While the new AirPods Max 2 have the same overall design as the previous AirPods Max, the Digital Crown has received a small but useful upgrade.


On the AirPods Max 2, a new Camera Remote feature allows you to press the Digital Crown to take a photo and start or stop video recording while using Apple's Camera app or compatible third-party camera apps on an iPhone or iPad.

Apple says this feature requires AirPods Max 2 that are running the latest firmware and paired with iPhone and iPad models running iOS 26.4 or iPadOS 26.4 or later. Those software versions are still in beta testing, but they will be released in time for the AirPods Max 2 launch in early April, barring any unforeseen delays.

Here are all of the Digital Crown controls on AirPods Max 2:

• Turn for volume control


• Press once to play or pause media


• Press once to answer a call or mute or unmute


• Press once for camera remote


• Press twice to end a call


• Press twice to skip forward


• Press three times to skip back


• Press and hold for Siri

Other upgrades compared to the previous generation include the H2 chip, increased active noise cancellation, improved sound quality, and features such as Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Voice Isolation, and Live Translation. In addition, AirPods Max 2 support a shorter "Siri" command alongside the longer "Hey Siri."

Read the rest of our AirPods Max 2 coverage to learn more:

• Apple Announces AirPods Max 2 With H2 Chip and More


• AirPods Max 1 vs. AirPods Max 2 Buyer's Guide: 25+ Differences Compared


• What Hasn't Changed With AirPods Max 2

AirPods Max 2 will be available to order on Apple.com and in the Apple Store app starting Wednesday, March 25, with U.S. pricing set at $549. Apple says the headphones will launch in early April, but it has yet to provide a specific release date.
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Apple today unveiled AirPods Max 2, with key upgrades including the H2 chip, increased active noise cancellation, improved sound quality, and features such as Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Voice Isolation, and Live Translation.


The new AirPods Max have the same overall design as the previous generation, with most of the new features coming from the upgrade to the H2 chip:

- Adaptive Audio adjusts the levels of ANC and Transparency in response to the environment automatically to optimize the audio experience.

- Conversation Awareness helps lower content volume and reduce background noise when a user starts speaking to someone nearby.

- Live Translation, powered by Apple Intelligence, helps users communicate across languages in person.

- Voice Isolation uses advanced computational audio powered by H2 to prioritize the voice during calls, while blocking out ambient noise.

AirPods Max 2 also support Personalized Volume, which adjusts the volume based on a combination of your surroundings and your volume preferences.

With the H2 chip, Apple says the AirPods Max 2 deliver up to 1.5× more effective active noise cancellation than the previous generation, and it promised that the Transparency mode that lets in some ambient noise sounds even more natural.


AirPods Max 2 feature a new high dynamic range amplifier for "even cleaner audio," and Apple says Spatial Audio content "sounds better than ever." The headphones also have reduced wireless audio latency compared to the previous generation.

The headphones still have a USB-C port for charging and lossless audio. Apple advertises up to 20 hours of battery life on a single charge with active noise cancellation enabled, which is unchanged compared to the previous generation.

Like the previous AirPods Max running iOS 18.4 or newer, the AirPods Max 2 support 24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio with the included USB-C cable, for the highest-quality wired playback. For wireless connectivity, AirPods Max 2 support Bluetooth 5.3, whereas the previous AirPods Max support Bluetooth 5.0.

Color options remain Midnight, Starlight, Orange, Purple, and Blue.


A new Camera Remote feature allows users to press the Digital Crown on the AirPods Max 2 to take a photo and start or stop video recording while using Apple's Camera app or compatible third-party camera apps on an iPhone or iPad.

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. In the U.S., AirPods Max 2 have the same $549 price as the previous AirPods Max, which Apple is no longer selling.

AirPods Max 2 come with a Smart Case, which has the same design as it always has. The headphones enter an ultra-low-power state when placed in this carrying case, which is fairly important, as the headphones still lack a power button.

These are technically the third AirPods Max headphones to be released. The original AirPods Max with a Lightning port launched in December 2020, and the headphones received a minor update with a USB-C port and new color options in September 2024.
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In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reiterated that iOS 27 will be similar to 2009's Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense that one of Apple's biggest priorities is bug fixes for improved performance and stability.


During WWDC 2008's State of the Union, Apple showed a slide that said Mac OS X Snow Leopard had "0 new features," as it opted to focus on performance and stability improvements. Technically, the update did include some smaller new features, but Apple was overwhelmingly focused on bug fixes and under-the-hood changes on the Mac.

"We've built on the success of Leopard and created an even better experience for our users from installation to shutdown," said Apple's former software engineering chief Bertrand Serlet. "Apple engineers have made hundreds of improvements so with Snow Leopard your system is going to feel faster, more responsive and even more reliable than before."


iOS 27 will still get some new features too, including a more personalized version of Siri. The update should be announced in June and released in September.


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In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the latest internal version of iOS 27 does not have major Liquid Glass design changes, but there might be a new system-wide setting for precisely adjusting the look of the interface.


iOS 26.1 lets you choose between "Clear" and "Tinted" options for Liquid Glass, with the "Tinted" look adding more opacity to user interface elements. And with iOS 27, which is expected to be released later this year, Apple might go even further.

iOS 26.2 introduced a slider that allows you to manually adjust the opacity of Liquid Glass, but only for the Lock Screen's clock. Starting with iOS 27, Gurman said the setting might be expanded to the entire operating system.

Apple was initially working on a system-wide Liquid Glass slider for iOS 26, but it ran into engineering challenges when trying to extend it across the entire system, according to Gurman. However, he said Apple could go back to the drawing board and manage to get the system-wide slider working in an iOS 27 version.

"Apple is trying again now for iOS 27," said Gurman, in a social media post referring to the system-wide Liquid Glass slider. "TBD if it lands."

iOS 27 beta testing should begin in June, ahead of a September release.


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A second-generation MacBook Neo with a touch screen has gone from a yes to a maybe to a no, according to rumors.


In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple has yet to decide whether to bring touch-screen support to any Macs beyond the next high-end MacBook Pro, which is expected to be released in late 2026 or early 2027.

A touch screen would slightly increase the cost of making the MacBook Neo, which is priced as low as $499, so the laptop will likely remain without one for years.

In September 2025, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the second-generation MacBook Neo "could" include touch support, but last week he said it "may" not happen after all, and now Gurman has completely ruled out the possibility for now.

"I'd be shocked if a touch screen comes to the Neo in the next three years," said Gurman.

Nevertheless, a second-generation MacBook Neo will likely be released next year, according to Kuo. The key upgrade should be the A19 Pro chip with an increased 12GB of RAM, up from the A18 Pro chip with 8GB of RAM in the current model.


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Apple's new Liquid Glass interface introduced across iOS 26, macOS Tahoe, and its other latest software platforms is apparently here to stay.


In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the latest internal versions of iOS 27 and macOS 27 do not have major Liquid Glass design changes. He also mentioned how Apple's new software design chief, Steve Lemay, was "a driving force" behind Liquid Glass and was "deeply involved in its development."

Lemay joined Apple in 1999. He succeeded Alan Dye, who left Apple for Meta at the end of last year. Under his leadership, it is likely that Apple will focus on gradually improving Liquid Glass. This would be similar to Apple's approach with iOS 7, which did away with skeuomorphism in favor of a flat design and was then refined over the years.

Apple already provided iPhone users with a few Liquid Glass customization options through software updates. iOS 26.1 added a "Tinted" option that increases the opacity of Liquid Glass elements across the system, and iOS 26.2 introduced a slider that allows you to adjust the opacity of Liquid Glass for the Lock Screen's clock.

Apple was initially working on a system-wide Liquid Glass slider for iOS 26, but it ran into engineering challenges when trying to extend it across the entire system, according to Gurman. However, he said Apple could go back to the drawing board and manage to get the system-wide slider working in an iOS 27 version.


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Apple today announced that it will be celebrating its upcoming 50th anniversary by hosting gatherings "around the world" throughout the month of March.


Apple's 50th anniversary is on April 1, 2026. The company has yet to reveal exactly where and when it will be hosting additional celebrations, but possibilities include major cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tokyo.

"Each gathering highlights human creativity and ingenuity in action, and showcases the remarkable things people can do when they have the right Apple products in their hands," said Apple, in a press release.

"Stay tuned for more updates," said Apple.

17-time Grammy Award-winning music artist and producer Alicia Keys kicked off the celebrations today with a surprise performance at Apple's Grand Central store in New York. Apple invited selected content creators to the impromptu concert, which was also open to the public for anyone who happened to be in the area at the time.


Apple's CEO Tim Cook, hardware engineering chief John Ternus, marketing chief Greg Joswiak, retail chief Deirdre O'Brien, and others were in attendance at Grand Central.

"Thinking different has always been at the heart of Apple," said Cook. "It's what has driven us to create products that empower people to express themselves, to connect, and to create something wonderful. As we celebrate 50 years, we are deeply grateful to everyone who has been part of this journey and who continues to inspire what comes next."


Cook previously shared a "50 Years of Thinking Different" letter.

The letter touches on the upcoming 50th anniversary and says that "the world is moved forward by people who think different." For those unaware, "Think Different" was a famous advertising slogan used by Apple in the late 1990s to early 2000s.

"At Apple, we're more focused on building tomorrow than remembering yesterday," said Cook, in the letter. "But we couldn't let this milestone pass without thanking the millions of people who make Apple what it is today."
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The new MacBook Neo is equipped with two USB-C ports, but they are not the same. The left USB-C port supports USB 3 speeds of up to 10 Gb/s, while the right USB-C port closer to the trackpad is limited to USB 2 speeds of just 480 Mb/s. As a result, Apple says external display connectivity is supported on the left port only.


Given the ports are not labeled, this limitation could be an inconvenience. Fortunately, though, Daring Fireball's John Gruber said if you plug an external display into the incorrect port, macOS will alert you to use the other port.

Apple says the MacBook Neo supports one external display with up to 4K resolution at 60Hz.

If you want to learn more about which features and specs you have to live without if you buy a MacBook Neo, read our in-depth list of compromises.

MacBook Neo is available to pre-order now, with U.S. pricing starting at $599 ($499 for college students). The laptop launches Wednesday, March 11.
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None of the new MacBook Neo, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro models unveiled this week come with a charger in the UK and EU countries, such as Germany, France, Italy, and Spain. This change began with the base 14-inch MacBook Pro last year.


If you need a power adapter, you must purchase one separately during checkout or later.

In all other countries, Apple includes a charger in the box with these Macs, at no additional cost. In the U.S., for example, the MacBook Neo ships with Apple's 20W USB-C Power Adapter (sold separately for $19), while the 16-inch MacBook Pro comes with Apple's 140W USB-C Power Adapter (sold separately for $99).

Apple includes a USB-C or MagSafe 3 charging cable with all of the new MacBooks sold worldwide.
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Apple's press release and marketing materials for the new Studio Display and Studio Display XDR models do not mention which chips are inside the monitors, but MacRumors has confirmed this information in the latest Studio Display firmware.


The firmware reveals that the second-generation Studio Display is equipped with an A19 chip, while the Studio Display XDR has an A19 Pro chip, according to code reviewed by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. Rumors had mentioned either the A19 chip or the A19 Pro chip, and it turns out that the two chips are split across the two models.

The original Studio Display from 2022 is equipped with an A13 Bionic chip, which is something that Apple advertised. Apple said the chip enables features such as Center Stage camera framing, Spatial Audio, and "Siri" and "Hey Siri" voice activation for Siri. Apple introduced the A13 Bionic chip in the iPhone 11 series in 2019.

Introduced across the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air models last year, the A19 and A19 Pro chips are much newer. These chips likely help to drive the improved speakers in both new Studio Display models, and they likely enable the camera's Desk View feature, which can show your face and an overhead view of your desk at the same time.

In both new Studio Displays, Apple says the six-speaker sound system delivers 30% deeper bass compared to the previous generation.

It is unclear exactly why the Studio Display XDR has a higher-end A19 Pro chip, but it certainly tracks with this model having more powerful features, such as a 120Hz refresh rate, mini-LED backlighting, and increased brightness.

We will learn more about the new Studio Displays and the hardware inside of them through upcoming reviews and teardowns.

Both new models can be pre-ordered now and launch on Wednesday, March 11.
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Apple this week unveiled seven products, including an iPhone 17e, an iPad Air with the M4 chip, updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models, a new Studio Display, a higher-end Studio Display XDR, and an all-new MacBook Neo that starts at just $599.


iPhone 17e features the same overall design as the iPhone 16e, but it gains Apple's A19 chip, MagSafe for magnetic wireless charging and magnetic accessories, Apple's second-generation C1X modem for faster 5G, and a doubled 256GB of base storage. In the U.S., the iPhone 17e starts at $599, just like the iPhone 16e did.

The new iPad Air's key upgrades include Apple's M4 chip, an increased 12GB of RAM, Apple's N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7 support, and the C1X modem in cellular models.

The MacBook Air received a faster M5 chip, and a doubled 512GB of base storage, but the starting price increased from $999 to $1,099 as a result of a 256GB configuration being dropped. With the N1 chip, the MacBook Air now has Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, and it now comes with Apple's 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max.

The higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models finally received M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, plus up to twice as fast SSD speeds and a doubled 1TB of base storage. Battery life has increased slightly across all of the models, and the N1 chip extends to the MacBook Pro line now for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 support.

The regular Studio Display gained Thunderbolt 5 support and improved speakers, and the camera now supports Desk View. There is also an all-new, higher-end Studio Display XDR that gained all of those benefits, plus bigger improvements such as a 120Hz refresh rate, mini-LED backlighting, increased brightness, and more.

The colorful new MacBook Neo starts at just $599 in the United States, and at an even lower $499 for college students. Available in Blush, Citrus, Indigo, and Silver, the MacBook Neo is powered by the A18 Pro chip from the iPhone, and it is equipped with a 13-inch display, up to 512GB of storage, and a non-configurable 8GB of RAM.

To learn about these new products, read our coverage of Apple's announcements:

• Apple Announces iPhone 17e With A19 Chip, MagSafe, and More


• Apple Unveils iPad Air With M4 Chip, Increased RAM, Wi-Fi 7, and More


• Apple Announces MacBook Air With M5 Chip and 512GB Base Storage


• Apple Unveils MacBook Pro Featuring M5 Pro and M5 Max Chips


• Apple Updates Studio Display With Thunderbolt 5 and More


• Apple Introduces All-New Studio Display XDR: 120Hz, Mini-LED, and More


• Apple Announces $599 'MacBook Neo' With A18 Pro Chip

Apple also released new color options for a variety of accessories, including iPhone cases, Apple Watch bands, and the Crossbody Strap.
This article, "Apple Unveiled These Seven New Products This Week" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today updated its trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models. Trade-ins can be completed on Apple's website, or at an Apple Store.


The charts below provide an overview of Apple's current and previous trade-in values in the United States, according to the company's website. Some of the estimated values increased slightly, while others decreased slightly.

iPhone

iPhone Model	New Values	Old Values
iPhone 16 Pro Max	Up to $685	Up to $670
iPhone 16 Pro	Up to $550	Up to $550
iPhone 16 Plus	Up to $455	Up to $450
iPhone 16	Up to $435	Up to $420
iPhone 16e	Up to $310	Not accepted
iPhone 15 Pro Max	Up to $465	Up to $470
iPhone 15 Pro	Up to $375	Up to $400
iPhone 15 Plus	Up to $320	Up to $330
iPhone 15	Up to $310	Up to $310
iPhone 14 Pro Max	Up to $350	Up to $370
iPhone 14 Pro	Up to $295	Up to $300
iPhone 14 Plus	Up to $235	Up to $240
iPhone 14	Up to $225	Up to $220
iPhone SE (3rd generation)	Up to $75	Up to $80
iPhone 13 Pro Max	Up to $305	Up to $300
iPhone 13 Pro	Up to $240	Up to $230
iPhone 13	Up to $195	Up to $180
iPhone 13 mini	Up to $145	Up to $150
iPhone 12 Pro Max	Up to $220	Up to $220
iPhone 12 Pro	Up to $180	Up to $160
iPhone 12	Up to $125	Up to $130
iPhone 12 mini	Up to $85	Up to $90
iPhone SE (2nd generation)	Up to $50	Up to $50
iPhone 11 Pro Max	Up to $145	Up to $150
iPhone 11 Pro	Up to $130	Up to $130
iPhone 11	Up to $100	Up to $100
iPhone XS Max	Up to $90	Up to $100
iPhone XS	Up to $65	Up to $70
iPhone XR	Up to $80	Up to $80
iPhone X	Up to $60	Up to $60
iPhone 8 Plus	Up to $40	Up to $50
iPhone 8	Up to $35	Up to $40

iPad

iPad Model	New Values	Old Values
iPad Pro	Up to $670	Up to $685
iPad Air	Up to $445	Up to $400
iPad	Up to $220	Up to $170
iPad mini	Up to $250	Up to $255

Mac

Mac Model	New Values	Old Values
MacBook Pro	Up to $685	Up to $710
MacBook Air	Up to $485	Up to $470
iMac	Up to $355	Up to $375
iMac Pro	Up to $325	Up to $325
Mac mini	Up to $340	Up to $340
Mac Studio	Up to $975	Up to $1,030
Mac Pro	Up to $2,090	Up to $2,520

Apple Watch

Apple Watch Model	New Values	Old Values
Apple Watch Series 10	Up to $150	Up to $160
Apple Watch Ultra 2	Up to $295	Up to $335
Apple Watch Series 9	Up to $120	Up to $125
Apple Watch Ultra	Up to $215	Up to $245
Apple Watch Series 8	Up to $90	Up to $95
Apple Watch SE (2nd generation)	Up to $55	Up to $60
Apple Watch Series 7	Up to $65	Up to $65
Apple Watch Series 6	Up to $45	Up to $50
Apple Watch SE (1st generation)	Up to $30	Up to $30
Apple Watch Series 5	Not accepted	Up to $25

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Apple has unveiled the iPhone 17e, with key upgrades over the iPhone 16e including the A19 chip, MagSafe, and the Ceramic Shield 2 for a more scratch-resistant screen. The device also has Apple's latest C1X modem for faster 5G, a doubled 256GB of base storage, and a new Soft Pink color option alongside White and Black.


In addition to those headline changes, we uncovered four smaller iPhone 17e details:

• A19 chip limitation: While the A19 chip in the iPhone 17 has a 5-core GPU, the chip has a reduced 4-core GPU in the iPhone 17e. This limitation will result in slightly slower graphics performance while gaming, but many customers are unlikely to notice a major difference in real-world usage. This is not a downgrade, either, as the A18 chip in the iPhone 16e also has a 4-core GPU.


• eSIM-only in more countries: iPhone 16e was eSIM-only in the U.S. only, but the iPhone 17e lacks a physical SIM card slot across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the other countries and territories listed next to "Model A3575" of the iPhone 17e on Apple's cellular page.


• Same battery capacity: Like the iPhone 16e, the iPhone 17e has a 4,005 mAh battery capacity, according to a product label on Apple's website in the EU. Apple's advertised battery specs for the iPhone 16e and iPhone 17e are identical.


• Next-generation portraits: With next-generation portrait support, Apple says the "iPhone 17e recognizes people, dogs, and cats, and automatically saves depth information, allowing users to turn photos into beautiful portraits with background blur after capture and to adjust the focus point in the Photos app."

We are still working to confirm the amount of RAM included in the iPhone 17e, but it is very likely 8GB, matching the amount in the iPhone 16e and the regular iPhone 17. The next beta of Xcode 26.4 should confirm this information, so stay tuned.

In the U.S., the iPhone 17e starts at $599, just like the iPhone 16e did. You can pre-order the iPhone 17e on Apple.com starting Wednesday, March 4 at 6:15 a.m. Pacific Time, with availability set to begin Wednesday, March 11.
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A seasonal color refresh arrived today for a variety of Apple accessories, including iPhone cases, Apple Watch bands, and the Crossbody Strap. All of the accessories in the latest colors are available to order on Apple.com starting today.


Apple's Silicone Case for the standard iPhone 17 model has three new color options, including Bright Guava, Vanilla, and Electric Lavender.

Bright Guava and Vanilla extend to the Silicone Case for iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, but the Pro models did not get Electric Lavender treatment.

Apple has a Silicone Case for the new iPhone 17e too, and it comes in Bright Guava, Vanilla, Soft Pink, and a handful of other colors.

Apple also has a MagSafe Clear Case for the iPhone 17e.

If you prefer an iPhone 17e case from Apple's Beats brand, there is a new MagSafe case with hard plastic. It comes in Bedrock Blue and Lime Stone.

As for Apple Watch bands, the Sport Band now comes in Bright Guava, Clementine, and Soft Pink, while the Sport Loop gained Bright Guava, Blue Mist, and Cantaloupe options. There are also some new colors for luxury Apple Watch Hermès bands.

Finally, the Crossbody Strap is now available in Bright Guava and Soft Pink. The accessory attaches to select Apple cases, allowing you to wear your iPhone.

For everything new, head to Apple's store page for new accessories.
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Apple today introduced a new iPad Air, with key upgrades including Apple's M4 chip for faster performance, an increased 12GB of RAM, Apple's N1 wireless networking chip with Wi-Fi 7 support, and Apple's custom C1X modem in cellular models.


The new iPad Air has the same overall design as the previous-generation model, which is equipped with the M3 chip, 8GB of RAM, and Wi-Fi 6E support.

With the M4 chip, the iPad Air now has up to 30% faster multi-core CPU performance compared to the model with the M3 chip, according to Apple. In the iPad Air, the M4 chip has an 8-core CPU, a 9-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. Memory bandwidth increased from 100GB/s to 120GB/s, according to Apple's tech specs.

Apple's custom N1 chip has come to the iPad Air, enabling Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. Apple says the N1 chip delivers improved wireless performance when the device is connected to 5GHz Wi-Fi networks, and it improves the overall performance and reliability of features like AirDrop and Personal Hotspot. Apple introduced the N1 chip last year, across the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air, and iPad Pro.

Cellular models are now equipped with Apple's custom C1X modem for 5G and LTE. Apple says this chip unlocks up to 50% faster cellular performance, while using up to 30% less power compared to the previous iPad Air with a Qualcomm modem.

You can pre-order the new iPad Air on Apple.com and in the Apple Store app starting Wednesday, March 4, with availability set to begin Wednesday, March 11. In the U.S., pricing continues to start at $599 for the 11-inch model, and at $799 for the 13-inch model. Color options remain Blue, Purple, Starlight, and Space Gray.

Storage capacity options remain 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB.

iPad Air continues to feature an LCD screen with up to 500 nits of brightness, a 12-megapixel front camera with Center Stage support, a 12-megapixel rear camera, Apple Intelligence support, a Touch ID power button, a USB-C port stereo speakers, two microphones, Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro support, and more.
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Apple has advised its retail store employees to expect a "major rush" of customers this week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


Apple teased "a big week ahead," with announcements starting Monday.

In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said some employees believe Apple's preparations for new products this week are "on par with what happens before the debut of new iPhones in the fall," suggesting that at least one of the devices set to be unveiled between Monday and Wednesday will have "major mainstream appeal."

The new product likely to receive the most interest is the rumored lower-cost MacBook, which is described as an "incredible value" within Apple, according to the newsletter. Apple believes that a more affordable MacBook will help to "drive a serious number of switchers from Windows machines and Chromebooks," wrote Gurman.

While there have been no concrete rumors about the lower-cost MacBook's starting price, estimates range from $599 to $799 in the United States. In any case, qualifying college students and educators should receive $100 off the regular price.

The lower-cost MacBook is expected to be powered by the iPhone 16 Pro's A18 Pro chip, rather than an M-series chip, and it will reportedly have a smaller 12.9-inch display. Based on A18 Pro specs, this MacBook will likely have 8GB of RAM, and the laptop will likely have regular USB-C ports instead of faster Thunderbolt ports.

Like the iBook from the early 2000s, it has been rumored that this MacBook will come in fun color options, like yellow, green, blue, and/or pink.

Beyond the lower-cost MacBook, most if not all of the other new products coming this week are expected to feature upgraded chips and little else. Possibilities include an iPhone 17e with an A19 chip, an iPad Air with an M4 chip, an iPad 12 with an A18 chip, a MacBook Air with the M5 chip, and MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips.


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macOS 27 is still months away, but there are already a handful of rumors about the upcoming software update, as outlined below.


We expect the first beta of macOS 27 to be seeded to developers during WWDC 2026 in June, and a public beta to follow in July. Following beta testing, the update should be released to all users with a compatible Mac in September.

macOS 26 is known as macOS Tahoe, but the name of macOS 27 has yet to leak.

Siri Upgrades

macOS 27 will reportedly include a full-out Siri chatbot that you can have back-and-forth conversations with. This would make Siri more like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini. Due to delays, macOS 27 might also include at least some of the personalized Siri features that Apple previewed all the way back at WWDC 2024.

For example, Apple showed a user asking Siri about their mother's flight and lunch reservation based on info retrieved from the Mail and Messages apps. This functionality was previewed on an iPhone, but it will extend to the iPad and Mac.

More Apple Intelligence Features

Last month, Apple and Google announced that Google Gemini will help power future Apple Intelligence features, and that will extend beyond the more personalized version of Siri. However, exactly which features arrive remains to be seen.

Touch Interface

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman this week reported that Apple is preparing a touch-optimized version of macOS for the rumored MacBook Pro with a touch screen.

For example, if a user touches a button or control on the screen, the report said a relevant set of commands will instantly appear in a menu surrounding their finger. And if a user taps on an item in the menu bar at the top of the screen, the report said the controls will enlarge so they are easier to select with a finger.

Gurman expects the MacBook Pro with a touch screen to be released in late 2026, so these touch optimizations will presumably arrive in macOS 27. However, the changes might be hidden until the touch-screen MacBook Pro launches.

Improved Stability

macOS 27 will reportedly be similar to 2009's Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense that Apple is apparently very focused on improving "quality and underlying performance." Apple is expected to implement many bug fixes and stability improvements, and there may also be some much-needed Liquid Glass design enhancements.

No Intel Macs

Last year, Apple announced that macOS Tahoe would be the final major macOS release for Intel-based Macs, meaning that macOS 27 will be compatible with Apple silicon Macs with the M1 chip and newer only. However, Apple will likely continue to release security fixes for some Intel-based Macs for at least a few more years.
This article, "macOS 27: All the Rumors So Far" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple is expected to unveil its long-rumored lower-cost MacBook next week. Given it will be more affordable, this MacBook model will obviously have some reduced specs and compromises compared to the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.


While we are still waiting for Apple to announce the new MacBook, a leaker has shared eight alleged limitations to expect, based on an internal version of Apple's Kernel Debug Kit for a macOS Tahoe beta, leaked online last year.

Here are the alleged limitations they outlined in a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo and in an email to MacRumors:

• Lower max display brightness: The leaker said the lower-cost MacBook's maximum display brightness may fall below the MacBook Air's 500 nits.


• No True Tone: The lower-cost MacBook will apparently lack True Tone, a feature that can adjust the color and intensity of the display to match the ambient light.


• No 1TB or 2TB storage capacities: The leaker expects the lower-cost MacBook to be available in 256GB and 512GB storage capacities, and they mentioned a potential 128GB capacity for educational institutions. Unlike the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, the new MacBook would lack 1TB and higher storage options.


• Slower SSD speeds: The flash storage in the new MacBook base model will apparently have slower read and write speeds compared to the latest MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models, potentially due to Apple using a single NAND chip.


• No fast charging: The new MacBook might not be "fast-charge capable."


• No backlit keyboard: The keyboard may lack backlit keys.


• No high-impedance headphones support: You can connect high-impedance headphones directly to compatible Mac computers introduced in 2021 or later, but the lower-cost MacBook will apparently not be one of them.


• No N1 chip: All of the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air models feature Apple's custom N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. Apple says the chip also improves the overall performance and reliability of features like Personal Hotspot and AirDrop. However, the lower-cost MacBook will not use the N1 chip, the leaker said. Instead, the laptop will likely have a MediaTek chip for wireless connectivity.

The information above comes from the same leaker who claimed that Apple's next Studio Display may have a 90Hz refresh rate, that the next iPad mini will have an A20 Pro chip, and more. Many of their claims are still untested, but we should get a better picture of this source's track record as the products in question are released over the coming months.

While the leaked files are real, this source currently lacks an established track record, so these claims should still be treated with some skepticism. Some of the information mentioned above is not explicitly mentioned in the files, but rather is based on the leaker's interpretations, so it is possible that not every claim will prove to be accurate.

The lower-cost MacBook is expected to be powered by the iPhone 16 Pro's A18 Pro chip, rather than an M-series chip, and it will reportedly have a smaller 12.9-inch display. Based on A18 Pro specs, this MacBook will likely have 8GB of RAM, and the laptop will likely have regular USB-C ports instead of faster Thunderbolt ports.

Like the iBook from the early 2000s, it has been rumored that this MacBook will come in fun color options, like yellow, green, blue, and/or pink.

The media will likely receive hands-on time with the lower-cost MacBook at the "Apple Experience" gatherings being held in New York, London, and Shanghai on Wednesday, March 4 at 9 a.m. Eastern Time. There is no Apple Event live stream for this launch, with the new MacBook expected to be announced in a press release.

How much will this MacBook cost? There are no firm rumors, but estimates for a starting price have ranged from $599 to $799 in the United States.

After months and months of rumors, an announcement should be less than a week away.
This article, "Leaker Says Apple's Lower-Cost MacBook Will Have These 8 Limitations" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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In October 2025, Apple notified the European Commission that it would be acquiring invrs.io LLC's sole employee, and certain assets from the company. Following a four-month waiting period, the European Commission published this information this week.


That sole employee appears to be Martin Schubert, according to his LinkedIn profile. Schubert founded invrs.io in 2023 to advance AI-guided design, initially focusing on optical and photonics technologies for AR/VR, data centers, and more.

"Invrs develops open-source frameworks for photonics research, providing standardized simulation challenges and a public leaderboard for benchmarking and comparing design results," reads a notice on the European Commission's website.

Schubert's systems could be useful for future Apple Vision Pro development, but it is unclear exactly what he was hired to work on at this point. He previously worked at Alphabet's X, on AI-powered photonic design, and at Meta.

More details about invrs.io are available on GitHub.

Last month, Apple announced that it acquired Q.ai, an Israeli startup working on AI technology for audio. That was reportedly Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, with the deal valued at nearly $2 billion. Apple's largest acquisition was the headphone brand Beats, which it bought for $3 billion in 2014. Apple Music launched a year later, and it was built on the foundation of the former Beats Music streaming service.
This article, "EU Reveals Apple Made a Tiny Acquisition Last Year" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple is expected to unveil up to five new products next week, including a lower-cost MacBook, and a few more details about the laptop surfaced today.


According to supply chain sources who spoke to DigiTimes, the entry-level MacBook will indeed be launching in March. The report said volume shipments of the laptop to Apple are projected to begin next month. Quanta Computer is expected to be the primary assembler of this new model, and Foxconn is expected to join in later.

Mass production was originally slated to begin in late 2025, but the timeframe was pushed back to the first quarter of 2026, the report said.

Due to rising component costs, including skyrocketing DRAM and NAND storage chip prices, DigiTimes believes that higher pricing may be unavoidable. Early estimates placed this MacBook's starting price as low as $599 in the U.S., but it is possible that the laptop will start at $699 or $799 instead. In any case, college students should receive $100 off the regular price through Apple's education store on the web.

The media will likely receive hands-on time with the lower-cost MacBook at the "Apple Experience" gatherings being held in New York, London, and Shanghai on Wednesday, March 4 at 9 a.m. Eastern Time. There is no Apple Event live stream for this launch, with the new MacBook expected to be announced in a press release.

The lower-cost MacBook will likely look more or less like a MacBook Air, but it will have some reduced specs. The laptop is expected to be powered by the A18 Pro chip from the iPhone 16 Pro, rather than an M-series chip, and it will reportedly have a slightly smaller 12.9-inch display. Based on the A18 Pro chip's specs, this MacBook will likely have just 8GB of RAM, as well as regular USB-C ports instead of faster Thunderbolt ports.

Like the iBook from the early 2000s, it has been rumored that this MacBook will come in fun color options, like yellow, green, blue, and/or pink.

Apple previously used the "MacBook" name (without "Air" or "Pro" branding) from 2006 to 2012, and again from 2015 to 2019, but all of those models used Intel processors. This would be the first time that there is an entry-level "MacBook" with Apple silicon, and we should finally learn all about it in less than a week.
This article, "More Lower-Cost MacBook Details Surface Ahead of 'Apple Experience' Next Week" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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