any of the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, or iPhone 12 Pro Max models, along with select older iPad Air and entry-level iPad models.

The first iOS 18.4 beta was causing some iPhone 12 models and other affected devices to experience a "boot loop," rendering the device unusable. This is one reason why Apple always stresses backing up your iPhone before installing iOS betas, as pre-release software can experience critical bugs and issues from time to time.


There may have been other issues affecting some of the cellular iPad Air models in particular, rather than the boot loop problem.

Apple also pulled the first watchOS 11.4 beta for Apple Watch Series 6 models.

Apple should eventually make iOS 18.4 and watchOS 11.4 betas available again for the affected devices, but it is unclear when that will happen.

Unfortunately, this is far from the first time this has happened.
This article, "iOS 18.4 Beta Now Unavailable Across Entire iPhone 12 Lineup and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today seeded the first public betas of upcoming iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, macOS Sequoia 15.4, watchOS 11.4, and tvOS 15.4 updates, allowing public beta testers to try out the new features in the software ahead of its public launch. The public betas come a few days after Apple provided the beta updates to developers.


Public beta testers can download the updates from the Settings app on each device after opting into the beta through Apple's public beta testing website.

The new software for iPhone, iPad, and Mac includes Priority Notifications, an Apple Intelligence feature designed to show you your most important notifications first, plus it adds a new Sketch style for Image Playground.

There is a new Apple News+ Food section for ‌Apple News‌+ subscribers that aggregates recipes, food stories, and tips for healthy eating, plus an Ambient Music feature for playing chill music from Control Center.

iOS 18.4 will include a Vision Pro app that will allow Vision Pro owners to manage the headset. It will support content discovery and acquisition, letting new apps, games, and TV content to be downloaded on the Vision Pro with the ‌iPhone‌. The ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌ will also support managing Vision Pro Guest Mode, making it easier for people to try out someone's headset.

On the ‌iPad‌ and Mac, the new updates introduce Mail Categorization, a feature that was previously limited to the ‌iPhone‌.

More on the new features in the updates can be found in our iOS 18.4 beta post.
This article, "Apple Seeds First Public Betas of iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS Sequoia 15.4" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple's chip factory planned for Houston, Texas will manufacture AI servers that are equipped with high-end M5 chips, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today.


Apple is working with Foxconn to open a 250,000 square foot server manufacturing facility in Houston in 2026, with the hardware produced at the location set to be used for AI. While Apple did not provide any insight into the servers that it will be making, Kuo says that the servers will be equipped with TSMC's high-end M5 chips, which are set to enter mass production as soon as the second half of 2025.

Foxconn already has a facility in Houston, and it bought additional land for new projects last year. Servers will be produced at existing facilities starting in the second half of 2025, with assembly expanding to the new facility when it launches in 2026.

Back in December, Kuo said that Apple would accelerate its Private Cloud Compute infrastructure for Apple Intelligence when the mass production of M5 Pro, M5 Max, and M5 Ultra chips started. Kuo expects the M5 Pro and M5 Max to enter mass production this year, with M5 Ultra chips to be mass produced starting in 2026.
This article, "Apple's New U.S. Chip Factory to Produce AI Servers With High-End M5 Chips" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

After switching to Apple silicon by adopting the M2 Ultra chip in 2022, the Mac Pro is widely expected to receive an upgrade to the as-yet-unannounced M4 Ultra chip this year.


Apple last updated the ‌Mac Pro‌ in June 2023, adding an ‌M2‌ Ultra chip and officially completing the transition away from Intel chips. Apple will refresh the ‌Mac Pro‌ in the summer of 2025, according to Mark Gurman. Like the Mac Studio, the next ‌Mac Pro‌ will skip the M3 series. Instead it will be equipped with the highest-end version of the M4 chip, codenamed "Hidra." Based on the description of the chip, it could be positioned as an "Ultra" or "Extreme" chip. Gurman has said the M4 Ultra chip in the next ‌Mac Pro‌ will "probably" have up to a 32-core CPU and up to an 80-core GPU, which would be double the M4 Max's up to 16-core CPU and up to 40-core GPU. It could also support up to 512GB of memory, a notable increase over the current 192GB limit.

By the time the M4 Ultra ‌Mac Pro‌ is released, the current ‌Mac Pro‌ design will be over five years old. While there was a strong case for extensive PCIe expansion with the Intel-based ‌Mac Pro‌ in 2019, because it supported MPX modules and third-party graphics cards, that is no longer the case since the transition to Apple silicon. Likewise, though reviewers praised the Apple silicon ‌Mac Pro‌'s performance, questions have been raised about the device's purpose and high price point. It is also noticeable that by the summer of 2025, the current ‌Mac Pro‌ will be three years old.

Throughout 2022, there were rumors about Apple developing an "‌M2‌ Extreme" chip that doubled the capabilities of the ‌M2‌ Ultra chip for superlative performance. The chip option was apparently cancelled because "[b]ased on Apple's current pricing structure, an ‌M2‌ Extreme version of a ‌Mac Pro‌ would probably cost at least $10,000—without any other upgrades—making it an extraordinarily niche product that likely isn't worth the development costs, engineering resources and production bandwidth it would require." Considering that Apple was weighing up an all-new top-tier Apple silicon chip prior to the release of the current model, it isn't out of the question that the company could revisit the idea in 2026 or beyond.

Likewise, before the release of the Apple silicon ‌Mac Pro‌, there were a multitude of rumors about the company redesigning the ‌Mac Pro‌ to feature a similar but more compact enclosure that was "about half the size." This smaller, redesigned Apple silicon model that was once believed to be in development could move forward after the release of the M4 Ultra version in 2025.

Apple could also revitalize the ‌Mac Pro‌ by offering new optional MPX modules that integrate with the Apple silicon architecture, such as a next-generation Afterburner accelerator card. Of course, it is also possible that the product line could ultimately merge with the ‌Mac Studio‌. For now, ‌Mac Pro‌ rumors center on the long-awaited upgrade to the M4 Ultra chip later this year.
This article, "Where Does Mac Pro Go Next After M4 Ultra?" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

While the iPhone 17 lineup is still around seven months away from launching, rumors about the devices continue to surface.


The latest word comes from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter over the weekend, he said that Apple plans to emphasize the iPhone 17 Pro's improved video recording capabilities when it unveils the device later this year, although he did not reveal any specific new features that may be coming.

Here is what he said:

In past years, Apple has focused more heavily on the camera's photo-taking abilities. This year it will stress improvements to video recording. One of the goals for 2025's iPhone line is to get the vlogging community and other video creators to move away from standalone cameras and use the iPhone for even more of their work. Look for Apple to more heavily than ever tout these video recording capabilities when the new iPhones debut in September.

Video recording capabilities already added to iPhones over the years include an Action mode for stabilization, Cinematic mode for shallow depth-of-field, and more.

Multiple sources have claimed that the iPhone 17 Pro models will feature a redesigned rear camera system. An alleged render of the iPhone 17 Pro revealed that the back of the device will supposedly have a large rectangular camera bar with rounded corners. The device is expected to have three 48-megapixel rear cameras.

Gurman's newsletter also reiterated that Apple plans to launch its first foldable iPhone in 2026.
This article, "iPhone 17 Pro Said to Offer Bigger-Than-Usual Video Recording Upgrades" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Graphics benchmarks for Apple's yet-to-be announced MacBook Air models with M4 processors have popped up on Geekbench, giving us an idea of how much faster the GPU component of Apple's second-generation 3-nanometer chips are compared to the existing M3 models.


A Geekbench 6 result listing for a "Mac16,12" was recorded on February 23 whose specs include a 10-core chip and 24GB of RAM. Notably, the machine is running a special 24C2101 build of macOS Sequoia 15.2 – the same version that Apple accidentally released back in December that originally confirmed the existence of next-generation 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models. This strongly suggests the benchmark is legit.

As for the result, the machine recorded a Metal score of 55,516. Scores for the existing 13-inch M4 iPad Pro are in the same ballpark, which we would expect. For added context, the existing M3 MacBook Air averages a Metal score of around 48-49,000.

Both the MacBook Air and iPad Pro lack fans for thermal management, so it makes sense that there would be little if any difference between the chips' graphics performance. For comparison, an M4 MacBook Pro with fans can average around ~57,000 on the same benchmark.

According to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman's latest report, Apple is preparing its marketing, sales, and retail teams for a March launch of new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models. Gurman has previously said the new models will be released "within weeks." Apart from the new M4 chip, no other significant revisions are expected.
This article, "M4 MacBook Air Benchmark Suggests GPU on Par With M4 iPad Pro" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple plans to launch a second-generation AirTag in May or June this year, according to a post today from a leaker known as Kosutami.


Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported that a new AirTag would be released in mid-2025. May or June would align with that timeframe.

Below, we recap three new features 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.

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.

Kosutami is best known as a collector of prototype Apple products, but they have occasionally shared accurate information about Apple's future plans. For example, they accurately revealed that the iPhone 16 Pro would be equipped with a metal-enclosed battery many months before the device launched. However, their August 2024 claim that new AirPods Pro would be coming "soon" did not pan out, as AirPods Pro 3 have yet to launch.

In another post today, Kosutami seems to be once again implying that new AirPods Pro are on the horizon, along with new Apple smart home accessories. Apple is expected to unveil an all-new smart home hub this year, and it is also rumored to be working on a Face ID doorbell and a smart home camera for release in 2026 or later.
This article, "AirTag 2 Rumored to Launch in May or June With These New Features" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple plans to eventually integrate the modem component in its devices into the main processor, making the electronics more power-efficient and less costly to produce, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


"I'd expect this in 2028 at the earliest," said the reporter in his Power On newsletter. Funnily enough, that's the same year that Apple could begin building its own custom modem into cellular MacBook models, as previously reported by Gurman. However, in his latest report, Gurman did not mention Macs in the same sentence as modems.

Apple has explored the possibility of developing MacBooks with cellular connectivity in the past. Indeed, the company reportedly considered launching a MacBook Air with 3G connectivity, but former CEO Steve Jobs said in 2008 that Apple decided against it, since it would take up too much room in the case. An integrated SoC would solve that problem.

Apple debuted its first custom modem, the C1, in the new iPhone 16e, which the company unveiled last week. According to Apple, the C1 is the most power efficient modem that's been included in an iPhone to date. The ‌iPhone 16e‌ has the longest battery life of an ‌iPhone‌ with a 6.1-inch form factor, and it lasts for up to 26 hours when watching video. Apple says the C1 is "just the start."

Gurman said that Apple is already testing the so-called C2 modem as well as its successor, the C3, which is expected to arrive in 2027, by which time Apple hopes it will "outdo Qualcomm's modem capabilities." MacRumors has previously reported that Apple is testing a C2 modem, which is said to be debuting in Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models next year, according to Gurman.

Apple has reportedly been working on its own modem since 2018, as it seeks to move away from Qualcomm's component currently used in iPhones. Apple's transition away from Qualcomm modems is a logical step, given their turbulent history. Despite recent tensions, the two companies recently extended their modem supply agreement through March 2027, allowing Apple ample time to perfect its own solution.
This article, "Apple Aims to Eventually Integrate Future Modems into Main Processor" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Former Apple design chief Sir Jony Ive says he still frequently asks himself "What would Steve do?" – despite Jobs specifically requesting that he shouldn't.


Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, Ive shared that Jobs had directly told him before his death in 2011: "I really don't want you to be thinking 'Well, what would Steve do?'"

The legendary designer, who helped craft iconic products like the iMac, iPhone, and Apple Watch, spoke warmly of his collaboration with Jobs, defending the Apple co-founder's reputation for being demanding. "If you have such a clear, pure view of creating something new... if you are serious about actually wanting to develop and make it, you can't just say 'well, here's an idea,'" Ive explained. "Because if that's how you're going to behave, it will remain an idea."

The British-born designer, who moved from Essex to San Francisco in 1992 to join Apple, noted that Jobs immediately understood his vision when he returned to the then-struggling company five years later. "It was remarkable that, despite the limitations of my ability to communicate, Steve understood what I thought and how I felt," Ive said.

Ive said he fears that the technology he has helped to create could now be interfering with human creativity, adding that he finds it difficult to monitor his own use of technology. Ive also expressed both his excitement and concern about the threat posed by AI and its unchecked speed of development: "We need time to understand and react," he said.

Steve Jobs died in 2011 from pancreatic cancer. Today would have been his 70th birthday. The emotional impact of Jobs' passing was evident in Ive's admission that he couldn't bring himself to read anything about his former colleague and friend for a decade after his death in 2011.

After leaving his role as chief design officer, Ive continued to work with Apple as a consultant through LoveFrom until 2022, when the partnership officially concluded. Ive has since officially confirmed his involvement in an AI hardware project with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

Among Ive's musical choices on the long-running BBC radio show were "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds and part of the soundtrack from the Disney Pixar robot movie Wall-E.

(Via The Guardian.)
This article, "Jony Ive Still Asks 'What Would Steve Do?' Despite Jobs' Warning" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple's next-generation C2 modem is expected to arrive in 2026, debuting in Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said that Apple is already testing the so-called C2 modem as well as its successor, the C3, which is expected to arrive in 2027, by which time Apple hopes it will "outdo Qualcomm's modem capabilities." MacRumors has previously reported that Apple is testing a C2 modem.

Apple's C1 modem debuted in the iPhone 16e, which the company unveiled last week. Apple says its first custom modem chip is the most power-efficient iPhone modem ever, contributing to the device having the longest battery life of any 6.1-inch iPhone ever, including the more expensive regular iPhone 16.

Gurman previously reported that Apple's second-generation 5G modem will debut in the iPhone 18 lineup in 2026 and in iPad Pro models by 2027. He said this modem will better compete with Qualcomm's modems in current iPhones by adding support for the ultra-fast 5G standard known as mmWave, a feature the C1 modem lacks.

Apple's rumored all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air is expected to be next in line to use the new C1 modem. The new slimmer device is expected to replace the Plus model in the upcoming iPhone 17 lineup, which is expected to arrive in mid-September.
This article, "Apple's C2 Modem Expected to Feature in Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple has announced plans to invest $500 billion in the United States over the next four years, including a significant expansion of its domestic manufacturing and research capabilities, according to Bloomberg. The commitment comes following a recent meeting between CEO Tim Cook and President Donald Trump.


The tech giant's plans include the construction of a new server manufacturing facility in Houston, where Apple and Foxconn will produce servers for Apple's Private Cloud Compute system. The 250,000-square-foot facility is scheduled to open next year.

Apple will also establish a supplier academy in Michigan, "to train the next generation of US manufacturers," and will expand its data center presence across multiple states, including Arizona, Oregon, Iowa, Nevada, and North Carolina. The company confirmed that chip production has already begun at TSMC's Arizona facility, which is currently manufacturing components for some Apple Watch and iPad models.

The 20,000 new jobs Apple plans to create will focus primarily on research and development, silicon engineering, and artificial intelligence. This matches the company's previous hiring wave, which added 20,000 R&D positions over the last five years.

In Detroit, Apple plans to double down on manufacturing education by opening a dedicated academy to support smaller companies. The tech giant is also doubling its US manufacturing fund to $10 billion.

"We are bullish on the future of American innovation, and we're proud to build on our long-standing US investments with this $500 billion commitment to our country’s future," Cook said in a statement. "We'll keep working with people and companies across this country to help write an extraordinary new chapter in the history of American innovation."

The announcement is likely to have been strategically timed, given that Trump has threatened to impose an additional 10% tax on Chinese imports. Cook previously succeeded in protecting the iPhone from tariffs during Trump's first term by arguing that such measures would end up benefiting competitors like Samsung.
This article, "Apple Announces $500B US Investment Plan, Adding 20K Jobs" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs was born on February 24, 1955, so today would have marked his 70th birthday if he hadn't passed away in 2011 at the age of 56.


In 1976, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak co-founded Apple Computer Company to market Wozniak's Apple I, a pioneering personal computer. Their collaboration led to the introduction of the Apple II in 1977, which significantly influenced the personal computing industry.

In 1984, Apple launched the Macintosh, notable for its graphical user interface and the iconic "1984" Super Bowl commercial directed by Ridley Scott. However, internal conflicts led to Jobs' departure from Apple in 1985. He then founded NeXT Inc., focusing on advanced computer platforms.

In 1997, Apple acquired NeXT, bringing Jobs back to the company as interim CEO. Under his leadership, Apple revitalized its product line and introduced groundbreaking products like the iMac, iPod, and iPhone. Apple Computer Company was renamed Apple Inc. in 2007 as the company expanded its focus from computers to consumer electronics.

Jobs remained at the helm until his death in 2011, during which time Apple transformed into one of the world's leading technology companies.

As expected, Apple CEO Tim Cook has shared his thoughts about Steve on X (Twitter):

We miss you, Steve!
This article, "Steve Jobs Would Have Celebrated His 70th Birthday Today" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

A new CAD render of all the devices in Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 lineup has been shared online by leaker Majin Bu, specifically showing the allegedly different rear camera system designs of the standard iPhone 17, all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air, and the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models.


The leaker Majin Bu has had some hits in the past, but some of his information has been wrong, including a rumor about an iPad 11 being imminent in 2023. What's different in this particular case is that Weibo-based leakers Fixed Focus Digital, Ice Universe, and Digital Chat Station have all backed the accuracy of the CAD image, based on their own information from Apple's supply chain in China. "The appearance is basically like this," commented Digital Chat Station in reference to the image. It might just be time to get used to this new look.

"The CAD renders are quite accurate," said Fixed Focus Digital. "Let me add a bit more detail: The iPhone 17 Pro models will most likely use a combination of materials — specifically, a glass section for the logo area integrated into an overall metal chassis." This appears to explain the red areas on the iPhone 17 Pro models in the image. Indeed, rumors do suggest Apple plans to go with a half glass, half aluminum build, which would increase durability. The glass would allow wireless charging to continue to be available, but a partial aluminum frame would be less prone to breakage.

Apple has also reportedly tested a wireless reverse charging feature for the iPhone 17 Pro models that would make the iPhone capable of delivering power to other Apple devices.

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

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

In contrast, the base iPhone 17 is expected to maintain the current camera design language seen in the iPhone 16 series, helping to further differentiate Apple's premium and standard offerings.

Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu earlier this month said the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all be equipped with aluminum frames. However, Pu expects Apple's rumored iPhone 17 Air model to have a titanium frame. Apple introduced titanium as a feature for its Pro models in 2023, but Pu said Apple plans to use aluminum for the iPhone 17 Pro models due to environmental considerations.

What do you think of the alleged changes in this year's iPhone 17 series? Let us know in the comments. Apple is anticipated to unveil the iPhone 17 lineup during its traditional September launch window.
This article, "Revealed: Entire iPhone 17 Lineup's Striking New Camera Designs" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Seasoned leaker Sonny Dickson shared rendered images over the weekend depicting what the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro Max could look like when housed in a transparent MagSafe case, based on the latest rumors.


The main difference we're expecting in Apple's largest premium model is the redesigned camera system on the rear. Rather than a square bump, Apple could adopt a larger rectangular camera bump that's made from aluminum instead of glass.

The first significant rumor regarding design updates for the iPhone 17 lineup surfaced last November from Wayne Ma at The Information. Ma reported that the rear casing of the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models will adopt a hybrid aluminum-and-glass construction.

The top half of the back will be made of aluminum and feature a "rectangular camera bump made of aluminum rather than traditional 3D glass," claimed the report, while the bottom half will continue to be made of glass to support wireless charging.

Earlier this month, leaker Jon Prosser a shared a render of the iPhone 17 Pro. The ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌'s three rear cameras will apparently be arranged in a familiar triangular layout, but housed in an all-new rectangular bar that extends all the way across the back of the device.


These rumors feed into reports that suggest Apple could completely do away with the titanium frame that it's used for the last several years, instead going back to aluminum.

Both of the iPhone 17 Pro models are said to feature these changes, while the all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air, which replaces the Plus model in the lineup, is also rumored to feature a horizontal rear camera bar, albeit housing just one camera. Meanwhile, recent rumors suggest that the standard iPhone 17 model will retain the same rear camera system design that's used in current iPhone 16 models. The iPhone 17 lineup is expected to launch around mid-September.
This article, "iPhone 17 Pro Max in MagSafe Case: Here's How It Could Look" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today announced that its clinical-grade, over-the-counter Hearing Aid feature for AirPods Pro 2 is now available in the United Kingdom.

"At Apple, we believe that technology can help people live healthier lives, and we're delighted to bring the Hearing Aid feature to the UK, offering our users an end-to-end hearing health experience with AirPods Pro 2," said Sumbul Desai, M.D., Apple's vice president of Health.

The Hearing Aid feature enhances ambient sounds, assisting adults who perceive themselves as having mild to moderate hearing impairment, according to Apple. This functionality is provided at no extra charge in supported countries, delivered via free software updates.

Using the personalised hearing profile generated from the Hearing Test that takes about five minutes to complete, the feature helps adults determine whether they have hearing loss by assessing how well they can detect various sound frequencies. Upon completion, users receive a classification of their hearing level along with suggested actions. Meanwhile, their hearing profile is automatically applied to music, movies, games, and phone calls across devices.

Apple's hearing health features first launched in the US and select other countries in late October with the release of iOS 18.1. In December, iOS 18.2 expanded the hearing test feature to France, Italy, Luxembourg, Romania, Spain, Cyprus, Czechia, and the UK, and both the hearing aid and hearing test features to the United Arab Emirates. Today's announcement means that both the hearing test and the Hearing Aid feature are finally available to users in the UK.


All of the hearing health features on the AirPods Pro 2 require firmware version 7B19 or newer. Firmware updates are installed automatically on AirPods while they are charging and in Bluetooth range of an iPhone, iPad, or Mac connected to Wi-Fi.
This article, "AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Aid Feature Now Available in the UK" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

The first beta of iOS 18.4 is now available, and it includes a small but useful change for CarPlay.


As we noted in our list of iOS 18.4 features, CarPlay now shows a third row of icons, up from two rows previously. However, this change is only visible in vehicles with a larger center display. For example, a MacRumors Forums member noticed the change in a Toyota Tundra, which can be equipped with up to a 14-inch screen.

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

While this is only a minor change, CarPlay showing more icons when possible is a nice quality-of-life improvement for Apple's phone mirroring system, allowing drivers to quickly access more apps with less swiping between pages.

Following beta testing, iOS 18.4 is expected to be released to the public in early April.
This article, "iOS 18.4 Includes a Small But Useful Change for CarPlay" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple has started preparing its marketing, sales, and retail teams as it gears up for the March release of new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models featuring M4 chips, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said that current models are also seeing inventory drawn down at stores, which is another signal that a launch is nearing. A launch has been thought to be imminent for a while now. In fact, it was originally rumored to be planned as Apple's first hardware launch of the year, but that turned out to be the iPhone 16e, which debuted over the past week.

Gurman last week said Apple will begin selling new MacBook Air models featuring its latest M4 chip by March "at the latest," so his wording suggests he is fully confident that the machines are arriving next month. Whether that's in the first half of March or later in the month is still unclear.

Twelve days ago Gurman claimed that the machines would be introduced "within weeks." While he's betting on March, Gurman seems not further forward on learning the exact release timing of the new versions of the company's most popular laptop.

Apple inadvertently confirmed the upcoming M4 ‌MacBook Air‌ machines back in December when the macOS Sequoia 15.2 software update included files for unreleased "Mac16,12" and "Mac16,13" machines. The files referenced the "‌‌MacBook Air‌‌ (13-inch, M4, 2025)" and the "‌‌MacBook Air‌‌ (15-inch, M4, 2025)."
This article, "M4 MacBook Air Marketing, Sales, Retail Teams Prepare for March Debut" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Amazon and Best Buy are discounting Apple's 13-inch M2 MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM and 256GB SSD storage down to $799.00 in every color. This is a $200 discount on the M2 MacBook Air, and the sale does not require any coupon code in order to see the final deal price.

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

Compared to past sales, this is a solid second-best price on this model of the M2 MacBook Air. Although this is a previous generation device, it remains in Apple's current lineup and will work great for anyone who doesn't need the performance gains introduced with the M3 chip, especially at this discounted price.



If you're looking for a deal on the M3 MacBook Air, you can get the 15-inch M3 MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM and 256GB SSD storage for $1,099.99 on Amazon, down from $1,299.00. There is only one color available at this record low price on Amazon.



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, "Amazon Takes $200 Off M2 MacBook Air, Get it for Just $799" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

This week saw Apple introduce the newest member of the iPhone 16 family, the iPhone 16e, as a new low-cost option to replace the iPhone SE. The iPhone 16e delivers a number of key improvements as well as Apple's first custom cellular modem.


Apple also began seeding the first beta versions of its next round of operating systems, and there are a number of tweaks and improvements in iOS 18.4 while visionOS 2.4 will bring Apple Intelligence to the Vision Pro headset, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!

Apple Announces iPhone 16e With A18 Chip and Apple Intelligence, Pricing Starts at $599

As expected, Apple this week introduced a successor to the third-generation iPhone SE, and it arrived with a name change: iPhone 16e.


The iPhone 16e features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, up from a 4.7-inch LCD on the iPhone SE. The display has a notch for Face ID, completing Apple's move away from the Touch ID fingerprint button on its iPhone lineup.

The iPhone 16e is powered by an A18 chip, enabling support for Apple Intelligence features, such as notification summaries and Genmoji for creating custom emoji. In the iPhone 16e, the A18 chip has a 6-core CPU and a 16-core Neural Engine, but a binned 4-core GPU. The A18 chip in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus has a 5-core GPU.

Apple Unveils 'C1' as First Custom Cellular Modem

One notable feature of the iPhone 16e is the inclusion of Apple's first custom cellular modem, dubbed C1. Apple says it's the most power-efficient modem ever in an iPhone, helping the iPhone 16e to achieve the longest battery life ever in a 6.1-inch iPhone.


While the C1 is the culmination of seven years of work for Apple, it's also just the first in a family of chips that will see Apple iterate and improve upon the C1. In fact, a C2 modem chip is reportedly already in testing.

iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 16 Buyer's Guide: 25+ Differences Compared

While the iPhone 16e starting at $599 is considerably more expensive than the iPhone SE it's replacing, it's still $200 cheaper than the iPhone 16.


For those weighing whether to purchase an iPhone 16e or an iPhone 16, we've put together a buyer's guide highlighting the over 25 differences between the models to help you decide.

Everything New in iOS 18.4 Beta 1

Apple this week finally released the first beta of iOS 18.4 to developers for testing purposes, and while the beta is lacking some of the Apple Intelligence features we were hoping for, there are some notable new additions.


Priority Notifications powered by Apple Intelligence, the addition of the Sketch style to Image Playground, numerous new languages for Apple Intelligence, and Ambient Music functionality built into Control Center, and more are included in iOS 18.4 so far.

Apple Releases First visionOS 2.4 Beta With Apple Intelligence, Spatial Gallery and More

Apple Intelligence is coming to the Vision Pro with visionOS 2.4. Supported Apple Intelligence features include Writing Tools for generating, proofreading, and summarizing text, Genmoji for creating custom emoji characters, an Image Playground app for generating images, Memory Movie for creating custom slideshows, smart reply for generating quick responses to texts and emails, Priority Notifications and Notification Summaries, ChatGPT Siri integration and new ‌Siri‌ features, and Image Wand for adding images to the Notes app, complete with gesture support.


There's also a dedicated Spatial Gallery app coming to the Vision Pro, which will include a curated selection of spatial videos, spatial photos, and panorama images from artists, filmmakers, and photographers. A new Vision Pro app for iPhone will also allow users to get Vision Pro support and feature help, download apps to the Vision Pro, add content to a watch list, and get device info like serial number. The app can also be used to manage Guest Mode on Vision Pro.

Apple Discontinues iPhone 14 and 14 Plus

While it's unsurprising that Apple discontinued the iPhone SE alongside the introduction of the iPhone 16e, Apple also discontinued the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, simplifying the overall lineup.


The discontinuation makes sense considering the pricing on the iPhone 16e and the fact that the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus would have been the only models in the lineup to still be using Lightning rather than USB-C.

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 16e Announced, iOS 18.4 Beta, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Amazon this week has Apple's AirTag 4-Pack for $69.99, down from $99.00. Amazon introduced this all-time low price back in January, and it's been reappearing throughout the month of February.

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

Amazon provides an estimated late February delivery date for most residences in the United States, and you won't need to clip an on-page coupon in order to see this deal. If you're shopping for just one AirTag, Amazon has the AirTag 1-Pack for $22.99, which is about $3 higher compared to that option's record low price.



Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

---

This article, "Apple's AirTag 4-Pack Drops to Record Low $69.99 Price on Amazon" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

California Governor Gavin Newsom this week recommended former Apple CEO Steve Jobs for the $1 American Innovation Coin for the State of California that will be minted by the U.S. Mint.


Each state is able to create a unique coin recognizing an innovation or innovator from their region as part of the Innovation Coin Program that was launched in 2018.

Newsom said that Steve Jobs "encapsulates the unique brand of innovation that California runs on."

Jobs' legacy spans industries and products: Jobs was the co-founder and CEO of Pixar Animation Studios, bringing to life the world's first fully computer-animated feature: "Toy Story." But even that legacy-defining achievement is surpassed by his work as co-founder and two-time CEO of Apple, launching several revolutionary computers, including Apple II - the first mass-produced microcomputer - and Macintosh - the first mass-market personal computer that included a graphic display, so users could see what they were working on.

The goal, according to Jobs, was to "bridge the gap between sophisticated technology and 'the rest of us' who make up most of humanity...to make complex technology easy to use and fun to use." That approach led to the iPod, iPhone, and iPad, devices that refined existing technology to make it more precise, more intuitive, and more functional.

By focusing on who he was innovating for - other people - Jobs was able to use technology to connect people to each other and to the broader world, bringing people onto the same level by providing them with equal access. And that approach was built on a willingness to try new ideas and push the boundaries of what was possible - an approach that embodies the California spirit.

California's nomination has been presented to the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC), which will take design recommendations to the Treasury Secretary for final approval. The CCAC decided to recommend a coin with Steve Jobs in his iconic turtleneck and glasses, but the design is not finalized and could be updated before the coin is made.

The coin is expected to be produced and made available in 2026.
This article, "California Nominates Steve Jobs for $1 American Innovation Coin" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

The new iPhone 16e includes Apple's first custom designed modem chip, the C1. To promote the new chip, Apple invited several YouTubers and journalists to Apple Park, including Andru Edwards. Edwards got a first-hand look at Apple's modem testing labs, and he was able to speak to Apple engineers about the C1.


According to Apple, the C1 is the most power efficient modem that's been included in an iPhone to date, and that's the edge that the C1 has over Qualcomm's modems. The ‌iPhone 16e‌ has the longest battery life of an ‌iPhone‌ with a 6.1-inch form factor, and it lasts for up to 26 hours when watching video.

At Apple's modem testing labs, Apple engineers spent years testing the C1, determining how it would behave under various conditions using a range of equipment. Apple's testing lab allows it to identify and fix issues before a modem chip ever leaves the design stage.

The C1 was tested in environmental chambers where it was exposed to different extreme temperatures to ensure that it can operate in the harshest conditions. Repeated physical tests also ensure that the chip is able to stand up to daily wear and tear. Network tests cover the heavy data traffic of a packed stadium to remote rural areas with minimal signal.

Apple tested the C1 with over 180 carriers across 55 countries to ensure that it delivers reliable connectivity. The C1 is designed to integrate with the A18 chip, with the A18 able to optimize C1 network load for faster speeds.

According to Apple, the C1 is built on a 4-nanometer processor for the baseband and a 7-nanometer process for the transceiver, and it is a robust platform that's built for the future. Right now, the C1 does not support the faster mmWave 5G speeds, but future versions are likely to add the functionality.

Rumors suggest that a next-generation C2 chip is already in development for future ‌iPhone‌ models.
This article, "Here's a Look at Apple's Secret Modem Testing Lab Where C1 Was Developed" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums