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CalDigit Launches New Thunderbolt 5 Docks

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
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CalDigit today announced the upcoming launch of two new Thunderbolt 5 docks, the TS5 and the TS5 Plus. Both docks support transfer speeds of up to 80Gb/s with a speed boost feature when paired with Apple's Thunderbolt 5 Macs.


The TS5 has a total of 15 ports, including four Thunderbolt 5 ports, two USB-A ports, three USB-C ports (including two at the front), a headphone jack, an SD card slot, a microSD card slot, and a 2.5Gb Ethernet port. One of the front charging ports supports 20W charging.

The TS5 Plus has 20 ports, including three Thunderbolt 5 ports, five USB-C ports (two at the front), 5 USB-A ports, a headphone jack, an SD card slot, a microSD card slot, and a 10Gb Ethernet port. One of the front ports supports 36W charging, as do two of the rear Thunderbolt 5 ports, so it is able to charge more devices. There is a Dual USB 10Gb/s controller design for better USB performance.

Both docks offer 140W power delivery, which is enough to charge Apple's 16-inch MacBook Pro at full speed. On the Mac, the displays support two 4K 240Hz displays or dual 8K 60Hz displays. All of the Thunderbolt 5 ports support Bandwidth Boost, so the default 80Gb/s speed is boosted to 120Gb/s for more demanding displays.

The TS5 Plus is priced at $500 and it will be available to purchase from the CalDigit website in late April. The TS5 is priced at $370 and it will be available for purchase in late May.
This article, "CalDigit Launches New Thunderbolt 5 Docks" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple Stops Signing iOS 18.3.2

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
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Apple today stopped signing iOS 18.3.2, a week after releasing the iOS 18.4 update. Now that iOS 18.3.2 is not being signed, iPhone users who have upgraded to iOS 18.4 are not able to downgrade to a version of iOS 18.3.


It is typical 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to stop signing an older version of iOS after releasing an update, and the process keeps ‌iPhone‌ users from installing outdated versions of iOS.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 update fixed more than 60 vulnerabilities, so it is a good idea to install the software if you have not done so already.
This article, "Apple Stops Signing iOS 18.3.2" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple Customers Rush to Buy iPhones Amid Fears Tariffs Could Cause Price Hikes

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
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Ahead of when new reciprocal tariffs go into effect on April 9, Apple customers are scrambling to buy devices before prices go up. Multiple Apple employees that spoke to Bloomberg said their stores have been packed with customers "panic-buying" iPhones. "Almost every customer asked me if prices were going to go up soon," one Apple worker was quoted as saying.


The rush at retail stores was comparable to the busyness of a holiday season, with Apple providing no guidance on what employees should tell customers. Apple's retail stores reportedly experienced higher sales on April 5 and 6 than they have in prior years during the same time period.

Apple has been preparing for the tariffs and has stockpiled iPhones and other devices in the United States. According to The Times of India, Apple shipped five planes full of iPhones and other devices from India to the U.S. during the final week of March, while also bringing in iPhones from China during what is traditionally a slow time. The reserves, which could last for several months, will allow Apple to avoid price increases in the near term.

Earlier today, The Wall Street Journal said that Apple would mitigate some of the tariff impact by importing more iPhones to the U.S. from India, as India has a lower tariff rate than China. Apple could meet as much as 50 percent of U.S. iPhone demand with devices sourced from India. Apple has to pay a 26 percent tariff on goods from India, but China's rate is at 54 percent.

Apple stock has fallen almost 20 percent since last Wednesday, but Apple has not commented publicly on the tariff situation. The company has an earnings call planned for May 1, which is when we could hear more about Apple's mitigation plan.
This article, "Apple Customers Rush to Buy iPhones Amid Fears Tariffs Could Cause Price Hikes" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple to Lessen Tariff Impact by Shipping More iPhones From India

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
To lessen the impact from the tariffs that U.S. President Donald Trump is putting in place this month, Apple will import more iPhones to the U.S. from India, reports The Wall Street Journal.


The 26 percent tariff on goods imported from India will be less of a hit to Apple's bottom line than the 54 percent tariff on goods from China, the 46 percent tariff in Vietnam, or the 36 percent tariff in Thailand.

Apple does not plan to make major changes to its supply chain because the tariff situation is "too uncertain." Sourcing more U.S. iPhones from India will offset the cost of the tariffs in China, and Apple is viewing that as a short term solution while it attempts to persuade Trump into giving its devices an exemption. Apple CEO Tim Cook was successful getting Apple devices exempted from tariffs during Trump's first term, but he has had less luck so far this time around.

Apple has been working to ramp up manufacturing in India for the last several years, and it will make 25 million iPhones in India this year. By redirecting iPhones made in India to the U.S. market, Apple can meet approximately 50 percent of U.S. iPhone demand in 2025.

While Trump has set tariffs on Chinese goods at 54 percent, he said today that he would increase them if China does not remove the 34 percent reciprocal tariff that it announced on Friday.

Over the weekend, a report from The Wall Street Journal suggested that the current tariff on goods from China could increase Apple's component cost for the ‌iPhone‌ significantly. An iPhone 16 Pro that costs Apple $580 now, for example, could cost $850 with tariffs.

Trump is pushing for companies like Apple to make their devices in the United States, but that is not feasible because it is more affordable for Apple to pay the tariffs than to attempt to move manufacturing to a country that does not have the number of skilled workers available for the kind of advanced fabrication that Apple requires.

Apple earlier this year announced plans to spend $500 billion on U.S. manufacturing, with the company aiming to create Apple Intelligence servers and other similar products that have lower demand.

Apple could employ other strategies to deal with the tariffs, including pressuring suppliers for lower prices and absorbing some of the cost, but it is quite possible that Apple will raise its prices in the near future.

Trump's tariff plans have caused stocks to drop significantly over the course of the last three days, with Apple stock down nearly 20 percent since last Wednesday.
This article, "Apple to Lessen Tariff Impact by Shipping More iPhones From India" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Useful Mac Accessories to Check Out

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
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If you've recently got one of Apple's new M4 Macs, or if you're simply looking to upgrade your desk setup, we have a selection of useful Mac accessories that you might want to take a look at.



  • Sonnet Thunderbolt 5 Dock ($400) - Sonnet's SSD Dock combines ports with added storage. It comes with up to 4TB of space, and it has four Thunderbolt 5 ports, four USB-A ports, a 2.5Gb Ethernet port, a headphone jack, and SD and microSD card slots. With a compatible Thunderbolt 5 Mac, it supports read speeds of up to 6100MB/s.

  • Satechi's Mac Mini Hub ($80) - Satechi's Mac mini stand and hub is a useful add-on for a ‌Mac mini‌ because it's the same size and shape as Apple's desktop computer, but it adds several extra ports. It comes with a USB-C data port, three USB-A data ports, a micro SD and SD card reader, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

  • Satechi 200W 6-Port GaN Charger ($150) - Satechi's 200W 6-Port Charger has six USB-C PD ports so you can charge up to six devices at one time. It's only 4.1 inches square thanks to GaN technology, so it's quite portable and ideal for desktop use.

  • Keychron Q5 HE QMK Keyboard ($250) - If you like clicky, mechanical keys, the Keychron Q5 HE QMK offers a satisfying typing experience and a fun look that stands out from your everyday keyboard.

  • WaterField Designs Shinjuku Backpack ($329) - Made from a waxed, water resistant canvas and leather, the Shinjuku backpack from WaterField Designs is an ideal everyday carry bag. It has two padded pockets for a laptop and a tablet, and lots of interior and exterior pockets for accessories.

  • Sonos Era 100 ($199) - If you want a premium sound experience for your Mac, a pair of Sonos Era 100 speakers work well paired together. You'll have a hard time finding a better sound solution, but there can be some irritating latency and connectivity issues to deal with going this route.

  • Raycon 5-in-1 Laptop Power Bank ($96) - This 65W power bank has a 15,000mAh battery inside, plus it can be plugged right into a wall for recharging purposes and passthrough charging. It has two USB-C ports, along with an integrated charging cable for Lightning or USB-C devices and a wireless charging surface for AirPods.

  • Anker 165W Power Bank - Anker's 165W Power Bank has 25,000mAh capacity for charging up a Mac. There are three 100W USB-C ports for multi-device charging, and a built-in cable for when you don't have a cable with you.

  • ASUS ProArt 5K Display ($800) - The ProArt 5K display from Asus is much more affordable than Apple's own Studio Display, and it offers excellent quality for the price. If you want a great display with a lower price tag, it's worth checking out.


What are your favorite accessories for your Mac setup? Let us know in the comments below.
This article, "Useful Mac Accessories to Check Out" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Is Now the Time to Upgrade Apple Devices Before Tariffs Lead to Price Increases?

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
If you have an older Apple device that you've been considering upgrading, you're probably wondering how the newly announced tariffs might impact prices going forward, and whether it's worth buying now before there's a price hike.


Given analyst and economist responses to the tariffs, market panic, and Trump's stance on the current financial chaos, the answer is that making a purchase immediately might save you some cash if things don't change.

iPhones Could Get Much More Expensive


Trump announced a 34 percent tariff on China, which combines with the previous 20 percent tariff for a total of a 54 percent tax on imports from China. China is still one of Apple's major suppliers, and industry analysts consulted by Reuters suggest that iPhone prices could increase by up to 43 percent.

Right now, the most affordable current-generation ‌iPhone‌, the iPhone 16e, is priced starting at $599. If Apple doesn't receive some kind of exemption or if tariffs don't change, the ‌iPhone 16e‌ could be priced starting at $856. The $799 iPhone 16 could cost $1,142, close to the starting price of the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Equity research company Rosenblatt Securities believes Apple will need to raise ‌iPhone‌ and Apple Watch prices 43 percent to cover tariffs, iPad prices 42 percent, and Mac and AirPod prices 39 percent. Counterpoint Research co-founder Neil Shah believes Apple would need to raise prices by at least 30 percent on average to offset the tariffs.

Morgan Stanley analyst Erik Woodring told CNBC that Apple would likely need to raise prices by 17 to 18 percent.

Apple has moved some of its production to other countries like Vietnam, India, Thailand, and Malaysia, but all of those locations are subject to tariffs as well. A 40 percent+ price increase is a worst case scenario, and there are a lot of variables at play and factors that could shift in the near future, but it doesn't look like prices are going to remain static.

Could Apple Absorb the Increase?


Trump said that he would implement tariffs, and tech companies like Apple knew that this was coming. It's likely that Apple has been ramping up U.S. supply of current devices so that it can temporarily avoid raising prices. Under the terms of the tariff executive order, Apple won't have to pay tariffs for goods that are on a vessel and in transit to their destination before 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on April 9, so the company has a few more days to stock up as much as possible.

When available stock in the United States starts dwindling, Apple will have hard decisions to make. Raising prices significantly will impact demand for the ‌iPhone‌ in a market where people are already wary of spending because of economic uncertainty, but such high tariffs would significantly eat into Apple's profit margin and further tank its stock.

Apple could have enough ‌iPhone 16‌ models in the U.S. already to avoid price increases until the iPhone 17 models launch, but it is hard to imagine a scenario where ‌iPhone 17‌ prices don't go up at least somewhat.

CFRA Research analyst Angelo Zino said Apple could struggle to increase consumer costs more than 5 to 10 percent. "We expect Apple to hold off on any major increases on phones until this fall when its ‌iPhone 17‌ is set to launch, as it is typically how it handles planned price hikes," he said.

Bank of America securities analyst Wamsi Mohan said that if Apple were to absorb the entire impact, there could be a $1.24 reduction to earnings per share in 2026. Apple could adjust prices, optimize supply chains, and seek exemptions to deal with the tariffs, according to Mohan, so it's possible Apple will have a multi-prong strategy.

Yale Budget Lab executive director Martha Gimbel told The New York Times that companies are going to have to increase costs. "These are really big tariffs," she said. "These are not things we can expect companies to just absorb."

Will Trump Back Down?


On his Truth Social site, Trump said today that he does not plan to change his policies. Yesterday, he said "I think it's going very well - The MARKETS are going to BOOM..."


He also said, however, that he had a "productive call" with Vietnam about lowering tariffs, and that he is looking forward to a meeting "in the near future."

Trump has gone back and forth on tariffs levied against Canada and Mexico, so it is hard to say what he'll do next. The executive order states that he can increase or expand tariffs based on retaliation, or decrease or limit in scope the tariffs should countries "take significant steps to remedy non-reciprocal trade arrangements and align sufficiently with the United States on economic and national security matters."

What About Congress?


Congress could act, but with a Republican majority, there are barriers. The Senate passed a resolution that would block tariffs on Canadian products, but it will fizzle out in the House. Republican Senator Chuck Grassley proposed a bipartisan bill that would require Trump to notify Congress about new tariffs with Congress given a 60-day period to approve them, but it doesn't have enough Republican support. It's not clear if it will make progress, and it would need to overcome a presidential veto if it did.

Will Apple Get an Exemption?


The last time Trump was in office, he levied tariffs that did not apply to the ‌iPhone‌, and he gave Apple an exemption for products like the Apple Watch.

This time, Trump has given no exemptions, and it's not clear if he will. Cook met with Trump in February, and even donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration. Cook has no doubt been wooing Trump for an exemption from Apple, but it hasn't worked so far.

Trump used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to implement tariffs, so any exemption would need to come directly from Trump. There is no mechanism for individual product exemptions, so Apple doesn't even have a way to petition for an exception.

When Will Prices Increase?


If Apple needs to increase prices, it would make the most sense for the company to introduce ‌iPhone‌ price hikes with the ‌iPhone 17‌, but it's not clear if it will be able to hold off that long, nor when prices on other devices could increase.

Companies Are Already Evaluating Price Hikes and Tariff Responses


This morning, Nintendo canceled U.S. pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2. Pre-orders were set to start on April 9, but Nintendo says that it will now "assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions" before providing updated timing at a later date.

Apple has not yet made any comment on the tariffs or its plans going forward, but the company is likely working behind the scenes to calculate the impact.

Bottom Line


With all of the uncertainty, if you're in need of a new Apple device and have the funds available, it's probably best to buy very soon. That may mean opting to upgrade an older ‌iPhone‌ to an ‌iPhone 16‌ model instead of an ‌iPhone 17‌, or choosing to get a Mac now rather than holding out for a sale.

Trump could fold, other countries could negotiate lower tariffs, or Apple could get an exemption, but there is no clear picture of what's going to happen.

Tariff Timing


The tariffs that Trump announced on Wednesday will go into effect on Wednesday, April 9.
This article, "Is Now the Time to Upgrade Apple Devices Before Tariffs Lead to Price Increases?" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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TikTok Gets Another 75-Day Reprieve From Ban

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
U.S. President Donald Trump today said that he is signing an executive order to keep TikTok running for an additional 75 days as his administration continues to work on the sale of the social network's U.S. operations.


TikTok was barred from operating in the United States when the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act went into effect on January 19, but Trump at the time ordered the Department of Justice not to enforce the law for a 75-day period. The window was set to expire on Saturday, April 5 if TikTok did not reach a deal to sell to an American company, but TikTok now has another two and a half months.

Trump said on his Truth Social network that his administration has made "tremendous progress" on a deal to "save" TikTok, but more work is required. Rumors suggest that Trump's team has been considering offers from companies like Oracle and Perplexity, along with individuals like Jimmy Donaldson (also known as MrBeast), Shark Tank host Kevin O'Leary, Employer.com founder Jesse Tinsley, and billionaire Frank McCourt. Amazon even made an offer this week.

TikTok parent company ByteDance has said that it does not plan to sell TikTok, and China has also not agreed to a deal, but Trump believes that tariffs could be used for leverage. It is possible that Trump will aim for an agreement that includes bringing on multiple U.S. investors with the TikTok algorithm leased from ByteDance, but it is not yet clear if that will meet the requirements of the law.
Tag: TikTok

This article, "TikTok Gets Another 75-Day Reprieve From Ban" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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MacRumors Giveaway: Win Custom Retro AirPods From ColorWare

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with ColorWare to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a set of AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods 4 that have been custom designed with a classic Mac aesthetic.


ColorWare is known for making custom-painted Apple products and accessories, and it is essentially the only company that offers non-standard colors for AirPods, the Apple Pencil, and other Apple accessories.


In addition to letting you order custom AirPods in a wide range of colors, ColorWare often comes up with fun special edition products. This February, ColorWare debuted its ColorWare Retro Collection with AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 that have a unique design.


The Retro ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 and ‌AirPods 4‌ come in a matte cream color ColorWare is calling "Light Mode," and a matte black "Dark Mode" shade. Both models feature colorful rainbow accents that harken back to the rainbow colors that Apple used for some of its original Macs.

The Retro ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 are priced at $499, and the ‌AirPods 4‌ with ANC are priced at $439, so there is a premium for a custom design, but it's worth it if you want a look you can't get elsewhere. ColorWare uses a proprietary painting process to ensure the finish will hold up over time, and it's been customizing devices for more than a decade.


ColorWare uses a multi-step coating process that includes a primer, the application of a proprietary color formula, and an X2 liquid plastic coating that protects the color, with all products warrantied for 12 months.


We have two sets of ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 or ‌AirPods 4‌ (winner picks) to give away to a 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 4) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on April 11. The winner will be chosen randomly on or shortly after April 11 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.
This article, "MacRumors Giveaway: Win Custom Retro AirPods From ColorWare" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple Sending WWDC 2025 Invites to Special Event Lottery Winners

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
Apple plans to hold a WWDC keynote viewing party for select students and developers on Monday, June 9, with a limited number of invites available for an in-person Apple Park event. Apple accepted applications for attendance until yesterday, and the company is now sending out notices to those who have been selected to go via its lottery process.


The event is set to include WWDC-related special activities like the keynote viewing, the Platforms State of the Union, Apple Design Awards, ‌Apple Park‌ tours, and a dinner. Developers and students will also have opportunities to interface with Apple engineers and experts.

Current Apple Developer Program members, Apple Developer Enterprise Program members, Apple Entrepreneur Camp alumni, and Swift Student Challenge winners from 2023 to 2025 were eligible to apply, with attendees chosen by random selection.

There is no cost to attend the ‌Apple Park‌ special event, but Apple does not cover transportation or lodging. Out-of-state attendees will need to purchase airfare, hotel accommodations, and transportation to ‌Apple Park‌.

WWDC 2025 will take place from June 9 to June 13. Developers that were not selected to attent the ‌Apple Park‌ event can watch the keynote, get help from Apple engineers, and watch WWDC sessions online through the Apple Developer website and app.
Related Roundup: WWDC 2025

This article, "Apple Sending WWDC 2025 Invites to Special Event Lottery Winners" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple Supplier TSMC May Operate Intel’s Chipmaking Facilities

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
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Apple supplier TSMC has reached a preliminary agreement with Intel that will see TSMC operating Intel’s chipmaking facilities, reports The Information. TSMC will own a 20 percent stake in the new combined company, while Intel and other semiconductor companies will own the majority of the shares.


As part of the deal, TSMC may share some of its chip manufacturing methods with Intel, and train Intel employees to use them. Discussions are still underway, and the final details have not been established. The talks between Intel and TSMC were reportedly initiated by the Trump administration in an effort to stymy Intel’s decline and bring advanced chipmaking to the U.S.

Intel is one of TSMC’s major competitors, and the two have long been rivals. Apple previously used Intel chips in its Macs, but transitioned to its own Apple silicon chips manufactured by TSMC starting in 2020. No Apple devices use Intel processors, with Apple now relying entirely on its own technology.

TSMC focuses on chip manufacturing, not design, which is handled by TSMC customers like Apple and Nvidia. The focus solely on manufacturing has allowed TSMC to outpace Intel, and Intel’s foundary operations are less attractive to companies because Intel’s chips cost more than TSMC’s and its yields are lower.

Some Intel executives are said to be worried that the deal would result in layoffs, because Intel would need to eliminate engineers and may need to change or sell the equipment that it uses. Intel and TSMC have different manufacturing machines and materials, so if Intel is expected to adopt TSMC manufacturing processes, it could have to sell most of its existing equipment.

In 2024, Intel had an $18.8 billion loss because of its investments in chip manufacturing and a weakening PC market.
Tags: Intel, TSMC

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Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 216 With Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
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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 216 includes fixes and updates for Accessibility, CSS, Forms, Media, Rendering, Service Workers, SVG, Text, URLs, Web Animations, Web API, and Web Inspector.

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.
This article, "Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 216 With Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Video: Choosing the Best Mac For You

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
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If you're new to Macs, or haven't upgraded for some time, it can be difficult to decide just what to get. Is the MacBook Air the best option? Do you need the power of the MacBook Pro? What about desktop options?


In our latest video, we walk through the current Mac lineup and provide some tips on things to consider when you're trying to decide on a new machine. Trying to figure out if you need more RAM or a storage upgrade? Our video just might help.
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Everything New in the iOS 18.5 Beta

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
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Apple today provided developers with the first beta of an upcoming iOS 18.5 update for testing purposes. Work on iOS 18 is starting to wind down with iOS 19 set to be introduced in a couple of months, so iOS 18.5 has just a handful of minor new features.


We've rounded up what's new so far, but Apple could add additional features in upcoming betas.

Mail


If you tap on the three dots icon in the upper right corner of the Mail app, you can now toggle Contact Photos on and off directly from this interface. There's also an option to turn off Group By Sender.


Both of these options are in iOS 18.4, but the toggles are buried in the Mail section of the Settings app. They're easier to get to with iOS 18.5 for those who want the Mail app to look more like the pre-iOS 18 Mail app.

You can still access these toggles in the Settings app, too.

AppleCare Info


In the Settings app, if you go to General and tap on AppleCare and Warranty, there's now a banner with an ‌AppleCare‌ logo and an option to learn more about ‌AppleCare‌ coverage. There was no banner before.


If you go to your Apple Account and tap on a device in your device list, you'll now see a new ‌AppleCare‌ option that you can tap into to get info on your ‌AppleCare‌ coverage. There's also an option to Manage Plan from this interface if you have a renewing ‌AppleCare‌ plan.


More Features


Know of something new in iOS 18.5 that we left out of this article? Let us know in the comments below.

Release Date


For the last three years, the x.5 updates have come out in May, specifically the second week of May. It's likely Apple will stick to that same general release timeline, providing iOS 18.5 to the public in May.
Related Roundups: iOS 18, iPadOS 18
Related Forums: iOS 18, iPadOS 18

This article, "Everything New in the iOS 18.5 Beta" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple Stock Falls as Trump Tariffs Target Supply Chain

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
Apple's efforts to diversify its supply chain may have been for naught with the Trump administration's new tariffs that target multiple countries where Apple sources components for its iPhones, iPads, and Macs.


Apple has worked to move some of its manufacturing to countries like India, Vietnam, and Thailand, all of which are facing steep tariffs in addition to China and Taiwan. There is a minimum 10 percent tariff for all U.S. trading partners, and "reciprocal tariffs" on several countries where Apple suppliers are located. Some of the tariffs:

  • Vietnam - 46%

  • Thailand - 36%

  • China - 34%

  • Taiwan - 32%

  • India - 26%

  • Japan - 24%

  • Malaysia - 24%

  • EU - 20%


As The New York Times notes, Apple is already contending with a 20 percent tariff in China, which is set to increase significantly. Taiwan, where Apple sources the Apple silicon chips that go into all of its devices, is facing a 32 percent tariff.

The last time Trump was in office, Apple was able to get tariff exemptions or avoid tariffs entirely for some products, but Trump claims that he will not provide exemptions this time around. Morgan Stanley estimates that devices imported from China will cost Apple an additional $8.5 billion annually without exemptions, though it is not clear if Apple would pass those costs to consumers with price increases.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has said in the past that the United States is not able to compete with China and other countries when it comes to manufacturing due to a lack of skilled workers with expertise in advanced tooling.

Apple stock is down 7.5 percent in after hours trading after the tariff announcements. The tariffs will go into effect on April 9, according to Trump.
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Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Max With Lossless Audio Support

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
Apple today released new 7E101 firmware for the AirPods Max with USB-C, addressing an issue that made the previously released firmware unable to be downloaded.


Apple yesterday seeded out ‌AirPods Max‌ firmware with a version number of 7E99 to enable lossless audio support, but it turned out that ‌AirPods Max‌ users were not able to download the firmware.

The new 7E101 firmware should now be available to all Apple users who have ‌AirPods Max‌ with USB-C, and the update brings lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio to the headphones.

The USB-C ‌AirPods Max‌ now support 24-bit 48 kHz lossless audio, which is designed to allow listeners to experience music the way the artist created it in the studio. Apple says lossless audio and Personalized Spatial Audio offer a "more sonically accurate, uncompressed, and immersive experience."

With lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio support, music creators are able to use the ‌AirPods Max‌ to create and mix in Personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking, with just a USB-C cable and a Mac with Logic Pro or other music creation software.

Lossless audio and ultra-low latency is only available for the USB-C ‌AirPods Max‌, as lossless quality requires a USB-C connection to an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. The headphones need to be running the latest firmware and need to be paired with a device running iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, or macOS Sequoia 15.4.

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

You can check your firmware version by going to Settings > Bluetooth and selecting the Info button next to the ‌AirPods Max‌ when they are connected to an ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, or Mac.
Related Roundup: AirPods Max
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Max (Buy Now)
Related Forum: AirPods

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Apple CEO Tim Cook Sells Stock Worth $24 Million

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
Apple CEO Tim Cook today earned over $24 million selling Apple stock, according to a filing with the SEC. Cook sold 108,136 shares that he received on April 1 when restricted stock units vested.


The RSUs that vested yesterday were part of a time-based stock award that Cook was granted back in 2020. One-third of the shares vested in 2023, one-third in 2024, and the final third vested in 2025. The shares that were sold today were put in Cook's trust.

Restricted stock units are given to Cook regularly as bonus compensation, encouraging him to stay on as Apple's CEO. Cook has served as CEO since August 2011, and now that his RSUs have vested, Apple may give him another grant to keep him at the company for an even longer period. Cook also regularly receives RSUs that vest based on Apple's performance, with that award typically happening in October.

Apple executives that include Jeff Williams and Katherine Adams also received and sold stock worth $7,950,684 and $8,664,682, respectively.
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Apple Seeds First Beta of macOS Sequoia 15.5

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming macOS Sequoia 15.4 update to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming two days after Apple released ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.4.


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.

We don't yet know what's included in the macOS 15.5 update, but we are waiting on new Apple Intelligence features. It's not clear if that functionality will be in the beta, but there isn't much else that Apple hasn't added to ‌macOS Sequoia‌.

Apple will soon start transitioning to macOS 16, which is set to be unveiled at WWDC in June.
Related Roundup: macOS Sequoia
Related Forum: macOS Sequoia

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Apple Seeds First Beta of iOS 18.5 to Developers

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
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Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming just two days after Apple released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4.


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

We don't yet know what Apple is introducing in the iOS 18.5 update, but we are still waiting on new Siri Apple Intelligence features. That functionality may not be coming until next year, though, so it's unclear if we'll get any new ‌Apple Intelligence‌ tools in the beta.

Once we download the beta and discover that's included, we'll update this article with details.
Related Roundups: iOS 18, iPadOS 18
Related Forums: iOS 18, iPadOS 18

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Apple Seeds First Betas of visionOS 2.5, tvOS 18.5, and watchOS 11.5

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
Apple today provided developers with the first betas of upcoming visionOS 2.5, tvOS 18.5, and watchOS 11.5 updates for testing purposes. The software is available a day after Apple released the visionOS 2.4, tvOS 18.4, and watchOS 11.4 software.


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

As of right now, there is no word on what's included in any of the betas, but should new features be found, we'll update this article.
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Amazon Makes Last Minute Offer for TikTok as Ban Looms

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
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Retail giant Amazon today made an offer to acquire TikTok just days ahead of when TikTok must be sold off or face a ban, reports The New York Times. Unspecified participants involved in the TikTok talks "do not appear to be taking Amazon's bid seriously," and multiple interested parties are scrambling to plead their cases for a TikTok purchase.


As of January 19, the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act that bans TikTok from operating in the U.S. under Chinese control has been in effect, but U.S. President Donald Trump gave TikTok a reprieve by ordering the Department of Justice to not enforce the law for a 75-day period. That window is set to expire on Saturday, April 5, and a sale of TikTok's U.S. operations must be arranged by that time or the app will be shut down again.

The Trump administration has been considering offers from companies like Oracle and Perplexity, along with individuals like Jimmy Donaldson (also known as MrBeast), Shark Tank host Kevin O'Leary, Employer.com founder Jesse Tinsley, and billionaire Frank McCourt. Trump plans to meet with White House officials on Wednesday to discuss what will happen with TikTok, and he has maintained that he will make the final decision on the app's future.

It is possible that Trump will decide on a deal that includes bringing on multiple U.S. investors, including Oracle and private equity firm Blackstone. Such a deal would not be a formal sale, and may not meet the requirements of the law.

TikTok parent company ByteDance has said that it will not sell TikTok, but it is not clear if that is still the case with a ban on the horizon. While the law is set to go back into effect on April 5, Trump could opt for another deadline extension.
Tag: TikTok

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Visa and American Express Vying to Win Apple Card Deal in 'Fierce' Fight

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
Visa wants to pay Apple approximately $100 million to be the new payment network for the Apple Card, reports The Wall Street Journal. As of right now, the ‌Apple Card‌ is on the Mastercard payment network, but that is set to change because Apple is ending its partnership with Goldman Sachs.


Both American Express and Visa are vying to replace Mastercard as Apple's card services provider, while Mastercard is aiming to retain its position. Apple apparently plans to choose a new ‌Apple Card‌ network before it selects a partner to replace Goldman Sachs as the ‌Apple Card‌'s issuing bank, and competition is intense. Visa is offering Apple a $100 million upfront payment, while American Express is "in the mix" and Mastercard is "fiercely trying" to retain its role.

Apple and Goldman Sachs have been working to dissolve their partnership since 2023, with Goldman Sachs planning to exit the consumer banking market. JPMorgan Chase and Synchrony Financial are in talks with Apple to take over for Goldman Sachs, but American Express has also been aiming to become the issuer and network of the ‌Apple Card‌. Apple needs both an issuing bank for the ‌Apple Card‌ and a payment network that facilitates transactions.

Goldman Sachs and Apple have worked together on the ‌Apple Card‌ since its 2019 launch, and have also teamed up for the high-yield Apple Savings account. Apple has not been happy with Goldman Sachs because of customer service issues caused by long wait times for disputed ‌Apple Card‌ transactions and savings account withdrawals.

The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau even launched an investigation into Goldman Sachs due to the customer complaints, which led to tension, so both companies are eager to end their relationship.

The ‌Apple Card‌ has over 12 million users in the United States, with approximately $20 billion in balances.
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Apple Releases watchOS 11.4 With Sleep Alarm Update

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
Apple today released watchOS 11.4, the fourth major update to the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 11.4 is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, all Apple Watch Ultra models, and the Apple Watch SE 2.


watchOS 11.4 can be downloaded on a connected iPhone by opening up the Apple Watch app and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery and it needs to be placed on a charger.

With watchOS 11.4, Apple has added an option for a Sleep Wake Up alarm to break through Silent Mode, so you can have your Apple Watch make a sound in addition to haptic tapping when a morning alarm goes off. There's also support for Matter-compatible robot vacuum cleaners in the Home app.
This update includes new features, improvements, and bug fixes, including:
- Matter-compatible robot vacuum cleaners can be added to the Home app as well as used in scenes, automations, or simply say "Siri, clean the living room."
- An option to allow Sleep Wake Up alarm to break through Silent Mode
- An issue where face selection may become unresponsive when switching faces
For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/100100

More of the features available in watchOS 11 can be found in our watchOS 11 roundup.
Related Roundup: watchOS 11
Related Forum: Apple Watch

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iOS 19 Expected to Run on These iPhones

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
iOS 19 will not be available on the iPhone XR, ‌iPhone‌ XS, or the ‌iPhone‌ XS Max, according a private account on social media site X that has accurately provided information on device compatibility in the past.


The ‌iPhone‌ XR, ‌iPhone‌ XS, and ‌iPhone‌ XS Max all have an A12 Bionic chip, so it looks like ‌iOS 19‌ will discontinue support for that chip. All other iPhones that run iOS 18 are expected to support ‌iOS 19‌, with a full compatibility list below.

  • 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 SE (2nd generation or later)


While these iPhones will support ‌iOS 19‌, advanced features may be limited to newer iPhones with faster processors. Apple Intelligence in ‌iOS 18‌, for example, only runs on the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro and the ‌iPhone 16‌ models.

As for iPadOS 19, it is expected to drop support for the seventh-generation low-cost iPad with A10 Fusion chip. It sounds like iPads that are equipped with the A12 Bionic such as the iPad mini 5 will be compatible with iPadOS 19.

The source that shared the information also provided details on the devices that would be compatible with ‌iOS 18‌ ahead of when ‌iOS 18‌ was unveiled.

Apple is planning to introduce ‌iOS 19‌ and iPadOS 19 at the Worldwide Developers Conference that is set to begin on Monday, June 9.
Related Roundup: iOS 19

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Apple Releases New AirPods Max Firmware With Lossless and Low-Latency Audio Support [Updated]

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
Update 4/2/25: Apple has updated an AirPods support page to indicate that the AirPods Max (USB-C) firmware update version 7E99 is now "coming soon." The original article continues below.



Apple today released a new firmware update for the USB-C version of the AirPods Max headphones. The new firmware is version 7E99, up from the prior 7A291 firmware the device was previously running.


When paired with the iOS 18.4 update, the new AirPods Max firmware brings lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio to the USB-C version of the headphones. The USB-C AirPods Max support 24-bit 48 kHz lossless audio, which is designed to allow listeners to experience music the way the artist created it in the studio. Apple says lossless audio and Personalized Spatial Audio offer a “more sonically accurate, uncompressed, and immersive experience.”

With lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio support, music creators are able to use the AirPods Max to create and mix in Personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking, with just a USB-C cable and a Mac with Logic Pro or other music creation software.

Lossless audio and ultra-low latency is only available for the USB-C AirPods Max. The headphones need to be running the latest firmware and need to be paired with a device running iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, or macOS Sequoia 15.4.

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

You can check your firmware version by going to Settings > Bluetooth and selecting the Info button next to the AirPods Max when they are connected to an iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
Related Roundup: AirPods Max
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Max (Buy Now)
Related Forum: AirPods

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iOS 18.4 Features: Everything New in iOS 18.4

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
iOS 18.4 is the fourth major update to the iOS 18 operating system that first came out last September, and it adds a long list of new features. Some features are limited to Apple's newer and more powerful iPhone models, while others are available to all ‌iOS 18‌ users.


This guide covers everything new in iOS 18.4.

Priority Notifications - Apple Intelligence


iOS 18.4 adds an Apple Intelligence Priority Notifications feature that shows you your most important notifications first. Priority Notifications is disabled by default, but it can be turned on by going to Settings > Notifications > Prioritize Notifications and tapping the toggle.


Priority Notifications can also be set up on a per-app basis, with toggles available in the same sections of the Settings app.


With the feature enabled, ‌Apple Intelligence‌ will show notifications that may be important in a dedicated section at the top of the Lock Screen's notification center.

Visual Intelligence for iPhone 15 Pro Models


Visual Intelligence is now available on the iPhone 15 Pro and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max, and it's no longer an option limited to the iPhone 16 models.



Since the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro and Pro Max do not have a Camera Control button, ‌Visual Intelligence‌ can be activated via the Control Center or with the Action Button.

Visual Intelligence Action Button


Apple added an Action Button option that activates ‌Visual Intelligence‌, and it can be used as an alternative to the Camera Control button for ‌Visual Intelligence‌ on the ‌iPhone 16‌ models.



Control Center Apple Intelligence Section


In the Control Center, there's an Apple Intelligence section. It includes the Type to Siri option that was in the now-removed ‌Siri‌ section, along with new options for activating ‌Siri‌ and using ‌Visual Intelligence‌.



Image Playground Sketch Style


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


Swap styles by tapping on the "+" button in the ‌Image Playground‌ app. Apple also replaced the previous "Winter Holidays" theme with a new "Spring" theme.

New Apple Intelligence Languages


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

New Emoji


There are new emoji characters in iOS 18.4, including bags under eyes, fingerprint, leafless tree, root vegetable, harp, shovel, and splatter.



Vision Pro App


If you have a Vision Pro headset, you'll see a Vision Pro app on your ‌iPhone‌ after installing iOS 18.4 if you have a Vision Pro headset. The Vision Pro app helps you discover and download content on the Vision Pro.


There are dedicated sections for Immersive Video, 3D movies, and more, with options to download apps directly to the Vision Pro without having to use the headset. Apple also added a dedicated My Vision Pro section with a user guide and tips for using the device.

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

Apple News+ Food


For Apple News+ subscribers, there's now an ‌Apple News‌ Food section. The Food section features tens of thousands of recipes, stories about restaurants, tips for healthy eating, kitchen essentials, and more.


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

Ambient Music


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


Each category can be added to Control Center separately, and tapping one plays a random selection of sounds or music from that particular category. If you tap on the Ambient Music button that you added while in edit mode, you can select different options within each category.

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

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

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

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


If you play Ambient Music and then tap into the Dynamic Island at the top or access the Now Playing widget, you can skip songs and see the name of what's currently playing.

Privacy Indication Dots


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


Siri Voices


There are two new Australian voices for ‌Siri‌.



Genmoji


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



Photos


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


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

The Recently Deleted section of the ‌Photos‌ app now has one-tap options to delete all photos and to recover all photos.


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

Type to Siri


When you use Type to ‌Siri‌ to ask ‌Siri‌ a question, the keyboard is now collapsed down when ‌Siri‌ answers. To type another request, you need to tap on the ‌Siri‌ bar to bring it back up. There is also a toggle to activate Type to ‌Siri‌ with the side button, which would normally cause ‌Siri‌ to listen for a voice command.



Back Tap


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



App Store Review Summaries


Apple now provides summaries of an app's customer reviews to get a quicker overview of what people think of it.



Pause App Store Downloads


When you download an app from the App Store, you can pause the download right from the update list in the ‌App Store‌ rather than having to do it from the Home Screen icon for the app. Before now, you could only stop and restart an installation entirely from the ‌App Store‌, with no option for stopping it entirely.


Pausing and resuming works for both new downloads and app updates.

Apple Maps


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



Passwords


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



Podcasts Widget


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


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

Mac Setup


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

Control Center Toggles


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


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


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

Shortcuts Actions


There are multiple new actions for Apple apps in the Shortcuts app, most of which are for changing app settings.


In Maps, for example, there are actions for things like avoid busy roads, avoid tolls, volume level, directions on radio, and more. In Safari, you can use AutoFill information, toggle on pop-up blocking, close tabs, change search engine, and change the tab bar configuration, among other options.

There are Settings actions for Maps, Safari, Reminders, Calendar, Apple TV, Books, Notes, Voice Memos, and Weather.

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



Safari


When you long press on an ‌App Store‌ link in Safari, there is an updated design for ‌App Store‌ link previews.



When you open up a new Safari tab and then tap the address bar, Safari shows a list of your recent searches. There is an option to disable recent searches by opening the Settings app, going to Safari, and toggling off Show Recent Searches.


CarPlay


Some CarPlay users will have access to a third row of ‌CarPlay‌ icons on the ‌Home Screen‌ rather than just two rows.



Default Apps


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



Notification Center


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

Camera Control


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



Safari Connection Security


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



Robot Vacuum HomeKit Support


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

Wallet


In the Wallet app, there is an updated menu that includes Orders, Settings, and Subscriptions and Payments. It can be accessed by tapping on the three dots in the upper right corner, which used to be just for package tracking.



Find My


Find My support has been added in South Korea.

Mail Categorization for iPadOS 18.4


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

Mail categorization was previously introduced for the ‌iPhone‌ in iOS 18.2.
Related Roundups: iOS 18, iPadOS 18
Related Forums: iOS 18, iPadOS 18

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Apple News+ Subscribers Can Now Access Apple News Food

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
With the launch of iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS Sequoia 15.4, Apple rolled out a new Apple News+ Food feature that is available for all ‌Apple News‌+ subscribers.


‌Apple News‌+ Food offers tens of thousands of recipes, that users can browse through. There are built-in filter and search tools for finding specific recipes, and new content is added daily. Favorite recipes can be saved for access later, and Apple has designed a special format for recipes.

Recipes are displayed with a list of ingredients that can be checked off while cooking, and users can tap any ingredient to see the amount needed for the current step. Timers can be set by tapping on a highlighted duration in the recipe, and there is a "cook" mode that provides step-by-step cooking instructions in a full-screen view.

Along with an extensive recipe catalog, ‌Apple News‌+ Food includes stories about local restaurants, information on kitchen essentials, tips on healthy eating, and more. Content is sourced from major food publishers like Allrecipes, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Good Food, and Serious Eats.

While ‌Apple News‌+ Food is a feature that is designed for ‌Apple News‌+ subscribers, Apple does make select stories and recipes available for non-subscribers as well.

‌Apple News‌+ is priced at $12.99 per month, and it is also included in the Apple One Premier plan for $37.95 per month. Along with the new ‌Apple News‌+ Food feature, ‌Apple News‌+ includes access to over 400 magazines, and news from newspapers like The Wall Street Journal and the Los Angeles Times.
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iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS Sequoia 15.4 Address 50+ Vulnerabilities

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
The iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS Sequoia 15.4 updates that Apple released today include a long list of fixes for security vulnerabilities, though none of the issues addressed were known to have been actively exploited.


iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 fix 60 vulnerabilities, including an issue that could allow sensitive keychain data to be accessible from an iOS backup, a problem where password autofill filled a password even after a failed authentication, and a bug that could allow hidden photos to be viewed without authentication.

Apple has a full list of iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 fixes in its security support document. There's a separate security support document for macOS Sequoia 15.4, and the ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.4 update addresses over 120 vulnerabilities with everything from AirDrop and the App Store to the Dock and Kernel.

Because iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.4 fix so many vulnerabilities, it is a good idea to update as soon as possible even if there were no known instances of these security holes being used in the wild.
Related Roundups: iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia
Related Forums: iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia

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Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
Apple today released new firmware updates for all AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 models. The new firmware is version 7E93, up from the 7B21 firmware that was installed on the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 and the 7B20 firmware available on the ‌AirPods 4‌ and ‌AirPods 4‌ with ANC.


It is not immediately clear what new features or changes are included in the new firmware, but we'll update this article should we find out. Apple has been beta testing the updated firmware since late January.

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

You can check your firmware version by going to Settings > Bluetooth and selecting the Info button next to the ‌AirPods Pro‌ when they are connected to an ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, or Mac.
Related Roundups: AirPods 4, AirPods Pro
Related Forum: AirPods

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Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.4 With Mail Categorization and More

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.4, the fourth major update to the ‌macOS Sequoia‌ operating system that launched in September. ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.4 comes two months after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.3.


Mac users can download the ‌‌‌macOS Sequoia‌‌‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. It is available for free on all Macs able to run macOS 15.

With macOS 15.4, Apple is bringing Mail Categorization to the Mac. The Mail app features dedicated categories like transactions, updates, and promotions, with important emails organized into a primary section.

Apple News+ subscribers now have access to an ‌Apple News‌ Food section with recipes, food articles, and more. There's a new Sketch style for Image Playground, Memory Movie support in the Photos app for custom slideshows, and new emoji characters.

More information on what's new in ‌macOS Sequoia‌ can be found in our macOS Sequoia roundup.
Related Roundup: macOS Sequoia
Related Forum: macOS Sequoia

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Apple Releases iOS 18.4 With Priority Notifications, Ambient Music, New Emoji and More

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
Apple today released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, the fourth major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating system updates that came out last year. iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 come two months after Apple released iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3.


The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS and iPadOS 16.7.11 and iOS and iPadOS 15.8.4 for devices that aren't able to run ‌iOS 18‌.

iOS 18.4 adds Priority notifications for Apple Intelligence-capable devices, showing you your most notification first. There's a dedicated Apple Vision Pro app for Vision Pro owners, and a new Apple News Food feature for ‌Apple News‌+ subscribers.
Apple Intelligence (All iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max)
- Priority notifications appear at the top of your notifications, highlighting important notifications that may require your immediate attention
- Sketch is now available as an additional style option in Image Playground, allowing you to create gorgeous sketch drawings
- Apple Intelligence features support 8 additional languages and 2 additional English locales, including English (India, Singapore), French (France, Canada), German (Germany), Italian (Italy), Japanese (Japan), Korean (South Korea), Portuguese (Brazil), Simplified Chinese, and Spanish (Spain, Latin America, US)

Apple Vision Pro App
- The new Apple Vision Pro app, automatically installed for users with Apple Vision Pro, helps you discover new content, spatial experiences, and quickly access information about your device

Apple News+
- Recipes from some of the world's best recipe publishers are now available on Apple News+
- Recipe Catalog allows you to browse or search to find the perfect dish and save it to your Saved Recipes
- Cooking mode lets you easily follow step-by-step directions
- The Food section also includes stories about restaurants, kitchen tips, healthy eating, and more

Photos
- New filters to show or hide items that are not contained in an album, or synced from a Mac or PC, in the Library view in Photos
- Reorder items in the Media Types and Utilities collections in Photos
- Consistent filtering options in all collections, including the ability to sort by oldest or newest first in Photos
- Option to sort albums by Date Modified in Photos
- Ability to disable "Recently Viewed" and "Recently Shared" collections in Photos Settings
- Hidden photos are no longer included for import to Mac or a PC if Use Face ID is enabled in Photos settings

This update also includes the following enhancements and bug fixes:
- Safari recent search suggestions help you quickly get back to previous search topics when starting a new query
- Setup Assistant streamlines steps parents need to take to create a Child Account for a kid in their family, and enables child-appropriate default settings if parents prefer to complete setting up a Child Account later
- Screen Time App Limits persist even after a child uninstalls and reinstalls an app
- App Store includes summaries for user reviews so you can get helpful insights from other users at a glance
- Pause and resume of an app download or update on App Store without losing progress
- New widgets for Podcasts including a Followed Shows widget to track your favorite shows and a Library widget to get to your most used sections, such as Latest Episodes, Saved, and Downloaded
- Ambient Music offers the ability to instantly play music from Control Center, giving access to a set of hand-curated playlists that offer soundtracks for daily life
- Apple Fitness+ Collections can now be added to Library
- Matter-compatible robot vacuum cleaners can be controlled in the Home app as well as be added to scenes and automations
- Support for 10 new system languages including Bangla, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu

Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit:
https://support.apple.com/100100

Apple will soon begin work on iOS 19, with the update set to be introduced at WWDC in June. Before that time, we may also get an iOS 18.5 update with additional features and performance improvements.
Related Roundups: iOS 18, iPadOS 18
Related Forums: iOS 18, iPadOS 18

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Apple Releases visionOS 2.4 With Apple Intelligence, Spatial Gallery and New iPhone Integration

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
Apple today released visionOS 2.4, the fourth update to the visionOS 2 operating system that came out in September. visionOS 2.4 comes two months after the launch of visionOS 2.3.


visionOS 2.4 can be downloaded on all Vision Pro headsets by navigating to the Settings app, selecting the General section, and choosing the Software Update option.

The visionOS 2.4 update brings Apple Intelligence to the Vision Pro for the first time, putting it on par with the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The Vision Pro has an M2 Apple silicon chip inside, and is capable of running the full suite of ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features.

‌Apple Intelligence‌ features available on the Vision Pro include Writing Tools for generating, proofreading, and summarizing text, Genmoji for creating custom emoji characters, a dedicated Image Playground app for generating images, Memory Movie for creating custom slideshows, smart reply for generating quick responses to texts and emails, Priority Notifications and Notification Summaries, ChatGPT Siri integration and new ‌Siri‌ features, and more.


Along with ‌Apple Intelligence‌, Apple added a Spatial Gallery app for the Vision Pro. The Spatial Gallery app offers a curated assortment of spatial videos, spatial photos, and panorama images from artists, filmmakers, and photographers. Apple plans to offer a range of content featuring sports, culture, arts, lifestyle, nature, travel, entertainment, and more.

Content at launch includes images and experiences from Cirque du Soleil, Red Bull, Porsche, Samba Diop, and Jonpaul Douglass, along with behind the scenes content from Apple TV+ shows like Severance. Apple's release notes for the update are below.

Apple Intelligence
- Use Writing Tools to rewrite, proofread, and summarize text right in the app you’re working in, and compose text from scratch using ChatGPT
- Quickly respond to messages with Smart Reply in Mail and Messages with suggested responses
- Create unique images in multiple styles using concepts, descriptions, and people from your photo library with Image Playground
- Create custom emoji right from the keyboard and use your Genmoji across the system in your sticker drawer
- Use Image Wand to turn sketches into images in Notes
- Find photos and videos simply by describing what you’re looking for in Photos
- Create a Memory Movie by describing the story you want to see in Photos
- Use priority messages in Mail which understand the content of your messages and prioritize those that require your attention, displaying them at the top of your inbox
- Catch up on your notifications with Priority Notification to make it easy to see a glanceable summary of the most important information

Guest User
- Start a Guest User session with your nearby iPhone or iPad and guide the guest using View Mirroring

Spatial Gallery app
- Discover a curated collection of spatial photos, spatial videos and panoramas, updated regularly

Apple Vision Pro app
- Discover new content, spatial experiences, and quickly access information about your device using Apple Vision Pro app for iPhone when you upgrade to iOS 18.4

This release also includes other features and improvements.
- Use dictation to edit text like replacing or deleting a word
- Activate Travel Mode using the Digital Crown when you see a “tracking fail” notification.

Some features may not be available for all regions. For more information, please visit this website:
https://www.apple.com/visionos/visionos-2
In iOS 18.4, there is a new Vision Pro app that works in conjunction with visionOS 2.4. With the Vision Pro app, Vision Pro owners can download apps to the Vision Pro, find content to watch and add it to a watch list, and get device info like serial number. There is a dedicated discover page that offers curated recommendations for new and noteworthy experiences, including popular apps and games.

An ‌iPhone‌ can also be used to set up and manage Guest Mode on the Vision Pro, and guests can now save their eye and hand setups for up to 30 days after their last use, making multi-person use more feasible. With an ‌iPhone‌, Vision Pro owners can block or allow certain apps and guide a user through the Vision Pro interface using AirPlay.
Related Roundup: visionOS 2
Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro

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Apple Releases tvOS 18.4

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
Apple today released tvOS 18.4, the latest version of the tvOS 18 operating system that came out last September. tvOS 18.4 comes two months after Apple released tvOS 18.3, and it is available for the Apple TV 4K and the ‌Apple TV‌ HD models.


tvOS 18.4 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the ‌‌Apple TV‌‌. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software. ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ owners who have automatic software updates activated will be upgraded to tvOS 18.4 automatically.

Apple shares full release notes for tvOS in its tvOS support document, which is updated after each new version of tvOS comes out.

Apple has also released a new version of the HomePod Software 18.4 for the ‌HomePod‌ and HomePod mini. ‌HomePod‌ software is based on tvOS.
Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

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Six Things to Know About Apple's Upcoming Foldable iPhone

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
We've been hearing rumors about a foldable iPhone for almost a decade now, but it looks like we might finally see the device come to fruition in 2026. We're going to be waiting many more months for the foldable ‌iPhone‌, but so far we're hearing good things.



  1. Apple wants to make it creaseless. It's taken Apple multiple years to design a foldable ‌iPhone‌ that it's satisfied with because Apple wants to get away from the pesky crease that impacts most foldable smartphones on the market. Apple is aiming for an entirely creaseless look so you won't be distracted by a visible line going through the middle of the display.

  2. It'll open like a book. Based on the myriad rumors we've heard, Apple experimented with multiple designs. There was talk last year that Apple would go with a clamshell design that opens top to bottom, like the Galaxy Z Flip. That's possibly something we'll see in the future, but now it's sounding like Apple's first foldable ‌iPhone‌ will have the book-like design we've seen in foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold. iOS isn't designed for a horizontal orientation, so this is going to require some major software updates. Apple is rumored to be working to redesign iOS 19, iPadOS 19, and macOS 16 to be more consistent cross-platform, and that kind of design would work well when you need an operating system that works seamlessly in both vertical and horizontal orientations.

  3. For size, imagine the iPad mini. When it's closed, Apple's foldable ‌iPhone‌ is rumored to have a 5.5-inch outer display, which is smaller than current ‌iPhone‌ models that start at 6.1 inches. When opened, though, it will be 7.8 inches, which isn't too far off from the old 7.9-inch iPad mini. Picture the ‌iPad mini‌ in horizontal orientation, or put two 6.1-inch iPhones side by side to get an idea of how big the display might be.

  4. It's going to be thick and thin. Apple is going to use some iPhone 17 Air tech for the foldable ‌iPhone‌, and it could be as thin as 4.8mm when it's opened up. That's even thinner than the 5.1-inch 12.9-inch iPad Pro, which is Apple's thinnest device to date. When closed, though, it'll be somewhere around 9mm to 9.5mm, which is chunky.

  5. It might have Touch ID. This is a weird one, but Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says Apple might use a Touch ID power button instead of Face ID. If Apple can't slim down that front-facing TrueDepth camera module enough to get the screen to an acceptable thinness, ‌Touch ID‌ could work instead.

  6. It's going to cost you. Foldable smartphones are far from cheap, even from Android manufacturers. Apple's version is going to be expensive, with rumors suggesting it will be priced somewhere around $2,000 to $2,500.


These are just the current rumors, and in the years before a device actually launches, information can be all over the place due to Apple's experimentation. The details we're hearing are starting to firm up, but there could be changes before it comes out. And given Apple's track record lately, it might never be released.

Right now, it looks like we could get the first foldable ‌iPhone‌ right around late 2026, so we might be hearing more in the coming months as we get into the 2026 ‌iPhone‌ rumor cycle.
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iOS 18.4 Expected Next Week - Here Are the Release Notes

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
With the second release candidate of iOS 18.4 that Apple seeded out today, the company finally provided us with release notes that give a full rundown on what to expect.


There's an Apple Vision Pro app, new Apple Intelligence features for notifications and additional language support, plus an Apple News Food feature for ‌Apple News‌+ subscribers, and several updates that should improve the functionality of the Photos app. Apple's release notes are below.
Apple Intelligence (All iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max)
- Priority notifications appear at the top of your notifications, highlighting important notifications that may require your immediate attention
- Sketch is now available as an additional style option in Image Playground, allowing you to create gorgeous sketch drawings
- Apple Intelligence features support 8 additional languages and 2 additional English locales, including English (India, Singapore), French (France, Canada), German (Germany), Italian (Italy), Japanese (Japan), Korean (South Korea), Portuguese (Brazil), Simplified Chinese, and Spanish (Spain, Latin America, US)

Apple Vision Pro App
- The new Apple Vision Pro app, automatically installed for users with Apple Vision Pro, helps you discover new content, spatial experiences, and quickly access information about your device

Apple News+
- Recipes from some of the world's best recipe publishers are now available on Apple News+
- Recipe Catalog allows you to browse or search to find the perfect dish and save it to your Saved Recipes
- Cooking mode lets you easily follow step-by-step directions
- The Food section also includes stories about restaurants, kitchen tips, healthy eating, and more

Photos
- New filters to show or hide items that are not contained in an album, or synced from a Mac or PC, in the Library view in Photos
- Reorder items in the Media Types and Utilities collections in Photos
- Consistent filtering options in all collections, including the ability to sort by oldest or newest first in Photos
- Option to sort albums by Date Modified in Photos
- Ability to disable "Recently Viewed" and "Recently Shared" collections in Photos Settings
- Hidden photos are no longer included for import to Mac or a PC if Use Face ID is enabled in Photos settings

This update also includes the following enhancements and bug fixes:
- Safari recent search suggestions help you quickly get back to previous search topics when starting a new query
- Setup Assistant streamlines steps parents need to take to create a Child Account for a kid in their family, and enables child-appropriate default settings if parents prefer to complete setting up a Child Account later
- Screen Time App Limits persist even after a child uninstalls and reinstalls an app
- App Store includes summaries for user reviews so you can get helpful insights from other users at a glance
- Pause and resume of an app download or update on App Store without losing progress
- New widgets for Podcasts including a Followed Shows widget to track your favorite shows and a Library widget to get to your most used sections, such as Latest Episodes, Saved, and Downloaded
- Ambient Music offers the ability to instantly play music from Control Center, giving access to a set of hand-curated playlists that offer soundtracks for daily life
- Apple Fitness+ Collections can now be added to Library
- Matter-compatible robot vacuum cleaners can be controlled in the Home app as well as be added to scenes and automations
- Support for 10 new system languages including Bangla, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu

Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit:
https://support.apple.com/100100

Apple's release notes don't actually include all of the new features that were found in the update during the beta testing period, including some new Control Center options and a handful of new emoji characters.

iOS 18.4 is expected in early April, which is actually next week. It's looking like Apple could release the update on Tuesday, April 1, given that we got two release candidates this week.
Related Roundups: iOS 18, iPadOS 18
Related Forums: iOS 18, iPadOS 18

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Apple Seeds Second iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 Release Candidate With Priority Notifications, Ambient Music and More

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
Apple today seeded the second release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week a few days after Apple released the first RC.


iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update.

With iOS 18.4, Apple is adding the Priority Notifications Apple Intelligence feature, which is designed to determine which of your notifications are the most important, highlighting them in an easy-to-see dedicated section on the Lock Screen.

The update includes a new Apple News+ Food section for ‌Apple News‌+ subscribers, plus it adds the Sketch style to Image Playground so you can generate images that look hand drawn. ‌Apple Intelligence‌ is also available in more languages, including French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese (simplified), along with localized English for Singapore and India.

There are new emoji characters, and a dedicated Vision Pro app that allows Vision Pro owners to find and download content, manage the headset, control guest experiences, and more, right from the iPhone.

Mail Categorization has expanded to the iPad, and there's a new Ambient Music feature for playing relaxing music from Control Center. There are a number of other smaller features too, with details available in our iOS 18.4 features guide.

Apple plans to release iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 in early April, potentially as soon as next week.
Related Roundups: iOS 18, iPadOS 18
Related Forums: iOS 18, iPadOS 18

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Final Cut Pro for Mac Gains Adjustment Clips, Image Playground Integration and More

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
Apple today updated Final Cut Pro, its professional video editing software that runs on the Mac. Version 11.1 of Final Cut Pro includes several new features that improve video editing on the Mac.


With Image Playground, video editors can use Apple Intelligence to create stylized images, and Magnetic Mask workflows have been streamlined with a new keyboard shortcut to show or hide the Magnetic Mask Organizer. There are also new features for moving markets and naming audio effects, with Apple's release notes listed below.
- Add color corrections and effects to an adjustment clip above the timeline to apply them to a range of clips at once.
- Get inspired with Image Playground and use Apple Intelligence to quickly create stylized images based on a description, suggested concepts, or people from your Photos library. (Requires macOS 15.2 or later on Mac models with M1 or later.)
- Speed up your Magnetic Mask workflows with important bug fixes, performance improvements, and a new keyboard shortcut to show or hide the Magnetic Mask Editor.
- Use the Quantec QRS (Quantec Room Simulator) effect to create natural and transparent audio reverbs that simulate real acoustic spaces.
- Stay organized by renaming audio effects in the inspector.
- Reveal the source of a multicam angle or synced clip in the browser.
- Move markers in the timeline by dragging them in a clip, or remove markers by dragging them out of a clip.

Apple has also updated its Motion and Compressor software that accompanies Final Cut Pro. Motion has ‌Image Playground‌ integration, and Compressor offers machine learning-powered frame rate retiming.

Final Cut Pro for the Mac can be downloaded from the Mac App Store.
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Apple Updates Final Cut Pro for iPad and Final Cut Camera

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
Apple today updated both Final Cut Pro for iPad and Final Cut Camera, introducing a handful of useful new features that improve video editing and recording on Apple's mobile devices.


Final Cut Pro for ‌iPad‌ gains support for editing video in portrait orientation, and it includes new keyboard shortcuts. There's also Image Playground integration, and an option to capture video in 50fps.
- Expand your editing workflows with support for portrait orientation on your iPad.
- Speed up your editing with keyboard shortcuts to nudge a selection, replace with gap, and lift or overwrite to the primary storyline.
- Get inspired with Image Playground and use Apple Intelligence to quickly create stylized images based on a description, suggested concepts, or people from your Photos library. (Requires iPad with A17 Pro or M1 and later and iPadOS 18.2 or later.)
- Capture in 50 fps for additional editing flexibility and delivery options.

The updated version of Final Cut Camera includes support for quickly swapping over to the Telephoto lens on the iPhone 14 Pro and later, recording in Spatial Audio on the iPhone 16 and later, and recording in 50fps video.
- Quickly switch to the 48 mm telephoto lens to capture the perfect shot. (Requires iPhone 14 Pro or later.)
- Play back your Log videos in SDR or HDR with the vibrancy of the original scene by applying the Apple Log LUT. (Requires iPhone 15 Pro or later.)
- Record videos in Spatial Audio for even more realistic and immersive sound. (Requires iPhone 16.)
- Capture in 50 fps for additional editing flexibility and delivery options.

Final Cut Camera is software that is designed to let users record from up to four devices with footage imported into Final Cut Pro for ‌iPad‌.

Final Cut Pro for ‌iPad‌ is available for $49 per year or $4.99 per month, while Final Cut Camera is free.
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Apple Seeds Second macOS Sequoia 15.4 Release Candidate With Mail Categorization

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
Apple today provided developers with a second release candidate version of an upcoming macOS Sequoia 15.4 update for testing purposes. The new RC is available a few days after Apple released the initial RC earlier this week.


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 15.4 brings Mail Categorization to the Mac for the first time, reorganizing the Mail app into dedicated categories like transactions, updates, promotions, and primary, a category that surfaces the most important emails first. The update brings a range of new emoji characters to the Mac.

For Apple News+ subscribers, there is a dedicated News+ Food section with recipes, articles about restaurants, and other related content. There's a new Sketch style in Image Playground, the option to create Memory Movies in the Photos app, and Apple Intelligence is expanding to new languages.

Apple plans to release ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.4 in early April, and the RC represents the finalized version of the software that will be launched to the public as long as no issues are found.
Related Roundup: macOS Sequoia
Related Forum: macOS Sequoia

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Apple Starts Notifying WWDC 2025 Swift Student Challenge Winners

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
Apple today started notifying students who won the WWDC 2025 Swift Student Challenge, which took place from February 3 to February 23. Students who entered can sign in to Apple's Swift Student Challenge website to see their status.


A total of 350 winners have been selected, and the winners are eligible to attend the ‌WWDC 2025‌ special event that will take place at Apple Park on Monday, June 9.

Of the 350, 50 will be named Distinguished Winners, and will be invited to Cupertino, California for a multi-day ‌Apple Park‌ event that will include the keynote meetup and additional opportunities to meet with Apple engineers and employees.

Those who are not chosen as Distinguished Winners can enter Apple's lottery for a chance to attend the ‌Apple Park‌ event. Apple is inviting students and developers to apply, but since space is limited, attendees will be selected through a lottery process. Winners will be notified on Thursday, April 3.

I really can't believe it... I'm a Swift Student Challenge winner!! This was my first time submitting too! Huge congratulations to all the other winners!!#SwiftStudentChallenge pic.twitter.com/Hy2WHs1bob

— Dylan (@DylanMcD8) March 27, 2025

Swift Student Challenge winners who are not able to attend the ‌Apple Park‌ event will be able to follow along with Apple's WWDC announcements through the Apple Developer website and the Apple Developer app. Winners will also be able to enter to attend future WWDC events for the next two years.

Apple's Swift Student Challenge takes place annually and tasks students with developing an innovative coding project using Xcode or Swift Playground. Projects are judged based on technical accomplishment, creativity of ideas, and the content of the written responses explaining the project.

Swift Student Challenge winners also receive a one year membership in the Apple Developer Program and AirPods Max headphones.

‌WWDC 2025‌ will take place from Monday, June 9 to Friday, June 13.
Related Roundup: WWDC 2025

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When Will Apple Release the M5 MacBook Pro?

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
Apple regularly refreshes the MacBook Pro models, and a new version that uses M5 series chips is in the works. Apple just finished refreshing most of the Mac lineup with M4 chips, and now it's time for the M5. Rumors suggest that we could see the first M5 ‌MacBook Pro‌ models this fall.


Design


There have been no rumors of a design update for the M5 ‌MacBook Pro‌ models that are coming this fall, so we are expecting the same look as the current models. There might be minor updates, but most of the changes will be internal.

Apple probably won't change the design of the ‌MacBook Pro‌ until it transitions to OLED display technology, and that's not rumored to happen until 2026 at the earliest.

M5 Chips


The ‌MacBook Pro‌ will use M5, M5 Pro, and M5 Max chips. The entry-level 14-inch model will be available with the M5, while the higher-end 14-inch models and 16-inch models will have the more advanced M5 Pro and M5 Max chips.

Apple's M5 chips will be manufactured on a 3-nanometer process like the M4 chips, but Apple is planning for new technology that will give the M5 lineup an edge over M4 chips.

Apple manufacturing partner TSMC plans to use a more advanced (System on Integrated Chip) SoIC packaging technology for the M5 chips. SoIC technology allows for the stacking of chips in a 3D structure, for better electrical performance and thermal management. TSMC has developed a next-generation hybrid SoIC package that uses thermoplastic carbon fiber composite molding technology.

The chips are expected to be faster, more power efficient, and better at handling AI and machine learning tasks. Apple also plans to use M5-series chips for the AI servers that power its Apple Intelligence and machine learning features.

Future MacBook Pro Rumors


Apple is working on an OLED ‌MacBook Pro‌, and that's really the model to wait for. It's supposed to be coming as soon as 2026, and it will bring notable improvements in display quality. OLED offers improved brightness, better contrast with deeper blacks, and improved power efficiency.

The 2026 ‌MacBook Pro‌ could also have a 5G modem, a first for the Mac, and it's expected to have Apple's next-generation 2-nanometer chip.

Release Date


Mass production on M5 chips is expected to start in 2025, so we could see the first Macs with M5 technology somewhere around the fall of 2025. Last year, Apple refreshed the ‌MacBook Pro‌ models in October 2024, so October 2025 would make sense.
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Utah Passes Child Safety Law Requiring Apple to Verify User Age

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
Utah today passed the App Store Accountability Act, a law that requires mobile app stores from Apple and Google to verify the age of users rather than having individual apps do age verification.


According to CNBC, Utah Governor Spencer Cox signed the bill this afternoon. It is the first law related to mobile app store age verification that has passed in the U.S., and it will require Apple to verify user age when an Apple Account is created. If a child under the age of 18 opens an account, Apple will need to link the account to a parent's account, and parents will have to consent to app purchases.

Ahead of when Utah's law passed, Apple announced new age assurance features that are designed to make children safer online. During account setup, Apple will ask for the age range of the person using the device, and if the account is for a child under the age of 13, parents will be able to use a Connect to Family option to provide parental consent.

Apple also updated its age range categories for apps, and created a Declared Age Range API for developers that provides an age range to ensure that kids don't see content in apps that is meant for adults. Apple's system is not full age verification, and Apple has said that it does not want to collect date of birth info at the ‌App Store‌ level because all users would need to hand over that information regardless of whether they want to use an age limited app.
While only a fraction of apps on the App Store may require age verification, all users would have to hand over their sensitive personally identifying information to us-regardless of whether they actually want to use one of these limited set of apps. That means giving us data like a driver's license, passport, or national identification number (such as a Social Security number), even if we don't need it. And because many kids in the U.S. don't have government-issued IDs, parents in the U.S. will have to provide even more sensitive documentation just to allow their child to access apps meant for children. That's not in the interest of user safety or privacy.

Apple believes that requiring invasive data like driver's licenses, passport numbers, and Social Security Numbers to verify age would violate user privacy and safety, but it is not clear if the new system meets Utah's requirements.

Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta has been pushing for the app store age verification legislation, arguing that age verification at the platform level is the simplest solution. Requiring the ‌App Store‌ and Play Store to confirm user age will mean that Meta does not have to invest resources into age verification procedures, and it would not be the target of outrage over the content that children are exposed to.

Utah's law is set to go into effect on May 7, but it may be delayed due to legal challenges.
This article, "Utah Passes Child Safety Law Requiring Apple to Verify User Age" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's Mac Site Features Fictional 'Lumon Terminal Pro'

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
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Apple is going all out with promotions for the popular Severance Apple TV+ show today, and as of right now, you'll find a new "Lumon Terminal Pro" listed on Apple's Mac site.


The Lumon Terminal Pro is designed to look similar to the machines that Severance employees like Mark S. and Helly R. use for macrodata refinement. The Terminal features a blue keyboard, a small display with wide bezels, and a trackball for navigation purposes.

Unfortunately, you can't actually buy a Lumon Terminal Pro, though it would undoubtedly sell well to Severance fans. Apple's page links to the company's actual Macs, and to a behind the scenes editing video that Apple shared this morning.

The second season of Severance wrapped up last Thursday, so the entire series is now available to stream on ‌Apple TV‌+. Apple renewed Severance for season three, and Severance director Ben Stiller has promised that it won't take another three years for us to get another season.
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Apple's 'Behind the Mac' Video Dives Into Severance Season 2 Editing Techniques

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
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Apple today shared a new "Behind the Mac" video that's focused on hit Apple TV+ show Severance, demonstrating how Macs were used for editing the series.


The 11-minute video is accompanied by an in-depth article with additional details, but be warned, there are season two spoilers in both the video and the article.

According to Severance editor Geoffrey Richman, the final episode of the series was one of the most difficult to edit. One scene had 70 angles and takes to choose from, so he used a single multicam clip to play nine angles simultaneously to choose the most ideal shots. There was around 83TB of footage to comb through.

Richman primarily uses an iMac, and because he works remotely, he connects to a Mac mini that runs professional video editing software Avid. When he's on the go, he's still able to work on a MacBook Pro thanks to the syncing between Macs.

The video that Apple shared has a lot more insight into the editing process, along with some of the concepts and ideas that the team took into account when working on Severance season two.

The second season of the show wrapped up last week, and the entire season is now available for streaming on ‌Apple TV‌+.
This article, "Apple's 'Behind the Mac' Video Dives Into Severance Season 2 Editing Techniques" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Gurman: Jon Prosser's iOS 19 Mockups 'Aren't Representative' of Redesign

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Par :Juli Clover
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The iOS 19 mockup images that leaker Jon Prosser shared today are not representative of the actual iOS 19 design, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on social media.


According to Gurman, the images that are "floating around" are based on "very old builds" or "vague descriptions," and are lacking key features. Gurman says that we can "expect more from Apple in June."

Gurman made the same comment about Prosser's mockups in his Power On discord channel. "He either has very old screenshots or hasn't seen the real thing," wrote Gurman.

Prosser shared mockups that are supposedly based on the "real deal version" of ‌iOS 19‌ that he has seen, but the images feature a limited number of design changes. The Messages app mockup, for example, shows slight changes to the navigation buttons and a more rounded keyboard, while the Lock Screen has few changes beyond updates to translucency.

Prosser said that apps, menus, settings, and more will have a more rounded aesthetic with glass-like styling modeled after visionOS, which we've also heard from Gurman and other sources.

In his video, Prosser downplayed the changes and said that there are no signs of significant new additions beyond the minor design tweaks he demoed, but Gurman previously said that Apple's update will "fundamentally change" the look of the operating system, marking the biggest design refresh to iOS since iOS 7.

Gurman has not provided specific details on the changes that Apple is planning to make, but he has said that Apple will update the style of icons, menus, apps, windows, and system buttons, with a look that is "loosely based" on the Vision Pro interface.
Related Roundup: iOS 19

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WWDC 2025 Includes In-Person Apple Park Event - Here's How to Attend

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
Apple's 2025 Worldwide Developers Conference will primarily be hosted online so that all developers worldwide can attend and interface with Apple employees, but there is an in-person component in the form of a special event at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California.


Apple is hosting a keynote viewing party that some developers and students will be able to attend. The event will include the keynote and Platforms State of the Union, plus attendees will be able to meet with Apple experts in labs, explore Apple's campus, and participate in special activities.

At the 2024 WWDC event, developers and students were provided with refreshments to kick off the day, followed by the keynote event. Apple's Platforms State of the Union followed, and then there were ‌Apple Park‌ tours to choose from. The day ended with the Apple Design Awards and a dinner event.

Who Can Attend


Current Apple Developer Program or Apple Developer Enterprise Program members can apply to attend, as can Apple Entrepreneur Camp alumni and Swift Student Challenge winners from 2023 to 2025.

350 Swift Student Challenge winners for 2025 are set to be announced on Thursday, March 27. 50 Distinguished Winners will receive an invite to a special three-day experience that includes the special event on June 9, and Distinguished Winners will not need to enter the lottery. The 300 other Swift Student Challenge winners will be able to attend if they win a spot in the lottery.

Both adults and children aged 13 to 17 can apply, but children will need to be accompanied by a legal guardian.

Lottery Selection


Because there is limited space at the ‌Apple Park‌ campus, Apple will choose attendees through a random lottery. Apple says that special event passes are allocated by a random selection process, and tickets are nontransferable.

How to Register to Go


If you're eligible to enter the lottery, you can apply on Apple's developer website. Apple is accepting special event pass requests until 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on Wednesday, April 2.

Those who apply will be notified of their request status by the end of the day on Thursday, April 3.

Cost


While Apple is not charging for the viewing event at ‌Apple Park‌, attendees will need to cover their own travel fees, including plane tickets and accommodations at nearby hotels.

Media Attendees


Apple has not yet sent out media invites, but it is likely that select members of the media will be invited to the ‌Apple Park‌ special event.

WWDC 2025 Dates and Viewing Info


WWDC 2025 will take place from Monday, June 9 to Friday, June 13. Developers who are not selected to attend Apple's special event can watch the June 9 keynote on Apple's website or on YouTube.

For those unable to watch the live stream, or who prefer to read a text version of the announcements, we'll have ‌WWDC 2025‌ live coverage here on MacRumors.com and through our MacRumorsLive Twitter account, so make sure to follow.

Apple also plans to share all of the WWDC sessions and events in its Developer app and on its Apple Developer YouTube channel.
Related Roundup: WWDC 2025

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iOS 19 Again Rumored to Feature visionOS-Like 'Glassy' Design

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
Leaker Jon Prosser today shared a "first look" at Apple's upcoming iOS 19 update, providing mockups of what different apps and features will supposedly look like. Prosser claims the mockups are based on "the real deal" version of ‌iOS 19‌ that he has seen, but says he is sharing replica images in order to prevent his sources from getting into trouble.


Confusingly, Prosser's video features some design changes that are "real," and others that he made up as a joke. He includes a Home Screen view with round icons rather than square icons, for example, but at the tail end of the video, he says that's not an accurate depiction of what the icons will look like.


Here's what Prosser has to say about different ‌iOS 19‌ elements:

  • Lock Screen - There's no functional change, but there is a visual overhaul. In Prosser's mockup, it looks similar to the current Lock Screen, with some translucency changes to notifications and a more 3D floating look to the buttons.

  • Settings and Popups - Menu elements, popups, and buttons have a more rounded aesthetic with a "glassy" styling.

  • Apps - App menus and buttons will have the same look with rounded corners, circular design, and floating style modeled after visionOS.

  • Keyboard - There's a more rounded design at the top with a visionOS glassy design. Prosser says that the keyboard "almost looks like it's floating."


Prior to today's video, Prosser shared mockups of the Messages and Camera apps, which have the design that he described. There are bubble-shaped floating navigation buttons and softer, rounder corners for interface elements, along with added translucency.

‌Jon Prosser‌'s Messages app mockup


Prosser's ‌iOS 19‌ Camera app mockup

According to Prosser, Apple's Sports app and Invites app offer an inside peek at what the ‌iOS 19‌ redesign will look like, echoing previous discussion about how Apple has already been using glassy buttons and interface elements for its newest apps.

Prosser says that overall, there are no signs of any new major AI features or other significant additions, with ‌iOS 19‌ focusing primarily on design updates.
Related Roundup: iOS 19

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Apple Announcing 2025 Swift Student Challenge Winners on March 27

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
When unveiling the WWDC 2025 dates today, Apple said that it will announce this year's Swift Student Challenge Winners on Thursday, March 27.


The Swift Student Challenge tasks students with creating an innovative coding project using Swift Playground or Xcode. This year's event began on February 3, and Apple accepted submissions for a three-week period before judging began.

Apple plans to select 350 winners for the 2025 challenge, all of whom will be eligible to attend the June 9 Special Event for WWDC at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. Winners will need to enter a lottery process to get a chance to attend.

Apple will also choose 50 Distinguished Winners that will be recognized for "outstanding submissions." Distinguished Winners will be invited to Cupertino for a three-day experience that will include the Special Event keynote viewing along with other activities, and these winners will not need to enter the lottery to visit ‌Apple Park‌.

Students who entered the challenge can expect to receive an email notifying them about their status later this week.
Related Roundup: WWDC 2025

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Here's What Apple's iOS 19 Messages App Might Look Like

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
Leaker Jon Prosser today shared a mockup of what he says the Messages app will look like in iOS 19, demoing an interface with rounded, translucent bubble-shaped navigation buttons at the top and softer, rounder corners for the keyboard and word suggestions.

‌Jon Prosser‌'s Messages app mockup

The return button, a button for going back to the Messages list, and the FaceTime button have a deeper blue shade that has a bit of a glow about it, but Prosser's mockup does not show fundamental changes to the layout. The iMessage demonstration is at 42:50 in the video below, and it lasts for about a minute.


Prosser previously showed off a mockup of what the ‌iOS 19‌ Camera app supposedly looks like, with the updated design featuring visionOS-like translucency for the tool bar that gives more visibility to the underlying photo.

When sharing the Camera app mockup, Prosser said that he based it on the actual ‌iOS 19‌ Camera app that he obtained from unnamed sources. He recreated the design rather than showing actual screenshots, and it appears that's what's been done here as well. Prosser noted that the Messages app and the Home Screen have not seen significant redesigns in ‌iOS 19‌, despite rumors that we're going to see the biggest redesign since iOS 7.

Front Page Tech's ‌iOS 19‌ Camera app mockup

Prosser says that he has an ‌iOS 19‌ video coming tomorrow, where he will share additional info on ‌iOS 19‌'s design.

‌iOS 19‌, iPadOS 19, and macOS Sequoia 16 are rumored to be getting a complete design overhaul, with Apple refreshing menus, system buttons, apps, icons, and more. Apple plans to focus on translucency and rounded buttons, design elements that are taken from visionOS. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the update will "fundamentally change" the look of each operating system while also introducing a more consistent cross-platform experience.
Related Roundup: iOS 19

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Apple Releases New Firmware for Powerbeats Pro 2

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
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Apple today released new firmware for the Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds that came out earlier this year. The updated firmware has a version number of 7B30, an update to the prior 7B24 firmware that Apple seeded out just after the ‌Powerbeats Pro‌ 2 launched.


We don't know what's included in the firmware, but the ‌Powerbeats Pro‌ 2 have a unique heart rate monitoring feature that's new to Apple earbuds, so it's possible the update is related to that feature.

Along with heart rate monitoring that's done through optical LED sensors in the earbuds, the ‌Powerbeats Pro‌ 2 feature Active Noise Cancellation, Personalized Spatial Audio, Apple's H2 chip for connectivity, and a redesigned acoustic architecture that allows for better sound.

The updated firmware can be installed on the ‌Powerbeats Pro‌ 2 by connecting them to power and ensuring that they are in Bluetooth range of an iPhone, iPad, or Mac that's connected to Wi-Fi. Firmware can be checked on the ‌iPhone‌ by going to Settings > Bluetooth and tapping the Info button next to the Beats headphones in the list. Android users can download new Beats firmware through the Beats app for Android.
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AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Health Features Expand to More Countries

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Par :Juli Clover
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AirPods Pro 2 users in Australia, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Colombia, and Malaysia will soon have access to the hearing health feature set that Apple has been rolling out for the last several months.


In these countries, ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 owners can take a Hearing Test to check for any hearing loss, and then turn on a clinical-grade Hearing Aid feature to enhance sound if there is indeed hearing loss detected. The Hearing Aid option adjusts voices and sounds around the user to improve hearing, and it can also tweak music, videos, and phone calls to optimal sound levels using a personalized hearing profile.

Loud Sound Reduction, another feature, can cut down on loud noise to protect hearing. The ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 provide passive noise reduction, using the H2 chip inside to reduce loud noise at 48,000 times per second. Loud Sound Reduction is enabled automatically in Transparency and Adaptive Audio listening modes.

The Hearing Test can be accessed in the AirPods section of the Settings app when the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 are connected to an iPhone. Hearing Aid capabilities are only available to users with mild to moderate hearing loss.

Apple says that the Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features are coming to the new countries with the launch of iOS 18.4 and the latest firmware update.

Apple began rolling out the hearing health features with the launch of iOS 18.1. The Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features are available in more than 100 countries and regions.

Update: Apple has also added sleep apnea detection functionality in Malaysia.
Related Roundup: AirPods Pro
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Pro (Caution)
Related Forum: AirPods

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Apple Announces WWDC 2025 Event for June 9 to 13

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
↗️
Apple today announced that its 36th annual Worldwide Developers Conference will begin on Monday, June 9, and end on Friday, June 13. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2025 will primarily be an online event that is open to all developers, with no associated cost.


Every WWDC begins with a keynote that happens on the first day of the event, and this year's keynote will take place on June 9. Apple will unveil iOS 19, iPadOS 19, macOS 16, tvOS 19, watchOS 12, and visionOS 3.

‌WWDC 2025‌ will feature online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about the new software features and how to incorporate those features into their apps. Both the keynote and the online sessions will be available on the Apple Developer app, Apple website, and YouTube.

While ‌WWDC 2025‌ is an online event, Apple is planning a special in-person component for select developers and students. The in-person WWDC event will take place on June 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. Invited attendees will be able to watch the keynote and State of the Union at ‌Apple Park‌, as well as meet with Apple employees.

Current Apple Developer Program members, Apple Entrepreneur Camp alumni, prior Swift Student Challenge winners, and current Apple Developer Enterprise Program members can enter to attend the June 9 ‌Apple Park‌ event, and Apple will choose participants through a random lottery.

Apple held its Swift Student Challenge in February this year, and winners are set to be announced soon. Those who are named Distinguished Winners will be invited to Cupertino for a multi-day experience.

Apple plans to provide developers with additional information about ‌WWDC 2025‌ through the Apple Developer app and the Apple Developer website as June approaches.
Related Roundup: WWDC 2025

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Can't Update to the macOS 15.4 RC? Here's Why

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
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Some Mac users who have an M4 MacBook Air or M4 Max/M3 Ultra Mac Studio are unable to update to the latest macOS 15.4 beta that came out today, according to complaints on Reddit.


Multiple people have reported that attempting to download and install the macOS 15.4 release candidate results in an error message. "macOS could not be downloaded. Make sure you're connected to the internet and try again, or contact Apple support for assistance," reads the error.

It turns out that Apple failed to provide the appropriate decryption key for the M4 ‌MacBook Air‌ and ‌Mac Studio‌ models to install the update. Apple encrypts its software updates and a server-side decryption key is required for installation. The key for new Macs is not available from Apple's software server at this time.

If you have one of the new Macs that's running the software that it came with when it arrived, you won't be able to update to the macOS Sequoia 15.4 release candidate until Apple fixes the issue.

This problem will not affect new ‌MacBook Air‌ and ‌Mac Studio‌ models that were previously running macOS 15.4 beta 4, as these machines can install the release candidate.
Related Roundup: macOS Sequoia
Related Forum: macOS Sequoia

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watchOS 11.4 Will Make Sure You Don't Miss Alarms

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Par :Juli Clover
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With the watchOS 11.4 update that's set to be released soon, Apple is making a small but useful change to the way that alarms work on the Apple Watch.


The update includes an option to allow the Wake Up alarm you set up for Sleep mode to break through when Silent Mode is activated on your watch, which means you'll be less likely to sleep through your alarm going off.

Right now, if you have Silent Mode turned on, your Apple Watch alarm will use haptic feedback vibrations to tap you on the wrist to wake you, but it won't make noise. Some people are able to easily sleep through the gentle tapping of the alarm, but a loud noise is harder to ignore.

The Break Through Silent Mode option can be found by going to the Sleep app on Apple Watch, tapping on Sounds & Haptics, and toggling on the setting. From there, wearing the Apple Watch to bed will cause the Apple Watch alarm to use both sound and haptic feedback to wake you up.

You can also turn on the Break Through Silent Mode option by opening up the Alarm app and tapping any active alarm you have set up.

watchOS 11.4 also includes support for Matter-compatible robot vacuum cleaners, and it solves an issue where face selection could become unresponsive when switching faces.

Apple provided developers with the watchOS 11.4 release candidate version today, and that represents the final version of watchOS 11.4 that will go out to the public should no additional issues be found. We're expecting watchOS 11.4 to launch in early April, as soon as next week.
Related Roundup: watchOS 11
Related Forum: Apple Watch

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Apple Seeds macOS Sequoia 15.4 Release Candidate With Mail Categorization

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Par :Juli Clover
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Apple today provided developers with the release candidate version of an upcoming macOS Sequoia 15.4 update for testing purposes. The new beta is available a week after Apple released the fourth 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 15.4 brings Mail Categorization to the Mac for the first time, reorganizing the Mail app into dedicated categories like transactions, updates, promotions, and primary, a category that surfaces the most important emails first. The update brings a range of new emoji characters to the Mac.

For Apple News+ subscribers, there is a dedicated News+ Food section with recipes, articles about restaurants, and other related content. There's a new Sketch style in Image Playground, the option to create Memory Movies in the Photos app, and Apple Intelligence is expanding to new languages.

Apple plans to release ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.4 in early April, and the RC represents the finalized version of the software that will be launched to the public as long as no issues are found.
Related Roundup: macOS Sequoia
Related Forum: macOS Sequoia

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Apple Seeds iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 Release Candidate With Priority Notifications, Ambient Music and More

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
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Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after Apple released the fourth betas.


iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update.

With iOS 18.4, Apple is adding the Priority Notifications Apple Intelligence feature, which is designed to determine which of your notifications are the most important, highlighting them in an easy-to-see dedicated section on the Lock Screen.

The update includes a new Apple News+ Food section for ‌Apple News‌+ subscribers, plus it adds the Sketch style to Image Playground so you can generate images that look hand drawn. ‌Apple Intelligence‌ is also available in more languages, including French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese (simplified), along with localized English for Singapore and India.

There are new emoji characters, and a dedicated Vision Pro app that allows Vision Pro owners to find and download content, manage the headset, control guest experiences, and more, right from the iPhone.

Mail Categorization has expanded to the iPad, and there's a new Ambient Music feature for playing relaxing music from Control Center. There are a number of other smaller features too, with details available in our iOS 18.4 features guide.

Apple plans to release iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 in early April, and the RC represents the final version of the software that will be provided to the public should no issues be found.
Related Roundups: iOS 18, iPadOS 18
Related Forums: iOS 18, iPadOS 18

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Apple Seeds Release Candidate Versions of visionOS 2.4, tvOS 18.4, and watchOS 11.4

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
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Apple today provided developers with the release candidate versions of upcoming visionOS 2.4, tvOS 18.4, and watchOS 11.4 updates for testing purposes. The software is available a week after Apple seeded the fourth betas.


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

Of the three new software betas, the visionOS 2.4 update is the most notable because it brings Apple Intelligence to the Vision Pro for the first time. ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features available in visionOS include Writing Tools, Genmoji, Memory Movie, Image Playground, Priority Notifications, and ChatGPT integration.

The update will include a dedicated Spatial Gallery app, which will offer a curated selection of spatial videos, photos, and panoramas from artists, filmmakers, and photographers. Apple is also bringing a Vision Pro app to the iPhone for Vision Pro management, and it will let users find and download apps, add content to a watch list, and more. There are also notable improvements to Guest Mode, which can now be controlled through an ‌iPhone‌. Apple's notes for the update are below.

Apple Intelligence
- Use Writing Tools to rewrite, proofread, and summarize text right in the app you’re working in, and compose text from scratch using ChatGPT
- Quickly respond to messages with Smart Reply in Mail and Messages with suggested responses
- Create unique images in multiple styles using concepts, descriptions, and people from your photo library with Image Playground
- Create custom emoji right from the keyboard and use your Genmoji across the system in your sticker drawer
- Use Image Wand to turn sketches into images in Notes
- Find photos and videos simply by describing what you’re looking for in Photos
- Create a Memory Movie by describing the story you want to see in Photos
- Use priority messages in Mail which understand the content of your messages and prioritize those that require your attention, displaying them at the top of your inbox
- Catch up on your notifications with Priority Notification to make it easy to see a glanceable summary of the most important information

Guest User
- Start a Guest User session with your nearby iPhone or iPad and guide the guest using View Mirroring

Spatial Gallery app
- Discover a curated collection of spatial photos, spatial videos and panoramas, updated regularly

Apple Vision Pro app
- Discover new content, spatial experiences, and quickly access information about your device using Apple Vision Pro app for iPhone when you upgrade to iOS 18.4

This release also includes other features and improvements.
- Use dictation to edit text like replacing or deleting a word
- Activate Travel Mode using the Digital Crown when you see a “tracking fail” notification.

Some features may not be available for all regions. For more information, please visit this website:
https://www.apple.com/visionos/visionos-2
According to Apple's release notes for watchOS 11.4, the update adds an option to allow a Sleep Wake Up alarm to break through silent mode, and it includes support for Matter-compatible robot vacuum cleaners. Apple's release notes are below:
This update includes new features, improvements, and bug fixes, including:
- Matter-compatible robot vacuum cleaners can be added to the Home app as well as used in scenes, automations, or simply say "Siri, clean the living room."
- An option to allow Sleep Wake Up alarm to break through Silent Mode
- An issue where face selection may become unresponsive when switching faces
For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/100100

Apple plans to release visionOS 2.4, tvOS 18.4, and watchOS 11.4 in early April.

This article, "Apple Seeds Release Candidate Versions of visionOS 2.4, tvOS 18.4, and watchOS 11.4" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Top 5 New Features Coming in iOS 18.4

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
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We're not getting new Siri Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18.4 as expected, but the upcoming update does have quite a few new additions that will be worth upgrading for. We've rounded up the five best features to look forward to, and if you're not running the beta, you can expect to get access to these in early April.


Priority Notifications


If you have an iPhone or iPad that supports ‌Apple Intelligence‌, iOS 18.4 adds support for Priority Notifications, one of the features that Apple announced when introducing ‌Apple Intelligence‌ at the June 2024 WWDC event.


Priority Notifications display your most important messages first, highlighting them in a special section on the Lock Screen. Apple uses ‌Apple Intelligence‌ to decide which notifications deserve priority status, and it's typically messages notifications that need to be viewed or responded to imminently.

Upcoming deliveries are highlighted, for example, as are meetings that are happening, calendar alerts for events that are coming up that day, reminders that are due, and messages that look like they need a quick response, such as a dinner invitation.


Priority Notifications can be turned on for all apps, or set up on a per-app basis in the Notifications section of the Settings app. In the beta, Priority Notifications is not on by default, and it needs to be enabled, but that could change before iOS 18.4 is released to the public.

Apple is also adding new languages to ‌Apple Intelligence‌ in iOS 18.4, including French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese (simplified), along with localized English for Singapore and India.

Visual Intelligence Updates


For iPhone 15 Pro users, iOS 18.4 brings Visual Intelligence, a feature that was previously limited to the iPhone 16 models. Apple initially limited ‌Visual Intelligence‌ to iPhones with a Camera Control button, but with the iPhone 16e, Apple added an Action Button activation option, and that's what's used for the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro, too.


‌Visual Intelligence‌ can be activated by linking it to the Action Button, but there's also a new ‌Apple Intelligence‌ section in Control Center that includes a ‌Visual Intelligence‌ button as an alternative way to launch it.


The Action Button and Control Center options for ‌Visual Intelligence‌ can also be used on ‌iPhone 16‌ models, so if you have an ‌iPhone 16‌ and don't like the Camera Control long press to activate ‌Visual Intelligence‌, you can now use these alternatives.



New Emoji


There are a handful of new emoji characters that are available in iOS 18.4, and that's always a big deal for emoji fans. The new emoji characters include bags under eyes, fingerprint, leafless tree, root vegetable, harp, shovel, and splatter.



Ambient Music


iOS 18.4 has an Ambient Music toggle that can be added to Control Center. You can choose from four different sound categories, including Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing. Selecting one of the Ambient Music categories plays a random selection of sounds or music from that category.



There is no dedicated Ambient Music app and you can't choose what's playing from Control Center, but if you play a category and then tap into the Dynamic Island at the top or access the Now Playing widget, you can skip songs and see the name of what's playing.

App Store Downloads


In iOS 18.4, when you download an app from the App Store, you can pause the download right from the update list. It's a small change, but one that is useful if you're in a situation where you have low signal and need to do something else while an app download is in progress.


Before now, you could only stop and restart an app installation from the ‌App Store‌ interface.

Apple also added ‌App Store‌ review summaries, which makes it easier to see what people think of an app at a glance.



Bonus for Vision Pro Users: Guest Mode Controls


Apple added an ‌iPhone‌ app for the Apple Vision Pro in iOS 18.4, and it can be used to view info about the Vision Pro, find content to watch, and download apps to the headset. Overall, it's not super exciting.



What is useful, though, is an option to control Guest Mode from your ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌ if someone is using your Vision Pro. When someone that isn't you picks up your Vision Pro and puts it on, you'll see a pop up on your ‌iPhone‌. From there, you can choose what apps and experiences the person will view, and you can use AirPlay mode to guide them through their Vision Pro experience.

More Features


For a full list of all the features we've found in iOS 18.4 so far, make sure to check out our iOS 18.4 roundup.

Launch Date


We're on the fourth beta of iOS 18.4, and there are likely a couple more to go. Apple plans to release iOS 18.4 in early April alongside iPadOS 18.4 and macOS Sequoia 15.4.
This article, "Top 5 New Features Coming in iOS 18.4" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Rare Apple-1 Computer Sells for $375,000

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
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A rare, operational Apple-1 Computer was recently put up for auction, and it ended up selling for $375,000. The Apple-1 was the first computer sold by Apple co-founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, and so few remain that they fetch high prices at auction.


The Apple-1 that sold is known as the "Bayville" Apple-1, and it is number 91 on the Apple-1 Registry. The Apple-1 Registry aggregates all known remaining Apple-1 computers, and it includes details and a history for each one. The registry has 104 Apple-1 machines listed.

The Bayville Apple-1 was part of the first batch of Apple-1 machines sold in 1976, and it has a handwritten serial number that was likely penned by Steve Jobs. It was sold with an original manual with a handwritten note by Daniel Kottke, who was Apple employee number 12.

The Apple-1 was sold alongside many other Apple-related items as part of a "Steve Jobs and the Apple Revolution" auction event. A 1976 Apple Computer check signed by Steve Jobs sold for $112,054, and a sealed, first-generation 4GB iPhone sold for $87,514.


Another check signed by Steve Jobs sold for $62,500, and an Apple Lisa Computer sold for $56,818. The auction earned a total of $1,308,251.
Tag: Apple-1

This article, "Rare Apple-1 Computer Sells for $375,000" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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MacRumors Giveaway: Win an M3 iPad Air and Rock Paper Pencil Kit From Astropad

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
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For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Astropad to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win an 11-inch M3 iPad Air, an Apple Pencil Pro, and Astropad's Rock Paper Pencil kit to go with it.


If you want to draw, sketch, or take notes on your iPad, the Rock Paper Pencil kit is a must have. It's the best way to match the feel of writing on paper, and it makes using an ‌iPad‌ as a writing surface much more pleasant.


Rock Paper Pencil is an all-in-one kit that includes a textured screen protector and a special tip that connects to the ‌Apple Pencil‌. This combination turns the glossy, unnatural feel of writing on an ‌iPad‌ into a natural, paper-like experience. Not only does it feel like writing on paper, it sounds like writing on paper, plus you get more control over stroke output because of the friction from the added texture.


Astropad's screen protector uses NanoCling technology to adhere to the ‌iPad‌ with static cling, and you can put it on and take it off as needed with zero residue on the ‌iPad‌'s display. With the NanoCling technology, the screen protector fits right up against the display of the ‌iPad‌, providing a flat surface with no ridges or gaps.


Rock Paper Pencil's tip fits on the ‌Apple Pencil‌ Pro and other ‌Apple Pencil‌ models, and it is able to hold up to heavy daily use. It has a wear-resistant copper alloy core with a palladium exterior coating, and the size is equivalent to an 0.7mm ballpoint pen for precision writing and sketching. You get two pencil tips with the kit, along with a protective storage sleeve so you can tuck away the screen protector when you're not using it.


Available for $45, the Rock Paper Pencil kit is compatible with Apple's new M3 ‌iPad Air‌ models, and it is also compatible with other ‌iPad‌ models. It works with the M2 ‌iPad Air‌, both iPad Pro models, the sixth and seventh-generation iPad mini models, and the 7th-generation and later ‌iPad‌.


Astropad is offering a 128GB 11-inch M3 ‌iPad Air‌, Rock Paper Pencil, and ‌Apple Pencil‌ Pro to 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 (March 21) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on March 28. The winner will be chosen randomly on or shortly after March 28 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.
This article, "MacRumors Giveaway: Win an M3 iPad Air and Rock Paper Pencil Kit From Astropad" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's Last M4 Mac: What's Rumored for the Mac Pro

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
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Across 2024 and the early months of 2025, Apple refreshed all of its Macs with next-generation M4 chips, with the exception of the Mac Pro. The ‌Mac Pro‌ is still waiting for an update, but it is supposed to get an overhaul later this year.


M-Series Chip


The current version of the ‌Mac Pro‌ can be purchased with Apple's M2 Ultra chip, which came out in June 2023. It might seem logical for the ‌Mac Pro‌ to get the equivalent M4 chip, the M4 Ultra, but it turns out Apple might not have an M4 Ultra in the works.

When the Mac Studio was updated earlier this month, Apple announced a version with the M4 Max chip, and a version with an M3 Ultra chip, with no M4 Ultra unveiled. Apple told Mac Studio reviewers that not every generation of M-series chips will include a higher-end "Ultra" tier, so there may simply be no M4 Ultra that exists for the ‌Mac Pro‌.

There's now a question over what chip Apple will use in the ‌Mac Pro‌, and there are a few possibilities.

  1. Apple does have an M4 Ultra chip coming, and it's not ready yet.

  2. There's some version of a high-end M4 chip that is not technically an "Ultra" chip and is instead called something else like "M4 Extreme."

  3. The ‌Mac Pro‌ will use the M3 Ultra chip.

  4. The ‌Mac Pro‌ will get an M5 Ultra chip.


The M1 Ultra, ‌M2‌ Ultra, and M3 Ultra chips that Apple has released have essentially been two Max chips linked together through an "UltraFusion" connector. The M4 Max does not have the UltraFusion connector available, so the first possibility seems unlikely.

Apple could be making an M4 Ultra or Extreme chip that is standalone and not a doubled up variant of the M4 Max, but Bloomberg's Mark Gurman recently claimed that Apple doesn't want to create an M4 Ultra chip from scratch because of costs, production challenges, and low sales of high-end and expensive machines.

Apple could refresh the ‌Mac Pro‌ with the same M3 Ultra chip that it put in the ‌Mac Studio‌, but if that's Apple's plan, it's likely the company would have just refreshed the ‌Mac Pro‌ alongside the ‌Mac Studio‌. The ‌Mac Pro‌ could be held back for other development reasons, but there aren't really rumors of notable new features coming.

We might be getting the first Macs with M5 chips later this year, but there's also a chance M5 Macs won't come until early 2026. Even if Macs with M5 chips do launch in late 2025, there's no guarantee that an Ultra version of the chip will be ready to go.

As of right now, there's no clear indication of what's in store for the 2025 ‌Mac Pro‌'s Apple silicon chip.

Design


There aren't rumors of design updates for the next ‌Mac Pro‌, so it's not likely that Apple has anything planned.

Ports


Apple added Thunderbolt 5 to the ‌Mac Studio‌ and MacBook Pro, so the ‌Mac Pro‌ will likely get Thunderbolt 5 ports too. Thunderbolt 5 will allow for more high-resolution displays to be connected to the ‌Mac Pro‌.

RAM and SSD


The M3 Ultra chip supports up to 512GB RAM, so if the ‌Mac Pro‌ gets the M3 Ultra or something similar, it will support a lot more RAM. The current model is limited to 192GB.

Storage maximums will also double, as the M3 Ultra supports up to a 16TB SSD, while the ‌Mac Pro‌ is limited to 8TB.

Launch Date


Bloomberg's ‌Mark Gurman‌ said last year that the ‌Mac Pro‌ will see a refresh toward the end of 2025, but given the chip uncertainty, Apple could be planning to hold it until 2026.
Related Roundup: Mac Pro
Buyer's Guide: Mac Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: Mac Pro

This article, "Apple's Last M4 Mac: What's Rumored for the Mac Pro" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple Facing False Advertising Lawsuit Over Apple Intelligence Delay

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
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Apple has been accused of false advertising and unfair competition for delaying the Siri Apple Intelligence features that it promoted when launching iOS 18 and the iPhone 16 models, reports Axios.


The suit targets Apple ads that showed off ‌Siri‌ features that were unavailable, and claims that Apple cultivated "a clear and reasonable consumer expectation that these transformative features would be available upon the iPhone's release," while also driving "unprecedented excitement" that convinced millions consumers to upgrade their devices when the upgrades were not necessary.

After confirming that the ‌Siri‌ features would be delayed until the coming year, Apple removed the ads, but that was after they had been running for several months. Apple is accused of advertising functionality that did not exist, and continuing to promote the ‌Siri‌ capabilities well after the company was aware that they would not be available on time.
Contrary to Defendant's claims of advanced AI capabilities, the Products offered a significantly limited or entirely absent version of Apple Intelligence, misleading consumers about its actual utility and performance. Worse yet, Defendant promoted its Products based on these overstated AI capabilities, leading consumers to believe they were purchasing a device with features that did not exist or were materially misrepresented.

The lawsuit was filed in a San Jose, California court and the plaintiffs are seeking class action status along with damages for customers who purchased an Apple device that supports ‌Apple Intelligence‌.
This article, "Apple Facing False Advertising Lawsuit Over Apple Intelligence Delay" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Zagg Launches New Hubs and Dock for iPad and Mac

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
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Zagg this week announced the launch of several hubs designed for the iPad and Mac, providing new options for connecting peripherals to Apple's devices.


The iPad-friendly 6-Port Media Hub features an integrated tablet stand, a set of simple-to-use media buttons for controlling video and music playback, and multiple ports. It includes an HDMI port that supports a 4K 60Hz display, a USB-C port with 100W passthrough charging, a USB-A port that supports 10Gb/s transfer speeds, an SD card reader, a micro SD card reader, and an audio jack.

Zagg's 9-Port Hub comes with an integrated USB-C cable and turns a single USB-C port on a Mac into nine ports. It includes two USB-C ports, 2 HDMI ports, a USB-A port, an SD card reader, a micro SD card reader, an Ethernet port, and an audio jack. 100W passthrough charging is supported, and the USB-C PD 3.0 20W port supports up to 10Gb/s for data transfers.


Zagg's high-end Pro Dock is an all-in-one stand and dock for a MacBook or an ‌iPad‌. It holds a device up at eye level, while also supporting displays and peripherals through nine included ports. The Pro Dock comes with a satellite hub that is designed to allow devices to be plugged in while cables are positioned out of sight.


Available ports include a 20W USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 port, a 7.5W USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 port, two HDMI ports (one that works with a 4K 60Hz display and one that works with a 4K 30Hz display), a USB-A 3.1 Gen 2 port, a USB-A 2.0 port, an audio jack, and an Ethernet port. There is a 150W power supply included for charging connected devices.


The 6-Port Media Hub is priced at $100, the 9-Port Hub is priced at $150, and the Pro Dock is priced at $400, with all three available for purchase from the Zagg website.
Tag: Zagg

This article, "Zagg Launches New Hubs and Dock for iPad and Mac" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Severance Season 2 Finale is Tonight

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
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The season 2 finale of popular Apple TV+ series Severance is set to air tonight, with the episode going live at 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time or 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Episode 10 of season 2 will have the longest runtime of any episode so far, coming in at 76 minutes.


Tonight's season finale will wrap up the season 2 storyline and provide some insight into just what the Macrodata Refinement department does and what "Cold Harbor" really is. A brief teaser for episode that Apple shared on social media highlighted one of the goats, so we might also learn what Lumon's Mammalians Nurturable team does with them.

Severance has become one of Apple's most talked about shows, and it has spawned countless fan theories, with viewers speculating about what's going on after every episode.

In an interview yesterday, Ben Stiller said that work is underway on Severance season 3, and this time around, we won't have to wait three years for more episodes.
This article, "Severance Season 2 Finale is Tonight" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Assassin's Creed Shadows Launches for Mac

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
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Assassin's Creed Shadows is available for download on the Mac as of today, and it is the first Assassin's Creed title that is launching for Mac at the same time that it is launching on PlayStation 5, Windows machines, and the Xbox.


Set in 16th century Japan, Assassin's Creed Shadows is part of the main Assassin's Creed gaming lineup, and it is the successor to Assassin's Creed Mirage. The game focuses on the dispute between the Assassin Brotherhood and the Templar Order, and players can take on the role of Fujibayashi Naoe, a shinobi assassin, and Yasuke, a samurai.

Each character offers different controls and gameplay styles, with separate progression paths, skills, weapon options, and stats. While Naoe uses stealth skills, Yasuke excels at combat. Both characters are part of the storyline and will be played at different times.

The game has a vast open world to explore, and players will experience a variety of landscapes with evolving weather and seasons. There are castle towns, bustling ports, pastoral landscapes, and peaceful shrines.

Playing Assassin's Creed Shadows on an Apple device requires a Mac with an Apple silicon chip, with real-time ray tracing available on M3 and M4 Macs.

Assassin's Creed Shadows is priced at $70 and it can be purchased from the Mac App Store.

Earlier this month, Resident Evil 3 and Palworld both became available on Apple devices, and Control Ultimate Edition is set to launch next week.
This article, "Assassin's Creed Shadows Launches for Mac" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Porch Pirate Criminal Network Stole Thousands of iPhones in the U.S.

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
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The U.S. Department of Justice recently cracked down on an international crime ring that targeted expensive electronics like the iPhone, with the workings of the complex crime system detailed in a report from The Wall Street Journal.


Thirteen members of an international network worked to steal FedEx shipments of iPhones from people's porches, using automated scripts to scrape data from FedEx tracking systems and also bribing corrupt employees from AT&T. The employees took payments to share confidential customer information from a company order tracking system, snapping images of customer names, addresses, and tracking numbers.

Some members of the criminal network obtained and sold delivery information, while others, called runners, purchased that info and physically stole the ‌iPhone‌ packages from doorsteps just minutes after they were delivered.

Three of the criminals had a location in the Bronx neighborhood of New York where they received a steady stream of stolen devices, while another had a location in Brooklyn for receiving bulk deliveries of stolen devices from around the United States. Thefts occurred in multiple states, and the stolen devices were shipped and sold overseas.

At one point, two of the runners involved went to a FedEx store to send a package and claimed that there were baby clothes inside. FedEx security inspected the package, located stolen iPhones, and confiscated them. When the package arrived empty, one of the men complained to FedEx customer service that his iPhones had been stolen.

Both FedEx and AT&T worked with law enforcement officials to locate all of the criminals involved. In a statement, FedEx said that it has been proactively working with law enforcement to "address the rise of porch piracy," while AT&T said that it regularly updates its processes and employee training to thwart criminal tactics.

All of the people who participated in the criminal scheme have been charged, with some of them facing up to 20 years in prison.
This article, "Porch Pirate Criminal Network Stole Thousands of iPhones in the U.S." first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Verizon's New Satellite Texting Service Isn't for iPhone Users

✇MacRumors
Par :Juli Clover
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Apple introduced satellite connectivity for iPhones back in 2022, and since then, satellite messaging options have become the new must-have feature for carriers and other smartphone manufacturers.


Verizon today announced the launch of its satellite-based text service, which is available for select Android smartphone users through a partnership with Skylo. Skylo uses licensed mobile satellite spectrum that avoids interference with terrestrial signals to provide coverage in remote areas where there isn't traditional cellular signal.

Satellite texting through Verizon is only available for Galaxy S25 and Google Pixel 9 smartphones, and unlike T-Mobile's Starlink integration, Verizon isn't able to expand the Skylo satellite texting option to iPhone users because it requires specific smartphone hardware.

‌iPhone‌ users with an ‌iPhone‌ 14 or later already have access to satellite-based texting as of iOS 18 using the ‌iPhone‌'s built-in satellite connectivity available through Globalstar, but the option to connect to satellites from a second satellite company could increase the chance of being able to communicate in remote and rural areas.

Apple added Starlink support to T-Mobile iPhones with iOS 18.3, and T-Mobile subscribers are able to connect to Starlink for satellite-based texting thanks to a public beta test that T-Mobile is offering. Compared to Apple's built-in satellite option, Starlink has more available satellites and smartphones can connect automatically without needing to hold a device up to the sky.

While Verizon's Skylo satellite texting isn't available on the ‌iPhone‌ right now, Verizon is working on other satellite technology. The company is partnering with AST SpaceMobile to offer customers direct-to-cellular AST SpaceMobile service when terrestrial mobile networks are unavailable. When Verizon's AST SpaceMobile satellite partnership is ready, Verizon will likely be able to offer satellite texting for both ‌iPhone‌ and Android users.

AST SpaceMobile and Verizon plan to provide satellite connectivity that supports text, voice, and video calling capabilities. AST SpaceMobile currently has FCC approval to test five commercial BlueBird satellites with smartphones.
Tag: Verizon

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