Tech Talk

The upcoming iOS 18 update for the iPhone will include unspecified "updates" to Control Center, according to Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman . If that sounds familiar, it is because Control Center was rumored to be revamped on both iOS 15 and iOS 17 , but neither update ended up introducing any significant changes to the feature, which provides quick access to system functions like Wi-Fi, display brightness, volume, and more. However, both of those rumors proved to be from unreliable sources for Apple leaks, whereas Gurman is a more reputable source. MacRumors has learned that Apple has internally tested a redesigned Control Center for iOS 18, but we cannot confirm if these changes have been finalized. Apple will unveil iOS 18 during its WWDC keynote on June 10 , and the first beta should be made available to members of the Apple Developer Program immediately after the presentation. The first public beta of iOS 18 will likely follow in July, and the update should be wid

The international launch of Apple's Vision Pro headset could finally occur in July, just over six months after the device was released in the United States. A source familiar with the matter told MacRumors that the Apple Vision Pro is now scheduled to launch internationally in July. Separately, MacRumors is aware that some Apple Stores in the UK recently received large deliveries on pallets, believed to be couches designed for Vision Pro demos, that staff are not yet allowed to open. Apple Retail Managers in the UK have been told to begin the process of planning to transition the Avenues to facilitate Vision Pro accessories. Further refreshes of in-store visuals are also planned for July. The international launch of the Vision Pro is likely to fall in the third or fourth week of July. Given this timing, there is a chance that Apple will confirm the date at its WWDC keynote on June 10. This time frame is later than anticipated by many analysts, such as Ming-Chi Kuo , who s

Apple is planning to introduce new AI features including Smart Replies for messages and a generative retouch tool for photos in iOS 18 , a new report claims. A new article from AppleInsider today revealed some further detail about several of ‌iOS 18‌'s widely anticipated AI features. Siri is rumored to receive some major upgrades including: Improved Responses : Significantly updated response generation capabilities with a new smart response framework that takes into account entities such as people, companies, calendar events, locations, dates, and more. Enhanced Voices : "More natural" voices with better text-to-speech functionality. Cross-Device Media Controls : Use ‌Siri‌ on one device to control playback on another, such as via the Apple Watch for the Apple TV . This feature is not expected to arrive until later in 2024. Catch Up : Users can request an overview of their recent notifications via ‌Siri‌. A range of other AI-powered features are also in

Apple today announced that support for national My Number Card IDs in Japan will be coming to Apple's Wallet app "late next spring," marking the first expansion of digital IDs in Apple Wallet beyond the United States [ Google translation ]. Over 100 million Japanese residents currently have My Number Card IDs, which enable them to receive services at over 60,000 convenience stores around the country, through online portals, and in other settings such as hospitals and government agencies. "The deployment of Apple Wallet's ID feature outside the United States is an important step in our vision of replacing traditional physical wallets with easy, secure, and private mobile wallets. We will make the My Number Card available in Apple Wallet from the second half of next spring, and we will present your ID while making full use of the security and privacy protection features built into the iPhone. We are very pleased to provide a convenient and convenient way for ev

The developers behind popular photography app Halide today announced the launch of Kino , an app designed for capturing cinematic video. Kino has the tools that professionals need while also providing guidance to amateur videographers. Kino offers a one-tap video recording feature with support for a range of color presets. The Instant Grade feature allows users to choose presets created by experts or import their own LUTs. By applying color grading while recording, Kino saves time by removing the need for editing. An AutoMotion feature helps users capture cinematic movement in a shot by using a 180-degree shutter angle by default. When enough ambient light is available, the Auto label will turn green to indicate that it is an ideal time to capture motion. While the Kino interface is designed to be simple to use, there are a number of pro tools that can be selected. There are options for adjusting exposure with RV adjustment and AE, and WB lock, or there is a full manual mode for

iOS 18 is just around the corner, with Apple set to unveil the software update during its WWDC keynote next month. Below, we recap new features and changes rumored for iOS 18, which is projected to be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history . iOS 18 is rumored to include new AI features for Siri and many apps, and Apple plans to add RCS support to the Messages app for an improved texting experience between iPhones and Android devices. The update is also expected to introduce a more customizable Home Screen and other user interface design changes , new features in apps like Apple Maps and Calculator, additional accessibility features, and much more. WWDC 2024 will begin with Apple's keynote on June 10 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time , and the iOS 18 beta should be made available to members of the Apple Developer Program immediately following the presentation. A public beta is typically released in July, and the update should be widely released to all users in Septemb

T-Mobile today announced plans to purchase UScellular's wireless operations for $4.4 billion, a deal that includes UScellular's wireless customers, stores, and select cellular spectrum. According to T-Mobile, the purchase will provide millions of UScellular customers access to the T-Mobile network, improving connectivity in underserved rural areas. T-Mobile also plans to use the spectrum and wireless assets from UScellular to expand its home broadband offerings. T-Mobile's press release suggests that wireless customers across the United States will "benefit from enhanced choice and competition," wording aimed at the federal regulators who will need to approve the deal. UScellular will retain ownership of some of its spectrum and its towers, with T-Mobile planning to lease space on approximately 2,000 towers. UScellular customers will have the option to stay on their existing plans or move to an unlimited T-Mobile plan with no switching costs. T-Mobile ha

LEGO has an "Ideas" website that allows fans to submit mockups and suggestions for future LEGO sets, and one fan recently designed a detailed Apple Store that any Apple enthusiast would love to build. The LEGO Apple Store 's design isn't made to resemble a specific store, but instead uses the design elements that Apple has incorporated into many of its locations. There's an all-glass facade with trees in pots, minifigures in classic Apple blue shirts, and an upstairs area reached by a set of stairs. Inside, there are tables with different iPhones and Macs on display, a section for headphones, and product boxes on shelves. There's also a colorful display upstairs, a big white Apple logo at the front of the store, and exterior area housing large versions of some of Apple's most iconic products. If the LEGO ‌Apple Store‌ gets 10,000 "supporters" or votes on the LEGO ideas site, LEGO will review it and will consider it for an official retai

Apple today stopped signing iOS 17.5, preventing iPhone users from downgrading to that version of iOS. The update is no longer being signed after the May 20 release of iOS 17.5.1 . It is not unusual for Apple to stop signing an older version of iOS, and it typically happens a week or two after a new version of iOS comes out. When an update is no longer signed, it means it is no longer able to be installed on an ‌iPhone‌ per a server side software verification check. Apple prevents users from installing older versions of iOS to encourage customers to keep their operating systems up to date with the latest security improvements. iOS 17.5.1 addressed a corruption bug that could cause deleted photos to reappear on an iPhone . The update is now the only publicly released version of iOS available. This article, " Apple Stops Signing iOS 17.5, Downgrading No Longer an Option " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums Source: TechRadar

Apple chip supplier TSMC is on track to deliver 2nm chip technology next year, BusinessKorea reports. Apple is expected to move its custom silicon to the 2nm process next year to leverage TSMC's advancements. TSMC is said to be confidently progressing with the 2nm node. The chipmaker's Vice President of Process Development, Zhang Xiaogang, announced that "the development of the 2nm process is progressing smoothly" and mass production is on track for 2025. Some rumors suggested that TSMC may be forced to delay full-scale mass production of its 2nm process until 2026 due to technical challenges associated with the first-time application of Gate-All-Around (GAA) technology. These rumors were dispelled by Zhang, who confirmed that "the yield when applying GAA has reached 90 percent of the target," indicating substantial progress. Jeff Williams, Apple's Chief Operating Officer, recently made a discreet visit to Taiwan to meet with TSMC President Wei Zh

Apple's iPhone sales in China surged by 52% in April, reflecting a significant rebound driven by aggressive price cuts and renewed consumer demand, Bloomberg reports. The surge in shipments from 2.3 million units in April 2023 to 3.5 million units in April 2024, revealed in data from the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), follows a series of strategic price reductions from Apple aimed at boosting sales in the region. The ‌iPhone‌'s recovery in China is part of a broader resurgence in the smartphone market, which saw overall sales rise by 25.5% to 22.7 million units in April. The CAICT data revealed that ‌iPhone‌ sales contributed significantly to this growth. This change comes after a challenging start to the year for Apple in China, where the company experienced a 37% slump in sales during the first two months of 2024. The recovery began in March with a 12% increase in shipments, continuing into April. Apple's comeback strategy in

French website Numerama interviewed three senior Apple employees about the new iPad Pro models that launched earlier this month. While the discussion did not reveal many new details, it did mention one potential change for future iPads. While the Apple logo on the back of iPads is positioned so that it appears upright in vertical orientation, the devices are often used in landscape orientation with a keyboard attached, which results in the Apple logo appearing on its side. Apple even moved the front camera to the longer right-side edge on the new iPad Pro and iPad Air models, so that it appears at the top-center when the devices are in landscape orientation. With landscape usage becoming increasingly popular, Apple product designer Molly Anderson said a landscape Apple logo is a possibility on future iPads. "I think it could change," said Anderson, per a computer translation of the French-language interview. "We are thinking about it. The iPad has long been a pr

Apple is planning to refresh the 24-inch iMac as soon as 2024, so we could see a new model with an M4 chip before the end of the year. Apple is working to overhaul the entire Mac line with AI-focused M4 chips, ‌iMac‌ included. This guide includes everything we know about Apple's plans for an M4 ‌iMac‌. M4 Chip The next-generation 24-inch ‌iMac‌ is expected to get the M4 chip, which is the same chip that Apple used for the latest iPad Pro models. iMacs right now have the M3 chip, so the M4 will be a direct update. The M4 is built on the same 3-nanometer technology as the M3, but it is a second-generation chip with some speed and efficiency improvements. In a Geekbench benchmark test , the M4 proved to be up to 25 percent faster than the M3 chip, which is a notable jump in performance. The M3 had a single-core score of 3,087 and a multi-core score of 11,702, while the M4 had a single-core score of 3,695 and a multi-core score of 14,550. Apple's M4 chip has a 10-cor

iOS 18 and macOS 15 will offer an array of new AI features such as auto-generated emojis, suggested replies to emails and messages, and more, Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman reports. A significant portion of Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is expected to focus on AI features. Writing his latest "Power On" newsletter , Gurman explained that Apple's AI strategy emphasizes providing practical tools for ordinary users, with new features for core apps like Safari, Photos, and Notes. Apple will apparently use AI to deliver the following new features: Photo retouching. Voice memo transcription. Suggested replies to emails and messages. Auto-generated emojis based on the content of a user's messages, providing all-new emoji for any occasion beyond the existing catalog. Improved Safari web search. Faster and more reliable searches in Spotlight. More natural interactions with Siri. More advanced version of Siri designed for the Apple Watch,

iOS 18 will introduce new features for customizing the iPhone 's home screen, according to Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman . In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter , Gurman claimed that Apple will allow users to change the color of app icons in ‌iOS 18‌. For example, "you can make all your social icons blue or finance-related ones green." This kind of home screen customization is currently only possible by creating single-action shortcuts with a custom icon that serves to launch an app. Gurman also corroborated previous reports that ‌iOS 18‌ will allow users to place apps anywhere on the home screen's grid. This will enable users to arrange icons more freely, similar to how widgets can currently be placed. ‌iOS 18‌ is expected to be previewed alongside Apple's other major software updates at WWDC in June, before officially releasing to the public in the fall. Related Roundup: iOS 18 Tags: Bloomberg , Mark Gurman This article, "

It's Memorial Day weekend, and retailers across the Internet are hosting a wide variety of discount events to honor the holiday and celebrate the unofficial start of summer. In this article, we're tracking discounts on Apple products and related accessories from Amazon, Anker, Eufy, Samsung, Target, 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. If you're looking for discounts on iPads and MacBooks, be sure to check out our post from yesterday that focused on Memorial Day deals from Best Buy . There you'll find record low prices on the 5th generation iPad Air, iPad mini 6, M2 MacBook Air, and M3 MacBook Pro. Amazon Like most other retailers, Amazon's Memorial Day discounts are sitewide discounts across a number of different product categories. In terms of Apple devices, we're tracking steep discounts on Apple Pe

It's been quite a week of Apple news and rumors, ranging from a concerning bug with deleted photos reappearing on users' devices to hot rumors about a new high-end iPhone model for 2025 and a MacBook with a foldable screen coming as soon as 2026. Other news and rumors this week included fresh expectations for iOS 18 features and new headphones from Sonos to compete head-to-head with AirPods Max, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more! Apple Releases iOS 17.5.1 With Fix for Concerning Photos Bug Apple released iOS 17.5.1 for the iPhone this week, and the software update includes a fix for a concerning bug that caused deleted photos to reappear in the Photos app for some users. iPadOS 17.5.1 and tvOS 17.5.1 were also released with the same fix for those devices. "This update provides important bug fixes and addresses a rare issue where photos that experienced database corruption could reappear in the Photos library even if they were dele

Apple is planning to refresh the 24-inch iMac as soon as 2024, so we could see a new model with an M4 chip before the end of the year. Apple is working to overhaul the entire Mac line with AI-focused M4 chips, ‌iMac‌ included. This guide includes everything we know about Apple's plans for an M4 ‌iMac‌. M4 Chip The next-generation 24-inch ‌iMac‌ is expected to get the M4 chip, which is the same chip that Apple used for the latest iPad Pro models. iMacs right now have the M3 chip, so the M4 will be a direct update. The M4 is built on the same 3-nanometer technology as the M3, but it is a second-generation chip with some speed and efficiency improvements. In a Geekbench benchmark test , the M4 proved to be up to 25 percent faster than the M3 chip, which is a notable jump in performance. The M3 had a single-core score of 3,087 and a multi-core score of 11,702, while the M4 had a single-core score of 3,695 and a multi-core score of 14,550. Apple's M4 chip has a 10-cor

Device repair company iFixit is ending its repair relationship with Samsung, iFixit announced in a blog post today. The partnership is being dissolved after a two-year period because iFixit and Samsung have been unable to negotiate a new deal. iFixit said that it wanted to build a repair-friendly ecosystem for independent businesses and consumers with its Samsung Repair Hub, something that it has not been able to do. The company says it ultimately doubts "Samsung's commitment to making repair more accessible." Samsung used iFixit to facilitate a self-repair program for its customers, with iFixit offering step-by-step repair guides for replacing display assemblies, back glass, charging ports, and other components. iFixit says that there were continual obstacles working with Samsung, including the high price of components. Repair parts "were so costly" that customers ended up replacing their devices rather than repairing them. Batteries and screens, for e

Popular photo editing app Pixelmator Pro was today updated with an overhauled set of AI-powered masking tools that make it easier than ever to make selective edits. Masking was "reengineered from the ground up" in the new 3.6 version of Pixelmator Pro, so it's quicker to create and refine masks. There is a new Hide Background option that uses AI to nondestructively remove the entire background from an image with a click. The tool detects the subject of the image and adds a background mask to hide the rest of what's in the photo. Masking a layer or creating a mask from a layer can now be done with a double click on the canvas with the Arrange tool, and then there are controls available for resizing and repositioning the mask. Pixelmator says this makes it easier to do things like round image corners or crop individual layers in multi-layer compositions. Tools for refining masks are now located at the bottom of the screen whenever a mask is selected or created, s

Arc Search from The Browser Company was today updated with a new "Call Arc" feature that's designed to let you conduct a search in a gesture that mimics a phone call. To use the feature, open up Arc Search, raise the iPhone to your ear, and ask a question. The gesture of raising the ‌iPhone‌ to your ear activates the search option, and answers are provided verbally, so the entire voice-based search experience makes it look as if you're simply talking on the phone. Arc Search now has voice-activated search, triggered by holding your phone to your ear and saying your query -- just like you're making a phone call. Upon using Call Arc, you'll instantly hear your search results, accompanied by an animated smiley face! You can also click "Read More" to access full Browse for Me results for each query. After asking a question, Arc Search will play hold music briefly before providing a verbal answer and standing by for another question. The interface

A significant Microsoft outage has affected several key services, including Bing.com, Copilot for web and mobile, Copilot in Windows, ChatGPT internet search, and DuckDuckGo. The disruption began around 3.00 a.m. Eastern Time, primarily impacting users in Asia and Europe. User reports and MacRumors ' tests indicate that attempts to access Bing.com result in either a blank page or a 429 HTTP code error. Notably, the Bing search functionality remains operational if accessed directly via a specific URL , though the homepage remains inaccessible. For users needing to perform searches on Bing, accessing the search engine directly through the alternative URL is a workaround. However, Copilot services are entirely offline across all platforms, including the website, app, and Windows integration. As noted by Bleeping Computer , ChatGPT internet search and DuckDuckGo are also experiencing disruptions due to their reliance on the Bing API. DuckDuckGo users encounter an error message