Tech Talk

MacRumors was first to report that Apple was planning to rebrand "Apple ID" to "Apple Account" across its software platforms and websites like iCloud.com as early as this year, and now Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman has corroborated this change. A mockup of the new Apple Account branding In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the new "Apple Account" branding will start to be used later this year both online and in Apple's next major software releases, such as iOS 18 for the iPhone and watchOS 11 for the Apple Watch. Apple already refers to funds added to an Apple ID as an " Apple Account balance ," and Gurman said there is an "Apple Account" team within the company. With the full rebranding later this year, the term Apple ID is expected to be completely phased out, over two decades after the company started using it. Apple's reasoning behind the decision is not known, but "Apple Account" would be more s

After over a year of reports, there are now more than a dozen specific rumors about the features and improvements set to be offered by the two non-Pro iPhone 16 models later in 2024. While the upgrades that the ‌iPhone 16‌ offers over the iPhone 15 will likely be at the center of Apple's marketing strategy later this year, many users are on two-year upgrade cycles, so the features introduced on both the ‌iPhone 15‌ and ‌iPhone 16‌ will stack up. All of the changes the ‌iPhone 16‌ models are expected to feature compared to their two direct forerunners are listed below, using information from a range of reliable sources that we have previously covered . We will update this article as more rumors emerge in the coming months. This guide focuses on the iPhone 14 and ‌iPhone 16‌, but to learn about how we are expecting the ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro to improve on the iPhone 16 Pro , see our other comparison article . Design The ‌iPhone 16‌ and ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus are expected to largely c

Apple news and rumors settled down a bit this week following the launch of the M3 MacBook Air, but there was still plenty to talk about including Apple's ongoing changes to satisfy the EU's Digital Markets Act and signs of an upcoming iOS update likely to address some bugs. We're also looking forward to new iPad Pro and iPad Air models coming in the next few weeks or so, plus the iPhone 16 lineup later this year, so read on for the latest on these stories and more! Apple Announces Ability to Download iPhone Apps From Websites in EU Apple this week announced that iPhone users in the EU will soon be able to download apps directly from the websites of eligible developers. Apple says web distribution will be available in a software update that will be released "later this spring," which likely refers to iOS 17.5. Apple already added support for alternative app marketplaces on the iPhone in the EU with iOS 17.4, released earlier this month. These changes

Apple today made the visionOS App Store available on the web , giving Vision Pro users and prospective owners a way to see what apps are available for the device. As noted by 9to5Mac , Vision Pro apps can be viewed by going to the ‌App Store‌ for Apple Vision Pro web page . Apple has dedicated sections for apps and games, along with a separate tab for Apple Arcade games that can be used on Vision Pro. Apps are organized into the same categories that are available on the Vision Pro, such as What's New, Hot This Week, iPhone and iPad Games for Vision Pro, and Don't Miss. Apps can also be viewed by type, with Apple organizing them into options like Weather, Utility, Entertainment, Sports, Productivity, and more. The option to view available Vision Pro apps gives those without the headset a central location to check out the available software before deciding whether to make a purchase. Vision Pro apps have been listed individually on the ‌App Store‌ website since launc

Walmart today announced that it has started selling the MacBook Air with the M1 chip in the U.S., with pricing set at a very reasonable $699. The laptop can be ordered now on Walmart.com , and it will be available soon at select Walmart stores. This is the first time that customers can purchase a Mac that is sold directly by Walmart, the company said in a press release. Some other retailers like Amazon and Best Buy have previously offered this model for as low as $749.99. Apple first released the MacBook Air with the M1 chip in November 2020, as one of the first Macs with an Apple silicon chip instead of an Intel processor. The configuration being sold for $699 includes the M1 chip, 256GB of storage, and 8GB of RAM/unified memory, with Gold, Silver, and Space Gray color options available. Walmart's product listing says the MacBook Air is in brand new condition, so this is not a used/refurbished model. Apple discontinued the MacBook Air with the M1 chip earlier this month,

Now that Apple's Vision Pro spatial computing headset has launched in the United States, when will it become available to buy in other countries? Here's what we know. Officially, Apple has said that following the U.S. launch of Apple Vision Pro on February 2, 2024, the device will be coming to more countries later in the year, though the company has so far stopped short of officially revealing which countries and when exactly. Fortunately, that's not the final word on the subject. According to insider sources at Apple cited by well-connected Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman , the launch of Vision Pro in other countries around the world will not "actually be that much later" than its release in the United States. Apple is discussing the United Kingdom and Canada as two of the first international markets to get the mixed reality headset by the end of 2024, according to Gurman . Soon after, Apple is said to be looking at bringing the Vision Pro to the rest

The iPad Air will be the next Apple tablet to adopt OLED display panel technology following its upcoming OLED iPad Pro models, according to an updated forecast from research firm Omdia (via The Elec ). "In 2028, we expect the iPad Air to go OLED as well, with the iPad Air using single-stack and the iPad Pro using two-stack tandem OLEDs," said Omdia researcher Kang Min-soo, speaking on Thursday at the 2024 Korea Display Conference in Seoul. A two-stack tandem structure consists of two light-emitting layers stacked together. The two-stack OLED design can generate the same brightness levels as a single-stack design, but with significantly reduced power consumption and extended lifespan. The iPhone currently uses a single stack OLED display with one light-emitting layer. Omdia's latest prediction is an adjustment to a forecast published earlier this year , in which it said Apple will launch 8.3-inch iPad mini and 10.8-inch iPad Air models with OLED displays in 2026.

There have been several rumors in recent weeks about Apple's work on a finger-worn smart ring, and while it's not clear if the project is in active development at this time, we thought we'd round up the rumors that are circulating. Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Ring This guide aggregates what we've heard so far on an Apple-branded smart ring. Potential Features A February rumor from Electronic Times suggested that Apple is "speeding up development" on a smart ring with health-related features. Like the Apple Watch, an Apple Ring could track heart rate, activity, sleep, and respiratory rate, using that information to provide users with sleep insights and health recommendations. Apple could also potentially use a smart ring as an input device for the iPhone , iPad , Vision Pro, or Mac. Ring vs. Watch Apple already has an Apple Watch that is able to track multiple health metrics, but a smart ring would be more comfortable for certain activities.

Apple's first-generation Vision Pro headset is an "over-engineered devkit" that ships with more sensors than is necessary to deliver Apple's intended experience. That's according to Hugo Barra, former VP of Android and head of Meta's phased-out Oculus headset brand. Barra, who oversaw the Oculus team in 2017 after it was acquired by Facebook, has published a surprisingly balanced in-depth analysis of Apple's spatial computing device, which is well worth a read. But a couple of reflections are worth highlighting. Barra notes that Apple has packed Vision Pro with an impressive six tracking cameras, two passthrough cameras, two depth sensors, and four eye-tracking cameras. This "over-spec'ing," says Barra, is "characteristic of a v1 product where its creator wants to ensure it survives the hardest tests early users will no doubt want to put the product through." Apple's decision to over-spec the Vision Pro, however, inevita

Spotify today announced support for music videos, a new feature the streaming service describes as a "beta" with a limited catalog that is available in 11 markets. Music videos for supported tracks will show up in the Now Playing screen for Spotify Premium users in the UK, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Brazil, Colombia, Philippines, Indonesia, and Kenya. A "Switch to Video" icon appears above the song title in supported music tracks. Tapping starts the song from the beginning with accompanying video within the Now Playing view, which can also be rotated to landscape orientation on iPhone and Android. Supported artists include Ed Sheeran, Doja Cat, Ice Spice, Aluna, and Asake, and the videos can also be accessed on desktop or smart TVs. Spofity told TechCrunch that its full music catalog will eventually include "thousands" of songs. Previously, video content on Spotify has been limited to video podcasts and short repeating mus

Alternative browser company Brave has reported a sharp increase in iPhone installs since Apple made sweeping changes to iOS in order to comply with the Digital Markets Act in the European Union. With the recent iOS 17.4 update, users in the EU are presented with a splash screen upon opening Safari that allows them to choose a new default browser. Apple is not providing just the standard browsers that have been options on iOS in the past, but a list of the most downloaded browsers on iOS devices. Some of the options include Firefox, Opera, Chrome, Brave, and Microsoft Edge. Brave shared an image on X (Twitter) of a line graph showing the number of Brave browser installations on iOS from mid-January to early March. Daily installs hovered around 7,500 to 10,000, before jumping to just over 11,000 following the release of iOS 17.4 on March 6. "Monopoly defenders argue that the monopolies simply offer better products," wrote Brave in a subsequent post . "But as yo

Some Mac users who updated to Apple's latest macOS Sonoma 14.4 software release are experiencing connectivity issues with USB hubs and monitors with USB ports, with several reports of mice, keyboards, and other peripherals no longer being detected. Users have taken to the MacRumors forums , Reddit , X (Twitter) , and the Apple Support Community forums to relay their experiences, a selection of which we've reproduced below. MacRumors forum member mjodotcom : 14.4 definitely breaks USB hub monitor functionality. Things worked without a hitch until my work MBP upgraded to 14.4 and now no devices are detected. On my personal MBP that is still on 14.3 everything is detected without issue. Clearly a OS related problem. Reddit user Nobodys10 : I have my MacBook (MacBook Pro 16 M2 Pro) connected to my monitor (Gigabyte M34WQ 34 Inch IPS Ultrawide WQHD (3440 x 1440)) via a thunderbolt 3 cable. I have my keyboard and mouse connected to the USB ports in my monitor. After upd

Apple today stopped signing iOS 17.3.1 preventing iPhone users from downgrading to that version of iOS. iOS 17.3.1 is no longer being signed following the March 5 release of iOS 17.4 , an update that introduced app ecosystem changes in the EU, new emoji, and more. Apple routinely stops signing older versions of iOS, so it is not unusual that the iOS 17.3.1 update is no longer available. Apple prevents users from installing older versions of iOS to encourage customers to keep their operating systems up to date and to prevent downgrading to older, less secure versions of the ‌iPhone‌ operating system. iOS 17.4 is now the only publicly released version of iOS available. This article, " Apple Stops Signing iOS 17.3.1, Downgrading No Longer Available " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums Source: TechRadar

The debate over whether 8GB of RAM is sufficient for a Mac has long been a topic of contention . The controversy goes back to at least 2012, when Apple launched the first MacBook Pro with Retina display, which started with 8GB of RAM. Apple still offers 8GB as the base configuration for its 14-inch MacBook Pro , not to mention its M3 iMac and the latest MacBook Air models. Coupled with the significant cost of upgrading to higher memory options, Apple's decision has once again sparked discussions about the adequacy and value of this configuration. Of course, Macs have changed a lot over the last decade. For one, Apple no longer relies on Intel processors to power its machines, having developed its own Apple silicon, which is faster and more power efficient. This is because Apple's custom chips use "system-on-a-chip" (SoC) architecture, which integrates several processing cores (CPUs), graphics cores (GPUs), cache memory, and several other components within a singl

Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman today held a Q&A session focused on the Apple Car , in which he revealed that the vehicle's chip would have been equivalent to four M2 Ultra chips combined. He also said the vehicle had an underlying "safetyOS" system that was one part of the overall operating system, but he did not elaborate. Gurman also briefly touched on a few other topics, including that Apple apparently "just started formal development" of a new MacBook Pro with an M4 chip. He did not provide any additional details about the chip, which has yet to be announced by Apple. Apple announced the M1 chip for Macs in November 2020, followed by the M2 chip in June 2022 and the M3 chip towards the end of October 2023, so there has been around a year-and-a-half gap between each of the chips being introduced. If that pattern continues, the M4 chip would be released in the first half of 2025. However, a late 2024 release is also possible if the interval shrinks to o

Apple recently started distributing internal builds of iOS 18 to factories and relevant vendors, according to credible information shared on X by a private account with a track record of sharing accurate details on Apple's plans. The version of iOS that Apple provides at this stage is called "VendorUI," and access to it is strictly controlled. Sent out on an annual basis, VendorUI is a variant of iOS that is provided to factories for quality control testing. Because it has a pre-production version of the iOS user interface that Apple won't publicly unveil until WWDC, Apple is careful about where it is distributed. VendorUI can include references to new features, new settings or changes in branding. Unlike the versions of iOS used by Apple's software engineers, VendorUI often has certain apps omitted, ensuring that only the apps necessary for testing are present. With every iOS release, Apple develops several different versions of iOS: Release – Stock iOS

The debate over whether 8GB of RAM is sufficient for a Mac has long been a topic of contention . The controversy goes back to at least 2012, when Apple launched the first MacBook Pro with Retina display, which started with 8GB of RAM. Apple still offers 8GB as the base configuration for its 14-inch MacBook Pro , not to mention its M3 iMac and the latest MacBook Air models. Coupled with the significant cost of upgrading to higher memory options, Apple's decision has once again sparked discussions about the adequacy and value of this configuration. Of course, Macs have changed a lot over the last decade. For one, Apple no longer relies on Intel processors to power its machines, having developed its own Apple silicon, which is faster and more power efficient. This is because Apple's custom chips use "system-on-a-chip" (SoC) architecture, which integrates several processing cores (CPUs), graphics cores (GPUs), cache memory, and several other components within a singl

Apple today highlighted the Vision Pro's ability to aid the healthcare industry, showcasing a wide range of apps now available on the visionOS App Store . Apple explained how immersive apps that blend digital content with the physical world can transform how medical professionals train, plan surgeries, and engage in patient care both in clinical settings and at home. For example, the myMako app leverages the Vision Pro's 3D capabilities to enhance surgical planning, providing surgeons with intuitive and dynamic access to surgical plans and insights. On the other hand, CyranoHealth utilizes spatial computing to offer comprehensive, immersive training on medical equipment, aiming to boost confidence and reduce anxiety among frontline healthcare workers. Siemens Healthineers' Cinematic Reality app creates immersive, interactive holograms of human anatomy, enhancing medical education and patient consultations. Epic Systems is reimagining patient record management with th

Apple appears to be internally testing iOS 17.4.1 for the iPhone, based on evidence of the software update in our website's logs this week. Our logs have revealed the existence of several iOS 17 versions before Apple released them, ranging from iOS 17.0.3 to iOS 17.3.1 . iOS 17.4.1 should be a minor update that addresses software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. It is unclear when iOS 17.4.1 will be released, but the update's appearance in our logs suggests it will likely be available this week or next week. Apple is also internally testing iOS 17.5, which should be available for beta testing soon. Related Roundups: iOS 17 , iPadOS 17 Related Forums: iOS 17 , iPadOS 17 This article, " Apple Preparing iOS 17.4.1 Update for iPhone " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums Source: TechRadar

AirPods Pro will gain a new "hearing aid mode" with the release of iOS 18 later this year, according to the latest report by Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman. Writing in the subscriber edition of his regular Power On newsletter , Gurman claims that the "big news" for AirPods Pro in the near term will be support for a hearing aid-style function when iOS 18 drops in the fall. To be clear, this isn't the first time we have heard a potential hearing aid feature for AirPods Pro. The first rumor appeared in a 2021 Wall Street Journal report , but it was previously framed as a feature that would be exclusive to a next-generation model of AirPods Pro. However, Apple in September 2022 released the second-generation AirPods Pro, while the company more recently released a refreshed model with a USB-C port. AirPods Pro already offer a Conversation Boost feature, which boosts the volume and clarity of people directly in front of the wearer, but Apple has not advertised