On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through everything the iPhone 18 Pro will feature, according to the latest rumors.


Following last year's major redesign, the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models are expected to feature a very similar design to their predecessors. There is likely to be a smaller Dynamic Island, with Face ID's flood illuminator component moved under the screen to reduce the cutout's size. It is rumored to be approximately 35% narrower than the iPhone 17 Pro's. The Pro Max will be slightly thicker than its predecessor, rising to around 8.8mm and over 240 grams to accommodate a larger battery of 5,100 to 5,200 mAh, up from the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max's 5,088 mAh.

The rear will see a slight design shift as well. Apple is reportedly dropping the two-tone look found on ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models in favor of a more seamless aesthetic, with improved alignment between the Ceramic Shield back glass and the aluminum frame. The devices are also expected to come in a special red color.

The camera system will undergo more substantial changes. Both Pro models' main 48-megapixel Fusion camera are rumored to feature variable aperture, which would allow users to control the lens opening to manage light intake and depth of field. The aperture would function similarly to a DSLR camera, giving photographers greater control over focus sharpness and background blur in different lighting conditions. Additionally, Samsung is developing a new three-layer sensor for the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌, designed to reduce noise, improve dynamic range, and enhance camera responsiveness compared to Sony's current sensors.

The Camera Control button is also getting a simplification. Rather than supporting both capacitive touch gestures and pressure sensing as on the iPhone 17, the iPhone 18 will rely on pressure sensing alone, reducing manufacturing complexity and the cost of repairs, while improving ease of use.

The A20 Pro chip will mark Apple's debut of a 2-nanometer processor, with a reported 15% speed increase and about 30% better power efficiency compared to the A19 Pro. The chip will use TSMC's Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module technology, integrating RAM directly onto the same wafer as the CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine rather than mounting it separately, which should improve performance and battery life while reducing the physical footprint of the chip.

The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models will also feature Apple's C2 modem, which is expected to bring faster speeds, improved power efficiency, and support for mmWave 5G in the United States, a capability absent from the C1 and C1X modems used in earlier iPhones. Other upgrades include Apple's N2 wireless chip and 5G satellite internet.

The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max are expected to launch in September 2026, with the standard ‌iPhone 18‌ and the lower-end iPhone 18e following in spring 2027. A foldable iPhone is also expected to debut alongside the Pro models in the fall. The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



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



If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about Apple's announcement of its 37th annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), where the company is expected to unveil a major Siri overhaul alongside iOS 27, macOS 27, and other next-generation operating systems.

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

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also email us at podcast@macrumors.com or head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
This article, "The MacRumors Show: Everything We Know About iPhone 18 Pro" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Apple's announcement of its 37th annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), where the company is expected to unveil a major Siri overhaul alongside iOS 27, macOS 27, and other next-generation operating systems.



Like last year, WWDC 2026 will be a primarily online event open to all developers at no cost, with an in-person component at Apple Park in Cupertino reserved for developers and students selected through a random lottery. Apple will notify accepted in-person attendees on April 2. The keynote and all sessions will be available on the Apple Developer app, Apple's website, and YouTube, with over 100 video sessions and interactive labs with Apple engineers and designers planned across the week.

Apple first unveiled Apple Intelligence at WWDC 2024, promising a smarter Siri with personal context, on-screen awareness, and deeper app integration, features that were delayed in March 2025, delayed again at WWDC 2025, and then missed a further internal target of iOS 26.4. Apple confirmed in its announcement that the conference will "spotlight incredible updates for Apple platforms, including AI advancements and exciting new software and developer tools," which points clearly to what is shaping up to be the most consequential ‌Siri‌ update ever.

The revamped ‌Siri‌ is said to be a sweeping redesign that turns Apple's long-struggling assistant into a full AI chatbot, with Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reporting that Apple is testing a standalone ‌Siri‌ app displaying prior conversations in a list or grid, with pinned and searchable chats and iMessage-style chat bubbles. ‌Siri‌ is also said to be gaining Dynamic Island integration, with a glowing icon and "searching" label while processing requests, an "Ask ‌Siri‌" button in third-party app menus, and a "Write with ‌Siri‌" keyboard option, while Spotlight is expected to be replaced by ‌Siri‌ as the primary search interface on iPhone.

The technology underpinning virtually all of this comes from Apple's multi-year partnership with Google, under which next-generation Apple Foundation Models are based on Gemini, with processing continuing to run on-device and in Private Cloud Compute. Separately, Apple plans to open Siri to third-party AI chatbots in ‌iOS 27‌ via an "Extensions" system in Settings, ending OpenAI's exclusive arrangement and allowing users to direct queries to Claude, Gemini, Grok, and others.

Beyond ‌Siri‌, iOS 27 is expected to be a relatively lean update, described as a "Snow Leopard" year, focused on performance improvements, bug fixes, and code cleanup rather than major new feature additions. Notable exceptions include optimizations for Apple's first foldable iPhone, which is expected to launch in the fall, and new satellite connectivity features.

macOS 27 will apparently share the same ‌Siri‌ upgrades and "Snow Leopard" stability focus. It will drop support for Intel-based Macs entirely. Apple will also unveil iPadOS 27, watchOS 27, tvOS 27, and visionOS 27 at the keynote. The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



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



If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about Apple's surprise AirPods Max 2 announcement.

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

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also email us at podcast@macrumors.com or head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
This article, "The MacRumors Show: Apple Announces WWDC 2026" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple says it has no record of a successful spyware attack against any device running Lockdown Mode, the opt-in security feature it introduced in 2022.


"We are not aware of any successful mercenary spyware attacks against a Lockdown Mode-enabled Apple device," an Apple spokesperson told TechCrunch.

Lockdown Mode is available on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and dramatically restricts certain system features that are commonly exploited by mercenary spyware. When enabled, it blocks most message attachment types, disables certain complex web technologies, and prevents devices from automatically joining non-secure Wi-Fi networks, among other restrictions. Apple designed the feature specifically to protect high-risk users such as journalists, activists, lawyers, and others who may be personally targeted by sophisticated nation-state-level attacks.

• Enable Lockdown Mode on iPhone, iPad, and Mac

Donncha Ó Cearbhaill, head of the security lab at Amnesty International, said he and his colleagues "have not seen any evidence of an iPhone being successfully compromised by mercenary spyware where Lockdown Mode was enabled at the time of the attack." Digital rights organizations including Amnesty International and the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab have documented numerous successful spyware attacks on iPhone users over the years, but none have involved a bypass of Lockdown Mode.

Citizen Lab researchers have confirmed at least two cases where Lockdown Mode actively blocked spyware attacks, with one involving NSO Group's Pegasus and another involving Predator spyware, made by a company now part of Intellexa. Google researchers found that spyware was coded to abort its infection attempt if it detected Lockdown Mode was active, apparently to avoid leaving traces that could expose the attack.

Patrick Wardle, an Apple cybersecurity expert, told TechCrunch, "I think it's safe to say, Lockdown Mode is one of the most aggressive consumer-facing hardening features ever shipped."
This article, "Apple Says No iPhone in Lockdown Mode Has Ever Been Hacked" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple has begun pushing Lock Screen notifications to iPhones and iPads running older versions of iOS and iPadOS, warning users of active web-based attacks.


The alerts, which appear as a "Critical Software" notification from the Settings app, warn that Apple "is aware of attacks targeting out-of-date iOS software, including the version on your iPhone," and urge users to install a critical update to protect their device. The notifications are being seen on devices running a range of older iOS versions, including iOS 17.0, far beyond the iOS 13 and iOS 14 devices that Apple specifically flagged in its support documentation.

In the documentation, Apple highlighted recent reports about hacking tools that are effective against older versions of iOS. Hackers are using iOS exploit kits known as "Coruna" and "DarkSword," which can take advantage of vulnerabilities in iOS 13 through to iOS 17.2.1. Clicking a malicious link or visiting a compromised website on an unpatched device could result in data being stolen.

"If your iPhone doesn't have the latest software, update iOS to protect your data," Apple says. Users can update by going to Settings, General, and Software Update.

Apple released iOS 15.8.7 and iOS 16.7.15, along with corresponding iPadOS versions, on March 11 to address security vulnerabilities associated with the Coruna exploit kit. Devices running the latest updated versions of iOS 15 through iOS 26 are already protected, while devices on iOS 13 or iOS 14 must update to iOS 15 to receive these protections.

Apple has patched the vulnerabilities as they have come to light over the last several months, so users who have already upgraded to the newest version of iOS available for their iPhone are protected from the malicious websites and links that are circulating right now. Apple Safe Browsing in Safari is enabled by default and blocks the malicious URL domains identified in the attacks.

Users who are unable to update should consider enabling Lockdown Mode, if available, to protect against malicious web content. Lockdown Mode is available on iOS 16 and later.
This article, "Apple Now Sending Critical Security Alerts to iPhones Running iOS 17 and Earlier" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple's plans to enhance the iPhone 18 Pro's Camera app led it to consider acquiring Halide, but the talks ultimately collapsed and were followed by a fierce legal dispute between the startup's co-founders, according to The Information reports.


In the summer of 2025, Apple reportedly held discussions to acquire Lux Optics, the developer behind the popular iPhone camera apps Halide, Kino, and Spectre. The company concluded that it could get a better offer from Apple in the future following updates to the app. Two months after the talks concluded without a deal, Apple set about recruiting Lux's co-founder and designer Sebastian de With.

Lux CEO and co-founder Ben Sandofsky is said to have fired de With in December over financial misconduct. de With announced that he had joined Apple's design team in January.

Sandofsky has now filed a lawsuit in the California Superior Court of Santa Cruz against de With, accusing him of improperly using more than $150,000 in Lux company funds to pay for personal expenses since 2022, as well as providing confidential material and source code from Lux to Apple.

During the discussions to acquire Lux, Apple employees purportedly told the startup that its intellectual property was a major consideration in evaluating the company. Apple apparently wanted to acquire Lux to bolster the built-in Camera app, which is said to be "top priority for the company right now." The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ will "match professional-grade cameras in terms of certain advanced features," necessitating an upgrade of the built-in Camera app. Apple is not named as a defendant in the case and it is not accused of any wrongdoing.

de With's legal representatives say that the lawsuit is meritless and deny that he "used, transferred, or disclosed any Lux intellectual property" as part of his new job at Apple. They added that the lawsuit was only filed after de With raised concerns with Sandofsky about financial irregularities at Lux and had requested access to its financial records and payments, suggesting that it was a "retaliatory response to those efforts and an attempt to avoid scrutiny of that conduct."
This article, "Apple Wanted to Buy Halide to Boost iPhone 18 Pro's Camera App—Now There's a Lawsuit" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

The Apple TV is now almost two decades old amid rumors of the announcement of a new model.


Today marks 19 years Apple launched the original ‌Apple TV‌. Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the ‌Apple TV‌ at Macworld Expo in January 2007 alongside the original iPhone, but it didn't launch until March.

The ‌‌Apple TV‌ was initially previewed as the "iTV." The device allowed users to wirelessly stream movies, TV shows, music, and photos from their Mac or PC directly to their TV. Unlike today, there was no App Store or third-party app support, and the experience was centered almost entirely around iTunes-purchased or synced media.

The ‌Apple TV‌ was controlled with a simple Apple Remote and ran a Front Row-style interface designed for navigating iTunes libraries on a TV. It featured a 40GB hard drive for local content storage and supported 720p HD resolution, offering both HDMI and component video output, and was priced at $299.

Apple famously described the ‌Apple TV‌ as a "hobby," reflecting its niche and experimental status within the company at the time. Over subsequent years, Apple slowly repositioned the device over time from a Mac accessory to a standalone streaming device.

In 2010, it dropped the internal hard drive and shifted to a smaller, streaming-focused design. The introduction of tvOS and the ‌App Store‌ in 2015 marked a major turning point, enabling third-party apps and games. Apple later added 4K support in 2017 and continued to iterate with faster chips, culminating in the current model powered by the A15 Bionic chip.

Unlike the original ‌Apple TV‌, which was primarily designed to stream iTunes content from a Mac or PC, the device now serves as a hub for Apple's services, with integrations for ‌Apple TV‌+, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, AirPlay, and HomeKit. While competitors such as Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Google TV devices still dominate the lower end of the market, Apple has continued to position the ‌Apple TV‌ as a premium option with tighter ecosystem integration and more powerful hardware.

Today's ‌Apple TV‌ is the third-generation 4K model from November 2022. A new Apple TV is expected to be announced soon, featuring a faster chip and Apple's custom N1 wireless chip for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
This article, "Apple TV Is Now Almost 20 Years Old" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple saw a 23% year-over-year increase in iPhone sales in China during the first nine weeks of 2026, significantly outperforming a broader market decline driven by weak demand and rising component costs, according to Counterpoint Research.


China smartphone sales apparently fell by 4% year-over-year in the first nine weeks of 2026. Within this environment, Apple emerged as the fastest-growing major vendor, with iPhone sales rising 23% compared to the same period in 2025. Counterpoint attributed Apple's impressive performance partly to a combination of e-commerce discounts and the inclusion of the standard iPhone 17 in government subsidy programs aimed at stimulating consumer electronics purchases.

Counterpoint noted that the rising cost of memory components has been passed on to vendors, forcing several Android brands to adjust pricing strategies. Chinese smartphone makers OPPO and vivo have announced notable price increases for some existing models, with those changes set to take effect this month.

In contrast, Apple has not announced any comparable price increases and is unlikely to follow competitors in raising prices, instead absorbing some of the margin pressure from higher component costs to maintain pricing stability. The firm added that Apple's control over its supply chain leaves it better positioned than rivals to withstand rising memory costs.

Rising memory prices are expected to persist throughout 2026. The research firm expects China's smartphone market to remain under pressure in the coming months, with potential improvement in June driven by the country's mid-year "618" shopping festival. Counterpoint's findings are based on its China Weekly Smartphone Sell-Out Tracker, which monitors retail sales across the market.
This article, "Apple Bucks China's Smartphone Slump With 23% Sales Jump" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Apple's surprise announcement of the AirPods Max 2 this week.



The ‌AirPods Max 2‌ introduce a range of improvements primarily driven by the addition of Apple's H2 chip, which replaces the H1 chip used in previous models. This new chip underpins most of the upgrades, enabling more advanced computational audio and significantly enhancing the overall listening experience.

One of the most notable improvements is Active Noise Cancellation, which Apple says is up to 1.5x more effective than before, making the headphones better suited to noisy environments such as travel. Transparency mode is also refined, with more natural-sounding ambient audio and improved clarity when hearing voices and surroundings.

The H2 chip also facilitates a suite of new adaptive listening features. Adaptive Audio dynamically adjusts the balance between noise cancellation and environmental sound depending on your surroundings, while Conversation Awareness automatically lowers playback and enhances nearby voices when you begin speaking. Personalized Volume builds on this by learning your listening preferences over time and adjusting volume levels accordingly. In addition, Voice Isolation has been improved, helping to prioritize your voice during calls and reduce background noise more effectively.

Audio quality is enhanced with a new high dynamic range amplifier and updated signal processing. These changes should result in more consistent bass, clearer midrange, more natural vocals, and improved separation of instruments. Spatial Audio has also been refined, offering more accurate sound placement and a more coherent soundstage.

Wireless performance sees an upgrade with support for Bluetooth 5.3, which reduces latency compared to the previous generation. Alongside audio improvements, several new features have been added, including Live Translation powered by Apple Intelligence, the ability to use the Digital Crown as a camera remote for taking photos or controlling video recording, and expanded Siri interactions, including hands-free activation without "Hey ‌Siri‌" and gesture-based responses.

Despite these updates, several core aspects remain unchanged. The design, materials, and overall form factor are identical to earlier versions, battery life remains at up to 20 hours with noise cancellation enabled, and the headphones continue to use the same Smart Case. Pricing is also unchanged at $549.

‌AirPods Max 2‌ will be available to order on Apple.com and in the Apple Store app starting Wednesday, March 25 in the U.S. and more than 30 other countries, and they launch on an unspecified day in early April. The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



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



If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about Apple's concentrated week of announcements that saw the introduction of 10 new products.


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

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also email us at podcast@macrumors.com or head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
This article, "The MacRumors Show: Surprise AirPods Max 2 Announcement" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Both the MacBook Air and entry-level MacBook Pro now feature the M5 chip, so how do the latest models compare?


While the 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ starts at $1,099 and the 15-inch model at $1,299, moving to the 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ requires spending at least $300 more. For some buyers, the extra cost is unnecessary; for others, the Pro's ability to sustain performance, along with its more advanced display and expanded I/O, meaningfully change the experience in ways the Air cannot match even with higher configurations.

With the introduction of the MacBook Neo as a new entry-level option, the Mac lineup now spans three distinct tiers. As a result, the ‌MacBook Air‌ no longer represents the default choice for most buyers, but instead occupies a middle position between affordability and performance. If you've already ruled out the ‌MacBook Neo‌, this guide helps to answer the question of how to decide which of Apple's other two popular laptops is best for you. The key differences are as follows:

‌MacBook Air‌	‌MacBook Pro‌
13.6- or 15.3-inch display	14.2-inch display
	Slimmer borders around the display
LCD Liquid Retina display	Mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR display
60Hz refresh rate	ProMotion for refresh rates up to 120Hz
Up to 500 nits brightness	Up to 1,000 nits brightness and 1,600 nits peak HDR brightness
	Nano-texture display option
Passive cooling	Active cooling
Two Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports	Three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports
	HDMI 2.1 port with support for multichannel audio output
	SDXC card slot
13-Inch: Four-speaker sound system 15-Inch: Six-speaker sound system with force-canceling woofers	High-fidelity six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers
Three-mic array with directional beamforming	Studio-quality three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamforming
512GB, 1TB, or 2TB of storage	512GB, 1TB, 2TB, or 4TB storage
13-Inch: 53.8-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery 15-Inch: 66.5-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery	14-Inch: 72.4-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery
18-hour battery life	24-hour battery life
30W, 35W, or 70W USB-C Power Adapter	70W or 96W USB-C Power Adapter
Silver, Sky Blue, Starlight, or Midnight color options	Silver or Space Black color options
13-Inch: Starts at $1,099 15-Inch: Starts at $1,299	Starts at $1,599

Dimensions are also a key area of difference between the ‌MacBook Air‌ and ‌MacBook Pro‌. The ‌MacBook Pro‌ is noticeably thicker and heavier than both ‌MacBook Air‌ models:

	‌MacBook Air‌ (13-Inch)	‌MacBook Air‌ (15-Inch)	‌MacBook Pro‌ (14-Inch)
Height	0.44 inches (1.13 cm)	0.45 inch (1.15 cm)	0.61 inches (1.55 cm)
Width	11.97 inches (30.41 cm)	13.40 inches (34.04 cm)	12.31 inches (31.26 cm)
Depth	8.46 inches (21.5 cm)	9.35 inches (23.76 cm)	8.71 inches (22.12 cm)
Weight	2.7 pounds (1.24 kg)	3.3 pounds (1.51 kg)	3.4 pounds (1.55 kg)

Taken as a whole, the ‌MacBook Air‌ now occupies a more clearly defined middle position in Apple's laptop lineup. With the introduction of the ‌MacBook Neo‌ as a lower-cost entry point, the Air no longer represents the default choice for most buyers, but instead serves those who want a meaningful step up in performance, features, and long-term usability without moving into the ‌MacBook Pro‌ tier.

The ‌MacBook Air‌ offers excellent performance with the M5 chip, capable memory and storage options, a good all-round display, and key features like a backlit keyboard, 18 hours of battery life, and a 12MP Center Stage camera. For everyday tasks, performance remains effectively indistinguishable from more expensive models, but the Air is far less likely to feel constrained after several years of use compared to the ‌MacBook Neo‌. Its thinner chassis, lower weight, silent fanless design, and broader range of color options also remain important advantages.

By contrast, the 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ is differentiated less by baseline performance and more by its ability to sustain it, as well as by a collection of hardware features that materially change the experience. Active cooling allows the M5 chip to operate at higher levels for prolonged periods, avoiding the thermal limitations inherent to the Air's passive design. This becomes noticeable in extended workloads such as video editing, 3D rendering, compiling large codebases, or running intensive AI-driven tasks. If your workload regularly involves sustained performance, such as long video exports, large code builds, or intensive multitasking, the ‌MacBook Air‌'s fanless design may become a limiting factor.

Alongside this, ‌MacBook Pro‌'s mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion offers substantially higher brightness, contrast, and motion fluidity, while the inclusion of HDMI, SDXC, and an additional Thunderbolt port expands its versatility in professional environments. It also delivers consistently better speakers, higher-quality microphones, and longer battery life. For users planning to keep their machine for several years, this sustained performance headroom and broader feature set can make the ‌MacBook Pro‌ a more resilient long-term investment.

The most consequential trade-off emerges at the upper end of the ‌MacBook Air‌'s pricing. At $1,299, the 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ sits close enough to the 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌'s $1,599 starting price that the decision becomes less about affordability and more about priorities. For an additional $300, the Pro offers a significantly more advanced display, active cooling for sustained performance, longer battery life, additional I/O, and overall greater versatility. Once you are already considering spending over $1,000 on a laptop, these advantages become disproportionately impactful, particularly for users intending to keep their machine for several years.

As a result, the ‌MacBook Air‌ is best understood as the balanced option within the lineup: Meaningfully more capable and longer-lasting than the ‌MacBook Neo‌, but somewhat constrained compared to the ‌MacBook Pro‌. The right choice depends less on basic specifications and more on where your needs sit across three distinct tiers, with basic computing at the low end, sustained performance and advanced features at the high end, and the ‌MacBook Air‌ positioned squarely between them.
This article, "M5 MacBook Air vs. M5 MacBook Pro Buyer's Guide" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Samsung is set to discontinue the Galaxy Z TriFold globally after just three months on sale (via Bloomberg).


The company will start by ceasing sales of the device in Korea, where it has been on sale since December. Samsung plans to discontinue the device in the United States once it clears its inventory.

Samsung's website already lists the TriFold as "sold out," but customers are still able to buy the device at Samsung stores. It launched in the United States in January and costs $2,899.

The Galaxy Z TriFold is Samsung's first smartphone that has a larger total display area thanks to folding twice, featuring a 10-inch display when opened and a 6.5-inch cover screen when closed, with "minimized creasing." A third of the display is just 3.9mm thick when the smartphone is unfolded.

It contains a 5,600 mAh three-cell battery system with one battery behind each display panel, making it the largest battery that Samsung has used in a smartphone to date. There are three cameras on the rear of the device, including a 200-megapixel wide angle camera, a 12-megapixel ultra wide camera, and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. There is a 10-megapixel selfie camera on the cover screen and another on the main screen.

Samsung touted unique capabilities for the Galaxy Z TriFold, such as using three different portrait-sized apps side-by-side, watching full-screen content, vertical tablet-style reading, two differently sized hinges that work together with a dual-rail structure, and an alarm that alerts the user if it's folded incorrectly.
This article, "Samsung to Discontinue Galaxy Z TriFold After Just Three Months" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple has now announced the AirPods Max 2, bringing the first major hardware upgrade to Apple's over-ear headphones since their debut. So how does the new model compare with both earlier versions of ‌AirPods Max‌?


In late 2020, Apple announced the AirPods Max, a whole new AirPods variant with an over-ear design. In September 2024, the company refreshed the AirPods Max's selection of color options and swapped the Lightning port for USB-C, enabling 24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio over a wired connection.

Now, with the arrival of the ‌AirPods Max 2‌, Apple has introduced a far more substantial upgrade than the 2024 refresh. The new model adds the H2 chip, more powerful Active Noise Cancellation, improved Transparency Mode, Adaptive Audio features such as Conversation Awareness and Personalized Volume, updated Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity with reduced latency, and enhancements to Spatial Audio and sound quality.


Following the announcement, the full range of differences between the original Lightning model, the USB-C refresh, and ‌AirPods Max 2‌ are outlined below:

AirPods Max (2020, Lightning)	AirPods Max (2024, USB-C)	‌AirPods Max 2‌ (2026)
H1 chip	H1 chip	H2 chip
Active Noise Cancellation	Active Noise Cancellation	Improved Active Noise Cancellation (1.5x stronger)
Transparency Mode	Transparency Mode	Improved Transparency Mode
		Adaptive Audio
		Conversation Awareness
		Voice Isolation
		Personalized Volume
		Loud Sound Reduction
		Camera Remote
		Live Translation
"Hey Siri" commands	"Hey ‌Siri‌" commands	"Hey ‌Siri‌" and "‌Siri‌" commands
		‌Siri‌ Interactions (privately respond to ‌Siri‌ announcements by simply nodding their head yes or gently shaking their head no)
		Custom high dynamic range amplifier
		New digital signal processing algorithm
Spatial Audio	Spatial Audio	Improved Spatial Audio (improved localization of instruments, more accurate and consistent bass response, and more natural-sounding mids and highs)
	Lossless Personalized Spatial Audio via USB-C to USB-C cable	Lossless Personalized Spatial Audio via USB-C to USB-C cable
Enhanced audio via Lightning to 3.5mm audio cable	"24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio" via USB-C to USB-C cable	"24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio" via USB-C to USB-C cable
Audio recording	Audio recording	"Studio-quality" audio recording
	Create and mix audio in Personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking via USB-C to USB-C cable	Create and mix audio in Personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking via USB-C to USB-C cable
Bluetooth 5.0	Bluetooth 5.0	Bluetooth 5.3
		Reduced wireless audio latency
Reduced latency audio via Lightning to 3.5mm audio cable	"Ultra-low" latency audio via USB-C to USB-C cable or USB-C to 3.5mm audio cable	"Ultra-low" latency audio via USB-C to USB-C cable or USB-C to 3.5mm audio cable
Lightning port	USB-C port	USB-C port
Available in Silver, Space Gray, Sky Blue, Pink, and Green	Available in Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Purple, and Orange	Available in Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Purple, and Orange
Released December 2020	Released September 2024	Release in April 2026
Now discontinued	Now discontinued	$549

The original AirPods Max with Lightning are becoming increasingly difficult to find as remaining inventory has gradually dried up over the past two years. While some third-party retailers may still have limited stock or refurbished units available, the model is no longer widely sold. For buyers who can still locate a pair at a substantial discount, the Lightning version can remain an appealing option. It offers the same distinctive design, premium build quality, Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode, and Spatial Audio support that defined the product when it launched in 2020. If you primarily use AirPods Max wirelessly for casual listenin, have no interest in the newer software capabilities, or have other Lightning devices, the original model still delivers a good core experience.

The AirPods Max with USB-C, introduced in 2024, remain widely available and until today represented Apple's current version of the headphones. Aside from the switch from Lightning to USB-C and a new set of color options, the hardware is largely identical to the original model. A firmware update alongside iOS 18.4 restored wired audio input and enabled 24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio over a USB-C connection when used with a USB-C to USB-C cable. This gives the USB-C model a clear advantage over the Lightning version for users who want the best possible wired audio quality. It also enables creator-focused capabilities such as Lossless Personalized Spatial Audio and the ability to create or mix content in Spatial Audio with head tracking. For most users listening wirelessly, however, the overall experience remains very similar to the original model.

The newly announced ‌AirPods Max 2‌ represent the first meaningful upgrade to the product since its debut. The new model introduces Apple's H2 chip, enabling significantly improved Active Noise Cancellation, enhanced Transparency Mode, and Adaptive Audio features such as Conversation Awareness, Personalized Volume, and Voice Isolation. Apple has also improved Spatial Audio performance and added Bluetooth 5.3 with reduced wireless latency. Together, these upgrades bring the over-ear AirPods much closer to the capabilities offered by Apple's latest in-ear AirPods models.

For buyers deciding between generations, the choice largely comes down to how important the new features are. The original AirPods Max still deliver the premium design, sound quality, and wireless listening experience that made them popular. However, for those who want stronger noise cancellation, new features like Live Translation, and the most future-proof option, ‌AirPods Max 2‌ are clearly the model to choose.

Existing owners of the original AirPods Max may want to weigh the benefits of the H2 chip, improved Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive Audio features such as Conversation Awareness and Personalized Volume, and reduced wireless latency. Users with the Lightning version may be more inclined to upgrade given their device's age, while those with the newer USB-C variant may find the improvements less essential if they are satisfied with the current feature set. For frequent travelers, people who regularly listen in noisy environments, or anyone who simply wants the most advanced version of Apple's over-ear headphones, the upgrade may still be worthwhile.

AirPods frequently see hefty discounts on Amazon and other third-party retailers, so stepping up to the ‌AirPods Max 2‌ may be more worth it if you can take advantage of one of those deals. The AirPods Max often see solid discounts, so it is always worth seeking the best price using our Deals roundup.
This article, "AirPods Max 1 vs. AirPods Max 2 Buyer's Guide: 25+ Differences Compared" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today acquired MotionVFX, a major developer of plugins, visual effects, and motion graphics tools for Final Cut Pro.


MotionVFX is a Polish software company founded by Szymon Masiak in 2009. It creates high-quality plugins, transitions, templates, and visual effects (VFX) for video editors, specializing in tools for Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and Apple Motion. From MotionVFX's website today:

We are extremely excited to share that MotionVFX is joining the Apple team to continue to empower creators and editors to do their best work.

For over 15 years, we've been on a mission to create world-class, visually inspiring content and effects for video editors. From the very beginning, we’ve been all about quality, ease of use, and great design. These are also the values that we admire most in Apple’s products, and we’re thrilled to be able to embrace them together.

We'd like to take this opportunity to thank all our amazing customers and supporters who have been with us through all these years. You inspired us, you challenged us, and you helped our products become what they are today. We are incredibly grateful to be part of this amazing community and excited to continue our work to serve you.

This is the beginning of something truly wonderful!

MotionVFX has long been one of the most prominent third-party developers in the Final Cut Pro ecosystem. Its plugins are widely used by YouTubers, filmmakers, and broadcast editors looking to add high-end motion graphics and stylized visual effects without building them from scratch.

Among its most popular tools are mFilmLook, which provides cinematic color grading and film emulation effects, and mO2, a powerful plugin that enables the use of 3D models directly inside Final Cut Pro and Apple Motion. MotionVFX also offers Design Studio, a panel extension that allows users to browse and install effects and templates directly within Final Cut Pro.

MotionVFX's expertise in templates, transitions, and 3D workflows could help Apple improve Final Cut Pro's built-in graphics tools, potentially reducing reliance on third-party plugins. The acquisition will likely strengthen Apple's latest push into professional video production, especially as the company continues to bolster its new Apple Creator Studio subscription service.

MotionVFX's 70 employees today joined Apple as part of the acquisition. The company was already a worldwide partner of Apple.

MotionVFX did not indicate whether its existing products will continue to be sold independently following the acquisition. For now, the company's plugin catalog remains available through its website and the MotionVFX marketplace.
This article, "Apple Acquires Final Cut Pro Plugin Company MotionVFX" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

The AirPods Max 2 feature the H2 chip, improved Active Noise Cancellation, and Adaptive Audio capabilities, but the design and much of the hardware remains unchanged.


Most notably, the overall industrial design is identical. AirPods Max 2 retain the same aluminum ear cups, stainless steel headband frame, telescoping arms, and knit mesh canopy introduced with the original model. The dimensions, weight, and overall construction appear to be unchanged, meaning the headphones look and feel the same as previous versions. The knit mesh canopy is also the same despite criticism over time that the fabric can stretch or lose tension with prolonged use.

The Smart Case has also not been updated and the device still uses the same case introduced in 2020, which covers the ear cups while leaving the headband exposed and places the headphones into an ultra-low-power state when stored inside.

The Smart Case drew criticism when AirPods Max first launched, with many reviewers pointing to its unusual appearance and the limited protection it offers compared to traditional headphone cases. Some users also reported that the material damaged easily and creased over time.

Because AirPods Max lack a dedicated power button, placing the headphones in the Smart Case is effectively the only reliable way to force them into their lowest-power standby mode. Without the case, the headphones can remain active for extended periods. Despite these criticisms, Apple has not redesigned or replaced the Smart Case.

The acoustic hardware also appears to be essentially the same across generations. The ‌AirPods Max 2‌ continue to use Apple's custom 40mm dynamic drivers and the same basic acoustic architecture introduced with the original model. However, they add a new custom high dynamic range amplifier and updated digital signal processing, meaning sound improvements are likely driven more by amplification and processing changes than by redesigned drivers.

Color options have also remained consistent across the last two versions of the headphones. The 2024 USB-C refresh introduced Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Purple, and Orange, and those same finishes carry over to the ‌AirPods Max 2‌. These replaced the original lineup of Silver, Space Gray, Sky Blue, Pink, and Green.

Battery life is also unchanged. AirPods Max continue to offer around 20 hours of listening time with Active Noise Cancellation and Spatial Audio enabled, matching Apple's original estimate.
This article, "What Hasn't Changed With AirPods Max 2" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple's original film "F1: The Movie" yesterday won an Oscar for Best Sound at the 98th Academy Awards.


The film, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Joseph Kosinski, received four Oscar nominations in total, including Best Picture. "F1" has already picked up multiple honors across the industry, including Best Editing and Best Sound at the Critics Choice Awards and Best Sound at the BAFTA Film Awards.

The film stars Brad Pitt as a once-promising Formula 1 driver whose career was nearly ended by a crash in the 1990s. Decades later, he returns to the sport after being recruited by his former teammate to help save a struggling team, partnering with an ambitious rookie driver.

In 2022, Apple's "CODA" became the first streaming film to win Best Picture, with Troy Kotsur winning Best Supporting Actor and Siân Heder winning Best Adapted Screenplay. Apple later won Best Animated Short Film for "The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse." More recently, "Killers of the Flower Moon" received several Oscar nominations, including Best Actress for Lily Gladstone.

"F1" is now available to stream globally on Apple TV. Apple previously said it is the highest-grossing sports feature film of all time.





This article, "Apple Original Film 'F1' Wins Oscar for Best Sound" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

The MacBook Neo is now Apple's entry-level MacBook, undercutting the MacBook Air by $500. To deliver such a dramatically lower price, the ‌MacBook Neo‌ has a significant number of tradeoffs. Here's everything that's different between the two devices.


Apple's introduction of the ‌MacBook Neo‌ expands the company's laptop lineup with a far more affordable entry point, sitting well below the ‌MacBook Air‌ in both price and capability. While the two machines share a similar size and lightweight design, they are aimed at very different types of users. The ‌MacBook Neo‌ focuses on delivering the essentials of the Mac experience at the lowest possible cost, while the ‌MacBook Air‌ offers significantly more performance, features, and flexibility.

Design

The ‌MacBook Neo‌ and the 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ have similar dimensions. The ‌MacBook Air‌ remains thinner, but the ‌MacBook Neo‌ has a slightly smaller overall footprint owing to its smaller display. Both machines weigh 2.7 pounds (1.23 kg).

	‌MacBook Neo‌	‌MacBook Air‌
Height	0.50 inch (1.27 cm)	0.44 inch (1.13 cm)
Width	11.71 inches (29.75 cm)	11.97 inches (30.41 cm)
Depth	8.12 inches (20.64 cm)	8.46 inches (21.5 cm)

There are still some notable design differences. The ‌MacBook Neo‌ does not have a backlit keyboard or a haptic trackpad, and only has Touch ID when configured with 512GB of storage for an extra $100. They are also available in different selections of color options, with the ‌MacBook Neo‌'s color extending to the Magic Keyboard in a lighter shade.

‌MacBook Neo‌	‌MacBook Air‌
Available in Silver, Blush, Indigo, and Citrus	Available in Silver, Sky Blue, Midnight, and Starlight
‌Touch ID‌ on 512GB models only	‌Touch ID‌
Magic Keyboard or Magic Keyboard with ‌Touch ID‌	Backlit Magic Keyboard with ‌Touch ID‌
Color-matched Magic Keyboard	Black Magic Keyboard
Mechanical Multi-Touch trackpad	Haptic Force Touch trackpad with pressure-sensing capabilities
	Display "notch"

Display

The ‌MacBook Air‌'s display is slightly larger and supports True Tone and P3 wide color. Both are Liquid Retina displays with 500 nits of brightness.

‌MacBook Neo‌	‌MacBook Air‌
13-inch Liquid Retina display	13.6-inch Liquid Retina display (15-inch model also available)
2408 by 1506 pixel resolution	2560 by 1664 pixel resolution
sRGB	Wide color (P3)
	True Tone technology
Thicker display borders	Slimmer display borders

Performance

The ‌MacBook Neo‌ is Apple's first Mac to contain an iPhone chip. The A18 Pro is still a capable chip, but the M5 is around 20% faster for single-core tasks and 80% faster for multi-core tasks. The M5 chip also has more than double the GPU throughput of the A18 Pro and features Neural Accelerators.

‌MacBook Neo‌	‌MacBook Air‌
Apple A18 Pro chip	Apple M5 chip
Made with TSMC's second-generation 3nm process (N3E)	Made with TSMC's third-generation ‌3nm‌ process (N3P)
6-core CPU	10-core CPU
5-core GPU	8-core GPU
	Neural Accelerators
8GB unified memory	16GB, 24GB, or 32GB unified memory
60GB/s memory bandwidth	153GB/s memory bandwidth

Battery and Charging

The ‌MacBook Air‌ has up to two hours of extra battery life over the ‌MacBook Neo‌, along with support for charging via MagSafe 3 and fast charging.

‌MacBook Neo‌	‌MacBook Air‌
Integrated 36.5-watt-hour lithium-ion battery	Integrated 53.8-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery
16-hour battery life	18-hour battery life
	‌MagSafe‌ 3 charging
	Fast-charge capable with 70W USB-C Power Adapter or higher
Comes with 20W USB-C Power Adapter	Comes with 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max

Cameras, Speakers, and Microphones

The ‌MacBook Air‌ has a superior array of camera and audio hardware, resulting in a slightly better experience with video calls, listening to music, and recording audio.

‌MacBook Neo‌	‌MacBook Air‌
1080p FaceTime HD camera	12MP Center Stage camera
	LED webcam indicator light
	Desk View support
Dual-speaker sound system	Four-speaker sound system
	Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking when using supported AirPods
Dual-mic array with directional beamforming	Three-mic array with directional beamforming

Connectivity

The ‌MacBook Neo‌'s connectivity is more limited than that of the ‌MacBook Air‌. While both have two USB-C ports, the ‌MacBook Air‌'s are considerably more capable in terms of data transfer and external display support.

‌MacBook Neo‌	‌MacBook Air‌
Wi-Fi 6E connectivity	Wi-Fi 7 connectivity
One USB 3 (10 Gb/s) port and one USB 2 port (480 Mb/s)	Two Thunderbolt 4 ports (40 Gb/s)
Support for one 4K external display at 60Hz	Support for two 6K external displays up 60Hz or 4K at 144Hz
3.5mm headphone jack	3.5mm headphone jack with support for high-impedance headphones
	Magnetic ‌MagSafe‌ 3 charging port

Other Differences

The most significant difference between the ‌MacBook Neo‌ and the ‌MacBook Air‌ is price: The ‌MacBook Air‌ costs $500 more. It is also much more configurable, with higher amounts of memory and storage available.

‌MacBook Neo‌	‌MacBook Air‌
	Ambient light sensor
256GB or 512GB storage	512GB, 1TB, 2TB, or 4TB storage
Starts at $599	Starts at $1,099

Which to Choose?

Choosing between the ‌MacBook Neo‌ and the ‌MacBook Air‌ primarily comes down to how demanding your needs are and how much you want to spend. The ‌MacBook Neo‌ is clearly positioned as Apple's most accessible notebook, delivering the core Mac experience at the lowest possible price. For users who primarily need a reliable computer for basic everyday tasks, the Neo provides enough performance. Its lower cost also makes it an appealing option for households purchasing multiple computers, such as for kids or family use.

For first-time Mac owners, the ‌MacBook Neo‌ is also likely to be the most sensible starting point. It offers the same software experience as Apple's more expensive laptops, allowing new users to explore the platform without a large financial commitment. In many cases, buyers moving from inexpensive Windows laptops or Chromebooks will find the Neo significantly faster and better built than devices in the same price range.

The ‌MacBook Air‌, by contrast, is aimed at users who expect higher performance, greater longevity, and a more feature-rich, premium experience. Its more powerful M5 chip, memory options, larger display, and significantly more capable connectivity make it far better suited to multitasking, professional workloads, and creative applications. Users who regularly work with large files, run demanding software, connect multiple external displays, or want a machine that will remain comfortable to use for many years will benefit from choosing the Air.

In practical terms, the ‌MacBook Neo‌ is best viewed as a budget entry point into the Mac lineup, while the ‌MacBook Air‌ remains Apple's mainstream ultraportable for most people. Buyers who simply want a dependable Mac for everyday computing can save money with the Neo, but those who want stronger performance, better hardware features, and a laptop that will scale to more demanding tasks over time should consider spending the extra money on the ‌MacBook Air‌.
This article, "MacBook Neo vs. MacBook Air Buyer's Guide: 40 Differences Compared" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple has asked Google to investigate setting up servers in its data centers to run a future version of Siri powered by Gemini, The Information reports.


Currently, Apple sends its more complex AI queries to Private Cloud Compute, a system that runs on Apple servers using Apple silicon chips. Today, only 10% of Apple's Private Cloud Compute capacity is said to be in use on average. The usage is low enough that some servers intended for Apple's AI cloud system are still in warehouses and have not yet been installed. This could change rapidly upon the launch of the next-generation version of ‌Siri‌, which could spike Apple's demands for cloud computing.

Apple has reportedly suffered from a cultural reluctance to bolster its cloud infrastructure for years, leading to the departure of some key cloud experts from the company, such as Patrick Gates. Gates pioneered the idea of bringing Apple chips to data centers, which later formed the basis of Private Cloud Compute. The company still strongly focuses on hardware devices and consumer features rather than their supporting cloud technologies, despite the growth of services, resulting in a neglect of the need for additional capacity.

At the time Apple realized it needed to use the cloud to support its AI efforts, its internal AI infrastructure was "beginning to decay." The company was amid the process of decommissioning old Nvidia-powered servers. Combined with financial pressure, this led the company to increasingly turn to third-party providers like Amazon.

For years, Apple banned its AI engineers from Google's cloud technologies because of privacy concerns. Apple software chief Craig Federighi repeatedly vetoed Google Cloud as an option for its AI computing requirements. In 2023, Google made changes to its security systems that satisfied Apple's privacy concerns. Apple then started to adopt Google's cloud infrastructure for artificial intelligence.

The issue has been exacerbated by problems with Private Cloud Compute, which takes longer to update than other servers. Moreover, the chips currently used in Private Cloud Compute servers were designed for consumer devices and are not optimized for AI workflows, meaning that they are not well equipped to run large models like Gemini.

Apple now wants to be prepared for a potential surge in AI use on its devices when the more powerful, Gemini-based version of ‌Siri‌ debuts later this year, motivating the request for Google to run ‌Siri‌ directly on its servers. See The Information's full report for more.

This article, "Report: Apple Asks Google to Run Siri on Its Servers" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today announced the iPhone 17e, featuring the A19 chip, MagSafe connectivity, faster charging, and more.



The ‌iPhone 17e‌ contains the A19 chip introduced in iPhone 17. It features a 6-core GPU and a 4-core GPU. Apple pointed out that this makes it up to 2x faster than the iPhone 11. The new 16-core Neural Engine is optimized for large generative models. The ‌iPhone 17e‌ also contains Apple's latest-generation C1X modem from the iPhone Air, delivering up to 2x faster cellular performance than the ‌iPhone‌ 16e.

The front of the device now features Ceramic Shield 2, offering 3x better scratch resistance than the previous generation along with added anti-reflective properties for reduced glare.
e
Addressing a noticeable omission from its predecessor, the ‌iPhone 17e‌ now features ‌MagSafe‌ connectivity, allowing it to work with snap-on magnetic accessories.

With ‌MagSafe‌, the ‌iPhone 17e‌ supports wireless charging up to 15W with 20W adapter or higher. The ‌iPhone‌ 16e only supported 7.5W wireless charging. The ‌iPhone 17e‌ also supports faster wired charging, achieving up to 50% in around 30 minutes. Battery life remains at 26 hours.

The rear camera now features an improved Portrait mode image pipeline that automatically detects objects, with support for next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control.

The ‌iPhone 17e‌ starts with 256GB of storage, but with the same $599 price as the 128GB ‌iPhone‌ 16e. It is available in black, white, and soft pink. Pre-orders start on Wednesday, March 4, with availability starting a week later on Wednesday, March 11.
This article, "Apple Announces iPhone 17e With A19 Chip, MagSafe, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Sonos is preparing a major update to its app that aims to simplify navigation and introduce iPhone Lock Screen controls using Live Activities, part of a broader effort to rebuild confidence after the company's troubled 2024 software overhaul, Bloomberg reports.


Sonos plans to roll out a series of optional changes to its ‌iPhone‌ and Android app in the coming months, with the company focusing on usability improvements, navigation, and more accessible playback controls. The update is expected to arrive gradually rather than as a sweeping redesign, reflecting a different release strategy following the company's widely criticized 2024 app relaunch.

Sonos CEO Tom Conrad recently demonstrated early versions of the revised interface during a meeting at the company's headquarters in Goleta, California. He admitted to Bloomberg that the current version of the app still contains several usability issues despite improvements made over the past year. While the final design is still evolving, the goal is to reduce friction in common tasks such as switching rooms, managing playback, and accessing frequently used controls.

A notable change being developed specifically for iOS involves adding Lock Screen playback controls for Sonos speakers. The feature is already available on Android devices, where users can control music without opening the Sonos app. On the ‌iPhone‌, Sonos plans to implement similar functionality using Apple's Live Activities feature.

Live Activities were introduced in iOS 16 as part of the system's Lock Screen and Dynamic Island experience. The framework allows apps to display continuously updated information on the Lock Screen and, on supported devices, within the ‌Dynamic Island‌ area. Live Activities are commonly used for tasks such as tracking sports scores, ride-sharing progress, deliveries, or timers, but they can also provide persistent media controls.

Sonos has not yet provided a release date for the updated interface. Further details about the changes may be shared with customers in late March or April once development progresses further.
This article, "Sonos Planning Another App Overhaul With Live Activities Support" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

We talk through everything to expect at Apple's upcoming "Experience" on March 4, on this week's episode of The MacRumors Show.


Earlier this week, Apple today a "special Apple Experience" for the media in New York, London, and Shanghai, taking place on March 4, 2026 at 9:00am ET. It is notable that Apple is specifically using the word "experience," rather than "event." Unlike a full live-streamed event from Apple Park, the March 4 event in other cities is likely to be smaller in scale.

The launch of several new Apple products is believed to be imminent. We're most likely to see the announcement of the iPhone 17e, a spec-bumped successor to the iPhone 16e, with rumored upgrades including an A19 chip, MagSafe, and Apple's C1X and N1 wireless chips. The device will apparently have a notch despite earlier rumors mentioning a Dynamic Island, and pricing will continue to start at $599 in the United States.

The all-new low-cost MacBook is likely to arrive, featuring the A18 Pro chip, a 12.9-inch display, and a selection of fun color options. The MacBook Pro is also expected to receive the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, and PCIe 5.0 support for faster SSD speeds.

Additionally, the iPad Air is due a bump up to the M4 chip, while the entry-level iPad is expected to get the A18 chip with Apple Intelligence support.

A refreshed MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Studio Display are also possibilities, along with a new Apple TV and HomePod mini. The event could could include a demo of immersive Formula 1 content on the Apple Vision Pro, too.

We also discuss iOS 26.4, which is now available in beta. The update includes a new Playlist Playground feature that lets users create a playlist with a text-based prompt, refinements to Apple Music's design, videos in Apple Podcasts, end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for ‌RCS‌ messages, and more. The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



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



If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about the upcoming ‌iPhone‌ 17e and ‌iPad‌ models, as well as Apple's apparent issues finalizing the revamped version of Siri.

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

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also email us at podcast@macrumors.com or head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
This article, "The MacRumors Show: What's Coming at the 'Apple Experience'?" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple's next entry-level iPad is expected to gain the A18 chip, a change that appears modest on paper but would enable Apple Intelligence on the company's most affordable tablet for the first time.


Apple last refreshed the entry-level ‌iPad‌ in March 2025, adding the A16 chip. ‌Apple Intelligence‌ is supported by devices with the A17 Pro or newer, or Apple's M-series chips, due to the processing, memory bandwidth, and neural engine performance required to run on-device and hybrid AI workloads. The A16 in the current entry-level ‌iPad‌ falls just short of this threshold, leaving the product outside Apple's AI rollout despite its relatively recent update.

Apple introduced ‌Apple Intelligence‌ in 2024 as a set of features spanning its various operating systems. The company described the platform as "personal intelligence for everyday tasks," built around on-device processing combined with Private Cloud Compute for more demanding workloads. Apple said the system is designed to deliver "powerful capabilities while protecting user privacy."

The growing feature set initially included systemwide writing tools capable of rewriting, summarizing, and proofreading text across apps, image generation tools that allow users to create images and custom emoji from text prompts, and more.

By the end of 2026, it will enhance Siri with contextual awareness and deeper integration across apps, enabling the assistant to take actions based on onscreen content and personal data stored on the device. There are even bigger changes rumored for ‌‌Siri‌‌ as part of iOS 27, with Apple aiming to turn the assistant into a true chatbot, along with even deeper integration with the system.

Unlike apps like ChatGPT or Google Gemini, ‌Apple Intelligence‌ operates at the system level, so hardware support determines whether a device can participate in the platform at all. Moving to the A18 therefore brings the entry-level ‌iPad‌ into the same feature set as newer iPhones and iPads rather than merely improving speed or battery efficiency.

This is particularly significant given the role of the entry-level ‌iPad‌ in Apple's lineup. The device is positioned as the most accessible ‌iPad‌ and is widely used in education, families, and large-scale deployments. Expanding ‌Apple Intelligence‌ support to this model will significantly increase the number of devices capable of running Apple's AI features and users exposed to it.

All of the iPhones, Macs, and other ‌iPad‌ models available from Apple today support ‌Apple Intelligence‌, leaving the entry-level ‌iPad‌ as an outlier. Bringing ‌Apple Intelligence‌ support to the device thus completes support of the platform across Apple's major devices, eliminates fragmentation, and ensures better future-proofing.

Moving from the A16 to the A18 will also bring a full two-generation leap in Apple silicon, delivering a newer CPU built on a more advanced process node, a next-generation GPU with hardware ray tracing and mesh shading support, a substantially faster Neural Engine, and a newer media engine with improved hardware acceleration.

The newer chip architecture also features improved memory bandwidth and efficiency. Its efficiency gains should translate into better sustained performance under load and potentially longer battery life in everyday use, making the refresh worthwhile even for many users who do not actively use ‌Apple Intelligence‌.

Apple could announce the 12th-generation ‌iPad‌ as soon as March 4, when it is planning to hold an "experience" for the media in New York, London, and Shanghai. The device's launch is rumored to be imminent.
This article, "Apple Intelligence Rollout Nears Completion With Upcoming iPad 12" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums