Apple hasn't refreshed the Apple TV since 2022, but rumors suggest that we're finally going to get an update in 2025. We don't have a full picture of what to expect yet, but we have some hints on what's coming.

Updated A-Series Chip

The current ‌Apple TV‌ 4K uses the A15 Bionic chip that was in the iPhone 13 lineup, and it's time for an update. Apple doesn't design chips specifically for the ‌Apple TV‌, and it instead uses chips from the ‌iPhone‌.

If Apple wants to bring Apple Intelligence features to the ‌Apple TV‌, the next-generation model will have the A17 Pro or better along with at least 8GB RAM.

‌Apple Intelligence‌ makes sense for the ‌Apple TV‌ given that part of ‌Apple Intelligence‌ is a new, smarter version of Siri. ‌Siri‌ has always been a specific focus on the ‌Apple TV‌, with Apple encouraging users to ask ‌Siri‌ to find content to watch.

The A17 Pro would also allow for higher-quality console-style games because it supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing. The ‌iPhone‌ and iPad can support console games like Resident Evil 4 and Death Stranding, and those games are also likely to be playable on the next ‌Apple TV‌.

Wi-Fi 6E

Apple is expected to use a custom Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip for the ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ 4K. The chip will support Wi-Fi 6E, which will allow the ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ to connect to faster 6GHz networks when available.

Right now, Apple offers both a Wi-Fi only ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ 4K and a Wi-Fi + Ethernet model, and that could continue with the next-generation model. We could also see the next ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ adopt Bluetooth 5.3.

The ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ is expected to continue to offer Thread integration and support for Matter when used as a home hub for smart home products. Wi-Fi 6E could theoretically improve connectivity for smart home products because the 6GHz band typically has reduced signal interference and more bandwidth.

Design

It's looking like Apple has no plans to redesign the ‌Apple TV‌. We're not expecting form factor updates, and the next-generation ‌Apple TV‌ will continue to feature the same slimmed-down black plastic body that the current model uses.

Pricing

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has been saying that Apple might debut a cheaper ‌Apple TV‌, and that under $100 would be the "sweet spot." Apple may lower prices on the new model, but it's more likely that the current version will stick around and be sold at a discount.

The current ‌Apple TV‌ starts at $129 for 64GB of storage.

Launch Date

We're expecting the ‌Apple TV‌ to see a refresh sometime in late 2025, likely in September or October.
This article, "An Apple TV Refresh is Coming in 2025 - Here's What You Should Know" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Over the past few years, Apple has been offering more self-repair options than ever before. One evidence of this is the Self Service Repair Store, where you can buy tools and parts for repairing your own Apple devices—even recent ones like an iPhone 16 Pro. And now for the first time, you can buy tools to repair the recent M4 Mac mini, MacBook Pro, and iMac.

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Contrary to what you may have heard on TikTok, Apple did not just “install” Elon Musk’s Starlink on every iPhone.

The short explanation is that the iPhone is capable of using Starlink, just like any mobile service provider. More specifically, though, Starlink support on iPhone is limited to a single carrier for customers in the United States for now.

It’s not a direct partnership between Apple and Starlink. Instead, T-Mobile is using its 1900MHz (band 25) spectrum to provide additional coverage using Starlink, and the iPhone supports band 25. There’s nothing special in iOS 18.3 beyond supporting the latest version of T-Mobile’s network. Apple itself has not partnered with Starlink in any capacity.

However, if T-Mobile customers want to opt out of using Starlink on iPhone, there’s a way to disable using the functionality.

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Your fresh batch of Apple deals has arrived. Firstly, AirPods Pro 2 in brand new condition have dropped a touch lower to $169, while open-box listings from Best Buy with a full warranty are now at a wild $116 shipped (if you’re fast). Those deals join ongoing all-time low pricing on AirPods 4, but we are also now tracking Jet Black Apple Watch Series 10 units at up to $110 off as well as the unlocked Amazon premium renewed 1TB iPhone 15 Pro in black at $630 off the original price and the return of all-time low pricing on Apple’s official Navy Alpine Loop. All of that and more awaits below in today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break.

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Apple Invites is a brand new iPhone app that just launched yesterday. After a day of testing it out, here are five features in the Invites app that you might have missed.

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Apple this week added parts and tools for all M4 Macs to its self-service repair store in the U.S. and many European countries. This includes parts for MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini models with M4, M4 Pro, and/or M4 Max chips.


Since launching in 2022, Apple's self-service repair program has given customers access to the same genuine Apple parts, tools, and manuals used by the Genius Bar at Apple Stores and at Apple Authorized Service Providers, allowing for do-it-yourself repairs. Repair manuals for M4 Macs are available on Apple's website.

Depending on the model, repair parts that can be ordered for M4 Macs include displays, logic boards, speakers, trackpads, top cases with a keyboard and battery, SSD modules, USB-C ports, fans, Wi-Fi antennas, and more.

The self-service repair store also offers parts for various iPhone models and the Studio Display, as well as replacement batteries for the Beats Pill speaker. Apple says the program is "intended for individuals who are experienced with the complexities of repairing electronic devices," and the repair manuals include important safety information.
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Amazon today has up to $175 off a collection of Apple's M4 iMac computers, and it's matching a few all-time low prices on multiple models. The cheapest M4 iMac available is the 8-core/16GB RAM/256GB 24-inch iMac at $1,149.99 with an on-page coupon, down from $1,299.00.

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.

You'll also find the 512GB models on sale, and each configuration has multiple colors available at these discounts. For the steepest markdown, Amazon has the 10-core/24GB RAM/512GB 24-inch iMac for $1,724.00 in Blue, down from $1,899.00.




Some of these deals will require you to clip an on-page coupon in order to see the final deal price at checkout. This is mainly regarding the entry-level 8-core/256GB iMac, but a few color options from the other configurations will also require a coupon to be clipped.

• 8-core/16GB RAM/256GB - $1,149.99, down from $1,299.00


• 10-core/16GB RAM/256GB - $1,349.00, down from $1,499.00


• 10-core/16GB RAM/512GB - $1,549.99, down from $1,699.00


• 10-core/24GB RAM/512GB - $1,724.00, down from $1,899.00

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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This article, "Apple's M4 iMac (8-Core/256GB) Drops to $1,149.99 on Amazon, More Models at Up to $175 Off" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Disney has long been planning to launch a new flagship ESPN streaming service—separate from the existing ESPN+ streamer—and its fall launch is fast approaching. Today during Disney’s quarterly earnings report, CEO Bob Iger teased what to expect from the new ESPN service and confirmed its launch timing.

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Update: SuperDuper developer Dave Nanian reports that Apple has fixed the issue in macOS 15.3.

One or more backup bugs in macOS 15.2 Sequoia is affecting Apple’s own Time Machine utility, as well as third-party apps SuperDuper and CarbonCopyCloner. Initially the problem appeared to affect bootable backups only, but it now appears that it is either more general than this, or there is more than one bug affecting Mac backups …

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So-called macOS Stealers – malware that seeks to extract personal data like passwords and credit card numbers from your machine – is expected to be significantly more prevalent this year.

A new annual report on the state of malware says that Mac owners could be at almost as much risk as Windows PC users this year …

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Apple's latest macOS Sequoia 15.3 update appears to have resolved a bug that prevented popular backup utility SuperDuper from creating bootable backups, according to developer Dave Nanian.


The fix addresses an issue introduced in macOS 15.2 that caused SuperDuper to fail during the final stages of creating bootable backups due to a "Resource Busy" error when attempting to copy system preboot or recovery files.

Apple requires third-party apps to use Apple's own replication tools rather than directly copying the operating system. When these tools malfunctioned in macOS 15.2, it directly impacted SuperDuper's ability to create bootable backups.

"macOS 15.3 is now out, and with it, a fix for the broken replicator," Nanian wrote on his Shirt Pocket Watch blog. "As such, macOS copying will work again with 'Erase, then copy' backups."

However, Nanian cautions that while the specific replicator bug has been fixed, this doesn't guarantee that booting from backup copies will work in all situations. This is largely due to changes that Apple has made in macOS and recent Mac hardware in the name of enhanced security.

For example, Apple Silicon Macs require that the internal SSD remains functional for external booting to work, meaning a Mac with a failed internal drive won't boot from a SuperDuper backup, even if the backup itself is perfectly intact.
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We’re expecting to see an M5 chip powering this year’s MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Vision Pro. That chip has now entered mass production, according to a new supply-chain report.

Not much is known about it for sure, though it is expected to have enhanced AI performance, and it’s also been suggested that it may have a somewhat different design to previous M-series chips …

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Apple has begun mass production of its next-generation M5 chip, according to South Korean media, with the processor expected to arrive in devices potentially as soon as this year.


ET News reports that Apple began packaging the M5 chip last month. Packaging is the final step in semiconductor manufacturing after fabrication, and involves the process of protecting the chip and enabling electrical connections with other devices or components.

Apple outsources to TSMC the front-end manufacturing phase of fabricating the chips on silicon wafers. Now that fabrication is underway, the packaging is being handled by OSAT (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test) companies including Taiwan's ASE Group, America's Amkor, and China's JCET. According to the report, ASE was the first to begin mass production, while Amkor and JCET are expected to follow sequentially.

The initial production run is said to be for the base M5 model, rather than Apple's more advanced M5 Pro, M5 Max, and M5 Ultra processors. The OSAT companies mentioned above are said to be currently investing in additional facilities to support the mass production of the high-end models.

The M5 series is expected to feature an enhanced ARM architecture and is reportedly being manufactured using TSMC's advanced 3-nanometer process technology. Apple's decision to forgo TSMC's more advanced 2nm process for the M5 chip is believed to be due to cost considerations. However, the high-end versions of the M5 will still feature significant advancements over their M4 equivalents, mainly through the adoption of TSMC's System on Integrated Chip (SoIC) technology.

This 3D chip-stacking approach vertically stacks the chips, which enhances thermal management and reduces electrical leakage compared to traditional 2D designs. Apple is said to have expanded its cooperation with TSMC on the next-generation hybrid SoIC package, which also combines thermoplastic carbon fiber composite molding technology.

The first device to be equipped with the M5 chip is expected to be a new iPad Pro, which will enter mass production in the second half of next year, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Assuming Apple maintains its typical upgrade cycle for its custom silicon, here are the devices we're expecting to benefit in chronological order:

• iPad Pro: M5 chips could debut in the devices in late 2025 or early-to-mid 2026.


• MacBook Pro: Models featuring M5 series chips are anticipated in late 2025.


• MacBook Air: M5 variants will likely arrive in early 2026.


• Apple Vision Pro: An updated version of the headset incorporating the M5 chip is expected between the fall of 2025 and spring of 2026.

References to what are believed to be Apple's M5 chip have already been discovered in official Apple code. According to one report, thanks to its dual-use SoIC design, Apple also plans to deploy the M5 chip within its AI server infrastructure to bolster AI capabilities across both consumer devices and cloud services.
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Most Apple products sold in the US could see price raises, after Trump imposed 10% import tariffs on all imports from China. While Apple has been working on diversifying its supply chain, the majority of its products are still assembled in China.

Trump did a similar thing in his first term, applying tariffs to thousands of products. That time, Apple was successful in lobbying for exceptions, but the new policy appears to be a blanket 10% across all products arriving from China …

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China is considering opening an antitrust investigation into Apple’s App Store commissions, mirroring those already carried out in the US, EU, and elsewhere.

However, it’s likely that the Chinese government is simply raising the possibility as a form of leverage in the latest trade war instigated by the Trump administration …

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Threads is rolling out the ability for users to share custom feeds they've made, the social media platform announced on Tuesday.


"Shared feeds are a new way for you to connect with people around similar interests and find profiles and conversations that are relevant to you," said the Meta-owned company in a newsroom post.

The change means that users will be able to explore public feeds under a new Feeds tab on profiles, and pin feeds they like for quick access to their favorite people and topics.

Before custom feeds can be shared, they must be made public. This can be done by tapping and holding a feed, selecting "Edit feeds," and then toggling on the switch next to "Public feed."

Once that's done, you can share the custom feed in the following way: Tap and hold the feed you've created at the top of the Threads app, then tap "Edit feeds." Next, tap "View feed," and then either use the quote icon to post a preview of the feed, or use the "Share feed" button to send the feed as a link or direct message.


Threads first rolled out custom feeds in November. Note that the ability to share custom feeds is still in the process of rolling out, so you may not see it immediately, depending on your location.
This article, "Threads Now Lets You Share Custom Feeds – Here's How" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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OpenAI has announced a couple of new ChatGPT features for WhatsApp users, adding support for voice messages and image-based interactions when communicated with the chat bot via the Meta-owned chat platform.


Users can now send voice messages or upload images directly in their WhatsApp conversations with the AI assistant, said OpenAI in a post on Twitter (X), although ChatGPT will continue to respond exclusively to WhatsApp users through text.

To access ChatGPT on WhatsApp, you'll need to add the number 1-800-CHAT-GPT (1-800-242-8478) to your contacts. The service then functions similarly to the web-based ChatGPT, but with the convenience of the WhatsApp interface.

The expansion builds upon the initial WhatsApp integration launched in December 2024, which was limited to text-based interactions. OpenAI also plans to introduce account linking functionality that will allow users to connect their existing ChatGPT accounts — whether Free, Plus, or Pro — where they can keep tabs on their chat history and get more usage out of the service in Meta's app.


Any US phone number can contact ChatGPT and get 15 minutes of response time for free without an OpenAI account, but downloading the app and creating an account allows for additional call time.
This article, "WhatsApp Users Can Now Send Images and Voice Messages to ChatGPT" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple could be facing a potential Chinese antitrust investigation into its App Store policies and developer fees, reports Bloomberg.


China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) is said to have been critically examining Apple's practices and holding discussions with the company since last year, specifically about its 30% commission on in-app purchases and restrictions on external payment services, according to the outlet's sources.

Chinese regulators are said to be particularly focused on whether Apple's fees for local developers are unreasonably high. They're also examining if the company's prohibition of third-party app stores and payment methods stifles competition and negatively impacts Chinese consumers. "If Apple resists making changes, the government may launch a formal investigation," Bloomberg's sources said.

The conversations are said to stem from long-running disputes between Apple and developers such as Tencent and ByteDance. A report in August said Apple had been putting pressure on them to make significant changes to two of China's most popular apps in order to remove loopholes that circumvent Apple's typical 30% commission.

The regulatory scrutiny comes at a time of escalating tensions between the United States and China. Just this week, SAMR announced a formal investigation into Google's practices moments after new US tariffs on Chinese goods took effect.

Apple's position in China is particularly delicate. The country serves as the primary manufacturing base for iPhones and is Apple's largest market outside the United States. It's also having to compete with increasingly confident local rivals like Huawei, with Apple reporting an 11% decline in revenue from China over the holiday quarter.

Apple is no stranger to regulatory scrutiny and has already had to implement a series of changes to avoid fines and other penalties elsewhere, including revamping its store practices in the European Union to comply with the Digital Markets Act.
This article, "Apple Faces Potential App Store Antitrust Probe in China" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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CardioBot is a health companion app for iPhone and Apple Watch that shows users how they can live a healthier life. The app has now been updated with new features, including “Activity Coaching” and fully interactive graphics. Read on as we detail everything that’s new with the update.

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Sonos is developing a high-end streaming set-top box that's expected to launch this year, reports The Verge. While any set-top box will compete with the Apple TV, Sonos plans to price its upcoming device at $200 to $400, which would make it notably more expensive than the ‌Apple TV‌.


According to The Verge, the hardware is a nondescript black box that's slightly thicker than a deck of cards, with an included remote control. It'll run a version of Android, but Sonos has developed a "beautiful" interface.

The set-top box will offer content from Netflix, Max, Disney Plus, and other streaming services in a unified software experience that supports universal search. Sonos is said to be aiming to reduce the fragmentation of the streaming ecosystem, and the set-top box will be equipped with Sonos Voice Control. Apple has tried to do something similar, and Siri is able to provide content suggestions from a range of services.

Sonos' set-top box will double as an HDMI switch and it has HDMI ports with passthrough functionality. Users will be able to plug in gaming consoles, soundbars, and other devices. The device solves a latency problem that has long annoyed Sonos, and it will prevent TVs from experiencing audio sync delays with Sonos-branded soundbars.

For Sonos users who have Sonos speakers but not a soundbar, the set-top box will allow for the configuration of a surround sound system with Sonos devices. It will also support Wi-Fi 7 and offer gigabit ethernet.

Sonos struggled in 2024 after a disastrous app launch that ultimately led to Sonos CEO Patrick Spence stepping down, so the company needs a win in 2025 to restore its reputation. Sonos did not have much luck with its Sonos Ace headphones that came out around the time the app was refreshed, but the Arc Ultra Soundbar that launched late last year received better reviews.
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Nomad today announced the launch of a unique cable that isn't quite like anything else on the market. The Universal Cable for Apple Watch includes a built-in Apple Watch fast charging puck along with two USB-C connectors.


Priced at $100, the 1.5 meter cable is able to charge an Apple Watch and another device like an iPhone or iPad at the same time. It is a 100W USB-C PD cable, so it provides a small amount of power (8W) for the Apple Watch with the rest (92W) distributed to the other device that's plugged in. 100W is enough to charge even Apple's 16-inch MacBook Pro, as long as you have an appropriate power adapter.

The Apple Watch end of the cable can be plugged in at a power adapter or it can be used for device charging, so there are two layout options to choose from. Apple's most recent AirPods can charge from an Apple Watch charger, which adds more versatility. Note that transfer speeds are limited to USB 2 because the cable is designed for charging rather than data transfer.

The cable has a double-braided Kevlar outer weave and it uses electroplated metal connectors for durability. There's also an integrated silicone cable tie to keep the cable neat even when traveling.

The Universal Cable for Apple Watch can be purchased from the Nomad website for $100.
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Meta last year introduced significant enhancements to the Threads timeline, as users gained the option to create custom feeds and choose which feed they want to see by default. Now Meta is announcing another new feature for Threads: the ability to share custom feeds with others.

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Samsung has been making foldable smartphones since 2019, but we have yet to see a foldable iPhone from Apple. Rumors suggest that Apple's first folding ‌iPhone‌ could come out in 2026 or 2027, but by then, Samsung will be even further ahead in foldable device development.


Right now, Samsung has the Galaxy Fold and the Galaxy Flip, which fold in different ways. The Galaxy Fold is larger and unfolds horizontally like a book, while the Flip has a vertical fold. According to rumors, Samsung is working on yet another foldable, this one with a tri-fold design.

Samsung's tri-fold device has been rumored for quite some time, and Samsung even teased it as a "multi-fold" device at its Unpacked event, but more information about the device came out this week. As noted by GSMArena, it's looking like Samsung could call it the Galaxy G Fold, which would make it a new product line distinct from the current Z Fold models.

The tri-fold smartphone is expected to fold out into a 10-inch screen, which would make it significantly better than the current Z Fold6 flagship foldable smartphone from Samsung. The Z Fold6 is 7.6 inches when it's opened up, while the Z Flip6 is 6.7 inches unfolded.

Samsung won't have the first tri-fold smartphone on the market, because Huawei has already released the Mate XT Ultimate. You can't get Huawei's device in the United States, though, and it costs $2,800, so Samsung will be first to a tri-fold smartphone in markets outside of China.

Samsung typically announces new foldable smartphones around July, and it's looking like we could see the tri-fold smartphone unveiled this year ahead of a launch in early 2026.

If Samsung's tri-fold smartphone launches in early 2026, it will beat any Apple foldable to market, since the earliest we expect to see an Apple foldable is 2026.

As of 2024, Apple was supposedly working on a foldable ‌iPhone‌ with a design similar to the Galaxy Z Flip, which means a vertical fold. Such a device would likely be similar in size to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, but with an option to fold it in half to make for a more compact size.
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Installing Doom on a range of unusual hardware devices has become a fun challenge for programmers, and we've seen the game running on everything from the Apple Watch to the MacBook Pro Touch Bar. Over the weekend, another Doom demo was uploaded to YouTube, this time showing the game running on Apple's $50 Lightning to HDMI Adapter.


The Lightning Digital AV Adapter is more than just a dongle, because it has an SoC inside and it runs a super simple version of iOS. Lightning does not have the bandwidth for transmitting HDMI, so Apple needed an adapter that would compress video from a connected Apple device, send it over the Lightning connection, and then decompress it into raw HDMI for viewing on a TV screen or display.

Since the adapter has an SoC in it, it's able to run Doom. Actually getting access to the accessory took work, because Apple has it locked down, like any of its devices. While there is a MacBook and a display shown in the video, Doom is running on the SoC in the dongle.
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Last week, Mark Gurman reported that Apple had canceled development of its AR glasses project following some unimpressive demos for executives. With Vision Pro struggling to build its own sales momentum, on the surface AR glasses seemed like the the best path forward for Vision products. But here’s why that may not be the case—at least not yet.

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You may be familiar with Opera, a well-known cross-platform web browser. The company is now introducing Opera Air, a new version of the web browser with multiple mindfulness features aimed at helping users relax while they browse the web.

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You’re not alone, Discord is down globally.

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Apple just launched a new app today: Apple Invites. It’s available now on the App Store, and one of its best features is deep integration with Apple’s iOS app ecosystem. Here’s what that means.

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Hot Ones, the popular YouTube series, just released a new episode where two Apple TV+ stars from Severance compete in a test of heat. Here are the details.

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In honor of Heart Month, Apple Watch owners can earn an award by completing a workout to fill their Exercise ring on Friday, February 14, which is Valentine's Day.

Show your heart some love! Close your Exercise ring this Valentine's Day, February 14, to earn this award.

As with all of Apple's Activity Challenges, the Heart Month challenge will be accompanied by an award that can be viewed in the Fitness app as well as a series of animated stickers that can be used in the Messages app.








Apple often also debuts themed Heart Month content in the App Store, Apple TV app, Apple Podcasts, and Apple Books.
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Sonos has had a very bad past year. But under a new interim CEO, the company is reportedly planning to launch a major new hardware product soon: an Apple TV 4K competitor that could cost between $200 and $400. Its codename: ‘Pinewood.’

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Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

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The next Apple Watch Activity Challenge is just around the corner. Customers will soon be notified about the upcoming Heart Month Challenge set for February 14.

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Apple @ Work is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the only solution that integrates in a single professional-grade platform all the solutions necessary to seamlessly and automatically deploy, manage & protect Apple devices at work. Over 45,000 organizations trust Mosyle to make millions of Apple devices work-ready with no effort and at an affordable cost. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL today and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple.

In this episode of Apple @ Work, I talk with with John Bennett, CEO, and Fred Rivain, Chief Technology Officer from Dashlane about what they think is going to be impactful for IT admins in 2025.

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Apple just launched its latest app, Apple Invites, which allows for a quick and easy way to send out invitations to an event. But, how does that work for an Android user? We’ve tested out how Apple Invites will work for Android users, and it’s surprisingly well done.

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The developers behind well-known event app and website Partiful today suggested that Apple was in violation of its own App Store guidelines for the release of the new Invites app.


On social media, Partiful shared a screenshot of rule 4.1, which covers copycat apps.

Come up with your own ideas. We know you have them, so make yours come to life. Don't simply copy the latest popular app on the App Store, or make some minor changes to another app's name or UI and pass it off as your own. In addition to risking an intellectual property infringement claim, it makes the App Store harder to navigate and just isn't fair to your fellow developers.

Partiful is designed to allow users to send customized event invitations with just a few steps, and it has a feature set that is similar to Apple's new Invites app. Partiful still has options that set it apart from Invites, such as better cross-platform functionality. Unlike Invites, Partiful does not require event attendees to enter an email address to confirm their event attendance, and invitations can be created through an app or from the web.

Apple lets invitations be sent to non-Apple users, but an email address is required. Creating an invite is tied to an iCloud+ subscription, so it is not free for anyone to use like Partiful.

When Apple creates an app or a feature that has functionality found in a third-party app, it is referred to as sherlocking. The name dates back to a "Sherlock" search tool in OS X that Apple enhanced with features that were cribbed from a third-party app called Watson. Watson's developers accused Apple of copying the product without compensation, and from then on, sherlocking has been used to describe apps that are supplanted by Apple.

There are similarities between Partiful and Invites, but event-focused apps and websites are a popular category and there are services that pre-date Partiful too, like Evite. Checking the ‌App Store‌ shows no shortage of popular event planning apps, including Paperless, Invitation Maker, and Punchbowl, in addition to Evite and Partiful, so there is no clear indication that Apple set out to copy Partiful or any app in particular.
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Apple may be hitting home runs with new iPhone apps lately, but it’s striking out completely when it comes to iPad support.

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Apple today surprised us with a new Invites app, which is designed for planning events like birthday parties, vacations, and baby showers. We checked it out in our latest video to see how it works, what you can use it for, and to demonstrate all of the different features in the app.


Invites is a standalone app that you can download from the App Store, but it's also got an accompanying iCloud+ service. You need an ‌iCloud‌+ subscription to create an invite to an event, but there is no subscription needed to join an event. In fact, you don't even need an Apple device. People without an Apple device can be invited to an event and can join and see event details from a web browser, similar to how ‌iCloud‌ works on any device through a browser.

Creating an event is a simple process. You tap on the "+" button, and then there's an interface that walks you through each step. Apple offers a selection of backgrounds to choose from, some of which feature emoji characters and some that are event appropriate with balloons, confetti candy, popcorn, and more. You can also choose a photo from your Photos app or make an image with Image Playground if you have an Apple Intelligence-capable device.

After selecting a background, you can add an event title, a date and time, a location, and include a description that has information your guests need to know. There are options to set up a Shared Album that all attendees can contribute to during and after the event, plus there is an option to create a collaborative Apple Music playlist.

When an event is ready to go, you can create a link that you can send out to a group of people through Messages or email. You can also send individual invites with a unique link for each person, though you need to give the app access to your Contacts for that. You can choose to allow anyone with the link to join, or you can turn on approvals so you'll need to greenlight anyone who requests to attend. Event creators can cancel an event at any time, change details, and remove attendees.

If you receive a link to an invite, you'll be able to tap in and choose whether you're able to attend, not attend, or maybe attend. All invitees and the event creator can see who is going to an event, and Apple automatically adds weather information and directions to the event location.

Weather information will be general for events that are several weeks or months out, but will get more specific as the event date approaches. The location listing can be tapped and it will open up in Maps with turn-by-turn directions.

Invite creators can add notes that are sent out to everyone to provide updates on an upcoming event, and the selected playlist can be played from the Invite interface. ‌Photos‌ can be added to shared albums at any time, and will be available to all attendees.

Events are shown in a card-style interface in the Invites app, and you can swipe between both events you've created and events you're attending. The app has sections for past events and for drafts that you've created but haven't sent out yet.

Will you use the Invites app? Let us know in the comments below.
This article, "Testing Apple's New Invites App for Event Planning" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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