ConnexionApple Music 5.2 for Android beta adds iOS 26.4’s Playlist Playground, album redesign
Following the first iOS 26.4 preview, Apple Music 5.2 entered beta earlier this week with three new features.
more…Vue lecture
Apple should take Visual Intelligence one step further – with Reminders
One of the core Apple Intelligence features to date has been Visual Intelligence. It started off in a rather limited capacity through Camera Control, but with iOS 26, the company expanded it to screenshots. I’ve found those capabilities very useful thus far, and I’d love to see Apple take it even further.
more…Apple Reportedly Plans to Unveil at Least Five New Products Next Week
In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple will have a three-day stretch of product announcements from Monday, March 2 through Wednesday, March 4. In total, he expects Apple to introduce "at least five products."
A week ago, Apple invited selected journalists and content creators to an "Apple Experience" in New York, London, and Shanghai on Wednesday, March 4 at 9 a.m. Eastern Time. At these in-person gatherings, the expectation is that attendees will receive hands-on time with the new products that Apple announces next week.
Given this launch is described as an "Apple Experience," it appears there will not be a traditional Apple Event live stream. Instead, the new products are expected to be unveiled in a series of press releases on the Apple Newsroom website.
A new lower-cost MacBook will "very likely" be one of the new products introduced next week, according to Gurman. Rumored features include a 12.9-inch display, a version of the iPhone 16 Pro's A18 Pro chip, and a variety of fun color options.
Gurman expects the iPhone 17e to debut by the first week of March. The device is expected to have four key upgrades over the iPhone 16e, including an A19 chip, MagSafe, Apple's C1X modem for faster 5G, and Apple's N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7.
Other potential products coming next week include an iPad Air with the M4 chip, an iPad 12 with the A18 chip, a MacBook Air with the M5 chip, and MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. Two new Studio Displays are reportedly in the works too, but Gurman said it might be "overkill" for those to arrive next week.
In any case, it sounds like Apple's next products are just days away. This launch comes after Apple released a second-generation AirTag last month.
This article, "Apple Reportedly Plans to Unveil at Least Five New Products Next Week" first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
A week ago, Apple invited selected journalists and content creators to an "Apple Experience" in New York, London, and Shanghai on Wednesday, March 4 at 9 a.m. Eastern Time. At these in-person gatherings, the expectation is that attendees will receive hands-on time with the new products that Apple announces next week.
Given this launch is described as an "Apple Experience," it appears there will not be a traditional Apple Event live stream. Instead, the new products are expected to be unveiled in a series of press releases on the Apple Newsroom website.
A new lower-cost MacBook will "very likely" be one of the new products introduced next week, according to Gurman. Rumored features include a 12.9-inch display, a version of the iPhone 16 Pro's A18 Pro chip, and a variety of fun color options.
Gurman expects the iPhone 17e to debut by the first week of March. The device is expected to have four key upgrades over the iPhone 16e, including an A19 chip, MagSafe, Apple's C1X modem for faster 5G, and Apple's N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7.
Other potential products coming next week include an iPad Air with the M4 chip, an iPad 12 with the A18 chip, a MacBook Air with the M5 chip, and MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. Two new Studio Displays are reportedly in the works too, but Gurman said it might be "overkill" for those to arrive next week.
In any case, it sounds like Apple's next products are just days away. This launch comes after Apple released a second-generation AirTag last month.
Tag: Mark Gurman
This article, "Apple Reportedly Plans to Unveil at Least Five New Products Next Week" first appeared on MacRumors.com
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Apple is Testing These iPhone 18 Pro and Foldable iPhone Colors
The special new color that Apple is considering for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max this year is red, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Specifically, he said that Apple is testing a "deep red" finish for the two devices.
If this rumor materializes, it would be the first time that the Pro and Pro Max models ever come in red, and the iPhone 18 Pro models would be the first iPhone models to be available in red since the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus in (PRODUCT)RED. However, it sounds like it would be more of a burgundy finish than a bright red.
While it was previously rumored that Apple was also considering purple and brown finishes for the iPhone 18 Pro models, Gurman said he believes that those color options are "just variants of the same red idea — given that the tones are fairly similar." In other words, it sounds like those two color options will not actually be offered.
As for the foldable iPhone, Gurman said Apple plans to "stay away from fun colors" and stick to more traditional space gray/black and silver/white finishes.
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro and foldable iPhone models in September.
This article, "Apple is Testing These iPhone 18 Pro and Foldable iPhone Colors" first appeared on MacRumors.com
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Specifically, he said that Apple is testing a "deep red" finish for the two devices.
If this rumor materializes, it would be the first time that the Pro and Pro Max models ever come in red, and the iPhone 18 Pro models would be the first iPhone models to be available in red since the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus in (PRODUCT)RED. However, it sounds like it would be more of a burgundy finish than a bright red.
While it was previously rumored that Apple was also considering purple and brown finishes for the iPhone 18 Pro models, Gurman said he believes that those color options are "just variants of the same red idea — given that the tones are fairly similar." In other words, it sounds like those two color options will not actually be offered.
As for the foldable iPhone, Gurman said Apple plans to "stay away from fun colors" and stick to more traditional space gray/black and silver/white finishes.
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro and foldable iPhone models in September.
Related Roundup: iPhone 18
Tags: Foldable iPhone, Mark Gurman
Related Forum: iPhone
This article, "Apple is Testing These iPhone 18 Pro and Foldable iPhone Colors" first appeared on MacRumors.com
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Apple testing ‘deep red’ color for iPhone 18 Pro, but iPhone Fold may skip the fun: report
iPhone 18 Pro is still well over half a year away. Nonetheless, we have some interesting new color rumors for the upcoming new iPhone model, and Apple may finally be doing something users have wanted for ages – a red ‘Pro’ iPhone. iPhone Fold, on the other hand, might not have any flashy color choices.
more…Report: Apple to launch ‘at least five products’ leading into March 4 event
Last week, Apple announced a special Apple experience in various cities around the globe – taking place on March 4th. While this is unlikely to be a traditional Apple event, theres still ‘at least’ five new products set to launch at this event, per Bloomberg.
more…MOFT’s long-awaited MagSafe kickstand wallet with Find My support is now available
First unveiled at CES 2025 over a year ago, MOFT’s beloved MagSafe wallet with kickstand now comes with a much needed feature: Find My integration. After loads of delays, the product is now finally available for purchase.
more…Indie App Spotlight: ‘Summit’ is an all-in-one portfolio tracker for iPhone and iPad
Welcome to Indie App Spotlight. This is a weekly 9to5Mac series where we showcase the latest apps in the indie app world. If you’re a developer and would like your app featured, get in contact.
If you’re a heavy investor, you might find yourself having accounts across various brokerages. Or, perhaps, you only invest with one brokerage but you find their app interface very ugly. Summit solves both of these problems, providing a clean all-in-one interface for tracking all of your investments across Apple devices.
more…New limited-time Apple Card offer now available: Earn $75 in Daily Cash
Once again, Apple has dropped a limited time Apple Card offer for new users who choose to sign up. Traditionally, the Apple Card does not offer a sign up bonus, so this is worth looking into.
more…Apple’s upcoming AI smart glasses are starting to sound a lot more exciting
Earlier this week, Bloomberg reported that Apple will be “accelerating” the development of three upcoming AI wearables: smart glasses, a pendant, and AirPods with cameras. These three products are all meant to integrate Siri deeper into our everyday lives, and I’ll be focusing on the glasses aspect of it.
more…Anker's Weekend Sale Includes Big Savings on Newest Prime Chargers
Earlier this month, Anker debuted its new Prime 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station with a launch discount on Amazon. This deal is still available this weekend, allowing you to clip an on-page coupon on Amazon to get the accessory for $119.99, down from $149.99.
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.
The Prime 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station features Qi2.2 support, which lets a compatible MagSafe iPhone charge at up to 25W. It's the same speed as Apple's MagSafe charger, and it is 10W faster than the standard Qi2 MagSafe chargers. You can also simultaneously charge an Apple Watch and AirPods with the device.
There are plenty of other Anker discounts happening on Amazon this week, including the Prime 14-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Dock back at its all-time low price of $339.99, down from $399.99. You can find this accessory and more on sale in the lists below, and note that as of writing only the new Prime 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station requires an on-page coupon.
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.
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
This article, "Anker's Weekend Sale Includes Big Savings on Newest Prime Chargers" first appeared on MacRumors.com
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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.
The Prime 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station features Qi2.2 support, which lets a compatible MagSafe iPhone charge at up to 25W. It's the same speed as Apple's MagSafe charger, and it is 10W faster than the standard Qi2 MagSafe chargers. You can also simultaneously charge an Apple Watch and AirPods with the device.
Note: You won't see the deal price until checkout.
There are plenty of other Anker discounts happening on Amazon this week, including the Prime 14-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Dock back at its all-time low price of $339.99, down from $399.99. You can find this accessory and more on sale in the lists below, and note that as of writing only the new Prime 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station requires an on-page coupon.
Wall Chargers
- Nano USB-C Wall Charger - $29.99, down from $39.99
- 6-in-1 USB-C Power Strip - $59.99, down from $109.99
- 140W 4-Port GaN USB-C Charger - $89.99, down from $99.99
- 14-in-1 Prime Thunderbolt 5 Dock - $339.99, down from $399.99
Wireless Chargers
- Qi2 MagSafe-Compatible Wireless Charger 2-Pack - $25.98, down from $39.99
- 3-in-1 MagSafe-Compatible Charging Station - $85.99, down from $109.99
- 3-in-1 MagSafe-Compatible Charging Cube - $97.48, down from $149.95
- 3-in-1 Prime Wireless Charging Station (NEW) - $119.99 with on-page coupon, down from $149.99
Portable Chargers
- Prime Power Bank 20,100 mAh - $134.99, down from $179.99
- SOLIX C300 Power Station with Lantern - $179.99, down from $249.00
- SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 Portable Power Station - $469.99, down from $799.00
- SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 Portable Power Station - $778.99, down from $1,499.00
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.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? 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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Top Stories: Apple Event on March 4, iOS 26.4 Beta, and More
It looks like our first major Apple product announcements of 2026 are right around the corner, with Apple announcing a "special Apple Experience" for members of the media scheduled for March 4 where we're expecting to see them get hands-on time with several newly announced products.
In other Apple news this week, the first betas of iOS 26.4 and related updates include some new features and enhancements, while we heard a bit more about the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max coming later this year, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!
Apple this week invited members of the media to a "special Apple Experience" taking place simultaneously in New York, London, and Shanghai on Wednesday, March 4.
Rather than a traditional Apple event, it sounds like these "experiences" will be opportunities for the media to get hands-on time with a variety of products being announced at the start of or slightly before the event time.
It actually sounds like we may be getting several days of press release announcements in the first part of the week, culminating in the media experiences on Wednesday. While we don't know exactly what products will be announced that week, there are a host of new products expected in the near future including the iPhone 17e, M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models, new iPads, and more.
Following last week's release of iOS 26.3, Apple this week seeded the first betas of iOS 26.4 and related updates.
While it doesn't include the more personalized Siri we had been hoping for, there are a bunch of changes and new features in the update.
One of the more interesting changes being prepped for in the release is support for CarPlay video over AirPlay, which will allow users to stream Apple TV and other video content to their car's infotainment screen while their vehicle is parked.
While the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max should have very similar designs to their predecessors, they are likely to be getting an array of new features and upgrades to attract customers.
Research analyst Jeff Pu recently outlined five upgrades he's expecting to see in the new models, and we've recapped a full list of ten reasons why you might want to wait for the new models if you're considering buying now.
With the transition to the controversial new Liquid Glass design in iOS 26, some users appear to have been holding off on upgrading, but new data released by Apple last week suggests the impact is relatively small.
Apple adoption data shows roughly the same share of devices are running iOS 26 at this point as were running iOS 18 a year ago, although the company did wait three weeks longer to release data this year. So while it appears adoption is lagging a bit this year, it's not a massive difference.
Toyota, the world's largest car manufacturer, is finally rolling out support for Apple's digital car key feature, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start compatible vehicles from the Wallet app on their iPhone or Apple Watch.
Signs of the impending support were discovered back in December, and we've seen our first report of vehicles in the wild supporting it with the new 2026 RAV4.
Apple plans to launch a rebranded "Sales Coach" app on the iPhone and iPad later this month, according to a source familiar with the matter.
"Sales Coach" will arrive as an update to Apple's existing "SEED" app, and it will continue to provide sales tips and training resources to Apple Store and Apple Authorized Reseller employees around the world. For example, there are articles and videos highlighting everything from reasons to upgrade to a newer iPhone to popular iPad features.
Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.
So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!
This article, "Top Stories: Apple Event on March 4, iOS 26.4 Beta, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
In other Apple news this week, the first betas of iOS 26.4 and related updates include some new features and enhancements, while we heard a bit more about the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max coming later this year, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!
Top Stories
Apple Announces Special Event in New York, London, and Shanghai on March 4
Apple this week invited members of the media to a "special Apple Experience" taking place simultaneously in New York, London, and Shanghai on Wednesday, March 4.
Rather than a traditional Apple event, it sounds like these "experiences" will be opportunities for the media to get hands-on time with a variety of products being announced at the start of or slightly before the event time.
It actually sounds like we may be getting several days of press release announcements in the first part of the week, culminating in the media experiences on Wednesday. While we don't know exactly what products will be announced that week, there are a host of new products expected in the near future including the iPhone 17e, M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models, new iPads, and more.
Everything New in iOS 26.4 Beta 1
Following last week's release of iOS 26.3, Apple this week seeded the first betas of iOS 26.4 and related updates.
While it doesn't include the more personalized Siri we had been hoping for, there are a bunch of changes and new features in the update.
One of the more interesting changes being prepped for in the release is support for CarPlay video over AirPlay, which will allow users to stream Apple TV and other video content to their car's infotainment screen while their vehicle is parked.
Five iPhone 18 Pro Features Revealed in New Report
While the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max should have very similar designs to their predecessors, they are likely to be getting an array of new features and upgrades to attract customers.
Research analyst Jeff Pu recently outlined five upgrades he's expecting to see in the new models, and we've recapped a full list of ten reasons why you might want to wait for the new models if you're considering buying now.
Apple Reveals How Many iPhones Are Running iOS 26
With the transition to the controversial new Liquid Glass design in iOS 26, some users appear to have been holding off on upgrading, but new data released by Apple last week suggests the impact is relatively small.
Apple adoption data shows roughly the same share of devices are running iOS 26 at this point as were running iOS 18 a year ago, although the company did wait three weeks longer to release data this year. So while it appears adoption is lagging a bit this year, it's not a massive difference.
Toyota Rolling Out Apple Wallet Car Keys on iPhone
Toyota, the world's largest car manufacturer, is finally rolling out support for Apple's digital car key feature, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start compatible vehicles from the Wallet app on their iPhone or Apple Watch.
Signs of the impending support were discovered back in December, and we've seen our first report of vehicles in the wild supporting it with the new 2026 RAV4.
Apple Launching New 'Sales Coach' App
Apple plans to launch a rebranded "Sales Coach" app on the iPhone and iPad later this month, according to a source familiar with the matter.
"Sales Coach" will arrive as an update to Apple's existing "SEED" app, and it will continue to provide sales tips and training resources to Apple Store and Apple Authorized Reseller employees around the world. For example, there are articles and videos highlighting everything from reasons to upgrade to a newer iPhone to popular iPad features.
MacRumors Newsletter
Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.
So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!
Tag: Top Stories
This article, "Top Stories: Apple Event on March 4, iOS 26.4 Beta, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
Apple @ Work: How the iPhone forced the entire printing industry to adopt AirPrint
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.
If you worked in IT during the 2000s and the early 2010s, you know that printer driver management was the absolute worst part of the job and was a huge part of OS X upgrades. Manufacturers delayed support for the new OS X for months, and it was generally just an absolute nightmare. Then the iPhone and iPad arrived and changed everything… slowly.
more…WhatsApp working on anti-spoiler feature for text messages
Users will soon be able to mark messages as spoilers, so their content isn’t immediately visible to recipients. Here are the details.
more…Apple researchers develop on-device AI agent that interacts with apps for you
Despite having just 3 billion parameters, Ferret-UI Lite matches or surpasses the benchmark performance of models up to 24 times larger. Here are the details.
more…9to5Mac Daily: February 20, 2026 – iPhone’s satellite features, more
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.
Sponsored by Stuff: Stuff helps you get everything out of your head and into a simple, elegant system—closing open loops and reducing mental stress. Use code 9TO5 at checkout for 50% off your first year.
Apple's Low-Cost Colorful MacBook: All the Rumors
Apple has been developing a more affordable version of the MacBook, and it's rumored to be launching in under two weeks. This is going to be one of Apple's most unique Macs, because there hasn't really been anything quite like it before.
We've rounded up everything we know about the low-cost MacBook ahead of its March debut.
Rumors about the MacBook's design make it sound a lot like the MacBook Air. It will have an aluminum chassis in various colors, and a 12.9-inch or 13-inch display, depending on the rumor.
It's possible the low-cost MacBook will have a thin and light design because it's going to use a lower power A-series chip that doesn't require a lot of heat dissipation, but that's not yet confirmed. Apple used to have a 12-inch MacBook with a thin design and a low-power Core M chip, and it's been suggested that this new MacBook could be something of a revival of that machine.
Thinner and lighter typically means more expensive with Apple products, so a super slim design might not be what Apple is optimizing for. Making the low-cost MacBook thinner than the MacBook Air could just confuse the MacBook lineup.
With the low-cost iPad, Apple keeps the price down by using older display technology that's not as thin, so we could see that same strategy with the low-cost MacBook. A thicker chassis and a super efficient chip could mean a long battery life, which would be ideal for an educational environment.
The MacBook is going to come in a selection of fun colors, and Apple has tested light yellow, light green, blue, pink, silver, and dark gray, according to Bloomberg. Not all of those colors are likely to ship, but it sounds like we'll get at least four of them.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo thinks the MacBook will come in yellow, silver, blue, and pink, which would be the same colors that Apple offers for the iPad.
The most consistent rumor we've heard about the MacBook is its planned chip. Rather than an M-series Mac chip, Apple is planning to use an A-series chip. The low-cost MacBook is expected to use the A18 Pro chip, which Apple first debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro.
The A18 Pro uses a second-generation 3-nanometer process. It has a 6-core CPU with four performance cores and two efficiency cores, along with a 6-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine for AI-based tasks. In Geekbench benchmarks, the A18 Pro has an average single-core score of 3451, and a multi-core score of 8572. For comparison, the M4 iPad Pro earns a single-core score of 3694 and a multi-core score of 13732 (Apple's next MacBook Air is going to use the M4 chip).
The A18 Pro outperforms the M1, which is the chip that Apple kept around in a lower-cost version of the MacBook Air for several years. An A18 MacBook wouldn't be too far off from the M4 Mac/iPad chips in terms of single-core performance, but there would be a difference in multi-core performance.
A MacBook with the A18 chip would be more than powerful enough for day-to-day use like web browsing, document creation, watching videos, and even light photo and video editing. It won't be ideal for system-intensive games or tasks like 4K video editing and 3D rendering, but it will do almost everything an iPhone or iPad can do.
Apple is developing the low-cost MacBook with students in mind, and it sounds like it will be the Apple equivalent of the affordable Chromebook PCs that are often used by students.
Macs start with 16GB RAM, but the iPhone 16 Pro has 8GB RAM, the minimum for Apple Intelligence. We can expect an A18 Pro MacBook to have at least 8GB RAM so it can support Apple Intelligence, but it's possible Apple will give it the 16GB that all Macs have.
The MacBook Air starts with 256GB of storage, but Apple could possibly launch the low-cost MacBook with 128GB.
The A18 Pro chip in the iPhone 16 Pro models doesn't support Thunderbolt, so the MacBook will be limited to USB-C (10GB/s) and won't offer Thunderbolt speeds. That will limit display connectivity, so it's likely the A18 Pro MacBook will only support a single external display.
It's not really clear what Apple will name the low-cost Mac notebook. We have the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro, so it's entirely possible it will be called "MacBook." Apple has used the MacBook name multiple times in the past, and it's not in use at the moment.
Pricing on the MacBook Air starts at $999, and the low-cost MacBook is expected to be priced much lower.
Apple probably won't want to undercut its iPad pricing by too much. The low-cost iPad with A16 chip starts at $349, and the iPad Air with M2 chip starts at $599. A price between $599 and $799 could make the most sense because it wouldn't be as expensive as the MacBook Air or iPad Pro, but would come in at or just over the iPad Air's cost.
$599 would be on par with some of the highly rated Chromebook options that people often purchase for school use, while a $699 or $799 price would be in the same general pricing area, but a little more of a premium price tag. $599 is also the cost of the iPhone 16e, Apple's most affordable iPhone that uses a slightly less powerful A18 chip.
Rumors suggest that the low-cost MacBook will be introduced at or just before Apple's March 4 Special Experience that's taking place in New York, London, and Shanghai. Apple could announce the MacBook in a press release ahead of the experience.
Select members of the media have been invited to the mini event, and it's likely to provide them with a chance to try the new MacBook and other new devices.
This article, "Apple's Low-Cost Colorful MacBook: All the Rumors" first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
We've rounded up everything we know about the low-cost MacBook ahead of its March debut.
Design
Rumors about the MacBook's design make it sound a lot like the MacBook Air. It will have an aluminum chassis in various colors, and a 12.9-inch or 13-inch display, depending on the rumor.
It's possible the low-cost MacBook will have a thin and light design because it's going to use a lower power A-series chip that doesn't require a lot of heat dissipation, but that's not yet confirmed. Apple used to have a 12-inch MacBook with a thin design and a low-power Core M chip, and it's been suggested that this new MacBook could be something of a revival of that machine.
Thinner and lighter typically means more expensive with Apple products, so a super slim design might not be what Apple is optimizing for. Making the low-cost MacBook thinner than the MacBook Air could just confuse the MacBook lineup.
With the low-cost iPad, Apple keeps the price down by using older display technology that's not as thin, so we could see that same strategy with the low-cost MacBook. A thicker chassis and a super efficient chip could mean a long battery life, which would be ideal for an educational environment.
Colors
The MacBook is going to come in a selection of fun colors, and Apple has tested light yellow, light green, blue, pink, silver, and dark gray, according to Bloomberg. Not all of those colors are likely to ship, but it sounds like we'll get at least four of them.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo thinks the MacBook will come in yellow, silver, blue, and pink, which would be the same colors that Apple offers for the iPad.
A-Series Chip
The most consistent rumor we've heard about the MacBook is its planned chip. Rather than an M-series Mac chip, Apple is planning to use an A-series chip. The low-cost MacBook is expected to use the A18 Pro chip, which Apple first debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro.
The A18 Pro uses a second-generation 3-nanometer process. It has a 6-core CPU with four performance cores and two efficiency cores, along with a 6-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine for AI-based tasks. In Geekbench benchmarks, the A18 Pro has an average single-core score of 3451, and a multi-core score of 8572. For comparison, the M4 iPad Pro earns a single-core score of 3694 and a multi-core score of 13732 (Apple's next MacBook Air is going to use the M4 chip).
The A18 Pro outperforms the M1, which is the chip that Apple kept around in a lower-cost version of the MacBook Air for several years. An A18 MacBook wouldn't be too far off from the M4 Mac/iPad chips in terms of single-core performance, but there would be a difference in multi-core performance.
A MacBook with the A18 chip would be more than powerful enough for day-to-day use like web browsing, document creation, watching videos, and even light photo and video editing. It won't be ideal for system-intensive games or tasks like 4K video editing and 3D rendering, but it will do almost everything an iPhone or iPad can do.
Apple is developing the low-cost MacBook with students in mind, and it sounds like it will be the Apple equivalent of the affordable Chromebook PCs that are often used by students.
RAM
Macs start with 16GB RAM, but the iPhone 16 Pro has 8GB RAM, the minimum for Apple Intelligence. We can expect an A18 Pro MacBook to have at least 8GB RAM so it can support Apple Intelligence, but it's possible Apple will give it the 16GB that all Macs have.
Storage
The MacBook Air starts with 256GB of storage, but Apple could possibly launch the low-cost MacBook with 128GB.
Ports
The A18 Pro chip in the iPhone 16 Pro models doesn't support Thunderbolt, so the MacBook will be limited to USB-C (10GB/s) and won't offer Thunderbolt speeds. That will limit display connectivity, so it's likely the A18 Pro MacBook will only support a single external display.
Naming
It's not really clear what Apple will name the low-cost Mac notebook. We have the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro, so it's entirely possible it will be called "MacBook." Apple has used the MacBook name multiple times in the past, and it's not in use at the moment.
Price
Pricing on the MacBook Air starts at $999, and the low-cost MacBook is expected to be priced much lower.
Apple probably won't want to undercut its iPad pricing by too much. The low-cost iPad with A16 chip starts at $349, and the iPad Air with M2 chip starts at $599. A price between $599 and $799 could make the most sense because it wouldn't be as expensive as the MacBook Air or iPad Pro, but would come in at or just over the iPad Air's cost.
$599 would be on par with some of the highly rated Chromebook options that people often purchase for school use, while a $699 or $799 price would be in the same general pricing area, but a little more of a premium price tag. $599 is also the cost of the iPhone 16e, Apple's most affordable iPhone that uses a slightly less powerful A18 chip.
Launch Date
Rumors suggest that the low-cost MacBook will be introduced at or just before Apple's March 4 Special Experience that's taking place in New York, London, and Shanghai. Apple could announce the MacBook in a press release ahead of the experience.
Select members of the media have been invited to the mini event, and it's likely to provide them with a chance to try the new MacBook and other new devices.
This article, "Apple's Low-Cost Colorful MacBook: All the Rumors" first appeared on MacRumors.com
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Protect your family’s private data by removing it from the internet
Taking proactive steps to protect the privacy of yourself and your family has never been more important than it is today. Buying and selling personal data is now a big business, with hundreds of data brokers devoted to doing exactly this.
Trying to manually remove your family’s data from the web is incredibly difficult, but fortunately there’s a very simple alternative in the form of Incogni.
more…iOS 26 added my favorite new iPhone ringtone, listen here
My iPhone stays on silent most of the time, but a new iOS 26 ringtone has made me very tempted to rethink that choice because it’s such a pleasant tune. Here’s my new favorite iPhone ringtone.
more…Strava adds five activity modalities, including dancing
Activity-tracking platform Strava is rolling out a new set of activity categories, including some of the most-requested from its community. Here’s what’s new.
more…Jony Ive's First OpenAI Device Will Be Smart Speaker With Camera, 2027 Launch Planned
OpenAI is working on several AI hardware devices in partnership with former Apple designer Jony Ive, and the first product that comes out could be a smart speaker. The company is developing a smart speaker, a smart lamp, and considering AI glasses, according to The Information, with the speaker set to come out in early 2027.
OpenAI's smart speaker has an integrated camera and it is designed to learn information about who is using it and what's around them. It will include a facial recognition feature similar to Face ID, and users will be able to use the speaker to make purchases. The speaker will have AI integration, so users can ask it questions and make requests.
In an internal presentation, OpenAI employees were told that the speaker would observe users and suggest actions to help them achieve goals, such as suggesting an early bedtime ahead of a morning meeting.
Apple is working on a similar home hub device that's set to come out this year. The home hub will include an integrated camera and speaker for video calls and controlling smart home products, plus it will have deep integration with the updated version of Siri that Apple is developing.
OpenAI is planning to price the speaker between $200 and $300, with a launch planned for February 2027 at the earliest. OpenAI is exploring a smart lamp and smart glasses, but those products won't be ready until 2028 or later. With the exception of the speaker, OpenAI's hardware development is in the early stages and other products could be canceled.
Jony Ive has been working with OpenAI since OpenAI acquired Ive's hardware firm io in May 2025. Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman have shared some details on their AI hardware work, suggesting that there was an established prototype in November 2025. At the time, Ive and Altman said the device would be "peaceful" and an "active participant" that's not annoying. The duo also described the device as a product that would "make people feel joy."
Additional rumors about OpenAI's plans came following an employee meeting, where Ive and Altman said they didn't want a device with a screen. The device, which is presumably the speaker that The Information says is in development, was described as pocket-sized and contextually aware of the user's surroundings. Altman told employees it's "the coolest piece of technology that the world will have ever seen."
While Altman and Ive have promised the next big thing after the iPhone, there is some internal tension at OpenAI. Ive's LoveFrom design company has remained separate from OpenAI, but LoveFrom is providing hardware designs to OpenAI. It's up to OpenAI's hardware and software engineers to actually make the products that LoveFrom comes up with.
OpenAI employees have apparently complained about LoveFrom's secrecy and slow speed when it comes to design revisions. Former Apple designer Evans Hankey is leading industrial design, and Ive is said to be making the final call on almost all design choices. Other former Apple employees working at OpenAI on hardware include Tang Tan and Scott Cannon, plus Eddy Cue's son Adam Cue is working on OpenAI software.
This article, "Jony Ive's First OpenAI Device Will Be Smart Speaker With Camera, 2027 Launch Planned" first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
OpenAI's smart speaker has an integrated camera and it is designed to learn information about who is using it and what's around them. It will include a facial recognition feature similar to Face ID, and users will be able to use the speaker to make purchases. The speaker will have AI integration, so users can ask it questions and make requests.
In an internal presentation, OpenAI employees were told that the speaker would observe users and suggest actions to help them achieve goals, such as suggesting an early bedtime ahead of a morning meeting.
Apple is working on a similar home hub device that's set to come out this year. The home hub will include an integrated camera and speaker for video calls and controlling smart home products, plus it will have deep integration with the updated version of Siri that Apple is developing.
OpenAI is planning to price the speaker between $200 and $300, with a launch planned for February 2027 at the earliest. OpenAI is exploring a smart lamp and smart glasses, but those products won't be ready until 2028 or later. With the exception of the speaker, OpenAI's hardware development is in the early stages and other products could be canceled.
Jony Ive has been working with OpenAI since OpenAI acquired Ive's hardware firm io in May 2025. Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman have shared some details on their AI hardware work, suggesting that there was an established prototype in November 2025. At the time, Ive and Altman said the device would be "peaceful" and an "active participant" that's not annoying. The duo also described the device as a product that would "make people feel joy."
Additional rumors about OpenAI's plans came following an employee meeting, where Ive and Altman said they didn't want a device with a screen. The device, which is presumably the speaker that The Information says is in development, was described as pocket-sized and contextually aware of the user's surroundings. Altman told employees it's "the coolest piece of technology that the world will have ever seen."
While Altman and Ive have promised the next big thing after the iPhone, there is some internal tension at OpenAI. Ive's LoveFrom design company has remained separate from OpenAI, but LoveFrom is providing hardware designs to OpenAI. It's up to OpenAI's hardware and software engineers to actually make the products that LoveFrom comes up with.
OpenAI employees have apparently complained about LoveFrom's secrecy and slow speed when it comes to design revisions. Former Apple designer Evans Hankey is leading industrial design, and Ive is said to be making the final call on almost all design choices. Other former Apple employees working at OpenAI on hardware include Tang Tan and Scott Cannon, plus Eddy Cue's son Adam Cue is working on OpenAI software.
This article, "Jony Ive's First OpenAI Device Will Be Smart Speaker With Camera, 2027 Launch Planned" first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
Apple rolls out Xcode 26.3 Release Candidate 2
Apple is rolling out the second Release Candidate of Xcode 26.3, which will feature agentic coding capabilities. Here are the details.
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HomeKit Weekly: UWB is the secret weapon inside Aqara’s new U400 smart lock
I have tested dozens of smart locks over the years for HomeKit Weekly, from the August lock to the latest Level Lock Pro. They all solved the problem of having to fish your keys out, but they never quite solved the problem of “my hands are full.” Even with Home Key, you’d still have to either get your Apple Watch to your lock or pull out your iPhone. Yes, plenty of locks offer various flavors of auto-unlock, but none are perfect and work 100% of the time. That is the problem Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology aims to solve. This week, I am taking a deep look at the Aqara UWB Smart Lock U400.
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