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Apple Opening New Stores in India and United Arab Emirates This Year

On an earnings call today, Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed that the company will be opening new stores in India and the United Arab Emirates later this year.

Apple BKC in Mumbai, India

"We recently launched the Apple Store online in Saudi Arabia, and we couldn't be more excited to open new stores in the UAE and India later this year," said Cook.

Cook did not share specific grand opening dates for these new stores, or any other details.

Apple last year announced that it would be opening a new store in the Emirati city of Al Ain at some point this year. The company has four other stores in the country, including two in Dubai and two in Abu Dhabi. And in India, Apple told TechCrunch that it planned to open four new stores in Bengaluru, Delhi (National Capital Region), Mumbai, and Pune. Apple's first two stores in India opened in 2023, in Mumbai and New Delhi.

August is shaping up to be an eventful month for Apple Stores around the world, with at least seven locations set to open for the first time, reopen, temporarily close, permanently close, or relocate across the U.S., the U.K., the Netherlands, and China.
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Apple CEO Tim Cook Says iOS 26 Developer Beta is Most Popular Ever

Apple's CEO Tim Cook today said the iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS 26 developer betas are the company's most popular developer betas ever.


"It's wonderful to see great momentum building for our platforms," said Cook, on a conference call discussing Apple's quarterly earnings results. "iOS 26, macOS 26, and iPadOS 26 are by far the most popular developer betas we've had."

Apple released the developer betas immediately following its WWDC 2025 keynote in June. Cook did not provide any specific installation numbers, nor did he comment on the public betas of the updates, which were released last week.

Jason Snell shared a transcript of Cook's full remarks on Six Colors.

Two years ago, Apple dropped the requirement to pay $99 per year for an Apple Developer Program membership in order to access its developer betas, allowing anyone who creates an Apple Developer account to install them for free. This change has surely resulted in a larger number of non-developers installing the developer betas, even though Apple recommends that average customers wait for the public betas.

In addition, the new Liquid Glass design across Apple's platforms is a major visual change, which developers might want to prepare for. And many non-developers likely wanted to play around with the new design too, without having to wait until the public betas were released in July, or the final releases come out in September.
Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26
Related Forum: iOS 26

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Epic Games Wins 'Total Victory' in Google Play Store Dispute

While Apple largely won the lawsuit that Epic Games levied against it back in 2020, Google hasn't been as lucky. Google today failed to win an appeal in the ongoing ‌Epic Games‌ v. Google case, handing another victory to Epic.


As noted by Reuters, a federal appeals court rejected Google's claim that the original court overseeing the antitrust case had made legal errors when finding in favor of Epic, which means Google will need to implement Play Store changes. ‌Epic Games‌ CEO Tim Sweeney said the company had scored a "total victory" in the appeal.

‌Epic Games‌ first sued Google in 2020, right around the same time that it sued Apple. In 2023, a jury unanimously agreed that Google had abused its power by operating an app store monopoly and charging developers exorbitant fees. Google then appealed, leading to today's loss.

As a result of the ‌Epic Games‌ lawsuit, Google will be forced to allow Android users to download rival app stores from the Play Store. Google will also be required to make the Play app catalog available to competitors.

Sweeney says that the ‌Epic Games‌ Store for Android will be coming to the Google Play Store, but Google plans to appeal again.
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Review: OWC's Envoy Ultra SSD Delivers Thunderbolt 5 Transfer Speeds

Thunderbolt 5 is a technology that's only recently been adopted by Apple, and Thunderbolt 5 SSDs aren't yet common. Other World Computing, or OWC, has one of the first Thunderbolt 5 SSDs on the market.


The bus-powered Envoy Ultra is priced starting at $330, and it comes in 2TB or 4TB capacities. The SSD has a premium feel, with a black aluminum enclosure and an internal design meant to dissipate heat. It's not the most compact SSD, measuring in at 5.1 inches long, 3 inches wide, and 0.8 inches thick. It weighs 0.75 pounds, so while it tucks away easily in a bag, you're not going to want to haul it around in a pocket.


According to OWC, the SSD has an IP67 dust and water resistance rating, so it can hold up to temporary immersion in water (though make sure the cable end is dry before use). It's hefty and durable, but on a negative note, it has a built-in 9-inch Thunderbolt 5 cable that is not detachable. I am not a fan of built-in cables, but it does feel securely attached. How it'll hold up for years of use remains to be seen.

The SSD can reach speeds up to twice as fast as Thunderbolt 4/USB4 SSDs, maxing out at over 6,000MB/s. In testing with an M4 Pro MacBook Pro with Thunderbolt 5, I didn't quite hit that maximum. In benchmark tests with BlackMagic, it maxed out around 5,255MB/s write and 5,347MB/s read. Real world file tests were super quick, with 50GB transferring in about 15 seconds.

According to OWC, with sustained file transfers, write speeds will drop to around 1,350MB/s for the 2TB model and 1,700MB/s for the 4TB model, while read speeds stay consistent. I saw that dip in write speeds at around the 55GB mark.


Even when transferring large amounts of data, the Envoy Ultra did not get more than lukewarm, and since there's no fan inside, it offers silent operation.

To take advantage of the full speed of the Envoy Ultra, you need a computer that supports Thunderbolt 5. On the Mac side, that's Apple's latest Mac models with M4 Pro and M4 Max chips. Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 Macs are backwards compatible with the SSD and you can still use it with them, but you're probably only going to want to opt for a Thunderbolt 5 SSD if you have the equipment for one.


If you do have a Thunderbolt 5 Mac and want the fastest transfer speeds you can get for tasks like moving huge video files around, you're not going to go wrong with the Envoy Ultra. It's well built, and comes from a reputable company known for its drives.

You could get the Envoy Ultra for use with an older Mac for the purpose of future proofing, but the price difference may not be worth it. There are so few Thunderbolt 5 SSDs on the market right now, so prices are on the higher side. Of course, USB4/TB4 SSDs are also not super affordable, and the Envoy Ultra will give you maximum Thunderbolt 4 speeds, too.


With an M1 Max ‌MacBook Pro‌, I got consistent read/write speeds right around 3,000MB/s, so I did hit the Thunderbolt 4 limit.

2TB USB4 SSDs that operate at half of the Envoy Ultra's speed are priced at $180 to $250, and if you don't even need USB4 speeds, 2TB SSDs can be under $100.

Bottom Line


If you have a Thunderbolt 5 Mac or are going to get one in the future and you need super fast transfer speeds, check out the Envoy Ultra. It's a solid product and the only downside for some may be the attached cable.

How to Buy


The Envoy Ultra can be purchased from the OWC website. The 2TB model is priced at $330, and the 4TB model is priced at $549.

Note: OWC provided MacRumors with a 2TB Envoy Ultra for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.
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Apple's Q3 2025 Earnings Call Takeaways: AI Growth, 3 Billionth iPhone Shipped

Apple held an earnings call for the third fiscal quarter (second calendar quarter) of 2025 today, beating expectations with revenue of $94 billion. During the call, Apple CEO Tim Cook and CFO Kevan Parekh shared insights into device sales, tariffs, and more.


iPhone Popularity


The iPhone 16 models were more popular than the iPhone 15 models were last year. Cook said that ‌iPhone 16‌ sales increased "strong double digits" compared to the ‌iPhone 15‌, with the ‌iPhone 16‌ popular with users upgrading to a new model.

Apple set a June quarter record for upgraders, and Cook said that was because of the "strength of the product."

Apple recently shipped its 3 billionth iPhone since the device debuted in 2007.

3 billion iPhones sold!

Thank you to everyone who's made iPhone such an important part of their lives. I'm incredibly excited for what's ahead!

— Greg Joswiak (@gregjoz) July 31, 2025

AI


Cook said that Apple is "very open" to an acquisition that would accelerate its AI development roadmap. AI is "one of the most profound technologies of our lifetime," Cook said, adding that Apple is "significantly growing" its investments and reallocating people to work on AI at the company. "We're putting all of our energy behind it," Cook said.

"We're not stuck on a certain size company," Cook added during the call. "We basically ask ourselves whether a company can help us accelerate a road map, if if they do, then we're interested, but we don't have anything to share specifically today."

Cook also said that Apple is "making good progress" on developing a more personalized version of Siri that is powered by Apple Intelligence. Apple is on track to release the features next year.

Cook was asked whether large language models like ChatGPT could be a commodity in the future. Cook declined to talk speak on he subject because "that gives away some things in our strategy."
The way that we look at AI is that it's one of the most profound technologies of our lifetime, and I think it will affect all devices in a significant way. What pieces of the chain are commoditized and not commoditized? I wouldn't want to really talk about today, because that gives away some things on our strategy.


Tariffs


According to Cook, approximately one percentage point of Apple's 10 percent sales growth can be attributed to customers buying more products to get ahead of tariffs.

"We saw evidence in the early part of the quarter, specifically, of some pull-ahead related to the tariff announcements," Cook told Reuters.

Cook said that tariffs cost the company $800 million in the June quarter, and that the impact could be $1.1 billion in the September quarter.

To mitigate tariffs in the future, Apple is optimizing its supply chain, and Cook said the company "will do more in the United States."

Post iPhone Devices


Cook was asked about AI development and what Apple would do if dependence on screens diminishes. Cook said that it's "difficult to see a world where ‌iPhone‌'s not living in it."

He said that Apple is "thinking about other things," but those future devices are likely to be "complementary devices" not substitutions.

Services


Services revenue was $27.4 billion, up from $24.2 billion in the year-ago quarter, marking an all-time revenue record. Apple TV+ viewership was up strong double digits year over year.

App Store revenue grew double digits year over year, and cloud services also saw an all-time revenue record. Paid accounts and paid subscriptions grew double digits year over year, and Apple has "well over a billion" paid subscriptions across services.
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Apple's Q3 Sales Boosted by Consumers Scrambling to Beat Tariff Price Hikes

Apple customers afraid of massive price hikes because of tariffs helped Apple's device sales during the fiscal third quarter of 2025, Apple CEO Tim Cook said today.


Speaking to Reuters, Cook said that approximately one percentage point of Apple's 10 percent sales growth in Q3 2025 can be attributed to customers buying more products to get ahead of tariffs.

"We saw evidence in the early part of the quarter, specifically, of some pull-ahead related to the tariff announcements," Cook said.

When U.S. President Donald Trump first announced tariffs in April, there were reports suggesting that iPhone prices could increase significantly as a result, going as high as $2,300. Customers who were worried about higher prices opted to make a purchase before the tariffs went into effect.

Cook said that Apple incurred $800 million in tariff related costs in the June quarter, and it expects $1.1 billion in tariff costs in the September quarter if the current tariffs do not change and if no new tariffs are added.
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Apple 'Open' to Acquisition That Accelerates AI Roadmap

Apple is "open" to an acquisition that would accelerate its AI roadmap, Apple CEO Tim Cook told CNBC today. Cook said that Apple sees AI as one of the "most profound technologies of our lifetime," and that the company is "significantly growing" its AI investments.


"We're embedding it across our devices, across our platforms and across the company," Cook said. Apple has already purchased seven companies in 2025. "We're open to M&A that accelerates our roadmap," Cook added.

Apple has been losing key members of its AI team to Meta in recent weeks, and the company is already far behind competitors in AI development.

There have been rumors that Apple is considering working with Anthropic or OpenAI to develop an LLM version of Siri rather than using its own AI technology, but Apple hasn't moved forward with a partnership as of yet.

Many of the high profile AI companies would not be feasible for Apple to purchase, but the company has considered purchasing Perplexity AI. Perplexity is valued at $18 billion, so if Apple did acquire the company, it would mark Apple's largest acquisition to date.
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Tim Cook Says Apple is 'Making Good Progress' on Personalized Siri Features Ahead of 2026 Launch

On an earnings call today, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company is "making good progress on a more personalized Siri" that is powered by Apple Intelligence, and he reiterated that the features will be available next year.


"We're making good progress on a more personalized Siri, and as we've said before, we expect to release these features next year," said Cook.

Apple today reported record earnings results for the third quarter of its 2025 fiscal year, with revenue of $94 billion exceeding Wall Street expectations.

Apple first announced the personalized Siri features during its WWDC 2024 keynote, but in March it announced that they were delayed. The new capabilities will include better understanding of a user's personal context, on-screen awareness, and deeper per-app controls. For example, Apple showed an iPhone user asking Siri about their mother's flight and lunch reservation plans based on info from the Mail and Messages apps.

Apple is facing multiple class action lawsuits over the delayed features.
Tags: Siri, Tim Cook

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Apple CEO Tim Cook: iPhone 16 More Popular Than iPhone 15

Apple today reported its earnings for the third fiscal quarter of 2025, and iPhone sales saw significant growth. ‌iPhone‌ revenue was at $44.6 billion, up 13 percent from $39.2 billion in the year-ago quarter.


Speaking to CNBC, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that ‌iPhone‌ revenue was up because the iPhone 16 turned out to be more popular with consumers than the iPhone 15 was during the same time period last year.

‌iPhone 16‌ sales increased "strong double digits" compared to the ‌iPhone 15‌, and Cook said the ‌iPhone 16‌ models were particularly popular with current ‌iPhone‌ users upgrading to a new model. Cook's statement covers the ‌iPhone 16‌, ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max, though he did not provide specific insight into which devices were the best sellers.

Apple also saw growth in Mac sales thanks to the M4 Mac lineup, but iPad sales and sales in the Wearables, Home and Accessories category were down.
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Apple Reports 3Q 2025 Results: $23.4B Profit on $94B Revenue

Apple today announced financial results for its third fiscal quarter of 2025, which corresponds to the second calendar quarter of the year.


For the quarter, Apple posted revenue of $94.0 billion and net quarterly profit of $23.4 billion, or $1.57 per diluted share, compared to revenue of $85.8 billion and net quarterly profit of $21.4 billion, or $1.40 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter.

Apple set new June quarter records for total revenue, as well as iPhone revenue and earnings per share. The company also set an all-time record for Services revenue.

Gross margin for the quarter was 46.5 percent, compared to 46.3 percent in the year-ago quarter. Apple also declared a quarterly dividend payment of $0.26 per share, payable on August 14 to shareholders of record as of August 11.
"Today Apple is proud to report a June quarter revenue record with double-digit growth in iPhone, Mac and Services and growth around the world, in every geographic segment," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "At WWDC25, we were excited to introduce a beautiful new software design that extends across all of our platforms, and we announced even more great Apple Intelligence features."
As has been the case for over five years now, Apple is once again not issuing guidance for the current quarter ending in September.


Apple will provide live streaming of its fiscal Q3 2025 financial results conference call at 2:00 p.m. Pacific, and MacRumors will update this story with coverage of the conference call highlights.

Conference call recap ahead...



1:40 pm: Apple saw strong year-over-year growth in ‌iPhone‌ (13.5%), Mac (14.8%), and Services (13.3%) revenue, while iPad (–8.1%) and Wearables/Home (–8.6%) saw modest declines.

1:41 pm: Apple's share price is up 2% in after-hours trading following the earnings release. Shares were down 0.7% in regular trading today.

1:42 pm: "We are very pleased with our record business performance for the June quarter, which generated EPS growth of 12 percent," said Kevan Parekh, Apple's CFO. "Our installed base of active devices also reached a new all-time high across all product categories and geographic segments, thanks to our very high levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty."

1:56 pm: Apple's quarterly earnings conference call should begin in approximately five minutes. It will likely feature Apple CEO Tim Cook and CFO Kevan Parekh giving statements and taking questions from financial analysts.

1:59 pm: After closing at $207.57, AAPL spiked nearly as high as $214 before giving back some and is now hovering around $210.

2:01 pm: The call is beginning, with warnings about forward-looking statements from Suhasini Chandramouli, Apple's head of investor relations.

2:03 pm: ‌Tim Cook‌ is on, saying the record June quarter was "better than we expected" with sales growth up 10% and earnings per share up 12% year over year. "We had June quarter revenue records in more than two dozen countries and regions." There were June quarter records of ‌iPhone‌ sales, up 13% year over year, and double digit growth in emerging markets including Middle East, South Asia and Brazil. Mac sales were up 15%, and record Services revenue up 13%.

2:04 pm: Now he's reminding everyone about the introductions at WWDC, including the UI redesign with Liquid Glass. "We can't wait for users everywhere to experience it this fall."

2:05 pm: He's also reminding about new capabilities coming to Apple Intelligence, including Live Translation and Workout Buddy, as well as support for new languages. iOS 26, MacOS 26 and iPadOS 26 are "by far the most popular developer betas we've had."

2:05 pm: "We see AI as one of the most profound technologies of our lifetime. We are embedding it across our devices and platforms, and across the country. We are also significantly growing our investments."

2:05 pm: "We're integrating AI features across our platforms in a way that is deeply personal, private and seamless, right where users need them."

2:06 pm: "We're making good progress on a more personalized Siri, and as we've said before, we expect to release these features next year."

2:06 pm: "Apple silicon is at the heart of all of these experiences, enabling powerful Apple intelligence features to run directly on device. For more advanced tasks. our servers, also powered by Apple silicon, deliver even greater capabilities while preserving user privacy, through our private cloud compute architecture."

2:06 pm: "We're excited about the work we're doing in this space, and it's incredibly rewarding to see the strong momentum building."

2:07 pm: ‌iPhone‌ revenue was $44.6 billion, up 13% from a year ago, a June quarter record for upgraders. "This strong, broad-based performance was driven by the incredible popularity of the iPhone 16 family, up strong double-digits year over year as compared to the 15 family."

Apple also shipped the 3 billionth ‌iPhone‌ since it launched in 2007.

2:08 pm: In Mac, revenue was $8 billion, up 15% year over year, driven by the strength of the new M4 MacBook Air. There was a June quarter record for upgraders, and great performance in emerging markets. The ‌MacBook Air‌ is the world's most popular laptop.

2:09 pm: "Mac users across our entire lineup are going to find delightful new ways to stay connected and productive" in macOS Tahoe 26.

2:10 pm: ‌iPad‌ revenue was $6.6 billion, with the lineup "bringing together power and portability like never before." ‌iPadOS 26‌ will be the biggest ‌iPad‌ software update ever.

2:11 pm: Wearables, Home and Accessories revenue was $7.4 billion with a June quarter record for upgraders to Apple Watch. The 10-year anniversary of Apple Watch is here, with updates coming to the Workout App and Smart Stack, as well as a "fresh, new design." Updates are coming to Apple Vision Pro with VisionOS 26, too. Features for the AirPods lineup "will unlock even more possibilities" including using AirPods as a camera remote.

2:12 pm: "Since we first launched our hearing healthy features with AirPods Pro 2, I've received notes from people who are delighted to be able to connect mroe deeply with loved ones."

2:12 pm: Services revenue for June was $27.4 billion, up 13% year over year and an all-time record. AppleTV got 81 nominations for the Emmy Awards.

2:13 pm: Apple TV+ has earned more than 2,700 award nominations and 585 wins "on the strength of the highest-rated original content of any streaming network." TV+ viewership is up strong double-digits year over year. In June, F1 was released in theaters, "one of the summer's most unforgettable blockbusters." We celebrated a big anniversary with 10 years of Apple Music. "We launched an all-new studio space in Los Angeles for artists to create content and connect with fans." Later this year, users get auto-mix and lyrics translation.

2:14 pm: The App Store continues to be the "very best place to discover the latest apps from developers around the world in a safe and trusted way" and revenue grew double-digits year over year.

2:14 pm: Apple Online Store just launched in Saudi Arabia, and new stores are coming to the UAE and India later this year, with a new store opening in Osaka, Japan.

2:15 pm: "Across everything we do at Apple, we show up by leading with our values. We feel strongly that the benefits of technology should be shared by everyone. That's why we make technology for everyone. In May, to mark Global Accessibility Awareness Day, we announced... magnifier for Mac, a new Braille experience, and accessibility reader, a new system wide reading mode to make it easier to understand content."

2:16 pm: Apple is also working on recycling rare earth materials and investing in America and elsewhere, with $500 billion in investment in the US over the next four years.

2:17 pm: "The situation around tariffs is evolving, so let me provide some color there. For the June quarter, we incurred approximately $800 million of tariff related costs. For the September quarter, assuming the current global tariff rates, policies and applications do not change for the balance of the quarter and no new tariffs are added, we estimate the impact to add about $1.1 billion to our costs."

2:17 pm: CFO Kevan Parekh is on now, giving more information on the financials.

2:18 pm: "Our installed base of active devices grew to an all-time high across all product categories and geographic segments."

Services revenue was $27.4 billion, an all-time record. Company gross margin was up 46.5%, at the high end of the guidance range, down 60 basis points sequentially, primarily driven by $800 million in tariff-related costs. Product gross margin was 34.5%, Services gross margin was 75.6%.

2:19 pm: The ‌iPhone‌ active install base grew to an all-time high, and a June quarter record for upgraders. A recent survey showed the ‌iPhone‌ was the top-selling model in the US, urban China, the UK, Australia and Japan in the quarter. "We continue to see very high levels of customer satisfaction in the US, at 98%, as measured by 451 Research."

2:20 pm: Mac revenue was driven by continued strength across the portfolio, growing in every geographic segment, including double-digit growth in Europe, China and the rest of Asia Pacific. US satisfaction is 97%.

2:20 pm: ‌iPad‌ revenue was down 8%, an expected decline based on the difficult compare against the launch of iPad Air and iPad Pro in the year-ago quarter. Customer satisfaction is 98% in the US.

2:21 pm: Wearables, Home and Accessories revenue was down 9% year over year, given a different compare on accessories due to the prior year's ‌iPad‌ launches. Apple Watch reached a new all-time high with more than half of customers new to the product. Apple Watch satisfaction in the US is 97%.

2:22 pm: Services revenue was up 13%, with all-time revenue records on cloud services driven by year over year growth of iCloud-paying accounts. Growth of the installed base of active devices "gives us great opportunities for the future customer engagement across our services offerings."

2:23 pm: Apple ended the quarter with $133 billion in cash and marketable securities. $5.7 billion debt maturities, issuing $4.5 billion of new debt and $4 billion in commercial paper. $102 billion in total debt, with net cash of $31 billion after returning $27 billion to shareholders through $3.9 billion in dividends and $21 billion in open market repurchases of 104 million Apple shares.

2:24 pm: Assuming tariffs and global macroeconomic outlook does not worsen, Apple rexpects total company revenue to grow mid-to-high single digits year over year, Services to grow at a year-over-year rate similar to the June quarter. Gross margin between 46% and 47%, and operating expenses between $15.6 and $15.8 billion, and a tax rate around 17%. A cash dividend of $0.26 per share will be payable on August 14.

2:25 pm: The Q&A segment is now beginning.

2:28 pm: Q: On CapEx, it's up notably year-to-date, can you comment on capital spending plans this year and next, and what's driving that growth? Is it AI related or supply chain diversification?

A: It's a combination of factors. A significant factor is AI, we're investing in private cloud compute including our first-party data centers. We also have a hybrid strategy using third-parties to invest as well as our own. We also have investments and tooling, but a significant driver of growth is the AI-related investments.

Q: On upgrade rates, it's encouraging to see the records on ‌iPhone‌, Mac and Watch — are you seeing strength in upgrade rates or is it the growing installed base? What made upgrades compelling this year? Tariffs? ‌Apple Intelligence‌?

A: If you look at ‌iPhone‌, the 16 family grew double-digits over the 15 family, so we set an upgrade record. I think it's directly a result on the strength of the product. Mac directly set upgrades and we continue to see a move to Apple Silicon. The performance of ‌Apple Silicon‌ is playing a key role. If you're wondering about pull-forward, we would estimate the pull-forward of demand into April, specifically, to be about 1 point of the 10 points in terms of people buying over discussions about tariffs.

2:29 pm: Q: Shortly after March earnings, there were some reports on searches on Safari declining in April for the first time in two decades. It doesn't seem to indicate that any trends played out through the June quarter, can you give some color on how the quarter played out and if you believed Apple's products as search access points are losing strategic value as AI grows or losing strategic value?

A: I think they continue to be very valuable. Consumer behaviors are evolving and we're monitoring it very closely.

2:31 pm: Q: Can you elaborate a bit on what you're seeing in China? Some of the promotions are tailwinds, but how do you characterize some of the demand interest in the iPHone 16 and are the trends in the June quarter one-time or unique?

A: We did grow in Greater China by 4% during the quarter over the previous quarter, driven largely by an acceleration on ‌iPhone‌, although we also had substantial growth on the Mac year over year. The government has certain subsidies that affect some of our products but not all of them, I think that had some effect. It was the first full quarter of the subsidy playing out. It cut in during a portion of the previous quarter.

The install base hit a record high in Greater China and we set an all-time record for the ‌iPhone‌ install base. ‌iPhone‌ upgraders set a record for the June quarter, and... ‌iPhone‌ had the top three models in Urban China which is extraordinary. Other products, Mac, ‌iPad‌ and Watch, the majority of customers of people buying in China mainland are new to the product. Lots of good things there. The other thing I would point out, ‌MacBook Air‌ was the top-selling laptop model in all of China, and Mac Mini was the top-selling desktop model in all of China. Overall, it's a very positive quarter.

2:32 pm: AAPL is up over $213 during after hours trading, with a strong move upward during the call.

2:34 pm: Q: Asking about ‌Siri‌ and the overall AI investment. How is your confidence towards that launching next year? Is there anything that's being done internally to increase that confidence?

A: We're making good progress towards a more-personalized ‌Siri‌, and we're making good progress to launching that next year. Our focus is on putting AI features across the platform that are deeply personal, private and seamlessly integreated. We are significantly growing our investment, we did during the June quarter and we will again in the September quarter. I'm not putting specific numbers behind that at this point, but you can tell in the guidance that things are moving up. We are putting all of our energy behind it.

In terms of other products, I don't want to comment on specific other products, but we have an exciting roadmap ahead. I could not be more excited about it.

2:36 pm: Q: On the overall revenue guide, I appreciate that you guide the best you can see it. But why would it decelerate if services is staying the same, where's that conservatism? Currency should be just as favorable if not more favorable?

A: From Q3 to mid-to-high single digits, keep in mind two components. First, the effect of tariff pull-ahead in demand, and the September quarter of the year ago, we had the full-quarter impact of the new ‌iPad‌ launches versus this year. From Q3 to Q4, I would say foreign exchange is a minor tailwind so not a major factor.

2:37 pm: Q: You said similar growth in Services and that's predicated on Google Payments continuing, is there any way to dimensionalize or talk about options if the payments were not allowed in some way.

A: I don't really want to speculate on the court ruling and how they would rule and what we would do as a consequence of it.

2:38 pm: Q: At a high level, when you look at some of the perceived fears of new form factors and ways to interact with devices, there's some worry that there could be a world here dependence on screen based devices significantly diminishes. I'm curious your thoughts if you think that will happen and the rate and pace at how Apple is preparing for that?

A: When you think about all the things an ‌iPhone‌ can do, from connecting people to bringing app and game experiences to life, to taking photos and videos to helping users explore the world and conduct their financial lives and pay for things and so much more. You know, it's it's difficult to see a world where ‌iPhone‌'s not living in it. That doesn't mean we're not thinking about other things as well. Devices are likely to be complimentary, not substitution.

2:40 pm: Q: The tariff hit of $1.1 billion in the September quarter, can you talk about assuming tariffs remaining at these levels or evolving under Section 232, how do you offset this headwind into your P&L and when do you decide to execute on the levers to offset this headwind versus your bottom line?

A: We're just estimating the cost of it and it's up quarter over quarter, because our volume is up and there was some build-ahead in the previous quarter. That's the primary reason. In terms of mitigation, we try to optimize our supply chain and obviously we try to optimize our supply chain and ultimately we'll do more in the United States. We've committed $500 billion in the US over the next four years, and we've already started building chips in Arizona and semiconductors across 12 states and 24 factories and lots of other things in the works. We continue to explore these things and look for more that we can do, which ultimately is the objective.

2:42 pm: Q: On Services growth, 13% is extremely impressive. DO you see any impact from the Epic case and the steering dynamics?

A: Very strong services revenue, it was very broad-based and saw strength in emerging markets. We only just made the change required by the court in the June quarter, we don't provide a lot of detail but we just had double-digit growth on the US ‌App Store‌ and we'll continue to innovate and ensure that ‌App Store‌ delivers the best experience for users and remains a great business opportunity for developers.

2:46 pm: Q: On supply chain, you talked about focusing production and assembly to India, wanted to get an update on how you're thinking about that, and with India tariffs being higher than anyone expected. You mentioned US investments, but what about China versus the rest of Southeast Asia and India going forward? Also, where did demand on ‌iPhone‌ come from? This is stronger in June than normal, so what drove that? Promotions or something else?

A: In terms of tariffs and country of origin, one thing I would say is that the vast majority of our products are covered under the Section 232 investigation. Today, or last quarter, the bulk of the tariffs that we paid were the IEEPA tariffs that hit early in the year related to China. That's just a reminder of where things are and what we assumed as we calculated the projection of $1.1 billion that's in our outlook color. In terms of the country of origin, it's the same as I referenced last quarter, there hasn't been a change to that. The vast majority of the iPhones sold in the US, or the majority, have a country of origin of India. The vast majority of the other products, Mac and ‌iPad‌ and Watch have a country of origin of Vietnam that are sold in the US. Still, the products for other international countries, the vast majority of them are coming from China. That hopefully gives you a flavor of where things are. I would stress again that we do a lot in this country, in the United States, and we've committed $500 billion and we're always looking to do more. You could kind of see that in the most recent announcements, whether MP Materials or our manufacturing academy that we're standing up in Detroit. We're going to be doing more in this country, and that's on top of having roughly 19 billion chips coming out of the US now. We will do more. Glass for ‌iPhone‌, the FaceID module, there's loads of different things done in the United States.

On ‌iPhone‌, as Tim outlined, we think the strong upgrade performance was on the strength of the product lineup. The ‌iPhone 16‌ family has done incredibly well. We recently introduced the 16e which continued to impact the success of the ‌iPhone 16‌ lineup.

2:48 pm: Q: Was there any pull forward on channel inventory related to seasonal trends?

A: From the beginning of the quarter to the end of the quarter, we reduced it, and it ended towards the low end of our targeted range. We did see some obvious signs of pull ahead in April, that was about a 1 point impact of the 10 point total company level of growth. That was the limited impact that we believe we saw in the quarter.

2:49 pm: Q: Curious about your thoughts on AI for edge devices. Some people think that LLM could be a commodity in the future. Do you think a LLM could become a part of your iOS, and what's the evolution of edge devices and will the smartphone be the choice of device?

A: The way that we look at AI is that it's one of the most profound technologies of our lifetime, and I think it will affect all devices in a significant way, what pieces of the chain are commoditized and not commoditized? I wouldn't want to to really talk about today, because that gives away some things on our strategy.

2:50 pm: Q: Referring to the pull ahead being about 1 percentage point, do you have anything to share in what underlined that estimate? Was it on ‌iPhone‌ or across the board, primarily in the US or multiple regions, any color there would be helpful for how you get to that assumption.

A: It was principally on ‌iPhone‌ and Mac, and it was pretty obvious evidence of it. Unusual buying patterns there, largely occurred in April towards the beginning of the quarter. It was really, we believe, largely in the United States.

2:52 pm: Q: On tariffs, around $800 million (you estimated $900 million), you highlighted there were some unique factors in the quarter. Was there anything unique in September or December quarter that would uniquely affect those quarters as you highlight that from quarter to quarter there would be unique factors?

A: I would be careful about projecting based on the numbers from Q2 and Q3 because, one, we're uncertain of what the rates will be, so the rates may change. Two, in particularly last quarter, we had some build-ahead inventory that we had within the company and within our supply chain. Those two are a little unique. Also, as you know from following us for so long, Q1 is generally a higher-volume quarter. The tariffs are currently pretty linear with volume.

2:54 pm: Q: When we think about currency impact, how much of a benefit was currency this quarter and, across the business in Services, how much currency benefit should be embedded in the guidance in September? CapEx is clearly moving higher, and I know you're not guiding to that number, but qualitatively, as you lean in more on AI, should we see CapEx start to move appreciably higher?

A: For Q3, we really had no impact from foreign exchange on revenue growth and gross margin, there's virtually no impact from FX. From June to September, there's a very small tailwind from a FX standpoint on both revenue and gross margin. On your second question, on CapEx, we talked about how we are increasing our investments in AI, you'll continue to see our CapEx grow, you won't see exponential growth, and that's a function of investment in AI and other items that fall into that category, including facilities and retail. We also have a hybrid investment model where we have third parties invest, and we also invest in our own first party infrastructure.

2:56 pm: Q: You showed impressive updates on Vision Pro with Persona and other ways to create content. Other companies are seeing strong momentum on AI glasses. Are you still focusing on enterprise or broadening the use cases and tying it to more of your devices? Any thoughts on Vision Pro?

A: Thanks for bringing it up. I was thrilled with the release from the team on VisionOS 26. It includes many things like special widgets, personas, and new enterprise APIs for companies as well. We're seeing those things resonate out with CAE and other customers, so we continue to be very focused on it and I don't want to get into the roadmap on it, and this is an area we really believe in.

2:57 pm: Q: You haven't done big M&A historically, do you think you need to accelerate your AI road map or just keep the organic focus?

A: We've acquired around 7 companies, from all walks of life, not just AI. We're doing one every several weeks. We're very open to M&A that accelerates our roadmap. We are not stuck on a certain size company, although the ones we have acquired so far this year are small in nature. We basically ask ourselves whether a company can help us accelerate our roadmap. If they do, we're interested, but we don't have anything to share specifically to that.

2:57 pm: The call has concluded.
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Walmart Still Doesn't Accept Apple Pay in U.S. Despite Daily Complaints

Walmart still does not accept contactless payment options like Apple Pay and Google Pay at its more than 4,500 stores across the United States.


It is not the first time that we have reported on this topic, but Walmart has still not changed course, despite endless customer complaints.

Earlier this year, a Walmart spokesperson told MacRumors that the retailer remained focused on its own payment technologies in the Walmart app, including Walmart Pay and Scan & Go. We have followed up with Walmart today to see if that remains the company's position, and we will update this article if the company responds.

Of course, Walmart's payment systems also allow it to track a customer's purchase history.

Walmart Pay allows customers to scan a QR code displayed at checkout to pay for their purchase with a payment card stored in the Walmart app. Scan & Go allows Walmart+ members to save time by scanning barcodes on items while they shop, rather than having to scan all of the items at a self-checkout register later.

Apple Pay launched more than 10 years ago, and it was accepted at more than 90 percent of U.S. retailers as of 2022, according to Apple. Some other major Apple Pay holdouts in the U.S. have reversed course and started accepting it over the past few years, including The Home Depot, Lowe's, Kroger, and Texas grocery store chain H-E-B, leaving Walmart as one of the country's only major retailers that does not accept Apple Pay.

There is an exception: Walmart has accepted Apple Pay in Canada since 2020.
Related Roundup: Apple Pay
Tag: Walmart

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Amazon Discounts USB-C AirPods Max to $449.99

Amazon today has the USB-C AirPods Max on sale for $449.99 in all colors except Purple, down from $549.00. This is an overall second-best price on the headphones.

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.

Colors available on sale include Blue, Midnight, Orange, and Starlight. All colors have an estimated delivery date of early August, with most providing a delivery estimate around August 5 for free shipping options. Prime members in certain cities should be able to see same-day delivery options.



It's also worth noting that Best Buy is matching these prices and has every color on sale, if you prefer shopping at that retailer. 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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Pixel 10 Leak Reveals MagSafe-Like Wireless Charging Thanks to Apple

Google is expected to unveil its latest Pixel 10 smartphones during its August 20 event, and it appears the devices will feature MagSafe-like charging without a case.

Alleged image of Pixel 10 shared by Evan Blass, background added by MacRumors

As spotted by The Verge, reputable leaker Evan Blass (@evleaks) this week shared an alleged Pixel 10 marketing image that shows what appears to be a magnetic wireless charger affixed directly to the back of the device. In fact, the Pixel charger looks nearly identical to Apple's MagSafe Charger for iPhones.

This rumor makes sense, as Apple contributed its MagSafe design to the Qi2 spec a few years ago, and the Pixel 10 is expected to support Qi2.

Blass has a proven track record with leaks — mostly for Android devices, but occasionally for Apple devices too. In 2020, for example, he shared iPhone 12 and HomePod mini images a few hours before Apple announced those devices.

Apple introduced MagSafe on iPhone 12 models in 2020, so Google is five years late to the party.
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iPhone 17 Pro Max Rumored to Have 3 Advantages Over iPhone 17 Pro

Apple's highest-end iPhone 17 Pro Max model may have three key advantages over the smaller iPhone 17 Pro model, according to rumors.


Specifically, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is expected to have…Beyond those differences, and overall size and weight, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are expected to have identical features and specs. Both devices are rumored to have an aluminum frame, a larger rear camera bump, an A19 Pro chip, 12GB of RAM, an upgraded 24-megapixel front camera, an upgraded 48-megapixel Telephoto camera that may offer up to 8× optical zoom, a new copper-like color option, and more.

Apple should announce the iPhone 17 series in about six weeks from now.
Related Roundup: iPhone 17 Pro
Related Forum: iPhone

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Proton Releases Free Two-Factor Authentication App

Proton today launched Proton Authenticator, a free two-factor authentication app available across all major platforms including iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, and Linux.


The open-source app generates time-based one-time passwords as an additional security layer beyond regular login credentials. Unlike competitors such as Google Authenticator and Microsoft Authenticator, Proton Authenticator also offers end-to-end encrypted backup and cross-device sync without ads or tracking, just like Proton's other products.

The Swiss-based company claims users can import existing 2FA tokens from other apps within seconds, while the app works offline and automatically backs up authentication codes.
"Two-factor authentication is necessary for everyone – not just those who care about their privacy," said Eamonn Maguire, head of account security at Proton. "We believe strong security should never come at the cost of your convenience or privacy. That's why we've developed Proton Authenticator: to give users peace of mind that their 2FA codes are available wherever they need them, without relying on Google or Microsoft."
Proton notes that account takeover attacks cost billions annually, making 2FA increasingly important. App-based authentication is also more secure than using SMS codes, which are vulnerable to SIM swapping attacks.

Proton Authenticator can be downloaded from the Proton website. The launch continues the company's recent product expansion – earlier this week it introduced Lumo, a privacy-focused AI chatbot that doesn't store conversation records or use user data for model training.
Tag: Proton

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Dropbox Passwords Is Shutting Down in Phases Starting Next Month

Dropbox has announced it will discontinue Dropbox Passwords on October 28, ending the five-year run of its credential management service.


The shutdown is going to follow a phased approach, according to the company. The password manager will become view-only from August 28, meaning new entries and autofill features will be disabled. The mobile app will then stop working on September 11, but the browser extension is set to remain functional until the final closure.

Users must export their data before October 28, which is when Dropbox says it will be permanently deleting all stored passwords, usernames, and payment information from its servers. Dropbox is recommending users transfer their credentials to another app like 1Password before the final end date, and has provided export guides on its support site.

The company claims the closure will allow it to "focus on enhancing other features in our core product." However, Dropbox Passwords has had increasingly stiff competition over the years from the likes of 1Password, LastPass, and built-in solutions from Apple, Google, and Microsoft.

Dropbox acquired password manager Valt in 2019, and then launched Dropbox Passwords in 2020 for paid subscribers before expanding to all users in 2021.
Tag: Dropbox

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iOS 18.6 and macOS Sequoia 15.6 Address Chrome Zero-Day Attack

The iOS 18.6, iPadOS 18.6, and macOS Sequoia 15.6 updates that Apple released yesterday address a major zero-day attack that targeted Chrome users, according to Bleeping Computer.


Apple says that CVE-2025-6558 was a vulnerability in open source code that also affected Apple software. The flaw could allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code using HTML pages created for that purpose, escaping Chrome's sandboxing. Google patched the issue on July 15, and said that it had been actively exploited.

In Safari, Apple said that the issue could cause unexpected crashing, but it wasn't known to have been used in attacks against Safari users.

Google hasn't offered up technical details on how the exploit worked, and the company said that additional information would be restricted until the majority of users have updated their devices. Chrome users who have not installed the latest version of Chrome should do so.
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Review: Anker Prime Thunderbolt 5 Dock Pairs Compact Design With 14 Ports

Apple added Thunderbolt 5 connectivity to its latest M4 Pro and M4 Max machines, and companies are starting to launch Thunderbolt 5 docks compatible with Apple's Thunderbolt 5 Macs. Earlier this year, Anker came out with the Anker Prime TB5 Docking Station, a 14-port dock with a unique design and a high-end feature set.


Docks are useful because they expand the available number of ports that you can use at one time, and add legacy ports like USB-A that Apple has discontinued. Thunderbolt 5 provides 80Gb/s symmetric data, which is double that of Thunderbolt 4, plus there is a bandwidth boost option up to 120Gb/s when displays are connected. You're able to connect more without running into bandwidth limits.

Design


The Anker Prime TB5 Docking Station is probably my favorite dock I've used to date thanks to the design. It's surprisingly compact for a 14-port dock, with a square shape that spreads the ports across three of the sides.


The best part about the Anker Prime is the lack of a bulky external power supply. The 232W power supply is in the cube, so there's just a slim cable that needs to be plugged into an outlet, and then a cable to connect the dock to a Mac. The dock comes with both of the cables, and I do have a minor cable complaint. At $400, I wish the cables that came along with the dock were nicer, perhaps with a braided design.

I like the square form factor because it doesn't take up much space on my desk, and it's nice not to have to deal with positioning a bulky power supply. I tuck my cables inside boxes that keep them out of sight and out of my cat's mouth, and it's always a hassle trying to get a power supply and multiple cables to fit.

The Anker Prime has a power button on the front, a couple of easy access USB-C and USB-A ports for charging devices, and a headphone jack. Other ports are on the back and the sides, and I think the port layout is well designed. The ports I need to access often are at the front or the side, while things I don't need as frequently, like Ethernet or HDMI, are at the back. I do wish at least one of the downstream TB5 ports was at the front though.


The enclosure includes a fan, and it's made from aluminum for heat dissipation. I can hear the fan, but it's a subtle sound that I'm not sure would register with other noises in the room. I'm sound sensitive and it does bother me because the dock is right by my displays, but I can't hear it listening to music, wearing AirPods, watching TV, or when the AC is on. A decibel measuring app suggests that it is around 32 decibels, which would be around whisper level.

Size-wise, the Anker Prime is 4.6 by 4.6, and it's three inches tall. If you have a Mac mini, it's around that size, but not quite as wide, and it's about an inch taller. The color is a gray aluminum. It's not as dark as the Space Black aluminum of the M4 MacBook Pro models, nor is it as light as the silver aluminum, so it's kind of an in-between shade.

There's blue LED lighting around the top of the dock when it's powered on and in use. The light isn't bright enough to be bothersome, and it can be turned off by pressing the power button.


With the fan, the enclosure doesn't get hot. It barely feels warm at all, which is a departure from docks that rely on heat dissipation without active fan cooling. I'd be surprised if the Anker Prime could overheat, given how cool it runs with multiple peripherals plugged in. Compared to other docks like the CalDigit TS5 Plus, it's significantly cooler.

Ports


At the front of the dock, there's a headphone jack, two USB-C ports, and a USB-A port. The USB-C ports offer a combined 45W of power for charging other devices. 45W is enough to charge a MacBook Air, or an iPad and an iPhone at full speed. One port will get the full 45W when just one device is plugged in. With two ports in use, the split is 30W to the first port and 15W to the second port.


The two front USB-C ports also support data transfer, but displays need to be connected at the back. The front ports offer power to accessories even when a Mac isn't plugged in, which is convenient.

There are no ports on the right side, but there is a "Prime" logo. The left side has an SD card slot and a microSD card slot (labeled TF). The card slots are UHS-1 and limited to 104MB/s, so photographers won't get UHS-II transfer speeds.


The majority of the ports are at the back. There's an AC-in for the plug, an upstream Thunderbolt 5 port for connecting the Anker Prime to a Mac (with up to 140W charging), and two downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports with 15W bus power for SSDs and other Thunderbolt/USB-C accessories. Earlier Macs were limited to 100W charging unless MagSafe was used, but that is not a limitation on Thunderbolt 5 Macs.


There are two additional 10Gb/s USB-A ports, a 2.5Gb/s Ethernet port, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a DisplayPort 2.1 port. With the HDMI and DisplayPort, only one can be used at a time, so keep that in mind when you're dock shopping.

I don't use an Ethernet port, but it is disappointing that the Anker Prime doesn't have a 10Gb Ethernet port for those who need or want that connectivity.

Displays


Anker says that the Anker Prime supports up to two 6K displays at 60Hz, so you can run two Pro Display XDR displays, two Studio Displays, or any other combination of 6K/5K/4K displays, depending on the resolution (only one 4K display at 240Hz is supported on the Mac). On PCs, the Anker Prime supports three total displays, but Macs have a two display limit over a single Thunderbolt 5 port.


The M4 Max chip supports up to two 8K displays at 60Hz, according to Apple, while the M4 Pro supports one 8K display at 60Hz. Anker does not list 8K display support for the Mac and I don't have 8K displays to test, but it should work.

Anker says that the HDMI and DisplayPort ports can't be used together, which means two displays can be connected through the Thunderbolt 5 ports, or one can be connected using TB5 and the other can be connected via HDMI or DisplayPort, leaving a Thunderbolt port free for an SSD or other accessory.

I used an M4 Pro MacBook Pro with the Anker Prime, and I tested it with the 5K Studio Display over Thunderbolt and a 4K 144Hz display from Samsung that I connected via DisplayPort. I had no problems with connectivity over several days of testing and with various combinations of accessories plugged in. The displays and the ports worked as intended.

Though this is a Thunderbolt 5 dock, it is backwards compatible with earlier versions of Thunderbolt, which means it is compatible with older Macs. M1, M2, and M3 Pro and Max machines and all standard M4 machines with Thunderbolt 4 chips support dual 6K 60Hz displays when paired with the Anker Prime.

The aforementioned two display setup also ran fine on an M1 Max ‌MacBook Pro‌. Compared to Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 5 has more total bandwidth for displays and accessories, so you'll need a Thunderbolt 5 machine for the best performance and to max out the capabilities of the dock.

There is some fine print with the Anker Prime, which you're going to want to read if you have a 5K Thunderbolt 3 display. Dual 5K Thunderbolt 3 displays or a combination of a 5K display and Thunderbolt 4 display won't work with screen mirroring mode.

SSD Speed Tests


I used a Thunderbolt 5 SSD from OWC with the M4 Pro ‌MacBook Pro‌ and the Anker Prime. The SSD promises 6,000MB/s speeds, but I didn't quite hit that. Write speeds with the Anker Prime maxed out at about 4,675MB/s, while read speeds were around 5,140MB/s. When plugged directly into the Thunderbolt 5 port of the M4 Pro ‌MacBook Pro‌, the SSD's write speeds were up to 5,250MB/s and read speeds were at 5,350MB/s. Real world speeds can vary based on the load a Mac is under, so actual transfer speeds vary.

Write speeds were consistently slightly lower, but Thunderbolt 5 transfer speeds are quick enough that it didn't bother me in day-to-day use. Transferring 50GB of photos took around 20 seconds, which is quick enough for my use.

Software


Anker has Dock Manager software that can be used to deliver firmware updates to the Anker Prime, or to tweak dock settings like disabling the light.

Bottom Line


The Anker Prime is one of the more affordable Thunderbolt 5 docks on the market, and its compact design, port array, and features make it ideal for the average user. If you have a Thunderbolt 5 Mac and want to get a dock that'll let you run displays, plug in SSDs, and use other peripherals, I don't think you'll regret the Anker Prime.

If you don't have a Thunderbolt 5 Mac, it might still be worth picking up. It's compatible with Thunderbolt 4, and it operates the same way a Thunderbolt 4 dock would, but you also have the future proofing for Thunderbolt 5 when it's time to upgrade.

While I think the dock has the right ports for most people, this isn't the dock I'd recommend for professional use or for those who want the best performance and connectivity. It's limited to 2.5GbE, there isn't UHS-II support, and there are only two USB-C ports in addition to the two Thunderbolt ports, which might not be enough for some users.

How to Buy


The Anker Prime TB5 Docking Station can be purchased from the Anker website or from Amazon for $400.

Note: Anker provided MacRumors with an Anker Prime for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.
Tag: Anker

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Oops: Apple's Latest Billboard Features Phallic Design

Apple has a new 'Shot on iPhone' billboard design that combines ‌iPhone‌ photography with iPad sketches, but as one Reddit user noticed, the result is decidedly phallic.


The billboard was shared on the Miami subreddit earlier this month, and highlighted by the Miami New Times earlier today. The design features a photo of a shark along with a cartoon scuba diver that has an oversized finger because of the perspective, leading the Miami New Times to wonder "Did Apple Put a Giant Phallic Symbol on I-95?"

The billboard is above Miami's I-95 freeway, and it is around 15 feet in length, so it hasn't escaped the notice of motorists. The cartoon is part of Apple's Shot on iPhone, Drawn on iPad series that features creations from eight artists. Up close, the shark, scuba diver, and octopus combo are clear, but it's a little hard to tell what's going on from further away.

Apple's billboard has been up for over a week, plus the design has been shared on Instagram, so Apple may be planning to ignore those who see more than a simple scuba diver in the drawing.
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Apple Store in Caesars Palace Temporarily Closing Next Month

Apple today announced that its store at The Forum Shops in the Las Vegas area will be temporarily closed between August 9 and August 31.


Apple's website does not provide a reason for the closure. We do not expect any major changes.

The Forum Shops is a shopping mall inside Caesars Palace, the famous luxury hotel and casino resort located on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada.

While its store at The Forum Shops is closed, Apple says customers can visit its Fashion Show store, which is located just one mile further north on the Las Vegas Strip.

August 9 is shaping up to be an eventful day for Apple Stores. In addition to Apple The Forum Shops temporarily closing, Apple Bristol in England and Apple Parkland in China will be permanently closing on that day. It is also the same day that Apple Shadyside in Pittsburgh will be opening in a new location on Walnut Street.
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These 30 Airlines Offer iPhone Feature That Helps Find Your Lost Bags

iOS 18.2 was released in December with a new feature in the Find My app that allows you to temporarily share the location of an AirTag-equipped item with others, including employees at participating airlines. This way, if you have put AirTags inside your bags, the airline can better help you find them in the event they are lost or delayed at the airport.


The feature also works with other item trackers that support Apple's Find My network, such as those sold by Chipolo and Pebblebee.

iPhone, iPad, and Mac users running iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 or later can generate a "Share Item Location" link in the Find My app. Anyone they share the link with can then view a web page with a location of the item on a map. The page will automatically update with the item's latest known location.


The item's location stops being shared "as soon as a user is reunited with their item," or automatically expires after seven days.

Below, we have listed airlines that support the feature as part of their customer service processes, with the latest one being Saudia.
  • AJet

  • Aer Lingus

  • Air Canada

  • Air France

  • Air India

  • Air New Zealand

  • American Airlines

  • Austrian Airlines

  • Breeze Airways

  • British Airways

  • Brussels Airlines

  • Cathay Pacific

  • China Airlines

  • Delta

  • Eurowings

  • Finnair

  • Iberia

  • JetBlue

  • KLM

  • Lufthansa

  • Porter Airlines

  • Qantas

  • Saudia

  • Singapore Airlines

  • SunExpress

  • SWISS

  • Turkish Airlines

  • United

  • Virgin Atlantic

  • Vueling

These are only the ones we know about, so there may be others.
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Apple Expected to Buy Another Silicon Valley Campus

Apple is set to purchase another campus in Silicon Valley, California, amid almost $1 billion of property purchases this year.


According to The San Francisco Chronicle, Apple is purchasing the four-building Mathilda Campus, located at 505–599 North Mathilda Avenue and 605 West Maude Avenue, from Kilroy Realty Corporation. The site comprises approximately 663,000 square feet of office space, of which Apple already leases over 580,000 square feet, which is roughly 88% of the complex. The sale is expected to close in the third quarter of 2025 at a rate of $550 per square foot.

Kilroy disclosed in its second-quarter earnings report that it is under contract to sell a "four building campus in Silicon Valley" but did not specify the buyer. Two individuals with direct knowledge of the transaction confirmed to The San Francisco Chronicle that the buyer is Apple and that the property in question is the Mathilda Campus.

The Mathilda Campus purchase follows two other significant acquisitions by Apple in recent months. In June, Apple finalized the $166.9 million purchase of Cupertino Gateway, a three-building complex at 10200 North Tantau Avenue, adjacent to its Apple Park headquarters. Then, in July, the company acquired two neighboring office properties at 615 and 625 North Mathilda Avenue, directly adjacent to the Mathilda Campus, for $350 million. Like the Mathilda Campus, Apple had previously leased and occupied the majority of those properties.

Combined, these three transactions amount to a total outlay of approximately $882 million within a span of several weeks. All three sites are located within a few miles of ‌Apple Park‌.
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iOS 26: How to Use the New Music Pins Feature

If you've ever found yourself scrolling endlessly through your iPhone's music library to find that one album you play every morning or the workout playlist that gets you pumped, then you should find iOS 26's new Music pins feature a welcome addition to the app.


Basically, Apple Music lets you pin your most frequently accessed songs, playlists, albums, and artists directly to the top of your Library tab, making them readily accessible with a single tap.

Pinning keeps your musical essentials within easy reach, and it couldn't be easier to use. In the Music app, simply navigate to the song, album, artist, or playlist that you want to pin, then long press on the item and choose the Pin option from the popup menu.

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To unpin an item from the top of your Library tab, it's pretty much the same action – long press it and choose the Unpin option from the popup menu.

Download Pinned Items?


The first time you use Music pins, iOS 26 will ask if you want to download pinned items automatically for offline listening. You can adjust this setting anytime by navigating to Settings ➝ Apps ➝ Music and toggling Download Pins.

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Music pins aren't the only new Music addition in iOS 26. The app now has an AutoMix feature to create seamless DJ-style transitions between songs, plus there's also lyrics translation and lyrics pronunciation, making it easier to appreciate music from all over the world. Note that iOS 26 is currently in beta and will be released in the fall.
This article, "iOS 26: How to Use the New Music Pins Feature" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Get Apple's 11th Gen iPad for $299 on Amazon ($50 Off)

Amazon today is taking up to $52 off Wi-Fi models of Apple's 11th generation iPad. Prices start at $299.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi iPad, down from $349.00, a second-best price on this model.

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.

Additionally, Amazon has the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad for $399.00 ($50 off) and the 512GB Wi-Fi iPad for $598.50 ($52 off). Free delivery estimates are placed around August 4 for these iPad models, but Prime members should be able to get same-day delivery in many locations.





The 11th generation iPad is mainly a spec bump for the tablet line, now featuring the A16 chip and more storage, with the same design as the 10th generation iPad. The new ‌iPad‌ starts with 128GB of storage, and is also available in 256GB and a new 512GB configuration. The previous model was only available in 64GB and 256GB configurations.

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




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Related Roundup: Apple Deals

This article, "Get Apple's 11th Gen iPad for $299 on Amazon ($50 Off)" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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