Google is rolling out AI-powered image editing capabilities to its Gemini app on iPhone, allowing users to modify both uploaded and AI-generated images directly within the app.


The new functionality enables background changes, object replacements, and element additions to existing photos. Users can upload personal images and prompt Gemini to generate variations, such as visualizing different hair colors or styles.

All images created or edited through Gemini will include invisible SynthID digital watermarking. Google says it is also testing visible watermarks for AI-generated content. The rollout is happening now and will expand to over 45 languages in the coming weeks, according to the company.

In another app improvement, Google told MacRumors that it is introducing Home Screen widgets for Gemini on iOS devices. The widgets provide immediate access to camera functions, file sharing, Gemini Live conversations, and microphone activation without opening the app. The widgets require iOS 17 or later and will be available to all eligible users by next week.


The standalone Gemini app launched for iPhone in November 2024, offering Dynamic Island integration and Gemini Live support as part of Google's effort to achieve feature parity with the Android version.
This article, "Google Adds AI Image Editing and Home Screen Widgets to Gemini App" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple achieved impressive 13% year-over-year growth in Q1 2025, shipping 55 million iPhones worldwide and increasing its global market share to 19%, up from 16% a year ago, according to the latest Canalys research.


Apple's performance is in stark contrast to the broader smartphone market, which recorded just 0.2% growth with 296.9 million units shipped globally.

Samsung maintained its lead with 60.5 million units and 20% market share, but it grew only 1% compared to last year. Xiaomi secured third place with 41.8 million units, followed by vivo and OPPO with about 8% market share each.

The U.S. smartphone market was a bright spot, growing 12% year-on-year, mainly driven by iPhone sales. According to Le Xuan Chiew of Canalys, "Apple proactively built up inventory ahead of anticipated tariff policies," which helped it lead the pack.

Apple has been diversifying production recently by ramping up iPhone manufacturing in India for both standard iPhone 15 and 16 models, as well as iPhone 16 Pro models. Ongoing fluctuations in reciprocal tariff policies are making Apple further shift U.S.-bound production to India to reduce exposure to future risks.


There was a lot of variation in regional demand in Q1. The U.S. market grew substantially and China benefited from government subsidies, but previously strong markets like India, Latin America, and the Middle East had notable declines.

Canalys expects the U.S. smartphone market to experience significant volatility over the next two to three quarters, due to inventory corrections and weakening consumer confidence in the face of fluctuating import tariffs.
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In a scorching ruling against Apple, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers on Wednesday accused an Apple finance executive of providing false testimony under oath during the company's ongoing legal battle with Epic Games.


The judge stated that Alex Roman, Apple's vice president of finance, gave testimony that was "replete with misdirection and outright lies" regarding when Apple decided on its controversial 27 percent commission fee for purchases made outside the App Store.

"Contemporaneous business documents reveal that on the contrary, the main components of Apple's plan, including the 27 percent commission, were determined in July 2023," wrote Gonzalez Rogers in her ruling. "Neither Apple, nor its counsel, corrected the, now obvious, lies."

The ruling is significant enough that Gonzalez Rogers is referring the case to a U.S. attorney for possible criminal contempt proceedings against both Apple and Roman.

The reduced 27 percent 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.

That's set to change though after Wednesday's ruling. The court now says Apple cannot collect any fee or commission for purchases that consumers make outside of an app, nor can it track, audit, or monitor consumer activity.

The judge didn't mince words in her assessment of Apple's behavior, writing that "Apple willfully chose not to comply with this Court's Injunction" and did so "with the express intent to create new anticompetitive barriers" to maintain its revenue stream.

"That it thought this Court would tolerate such insubordination was a gross miscalculation," she added. "As always, the cover-up made it worse. For this Court, there is no second bite at the apple."

The false testimony appears to have particularly aggravated the judge, who said in her ruling that the alleged deception compounded Apple's original violation of the anti-steering injunction.

In a brief statement, Apple said: "We strongly disagree with the decision. We will comply with the court's order and we will appeal."
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Apple plans to change its U.S. App Store rules in accordance with a ruling from the U.S Northern District of California, Apple said in a statement to MacRumors. The company does plan to appeal the decision, though.


"We strongly disagree with the decision. We will comply with the court's order and we will appeal," reads Apple's statement.

Apple was found to be in violation of a 2021 injunction that targeted its anti-steering ‌App Store‌ rules, and the company has been ordered to comply with that injunction immediately. The court has provided instructions on the changes that Apple needs to make.

• Apple cannot prevent developers from adding links or buttons that direct customers to make purchases outside of the ‌App Store‌.


• Apple cannot collect any fee or commission for purchases that consumers make outside of an app, nor can it track, audit, or monitor consumer activity.


• Apple cannot control the language, formatting, placement, or style that developers use to direct customers to purchases outside of an app.


• Apple cannot interfere with consumers' choice to leave an app with anything other than a neutral message about visiting a third-party site, so no "scare screens."


• Apple is prohibited from excluding certain categories of apps and developers from obtaining link access.


• Apple cannot prevent developers from using dynamic links that bring consumers to a specific product page in a logged-in state, nor can it prevent apps from providing product details, user details, or other information that refers to the user intending to make a purchase.

In the order, the court said that it "will not tolerate further delays" and that the ruling is effective immediately, so Apple will need to make these changes imminently.
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Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney today said that Fortnite will return to the U.S. App Store next week, and he offered a "peace proposal" with a pledge to bring Fortnite back to iOS worldwide if Apple follows certain steps.


"Epic puts forth a peace proposal: If Apple extends the court's friction-free, Apple-tax-free framework worldwide, we'll return Fortnite to the ‌App Store‌ worldwide and drop current and future litigation on the topic," Sweeney wrote.

Earlier today, Apple was found to be willfully violating a 2021 anti-steering injunction that was put in place as part of its legal battle with ‌Epic Games‌. In a strongly worded ruling, the judge overseeing the case ordered Apple to immediately change its ‌App Store‌ rules.

Apple must drop all of its anti-steering policies. The company is no longer allowed to prevent developers from letting customers know about options to purchase subscriptions and content outside of the ‌App Store‌. Apple cannot control link placement, the language that developers use to direct customers to make purchases outside of an app, or the style that developers use for communicating non in-app purchase options.

Further, Apple is not able to charge fees or collect commission for any purchases made outside of an app.

The ruling is a significant blow to Apple. After the injunction was put into place in 2021, Apple had a three year reprieve as it appealed, but ultimately the company was required to make changes in 2024. Apple ultimately allowed developers a single link to direct customers outside of the ‌App Store‌, and collected between 12 and 27 percent in fees for purchases made from those links.

‌Epic Games‌ accused Apple of violating the anti-steering injunction after the new rules were put in place, and requested that the court find Apple in contempt. The judge sided with ‌Epic Games‌, and decided that Apple's solution did not go far enough to address its anticompetitive behavior.

Apple will not be able to delay making rule changes to the U.S. ‌App Store‌ based on the wording of the ruling, and ‌Epic Games‌ is proposing that Apple extend those changes worldwide. If Apple does so, ‌Epic Games‌ will drop all litigation.
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In a victory for Epic Games, Apple was today found to be in violation of a 2021 injunction that required it to allow developers to direct customers to third-party purchase options on the web using in-app links.


Judge Yvonne Gonzalez-Rogers, who has been handling the Apple vs. ‌Epic Games‌ dispute for the last five years, said that Apple is in "willful violation" of the injunction she issued to prohibit anticompetitive conduct and pricing. "Apple's continued attempts to interfere with competition will not be tolerated," reads the ruling.

For background, ‌Epic Games‌ in 2024 accused Apple of violating the 2021 anti-steering injunction. Apple did allow developers to put a single link in their apps that leads to a website where customers can make a purchase without using the in-app purchase system, but Apple continued to charge a commission, requiring developers to pay between 12 and 27 percent for purchases made using these in-app links.

‌Epic Games‌ asked that Apple be held in contempt of court for failing to comply with the order due to the fee and other strict rules surrounding the single link option available to developers. Apple, meanwhile, claimed that it was fully in compliance with the injunction, but the judge sided with ‌Epic Games‌. In fact, the ruling is not at all favorable to Apple, highlighting in stark language how the Cupertino company failed to comply with the order.

To summarize: One, after trial, the Court found that Apple's 30 percent commission "allowed it to reap supracompetitive operating margins" and was not tied to the value of its intellectual property, and thus, was anticompetitive. Apple's response: charge a 27 percent commission (again tied to nothing) on off-app purchases, where it had previously charged nothing, and extend the commission for a period of seven days after the consumer linked-out of the app. Apple's goal: maintain its anticompetitive revenue stream.

Two, the Court had prohibited Apple from denying developers the ability to communicate with, and direct consumers to, otherpurchasing mechanisms. Apple's response: impose new barriers and new requirements to increase friction and increase breakage rates with full page "scare" screens, static URLs, and generic statements. Apple's goal: to dissuade customer usage of alternative purchase opportunities and maintain its anticompetitive revenue stream.

In the end, Apple sought to maintain a revenue stream worth billions in direct defiance of this Court's Injunction.

Judge Rogers said that the court "will not tolerate further delays," and "Apple will not impede competition." Apple must not impede developers' ability to communicate with users or levy a new commission on off-app purchases. The ruling is effective immediately. Here are the terms that Apple must adhere to:

1. Imposing any commission or any fee on purchases that consumers make outside an app, and as a consequence thereof, no reason exists to audit, monitor, track or require developers to report purchases or any other activity that consumers make outside an app;


2. Restricting or conditioning developers' style, language, formatting, quantity, flow or placement of links for purchases outside an app;


3. Prohibiting or limiting the use of buttons or other calls to action, or otherwise conditioning the content, style, language, formatting, flow or placement of these devices for purchases outside an app;


4. Excluding certain categories of apps and developers from obtaining link access;


5. Interfering with consumers' choice to proceed in or out of an app by using anything other than a neutral message apprising users that they are going to a third-party site;


6. Restricting a developer's use of dynamic links that bring consumers to a specific product page in a logged-in state rather than to a statically defined page, including restricting apps from passing on product details, user details or other information that refers to the user intending to make a purchase

The court is referring the case to the United States Attorney for the Northern District of California to "investigate whether criminal contempt proceedings are appropriate." Apple has also been sanctioned in the amount of the full cost of Epic's attorney fees through May 15, 2025.

Update: In a statement to MacRumors, Apple said the following: "We strongly disagree with the decision. We will comply with the court's order and we will appeal."
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Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser that was first introduced in March 2016. Apple designed ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ to allow users to test features that are planned for future release versions of the Safari browser.


‌Safari Technology Preview‌ 218 includes fixes and updates for CSS, JavaScript, Lockdown Mode, Rendering, SVG, Web API, Web Extensions, Web Inspector, and WebRTC.

The current ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ release is compatible with machines running macOS Sonoma and macOS Sequoia, the newest version of macOS.

The ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ update is available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences or System Settings to anyone who has downloaded the browser from Apple’s website. Complete release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website.

Apple’s aim with ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while it is designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download and use.
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Meta this week sent out an email (via The Verge) to Meta Ray-Ban customers informing them about upcoming privacy changes to the smart glasses, which will increase the amount of data that Meta is collecting by default.


Meta says that voice recordings are stored by default when using Meta AI, and used to improve Meta products. Meta has eliminated the option to disable voice recording storage, and recordings need to be manually deleted in settings. Further, the "camera use" setting for Meta AI is now enabled by default.

From Meta's email:

• Meta AI with camera use is always enabled on your glasses unless you turn off "Hey Meta."


• Recordings of your voice are stored by default when using Meta AI and may be used to improve AI at Meta and other Meta products. The option to disable voice recordings storage is no longer available, but you can delete recordings anytime in Settings.


• You're still in control. You can turn off "Hey Meta" or delete Meta AI interactions anytime.

Photos and videos taken with the built-in camera are stored on a connected smartphone and are not used by Meta for training, unless those photos are used by a Meta product. If a photo or video is used with Meta AI, or if cloud processing is turned on and media is sent to Meta's servers, it can be used to improving Meta's services. Of course, uploading images and video to Instagram and other Meta apps also gives Meta the exact same access.

So if you say "Hey Meta, record a video," by default Meta records the voice command and stores the recording and an audio transcript of it, a feature that is now turned on by default and can't be turned off. If cloud processing is also on, or if you ask Meta AI a question about the video, Meta can access and use the video for AI training purposes.

Turning off Meta AI entirely on the Ray-Ban glasses and using manual controls for snapping photos and videos is the best method to ensure that Meta isn't collecting excessive data. More information is available in Meta's privacy policy.
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Apple this week sent out notices to people who may have been targeted with government-sponsored spyware attacks, reports TechCrunch. An Italian journalist and a Dutch activist said that they received notifications from Apple via iMessage and email.

Apple detected that you are being targeted by a mercenary spyware attack that is trying to remotely compromise the iPhone associated with your Apple Account. This attack is likely targeting you specifically because of who you are or what you do. Although it's never possible to achieve absolute certainty when detecting such attacks, Apple has high confidence in this warning - please take it seriously.

Apple said in its message that the notification was being sent to targeted users in 100 countries, and the company advised that those receiving the alert enable Lockdown Mode and ensure that their iPhones are updated to iOS 18.4.1. Apple also warned against opening links or attachments from unexpected or unknown senders.

We are unable to provide more information about what caused us to send you this notification, as that may help mercenary spyware attacker adapt their behavior to evade detection in the future. Apple threat notifications like this one will never ask you to click any links, install an app or profile, or provide your Apple Account password or verification code by email or over the phone.

Apple has been sending out notices like this to those targeted in state-sponsored attacks since 2021. Many state-sponsored surveillance campaigns use the Pegasus spyware from NSO Group, and Apple launched a lawsuit against NSO Group in 2021.

According to a support document on Apple's threat notification policy, Apple sends out alerts multiple times per year when attacks are detected, and to date, users in over 150 countries have been notified about potential attacks.
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Google and the United States Justice Department are back in court to fight over the remedies that will be implemented to address Google's search monopoly, and Google CEO Sundar Pichai today took the stand to defend Google.


The DoJ wants Google to divest its Chrome browser, refrain from making search engine agreements like the one Google has with Apple, and share "critical portions" of its search data with competitors at a "marginal cost," including how it ranks search results and query understanding information. According to Pichai, these remedies would essentially mean the end of Google search.

As outlined by The New York Times, Pichai said that if Google had to share data, the company wouldn't likely continue to invest in search. "The combination of all the remedies, I think, makes it unviable to invest in R&D the way we have for the past three decades, to continue to innovate and build Google search," he said. He suggested that Google would not be able to fund "all the innovation" that the company puts into search.

Pichai said that the data sharing requirement would be a "de facto divestiture" of Google's intellectual property. With that information, Pichai claimed that any company could "completely reverse engineer, end to end, every aspect of [Google's] technology stack." He said that the DoJ's proposal that Google share its data is "extraordinary" and "far reaching."

Google wants to be able to continue to make search engine deals like the one it has with Apple, according to Pichai, though he suggested those deals could be renegotiated on an annual basis and that those deals would not be exclusive. Google's upcoming deal to add Gemini to the iPhone along with OpenAI was cited as an example of Google's new deal making policy.

Judge Amit Mehta, who is overseeing the case, will consider testimony from both Google and the DoJ before he provides remedies. A decision is expected by August, and Google will undoubtedly appeal, so the case is likely to take many more years to play out.
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Apple has reaffirmed its commitment to making chips in the United States as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) begins construction on its third fabrication facility in Arizona.


The facility in Phoenix represents part of a $100 billion investment TSMC pledged in March to make over four years in the American semiconductor industry. The new plant follows the company's initial $65 billion commitment in Arizona and is being positioned as a key node in the effort to manufacture chips for Apple and other U.S.-based technology companies within domestic borders.

A new press release from the U.S. Department of Commerce quotes Apple CEO Tim Cook:

We're proud to support the high-skilled American jobs of tomorrow. As TSMC Arizona's first and largest customer, we're excited for the future of American innovation and the incredible opportunities it will create.

TSMC currently manufactures the majority of Apple's chips in Taiwan. Under current company policy and Taiwanese export restrictions, the most advanced fabrication technologies, including the 3-nanometer processes used to make the A18 and M4 chips, remain exclusive to facilities in Taiwan. The Arizona plants, by contrast, are limited to producing slightly older nodes. These fabs are expected to manufacture 4-nanometer chips such as the A16 Bionic and S9, used in the iPhone 15 and Apple Watch Ultra 2.

In an earnings call earlier this month, TSMC CEO Dr. C.C. Wei said that production yields at the company's first Arizona plant are now matching those in Taiwan. The second plant, announced in 2022, is currently ramping up operations and is expected to become fully operational by 2028. The third facility does not yet have a confirmed completion date.
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Google CEO Sundar Pichai today said that he hopes to reach a deal with Apple regarding built-in Gemini integration on iPhones by the middle of this year, according to Bloomberg. The report said that Pichai shared this remark in court today, during the U.S. Department of Justice's ongoing antitrust trial against Google.


Pichai confirmed that he held a series of discussions with Apple CEO Tim Cook about Google Gemini integration on iPhones last year.

Apple is expected to announce iOS 19 during its annual developers conference WWDC, which kicks off Monday, June 9. That would align with the mid-2025 timeframe provided by Pichai, so it seems likely that iOS 19 will offer Google Gemini integration, should a deal be reached. iOS 19 should be released to the general public in September.

iPhone models with Apple Intelligence have already offered ChatGPT integration since iOS 18.2. With user permission, Siri can show ChatGPT answers directly in response to questions and other prompts. ChatGPT is also an option for Apple's system-wide Writing Tools feature, allowing users to generate text and images.

Google Gemini would have similar integration across Siri and Writing Tools on iPhone models that are compatible with Apple Intelligence, which includes the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and all iPhone 16 models.

Google Gemini is already available as an iPhone app.
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In Safari on iPhone, it's not unusual for the number of tabs you have open to quickly get out of hand. Here's how to temporarily clean things up without losing your tabs.


If you have no use for all your open tabs, you can simply select one, then press and hold on the tabs button in the bottom-right corner of the screen. This will bring up an option to "Close All [x] Tabs," X being the number open.

Using the close all tabs option is one solution for restoring order to your browser session, but that's no good if you're not finished looking at the open tabs, especially if you're busy researching a project or a vacation, let's say.

You could always bookmark the open web pages for later reference. But you don't have to bookmark each tab one by one – that could take a while depending on how many are open.

Fortunately, Safari lets you bookmark multiple tabs in a just couple of taps and save them all in a new or existing bookmark folder. Here's how it works.

Select one of your open tabs, and in the main browsing window, long press the Bookmark icon (it looks like an open book).


Once you've tapped this option, you'll be asked to save the tabs in a new bookmarks folder. You can also choose the location where you want the new folder to live.

To access your bookmarks in Safari at any time, simply tap the Bookmarks icon in the main browsing interface to reveal all of your saved favorites and folders.
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This year, Mother's Day lands on Sunday, May 11, and we're tracking quite a few offers from some of the best Apple-related accessory companies, as well as steep discounts on Apple products at Amazon. If you're planning on purchasing a gift for someone, we recommend looking at the below deals as soon as possible, considering shipping estimates vary for every company.

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

Amazon Sale

Amazon this week kicked off one of its biggest sales of the year so far, introducing record low prices on a number of Apple products. You can find the highlights in the list below, and be sure to check out our original articles on each sale for even more models and configurations being discounted.

• AirPods 4 - $99.99 ($29 off) / original article


• AirPods Pro 2 - $169.00 ($80 off) / original article


• Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm GPS) - $299.00 ($100 off) / original article


• 11th Gen iPad (128GB Wi-Fi) - $299.00 ($50 off) / original article


• 11-inch M3 iPad Air (128GB Wi-Fi) - $499.00 ($100 off) / original article


• 13-inch M4 MacBook Air (256GB) - $849.00 ($150 off) / original article

Apple Watch Bands

Woot recently brought back its sale on Apple Watch Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop bands, but with a twist. This time, when you buy any Solo Loop or Braided Solo Loop at a discount on Woot, you'll get up to two extra bands for free.


The way it works is when you purchase any Solo Loop band for the discounted price of $19.99 ($29 off), you will get two additional Solo Loop bands for free. When you purchase any Braided Solo Loop for the discounted price of $29.99 ($69 off), you will get one additional Braided Solo Loop band for free.



The catch here is that you won't be able to pick out the color of the bands. You start by selecting the size of the band and Apple Watch model, then Woot will randomly select three Solo Loop bands or two Braided Solo Loop bands to send to you.

Woot guarantees that each band will be a unique color and there will be no duplicate colors in each box. These are also in new condition and come individually packaged in their original Apple retail packaging, as well as with a one year Apple manufacturer limited warranty.

ZAGG

ZAGG is offering a straightforward 25 percent off sitewide for Mother's Day, including the usual array of Mophie chargers and protection accessories.



Specifically, you can get 25 percent off select products on ZAGG's website, excluding anything that has already been discounted. You don't need a coupon code and all sale prices will be reflected in your cart, and this sale will last through May 7.

Samsung

Samsung this week kicked off a new sale that includes savings on monitors, TVs, Galaxy products, and more. One of the best overall deals during this sale is on The Frame TVs, which are available for up to $1,600 off, depending on the size of the model you purchase. Every size is being discounted during this event, with the popular 65-inch The Frame TV available for $1,299.99, down from $1,999.99.


In terms of monitors, the best deal you'll find is on the 32-inch Smart Monitor M80D, which is available for $399.99, down from $699.99, an all-time low price.



This sale also covers the newest Galaxy S25 smartphones, The Frame TV, and Samsung's line of home appliances, including refrigerators and washer/dryers. We've accumulated some of these deals in the lists below, but be sure to check out Samsung's website for the full sale.

• The Frame - Save up to $1,600


• 65-inch QLED 4K TV - $999.99, down from $1,599.99


• 27-inch Odyssey G6 Gaming Monitor - $549.99, down from $799.99


• 43-inch Odyssey Neo G7 Smart Gaming Monitor - $699.99, down from $999.99


• 49-inch Odyssey OLED G9 (G93SD) Curved Gaming Monitor - $1,199.99, down from $1,699.99


• Large Capacity Side-by-Side Fridge - $1,099.00, down from $1,666.00


• 4-Door French Door Fridge - $1,799.00, down from $2,899.00


• Galaxy S25 Smartphone - Save up to $630


• Galaxy S25+ Smartphone - Save up to $630

AT&T

AT&T is discounting a large collection of smartphones for Mother's Day this year, including up to $1,000 in savings on the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. You'll need to have an eligible trade-in, pick or upgrade to an eligible unlimited plan, and then you'll get up to $1,000 off in credits over 36 months.



AT&T also has the Apple Watch Series 10, Apple Watch SE, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 under a buy two, get $300 off deal. If you purchase any two Apple Watch models on an installment plan and add at least one new line, you can get up to $300 off in bill credits over 36 months.

More Sales

• Verizon - Save on iPhones and related accessories


• Belkin - Get a $10 power bank for free when spending $80 or more


• OtterBox - Get 20% off iPhone cases and accessories


• JBL - Save on JBL's best portable speakers and headphones


• Nomad - Get $10 off all Apple Watch accessories

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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This article, "Mother's Day Deals: Save on AirPods, Apple Watch Bands, Travel Chargers, iPhones, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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A new lobbying group formed by Meta, Spotify, and Match Group is challenging Apple and Google's role in the mobile app ecosystem, arguing the company should bear legal responsibility for verifying users' ages and accusing them of anti-competitive business practices that disadvantage developers, Bloomberg reports.


The "Coalition for a Competitive Mobile Experience" is a coordinated effort by these major companies to influence federal and state legislation amid mounting pressure to implement digital safeguards for minors. The coalition intends to lobby lawmakers, engage with federal regulators, and support ongoing antitrust enforcement actions against Apple and Google.

The group's immediate concern is a growing legislative push to require age verification for users downloading mobile apps that may be unsuitable for minors. A law enacted in Utah in March requires app stores to verify a user's age and obtain parental consent before allowing minors to download certain applications. Additional proposals are reportedly being drafted at the federal level.

The coalition's members argue that Apple and Google, as gatekeepers of the iOS App Store and Google Play Store respectively, are best positioned to implement uniform age verification protocols across devices and markets. By contrast, Apple and Google have maintained that responsibility should lie with individual app developers, who are directly collecting and processing user data within their apps.

In recent years, Apple has introduced features aimed at limiting children's exposure to harmful content, including communication safety tools and default app restrictions for child accounts, but the company has been reluctant to assume primary responsibility for verifying user identities at the download stage.

Beyond age verification, the coalition aims to highlight broader concerns over Apple's app distribution practices. These include the company's 15–30% commission on digital transactions, mandatory use of its in-app purchase system, and restrictions on alternative app marketplaces or payment methods.
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Apple is preparing to launch a dramatically thinner iPhone this September, and if recent leaks are anything to go by, the so-called iPhone 17 Air could boast one of the most radical design shifts in recent years.


At just 5.5mm thick (excluding a slightly raised camera bump), the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air is expected to become the slimmest iPhone in the lineup by some margin. For comparison, the current iPhone 16 Pro measures 8.25mm thick.

Achieving this level of thinness is unlikely to come without compromise. Dummy models shared by AppleTrack suggest that Apple has made some subtle adjustments to accommodate internal components in the tighter chassis. Most notably, the USB-C port on the bottom edge is no longer centered front-to-back. Instead, it appears shifted closer to the rear of the device, which is likely to accommodate display components within the enclosure.

There are other signs of Apple's re-engineering efforts. The speaker grilles, for example, show a pared-back design, with only two holes on either side of the port compared to the typical five. That reduction reflects the same space-saving measures required to fit in a battery, processor, display components, and speakers within a much slimmer frame.


To save even more space, Apple is said to be equipping the iPhone 17 Air with a single rear camera. The company is also expected to remove the physical SIM card slot entirely, adopting eSIM-only support globally – a shift first seen in U.S. iPhones with the iPhone 14.

One of the most interesting internal changes is the inclusion of Apple's new custom-designed C1 modem, first introduced in the iPhone 16e. The ultra-efficient chip should play a big role in maintaining battery life in such a thin frame. Despite its size, sources suggest the iPhone 17 Air will offer battery performance on par with current iPhone models.


Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 17 series during its usual fall event, which may also see the debut of third-generation AirPods Pro.

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OpenAI has reversed a recent update to GPT-4o, the model powering ChatGPT, following widespread complaints about the chatbot's strange behavior.


Deployed late last week, the update made ChatGPT excessively agreeable and unnaturally effusive in its praise, and the responses quickly became the subject of mockery on social media.

CEO Sam Altman announced Tuesday that the company had completed the rollback for free users and was working to restore the previous version for paid subscribers. "We're working on additional fixes to model personality and will share more in the coming days," Altman wrote on X (Twitter).

In an official blog post, OpenAI acknowledged they "focused too much on short-term feedback, and did not fully account for how users' interactions with ChatGPT evolve over time." The result was responses that were "overly supportive but disingenuous."

The company noted that "ChatGPT's default personality deeply affects the way you experience and trust it," and that "sycophantic interactions can be uncomfortable, unsettling, and cause distress."


OpenAI's solution goes beyond the rollback, and the company is implementing a four-point plan. This includes refining training techniques, building honesty guardrails, expanding pre-deployment testing, and enhancing evaluations to prevent similar issues.

The company also plans to give users more control over ChatGPT's behavior, including new ways to provide real-time feedback and the option to choose from multiple default personalities in the future.
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Google has announced that first- and second-generation Nest Learning Thermostats will lose support in October 2025, disabling their connected features (via ArsTechnica).


After October 25, 2025, these devices will no longer receive software updates or connect to Google's cloud services. Users won't be able to control them via the Google Home app or voice assistants, though basic temperature control and on-device scheduling will continue to function.

The affected models include the original 2011 North American Learning Thermostat – pioneered by iPod creator Tony Fadell – and its 2012 successor, and the 2014 European model.

U.S. users can upgrade to newer Nest models, and owners can get a $130 discount if they upgrade to the fourth-generation Nest, which was released last year for $280. In Canada, the discount is CA$160.

European owners face a tougher choice, as Google confirmed it won't develop new thermostats for European heating systems. Instead, European customers are being offered a 50 percent discount on the Tado Smart Thermostat X.

This decision follows Google's recent discontinuation of other Nest products amid job cuts in its platform and devices division. Google is no longer making new Nest Protect Smoke & CO alarms and is ending sales of the Nest x Yale Lock.

Despite the upcoming end-of-life, the thermostats have exceeded Google's standard five-year support commitment, with some approaching 15 years of service by the cutoff date. Still, many Nest owners will be disappointed with the limited lifetime of a device they probably didn't expect to replace anytime soon.
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Apple is making another round of leadership changes across two key divisions ahead of its earnings report on Thursday, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


The company's Apple Music division will now be co-managed by longtime Apple executive Rachel Newman and former TikTok music veteran Ole Obermann. Both will report to Oliver Schusser, who has taken on additional responsibilities over the past year including Apple TV+ and sports initiatives.

The restructuring appears designed to ease Schusser's workload as he continues to oversee the Beats brand and international services while reporting to Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of online services.

On the global affairs front, Apple is adjusting how it manages government relations teams worldwide. The heads of Europe and Asia will now report directly to Lisa Jackson, a former Obama administration official who reports to CEO Tim Cook. Previously, these teams reported to Nick Ammann, vice president of global policy.

Ammann, who still reports to Jackson, will now oversee the India and China government affairs teams. He'll also remain Apple's main liaison with the Trump administration, a role he held during Trump's first presidency.

The reshuffling follows other recent leadership adjustments at Apple, including changes to its retail division, and reorganizations of its Siri and robotics teams.
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Researchers at cybersecurity firm Oligo today outlined a series of AirPlay vulnerabilities that impact millions of Apple devices (via Wired) and accessories that connect to Apple devices. While Apple has addressed the flaws in security updates that have come out over the last several months, some third-party devices that support ‌AirPlay‌ remain vulnerable.


Dubbed "Airborne," the ‌AirPlay‌ vulnerabilities allowed attackers to take control of devices that support ‌AirPlay‌ to spread malware to other devices on any local device that the infected device connects to. An attacker would need to be on the same Wi-Fi network as the intended victim, putting public Wi-Fi spots, businesses, and other high-traffic areas at more risk.

Oligo researchers said that the ‌AirPlay‌ flaws could lead to "sophisticated attacks related to espionage, ransomware, supply-chain attacks, and more." The vulnerabilities could be used independently or chained together for a "variety of possible attack vectors," such as Remote Code Execution, user interaction bypass, Denial of Service attacks, Man-in-the-Middle attacks, and more.

Apple worked with Oligo to identify and fix the vulnerabilities. Oligo found 23 separate security flaws, and Apple issued 17 CVEs to address them. Information on each vulnerability is outlined on Oligo's website. Apple also deployed fixes for its ‌AirPlay‌ SDK for third-party manufacturers.

The same Airborne vulnerabilities also impact CarPlay, which could allow hackers to hijack the automotive computer in a car. This attack vector would require the attacker to be directly in the car and connected to either the car's Bluetooth or an in-car USB port, which makes it unlikely.

Oligo recommends that users upgrade to the latest versions of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, and visionOS, to protect themselves from these vulnerabilities. Other devices that support ‌AirPlay‌ may still be vulnerable, so users should take steps like disabling the ‌AirPlay‌ Receiver feature on Macs and restricting ‌AirPlay‌ to the current user instead of all users.

Oligo CTO Gal Elbaz told Wired that there could be tens of millions of third-party ‌AirPlay‌ devices that are still vulnerable to attack. Because ‌AirPlay‌ is supported in such a wide variety of devices, there are a lot that will take years to patch--or they will never be patched," he said.
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Facebook parent company Meta today announced the launch of Meta AI, its first standalone AI app. Meta AI has already been integrated into Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Facebook, but now it is also available in a dedicated app.


The Meta AI app is built with Llama 4, and Meta says the app is its first step toward building a more personal AI that's designed around voice conversations. After downloading the Meta AI app, Meta AI will ask you personal questions so that it can get to know you, which Meta claims will provide "more helpful" answers. Meta AI is "easy to talk to," and has been created to be "natural to interact with."

The Meta AI voice features can be used in the background while multitasking, so you can use other apps while continuing to speak to the AI. Voice conversations will feel personal, relevant, and conversational in tone. The voice conversation feature is available in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand as of now.

The app integrates image generation and editing too, both of which can be done through a voice or text conversation with the AI assistant. Llama 4 is able to search the web for finding product recommendations and delving into topics for research, with Meta providing "conversation starters" to inspire searches.

Meta says that it is using its decades of work on personalizing experiences on social media to make Meta AI more personal. It is able to remember facts about you, and it can pick up details based on context. It is also able to draw on information you've already shared on Meta platforms, like your profile and content that you like to engage with to provide more personalized responses.

The new Meta AI app can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
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Bird Buddy, known for its line of camera-equipped bird feeders and accessories, today launched new nature tech products, Wonder Blocks and Petal. The devices are designed to let users attract and view all manner of insects, from butterflies to bees.


Wonder Blocks is a modular system that create an ecosystem for pollinators, and there are several different components that are part of the setup. The system includes smart planters, a hummingbird feeder, a butterfly feeder, a butterfly shelter, a bee habitat, a bee observatory, a stream for providing insects with water, an observation pole, and a frame for holding all of the components. Petal is an AI camera that attaches to the Wonder Blocks setup so that users can watch the pollinators that visit their homes.

The camera, which is equipped with a solar panel, is able to recognize more than 2,000 species of butterflies, bees, birds, and plants in real time, and it can be equipped with either wide or macro lens options. As with the Bird Buddy, camera footage is turned into more viewable snapshots that are viewable in the associated app.

For the Petal camera, footage is turned into "beautifully narrated nature clips." The camera is able to identify creatures, but it can also detect behavior patterns and environmental changes to alert users about nesting or plant stress. It also visualizes biodiversity activity and provides an impact score on the contribution the user is making to their local ecosystem. While the Petal camera can be mounted to the Wonder Blocks setup, it is also possible to mount the cameras anywhere in an existing garden.


There are three different versions of the Wonder Blocks available to order. The Wonder Planter is a self-watering planter that has an integrated Bee Habitat that can integrate with a full Wonder Blocks system or work on a standalone basis. The Wonder Blocks are the main modular habitat with an observation pole, feeding stations, and more, while the Wonder Blocks Hero is the full-featured setup with The Frame and multiple cameras.

The Wonder Blocks and Petal have already raised more than $1.2 million on Kickstarter, where the project has launched. The first products are set to launch in June 2026, so only pre-orders are available right now.

The Petal camera alone is $129, while the Petal Duo bundle with wide and macro lenses is $249. The Habitat with no camera is $149, and the Wonder Blocks set with Petal camera is $299. A Hero set with two cameras and extra accessories is also available $499.
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Apple is working on an updated version of the low-cost Apple Watch SE, and the displays for the new model have entered production, according to display analyst Ross Young.


Young says that the new ‌Apple Watch SE‌ 3 will be available with 1.6-inch and 1.8-inch display sizes, which suggests little in the way of an upgrade over the current ‌Apple Watch SE‌ models. The ‌Apple Watch SE‌ 2 comes in 40mm and 44mm size options, and Apple could stick with those sizes for the next-generation models.

The ‌Apple Watch SE‌ has historically been based on an existing Apple Watch model, and the current version is based on the Apple Watch Series 6. Apple could continue with another model based on the Series 6 design, but there are other options. The display sizes could be off somewhat due to rounding issues and Apple could be planning for a larger Series 7 design with 41mm and 45mm sizes, or the new ‌Apple Watch SE‌ could get an entirely new design.

There were rumors that Apple was working on an ‌Apple Watch SE‌ with a hard plastic casing in a variety of fun colors, though it's not clear if Apple followed through with that design plan. If Apple did opt for an SE design that does not follow existing Apple Watch models, it's possible that the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ could have 1.6 and 1.8-inch displays in a smaller, slimmed down chassis that's closer to 38mm and 42mm size options. In this scenario, the next ‌Apple Watch SE‌ would be smaller than the current ‌Apple Watch SE‌, but with a larger display area and slimmer bezels for a more modern look.

Apple has been marketing the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ as a low-cost option for children, so a smaller ‌Apple Watch SE‌ 3 seems plausible as it would better fit smaller wrists.

We'll learn more about the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ as its launch approaches. We're expecting the new device to come out in September alongside upgraded Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 models.
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Mozilla recently updated the Firefox browser to add support for tab groups, a feature that Firefox users have been wanting for years. According to Mozilla, tab groups have been the most requested idea on the Mozilla Connect community platform, and it was actually the first request that Mozilla received when launching Connect in 2022.


With the Firefox tab group implementation, users are able to drag and drop tabs into organized groups and label them by name or color, with groups listed in the right side of the Firefox browser's top menu. Tab groups are available starting with Firefox version 137, and all users will see the feature by May 6.

Safari already supports tab groups, with the option to save a number of open browser tabs into a tab group that can be revisited later. It's helpful for vacation planning, comparison shopping, project research, and other tasks where it's helpful to have multiple tabs.


Mozilla is experimenting with smart tab groups, an AI option that suggests names and groups based on the tabs that are open, and that could launch in the future.

Mozilla has instructions on creating and managing tab groups in Firefox on its website.
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Apple today launched a new page that highlights content from popular music artists, actors, and athletes across three of its biggest services.


The new "Snapshot on Apple" page has a scrolling carousel of celebrities, including Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Kendrick Lamar, Ariana Grande, Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, Brie Larson, Shohei Ohtani, Lionel Messi, Stephen Curry, Serena Williams, and many others. There are also pages for the bands Coldplay and BTS.

Each page includes some basic details about the person or band, and showcases their related content across the Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Podcasts apps. For example, Billie Eilish's page highlights her songs in Apple Music, her Apple TV+ documentary from 2021, and her appearances on a variety of podcasts.

"Your favorites, at a glance," the page says. "Discover more about the artists, actors, and athletes you love across Apple."

A tipster alerted us to the page's existence today, and we can confirm that snapshot.apple.com is a new address. Unfortunately, the page currently has a very basic design, with no search functionality. Apple has yet to officially announce the page, and it is unclear how or where the company plans to promote it.
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Apple's Pro Display XDR has now been on the market for over five years, and while persistent rumors hint at a second-generation model, surprisingly little definitive information has emerged about Apple's plans for its premier external monitor. Here's everything we know so far.


In December 2022, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple was developing an updated iteration of the Pro Display XDR, this time incorporating an Apple silicon chip, presumably to enable additional functionality. The Studio Display contains an A13 Bionic chip to power its built-in webcam, spatial audio, and always-on Siri.

Since the original Pro Display XDR lacks any of these smart capabilities, it stands to reason that its successor could gain a built-in camera, microphone array, high-fidelity speakers, and perhaps even support for new software features like Center Stage video framing, Face ID for Mac, or automatic color calibration based on ambient lighting conditions.

Hardware improvements are also expected. A second-generation Pro Display XDR could feature a higher refresh rate, Thunderbolt 5 connectivity for faster data throughput, and even a shift to OLED or hybrid OLED/QD-OLED panels. OLED technology would offer significantly better contrast ratios, deeper blacks, and lower power consumption, making it even better at professional color work.

In July 2023, Gurman reaffirmed that Apple was continuing development on several next-generation external monitors, but cautioned that releases were unlikely before late 2024 at the earliest.

In November 2024, a report from Display Supply Chain Consultants analyst Ross Young said that the next Pro Display XDR may adopt the same quantum-dot display technology now seen in the latest MacBook Pro models. According to Young, these newer quantum-dot films offer an equal or better color gamut and superior motion performance compared to the older KSF phosphor film used in the current Pro Display XDR and previous ‌MacBook Pro‌ models. Young's report suggested that the Pro Display XDR 2 could boast even more precise color accuracy, faster response times, and better consistency.

Earlier this year, Gurman noted that a new Pro Display XDR was currently "less of a priority" for Apple, given its niche market and premium price tag. Nonetheless, he revealed in March that Apple is actively developing a new display codenamed J527, intended to launch alongside a second-generation Studio Display. This mystery monitor could turn out to be the long-awaited Pro Display XDR successor.

Since then, no further leaks about the device have surfaced. While the launch timeline remains uncertain, it is plausible that Apple could unveil the second-generation Pro Display XDR alongside refreshed high-end Macs—particularly a new Mac Pro model. The current Pro Display XDR was released alongside the 2019 ‌Mac Pro‌.
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Amazon kicked off a ton of steep discounts on Apple products earlier this week, and they include the AirPods Pro 2 for $169.00, down from $249.00. Free delivery options provide an estimated delivery date of around May 4, while Prime members should get the headphones sooner in most cases.

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Compared to past sales, this is a match of the best price we've tracked so far in 2025 and it's an overall solid second-best price on the AirPods Pro 2. Amazon also has the AirPods 4 available for $99.99 during this sale, an all-time low price.



Other Amazon discounts include record low prices on 11th generation iPad, Apple Watch Series 10, M4 MacBook Air, and M3 iPad Air. If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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Apple's iPhone 18 lineup will introduce a major leap in memory performance, according to new information shared today by Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station. Apple is reportedly planning to equip the 2026 models with a high-capacity six-channel LPDDR5X memory configuration, significantly upping the memory bandwidth for future AI features and multitasking.


Expanding the memory bandwidth should enable faster app switching, smoother multitasking, and significantly improved AI capabilities – all areas Apple would likely to heavily invest in as part of its broader Apple Intelligence strategy. Paired with the A20 Pro chip, which will reportedly be built using TSMC's third-generation 3nm process, the iPhone 18 Pro models would stand to benefit the most.

The Weibo account Digital Chat Station has a decent track record with Apple product rumors, and they have previously shared accurate information about unreleased hardware from the broader semiconductor supply chain. Still, Apple's precise hardware plans could still evolve ahead of the iPhone 18's launch late next year.

Before then, if supply chain shortages can be overcome, the iPhone 17 series is expected to see a move to 12GB of RAM as standard across all models. That transition is likely to set the stage for the more aggressive hardware upgrades rumored for 2025.
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OpenAI has announced several updates to ChatGPT, including a suite of shopping-focused tools that turn the chatbot into a full-featured product discovery and comparison engine.


The update brings visual search results, personalized recommendations, and improved product filtering to the existing ChatGPT interface. Users can browse and compare products from across the web by simply describing what they're looking for.

Queries like "best 4K monitor under $500" now return cleaner, scrollable product cards complete with images, star ratings, pricing, and summaries pulled from user reviews. Tapping on a product brings up more details, along with a direct link to the retailer's website for purchase.

OpenAI says the results are organic and free from advertising or affiliate influence, wherease traditional search engines and shopping aggregators typically prioritize sponsored listings. Product suggestions are tailored based on user preferences, such as budget, style, and category interests, although OpenAI notes that certain personalization features may be restricted in countries with stricter privacy rules, like the UK and EU.

The update also includes a new "Ask about this" button that lets users dig deeper into specific products directly from search results.

The new features are available for all ChatGPT users, including those on the free tier, with no account required to try them. OpenAI says the rollout is global and should be visible across platforms, including web and mobile apps.


In addition to the shopping search features, ChatGPT can now include multiple citations for a given response, allowing users to learn more or verify information across more sources. OpenAI says users can also now search faster with trending searches and autocomplete suggestions.

Lastly, WhatsApp users can now send a message to 1-800-ChatGPT (+1-800-242-8478) to get up-to-date answers and live sports scores.

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Apple supplier Pegatron has warned that U.S. stores could face "empty shelves" within two months due to ongoing uncertainty around tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.


Pegatron chairman T.H. Tung told Reuters that the on-again, off-again nature of the levies has created confusion for U.S. retailers and disrupted supply chain decisions.

"Within two months, shelves in the United States might resemble those in third-world countries, where people visit department stores and markets only to find empty shelves, all because everyone is waiting and seeing," Tung said.

The Taiwan-based manufacturer, which assembles MacBooks, iPads, and Apple Watches, explained that U.S. importers are hesitant to ramp up shipments during the current tariff pause because they're uncertain whether the 10% levy might eventually be repealed.

This comes after the Trump administration recently paused some tariffs targeting countries where Pegatron has manufacturing bases, including Vietnam, Indonesia, and India. However, a 10% levy on nearly all goods imported into the U.S. remains in effect.

Despite the challenges, Tung said that Pegatron won't alter its long-term manufacturing plans based on short-term tariff fluctuations.

"Just because Trump raises tariffs doesn't mean the rest of the world will do the same. Taiwanese contract manufacturers are sticking to their overseas plans," he said. "We won't immediately adjust our long-term plans just because of two or three months of tariff changes."

Last week, Apple CEO Tim Cook reportedly had a phone call with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to explain how tariffs would cause iPhone prices to increase. Cook's efforts appeared to pay off when the Trump administration exempted iPhones, Macs, Apple Watches, iPads, and other electronics from the bulk of tariffs on Chinese goods.

However, the exemption may only be temporary. The day after the announcement, Trump stated that there was "no tariff exception" and that no one would be "getting off the hook," suggesting that Apple and other tech companies will be "moving to a different tariff bucket."

Apple has been diversifying its manufacturing locations away from China since Trump's first term, and has recently ramped up plans to build out its iPhone manufacturing base in India and manufacture U.S.-bound devices in the country by the end of 2026.
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All upcoming iPhone 17 models will come equipped with 12GB of RAM to support Apple Intelligence, according to the Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station.


The claim from the Chinese leaker, who has sources within Apple's supply chain, comes a few days after industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all be equipped with 12GB of RAM.

Kuo also said even the base-model iPhone 17 could be equipped with 12GB of RAM, but it will depend on whether supply chain shortages can be overcome. He said that Apple will make a final decision on the amount of RAM it will offer in the regular iPhone 17 model by May. Even if the base-model iPhone 17 sticks with 8GB of RAM, Kuo said he expects all models in next year's iPhone 18 lineup to have 12GB of RAM.

Currently, all iPhone 16 models come with 8GB of RAM, so going to 12GB would be a major increase. More RAM enables larger and more capable AI models to run locally, improving the speed, responsiveness, and complexity of tasks without relying heavily on cloud services. A fifty percent increase in allocable RAM would also allow for smoother multitasking, with AI processes operating in the background without slowing down active apps.

Apple is expected to release the iPhone 17 lineup around its usual September timeframe.
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On April 28, 2003, Apple introduced the iTunes Store, its iconic digital marketplace for downloading music. 22 years later, most of us don't purchase songs and albums individually anymore, and the iTunes Store doesn't exist as it once did, but played a major role in Apple history.

Early Years

When it launched, the iTunes Store was only for the Mac, but it expanded to Windows PCs before the end of 2003. It was a one-stop shop for music that could be loaded onto an iPod, and Apple CEO Steve Jobs inked deals with a number of different record labels to get it up and running.

In the first 18 hours following the launch of the iTunes Store, Apple sold ~275,000 tracks, with songs priced at $0.99 at the time. Less than a week after launch, Apple sold 1 million songs, and at the two week mark, Apple was at 2 million songs sold.

By 2008, five years after the iTunes Store launched, Apple's iTunes Store was the biggest music vendor in the United States. In 2010, it was the largest music seller in the world, bringing in over a billion dollars.

Pricing

The iTunes Store sold songs for $0.99 in the United States, though some were more expensive at $1.29. Albums were priced at $9.99 by default, but distributors were able to set higher prices. Apple regularly offered iTunes promotions, including weekly free songs.

Beyond Music

Before the App Store launched in 2008, the iTunes Store also housed apps, plus it was home to digital books before the launch of the iBooks Store. Apple also used the iTunes Store for distributing podcasts, TV shows, and movies.

The Rise of Streaming Music

In the 2010s, interest in streaming music started to pick up, cutting into music purchases. Streaming services like Rhapsody, Yahoo Music, and Pandora launched earlier in the decade, but more people became interested in streaming music when Spotify launched in the United States in 2011.

Beats Music launched in 2014, and was quickly purchased by Apple when Apple acquired the Beats brand. Apple ended up turning Beats Music into Apple Music, a Spotify competitor that launched on June 30, 2015. By 2016, just 24 percent of the music industry's revenue came from digital music sales, with streaming services bringing in over 50 percent of total revenue.

The iTunes Store Today

You'll still find the iTunes Store app on your iPhone, but it's a little harder to find on the Mac. It's available as a dedicated section in the Apple Music app for those who still purchase music.

TV shows and movies were split out into the TV app, while podcasts were split into the Podcasts app as part of changes made in macOS Catalina back in 2019. The Windows version of the iTunes Store stuck around longer, but in 2024, Apple launched dedicated ‌Apple Music‌, Apple TV, and Apple Devices apps for Windows users to replace iTunes.
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Apple may have canceled the super scratch resistant anti-reflective display coating that it planned to use for the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to a source with reliable information that spoke to MacRumors.


Last spring, Weibo leaker Instant Digital suggested Apple was working on a new anti-reflective display layer that was more scratch resistant than the Ceramic Shield. We haven't heard anything else about an upgraded display coating since then, and it's sounding like that's because it didn't work out.

Apple planned to use the anti-reflective coating for the higher-end ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ and the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max models, which would have made them the first iPhones with an anti-reflective display. Apple ran into problems scaling up the display coating process, and it is currently no longer a planned feature for the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models.

The process for adding the anti-reflective coating to the iPhone display was too slow when taking into account the millions of devices that Apple produces, so even though it was only planned for the Pro models, it still seems that it wasn't feasible this year.

Current ‌iPhone‌ models have a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating, but Apple hasn't focused heavily on anti-reflective technology. For the Mac and iPad Pro, Apple offers a nano-texture display that cuts down on glare, but that's not something that has been expanded to the ‌iPhone‌. It's possible Apple pivoted to nano-texture or a simpler coating, but it's also possible it's just been scrapped entirely for now.

With the Galaxy S24 Ultra, Samsung debuted a Gorilla Glass Armor display panel, which cuts down on reflections by up to 75 percent. The technology improves contrast in bright lighting conditions and makes colors seem more true to life even in the sun or in rooms with bright lights.


If the iPhone 17 models don't end up with the planned anti-reflective display properties, Apple could introduce the display improvement in a future ‌iPhone‌ as the manufacturing process improves.
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Amazon is kicking off the week with discounts across the entire M3 iPad Air lineup, offering $100 off these tablets. Prices start at $499.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi 11-inch M3 iPad Air, down from $599.00. Across the board, these are all new all-time low prices on the M3 iPad Air.

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.

Every deal has been automatically applied and does not require you to clip an on-page coupon in order to see the final sale price. We've rounded up every discount available on Amazon in the lists below, and they include both 11-inch and 13-inch models.




Our list below focuses on Wi-Fi models, but you'll also find many cellular models on sale at $100 off right now. The 128GB cellular 11-inch iPad Air is available for $649.00 and the 128GB cellular 13-inch iPad Air is available for $849.00, both $100 discounts.

11-inch M3 iPad Air

• 128GB Wi-Fi - $499.00, down from $599.00


• 256GB Wi-Fi - $599.00, down from $699.00


• 512GB Wi-Fi - $799.00, down from $899.00


• 1TB Wi-Fi - $999.00, down from $1,099.00

13-inch M3 iPad Air

• 128GB Wi-Fi - $699.00, down from $799.00


• 256GB Wi-Fi - $799.00, down from $899.00


• 512GB Wi-Fi - $999.00, down from $1,099.00

Amazon is offering similarly major discounts on other Apple devices this week, including AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2, 11th generation iPad, Apple Watch Series 10, and M4 MacBook Air. If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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Apple today provided developers with the fourth betas of upcoming visionOS 2.5, tvOS 18.5, and watchOS 11.5 updates for testing purposes. The software is available a week after Apple seeded the third betas.


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

No notable new features have been found in any of the software updates so far, suggesting Apple is focusing on under-the-hood performance improvements and bug fixes.
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Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming macOS Sequoia 15.5 update to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after Apple released the third ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.5 beta.


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

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

Work on new features for ‌macOS Sequoia‌ is winding down, as Apple will soon transition to macOS 16. The next-generation version of macOS is set to be unveiled at WWDC in June.
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Apple today seeded the fourth betas of upcoming iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after Apple released the third betas.


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

So far, iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 are relatively minor updates, introducing just a few new design changes. There are more options for reverting the Mail app back to the prior design, including removing contact photos, and AppleCare info is easier to find. The update also likely has bug fixes and performance improvements that are less obvious.

Apple is transitioning to iOS 19 and iPadOS 19, which are set to be previewed in June at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
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On iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, the Voice Memos app includes a recording feature that lets you record a second audio layer – like vocals, narration, or an extra instrument – over an existing memo, all without needing headphones. Keep reading to learn how it's done.


Thanks to the A18 Pro chip's advanced audio processing, iPhone 16 Pro models can play an original Voice Memo recording through the speakers while simultaneously isolating and capturing new audio cleanly. Whether you're capturing a quick harmony, adding context to a saved memo, or simply experimenting with sound, layering recordings like this offers a seamless way to capture richer ideas.

Once finished, layered recordings can be edited, separated, and fine-tuned directly on the iPhone or easily transferred to apps like Logic Pro for more advanced mixing. For musicians, podcasters, or anyone who regularly records voice notes, it's a bit like having a mini studio setup right in your pocket. Here's how to make your first layered recording.

Add a Second Layer to a Recording

1. Open the Voice Memos app (in the Utilities folder) on your iPhone.


2. Tap the recording you want to add a vocal layer to, then tap the waveform icon to view the waveform.


3. Tap the plus (+) button.


4. When you're ready to record the second layer, tap the red record button.

The recording will appear in Voice Memos' list of recordings with a layered symbol (two overlapping tiles) next to it.

Mix the Layers

While viewing the waveform, you can easily mix the layers by tapping the settings button in the top-left corner and dragging the Layer Mix slider.

Separate the Layers

You can also separate the two layers to edit or play them separately: Simply tap the More button (three encircled dots) in the top-right corner, then tap Separate Layers. If you then tap Done, you'll see the two layers appear as separate recordings in the list. From there, you can select them, edit them, and play them separately.

Things to Know

While creating layered recordings is exclusive to the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, playback is more widely supported. Any device running iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, macOS Sequoia 15.2, or later can play layered recordings without issue.


It's worth noting that layered recordings are saved in the QuickTime Audio (QTA) format. Devices on earlier software versions, such as iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, or macOS Sequoia 15.1, won't display layered memos. However, if you separate the layers, each track is converted into an individual .m4a file, making them accessible across older devices. Also, keep in mind that only the original layer can be transcribed or recorded in stereo – additional layers are captured in mono.
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Apple has completed Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for at least one iPhone 17 model, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming DigiTimes report.


The EVT stage involves Apple testing iPhone 17 prototypes to ensure the hardware works as expected. There are still DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages to follow before the devices enter mass production.

This is a routine but key milestone for Apple to have achieved ahead of the iPhone 17 series launching in the usual month of September.

Following the EVT stage, there is still a window for Apple to make some smaller iPhone spec changes, if necessary. For example, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently claimed that Apple would make a final decision on whether to include 8GB or 12GB of RAM in the iPhone 17 base model by May. At a minimum, Kuo expects the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max to be equipped with 12GB of RAM.

Read our iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, and iPhone 17 Pro roundups to learn more about the upcoming devices and their rumored feature sets.
This article, "iPhone 17 Reaches Key Milestone Ahead of Mass Production" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Amazon has been offering a string of great discounts over the past day, introducing low prices on AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2, 11th generation iPad, and Apple Watch Series 10. Today, it's continuing this trend with new record low prices across the entire M4 MacBook Air lineup, with $150 off every model in every color available on Amazon.

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

Starting with the 13-inch models, Amazon has up to $150 off all three of the new configurations of this notebook. Prices start at $849.00 for the 256GB model, then raise to $1,049.00 for the 16GB/512GB model and $1,249.00 for the 24GB/512GB model. All of these are new all-time low prices, beating the previous lows by more than $50.





Moving to the larger display models, Amazon has both 512GB versions of the 15-inch M4 MacBook Air on sale this week, as well as the 256GB model. The 16GB/512GB model is available for $1,249.00 and the 24GB/512GB model is on sale for $1,447.00. Similar to the 13-inch models, these are all new record low prices.





If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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Apple's Beats brand is launching its Beats Pill speaker in two new colors today: Navy Blue and Blush Pink. The colors join the original Matte Black, Statement Red, and Champagne Gold colors that debuted last June. Beats introduced special-edition Light Gray and Dark Gray versions in a collaboration with Kim Kardashian back in October, but those have since been discontinued.


The catch with the latest Beats Pill colors is that they are retailer exclusives, with Navy Blue being available only from Walmart and Blush Pink only from Target in the United States. The Blush Pink model will be coming to John Lewis in the UK and Walmart in Canada this summer, but it appears the Navy Blue model will remain U.S.-only.


Compared to the previous Beats Pill+ that was discontinued in 2022, the revamped Beats Pill features a redesigned speaker system with a 20º upward tilt for better sound projection, a removable lanyard, USB-C and Bluetooth connectivity, up to 24 hours of battery life, and IP67 water and sweat resistance.

Amplify Mode and Stereo Mode let you sync up two Beats Pill speakers for either bigger overall sound or separate left and right channels, while USB-C support means you can charge a recent iPhone or other devices from the speaker. The Beats Pill can also be used as a speakerphone for connected devices, with a noise-learning algorithm and full duplex support ensuring high-quality calls.


As part of the launch of the new colors for the Pill, Beats is introducing a pair of new "Pill People" shorts featuring WNBA star Angel Reese as the pink Pill Person and former F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo as the blue Pill Person.


The new Navy Blue Beats Pill from Walmart and Blush Pink Beats Pill from Target are available starting today at the same $149.99 price point as the standard colors.
This article, "Beats Pill Debuts in New Navy Blue and Blush Pink Colors" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple will likely manufacture its 20th anniversary iPhone models in China, despite broader efforts to shift production to India, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


In 2027, Apple is planning a "major shake-up" for the iPhone lineup to mark two decades since the original model launched. Gurman's previous reporting indicates the company will introduce a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold" new iPhone Pro model that makes greater use of glass in its design.

Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says the new models are "extraordinarily complex" and will involve "new parts and production techniques" that are best supported by Apple's established manufacturing hubs in China. The facilities have the experience and infrastructure required for the advanced engineering challenges the anniversary models will likely present.

The report comes amid Apple's ongoing efforts to diversify its manufacturing footprint. Last week, The Financial Times reported that Apple plans to assemble all U.S.-bound iPhones in India by the end of 2026, in response to escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and China and the Trump administration's latest round of tariffs.

However, shifting production of the 20th anniversary models to India appears unlikely. As Gurman points out, Apple has never launched a major new product design outside of China during its first cycle, and there is little indication that will change in the near term.

The foldable iPhone is rumored to feature a book-like design that folds horizontally, revealing an internal display similar in size to an iPad mini. Reports suggest the device could have a premium price tag upwards of $2,000. Details about the anniversary iPhone are scarcer, but it could take the form of an all-screen design featuring an under-screen camera system.
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Following in the wake of great deals on AirPods and Apple Watch, Amazon today also introduced $50 discounts on nearly every model of Apple's 11th generation iPad. Prices now start at $299.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi iPad, down from $349.00, a new record low price.

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.

Additionally, Amazon has the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad for $399.00 and the 512GB Wi-Fi iPad for $599.00, both $50 discounts and new all-time low prices.





There are also numerous discounts on cellular models, starting at $449.00 for the 128GB model. Amazon is providing an estimated delivery of early may for free shipping, while Prime members should be able to get the tablets before the end of April.





The 11th generation iPad is mainly a spec bump for the tablet line, now featuring the A16 chip and more storage, with the same design as the 10th generation iPad. The new ‌iPad‌ starts with 128GB of storage, and is also available in 256GB and a new 512GB configuration. The previous model was only available in 64GB and 256GB configurations.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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Amazon is offering numerous all-time low prices on Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch SE, including both GPS and cellular models. You'll find all-time low prices for both watches, and in regards to the Series 10, we're tracking $100 discounts for the first time in a few weeks.

Apple Watch Series 10

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 has the 42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 10 for $299.00, down from $399.00, as well as the 46mm GPS model for $329.00, down from $429.00. Both of these are record low prices on the Apple Watch Series 10, and they're available in numerous case colors and band styles, all of which you can find in the lists below.

42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 10

• Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band (S/M) - $299.00, down from $399.00


• Jet Black Aluminum Case with Ink Sport Loop - $299.00, down from $399.00


• Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Plum Sport Loop - $299.00, down from $399.00


• Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Light Blush Sport Loop - $299.00, down from $399.00


• Silver Aluminum Case with Blue Cloud Sport Loop - $299.00, down from $399.00


• Silver Aluminum Case with Denim Sport Band (S/M) - $299.00, down from $399.00

46mm GPS Apple Watch Series 10

• Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band (M/L) - $329.00, down from $429.00


• Jet Black Aluminum Case with Ink Sport Loop - $329.00, down from $429.00


• Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Light Blush Sport Band (M/L) - $329.00, down from $429.00


• Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Plum Sport Loop - $329.00, down from $429.00


• Silver Aluminum Case with Blue Cloud Sport Loop - $329.00, down from $429.00


• Silver Aluminum Case with Denim Sport Band (M/L) - $329.00, down from $429.00

Apple Watch SE

In addition to Series 10 deals, Amazon is discounting the 40mm GPS Apple Watch SE to $169.00 today, down from $249.00. This is the best price we've tracked so far in 2025, and it's available in Starlight, Silver, and Midnight Aluminum color options.



Additionally, you can get the 44mm GPS Apple Watch SE at an all-time low price of $199.00 today on Amazon, down from $279.00. This one is also available in Midnight, Silver, and Starlight Aluminum colors, and multiple band sizes.



If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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This article, "Apple Watch Series 10 Hits Lowest-Ever Price of $299 on Amazon" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Amazon this week has major discounts on a few AirPods models, including all-time low prices on the AirPods 4. You can get the base AirPods 4 for $99.99 on Amazon, down from $129.00.

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 also has the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation for $148.99, down from $179.00. We did track these at a lower price during the 2024 holiday season, but that deal never returned and today's is the best we've seen so far in 2025.




Additionally, you can get the AirPods Pro 2 for $169.99 today on Amazon, down from $249.00. This is the lowest price we've tracked so far in 2025 on the AirPods Pro 2, and it's an overall solid second-best price.



If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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This article, "AirPods 4 Hit $99.99 on Amazon, Plus Big Discounts on ANC Model and AirPods Pro 2" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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

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

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



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

It's also worth noting that Anker is still hosting its Earth Day sale, and some of the discounts in that event are steeper than our 20 percent sitewide discount. Be sure to check and compare both discounts in your cart before you place your order to ensure you have the best deal.

Portable Chargers

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


• 25,000 mAh Power Bank - $108.00, down from $134.99


• Prime 20,000 mAh Power Bank - $96.00, down from $129.99

Wall Chargers

• 67W 3-Port Wall Charger - $39.99, down from $59.99


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

Charging Stations

• MagGo 3-in-1 Foldable Charging Station - $71.99, down from $89.99


• MagGo 3-in-1 Charging Stand - $74.99, down from $110.99


• 3-in-1 Cube with MagSafe - $93.99, down from $129.99

Hubs

• 200W 6-Port Prime Charger with USB-C Cable - $75.20, down from $103.99


• 250W 6-Port Prime Charger - $154.00, down from $169.99

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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We've known for quite some time about Apple's plans for a thinner "iPhone 17 Air" coming later this year, but wow, the latest dummy models give us our best look yet at just how thin this phone is going to be.


Other Apple news and rumors this week included another iOS 18.5 beta, the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch launch, and more management reshuffling in Apple's Siri division, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!

iPhone 17 Air's Extreme Thinness Demoed in New Video

As we get closer to the expected September launch of the iPhone 17 lineup, increasingly sophisticated dummy units from case manufacturers and others are starting to surface and they're highlighting just how thin the upcoming "iPhone 17 Air" is going to be. In fact, it's going to be barely thick enough to house functional side buttons.


Check out our recap of all of the features were expecting to see in this new ultra-thin iPhone model, including a fresh rumor claiming it will get the same 12GB of memory as the upcoming Pro models.

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

It sounds like third-generation AirPods Pro earbuds are just a few months away, with rumors suggesting we should see them sometime later this year.


The rumors indicate Apple's popular high-end earbuds should see a slimmer form factor, a faster audio chip with improved Active Noise Cancelation, in-ear heart-rate tracking similar to that which debuted on Powerbeats Pro 2 a few months ago, and more, so check out our overview of everything we know about the AirPods Pro 3.

iOS 18.5 Includes Only a Few Changes So Far

This week saw the release of a new iOS 18.5 beta for developers and public beta testers, but so far we're seeing very few changes in store for this update, with really only a couple of tweaks to the Mail and Settings apps discovered so far.


A mid-May public release for iOS 18.5 seems likely, but Apple is largely turning its attention to iOS 19 at this point, and we'll be seeing that unveiled at WWDC in early June.

iPhone 17 Pro Allegedly Coming in Sky Blue Color Used for MacBook Air

Apple's Pro iPhone models typically come in a handful of neutral color options with one additional color that changes from year to year and stands out a bit more. For the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max coming in September, it sounds like that could be a Sky Blue color similar to the one that appeared on the latest MacBook Air.


We're expecting quite a few changes for the iPhone 17 Pro, with the most immediately obvious one being a significantly larger rear camera bump.

Siri Management Team Gets Overhaul After Apple Intelligence Failure

As part of the leadership shakeup in the wake delays in the development of an Apple Intelligence-powered Siri revamp, new boss Mike Rockwell is shaking up the Siri management team to try to breathe new life into the project and get it back on track.


The move comes as Apple continues to promote Apple Intelligence features that are available like Clean Up in the Photos app, although the company has pulled back on some of its "available now" marketing for Apple Intelligence after push-back from a consumer advocacy group.

Apple Watch Launched 10 Years Ago This Week

This week marks the 10-year anniversary of the original Apple Watch launching in the United States and eight other countries around the world. While it was initially announced in September 2014, the revolutionary wearable device didn't officially launch until April 24, 2015.


As part of the anniversary, Apple celebrated Global Close Your Rings Day, with a special badge and animated iMessage stickers available to all users who closed their Move, Stand, and Exercise rings on Thursday. Apple is also giving out limited-edition physical pins at its retail stores while supplies last.

MacRumors Newsletter

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

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!
This article, "Top Stories: iPhone 17 Air Rumors, Apple Watch Turns 10, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched on April 24, 2015. Yesterday, we recapped features rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, but since 2015, the Apple Watch has also branched out into the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE, so we thought we'd take a look at what's next for those product lines, too.

2025 Apple Watch Ultra 3

Apple didn't update the Apple Watch Ultra in 2024, opting only to introduce a new color, so it's due for a refresh. There are some exclusive features that are rumored for the Apple Watch Ultra that will further distinguish it from the standard Apple Watch lineup.

5G and Satellite Connectivity

Like the Apple Watch Series 11, the Apple Watch Ultra is likely to get a new MediaTek modem that will enable 5G connectivity for the first time, but it is also rumored to be getting satellite connectivity.

Right now, satellite connectivity is limited to the iPhone 14 and later, but by adding it to the Apple Watch Ultra, Apple will be able to better compete with companies like Garmin that offer dedicated satellite hardware for off-grid emergency use. The Apple Watch Ultra is aimed at hikers, scuba divers, and others who often partake in activities in remote areas, so a backup connection would definitely increase its appeal with the device's target audience.

With satellite integration, the Apple Watch Ultra would be able to connect to available Globalstar satellites to send texts and location information when cellular networks and Wi-Fi aren't available. It could either be limited to emergency situations, or available for texting like satellite connectivity on the ‌iPhone‌.

Satellite connectivity is expected to be a feature exclusive to the Apple Watch Ultra, and it's not something we expect to see added to the Apple Watch Series 11.

Design and Display

With the Apple Watch Series 10, Apple introduced an LTPO3 OLED display that's bigger and brighter than the Apple Watch Ultra display, with faster refresh rates that enable a live ticking seconds hand on some watch faces.

This year, Apple could bring those same display improvements to the Apple Watch Ultra, so it's possible the Apple Watch Ultra 3 will feature the same wide-angle OLED that's up to 40 percent brighter at certain viewing angles, and the faster refresh rate for the seconds hand.

Similarly, Apple redesigned the back of the Apple Watch Series 10, and it's now made of metal instead of ceramic. It's also got a larger charging coil and integrated antenna, and we could see all of these changes come to the Apple Watch Ultra 3.

Health Features

Apple is working on a blood pressure monitoring feature, and there is a chance that it could launch in the 2025 Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3, but it's not guaranteed because there have been some development problems that could delay it.

If we do get blood pressure monitoring, it won't provide exact systolic and diastolic measurements, instead monitoring for hypertension and providing an alert if the condition is detected over time.

After receiving a hypertension alert, an Apple Watch user could provide that information to a medical professional for additional testing, similar to how the existing atrial fibrillation features work in the Apple Watch.

watchOS 12

watchOS 12, set to launch in September, is expected to have some design changes that will be applicable to the Apple Watch Ultra 3. We could get visionOS-like design changes that will match the changes coming in iOS 19, but there's not going to be a complete overhaul.

We could see new interface elements that are inspired by visionOS, with an emphasis on translucency, glass-like finishes, rounded buttons, and subtle lighting effects.

Apple could also introduce a new set of features "powered" by Apple Intelligence. These capabilities won't run directly on the Apple Watch because it does not have enough RAM or storage space to support it, but a connected ‌iPhone‌ will be able to supply enough power for Apple Watch ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features.

There are also rumors that Apple is working on a new version of the Health app that has personalized health recommendations to help users lead a healthier lifestyle, and that functionality would likely have an Apple Watch component.

2025 Apple Watch SE

Apple doesn't update the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ very often, and it's actually been three years since we last got a refresh. It's overdue for an update, and 2025 is expected to be the year.


The ‌Apple Watch SE‌ hasn't had an update since 2022, so a new model will have an updated chip that's faster and more capable, and there's a possibility that there could be design changes.

Design

There were rumors that Apple was working on a colorful, hard plastic casing for the next ‌Apple Watch SE‌, but it may have been scrapped. Apple's design team didn't like the look of the plastic watch and the casing is not cheaper than aluminum to make, so Apple might have nixed it.

If that's the case, the next ‌Apple Watch SE‌ could continue to use aluminum and it will look similar to the current model, but it is probably going to get a larger display and slimmed down bezels. The current ‌Apple Watch SE‌ is available in 40mm and 44mm size options and it was modeled after the Apple Watch Series 6, but Apple has made two sizing updates since then. The ‌Apple Watch SE‌ will either get the 41mm and 45mm size options introduced with the Apple Watch Series 7, or the 42mm and 46mm size options Apple added with the Series 10. The 41mm/45mm size option is most probable because it distinguishes the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ from the Series 11 without making the third-generation SE look too outdated.

Display

Larger display sizes are a possibility as mentioned above, and so is always-on display technology. This is an Apple Watch staple that hasn't ever been introduced for the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ line, but it's now been around so long that it's probably affordable enough for Apple to add.

Faster Chip

The current ‌Apple Watch SE‌ has an S8 chip that's based on the A13 Bionic chip, but the Apple Watch Series 10 uses an S10 chip. The Series 11 could get an even faster chip, and Apple could use the current S10 for the ‌Apple Watch SE‌.

A faster chip would improve speeds for things like using apps on the ‌Apple Watch SE‌, and it would allow for some Siri requests to be processed on-device for quicker response times and more accurate dictation. Right now, ‌Siri‌ isn't able to access health info on the ‌Apple Watch SE‌, but that could change if the third-generation model gets a new chip.

It's also possible that Apple will add an Ultra Wideband chip to the next ‌Apple Watch SE‌, allowing for Precision Finding and HomePod integration.

Health Features

The ‌Apple Watch SE‌ does not have ECG or temperature sensing capabilities, nor does it offer sleep apnea detection. It's possible at least one of these features will expand to Apple's more affordable watch line this year, with sleep apnea being the most likely because it doesn't require any additional hardware.

Apple Watch Series 11

If you want to know what's rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, we have a dedicated guide that aggregates all of the rumors that we've heard so far.

Launch Date

The Apple Watch Ultra 3, Apple Watch Series 11, and ‌Apple Watch SE‌ 3 are expected in September 2025, and they will likely launch alongside the new iPhone 17 models.
This article, "What's Next for the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Lululook to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a 13-inch iPad Air and a Lululook Foldable Magnetic Charging Mount to go along with it.


Lululook makes all kinds of stands and accessories for the iPad and other Apple products, and its $100 Foldable Magnetic Charging Mount is not quite like other stands you've seen. It's a desk stand that clamps on to the edge of a desk or a table, with an adjustable arm that can be tilted and angled to get the perfect viewing position.


An ‌iPad‌ connects directly to the mount using magnets that hold it securely in place, while the other end clamps to a desk. There are actually 88 small magnets to ensure that your ‌iPad‌ isn't going to go anywhere. A joint on the clamp allows it to be rotated 360 degrees, and there's also another joint at the top, so it's easy to reposition.


A USB-C cable provides power, and the ‌iPad‌ is able to charge through the Smart Connector. With the three section arm, it can be shifted around on a desk, so it's perfect for setting up an ‌iPad‌ as a second monitor, or attaching one to a worktable where you want to be able to watch video content while the ‌iPad‌ is out of your workspace. You can use it in either landscape or portrait mode. There are versions of the stand for the 13-inch 2024 iPad Pro models and the 2025 iPad Air models, plus it works with some older iPads too, including the 2018 and later 13-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ models.


Lululook has plenty of other stand options too, if you don't need the clamp design. The Magnetic Wireless Charging Stand for the 13-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ and Air is $90, and it has a clean, Mac-like look. It charges an ‌iPad‌ via ‌Smart Connector‌, and it has two 360-degree pivot points for adjustability. The stand is made from aluminum alloy so it has a sleek look that blends well with Apple devices.


There's also the $80 Magnetic iPad Stand for the 13-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ and ‌iPad Air‌, which is a good option if you don't need included charging. It has a 360-degree rotating base, and it is height and angle adjustable so you can get it into just the right position. It rotates into portrait or landscape mode, and magnets hold it securely in place.


We've got a 128GB 13-inch ‌iPad Air‌ and a Lululook Foldable Magnetic Charging Mount for one lucky MacRumors reader. To enter to win, use the widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner(s) and send the prize(s). You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, following us on Threads, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older, UK residents who are 18 years or older, and Canadian residents who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. All federal, state, provincial, and/or local taxes, fees, and surcharges are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

The contest will run from today (April 25) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on May 2. The winner will be chosen randomly on or shortly after May 2 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.
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On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss the rumored look of the iPhone 17 "Air" and iPadOS 19's major productivity update.


We take a closer look at the rumored design of the ‌iPhone 17‌ "Air," which is expected to introduce a radically thinner design. It is rumored to be as thin as 5.5mm, versus the 8.725mm thickness of the Pro models. It has now emerged that even the buttons will need to be thinner than those used on the other models to simply fit on the device.

We also discuss the rumored "Sky Blue" color option for the iPhone 17 Pro and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max, which bears a resemblance to the "Sierra Blue" of the iPhone 13 Pro. Sky Blue was first introduced on the M4 MacBook Air earlier this year. Moreover, we talk through the purported "Midnight" colorway for the Apple Vision "Air."

Meanwhile, iPadOS 19 is expected to bring a major software upgrade to the iPad. The update is expected to make the ‌iPad‌ more "macOS-like," with improved productivity, multitasking, and window management. The MacRumors Show also has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



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


If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion with Daring Fireball's John Gruber about Apple Intelligence and the future of the company.

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

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
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Multiple Apple products hit all-time low prices this week, including the M4 MacBook Air, 11th generation iPad, and M3 iPad Air. We're also still tracking a sale on Apple Watch Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop bands at Woot, which can net you up to two free bands when you buy one at a discount.

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

Apple Watch Bands

• What's the deal? Buy one Apple Watch band, get up to two free


• Where can I get it? Woot


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

This week, Woot brought back its popular sale on Apple Watch Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop bands, but there is a change. This time, when you buy any Solo Loop or Braided Solo Loop at a discount on Woot, you'll get up to two extra bands for free. You can find more information on the sale in our original post.

M4 MacBook Air

• What's the deal? Take up to $150 off M4 MacBook Air


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon this week kicked off a sale on M4 MacBook Air models, and these prices have only gotten better as the week continued. You can now find up to $130 off 13-inch models and up to $150 off 15-inch models on Amazon right now.

Apple Watch SE

• What's the deal? Take up to $79 off Apple Watch SE


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

You can get $79 off the Apple Watch SE this week on Amazon, starting at just $169.97 for the 40mm GPS model. Overall, these are both just a few cents away from the best prices we've seen so far this year.

11th Gen iPad

• What's the deal? Take up to $48 off 11th generation iPad


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon has a few discounts on Apple's 11th generation iPad this week, including a return of the all-time low price on the entry level model. Prices start at $319.99 for the 128GB Wi-Fi iPad, down from $349.00.

M3 iPad Air

• What's the deal? Take up to $69 off M3 iPad Air


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Early in the week, Amazon introduced a few discounts on the M3 iPad Air, and many of these have now been discounted even further. Prices start at $549.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi 11-inch iPad Air, which is an all-time low price.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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This article, "Best Apple Deals of the Week: Woot's Blind Box Apple Watch Band Sale, Plus Steep Discounts on MacBook Air and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Sometimes when you share a webpage link with someone, you just want to bring their attention to a specific passage or sentence to make your point, rather than have them read through the entire article.


In 2020, Google added a function to its Chrome browser called Scroll to Text Fragment (STTF) that helps you achieve this. It allows URLs to link directly to any visible text on a page. You may have seen it work in Google Search, where clicking on a link in your returned results takes you to a highlighted passage of text further down the page.

Since then, Google has built the feature into the open source Chromium code, so most other popular Chromium browsers like Edge, Opera, and Vivaldi also have it these days. (Brave is an exception, citing some privacy risks of STTF.)

Copy Link With Highlight in Safari

Late last year, Apple joined the club, and brought full support to Safari 18.2. To use the feature, visit a web page and simply highlight the text you want to create a link to, then right-click and choose Copy Link with Highlight from the dropdown menu.


This will generate a special URL that includes a hash (#) symbol and "text" element, followed by a few words that bookend the selected text. All you need to do is share the link with someone, and when they click it they'll be sent directly to that part of the webpage with the specific passage highlighted, as shown below.



That's all there is to it. The Copy Link to Highlight option is also available in Safari on the iPhone and iPad, and indeed in any browser that uses WebKit on iOS and iPadOS. Hopefully that makes it easier for you to direct the recipient of the link to the content you actually want them to focus on.

Bear in mind that the look of highlighted text can differ depending on whether the page author has styled it to look a certain way. Also, text fragment linking does not work in PDFs. Firefox users: You'll need to install Thomas Steiner's Link to Text Fragment extension, which will add a Copy Link to Selected Text option to the contextual menu.
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Arlo has begun rolling out Apple Home integration for its Essential Second-Generation camera lineup, reports The-Ambient.


The integration allows devices like the Arlo Essential 2K Video Doorbell, 2K Indoor Camera, and 2K Outdoor XL Camera (all second-gen models) to be added to the Apple Home app. That's provided they are connected to a compatible Arlo Base Station or SmartHub.

When properly connected, users will be able to view live feeds and screenshots, receive motion and audio notifications, and use two-way audio directly from the Apple Home app. The update also brings Siri voice control functionality and the ability to view camera feeds on Apple TV, making it convenient to check who's at the door without reaching for your phone.

As noted by The-Ambient, this update should prove a big improvement for Apple Home households, where third-party camera support has traditionally been inconsistent at best. While Arlo still hasn't implemented HomeKit Secure Video support (something many users have been clamoring for), standard HomeKit integration is a meaningful step toward a more unified smart home experience.

The rollout appears to be specifically for second-generation Essential devices, so owners of first-gen or other Arlo camera lines might need to wait a bit longer (or invest in newer hardware) to enjoy the same Apple Home integration.
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Apple is accelerating its manufacturing shift away from China, with plans to assemble all U.S.-bound iPhones in India by the end of 2026, according to a new Financial Times report.


The ambitious timeline would require Apple to double its current iPhone production capacity in India. It marks a major acceleration of Apple's supply chain diversification strategy, which has been gradually expanding in recent years.

Currently, the majority of iPhones are manufactured in China through partners like Foxconn. The U.S. market accounts for approximately 28 percent of Apple's global iPhone shipments, which totaled 232.1 million units in 2024, according to International Data Corporation.

The shift comes amid renewed trade tensions between the US and China. President Trump recently implemented substantial tariffs on Chinese imports, causing Apple's market value to drop by approximately $700 billion. In response, Apple reportedly rushed existing Indian-manufactured iPhones to the U.S. to avoid higher tariffs imposed on Chinese goods.

The timing isn't coincidental. CEO Tim Cook has reportedly been working diligently behind the scenes to protect Apple from the full impact of Trump's tariffs. As reported last week, Cook secured a temporary exemption for iPhones, Macs, Apple Watches, and iPads from the bulk of Trump's 145 percent tariffs on Chinese imports after phone calls with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and other senior White House officials.

The exemption might be short-lived, however. Trump later indicated that "no one would be getting off the hook" and that electronics companies would be "moving to a different tariff bucket" as his administration reviews semiconductors and the electronics supply chain.

Apple has been gradually building manufacturing capacity in India with partners Tata Electronics and Foxconn. The company's relationship with the Indian government may prove helpful, as India is currently working toward a bilateral trade agreement with the U.S., which could provide more favorable trade conditions.

Despite the assembly pivot, Apple still relies heavily on Chinese suppliers for hundreds of iPhone components. The company has pledged a $500 billion investment in the United States but has not announced plans to bring iPhone manufacturing to American soil.

Apple is scheduled to report quarterly earnings next week, where investors will be watching closely for any comments on how these tariffs and supply chain shifts might impact the company's future performance.
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As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch today, we thought we'd take a look at what Apple has in store for the next-generation version of the device that's coming this fall. The Apple Watch Series 11 doesn't sound like it's going to be a groundbreaking anniversary device, but Apple could surprise us.

New Modem Technology

Right now, the Apple Watch uses Intel cellular modems that are limited to LTE connectivity, but Apple is planning to instead adopt technology from MediaTek for future Apple Watch models. MediaTek's modem chip supports 5G RedCap, which is a 5G service specifically designed for wearables that don't need standard 5G speeds.

5G RedCap could bring 5G connectivity to the Apple Watch, which would likely be an improvement over the existing LTE connectivity options.

Chip Improvements

We could get an updated S11 chip for the Apple Watch this year, which would have a more compact, efficient design. There could be optimizations in battery life, along with additional space for a larger battery or other components.

Health Features

Apple is working on a blood pressure monitoring feature, and there is a chance that it could launch in 2025 models, though there have been rumors of development issues that could push it back.

When blood pressure monitoring comes to the Apple Watch, it won't provide exact systolic and diastolic measurements, instead simply monitoring for hypertension and providing an alert if the condition is detected over time. Hypertension is a serious issue where a person's blood pressure stays high over time, and it is a risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and other health issues.

After receiving a hypertension alert, an Apple Watch user could provide that information to a medical professional for additional testing, similar to how the existing atrial fibrillation features work in the Apple Watch. Apple has been running into problems with accuracy and reliability that could cause delays.

watchOS Revamp

watchOS 12, set to launch in September, will bring some watchOS design changes to the Apple Watch Series 11 along with existing Apple Watch models.

Rumors suggest that it will have visionOS-like design changes that will match the changes coming in iOS 19, but it won't be a complete design overhaul. We could see new interface elements that are inspired by visionOS, with an emphasis on translucency, glass-like finishes, rounded buttons, and subtle lighting effects.

Apple could also introduce a new set of features "powered" by Apple Intelligence. These capabilities won't run directly on the Apple Watch because it does not have enough RAM or storage space to support it, but a connected iPhone will be able to supply enough power for Apple Watch ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features.

AI-Powered Health Coaching

In an update to ‌iOS 19‌, Apple could introduce a new version of the Health app that would feature personalized health recommendations to help users lead a healthier lifestyle. This would naturally have an Apple Watch component, using data gathered by the watch and providing on-device guidance.

Food tracking features could also be introduced in the future, with Apple set to compete with apps like MyFitnessPal.

What Happened to Redesign Rumors?

Ahead of when the Apple Watch Series 10 launched, there were rumors that Apple was working on a special anniversary version of the device, or an "Apple Watch X" with a major design overhaul. That redesign was said to include a thinner casing and a new way for bands to attach to the device using a magnetic connection, which would have meant that existing bands would not be compatible with new Apple Watch models.

With the Series 10, we did get a thinner casing, but there was no new band attachment system. It's not clear if that's been scrapped entirely, but it's not a rumor that has popped back up for the Series 11.

Apple didn't acknowledge the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch last year, so that could be something that will come up with the Series 11 launch.

What About Blood Oxygen Monitoring?

Since early 2024, Apple Watch models sold in the United States have not had blood oxygen monitoring capabilities after Apple was forced to remove the feature or face an import ban for patent violations. No Apple Watch Series 10 models in the U.S. have a functioning blood oxygen monitoring feature, and it's looking like the Apple Watch 11 won't either.

There have been no signs as of late that hint at whether and when blood oxygen monitoring is coming back. Apple has the ability to re-enable blood oxygen monitoring via a software update because the hardware is still there, but so far, Apple doesn't seem willing to settle with Masimo, the company that sued it, nor have we heard rumors of an alternative solution.

Apple could win an appeal of the case, settle, or create a new method for blood oxygen sensing that doesn't use Masimo technology, but if none of those things happen, it will be years before blood oxygen sensing comes back. Masimo's patents are set to expire in 2028, so at least there's hope for a blood oxygen sensing before the end of the decade.

Pricing

If new tariffs are introduced on semiconductors and Apple's products aren't exempted, there is a possibility that the Series 11 models could get more expensive. As of now, though, we're still expecting a $399 starting point.

Future Apple Watch Updates

Apple is working on some much more exciting updates for future versions of the Apple Watch, but we're still several years away from most of them.

• Built-in cameras for Visual Intelligence.


• Non-invasive blood glucose monitoring, a feature Apple has been working on for years for diabetes prevention.

Launch Date

We're expecting the Apple Watch Series 11 to be announced in September alongside new iPhone 17 models.
This article, "Everything Rumored for the 2025 Apple Watch Series 11" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Google-owned YouTube this week said it is "experimenting" with a new video search results carousel that appears after searches for select keywords.


According to YouTube, the video results carousel will use AI to highlight clips from videos that "will be most helpful for your search query," which essentially means that it will take clips from videos and play them right in results, so people may not need to click into a video to find the information they're looking for.

Google uses AI overviews for Google Search, but the YouTube version will differ. AI won't summarize videos, and will simply pull clips from them. It is not clear the AI-selected clips will encourage users to watch a full video, or cause fewer people to engage with videos, but AI integration into Google Search has impacted traffic to websites.

Right now, the feature is being tested with a small number of YouTube Premium users for English search queries, and the AI-generated results are most likely to surface when users search for information about products, or for locations and things to do in those locations. Two example searches provided include "best noise cancelling headphones" and "museums to visit in San Francisco."

YouTube has not provided details on what the AI will prioritize, so video creators may have another metric to optimize for in the future should this functionality see a wider rollout.
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Meta today announced that it is adding several new web features to the Threads social network, as well as officially relocating the website to a new domain. Threads is migrating from Threads.net to Threads.com, and Threads.com will be the new default domain name.


When Threads launched in 2023, Meta did not own Threads.com, so it was located at Threads.net. Meta acquired Threads.com in September 2024, and since then, the Threads.com domain forwarded to Threads.net. Going forward, users who type Threads.net into a browser window will be forwarded to Threads.com.

To accompany the name change, Threads on the web is getting several interface updates to make browsing through posts on the social network easier.

• When using a single column view, custom feeds will be shown on the top of the web page in the same order they appear in mobile.


• Liked and saved posts can be accessed through the main menu icon.


• A column can be added by clicking on the column icon on the right-hand side of the screen.


• A Threads post can be copied as an image instead of being captured in a screenshot, which allows posts to be shared on Instagram and other social networks.


• Clicking the "+" button at the bottom of the screen shows a pop up composer that follows your cursor as you scroll through feeds.

Meta is also testing a feature that allows users to upload the list of people they follow on other apps to Threads, starting with X.

Meta says that it plans to continue to provide updates to the Threads web experience, with more web updates coming in the near future.
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Netflix today announced that it is introducing a new subtitle option that only shows subtitles for spoken dialogue, aimed at those who don't need captions, but prefer to watch movies and TV shows with the subtitles turned on.


According to Netflix, nearly half of all viewing hours on the streaming service in the U.S. happen with the subtitles or captions on, which is why it is debuting the new setting.

The new option will show subtitles for dialogue, but no audio cues such as [phone buzzing], [door slams], or [fireplace crackling], which are normally shown when closed captioning is turned on. Netflix says the option will be available on new titles that are coming to Netflix, starting with the final season of YOU that launched today.

The dialogue-only subtitle setting can be selected by opening up the language picker when watching a Netflix show and choosing the "English" option. "English CC" will have both dialogue and audio cues as normal.

Going forward, dialogue-only subtitles will be available for all new Netflix originals in every language that Netflix offers in addition to the SDH and CC options.
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Apple is removing another project from AI chief John Giannandrea, and he will no longer oversee Apple's secret robotics division, according to Bloomberg.


After Apple failed to deliver promised Apple Intelligence Siri features on time under Giannandrea's leadership, Apple asked Vision Pro chief Mike Rockwell to oversee the ‌Siri‌ team and future ‌Siri‌ development instead.

Now the robotics team will make a similar move, transitioning to the hardware division where robotics development will be overseen by Apple senior vice president John Ternus instead of Giannandrea. Giannandrea continues to head up Apple's AI and machine learning efforts, and changing the robotics team leadership will give his team more time to focus on new artificial intelligence features. Giannandrea has hundreds fewer engineers to manage, and the shift is a clear indication that Apple leadership does not feel that he can lead multiple teams.

Apple is making major management changes in order to further prioritize ‌Apple Intelligence‌, as it needs to catch up with Google, OpenAI, Perplexity, and other AI companies that are leagues ahead in AI development.

Kevin Lynch, who oversaw the development of the Apple Watch and Apple's now-canceled car, is leading the robotics team. Apple has several robotics projects in the works, and a tabletop robot with an arm that can move around an iPad-style display could be the first device to come from the robot team. Apple is also planning for a more mobile robot that would be more like an iPad on wheels able to carry out simple tasks, place calls, and answer queries.

Ternus is a top Apple exec and he has worked on some of Apple's biggest products, overseeing the hardware engineering of the iPhone, ‌iPad‌, Mac, and other devices. He already oversees another hardware engineering team working on robotics and smart home technologies, and Bloomberg suggests that Apple's move to merge the two robotics teams could indicate that Apple is ramping up robot development.
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With the launch of iOS 18.4, Apple introduced a new App Store feature that summarizes multiple user reviews to provide an at-a-glance summary of what people think of an app or a game. In a new blog post on its Machine Learning Research blog, Apple provides some detail on how ‌App Store‌ review summaries work.


Apple is using a multi-step large language model (LLM) system to generate the summaries, with the aim of creating overviews that are inclusive, balanced, and accurately reflect the user's voice. Apple says that it prioritizes "safety, fairness, truthfulness, and helpfulness" in its summaries, while outlining some of the challenges in aggregating ‌App Store‌ reviews.

With new app releases, features, and bug fixes, reviews can change, so Apple's summarizations have to dynamically adapt to stay relevant, while also being able to aggregate both short and long reviews. Some reviews also include off-topic comments or noise, which the LLM needs to filter out.

To begin with, Apple's LLM ignores reviews that have spam, profanity, or fraud. Remaining reviews are then processed through a sequence of LLM-powered modules that extract key insights from each review, aggregating themes that reoccur, balancing positive and negative takes, and then generating a summary that's around 100 to 300 characters in length.

Apple uses specially trained LLMs for each step in the process, ensuring that the summaries are an accurate reflection of user sentiment. During the development of the feature, thousands of summaries were reviewed by human raters to assess factors like helpfulness, composition, and safety.

Apple's full blog post goes into more detail on each step of the summary generation process, and it is worth checking out for those who are interested in the way that Apple is approaching LLMs.
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When an iPad running iPadOS 19 is connected to a Magic Keyboard, a macOS-like menu bar will appear on the screen, according to the leaker Majin Bu.


This change would further blur the lines between the iPad and the Mac. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously claimed that iPadOS 19 will be "more like macOS," with unspecified improvements to productivity, multitasking, and app window management, and the addition of a macOS-like menu bar would certainly align with that overall plan.

In a blog post today, the leaker also claimed that iPadOS 19 will enhance Stage Manager, the feature that lets you use multiple apps at once on an external display. The leaker said that Stage Manager will work more seamlessly, but they did not provide any specific details about the alleged improvements. They also said that iOS 19 will enable at least a basic version of Stage Manager on iPhone models with a USB-C port.

The first beta of iPadOS 19 should be available after the WWDC 2025 keynote on June 9, but some new features are not enabled until later betas.

Majin Bu has a mixed track record with Apple rumors, with some hits and some misses.
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A leaker known as Majin Bu today claimed that iOS 19 will enable support for at least a limited version of Stage Manager on iPhone models with a USB-C port.


In a blog post citing sources, the leaker said that when an iPhone with a USB-C port is connected to an external display, users will be able to take advantage of a Stage Manager-like interface with multiple apps open at once on the screen. However, he said that there might be more limitations compared to Stage Manager on iPads.

iPhone models with a USB-C port include all iPhone 15 models and newer.

iPhones with both Lightning and USB-C ports can already be connected to external displays, but only for basic screen mirroring.

The first developer beta of iOS 19 should be available immediately after the WWDC 2025 keynote on June 9, and the software update is expected to be released to the general public in September. It is unclear if Stage Manager support on USB-C iPhones would be available in the first beta, or enabled later in the iOS 19 software cycle.

Samsung offers a similar feature called DeX on its Galaxy smartphones.

Majin Bu has a mixed track record with Apple rumors, with some hits and some misses. They were one of the sources who accurately claimed that the device succeeding the iPhone SE would be named the iPhone 16e, but they also inaccurately claimed that the device would have a Dynamic Island instead of a notch. They also accurately leaked the redesigned Milanese Loop for the Apple Watch Ultra 2, the Desert Titanium color name for iPhone 16 Pro models, several iPhone cases, and much more.
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Starting today, April 24, Apple Stores around the world are giving away a special pin for free to customers who request one, while supplies last.


The enamel pin's design is inspired by the Global Close Your Rings Day award in the Activity app, which Apple Watch users can receive by closing all three Activity rings today. The limited-edition pin is the physical counterpart to that digital award.

To receive the pin, simply visit an Apple Store and ask an employee about it. We were able to receive the pin without having our Activity rings closed yet today, so that does not appear to be a requirement, but your mileage may vary.

Given that Apple says the pin is only available while supplies last, keep in mind that some stores might already be out of them.

Here is what Apple said about the pin in a press release:

To celebrate Global Close Your Rings Day, customers can obtain a special pin inspired by the award. Customers can pick up a pin at Apple Store locations worldwide starting April 24, while supplies last.

The original Apple Watch launched 10 years ago today, on April 24, 2015, so the pin is a tiny momento of the anniversary.

Here is what Apple Watch chief Jeff Williams said about the 10-year anniversary:

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

If you received the pin, feel free to share a photo in our forums.
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Apple today shared a new ad that highlights a key advantage that iPhone 16 models have over Android smartphones: the Ceramic Shield.


Apple says the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max displays are all protected by the latest-generation Ceramic Shield material, which is advertised as being "2x tougher than glass on any other smartphone."

In the new "Trust Issues" ad, a father hands his iPhone to a stranger and asks them to take a photo of his family at a carnival. Unfortunately, the stranger drops the iPhone, leading to a moment of suspense given the device might have been damaged. However, the display glass remains intact due to the Ceramic Shield.

"Relax, it's iPhone 16," the video description concludes.

Of course, your mileage may vary.

Apple introduced the Ceramic Shield on all iPhone 12 models, and it has continued to improve the glass-ceramic material's formulation over the years.
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While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device.


Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a single speaker, and an A19 chip instead of a more powerful A19 Pro chip.


While there have been some concerns that the iPhone 17 Air's thin design could result in limited battery life, the device might end up beating expectations. There are three rumored features for the iPhone 17 Air that could contribute to longer battery life than one might imagine, including a higher-density battery, Apple's power-efficient C1 modem, and the lack of an Ultra Wide camera providing more internal space for a larger battery.

Below, we recap 16 key rumors for the iPhone 17 Air as of April 2025:

• The thinnest iPhone ever, measuring just 5.5mm at its thinnest point, but possibly up to 9.5mm with the rear camera bump included


• 6.6-inch OLED display with Face ID and a Dynamic Island


• ProMotion support for up to a 120Hz refresh rate


• A19 chip instead of A19 Pro chip


• A single 48-megapixel rear camera on an all-new elongated camera bar


• A 24-megapixel front camera


• A single speaker in the earpiece, no bottom speaker


• Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip


• Apple-designed C1 modem for cellular connectivity


• eSIM only, no physical SIM card slot worldwide


• USB-C port


• High-density battery


• Camera Control button


• Action button


• MagSafe


• Newly reported today: 12GB of RAM, exceeding the minimum for Apple Intelligence

Bookmark our iPhone 17 Air roundup to stay up to date with more rumors in the coming months.
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The rumored ultra-thin "iPhone 17 Air" model will be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to the latest word from Ming-Chi Kuo.


In a blog post today, the well-known Apple supply chain analyst said that the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all be equipped with 12GB of RAM. He previously only expected the iPhone 17 Pro Max to have 12GB of RAM, so this is good news for customers who will be purchasing the other models.

Kuo said even the base-model iPhone 17 might be equipped with 12GB of RAM, but only if supply chain shortages can be overcome. He said that Apple will make a final decision on the amount of RAM it will offer in this device by May.

All of the models in the iPhone 16 lineup are equipped with 8GB of RAM, so the jump to 12GB would be a significant increase. Increased RAM can contribute to improved performance for Apple Intelligence and multitasking.

Even if the base-model iPhone 17 sticks with 8GB of RAM, Kuo said he expects all models in the iPhone 18 lineup to have 12GB of RAM.

Kuo said the increased RAM will primarily benefit Apple suppliers Micron and SK Hynix.

Apple should announce the iPhone 17 series in September.
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Amazon is discounting the 40mm GPS Apple Watch SE to $169.97 today, down from $249.00. This is just a few cents away from the best price we've tracked so far in 2025, and it's available in Starlight, Silver, and Midnight Aluminum color options.

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

Amazon has four 40mm GPS Apple Watch SE at this price, including multiple sizes of the Sport Band model. Most are in stock and available to be delivered by the end of April.



Additionally, you can get the 44mm GPS Apple Watch SE at the low price of $199.97 today on Amazon, down from $279.00. This one is available in Midnight and Starlight Aluminum colors, and in both Sport Loop and Sport Band options.



If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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Today marks the 10-year anniversary of the original Apple Watch launching in the United States and eight other countries around the world.


The original Apple Watch launched in stores and began arriving to customers on April 24, 2015, after being announced in September 2014.

"Apple Watch begins a new chapter in the way we relate to technology and we think our customers are going to love it," said Apple CEO Tim Cook, in a press release announcing availability of the device. "We can't wait for people to start wearing Apple Watch to easily access information that matters, to interact with the world, and to live a better day by being more aware of their daily activity than ever before," he added.

"Apple Watch merges hardware and software like never before," said Apple's former design chief, Jony Ive, in the same press release.

Impressively, the Apple Watch has helped to save countless lives over the past decade, thanks to health and safety features like heart rate measuring, the ECG app, fall detection, sleep apnea notifications, Emergency SOS, crash detection, and more. These features have alerted many people to conditions like atrial fibrillation, sleep apnea, and even cancer, allowing them to seek medical attention earlier than they would have otherwise.

In several interviews over the years, Cook has said that Apple's greatest contribution to the world will be in the health space, and the Apple Watch is a testament to that. Over the next decade, we can expect even more health features on the Apple Watch, such as blood pressure measuring and potentially even non-invasive blood glucose monitoring.

It is not marketing hype to say that the Apple Watch has made a profound impact on humankind, and it is exciting to think about what the next decade holds.
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Apple's $570 million fine from the EU has triggered a sharp rebuke from the White House, which called the fine a form of economic extortion, Reuters reports.


The fine was announced on Wednesday by the European Commission, following a formal investigation into Apple's compliance with the bloc's Digital Markets Act (DMA), a landmark piece of legislation aimed at curbing the market dominance of so-called "gatekeeper" companies. According to the Commission, Apple violated the DMA by restricting developers from informing users about alternative payment options outside the App Store and by preventing the distribution of iOS apps through competing app marketplaces.

Speaking to Reuters, a spokesperson for the White House condemned the EU's actions, signaling growing transatlantic tensions over regulation of U.S. technology firms:

This novel form of economic extortion will not be tolerated by the United States. Extraterritorial regulations that specifically target and undermine American companies, stifle innovation, and enable censorship will be recognized as barriers to trade and a direct threat to free civil society.

Apple said it plans to appeal the decision. The company called it "another example of the commission unfairly targeting the company" with actions that are "bad for the privacy and security of our users." The penalties represent approximately 0.1% of each company's annual revenue, which is significantly below the potential maximum fine of 10% allowed under the DMA.

The ruling comes amid ongoing trade negotiations between the EU and the U.S., which could potentially add another layer of complexity to transatlantic tech regulations.
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New data from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) suggests Apple's iPhone 16e is off to a strong start, capturing 7% of U.S. iPhone sales in its first partial quarter of availability. The new mid-range offering outperformed the iPhone SE's share from the same quarter last year.


The entire iPhone 16 lineup, now consisting of five models with the addition of the 16e, accounted for 74% of total U.S. iPhone sales in the March 2025 quarter. It's a marked increase from the 68% share held by the four iPhone 15 models during the same period in 2024.

While the 16e drove much of this growth, CIRP's data shows some surprising shifts across the lineup. The standard iPhone 16 saw a decent boost, climbing to 20% of sales compared to just 14% for the iPhone 15 in the previous year's quarter.

Meanwhile, Apple's high-end models had an unexpected decline. The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max together accounted for 38% of iPhone sales, down from 45% for the iPhone 15 Pro models a year earlier. The iPhone 16 Pro specifically dropped from 22% to 17% market share.


The numbers suggest Apple's strengthening of its mid-range offerings may be working overall, with more buyers choosing the standard iPhone 16 over the pricier Pro models. At the same time, the 16e appears to be wooing customers who previously might have opted for older models.

Legacy iPhones – defined as models more than a year old – fell to 26% of U.S. sales, down from 32% the year before. The decline coincides with Apple's streamlining of its iPhone lineup, which included discontinuing the iPhone SE and the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus during the quarter.
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Apple chipmaker TSMC at the North America Technology Symposium has teased its next-generation A14 process node that will enter planned production in 2028.


The cutting-edge A14 node will allow for highly advanced 1.4nm chips that are likely to be utilized for future generations of Apple silicon. Compared to TSMC's N2 node, A14 promises up to 15% faster performance at the same power or up to 30% power savings at the same performance. A14 also boasts over 20% logic density improvement.

TSMC said it is also evolving its TSMC NanoFlex standard cell architecture to NanoFlex Pro, enabling greater performance, power efficiency, and design flexibility. From the company's press release:

"Our customers constantly look to the future, and TSMC's technology leadership and manufacturing excellence provides them with a dependable roadmap for their innovations," said TSMC Chairman and CEO Dr. C.C. Wei. "TSMC's cutting-edge logic technologies like A14 are part of a comprehensive suite of solutions that connect the physical and digital worlds to unleash our customers' innovation for advancing the AI future."

It's not known which of TSMC's clients will stand to benefit first from the new 1.4nm chips, but given the close partnership between the company and Apple, it's a good bet that the latter will be at the front of the queue to place orders.

TSMC's industry-leading 2nm process is set to enter volume production later this year. Apple is not expected to introduce devices using TSMC's 2nm (N2) process node until 2026, suggesting that the iPhone 18 series will be first to adopt the technology in Apple's A20 chip.

Both the iPhone 17 and the upcoming M5 chip for Macs and iPads are expected to continue to utilize TSMC's 3nm process, specifically the third-generation N3P node. This decision is primarily due to the high costs and limited production capacity associated with the 2nm process at this time.
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Perplexity has updated its iOS app with a new Voice Assistant feature, bringing conversational AI capabilities to Apple devices, including older iPhones and iPads that don't support Apple Intelligence. The update allows iPhone users to interact with Perplexity's AI assistant through voice commands even when navigating away from the app.


The Voice Assistant can perform various tasks such as the following, given the requisite user permissions:

• Drafting and sending emails


• Sending messages and making calls


• Controlling smart home devices


• Providing Apple Maps directions and traffic updates


• Setting reminders


• Booking Ubers


• Scheduling and editing Calendar events


• Playing Podcasts, including search and subscribe


• Playing music and videos


• Answering general knowledge questions


• Making reservations via booking sites

Voice Assistant can browse the web and perform multi-app actions to complete these functions directly from the Perplexity iOS app.


The update includes a shortcut for Voice Assistant that can be added to the Lock Screen or assigned to an iPhone's Action button, making Perplexity a viable substitute for some of Apple Intelligence's delayed conversational AI enhancements for Siri, which are still likely months away from release.

Perplexity leverages the power of large language models like OpenAI's GPT-4.1, Google's Gemini 2.5 Pro, Anthropic's Claude 3.7 Sonnet, and xAi's Grok-2. The iOS app currently lacks the screen sharing capability found in the Android version of Perplexity, where the assistant can see and interact with content on the user's screen. Perplexity syncs across devices and is a free download with in-app subscriptions from the App Store. [Direct Link]
This article, "Perplexity's New iOS Voice Assistant Works Where Siri Still Can't" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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If you missed the video showing dummy models of Apple's all-new super thin iPhone 17 Air that's expected later this year, Sonny Dickson this morning shared some further images of the device in close alignment with the other dummy models in the iPhone 17 lineup, indicating just how thin it is likely to be in comparison.


The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be around 5.5mm thick – with a thicker camera bar area – making it the thinnest ‌iPhone‌ to date. The ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models are rumored to be around 8.725mm thick, and as you can see, it's really noticeable up close.

Impressively, the slimmer device is almost as thin as the buttons on the sides. Rumors suggest that Apple will use a titanium and aluminum chassis for the ‌iPhone‌ to ensure it's strong enough not to bend. No-one wants another iPhone 6 Plus "bendgate" scenario – least of all Apple.


Initially, Apple had designs on making the iPhone 17 Air bigger than its expected 6.6-inch size, but reportedly decided against it because the larger display would make it prone to bending. It suggests Apple has really gone the extra mile in terms of the device's durability.

To achieve this level of thinness, Apple is believed to have settled on a single rear camera to preserve space for the battery, and it is embracing eSIM worldwide to do away with the sim slot. The handset will also use Apple's ultra-efficient custom-designed C1 modem that recently debuted in the iPhone 16e. Altogether, we're expected battery life to equal that of current iPhone models.


Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17 series around its usual mid-September timeframe, likely alongside new AirPods Pro 3 earbuds.
This article, "iPhone 17 Air Almost as Thin as Its Buttons, New Images Show" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple is testing an iOS 18.5 update with developers and public beta testers, and we've had three betas so far. There aren't any notable changes so far, but the update will still bring important bug fixes and security improvements. So when can we expect it?


Based on historical release timelines for x.5 updates, iOS 18.5 and its sister updates are likely to launch in May. Here's when we saw updates in prior years:

• iOS 17.5 - May 13


• iOS 16.5 - May 18


• iOS 15.5 - May 16


• iOS 14.5 - April 26


• iOS 13.5 - May 20

Many of Apple's x.5 updates are released around the middle of the month, so the week of May 12 is a solid guess, though the week of May 19 is also a possibility.

Though we've only had three betas so far, there are so few new features in iOS 18.5 that we probably won't need too many more betas for it to be ready to launch.

Apple's x.5 updates have historically had fewer features than earlier releases, because Apple is often already transitioning much of its new development to the next-generation version of iOS. We're just a couple of months way from when iOS 19 will be introduced at WWDC, so Apple is working to get it ready to go.

iOS 18.5 won't be the last update to iOS 18, and we'll likely see at least one more major point update before ‌iOS 19‌ rolls out this fall.
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Following in the footsteps of Netflix and Disney+, streaming service Max is starting to crack down on password sharing between multiple households.


Max this week debuted a new Extra Member Add-On feature, which is designed to allow users to pay a fee to share a Max subscription with someone who does not live in the same home. Extra Member Add-On is priced at $7.99 per month, on top of the base subscription price. Max with ads is $9.99 per month, while the Standard plan is $16.99 per month and the Premium plan with 4K streaming is $20.99 per month.

Extra members are provided with their own account, password, and single profile, and add-on members can only watch Max on one device at a time. Max subscribers are only able to add one additional member to an account.

Only those who subscribe to Max through WarnerMedia are able to access the Extra Member Add-On feature, and it is not available to those who have the Disney+, Hulu and Max bundle, or those who subscribe through third-party providers like app stores and TV providers.

$7.99 per month for the Extra Member Add-On is only $2 cheaper than an ad-supported plan, but the Extra Member feature has the benefit of sharing the plan of the main subscriber. So if the main subscription is the 4K Premium plan, the Extra Member can access 4K streaming and other Premium benefits for the $7.99 price.

Max will likely prohibit password sharing between multiple households in the near future, and will prompt users who attempt to use an account from more than one location to sign up for the Extra Member feature or to pay for a separate subscription.
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Apple is no longer signing iOS 18.4, a little over a week after releasing the iOS 18.4.1 update. Since iOS 18.4 is not signed anymore, iPhone users who have upgraded to iOS 18.4.1 are not able to downgrade to iOS 18.4.


It is not unusual for Apple to stop signing an older version of iOS after releasing an update, and the process keeps ‌iPhone‌ users from installing outdated versions of iOS. "Signing" refers to a server-side verification check that's done when versions of iOS are downloaded onto an ‌iPhone‌. Only software that passes the verification check is able to be installed.

Preventing downgrading ensures that customers have the latest security improvements and are not vulnerable to known attacks or security holes.

The iOS 18.4.1 update addresses an issue with wireless CarPlay and fixes several security updates, including one known to be actively exploited, so it is a good idea to install the software if you have not done so already.
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To celebrate YouTube's 20th anniversary, the YouTube team today announced that YouTube TV is getting an interface update in the near future.


Starting in the next few weeks, YouTube TV members will be able to build their own multiview with select non-sports content. A small group of popular channels will be available to begin with, though access will be expanding in the coming months.

Later this year, the YouTube app for TVs will be redesigned, with YouTube aiming to introduce easier navigation, playback, quality tweaks, and streamlined access to comments, channel info, and subscribing. The YouTube app for TV sets hasn't seen notable updates for several years now, but a sneak peek suggests that YouTube is aiming for a more Netflix-like design with rows of shows and content from paid services.

YouTube says the YouTube app for TVs will be updated sometime this summer.

Other YouTube changes available as part of YouTube's 20th anniversary celebration include 4x playback speed for YouTube Premium members, a new temporary YouTube logo, and birthday-themed animations.
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Meta today announced that it is rolling out a new live translation feature to all Ray-Ban Meta glasses users, providing wide access to functionality that was previously only available to early access users in a beta capacity.


Live translation supports English, French, Italian, and Spanish, allowing users to translate between those languages in real-time while having a conversation. As long as a particular language pack has been downloaded in advance, no Wi-Fi or cellular connection is required to use the feature.

When you're speaking to someone in one of those languages, you'll hear what they say in your preferred language through the glasses in real time, and they can view a translated transcript of the conversation on your phone. To get started, just say, "Hey Meta, start live translation."

Live translate will translate what the person speaking in another language is saying, while responses can be seen on a connected smartphone.

In the near future, Meta plans to introduce live AI, a feature where the Meta smart glasses can see whatever the wearer sees through the built-in camera, allowing for real-time AI conversations.

Meta says the glasses will be able to provide hands-free help with meal prep, gardening, exploring, and more. Questions can be asked without the need to say a wake word, and the AI can understand context between requests for referencing prior queries.

Meta's smart glasses should be of interest to Apple users because they provide some insight into what we might see from Apple in the future. Rumors suggest that Apple is considering developing smart glasses that are similar to Meta's Ray-Bans. Apple glasses could feature AI, microphones, and cameras, though there wouldn't be augmented reality capabilities.
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Apple engineers have offered to contribute Vision Pro support to the Godot engine, which is a free, open source game engine that's available to game creators as an alternative to Unity and Unreal. Godot is cross-platform and supports PCs, mobile devices, the web, and more at the current time, but with Apple's contributions, games made with Godot could run natively on the Vision Pro.


On GitHub, a member of the visionOS engineering team said that Apple wants to help bring Vision Pro integration to Godot, with the aim of developing a visionOS VR plugin. Apple engineers have already started contributing to the project, and have pledged to continue development based on community feedback.

First, I'd like to mention that we're really excited to be working with the Godot community on adding visionOS support. We've attempted to follow Godot's coding standards and a high-quality bar for our contributions. We hope that our contributions align with Godot's goals. Lastly, even though we have tried to split the changes into smaller self-contained PRs, we acknowledge that some of these PRs can be of considerable size.

We're very happy to iterate on our PRs after receiving feedback and suggestions from the community.

The Vision Pro has so far seen lackluster sales and waning interest from Apple users, both due to the high cost and the lack of content. By providing free tools that would let Godot developers create immersive visionOS experiences, Apple could grow the number of games on the platform.

Apple is working on future versions of the Vision Pro, so laying the groundwork for development early will benefit the headset's longer term prospects.
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Threads users in more than 30 countries will start seeing ads on the social network as of today, according to Instagram lead Adam Mosseri. Threads parent company Meta is rolling ads out to additional locations after testing them with a limited number of users in the United States.


On Threads, Mosseri said that ads are expanding more broadly, and that the company's goal is for them to "enhance your overall experience."

Ads will show up in the Threads feed between posts on Threads, and will be delivered in select markets to begin with, before rolling out to additional markets in the future. Meta has so far tested ads with a limited number of advertisers, but now all advertisers globally will be able to display ads on Threads.

"People come to Meta's apps for a personalized experience that helps them discover businesses and content they love—ads are an essential part of enabling this. To help people deepen connections with businesses they love, we are expanding ads in Threads to all eligible advertisers globally," reads Meta's blog post on the ad expansion.
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