Apple and Major League Baseball today announced that the "Friday Night Baseball" weekly doubleheader is set to return to Apple TV+ on March 28.


A schedule of games for the first half of the season is available in Apple's press release.

"Friday Night Baseball" is included with an Apple TV+ subscription, at no additional cost. In the U.S., Apple TV+ costs $9.99 per month or $99 per year, and it is also included in all Apple One subscription bundles with other Apple services.

Apple also announced a new immersive video called "VIP: Yankee Stadium" that will provide Apple Vision Pro users with "an all-access pass to one of the world's most iconic sports venues." The film will be released next month, for free, and it features broadcasting legend Joe Buck welcoming viewers to a June 2024 match between the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. No Apple TV+ subscription is required for this.

Last, Apple said a new "Fight for Glory: 2024 World Series" docuseries is set to premiere on Apple TV+ later this month.
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The smart home thermostat company Ecobee today announced that its new Smart Thermostat Essential is now available to order on its website, and at select retailers in the U.S. and Canada. The thermostat was unveiled at CES 2025 in January.


In the U.S., the Smart Thermostat Essential is priced at $129.99, making it Ecobee's most affordable smart thermostat.

Ecobee's smart thermostat can help you save money by intelligently optimizing your home's temperature. For example, the thermostat can reduce energy usage while you are away from home. When paired with Ecobee's SmartSensors, the thermostat can detect occupancy and optimize comfort in certain rooms throughout the home.

Ecobee claims the thermostat can pay for itself by helping you spend up to 23% less on annual heating and cooling costs.

The thermostat supports Apple's smart home platform HomeKit, and it can be controlled with Ecobee's app on the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. It also works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings, and more.

Compared to Ecobee's highest-end Smart Thermostat Premium, priced at $249.99 in the U.S., the lower-priced Essential model lacks features such as a built-in occupancy sensor, dual-band Wi-Fi, a built-in indoor air quality monitor, hands-free calling and intercom functionality, built-in Siri voice control, and a few other things.
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Apple CEO Tim Cook today teased a new product announcement coming "this week."


"There's something in the air," the teaser says.

This teaser likely refers to a new MacBook Air with the M4 chip, which is already expected to be announced as early as this week.

Apple used the same "there's something in the air" slogan before it announced the original MacBook Air in 2008.

Cook shared a similar teaser last month, ahead of the iPhone 16e announcement. As was the case with the iPhone 16e, the new MacBook Air or any other new product should be announced in a press release on the Apple Newsroom website, and there could be an accompanying YouTube video announcement.


Beyond the M4 chip, the new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models are expected to have Thunderbolt 4 ports, a Center Stage camera, longer battery life, and a few other upgrades.

What are some other wild-card "air" possibilities?

A new iPad Air is also expected to launch at some point fairly soon, and a new AirTag is also expected by mid-2025. There is also a rumored "iPhone 17 Air" with an ultra-thin design, but that device is not expected to be unveiled until September.
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Apple is expected to announce new MacBook Air models with the M4 chip as soon as this week, and new iPads should follow shortly after.


iPad Air and iPad 10 inventory is running low at Apple Stores, and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman believes this is a sign that new iPads will be introduced soon.

However, unlike the new MacBook Air, he said the new iPad models "probably won't come in the next few days."

So, the timeframe for the new iPads is not narrowed down yet, but it seems like the devices will not be unveiled at the same time as the MacBook Air with the M4 chip.

Our best guess is that these iPads will launch at some point in March or April.

No major design changes have been rumored for the next iPad Air or iPad 11, with the devices expected to receive under-the-hood improvements only. The next iPad Air is expected to be powered by the M3 chip or M4 chip, while the iPad 11 is rumored to be equipped with an A16 Bionic chip or A17 Pro chip.

As for the iPad Pro, do not expect a new model until Apple announces the M5 chip. And the iPad mini was just updated months ago.
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Bloomberg's Mark Gurman last month reported that Apple was considering delaying at least some of its promised Apple Intelligence enhancements for Siri until iOS 18.5, and that plan appears increasingly likely based on his latest information.


Gurman said Apple was initially planning to launch the Apple Intelligence enhancements for Siri in iOS 18.4, but it seems that the features have been pushed back until iOS 18.5 due to a lack of readiness and software bugs. Accordingly, none of the promised features are available in the first beta of iOS 18.4 released last month.

In his Power On newsletter today, he said the features will be available in iOS 18.5:

The follow-up release, iOS 18.5, is where the good stuff is supposed to wind up. It has the AI-infused Siri that the company showed off last June, as well as support for Apple Intelligence in China.

Apple's software engineers have been internally testing iOS 18.5 since at least the start of February, according to the MacRumors visitor logs.

Gurman expects iOS 18.5 to be released in May, but beta testing should begin sooner:

The next version of Siri will be a test of whether Apple can mount a comeback. The software is likely be released in May, a full 11 months after it was introduced.

It is still possible that some of the Siri upgrades could arrive in a later iOS 18.4 beta, but Gurman seems to be leaning into iOS 18.5 timing for now.

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

Apple Intelligence requires an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16 model.
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Bloomberg's Mark Gurman last year reported that Apple was planning a "more conversational" version of Siri for iOS 19.4, powered by "more advanced large language models." However, in his Power On newsletter today, he said that development of this more ChatGPT-like Siri is now running behind schedule within the company.


Gurman said Apple is no longer planning to unveil the more conversational Siri at WWDC 2025 in June this year, and it appears that the feature is no longer on track to launch as part of iOS 19.4 in March or April next year. Instead, he said that some Apple software engineers believe that the Siri overhaul will not launch until at least iOS 20.

This is yet another sign that Apple remains behind OpenAI in the generative AI space.

Gurman still expects iOS 19 to include some changes to Siri's underlying architecture that will allow it to handle more advanced queries.

In the meantime, iOS 18.2 added ChatGPT integration to Siri, and Google Gemini integration should follow in a later software update. And with iOS 18.5, which should be released in May, Siri is expected to gain on-screen awareness, understanding of personal context, and deeper per-app controls. Those features were initially expected to arrive with iOS 18.4, which further underscores Apple's internal delays in this area.
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With the iPhone 16e now in the hands of customers, Apple reportedly plans to move on to its next product announcement in the coming days.


Apple plans to announce new MacBook Air models with the M4 chip "as early as this week," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

"I expect the M4 MacBook Air to be introduced as early as this week," said Gurman, in a post shared on X today. "Inventory has significantly wound down and Apple is preparing a Mac-related announcement in the next few days."

He also shared this information in today's edition of his Power On newsletter.

Expect new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models with Apple's already-released M4 chip, which has a 10-core CPU and a 10-core GPU.

Apple already updated the MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini with M4 chips in October last year. Geekbench 6 results showed that the M4 chip is up to 25% faster than the M3 chip in terms of multi-core CPU performance.

Also in October, Apple increased the minimum RAM included in all MacBook Air models from 8GB to 16GB. The maximum RAM option could rise to 32GB.

Longer battery life is also likely.

Following in the footsteps of the MacBook Pro, the next MacBook Air models will likely have an upgraded 12-megapixel camera with support for Center Stage, a feature that automatically keeps you centered on video as you move around. The camera should also support Desk View, which shows both you and an overhead view of your desk.

Center Stage is available in video calling apps like FaceTime and Zoom. The feature was previously limited to newer iPad models and Macs connected to Apple's external Studio Display. The new MacBook Pro and iMac models were the first Macs to support Center Stage without needing to rely on a Studio Display.

The new MacBook Air models will likely be equipped with three Thunderbolt 4 ports, whereas the current models have two Thunderbolt 3 ports. And the new models will likely support up to two external displays, even when the lid is open.

The latest MacBook Pro and iMac models can be configured with a nano-texture display, which has a special coating that better scatters light to further minimize glare on the screen. It is possible that Apple will extend this option to the new MacBook Air models, but it could opt to keep the option exclusive to the MacBook Pro for differentiation.

No major external design changes have been rumored for the next MacBook Air models. Apple last redesigned the MacBook Air in 2022.

As always, there could be a surprise or two beyond these expected upgrades.

If the new MacBook Air models do arrive this week, expect a press release on the Apple Newsroom website, and perhaps a YouTube video announcement.
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iOS 19 is still around three months away from being unveiled, but there are plenty of rumors about the upcoming update.


Below, we recap iOS 19 rumors so far.

Redesigned Camera App

A leak earlier this year allegedly revealed a redesigned Camera app coming with iOS 19.

On his YouTube channel Front Page Tech in January, Jon Prosser shared a video showing what the new Camera app will apparently look like, with the key change being translucent menus for camera controls. Overall, the design of these menus looks similar to visionOS, the software platform for Apple's Vision Pro headset.


More of the camera's viewfinder is visible compared to iOS 18. The camera controls are split into Photo and Video categories at the bottom of the app.

The camera controls include options for recording spatial video, turning on a timer for a photo, and more. Additional controls for video resolution and frame rate pop over at the top of the screen as necessary, according to the video.


It is unclear if the alleged visionOS-like design changes will extend to other parts of the iOS 19 interface, or to more of Apple's built-in apps.

It was previously rumored that iOS 18 would feature visionOS-like design changes, but that never happened. Perhaps the changes were for iOS 19 all along.

More ChatGPT-Like Siri

iOS 19 will introduce a "more conversational Siri" powered by "more advanced large language models," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. This will make Siri more like ChatGPT, allowing the assistant to "handle more sophisticated requests."


Apple will likely preview the revamped Siri during its iOS 19 announcement, but Gurman said it will not be available until as early as spring 2026. That suggests the feature will be released as part of iOS 19.4 in March or April next year.

In the meantime, iOS 18.2 added ChatGPT integration to Siri, and Google Gemini integration should follow in a later update. And with iOS 18.4 or iOS 18.5, Siri will gain on-screen awareness, understanding of personal context, deeper per-app controls, and other upgrades.

Update: Gurman has since said that the more conversational Siri has been delayed, possibly until iOS 20.

Staggered Features

A large number of new features coming with iOS 19 are expected to roll out in later versions, ranging from iOS 19.1 through iOS 19.4.

Compatible iPhones

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

• iPhone 16e


• iPhone 16


• iPhone 16 Plus


• iPhone 16 Pro


• iPhone 16 Pro Max


• iPhone 15


• iPhone 15 Plus


• iPhone 15 Pro


• iPhone 15 Pro Max


• iPhone 14


• iPhone 14 Plus


• iPhone 14 Pro


• iPhone 14 Pro Max


• iPhone 13


• iPhone 13 mini


• iPhone 13 Pro


• iPhone 13 Pro Max


• iPhone 12


• iPhone 12 mini


• iPhone 12 Pro


• iPhone 12 Pro Max


• iPhone 11


• iPhone 11 Pro


• iPhone 11 Pro Max


• iPhone XS


• iPhone XS Max


• iPhone XR


• iPhone SE (2nd generation or later)

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

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

If this report is accurate, it would be the second year in a row in which Apple did not drop support for any iPhone models with its major annual iOS release. iOS 18 is compatible with the same iPhone models as iOS 17 is.

iOS 17 dropped support for the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X.

Timing

The first iOS 19 and iPadOS 19 betas should be released during WWDC 2025 in June, and the updates are likely to be released in September.
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Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, Apple offered a line of Wi-Fi routers that it referred to as AirPort base stations. There was a standard AirPort Express, a higher-end AirPort Extreme with more advanced networking features, and an AirPort Time Capsule that doubled as an external storage drive for backing up a Mac with Time Machine.


Apple discontinued the AirPort line in 2018, but the company could return to the Wi-Fi router market in an unexpected way in the future.

Back in December, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple was developing its own Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip that will debut in new Apple TV and HomePod mini models later this year. He said the chip is "so sophisticated" that it could "theoretically" turn these devices into a wireless access point. However, it is unclear if Apple will actually follow through with that idea, so temper your expectations for the time being.

Apple is reportedly aiming to make a bigger push into smart home products, with the company rumored to be planning an all-new smart home hub for release later this year. Apple is also said to be planning a HomeKit-enabled smart home camera that can connect to the hub, and together the products could serve as a home security system. If future Apple TV and/or HomePod models could effectively double as AirPort routers for Wi-Fi, that would be another way for Apple to expand its presence in the smart home market.

Apple's chip will support Wi-Fi 6E, according to Gurman, whereas the final AirPort models supported what is now known as Wi-Fi 5. However, Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu believes the chip will actually support Wi-Fi 7.

It remains to be seen if the Apple TV and HomePod actually become Wi-Fi routers, but Apple is seemingly developing technology that allows for it.
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The thin and light design of Apple's rumored "iPhone 17 Air" will require some compromises. The device is rumored to lack three features found on many iPhone models, including a bottom speaker, an Ultra Wide camera, and a SIM card slot internationally.


The Information last year reported that the ultra-thin iPhone 17 model will have only a single speaker, built into the earpiece at the top of the device. This rumor appears to be accurate, as 3D renders of the iPhone 17 Air that have surfaced in recent weeks show only a few holes on the bottom edge of the device, which are likely for microphones.

Like the iPhone 16e, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to be equipped with a single 48-megapixel rear Fusion camera, which is a main 1× camera combined with a 2× zoom option with "optical-like" quality. This means the iPhone 17 Air would lack an Ultra Wide camera for 0.5× photos, but this extra internal space should allow for a larger battery.

Apple started phasing out the physical SIM card slot on iPhones in the U.S. with the iPhone 14 lineup in 2022, so it should come as no surprise that the iPhone 17 Air is also expected to work with digital eSIMs only in that country. However, The Information reported that Apple planned to eliminate the SIM card slot on iPhones in more countries this year, so the iPhone 17 Air might only work with eSIMs internationally too.

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 Air in September.
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iPhone 16e reviews are now out, and Apple's custom-designed C1 modem has been put to the test. The results so far are quite surprising, as the C1's speeds are not as slow compared to Qualcomm modems as originally expected.


While the C1 does not support ultra-fast mmWave 5G in the U.S., it appears to offer comparable 5G performance to Qualcomm's Snapdragon X71 modem found in the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max.

First, here is what some reviewers said.

The Verge's Allison Johnson did not notice much difference between the C1 and the X71:

Much of the 16E is familiar, but there is one entirely new component: Apple’s C1 modem. This is its debut appearance, and the road to Apple's first in-house modem was reportedly full of setbacks and delays. I've used it for the past week to make FaceTime calls, upload large video files in crowded places, and stream YouTube on the bus. I tested it alongside a regular iPhone 16 equipped with a Qualcomm-made modem — both on Verizon — and I didn't see any consistent difference in performance between the two.

Tom's Guide's John Velasco didn't seem to notice any major difference either:

And finally, you should know that the iPhone 16e is the first device in Apple's portfolio to feature the company's in-house C1 modem. It's a departure from the Qualcomm modem that Apple's relied on for years now, but it's difficult to say if it ultimately delivers faster 5G speeds. I ran speed tests on both the iPhone 16 and 16e at three different locations in New York City, with only one test showing faster speeds with the iPhone 16e.

What about actual numbers?

In his iPhone 16e review video, Andru Edwards said the device achieved a peak 5G download speed of 673 Mbps in his suburban New York yard, while connected to the AT&T network. In the same location, he said the iPhone 16 Pro Max achieved up to a 667 Mbps download speed, so the results seem to be roughly equal.


In the middle of New York City, Edwards said his iPhone 16e achieved a download speed of 127 Mbps on AT&T, whereas the iPhone 16 Pro Max clocked in at 75 Mbps on the same network. In that test, the iPhone 16 Pro Max did have a superior upload speed of around 50 Mbps, compared to around 30 Mbps for the iPhone 16e.

In another iPhone 16e review video, shared by Dave Lee of the YouTube channel Dave2D, a speed test shows the device getting around 30 Mbps to 40 Mbps faster 5G download speeds compared to an iPhone 16 Pro Max. Both devices were connected to the Bell network in Toronto, the most populous city in Canada.


And finally, more scientific testing was shared on YouTube by the Chinese channel Geekerwan.

The channel tested 5G performance on various smartphones with an artificial 5G network in a lab environment, and the iPhone 16e had comparable 5G speeds and reliability compared to the iPhone 16 and other devices.

Apple says the C1 modem is the most power-efficient iPhone modem ever. More specifically, Apple seems to have told reviewers that the modem is up to 25% more power efficient than Qualcomm modems in other iPhones, and that appears to be an accurate statement. Geekerwan's testing found the iPhone 16e had an average power draw of 0.67W, versus 0.88W for the iPhone 16, which is indeed around a 25% improvement in efficiency.


All in all, these results are surprising compared to reported expectations, and they prove that the C1 modem works just fine in both the real world and lab.
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YouTube channel REWA Technology today shared an iPhone 16e teardown video, providing a look inside Apple's new entry-level smartphone.


In its iPhone 16e announcement video, Apple said the device has a new internal design that allowed for a larger battery. The video shows that the iPhone 16e has a 4,005 mAh battery capacity, which is a 12% increase compared to the regular iPhone 16 with a 3,561 mAh battery capacity at the same voltage.

For those who prefer watt-hours as a unit of measurement, the iPhone 16e has a 15.55 Wh battery, while the iPhone 16 has a 13.83 Wh battery.

In addition to being larger, the iPhone 16e battery uses a type of adhesive that can be loosened with low-voltage electrical current from a 9V battery, USB-C charger, or another power source. This change debuted on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus last year, and it is rumored to extend to the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year.


The teardown also provides a look at the iPhone 16e's logic board, including the A18 chip and Apple's custom-designed C1 cellular modem. The video said the A18 chip will be harder to repair because it is apparently more difficult to remove.

Finally, the video showed the iPhone 16e's lack of MagSafe magnets for wireless charging.

Following pre-orders over the past week, the iPhone 16e began arriving to customers today, and the device is now available to purchase in Apple Stores.
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In its announcement video for the iPhone 16e, Apple said the device features a new internal design that allowed for a larger battery.


Apple does not publicly advertise mAh battery capacities for iPhones. In his iPhone 16e review video today, however, Dave Lee of the YouTube channel Dave2D said the device is equipped with a 3,961 mAh battery. That is more than a 10% increase in battery capacity compared to the regular iPhone 16 model's 3,561 mAh battery, provided that the iPhone 16e's battery voltage remains the typical 3.85V.

• iPhone 16 Pro Max: 4,685 mAh


• iPhone 16 Pro: 3,582 mAh


• iPhone 16 Plus: 4,674 mAh


• iPhone 16: 3,561 mAh


• iPhone 16e: 3,961 mAh

Apple says the iPhone 16e offers the longest battery life of any 6.1-inch iPhone ever, in part due to Apple's new power-efficient C1 modem.

How is the iPhone 16e's real-world battery life?

Lee evaluated the iPhone 16e's battery life with a test that continuously loads the Reddit website over Wi-Fi, and he found that the device achieved 12 hours and 54 minutes of battery life for this purpose. In the same test, the regular iPhone 16 lasted 11 hours and 17 minutes, so the iPhone 16e was the clear winner in this particular test.


Tom's Guide also tested the iPhone 16e's battery life in a different way, and the device achieved similar results as the regular iPhone 16:

In running Tom's Guide's battery benchmark test, the iPhone 16e puts up an average time of 12 hours and 41 minutes. That's only a couple of minutes shorter than the iPhone 16's average of 12 hours and 43 minutes. However, the best times recorded on both phones are 12 hours and 49 minutes for the iPhone 16e, and 13 hours and 19 minutes with the iPhone 16.

The website said its test "runs a script that simulates normal web surfing over cellular until the battery's depleted."

More on the iPhone 16e's battery life from CNET's Patrick Holland:

I've had the 16E for six days and only had to charge it three times. I used a 30-watt wall charger, and the 16E went from empty to 59% in 30 minutes. And I've been using the phone heavily, testing the cameras, running Apple Intelligence tools and playing graphics intensive games.

The iPhone 16E can definitely make it through a day on a single charge and, depending on how you use it, it'll likely make it through a day and a half before needing to be plugged in.

In CNET's video streaming battery test with the battery charged to 100%, the iPhone 16E didn't drop a single percent after an hour. Compare that to the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15, each of which dropped to 97% after an hour in the same test. I have more battery tests to run, but so far the iPhone 16E has a great battery life.

Here is Lee's review:


Apple is currently accepting iPhone 16e pre-orders, and the device launches on Friday. Read our iPhone 16e review roundup to learn more.
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Apple's entry-level iPhone 16e launches this Friday. Ahead of time, the first reviews of the device have been shared by select media outlets and YouTube channels.


iPhone 16e features include a 6.1-inch OLED display with a notch, Face ID, an A18 chip, Apple Intelligence support, a USB-C port, an Action button, and a single 48-megapixel rear camera that offers 2x zoom with optical-like quality. The device is also equipped with the Apple-designed C1 modem for 5G and LTE connectivity.

The power-efficient C1 modem and a larger battery contribute to the iPhone 16e offering the longest battery life of any 6.1-inch iPhone model ever, according to Apple. The company's tech specs state that the iPhone 16e offers up to 26 hours of battery life for offline video playback, compared to up to 22 hours for the regular iPhone 16.

Unfortunately, the iPhone 16e does not support MagSafe. It also lacks an Ultra Wideband chip, which powers the Precision Finding feature in the Find My app. In addition, the A18 chip in the iPhone 16e has a 4-core GPU, versus a 5-core GPU in the regular iPhone 16.

In the U.S., the iPhone 16e starts at $599. Is it worth it? Many reviewers think so, but the lack of MagSafe on the device is surprising and disappointing. There are a few reasons you might want to consider purchasing a regular iPhone 16 for $799 instead, including MagSafe, the Dynamic Island, an Ultra Wide camera, and Wi-Fi 7 support instead of Wi-Fi 6, but otherwise the iPhone 16e still offers many modern features at a more modest price. For the average customer, the iPhone 16e is a perfectly fine choice.

Many of the iPhone 16e's features already existed, so our review roundup focuses on new and notable aspects, including the C1 modem, battery life, the graphics performance of the A18 chip with a reduced 4-core GPU, and the lack of MagSafe.

Review Highlights

C1 Modem

Apple wants to move away from Qualcomm modems in iPhones, and that transition starts with its custom-designed C1 modem in the iPhone 16e.

The Verge's Allison Johnson said she "didn't see any consistent difference in performance" between the C1 modem and a regular iPhone 16 with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X71 modem:

Much of the 16E is familiar, but there is one entirely new component: Apple's C1 modem. This is its debut appearance, and the road to Apple's first in-house modem was reportedly full of setbacks and delays. I've used it for the past week to make FaceTime calls, upload large video files in crowded places, and stream YouTube on the bus. I tested it alongside a regular iPhone 16 equipped with a Qualcomm-made modem — both on Verizon — and I didn't see any consistent difference in performance between the two.

Tom's Guide's John Velasco didn't seem to notice any major difference either:

And finally, you should know that the iPhone 16e is the first device in Apple's portfolio to feature the company's in-house C1 modem. It's a departure from the Qualcomm modem that Apple's relied on for years now, but it’s difficult to say if it ultimately delivers faster 5G speeds. I ran speed tests on both the iPhone 16 and 16e at three different locations in New York City, with only one test showing faster speeds with the iPhone 16e.

Apple says the C1 is already the most power-efficient iPhone modem ever.

Apple has repeatedly said the C1 modem is just the start. In a press release this week, focused on U.S. manufacturing commitments, Apple heavily implied that it will release additional devices with custom 5G modems in the future. Those devices could include the iPhone 17 Air, the iPad 11, future Mac and Vision Pro models, and more.

Battery Life

Apple says the iPhone 16e offers the longest battery life of any 6.1-inch iPhone model ever.

Tom's Guide put it to the test:

In running Tom's Guide's battery benchmark test, the iPhone 16e puts up an average time of 12 hours and 41 minutes. That's only a couple of minutes shorter than the iPhone 16's average of 12 hours and 43 minutes. However, the best times recorded on both phones are 12 hours and 49 minutes for the iPhone 16e, and 13 hours and 19 minutes with the iPhone 16.

According to Dave Lee of the YouTube channel Dave2D, the iPhone 16e is equipped with a 3,961 mAh battery. That is an 11% increase in capacity compared to the regular iPhone 16's 3,561 mAh battery.

A18 Chip With 4-Core GPU

In the iPhone 16e, the A18 chip has a 4-core GPU. In the iPhone 16, it has a 5-core GPU.

This is not a massive concern, but it seems to make a difference.

CNET's Patrick Holland:

In benchmark test for graphic performance, you can really see the difference that the iPhone 16's extra GPU core has over the iPhone 16E.

Lack of MagSafe

The lack of MagSafe on the iPhone 16e is surprising and disappointing.

CNET's Patrick Holland:

The iPhone 16E lacks support for MagSafe, the magnetic connection system on the back of the phone, which isn't the end of the world. I imagine that people who don't have an iPhone with MagSafe won't know what they're missing -- notice a theme here? But in a household shared with someone who does have an iPhone with MagSafe as well as charging stands, I could see that being a bit annoying.

Introduced on all iPhone 12 models, the MagSafe system lets you magnetically attach a charger, battery pack, and other accessories to the back of the iPhone. A set of magnets inside the iPhone securely hold these accessories in place.

Apple has not explained why the feature is missing on the iPhone 16e, although it did confirm that the lack of MagSafe is unrelated to the C1 modem.

The only other iPhone model without MagSafe since 2020 was the third-generation iPhone SE, but that device had an older design based on the iPhone 8.

Apple's announcement video for the iPhone 16e said the device features a new internal design that allowed for a larger battery. Perhaps those internal changes resulted in a lack of MagSafe, but this is just another unconfirmed theory for now.

Apple has not released any MagSafe cases for the iPhone 16e, but third-party cases are already starting to roll out. These cases at least allow you to use the iPhone 16e with MagSafe accessories, but note that the device is limited to slower 7.5W wireless charging speeds with ordinary Qi chargers, whereas other iPhone 16 models can wirelessly charge at up to 25W with the newest version of Apple's MagSafe Charger.

Videos

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The new iPhone 16e is equipped with Apple's custom-designed C1 modem for 5G and LTE connectivity, whereas all other current iPhone models rely on Qualcomm modems. While the average customer is unlikely to care about this change, it is a big deal for Apple, which had been working on its own cellular modem since at least 2018.


We are still waiting on C1 modem speed tests, but it is expected that Apple's first modem will provide slower 5G speeds compared to Qualcomm's Snapdragon X71 modem in iPhone 16 models. Apple surely aims to eventually catch up to or even surpass Qualcomm in modem performance, but that goal might take several years.

In the meantime, Apple says the C1 modem is already the most power-efficient modem in an iPhone ever, contributing to the iPhone 16e offering the longest battery life of any 6.1-inch iPhone model, including the regular iPhone 16. Apple is known for having excellent hardware and software integration, and this is the latest example of that.

Apple has repeatedly said the C1 modem is just the start. In a press release this week, focused on U.S. manufacturing commitments, Apple heavily implied that it will release additional devices with custom 5G modems in the future.

From the announcement, emphasis ours:

Apple C1 adds a new chapter to the story of Apple silicon and is the result of years of R&D investment, bringing together the work of thousands of engineers. Apple C1 is the start of a long-term strategy that will allow Apple to innovate and optimize the modem system for additional Apple products.

Which devices might get an Apple-designed modem next?

According to Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air coming later this year will also feature the C1 modem.

In addition, cellular iPad 11 configurations would be a good candidate for the C1 modem. Apple is expected to announce the iPad 11 in March or April.

Beyond that, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple has considered adding 5G modems to future Mac and Vision Pro models.

Apple has publicly acknowledged that it starts developing future A-series processors for iPhones up to four years in advance, and that likely applies to C-series modems as well. Gurman and others have said that Apple is already working on C2 and C3 modems. With the C2 modem, Apple is aiming to add mmWave 5G support. With the C3 modem, Apple is apparently aiming to outperform Qualcomm's modems.

All four iPhone 18 models, and the iPad Pro, could be equipped with the C2 modem.

Further out, Apple is expected to merge the modem into the iPhone's A-series chip.

Why did Apple develop its own iPhone modem? One, it eliminates the risk of relying on an external supplier, especially for single-sourced components like Qualcomm's modems. Second, Apple has had a rocky relationship with Qualcomm. The two companies did settle a lawsuit and extend their modem supply agreement for iPhones through March 2027, but Apple is likely aiming to avoid extending that contract any further.

Apple initially tried to reduce its reliance on Qualcomm by using Intel modems in some iPhone models, from the iPhone 7 through to the iPhone 11 series. However, this was a controversial decision, as tests showed the Intel modems had inferior performance compared to the Qualcomm modems. Apple returned to using exclusively Qualcomm modems when iPhone 12 models ushered in the 5G era, but it also decided to design its own modem as a longer-term solution. In 2019, Apple acquired the majority of Intel's smartphone modem business, and now the C1 modem has finally debuted after years of development.

Eventually, every cellular Apple device will likely have a C-series modem.
This article, "Apple Says Its 5G Modem Will Come to More Devices, Here's Which Ones" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple this week added iMac models with the M4 chip to its certified refurbished store in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and select other countries, for the first time since the computer was introduced in October 2024.


As usual for refurbished Macs, the refurbished iMac configurations are all discounted by approximately 15% compared to the equivalent new models on Apple's online store. In the U.S., prices start at $1,099, down from $1,299 brand new.

All of the usual accessories are included in the box with refurbished Macs. For the iMac, this includes a Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, USB-C power adapter, USB-C cable, and power cord. Apple's refurbished products come in a more plain white box.

Apple says it puts refurbished Macs through "full functionality testing" and a "thorough cleaning process and inspection," and they are covered by Apple's one-year limited warranty and eligible for extended AppleCare+ coverage.

In our view, Apple's refurbished Macs are virtually indistinguishable from brand new ones, providing a good opportunity for savings directly from Apple. But, you can often find better deals on Macs through resellers like Amazon.
This article, "Apple Begins Selling Refurbished M4 iMacs at Discounted Prices" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 18.4 will be released in April.


From the Apple News+ Food announcement:

Coming with iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 in April, Apple News+ subscribers will have access to Apple News+ Food, a new section that will feature tens of thousands of recipes — as well as stories about restaurants, healthy eating, kitchen essentials, and more — from the world's top food publishers, including Allrecipes, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Good Food, and Serious Eats.

The first beta of iOS 18.4 is already available for developers and public beta testers.

The first iOS 18.4 beta does not include any of the new Apple Intelligence features for Siri that were originally expected, such as personal context and on-screen awareness, but the update still has a handful of other new features and changes.

Below, we highlight some of iOS 18.4's key new features.

Available Now

Priority Notifications

iOS 18.4 introduces a promised Apple Intelligence feature that can automatically identify and surface your most important notifications on the Lock Screen.

The option can be turned on in the Settings app under Notifications → Prioritize Notifications.

Apple Intelligence requires an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16 model.

Apple News+ Food

iOS 18.4 adds a new Food section to the Apple News app on the iPhone. This section will provide Apple News+ subscribers with tens of thousands of recipes and other food-related content from well-known food-related publishers, at no extra cost.

Here is how Apple describes the new Food section:

With the new Food feature, users will be able to find stories curated by Apple News editors, as well as browse, search, and filter tens of thousands of recipes in the Recipe Catalog — with new recipes added every day. The beautifully designed recipe format makes it easy to review ingredients and directions, and a new cook mode takes step-by-step instructions to the full screen. Users can also save their favorite recipes for later and access them offline.

Apple News+ is available in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The service provides digital access to hundreds of major publications, including The Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine, PEOPLE, The Athletic, Rolling Stone, and others. In the U.S., Apple News+ costs $12.99 per month, and it is also included in the Apple One Premier bundle alongside other Apple services for $37.95 per month.

Ambient Music

iOS 18.4 adds a new Ambient Music feature to the Control Center on the iPhone.

This feature allows you to quickly listen to a collection of songs from four different categories, including Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing.

More

• iOS 18.4 makes Apple Intelligence available in more languages, including French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese (Simplified), English (Singapore), and English (India).


• There is a new "Sketch" drawing style for the Image Playground feature, alongside existing "Animation" and "Illustration" styles. This feature, powered by Apple Intelligence, lets you generate images based on text descriptions.


• In some vehicles equipped with very large dashboard displays, CarPlay is showing an extra row of app icons on a single page.


• iOS 18.4 lets you set a default maps app, such as Google Maps, in the EU. You can also set a default translation app worldwide.

Read our iOS 18.4 features guide for even more.

Coming Later

Vision Pro App

It is not in the first beta, but iOS 18.4 will add a new Apple Vision Pro app to the iPhone.

The app will offer Vision Pro users a new way to download apps and games from the App Store, discover Apple TV content, learn helpful Vision Pro tips, quickly access information about their own Vision Pro, and more.

The app will appear for Vision Pro users when they update their iPhone to the iOS 18.4 release, and it will also be available in the App Store.

New Emoji

iOS 18.4 will include new emoji, according to code seen by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris.

iOS 15.4, iOS 16.4, and iOS 17.4 all introduced new emoji, so there was a good chance that trend would continue with iOS 18.4.

Last year, the Unicode Consortium previewed the new emoji that should be coming with iOS 18.4, with new options including face with bags under eyes, fingerprint, leafless tree, root vegetable, harp, shovel, splatter, and more.
This article, "Apple Says iOS 18.4 Will Be Released in April With These New Features" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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In an all-caps post on Truth Social today, U.S. President Donald Trump said Apple should fully end its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.


"APPLE SHOULD GET RID OF DEI RULES, NOT JUST MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THEM," he wrote.

Trump's post comes one day after Apple held its annual shareholders meeting, during which a majority of shareholders voted against a proposal that asked the company to consider abolishing its Inclusion & Diversity policies and goals.

The proposal was submitted by the U.S. National Center for Public Policy Research, which calls itself a "non-partisan, free-market, independent conservative think tank." The organization said that DEI programs pose "litigation, reputational, and financial risks to companies, and therefore financial risks to their shareholders."

Apple recommended that shareholders vote against the proposal, labeling it as an attempt to "micromanage" the company's business operations. Apple said that it already actively monitors its operations to maintain compliance with applicable non‑discrimination laws. During the shareholder meeting, Apple CEO Tim Cook acknowledged that the company may be forced to make changes to its DEI policies in the future, as required by law. Trump believes that Apple should get rid of the policies, rather than modify them.

In any case, Cook told shareholders that Apple will always have a culture of belonging.

"We strive to create a culture of belonging where everyone can do their best work," said Apple, in its annual shareholders meeting notice.

Trump has criticized DEI programs since returning to the White House. Last month, he signed an executive order that "terminates 'diversity, equity, and inclusion' (DEI) discrimination in the federal workforce." In response, some other tech companies like Google have scaled back DEI policies in recent weeks.
This article, "Trump Responds to Apple Keeping Diversity Policies" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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