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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 wi

The special-edition Nike Powerbeats Pro 2 are now available to order on Apple.com in the U.S., Canada, Australia, the U.K., and a handful of other countries. These headphones are the same as the regular Powerbeats Pro 2, except they have a two-tone design consisting of black and Nike's signature Volt neon green-yellow color. Aside from the Nike-focused design, these are the same ‌Powerbeats Pro‌ 2 that were introduced last year, with the signature Powerbeats wraparound earhooks for stabi

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 A

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Apple's surprise announcement of the AirPods Max 2 this week. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos 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 experienc

Both the MacBook Air and entry-level MacBook Pro now feature the M5 chip, so how do the latest models compare? While the 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ starts at $1,099 and the 15-inch model at $1,299, moving to the 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ requires spending at least $300 more. For some buyers, the extra cost is unnecessary; for others, the Pro's ability to sustain performance, along with its more advanced display and expanded I/O, meaningfully change the experience in ways the Air cannot match even

While the MacBook Neo is not "fast-charge capable," according to Apple's tech specs, the laptop can still charge faster with certain Apple chargers. Apple includes its 20W USB-C Power Adapter with the MacBook Neo (except in the UK and the EU, where the laptop does not ship with a charger at all), but a new charging test has revealed that Apple's 35W Dual USB-C Port Compact Power Adapter is a better choice if you want the fastest charging speeds at the lowest additional cost from Apple.

OpenAI has a Mac "superapp" in development that unifies its ChatGPT app, Codex coding platform, and Atlas browser, reports The Wall Street Journal ($). The idea behind the all-in-one app is to simplify the user experience, following the launch of several standalone products, some of which haven't resonated with OpenAI's customers. The company is also trying to bounce back after the recent successes of its main rival, Anthropic. OpenAI executives are said to be looking at areas it c

Apple and the Sydney Opera House in Australia recently announced a collaboration, and it turns out this will tie into Apple's 50th-anniversary celebrations. On his Instagram page earlier this week, Australian composer Bailey Pickles said Apple asked him to compose and perform music for its upcoming 50th-anniversary celebration at the Opera House, where Apple will soon be illuminating artwork. From March 25 to March 27, the Opera House's eastern sails will be illuminated with artwork

Apple collected nearly $900 million in App Store fees from generative AI apps in 2025, according to data from analysis firm AppMagic, covered by The Wall Street Journal ($). The overwhelming majority of Apple's AI app commission revenue came courtesy of ChatGPT downloads leading to subsequent subscriptions, which alone accounted for around 75 percent of the above total. Elon Musk's Grok app came a distant second, making up just 5 percent of the revenue. Apple is now said to be on c

In a social media post today, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the Mac just had its "best launch week ever for first-time Mac customers." This comes after the MacBook Neo launched on Wednesday, March 11. In the U.S., the laptop starts at just $599, or an even lower $499 for college students. Related Roundup: MacBook NeoTag: Tim CookBuyer's Guide: MacBook Neo (Buy Now)Related Forum: MacBook Neo This article, "Apple Reveals New Sales Achievement Following MacBook Neo Launch" first appeared on

The following is the list of F5 Distributed Cloud Services technical knowledge updates: Data Residency and Processing Updated the Data Residency and Processing Reference guide for persistent storage locations. IP Addresses and Domains Updated the F5 Distributed Cloud Services IP Address and Domain Reference for Firewall or Proxy Settings guide for new IP addresses. View the full article

AI company Perplexity today introduced Perplexity Health, a suite of connectors that allow Perplexity to access your health data. Perplexity suggests that the feature is useful for aggregating health data from across different portals, apps, and devices. It is able to track metrics and trends over time across biomarkers, with information shown on a personalized dashboard. When asked a health-related question, Perplexity Health can answer based on medical records, lab results, and we

Luxury brand Hermès has a new series of MagSafe-compatible chargers for the iPhone and Apple Watch, with prices that are higher than the cost of an iPhone 17 Pro Max. The $1,250 Paddock Solo Charger is a magnetic charger that works with a single device, while the $1,750 Paddock Duo can charge an Apple Watch and iPhone at the same time. The $1,750 Paddock Yoyo is also a dual charger, but it has a USB-C cable that wraps around the charger for travel purposes. Hermès also has bundles t

Apple's current blood oxygen sensing implementation in the U.S. does not infringe on patents owned by Masimo and Apple will not face a revived import ban, a U.S. International Trade Commission judge said this week (via Reuters). After Apple was found to have violated Masimo's patents related to blood oxygen sensing, the Apple Watch faced a U.S. import ban that caused Apple to briefly pause sales of the device in December 2023 before Apple earned a temporary stay. Apple disabled blood oxy

Google is developing a native Gemini app for the Mac, reports Bloomberg. Right now, Mac users who want to use Google's Gemini AI have to use a web browser, but that will change with a dedicated Mac app. Google competitors like Anthropic and OpenAI have dedicated Mac apps for their chatbots, potentially making Claude and ChatGPT more convenient to use than Gemini. Google shared an early version of the Gemini app with beta testers this week to get feedback, but it's not clear when it

In a research note for investment bank Barclays earlier this month, Apple analyst Tim Long said his supply chain sources mentioned the possibility of the iPhone 18 base model being announced in March next year, rather than in September this year. This split launch has been widely rumored by multiple sources in recent months. More interestingly, Long dropped two unique pieces of information. First, he said shipments of the rumored foldable iPhone will likely begin in December this ye

The highlights of this week in Apple deals include the return of an all-time low price on AirPods Pro 3, Apple Watch Series 11, and ongoing launch discounts on all of Apple's new products. You'll also find a few early accessory deals from Amazon's Big Spring Sale below. 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? T

Apple today urged iPhone users who are running iOS 13 or iOS 14 to upgrade to iOS 15 to protect themselves from being hacked through malicious web content. In a support document, Apple highlights recent reports about hacking tools that are effective against older versions of iOS. Hackers are using iOS exploit kits known as "Coruna" and "DarkSword," which can take advantage of vulnerabilities in iOS 13 through iOS 17.2.1. "If your iPhone doesn't have the latest software, update iOS t

Vivaldi this week released version 7.9 of its desktop browser, which includes a new UI Auto-hide feature that clears the entire browser interface from view while you read, watch, or work. When enabled, UI Auto-hide removes the tab bar, address bar, toolbars, and status indicators from the screen entirely, and moving the cursor to any edge of the window brings everything back instantly. The feature can be configured to hide only specific elements like the tab bar, the address bar, o

Apple kicked off its 50th anniversary celebrations with a surprise Alicia Keys performance at its Grand Central store in New York last week, and it has since hosted similar events in China and South Korea. Next up, we have discovered that Apple is planning to host additional celebrations in Canada, France, and Thailand. On its Canadian website, Apple says it will be hosting a talk with professional figure skater Elladj Baldé, as part of its free Today at Apple program. However, the page

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. 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. You can get the 42mm GPS Apple Watch Se

In an interview with Good Morning America's Michael Strahan this week, Apple's CEO Tim Cook said he is "not a political person." Strahan said Cook has been criticized over his relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump. He noted that Cook attended Trump's second inauguration last year, gifted Trump a piece of glass with a 24-karat gold base, and went to a private screening of a Melania Trump documentary at the White House earlier this year. Cook reportedly also personally donated $1 m

Amazon's Alexa+ AI assistant is rolling out to all Amazon customers in the United Kingdom beginning today as part of an early access program. The U.K. is the first European country to get the upgraded assistant, which is already available in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Amazon has been testing Alexa+ since February 2025, and says it offers a smarter, more personalized, and more proactive assistant experience. The company says Alexa+ is much more capable than the prior version o

The AppleCare One trademark was today registered with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), suggesting Apple's subscription for customers to cover multiple devices with a single plan could soon be expanding outside the United States. Apple launched AppleCare One in the U.S. in July 2025. The plan starts at $19.99 per month and covers up to three products, with additional devices available for $5.99 per month each. It includes all the same benefits as AppleCare+, such a

In an interview with Nikias Molina at New York's Grand Central Terminal last week, Apple's CEO Tim Cook briefly commented on the future of the iPhone. "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." While this is just typical corporate speak, it is still interesting that Cook thinks the iPhone will remain the core device in people's lives, given that Apple is pushing into new areas like sp

tvOS 26.4 includes a new Genius Browse section in the Apple TV app, which gives recommendations for TV shows and movies across multiple suggested categories. Suggestions vary based on your content preferences, and the categories are updated regularly. Some example categories include Upbeat Workplace Comedies, Tense Psychological Thrillers, History Gets Hilarious, Breathtaking Nature Docs, Thrilling Blockbusters, Bittersweet Family Dramas, and Fun for the Whole Family. Selecting one

Perplexity today expanded its Comet browser to iOS, making its AI Comet Assistant available to iPhone users. The Comet browser for iOS has many of the same features as the Comet browser for the desktop, including a voice mode for speaking questions and a hybrid search experience, but it does lack extensions. Comet offers standard search results like you might expect from any web search, but the added Comet Assistant is able to provide more in-depth answers and complete tasks. Comet

Apple provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate versions of iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4, which means we're going to see a public launch as soon as next week. The RC versions of the software include Apple's official release notes, giving us final details on what's included in the update. iOS 26.4 is likely to see a launch next Monday or Tuesday, ahead of when Apple begins accepting orders for the AirPods Max.Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26Related Forum: iOS 2

With iOS 26.4, Apple has made a small but useful change to the way that Family Sharing works. Each adult member of the family can now use their own payment method for purchases, rather than being forced to share a payment method. Apple has long required all of the members of a Family Sharing group to use a single shared payment method for app and content purchases when purchase sharing is turned on, with no option for family members to use separate payment methods. The shared paymen

The iOS 26.4 update that Apple plans to release as soon as next week includes improvements for the built-in iOS keyboard. In its notes for the software, Apple says iOS 26.4 offers "improved keyboard accuracy when typing quickly." It's not entirely clear what Apple means by improved keyboard accuracy, but it's likely a fix for an iOS keyboard bug that was highlighted on YouTube late last year. When typing some words, the autocorrect keyboard sometimes inexplicably inputs the wrong letter

Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming watchOS 26.4, tvOS 26.4 and visionOS 26.4 updates for testing purposes. The software comes a week after Apple released the fourth betas. Release candidates are the final updates that will be provided to the public in the near future if no final bugs are discovered. The software updates are available through the Settings app on each device. tvOS 26.4 and watchOS 26.4 are available to public beta testers and developers, while v

Apple today provided the release candidate version of an upcoming macOS Tahoe 26.4 update to developers and public beta testers for testing purposes, with the update coming a week after Apple seeded the fourth beta. The release candidate represents the final version of ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.4 that will be provided to the public if no additional bugs are found. Developers and public beta testers. can download the ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.4 update by opening up the System Settings app, selecting the Ge

Apple today seeded the release candidate version of upcoming iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming a week after Apple provided the fourth betas. The release candidate represents the final version of iOS 26.4 that will be provided to the public if no additional bugs are found. Registered developers and public beta testers can download the betas from the Settings app on the iPhone or iPad by going to the General section and selecti

Apple recently updated the iPad Air, narrowing the gap with the iPad Pro, but how different are the two product lines and which should you buy? Apple has now refreshed the ‌iPad Air‌ with the M4 chip, representing a small update over the previous model from 2025, which introduced the M3 chip. While the upgrade brings improved performance and efficiency, it does not significantly alter the feature set or overall positioning of the ‌iPad Air‌ within the lineup. By contrast, the ‌iPad

WhatsApp is rolling out a redesigned tab bar on iOS that swaps out the familiar Settings gear icon for a new "You" tab featuring your profile photo. The change is arriving with version 26.10.73, which is now available on the App Store. The tab itself still opens the same account and privacy controls. The main reason for the switch is that Meta is laying the groundwork for multi-account support. Meta has been developing multi-account functionality for WhatsApp for some time, and the

While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another six months or so, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. It was initially reported that the iPhone 18 Pro models would have fully under-screen Face ID, with only a front camera visible in the top-left corner of the screen. However, the latest rumors indicate that only one Face ID component will be moved under the screen on the devices, which will result in merely a smaller Dynamic Island.

Amazon's annual Big Spring Sale will kick off one week from today, on Wednesday, March 25, but ahead of that event the retailer is already discounting a wide array of popular accessories. Below we're tracking deals on monitors, headphones, iPhone and desktop accessories, 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. Highlights include Samsung's 32-inch Smart

Apple has quietly blocked AI "vibe coding" apps, such as Replit and Vibecode, from releasing App Store updates unless they make changes, The Information reports. "Vibe coding" tools allow users with little to no programming experience to build apps or websites using natural language prompts. Their accessibility has driven rapid adoption among both developers and non-technical users. Apple told The Information that certain vibe coding features breach long-standing ‌App Store‌ rules p

A lawsuit brought against Apple by music streaming app Musi has been dismissed by a federal judge, after she ruled that Apple's developer agreement gives it the right to remove any app from the App Store at any time, "with or without cause." Launched in 2013 by two Canadian teenagers, Musi was an app that played YouTube videos in a stripped-down interface, showed its own ads (removable for $5.99), and let users build playlists. Basically, it was a free music streaming service built on to

Apple CEO Tim Cook is in China, where he attended one of the company's 50th anniversary events outside of its Taikoo Li retail store in Chengdu today. The event revolved around a performance by Chinese singer Li Yuchun, and it comes after Apple hosted a surprise Alicia Keys concert at its Grand Central store in New York last week. According to the China Daily, Cook is scheduled to attend the China Development Forum in Beijing this weekend, and he will also meet with Chinese app developer

Amazon today has the AirPods Pro 3 available for $199.99, 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. 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 ge

The Apple Sports app has been updated to make it easier for fans of college basketball to follow their favorite teams during March Madness. Version 3.8.1 of the app introduces new in-app brackets that let fans track the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament in real time, by visualizing their team's path from the First Four through the Final Four alongside live scores, play-by-play updates, and detailed stats. Apple introduced the Apple Sports app in 2024 as a streamlined way to q

Accessory maker Spigen this week expanded its lineup of case options that are designed to look like vintage Apple Macs. The clever new Classic LS AirPods Pro 3 Case resembles a the iconic Apple Macintosh mouse, so it goes well with Spigen’s Mac-style iPhone cases. Priced at $25 from Amazon, the case features the stone color that was used for the Classic Macintosh, along with a gray mouse button. The mouse button is actually a lock that secures the two halves of the AirPods case together

Brian Lynch, the senior director on Apple's home hardware engineering team, is leaving Apple for smart ring company Oura, reports Bloomberg. Lynch accepted a role as Oura's senior vice president of hardware engineering. Oura has poached several employees from Apple over the last few years. Lynch's departure is apparently causing "fresh upheaval" on Apple's home products team as it is aiming to debut new home devices. Apple is rumored to be working on a smart home hub, but its launch has

Repair site iFixit today took apart the iPhone 17e, which is the new low-cost iPhone that Apple launched last Wednesday. The ‌iPhone 17e‌ is almost identical to the iPhone 16e in design, but it does include a MagSafe back panel that supports ‌MagSafe‌ and faster Qi charging than the iPhone 16e. When disassembling the ‌iPhone 17e‌, iFixit found that the ‌MagSafe‌ panel for the device is the same size as the panel for the 16e, and the two are interchangeable. You can take a back panel from

Apple replaced the $4,999+ Pro Display XDR with the better, more affordable Studio Display XDR, so we thought we'd pick one up to test out and compare to the now-discontinued Pro Display XDR. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The ‌Studio Display‌ XDR is the same size as the ‌Studio Display‌ at 27 inches, and it has the same 5K resolution. It's smaller than the 32-inch Pro Display XDR that had a 6K display, and that's probably going to be a major downside for peop

Apple today released the first Background Security Improvement (BSI) update, replacing the rapid security updates that it used to seed out a few years ago. The first BSI updates address a WebKit vulnerability that could allow maliciously crafted web content to bypass Same Origin Policy. There's a macOS Tahoe 26.3.1, iOS 26.3.1, and iPadOS 26.3.1 BSI update, as well as a ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.3.2 BSI update exclusive to the MacBook Neo. Apple says that the vulnerability was addressed with imp

In an interview with Good Morning America's Michael Strahan this week, Apple's CEO Tim Cook responded to rumors about his potential retirement. Cook said the idea that he wants to step back at Apple is merely "a rumor." Cook did not explicitly confirm or deny that he will be stepping down as CEO any time soon, but he said "I can't imagine life without Apple." The full interview clip is available on YouTube below. Last year, the Financial Times reported that Apple was pr

Google is bringing Personal Intelligence to all Google Gemini users starting today, after testing the feature with its paid plans. Personal Intelligence allows Gemini AI to provide personalized responses based on information pulled from connected Google apps like Gmail, Google Photos, YouTube, and more. Personal Intelligence is expanding in the U.S. across AI Mode in Search, the Gemini app, and Gemini in Chrome. Gemini is able to draw on the information that it knows about you from

As Apple gears up to connect with developers at the 2026 Worldwide Developers Conference in June, it has created new Apple Developer accounts on two new social networks. Apple Developer can be found on bilibili in China and LinkedIn. Apple says that its developer accounts will provide the latest news, announcements, videos, and events for the Worldwide Developers Conference, as well as any upcoming Meet with Apple activities. Bilibili is a popular Chinese video-sharing platform that

Smart home accessory company Aqara today announced its new HomeKit and Matter-compatible Camera Hub G350. Billed as the first Matter-certified camera for multi-platform homes, the G350 is a 4K indoor camera with a dual-lens system, combining a 4K wide-angle lens and a 2.5K telephoto lens that enables up to a 9x hybrid zoom. It features a motorized pan-tilt mechanism and can rotate 360 degrees, allowing its automatic tracking to follow people and pets, wherever they roam. It additio

After hosting a surprise Alicia Keys concert at its Grand Central store in New York last week, Apple is turning to Asia for more 50th-anniversary celebrations. So far, it has been discovered that there will be events held in China and South Korea. Apple's retail store at Taikoo Li in Chengdu, China is temporarily closed this Wednesday, March 18, according to the store's page. While nothing has been officially announced by Apple, photos shared on social media suggest that the company is p

Amazon this week is taking $50 off Wi-Fi models of Apple's 11th generation iPad, as well as $100 off the iPad mini 7. Prices start at $299.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi iPad, down from $349.00, which is a solid second-best price on this model. 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. iPad Additionally, Amazon has the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad for $399.00 ($50 off) and the 512

Apple is expanding its partnership with the Save The Music Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting music education in U.S. public schools. The organization donates musical instruments and technology to schools and much more. "We're thrilled to be expanding our partnership with Save the Music, bringing music education to even more schools across the country," said Apple CEO Tim Cook. Apple's expanded partnership will help to bring music programming to nearly 50

Apple today shared a trailer for "Outcome," a dark comedy film starring Keanu Reeves, Jonah Hill, Cameron Diaz, David Spade, Martin Scorsese, and others. The original film will be available to stream on Apple TV starting Friday, April 10. Keanu Reeves and Jonah Hill in "Outcome" In the film, Keanu Reeves plays Reef Hawk, a Hollywood star who is being extorted with a video that would damage his reputation. With the support of his lifelong friends Kyle (Diaz) and Xander (Matt Bomer), and hi

Apple's iPhone 19e could come with an LTPO OLED display that would bring 120Hz ProMotion technology to its most affordable iPhone for the first time, based on a new report out of Asia. According to ZDNet Korea, the fourth-generation model in Apple's entry-level e-series – expected to arrive in early 2028 – could adopt a low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) panel, making the display technically capable of dynamically adjusting its refresh rate between 1Hz and 120Hz. It's the same

Samsung is set to discontinue the Galaxy Z TriFold globally after just three months on sale (via Bloomberg). The company will start by ceasing sales of the device in Korea, where it has been on sale since December. Samsung plans to discontinue the device in the United States once it clears its inventory. Samsung's website already lists the TriFold as "sold out," but customers are still able to buy the device at Samsung stores. It launched in the United States in January and costs $2

Apple today launched its atrial fibrillation history feature for Apple Watch in mainland China. Since 2022, Apple Watch in the U.S. has supported AFib History, which allows users diagnosed with atrial fibrillation to view an estimate of how frequently their heart is in this type of irregular rhythm. The feature analyzes pulse rate data collected by a photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor to identify episodes consistent with AFib and provides the user with a retrospective estimate of AFi

Apple refreshed the AirPods Max today, and the main new addition is an H2 chip that replaces the H1 chip. The H2 chip has previously been used in the AirPods 4 and the AirPods Pro 2 and later, but it's new to the AirPods Max. It brings multiple audio improvements alongside an updated high dynamic range amplifier. We've listed all of the audio features that are new to the AirPods Max according to Apple. Active Noise Cancellation - The AirPods Max 2 have up to 1.5x more active noise

The iPhone 5 that launched back in 2012 is now considered obsolete, according to Apple's list of vintage and obsolete products. Apple moved the iPhone 5 and the 8GB iPhone 4 from the vintage list to the obsolete list today. A device is "vintage" when it has been five years since it was last distributed for sale, and "obsolete" at the seven-year mark, though Apple sometimes stretches its timelines. For vintage products, Apple retail stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers can provid

Apple today introduced the second-generation version of its over-ear AirPods Max headphones, and some of the software requirements in the fine print give us some insight into when Apple's iOS 26.4 update will be released to the public. To use several of the added features like Live Translation, the ‌AirPods Max‌ 2 will need to be paired with an iPhone running iOS 26.4, an iPad running iPadOS 26.4, or a Mac running macOS Tahoe 26.4. The AirPods are set to launch in early April, which

While the new AirPods Max 2 have the same overall design as the previous AirPods Max, the Digital Crown has received a small but useful upgrade. On the AirPods Max 2, a new Camera Remote feature allows you to press the Digital Crown to take a photo and start or stop video recording while using Apple's Camera app or compatible third-party camera apps on an iPhone or iPad. Apple says this feature requires AirPods Max 2 that are running the latest firmware and paired with iPhone and iP

Apple today acquired the major Final Cut Pro plugin company MotionVFX. MotionVFX is a Polish company founded by Szymon Masiak in 2009. It creates high-quality plugins, transitions, templates, and visual effects (VFX) for video editors. The company specializes in tools for Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and Apple Motion, such as mFilmLook, mO2, and the Design Studio extension. From MotionVFX's website today: MotionVFX's 70 employees today joined Apple as part of the acquisitio

Last week, Amazon introduced discounts on the brand new M4 iPad Air, and you can still get up to $100 off these brand new models today. Additionally, Amazon has deepened the discounts on a few of these models, and all remain in stock with free delivery around March 21. 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. Specifically, Amazon has up to $80 off the 11-inch M4

The AirPods Max 2 feature the H2 chip, improved Active Noise Cancellation, and Adaptive Audio capabilities, but the design and much of the hardware remains unchanged. Most notably, the overall industrial design is identical. ‌AirPods Max‌ 2 retain the same aluminum ear cups, stainless steel headband frame, telescoping arms, and knit mesh canopy introduced with the original model. The dimensions, weight, and overall construction appear to be unchanged, meaning the headphones look and feel

Apple has now announced the AirPods Max 2, bringing the first major hardware upgrade to Apple's over-ear headphones since their debut. So how does the new model compare with both earlier versions of ‌‌AirPods Max‌‌? In late 2020, Apple announced the ‌AirPods Max‌, a whole new AirPods variant with an over-ear design. In September 2024, the company refreshed the ‌AirPods Max‌'s selection of color options and swapped the Lightning port for USB-C, enabling 24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio over

Apple today unveiled AirPods Max 2, with key features including the H2 chip, Adaptive Audio, Live Translation, increased active noise cancellation, improved sound quality, and more. AirPods Max 2 will be available to order on Apple.com starting Wednesday, March 25 in Midnight, Starlight, Orange, Purple, and Blue, ahead of an early April launch. In the U.S., the AirPods Max continue to cost $549.Related Roundup: AirPods MaxBuyer's Guide: AirPods Max (Buy Now)Related Forum: AirPods Th

Amazon today has the AirPods Pro 3 available for $209.99, down from $249.00. This is only about $10 higher when compared to the Amazon all-time low price, which has been hard to come by in recent weeks. 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. This model of the AirPods Pro launched in September 2025 and has 2x better Active Noise Cancellation than the previous ge

Apple's original film "F1: The Movie" yesterday won an Oscar for Best Sound at the 98th Academy Awards. The film, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Joseph Kosinski, received four Oscar nominations in total, including Best Picture. "F1" has already picked up multiple honors across the industry, including Best Editing and Best Sound at the Critics Choice Awards and Best Sound at the BAFTA Film Awards. The film stars Brad Pitt as a once-promising Formula 1 driver whose care

In his Power On newsletter today, 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. At WWDC 2008, Apple showed a presentation that said Mac OS X Snow Leopard had "0 new features," as it opted to focus on performance and stability improvements. Technically, the update did include some smaller new features, but Apple was overwhelmingly focus

In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the latest internal version of iOS 27 does not have major Liquid Glass design changes, but there might be a new system-wide setting for precisely adjusting the look of the interface. iOS 26.1 lets you choose between "Clear" and "Tinted" options for Liquid Glass, with the "Tinted" look adding more opacity to user interface elements. And with iOS 27, which is expected to be released later this year, Apple might go even further.

Apple just launched the new line of Studio Displays this month, and today Amazon has introduced the first discount on the Standard Glass model with Tilt-Adjustable Stand. You can get this Studio Display for $1,499.00, down from $1,599.00, a new all-time low price. 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. Last week, Amazon had some initial launch discounts on a fe

A second-generation MacBook Neo with a touch screen has gone from a yes to a maybe to a no. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple has yet to decide whether to bring touch-screen support to any Macs beyond the next high-end MacBook Pro, which is expected to be released in late 2026 or early 2027. A touch screen would also slightly increase the cost of making the MacBook Neo, which is priced as low as $499, so the laptop will likely remain without one fo

Apple's new Liquid Glass interface introduced across iOS 26, macOS Tahoe, and its other latest software platforms is apparently here to stay. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the latest internal versions of iOS 27 and macOS 27 do not have major Liquid Glass design changes. He also mentioned how Apple's new software design chief, Steve Lemay, was "a driving force" behind Liquid Glass and was "deeply involved in its development." Lemay joined Apple in 199

This week, tech columnist David Pogue launched a new book called "Apple: The First 50 Years." On Amazon, you can get the new book for $39.30 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

The following is the list of F5 Distributed Cloud Services technical knowledge updates: Changelogs Added SaaS release changelogs for the March 14, 2026, release. Customer Edge and Multi-Cloud Networking Added new Deploy Secure Mesh Site v2 with OpenShift Virtualization (ClickOps) guide to explain how to create a CE Site. Updated the following guides for the launch instance option and automated Terraform: Deploy Secure Mesh Site v2 in AWS (ClickOps) Deploy Secure Mesh Site v2 in Azur

Apple today announced that it will be celebrating its upcoming 50th anniversary by hosting gatherings "around the world" throughout the month of March. "Each gathering highlights human creativity and ingenuity in action, and showcases the remarkable things people can do when they have the right Apple products in their hands," said Apple. 17-time Grammy Award-winning music artist and producer Alicia Keys kicked off the celebrations today with a surprise performance at Apple's Grand C

We're only three months away from Apple's WWDC 2026 event, which will see the company unveil iOS 27. With the fully revamped version of Siri possibly delayed until September, iOS 27 is shaping up to be the update we wanted iOS 26 to be. There will be new Apple Intelligence features, updates for the iPhone Fold, and more, with the latest rumors summarized below. Foldable iPhone Features Apple plans to launch the first foldable iPhone in September, a device that could possibly be c

Apple mysteriously shut down its Grand Central Terminal store in New York City today, and it turns out it was for an impromptu Alicia Keys concert to celebrate Apple's upcoming 50th anniversary. Apple quietly invited select YouTubers and members of the media (including MacRumors) to the store location, but kept the performer secret until Alicia Keys took the stage. Preparations for the concert started yesterday, with Apple setting up a stage, audio equipment, and lights, complete with Ke

After Apple's big week of announcements, this week saw all of the new products officially become available, so reviewers and general users alike are now getting their hands on them and putting them through their paces. Apple also started ramping up plans for celebrating the company's 50th anniversary coming up on April 1, with Tim Cook sharing a letter addressing the milestone and the company even hosting a brief musical appearance by Alicia Keys at its Grand Central Terminal store in Ne

Repair site iFixit did its traditional teardown on the MacBook Neo, and was pleasantly surprised with the laptop's repairability. "We haven't been as happy about a MacBook since 2012," says iFixit. iFixit took apart the more expensive $699 version of the ‌MacBook Neo‌ that comes with a Touch ID keyboard, but both models are "suspiciously easy" to get into. The lower case is still held together with pentalobe screws, which are less common than standard screws and require a special screwd

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Lululook to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win an iPhone 17 Pro and a 25W Qi2.2 3-in-1 Charger from Lululook to go along with it. Priced at $79, Lululook's 3-in-1 Charging Station is able to charge an iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch at the same time. It features Qi 2.2 support and certification, so it is able to charge the iPhone 16 and iPhone 17 models at up to 25W, the same as Apple's latest MagSafe specification. With 25W Qi chargin

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss first impressions of the MacBook Neo, Studio Display XDR, and iPhone 17e. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Following its announcement last week, the ‌MacBook Neo‌ arrived this week. Unlike every other Apple silicon Mac, the ‌MacBook Neo‌ is powered by the A18 Pro chip originally developed for the iPhone 16 Pro, making it the first Mac to use an iPhone-class processor instead of an M-series chip.

Apple this week saw an unusual surge of Mac trade-ins amid the launch of the MacBook Neo. A reliable source speaking to MacRumors revealed that the quantity of Macs traded in at Apple retail stores this week increased over 100% compared to previous weeks, likely driven by demand for the ‌MacBook Neo‌ and M5 MacBook Air. Older, low-end models dominated this week's trade-ins, suggesting that customers are upgrading to the ‌MacBook Neo‌ and the M5 ‌MacBook Air‌, rather than the new Ma

Back in September, the Apple TV streaming service's broadcast of the pivotal Boston Red Sox vs. Detroit Tigers game at Fenway Park incorporated live footage captured with the iPhone 17 Pro, and now the device has been enshrined in MLB history. Apple this week announced that the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum has added one of the four iPhone 17 Pro devices that captured the Red Sox clinching a postseason berth with a thrilling walk-off win over the Tigers to its permanent colle

Advanced display panels destined for Apple's first foldable iPhone are reportedly nearing mass production. The Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital" today said that Samsung Display is set to begin mass production of OLED panels for the first foldable iPhone in May 2026. Meanwhile, the user "Fixed Focus Digital" claims that the foldable iPhone's screen may be flatter than many of the existing foldable devices currently on sale, suggesting that Apple has largely solved the crease proble

This week was Apple launch week, and we're already seeing solid markdowns on the new M4 iPad Air, M5 MacBook Air, and more. Additionally, below you'll find deals on AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation and Apple Watch Series 11. 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 4 What's the deal? Take $59 off AirPods 4 with ANC Where ca

Apple's retail store at the Grand Central Terminal in New York is temporarily closed, but the reason why remains a mystery. As seen in photos shared by Parker Ortolani, Apple's space on the Main Concourse's East Balcony is covered up with temporary walls and curtains. There is also temporary lighting and audio equipment set up, and a video shared on social media appears to show that Apple is or was recording some sort of production. Apple is clearly up to something, but exactly what

It's been a big week for foldable iPhone rumors. In case you missed any of them, here are five developments that we've covered over the last few days. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone Fold this September. For everything else we know, be sure to check out our dedicated roundup. Display Crease Early reports suggested Apple had solved the crease problem that has plagued many foldables on the market, thanks to a new Samsung-supplied panel that has been described variously as b

Parallels Desktop virtualization software is compatible with the new MacBook Neo, according to an update from the company – but Windows VM performance will depend on your intended use case. From Parallels' updated knowledge base article: When Apple launched the $599 MacBook Neo this week, some asked whether its A18 Pro chip – which first debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro – would be capable of running Windows via Parallels Desktop. Fortunately, the A18 Pro is based on the same ARM architectu

Apple TV aired the first Formula 1 race of the 2026 season last weekend following an exclusive streaming rights partnership for five years, and Apple senior VP of services Eddy Cue is already calling it a win for the company. Cue told The Hollywood Reporter that viewership for last week's Australian Grand Prix was up year over year compared to the 2025 race, which aired on ESPN. "The 2026 Formula 1 season on Apple TV is off to a strong start, with fans responding positively and view

Apple has announced it is lowering App Store developer fees in China from March 15, with commission rates for standard in-app purchases (IAPs) set to change to 25%, down from 30%. In an update on its Developer blog, Apple also said the commission rate for qualifying IAPs under the App Store Small Business Program and Mini Apps Partner Program (and auto-renewals of IAP subscriptions after the first year) will be 12%, down from the current 15%. Apple said the changes are a result of "

Anthropic's Claude chatbot has been updated with support for inline visual content that will help it provide clearer answers. Claude can now create custom visuals like charts, graphs, and diagrams. Visual content will be used when it better conveys an answer than plain text, and visual aids can also include real-world data like weather and recipes as long as web search is enabled. The visuals that Claude creates are distinct from Artifacts, and use HTML and SVG rather than image generati

Apple's latest low-cost iPhone launched yesterday, and we picked up the iPhone 17e to see how it compares to the iPhone 16e that came before it, and how it measures up to the iPhone 17 lineup. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple didn't update the design of the ‌iPhone 17e‌, so it still has the look of an iPhone 14, which is the iPhone that Apple used as a base for the iPhone 16e. There's a notch on the display with no Dynamic Island, but Apple did make a few

Google today added Gemini AI to Google Maps, enabling a new Ask Maps feature. Gemini in maps can answer complex, real-world questions that Google says "a map could never answer before." There is a new Ask Maps button where Google Maps users can get answers to specific questions like "is there a public tennis court with lights on that I can play at tonight?" Google says that finding information like that would have taken a lot of sifting through reviews in the past, but now Google Maps ca

The iPhone 17e just joined the iPhone lineup. Apple continues to sell the iPhone 16 as an alternative low-cost option, and while the two devices share many core features, there are still more than 25 differences between them to be aware of. Following the launch of the iPhone 17 lineup and the iPhone Air, Apple discontinued the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, and reduced the price of the ‌iPhone 16‌ and ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus by $100. The ‌iPhone 17e‌ and ‌iPhone 16‌ now represent the two le

Samsung introduced the newest line of Galaxy products last month, including the S26 smartphones and Galaxy Buds4. Today, you can find a few discounts on some of these products, plus savings on Samsung's most popular monitors and TVs, with notable markdowns on products like The Frame TVs. Monitors Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Samsung. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. Samsung has a few uni

Apple is already on Instagram, where it primarily shares photos and videos for its Shot on iPhone campaign, but the company is expanding its horizons. Apple today launched another Instagram account called Hello Apple (@helloapple), where it will share company news, stories, product marketing, and more. The account will showcase how Apple products inspire creativity and help to make a difference in everyday lives, and it will highlight work from Apple's creator community. Apple said

A teardown of the new MacBook Neo by Australian YouTube repair channel Tech Re-Nu reveals what may be the most modular and repair-friendly Mac laptop in recent times. The Neo is shown being taken apart in just six minutes, suggesting Apple has prioritized simplicity across the board, using standard Torx screws (T3, T5, and T8) and a clean cable routing design. To open the aluminum body, eight screws on the bottom are loosened, similar to the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. Inside, a ti