To help win an iPhone antitrust suit, Apple is again demanding commission data from Valve
Apple says it needs business records from Valve in order to contest an ongoing consumer antitrust case about the App Store, and has turned to the courts to get it.App Store iconGame developer Valve is not involved in the antitrust case that consumers have brought against Apple. However, Apple has now filed a subpoena request asking a federal judge to compel Valve to provide data that it says is "core" to its defense.Apple is accused in a class-action suit of forcing up app prices because of its 30% cut, and how it operates its App Store. The case is also not related to Apple's previous one against Epic Games, but the company is citing that legal battle in its reasons for wanting Valve's data. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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iPhone 17 Plus might sport a smaller display than iPhone 15 Plus
A new rumor indicates Apple could use a smaller display on the 2025 iPhone 17 Plus, further widening the gap with its Pro Max model. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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This is the A18 Pro: The speed and smarts to expect from Apple’s next iPhone chip
Macworld When the iPhone 16 line launches this September, we expect it to usher in a new A-series processor. As has been the case in the last few years, the top-end “Pro” models will get a new processor while the regular iPhone 16 non-Pro models will likely get a version of the A17 Pro chip found in this year’s iPhone 15 Pro. As we do every year, we’ll look at the history and performance of the A-series processors from the last several years, along with the recent rumors and overall industry trends, to anticipate what we might expect from Apple’s new iPhone silicon this fall. As always, this is all just guesswork; Apple is a famously secretive company, and the details about its products are often not fully revealed until they are released. To “Pro” or not to “Pro”? Last year, Apple introduced what might be an all-new wrinkle into the expected upgrade pattern. Changing the name from “A17 Bionic” to “A17 Pro” for the first time, the implication is that there would be a new non-Pro chip each generation too. That hasn’t yet come to pass, but we might see something different this year. There are three likely possibilities for what Apple may do in addition to making a new A18 Pro for the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max: Make a new A18 for the regular iPhone 16 and 16 Plus that is essentially the A17 Pro given a new name. There might be minor technical differences but performance and features would be the same as the A17 Pro. Apple makes a newly-designed A18 chip for the non-Pro iPhones. It’s based on the same architecture as the A18 Pro but with lesser performance in some areas (perhaps due to lower clock speed or reduced active core count). Apple keeps using the A17 Pro for the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus; the A18 Pro is the only “new” iPhone chip this year. This is what Apple did in the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 generations. It’s hard to say which is more likely, only that the high-end chip will probably once again carry the “Pro” name instead of “Bionic” and launch only in the iPhone 16 Pro models. We’ve heard rumors that the lower-end chip in the iPhone 16 will be called “A18” this year, but even if that’s true we don’t know if it will be an truly new chip or just a rebranded iPhone 17 Pro. And we heard similar rumors last year that didn’t pan out. Our analysis here is targeted at the A18 Pro, what we assume Apple will call the higher-end version of the chip powering this year’s iPhones. Still made with a 3nm process The A17 Pro was the first mass-market consumer chip to use a 3nm manufacturing process. And while TSMC is on track with the 2nm chips that come next, we don’t expect to see an Apple product using that process until next year a the earliest. So the A18 Pro will be made with TSMC’s 3nm process again. The 3nm process used for the A17 Pro was known as N3, and as the first iteration of 3nm technology from TSMC it was pretty expensive. The company has a newer process known as N3E, which is far easier to manufacture at scale. It should be slightly more power efficient than the original N3 process but also slightly less “dense”, which means a chip built using N3E would be slightly larger than an identical chip made with N3. There are rumors that the A18 Pro will be a physically larger chip than the A17 Pro—the switch to N3E may be one reason, but we expect Apple will also increase transistor count to more then 20 billion (A17 Pro is a 19 billion transistor chip). To put that in perspective, a modern Intel “Raptor Lake” generation laptop CPU is estimated to have a transistor count around 26 billion transistors, which the top-tier large Nvidia GeForce 4090 RTX desktop GPU is a 74 billion transistor chip. CPU performance will probably improve All the rumors have focused on AI performance, and why not when that’s the hot topic of the day? But Apple is always concerned about CPU performance, and shares core designs between its A-series iPhone/iPad chips and it’s M-series Mac (and iPad Pro) chips. Just look at this chart of single-core Geekbench 6 performance for iPhone chips all the way back to the A11. Foundry Foundry Foundry What strikes me as most remarkable is just how steadily single-core performance has increased. We’ve estimated the A18 performance by continuing the trend from the last several chips, and it gives us a single-core Geekbench 6 score of almost 3,200. That’s just a touch faster than an Intel Core i9-13900KS, a very high-end desktop CPU. Of course, powerful desktop and laptop CPUs have many more cores than a phone processor. We think the A18 Pro will have the same core configuration as most recent A-series chips: two performance cores and four efficiency cores. Foundry Foundry Foundry Faster cores, cache, and memory will push up the multi-core score even if Apple uses the same number of cores. We’ve seen a pretty steady performance trend for multi-core performance as well, and don’t expect that to suddenly change. A multi-core score of over 8,200 would put the A18 Pro in the same territory as a mid-tier Intel or AMD laptop CPU from about three years ago. GPU performance always goes up Using the modern 3DMark Wild Life benchmark in Unlimited mode, we get a good idea of how much GPU performance has improved over time. Frame rates have more than quadrupled since the iPhone X days. It’s not quite as steady as CPU performance–some years the uplift is 10 percent or less and in others years it’s closer to 30 percent. Foundry Foundry Foundry We don’t have any reason to believe that GPU performance won’t be better this time around as well, though the rumors say Apple isn’t adding more GPU cores. Architectural efficiencies can go a long way. Our guess is a 10-15 percent improvement in real-world CPU performance. The 3DMark Solar Bay test stresses ray tracing performance, so you see much lower frame rates overall. Foundry Foundry Foundry Performance took a huge jump up with the A17 Pro in this test because Apple added hardware to help accelerate ray tracing. There may be some tweaks this year, but we don’t think a similar jump can be expected in this test in the A18 Pro–again, we’re probably going to see a 10-15 percent boost. Neural Engine may get a big upgrade The Neural Engine is Apple’s name for it’s NPU or “Neural Processor Unit”—specialized hardware made to optimally run neural networks for machine learning, deep learning, and AI software in the same way the GPU is made for graphics processing. Apple is said to be all-in on AI this year, with big AI features coming to iOS 18 and the iPhone 16 line. I think that means we can expect a big improvement in Neural Engine performance. But the Neural Engine has been getting faster at a regular pace since it was first introduced in the A11 (found in the iPhone 8 and iPhone X). That first Neural Engine could perform 600 billion operations per second, while the Neural Engine in the A17 Pro is touted as able to handle 35 trillion operations per second (TOPS). Here’s how that performance increase over time has manifested in performance using the new GeekBench ML benchmark, targeting the NPU only. Foundry Foundry Foundry Geekbench ML is a relatively new benchmark, only on version 0.6, that runs a suite of machine learning tasks like image recognition, object classification, image super resolution, and language processing to assess the performance of CPUs, GPUs, and NPUs. When running the test only the the Neural Engine, we see a more than 8-fold improvement over the last six years, and an average yearly speedup of roughly 20%. Notably, the score did not double from the A16 to A17 generation even though Apple said Neural Engine performance jumped from 17 TOPS to 35 TOPS. The claimed maximum performance specs often don’t match real-world performance numbers. Apple’s Neural Engine already delivers much better performance than competitors like the NPU in the Snapdragon 8+ gen 1 (around 2,800 points depending on which phone it’s in) or Google’s Tensor G3 (under 2,400 points). Simply taking the past performance gains and projecting it forward would give us a score of almost 4,100 points and a commanding lead over most competitors. I think we can safely ignore this chart for the A18 Pro, however. Recent rumors suggest that Apple will dedicate more silicon to the Neural Engine and push for a big performance boost in order to power more advanced AI features entirely on-device. I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple touted a really big number for its Neural Engine this year–over 50 TOPS is almost certain—and we could see a Geekbench ML score closer to 5,000. RAM, 5G, and more Of course, there’s more to the A18 Pro than the CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine. Then there are related chips that aren’t technically part of the A18 Pro but are still important to iPhone users, like the cellular modem. The new LPDDR6 memory standard is still too new to make it into this year’s iPhones, but Apple could move from LPDDR5 to LPDDR5x—providing for slightly more memory bandwidth and while using less power. The A17 Pro made the leap from 6GB to 8GB of RAM and it feels too soon for Apple to jump up again. On the other hand, AI models tend to be very memory-intensive and we could see Apple increase RAM just to enable bigger and more sophisticated AI models on the new phones. On the wireless front, we should expect an upgrade to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X75 modem for faster and more reliable 5G connections. Apple has been working on its own wireless chips for years but is having a hard time getting them to a point where they provide a good enough experience. There have also been rumors of an upgrade to Wi-Fi 7, and of course, we can expect Ultra Wideband, Bluetooth, and NFC features that are similar to those in the iPhone 15 line. CPUs and Processors, iPhone

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Comcast launches NOW plans, focuses on affordable/prepaid internet, TV, and mobile plans
Comcast on Wednesday launched NOW, a new tier of low cost and prepaid connectivity offerings, with speeds up to 200 Mbps as well as unlimited 5G data for mobile plans along with access to more than 40 networks for live and on-demand content. The new plans function as low-cost, no-contract options for customers, as details […] Source

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Tim Cook visits Singapore as Apple invests $250 million
CEO Tim Cook has continued his tour of Asia by visiting Singapore, where he announced that Apple will spend $250 million to expand its existing campus there.Apple Marina Bay Sands store, SingaporeApple does not release Tim Cook's schedule in advance, but following visits to Vietnam and then Indonesia, the CEO is concluding what appears to be a week-long Asia trip. His apparently final stop is a two-day visit to Singapore, and at the same time Apple has announced a significant expansion of its office campus space in the country."Singapore is truly a one-of-a-kind place, and we are proud of the connection we've built with this dynamic community of creators, learners, and dreamers," said Cook in a statement. "With our growing campus, Apple is writing a new chapter in our history here." Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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ScreenSnapAI goes live, brings AI-based organization to your Mac’s screenshot library
If you’re looking to organize your Mac’s screenshots, this might come in handy. Developer Aptonic has recently released ScreenSnapAI, its new organization utility to help wrangle your screenshot files. The software offers the following features: ScreenSnapAI retails for $9.99, is available via the Mac App Store, and requires macOS 10.13 (Ventura) or later to install […] Source

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Is 8GB of RAM Enough For a Mac?
Apple is doubling down on 8GB of RAM for many of its entry-level Macs, claiming that it's "suitable for many tasks," including browsing, video streaming and even "light" video and image editing. As of this writing, all MacBook Air laptops, the Mac Mini, and the MacBook Pro 14 all start with a base configuration of 8GB RAM -- which can't be upgraded at a later date since the RAM is soldered onto the motherboard. "That might have been OK were it not for the fact that Apple charges a ridiculous $200 to upgrade any of those machines from 8GB to 16GB," notes PC Gamer's Jeremy Laird. Even if an 8GB Mac does some of the previously stated tasks tolerably well, Laird argues that "8GB still isn't acceptable." From the report: That's because a Mac with 8GB can easily run out of memory just browsing the web. That's particularly true with Chrome, which just so happens to be the most popular browser around. Regular Chrome users will know what a memory hog Chrome can be. Right now, I have about 15 tabs open, which is actually pretty low for me. Often, my tab count can blow well past 50 in multiple windows. Handily, Chrome shows you memory usage if you mouse-over a given tab. And three of my current tabs are chewing up over 500MB each. So, that's 1.5GB for just three Chrome tabs. Add a couple more, plus MacOS's underlying memory footprint for just being up and running and you're bang out of RAM. Overall, I'm using 12.5GB of memory and the only application I have open is Chrome. Oh, and did I mention I'm typing this on a 16GB MacBook Air? I used to have an 8GB Apple silicon Air and to be frank it was a nightmare, constantly running out of memory just browsing the web. That's the point most observers miss. The usual narrative is that 8GB isn't good enough for serious workflows. It isn't but that completely misses the more important point. 8GB isn't even enough for browsing the web. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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Get this wireless controller for the Nintendo Switch for just $31
Macworld If you lost one or both left and right pieces of your Nintendo Switch controller or simply want an upgrade in your Switch gaming’s style and function, this deal is for you. Save 27% when you order this Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch, which features RGB lights, while it’s on sale for only $30.99 (reg. $42). This controller’s new chip technology offers a more responsive, connected experience. It’s also made with durable, non-slip ABS material so your controllers can keep up with your play style, even during the most hectic sessions. It also features 360° control and a six-axis gyro for more precise aiming while gaming. For a stylish flair, these wireless controllers also have RGB lights crafted specifically for Nintendo Switch joycons, allowing gamers to boost their gaming sessions. They also feature dual-shock response, turbo (T) buttons, smoother connectivity, and long battery life. It’s important to note that the gaming console is not included — your purchase only nets you the split-handle controller. Enjoy a more immersive gaming experience with this Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch featuring RGB lights, now just $30.99.   Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch with RGB Lights Only $30.99 at Macworld StackSocial prices subject to change. Accessories

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How to make noncontiguous selections in Pages, Numbers, and Keynote
Macworld Install the April 2024 iWork update and you’ll gain access to a “new” feature that’s decades old: noncontiguous text selection. Put simply, it means you can select text that doesn’t flow continuously from one letter to the next. This lets you select multiple areas of text for manual formatting or character styles all at once instead of one at a time. (Apple doesn’t let you use Find & Replace to select everything that matches the Find field, however.) To make a noncontiguous selection: Start by selecting any text in Pages, Numbers, or Keynote. Hold down the Command key. Select additional ranges: drag for a select, double-click to add words, or triple-click to add paragraphs. You can remove text from the selection by dragging or Shift-dragging while keeping Command held down. With a noncontiguous selection, all the normal formatting options are available in the Format sidebar (View > Inspector > Format). After making a noncontiguous text selection, I set the selected text to a different type weight. After making a noncontiguous text selection, I set the selected text to a different type weight.Foundry After making a noncontiguous text selection, I set the selected text to a different type weight.Foundry Foundry While I joked above about Apple being late to the party, it’s absolutely true. I can’t find the earliest citation of noncontiguous text selection, but Nisus Writer–still in production today–was promoting this special feature in an ad in MacUser magazine back in 1991. Years before that, this kind of selection was also available with lots of keystrokes in pre-graphical-user-interface word processors. Ask Mac 911 We’ve compiled a list of the questions we get asked most frequently, along with answers and links to columns: read our super FAQ to see if your question is covered. If not, we’re always looking for new problems to solve! Email yours to mac911@macworld.com, including screen captures as appropriate and whether you want your full name used. Not every question will be answered, we don’t reply to email, and we cannot provide direct troubleshooting advice. Mac, MacOS, Personal Software, Professional Software

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Save 33% on Regal Premiere Movie e-tickets with this $11.99 offer
Macworld Streaming your faves at home is so convenient, but it really is nice to get out of your sweats and out to enjoy a movie on the big screen. And the fact that you don’t have to make your own snacks is a bonus. This $12 deal helps you save some cash with a 33% discount on most standard 2D showtimes at Regal, as well as premium format tickets (though surcharges may apply). You won’t have to worry about any blackout or expiration dates for this purchase. However, there are some restrictions, like it not being valid on special promotions like movie marathons, etc. Use it for a special night out with your sweetie or a weekend get-together with friends. With this purchase, you can get movie tickets at significant savings at any of Regal’s 450+ theaters nationwide. All you need to do is buy your e-ticket, go to the redemption link, and input your offer code. From there, you will receive an access email that contains a barcode and code to redeem in person or online. Take this opportunity to save some money on your tickets, which you can then spend on an extra snack for the flick. Save 33% on Regal Premiere Movie eTickets with this $11.99 deal.   Save 33% Off Regal Premiere Movie e-Tickets Only $11.99 at Macworld StackSocial prices subject to change. Accessories

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Macworld Podcast: The A18 and M4 are all about AI
Macworld This year, Apple wants to make a big impression with its AI efforts, and we’re starting to get a peek as to what we could expect, and it starts with Apple’s chips. We talk about the upcoming A18 Pro and the M4 chips and Apple’s plans, in this episode of the Macworld Podcast. This is episode 880 with Jason Cross, Michael Simon, and Roman Loyola. Listen to episode 880 on Apple Podcasts Listen to episode 880 on Spotify Get info  Click on the links below for more information on what was discussed on the show.  Some iOS 18 AI features might be limited to the iPhone 16 Pro models  The M4 chip is coming sooner than we thought–and it’ll be packed with AI tech  Subscribe to the Macworld Podcast You can subscribe to the Macworld Podcast—or leave us a review!—right here in the Podcasts app. The Macworld Podcast is also available on Spotify. Or you can point your favorite podcast-savvy RSS reader at: https://feeds.megaphone.fm/macworld To find previous episodes, visit Macworld’s podcast page or our home on MegaPhone. CPUs and Processors, iPhone, Mac

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Sam's Club membership drops to $14, the best price ever
Get a 1-year Sam's Club membership for just $14, the lowest price on record, for affordable access to warehouse deals.Beating the previous all-time best price, today's Sam's Club $14 membership deal is hosted by StackCommerce and offers new members a significant discount on a 1-year membership, which normally retails for $50.Buy for $14You can choose from thousands of items, ranging from prepared meals to patio furniture for the summer. With over 597 warehouse locations in the U.S. covering 45 states, there's a Sam's Club location within driving distance of many locations. Continue Reading on AppleInsider

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European Data Protection Board Goes There, Rules Against Meta’s ‘Pay or OK’ Model
If Meta caves and complies with this ruling by offering a free tier with significantly lower ARPU, that opens the door for regulators and legislative bodies around the globe to demand the same.

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Apple Watch SE 2 40mm GPS is Only $189
Save even more when you opt for a budget Apple Watch that’s discounted. Today, the second-generation Apple Watch SE 40mm GPS is down to just $189 from its original price of $250 on Amazon. The GPS model connects to your iPhone and lets you see calls and messages at a glance. You can also use […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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Apple’s new ad titled ‘Goodbye Leather’
Apple’s newest ad shows off the new FineWoven fabric material and foregoes using leather material for its cases and accessories. The video, titled ‘Goodbye Leather’ is just 15 seconds long and declares that ‘Apple has eliminated leather in accessories’, with the words blowing up and revealing the words ‘to help reduce the impact on the […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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OneNote app now available on Vision Pro
Microsoft has launched its OneNote app to be available on Apple’s mixed reality headset. A new version of OneNote was released today in native format for the Apple Vision Pro. The app has many features and similarities with the iPad version of OneNote, and allows users to access their digital notebooks and write notes or […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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Chat Filters feature on WhatsApp launches
Messaging platform WhatsApp recently launched a new feature that allows users to find conversations faster. The new Chat Filters is now live and available to download on the App Store. Three filters appear at the main conversation list, namely Groups, Unread, and All. WhatsApp described the new filters in its latest blog post, saying that […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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Apple TV+ debuts trailer for hit comedy series ‘Acapulco’ season three
Apple TV+ unveiled the trailer for the third season of “Acapulco,” the global hit bilingual comedy series starring Eugenio Derbez and… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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AltStore PAL Alternative App Marketplace Launches On iPhone In EU
AltStore PAL has become one of the first alternative app marketplaces to launch in the European Union. Developed by Riley Testut, AltStore PAL is marketed as an open-source project designed to distribute apps from independent developers. MacRumors reports: At launch, it features two apps, including Testut's Delta game emulator and clipboard manager app Clip. Delta is also being simultaneously released in the App Store outside of the European Union, but it looks like EU customers will need to download it from AltStore. Testut says that once AltStore PAL is "running smoothly," third-party app developers will be able to submit their apps for distribution outside of the App Store. The app marketplace is designed to be decentralized with no directory, so developers will need to self-promote their apps and direct users to their websites to install an app through AltStore. Distributing apps through AltStore is free of charge, but it is worth noting that apps that see more than one million first annual installs will need to pay Apple an 0.50 euro Core Technology Fee. App marketplaces have to pay the fee for every install with no free allowance, so AltStore is charged 0.50 euros each time it is installed. To afford the fee, Testut is charging 1.50 euros per year for AltStore PAL access. Testut has been working on AltStore PAL since Apple announced plans to support alternative app marketplaces in iOS 17.4. It is open to all apps, but Testut says that it makes the most sense for "smaller, indie apps that otherwise couldn't exist due to App Store rules." AltStore PAL is equipped with Patreon integration to allow developers to monetize their apps. Developers can offer their apps to just their patrons, and this method of distribution also allows for a sub-1 million cap on those who can subscribe to use an app. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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Nintendo Switch controller boosts gameplay with RGB lighting and turbo buttons
Take your gaming to the next level with this RGB Nintendo Switch controller with turbo buttons and more for only $30.99 (regularly $42). (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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