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iOS 18.5 Brings Support for Carrier Satellite Connectivity to iPhone 13

The iOS 18.5 update that Apple plans to release next week will enable carrier-provided satellite features on iPhone 13 models, adding satellite connectivity to iPhones that do not support Apple's built-in satellite functionality through Globalstar.


Apple says that satellite connectivity provided by carriers will be enabled on all ‌iPhone‌ 13 models, including the ‌iPhone‌ 13, ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini, ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro, and ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max. To use the feature, ‌iPhone‌ 13 users will need cellular service that offers a satellite connectivity option, and there are several carriers that have been rolling out the functionality.

In the United States, T-Mobile has partnered with SpaceX to provide customers with Starlink Direct service for connecting to Starlink satellites when Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity are unavailable. au and One NZ have also introduced satellite connectivity, as has Verizon, though Verizon's satellite option does not currently work with ‌iPhone‌.

Apple has included built-in satellite connectivity in all iPhones dating back to the ‌iPhone‌ 14 lineup, with connectivity provided through a partnership with Globalstar. Satellite connectivity is useful in rural and remote areas where cellular towers are not available.
Related Roundups: iOS 18, iPadOS 18
Related Forums: iOS 18, iPadOS 18

This article, "iOS 18.5 Brings Support for Carrier Satellite Connectivity to iPhone 13" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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iOS 18.5 Includes a Useful Change to Screen Time

Apple today shared release notes for iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5, ahead of the updates being released to the general public next week. The updates are minor overall, but they do include a useful change for the Screen Time feature on iPhones and iPads.


Specifically, Apple says that parents will now receive a notification when their Screen Time passcode is successfully entered on their child's device.

This change will allow parents to be alerted immediately if their child has correctly guessed or figured out the Screen Time passcode, which can allow the child to turn off or adjust the restrictions that were set by their parents.

Parents will also receive these notifications on a Mac running macOS 15.5, which should be released to the general public next week.

Screen Time launched in 2018 as part of iOS 12, providing parents with settings to remotely manage a child's device. For example, parents can restrict device usage to certain times, set time limits for apps, and block inappropriate content.
Related Roundups: iOS 18, iPadOS 18
Related Forums: iOS 18, iPadOS 18

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Apple Seeds macOS Sequoia 15.5 Release Candidate

Apple today seeded the release candidate version of an upcoming macOS Sequoia 15.5 update to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming a week after Apple released the fourth ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.5 beta.


Registered developers can opt-in to the ‌macOS Sequoia‌ beta through the Software Update section of the System Settings app. An Apple ID associated with an Apple Developer account is required to get the beta.

‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.5 appears to be a minor update so far, and no notable new features were found in the first four betas. The release candidate version represents the final version of macOS 15.5 that will be released to the public next week as long as no issues come up during this last week of testing.

Work on new features for ‌macOS Sequoia‌ is winding down, as Apple will soon transition to macOS 16. The next-generation version of macOS is set to be unveiled at WWDC in June.
Related Roundup: macOS Sequoia
Related Forum: macOS Sequoia

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Apple Seeds iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 Release Candidates

Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming a week after Apple released the fourth betas. The release candidate represents the final version of iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 that will be released to the public should no bugs be found.


iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update.

So far, iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 are relatively minor updates, introducing just a few new design changes. There are more options for reverting the Mail app back to the prior design, including removing contact photos, and AppleCare info is easier to find. The update also likely has bug fixes and performance improvements that are less obvious, plus it will add new Pride wallpapers.

Apple is transitioning to iOS 19 and iPadOS 19, which are set to be previewed in June at the Worldwide Developers Conference. iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 are likely to launch next week.
Related Roundups: iOS 18, iPadOS 18
Related Forums: iOS 18, iPadOS 18

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Apple Seeds Release Candidate Versions of visionOS 2.5, tvOS 18.5, and watchOS 11.5

Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate versions of upcoming visionOS 2.5, tvOS 18.5, and watchOS 11.5 updates for testing purposes. The software is available a week after Apple seeded the fourth betas.


The betas are available to registered developers, and can be downloaded from the Settings app on each device.

No notable new features have been found in any of the software updates so far, suggesting Apple is focusing on under-the-hood performance improvements and bug fixes. watchOS 11.5 will include a new Pride watch face option that goes along with this year's Pride band.
This article, "Apple Seeds Release Candidate Versions of visionOS 2.5, tvOS 18.5, and watchOS 11.5" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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How to Share Safari Tab Groups in macOS

In macOS, Apple allows you to share Tab Groups in Safari with colleagues, friends, and family. Keep reading to learn how it's done.


Introduced back in macOS Monterey, Tab Groups are designed to make organizing and preserving open tabs more manageable in Safari without having to have those tabs active.

In a Tab Group, you can easily collect and save related tabs, which can be especially advantageous in scenarios where collaboration and coordination are key. For instance, teams working on research projects can compile relevant sources into a shared group, allowing everyone to stay aligned and contribute in real time.

Families planning a vacation can gather booking sites, maps, and activity pages in one place, making it easy to explore options together. Even casual browsing, like curating gift ideas or event plans with friends, can benefit from this feature, turning scattered links into a centralized, living workspace. Here's how it's done.
  1. To share a currently open Tab Group in Safari, reveal Safari's sidebar by clicking the Show sidebar button.
    safari
  2. Right-click the Tab Group or click the ellipsis button (three encircled dots) next to the Tab Group in the list and select Share Tab Group from the contextual menu.
    safari
  3. Choose the desired sharing method from the Share Sheet menu that appears. Selecting Mail or Messages, for example, will open the associated app with a link to the Tab Group, ready to be sent.
Once you've sent an invite, you can see who has access to the Tab Group by clicking the user profile icon that appears on the right-hand side of Safari's address bar.

safari
From there, you can manage access to the Tab Group: you can revoke access, add new people, or call and message them to chat about the project. Note that everyone you collaborate with must be signed in to their Apple Account, have Safari turned on in iCloud settings, and have two-factor authentication turned on.

If you're on iPhone and iPad, here's how to share Tab Groups: Tap the open tabs button in the bottom-right corner of the screen (the two squares overlapping), then tap the Share icon (the square with the arrow pointing out). Tap Messages, then choose the person that you want to share the group with.
Tag: Safari

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Deals: Current-gen iPads from $299, 11-inch Magic Keyboard $140 off, black Apple Watch Ultra 2, black Milanese Loop, more

In today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break we are taking a closer look at the all-time low pricing on Apple’s most affordable new iPad models – the iPad (A16) from $299 and the iPad mini (A17 Pro) from $399. We also have a deep $140 price drop on the 11-inch Magic Keyboard for previous-gen iPad Pro or M2/M3 iPad Air now down at $180 (Orig. $299) joined by the return of black Apple Watch Ultra 2 models down at $730 and a deal on the matching black Milanese Loop. All of that and more awaits below in today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break.

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Kindle App Gets Biggest iOS Change in Over a Decade

Amazon has updated the Kindle app for iOS to include a new "Get Book" button that links users directly to purchase pages on Amazon's website, following a recent court ruling that prohibits Apple from blocking external purchase links or imposing a 27% commission on them (via The Verge).


The change to the Kindle app was made in response to a contempt order issued on April 30, 2025, by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in the ongoing litigation between Epic Games and Apple. According to the court order, Apple is barred from continuing to enforce App Store rules that previously prevented developers from directing users to external payment methods.

For more than a decade, Kindle app users on Apple devices have been unable to purchase e-books directly through the app. Beginning in 2011, Apple began enforcing guidelines that required developers to either use Apple's in-app purchase system (incurring a 30% commission) or remove any links, buttons, or instructions that would guide users to alternative purchasing methods. As a result, the Kindle app became limited to browsing owned titles, downloading samples, or managing a wish list, while actual purchases had to be completed manually through Amazon.com in a browser.

The update released this week introduces a prominent orange "Get Book" button next to book listings inside the Kindle app. When tapped, the button opens the user's default mobile web browser and navigates directly to the corresponding Amazon product page, with the Kindle edition of the book pre-selected. Users can then complete the purchase using Amazon's standard web-based checkout process. After the transaction, the book is automatically synced to the user's Kindle library and becomes available for immediate reading within the app. An Amazon spokesperson confirmed the change in a statement to The Verge:
We regularly make improvements to our apps to help ensure we are providing customers the most convenient experience possible. By selecting "Get Book" within the Kindle for iOS app, customers can now complete their purchase through their mobile web browser.


This is the first time since the enforcement of Apple's in-app purchasing restrictions that Kindle users on iOS have had a direct route from the app to Amazon's store. Previously, the lack of in-app purchasing or even external linking meant users had to manually search for titles in a separate browser session.

While Apple has filed an appeal against the court ruling, it is currently complying with the order. The judge declined to stay the ruling during the appeals process, meaning companies are now able to implement new payment flows unless a higher court reverses the decision. In addition to Amazon, Spotify has announced similar changes, and other developers are expected to follow.
Tags: Amazon, Kindle

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iPhone 18 Pro Already Rumored to Have These Seven New Features

While the iPhone 18 Pro models are still around a year and a half away from launching, there are already several early rumors about the devices.


Below, we recap some key iPhone 18 Pro rumors, as of May 2025.

Under-Screen Face ID



In April 2023, display industry analyst Ross Young shared a roadmap showing that iPhone 17 Pro models would feature under-display Face ID. In May 2024, however, Young said he heard this change had been delayed until 2026. If so, that means that under-screen Face ID could debut on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max next year.

Citing its own sources, The Information this month also reported that the iPhone 18 Pro models will likely be equipped with under-screen Face ID.

Top-Left Front Camera


With under-screen Face ID expected, the report from The Information said the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will have only a small pinhole in the top-left corner of the screen, to accommodate the front-facing camera.

The report said the devices will no longer have a pill-shaped cutout at the top of the screen, but it is unclear if the Dynamic Island will be discontinued.

Variable Aperture



The main 48-megapixel Fusion camera on both iPhone 18 Pro models will offer variable aperture, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

With variable aperture, users would be able to control the amount of light that passes through the camera's lens and reaches the sensor. The main cameras on iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro models have a fixed aperture of ƒ/1.78, and the lens is always fully open and shooting with this widest aperture. With the iPhone 18 Pro models, users would be able to manually change the aperture, according to this rumor.

A variable aperture on iPhone 18 Pro models should provide users with greater control over depth of field, which refers to how sharp a subject appears in the foreground compared to the background. However, given that iPhones have smaller image sensors due to size restraints, it is unclear exactly how meaningful this improvement would be.

Samsung Image Sensor



Samsung is developing a new three-layer stacked camera sensor that Apple is expected to use for iPhone 18 Pro models, according to DigiTimes. This advanced image sensor would make the iPhone 18's camera more responsive, and offer other benefits like reduced noise in photos, increased dynamic range, and more.

The exact technology is called "PD-TR-Logic," according to a leaker known as "Jukanlosreve", and it refers to a camera sensor with three layers of circuitry affixed to it.

Sony has long been the exclusive supplier of image sensors for iPhone cameras, so Samsung entering the fray would be notable.

In July 2024, Kuo said he expected Samsung to begin shipping 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera sensors to Apple for iPhones as early as 2026, which is when the iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to be released.

12GB of RAM


iPhone 18 Pro models will be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to Kuo. Increased memory bandwidth has also been rumored for the devices.

iPhone 16 Pro models are equipped with 8GB of RAM, while iPhone 17 Pro models and even the iPhone 17 Air are rumored to have 12GB of RAM.

C2 Modem



Apple debuted its custom-designed C1 modem in the iPhone 16e a few months ago, as part of a multi-year plan to transition away from Qualcomm modems.

Apple's second-generation C2 modem will debut in the iPhone 18 Pro models next year, according to Jeff Pu, an analyst who covers companies within Apple's supply chain. Unsurprisingly, expect the C2 modem to be faster than the C1, and for it to gain mmWave support in the United States. Further power efficiency improvements are likely too.

A20 Pro Chip (2nm)



Apple's A20 Pro chip for the iPhone 18 Pro models will be manufactured with TSMC's 2nm process, known as N2, according to Kuo.

Apple's latest A18 and A18 Pro chips for the iPhone 16 series use TSMC's second-generation 3nm process, while the A19 and A19 Pro chips for the iPhone 17 series are expected to use TSMC's third-generation 3nm process.

The move to a 2nm process starting with the A20 chips would allow for more transistors in each chip, which would boost performance. Specifically, reports indicate that A20 chips should be up to 15% faster and up to 30% more power efficient than A19 chips.

An overview of current and expected chips:
  • A17 Pro chip: 3nm (TSMC's first-generation 3nm process N3B)

  • A18 and A18 Pro chips: 3nm (TSMC's second-generation 3nm process N3E)

  • A19 and A19 Pro chips: 3nm (TSMC's third-generation 3nm process N3P)

  • A20 and A20 Pro chips: 2nm (TSMC's first-generation 2nm process N2)
Keep in mind that these nanometer sizes are simply TSMC marketing terms, rather than actual measurements.
This article, "iPhone 18 Pro Already Rumored to Have These Seven New Features" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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This Qi2 power bank might be a glimpse at the future of smartphone battery tech

Have you ever purchased a 5,000mAh Magsafe battery bank thinking, “This should fully charge my iPhone or even more because my iPhone battery is smaller”? But then, with real-world use, you only get 50% to 80% charge? This has happened to me on a few occasions. While the mAh measurement of those battery banks is true, Lithium-ion battery tech tends to lose energy through heat, wireless charging inefficiencies, and voltage conversion. But solid state battery tech is here to fix that, and Kuxiu’s S2 has shown me the future.

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Adobe Takes 40% Off Creative Cloud All Apps for Your First Year

Adobe this week is offering first-time subscribers of the Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps plan a 40 percent discount on the service. With this sale, you'll pay $35.99 per month for the plan, down from $59.99 per month, and this price will last through your first year.

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

You can also choose to pay for the entire year upfront at the price of $395.93 per year, down from $659.88 per year. After your first year ends, your subscription will automatically renew at the standard rate unless you change or cancel the subscription. This sale ends May 12.



When signing up for Creative Cloud All Apps, you gain access to more than 20 creative apps, including Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, After Effects, InDesign, and Acrobat. You also get templates, cloud storage, and thousands of Adobe Fonts.

These programs can be subscribed to individually as well for a monthly fee, and many are also seeing 40 percent discounts this week. You can get individual subscriptions to apps including Photoshop, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Illustrator for $13.79 per month for your first six months (originally $22.99 per month).

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.




Deals Newsletter


Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2025? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!




Related Roundup: Apple Deals

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Apple Says These Five Games Are Coming to Apple Arcade Next Month

Apple today announced that five additional games will be added to the Apple Arcade library at the beginning of next month.


The most notable addition will be UNO: Arcade Edition, which is a reimagined version of the popular card game. In addition to solo matches with classic UNO rules, players can go a step further with new options like Wild Swap Hands and Color Showdown. There are three game modes: Quick Match, Custom Games, and Single Player.

The four other games coming to Apple Arcade on Thursday, June 5:More details about all of the games are available on the Apple Newsroom website.

Accessible through the App Store, Apple Arcade is a subscription-based service that provides access to hundreds of games across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Vision Pro, all free of ads and in-app purchases. In the U.S., Apple Arcade costs $6.99 per month and is bundled with other Apple services in all Apple One plans.
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A tweet asked for a simple finance app: Two hours later, it existed

Every day, it seems like hundreds of finance-related apps hit the App Store. Some focus on budgeting, others on credit card points, investing, or even trying to do it all. While scrolling through X, I came across a tweet from someone who said they just wanted a finance app that tracked three things: what they spent today, this week, and this month. The idea was so simple, yet so valuable. A few hours later, I saw that developer Steven Zhang had actually built it. In just two hours. Here it is.

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Amazon Introduces Big Sale Across Nearly Every M4 iPad Pro, Plus Get the Apple Pencil Pro for $99

Amazon is discounting numerous models of Apple's M4 iPad Pro this week, including both 11-inch and 13-inch models. Simultaneously, Amazon has the Apple Pencil Pro for $99.00 right now, and it's compatible with these iPad Pro models.

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.

In total, there is at least one markdown on every model of the M4 iPad Pro during this sale, with up to $250 off these tablets. We've collected every device being discounted in this lists below, and they include a few models with Nano-Texture Glass options as well.




These iPad Pro models feature Apple's M4 chip, OLED displays, and support for the Apple Pencil Pro and the Magic Keyboard. Don't forget that you can get the Apple Pencil Pro for a match of its all-time low price of $99.00 today on Amazon, down from $129.00.

11-Inch iPad Pro - Wi-Fi



13-Inch iPad Pro - Wi-Fi




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.



Deals Newsletter


Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2025? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!




Related Roundup: Apple Deals

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Skype Shuts Down After 22 Years, Ending an Era of Internet Calling

Microsoft's Skype has finally shut down, concluding its 22-year tenure as the once-dominant internet calling and messaging service.


Microsoft acquired Skype in 2011 for $8.5 billion in what was then its largest-ever acquisition. At its peak, Skype had more than 300 million monthly active users and was synonymous with internet-based voice and video calling. For many, Skype was their first experience of speaking to someone halfway across the world for free, a radical shift from the dominance of telcos and expensive long-distance calls.

The service steadily declined in relevance in recent years, with its active user base shrinking to approximately 36 million by 2023 as competitors such as Zoom, WhatsApp, and Microsoft's own Teams platform gained traction.

Teams has since grown to 320 million monthly users, far surpassing Skype's remaining user base. The company's decision to discontinue Skype is apparently part of a broader effort to prioritize artificial intelligence features within Teams. Employees who worked on Skype will be reassigned to other projects rather than being laid off.

Skype played a key role in popularizing VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology, enabling businesses and individuals to connect around the world with minimal costs. It also served as an early testbed for AI-powered real-time language translation, a feature Microsoft showcased in a widely publicized demonstration in 2014. However, its frequent UI changes, reliability issues, ill-conceived social media-like features, gradual shift toward enterprise, and inability to keep pace with newer competitors, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, ultimately led to its obsolescence.

Existing Skype users had until May 5 to migrate their data and contacts to Teams or seek alternative solutions. Skype's legacy lives on in the VoIP technology it helped to normalize—but as a product, it stands as a case study in how brand recognition alone can't save a stagnant platform.
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9to5Mac Overtime 046: Exciting iPadOS 19 rumors

Fernando and Jeff talk about the most impressive app on the App Store, iOS 19, iPad Menu Bar, and Stage Manager 2.0 rumors, and the recent court order that forces Apple to allow external payment links on the App Store.

9to5Mac Overtime is a weekly video-first podcast exploring fun and interesting observations in the Apple ecosystem, featuring 9to5Mac’s Fernando Silva & Jeff Benjamin. Subscribe to Overtime via Apple Podcasts and our YouTube channel for more.

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Warren Buffett says Apple made Berkshire more money than he ever did

When Apple CEO Tim Cook praised Warren Buffett at the weekend, it followed the billionaire investor modestly stating that Apple had made more money for his Berkshire Hathaway investment fund than he ever did through his other investment picks.

Buffett also said that while Steve Jobs was vital to the formation and early days of the company, Cook was equally vital to its growth since then …

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90% of people shouldn’t buy the iPhone 17 Air, per Apple

An argument could be made that this year’s iPhone line-up will have two top-tier models, depending on your priorities: either the iPhone 17 Pro Max or the iPhone 17 Air.

If you value iPhone photography, or all-round performance, you’ll want to stick to the Pro or Pro Max. If you prioritize sleek design, you might instead consider the Air to be the best model. But Apple seems to know that its sleek new model isn’t for most people …

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Review: SwitchBot Wallet Finder is an incredibly useful accessory to track your wallet with iPhone Find My

I have an on my keychain to keep track of my keys, but obviously an AirTag is too big and bulky to fit inside a wallet. That’s what the SwitchBot Wallet Finder is for.

Disguised inside a thin, credit-card form factor, the SwitchBot Wallet Finder connects to the Find My app on your iPhone, so you can follow its location, and it even houses a speaker so you can make it beep to help you find your wallet when it inevitably gets lost somewhere in your home. Read on for my review …

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Apple Supplier Plans Second Indian Facility for AirPods Enclosures

Apple supplier Jabil is planning to expand its AirPods enclosure production in India with a second manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu, according to The Economic Times (Via DigiTimes).


The Florida-based electronics manufacturer already produces AirPods plastic casings at its existing plant in Pune, and is now looking to increase sourcing from India through the new facility in Tiruchirappalli. The company reportedly met with Tamil Nadu's chief minister recently, although construction of the new facility has yet to start. Jabil aims to finalize its expansion plans by July.

The development is another step in Apple's ongoing strategy to diversify its supply chain beyond China amid increasing trade tensions and tariff uncertainties. The current process involves shipping AirPods casings made in India to assembly plants in China and Vietnam.

Apple currently produces approximately 20% of its iPhones in India and plans to import most U.S.-bound iPhones from India by the end of next year. During Apple's latest post-earnings call, India was mentioned nearly as frequently as China, underlining its growing importance in Apple's manufacturing strategy.

The move comes a month after Foxconn began producing AirPods at its new $400 million Hyderabad factory. Assembly at this plant began in April, with initial production units destined for export markets.
Tag: India

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YouTube Tests New Two-Person Premium Subscription Plan

YouTube has started testing a new two-person Premium subscription tier in some countries, offering a more affordable option for pairs of users who want ad-free viewing without committing to a full family plan (via Money Control).


The pilot program is currently limited to India, France, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, with no immediate word on whether the tier will expand to other regions like the United States.

"We're experimenting with new ways to provide greater flexibility and value to our YouTube Premium subscribers, including offering a two-person Premium plan option, allowing two people to share a subscription at a reduced cost," a YouTube spokesperson confirmed in a statement to TechCrunch.

Similar to Spotify's Duo plan, the new tier is designed for two people living at the same address who want Premium benefits such as ad-free viewing and background play.

The test appears to be part of YouTube's efforts to diversify its subscription offerings and potentially recover subscribers who may have canceled after recent price increases.

The test follows YouTube's March rollout of Premium Lite, a lower-cost tier that offers ad-free viewing without YouTube Music access or certain other Premium features. The Lite plan is currently available in the United States, Australia, Germany, and Thailand.
Tag: YouTube

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Apple @ Work Podcast: Root automatically patches vulnerabilities in container image

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 John Amaral and Ian Riopel from Root about their solution to transform container security.

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Buffett Says Tim Cook Made Berkshire More Money Than He Ever Did

Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett offered rare public praise for Apple CEO Tim Cook at the holding company's annual shareholder meeting on Saturday, during which Buffett confirmed he was stepping down.


"I'm somewhat embarrassed to say that Tim Cook has made Berkshire a lot more money than I've ever made," Buffett told the audience, alluding to the 680% surge in Apple's stock since Berkshire first began acquiring shares in early 2016.

Buffett also reflected on the late Steve Jobs and credited him for building Apple, but he was quick to underline Cook's contributions to the company's success. "Nobody but Steve could have created Apple, but nobody but Tim could have developed it as he has," he said.

The 94-year-old investor, who announced his intention to step down as CEO by year's end, made billions investing in Apple despite his long-standing wariness of tech investments. At one point in 2024, Buffett was even Apple's largest investor outside of Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs).

In 2024, Berkshire's stake in Apple was valued at $174 billion, which the company had acquired for $40 billion over several years. That said, the conglomerate has been shedding its holdings in the company throughout the past year, and it has now sold nearly 70% of the 905 million shares it held at its peak.

Since Cook took over as CEO in 2011, Apple's stock has seen remarkable growth, climbing from under $15 on a split-adjusted basis to $205. The roughly 14-fold increase has propelled Apple's market capitalisation to over $3 trillion.

Buffett, known as the Oracle of Omaha and arguably the world's most successful investor, told his company's annual meeting he would hand over the reins to vice-chairman Greg Abel.

There’s never been someone like Warren, and countless people, myself included, have been inspired by his wisdom. It’s been one of the great privileges of my life to know him. And there’s no question that Warren is leaving Berkshire in great hands with Greg. pic.twitter.com/7p5zXtq5hP

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) May 3, 2025

"There's never been someone like Warren, and countless people, myself included, have been inspired by his wisdom," Cook wrote on X (Twitter) after attending the shareholder meeting. "It's been one of the great privileges of my life to know him. And there's no question that Warren is leaving Berkshire in great hands with Greg."
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Apple Faces Developer Lawsuit After Defying App Store Injunction

Apple is being sued by developers unhappy with the company's "willful violation" of the anti-steering injunction the court ordered as part of its legal battle with Epic Games. A company called Pure Sweat Basketball has teamed up with law firm Hagens Berman to file a class-action lawsuit against Apple in an attempt to win some money for developers.


The lawsuit focuses on the recent Apple vs. ‌Epic Games‌ decision where Apple was found to be in contempt of court. Back in 2021, Apple was ordered to relax its anti-steering rules that prevent developers from directing customers to purchase options outside of the App Store. Because of appeals, Apple didn't have to comply until January 17, 2024, but when it did, Apple did so in a way that the court said was anticompetitive.

Apple forced developers to pay between 12 and 27 percent in commission when customers made a purchase through an app using an external payment link, which was an issue because developers also had to pay payment processors. Apple also had strict rules allowing only a single link and it used scare screens to try to prevent customers from making purchases outside of the ‌App Store‌.

Apple last week was forced to change its U.S. ‌App Store‌ policies to support external payment links in apps with no restrictions, a decision that Apple is appealing, but the class action lawsuit argues that developers should be compensated for the trouble. It claims that Apple's moves to circumvent the injunction cost developers "billions of dollars" in revenue.

Due to Apple's anti-steering implementation, only 34 developers of 136,000 took advantage of the external payment link option before the terms were changed last week, and the lawsuit is seeking restitution for all U.S. developers who offered in-app purchases for non-zero prices between January 17, 2024 and when Apple fully complied with the original injunction.

Apple should be forced to disgorge all of its "ill-gotten gains," according to the lawsuit. The law firm that's handling the case, Hagens Berman, previously secured a $100 million settlement for developers over Apple's ‌App Store‌ fees.
This article, "Apple Faces Developer Lawsuit After Defying App Store Injunction" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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I’m not normally a huge iPad fan, but the M4 iPad Pro changed my mind

For the longest time, I had believed that purchasing a new iPad at full price never made any sort of sense. Ultimately, you’re paying more than an equivalently spec’d , for less capability. It always felt like iPadOS was the key limiting factor for the iPad, not the hardware.

However, I’ve now owned an M4 iPad Pro for nearly 9 months, and I can confidently say it’s changed how I feel towards iPads.

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Apple Banned Epic Games' Developer Account, So How Is Fortnite Coming Back to the U.S. App Store?

In the early days of the Apple vs. Epic Games legal battle, Apple banned the Epic Games developer account and all of Epic's titles, like Fortnite, disappeared from the App Store. ‌Epic Games‌' U.S. developer account has been banned for almost five years now, so when Epic said last week that it would bring Fortnite back to the ‌App Store‌ in the U.S., it wasn't clear how that would work.


‌Epic Games‌ CEO Tim Sweeney said over the weekend (via The Verge) that Epic will use its ‌Epic Games‌ Sweden account to submit Fortnite to the ‌App Store‌ in the U.S. Apparently, Sweeney has spoken to Apple about the issue, and based on his wording, it sounds like Apple could allow the plan, but he did not say that he has explicit approval from Apple.
We have conversed with Apple on the topic and will use our Epic Games Sweden account to submit Fortnite to the US App Store. We created this account last year to launch Epic Games Store and Fortnite in the European Union, and Apple required an EU-domiciled account.

After Apple was required to support alternative app marketplaces in the European Union under the Digital Markets Act, ‌Epic Games‌ created an account based in Sweden in order to launch the Epic Games Store. Apple initially shut down Epic Games' EU developer account due to Epic's pattern of untrustworthy behavior, but that didn't last. Apple's statement from when it banned the EU account:
Epic's egregious breach of its contractual obligations to Apple led courts to determine that Apple has the right to terminate "any or all of Epic Games' wholly owned subsidiaries, affiliates, and/or other entities under Epic Games' control at any time and at Apple's sole discretion." In light of Epic's past and ongoing behavior, Apple chose to exercise that right.

‌Epic Games‌ claimed that Apple was violating the Digital Markets Act by not allowing it to create an alternative app marketplace in Europe, and the European Union started questioning Apple. Apple ultimately reinstated the account after ‌Epic Games‌ promised to follow the alternative marketplace rules, and Apple avoided issue with EU regulators.

The outcome of the Apple vs. ‌Epic Games‌ dispute in the U.S. resulted in Apple not having to reinstate the U.S. ‌Epic Games‌ account, and it sounds like Apple still has no plan to do so. Apple could object to ‌Epic Games‌ trying to return Fortnite to the ‌App Store‌ using the Swedish account, but given that Apple is already facing the wrath of the judge overseeing the case, it may not want to attract further attention.

‌Epic Games‌ CEO Tim Sweeney offered a "peace proposal" to Apple last week, claiming that if Apple extends its "Apple-tax-free" framework worldwide, Epic would return Fortnite to the ‌App Store‌ and drop current and future litigation. So far, Apple has given no sign that it will implement the ‌App Store‌ link and payment changes outside of the United States.

Apple is now required to allow developers to add links and buttons to their apps directing customers to purchase options outside of the ‌App Store‌.

Sweeney said that ‌Epic Games‌ is working "as hard as possible" to return Fortnite to the ‌App Store‌, but that he doesn't yet know when it will be ready to launch.
This article, "Apple Banned Epic Games' Developer Account, So How Is Fortnite Coming Back to the U.S. App Store?" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple faces class-action lawsuit for violating App Store injunction

The hits keep coming for Apple and its App Store policies. A new class-action lawsuit filed today alleges that Apple “penalized developers who sought to use linked payments with fees that rendered it economically non-viable.

The lawsuit follows an injunction handed down last week, in which Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers barred Apple from charging commission or otherwise interfering with developers’ ability to direct customers to payment methods outside of the App Store.

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