Apple today published its second annual App Store Transparency Report [PDF], highlighting details like the number of apps that were rejected during the year, the number of customer and developer accounts deactivated, the number of apps removed from the ‌App Store‌, and more.


In 2023, there were 1,870,119 total apps available, and Apple reviewed 6,892,500 app submissions. 1,763,812 apps were rejected, with performance, design, and legal listed as the top reasons why an app wasn't approved. 277,923 apps were approved after rejection following changes made to the app.

116,117 apps were removed from the ‌App Store‌, and top categories for removal included Utilities, Games, and Business. 76,887 apps were removed for violating Guideline 4.0 on design, and 35,245 apps were removed for violating ‌App Store‌ rules preventing fraud.

Apple removed 1,285 apps at the request of the Chinese government, and 103 at the request of the South Korean government. Apps were also pulled in India, Russia, Indonesia, Lithuania, Ukraine, and several other countries at the request of their respective governments.

398,499,012 customer accounts search the ‌App Store‌ on average on a weekly basis, and 166,360 apps appear in the top 10 results of at least 1000 searches each week. As Apple said earlier this week, it terminated 373,739,771 customer accounts and prevented an estimated $1,838,127,451 in fraudulent transactions.

More information on Apple's ‌App Store‌ numbers can be found in the full report. [PDF]
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A bug in iOS 17.5 is apparently causing photos that have been deleted to reappear, and the issue seems to impact even iPhones and iPads that have been erased and sold off to other people.


A Reddit user wiped an iPad following Apple's guidelines in September of 2023 before selling it off to a friend. That friend updated the ‌iPad‌ to iPadOS 17.5 this week, and began seeing the Reddit user's old photos reappearing in the Photos app. From Reddit:

I wiped the iPad using official Apple guides before selling. I never logged into that iPad with my Apple ID after erasing the iPad. I sold my iPad to a friend in September 2023, they called me today after updating to iPad OS 17.5 and said my old pictures appeared in their Photos app... HUGE PRIVACY VIOLATION. I see other reports of this. How many people will get other people's photos on the devices they bought from other people?

The impacted ‌iPad‌ was a fourth-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro that had been updated to the latest operating system update, and before it was sold, it was erased per Apple's instructions. The Reddit user says they did not log back in to the ‌iPad‌ at any point after erasing it, so it is entirely unclear how their old photos ended up reappearing on the device.

Earlier this week, we shared several other reports of users who saw deleted photos resurfacing on their devices after updating, but those reports were from users who still owned their devices and were logged into their own iCloud Photo Libraries and Apple IDs.

The latest report suggests that the erased and sold ‌iPad‌ is somehow restoring old photos from an Apple ID that is no longer signed in to it. The Reddit user says the photos that are reappearing are from 2017, which is in line with similar reports. The images were initially taken on an iPhone, and so had been synced to the ‌iPad‌ via iCloud Photo Library before the ‌iPad‌ was wiped and sold.

Other users have seen photos from years ago (as late as 2010) reappearing suddenly, with no explanation for why. Not all users are seeing this problem, nor does it appear to be impacting all deleted images.

Apple devices are supposed to retain photos for 30 days in the Recently Deleted section of the ‌Photos‌ app, and images should be deleted automatically if a second delete procedure is carried out from the Recently Deleted interface. Apple has not yet provided any information on why some users may be seeing photos reappearing, and it is concerning to hear of a report of old photos showing up on a device that was wiped and sold.
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Apple this week came out with new iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The ‌iPad Pro‌ has a next-generation M4 chip and an OLED display so it got much of the attention, but Apple added a whole new size to the Air lineup to offer a more affordable way to get a bigger screen. We spent some time with the new ‌iPad Air‌ to see what's new and whether it's worth buying.


The smaller version of the ‌iPad Air‌ measures in at 11 inches, and the larger version is 13 inches, the same as the ‌iPad Pro‌. Prior to now, the only way to get a 13-inch tablet was to buy the Pro, but the new Air is a much more affordable option.

Pricing starts at $599 for the 11-inch version and $799 for the 13-inch version, while the 11-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ is priced starting at $999 and the 13-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ is $1,299. So the 13-inch Air is a full $500 cheaper. You're losing out on the OLED display, ProMotion, compatibility with the new Magic Keyboard, and the M4 chip, but not too much else.

The M2 chip in the ‌iPad Air‌ is still super fast and able to handle anything you might want to do on an iPad, and while the display doesn't have the brightness or the contrast of the OLED display, it's good enough for almost everyone.

Confusingly, the ‌iPad‌ "Air" name no longer really fits because the ‌iPad Pro‌ models are now thinner and lighter than the Air models, so you can also expect a little bit of extra bulk going with the Air line. The ‌iPad Air‌ can only be used with the prior-generation Magic Keyboard, but it does work with the new Apple Pencil Pro that has haptic feedback and a gyroscope for barrel roll.

At $799, the 13-inch ‌iPad Air‌ paired with a keyboard is probably the best ‌iPad‌ for those who want a computer replacement, given its size, speed, and price point. The 11-inch model is ideal if you want something smaller and more affordable that's still powerful, but for those who just want a simple tablet for watching movies or browsing the web, even the Air might be too much tablet.

What do you think of the revamped ‌iPad Air‌ and Apple's new iPad lineup? Let us know in the comments below.
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For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with iMazing to offer MacRumors a chance to win an Apple Vision Pro headset. The giveaway celebrates the recent release of iMazing 3, and the winner will also receive an iMazing 3 license that covers five devices (including the Vision Pro).


iMazing 3 has been redesigned and re-engineered for from the ground up for both Macs and Windows PCs, for ease of use no matter which platform you're using. The software offers a refreshed interface and an updated user experience that builds on the core iMazing features that customers have come to love.

For those who are unfamiliar with iMazing, it is iPhone and iPad management software that serves as an alternative to iTunes on PCs or the Finder-based device management option that now exists on Macs. The iMazing team overhauled the interface and underlying tools in order to provide the quality and future capabilities that customers expect from the software.


iMazing offers quick, local backups with support for snapshots so you can browse through all of your backups to find exactly what you're looking for. With the backup option, you'll never lose a file or access to an app again.

File and media transfers to or from devices are available, so you can move music, photos, and more from your ‌iPhone‌ to your Mac and vice versa. iMessage, SMS messages, and WhatsApp messages can also all be exported. For business users, iMazing offers tools for managing and provisioning devices.


The iMazing 3 software has a new Discover section that is meant to help casual users better navigate their devices and perform simple actions quickly. There are quick access options for transferring files, making backups, browsing images, copying voicemails, and more.

There's also a new Tools section that has power features aimed at business users, such as managing apps, exporting select data, scanning for spyware, and transferring content to another device. iMazing on Mac works with ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, and the Vision Pro.


iMazing bills itself as the best possible ‌iPhone‌ management software, and the third-generation version has been redesigned for the future. iMazing plans to provide regular updates that will add new capabilities and improve existing options, and the updates will be offered at no cost to iMazing 3 license holders.


iMazing 3 is available from the iMazing website, and a one-device license is priced at $40, while a three-device license is $60 and a 5-device license is $75.

We have a copy of iMazing and an ‌Apple Vision Pro‌ for one lucky MacRumors reader. To enter to win, use the widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner(s) and send the prize(s). You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, following us on Threads, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways and the availability of the Vision Pro, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older 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 (May 17) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on May 24. The winner will be chosen randomly on or shortly after May 24 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.
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Threads is working on a new web view that features the option to pin customized columns, similar to the TweetDeck feature that used to be available on Twitter. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared an image of the new web option, which he said is currently being tested.


The screenshot shows several custom columns, including a "For you" and several topic-based columns. Favorite searches, topics/keywords, accounts, saved posts, and notifications can be pinned at the current time, and there is an auto-refresh option to keep columns up to date with the newest posts.

Twitter, now renamed to X, has a similar "X Pro" feature that has the same format as the former TweetDeck option, but it requires an $8/month subscription to access. The Threads version would be free, and it could replicate much of the functionality that Twitter used to offer.

A column-based web view that's customizable could encourage more users to adopt Threads, and it prevents Threads users from being forced into the For you feed when opening Threads on the web. According to Bloomberg, Threads users that have the feature can pin up to 100 feeds to their homepage.

As of now, the multi-column view is being tested with a small number of users.

Earlier this week, Threads also added a new option to organize searches by recency, making it easier to find timely and relevant content on the social network.
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The iMessage service that Apple users to send messages to one another appears to be down for some users, and messages are failing to go out or are taking an extra long time to send.


There are numerous reports about the issue on social networks and a spike of outage reports on Down Detector, but Apple's System Status page is not yet reporting an outage.

Update: Apple's status page says iMessage service has been restored, with the outage lasting approximately 45 minutes from 2:49 p.m. to 3:35 p.m. Pacific Time. Apple says FaceTime, HomeKit, and Apple Messages for Business were also affected.
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Production on displays destined for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models will start in June, according to display analyst Ross Young. In a tweet limited to subscribers, Young said that panel production will begin next month, with the smaller-sized ‌iPhone 16‌ and ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ to have the highest volume production projected for June.


Apple suppliers will manufacture the displays and send them off to the factories that will start assembling the finished ‌iPhone 16‌ models.

The ‌iPhone 16‌, ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus, ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌, and ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max are expected to come out in September, which is Apple's typical iPhone release month. The devices will look similar to the iPhone 15 models, but Apple is increasing the size of the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max.

The ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ will have a 6.3-inch display (up from 6.1 inches) while the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max will have a 6.9-inch display (up from 6.7 inches). Display sizes for the standard ‌iPhone 16‌ models will not change, and the ‌iPhone 16‌ will measure in at 6.1 inches while the ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus will have a 6.7-inch display.

Other new features rumored for the ‌iPhone 16‌ lineup include a new "Capture" button for taking images and videos in landscape mode, faster A-series chips, camera updates, and Wi-Fi 7 and faster 5G modems for some models.

More on what to expect from the ‌iPhone 16‌ can be found in our dedicated roundup.
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Netflix's ad-supported streaming tier has 40 million global monthly active users, up 35 million from a year ago, Netflix said today at its Upfront advertising presentation. Netflix has 270 million total subscribers worldwide, so the majority of its users are still on the ad-free tiers.


Netflix resisted implementing an ad-supported tier for many years, but confirmed in 2022 that it had plans to implement a cheaper option in order to boost revenue. The Standard with ads plan launched in late 2022, and it has grown more popular as Netflix has increased the pricing of its ad-free tiers.

In the United States, the Standard with ads plan is priced at $6.99 per month for HD streaming on up to two devices at one time, with all but a "few movies and TV shows available." The basic ad-free plan is $15.49 per month, while the premium plan is $22.99 per month. Netflix's ad-supported plan does not include the option to download content for offline viewing, nor does it support spatial audio.

According to Netflix, more than 40 percent of all signups in the countries where the ad-supported plan is available are for the ads plan. More than 70 percent of Netflix's ad-supported members watch Netflix content for more than 10 hours per month, and Netflix says subscribers are twice as likely to respond to an ad compared to subscribers of other streaming services.

Since Netflix launched its ad-supported tier, it has partnered with Microsoft for ads, but in 2025, it will launch an in-house ad platform.

In addition to boosting revenue through a cheaper ad-supported option, Netflix has also cracked down on password sharing. After putting an end to multi-household account use, Netflix saw strong subscriber growth and an increase in revenue.
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With Apple's decision to allow game emulators on the App Store, several popular emulators like Delta have now launched for iPhone and iPad. RetroArch is the latest emulator to come to the ‌App Store‌, allowing gamers to play games from a wide range of systems.


RetroArch supports multiple versions of Atari and Commodore systems, as well as the Nintendo DS, Game Boy, NES, SNES, and Virtual Boy. Multiple Sega and Sony systems are also included, as are the NEC PC Engine and Neo Geo Pocket.

RetroArch is free to download, has no ads, and is open source. It supports save states, cheats, custom overlays, fast forward and rewind, AI translations, and RetroAchievements. RetroAchievements adds trophies to all manner of classic games, providing incentives to unlock new content and top leaderboards.

RetroArch is fairly well-known because it was previously available on PC and Mac, it just was not able to be released for iOS devices until Apple's rule change. RetroArch is also the first console emulator that works on the Apple TV, allowing games to be played with an MFi controller on a larger screen.


RetroArch can be downloaded from the ‌App Store‌ for free. [Direct Link]
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Popular note taking app Goodnotes today announced new features that are designed to work with the Apple Pencil Pro that launched alongside the 2024 iPad Pro models. The ‌Apple Pencil‌ Pro supports a squeeze gesture with haptic feedback, as well as a barrel roll for better control over shaped pen and brush tools.


Palette is a set of tools that pops up in Goodnotes with a squeeze of the ‌Apple Pencil‌ Pro. It allows users to swap between essential tools, undo, and change ink stroke, thickness, and color. Normally these features would need to be accessed through a tool panel, but the Palette makes it much quicker to swap between options without interrupting a workflow.

Goodnotes' Fountain Pen now includes Dynamic Ink with an ink flow that is able to respond to the rotation of the ‌Apple Pencil‌. Instead of just responding to pressure sensitivity, the Fountain Pen is able to make thinner or thicker lines based on the orientation of the ‌Apple Pencil‌, for a more natural pen-like feel.

Strokes will vary with calligraphic flourishes as a physical fountain pen would, which Goodnotes says can bring more personal expression to digital writing. Rolling the barrel of the ‌Apple Pencil‌ Pro can also provide more precise control over stroke thickness, and stroke preview is available using ‌Apple Pencil‌ hover.

Goodnotes 6 can be downloaded from the App Store for free, but it costs $9.99 per year after a free trial. [Direct Link]
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Astropad today confirmed that its updated version of Rock Paper Pencil is compatible with the 2024 iPad Pro and iPad Air models. Rock Paper Pencil is a screen protector and Apple Pencil tip duo designed to mimic the feel of writing on paper with a pen.


Rock Paper Pencil combines a removable screen protector with a unique ‌Apple Pencil‌ tip to replicate the feel of writing on paper. The NanoCling Screen Protector adheres to the iPad's display using static cling, and it can easily be put on and taken off when it's not needed, with no adhesive residue.

The Pencil tip can hold up to heavy daily use with a wear-resistant copper alloy core and palladium coating. The tip is equivalent to a standard 0.7mm ballpoint pen for a pleasant note taking experience. The kit includes two pencil tips and a protective storage sleeve for the screen protector.

Rock Paper Pencil is priced at $40 and can be purchased from the Astropad website. The 13-inch version is compatible with the 13-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ and ‌iPad Air‌, while there are separate versions for the 11-inch ‌iPad Air‌ and the 11-inch ‌iPad Pro‌.
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The National Music Publishers Association (NMPA) today sent a cease and desist letter to Spotify, accusing the music streaming service of using its members' copyrighted content without appropriate licensing. The letter was shared by Billboard, and it suggests that Spotify is "hosting unlicensed musical works in its lyrics, videos, and podcasts."


Spotify has been asked to remove the unlicensed content from its platform or face a "copyright liability" for its continued use. The NMPA is a trade association that represents music publishers and songwriters in the U.S., and the group focuses on protecting music copyrights.

The NMPA claims that while Spotify has mechanical and public performance licenses, the use of lyrics and music in videos and podcasts requires rights that must be negotiated directly with rightsholders.

It has come to our attention that Spotify displays lyrics and reproduces and distributes music videos and podcasts using musical works without the consent of or compensation to the respective publishers and/or administrators (our members) who control the copyrights in the musical compositions. As such, these uses of musical works on the Spotify platform are not licensed or will soon become unlicensed.

U.S. copyright law generally grants copyright owners the exclusive right to, among other things, reproduce, distribute, display, perform publicly, and create derivative works from their copyrighted works under 17 U.S.C. Sn. 106. Violation of these exclusive rights constitutes copyright infringement under 17 U.S.C. Sn. 501.

Spotify thus appears to be engaged in direct infringement by hosting unlicensed musical works in its lyrics, videos, and podcasts, and by distributing unauthorized reproductions, synchronizations, displays, and derivative uses of these musical works to its users. Making matters worse, Spotify profits from such infringement.

Accordingly, on behalf of our members, NMPA demands that unlicensed lyrics, music videos, and podcasts be removed from the platform or Spotify will face copyright liability for continued use of these works.

A spokesperson for Spotify told Billboard that the letter is a "press stunt filled with false and misleading claims." Spotify went on to say that it paid a "record amount" to songwriters in 2023, and is on track to surpass that amount in 2024.
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Ubisoft today announced plans to release Assassin's Creed Shadows, the next game in the Assassin's Creed franchise, on November 15. It will be available on Macs with Apple silicon through the Mac App Store, as well as Windows PCs, the Xbox Series X or Series S, and the PlayStation 5.


Assassin's Creed Shadows takes place in 16th century Japan, with players set to take on the role of Naoe, a shinobi assassin from the Iga Province and Yasuke, a powerful samurai. Each character offers a different playstyle, progression path, skills, weapon options, and stats. Naoe focuses on stealth skills, while Yasuke excels at combat.

The game has a vast open world to explore, and Ubisoft says players can expect a variety of landscapes that have evolving weather and seasons. There will be castle towns, bustling ports, pastoral landscapes, and peaceful shrines.

As with past Assassin's Creed games, players will need to hunt down targets and build spy networks, with the game featuring a customizable hideout and recruitable allies.

The standard version of the game will be priced at $70, but there are more expensive Gold, Ultimate, and Collector's Edition options that include additional unlocks and merchandise. Pre-orders are available from the Mac App Store starting today.
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Today is the official launch day of the new iPad Pro models, and these updated tablets mark the biggest feature and design refresh that we've seen for the ‌iPad Pro‌ in several years. We picked up one of the new 13-inch models to check out everything new.


When it comes to design, Apple is still offering 11-inch and 13-inch size options and the look hasn't changed a whole lot, but the bezels are slimmer and the iPads themselves are super thin. The 13-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ is the thinnest device Apple has made to date at 5.1mm, while the 11-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ is 5.3mm.

With the 13-inch model weighing in just over a pound, the decrease in weight and size is noticeable and makes it feel much more portable. The 11-inch model is under a pound, so it's even easier to carry around. This is a design change that you'll feel if you've used a 2018 or later ‌iPad Pro‌.

The OLED display is, unsurprisingly, super nice. It's bright, the colors are vibrant, the blacks are incredibly black, and the contrast is much improved. The mini-LED display of the prior-generation 13-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ was good, but this is better. Still, if you have that one, it's probably not worth upgrading for OLED. Nano-texture, an add-on option for higher-end models, cuts down on glare, but it also diminishes the OLED display a bit because of the matte finish.

Apple moved the camera to the landscape edge of the ‌iPad Pro‌, which makes a lot of sense because most people are probably using it in that orientation. Video calls no longer require turning the iPad into an awkward position if you have a keyboard attached. Note that Apple did pull the Ultra Wide camera, so there's just a single Wide lens and a LiDAR sensor.

The M4 chip is incredibly fast, fast enough that it's likely most people purchasing an ‌iPad Pro‌ aren't going to be able to take full advantage of its capabilities. It's going to be hard to max this chip out, and it'll handle audio and video editing with ease. Apple is focusing heavily on AI with its new operating system updates, so those AI will be able to take advantage of that processing power, and it'll come in handy for future proofing.

If you want to use the ‌iPad Pro‌ for anything that involves typing, the Magic Keyboard is a must. It's priced starting at $299, but it's thin, light weight, and the aluminum hand rest makes it feel Mac-like. It's got good key travel and the glass trackpad is a major improvement.

For Apple Pencil users, the ‌Apple Pencil‌ Pro's haptic feedback is the most noticeable change. With the squeeze gesture, you can swap tools more quickly and have more feedback when creating sketches and art. Barrel roll also lets you use the ‌Apple Pencil‌ more like an actual writing or drawing implement. The ‌Apple Pencil‌ charges magnetically, and pairs automatically, like prior versions.

The only real downside to the ‌iPad Pro‌ is the software that it's running. iPadOS is still so limited compared to macOS, especially for multitasking and app functionality. Federico Viticci's recent writeup on the iPadOS basics that Apple gets wrong is well worth a read. Still, there are some workflows that are adaptable to the ‌iPad Pro‌, and it's a great portable machine. If you're a person who can make use of a tablet, this is the best one you can get.
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It's already Wednesday, May 15 in Australia and New Zealand, so customers who pre-ordered one of the new M4 iPad Pro or M2 iPad Air models are starting to receive their devices.


The new iPads were introduced last week, with the ‌iPad Pro‌ featuring OLED display technology, a next-generation M4 chip, and a thin and light design that makes it even thinner and lighter than the iPad "Air." Meanwhile, the ‌iPad Air‌ has the ‌M2‌ chip that was previously in the ‌iPad Pro‌, providing a nice upgrade over the M1, and Apple has also introduced a new 13-inch display size so you can get the Air in two sizes much like the Pro, but it's just an LCD display rather than an OLED display.

• iPad Air vs. iPad Pro Buyer's Guide: 30+ Differences Compared

Apple also launched a new Magic Keyboard for the ‌iPad Pro‌ with a larger glass trackpad, a function row of keys, and an aluminum palm rest that makes it look more like a MacBook than ever, plus there's an Apple Pencil Pro that works with both the ‌iPad Air‌ and ‌iPad Pro‌ models.

New Zealand doesn't have Apple retail locations, but stores in Australia will have the new ‌iPad Pro‌ and ‌iPad Air‌ models available for purchase. The ‌iPad Pro‌ and ‌iPad Air‌ didn't sell out and should be readily available, but there is a wait online for the nano-texture glass option on higher-capacity 1TB and 2TB ‌iPad Pro‌ models.

Following New Zealand and Australia, sales and deliveries of the new iPads will kick off in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and finally, North America.

Pricing on the ‌iPad Air‌ starts at $599, while pricing on the ‌iPad Pro‌ starts at $999. The Magic Keyboard is priced starting at $299, while the ‌Apple Pencil‌ Pro is $129.

Make sure to stay tuned to MacRumors because we'll have a hands-on review of the new ‌iPad Pro‌ tomorrow morning.
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Google today announced several new AI features that it is building into the Android 15 operating system, giving us some insight into what Apple's iPhone operating system will be competing with later this year.


According to Google, Android has been designed with AI at its core, and Gemini is a foundational part of the Android experience that works at the system level. There is an AI powered search bar that can be used for answering queries and looking up information, and the Circle to Search feature can be used for solving math and physics problems or getting homework help as of today.

Gemini serves as the AI assistant on Android instead of Google Assistant, and the Gemini AI will be able to be brought up as an overlay on any app that's in use. Gemini is context aware and can anticipate what the smartphone user is doing and provide context in the moment. It can create images for texts and social media, or answer questions about a video that's being watched. It can parse PDFs, websites, and other content, providing summaries and translating.

Google is using on-device AI for some features in order to keep sensitive data private, and this is also Apple's plan. Multiple rumors have suggested that many of Apple's first AI features will run on-device rather than through a cloud server.

Gemini Nano, Google's on-device AI, currently does things like generate smart replies in messaging apps and summarize voice memos. Gemini Nano with Multimodality is coming to Pixel phones later this year, enabling new on-device AI features like TalkBack, which can help blind and low-vision users better interpret the world around them. Google is also developing a call screening feature that actively listens to calls and lets users know if it sounds like a scam.

Google today also announced Gemini 1.5 Flash, a lightweight version of its Gemini Pro AI model. Gemini Flash is more efficient, less expensive, and has lower latency, which makes it ideal for large scale rollouts. Google says that Gemini 1.5 Flash is able to deliver "impressive quality" for its size, excelling at summarization, chat applications, image and video captioning, and data extraction from long documents.

Gemini 1.5 Pro has also been improved and it is able to follow increasingly complex and nuanced instructions, including parsing documents up to 1,500 pages long or an hour of video content. Gemini can be interacted with in Google Messages, and Gemini Advanced subscribers will be able to experience a new mobile conversational experience that makes speaking with Gemini more intuitive. Customized versions of Gemini called Gems are also available to subscribers, for personalized assistants that can help with workouts, provide recipes, and more, with specific personalities.

Project Astra, another Google effort, focuses on AI agents that can be helpful in everyday life. Google demoed prototype agents able to identify objects, provide context on information from the camera, and recall a timeline of events for finding a lost item.


Google plans to provide more information on new features coming to Android 15 later this week.
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Apple today shared its fourth annual fraud prevention analysis, providing insight into how the App Store's rules protect users from fraudulent apps and other security issues.


Apple says that it prevented over $1.8 billion in fraudulent transactions in 2023 alone, and $7 billion during the period from 2020 to 2023. Apple blocked more than 14 million stolen credit cards and banned more than 3.3 million accounts from further transactions.

Over 1.7 million apps were rejected in 2023 for not meeting Apple's standards for privacy, security, and content. 118,000 developer accounts were terminated, down from 428,000 last year. The drop came from new efforts to prevent the creation of fraudulent accounts in the first place, plus more than 91,000 developer enrollments were rejected for fraud concerns.

More than 153 million fraudulent customer accounts were blocked, and close to 374 million developer and customer accounts were terminated. Apple says that it detected and blocked 47,000 illegitimate apps on pirate storefronts, and stopped almost 3.8 million attempts to install or launch apps that were illicitly distributed through the Enterprise Program.

The app review team reviewed 6.9 million app submissions in 2023, and helped 192,000 developers publish their first apps on the ‌App Store‌. Apple says that there has been an uptick in apps that misrepresented themselves as non-harmful products and later transformed into pirate movie streaming platforms or illegal gambling apps, which the ‌App Store‌ team has worked to block.

Some financial service apps involved in "complex and malicious" social engineering efforts to defraud users were identified and removed, and Apple says a total of 40,000 apps were pulled for bait and switch activity. Another 38,000 apps were rejected for undocumented or hidden features, and 375,000 apps were rejected for privacy violations.

Apple's report comes following changes in the European Union that have allowed for apps to be installed outside of the ‌App Store‌, skirting some of the app review process. Apps distributed from alternative app marketplaces or websites must undergo a safety notarization process, but Apple does not check for content. Apple has claimed that downloading apps outside of the ‌App Store‌ will put users at risk for scams, fraud, and privacy issues.
This article, "Apple Says It Stopped $7 Billion in Fraudulent Transactions in Last 4 Years" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple recently released iOS 17.5, the newest version of iOS. It brings some major changes to the iPhone if you're in the European Union, and some smaller updates if you're not.


In this article, we've rounded up everything new in iOS 17.5.

App Downloads From Websites (EU Only)

iOS 17.5 brings support for web-based app distribution in the European Union, letting developers offer their apps for download directly on their websites. ‌iPhone‌ users can download iOS apps from supported websites without using the App Store.

As with the iOS 17.4 changes that added alternative app marketplaces, this functionality is limited to the ‌iPhone‌ and can only be used in the EU. Developers need to be a member of the Apple Developer Program for two continuous years or more and must have more than one million first installs on iOS in the prior year to offer an app for download.

All apps downloaded from websites onto iPhones must submit to Apple's notarization process, and while there is no commission to pay to Apple, Apple does charge a 0.50 euro Core Technology Fee. Though this is only available on the ‌iPhone‌ right now, Apple will bring the same functionality to the iPad later this year.

Apple News+

Apple News+ now has an offline mode that provides access to the Today feed and the News+ tab even without a cellular or Wi-Fi connection.

‌Apple News‌+ includes a new daily word game called Quartiles. The game requires players to combine tiles to form words and earn points. Quartiles is limited to customers who have a paid ‌Apple News‌+ subscription.


The scoreboard feature for ‌Apple News‌+ Puzzles includes new player data for Crossword, Mini Crossword, and Quartiles. Players can see their stats and streaks over time, similar to how The New York Times gaming app works.

Third-Party Item Tracker Alerts

iOS 17.5 adds support for third-party item trackers, a feature that Apple has been working on since last year.

Apple and Google developed a cross-platform solution for unwanted tracking alerts, and iOS 17.5 will let ‌iPhone‌ users know when a third-party tracker is nearby. "You can disable this item and stop it from sharing its location with the owner. To do this, follow the instructions provided on a website by the manufacturer of this item," reads code in the update.

Apple's release notes say that Cross-Platform Tracking Detection has been designed to provide notifications to users if a compatible Bluetooth tracker they do not own is moving with them, regardless of what operating system the device is paired with.

Google launched its Android-based Find My Device network in April, timed with the initial rollout of Cross-Platform Tracking Detection.

Repair State

iOS 17.5 includes a repair state option that lets an ‌iPhone‌ be sent in for service without deactivating Find My and Activation Lock.


A new "Remove This Device" option is available in ‌Find My‌, and using it with an ‌iPhone‌ puts the device into a repair state mode. Sending a device for repair has historically required turning off ‌Find My‌, which is a way for Apple to ensure that the person requesting a repair owns the ‌iPhone‌.

The repair state option leaves ‌Find My‌ turned on, and the ‌iPhone‌ continues to be trackable with the ‌Find My‌ app while it is being repaired. An ‌iPhone‌ put into a repair state lists that it is "Ready for Repair" in the ‌Find My‌ device section, and the ‌iPhone‌ remains functional while in the repair state.

Podcast Widget

The Podcasts widget that can be added to the Home Screen or the Lock screen now features a background that changes depending on the art of the podcast that's being played.

Mobile Device Management

MDM solutions are able to enforce a beta version during automated device enrollment. Automated device enrollment is designed to simplify initial device setup.

Code Changes

There were some code changes that we found in the iOS 17.5 beta that reference an ‌iPad‌ battery health feature that could possibly be available on the latest iPads. Battery health is not listed as an iPadOS 17.5 feature, so it is not clear if it is a feature that is available or something coming at a later date.

An ‌iPad‌ Battery Health menu would likely show maximum remaining capacity and charge cycle count, similar to the Battery Health menu on ‌iPhone‌.

There were also references to a "Block All Participants" option for group FaceTime calls, possibly for blocking spam, but it also has not been implemented.

More on iOS 17

A full rundown on all of the features that are available in iOS 17 can be found in our iOS 17 roundup.
This article, "iOS 17.5 Features: What's New in iOS 17.5" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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MacPaw today said that its Setapp alternative app marketplace for the iPhone will be launching on Tuesday, May 14 in the European Union.


A Setapp marketplace has been in the works since February, which is when Apple first announced the alternative app downloading options that would be coming in iOS 17.4.

For those unfamiliar with Setapp, it is a subscription-based service that lets users access dozens of apps for $9.99 per month. Popular apps like Ulysses, iStat Menus, Spark, Unite, Yoink, and more are available through the current subscription service.

According to MacPaw, Setapp will provide a "carefully selected assortment of apps" across categories like productivity, design, lifestyle, utility, and more.

Setapp already offers a $12.49 subscription that provides access to both the iOS and Mac versions of apps, but EU users will be able to access Setapp apps without having to download them through the App Store. Setapp will give developers a trusted alternative to ‌App Store‌ distribution with none of the standard fees, though it is worth noting that all apps that exceed 1 million first installs per year must pay the 0.50 euro Core Technology Fee to Apple.

Apps distributed through alternative app marketplaces are required to submit to a notarization process to ensure they are free from malware, but Apple does not have restrictions on content so apps that might not have been eligible for the ‌App Store‌ can be distributed through alternative means.
This article, "Setapp's EU Alternative iPhone App Marketplace Launching on May 14" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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For her review of the new M4 iPad Pro, The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern spoke with Tom Boger, Apple's vice president of iPad and Mac marketing. Stern focused on comparing the ‌iPad Pro‌ to a MacBook, and asked some targeted questions about the way Apple views the two devices.


According to Boger, Apple sees the ‌iPad Pro‌ and Mac as devices that are meant to be used alongside one another. "We don't see them as competing devices," he said. "We see them as complementary devices." While the ‌iPad‌ is a "touch-first device," the Mac is designed for "indirect manipulation," with a mouse or keyboard, which is a point that Apple has reiterated several times over the years.

"macOS is for a very different paradigm of computing," he went on to explain after Stern asked about the possibility of running Mac apps on the ‌iPad‌ or a Mac with a touch screen. Boger said that many Apple customers have both devices, and use the ‌iPad‌ to "extend" Mac work with Continuity.

When asked if Apple would ever change its mind on a touch screen Mac, he didn't say no. "Oh, I can't say we never change our mind," he told Stern.

Stern traded her MacBook for an ‌iPad‌ for her review, and said that the ‌iPad‌ was better for portability, touch, and 5G connectivity, a feature not available on the Mac. The Mac offered superior port options (it has more than one), better software and multitasking, longer battery life, and better multi-display support.

Stern's full review and interview with Boger can be read over at The Wall Street Journal.
This article, "iPad Marketing VP: iPad and Mac are Complementary Devices, Not Competing Devices" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Some new OLED iPad Pro models appear to have an issue with HDR content in select shades of blue, according to a review from iMore. The site found that some blue colors cause HDR highlights to blow out and appear nearly white, a defect that can be spotted in the form of compression artifacts in sample images.

Image via iMore

In a relatively specific set of circumstances, HDR highlights are blown out on certain blue shades including navy and indigo to a point that they almost appear white on screen. The best way to spot it would be to look at a character wearing a navy blue shirt -- the creases appear to shimmer, like a spider's web placed over the surface; at other times it appears like an inky blob morphing over it.

iMore said that the problem is visible "under very specific circumstances" and it can't be seen on other OLED devices such as the iPhone 15 Pro. It's also a bug that is hard to spot most of the time, and there's no clear reason why it's happening.

Apple told iMore that it is aware of the issue and is working on a software update to fix it.
This article, "HDR Bug Impacts OLED iPad Pro, Apple Working on Software Fix" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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