The first M4 iPad Pro bend tests are in, and the initial consensus appears to be that Apple has managed to make its thinnest device ever just as durable as the previous generation M2 iPad Pro that it replaces.


Two approaches were taken in bend tests by prominent tech YouTubers. JerryRigEverything for example forcibly applied pressure by bending the new device with his hands, while MobileReviewsEh took a different tack by placing the iPad under a force meter and applying gym weights on top to exert pressure within a limited contact area.

When bending the iPad Pro from the back in the horizontal position, JerryRigEverything found that the device held up "surprisingly well," as if "suspicious levels of black magic structural integrity" were going on.

When forcibly bent from the back, the glass screen eventually rippled away from the frame, yet the display and operating system continued to function normally. When it came to putting pressure on the device vertically, however, it was a different story, and the iPad Pro quickly suffered a catastrophic split up the middle, originating from the USB-C port.


JerryRigEverything then removed the display to reveal and remove the internals, including the new metal cowling that runs down the middle of the device. "If Apple could add another more perpendicular spine running width-wise near the charging port, this thing probably would have survived," he added.


JerryRigEverything concluded that the central spine of the new iPad Pro is "definitely providing enough structure for horizontal bends," and should stand up to everyday use in a backpack or luggage. In his own AppleTrack test, Sam Kohl agreed: "Is [its thinness] a durability risk? The answer is no. The spine that Apple put along the logic board is very good unless you are bending the corners in."


After placing in excess of 70 pounds of weight on the center of the iPad Pro display until complete structural failure, MobileReviewsEh concluded that the new iPad Pro is "just as tough if not a little bit tougher" than the one it replaces, despite being 18-20% thinner than the M2 iPad Pro.

All in all, another "bendgate" looks unlikely. For those unfamiliar with the controversy, Apple in 2019 admitted to shipping its then-new models with a "very slight bend in the aluminum chassis," which it blamed on a "side effect of the manufacturing process."

Despite videos indicating that the 2018 iPad Pro models bent more easily than other models, Apple said the bend did not worsen over time or negatively affect the iPad's performance, and that concerns over the device's durability were unfounded. Nevertheless, some iPad owners were understandably upset to find defects in devices that cost hundreds of dollars.
This article, "M4 iPad Pro Bend Tests: Durability Equal to M2 Model Despite Thinness" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

This year's upcoming iPhone 16 Pro Max is expected to get a boost in overall size from 6.7-inches to 6.9-inches, and a new image gives us a good idea of how the current iPhone 15 Pro Max compares to what could be Apple's largest ever iPhone.


The image above, posted on X by ZONEofTECH, shows a dummy model representing the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max alongside an actual iPhone 15 Pro Max. Dummy units are designed to take the place of real devices for display or testing purposes, and therefore seek to match the dimensions and design changes of yet-to-be-released iPhones.

With the increase in size of Apple's larger premium model rumored to be in the region of 0.2 inches, the difference is visually noticeable, but whether it will be all that significant for users in real-world use is another question.

The smaller ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ is expected to increase from 6.1- to 6.3-inches, and with both iPhone 16 Pro models expected to be larger, they are also expected to be taller and wider than the iPhone 15 Pro models. While thickness will remain the same, the weight is likely to increase slightly due to the larger size.

Note that Apple is also rumored to be using Border Reduction Structure (BRS) technology for the iPhone 16 Pro models, which is expected to result in slimmer bezel sizes, subsequently allowing for more display space within the confines of those dimensions.

In addition, the iPhone 16 Pro's display could be up to 20% brighter for typical SDR content, featuring up to 1,200 nits of typical SDR brightness. Taken together, those changes could add up to a substantially improved screen viewing experience.

Meanwhile, the ‌iPhone 16‌ and ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus are expected to stay at 6.1- and 6.7-inches like their predecessors. If Apple sticks to its typical annual iPhone launch timing, the iPhone 16 lineup will be released sometime around mid-September.
This article, "iPhone 16 Pro Max Looks This Much Bigger Beside iPhone 15 Pro Max" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

iPhone users often find themselves toggling between different keyboard layouts to type messages, emails, or fill out forms. This can slow down communication and disrupt your flow. But there are ways to streamline the process. If this quick tip is new to you, it could revolutionize the way you type on your iPhone and save you precious time.


Switching away from the alphabetic keyboard layout when you need to type a number or symbol is an all-too-often occurrence on ‌iPhone‌, so here's a quick tip for making the transition super-swift.

Rather than tap the "123" key in the bottom-left corner to switch to the number/symbol keyboard, hold down on the key and then slide your finger over to the number/symbol that you want to type, then let go.

This single action types the number/symbol and automatically switches you right back into the alphabetical layout, avoiding the need to perform three separate taps to achieve the same result.


So next time you find yourself needing to insert a number or symbol, remember this trick and you can type away without pause.
This article, "Speed Up iPhone Typing With This Simple Keyboard Trick" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Samsung has sought to capitalize on the fallout of Apple's controversial "Crush!" ad for iPad Pro by releasing a Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra ad that includes the tagline "Creativity cannot be crushed."


When Apple last week introduced the new M4 iPad Pro models, it showed a video of a hydraulic press crushing creative tools, including musical instruments, electronic equipment, arcade games, paint and brushes, computers, cameras, and more, with the aim of demonstrating how the iPad represents all of the tools condensed into a single device.

This imagery sparked significant backlash from the creative community and the social media-using public, who interpreted it as a metaphor for Big Tech's destructive impact on creative industries and individual creativity.

The negative reception was so strong that Apple decided to cancel planned TV spots for the ad and publicly apologized, acknowledging that the ad "missed the mark" by not aligning with their intention to celebrate and empower creatives​.


Seizing on a perceived marketing opportunity, Samsung has now released an ad of its own, in which a musician walks through the destructive wake of the hydraulic press and picks up a damaged guitar. The musician then sits beside an easel holding a Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra with musical notation on the screen, and proceeds to perform the piece of music. The video was shared on X (Twitter) by Samsung with the accompanying caption, "We would never crush creativity."

Samsung mocking Apple in its ads is nothing new. The company has mocked Apple for everything from design decisions such as the iPhone's removal of the headphone jack (which it also eventually removed) to Apple's lack of a foldable smartphone lineup.
This article, "Samsung Trolls iPad 'Crush!' Ad, Says 'We Would Never Crush Creativity'" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple has new Smart Folio cases for its latest M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air models that boast a wider range of viewing angles, and thanks to Marques Brownlee, we now know how it's done.


With the help of some magnet paper, MKBHD reveals that Apple has added bigger, more cubic magnets to the M4 iPad Pro that align with a new longer rail of stripe magnets in the Folio Case, thereby achieving a wider range of viewing angle adjustment.

The magnet paper also reveals that, because of how thin the new iPad Pro is compared to the previous generation model, Apple has had to use flatter, more circular speaker drivers, which appear to be closer to the top of the device.

Apple is selling the new Smart Folio for the 11-inch iPad Pro in Denim, Black, and White. There's also a Smart Folio for the 13-inch iPad Pro in the same color options.


Similarly, you can get the Smart Folio for 11-inch iPad Air in Light Violet, Charcoal Gray, Sage, and Denim. There's also the Smart Folio for the 13-inch iPad Air in the same color options.

The 11-inch and 13-inch versions of the Smart Folio case for iPad Pro and iPad Air are priced at $79 and $99, respectively.
This article, "New iPads Get Redesigned Magnets for More Smart Folio Viewing Angles" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today announced new accessibility features coming to its devices later this year, and one feature in particular that is likely to have widespread appeal among vehicle passengers is Vehicle Motion Cues, which aims to prevent motion sickness when looking at an iPhone or iPad.


According to Apple, research shows that motion sickness is commonly caused by a sensory conflict between what a person sees and what they feel, which can prevent some users from comfortably using ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌ while riding in a moving vehicle.

Vehicle Motion Cues are designed to avoid this sensory conflict with the use of visual elements on the display that indicate real-time changes in motion. Apple explains:

With Vehicle Motion Cues, animated dots on the edges of the screen represent changes in vehicle motion to help reduce sensory conflict without interfering with the main content. Using sensors built into iPhone and iPad, Vehicle Motion Cues recognises when a user is in a moving vehicle and responds accordingly. The feature can be set to show automatically on iPhone, or can be turned on and off in Control Center.

In addition to Vehicle Motion Cues, Apple is also set to introduce an eye tracking feature that will let users navigate their ‌iPad‌ and ‌iPhone‌ with just their eyes. It will also debut CarPlay voice control and new Music Haptics later this year. The latter uses the Taptic Engine in the ‌iPhone‌ to play taps, textures, and refined vibrations to the audio of the music, allowing users who are deaf or hard of hearing to experience music. The new features are expected to arrive as part of iOS 18, which is likely to be released in September.
This article, "Apple to Reduce Motion Sickness With Vehicle Motion Cues on iPhone" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

VMware has announced that its Fusion Pro and Workstation Pro virtualization software is now free for personal use. For those unfamiliar with Fusion, it is designed to allow Mac users to operate virtual machines to run non-macOS operating systems like Windows 11.


The decision to make the software free was made by Broadcom, which acquired VMware in November 2023. In a blog post announcing the change, Broadcom said the move was part of a plan to simplify how the company brings VMware apps to market:

Fusion Pro and Workstation Pro will now have two license models. We now provide a Free Personal Use or a Paid Commercial Use subscription for our Pro apps. Users will decide based on their use case whether a commercial subscription is required.

This means that everyday users who want a virtual lab on their Mac, Windows or Linux computer can do so for free simply by registering and downloading the bits from the new download portal located at support.broadcom.com.

Broadcom also said it had discontinued Workstation Player and Fusion Player, although existing customers can upgrade to the more feature-packed Pro version at no extra cost. Meanwhile, VMware Player will remain bundled with Workstation Pro.

Broadcom said that customers who use Fusion and Workstation at/for work will still require a paid commercial subscription, which can be purchased through an authorized Broadcom Advantage partner. For more information, see the VMware website.
This article, "VMware Fusion Pro 13 Now Freely Available for Personal Use" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

There are concerning reports on Reddit that Apple's latest iOS 17.5 update has introduced a bug that causes old photos that were deleted – in some cases years ago – to reappear in users' photo libraries.


After updating their iPhone, one user said they were shocked to find old NSFW photos that they deleted in 2021 suddenly showing up in photos marked as recently uploaded to iCloud. Other users have also chimed in with similar stories. "Same here," said one Redditor. "I have four pics from 2010 that keep reappearing as the latest pics uploaded to iCloud. I have deleted them repeatedly."

"Same thing happened to me," replied another user. "Six photos from different times, all I have deleted. Some I had deleted in 2023." More reports have been trickling in overnight. One said: "I had a random photo from a concert taken on my Canon camera reappear in my phone library, and it showed up as if it was added today."

It's not clear what's happening, but given that some of the photos were apparently taken years ago, this cannot be an issue with recently deleted photos being undeleted. In Apple's Photos app, deleted photos and videos are kept in the Recently Deleted album for 30 days, so that users can recover or permanently remove them from all devices.

The reports could be down to an indexing bug, photo library corruption, or a syncing issue between local devices and iCloud Photos. Another possibility is that in attempting to fix a photo syncing bug that occurred in iOS 17.3, Apple has inadvertently caused a new syncing issue to occur that may involve iCloud backups. Some users running iOS 17.5 developer beta 4 earlier reported similar experiences. We'll update this article when we learn more.
This article, "Troubling iOS 17.5 Bug Reportedly Resurfacing Old Deleted Photos" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple's new M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air models feature a battery health setting that is new to iPads and when enabled prevents the devices from charging beyond 80% at all times, which can extend battery lifespan.


When the 80% hard limit is enabled, the iPad will never charge beyond that percentage, except on rare occasions to "maintain accurate battery state-of-charge estimates," according to Apple. Apple says reducing the time that a battery is fully charged can reduce the wear on the battery and improve its lifespan.

From Apple's support document:

Reducing the time that your iPad spends fully charged reduces the wear on your battery. With iPad Pro (M4) and iPad Air (M2), you can choose to limit charging at 80 percent, which can help prolong your battery's lifespan. When you choose 80% Limit, your iPad will charge up to about 80 percent and then stop charging. If the battery charge level gets down to 75 percent, charging will resume until your battery charge level reaches about 80 percent again.

How to Set an 80% iPad Battery Charge Limit

1. Open the Settings app on your M4 ‌iPad Pro‌ or ‌M2‌ ‌iPad Air‌.


2. Tap Battery ➝ Battery Health.
   
3. Tap the switch next to 80% Limit to turn on the feature.

Note that from the new Battery Health settings menu you can also view the manufacture date of your ‌iPad‌'s battery, as well as the month and year on which it was first used.

On M4 ‌iPad Pro‌ and ‌M2‌ ‌iPad Air‌ models, you can also find out the cycle count of your device's battery. To learn why this matters, be sure to check out our dedicated how-to article.
This article, "Extend M4 iPad Pro Battery Lifespan With This New Feature" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Starting today, Apple's new M2 iPad Air and M4 iPad Pro models are available for same-day or next-day pickup at Apple Stores, with no pre-order required. Online orders are also beginning to arrive to customers today.


Customers across the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and other regions can now place an order on Apple's website or in the Apple Store app and arrange for in-store pickup at a local retail location.

To order a product with ‌Apple Store‌ pickup, add the product to your bag on Apple.com, proceed to checkout, select the "I'll pick it up" option, enter your ZIP code, choose an available ‌Apple Store‌ location, and select a pickup date. Payment is completed online, and a valid government-issued photo ID and the order number may be required upon pickup.

The new 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro and is Apple's highest-end tablet, featuring the same M-series chips Apple uses for Macs. The latest iPad Pro models feature the M4 chip, a super slim design, Thunderbolt support, Face ID, up to 2TB storage, and OLED display technology.

Pricing on the 11-inch OLED iPad Pro starts at $999 with 256GB of storage, and pricing on the 13-inch OLED iPad starts at $1,299.

For those looking for an iPad Pro size that's more affordable, Apple also launched a new iPad Air in the same 11-inch and 13-inch sizes, but the iPad Air is thicker and heavier, lacks an OLED display, uses Touch ID instead of Face ID, and has an M2 chip instead of an M4 chip.

Pricing starts at $599 for the 11-inch iPad Air with 128 GB of storage, while pricing starts at $799 for the 13-inch model.
This article, "M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air Models Now Available for Same-Day Pickup" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple's new Magic Keyboard accessory for the latest iPad Pro models is "thinner and lighter" than the model it replaces, according to the company.


Apple typically does not provide weight specifications for iPad accessories, but some early reviewers have effectively confirmed Apple's claims with their own figures for the 13-inch version of the Magic Keyboard.

Six Colors' Jason Snell weighed the 13-inch Magic Keyboard at 667 grams, while Brian Tong put the accessory at 662 grams and The Verge recorded 658 grams on its scales.

Despite the small variations, from these figures we can conclude that the 13-inch Magic Keyboard is around 50 grams lighter than the previous generation model, which weighed around 710 grams.

It's worth noting that at 580 grams, the new 13-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ itself is much lighter than the previous generation 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌, which weighed 682 grams.

Based on these numbers, the total weight of the ‌iPad Pro‌ and Magic Keyboard is around 1,247 grams, which is exceedingly close to the stated 1.24 kg weight of Apple's M3-powered 13-inch MacBook Air.

Meanwhile, the 11-inch Magic Keyboard is 580 grams, according to a MacRumors forum member who received theirs early. In comparison, previous model weighs 601 grams.
This article, "13-Inch iPad Pro Magic Keyboard ~50 Grams Lighter Than Older Model" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple's next iPad Air will use an M3 processor, according to details posted on X earlier today by a private account with a proven track record of sharing accurate information about Apple's plans.


Apple just last week announced its latest ‌iPad Air‌ models powered by the company's M2 chip. The two new 11-inch and 13-inch models replaced the previous M1-powered 10.9-inch ‌iPad Air‌, which was released in 2022. Apple also just announced new M4 iPad Pro models that were until recently expected to feature the M3 chip.

Combined with Apple's surprise debut of the M4, today's rumor suggests that Apple plans to keep the ‌iPad Air‌ one step behind the ‌iPad Pro‌ in terms of processor generations. Given the recent announcements, it's very early to speculate on a future generation of ‌iPad Air‌, but rumors have suggested that Apple plans to introduce a 10.8-inch OLED iPad Air, and that the tablet could come out between 2026 and 2028.

The new ‌iPad Air‌ is nearly 50% faster than the previous ‌iPad Air‌ with M1, according to Apple. Compared to ‌iPad Air‌ with A14 Bionic, it provides 3x faster performance. Like the previous model, the ‌iPad Air‌ starts at $599, while the 13-inch device starts at $799, and both sizes are available from Wednesday, May 15.
This article, "Next-Generation iPad Air With M3 Chip Already Rumored" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple's latest iPad Pro is the thinnest device the company has ever made... but does it bend? That's likely to be the question on the mind of anyone who remembers the last iPad Pro "bendgate" controversy.


In 2018, Apple responded to durability concerns shared by new iPad Pro owners by admitting to shipping its then-new models with a "very slight bend in the aluminum chassis," which it blamed on a "side effect of the manufacturing process."

Despite videos indicating that the 2018 iPad Pro models bent more easily than other models, Apple said the bend did not worsen over time or negatively affect the iPad's performance, and that concerns over the device's durability were unfounded.

Nevertheless, some iPad owners were understandably upset to find defects in devices that cost hundreds of dollars. Apple naturally wants to avoid a similar scenario with its latest 2024 models.

To allay concerns, in an interview with Arun Maini, Apple's senior VP of hardware engineering John Ternus reveals that Apple has added a new protective "cowling" over the main logic board. This metal cover not only helps with heat dissipation, but also "effectively creates a central rib that runs through the whole thing and tremendously improves the stiffness of the products," according to Ternus.

No doubt the new iPad Pro models will be subjected to exaggerated pressure tests by some YouTubers, and we are bound to see more than a few bent out of shape in the process. Whether Apple's strengthend iPad Pro chassis will be enough to withstand the pressures of real-world everyday use over time is altogether another matter.

If early reviews are anything to go by, a handful of outlets have noted that the devices do feel particularly durable despite their impressive thinness. Do you have lingering doubts? Let us know in the comments. Pricing on the M4 ‌iPad Pro‌ begins at $999, and it can be purchased from Apple's website.
This article, "iPad Pro: How Apple Intends to Avoid Another 'Bendgate' Controversy" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple's latest iPad Air and iPad Pro models feature a new Battery Health menu in the Settings app that is not available on older iPads, and which includes options that were once limited to iPhone 15 models.


As confirmed by iCulture, visiting Settings ➝ Battery on the new iPads shows a new Battery Health menu that lists Battery Health (with a readout such as "Normal"), Maximum Capacity, Cycle Count, and a 80% Limit charging optimization option. Users can also see details about when the battery was produced and when it was first used.

Code previously found in iPadOS 17.5 beta software referenced the Battery Health menu, and it was indeed suggested that it may be limited to Apple's new iPads. Notably, the Cycle Count readout and the option to more strictly prevent charging beyond 80% were up until now exclusive features of the iPhone 15 series, and cannot be found on older iPhones either.


The 80% Limit is separate from the Optimized Battery Charging feature on earlier iPhones, which intelligently delays charging past 80% until a more appropriate time by learning the device's daily charging routine. When the 80% hard limit is enabled, the iPad will never charge beyond that percentage, except on rare occasions to "maintain accurate battery state-of-charge estimates." Apple says reducing the time that a battery is fully charged can reduce the wear on the battery and improve its lifespan.
This article, "New iPad Air and iPad Pro Feature Battery Health Menu Including Cycle Count and 80% Charging Limit Option" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple last week announced a new raft of iPad Pro and iPad Air models, but news about a new iPad mini was conspicuous by its absence.


Apple has not updated the iPad mini since 2021, so it is certainly ripe for a refresh, but fans of the smaller 8.3-inch device will have to wait a while longer for a seventh-generation model, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman cautioned his readers not to expect a new iPad mini model "until the end of this year at the earliest." In other words, don't get your hopes up for an iPad mini 7 announcement during Apple's upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

Gurman expects the next iPad model to feature a newer processor, but few other changes. Other sources have claimed new camera upgrades could be included, as well as a potential fix for the "jelly scrolling" display behavior on the latest model.

Gurman previously said that a new entry-level iPad model is similarly unlikely to make an appearance before late 2024 at the earliest. The current low-end iPad was last updated in October 2022.
This article, "Next iPad Mini Still Not Expected Before Late 2024 at the Earliest" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Gamma, a new emulator for playing classic PlayStation 1 games on iPhone and iPad, has just hit the App Store.


Developed by Benjamin Stark, aka ZodTTD, Gamma features customizable onscreen controller skins, and includes support for Bluetooth controllers as well as wired and non-wired keyboards.

Similar to the fantastically popular Delta emulator, the Gamma app uses third-party cloud syncing services for backing up game files and save states, and also downloads game cover artwork.

Fortunately for PS1 fans, Gamma does not require BIOS files to run games, although some users have reported a few issues getting some ROMs to run smoothly, but bug fixes are likely coming soon. Stark is a veteran of the emulator field and has been making retro game emulators on mobile for over 15 years.

It's worth noting that while Gamma is free to download and contains no iAPs (as per Apple's emulator rules) its App Store page says that it collects identifiers that can be used to track you, and may collect location and usage data.
This article, "Gamma Emulator Brings Classic PS1 Gaming to iPhone and iPad" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple has closed in on a deal with OpenAI that should see ChatGPT being used to power new features in its next iPhone operating system, according to Bloomberg.


In a report over the weekend, Bloomberg claimed that the two companies have been "finalizing terms for a pact to use ChatGPT features in Apple's iOS 18." How the popular chatbot would integrate with Apple's software is not yet known.

The agreement would see ChatGPT become another tool in a range of AI features that Apple is expected to bring to iPhones. Apple is also said to be in ongoing talks with Google to license its Gemini chatbot, but those discussions have not reportedly led to an agreement. Apple is known to have been in talks with OpenAI since February.

Apple at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference next month is expected to announce several AI features coming to iOS 18, which is said to be one of the biggest upgrades to the iPhone operating system in years. According to Haitong analyst Jeff Pu, Apple plans to run some of the features on data servers powered by its own in-house chips.

Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed in February that Apple plans to "break new ground" in AI. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman has previously reported that Apple is also working on its own chatbot tool that some engineers have dubbed "Apple GPT" to rival OpenAI's ChatGPT.
This article, "Apple Wrapping Up OpenAI Deal to Bring ChatGPT Features to iOS 18" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

If your iPhone regularly runs out of battery later in the day, Low Power Mode is one way to make it last longer. You can also make Low Power Mode automatically turn on when your battery reaches a certain custom level. Keep reading to learn how.


Most ‌iPhone‌ users are familiar with the way iOS throws up a prompt to turn on Low Power Mode when the battery reaches 20%. Low Power Mode can also be turned on manually at any time by going to Settings -> Battery and toggling on the switch next to Low Power Mode.

If you find yourself constantly having to turn on Low Power Mode late in the day, you can save some time by setting it up to run automatically when your battery is depleted to a specific custom level. This can be done in the Shortcuts app, as the following steps show.

Bear in mind that Low Power Mode reduces your ‌iPhone‌'s performance and cuts out some background activities. For example, mail must be fetched manually, background app refresh is disabled, and motion and brightness are reduced.

If you're okay with those limitations, follow the steps below to automate the setting on your ‌iPhone‌.

1. Open the Shortcuts app and select the Automation tab at the bottom of the screen, then tap the + button in the top-right corner.


2. Scroll down and select Battery Level from the options.



3. Check Falls Below 50% and then drag the slider to adjust the percentage level for when Low Power Mode should be activated.


5. To ensure the automation runs in the background, toggle off the switch next to Ask Before Running, then tap Next.


6. Search for "Set Low Power Mode" and select the card from the results, then tap Next.


7. Lastly, tap Done in the top-right of the screen.

Your "Set Low Power Mode" personal automation should now be listed in the automation list, and will automatically trigger whenever your ‌iPhone‌ reaches the threshold you selected.
This article, "Automatically Trigger iPhone Low Power Mode Earlier" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

WhatsApp is receiving a refreshed design on iPhone and Android, the first interface overhaul of its kind since 2021.


The new design rolling out for the Meta-owned social media platform is meant to be fresh, approachable, and simple, according to WhatsApp.

WhatsApp says that sending photos and videos on iOS is now easier, thanks to a new attachment layout. Instead of a full screen menu, there's an expandable tray for accessing features when sending media, documents, polls, and more.

Icons have been updated to a rounded, outlined style, and there are new illustrations with added animations for a "more playful" aesthetic.


There's also a new "consistent" green color palette throughout the app, as well as a new dark mode that's one shade darker, which aims to reduce eye strain in low-light environments.

The new changes are rolling out to WhatsApp users on ‌iPhone‌ and Android now, according to the company.
This article, "WhatsApp Gets Overhauled Interface Design and New Attachment Tray" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models concurrently, which is why we sometimes get rumored feature leaks so far ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and already we have some idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup.


If you plan to skip this year's iPhone 16, or if you're just plain curious about what's on the horizon, here are 10 rumored features that we are expecting to arrive in time for its successor, the iPhone 17 series, which is likely to be released in September 2025.


1. Under-Display Face ID

iPhone 17 Pro & iPhone 17 Pro Max

The iPhone 17 Pro is expected to be the first ‌iPhone‌ to feature under-panel Face ID technology. The only external indication of the under-display ‌Face ID‌ technology will likely be a circular cutout for the front-facing camera. This will probably be Apple's last premium model to include a circular cutout for the front-facing camera. Apple is then expected adopt under-display cameras in 2027's "Pro" ‌iPhone‌ models for a true "all-screen" appearance.

2. New Display Sizes

iPhone 17 & iPhone 17 Plus

This year's iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are rumored to be getting bigger display sizes, going from 6.12- and 6.69-inches to 6.27- and 6.86-inches, respectively. For 2025, Apple is also expected to bring the larger 6.27-inch display size to its standard ‌iPhone‌ model, while the equivalent "iPhone 17 Plus" model could adopt completely new display dimensions.


3. 120Hz ProMotion (Always-on Display)

iPhone 17 & iPhone 17 Plus

Apple intends to expand ProMotion to its standard models in 2025, allowing them to ramp up to a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling and video content when necessary. Notably, ProMotion would also enable the display on the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Plus to ramp down to a more power-efficient refresh rate as low as 1Hz, allowing for an always-on display that can show the Lock Screen's clock, widgets, notifications, and wallpaper even when the device is locked.

4. Apple-Designed Wi-Fi 7 Chip

iPhone 17 Pro & iPhone 17 Pro Max

Apple's premium 2025 models are expected to be equipped with an Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip for the first time. Wi-Fi 7 support would allow the "Pro" models to send and receive data over the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands simultaneously with a supported router, resulting in faster Wi-Fi speeds, lower latency, and more reliable connectivity. The Wi-Fi chip would also allow Apple to further reduce its dependance on external suppliers like Broadcom, which currently supplies Apple with a combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip for iPhones.


5. 48MP Telephoto Lens

iPhone 17 Pro Max

An upgraded 48-megapixel Telephoto lens on Apple's largest premium device is expected to be optimized for use with Apple's upcoming Vision Pro headset, which launches on February 2, 2024. (The current iPhone 15 Pro models feature 48-megapixel main, 12-megapixel ultra wide, and 12-megapixel telephoto lenses.) That would make 2025's "Pro Max" the first iPhone to have a rear camera system composed entirely of 48-megapixel lenses, making it capable of capturing even more photographic detail.


6. 24MP Selfie Camera

All iPhone 17 Models

The iPhone 17 lineup will feature a 24-megapixel front-facing camera with a six-element lens, according to one rumor. The iPhone 14 and 15 feature a 12-megapixel front-facing camera with five plastic lens elements, and this year's iPhone 16 lineup is expected to feature the same hardware. The upgraded resolution to 24 megapixels on the iPhone 17 will allow photos to maintain their quality even when cropped or zoomed in, while the larger number of pixels will capture finer details. The upgrade to a six-element lens should also slightly enhance image quality.

7. Scratch Resistant Anti-Reflective Display

All iPhone 17 Models

The iPhone 17 will feature an anti-reflective display that is more scratch-resistant than Apple's Ceramic Shield found on iPhone 15 models, according to one rumor. The outer glass on the iPhone 17 is said to have a "super-hard anti-reflective layer" that is "more scratch-resistant." It's not clear whether Apple is planning to adopt the Gorilla Glass Armor that Samsung uses in its Galaxy S24 Ultra, but the description of Corning's latest technology matches the rumor.

8. More Memory

iPhone 17 Pro & iPhone 17 Pro Max

Apple's Pro models next year will come with 12GB of RAM, claims Jeff Pu of investment firm Haitong. For comparison, the iPhone 15 Pro models have 8GB of RAM, while the iPhone 16 Pro models are also expected to have 8GB of RAM. Any such increase would allow for improved multitasking on the iPhone, as well as provide additional resources for any artificial intelligence features that require large-language models to be resident in memory.

9. Smaller Dynamic Island

iPhone 17 Pro Max

Apple's highest-end 2025 iPhone will feature a significantly narrower Dynamic Island, thanks to the device's adoption of a smaller "metalens" for the Face ID system, claims Haitong's Jeff Pu. Assuming that's the case, it would be the first time that Apple has changed the Dynamic Island since it debuted on the iPhone 14 Pro in 2022.

10. iPhone 17 "Slim"

iPhone 17 Plus

Apple's iPhone 17 Plus will feature a 6.55-inch display, according to analyst Ross Young of Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC). Responding to a claim by Jeff Pu that the ‌iPhone‌ 17 Plus will be replaced by an "iPhone 17 Slim," Young said to expect a reduction of 2% over the previous, current, and next-generation models. Based on his logic, a smaller display would help differentiate the larger ‌iPhone‌ 17 model from the ‌iPhone‌ 17 Pro Max, while remaining larger than the ‌iPhone‌ 17 and ‌iPhone‌ 17 Pro.
This article, "10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 17" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Earlier this year, Apple retested the batteries of its iPhone 15 models and updated its battery life claims for the entire series, suggesting that they offer better longevity than previously thought. Curious about the battery health of your iPhone 15? Here's how to check it.


Apple in February 2024 updated the technical specifications for the batteries in the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max. According to its latest tests, Apple says that the devices' batteries are designed to retain 80% of their original capacity at 1,000 complete charge cycles under ideal conditions.

It's a significant improvement over the 500 charge cycles that the company advertises for all older iPhone models over the same cycle count.

iPhone 15 models also include a Battery Charging Optimization feature, so if you regularly charge your ‌iPhone‌ up at night while you're asleep, the device can limit its charging to 80%, and then wait for an hour or so before you wake up to charge the remaining 20%. This keeps the ‌iPhone‌ at an optimal capacity for battery health by reducing the amount of time that it's sat on your charger at 100% charged, which can reduce its life over time.

If you have an iPhone 15 with iOS 17.4 or later installed, you can get more specific information on the battery health of your device in the following way:

1. Open the Settings app.


2. Scroll down and tap Battery.


3. Check the readout next to "Battery Health." For more details including your device's battery cycle count, manufacture date, and first use date, simply tap the readout. (In earlier versions of iOS 17, this information was hidden in the General ➝ About section of the Settings app).

Apple says that the battery lifespan of any iPhone model ultimately depends on how the device is regularly used and charged. While the "Maximum Capacity" readout will give you a good indication of your iPhone's battery health, it's worth tapping on the blue text that says "About Battery & Warranty," which will give you more information on the likely battery lifespan of your device based on how it's used.

Battery life depends on a number of variables, but if you think you have an issue, it's worth remembering that the standard one-year AppleCare+ warranty on an iPhone includes service for defective batteries. Depending on where you are, local consumer laws might even give you cover beyond the standard 12 months, so don't be shy to ask at an Apple Store if you think there's a problem.
This article, "Here's How to Check Your iPhone's Battery Health" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums