Apple is reportedly planning to split its iPhone 18 lineup into two separate launch events — here's why that makes sense.

Last year, accessory maker Nimble came out with the Wally Stretch power adapters, and they've become some of my favorite charging options.


The Wally Stretch is available in 35W and 65W options, and it has an excellent design. It's a simple cube with prongs that fold down, a retractable USB-C cable, and an extra USB-C port. The 65W model that I tested is thicker than the comparable 70W Apple charger, but it's smaller in length and width.


Nimble's charger is just about two inches all around, and it looks like a block. While Nimble sells the 35W charger in black and the 65W charger in white, Apple offers 65W Wally Stretch in better colors. It comes in teal with a yellow accent and a gold-topped cable, along with deep purple with a pink accent and a silver-topped cable. I'm a big fan of any charger that's not your standard black or white, and I use the Wally Stretch chargers with my desktop power strip.


The retractable USB-C cable measures in at two feet, which is a great length for desktop use. It's also worked well for traveling between locations, and two feet seems to be an all-around useful length. Some people prefer much longer cables, and there aren't options with the Wally, which is a downside. There is, however, an extra USB-C port at the bottom where a longer cable can be plugged in if desired.


65W is enough for me to power even a 16-inch MacBook Pro when it's not under heavy load, and it's more than sufficient for my MacBook Air, iPad Pro, and iPhone. Even when charging two of the latter three devices at the same time, I get fast charging.


A retractable cable paired with an extra USB-C port all in a small package makes the Wally Stretch one of my most flexible power adapters. I would pick it over a standard Apple charger in all situations, and over many third-party chargers. The only situation where I reach for something else is when I need more than two ports or higher watts, but that doesn't happen too often. I think the only thing that would make the Wally Stretch better is an XL version with two retractable cables and 140W.


Nimble also makes power banks that I like a lot, again because they come in colors other than your standard black or white. The Nimble 10k Champ Portable Charger I tested is teal with yellow accents, and it has some design elements I've found useful.


It's small, and it tucks nicely into a pocket or a bag. It has a lanyard, which is a feature that I find surprisingly useful for a power bank. I can always track it down in my backpack, and I can put it around my wrist when I'm charging my iPhone with a short cable. I wouldn't have thought a lanyard would make a difference, but I have a decent selection of power banks, and I always pick the ones with the lanyard first when I need one.

The Nimble Champ is 3.4 inches long, 2.3 inches wide, and under an inch thick, plus it's lightweight at six ounces. There's a yellow button on the front that can be pressed to see remaining power level, which is reflected via four LED dots. That's standard for power banks, and it's fine. Some power banks have a little LED display that shows exact level, and I do prefer the more exact readout, but it's not a make-or-break feature.

There are two USB-C ports for charging an iOS device or for charging the power bank, and while it does come with an included USB-C cable, I wish it was a color-matched cable instead of a plain cable. A power bank designed to stand out with a bright color should have a cable that goes along with it, but I do understand the plain cable choice because it keeps costs lower. Nimble's power bank is $60, which makes it reasonably priced.


I have an Anker Nano power bank with a lanyard and a retractable cable and it is the one that I love the most. Nimble Champ is my second pick, just because I like integrated cables that don't require me to hunt down a cable and that don't result in excess cable I don't need. Nimble does actually have an updated version with a retractable cable and an exact readout of charging capacity, but it's more expensive at $80.

This is a 10K power bank, so it has enough power to charge an iPhone 17 Pro Max from 0 to 100 and then some, but it is limited to 20W fast charging. Apple's iPhone 17 models charge to 50 percent in 20 minutes with a 40W adapter, so you're not going to get maximum charging speeds with the Nimble Champ. I probably wouldn't choose the Nimble Champ in a situation where you need to optimize for the fastest possible charging for an ‌iPhone 17‌, but it's great if charging that's a bit slower isn't an issue.

Bottom Line

Nimble's Wally is a useful power adapter for everything from the Mac to the iPhone, and the retractable cable is super convenient. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a power adapter for desktop or travel use.

The Nimble Champ is a budget-friendly power bank that's brightly colored and slim enough to carry in a pocket. It's a good pick as long as you don't need the fastest USB-C charging.

How to Buy

Nimble's 65W Wally Chargers can be purchased from the Nimble website for $42, but you can get the colorful versions from Apple for $60. The 10K Nimble Champ Charger is $60 from Nimble or from Apple.
This article, "Nimble Wally Stretch Review: A Colorful Charger With a Retractable USB-C Cable" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The latest versions of iOS and iPadOS support a feature that allow you to easily see who and what devices are using data on Personal Hotspot. This is particularly useful if you find yourself using Personal Hotspot often, and perhaps find yourself hitting overages or getting throttled from Personal Hotspot data usage over cellular. By ... Read More

Apple is already planning a second version of the "four-edge bending" display that is rumored to debut on next year's 20th-anniversary iPhone, claims a new report out of Korea.


For the 20th-anniversary iPhone, Apple is said to be introducing a display that curves down around all four edges of the device for a borderless visual experience. It could be one of the biggest design shifts in the iPhone's history since the 10th anniversary iPhone X, which saw Apple drop the Home button, introduce a notched display, and adopt an intuitive swipe gesture-based navigation interface.

Today, ETNews reports that Apple is planning a two-stage rollout for the new OLED display technology that the commemorative iPhone will use, with a more advanced version said to be coming a year later.

For the 2027 variant, Apple will reportedly rely on OLED technology that uses a magnesium-silver (MgAg) alloy in the cathode layer. This implementation can cause image distortion and brightness loss in the curved areas, but Apple is apparently willing to live with the compromise for the 20th-anniversary iPhone while more advanced technology scales.

Apple then plans to address the issue in 2028 by transitioning to next-generation transparent electrodes. Apple will reportedly switch to indium zinc oxide (IZO) cathode materials, and because IZO is more transparent, it should reduce distortion, uneven brightness, and heat issues around the curved edges while enabling even narrower bezels.

ETNews reports that Samsung Display and LG Display have already been put on alert to prepare for the two-stage rollout. LG recently announced a ₩1.106 trillion investment (roughly $790 million) in OLED infrastructure, which industry observers believe is connected to development and mass production of the new technology.

Meanwhile, Samsung is reportedly evaluating whether its existing OLED lines can accommodate the required hardware, but a dedicated production line is not out of the question, and may well be necessary.

Bloomberg in May 2025 reported on Apple's plans to launch a "mostly glass, curved iPhone without any cutouts in the display" for its 20th-anniversary model. The Information last year also cited multiple sources claiming that at least one new iPhone model launching in 2027 will have a truly edge-to-edge display.
This article, "20th Anniversary iPhone's Curved Display to Improve a Year Later" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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If your iPhone suddenly starts recording a voice message seemingly at random while you’re in the Messages app, you’re probably unintentionally triggering a feature called Raise to Listen. This feature is part of the iOS Messages app, where lifting the iPhone to your ear can automatically start to play or record an audio message. The ... Read More

According to a new survey, 14% of iPhone users say 'new phone concepts' is their biggest reason for upgrading, which bodes well for the fortunes of the iPhone Ultra.

Following last month's coverage of an unofficial Mac port of Notepad++ that the original developer called out for trademark violation, the dispute has now been resolved with a rebrand.


The macOS port was previously released by Andrey Letov under the Notepad++ name without authorization. Don Ho created the original Windows code editor in 2003, and had publicly objected to the unofficial app's use of his trademark and the inclusion of his name and biography on its author page. After settling the dispute, the app has subsequently been renamed Nextpad++.

The site for Nextpad++ has been thoroughly updated and clearly states that the app is an "open-source and independent community port of Notepad++ to macOS." Elsewhere, Letov's About page describes the project as a Mac port of the Notepad++ GPL codebase, built on Objective-C++, Scintilla, and Cocoa, and shipped as a universal binary for Apple silicon and Intel Macs. The app also has a new icon.

Names aside, it seems Daring Fireball's John Gruber is less than charmed by the result, describing the app as feeling "unholy" and suggesting the rapid port could only have been built with AI vibe-coding tools. The site states development began on March 10.

Have you tried out Nextpad++ for Mac? Let us know what you think in the comments.
This article, "Notepad++ Mac Port Renamed Nextpad++ After Trademark Row" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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While something new is always around the corner, now might be a particularly good time to hold off on buying a new iPhone if you are able to.


The reason to consider waiting is that Apple is reportedly working on a special 20th-anniversary iPhone for release in September 2027, and rumors suggest that the device will feature the biggest redesign since the iPhone X in 2017.

According to Bloomberg, the 20th-anniversary iPhone will have "glass edges that curve seamlessly into the display on all four sides."

The Information reported that one of Apple's early 20th-anniversary iPhone prototypes lacked bezels around the screen. The device had only a "narrow metal band running around the midpoint of the device's edge, where the buttons sit."

Apple has also aimed for the device to have no cutouts in the screen, according to The Information, but it is unclear if the company will be able to move both the front camera and the Face ID system under the screen by next year.

Overall, it sounds like Apple has ambitious goals with the 20th-anniversary iPhone, and that makes it a device that might be especially worth waiting for. Of course, this advice will not apply to you if you upgrade your iPhone every single year regardless, but the average customer holds on to their iPhone for two to four years.

In the meantime, Apple is expected to release the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and its first-ever foldable iPhone in September 2026, followed by an iPhone 18, iPhone 18e, and a second-generation iPhone Air around March 2027.
This article, "You Might Want to Wait to Buy a New iPhone" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple has released an array of new system software updates for older model iPhone and iPad hardware, alongside the iOS 26.5 update for newer devices. These updates include important security fixes, and are therefore recommended to install onto your eligible devices. The updates arrive as iOS 18.7.9, iPadOS 17.7.11, iOS 16.7.16, and iOS 15.8.8, each ... Read More

Apple has released iOS 26.5 for iPhone, along with ipadOS 26.5 for iPad. The new software updates include bug fixes, security patches, and a few new features, including encrypted RCS messaging on supported carriers (basically for encrypted texting between iPhone and Android users), a new customizable Pride wallpaper, and “Suggested Places” in Apple Maps. Separately, ... Read More

We've compared the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air in detail to help you decide which one to buy.

The Calendar app on iPhone, iPad, and Mac offers a handy automatic event detection feature, able to find details like dates, times, and locations, through the Messages app and even Mail app, of presumed events and appointments. The auto detection system is part of Siri, and recognizes dates as potential events, placing them in a ... Read More

Apple held its earnings call for the second fiscal quarter (first calendar quarter) of 2026 today after announcing its best March quarter ever. Apple saw revenue of $111.2 billion with double-digit growth across every geographic segment and across every product category. Apple CEO Tim Cook and Apple CFO Kevan Parekh provided insight into iPhone sales, Mac sales, RAM supply issues, and more.


We've rounded up the most interesting takeaways from the call.

iPhone 17 Sales

Apple attributed its success to the new iPhone models. Cook said "demand was off the charts," but Apple was facing supply constraints that impacted revenue. Had there not been supply issues, Apple would have seen higher revenue.

The A19 and A19 Pro chips from TSMC proved to be a bottleneck because TSMC uses the same 3nm process for AI chips that are in high demand. Cook said iPhone constraints were "primarily driven" by the availability of the advanced nodes Apple's SoCs are produced on.

According to Parekh, the iPhone 17 family is Apple's best-selling iPhone lineup to date. "The ‌iPhone 17‌ family is now the most popular lineup in our history... we believe we gained market share during the quarter," he said.

iPhone revenue was $57 billion, up 22 percent year-over-year, which is a new March quarter record. Apple saw strong demand from upgraders and customers choosing an iPhone for the first time. Cook said Apple is "enormously pleased" with how the ‌iPhone 17‌ lineup has been received.

Memory Costs

Apple had higher memory costs during the March quarter, and the impact is expected to get worse as the year goes on. Apple CEO ‌Tim Cook‌ said that Apple is expecting "significantly higher memory costs" in the June quarter, and beyond June, memory costs will "drive an increasing impact" on Apple's business.

Mac Sales

Mac revenue was $8.4 billion, up six percent year-over-year. Cook said sales were impacted by supply constraints "driven by higher than expected levels of demand."

The MacBook Neo that was introduced during the quarter was a hit, and Apple sold out. Shipping times for new machines reached several weeks. Apple also saw high demand for the Mac mini and the Mac Studio from people buying the machines for use with AI.

Apple set March quarter records for upgraders and customers new to the Mac, leading to a new all-time record for the overall Mac install base. Apple is focused on customers new to the Mac and customers who have been holding onto their Mac for a long period of time, and the Neo is selling well to those customers.

Apple expects Macs to face supply constraints in the June quarter due to continued high demand and "less flexibility in the supply chain."

Mac Studio and Mac mini Supplies

Apple expects it to take months to reach supply/demand balance on the ‌Mac Studio‌ and ‌Mac mini‌, suggesting they are going to be hard to get for months to come.

Apple underestimated demand for the ‌Mac mini‌ and the ‌Mac Studio‌. "Both of these are amazing platforms for AI and agentic tools and the customer recognition of that is happening faster than what we had predicted, and so we saw higher than expected demand," Cook said.

John Ternus

Cook addressed John Ternus, who will take over as Apple's CEO on September 1, 2026.

As I have said, there is no one on this planet I trust more to lead Apple into the future than John Ternus. John is a brilliant engineer, a deep thinker, a person of remarkable character, and a born leader. I know he will push us to go further than we think is possible in order to deliver the greatest products and services for our users. I have been so proud to call him a colleague and a friend, and I will be even more proud to call him Apple's CEO.

Ternus also spoke on the call, where he teased Apple's upcoming product lineup.

As Tim mentioned, we have an incredible roadmap ahead. And while you're not going to get me to talk about the details of that roadmap, suffice it to say this is the most exciting time in my 25-year career at Apple to be building products and services.

There are so many opportunities before us, and I couldn't be more optimistic about what's to come. For now, let me simply say I am deeply grateful to Tim, to the executive team and to everyone at Apple, and I look forward to all of the important work ahead with that.

Wearables

Wearables revenue was $7.9 billion, an increase of five percent year-over-year. Apple's wearables install base hit a new all-time high, and more than half of customers who purchased an Apple Watch during the quarter were new to the product.

Services

Apple's services revenue reached $31 billion, a new all-time revenue record.

Apple has an install base of over 2.5 billion active devices, a new all-time high across all major product categories. Both transacting and paid accounts hit new all-time highs in the quarter.

Retail

Apple had a March quarter revenue record for retail, with "very high levels of store traffic throughout the quarter."

AI

Parekh said that AI is a "really important investment area" for Apple, and the company plans to continue to invest in AI "incrementally on top of" what it normally invests in its product roadmap.

Apple's R&D spending accelerated during the quarter, and Cook said that Apple is investing in products and services. "We see opportunities in both of those," he said. "We could not be more excited about how the future is playing out."

On the collaboration with Google, Cook said things are going well. "We're happy with where things are, and we're happy with the work that we're doing independently as well," he said.

Tariffs

From Q1 to Q2, Apple saw less impact from tariffs due to the reduction in IEEPA tariff rates, and the reduced global tariff rate under Section 122. Cook said Apple is following the established processes of applying for a refund of tariffs paid, and any amount received will be invested back into U.S. innovation and advanced manufacturing. Any investment of refunded tariff fees will be in addition to Apple's prior commitments in the U.S.

Next Quarter

Parekh said June quarter total revenue is expected to grow 14 to 17 percent year-over-year. Services revenue is expected to grow at a similar rate to what was reported in the March quarter.

Parekh warned investors about iPad revenue because last year, Apple released the A16 ‌iPad‌. "Keep in mind, we face a difficult compare driven by the launch of the A16-powered ‌iPad‌ in the prior year," Parekh said.

Apple's guidance for the June quarter relies on global tariff rates and policies remaining as they are today.
This article, "Apple's Q2 2026 Earnings Call: 11 Key Takeaways" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple had higher memory costs during the March quarter, and the impact is expected to get worse as the year goes on. Apple CEO Tim Cook said that Apple is expecting "significantly higher memory costs" in the June quarter, and beyond June, memory costs will "drive an increasing impact" on Apple's business.


Cook said the higher memory costs have been partially offset because the company is selling existing inventory that it has stockpiled. As those supplies dwindle, Apple's costs will go up.

According to Cook, Apple is going to look at a "range of options" and the company is "continuing to evaluate" the situation. Cook declined to provide more insight into how Apple plans to deal with the problem.

Memory costs have been soaring due to global supply constraints caused by AI server demand. Chip makers are prioritizing memory for AI servers rather than consumer devices, causing prices to go up.
This article, "Apple Expects 'Significantly Higher Memory Costs' in June Quarter and Beyond" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The Passwords app, Apple’s built-in password manager for Mac, iPhone, and iPad, not only stores your logins and passwords for easy authentication, but it can also alert you to security risks. Passwords app makes it easy to quickly find compromised, reused, or weak passwords, and take action to secure your accounts. If you’re a Passwords ... Read More

The newest versions of iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 have another Accessibility toggle that can help to further reduce the intensity of the Liquid Glass interface appearance for iPhone and iPad, called “Reduce Bright Effects”. As you might have guessed by the name alone, toggling the switch on will eliminate the brighter and flashier effects ... Read More

If you’ve ever heard a bird and wondered what it was, the free Merlin Bird ID app for iPhone offers one of the easiest ways to find out. Developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Merlin has quietly become a favorite among everyone from casual birdwatchers and more serious enthusiast birders alike, thanks to its ... Read More

Apple's first foldable iPhone, dubbed the "iPhone Ultra," could be missing at least five key features present on the iPhone 18 Pro models despite its $2,000 price point.


Recent images of dummy models shared by Sonny Dickson and Vadim Yuryev seem to reveal two previously undiscussed missing features of the ‌iPhone Ultra‌: MagSafe and the Action Button.

iPhone dummy units are intended to take the place of real devices for testing purposes, particularly for accessory manufacturers, who seek to mass produce items such as cases prior to the announcement of new devices, which necessitates a high level of accuracy and manufacturing precision.

Both sets of dummy models show that the volume buttons will be located on the top edge of the device, aligned to the right, similar to the iPad mini. This aspect was first rumored by Weibo leaker "Instant Digital," who said that the motherboard is apparently located on the right side of the device. As to not run cables across the screen to the left side for the volume buttons (where they are located on all other iPhone models), Apple is said to have decided to run them directly upwards, which maximizes internal space.



While a power button and volume buttons in their new location are clearly visible on the dummy models, the Action button is curiously missing. This suggests that the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ will be the first iPhone model with no Action button or silent switch. Apple introduced the Action button on the iPhone 15 Pro as a replacement for the silent switch, and it has since come to every available iPhone model.

The images of the foldable iPhone dummy models shared so far have been shown alongside mock ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max units. These dupes for the high-end models, like most dummies, clearly show precise indentations for the internal array of ‌MagSafe‌ magnets to help manufacturers obtain correct alignment with their accessories.



Crucially, these indentations are absent on the foldable iPhone dummies, suggesting that the device may not have ‌MagSafe‌. This aspect remains speculative, but at 4.5mm, the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ is expected to be Apple's thinnest iPhone to date by a considerable margin, so it is not implausible that it could be too thin for ‌MagSafe‌.

The ‌iPhone Ultra‌ is believed to be too thin to accommodate Apple's TrueDepth camera array, which is required for Face ID authentication and now located in the Dynamic Island. As a result, Apple is expected to revert to Touch ID on the device. The last iPhone to feature ‌Touch ID‌ was 2022's iPhone SE 3, where it was part of the device's budget offering. The last flagship iPhone with ‌Touch ID‌ was 2016's iPhone 7, so the return of ‌Touch ID‌ as the sole method of authentication on what will be the highest-end iPhone will be unprecedented.



As visible on the dummy models, which corroborate a multitude rumors, the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ is expected to sport only two rear cameras. These are expected to be wide and ultra wide cameras, just like the iPhone 17. Unlike the Pro iPhones, there will be no third camera with telephoto capabilities.

Previous rumors indicate that the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ will also not have a SIM card slot, again just like the iPhone Air, being compatible with eSIM only. As a result, the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ could be missing the following features:

• ‌Face ID‌/TrueDepth camera array


• Telephoto camera/third rear camera


• ‌MagSafe‌


• Action Button


• Physical SIM card slot

The ‌iPhone Air‌ lacks Ultra Wide and Telephoto rear cameras, a SIM card slot, and stereo speakers. With a super-thin design, a titanium frame, and a glass back, the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ is expected to be very similar to the ‌iPhone Air‌ in terms of design, and it is possible that similar feature concessions will be present on the device when it launches later this year. There are no indications that the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ will be missing stereo speakers, but it is not out of the question given the other design compromises Apple has chosen to make with the device.

The rumored starting price for the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ varies somewhat, but reports agree that it will not be below $1,999. The iPhone 17 Pro starts at $1,099 and has all of the above missing features, so the ‌iPhone Ultra‌'s compromises could be controversial given its markedly higher price point. The device is expected to launch alongside the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max in the fall.
This article, "Foldable 'iPhone Ultra' Could Be Missing These 5 Key Features Despite $2,000 Price Tag" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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iOS 26.4.2 has been released by Apple for iPhone, along with ipadOS 26.4.2 for iPad. Both updates include important security fixes, as well as unspecified bug fixes, for the iPhone and iPad. The security patch apparently addresses an issue with data being retained in notifications, which had allowed extraction of deleted Signal messages from notifications ... Read More

Are you looking to resize your photos captured on iPhone or iPad, and make them smaller in size? This may be necessary if you want to upload images to a site where there’s a size limit or you want to fit your image into a certain space on a web page. As complicated as this ... Read More