Most people don’t think about air quality until it becomes a problem. It might not be random if you’ve ever felt sluggish in a home office or noticed your allergies acting up indoors. CO2 levels, humidity, and temperature all affect how comfortable and healthy your home actually is. A car fire at my neighbor’s house a few months ago reaffirmed this for me. The is built to make tracking air quality easier and integrates with HomeKit over Matter.

more…

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with ColorWare to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a set of AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods 4 that have been custom designed with a classic Mac aesthetic.


ColorWare is known for making custom-painted Apple products and accessories, and it is essentially the only company that offers non-standard colors for AirPods, the Apple Pencil, and other Apple accessories.


In addition to letting you order custom AirPods in a wide range of colors, ColorWare often comes up with fun special edition products. This February, ColorWare debuted its ColorWare Retro Collection with AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 that have a unique design.


The Retro ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 and ‌AirPods 4‌ come in a matte cream color ColorWare is calling "Light Mode," and a matte black "Dark Mode" shade. Both models feature colorful rainbow accents that harken back to the rainbow colors that Apple used for some of its original Macs.

The Retro ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 are priced at $499, and the ‌AirPods 4‌ with ANC are priced at $439, so there is a premium for a custom design, but it's worth it if you want a look you can't get elsewhere. ColorWare uses a proprietary painting process to ensure the finish will hold up over time, and it's been customizing devices for more than a decade.


ColorWare uses a multi-step coating process that includes a primer, the application of a proprietary color formula, and an X2 liquid plastic coating that protects the color, with all products warrantied for 12 months.


We have two sets of ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 or ‌AirPods 4‌ (winner picks) to give away to a lucky MacRumors reader. To enter to win, use the widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner(s) and send the prize(s). You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, following us on Threads, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older, UK residents who are 18 years or older, and Canadian residents who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. All federal, state, provincial, and/or local taxes, fees, and surcharges are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

The contest will run from today (April 4) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on April 11. The winner will be chosen randomly on or shortly after April 11 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.
This article, "MacRumors Giveaway: Win Custom Retro AirPods From ColorWare" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Days after sweeping new tariffs on US imports were announced, many are still wondering what the actual bottom-line impact will be on everyday products. According to analysts at one firm, Apple’s current flagship iPhone could soon cost up to $2,300 for high-end models.

more…

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that steep tariffs will be applied to imports from many countries, starting April 9. The tariffs could have a significant impact on Apple, as the company assembles the majority of iPhones in China, and products imported to the U.S. from China will be subject to a 54% tariff.


iPhone prices could increase by up to 43% in the U.S. due to the tariffs, according to analysts at equity research firm Rosenblatt Securities (via Reuters).

Based on that prediction, the top-of-the-line iPhone 16 Pro Max model with 1TB of storage could rise from $1,599 to nearly $2,300 in the U.S., should Apple actually follow through with raising prices by 43% to offset the cost of tariffs.

At the other end of the iPhone lineup, the most affordable iPhone 16e model would increase from $599 to just over $850 with a 43% price increase.

An iPhone 16 Pro with 256GB of storage could rise from $999 to more than $1,400.

Apple would need to raise its prices by at least 30% on average, in order to offset the tariffs, according to Counterpoint Research's Neil Shah.

Apple has yet to publicly comment on the tariffs, so it is unclear if the company will actually raise prices, or if it will get creative and find alternative ways to offset the impact. It is also unclear if iPhone 16 models would increase in price, or if Apple would simply set higher prices on iPhone 17 models from the get-go later this year.

Apple's stock price is down nearly 15% since Trump announced the planned tariffs.
This article, "iPhones Could Cost Up to $2,300 in the U.S. Due to Tariffs, Analyst Says" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

9to5Mac Security Bite is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Making Apple devices work-ready and enterprise-safe is all we do. Our unique integrated approach to management and security combines state-of-the-art Apple-specific security solutions for fully automated Hardening & Compliance, Next Generation EDR, AI-powered Zero Trust, and exclusive Privilege Management with the most powerful and modern Apple MDM on the market. The result is a totally automated Apple Unified Platform currently trusted by over 45,000 organizations 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 week’s Security Bite, I’m taking it back over 20 years to the launch of Gmail in 2004–because that’s how long its little-known plus addressing (aliasing) feature has quietly existed. It was originally created to help with filtering and keeping inboxes tidy long before spam became what it is today. Google never really promoted it, so most people still don’t realize it’s a thing. But over the years, it’s become popular among privacy-minded folks to track which online services, subscriptions, etc., are selling email addresses to other companies or leaking them.

more…

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss the announcement of WWDC 2025, key iOS 18.4 features, and more.


Apple last week officially announced that its 36th annual Worldwide Developers Conference will begin on Monday, June 9, and end on Friday, June 13. As with WWDC events since 2020, ‌WWDC 2025‌ will primarily be an online event that is open to all developers. We discuss how the event artwork appears to allude to the complete redesign rumored for iOS 19 and the recent report which claims Apple is working on an AI health coach feature for the Health app.

We look at the key new features debuting in iOS 18.4, including Priority Notifications, Apple News+ Food, Ambient Music, and more. The AirPods Max with USB-C also received a significant update, adding support for lossless audio, ultra-low latency mode, and more.

We also talk through a recent report which claims that Apple is still exploring solid-state buttons with haptic feedback for a future iPhone. The MacRumors Show also has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player.


If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion with Bloomberg's Mark Gurman about the controversy surrounding Apple Intelligence, what to expect from ‌iOS 19‌, and more.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kevin Nether, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
This article, "The MacRumors Show: WWDC 2025 Announced and iOS 18.4 Features" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

After years of mostly unchanged iPhone lineups, Apple has already shaken things up this year by debuting the iPhone 16e instead of the expected new iPhone SE. The company is just getting started though, as this fall’s iPhone 17 family—particularly the Air and Pro Max—will change even more, with direct inspiration from the Apple Watch.

more…

Your Friday edition of the best Apple deals is now ready to roll with the return of all-time low pricing on Apple’s most affordable new M4 MacBook Air (all colors included). We then move over the banger 2TB 13-inch iPad Pro that is now $300 off the list price and joined by an ongoing price drop on the compatible Apple Pencil Pro at Amazon. Next, the regularly $329 Level Lock+ with Apple Home Key support has now dropped to $145 alongside a host of charging and accessory offers. All of that and more awaits below in today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break.

more…

Microsoft today marks its 50th anniversary, during which time it has been one of Apple's longest-standing and most prolific competitors.


Microsoft was founded on April 4, 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, starting out as a software company developing a BASIC interpreter for the Altair 8800. It quickly become central to the personal computing revolution, including through its early collaboration with Apple, where Apple licensed Microsoft's BASIC for the Apple II in 1977.

Microsoft's most significant early involvement with Apple came with the development of applications for the original Macintosh, including Word and Excel, which helped legitimize the Mac as a productivity tool. The 1985 launch of Microsoft Windows, which featured a graphical user interface similar to the Macintosh, prompted accusations from Apple that Microsoft had copied key elements of its design.

The ensuing legal and public disputes would define the rivalry for years. In 1988, Apple filed a lawsuit against Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard, claiming infringement of its Macintosh GUI, which it ultimately lost.

Despite the rivalry, Microsoft invested $150 million in Apple in 1997, when the company was in financial crisis following years of declining market share and internal missteps. As part of the agreement, Microsoft committed to continuing development of Office for Mac and making Internet Explorer the default browser on Macintosh systems. During his keynote at Macworld Boston 1997, Steve Jobs announced the deal, stating:

We have to let go of the notion that for Apple to win, Microsoft has to lose. We need to embrace a notion that for Apple to win, Apple has to do a really good job.

Throughout the 2000s and early 2010s, Microsoft and Apple continued to compete on multiple fronts with operating systems, productivity software, mobile devices, and later, cloud services. Apple's resurgence under Jobs was driven by the success of the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad, while Microsoft struggled to gain traction with mobile devices like the Windows Phone and Surface. Apple has developed alternatives to Microsoft products, including iWork, but Microsoft Office continues to be prevalent and play an important role on Apple devices, including the Vision Pro.

Today, both companies remained dominant in their respective ecosystems. Microsoft's focus on software licensing, large-scale business use-cases, and enterprise cloud computing with Azure now forms a business model that contrasts sharply with Apple's emphasis on consumer-facing products, hardware-software integration, and user experience.
This article, "Apple's Most Famous Rival Turns 50 Today" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

iOS 18.4 launched this week, bringing a variety of new features—including some small enhancements to the Apple TV app worth noting. Here are three nice updates that just hit your iPhone.

more…

Amazon's Big Spring Sale happened earlier this week, and although it has now ended, there are still a few remaining deals that have stuck around. This includes low prices on the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, Apple Pencil Pro, M3 iPad Air, and more. We're also tracking a few solid discounts at Samsung and Best Buy.

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

AirPods 4

• What's the deal? Take $30 off AirPods 4 with ANC


• Where can I get it? Amazon

AirPods 4 with ANC dropped to $148.99 this week on Amazon, and they are still available at this all-time low price. Right now, it's the only notable AirPods discount still around from the Big Spring Sale.

Samsung

• What's the deal? Save on Samsung monitors, TVs, and more


• Where can I get it? Samsung


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Samsung this week kicked off a new springtime sale, which includes savings on monitors, TVs, Galaxy products, and more. This sale also covers the newest Galaxy S25 smartphones, The Frame TV, and Samsung's line of home appliances, including refrigerators and washer/dryers.

M2 MacBook Air

• What's the deal? Take $250 off M2 MacBook Air


• Where can I get it? Best Buy


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Best Buy is discounting Apple's 13-inch M2 MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM and 256GB SSD storage down to $749.00 in a few colors. This is a $250 discount on the previous generation M2 MacBook Air, and a solid second-best price.

M3 iPad Air

• What's the deal? Take up to $70 off new iPad Air


• Where can I get it? Amazon

Last week Apple launched the new M3 iPad Air, and Amazon has been providing solid launch window discounts on numerous models this week. You can find up to $70 off these tablets on Amazon, with prices starting at $549.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi 11-inch model.

M4 MacBook Air

• What's the deal? Take $50 off M4 MacBook Air


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon this week has all-time low prices on the new M4 MacBook Air, with up to $60 off the 13-inch and 15-inch versions of the computer. Right now these discounts are only available on Amazon, and most of them have estimated delivery windows of early April.

Apple Pencil Pro

• What's the deal? Take $30 off Apple Pencil Pro


• Where can I get it? Amazon

Another all-time low price available on Amazon this week was on the Apple Pencil Pro, and it's still available for $99.00 today, down from $129.00.

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.

---

This article, "Best Apple Deals of the Week: Get the AirPods 4 (ANC) for $148.99, Plus Big Discounts on MacBook Air and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple this week quietly released a huge update to the Apple Music app for Windows. With the latest version, PC users can now play Spatial Audio songs with Dolby Atmos.

more…

This week, Trump announced his plans to implement wide-ranging tariffs on all imports into the United States. The move sent the stock market into a free fall, with Apple among many companies down over 10% for the week.

While the world prepares for the full impact of this move, here’s what I think is some straightforward advice for iPhone buyers.

more…

I love my M4 iPad Pro and do all of my work on it. I am interested, however, in using a Mac again full-time. But until the Mac gains cellular support, that’s not really possible for me. Here’s why the iPad Pro is my only current computer option.

more…

Apple stock dropped 4% in early Friday trading, broadly following yesterday's trend after China announced reciprocal tariffs in response to U.S. President Trump's trade policies.


The latest decline follows Thursday's dramatic 9% plunge that erased nearly $300 billion from Apple's market value – the company's worst single-day performance in five years – amid growing fears that Trump's trade war will hurt the global economy. Apple's market value was expected to be reduced further today as markets processed China's matching 34% tariff announcement.

China's finance ministry announced it would impose a matching 34% tariff on U.S. imports starting April 10, one day after Trump's new duties take effect. The country also restricted exports of rare earth elements critical for technology manufacturing and added 11 American businesses to its "Unreliable Entity List."

Trump's "Liberation Day" tariff plan particularly threatens Apple, which relies heavily on Chinese manufacturing despite years of diversification efforts. The 54% effective rate on Chinese imports combines the new 34% tariff with an existing 20% charge.

Countries where Apple has been expanding its supply chain, including India, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam, were also targeted with tariffs above Trump's global baseline rate of 10%.

Analysts warn Apple faces difficult choices ahead, potentially needing to raise U.S. hardware prices by approximately 30% to offset the tariff impact or accept significant hits to its profit margins.
This article, "Apple Stock Sell-Off Continues After China Unveils Matching Tariffs" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Dolby Atmos music playback is now supported in Apple Music for Windows, bringing true immersive audio to PCs with compatible hardware via Apple's music streaming service for the first time.


Dolby Atmos is a surround-sound audio format that allows sound to be heard in an immersive, three-dimensional audio experience with compatible stereo headphones and speakers. Apple's Spatial Audio technology takes Dolby Atmos content and applies its own directional audio filters to make sounds appear to be coming from all around you.

The feature was added in version 1.1284.20225 of ‌Apple Music‌ for Windows. A new Apple Support document called "Play Dolby Atmos in Music on Windows" explains how to use it on a PC.

‌Apple Music‌ for the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro, Apple TV, and Android already supported Dolby Atmos audio. Spatial Audio via Dolby Atmos debuted on Apple's music streaming service in June 2021.
This article, "Dolby Atmos in Apple Music Now Available for Windows PCs" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

I said a few years ago that Express Transit is a tiny feature that makes a huge difference, and planning a last-minute trip revealed the same is true of another Wallet feature.

The ability to add foreign transit cards direct to the Wallet app before you even leave home is a traveler’s delight …

more…

In Apple's iOS 18.4 software update, there's a new Ambient Music feature available in the Control Center options on iPhone. It's free to use, and does not require an Apple Music subscription. It's also more customizable than most users probably realize. Keep reading to learn how.


There are four different sound categories to Ambient Music, including Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing. You can add each category individually to your Control Center, and then tap on one to start a playlist of songs in the chosen category.

Add Ambient Music Buttons to Control Center

1. Open Control Center by swiping down from the top-right corner of your screen.


2. Tap the + button in the top-left corner, or long press on a blank space.


3. Tap Add a Control at the bottom of the screen.


4. Scroll down to the new "Ambient Music" controls section and choose from Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing.


5. Tap any blank space to exit out of edit mode.

When you turn on one of the Ambient Music options in Control Center, playback controls will appear on the screen. You can also tap or long press the Dynamic Island on newer iPhones to access playback controls or bring up a fullscreen music player with album art.

Changing Ambient Music Category Playlists

It's not obvious, but you can actually choose different playlists for each Ambient Music category. In fact, this option is so hidden in the interface that some might even call it an "easter egg" – or perhaps a non-intuitive UI design choice. Apple describes the playlists as follows:

• Sleep: Sleep Sounds, Bedtime Beats, Sound Bath, and Piano Sleep.


• Chill: Piano Chill, Ambient Chill, Lo-Fi Jazz, and Pure Chill.


• Productivity: BEATstrumentals, Binaural Frequencies, Pure Focus, and Classical Concentration.


• Wellbeing: Pure Meditation, Spa, Beats & Breath, and Pure Calm.

Here's what you need to do to choose a different playlist – or even one of your own:

1. Open Control Center, then tap the + icon in the top-left corner of the screen.


2. Tap one of the Ambient Music buttons that you added to your Control Center (try to avoid tapping the minus symbol or the button will disappear).


3. Tap the playlist name in blue next to "Playlist," then select one of the playlists from the dropdown. If you select From Library, tap Choose to pick a playlist from your Music library.


4. Tap any blank space, then tap again to exit out of edit mode.

So now you know how to switch up the playlists when listening to Ambient Music, whether that's for restful sleep, relaxation, focusing on tasks, or for meditation and self-care.
This article, "iOS 18.4: Access Hidden Ambient Music Playlists" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Multiple iPhone users are reporting problems with CarPlay functionality after updating to iOS 18.4, based on complaints on Reddit and elsewhere.


The most widespread issue appears to affect vehicles equipped with CarPlay instrument cluster integration. Some users said that after installing iOS 18.4, CarPlay no longer displays the currently playing song information on their car's instrument panel.

The instrument cluster bugs have been reported across numerous vehicle models including the 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid, 2025 Mazda CX-30, various 2024 Honda models, multiple Volkswagen vehicles, the 2023 Audi S3, and the 2023 Nissan Frontier.

Meanwhile, several users have complained that CarPlay completely fails to launch after the update, requiring multiple reconnection attempts - sometimes up to five tries - before the system will work. Others report broken Siri audio functionality that persists despite restarting both their iPhones and vehicles.

Users say they have attempted the standard troubleshooting steps like device reboots and system resets, but in many cases these workarounds have not resolved the issues. The problems appear to be directly linked to the iOS 18.4 update, as affected users report that everything worked properly before installing the latest version.

Apple has not yet acknowledged any CarPlay issues with iOS 18.4, so it's unclear whether a fix is in the works. Apple released iOS 18.4 earlier this week, and the only notable intended change to CarPlay is that the interface now shows a third row of icons (up from two rows previously), but only on vehicles with a larger display center. Have you had problems with CarPlay after updating? Let us know in the comments.

(Via autoevolution.com.)
This article, "iPhone Users Report CarPlay Connectivity Issues With iOS 18.4 Update" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

As we have reported in recent months, Apple has been facing scrutiny in Brazil over accusations of anti-competitive practices with the App Store. Although the company has been given more time to discuss the case, the Brazilian antitrust regulator “Cade” is now investigating Apple over the App Tracking Transparency feature.

more…

Apple plans to hold a WWDC keynote viewing party for select students and developers on Monday, June 9, with a limited number of invites available for an in-person Apple Park event. Apple accepted applications for attendance until yesterday, and the company is now sending out notices to those who have been selected to go via its lottery process.


The event is set to include WWDC-related special activities like the keynote viewing, the Platforms State of the Union, Apple Design Awards, ‌Apple Park‌ tours, and a dinner. Developers and students will also have opportunities to interface with Apple engineers and experts.

Current Apple Developer Program members, Apple Developer Enterprise Program members, Apple Entrepreneur Camp alumni, and Swift Student Challenge winners from 2023 to 2025 were eligible to apply, with attendees chosen by random selection.

There is no cost to attend the ‌Apple Park‌ special event, but Apple does not cover transportation or lodging. Out-of-state attendees will need to purchase airfare, hotel accommodations, and transportation to ‌Apple Park‌.

WWDC 2025 will take place from June 9 to June 13. Developers that were not selected to attent the ‌Apple Park‌ event can watch the keynote, get help from Apple engineers, and watch WWDC sessions online through the Apple Developer website and app.
This article, "Apple Sending WWDC 2025 Invites to Special Event Lottery Winners" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple last week officially announced that WWDC 2025 will take place from June 9 to 13, and although most of the event will take place online, the company will hold an in-person opening keynote at Apple Park. Developers who have applied for a ticket are now being notified of their status.

more…

With the premiere of Severance season two in January, Apple revealed an increase in Apple TV+ subscriptions compared to previous months. But was that enough to make Apple TV+ overtake its competitors? New data from JustWatch seen by 9to5Mac shows details about the market share of streaming platforms in the US during Q1 2025.

more…

Apple supplier TSMC has reached a preliminary agreement with Intel that will see TSMC operating Intel’s chipmaking facilities, reports The Information. TSMC will own a 20 percent stake in the new combined company, while Intel and other semiconductor companies will own the majority of the shares.


As part of the deal, TSMC may share some of its chip manufacturing methods with Intel, and train Intel employees to use them. Discussions are still underway, and the final details have not been established. The talks between Intel and TSMC were reportedly initiated by the Trump administration in an effort to stymy Intel’s decline and bring advanced chipmaking to the U.S.

Intel is one of TSMC’s major competitors, and the two have long been rivals. Apple previously used Intel chips in its Macs, but transitioned to its own Apple silicon chips manufactured by TSMC starting in 2020. No Apple devices use Intel processors, with Apple now relying entirely on its own technology.

TSMC focuses on chip manufacturing, not design, which is handled by TSMC customers like Apple and Nvidia. The focus solely on manufacturing has allowed TSMC to outpace Intel, and Intel’s foundary operations are less attractive to companies because Intel’s chips cost more than TSMC’s and its yields are lower.

Some Intel executives are said to be worried that the deal would result in layoffs, because Intel would need to eliminate engineers and may need to change or sell the equipment that it uses. Intel and TSMC have different manufacturing machines and materials, so if Intel is expected to adopt TSMC manufacturing processes, it could have to sell most of its existing equipment.

In 2024, Intel had an $18.8 billion loss because of its investments in chip manufacturing and a weakening PC market.
This article, "Apple Supplier TSMC May Operate Intel’s Chipmaking Facilities" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser that was first introduced in March 2016. Apple designed ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ to allow users to test features that are planned for future release versions of the Safari browser.


‌Safari Technology Preview‌ 216 includes fixes and updates for Accessibility, CSS, Forms, Media, Rendering, Service Workers, SVG, Text, URLs, Web Animations, Web API, and Web Inspector.

The current ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ release is compatible with machines running macOS Sonoma and macOS Sequoia, the newest version of macOS.

The ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ update is available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences or System Settings to anyone who has downloaded the browser from Apple’s website. Complete release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website.

Apple’s aim with ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while it is designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download and use.
This article, "Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 216 With Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple released iOS 18.4 for iPhone users on with Priority Notifications, new emoji, several changes to CarPlay, and more. According to a growing number of users, however, the iOS 18.4 update has rendered CarPlay unusable in their cars.

more…

Back in February, Amazon announced an interesting new test that would show you products from other retailers’ sites. Now, the company is taking things even further: Amazon’s new “Buy for me” feature can use agentic AI to actually make purchases elsewhere on your behalf—so you never have to leave Amazon.

more…

Apple Podcasts isn’t the dominant force in podcasting that it once was. But if you still get your podcasts from Apple rather than YouTube or another third-party app, there are some nice Podcasts app additions in iOS 18.4—including a new widget that solves a key shortcoming.

more…

Benjamin and Chance start with a catch-up on changes to Friday Night Baseball, before diving into the software updates of the week, with the launch of iOS 18.4 and the first iOS 18.5 beta launching. Also, thoughts on Apple’s rumored AI Health service plans, and the latest on finding a new partner for the Apple Card.

And in Happy Hour Plus, Benjamin embarks on a mission to convert baby videos from old camcorder tapes, to digital files. Subscribe at 9to5mac.com/join.

• : Get up to $600 off intelligent robotic cleaners and effortless wet/dry vacs in DREAME’s Spring Cleaning sale now.

more…

Intel Unison was a strong tool for Android and iOS users that wanted to share files, check messages, and more. Now, it seems like Intel is shutting that app down, leaving some users without a strong option for PC connection.

more…

iOS 18.4 is available now, and among its many features are some easy-to-miss changes to Apple’s Photos app that give users more flexibility and options than before. Here are the details on iOS 18.4’s Photos enhancements.

more…

This is Rumor Replay, a weekly column at 9to5Mac offering a quick rundown of the most recent Apple product rumors, with analysis and commentary. Today: updates on the M5 and M6 iPad Pro models, an Apple Health+ service, iPhone Fold, and more. Here are this week’s Apple rumors.

more…

As someone who grew up in the late 90s and early 2000s, I played a ton of simulation games on my computer. Games like The Sims, Age of Mythology, and Roller Coaster Tycoon are synonymous with my childhood. So when I saw that Apple was bringing the original Roller Coaster Tycoon to Apple Arcade, I dropped everything and put it on my iPad Pro. I was immediately taken back! In that same light, Apple released five other brand-new games that are worth taking a look at!

more…

iOS 18.4 packs a lot of new features, but one of my top picks is the addition of tens of thousands of recipes to Apple News alongside a special cooking mode. Here’s how it works.

more…

Hyperspace, the new utility from Macintosh veteran John Siracusa, has been updated a handful of times since we covered its launch in February. If you haven’t tried Hyperspace since it first launched, there are new capabilities that could reveal even more space to reclaim.

more…

If you're new to Macs, or haven't upgraded for some time, it can be difficult to decide just what to get. Is the MacBook Air the best option? Do you need the power of the MacBook Pro? What about desktop options?


In our latest video, we walk through the current Mac lineup and provide some tips on things to consider when you're trying to decide on a new machine. Trying to figure out if you need more RAM or a storage upgrade? Our video just might help.
This article, "Video: Choosing the Best Mac For You" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today updated its iWork apps Keynote, Numbers, and Pages with new features that require iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, or macOS 15.4.


For example, in the latest version of each app, you can now make text edits using Writing Tools directly in a presentation, spreadsheet, or document. This feature requires Apple Intelligence, which is available on iPhone 15 Pro models, all iPhone 16 models, any Mac or iPad model with an M1 chip or newer, or the iPad mini with the A17 Pro chip.

In addition, Apple says you can now export a presentation, spreadsheet, or document in another format using the Shortcuts app, and all three apps gained improved copy and paste integration with the Freeform app. Each app also received a few other enhancements that are not tied to the latest software updates.

The release notes for version 14.4 of each app on iOS follow.

Keynote:

• Make text edits using Writing Tools directly in your presentation (requires Apple Intelligence and iOS or iPadOS 18.4)
• Export presentations into other formats using Shortcuts (requires iOS or iPadOS 18.4)
• Improved copy and paste with Freeform (requires iOS or iPadOS 18.4)

Numbers:

• Use over 30 new advanced functions including LET, LAMBDA, FILTER, SORT, and UNIQUE
• See results from a single formula across multiple cells using spilling arrays
• Make text edits using Writing Tools directly in your spreadsheet (requires Apple Intelligence and iOS or iPadOS 18.4)
• Export spreadsheets into other formats using Shortcuts (requires iOS or iPadOS 18.4)
• Improved copy and paste with Freeform (requires iOS or iPadOS 18.4)
• Improved compatibility when importing or exporting Microsoft Excel spreadsheets

Pages:

• Make text edits using Writing Tools directly in your document (requires Apple Intelligence and macOS 15.4)
• Add additional pages into a word-processing document more easily
• Export documents into other formats using Shortcuts (requires macOS 15.4)
• Improved copy and paste with Freeform (requires macOS 15.4)

iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS 15.4 were all released to the general public this week, following more than a month of beta testing.

The updated iWork apps are available in the App Store across the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
This article, "Apple Updates iWork Apps With New iOS 18.4 and macOS 15.4 Features" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

On iPhone 16 models, Visual Intelligence lets you use the camera to learn more about places and objects around you. It can also summarize text, read text out loud, translate text, search Google for items, ask ChatGPT, and more. And thanks to the latest iOS 18.4 update from Apple, iPhone 15 Pro models can now get in on the action, too.


Until recently, ‌Visual Intelligence‌ was a feature limited to iPhone 16 models with a Camera Control button, which was necessary to activate the feature. However, Apple in February debuted the iPhone 16e, which lacks Camera Control and yet supports Visual Intelligence. This is because the device ships with a version of iOS that includes Visual Intelligence as an assignable option to the device's Action button.

Apple later confirmed that the same Visual Intelligence customization setting would be coming to iPhone 15 Pro models via a software update. That update is iOS 18.4, and it's available now. If you haven't updated yet, you can do so by opening Settings ➝ General ➝ Software Update.

After your device is up-to-date, you can assign Visual Intelligence to the device's Action button in the following way.

1. Open Settings on your iPhone 15 Pro.


2. Tap Action Button.


3. Swipe to Visual Intelligence.

Pressing and holding the Action button will now activate Visual Intelligence. Note that you can also activate Visual Intelligence using the new button option in Control Center. Here's how.

1. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your iPhone's display, then long press on the Control Center.


2. Tap Add a Control at the bottom.


3. Use the search bar at the top to search for Visual Intelligence, or swipe up to the "Apple Intelligence" section and choose the button.


4. Tap the screen to exit the Control Center's edit mode.

Using Visual Intelligence

The Visual Intelligence interface features a view from the camera, a button to capture a photo, and dedicated "Ask" and "Search" buttons. Ask queries ChatGPT, and Search sends an image to Google Search.


When using Visual Intelligence you can either snap a photo using the shutter button and then select an option, or you can select an option in live camera view. You cannot use photos that you took previously.

To learn about everything that you can do with Visual Intelligence, be sure to check out our dedicated guide.
This article, "You Can Now Get Visual Intelligence on iPhone 15 Pro – Here's How" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Joining some ongoing $100 price drops on iPad mini 7 and the new M4 MacBook Air, today we are turning our attention back to AirPods. Amazon has now brought back its best price of the year on the latest AirPods 4 with ANC down at $149 shipped, which is now joined by a solid $250 price drop on Apple’s 1TB 13-inch M4 iPad Pro. From there we move over to a 20% clearance price drop on the official blue Apple Ocean Band alongside a new all-time low Belkin’s 15W MagSafe Wireless Car Charger mount, a 25% price drop on Eve’s latest Energy (Matter) smart plug, Bose earbuds, and this 140W USB-C to MagSafe 3 nylon braided cable at just $20. All of that and more awaits below in today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break.

more…

After nearly a decade, Nintendo finally returned with a true successor to the original Switch. The Nintendo Switch 2, unveiled at Nintendo’s Direct event, brings long-awaited upgrades across the board – from display and performance to multiplayer features and accessories. I spent some hands-on time with the device at press-only Nintendo event yesterday, and as someone who has owned every Switch variant from the OG Switch to the Switch OLED, here are my thoughts.

more…