Tech Talk

The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today announced [ PDF ] that it has fined AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint/T-Mobile $196 million collectively for illegally selling access to customer location information without consent. Sprint and T-Mobile (now merged into T-Mobile) have been fined $12 million and $80 million, respectively. Verizon has been fined almost $47 million, and AT&T has been fined more than $57 million. The FCC first began investigating the four major U.S. carriers in 2019 after they were found selling real-time location information from customer devices to third-party data aggregators, which led to that location data being sold a second time to private investigators, bounty hunters, law enforcement agencies, credit card companies, and more. Following the investigation, the FCC confirmed that wireless carriers had violated federal law by sharing consumer location data. Fines were proposed back in 2020 , but carriers were given an opportuni

Game emulator Delta has made a splash on iPhone following Apple's recently announced App Store support for retro game emulators, and now the developer Riley Testut has confirmed that Delta is almost ready for its iPad debut. In a post shared on Threads over the weekend, Testut said the iPad version is "near completion," with just controller skins to finish and some bug fixes to iron out. Testut explained that Delta for iPad had not originally been a development priority because the plan was to limit the emulator's launch to the EU via alternative app marketplace AltStore PAL, which doesn't support iPad. However, in a reversal of a years-old policy, Apple earlier this month announced that it would allow retro game emulators on the ‌App Store‌. Delta was therefore made available on the App Store as a free download in the United States and other countries on April 17, with users supporting the developer via Patreon . Delta has been hugely popular since

Apple does not plan to launch a second-generation version of its Vision Pro headset until the end of 2026, Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman reports. Writing in the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter , Gurman said Apple's latest Vision Pro roadmap "doesn't currently call for a second-generation model until the end of 2026." In February 2024 , he said that the device was "at least 18 months away." According to Gurman's sources, Apple is still trying to figure out a way to bring a cheaper version to market before then, although the company remains "flummoxed" by how exactly to bring down the cost. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in February said he believes new Vision Pro models with significant changes to the specification may not enter mass production until 2027. At the time, Kuo said he did expect a modified Vision Pro to enter mass production in late 2025 to early 2026, with Apple focused on improving costs and production

Apple today announced that its HomePod mini and second-generation HomePod will go on sale in Thailand and Malaysia from next week. Apple is accepting pre-orders through its online stores in the two countries from today, with the speakers shipping and going on sale in Apple's regional retail stores on May 10. The ‌HomePod mini‌ was initially released by Apple in October 2020 across the U.S. and a handful of other countries. Since launch, the speaker has not seen significant hardware revisions, though Apple did introduce new colors in November 2021 and activated the devices' temperature and humidity sensors via software updates earlier this year. The introduction of the ‌HomePod mini‌ in two more countries makes the prospect of a second-generation model being released anytime soon pretty unlikely. In 2021, Apple phased out the original full-size ‌HomePod‌, but it launched a second-generation version in January. This new ‌HomePod‌ retains a design similar to its predece

Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman today said that iOS 18 will "overhaul" many of Apple's built-in apps, including Notes, Mail, Photos, and Fitness. Gurman did not reveal any specific new features planned for these apps. It was previously rumored that the Notes app will gain support for displaying more math equations, and a built-in option to record voice memos , but this is the first time we have heard about updates planned for the Mail, Photos, and Fitness apps. Gurman also corroborated our exclusive MacRumors report last week about Apple finally planning a Calculator app for iPadOS 18 . A recap of iOS 18 rumors: Smarter Siri: iOS 18 is rumored to include new generative AI features for Siri, Spotlight, Shortcuts, Apple Music, Messages, Health, Keynote, Numbers, Pages, and more. These features are expected to be powered by Apple's on-device large language model (LLM) , but Apple has reportedly also discussed partnerships with companies like Google, OpenAI, an

In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman outlined some of the new products he expects Apple to announce at its "Let Loose" event on May 7 . First, Gurman now believes there is a "strong possibility" that the upcoming iPad Pro models will be equipped with Apple's next-generation M4 chip, rather than the M3 chip that debuted in the MacBook Pro and iMac six months ago. He said a key new feature of the M4 chip will be an upgraded Neural Engine that boosts performance for AI tasks, and he believes Apple will market the next iPad Pro as an AI-powered device. Second, he said that the new Apple Pencil that is expected to be announced at the event will feature haptic feedback for the first time. While he did not provide any details about how this will work, perhaps the Apple Pencil will provide provide haptic feedback when switching between drawing tools and using the rumored "squeeze" gesture that MacRumors previously discovere

Apple's upcoming "Let Loose" event "will be accompanied by an event in London," according to The Independent 's Andrew Griffin . The report does not provide any additional details about what will be happening in London, but it might simply be a briefing that allows journalists in the UK to receive hands-on time with the new iPads and other products that Apple is expected to announce next month. Apple has frequently invited the media to hands-on briefings in New York City , and it also held a briefing in Toronto, Canada for the new MacBook Air models last month. Apple's "Let Loose" event begins on Tuesday, May 7 at 7 a.m. Pacific Time, which will be 3 p.m. local time in London. New devices and accessories expected to be announced at the event include two new iPad Pro models, two new iPad Air models, an updated Apple Pencil, and a redesigned Magic Keyboard for iPads, and there is always a chance of a surprise or two. A video stream of the

With the rise of ChatGPT and large language models (LLMs), AI-dedicated devices have started coming out. The Humane AI pin was widely lambasted earlier this month when it launched, and now the Rabbit r1 AI assistant is out. With rumors that Apple is delving into AI in a big way, we thought we'd check out the Rabbit r1 to see what it can do and how it measures up to an iPhone . Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Priced at $200, the Rabbit is a square-shaped pocket assistant that can answer questions, look up information, interface with food delivery and ride sharing services, play music, translate languages, and more. It's a cute little device that looks right at home with the Playdate from Panic, but most of what it can do can already be done with an ‌iPhone‌. Unlike the Humane AI Pin, the Rabbit r1 has a screen that you can interact with, which makes it much more functional. It comes with an old school scroll wheel for navigating the UI, and

Most iPhone users know how to share a webpage link in Messages, but not everyone realizes that you can quote text from the webpage and include it in the message link. Keep reading to learn more. Incorporating quoted text when sharing a webpage link in Messages is a great way to get to the point and make it clear why the content you're sharing is relevant and interesting. It not only makes the link more engaging but also personalizes the message if it's sent in the midst of a conversation. By highlighting specific text, you can streamline your communication by directing the recipient's attention to the most pertinent information on the linked website. It saves time, and ensures that the key piece of information you want to share isn't missed. It can also serve as a conversation starter. Here's how it works. In Safari, navigate to the webpage containing the relevant information you want to share. Select the text that you want to quote in your shared link by p

Apple used to regularly increase the base memory of its Macs up until 2011, the same year Tim Cook was appointed CEO, charts posted on Mastodon by David Schaub show. Earlier this year, Schaub generated two charts: One showing the base memory capacities of Apple's all-in-one Macs from 1984 onwards, and a second depicting Apple's consumer laptop base RAM from 1999 onwards. Both charts were recently resurfaced by the Accidental Tech Podcast . The graphs show that Apple tended to increase the base memory every two years or so, but that this trend ended when Cook took over the company from Steve Jobs. Memory increased quickly until the Mac Plus was launched in 1986, notes Schaub. "1986 to 1990 were all about decreasing the entry Mac price," he says. "Then we get a pretty straight logarithmic line until Tim Cook became CEO and there has only been a single increase since." The correlation is interesting, but other variables such as market trends and chang

Analytics company Canalys has released its latest report on China's smartphone market for the first quarter of 2024, and Apple has come off worst among the top five brands jostling for supremacy in Asia's largest economy. Huawei returned to the top spot after 13 quarters with a 17% market share. The local vendor shipped 11.7 million smartphones, thanks to its popular Mate and nova series, while OPPO rose to second place on strong performance of its Reno 11 series, shipping 10.9 million units. Conversely, HONOR, vivo, and Apple all slowed their sell-ins in the quarter, ranking third, fourth, and fifth, respectively. HONOR shipped 10.6 million units with a 16% share, a year-on-year increase of 9%, while vivo shipped 10.3 million units with a 15% share, a year-on-year decrease of 9%. Apple declined the most among the top five, sinking to fifth from first place, with 10 million units and a 15% share, which is a year-on-year decrease of 25%. Huawei's performance is up 70

Apple last updated the Mac Pro in June 2023, adding an M2 Ultra chip and officially completing the transition away from Intel chips. The ‌Mac Pro‌ uses the same ‌M2‌ Ultra chip that's in the Mac Studio , leading to criticism about its lack of power. Apple has now gone back to the drawing board and is working on an updated version of the ‌Mac Pro‌ that's set to come out next year. This guide highlights everything we know about Apple's ‌Mac Pro‌ progress. M4 Chip The next ‌Mac Pro‌ will have a chip that's in the M4 family, as Apple is working to update its entire Mac lineup to the M4 series across 2024 and 2025. Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman believes that Apple wants to establish a more regular Apple silicon chip upgrade cycle that would perhaps see Mac chips refreshed on an annual basis much like chips designed for the iPhone . Gurman says that the ‌Mac Pro‌ will be equipped with the highest-end version of the M4 chip, which is codenamed "Hidra." H

DigiDNA today announced the launch of iMazing 3, an updated version of its iPhone and iPad management software designed for Macs and Windows machines. iMazing 3 features an updated user interface with a dedicated "Discover" section that makes it easier to find popular tools for doing things like transferring photos from an ‌iPhone‌, downloading Messages, transferring music, and making backups. A Device Overview section offers details about connected products like serial number, model number, device ID, date of latest backup, and more, for simple multi-device management, and there's also a Data section for accessing saved media, messages, contacts, and other content. For battery management, there is a battery section that provides details on current temperature, design max charge, effective max charge, and charge cycles, plus there are options for managing storage. The iMazing 3 software on Mac works with the Vision Pro in addition to the ‌iPhone‌ and the ‌iPad

Several months ago, Hyper introduced a series of accessories under the "HyperDrive Next" family, bringing a variety of options for USB-C hubs and other products. I've recently spent some time testing out some of these accessories, and I've found them to offer an assortment of capabilities across price points to suit a variety of users. USB4 NVMe SSD Enclosure Priced at $119.99, Hyper's USB4 NVMe SSD Enclosure offers support for a speedy external drive inside a robust aluminum enclosure protected by a silicone bumper to cushion against impacts and provide IP55 dust and water resistance. The enclosure supports M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen 4/3 SSDs up to 16 TB with a snap-in installation process that requires no screws. SSDs in 2230/2240/2260/2280 sizes are supported. For testing, I paired Hyper's enclosure with a 2TB WD_BLACK SSD that supports up to 7,300 MB/s transfer speeds, allowing me to push the enclosure to its limits without being capped by the SSD. The in

Spotify has not been able to get Apple to approve an EU app update that added information on subscription pricing and links to the Spotify website, and it turns out that's because Spotify has not agreed to the terms of Apple's Music Streaming Services Entitlement. A recent antitrust ruling from the European Commission fined Apple nearly $2 billion and mandated that Apple "remove anti-steering provisions" for music apps in the European Economic Area (EEA). As a result, Apple updated its App Store rules with a Music Streaming Services Entitlement that allows music apps in the EEA to inform users of other ways to purchase digital music content or services and to add website links for purchasing digital music subscriptions. That might sound like a win for apps like Spotify, but Apple requires developers who use the entitlement to pay a 27 percent fee (reduced for subscriptions older than one year and for small businesses) on all website purchases referred by Apple

Apple is planning to refresh the entire Mac lineup with updated M4 chips starting in late 2024 and continuing into 2025, and that will include a new M4 chip for Apple's mid-tier desktop machine, the Mac Studio . M4 Chip Rumors Apple has a lineup of M4 chips in development, including the standard M4, the M4 Pro and M4 Max, and a higher-end version that's codenamed "Hidra." This higher-end chip could be an "Ultra" version that's equivalent to the M2 Ultra, or it might even be something even more powerful. With the ‌M2‌ lineup, the ‌M2‌ Ultra is a chip that is in fact two ‌M2‌ Max chips linked together. There is no M3 Ultra at this time, but the architecture of the M3 Max chip has led to speculation that future Ultra chips might be standalone chips rather than constructed from two Max dies. The M3 Max seems to lack the UltraFusion interconnect that allowed the ‌M2‌ Max chips to function as an Ultra. Because that's missing, it's likely the

The European Commission has waved through new 'right to repair' legislation that aims to make it easier for consumers to get their broken devices fixed, even if products are out of warranty. The EU already requires companies to offer a two-year minimum warranty on common household appliances and electronics, such as smartphones, TVs, washing machines, and vacuum cleaners, but the new rules impose additional requirements. According to the legislation, if a consumer chooses to have their device repaired under warranty, the warranty must be extended by a year. Consumers may also borrow a device while theirs is being repaired, and if it cannot be fixed, they have the right to opt for a refurbished unit as an alternative. When a product's warranty expires, companies are still required to repair devices at a "reasonable price," so as not to intentionally discourage consumers from repairing them. Manufacturers will also be prohibited from using "hardware or

Apple is planning to refresh the entire Mac lineup with updated M4 chips starting in late 2024 and continuing into 2025, and that will include a new M4 chip for Apple's mid-tier desktop machine, the Mac Studio . M4 Chip Rumors Apple has a lineup of M4 chips in development, including the standard M4, the M4 Pro and M4 Max, and a higher-end version that's codenamed "Hidra." This higher-end chip could be an "Ultra" version that's equivalent to the M2 Ultra, or it might even be something even more powerful. With the ‌M2‌ lineup, the ‌M2‌ Ultra is a chip that is in fact two ‌M2‌ Max chips linked together. There is no M3 Ultra at this time, but the architecture of the M3 Max chip has led to speculation that future Ultra chips might be standalone chips rather than constructed from two Max dies. The M3 Max seems to lack the UltraFusion interconnect that allowed the ‌M2‌ Max chips to function as an Ultra. Because that's missing, it's likely the

iPhone sales in China declined significantly in the first quarter of 2024 as consumers turned to other premium smartphone brands, according to Counterpoint research . During the first quarter of the year, China's smartphone market experienced modest year-over-year growth of 1.5%, marking the second consecutive quarter of growth. This uptick in sales is largely attributed to strong sales performance from local manufacturers such as Huawei, which achieved a remarkable 69.7% growth compared to the same period last year. This growth was fueled by the launch of Huawei's Mate 60 series, a smartphone lineup that has significantly bolstered the company's dominance in the Chinese premium segment, typically characterized by devices priced over $600. In contrast, Apple saw its smartphone sales in China plummet by 19.1% year-over-year in the same quarter. Analysts point to Huawei's resurgence as a direct challenge to Apple as the main reason for this, primarily in the premium

Over the weekend, Apple leaker and prototype collector Kosutami claimed that Apple has decided to halt production of FiveWoven accessories over durability concerns. In a further update, the leaker has now suggested we might yet see one more round of FineWoven products in a season of new colors before Apple finally says farewell to the material for good. Last September, Apple stopped selling genuine leather accessories in favor of a more environmentally friendly "FineWoven" material. The company describes FineWoven as "luxurious and durable microtwill," and sells FineWoven iPhone cases at $59, MagSafe Wallets at $59, AirTag holders at $35, and Apple Watch bands at $99. Many customers consider FineWoven products to be subpar compared to the leather Apple cases they replaced, and claim that the fabric is prone to scratches , stains, and discoloration . If today's update is correct, Apple may have to brace itself for more unhappy FineWoven customers. Kos

Retail stock of the current iPad Air is starting to dwindle ahead of the widely anticipated arrival of new models early next month, Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman reports. Citing sources at multiple retail stores in the latest "Power On" newsletter , Gurman said that inventory levels of the ‌iPad Air‌ are diminishing in Apple stores, a typical indicator that new versions are soon to be released. Unlike the ‌iPad Air‌, the iPad Pro apparently remains abundantly available, which suggests that Apple might be planning to sell through its current stock even after introducing an upgraded model. Historically, Apple has managed its inventory to align with the release cycles of its products, reducing shipments of older units to make room for the latest offerings. Expected changes coming to the next-generation ‌iPad Air‌ include the more powerful M2 chip and an additional 12.9-inch display size option, while the ‌iPad Pro‌ is rumored to receive OLED display technology, the M3 ch