Canadian cell phone plans have historically been very expensive compared to other countries, so we want to highlight a really good deal that has popped up.


In Canada, the carrier Public Mobile has launched a limited-time flash sale that offers 50% off its 5G Canada — U.S. — Mexico plans for a two-year period.

Here are the discounted plans available to new customers through January 26, with each also including unlimited calling and text messaging:

• 60GB of 5G data for $20 per month (regularly $40 per month)


• 80GB of 5G data for $25 per month (regularly $50 per month)


• 100GB of 5G data for $30 per month (regularly $60 per month)

Public Mobile says these discounted plans are available for new activations only, and the promotion will expire 24 months after it is applied. Existing customers were briefly able to switch to a 100GB plan for just $20 per month (down from $40 per month) in the Public Mobile app, but this is no longer possible as of writing.

You can use your allotted data while roaming in the U.S. and Mexico at no additional cost, but note that Public Mobile limits 5G speeds to up to 250 Mbps. And after the allotted amount, data speeds are reduced to a maximum of just 512 Kbps.

Public Mobile is a prepaid carrier, meaning that you pay upfront for your monthly plan, with no credit check required. You can cancel your subscription at any time.

As a Telus subsidiary, Public Mobile uses the Telus network in Canada. However, Public Mobile customers may be deprioritized in busy areas if necessary, and cellular coverage can vary based on your location. All in all, service might not always be comparable to a major carrier like Bell or Rogers, but your mileage may vary.

Update: Existing customers were briefly able to switch to a 100GB plan for just $20 per month (down from $40 per month), but this is no longer possible. Still, the 60GB for $20 per month offer for new customers is a great deal by Canadian standards.
This article, "Public Mobile Offering 60GB of 5G Data for $20/Month in Canada" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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iOS 26.3 is shaping up to be a relatively minor update, with only a couple of notable new features, but iOS 26.4 is expected to be much more significant.


We are still waiting for the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate to come out, so the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a few weeks away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public at some point in March or April.

Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.4 features so far.

Personalized Siri

Earlier this month, Apple and Google announced that Google Gemini will help power a more personalized version of Siri coming this year.

The more personalized version of Siri is expected to be introduced with iOS 26.4, following a lengthy delay. The new capabilities will include better understanding of a user's personal context, on-screen awareness, and deeper per-app controls, but some of this functionality might not be available until iOS 27 later this year.

For example, all the way back at WWDC 2024, Apple showed an iPhone user asking Siri about their mother's flight and lunch reservation plans based on info retrieved from the Mail and Messages apps.

Looking ahead, Apple is reportedly planning to launch a full-out Siri chatbot on iOS 27, allowing users to have ChatGPT-like conversations with Siri.

New Emoji

Last year, the Unicode Consortium previewed some of the new emoji that are expected to be added to the iPhone with iOS 26.4.

Here are nine of the new emoji:

• Trombone


• Treasure Chest


• Distorted Face


• Hairy Creature (aka Bigfoot or Sasquatch)


• Fight Cloud


• Apple Core


• Orca


• Ballet Dancers


• Landslide

Apple most recently added new emoji to the iPhone with iOS 18.4, an update that came out in March last year. iOS 17.4, iOS 16.4, and iOS 15.4 also introduced new emoji over the years, so the timing has become predictable by this point.

More

Macworld's Filipe Espósito last month leaked some other potential iOS 26.4 features:

• If you have credit card information stored in Apple's Passwords app, you will be able to AutoFill those details in third-party apps.


• You will be able to create folders in the Freeform app.


• Apple is apparently working on a new sports tier for the Apple TV app, but the report did not offer any further details about this.


• There are signs of "a new validation system that will check the integrity of the device before logging into Apple ID and iCloud."


• A new "Precise Outdoor Location" feature for AirPods in the Find My app.

Of course, there will be additional iOS 26.4 features that are still unknown, so stay tuned.
This article, "What to Expect From iOS 26.4" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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In an email to developers this week, Apple indicated that it will begin showing additional ads in App Store search results starting Tuesday, March 3.


The extra ads will first appear in the App Store in the U.K. and Japan, followed by other markets like the U.S. by the end of March, according to Apple.

Apple first announced that it would be expanding the number of ad slots in the App Store search results last month, but it had not provided an exact date for the change until now. Currently, developers can only pay to have an app appear in a single slot at the top of the search results, but Apple said there will now be multiple slots further down.

Apple shared more details on its website:

Search is the way most people find and download apps on the App Store, with nearly 65 percent of downloads happening directly after a search. To help give advertisers more opportunities to drive downloads from search results, Apple Ads will introduce additional ads across search queries. The additional ads will roll out in phases, appearing across all markets by the end of March. You don't need to change your campaign in order to be eligible for any new positions. Your ad will run in either the existing position — at the top of search results — or further down in search results. If you have a search results campaign running, your ad will be automatically eligible for all available positions, but you can't select or bid for a particular one.

Additional ads equals additional services revenue for Apple.

The extra ad slots will be visible on iPhone and iPad devices running iOS 26.2 or iPadOS 26.2 and later. Apps with paid placement have an "Ad" label.

Ads are also shown in the App Store's "Today" tab, in a "You Might Also Like" section at the bottom of individual app listings, and in the search tab's "Suggested" section. Apple rebranded its "Search Ads" business as "Apple Ads" last year, as it reportedly prepares to begin showing ads in more places, such as Apple Maps.
This article, "Apple to Show More Ads in App Store Starting in March" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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It has once again been rumored that Apple might revive its chipmaking partnership with Intel, but the chips would be designed by Apple rather than Intel.


In a research note today, obtained by MacRumors, GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu reiterated his expectation that Intel will begin supplying some Apple chips using its future 14A process, which will reportedly be ready for mass production in 2028.

Last month, Pu said that he expected Intel to reach a chip supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone models starting in 2028. Based on that timeframe, Intel could supply Apple with at least a portion of future A21 or A22 chips for iPhones, but TSMC is expected to remain Apple's primary chipmaking partner.

There is no indication that Intel would play a role in designing the iPhone chips, with its involvement expected to be strictly limited to fabrication. That would differ from the era of Intel Macs, which used Intel-designed processors with x86 architecture. Apple began transitioning away from Intel processors in Macs in 2020.

Intel also supplied Apple with cellular modems for some iPhone 7 to iPhone 11 models.

Apple's return to Intel might also involve some Mac and iPad chips. Last year, Tianfeng Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said he expected Intel to begin shipping Apple's lowest-end M-series chip for select Mac and iPad models as early as mid-2027. For this, Kuo said Apple planned to utilize Intel's 18A process. He did not mention the iPhone.

Intel would help Apple diversify its supply chain, which could come at a pivotal time, as Nvidia has reportedly surpassed Apple as TSMC's largest customer amid rising competition for chip supply for consumer devices and especially AI servers. Apple would also be boosting its U.S. manufacturing, in line with the Trump administration's push for domestic production.
This article, "Apple Rumored to Partner With Intel on iPhone Chips" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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For now, rumors have settled on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max featuring a smaller Dynamic Island, and now a leaker has revealed its alleged size.


The account "Ice Universe" today claimed the Dynamic Island cutout on the iPhone 18 Pro models will be approximately 35% narrower than it is on the iPhone 17 Pro models. Specifically, they said it will have a width of around 13.5mm, down from around 20.7mm, and they shared the mockup image above to show what it would look like.

These measurements refer to the default size of the Dynamic Island while the iPhone screen is turned on, and this includes the extra black pixels that surround the actual cutouts for Face ID sensors and the front camera. While showing Live Activities and other information, the Dynamic Island temporarily becomes wider.

An earlier report from The Information indicated that the iPhone 18 Pro models will feature under-screen Face ID. As a result, the publication said the devices would have only a hole-punch front camera in the top-left corner of the screen, rather than the current pill-shaped cutout for the front camera and Face ID sensors. However, the latest word is that only Face ID's flood illuminator will be moved under the screen this year, meaning that Apple will only be able to shrink the pill-shaped cutout rather than remove it entirely.

According to display industry expert Ross Young, who has a very good track record, the smaller Dynamic Island will last through at least 2027. So, it could take at least a few more years until the iPhone finally gets a truly seamless display.

"Ice Universe" has leaked some accurate iPhone dimensions in the past, giving them credibility, but they do not have a perfect track record.

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro models in September.
This article, "iPhone 18 Pro: Leaker Reveals Alleged Size of Smaller Dynamic Island" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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A major storm system is expected to deliver significant snowfall and freezing rain across more than half of the United States this weekend, with winter weather alerts in effect in cities like Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Cleveland, Dallas, Indianapolis, Nashville, New York, Philadelphia, Raleigh, Washington D.C., and others.


On the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, the Apple Weather app has forecasted up to two feet of snowfall in some cities, which has led to a lot of discussion about the app and how its forecasts can sometimes significantly differ from other weather providers.

The New York Times today reported on the topic. First, it said "many weather apps" show the results from a single forecast model, whereas meteorologists will often look at many models. Second, it noted that meteorologists caution that it can be difficult to forecast specific precipitation amounts several days in advance of a storm.

As this system approaches, snowfall estimates shown in the Apple Weather app have decreased in many cities compared to what was originally forecasted, but the amounts remain significant in many areas. Other cities may experience freezing rain, sleet, or a wintry mix, and the weather could cause power outages in some locations.

Apple Weather Data Sources

In 2020, Apple acquired the popular weather app Dark Sky, and it has since integrated the app's features and hyperlocal forecasts into the Apple Weather app. In a support document, however, Apple says that it still gathers at least some weather data from sources including the U.S. National Weather Service, The Weather Channel, and others.

Severe Weather and Next-Hour Precipitation Notifications

In the U.S., you can receive severe weather and next-hour precipitation notifications on your iPhone by opening the Apple Weather app, tapping on the list icon in the bottom-right corner, tapping on the three dots in the top-right corner, selecting Notifications, and turning on both types of notifications under Current Location.
This article, "Apple Weather App Predicts Lots of Snow: What's Behind the Forecast?" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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