This week was the launch of the AirPods Max 2, and Amazon has the first cash discount on these brand new headphones for launch week. Below, you'll also find great deals on the M5 MacBook Air, 2026 Studio Display, and M4 iPad Air.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

AirPods Max 2

• What's the deal? Take $20 off AirPods Max 2


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Apple's new AirPods Max 2 launched this week, and Amazon is one of the only retailers offering any sort of discount on the headphones. You can get the Midnight and Starlight color options for $529.00 on Amazon, down from $549.00.

M5 MacBook Air

• What's the deal? Take up to $84 off M5 MacBook Air


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon has introduced a few new record low prices on the new M5 MacBook Air this week, with up to $84 off these notebooks. The biggest markdowns can be found on the 13-inch MacBook Air, but there are still some solid deals on 15-inch models as well.

Apple Studio Display

• What's the deal? Take $100 off the new Studio Display


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Apple just launched the new line of Studio Displays last month, and Amazon already has a few $100 discounts on select models. You can get the Standard Glass Studio Display with Tilt-Adjustable Stand for $1,499.00, down from $1,599.00, an all-time low price.

M4 iPad Air

• What's the deal? Take up to $80 off M4 iPad Air


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Last month saw the launch of all of Apple's new products, and Amazon is already offering good discounts on many models of the M4 iPad Air. We're seeing up to $80 off both the 11-inch and 13-inch models, which is solid for a brand-new product.

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

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This article, "Best Apple Deals of the Week: AirPods Max 2 Launch Deal Arrives, Plus $100 Off Apple Studio Display and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple offers the iPhone 17 Pro and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max in just three colors – Silver, Cosmic Orange, and Deep Blue – but notably there's no black option. Last year was the first time Apple's high-end iPhones have not been available with a black or dark gray color option in any way, but those hoping for the return of black this year for the iPhone 18 Pro should look away now.


According to Weibo-based leaker Instant Digital, Apple won't be offering its next-generation premium models in a black color option. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has suggested that Apple is testing a deep red finish for the iPhone 18 Pro models, alongside a couple of more traditional color options. But black doesn't appear to be one of them.

It was previously rumored that Apple was also considering purple and brown finishes for the iPhone 18 Pro models, but Gurman has said he believes those color options are "just variants of the same red idea."

There's better news for anyone planning to buy Apple's rumored foldable iPhone in a more traditional finish. Gurman said Apple plans to "stay away from fun colors" and stick to more conservative space gray/black and silver/white colors.

Instant Digital has a good track record for Apple rumors and has provided some strikingly accurate information ahead of time, such as the imminent launch of 2023's Yellow iPhone 14, as well as the frosted back glass of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus.

The iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to launch in September, with the foldable iPhone potentially arriving later in the year.
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Amazon is offering new all-time low prices on Apple's M5 Pro/M5 Max MacBook Pro, with up to $149 off select models without the need of a membership or clipping a coupon. This deal is part of Amazon's ongoing Big Spring Sale, which has major discounts on AirPods, iPads, and more.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Starting with the 14-inch models, you can get the 24GB/1TB M5 Pro MacBook Pro for $2,049.99, down from $2,199.00. This deal, along with all of the others we're tracking in this article, represent new best-ever prices on the brand new M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro.




We're also tracking similar steep discounts on the 16-inch models, including a few M5 Max options. These discounts reach up to $199 off original prices, and as of writing we're only tracking these deals on Amazon.




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

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Amazon today has the AirPods Pro 3 available for $199.00 during its Big Spring Sale, down from $249.00. This is a match of the all-time low price on the AirPods Pro 3, and one of the best all-around deals you can get during the Amazon's springtime Prime Day.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

This model of the AirPods Pro launched in September 2025 and has 2x better Active Noise Cancellation than the previous generation, better audio quality, a revised fit that's meant to improve comfort and stability, Live Translation for in-person conversations, and heart rate sensing for workouts.



You can also get the AirPods 4 for $99.99 in the Big Spring Sale, down from $129.00, which is a solid second-best price. You can find all of the best discounts going on during this event in our dedicated post, which highlights discounts on AirTag, iPads, MacBooks, and more.

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

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We're less than three months away from our first look at Apple's smarter, redesigned version of Siri. iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 will focus on ‌Siri‌ updates, and rumors about what we can expect are picking up.


There's a full chatbot version of ‌Siri‌ in the works, which will change the way that we use Apple's personal assistant. ‌Siri‌ will be more like Claude or ChatGPT, marking a major improvement in how ‌Siri‌ works and what it can do.

SiriBot

With ‌iOS 27‌, Apple will change the way that ‌Siri‌ works. Right now, ‌Siri‌ can answer common questions and complete simple tasks, but you can't engage it in a back and forth conversation, get help with multi-step tasks, or ask complicated questions.

Based on the current ‌Siri‌ chatbot rumors, ‌Siri‌ will be able to do all of that and more with the upcoming upgrade, and it will work like competing chatbots.

Apple wasn't initially planning to introduce a full chatbot like ChatGPT, but chatbots have become too popular for Apple to ignore. Simply adding AI capabilities to apps and features isn't enough for Apple to stay competitive with the way people have embraced chatbots for everything from web searches to coding help.

Google has already integrated Gemini into its Android device lineup, and chatbots like ChatGPT have hundreds of millions of weekly active users.

Standalone Siri App

When ‌Siri‌ evolves into a dedicated Apple-designed chatbot, it will launch alongside a standalone ‌Siri‌ app. The ‌Siri‌ app will look similar to apps from other companies like OpenAI, displaying a grid or list of past conversations.

‌Siri‌ will support text and voice-based conversations, and there will be options to favorite chats, search for content within chats, initiate new chats, and save chats. Conversations with ‌Siri‌ will apparently resemble iMessage conversations, with Apple adopting chat bubbles.

New conversations will start with suggested prompts on what users can ask ‌Siri‌.

Deep Integration

While there will be a standalone ‌Siri‌ app for back-and-forth conversations, ‌Siri‌ will be deeply integrated into Apple devices at the system level. ‌Siri‌ will be activated the same way as today, by speaking the ‌Siri‌ wake word or pressing on the side button of a Siri-enabled device. ‌Siri‌ will be able to respond to both voice and text-based requests.

Siri Capabilities

‌Siri‌ will be able to do much of what current chatbots can do, such as searching the web with visually rich results, providing summaries, and evaluating uploaded documents. The personal assistant will still be integrated into Apple devices. ‌Siri‌ integration will replace the current Spotlight search functionality, but Apple plans to keep and expand on ‌Siri‌ Suggestions. ‌Siri‌ Suggestions will have more access to user data to provide more relevant prompts.

• Search the web for information


• Generate images


• Generate content


• Summarize information


• Analyze uploaded files


• Use personal data to complete tasks


• Ingest information from emails, messages, files and more


• Analyze open windows and on-screen content to take action


• Control device features and settings


• Search for on-device content, replacing Spotlight

‌Siri‌ will also be integrated into Apple's core apps, including Mail, Messages, Apple TV, Xcode, and Photos. ‌Siri‌ will be able to search for specific images, edit photos, help with coding, make suggestions for TV shows and movies, and send emails.

New Look

Chatbot ‌Siri‌ will have an updated look to go along with the dedicated app. Activating ‌Siri‌ will have a new animation that prompts the user to search or ask a question, and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says Apple is testing a version of ‌Siri‌ integrated into the Dynamic Island. Apple's test interface includes a glowing ‌Siri‌ icon and a "searching" label in the ‌Dynamic Island‌ while ‌Siri‌ is processing a request, and once done, ‌Siri‌ expands into a larger translucent panel with the results. Pulling down on the menu initiates an interface for a conversation.

Apple may also integrate an "Ask ‌Siri‌" button into the menus of other apps, giving users a way to send content directly to ‌Siri‌ alongside a request. The iOS keyboard could get a Write with ‌Siri‌ option that surfaces Writing Tools.

Memory

Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini can remember past conversations and interactions, retaining a memory of the user. Apple is said to be discussing how much the ‌Siri‌ chatbot will be able to remember.

Apple may limit conversational memory to protect user privacy.

Third-Party Chatbot Integrations

Apple will allow third-party AI chatbots to integrate with Siri in ‌iOS 27‌. Apple already has a partnership with OpenAI that lets ‌Siri‌ hand questions off to ChatGPT, but that integration will expand to chatbots from other companies like Google and Anthropic.

An iPhone user with the Claude or Gemini app installed will be able to send questions from ‌Siri‌ to those chatbots, similar to how the OpenAI integration works today.

iPhone users will be able to choose which services they want to use inside ‌Siri‌ through a new "Extensions" option coming to the ‌Siri‌ and Apple Intelligence section in the Settings app.

Promised iOS 18 Features

‌Apple Intelligence‌ ‌Siri‌ features that were originally planned for iOS 18 will be introduced in ‌iOS 27‌, with ‌Siri‌ able to use personal data and context to answer queries. ‌Siri‌ will also be able to do more in and between apps, and will be able to see what's on the user's screen. Apple promised that those features would appear before the end of 2026.

Underlying Architecture and Servers

Apple has inked a deal with Google that will see Gemini powering upcoming versions of ‌Siri‌. Apple plans to use Gemini for the ‌Siri‌ chatbot and the other ‌Siri‌ features coming in ‌iOS 27‌.

"Apple and Google have entered into a multi-year collaboration under which the next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be based on Google's Gemini models and cloud technology," the two companies said in a statement in January.

The ‌Siri‌ chatbot specifically will rely on a custom AI model developed by the Google Gemini team. Gurman claims that the custom model is comparable to Gemini 3, and that it is more powerful than models Apple has developed in-house.

Apple and Google are also discussing running the ‌Siri‌ chatbot on Google's servers powered by Tensor Processing Units, probably because Apple doesn't yet have the infrastructure to handle chatbot queries from billions of active devices per day.

Launch Date

Apple is planning to introduce ‌Siri‌'s chatbot capabilities when it announces ‌iOS 27‌, iPadOS 27, and ‌macOS 27‌ at the June Worldwide Developers Conference, which starts on Monday, June 8. It is still unclear which ‌Siri‌ features Apple will be ready to unveil, and some could be held for future updates.
This article, "5+ Things to Know About the Siri Chatbot Coming in iOS 27" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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March has been an incredibly busy month for Apple, with the company unveiling more than 10 new products and accessories. We said hello to the MacBook Neo at the start of the month, and we bid farewell to the Mac Pro at the end of it.


Nevertheless, there is still a lot more to come this year.

Beyond the usual annual updates to iPhones and Apple Watches, Apple's all-new smart home hub is finally expected to launch later this year, once the more personalized version of Siri arrives. We are also expecting a foldable iPhone, a MacBook Pro with an OLED display, and long-awaited updates to the Apple TV and HomePods this year.

Here is what to expect from Apple later this year, according to rumors. Where there are arrows shown, it refers to a device's current chip → next chip.

iPhones

• iPhone 18 Pro: A20 Pro chip, a smaller Dynamic Island, a simplified Camera Control button, a red color option, variable aperture for at least one rear camera, web browsing via satellite, Apple-designed C2 modem for 5G, and more.


• iPhone 18 Pro Max: The same features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro, but the Pro Max model might be slightly thicker.


• Foldable iPhone: 7.7-inch inner display with a reduced crease, 5.3-inch outer display, two rear cameras, one front camera, a Touch ID power button instead of Face ID, and more. iOS 27 is expected to be tailored for the foldable iPhone, allowing for side-by-side apps and other iPad-like multitasking functionality.

Apple Watches

• Apple Watch Series 12: A new chip, design changes (or not), and potentially Touch ID.


• Apple Watch Ultra 4: A new chip and potentially Touch ID.

iPads

• iPad 12: A16 chip → A18 chip or A19 chip with Apple Intelligence support.


• iPad mini: A17 Pro chip → A19 Pro or A20 Pro chip, an OLED display, a vibration-based speaker system, and a water-resistant design.

Macs

• Mac Studio: M4 Max and M3 Ultra chips → M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips.


• Mac mini: M4 and M4 Pro chips → M5 and M5 Pro chips.


• iMac: M4 chip → M5 chip, plus new color options.


• MacBook Pro with OLED display: A major redesign towards the end of 2026, with M6 Pro and M6 Max chips, an OLED display, a touch screen, a Dynamic Island, and a thinner design. On this device, which could also be named MacBook Ultra, macOS 27 is expected to offer a touch-friendly interface.

Home

• Apple TV: A17 Pro chip with support for the more personalized Siri, and Apple's N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7 support. A built-in FaceTime camera has been rumored for a future Apple TV, but it is unclear if that will arrive with the next model.


• HomePod mini: S9 chip or newer with support for the more personalized Siri, Apple's N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7 support, improved sound quality, a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, and potentially new color options like red.


• HomePod: A new full-sized HomePod that supports the revamped Siri.


• Home Hub: An all-new smart home hub featuring the more personalized version of Siri, a 6-inch to 7-inch square display, an A18 chip for Apple Intelligence, FaceTime, and more. Place it on a table or mount it on a wall.


• Security Camera/Sensor: Apple-designed, HomeKit-enabled security camera/sensor accessory to be sold alongside the new smart home hub.


• Face ID Doorbell: A video doorbell with Face ID and HomeKit Secure Video, wirelessly connects to a compatible deadbolt lock.

For more details, read our Upcoming Apple Products Guide: What's Coming in 2026.
This article, "Apple to Launch These 15+ New Products Later This Year" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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It was a busy week in the Apple world, with Apple announcing the discontinuation of the Mac Pro, releasing iOS 26.4 and other updates, and officially announcing dates for this year's Worldwide Developers Conference.


This week also saw the AirPods Max 2 become available to order while we heard some fresh details about upcoming Apple hardware, so read on below for all the details!

Top Stories

Apple Confirms Mac Pro Is Dead, No Future Models Planned

It shouldn't be much of a surprise considering it hadn't been updated in three years and there have been no rumors of anything coming in the future, but it was still a bit sad to see Apple officially discontinue the Mac Pro this week. And yes, Apple's infamous $700 kit to add wheels to the Mac Pro has also been put out to pasture.


Arriving 20 years ago as an Intel-based upgrade to the PowerPC-driven Power Mac G5, the Mac Pro evolved from a traditional tower workstation to a compact cylindrical form factor and back again over the years, but while it was intended to serve the high-end professional market, it was never upgraded as frequently as other Macs and its role has largely been usurped by the Mac Studio that carries a much lower starting price.

Apple Releases iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4 With New Emoji, Playlist Playground, Purchase Sharing Changes and More

Apple this week released iOS 26.4 and related operating system updates, delivering several improvements but not the revamped Siri we'd been hoping would make an appearance in these releases. That major revamp now looks like it may not come until iOS 27.


iOS 26.4 does bring a number of new features like the AI-driven Playlist Playground in Apple Music, eight new emoji characters, concert listings in Apple Music, CarPlay enhancements, and more.

Alongside iOS 26.4, other releases included macOS Tahoe 26.4 with the return of the compact tab bar option for Safari and a new battery charge limit setting, plus tvOS 26.4 with a new Genius Browse content discover feature, subtitle styling, and more.

Apple Announces WWDC 2026 Will Take Place June 8 to 12

Apple has officially announced that its annual developer conference will take place during the usual timeframe, kicking off with a keynote on Monday, June 8, and running through Friday, June 12.


WWDC will be a hybrid event again this year, with developers able to attend virtual sessions and labs free of charge. There is a lottery, however, for developers to enter for a chance to attend the Monday keynote sessions in person at Apple Park.

We're expecting to see Apple unveil significant AI advancements this year after a number of delays, and the company has confirmed that those advancements will be a major focus of WWDC.

AirPods Max 2 Now Available for Pre-Order With First Deliveries as Soon as April 1

Apple this week began accepting pre-orders for the AirPods Max 2 headphones that were introduced on March 16. In the U.S., Apple's online store intially listed a delivery timeframe of April 1 to April 3, although orders placed today may arrive a few days later than that.


Priced at $549, the ‌AirPods Max 2‌ feature the same design as the original AirPods Max, but Apple updated the over-ear headphones with an H2 chip that adds new capabilities already offered by other AirPods models. Amazon is already offering small discounts on select colors.

The AirPods Max 2 aren't the only new audio product launched by Apple in the past week, as the company's Beats brand also released new special-edition Nike Powerbeats Pro 2 featuring Nike's signature neon green-yellow "Volt" color.

New Apple TV and HomePod Mini Remain 'Ready' to Launch

Apple has unveiled quite a few new products this month, but the wait continues for the next-generation Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini models.


In his Power On newsletter this week, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said new versions of the Apple TV and HomePod mini have been "ready" since last year, but he reiterated that Apple has held off on releasing them until the more personalized version of Siri and other Apple Intelligence upgrades are released later this year. In a live Q&A on Thursday, Gurman indicated that a new full-size HomePod is in the same predicament.

Apple Unveils 'Apple Business' All-in-One Platform

Apple this week announced Apple Business, a new all-in-one platform that unifies device management, productivity tools, and customer outreach features.


Rolling out on April 14, the service is designed to be a consolidated replacement for several of Apple's existing business-focused offerings, including Apple Business Essentials, Apple Business Manager, and Apple Business Connect. It provides organizations with a single interface to manage devices, employees, communications, and customer engagement across Apple's ecosystem.

The effort will also bring ads to Apple Maps, starting "this summer" in the United States and Canada.

Apple Reportedly Preparing 'Biggest Set of iPhone Revamps' Ever

Apple is working on "the biggest set of iPhone revamps in the product's history," according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


In an in-depth profile of Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus, who is widely considered to be the leading candidate to become Apple's next CEO whenever Tim Cook steps down, Gurman said Ternus is "overseeing the biggest set of iPhone revamps in the product's history, including a foldable model this year and a version with an edge-to-edge screen that could arrive as early as 2027, for the device's 20th anniversary."

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!
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It's been a little over two weeks since the MacBook Neo launched on March 11, and MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera has been using it daily to do a more thorough review.


At $599 (or $499 for students), the ‌MacBook Neo‌ is the cheapest laptop that Apple has come out with, and given the quality of the product, it's an impressive price. The A18 Pro chip isn't underpowered for a notebook machine, and the Neo is going to handle every day-to-day task that you might throw at it.

8GB RAM might sound like not enough because all of Apple's other Macs have 16GB or more, but Macs use RAM so efficiently that most people aren't going to miss having more RAM. If you're browsing the web, watching videos, managing documents, writing, scrolling through social media apps, sending emails, completing homework, and doing other light work, the ‌MacBook Neo‌ isn't going to struggle. 8GB RAM is also sufficient for all of the Apple Intelligence features that Apple has come out with so far.

The ‌MacBook Neo‌ works totally fine for editing photos and videos, but it's of course not as quick as Apple's MacBook Air and MacBook Pro with M-series chips. You're going to see slower export times, but the actual process of editing video on the ‌MacBook Neo‌ doesn't feel overly sluggish.

The ‌MacBook Neo‌ had no problems with 30 Chrome tabs open with YouTube, Google Docs, news sites, spreadsheets, Twitter, and more, even when other apps like Mail, Messages, and Spotify were running. Bumping up to 60 tabs used all of the available RAM, but everything running was usable with no freezing or beach balls. A Windows laptop probably wouldn't be able to operate like the Neo does on just 8GB RAM, but with Apple's SoC, it works.

There are some compromises with the ‌MacBook Neo‌ in addition to the RAM. You're not going to get Apple's best display, but it's not too far off the ‌MacBook Air‌ display. There's just no True Tone for adjusting the display white balance to the lighting in the room. You're limited to two USB-C ports (one limited to USB 2 speeds at 480Mb/s, which does impact how fast files transfer), and another that's USB 3 at 10Gb/s. There's no Thunderbolt, no MagSafe charger, no SD card slot, no HDMI port, and no backlighting for the keyboard. The trackpad is mechanical instead of Force Touch, but it works largely the same, and there's a 1080p camera.

Battery life is solid at up to 16 hours on a full charge, and the power draw is low enough that you can get some extra juice with a small power bank. The ‌MacBook Neo‌ only comes in 256GB and 512GB configurations, so storage is a bit limited, and we do recommend that 512GB upgrade for an extra $100 if you can swing it because it adds Touch ID to the keyboard. The ‌MacBook Neo‌ is slim and lightweight at 2.7 pounds, plus it comes in fun colors like blush, citrus, silver, and indigo.

The ‌MacBook Neo‌ is designed for students on a budget, parents buying a first laptop for a child, and people who just need a basic machine for everyday online tasks. It may be Apple's lowest tier Mac, but it is one of the best computers you can get in its price range.

Many competing Windows PCs and Chromebooks around the $600 mark are bulkier and uglier, with dimmer displays and less powerful chips. PC makers haven't had to try in the low-end market because Apple didn't compete there, but now that's changed.

There's a reason why ASUS CFO Nick Wu said that the ‌MacBook Neo‌ was a "shock" to the entire PC industry that's being taken "very seriously." PC makers are going to need to innovate to keep Apple from dominating the affordable and education market.
This article, "MacBook Neo Review: Can Apple's Cheapest Laptop Handle Real Work?" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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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.
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Amazon kicked off the Big Spring Sale this week, and with it has come big discounts across a number of Apple products. This includes all-time low prices on AirPods Pro 3, AirTag, M4 iPad Air, and more.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

AirPods Pro 3

• What's the deal? Take $49 off AirPods Pro 3


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon has the AirPods Pro 3 available for $199.99 this week, down from $249.00. This is a match of the all-time low price on the AirPods Pro 3, which has been rare on Amazon in recent weeks.

AirTag

• What's the deal? Take $39 off AirTag 1


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon has the first generation AirTag 4-Pack on sale for $59.99 during the Big Spring Sale, down from $99.00. This is a new record low price on the first generation accessory.

M4 iPad Air

• What's the deal? Take up to $80 off M4 iPad Air


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

This month saw the launch of all of Apple's new products, and Amazon is already offering good discounts on many models of the M4 iPad Air. We're seeing up to $80 off both the 11-inch and 13-inch models, which is solid for a brand-new product.

MacBook Air and MacBook Pro

• What's the deal? Take $49 off M5 MacBook Air and M5 Pro/M5 Max MacBook Pro


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Similar to the M4 iPad Air, Amazon is offering multiple discounts across the new M5 MacBook Air and M5 Pro/M5 Max MacBook Pro this week. You'll find $49 off select models right now, without the need of a coupon code.

Apple Watch Series 11

• What's the deal? Take $100 off Apple Watch Series 11


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon this week has all-time low prices on the Apple Watch Series 11, with $100 discounts across numerous models of the smartwatch. We first started tracking the return of these deals last month, but this sale has now expanded with many more options on both 42mm and 46mm GPS models.

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

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This article, "Best Apple Deals of the Week: Low Prices Hit AirPods Pro 3, AirTag, and More During Amazon's Big Spring Sale" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple this week announced that it has discontinued the Mac Pro, with new configurations no longer available and no further models planned.


Below, we reflect on nearly two decades of the Mac Pro.

2006 to 2013

In August 2006, Apple introduced the original Mac Pro, which was an Intel-based follow-up to the PowerPC-based Power Mac G5 that debuted a few years earlier.

Mac Pro was the final Mac model to transition from PowerPC to Intel processors.

"Apple has successfully completed the transition to using Intel processors in just seven months—210 days to be exact," said Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs, in a press release announcing the first Mac Pro. "And what better product to complete it with than the new Mac Pro, the workstation Mac users have been dreaming about."


The original Mac Pro was powered by two dual-core Intel Xeon processors, making it up to twice as fast as the Power Mac G5, according to Apple. It could be configured with up to 2TB of storage—the most ever in a Mac at the time—and up to 16GB of RAM. The computer was equipped with an NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT graphics card.

Like the Power Mac G5, the Mac Pro featured an aluminum tower with a perforated front panel, which earned it the nickname "cheese grater Mac Pro." The computer was equipped with a variety of FireWire and USB-A ports, and it had PCI Express expansion slots. In the U.S., the original Mac Pro started at $2,499.

The classic Mac Pro went on to receive faster Intel processors and other spec bumps until 2012.

2013 to 2019

"Can't innovate anymore, my ass," Apple's former marketing chief Phil Schiller infamously joked, when unveiling the redesigned Mac Pro in June 2013.

"The new Mac Pro is our vision for the future of the pro desktop, everything about it has been reimagined and there has never been anything like it," said Schiller, in a press release announcing the second-generation Mac Pro.


The so-called "trash can" Mac Pro featured a cylindrical design with a polished black aluminum finish and a "unified thermal core." The computer was visually striking, but Apple later admitted that it was thermally constrained, and it had poor upgradeability. Instead of internal slots, Apple pushed expansion via six Thunderbolt 2 ports.

Other specs included up to a 12-core Intel Xeon processor, dual AMD FirePro GPUs, up to 64GB of RAM, and up to a 1TB SSD. In the U.S., pricing started at $2,999.

Overall, Apple prioritized the Mac Pro's compact size, thermal efficiency, and quiet operation, when most pro users simply wanted the most performant and expandable Mac possible. Then, the Mac Pro went years without receiving upgrades, leading some to question whether Apple was still committed to the high-end Mac market.


The criticism ultimately led Apple to make the rare and surprising move of publicly apologizing to Mac users and ensuring that it remained committed to the Mac. Apple also pre-announced that it was working on a "completely rethought" Mac Pro with a modular design, along with what became the iMac Pro and Pro Display XDR.

"I think we designed ourselves into a bit of a thermal corner, if you will," said Apple's software engineering chief Craig Federighi, at the time. "We designed a system with the kind of GPUs that at the time we thought we needed, and that we thought we could well serve with a two GPU architecture. That that was the thermal limit we needed, or the thermal capacity we needed. But workloads didn't materialize to fit that as broadly as we hoped."

So, Apple went back to the drawing board.

2019 to 2023

In December 2019, the third-generation Mac Pro arrived. As promised, it fixed many of the problems that arose with the "trash can" model.

With this Mac Pro, Apple returned to a modular design with an aluminum housing that lifts off for "360-degree access" to the entire system. The computer had a "state-of-the-art thermal architecture" and eight PCI Express expansion slots.

"We designed Mac Pro for users who require a modular system with extreme performance, expansion and configurability," said Schiller, in a press release at the time. "With its powerful Xeon processors, massive memory capacity, groundbreaking GPU architecture, PCIe expansion, Afterburner accelerator card and jaw-dropping design, the new Mac Pro is a monster that will enable pros to do their life's best work."


This was the final Intel-based model, with up to a 28-core Xeon processor available alongside up to 1.5TB of RAM and up to an 8TB SSD. It could be configured with AMD's Radeon Pro Vega II Duo, which Apple said was the world's most powerful graphics card at the time. Other specs included four Thunderbolt 3 ports and an Apple Afterburner accelerator card that enabled playback of three streams of 8K ProRes RAW video simultaneously.

In the U.S., pricing started at $5,999, which was much higher than the previous models.

2023 to 2026

In June 2023, the Mac Pro entered the Apple silicon era when it received the M2 Ultra chip.

Mac Pro was the final Mac model to transition from Intel to Apple silicon.

Apple stuck with the same overall design as the previous generation, but the M2 Ultra chip with unified graphics and memory freed up a lot of internal space compared to the Intel model, resulting in a "hollow" appearance. And on the exterior, the Mac Pro gained eight Thunderbolt 4 ports, up from four Thunderbolt 3 ports previously.

Other specs included up to 192GB of unified memory and up to an 8TB SSD. In the U.S., starting pricing rose to a steep $6,999.


By the time the Mac Pro moved to Apple silicon, Apple had already released the Mac Studio, another desktop computer that is smaller than a Mac Pro but beefier than a Mac mini. It is currently powered by M4 Max or M3 Ultra chips, and configurations with M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips are expected to launch later this year.

The primary reason to purchase the latest Mac Pro over the Mac Studio was PCI expansion, but the Mac Pro's starting price was thousands of dollars higher than the Mac Studio, so the writing was on the wall that the Mac Pro's days were probably numbered.

Indeed, the Mac Pro was ultimately discontinued this week, marking the end of an era.
This article, "Mac Pro Discontinued: Reflecting on 20 Years of Apple's Desktop Tower" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple has discontinued the Mac Pro and has removed the machine from its website, reports 9to5Mac. Apple said it does not plan to design a new version of the ‌Mac Pro‌, and no new model will be coming in the future.


The ‌Mac Pro‌ was last updated in 2023, which was when Apple added an M2 Ultra Apple silicon chip, but the chassis has not been refreshed since 2019. Apple redesigned the ‌Mac Pro‌ to be more modular in 2019 after failing with its "innovative" trashcan Mac Pro, but the machine has never been mainstream due to its $6,999 starting price.

Apple has largely replaced the ‌Mac Pro‌ with the Mac Studio, a device that is smaller and uses newer Apple silicon chips. The ‌Mac Studio‌ is now Apple's high-end desktop machine designed for professional use.

The current ‌Mac Studio‌ features an M3 Ultra chip, though it is expected to get an M5 Ultra refresh later this year. Apple's desktop lineup also includes the Mac mini and the iMac.

The ‌Mac Pro‌'s downfall started in 2013 when Apple introduced a radical cylindrical design that turned out to be a major mistake. The ‌Mac Pro‌'s components were mounted around a central thermal dissipation core and cooled with a single fan that pulled air from under the case, through the core, and out of the top of the machine. It was quiet, but not efficient.

When Apple announced the 2013 ‌Mac Pro‌, Phil Schiller infamously said "Can't innovate anymore, my ass," in response to critics who complained about the ‌Mac Pro‌'s lack of updates and Apple's failure to create products for pro users.

Unfortunately, the 2013 ‌Mac Pro‌'s design did not include PCIe expansion slots for graphics cards and other hardware, with expansion handled through Thunderbolt 2 ports. The design also did not account for future updates in GPU technology, leaving Apple unable to add larger graphics cards and other components to the device.

Apple ended up apologizing to its pro user base and said the 2013 design was thermally constrained in a way that made upgrades impossible. It took Apple until 2019 to unveil the current ‌Mac Pro‌, which adopted a more standard tower form factor with eight PCIe slots.

After the 2019 launch, the ‌Mac Pro‌ got an Apple silicon chip in 2023, and that's it. There have been three ‌Mac Pro‌ updates in the last 13 years, so it's not surprising to see the ‌Mac Pro‌ retired. The ‌Mac Studio‌ offers almost all of the same capabilities as the ‌Mac Pro‌, with the exception of PCIe expansion slots.
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Apple plans to allow third-party AI chatbots to integrate with Siri in iOS 27, reports Bloomberg. Apple already has a partnership with OpenAI that lets ‌Siri‌ hand questions off to ChatGPT, but Apple will expand that integration to other companies like Google and Anthropic.


An iPhone user with the Claude or Gemini app installed will be able to send questions to those chatbots, like how the current ChatGPT feature works. Right now, if a user has a question that ‌Siri‌ cannot handle, ‌Siri‌ suggests sending it to ChatGPT. Users can also ask ‌Siri‌ to query ChatGPT.

iPhone users will be able to select which services they want to use inside ‌Siri‌ through "Extensions" options coming to ‌iOS 27‌, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27. The options will be available in the Apple Intelligence and ‌Siri‌ section of the Settings app, with Apple providing download links for chatbot apps.

AI apps installed through the App Store will be able to work with ‌Siri‌, including with Apple's planned ‌Siri‌ app and other ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features. Bloomberg suggests that expanding ‌Siri‌ integration to other chatbots will allow Apple to generate more money from third-party AI subscriptions made through the ‌App Store‌. AI companies will need to enable support for the new feature in ‌iOS 27‌.

Apple is still planning for a full ‌Siri‌ overhaul, and it will release its own chatbot version of ‌Siri‌ based on Google's Gemini models. Extensions will simply give users the option to direct requests to their favorite chatbot instead of ‌Siri‌.

OpenAI will no longer have an exclusive partnership with Apple when the change is made in ‌iOS 27‌. While most AI companies have not complained about the ‌Siri‌ ChatGPT integration, Elon Musk's xAI startup sued Apple and OpenAI, accusing the two companies of conspiring to "ensure their continued dominance" in the AI market. Musk has been vocal about wanting Grok to be available on the iPhone alongside ChatGPT.

Apple has been considering allowing other companies to integrate with ‌Siri‌ for some time, and it was previously working on a deal that would allow ‌Siri‌ to hand queries to Gemini.

Apple plans to announce the new ‌Siri‌ and the third-party integration option when it unveils ‌iOS 27‌ at the June 8 WWDC 2026 keynote.
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The new foldable iPhone won't ship to customers in the same September timeframe as the iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said today in a Q&A session.


Apple will likely ship the iPhone Fold to customers after the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and Pro Max come out in September, but Gurman did not provide a specific availability timeline.

Earlier this month, Barclays analyst Tim Long suggested that the foldable iPhone won't ship until December, suggesting a roughly three-month delay between the ‌iPhone Fold‌ and the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models. Apple has done a split launch before, shipping one model later than another. When the iPhone X launched in 2017, it shipped out in November, while the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus introduced alongside it came out in September as usual.

It is entirely possible Apple will ship the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max in September and then follow it with the ‌iPhone Fold‌ sometime between September and the end of the year. Back in December, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the ‌iPhone Fold‌ would be in short supply, suggesting manufacturing difficulties. Kuo expects supply constraints into 2027, and supply problems or manufacturing issues could explain why Apple would delay the ‌iPhone Fold‌'s shipment date.

Even if Apple does plan to ship the ‌iPhone Fold‌ after September, we can still expect to see it introduced during the annual iPhone event that will feature the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models. Apple will likely announce all three phones at once, and then bring them to customers when they're ready.
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We're in the middle of Amazon's "Big Spring Sale," which includes deals and offers on everything from Apple devices to clothes, kitchen electronics, furniture, and much more. The new event is set to run through March 31, so you'll have a few days of discounts to shop, with new markdowns appearing every day.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

We've already begun tracking great deals on Apple products like AirPods, iPads, and MacBooks, but today we're focusing on accessory discounts you can get during the event. This includes products from Anker, Jackery, Samsung, and more.

Anker

Anker's new Prime 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station has been marked down to $104.99 during the Big Spring Sale, down from $149.99, with no need for a coupon. This accessory just launched last month, and Amazon's sale today represents a new all-time low price.



The Prime 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station features Qi2.2 support, which lets a compatible MagSafe ‌iPhone‌ charge at up to 25W. It's the same speed as Apple's ‌MagSafe‌ charger, and it is 10W faster than the standard Qi2 ‌MagSafe‌ chargers. You can also simultaneously charge an Apple Watch and AirPods with the device.

There are plenty of other Anker discounts happening on Amazon this week, including the Prime 14-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Dock back at its all-time low price of $339.99, down from $399.99. Anker's popular 3-in-1 MagSafe-Compatible Charging Cube is also down to a new all-time low price of $79.03, down from $129.99.

Wall Chargers

• Nano USB-C Wall Charger - $27.99, down from $39.99


• 6-in-1 USB-C Power Strip - $59.99, down from $109.99


• 140W 4-Port GaN USB-C Charger - $89.99, down from $99.99


• 14-in-1 Prime Thunderbolt 5 Dock - $339.99, down from $399.99

Wireless Chargers

• 3-in-1 MagSafe-Compatible UFO Charger - $69.99, down from $89.99


• 3-in-1 MagSafe-Compatible Foldable Charging Station - $79.99, down from $109.99


• 3-in-1 MagSafe-Compatible Charging Cube - $79.03, down from $129.99


• 3-in-1 Prime Wireless Charging Station - $104.99, down from $149.99


• Prime MagSafe-Compatible 3-in-1 Charging Station - $149.99, down from $229.99

Portable Chargers

• SOLIX C300 Power Station with Lantern - $169.99, down from $249.00


• Prime Power Bank 26,250 mAh - $199.99, down from $229.99


• SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 Portable Power Station - $428.99, down from $799.00


• SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 Portable Power Station - $749.00, down from $1,499.00

Apple: The First 50 Years

This month, tech columnist David Pogue launched a new book called "Apple: The First 50 Years." On Amazon, you can get the new book for $34.38 in hardcover, down from $50.00, the best price we've seen so far on the book.



The book explores the first five decades of Apple's history, including interviews with 150 key people who shaped Apple into what it is today, like Steve Wozniak, John Sculley, Jony Ive, and more. The book is launching to coincide with Apple's upcoming 50th anniversary on April 1, 2026.

UGREEN

UGREEN is discounting its entire range of NASync personal storage accessories, with up to 20 percent off on Amazon during the Big Spring Sale.

• UGREEN NAS 2-Bay DH2300 Desktop Personal Storage - $175.99, down from $219.99


• UGREEN NAS 2-Bay DXP2800 Desktop Personal Storage - $346.99, down from $439.99


• UGREEN NAS 4-Bay Desktop Personal Storage - $351.99, down from $439.99


• UGREEN NAS 4-Bay DXP4800 Personal Storage - $583.99, down from $729.99


• UGREEN NAS 6-Bay DXP6800 Personal Storage - $967.99, down from $1,209.99

Portable Power Stations

Anker SOLIX

The majority of Anker's portable power station deals are from the SOLIX brand on Amazon, and all of these deals have been automatically applied on each page. There are plenty of notable discounts, including the popular Anker SOLIX C300 Portable Power Station with Lantern for $169.99, down from $249.99.

• Anker 521 PowerHouse - $169.99, down from $219.99


• SOLIX C300 with Lantern - $169.99, down from $249.99


• SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 - $428.99, down from $799.00


• SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 with Solar Panel - $699.99, down from $1,598.00


• SOLIX F2000 - $799.99, down from $1,999.00


• SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 - $749.00, down from $1,499.00


• SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 with Solar Panel - $969.98, down from $1,998.00


• SOLIX E10 Whole-Home Backup System - $4,299.00, down from $5,799.00

Jackery

• Explorer 300 Portable Power Station + Solar Panel - $369.00, down from $499.00


• Explorer 1000 V2 Portable Power Station - $429.00, down from $799.00


• HomePower 3000 Portable Power Station - $1,198.99, down from $2,499.00


• HomePower 3000 Portable Power Station + Solar Panels - $1,698.99, down from $2,999.00


• HomePower 3600 Plus Portable Power Station - $2,149.00, down from $3,699.00

Samsung

Samsung has a few monitors on sale during the Amazon Big Spring Sale, with over $700 in savings on select models. One of the best all-around deals is on the 49-inch Odyssey G95C Curved Gaming Monitor at $699.99, down from $999.99, but you can find even more on sale below.

• 27-inch Odyssey G61SD Gaming Monitor - $649.99, down from $799.99


• 49-inch Odyssey G95C Curved Gaming Monitor - $699.99, down from $999.99


• 49-inch Odyssey G91SD Curved Gaming Monitor - $799.99, down from $1,299.99


• 27-inch Odyssey 3D G90XF Monitor - $849.99, down from $1,999.99


• 49-inch Odyssey G95SD Curved Gaming Monitor - $1,197.99, down from $1,899.99


• 57-inch Odyssey Neo G95NC Curved Gaming Monitor - $1,580.21, down from $2,299.99

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

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This article, "Amazon Prime Day 'Big Spring Sale' Accessory Deals on Qi2 Chargers, Monitors, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple just announced the AirPods Max 2 earlier this month, and today Amazon introduced the first cash discount on the headphones. You can get the Midnight and Starlight color options for $529.99 on Amazon, down from $549.00.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Shoppers should remember that this is a pre-order discount on the AirPods Max 2, which are set to officially launch on April 1. Although this is only a $19 discount on the AirPods Max 2, it's the best markdown you'll find online if you're looking to pre-order the headphones.



This deal is part of Amazon's Big Spring Sale, which also includes big savings on the AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods 4. If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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This article, "AirPods Max 2 Get First Discount on Amazon" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Last week, tech columnist David Pogue launched a new book called "Apple: The First 50 Years." On Amazon, you can get the new book for $34.78 in hardcover, down from $50.00, the best price we've seen so far on the book.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

The book explores the first five decades of Apple's history, including interviews with 150 key people who shaped Apple into what it is today, like Steve Wozniak, John Sculley, Jony Ive, and more. The book is launching to coincide with Apple's upcoming 50th anniversary on April 1, 2026.



Amazon's sale is on the hardcover version of the book, and provides an estimated March 27 delivery date for free delivery. If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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This article, "Get the New Book 'Apple: The First 50 Years' for 30% Off on Amazon" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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iOS 26.4 isn't the major update with new Siri features that we hoped for, but there are some useful quality of life improvements, and a little bit of fun with an AI playlist generator and new emoji characters.

• Playlist Playground - Apple Music has a Playlist Playground option that lets you generate playlists from text-based descriptions. You can include moods, feelings, activities, or make up something entirely nonsensical and let the AI figure out what you mean.


• Ambient Music widget - Apple added a widget for the built-in Ambient Music feature in iOS, so it's quicker to play background sounds. You can choose Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing playlists curated by Apple.


• Emoji - There are eight new emoji characters including trombone, treasure chest, distorted face, hairy creature, fight cloud, orca, landslide, and ballet dancer.


• Reduce Bright Effects - If you dislike Liquid Glass, there's a Reduce Bright Effects setting that cuts down on bright flashes when tapping buttons. Reduce Motion also limits Liquid Glass animations more than it did previously.


• Keyboard Fix - iOS 26.4 fixes an iOS 26 keyboard bug that caused typos when typing quickly.


• Purchase Sharing - Adults in Family Sharing groups no longer have to use the same payment method, and Apple now lets everyone add their own credit or debit card.


• CarPlay AI apps - CarPlay users can use third-party chatbots with ‌CarPlay‌ starting in iOS 26.4. Companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google will need to update their apps with ‌CarPlay‌ support, but the framework is in iOS 26.4.


• Video Podcasts - The Podcasts app has native video episode support with HLS streaming, along with options to swap between audio and video and offline video downloads.


• Average Bedtime - The Sleep feature in the Health app now records average bedtime for the past two weeks to give you a better idea of how your bedtime impacts sleep.


• Stolen Device Protection - Stolen Device Protection is now on by default. It thwarts physical theft and access of your iPhone by requiring biometric authentication for things like viewing passwords and turning off Lost Mode on the iPhone. Some features like changing an Apple ID password have a one-hour security delay.

There are other new additions in iOS 26.4, like offline song recognition in Control Center, nearby concert suggestions and full-page album artwork in ‌Apple Music‌, easier access to subtitle customization options in media apps, and Apple Creator Studio support for Freeform, with details available in our full iOS 26.4 notes article.

Release Date

The iOS 26.4 release candidate is available to developers and public beta testers, and it's likely the update will see an official launch on March 23 or March 24.
This article, "iOS 26.4: Top 10 New Features Coming to Your iPhone" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Just when you thought Apple was done with product announcements for a little while, this week saw one last drop with the AirPods Max 2 making their appearance.


This week also saw fresh rumors about iOS 27 coming later this year while an iOS 26.4 release looks to be right around the corner, and Apple kicked off a series of events around the world in celebration of the company's upcoming 50th anniversary, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!

Top Stories

Apple Announces AirPods Max 2 With H2 Chip and More

In a surprise move, Apple this week 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, but they do bring a nice set of audio improvements and a new Camera Remote function for the Digital Crown. If you're a current AirPods Max owner and are considering an upgrade, be sure to check out our buyer's guide comparing the two generations.

AirPods Max 2 will be available to order starting Wednesday, March 25, with a launch to follow sometime in early April.

iOS 27 Will Reportedly Be Like Mac OS X Snow Leopard

In his Power On newsletter this week, 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.


That isn't to say, however, that the update will be completely devoid of new features, as we have already heard about a number of them that are in the works beyond the significant revamp to Siri that has been repeatedly pushed back. Perhaps most notable for those who dislike the Liquid Glass redesign that arrived in iOS 26, Apple is said to be aiming to include a system-wide slider to allow users to adjust the Liquid Glass effect.

Here Are Apple's Release Notes for iOS 26.4

Apple this week seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.4 and related updates to developers and public beta testers, representing the final versions that will be provided to the public if no additional bugs are found.


Apple shared full release notes for iOS 26.4 as part of the seeding, revealing a few previously unknown changes including a fix for a keyboard accuracy bug and a change to App Store Family Sharing that will allow adults in a group to use different payment methods.

iOS 26.4 also includes support for AirPods Max 2, so the update will definitely be released by the time those arrive in early April, but the iOS 26.4 public release could come as soon as next week.

iPhone Fold: 5 Things We've Learned About Apple's Foldable

It's been a big couple of weeks for foldable iPhone rumors. In case you missed any of them, we've recapped five recent rumors that we previously covered. It sounds like display production for the device may be about to get underway as Apple looks toward a launch later this year, potentially as late as December.


In other foldable smartphone news, Samsung is discontinuing its Galaxy Z TriFold after just three months on the market. The innovative device unfolds twice to reveal a massive 10-inch inner display.

Apple Kicks Off 50th Anniversary With Surprise Alicia Keys Concert in New York

As part of its upcoming 50th anniversary celebration, Apple is hosting gatherings "around the world" throughout the month of March to celebrate human creativity and ingenuity.


The series kicked off with a surprise concert by Alicia Keysat Apple's retail store overlooking the main concourse at New York City's iconic Grand Central Terminal, with MacRumors in attendance for the event.

Tim Cook then traveled to China for a performance by Li Yuchun at the company's Taikoo Li store in Chengdu, with events in additional countries planned for the next few weeks.

Apple CEO Tim Cook Responds to Retirement Rumors

After a flurry rumors late last year going back and forth about whether his retirement as Apple CEO might be imminent, Tim Cook addressed the rumors in an interview with Good Morning America's Michael Strahan earlier this week.


While Cook referred to the idea as "a rumor," he did not explicitly confirm or deny that he will be stepping down as CEO any time soon, though he did say "I can't imagine life without Apple."

In a separate brief interview with Nikias Molina at the Alicia Keys concert, Cook reiterated that Apple still sees a long life ahead for the iPhone, even as rumors have suggested the company is looking to integrate its technology into other personal devices like augmented-reality glasses and an AI-powered pendant that will be able to gather information from the world around you. "There's so much left that we can do with the iPhone," said Cook. "I think it's going to continue to be the center of people's digital lives."

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!
This article, "Top Stories: AirPods Max 2, iOS 27 and iPhone Fold Rumors, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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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.



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This article, "The MacRumors Show: Surprise AirPods Max 2 Announcement" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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