Wellness starts at home, and with HomeKit your living room can do more to help you feel your best. Here's what you need to truly make the most of Apple's smart home technology.


With Apple HomeKit, your living room doesn't just have to be a place to crash. It can become a space that actively restores you. Add smart lighting, clean air, soothing sounds, and aromatherapy to turn an ordinary room into a personalized wellness retreat.

Here's a look at the best HomeKit-compatible gear to help you build a living room that looks great, feels calm, and works smarter.


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Google's illegal monopoly control over the internet ad market may lead to it having to sell off AdX and DFP if the U.S. Department of Justice has its way.


U.S. regulators have been on a tear in recent years targeting what they believe are illegal monopolies. At the top of that list is Google, first for its search platform, and now for its ad platform.

According to a new filing by the U.S. Department of Justice, covered by Reuters, the AdX digital marketplace and DFP platform should be sold off. AdX is where companies bid for ad placement on websites, and DFP is the ad management platform.


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The Aiffro P30 3 in 1 Portable SSD is a drive designed for the iPhone that enables external ProRes recording, but the USB-C port allocation and locations are a little bit puzzling.


When Apple introduced the ability to capture 60fps 4K ProRes video from an iPhone to an external USB-C drive, it opened up the iPhone to be more useful for videography. The iPhone instantly became more viable as an all-in-one capture device for productions.

However, to get there, you have to connect not only storage to the iPhone, but also a way to capture audio using an external microphone, and something to power it all up. A USB-C hub can do the trick, but that becomes one more thing to connect to the entire assembly.


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A bill proposed in Florida may bring DMA-like provisions to the United States, forcing Apple to allow alternative app stores, third-party payments, and side loading on iPhones.


Apple has been wrestling for control over its platforms for years as regulators around the globe seek to open up the walled garden. The biggest effort to date, the EU Digital Markets Act, has inspired action in the United States before, but the latest bill may go full force.

Even though the United States government has stated it won't tolerate foreign entities regulating and fining Apple, that hasn't stopped it from pursuing similar legislation. According to a report from The Verge, Florida Representative Cammack has introduced the App Store Freedom Act to combat companies like Apple and Google.


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Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney says Fortnite will return to the App Store in the United States later in the week, and he's reportedly spoken to Apple about it.


Fortnite was removed from the U.S. App Store back in 2020, as a result of a lengthy legal battle between Epic Games and Apple. Epic attempted to circumvent Apple's then-30% commission by giving users the option to purchase in-game V-bucks externally, which led to the app's removal.

After all this time, it seems there may be a path to Fortnite returning to the App Store as soon as Friday. However, Apple isn't talking about the moves publicly, and Epic CEO Tim Sweeney is the only one sharing details.


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The Sonos and Ikea partnership produced great-sounding bookshelf, picture frame, and lamp speakers with AirPlay 2 support, but that partnership has come to an end.


Sonos has been pulling back significantly since a 2024 app update caused mayhem for users. The system wouldn't recognize speakers, fail to play music, or a number of other bugs that occurred due to a full app rebuild.

In the time since, Sonos has been scaling back to refocus on what it did best — home audio. According to a report from The Verge, it seems part of that scaling back includes ending the partnership with Ikea.


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The iOS 18.5 update is just around the corner, with new wallpaper, settings improvements, and ScreenTime security enhancements set to debut as soon as next week. Here's what you need to know.


On Tuesday, a week after the fourth developer beta, Apple deployed the Release Candidate (RC) build of iOS 18.5.

While the update itself is relatively light in terms of new features, it does offer a few noteworthy enhancements and quality-of-life improvements. Specifically, Apple has updated the built-in Mail and Settings app, and the company has introduced support for carrier-based satellite features on the iPhone 13.


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Apple is expanding its carrier-provided satellite features to more iPhone models, with it set to be used on all iPhone 13 models as part of iOS 18.5.


Apple issued its release candidate for iOS 18.5 on Tuesday, ahead of an imminent full public release of the update. As part of a relatively small number of updates to the operating system for this generation, the RC build includes a change that affects the iPhone 13 models.

According to the release notes, Apple writes "Support for carrier-provided satellite features is available on iPhone 13 (all models)."


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Apple has moved on to issuing RC builds of iOS 18.5, iPadOS 18.5, macOS 15.5, tvOS 18.5, watchOS 11.5, and visionOS 2.5, as the updates get closer to release.


An RC or Release Candidate is a version of a piece of software that is practically ready for public release, but is being tested one last time before that moment.

The RC round of developer betas for iOS 18.5, iPadOS 18.5, macOS 15.5, tvOS 18.5, watchOS 11.5, and visionOS 2.5 surface after the fourth, which Apple issued on April 28. The third was on April 21, the second was provided on April 14, while the first round for the generation was handed out on March 17.


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Amazon is the latest developer to take advantage of Apple's court-mandated App Store changes, and has finally made it possible to buy books directly in the iPhone Kindle app.


It's generally been Spotify that's thrown up its arms and claimed Apple won't let it on the App Store, when really it means Apple wouldn't let it on for free. Now that Apple has been forced to allow it and all US developers on for nothing, there has been a genuine improvement to one particular app.

As of now, or at least unless Apple loses its appeal against the ruling, the Kindle app on iPhone now works the way it always should have. You can browse the Amazon Kindle bookstore through it as ever, but now you are also offered a "Get Book" button.


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Discounts of up to $370 off are in effect at Amazon on Apple's current MacBook Pros, with prices starting at $1,399.


If you're in the market for a new MacBook Pro, Amazon and B&H Photo have issued steeper discounts on M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max models in an emerging price war ahead of possible price hikes.

Save up to $370 on Macs


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Apple Arcade is set to get five new games in June, including an "Uno" game, another new Lego game, and "What the Car" makes its debut on the Apple Vision Pro.


Like May, June will see a handful of new games released to Apple Arcade, including some entries into series we've seen before. Most of the new games are geared toward younger players and families, making it another great addition for households with elementary-aged kids.


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Even if developers discounted their prices by the whole 30% Apple would take for the first year of a subcription, a new report says it wouldn't be enough to get most users away from the App Store.


Apple being forced to comply with mandated anti-steering instructions is definitely an own goal after it had won everything else in its trial against Epic Games. But a new report claims that financially, the potential loss of App Store income for Apple is trivial.

According to an investor note seen by AppleInsider, investment firm Morgan Stanley says its conclusions start with what the US App Store means to Apple's bottom line. Its analysts say it the US version of the store brings in $11 billion, which is 3% of Apple's total revenue, around 7.% of the firm's total Earnings Per Share (EPS).


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The lowest price on record for the Asus ProArt 32-inch display is in effect at Amazon, with the USB-C monitor falling to $438.24.


The $160 discount brings the price down to $438.24, which is the lowest price ever at Amazon. And with features like USB-C connectivity with 96W power delivery, the ProArt PA329CRV pairs easily with modern Macs.

Save 27% on Asus ProArt


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On the latest episode of the HomeKit Insider Podcast, Dan Wroclawski from Consumer Reports joins to break down the week's news, as well as talk about AI smart fridges, how smart devices are tested, and more.


Dan Wrocawski is this week's guest host who serves as Senior Home & Appliances Writer at Consumer Reports. The nonprofit tests several types of smart home devices, including their security and privacy.

AppleInsider has a storied history with the publication, stemming from an observed anti-Apple bias with its MacBook Pro and HomePod recommendations in 2017.


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While Google is probably going to come out of its antitrust legal fight intact, it's very likely that its $20 billion Safari default search deal with Apple will undergo some big changes.


Google is midway in the current search monopoly trial, which will determine how the company should change its ways to minimize its monopoly in the search market. After being found to be a monopoly and violating antitrust law in the United States in August 2024, the court is now hearing ways to remedy the situation.

So far, it seems that the remedies won't be too damaging to Google, with Judge Amit Mehta seemingly supporting some of the less painful actions. Sharing search data with rival firms is one of the lesser acts that Google could be forced to undertake.


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Apple has been researching a new Magic Mouse for the Mac that would detect gestures — not on its surface, but on the table near it.


When Apple introduced its Magic Mouse back in 2009, it featured multi-touch gestures. Since then it's been redesigned, and there have been rumors of a further redesign.

Those rumors, though, have concentrated on the recurring issue that the USB-C charging port is on the bottom. There hadn't been any idea that Apple has been looking at anything else, certainly not at adding more gestures to it.


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Announced on May 6, the Backbone Pro represents everything the company has learned about making wrap-around controllers for iPhone, except maybe how much to charge customers.


I've always been a big fan of Backbone. They reinvigorated the wrap-around controller ecosystem with Backbone One, introduced a console-like experience on iPhone via their app, and iterated with fun design choices.

Now, approaching five years since the Backbone One launch, I'm holding the Backbone Pro and can't help but wonder what the strategy is here. The controller is perfectly designed as an excellent evolution of the original, but the price is too big to ignore.


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Amid slowing phone sales, Apple gained ground at the country's largest carriers by offering both premium and affordable iPhones.


U.S. smartphone sales fell 2% year-over-year in the first quarter of 2025, according to new data from Counterpoint Research. The drop was driven by weaker demand in the premium segment, where devices priced above $800 saw the sharpest slowdown.

The cooling high-end market reflects broader consumer caution amid inflation concerns and delayed upgrade cycles.


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Docker Desktop for macOS, the management tool for the app container system, has an authorization vulnerability that can be used for malicious purposes.


A security flaw has been discovered in Docker Desktop, registered under the CVE code CVE-2025-4095

Specifically, CVE-2025-4095 describes a security vulnerability in Docker Desktop that affects Registry Access Management (RAM). This refers to a security feature that lets administrators restrict the access for developers within their organization to only allowed registries.


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AirPods supplier Jabil is reportedly looking to expand production of casings with a new, second factory in India's Tamil Nadu region.


Apple's push to increase production of its devices in India instead of China, has previously been reported to include AirPods cases. US firm Jabil has long been manufacturing AirPods charging cases, and now a new report says it specifically wants to expand its production capacity.

According to India's Economic Times, Jabil wants to significantly boost production in India of what are described as being enclosures, plastic bodies, or casings. The new factory doesn't appear to be intended for full charging cases, only components of them.


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On May 6, 1998, Steve Jobs announced the iMac, and we wouldn't now have the iPhone, the Apple Store, or even Apple itself, if it hadn't been such a success.


If there's ever any doubt that the iMac is a phenomenal success, just try to think of any other computer — any other device — that is still being sold a quarter of a century after it was launched. The iMac of 2023 may be vastly different to the original one announced in 1998, but it's not just that it has kept the name.

Today's iMac is this slim, sleek design and 1998's was fat and bulbous, but they are recognizably the same at heart. The iMac has always been an all-in-one computer, where a single unit houses the display and the actual computer part.


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Tired of your iPad screen flipping every time you move? Locking its orientation takes just a few seconds and can make reading, gaming, or watching videos a lot more comfortable.


Apple's iPads have built-in screen rotation, which lets the display switch between portrait and landscape modes automatically based on how you're holding the device. It's useful in many situations but frustrating when you're lying down or switching positions often.

Luckily, stopping your iPad screen from rotating is simple.


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While Apple TV+ has a reputation for micromanagement, it seems that it's not as bad as it once was. At least, so long as you're not damaging Apple's brand image.


As a streaming service, Apple TV+ is far from a massive powerhouse like Netflix or Amazon Prime Instant Video. It's certainly a big play by Apple into the streaming arena, and to a point, it's worked.

In a wide-ranging discussion about Apple TV+, the Los Angeles Times writes about the service, Apple's ambitions, and how its fared so far. Overall, the article indicates that Apple TV+ is doing well in many areas, but it can do better.


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A developer is seeking a class action lawsuit for funds developers could have earned for the last fifteen months with links outside the App Store instead of mandatory in-app subscription purchases.


The only victory Epic Games claimed over Apple in its lengthy trial was a court's order to end anti-steering practices in the App Store. Enforcement of that order was delayed until January 2024, but the court found Apple's changes violated the injunction.

The violation was called deliberate by the judge, and could lead to criminal contempt charges relating to the decision. According to law firm Hagens Berman, a class action lawsuit has been filed by a developer as a result of the injunction violation.


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If you have a MacBook, you know it makes you superhuman. But for professionals and power users, the device you need can range anywhere from $1,600-$6,000. If you're looking for a smarter way to buy, Upgraded makes it easy and affordable with one low monthly subscription.

EA Sports FC Mobile players can stream MLS matches in-game and get a free month of Apple TV MLS Season Pass.


Electronic Arts (EA) Sports FC Mobile players can stream two upcoming Major League Soccer matches live inside the game in a new partnership with Apple. Starting May 10, fans can watch Los Angeles Galaxy face the New York Red Bulls at 23:30 UTC (7:30 p.m. ET).

Atlanta United takes on the Philadelphia Union on May 17 at the same time. Both matches will be broadcast via the in-game FC Mobile TV (FCM TV) feature, accessible through the Extra Time button in the main menu. Players must reach Account Level 4, which typically takes a few matches to unlock, in order to access Extra Time.


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While complying with the courts and their mandated changes to the App Store as fallout from the Epic vs. Apple suit, Apple has now also filed its appeal against the ruling.


On May 1, 2025, US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ordered Apple to immediately make specific changes to its App Store practices, after ruling that it had failed to comply with its previous obligations. The judge specifically refused any delay, but did allow for Apple to appeal — and it has now done so.

As first spotted by The Verge, Apple has filed its notice of appeal to the United States District Court for the district of Northern California. The filing is a short document only listing which case is being appealed against — US District Court case 4:20-cv-05640-YGR — and the names of Apple's legal counsel.


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Before your iPhone ever reaches your hands, Apple puts it through desert storms, deep freezes, and drop tests inside a secretive Irish lab. Here's a look inside.


Apple's futuristic Cupertino headquarters receives most of the attention, but a key part of the company's product durability effort happens in an unassuming building in Ireland. The Cork campus, which opened in 1980, now employs 6,000 people and serves as Apple's European headquarters.

That facility houses Apple's Reliability Testing Lab. Beyond serving as a regional hub, Cork is home to one of Apple's most important product integrity operations.


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Apple may have been able to mitigate against Trump's tariffs before their full extent was announced, but the company's latest SEC filing reveals that this was only a short-term tactic, and price hikes may be inevitable.


Apple has projected that it will take a $900 million hit over tariffs in the June 2025 quarter, following Trump's "reciprocal" tariffs. But part of preventing that loss being still higher, involved ramping up manufacturing and importing, including airlifting plane loads of iPhones.

According to a note to investors seen by AppleInsider, Morgan Stanley has calculated from Apple's latest 10-Q filing that Apple's costs were at a three-year March quarter high. The company bases this on Apple's reported balance sheet inventory, and vendor non-trade receivables — in this case effectively pre-payments to suppliers for goods they are storing before sending to Apple.


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Apple is allegedly preparing to sell corporate bonds, in a sale that could raise billions in cash and finance a $100 billion share buyback plan.


The sale of corporate bonds can be a way for a large company to quickly raise cash. On Monday, it seems that the iPhone maker is planning to do just that.

According to a person familiar with the plans speaking to Bloomberg, Apple is preparing to make a sale of "Investment-grade bonds" later in the day. This would mark the first time of Apple selling corporate bonds since 2023.


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Apple's latest Mac mini with an M4 chip is $110 off today, resulting in the lowest price we've seen to date.


The M4 Mac mini features an updated design and 16GB of RAM in the standard model, delivering a lot of bang for your buck at the retail price of $599. But going one step further, Amazon is discounting it to $490.84 (18% off MSRP), delivering the lowest price on record.

Get $490 Mac mini deal


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Apple's 2025 Pride Collection is now available, with a new Apple Watch Sport Band and wallpapers celebrating the strength and beauty of LGBTQ+ communities.


An annual tradition for Apple, the company releases a Pride Edition of Apple Watch bands, watch faces, and wallpapers in early May, to champion LGBTQ+ equality. On Monday, Apple issued its 2025 edition.

The aesthetic this time are blocks of rainbow stripes, which filter throughout the design of all elements in the collection. Offering a contemporary design, wallpapers shift depending on how the users move and unlock the device.


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Despite Apple stating that Apple Intelligence would be coming to China in April 2025, a new report predicts it won't come until June at the earliest.


As part of its launch of the iPhone 16e, Apple announced that Apple Intelligence would be released in multiple new languages in April.

Then Tim Cook subsequently said that iOS 18.4 "brought Apple intelligence to more languages, including... simplified Chinese."


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The iPhone 18 Pro models will have an under-display Face ID system, a leaker claims, reviving a long-time rumor for the 2026 model.


The idea of an iPhone that loses sight of the front-facing camera by hiding it under the screen has long been a concept that could revolutionize the smartphone's appearance. If a leaker is correct, then it should arrive with the iPhone 18 generation.

In a post to Weibo on Monday, "Digital Chat Station" posted that they had checked out the Apple supply chain, and found out some information about the front-facing cameras. For the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, the leaker says the 3D depth mapping system used to power Face ID is "under the screen."


Rumor Score: 🤔 Possible


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Apple's Tim Cook has praised investor Warren Buffett, who has announced he's stepping down from the firm he's led for six decades.


Steve Jobs was famously dismissive of anyone who wasn't a "product person," and even included Tim Cook in that description. But both he and Cook have said that they learned business from a man who never made a single product, and instead became rich through investing in people who did.



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Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says that the iPhone 19 Slim will feature a larger screen than its first versions, and will be released at the same time as a second generation iPhone Fold.


While the 2025 iPhone launch will be in the same format as it has since 2019 — both iPhone and iPhone Pro models being announced in September — Apple is again reported to be changing that for 2026. Backing up the first reports of this split launch, Ming-Chi Kuo has published what he believes is the new release schedule, including news of the slim and folding models.



Rumor Score: 🤔 Possible


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Potential members of a class-action lawsuit are being told to apply for their share of a now-approved $95 million settlement, if they owned a device with Siri that could've recorded a private conversation.


Emails are being sent out to consumers about a "Lopez Voice Assistant Class Action Settlement," explaining that the recipient could be owed some money. Following after the agreement by Apple to settle a class-action lawsuit, the time has now come for payments to be made.

The email, seen by AppleInsider, advises that the recipient is identified as potentially being a member of the settlement class, based on Apple's records, and could be entitled to receive the patent.


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Amazon's iPad sale includes a return of the $399 iPad mini 7 and $299 iPad 11, delivering discounts of up to 20% off.


Numerous iPad mini 7 models are $100 off at Amazon today, with prices starting at $399 after the discounts. The $299 iPad 11 deal is also still in effect, with delivery by Mother's Day to many addresses.




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A YouTube video has demonstrated that, while tricky to pull off, it is possible to power an M4 Mac mini using a USB-C cable.


Apple's MacBook Pro and MacBook Air lineup allows users to recharge using MagSafe or USB-C. The USB-C charging is especially useful when used with some powered docks, since you could connect to peripherals and recharge the portable Mac from just one cable.

The same cannot be said for the Mac mini, as it's a device that requires a more traditional power connection in order to function. Unless you go to extreme lengths, or find a battery with an AC socket, you have to connect the Mac mini to a power outlet to use it.


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