Nanoleaf, known for its range of iPhone-connected lighting products, today announced the launch of two new devices. The Nanoleaf Rope Light is a super flexible LED light strip that can be bent into almost any shape.


It is more flexible than Nanoleaf's traditional light strips, and it has a silicone cover that diffuses the light so it does not need to be under or behind a TV, display, or other device. It can be crafted into a specific shape, manipulated into an abstract design, or used to outline furniture and decor.

Each $70 rope light is five meters long (16 feet), and it can display multiple colors at one time. Nanoleaf ships it with mounting clips so that it can be securely mounted to a wall in a myriad of designs. There are 420 total LEDs inside the light, and it is 300 lumens, so more of an ambient lighting product than a lamp replacement.

The Matter Smart Multicolor Rope Light can be controlled via the Nanoleaf app, and it is also able to connect to HomeKit over Matter so that it can be controlled with the Home app and with Siri voice commands. Matter integration also allows it to be controlled alongside other ‌HomeKit‌ products in scenes and automations. More than 16 million colors are supported, with customizable colors and patterns available in the Nanoleaf app.

Nanoleaf's Solar Garden Lights are an affordable solar accent lighting option, priced at $50 for two. Unlike most Nanoleaf products, the Solar Garden Lights do not connect to ‌HomeKit‌ or the Nanoleaf app, and they are instead controlled via an included remote control.


There are eight bulbs per Solar Garden light, along with a solar panel that can be placed in the sun to keep the lights charged up. Alternatively, the lights include a USB-C port and can also be charged that way.

We were able to test out the Solar Garden Lights ahead of launch, and found that they worked well. A quick USB-C charge provided enough power to get them up and running, and charging in the sun kept them powered. The lights are not designed to come on during the day, and like many solar lights, will activate only at night.

While app controls would be nice, the remote cycles through 11 animated scenes with different colors, and eight solid color options. There are also warm and white light settings for those who don't care for multicolored lights. The stems for the bulbs can be manipulated into an ideal shape, and Nanoleaf ships stakes in two sizes so you can adjust height to your liking. The lights look nice positioned around plants given the spray design.

The Solar Garden Lights feature IP65 weatherproofing so they will hold up to rain and the elements, and there are controls to run them for 4, 6, and 8 hour increments. Compared to the inexpensive solar lights that are easy to find at big box stores, Nanoleaf's have a sturdier solar attachment and quality, flexible bulbs with a unique look. Up to 20 lights can be controlled at once, and Nanoleaf has multi-packs available.

Both of the new products can be purchased from Nanoleaf's website starting today. The Solar Garden Lights are priced starting at $50, and the Rope Light is $70.

In addition to introducing new products today, Nanoleaf also announced that it is expanding into 2,500 Walmart retail locations across the United States. Nanoleaf products will be available for purchase at Walmart in addition to Amazon, the Nanoleaf website, Best Buy, and other retailers.
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Google today announced that it is adding a dedicated AI Mode to Google Search, which is an expansion of the existing AI Overviews feature that Google provides for standard searches. AI Mode is able to handle longer, harder search queries with multiple facets.


Questions are broken down into different parts, with multiple searches run simultaneously on separate databases to provide a timely answer that takes into account personal context to make results more relevant to each user. It can generate images, including custom charts, and it supports follow-up questions.

AI Mode is rolling out to all users in the United States starting today, and it will be accessible through a new tab in Google Search for desktop and the Google Search apps. It will let users make more complex queries that are designed to leverage AI capabilities.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai said that AI Mode's predecessor, AI Overviews, has been "one of the most successful launches for search in the last decade." Pichai did not address the impact that AI Overviews have had on publishers. AI Overviews and AI Mode pull content from websites, giving people little reason to click on links to source information directly where it came from. AI Mode will display links, much like AI Overviews, but with detailed summaries that are provided, there's little reason for people to visit websites from the search interface.

AI Mode will incorporate AI agent capabilities, so it will be able to field requests like "find two affordable tickets for this Saturday's Reds game," and it will also work for shopping. AI Mode will be able to help users find specific items, such as a rug, with refinements that take into account factors like children or pets, colors, and more. Google's AI Mode will be able to track prices on items, and let you know when something you want is on sale.

For clothing shopping, AI Mode includes a virtual try-on option. It can use a photo of the user to create a preview of what an item of clothing will look like when worn. The feature works by generating an AI model of the user's body, and displaying how clothing will drape in a realistic way. There's also a "buy it for me" option that can be used for making purchases directly from search. The new shopping features are set to arrive in the coming months, though try on is available in Labs now.

This summer, AI Mode will adopt personal context, aggregating past searches and information from apps like Gmail to provide more customized responses.

AI Mode will now power AI Overviews in the standard search interface, and some of the new AI Mode capabilities will be incorporated into AI Overviews.
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Apple today released a new firmware update for the USB-C version of the AirPods Max headphones. The new firmware is version 7E108, up from the prior 7E101 firmware the device was previously running.


There is no word on what's new in the firmware as of yet, if anything. It is likely that the update focuses on under-the-hood performance improvements.

With the prior 7E101 firmware, Apple added support for lossless audio and ultra low-latency audio for the USB-C ‌AirPods Max‌, so there could also be a bug fix related to this capability.

The USB-C ‌AirPods Max‌ now support 24-bit 48 kHz lossless audio, which is designed to allow listeners to experience music the way the artist created it in the studio.

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

You can check your firmware version by going to Settings > Bluetooth and selecting the Info button next to the ‌AirPods Max‌ when they are connected to an ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, or Mac.
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Google is bringing a new live view feature to its Gemini apps on iOS and Android, allowing users to live stream their surroundings to Gemini to get feedback on what they're seeing. Integration is rolling out starting today.


In a demo, Gemini identified objects that the user was looking at, corrected wrong assumptions about what an object was, and provided context by answering questions. Gemini's live view can identify objects in real-time, provide assistance with DIY or home improvement projects, help organize spaces, assist with shopping, and more.

You can also share your iPhone or iPad screen with Gemini to get feedback on something that you see online.

Gemini's Live option could be helpful for those who are blind or who have low vision, as it can provide a live vocal feed of a person's surroundings. Live is built on Project Astra, which Google previewed at I/O last year, and it previously rolled out to Pixel devices.

This summer, Google also plans to add personal context to Gemini for features like Gmail's smart reply. Gemini will be able to use relevant information across Google apps to provide a more personalized experience. For example, the AI reply feature in Gmail can sound like you, rather than having a generic voice. It is able to scan past emails to match tone, style, and word choice, plus it can look up notes, documents from Google Drive, and more to add context to emails.
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In addition to sharing a complete WWDC 2025 schedule today, Apple has outlined details about developer labs and community events.


Apple will be hosting free group labs from Tuesday, June 10 through Friday, June 13. During these labs, developers will be able to join Apple engineers online to discuss and ask questions about WWDC 2025 announcements. Developers can register starting today, with available topics ranging from Apple Intelligence to SwiftUI.

Developers will also be able to set up one-on-one appointments with Apple experts online for guidance on various topics, such as app design, privacy, accessibility, and more. Apple says one-on-one lab requests will open immediately after the WWDC 2025 keynote on Monday, June 9 via this page and the Apple Developer app.

Apple has shared helpful tips for both the group and one-on-one labs.

During the week of WWDC, Apple's engineers will answer questions and help to solve technical issues in the Apple Developer Forums.

Apple has also listed various community events that will be held around the world leading up to, during, and shortly after WWDC 2025.
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Apple will make its artificial intelligence models available to developers to use in their apps, reports Bloomberg. The company plans to introduce a new software development kit (SDK) in iOS 19 that will make it easier for app creators to add AI features.


The SDK will feature the same large language models that Apple is using for Apple Intelligence features like notification summaries, Writing Tools, Genmoji, and Image Playground, but Apple will first focus on the smaller models that are able to run on-device.

Apple has faced criticism for its failure to deliver ‌Apple Intelligence‌ Siri features in a timely manner. Apple announced a new personalized ‌Siri‌ experience at WWDC 2024 and intended to release the new capabilities as part of iOS 18, but the functionality was not ready in time and is now being held until ‌iOS 19‌.

Some of Apple's other features, like Writing Tools and ‌Image Playground‌, haven't seen widespread adoption. According to Bloomberg, Apple is hoping that opening up its AI models to developers will provide use cases that better attract consumers. Currently, developers can integrate notification summaries, Writing Tools, ‌Genmoji‌, and ‌Image Playground‌ into their apps, but they aren't able to create new AI features using Apple's framework. Instead, developers who want to include AI integrate third-party models, which Apple is aiming to change.

Apple's AI announcements will come at the Worldwide Developers Conference, which is set to take place on Monday, June 9.

Apple has also been working on in-house large language models (LLMs), and eventually the company plans to introduce a version of ‌Siri‌ that relies on LLMs and is more like ChatGPT, Claude, and other chatbots. The LLM version of ‌Siri‌ isn't expected until 2026 at the earliest, and it will likely be part of iOS 20.
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Apple today announced a more detailed schedule for its annual developers conference WWDC, which runs from June 9 through June 13. The schedule confirms that Apple's keynote will begin on Monday, June 9 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, with a live stream to be available on Apple.com, in the Apple TV app, and on YouTube.


During the keynote, Apple is expected to announce iOS 19, iPadOS 19, macOS 16, watchOS 12, tvOS 19, visionOS 3, and other software updates, along with new Apple Intelligence features. In some years, there are also hardware announcements at WWDC, but there has yet to be any rumors about new devices being unveiled at this year's conference.

Apple has reminded developers that WWDC 2025 is "on the horizon" on its developer news page, where developers can now register for group labs.

The keynote will be followed by the Platforms State of the Union video on June 9 at 1 p.m. Pacific Time. This video will provide a deeper dive into the latest features and tools for developers across Apple's software platforms. Apple says the video will be available to stream via the Apple Developer website, app, and YouTube channel.

Both the keynote and the Platforms State of the Union will be available for on-demand playback after each live stream concludes.

In the past, the WWDC schedule included an in-person Apple Design Awards event, but Apple moved to pre-announcing the winning apps last year.

WWDC 2025 will primarily take place online, with more than a hundred videos to be shared across the Apple Developer website, Apple Developer app, and YouTube for free. There will also be an in-person component, as more than 1,000 developers and students have been invited to attend a special day at Apple Park on June 9 to watch the keynote video together, meet some of Apple's teams, socialize, and more.
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If you told someone in the 1960s that one day a flying robot would be able to deliver a computer that fits in their pocket to their backyard, they might think it was a scene from The Jetsons. However, that is now a very real possibility.


Amazon today announced that it recently received approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to offer drone delivery for several new categories of items, including Apple products like iPhones, AirPods, and AirTags.

Amazon launched its Prime Air drone delivery in 2022, promising drop-offs to a backyard or other specified location in less than an hour. However, the service is currently limited to parts of the Phoenix, Arizona and College Station, Texas areas in the U.S., and it is only offered during daylight hours and favorable weather conditions. In addition, drone delivery is only available for a single item that weighs up to five pounds.

The delivery location must be clear of obstacles and reachable by a drone.

While this cutting-edge technology is currently limited to just two cities in the U.S., Amazon promises to expand it to additional cities over time. The company has also promised to launch the service in the UK and Italy, subject to regulatory approval.

Amazon's announcement was earlier reported by The Verge.
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Amazon today has the USB-C AirPods Max on sale for $479.99 in every color, down from $549.00. This sale started over the weekend with just one color at this price, but now Amazon has expanded it to include all five colors of the AirPods Max.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

All colors are still available to be delivered in May, with most providing a delivery estimate around May 26 for free shipping options. Prime members in certain cities should be able to see same-day delivery options.



Right now this is one of the only notable AirPods discount on Amazon. The AirPods Pro 2 are available for $199.00 this week, down from $249.00, but that's not all that close to the record low price on the model. If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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The Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple's annual developer and software-oriented event, is less than three weeks away. We haven't heard a great deal about macOS 16 ahead of its announcement this year, so we could be in for some major surprises when June 9 rolls around. Here's what we know so far about the next major update to Apple's Mac operating system.

macOS 16 Name?

Every year heading into WWDC, one question on many Mac fans' minds is what Apple will choose as the name for the next version of macOS. The tradition dates all the way back to the beginning of Mac OS X with its big cat names, and then in 2013 Apple shifted to Calfornia-themed names with the unveiling of OS X Mavericks.

Back in the early days after the debut of OS X Mavericks, we discovered a total of over 20 California-themed trademark applications filed by various limited liability companies that were all but certain to be shell companies created by Apple to hide its identity.

Over time, some of the trademarks like Yosemite, Sierra, Mojave, and Monterey were indeed used by Apple for its major Mac operating system updates, while trademark applications for several other names have been abandoned.

Apple has previously used names from abandoned trademark filings – such as Big Sur in 2020 – for macOS releases. So, macOS 16 could still adopt a name Apple sought to protect years ago.

The below list covers the remaining macOS name possibilities that Apple had filed to protect:

Compatibility

Apple began transitioning the Mac lineup to Apple Silicon in 2020 and completed it by 2023. Since then, support for Intel Macs has steadily declined with each new macOS release.

Only a few Intel-based machines are supported in Apple's last update, macOS Sequoia:

• 2018 Mac mini


• 2019–2020 iMac models


• 2017 iMac Pro


• 2020 MacBook Air


• 2018–2020 MacBook Pro models


• 2019 Mac Pro

With the increasing prevalence of AI features, it could be that macOS 16 is the last version to support at least some Intel-based Macs, minus Apple Intelligence features that require Macs with Apple silicon chips. If Apple dropped support for the oldest models in the above list, that would see Apple stay faithful to delivering at least five years of software support for its devices.

Rumored Design Changes

Apple is planning a radical redesign of macOS with version 16, and it could be the most significant visual refresh since macOS Big Sur was introduced in 2020, according to Bloomberg.


The upcoming Mac operating system will reportedly be part of Apple's sweeping effort to create a more consistent interface across all of its platforms, including iPhone, iPad, and Apple Vision Pro. The redesign will update the "style of icons, menus, apps, windows, and system buttons" throughout the system.

According to people familiar with the project, which is dubbed "Cheer" internally, Apple aims to simplify navigation and device control while bringing design elements from visionOS to the Mac experience. While specific details remain limited, some of the changes could include:

• Complete refresh of icons, menus, and system buttons


• New window styles and management features


• Simplified navigation system


• Visual elements inspired by visionOS (possible circular app icons?)


• More translucent interface elements


• Greater visual consistency with iOS and iPadOS

The redesign is described as "loosely based" on the Vision Pro's software interface, while being adapted for traditional displays. Bloomberg notes that some "immersive" elements from the Vision Pro experience won't translate to the 2D world of macOS.

The design overhaul is reportedly a major focus for Apple's software engineering organization and user interface team within its design group. Alan Dye, who helped craft iOS 7's revolutionary redesign in 2013, is said to be overseeing software design for the project.

While Apple is working to make its operating systems look more consistent, the company is deliberately avoiding merging them completely. Bloomberg reports that Apple believes it can create better Macs and iPads by maintaining separate operating systems, while also encouraging consumers to purchase both types of devices.

New Features

Captive Wi-Fi Data Syncing

Apple is developing a new feature that will synchronize captive Wi-Fi portal login information across devices, according to Bloomberg. The system will allow users to enter login details for captive Wi-Fi networks – commonly found in hotels, airports, and coffee shops – just once, then automatically sync that information across their iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices.

Apple is reportedly readying the feature in time for WWDC 2025, suggesting it will likely arrive with iOS 19, iPadOS 19, and macOS 16.

Google Gemini

According to Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Google could reach a deal with Apple to add Google Gemini to the iPhone in the middle of 2025. That timing suggests the functionality could be added in iOS 19, iPadOS 19, and macOS 16. Google Gemini would be added as an alternative to ChatGPT for Siri requests.

Set Default Digital Assistant (EU Only)

Apple is planning to give users in the EU the ability to set a default voice assistant other than Siri, according to Bloomberg. Apple reportedly plans to introduce the change across multiple software platforms, so expect it to turn up on iPhone, iPad, and Mac at a minimum.

AI Battery Management?

Bloomberg reports that Apple plans to use AI to help users better manage their iPhone's battery life. In iOS 19‌, there will be an AI-powered battery management option that will analyze how a device is used and make adjustments where possible to cut down on battery usage. The battery option will be included in the Apple Intelligence suite of features, with Apple drawing on battery data that it has collected from users over time.

It's not clear if Apple plans to bring an equivalent AI-based battery-saving feature over to MacBooks in macOS 16, but it's hard to imagine a reason why the company would choose not to.

Possible Siri Updates

Apple has delayed some of the new Siri features originally planned for macOS 15 as part of its Apple Intelligence suite of tools. These updates may now debut with macOS 16, possibly in the fall of 2025 or even in a later macOS 16 update in 2026. Apple is working on a more intelligent and personalized Siri, capable of understanding context, interacting with onscreen content, and integrating more deeply with apps.

Personal Context

Siri will be able to track emails, messages, files, photos, and more—learning from your data to assist with tasks and recall information.

• Show me the files Eric sent me last week.


• Find the email where Eric mentioned ice skating.


• Find the books Eric recommended to me.


• Where's the recipe Eric sent me?


• What's my passport number?

Onscreen Awareness

Siri will recognize what’s on your screen and act on it. For example, if someone texts you an address, you can ask Siri to save it to their contact. Or if you’re viewing a photo, Siri can send it for you.

Deeper App Integration

Siri will handle more complex tasks across apps, enabling actions previously unavailable through voice commands.

• Move files from one app to another.


• Edit a photo and send it to someone.


• Get directions home and share the ETA with Eric.


• Send the email I drafted to Eric.

Accessibility Features

Each May, Apple shares details on the new Accessibility features that it plans to add to upcoming versions of its software. This year, Apple detailed several new Accessibility options that will be coming to macOS 16.

Vehicle Motion Cues

Apple in macOS 16 will expand the iPhone's Vehicle Motion Cues feature to the Mac. The optional feature shows moving dots on an iPhone's screen, in order to help reduce motion sickness while using the device in a moving vehicle. In addition, Apple is going to provide new ways to customize the on-screen dots on a Mac.

Magnifier on Mac

Magnifier on Mac uses the ‌iPhone‌ camera's zoom feature, beaming the feed to a Mac through Continuity Camera. There are options for creating multiple live session windows for tracking a presentation while also zooming in on a textbook, and each view can be customized with different brightness levels and color and contrast filters to suit individual needs. Magnifier on Mac is an extension of the existing Magnifier option on the ‌iPhone‌, which allows the ‌iPhone‌ to be used to zoom in on text and detect objects.

Other Features

• Accessibility Nutrition Labels in the App Store, which will highlight accessibility features within apps and games.


• A new system-wide Accessibility Reader tool will make text easier to read for users with low vision or dyslexia. The feature will give users new ways to customize text and focus on content they want to read, with extensive options for font, color, and spacing.


• Braille Access will turn the Mac into a full-featured braille note taker.


• Personal Voice will become faster and easier to use, thanks to advancements in on-device machine learning and artificial intelligence. Apple says the feature will be able to create a smoother, more natural-sounding replication of your voice in less than a minute, using only 10 recorded phrases.

Release Date

Apple typically previews its next-generation operating system for Macs during its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in early June, and releases the first developer betas shortly after the event. Typically (but not always), Apple releases all of its new platform software updates in the fall, so we expect to see macOS 16 around September.

What Do You Want to See in macOS 16?

What new features or improvements would you like to see in the next version of Apple's Mac operating system? Let us know in the comments.
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OWC kicked off a new "Spring productivity event" this week, offering solid discounts on a variety of USB-C docks, memory cards, external drives and enclosures, and Mac accessories. Some of these deals won't be applied until you add the items to your cart, at which time an automatic coupon will be applied to your order.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with OWC. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

There are a few notable deals in this sale, including the popular 14-Port Thunderbolt Dock for Mac, available for $169.00 once you add it to your cart, down from $279.99. If you purchase a qualifying new or used Mac at the same time as this dock, you can get an additional $20 off the accessory at checkout.

Docks and Hubs

• OWC USB-C Travel Dock - $34.99, down from $49.99


• Thunderbolt Mini Dock - $99.99, down from $129.99


• Thunderbolt Hub - $99.99 when added to cart, down from $129.99


• 14-Port Thunderbolt Dock - $169.00 when added to cart, down from $279.99


• Thunderbolt Go Dock - $199.99 when added to cart, down from $349.99

Memory Cards

• 480GB OWC Atlas Pro - $159.99 when added to cart, down from $199.99


• 960GB OWC Atlas Pro - $329.99 when added to cart, down from $399.99

External Drives and Enclosures

• 2TB OWC Express SSD - $299.99 when added to cart, down from $399.99


• 2TB Envoy Pro FX SSD - $329.99, down from $379.99

Memory

• 32GB Memory Upgrade Kit - $59.99, down from $89.98


• 64GB Memory Upgrade Kit - $119.99, down from $179.96

Miscellaneous

• 2M USB-C to USB-C Charging Cable - $3.99, down from $14.99


• Matias Wireless Multi-Pairing Keyboard - $47.99, down from $69.00

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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Apple last week added iPad Air models with the M2 chip to its refurbished store in the UK, for the first time since the device was released in May 2024.


As usual, the refurbished models are discounted by approximately 15% to 20% compared to Apple's original pricing for the equivalent brand-new models. For example, the 13-inch iPad Air with the M2 chip, 128GB of storage, and Wi-Fi only is currently available for £639, compared to £799 when it was first released last year.

For now, availability is limited to the UK, but inventory should expand to the U.S. and other countries over the next several weeks.

Apple says its refurbished iPads include a new battery and outer shell, a new white box, and all manuals and accessories, including a USB-C charging cable. Apple says it puts refurbished devices through a "thorough cleaning process and inspection," and it performs full functionality testing to ensure that no defective units are sold.

All refurbished iPads are covered by Apple's one-year limited warranty and 14-day return policy, and AppleCare+ coverage is available.

While some savings can be had here, better iPad deals are often available through Amazon.

Apple updated the iPad Air with the M3 chip in March this year.
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Cultured Code today announced that it has overhauled the cloud backend of the popular task management app Things 3 using Apple's Swift programming language, with the new system now live across all users' devices.


Cultured Code explained that the transition to the new Swift-based infrastructure occurred seamlessly and without any disruption to users. Although the app's behavior remains unchanged on the surface, the underlying service that synchronizes to-do lists across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro has been rewritten entirely using Swift and deployed in production for over a year.

The legacy system was originally built using Python 2 and Google App Engine, and had served as the foundation for Things Cloud for more than a decade. While the original synchronization algorithms remain intact and are based on a mathematical model capable of resolving offline edits and conflicts, the aging technology stack was increasingly seen as a barrier to future development. According to Cultured Code, challenges included rising infrastructure costs, slow response times, and the risks associated with dynamic typing in Python.

Apple introduced Swift in 2014; it has since been widely adopted for iOS and macOS app development, but has seen limited uptake in server environments. Cultured Code began experimenting with Swift on the server in 2021, initially rewriting isolated components before committing to a full-scale rebuild.

To ensure a seamless migration, the new Swift system was initially run in parallel with the legacy system, receiving and processing the same data but without taking over user-facing operations. This dual-processing arrangement allowed engineers to validate the new implementation under production-like conditions. Once the team was satisfied with the accuracy and performance of the Swift backend, they transitioned all users to the new system in early 2024.

Cultured Code reports that the new system has achieved significant performance improvements. Traffic peaks of up to 500 requests per second are now handled by a Kubernetes cluster consisting of four nodes, each with two virtual CPUs and 8GB of RAM. This setup has led to a more than threefold reduction in compute costs compared to the legacy system. Synchronization response times have also improved substantially, and the new architecture delivers a fourfold increase in sync request processing speed.

Things has won two Apple design awards. The app is highly regarded for its design consistency and reliable syncing experience across the Apple ecosystem. Read more about the change in Cultured Code's full blog post or its post on Apple's Swift.org blog.
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Amazon is developing a large-sized foldable device similar to the one Huawei unveiled on Monday, according to industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.


"My research indicates that Amazon is also internally developing a similar product, which has not yet officially kicked off," said Kuo in a post on X (Twitter). Kuo added that the device is projected to enter mass production in late 2026 or 2027 if development progresses on schedule.

Apple is rumored to be planning a foldable device of a similar vein. Rumors suggest that the dual-screen foldable will be around 13 inches when folded and 18.8 inches when unfolded. Rumors are conflicting on whether it will be an iPad or a MacBook, but the defining factor will be the operating system.

Kuo believes Apple's large-sized foldable is scheduled to enter mass production in late 2027 or 2028. Apple is concurrently developing a foldable iPhone that is expected to launch towards the end of 2026.
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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, tap Run Immediately, 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.

Use a Focus Instead

If you don't want to use the Shortcuts app, you can set up a Focus to come on at a set time of day with a Low Power Mode system filter enabled. Follow the link to learn how it's done.
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Chinese shipments of iPhones and other mobile devices to the United States dropped dramatically in April, hitting their lowest levels since 2011, according to newly released customs data (via Bloomberg).


Smartphone exports from China to the US plummeted 72% to just under $700 million last month, outpacing the overall 21% decline in Chinese shipments to the United States. The sharp decline highlights how the Trump administration's aggressive tariffs campaign – which peaked with 145% levies on Chinese goods – is disrupting tech supply chains and diverting electronics production elsewhere.

Smartphones represented one of the three biggest US imports from China last year, alongside laptops and lithium-ion batteries.

The decline comes as Apple has been actively expanding production in India. In the fiscal year ending March, Apple's iPhone production in India reached $22 billion, a nearly 60% increase compared to the previous year. The company had been planning to import most US-bound iPhones from India by the end of next year.

However, during his recent state visit to Qatar, President Trump revealed he had asked Apple CEO Tim Cook to halt the company's manufacturing expansion in India. "I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday," Trump said. "He is building all over India."

When asked about the supply chain's future during the company's recent earnings call, Cook said: "What we learned some time ago, having everything in one location had too much risk with it. We have, over time, with certain parts of the supply chain, opened up new sources of supply. You could see that kind of thing continuing in the future."

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Google has launched iOS and Android apps for NotebookLM, the company's advanced AI-powered research and note-taking tool.


Commenting on the launch in a blog post, Google said:

We've received a lot of great feedback from the millions of people using NotebookLM, our tool for understanding and engaging with complex information. One of the most frequent requests has been for a mobile app — for listening to Audio Overviews on the go, asking questions about sources in the moment, and sharing content directly to NotebookLM while browsing.

Today, we're happy to say it's here, on both Android and iOS! This first version of the app includes many of the core features of NotebookLM — with more refinements and features to come in the months ahead — and is designed to help you understand anything, anywhere.

If you haven't come across it before, NotebookLM functions as an AI research companion that helps users analyze and interact with their documents, websites, and other content. The tool can generate summaries, create FAQ lists, produce timeline views, and even transform research materials into podcast-style audio discussions with AI-generated hosts. Google originally launched it in 2023, and then launched its NotebookLM Plus plan for businesses, schools, organizations, and enterprise customers in December. NotebookLM Plus is also available as a part of a Google One AI Premium subscription.

One of the big additions with the app is offline access to Audio Overviews, the genuinely impressive feature that sees two hosts have a podcast-style chat about your project sources. Users can now download summaries for listening on the go, which should be handy for those looking to conserve data. Whether offline or online, the app also supports background playback, making it easier to catch up on research insights while multitasking.

The iOS version also adds more interactivity. Users can tap "Join" to engage directly with the app's AI-powered hosts, allowing them to ask clarifying questions, change the direction of a summary, or toss in an offbeat query.

Sharing content into NotebookLM is now easier than it was via the web app. If you're viewing a website, a PDF, or a YouTube video, access the share sheet and select NotebookLM to add the material as a source. Google says it plans to expand the range of supported input types over time.

The NotebookLM app is now available on the App Store for iPhone and iPad. [Direct Link]
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iPhone and iPad users can now set Google Translate as their default translation app on iOS, replacing Apple's built-in Translate app as the go-to option.


To change your default app, you'll need to install the latest version of the Google Translate app, which was released today. From there, you can open up the Settings app, select the Apps section, tap on Default Apps, tap Translation, and choose Google Translate instead of Apple Translate.

The default translation app can be changed as long as you're running iOS 18.4 or iPadOS 18.4 or later.

iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 added the ability for users to set a different translation app as their default. Users worldwide can select Google Translate or another translation app as an alternative, and there are also options for changing the default Email, Messaging, Calling, Browser, and Password apps. In the EU, users can also select a different default navigation app, such as Google Maps.
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Apple today stopped signing iOS 18.4.1, a week after releasing the iOS 18.5 update. Because iOS 18.4.1 is no longer being signed, iPhone users who upgraded to iOS 18.5 are no longer able to downgrade to the previous version of iOS.


"Signing" is a server-side verification check that Apple does when iOS is downloaded onto an ‌iPhone‌. An update can't be downloaded and installed unless it passes the verification check, and the unsigning process prevents customers from installing outdated versions of iOS that are not as secure.

Apple typically stops signing older software about a week after releasing an update, and doing so ensures that customers have the latest security improvements and are not vulnerable to known attacks.

iOS 18.5 added new wallpaper, a Screen Time password change for parents, and support for carrier-provided satellite features on ‌iPhone‌ 13 models. It also addressed more than 30 security vulnerabilities.

Apple has also stopped signing iPadOS 17.7.6, because it released iPadOS 17.7.8 earlier today as a replacement for the iPadOS 17.7.7 update that was causing issues for some people.
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Spotify is taking full advantage of Apple's recent U.S. App Store changes, and it's now possible for Spotify subscribers to see audiobook pricing and make audiobook purchases using a web view in the Spotify app.


Spotify said today that Apple approved its latest update, which includes the audiobook functionality. If you've kept up with the disputes between Apple and Spotify over the years, you might remember that the two companies had a fight over audiobooks back in 2022.

When Spotify first added audiobooks to its app, Apple rejected the update three times because Spotify was breaking rules about how apps are allowed to communicate with users about purchasing options outside of the ‌App Store‌. Spotify wanted to send customers to buy books online to listen to in the app, and at the time, Apple had a rule allowing apps to send emails to customers about online purchases. Spotify's email had a link to purchase options, though, and Apple wouldn't allow it.

Spotify ultimately surrendered in 2022 and removed information about how to purchase an audiobook from the Spotify app, and that's how audiobooks on Spotify worked until now. The U.S.‌App Store‌ changes that Apple was ordered to implement allow for apps to direct customers to purchase options outside of apps, so Spotify is able to distribute audiobooks the way it wanted to in 2022.

When you tap on the audiobooks tab in the Spotify app and choose an audiobook, tapping on the lock icon over the audiobook opens up the Spotify website where the audiobook can be purchased directly from Spotify, with no in-app purchase option. There's also an option for Spotify Premium subscribers to buy "Top Up" hours to listen add to the 15 hours of audiobook playtime included with a Spotify membership.


In a blog post, Spotify praises the court decision that allowed for the U.S. ‌App Store‌ change.

This change lowers the barriers for more users to embrace their first - or tenth - audiobook, while allowing publishers and authors to reach fans and access new audiences seamlessly. It also helps level the playing field by allowing all developers to offer basic pricing information and easy-to-access links for consumers to purchase digital goods and services through iPhones with no unnecessary steps or additional taxes levied by Apple. In short, this freedom is a win for authors, audiences, and developers everywhere--if the legal ruling stands despite Apple's continued attempts to stop it.

Spotify previously updated its app to allow Spotify users to upgrade to a Premium subscription using the Spotify website, without Spotify having to give Apple a cut of the purchase price.

Apple is appealing the court ruling, but for now, all app developers in the U.S. are able to submit app updates that direct customers to in-app web views for making purchases that do not involve the in-app purchase system.
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Epic Games is continuing its campaign to get Fortnite back on the iPhone in the U.S., and it's looking like Apple might have to fold. Last week, Apple refused to allow Fortnite in the U.S. App Store and ignored ‌Epic Games‌' submission, and because ‌Epic Games‌ tied the update to Fortnite in the EU, Fortnite has been offline on iOS devices worldwide since Friday.


With Apple blocking Fortnite from returning to the U.S. ‌App Store‌, ‌Epic Games‌ told the court that Apple was violating the injunction and asked that Apple be forced to approve the app. The judge overseeing the case responded to Epic's request today, and she is sounding more and more fed up with Apple's continued defiance and Epic's grousing.

If Apple does not approve Fortnite in the U.S. ‌App Store‌ and resolve its current dispute with ‌Epic Games‌ without the court's intervention, there will be a hearing on May 27, and the "Apple official" who oversees compliance will need to attend in person. That could mean ‌App Store‌ chief Phil Schiller or another executive.

The Court is in receipt of Epic Games, Inc.'s Motion to Enforce the Injunction. The Court thus issues this Order to Show Cause as to why the motion should not be granted. Briefing shall occur on the schedule listed below and shall include the legal authority upon which Apple contends that it can ignore this Court's order having not received a stay from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal even though its request was filed twelve days ago on May 7, 2025.

Obviously, Apple is fully capable of resolving this issue without further briefing or a hearing. However, if the parties do not file a joint notice that this issue is resolved, and this Court's intervention is required, the Apple official who is personally responsible for ensuring compliance shall personally appear at the hearing hereby set for Tuesday, May 27, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. in the United States District Court, Northern District of California, Oakland, California, Courtroom One.

Apple told ‌Epic Games‌ [PDF] that the injunction does not change its legal right to have terminated the ‌Epic Games‌ developer account back in 2020. Apple also reiterated its stance that it will not consider allowing Fortnite to return to the ‌App Store‌ until all U.S. litigation has ended. At the current time, Apple is appealing the court's ruling that forced it to change its U.S. ‌App Store‌ rules to allow developers to link customers to purchase options available outside of the ‌App Store‌. That appeal is still pending and Apple has not yet heard from the court.

It's possible Apple will want to avoid further court time and will approve Fortnite in the U.S., but Apple may also opt to return to court to argue that it has the right to continue to deny the reinstatement of the ‌Epic Games‌ developer account and Fortnite's return to the ‌App Store‌.

Apple has otherwise complied with the court's injunction, and has allowed apps like Spotify and Patreon to submit app updates that include links to web purchase options instead of in-app purchases.

As of now, Fortnite is still offline worldwide. ‌Epic Games‌ could submit the EU version of Fortnite alone so that it could be distributed through the ‌Epic Games‌ alternative app marketplace in the European Union, but Epic is opting not to do so. ‌Epic Games‌ is placing the blame for Fortnite's absence in the European Union on Apple, and is lamenting the "sad" situation on social media. ‌Epic Games‌ has used Fortnite's popularity in the past, attempting to get Fortnite players to pressure Apple to accept the app.
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Chinese company Huawei, a major Apple competitor in China, today introduced the launch of the MateBook Fold, an ultra light and thin folding computer. Huawei tends to be fond of Apple aesthetics, so the MateBook Fold and the marketing materials that go along with it have an Apple vibe.


Apple is rumored to be working on a device that's not too far off from what Huawei is showing off, with rumors suggesting that Apple will come out with some kind of dual-screen foldable that's around 13 inches. Some rumors call it an iPad, and some call it a MacBook, but it'll come down to operating system.


Huawei says that the MateBook Fold brings "ultimate aesthetics" and represents the "peak of creation" with an "amazing opening and closing" mechanism. The MateBook is 13 inches when it's closed, but it opens to a dual-layer 18-inch OLED display with a 3.3K resolution and 1600 nits peak brightness. It features what Huawei calls a "water drop" hinge, that's able to open up to lay flat or hover at different angles so the device can be used as a tablet in landscape or portrait mode or as a dual display notebook.

While the MateBook Fold comes with a separate keyboard, it also has an on-screen version that can be activated by touching eight fingers to the display. The virtual keyboard can be used when the device is flat or when it's folded in a notebook orientation.


The MateBook Fold is just over two and a half pounds, and it is 7.3mm when unfolded and 14.9mm when folded up. When open, it's thinner than an iPhone 16 Pro Max, but not as thin as Apple's 13-inch iPad Pro.

Huawei is selling the MateBook Fold starting at 23,999 Chinese Yuan, which equates to about $3,330. It's not for sale in the United States, and you can only get it in China right now.


As for Apple's foldable notebook or ‌iPad‌, it's rumored to be coming sometime around 2027. It too is expected to have a screen that's over 18 inches when unfolded, and it will be able to function as either a display with an attached keyboard, or a more traditional notebook when folded in half. More rumors can be found in our Apple foldable iPad guide.
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Earlier this year, Nomad came out with a unique universal cable that's able to charge the Apple Watch while also charging USB-C devices like the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.


I took the Universal Cable for Apple Watch with me on a recent trip as my only charging option, and it ended up working well to charge the Apple Watch, Steam Deck, ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, and MacBook Pro that I had with me on the trip.

This is a USB-C to USB-C cable, but it has an Apple Watch charging puck added to the end below the USB-C connector on one side. Either side can be plugged into a USB-C power adapter that's then plugged into the wall, but a power adapter is not included and you'll need to supply your own. Since this is a cable that can be used for charging a Mac, a 100W power adapter works best if you have a ‌MacBook Pro‌.


The cable is 1.5 meters, which was fine for charging at night, but I prefer a longer cable during the day just in case I'm not close to a power outlet, so the cable length was a bit inconvenient when trying to use it as my sole travel cable.


Nomad uses a sturdy, kevlar-reinforced braided design for its cables, and the Universal Cable feels like it's going to hold up to a lot of abuse. In fact, I have a cat that likes to take a nibble on cables now and then, but the Universal Cable hasn't suffered damage. There's a silicone tie attached to the cable, which is nice for wrapping it up when it's not in use.


I used the cable with the Apple Watch charger at the power adapter and at the end plugged into a device, and it was fine either way. I have a Braided Loop watch band, so when the cable was plugged into the wall on one end and plugged into a device at the other, my Apple Watch band couldn't go around the charger, but I ended up just flipping the band up and sticking my watch on the charger.

With a 100W power adapter, my phone was able to fast charge with USB-C and my watch was able to fast charge with the Apple Watch adapter. Note that the cable is limited to 100W charging speeds, so it is not one of the cables that supports 240W. There's not too much else to say because it's just a cable with an Apple Watch charger attached, but it worked well as my only travel charging option for a week where most of my devices were in heavy use.


Separately, I've also been testing Nomad's USB-C ChargeKey, which came out earlier this year. It's a cable that I've been keeping with me all the time because it's so small and portable. It attaches to a keyring with the loop at the top, and the two USB-C ends are magnetic and stick together when not in use.


I use this for connecting a power bank to my ‌iPhone‌, but I've also used it for connecting an ‌iPhone‌ to my Mac and for connecting my Fujifilm camera to my Mac and my ‌iPhone‌. It supports up to 10Gb/s data transfer, so it can be used for connecting an SSD to an ‌iPhone‌ for shooting ProRes video.


The ChargeKey is pretty useful for any situation where a small cable will do, and it's nice to have a cable on hand wherever you are.

Bottom Line

If you're looking for an all-in-one charger that's portable and no bigger than a cable and power adapter setup, Nomad offers a solid solution. The cable is able to charge the Apple Watch, but it also has enough power for even Apple's 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌.

As with many of Nomad's products, the main downside is the price. It is a well-designed cable that's probably nicer than any other cable on the market, but $80 is expensive and pricier than some more traditional two-device chargers.

As for the USB-C ChargeKey, it's more reasonably priced and makes for a super convenient addition to a keychain.

How to Buy

Nomad's Universal Cable for Apple Watch can be purchased from the Nomad website for $79.

The ChargeKey can be purchased for $25.

Note: Nomad provided MacRumors with a Universal Cable and Charge Key for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.
This article, "Review: Nomad's Universal Cable for Apple Watch is Ideal for Travel" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today updated its Apple Sports app with several tweaks to improve the user experience, including at-a-glance standings on league pages, highlighting of goal scorers at the top of NHL game pages, and support for the upcoming Relegation Playoff in the German Bundesliga.


In addition to the feature changes, the Apple Sports app is now also promoting a new Sports Newsletter, allowing users to subscribe to a personalized weekday email newsletter with general sports news and items specific to the teams you follow. "The stories fans are talking about - plus, the latest updates on your favorite teams," reads the newsletter tagline.

Sports is one of four newsletters managed through Apple News, including a daily Good Morning newsletter to get your day started, a weekly Best of ‌Apple News‌+ that shares "the week's most fascinating stories" as selected by ‌Apple News‌ editors, and a weekly Popular newsletter rounding up the most-read stories of the week.

Full release notes for the Apple Sports app update:

• Two matches, one winner. Follow the Relegation Playoff to find out who keeps their place in the Bundesliga.


• Standings are now available on league pages. See how your teams stack up at a glance.


• Goal scorers are now highlighted at the top of every NHL game for faster and easier updates.

Launched in February 2024, the Apple Sports app shows scores, stats, standings, upcoming games, and more for a variety of leagues. The free app is currently available only on the iPhone in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada.

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Apple today released iPadOS 17.7.8, an update that is designed for iPad users who are not able to install the latest iPadOS 18 update.



iPadOS 17.7.8 comes a few days after Apple stopped signing iPadOS 17.7.7, the prior version of iPadOS that was available on older iPads. iPadOS 17.7.7 was preventing some users from being able to log into their apps, and iPadOS 17.7.8 presumably addresses the issue.

According to Apple's release notes, the update includes security fixes.

This update provides important security fixes and is recommended for all users. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/100100

iPadOS 17.7.8 is available for the sixth-generation ‌iPad‌, 10.5-inch iPad Pro, and the second-generation 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌. It can be downloaded by going to the Software Update section in the Settings app on eligible devices.
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Apple has big plans to improve Siri over the next few years, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Drake Bennett report.


Some Apple executives are now reportedly pushing to turn ‌Siri‌ into a true ChatGPT competitor. A next-generation, chatbot version of ‌Siri‌ has reportedly made significant progress during testing over the past six months; some executives allegedly now see it as "on par" with recent versions of ChatGPT. Apple is also apparently discussing giving ‌Siri‌ the ability to access the internet to gather and synthesize data from multiple sources, just like ChatGPT.

The report added that Apple now has artificial intelligence offices in Zurich, where employees are working on an all-new software architecture for ‌Siri‌. This "monolithic model" is entirely built on an LLM engine that will eventually replace ‌Siri‌'s current "hybrid" architecture that has been incoherently layered up with different functionality over many years. The new model will make ‌Siri‌ more conversational and better at synthesizing information.

Google's Gemini is expected to be added to iOS 19 as an alternative to ChatGPT in ‌Siri‌, but Apple is also apparently in talks with Perplexity to add their AI service as another option in the future, for both ‌Siri‌ and Safari search.
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Peacock is offering new subscribers a chance to get a full year of its premium plan for just $24.99 for your first year, down from the regular price of $79.99 per year. This is only a $5 difference when compared to Peacock's Black Friday discount from last year, making it one of the service's best offers so far in 2025.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Peacock. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Peacock's premium annual plan is the ad-supported tier of the streaming service. This offer excludes current paying subscribers of Peacock, and after it ends the service will return to the regular $79.99 per year price (or then-current price, if a price hike happens).



If you do already have a Peacock account, but you're not a paid subscriber, you can sign in and enter the code SPRINGSAVINGS to redeem this offer. This sale will run through the end of the month and expire on May 30.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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Apple's primary iPhone manufacturer Foxconn has invested $1.5 billion into India, signaling a significant acceleration in Apple's efforts to shift ‌iPhone‌ production away from China, Bloomberg reports.


The investment was disclosed in a stock exchange filing by Foxconn, which has been actively expanding its manufacturing footprint in southern India in recent years. The company is also increasing its investment in the United States.

The move comes as Apple continues to diversify its production base away from China, which has long served as the cornerstone of its ‌iPhone‌ manufacturing. India has emerged as Apple's most critical alternative manufacturing hub.

Apple reportedly assembled $22 billion worth of iPhones in India during the 12 months ending in March 2025, a nearly 60% increase over the previous year. Foxconn, Tata Electronics, and Pegatron now operates facilities in India focused on ‌iPhone‌ manufacturing. Apple is apparently aiming to manufacture the majority of iPhones sold in the United States in India by the end of 2026.
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Amazon is kicking off the week with the return of record low prices on every Wi-Fi model of the iPad mini 7, starting at $399.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi tablet, down from $499.00. You'll also find a few deals on cellular models during this sale.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Compared to past sales, this is a match of the best price we've ever tracked on the tablet, and it's available in all four colors. You can also get the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 for $499.00 and the 512GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 for $699.99, both $100 discounts and available in all colors.





Deals on cellular models are a bit rarer on Amazon, with one color of the 128GB cellular iPad mini 7 on sale for $549.00 and a few colors of the 256GB cellular iPad mini 7 on sale for $649.00, both $100 off.

Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.

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Apple is likely to keep discussion of Siri to a minimum at WWDC 2025 as it focuses on other Apple Intelligence enhancements, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Drake Bennett.


Apple will apparently focus on improving existing ‌Apple Intelligence‌ capabilities and adding some new ones, such as an AI-optimized battery management mode and a virtual health coach. Google Gemini is also on track to be added as a ChatGPT alternative for ‌Siri‌ in iOS 19.

Other upgrades to ‌Siri‌, including the ones announced a year prior that include personal context and the ability to complete complex, multi-step actions, are "unlikely to be discussed much." The features are still "months away" from being released.

Apple is also reportedly planning to "separate the ‌Apple Intelligence‌ brand from ‌Siri‌ in its marketing," owing to concerns that users' negative experience with ‌Siri‌ is harming opinions about ‌Apple Intelligence‌ as a whole.

To help improve existing ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features, users' iPhones now apparently help improve Apple's synthetic data, the report explains. A set of artificial data is assessed and enhanced by comparing it to the language from users' iPhones to provide real-world reference points for AI training, without feeding in actual user information.

Similarly, in Texas, Spain, and Ireland, thousands of analysts are purportedly reviewing ‌Apple Intelligence‌ summaries for accuracy by comparing its output against the source material. The company wants to determine how often the system is producing the distorted or inaccurate responses.

Apple's ‌WWDC 2025‌ keynote is scheduled for Monday, June 9, where the company will preview ‌iOS 19‌, macOS 16, and other major software updates and features for its devices.
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Apple will introduce a new calligraphy pen for Apple Pencil users that will allow them to digitally write in Arabic script, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said that Apple plans to offer a "highly advanced bi-directional keyboard" for moving between Arabic and English on iPhones and iPads, alongside a "virtual reed calligraphy pen" for Apple Pencil users on iPad.

Gurman said that the two upcoming new features, expected to arrive in iOS 19 and iPadOS 19, "play into Apple's ambitions for the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and India," where the company has been recently expanding its retail footprint.

Gurman has previously reported on a few other features coming with iOS 19, including battery optimization powered by AI and cross-device sharing of public captive Wi-Fi network details.

Apple in iOS 19 will update the style of icons, menus, apps, windows, and system buttons, with plans to simplify navigation and control. Gurman has described the design change as the biggest update to iOS since iOS 7. Apple is expected to preview the new software updates at WWDC, which takes place June 9-13 this year.
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Twenty-four years ago today, Apple embarked on what many industry experts considered a risky venture that would ultimately transform not just the company's fortunes, but retail itself. On May 19, 2001, Apple opened its first retail store at Tysons Corner Center in Virginia, with Steve Jobs personally showing the press around the revolutionary space.


Some 500 eager visitors lined up before dawn to experience the store's hardwood floors, bright lighting, and clean lines. The aesthetic drew comparisons to trendy clothing retailer Gap. Not surprising, given that Gap CEO Mickey Drexler had been on Apple's board for two years at that point.

The decision to enter brick-and-mortar retail came at a precarious time for Apple. With a market share hovering around 2.8%, the company was struggling to effectively showcase its products through third-party retailers, where Macs were often relegated to corners and staffed by clerks with minimal product knowledge.

Jobs believed Apple would never shed its "cult" image unless it could control the entire customer experience, right down to the moment of purchase. In Walter Isaacson's eponymous biography of the former Apple CEO, Jobs said: "Unless we could find ways to get our message to customers at the store, we were screwed."

On Target

To lead this vision, Jobs recruited Ron Johnson, who had transformed Target's image with his designer merchandise line. Together, they crafted the store concept in a secret warehouse prototype, refining every detail from the single-entrance layout to the revolutionary Genius Bar, inspired by Johnson's experiences at Ritz-Carlton hotels.

Apple's board initially balked at the idea, especially after Gateway had just closed 40 of its own stores and Apple's sales had dropped 29% the previous year. Industry analysts were even more skeptical: Channel Marketing analyst David Goldstein famously predicted Apple would be "turning out the lights on a very painful and expensive mistake" within two years.

Instead, by 2003, Apple recorded $3 million in profit per store, per quarter, with approximately 60,000 visitors at each location. In 2004, Apple Retail hit $1.2 billion, breaking the record for the fastest billion-dollar milestone in retail history.


Today, Apple operates 534 stores across 27 countries, with each location generating approximately $5,500 per square foot annually – among the highest in the retail industry. What began as a controversial gamble has become a cornerstone of Apple's success and a blueprint for experiential retail that competitors continue to emulate.
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OWC today announced its new Thunderbolt 5 Dock, a high-performance connectivity hub designed for creative professionals and power users who need expanded port options for their setups.


The dock features three Thunderbolt 5 ports offering bi-directional data speeds up to 80Gb/s and up to 120Gb/s for display needs. It can power up to three 8K displays or dual 6K displays on Macs, making it suitable for the latest M4 MacBook Pro models that support Thunderbolt 5.

With 11 ports in total, the dock includes two USB-A 10Gb/s ports, one USB-A 5Gb/s port, 2.5GbE Ethernet, microSD and SD card slots, and a 3.5mm audio combo jack. It delivers up to 140W of power, enough for the most energy-hungry notebooks.

• Thunderbolt 5 in New Macs: Features, Benefits, and Is It Needed?

The $329.99 dock includes a certified Thunderbolt 5 cable and external power supply. It's available for pre-order now from the OWC website, with shipping expected in early July. OWC will showcase the dock at COMPUTEX TAIPEI from May 20-23.
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Epic Games on Friday filed a court motion asking District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers to order Apple to approve Fortnite for the US App Store, in another escalation of the ongoing legal battle between the two companies.


In the filing, Epic claims Apple is in contempt of the judge's April order that restricted Apple from rejecting apps over their use of outside payment links. Epic argues that Apple's refusal to review its Fortnite submission until after a pending Ninth Circuit ruling amounts to retaliation for its legal challenges.

According to a letter from Apple shared by Epic, Apple stated it "won't take action on the Fortnite app submission until after the Ninth Circuit rules on our pending request for a partial stay of the new injunction." Epic contends this delay violates Apple's previous assurances to both Epic and the court that it would approve Fortnite if the app complied with Apple's guidelines.

The dispute has already affected Fortnite's availability globally. Epic claims its game disappeared from the EU App Store on Friday because of Apple's decision to block its US submission. Apple countered by asking Epic to resubmit the app without including the US storefront "so as not to impact Fortnite in other geographies."

Epic is seeking enforcement of the court's injunction, a contempt ruling against Apple, and a requirement that Apple "accept any compliant Epic app, including Fortnite, for distribution on the U.S. storefront of the App Store."

The case hinges on whether Judge Gonzalez Rogers will find Apple in contempt again, as she did in her April 30 ruling where she expressed frustration with Apple's compliance efforts.
This article, "Epic Games Asks Judge to Force Apple to Approve Fortnite for US App Store" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The Trump administration is scrutinizing Apple's partnership with Chinese tech giant Alibaba to bring AI features to iPhones in China, according to a new report from The New York Times.


Washington officials are concerned the collaboration could help Chinese AI providers collect data to improve their models, potentially benefiting China's military. Defense Department and intelligence officials are reportedly examining Alibaba's ties to the Chinese Communist Party and the People's Liberation Army.

Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi called the lack of transparency about the agreement "extremely disturbing," questioning why Apple would choose to work with Alibaba given its alleged connections to the Chinese government.

The administration has discussed whether Alibaba and other Chinese AI companies should be placed on a list prohibiting them from doing business with U.S. companies, according to sources familiar with the deliberations cited by NYT.

Apple hasn't publicly acknowledged the AI partnership, though Alibaba's chairman confirmed it in February. The deal comes as Apple works to bring its Apple Intelligence features to the Chinese market, where the company has seen its smartphone market share decline.
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Apple is expected to launch an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air later this year, and while there have been plenty of rumors about the camera's overall design and thinness, we haven't heard any details about the device's weight and battery capacity until now.


According to the leaker going by the account name "yeux1122" on the Korean-langauge Naver blog, the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air has a weight of approximately 145 grams, while the battery capacity is 2,800mAh. The details allegedly originate from a "mass production confirmed sample." The blog has previously offered accurate insights into Apple's component strategy.

The claimed weight is similar to an iPhone SE 2 or iPhone 13 mini, which are 148 grams and 141 grams, respectively. As for the battery, the capacity figure is not unlike the iPhone 12, which has a 2,815mAh battery. However, the leaker's post does note that there remains a possibility that Apple will use a high-density battery in the iPhone 17 Air, which could increase its "actual capacity" by 15-20%.

Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in March that device will have a "high-density" battery. More recently, a report out of Asia has suggested that the iPhone 17 Air could become the first Apple smartphone to adopt advanced battery technology, with Apple supplier TDK preparing to ship its new generation of silicon-anode batteries by the end of June.

Having said that, reports have been mixed regarding the iPhone 17 Air's potential battery performance. The Information's Wayne Ma claimed the device will have "worse" battery life compared to previous iPhone models.

In internal testing, Apple apparently determined that the percentage of users who will be able to use the iPhone 17 Air for a full day without needing to recharge the device throughout the day will be between 60% and 70%, according to the report. For other iPhone models, the report said that metric is apparently between 80% and 90%.

To mitigate this problem, the report said that Apple is planning to release a battery case as an optional accessory for the iPhone 17 Air.

On the other hand, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has offered a more optimistic outlook, stating that battery life would be "on par with current iPhones" thanks to hardware and software optimizations.

The 5.5mm-thin device is also rumored to incorporate Apple's power-efficient C1 modem and lack an Ultra Wide camera, which could potentially provide more internal space for a larger battery. We'll know for sure when the device replaces the "Plus" model in Apple's iPhone 17 lineup, which is expected to launch around mid-September, per Apple's typical fall release schedule.
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Apple is working on a lighter version of AirPods Max that will enter mass production in 2027, according to industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.


Kuo shared the prediction on X (Twitter). He provided no additional details on the weight reduction that Apple plans to make to its over-ear noise-canceling headphones.

Apple updated the AirPods Max in September, receiving a USB-C charging port instead of Lightning, and new color options. Bloomberg reported in November that Apple currently has "no concrete plans" to update the headphones again "in a meaningful way."

AirPods Max weigh 13.6 ounces (386.2 grams). Apple says the headband is designed to distribute weight and reduce on-head pressure, but some users find that the stainless steel and aluminum design puts weight on the ears that can become uncomfortable after longer periods of wear.

In the same post, Kuo said that AirPods may not see significant updates until 2026, when he expects IR camera-equipped AirPods to enter mass production.
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Apple plans to mostly stop announcing new features more than a few months before they are ready to launch, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Drake Bennett. The pair of reporters revealed this noteworthy tidbit towards the bottom of a lengthy report about Apple's artificial intelligence shortcomings today.


This alleged change in strategy comes after Apple was forced to delay its more personalized version of Siri, which will be powered by Apple Intelligence. Apple first previewed the promised Siri upgrades during its WWDC 2024 keynote, and at the time it said the features would be available within the following year.

Apple also missed its promised 2024 timeframe for launching next-generation CarPlay, which it first announced all the way back at WWDC 2022. The company finally announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra last week, with the software system rolling out in high-end Aston Martin vehicles in the U.S. and Canada this month.
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Apple is planning to give users in the EU the ability to set a default voice assistant other than Siri, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Drake Bennett.


In a lengthy report about Apple's artificial intelligence shortcomings today, Gurman and Bennett said Apple plans to introduce this change across multiple software platforms, which likely means the iPhone, iPad, and Mac at a minimum.

Presumably, this means that users in the EU will be able to set options like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant as their default voice assistant on Apple devices.

Apple is working on this change in response to expanding EU regulations, the report said.

Apple already lets iPhone users in the EU set third-party apps as the default option for browsing and messaging, navigation, and much more.
This article, "Apple Will Reportedly Let iPhone Users in the EU Switch Away From Siri" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Amazon is hosting a big collection of discounts across multiple Apple products this week, including notable deals on AirPods, Apple Watch, iPad, Apple Pencil Pro, and MacBook Air.

AirPods

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Amazon has the USB-C AirPods Max for $479.99 in Starlight, down from $549.00. This is a solid second-best price on the headphones, and it's been a few months since we last tracked an all-time low price, so if you've been waiting for a deal this is a good time to buy.

Similarly, the AirPods Pro 2 are on sale on Amazon for $188.56, which is another second-best price.

Apple Watch

For Apple Watches, you can get $100 off two models of the Series 10. This sale was much more extensive earlier in the month, but there are still a few discounts remaining on both the 42mm and 46mm GPS models.

iPad

The new 11th generation iPad is available for up to $55 off this weekend on Amazon, starting at $299.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi model.

Apple Pencil Pro

Amazon has the Apple Pencil Pro for the low price of $99.00 right now, down from $129.00.

MacBook Air

There are a few big discounts across the M4 MacBook Air lineup on Amazon, including up to $171 off both 13-inch and 15-inch models.








If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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This article, "Amazon's Sale Has Great Deals on AirPods Max, Apple Watch, iPad, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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