Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from February, 2024

Apple Expanding Do-It-Yourself Repair Program to M3 Macs

Apple will soon expand its self-service repair program to the M3 iMac , M3 14-inch MacBook Pro, and M3 16-inch MacBook Pro, according to a trio of support documents published today. First introduced in the U.S. in 2022, Apple's repair program lets customers purchase genuine Apple parts and tools. Apple also provides manuals so that customers can repair their devices without having to visit an Apple retail location or an Apple Authorized Service Provider. Repairs have been available for Apple's notebooks and desktops since 2022, but repair components and instructions for the M3 models were just made available. The support document covering the M3 MacBook Pro models details replacing the bottom casing of a MacBook , the parts needed to make a repair, and what tools are necessary to complete the repair. For the ‌iMac‌, Apple provides a detailed list of part numbers required for various repairs on the display, logic board, fans, housing, and more. At the time of writing,

Apple Now Selling Refurbished M3 Pro and M3 Max MacBook Pro Models in More Countries

Apple today added 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with the M3 Pro and/or M3 Max chips to its certified refurbished store in Canada and select European countries, such as the UK , Germany , and Italy , for the first time since the laptops debuted in October. Availability in the U.S. began earlier this month . As usual for Apple's refurbished products, these refurbished MacBook Pro models are discounted by approximately 15% compared to the equivalent brand new models. A variety of configurations and color options are available in Canada, but inventory is currently more limited in Europe. The stock changes frequently, so check back often. Apple says it puts refurbished Macs through "full functionality testing" and a "thorough cleaning process and inspection," and they are covered by Apple's one-year limited warranty and eligible for extended AppleCare+ coverage. In our view, Apple's refurbished Macs are virtually indistinguishable from brand

Apple Met With DOJ Antitrust Chief in Bid to Head Off Antitrust Lawsuit

Apple representatives met with the U.S. Justice Department last week in a last ditch effort to persuade the agency not to file an antitrust suit against the company, according to Bloomberg . Citing people familiar with the matter, the report states that Apple and its lawyers met with Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter, who will have the final say on whether to file a suit. Since 2019, the Justice Department has been looking into Apple's App Store business practices and whether iOS favors Apple's own apps and services over those provided by third-party developers and other companies. The DOJ began by inquiring about Apple's App Store policies, and reportedly met with developers to learn more about the ‌App Store‌'s review process. The department reportedly escalated its probe in early 2023 by assigning additional litigators to the case and requesting documents and consultations with companies connected to the investigation. Apple has been accused of

Google Maps Finally Rolls Out Glanceable Directions

After more than a year since announcing the feature, Google Maps is finally rolling out glanceable directions on Android and iOS (via Android Police ). The feature allows users to view turn-by-turn directions and a live ETA directly from their device's lock screen – information that was previously only visible when a phone was unlocked. Glanceable directions also work on the app's route overview screen that appears after launching directions, before users tap the Start button. Google Maps will show directions, live ETA, and even update the route if the user takes a different path, as shown in the GIF embedded below. Glanceable directions are off by default, but can be enabled in the app's main settings, under Navigation. In our tests on iPhone , the setting only appeared after switching Google accounts, suggesting the feature is still rolling out. However, we are still not seeing support for Live Activities in iOS, which was promised a year ago. Google first annou

Apple Music and iTunes Store Experiencing Outage

Apple Music and the iTunes Store are experiencing issues, according to Apple's System Status page. ‌Apple Music‌ may be slow or unavailable for some users. As for iTunes, some users are running into problems, and Apple is investigating as of right now. According to Apple, these issues began at 6:49 p.m. Eastern Time. There is no word yet on when service will resume functioning as normal. This article, " Apple Music and iTunes Store Experiencing Outage " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums Source: TechRadar

Apple Confirms That iOS 17.4 Lets Video Calling Apps Turn Off Reactions

Apple today publicly confirmed that iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 allow developers of video calling apps to turn off the Reactions feature by default in their apps. As we reported earlier this month , developers can control the default behavior of Reactions in their apps with a new API for iOS 17.4, iPadOS 17.4, and likely macOS 14.4. The updates are expected to be released to the public in March. Apple's developer notes for the iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 Release Candidates : Developers can control the default behavior of Reactions with the key […] This is controlled per application and user choice will override application declared defaults. For example, video conferencing app Zoom could use Apple's new API to turn off the Reactions feature in its app by default. iPhone and iPad users who manually turn Reactions back on in Control Center would still be able to use the feature in the app. Reactions remain turned on by default on iOS 17.4 overall, so they still work in FaceTi

iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Plus to Feature ProMotion Always-On Displays

Next year's iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Plus will adopt OLED displays with low-power backplane technology, bringing ProMotion to Apple's standard iPhone models for the first time. The current iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus use low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) panels, while Apple's iPhone 15 Pro models use more advanced low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LPTO) panels. LPTO panels support ProMotion, allowing the display to ramp up to a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling and video content when required. ProMotion also allows the display to ramp down to a more power-efficient refresh rate as low as 1Hz, which is why the iPhone 15 Pro screens feature an always-on capability that shows the Lock Screen's clock, widgets, notifications, and wallpaper even when the device is locked. Apple is expected to retain the use of the less advanced LPTS panels in this year's iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus to maintain differentiation between its standard and Pro

Apple's 2024 iPad Air Lineup: What to Expect

In 2023, Apple didn't make any updates to the iPad lineup, and it's been even longer since the iPad Air was refreshed. Apple last unveiled a new ‌iPad Air‌ in March 2022, so we're at the two-year mark and it's overdue for an update. Luckily, rumors suggest that we're going to get new iPads as soon as March, and there are exciting changes in store for the Air lineup. In this guide, we've rounded up all of the rumors about the new ‌iPad Air‌ models so far. Size and Design Apple is planning for another 10.9-inch ‌iPad Air‌ that's similar in design to the current version, but for the first time, we're expecting two ‌iPad Air‌ models rather than one. As with the iPad Pro lineup, Apple will release the ‌iPad Air‌ in two sizes. The standard 10.9-inch model will be the smaller size, and at the larger end, Apple is working on a 12.9-inch version. At 12.9 inches, the larger ‌iPad Air‌ will be the same size as the current 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌. There

Netflix No Longer Allowing Subscribers to Pay Through Apple's App Store

Netflix subscribers who still pay their monthly fees through the App Store in-app purchase system will soon need to add a new payment method to keep their accounts active, Netflix is telling customers. Though Netflix stopped allowing customers to subscribe to its streaming service on iOS devices way back in 2018 , it has allowed customers that were already subscribed that way to continue using in-app purchase to pay. Payment through Apple's platform is set to stop, however, because Netflix does not want to continue to pay Apple a 15 percent cut of those subscription fees. As noted by 9to5Mac , the U.S. Netflix support site now says that customers in "some" countries will need to add a new payment method. It isn't clear which countries the new Netflix policy is applicable to, but given that it was added to the U.S. site, it likely applies to customers in the United States. Some Apple-billed members in select countries may be prompted to add a new payment method

Microsoft Begged Apple to Adopt Bing as Safari's Default Search Engine

Microsoft repeatedly attempted to persuade Apple to switch to Bing as the default search engine for Safari or even buy it outright, it has emerged. The information was disclosed in documents as part of Google's ongoing antitrust case against the U.S. Justice Department (via CNBC ). According to the filings, Microsoft approached Apple in 2009, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2020, proposing that Bing should replace Google as the default search engine in Safari. Apple consistently declined these offers, citing concerns over Bing's search quality relative to Google's. The documents reveal that in 2018 Microsoft not only suggested making Bing the default search engine but also offered to sell Bing to Apple or establish a joint venture around the search engine. These proposals were similarly turned down by Apple. The court filings provide insight into Apple's decision-making process, highlighting the company's evaluation of Bing's capabilities against Google'

Here's How Much It Costs Apple to Make Its Vision Pro Headset

Starting at $3,500, Apple's Vision Pro price puts it at the top-end of the AR/VR headset market, but a significant portion of the cost is down to the device's premium "bill of materials," which is thought to come in at just over $1,500. According to Omdia's research , the components used in Vision Pro are estimated to cost Apple a total of $1,542. The most expensive component is said to be the two 1.25-inch micro-OLED displays inside the headset, one for each eye. The displays provide a total of 23 million pixels, which Apple says is "more pixels than a 4K TV." Omdia estimates that Apple pays $228 for each display, or $456 per headset. The second most expensive components are the M2 and R1 chips. The M2 is the main processor, which is the same chip that was first introduced in the 2022 MacBook Air. The M2 is responsible for processing content, running the visionOS operating system, executing computer vision algorithms, and providing graphical conten

iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 16 Pro: 50+ Upgrades to Expect

The iPhone 16 Pro is set to succeed 2023's iPhone 15 Pro , introducing over 25 new features and improvements to Apple's high-end smartphones. With many users adopting two-year upgrade cycles, plenty of iPhone 14 Pro owners will be looking to upgrade to the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ later this year, so this guide breaks down every major difference you should be aware of between the two generations based on rumors. In 2022, Apple unveiled the ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro as the successor to the popular iPhone 13 Pro, introducing an always-on display, the Dynamic Island , a 48-megapixel camera, the A16 Bionic chip, longer battery life, and more. Two years later, the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ is expected to offer over 50 upgrades. All of the changes the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ models are expected to feature compared to their 2022 predecessor are listed below, using information from reliable sources that we have previously covered . We will update this article as more rumors emerge in the coming months. Design

Get the Apple Pencil 2 for $79 and AirTag 4 Pack for $78 Today on Amazon

Amazon this weekend has a pair of accessory deals on popular Apple products: the Apple Pencil 2 and AirTag 4 Pack. You can get the Apple Pencil 2 for the all-time low price of $79.00 , down from $129.00, and the AirTag 4 Pack for $78.00 , down from $99.00. 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. In regards to the Apple Pencil 2, this is only the second time we've tracked this price in 2024, and it beats the low price we tracked during the holidays by about $10. The Apple Pencil 2 is compatible with the following iPads: iPad mini (6th generation), iPad Air (4th generation and later), 12.9-inch iPad Pro (3rd generation and later), and 11-inch iPad Pro (1st generation and later). $50 OFF Apple Pencil 2 for $79.00 If you have the newest iPad Pro models, the second-generation Apple Pencil can now be detected while hovering up to 12mm above the displa

Best Buy Has Lowest Prices of the Year So Far on iPad Air, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro

Best Buy is back this weekend with a sale on Apple MacBooks and iPads , including some of the best prices we've ever seen on MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iPad Air, and more. Some of these deals require a My Best Buy Plus or My Best Buy Total membership , which start at $49.99/year. In addition to exclusive access to select discounts, you'll get free 2-day shipping, an extended 60-day return window, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. iPad The cheapest iPad in this sale is the 64GB Wi-Fi 9th generation iPad at $249.99 , down from $329.00. For a more recent model, Best Buy has the 64GB Wi-Fi 10th generation iPad at $349.00 , which is an all-time low price at $100 off. You'll find every model of the 10th generation iPad on sale at a record low price during this sale. This includes all Wi-Fi and cellular tablets, in all colors. $7

HomePod With 'iPad-Like Display' Rumored to Launch in 2025 at Earliest

Apple is still working on a new HomePod speaker with an "iPad-like display" built into it, but the device is unlikely to launch until 2025 at the earliest should the plans move forward, according to Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman . In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said Apple has started "early work" on a HomePod with a screen with overseas suppliers, but he said the company has yet to make "enough headway" on the device for him to consider a launch to be imminent. Gurman reiterated that Apple has also explored a device that combines an Apple TV, HomePod, and FaceTime camera , along with iPad-like smart displays that could be magnetically attached to a wall, but it is unclear if these products will ever be released. He said Apple has been "indecisive" about its smart home product ideas for years. Apple reversed course and released a new full-sized HomePod in 2023 after discontinuing the device in 2021 . Apple also continues to sell

Steve Jobs Would Have Celebrated His 69th Birthday Today

Apple co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs was born on February 24, 1955, so today would have marked his 69th birthday had he not passed away in 2011 at the age of 56. Jobs and Steve Wozniak founded Apple in 1976 to produce the very first Apple computers, revolutionizing the personal computer and building up to one of the most famous commercial launches in history, the Macintosh, in 1984. He was ousted from the company just a year later, but returned in 1997 as a floundering Apple purchased Jobs' follow-up company NeXT to serve as the future basis of the Mac operating system. Apple was reinvigorated with Jobs back at the helm and Jony Ive leading a team generating iconic design after iconic design. The duo oversaw not only a rebirth of the Mac but the creation of a number of other revolutionary products and services, most notably including the iPod and of course the iPhone . Under Jobs' leadership from 1997 until his 2011 death from cancer, Apple went from a company on th

iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 16 Pro: 50+ Upgrades to Expect

The iPhone 16 Pro is set to succeed 2023's iPhone 15 Pro , introducing over 25 new features and improvements to Apple's high-end smartphones. With many users adopting two-year upgrade cycles, plenty of iPhone 14 Pro owners will be looking to upgrade to the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ later this year, so this guide breaks down every major difference you should be aware of between the two generations based on rumors. In 2022, Apple unveiled the ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro as the successor to the popular iPhone 13 Pro, introducing an always-on display, the Dynamic Island , a 48-megapixel camera, the A16 Bionic chip, longer battery life, and more. Two years later, the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ is expected to offer over 50 upgrades. All of the changes the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ models are expected to feature compared to their 2022 predecessor are listed below, using information from reliable sources that we have previously covered . We will update this article as more rumors emerge in the coming months. Design

Top Stories: Apple Sports App, iMessage Security Upgrade, and More

This week saw the surprise release of a new Apple Sports app for tracking sports scores across a number of leagues, while we learned more about features coming soon in iOS 17.4. We also saw more rumors about AirPods updates coming later this year, and Apple's latest MacBook Pro models have hit Apple's refurbished products store at a nice discount, so read on for all the details on these stories and more! 'Apple Sports' App Announced With Personalized Scoreboards and More Apple this week released a new Apple Sports app for the iPhone that shows scores, stats, standings, upcoming games, betting odds, and more for a variety of leagues, such as the MLB, MLS, NBA, NHL, Premier League, and the NFL when its next season begins. For ongoing games, the app also displays real-time play-by-play information. We went hands-on with the app , which has a very basic interface with scoreboards you can personalize by following your favorite teams and leagues. In an interview, A

Apple Explored These Notch and Dynamic Island Designs for iPhones

With the iPhone 14 Pro models in 2022, Apple introduced the Dynamic Island, which can morph and expand to display system alerts, sports scores, and a variety of other information. The feature makes the space surrounding the front camera and Face ID sensors useful compared to the notch on older iPhone models. Apple explored a variety of ideas for the iPhone's notch area over the years before arriving at the current Dynamic Island design, according to information obtained by MacRumors . We recreated the images below based on our source material to provide a never-before-seen look at some of the concepts that Apple considered. Before the Dynamic Island, Apple explored a popover menu on the right side of the screen that would have provided users with quick access to the time, cellular signal and Wi-Fi strength, display brightness, volume, and battery charge level. The menu essentially looks like a second notch, and it would disappear when not in use. Another idea that Apple cons

AirPods Pro Were Almost Named AirPods Extreme

In the months leading up to Apple announcing the AirPods Pro in October 2019, the company considered changing the name of the wireless headphones to AirPods Extreme, according to internal information obtained by MacRumors . The name AirPods Extreme was floated by at least one member of Apple's leadership team, but the company ultimately decided to move forward with AirPods Pro branding after many employees objected to the change, we have learned. Apple has used "Extreme" branding in the past for its discontinued AirPort Extreme router and wireless card for Macs, first released in 2003. In the end, the name AirPods Pro is more consistent with Apple's branding for several product lines. In addition to AirPods, Apple offers both regular and Pro versions of the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and there will likely be a regular version of the Apple Vision Pro headset in the future. Nevertheless, Apple has used a few other suffixes for higher-end products over the years, such