Firehose – News, Alerts, Docs
- Tuesday March 31
- 09:48 pmGet PDF Expert for Mac at 42% off: The Apple Editors’ Choice PDF editor you need
PDF Expert will streamline your PDF editing and management. Get a lifetime subscription to this PDF editor for Mac for just $79.97 (42% off). (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)09:43 pmWhen is the last time you checked your site/app
I was helping a local business the other day and their website looked solid at first glance… but once you actually tried to use it, it felt outdated. Slow load times, weird layout on mobile, and no real flow to guide you to take action. It’s the kind of thing you don’t notice as the […]09:25 pmOscar nominee Stellan Skarsgård to star in untitled Apple TV thriller series
Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård (Sentimental Value) is set to star alongside Dakota Fanning (All Her Fault) in an upcoming untitled international thriller series for Apple TV. Here’s what we know about it so far. more…09:13 pmOpenAI's ChatGPT now available hands-free via CarPlay with iOS 26.4
Apple CarPlay users will now be able to communicate with ChatGPT on-the-go, using only their voice. An app update and iOS 26.4 are required.ChatGPT can now be used via Apple CarPlay on iOS 26.4 or later.With the release of the iOS 26.4 update on March 24, Apple introduced support for AI agents within CarPlay. To be more specific, the iPhone maker released a new CarPlay entitlement category for voice-driven conversational apps.The move effectively enabled third-party AI to function within CarPlay, reducing users' reliance on Siri. OpenAI's ChatGPT has now become one of the first AI-related applications to take advantage of the new CarPlay entitlement, which is only delivered with Apple's approval. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums08:55 pmWatch Tim Cook ring the Nasdaq Opening Bell as part of Apple’s 50th anniversary celebrations | 9 to 5 MacWatch Tim Cook ring the Nasdaq Opening Bell as part of Apple’s 50th anniversary celebrations
Earlier today, Tim Cook remotely rang the Nasdaq Opening Bell from Apple Park, where he also gave a short speech. Here’s what he said. more…08:53 pmApple tests Siri feature that could finally let it handle multiple commands at once | Mac Daily NewsApple tests Siri feature that could finally let it handle multiple commands at once
Apple is quietly working on a significant upgrade to Siri that could make the long-serving digital assistant feel considerably more capable… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.08:38 pmiOS 26.4 has convenient change for iPhone personal hotspot users
iOS 26.4 launched last week, packing a wide array of new features, including a change for personal hotspot that makes it easy to see who’s using your data. more…08:34 pmElevated Error Rate for R2 APAC Buckets
Mar 31, 20:34 UTCInvestigating - Some customers may have experienced elevated error rates accessing R2 buckets in the APAC region. We are investigating the issue and will provide updates as more information becomes available.08:21 pm9to5Mac Daily: March 31, 2026 – iOS 26.5 beta 1 changes, more
Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players. Sponsored by Backblaze: Backup you can rely on. Save 20% with code 9to5daily. more…08:07 pmApple employee 50th schwag includes T-shirt, pin, poster, and Paul McCartney
Macworld Apple’s 50th anniversary is officially on Wednesday, and the company has been holding several events to commemorate the occasion. This week, however, Apple also gave out special anniversary schwag to its employees, according to several posts on X. Employees got a limited edition T-shirt, pin, and poster “inspired by our heritage rainbow colors and crafted by hand.” Apple 50th Anniversary employee gifts!🎁Each employee gets a 50th T-shirt, limited edition poster and enamel pin! pic.twitter.com/EpvT9no3Yh— Mr. Macintosh (@ClassicII_MrMac) March 31, 2026 If you’re reading this thinking, “That’s it? That’s all the employees of a trillion-dollar company get?” C’mon, do you really expect them to hand out solid-gold Apple Watches? (I bet you do.) It’s not like Apple has trillions of dollars just lying around. Well, there is one more thing: Apple is throwing a huge party on Wednesday, with Sir Paul McCartney performing an exclusive show at Apple Park. It’s so exclusive that employees allegedly are not allowed to bring a guest, which is more probably about the capacity of the Apple Park inner courtyard than about the company being cheap. No word on if Apple will be posting the show on Apple Music, but it hasn’t posted any of the other performances by Alicia Keys and Mumford & Sons, so don’t count on it. We expect Apple’s 50th celebration to wrap up this week, but you never know what Apple has planned for the rest of the month. After all, we’re still waiting for a new Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini.08:01 pmSave over 30% on David Pogue’s new ‘Apple: The First 50 years’ book
Update March 31, 2026: Ahead of Apple’s 50th anniversary tomorrow, David Pogue’s new book is on sale on Amazon for $34.09 (Reg. $50). This is a great way to save on one of the best modern Apple books there is. Original post below. Apple celebrates its 50th birthday this year, having originally been founded on April 1, 1976. Coinciding with that anniversary, veteran technology reporter “CBS Sunday Morning” correspondent David Pogue is out with a new book that goes in-depth on the company’s history, Apple: The First 50 Years. more…08:00 pmApple at 50: Paul McCartney sound check and the employee gift bag
Apple's conclusion to its 50th anniversary celebration at Apple Park is confirmed to include a performance by Paul McCartney, as well as a small selection of employee gifts to mark the occasion.Paul McCartney's soundcheck at Apple Park - Image Credit: u/Live_Football2343 on Reddit R/PaulMcCartneyApple has been holding a series of events around the world, as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations. The grand finale will take place at Apple Park on Wednesday, while it will be a big party for Apple employees, some more details about the event have been unearthed.A photograph shared to Reddit by user u/Live_Football2343 shows the soundcheck for Wednesday's performance within the rainbow arch at the middle of Apple Park. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums08:00 pmApp Store Connect adds 11 new languages for localized app metadata
Apple has expanded App Store Connect’s localization support, allowing developers to localize their app metadata in a total of 50 languages. Here are the details. more…07:58 pmApple TV HD and iPad mini 4 are now on Apple's 'obsolete products' list
Apple has declared the fourth-generation iPad mini, 2017 MacBook Air, and Apple TV HD officially obsolete, and repairs for the devices will no longer be offered.The fourth-generation iPad mini is now obsolete, according to Apple.The predecessor of the current Apple TV 4K was the Apple TV fourth generation, which launched more than a decade ago, in 2015. The same year saw the debut of the fourth-generation iPad mini, which offered performance improvements in a somewhat thinner chassis, with a laminated display.Both of these devices, in addition to the 2017 13-inch MacBook Air, have made their way to Apple's "obsolete" products list. This means that none of them are eligible for repairs from Apple, and the iPhone maker will no longer provide parts for them, either. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums07:53 pmUnited States SMS Carrier Maintenance – US Cellular Corp.
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Apr 8, 22:00 PDT - Apr 9, 03:00 PDTMar 31, 12:32 PDTScheduled - The US Cellular Corp. network in the United States is conducting a planned maintenance from 08 April 2026 at 22:00 PDT until 09 April 2026 at 03:00 PDT. During the maintenance window, there could be intermittent delays delivering SMS to and from US Cellular Corp. United States handsets when sending via long codes and short codes.07:36 pmAgentic AI Engineering Workflows for iOS in 2026
submitted by /u/jacobs-tech-tavern [link] [comments]07:34 pmOpenAI Brings ChatGPT to CarPlay for Hands-Free Voice Conversations
OpenAI has updated ChatGPT with support for CarPlay, which means CarPlay users can now ask ChatGPT questions and make requests directly from their vehicle dashboard. Apple began allowing third-party voice-based conversational apps to interface with CarPlay in iOS 26.4, but apps need to implement the feature and get a special entitlement from Apple. For the ChatGPT app and other apps that implement CarPlay support, voice has to be the primary method of interaction. Apple says that chatbot apps should not show text or imagery in response to queries. Apple has a voice control template that apps are required to use. Apps have to display the voice control screen while voice-based services are active, and apps are able to have up to four action buttons. To use ChatGPT with CarPlay, an iPhone running iOS 26.4 or later is required. CarPlay has supported third-party apps for years, but Apple limits the types of apps that are available to cut down on driver distractions. Apple has a list of allowed app categories, which includes audio apps, communication apps, EV charging apps, and navigation apps. ChatGPT integration will let users ask questions hands-free, but the chatbot is not able to control vehicle or iPhone functions. There is no wake word, so users will need to open the ChatGPT app to use it.Related Roundup: CarPlayTags: ChatGPT, OpenAIRelated Forum: HomePod, HomeKit, CarPlay, Home & Auto TechnologyThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums07:27 pmHere’s Apple’s special 50th anniversary merch for employees
Apple Park is hosting an exclusive Paul McCartney concert for employees today in celebration of the company’s 50th anniversary tomorrow. And ahead of the festivities, Apple has started offering special 50th merch gifts to staff. Here’s a look. more…07:25 pmII need honest feedback, is my paywall too aggressive or not? It’s a server-based audio processing app. | Reddit on iOS ProgrammingII need honest feedback, is my paywall too aggressive or not? It’s a server-based audio processing app.
*I need It's an app that lets you transform your favorite tracks into slowed-down versions with reverb, 8D (the effect that swirls around your head) effects, or bass boosts in seconds. Basically, you import your track, choose a preset (there are 10 presets), or adjust the speed and reverb yourself to give your music an […]07:01 pmApple adds Apple TV and iPad mini models to ‘obsolete’ products list
Apple has updated its list of vintage and obsolete products today, with additions that include select Apple TV HD, iPad mini, and MacBook Air models. more…07:00 pmApple releases new AirPods Max 2 firmware
Apple has quietly rolled out a new firmware update for its upcoming AirPods Max 2 headphones, with build number 8E251 now available… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.06:54 pmApple Celebrates 50th Anniversary With Employee Gifts, Plans Finale Concert at Apple Park | MacRumorsApple Celebrates 50th Anniversary With Employee Gifts, Plans Finale Concert at Apple Park
Apple is providing employees with a special gift in honor of its 50th anniversary, which takes place on Wednesday, April 1. Employees will receive a commemorative t-shirt, enamel pin, and limited-edition poster, all of which have the scribble-style rainbow Apple logo that Apple has been using for its 50th anniversary artwork. An Apple Park sign says that products are "crafted by hand" and are available for employees to pick up until April 30. 50 Years of Thinking Different pic.twitter.com/jxx9gkzkE4— 有没有搞措 (@L0vetodream) March 31, 2026 Apple 50th Anniversary employee gifts!Each employee gets a 50th T-shirt, limited edition poster and enamel pin! pic.twitter.com/EpvT9no3Yh— Mr. Macintosh (@ClassicII_MrMac) March 31, 2026 Apple kicked off its 50th anniversary celebrations in March, and has been hosting concerts and Today at Apple events around the world. There was an Alicia Keys concert in New York, a Li Yuchun performance in Chengdu, a Mumford & Sons concert in London, a meetup with professional figure skater Elladj Baldé in Vancouver, a light show with music composed by Bailey Pickles in Sydney, and more. Apple plans to wrap up its 50th anniversary party with a special finale performance at its Apple Park campus for employees. The musical guest hasn't yet been announced, but rumors suggest that it will be Paul McCartney.Tag: Apple 50th AnniversaryThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums06:46 pmChatGPT app launches for CarPlay on iOS 26.4
Last week, Apple released iOS 26.4, which enabled support for voice-based AI apps to CarPlay for the first time. Just a few days later, OpenAI has updated the ChatGPT app for iPhone to take advantage of this change. Now, ChatGPT is fully accessible via a dedicated CarPlay app. more…06:40 pmThoughts on switching from SwiftData to SQLiteData
I have a production app on the App Store since over a year with 2K monthly users and good revenue. However I am so sick of SwiftData. Predicates are limited, Performance is bad, iCloud Sync is black magic and I am hitting borders with my models. So I am thinking of switching to SQLiteData. CoreData […]06:33 pmApple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Max 2
Just ahead of the launch of the AirPods Max 2, Apple has released new firmware for the headphones. The updated firmware is version number 8E251. The AirPods Max 2 include the H2 chip, an upgrade over the H1. The H2 brings several new features like Live Translation, Adaptive Audio, Loud Sound Reduction, Voice Isolation, and more. The new firmware likely optimizes some of these new features. Customers who buy the AirPods Max 2 can follow Apple's steps to get the new firmware. To get the new firmware, make sure your AirPods are in range of your iPhone, iPad, or Mac and are connected via Bluetooth. From there, connect the Apple device to Wi-Fi, then connect the AirPods Max to power with a USB-C cable. Keep the AirPods Max in Bluetooth range of the Apple device, and wait at least 30 minutes for the firmware to update. From there, reconnect the AirPods to the Apple device, and check the firmware version to see if it's updated. Apple says if the firmware doesn't install, to restart the AirPods Max and try again.Related Roundup: AirPods Max 2Buyer's Guide: AirPods Max (Buy Now)Related Forum: AirPodsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums06:17 pmApple releases new AirPods Max 2 firmware update
AirPods Max 2 arrive in stores tomorrow (read our 9to5Mac review here), and ahead of their launch, Apple has shipped new firmware for the headphones. more…06:10 pmApple is working to make the next-gen Siri handle multiple commands at once
Macworld It seems sort of obvious, but a modern AI assistant should be able to handle being asked to do more than one thing at a time. You should be able to say, “Make a calendar appointment for my haircut at 5 pm and send a text to my wife letting her know I’ll be home late that day.” But it’s not something Siri can do now, and it’s not exactly trivial to make an AI assistant properly parse out requests into multiple actions. According to a new report from Bloomberg, Apple is currently testing such a feature. It is intended to be a part of the big Siri overhaul in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27. The report says users will be able to combine multiple requests, like “check the weather, create a calendar appointment, and send a message,” into a single prompt. That this is even news shows how far behind Apple is in the AI assistant space. Modern chatbots and assistants handle this sort of thing already, and Apple is currently just testing it for an update not expected to reach all their users until this fall at the earliest. Apple’s new Siri will be powered by an entire new foundation model, which uses Google’s Gemini technology at its core. It will allegedly include the features promised, but not delivered, as part of iOS 18—understanding of personal context, the ability to see and react to what is on screen, and the ability to take hundreds of different actions within apps. It’s also said to be a full chatbot, with an interface that will let you see past chats and commands and reference them. The new Siri should also extend the Siri Extensions feature, currently limited to just ChatGPT, so that users can additionally use other AI assistants installed through the App Store. Gurman also says Apple is testing a new system keyboard that advances autocorrect, although perhaps not in the way most users are hoping. The keyboard will suggest alternate words or phrases, similar to Grammarly and other tools. The Bloomberg report says a final decision on whether or not to release that keyboard has not yet been made.06:09 pmGet ready to celebrate Apple’s 50th with the perfect playlist
This story is part of 9to5Mac’s series celebrating Apple’s 50th anniversary. It’s certainly not news that Apple has made tremendous contributions to the music industry. But what’s often overlooked is its role as a tastemaker in the music space, not just changing the way songs are bought and sold but what people are actually listening to. I’ve compiled a comprehensive, but curated playlist of some of the best songs that Apple has used in commercials, product introductions, events, and more. You can stream it or add it to your library on Apple Music. But I also wanted to acknowledge a few songs that were made particularly iconic thanks to their inclusion in Apple marketing materials over the years. more…06:08 pmApple Vision Pro users will be able to experience NASA’s Artemis II launch in immersive video | Mac Daily NewsApple Vision Pro users will be able to experience NASA’s Artemis II launch in immersive video
NASA’s Artemis program is about to get the cinematic treatment it deserves — and Apple Vision Pro owners are in for an unforgettable ride… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.06:02 pmApple’s Siri overhaul targets more natural, multistep queries
Apple is upgrading Siri so the voice assistant can handle multiple requests at once. It's part of giving the voice assistant some smarts. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)05:58 pmswift-assist: An AI-Powered iOS Testing Skill for Claude Code
I spent a little bit of time making testing easier and just wanted to share it, it does more than testing but this article focuses on that. submitted by /u/unpluggedcord [link] [comments]05:57 pmPaul McCartney headlining Apple’s 50th anniversary bash at Apple Park tonight
Paul McCartney is officially set to perform at Apple Park in celebration of Apple’s 50th anniversary. The legendary artist was spotted sound checking yesterday evening at Apple’s headquarters ahead of the gig set to take place later tonight … more…05:50 pmAirTag 1 Hits All-Time Low Price on Amazon With 4-Pack at $59.99
Apple's first-generation AirTag 4-Pack has dropped to $59.99 this week on Amazon, down from the original price of $99.00. 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. Overall, this is an all-time low price on the AirTag 4-pack. This model has been fluctuating in and out of stock on Amazon for the past few days, so be sure to grab it soon if you're interested. $39 OFFAirTag 4-Pack for $59.99 Apple recently debuted the all-new AirTag, featuring longer range for tracking items and a louder speaker. We haven't tracked any notable discounts on the new second generation models as of yet, so anyone who wants to save money should keep looking into the original models. If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week. Deals Newsletter Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season! Related Roundup: Apple DealsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums05:40 pmNASA Artemis II launch getting the Apple Vision Pro immersive video treatment
Cosmic Perspective is filming NASA's Artemis II Moon mission launch in Apple Immersive Video to create a flagship experience for Apple Vision Pro.Apple Vision Pro NASA plans to send Artemis II on a roughly 10-day flight around the Moon, marking the first crewed mission in the Artemis program. Cosmic Perspective has set up specialized Blackmagic immersive cameras at the Florida launch site to capture the event.Apple's immersive format uses 180-degree stereoscopic video and spatial audio to place viewers inside a scene, unlike traditional video. Recording a rocket launch with this format recreates the scale and intensity of liftoff for viewers. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums05:36 pmApple Says Three More Products Are Now 'Vintage' or 'Obsolete'
Apple today added the MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017) to its "vintage" products list, meaning the device is now only eligible for repairs at Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers if parts remain available. The MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017) was the final MacBook Air model released before Apple redesigned the laptop and gave it a Retina display in 2018. Apple also added all iPad mini 4 and Apple TV (32GB) configurations to its "obsolete" products list, meaning those devices are no longer eligible for service whatsoever. iPad mini 4 launched in 2015, and it was discontinued in 2019. Apple TV HD was first released in 2015 and discontinued in October 2022, when the third-generation Apple TV 4K launched. However, only Apple TV HD units with 32GB of storage are considered obsolete for now. A "vintage" device was last distributed by Apple for sale more than five years ago, while for "obsolete" that timeframe rises to seven years.Related Roundups: Apple TV, iPad mini, MacBook AirTag: Vintage and Obsolete Apple ProductsBuyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy), iPad Mini (Caution), MacBook Air (Buy Now)Related Forums: Apple TV and Home Theater, iPad, MacBook AirThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums05:30 pmSonos releases two new products, including $299 portable AirPlay 2 speaker
Update 3/31: The Sonos Play and Sonos Era 100 SL are now available. Remember that leaked Sonos speaker from just over a week ago? It’s now official, and there’s a second new Sonos product announced today too. more…05:01 pmBerkshire Hathaway’s Warren Buffett on Apple sale: ‘I sold it too soon’
Warren Buffett, when asked about his decision to trim Berkshire Hathaway's Apple position, the Oracle of Omaha offered a characteristically… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.04:53 pmIran warns major tech companies, including Apple, could become regional targets
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps added 18 major U.S. companies to its list of possible targets, following Tuesday's deadly strikes on Iranian citizens.Apple Dubai Mall, an Apple store in the region | Image credit: AppleThe companies named included major tech players like Apple, Cisco, Google, IBM, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla. Employees and residents in the region have been told to evacuate and seek shelter at locations at least one kilometer away from central offices, or in Apple's case, retail stores.In a post on its Telegram App, seen by CBS News, the IRGC accused the companies of acting like spies. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums04:43 pmiOS 27 Siri Update Will Let Users Make Multiple Requests at Once
The updated version of Siri that Apple plans to release in iOS 27 may be able to handle multiple commands in a single query, reports Bloomberg. With the feature, users would be able to make multi-step requests that Siri would carry out, such as getting directions to a location and then sending those directions to someone in a message. Siri has long been limited to a single command for most requests, and the personal assistant is not able to parse queries with multiple components. Siri can answer follow-up questions without being activated via wake word, but the requests still need to be separate. The ability to handle multiple requests will be part of the Apple Intelligence update that Apple has been working on since June 2024. Siri will have more personal context than before, will understand what's on the user's screen, and will be able to do more in and between apps. Siri will be able to access the web to summarize information, a feature that Apple could call World Knowledge Answers, and it may gain image generation capabilities with Image Playground integration. Apple is also testing an updated version of the keyboard that would integrate AI. The keyboard could suggest grammar fixes and alternative words in addition to fixing typos, but Apple hasn't decided on whether to include it in iOS 27. Apple plans to turn Siri into a chatbot that can compete with Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini. Chatbots have no problem parsing natural language requests with multiple variables and actions that need to be completed. Apple is designing a standalone Siri app for chatbot interactions, but the personal assistant will be deeply integrated into iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. The updated version of Siri will be part of iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27, software updates that Apple plans to preview at WWDC. WWDC 2026 begins on June 8 with a keynote event. There's no word on whether the Siri features will be immediately available when Apple provides the first beta of iOS 27 to developers, or if it will take some time for the updates to roll out. Apple is planning to introduce the smarter version of Siri by September, but that doesn't mean that some features can't be held until an iOS 27 update next spring. As with some of the initial Apple Intelligence features, the new Siri capabilities will likely have a "Preview" label, indicating they are not finished.Related Roundup: iOS 27Tag: SiriThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums04:38 pmImproved Siri will understand multiple commands in a single sentence
Apple is reportedly now testing a feature for the forthcoming revamp of Siri that will allow users to ask several things at once.Siri could turn into a chatbot with iOS 27Back in 2023, Apple added the ability for Siri to take back to back commands, asking one after another without pausing to say "Siri," or "Hey, Siri." Now according to Bloomberg, the expected reworking of Siri with Apple Intelligence will go much further.Specifically, users will no longer have to ask Siri to do something, then pause and ask for something else. So a sentence such as "Start a timer for 15 minutes, then tell me what the weather is," should work. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums04:27 pmiOS 27 might give iPhone’s keyboard a new autocorrect feature
iOS 27 is set to be packed with AI upgrades, headlined by the new Siri app. But a Bloomberg report today says iOS 27 might also upgrade the iPhone’s keyboard with a new autocorrect feature. more…04:23 pmNew Siri multitasking upgrade detailed in latest iOS 27 report
Siri may not be any better in iOS 26.5 beta, but we’re continuing to learn a lot more about iOS 27’s version. Mark Gurman reports for Bloomberg that Apple is developing an upgrade to Siri that will improve its multitasking abilities. more…04:12 pmFuture iPhones could feature a breathalyzer that spots high cholesterol
You can smell a lot more than alcohol on someone's breath. Apple is researching how to get that analysis done in your own home with a series of iPhone health sensors that you breathe over.Future iPhones and other Apple devices could include a breathalyzerApple has a thing for breath. Previous patent applications have shown that the company wants to add breath detection to Apple Vision Pro, and to use how you breathe to help with sleep tracking.Now it's been granted a patent called "Electronic devices with breath sensing systems." It's technology for any number of different types of device, but the drawings imply an iPhone. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums04:10 pmNASA’s Artemis II launch to be filmed in Apple Vision Pro immersive video
NASA’s Artemis II mission around the Moon is currently scheduled to launch tomorrow, April 1, and Apple Vision Pro users will be glad to hear it’s being captured in immersive video for a future release. more…04:01 pmApple’s H2-powered AirPods Max 2 could get even better with future software updates | Mac Daily NewsApple’s H2-powered AirPods Max 2 could get even better with future software updates
Apple's new AirPods Max 2 deliver even better Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), elevated sound quality, and intelligent features… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.04:00 pmAirPods Max 2 H2 chip upgrade leaves plenty of headroom for upgrades
In a new interview, Apple execs talk about how and why the AirPods Max 2 update significantly boost its performance. The ultimate aim is making future models only limited by acoustic physics.AirPods Max 2Apple's update to the AirPods Max 2 are what we would call a spec-bump update. As detailed in our review, the new model looks exactly like the previous one, but with all of its changes being internal.It's a reuse of a five-year-old design with no real exterior improvements, but a change in its processing capabilities. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums03:54 pmIran Reportedly Warns Apple is Among Potential Targets
In a Telegram post today, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that Apple is among a list of major American companies that the country may target amid its ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel, according to CBS News. The report said the Telegram post listed 18 companies that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps views as "legitimate targets," including Apple, Microsoft, Google, Meta, IBM, Cisco, Tesla, Boeing, Nvidia, J.P Morgan, and others. The post accused the companies of acting as "spies" for the U.S. government, the report said.This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums03:46 pmWarren Buffett made over $100B on Apple stock, says he sold too soon
Famed investor Warren Buffett has been regularly selling off Apple stock, but now believes he should have held onto it — even if he wouldn't buy more right now.Tim Cook and Warren Buffett in Apple Park — image credit: AppleBuffett's Berkshire Hathaway firmed most recently sold Apple stocks in February 2026, in what has been a series of sell-offs. Speaking to CNBC, the investor implied that was a mistake, even if he remains sanguine about it."I sold it too soon, but I bought it even sooner, so yeah," he said, "I think we've made over $100 billion in that pre-tax." Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums03:45 pmStudio Display 2022 vs. Studio Display 2026 Buyer's Guide
Apple updated the Studio Display earlier this month, four years after the original launched. Here's how it compares to the original model. The new model keeps the same $1,599 starting price, 27-inch 5K panel, and overall design, but brings a handful of small internal improvements: a newer chip, upgraded Thunderbolt connectivity, Desk View camera support, and improved bass. The display itself, a 60Hz LCD panel with 600 nits of brightness, is unchanged. Our guide helps you to understand the differences between the two models, and answer the question of which of these two Studio Displays is best for you and whether it's worth upgrading. Here is everything that differs between the 2022 and 2026 Studio Display: Studio Display (2022) Studio Display (2026) A13 Bionic chip A19 chip 4GB RAM 8GB RAM 64GB internal storage 128GB internal storage One Thunderbolt 3 port (upstream, 96W host charging) Two Thunderbolt 5 ports (one upstream with 96W host charging, one downstream for accessories or daisy-chaining) Three USB-C ports Two USB-C ports 12MP Center Stage camera 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View support Six-speaker sound system Six-speaker sound system with 30% deeper bass Standard Thunderbolt cable included Thunderbolt 5 Pro cable (1m) included Compatible with Intel and Apple silicon Macs Requires Apple silicon Mac (2020 or later) For existing 2022 Studio Display owners, there is no general-purpose reason to upgrade. The panel is identical, the pass-through charging is the same 96W, and the practical day-to-day experience in front of both screens is the same. The Thunderbolt 5 ports are the only change that meaningfully affect how the display is used, and only if you need high-bandwidth peripherals or daisy-chaining. For everyone else, the update is not worth the cost of replacement. Studio Display vs. Studio Display XDR Buyer's Guide For new buyers, the picture is a little more nuanced. At the same $1,599 starting price, the 2026 model is the obvious choice; it is simply the better-specified display for the same money and may last longer. However, the 2022 Studio Display has been discontinued and stock is available at a discount from third-party retailers. Given how little changed between the two generations, the older model at a sufficiently lower price is a good purchase for most buyers, particularly if you have no need for Thunderbolt 5 or Desk View. The display panel itself is identical. The compatibility constraint is also worth bearing in mind: The 2026 model requires an Apple silicon Mac, while the 2022 model works with Intel machines too. Apple stopped selling Intel Macs in 2023, so this will only affect a narrowing group, but it is a hard limitation if it applies to you.Related Roundup: Studio DisplayBuyer's Guide: Displays (Buy Now)Related Forum: Mac AccessoriesThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums03:43 pmDeals – Last Day Big Spring Sale: MacBook up to $300 off, AirPods Pro 3/Max 2, iPad, Apple Watch $300 off, more | 9 to 5 MacDeals – Last Day Big Spring Sale: MacBook up to $300 off, AirPods Pro 3/Max 2, iPad, Apple Watch $300 off, more
This is it folks, the final day of the 2026 Amazon Big Spring Sale has arrived. The deals are still flying with price drops on AirPods Pro 3 and the return of the AirPods Max 2 pre-order deal (here’s our hands-on review), but we have also featured this 1TB M5 MacBook Pro that launched at $1,799 and is now $250 less than that alongside your last shot at the Big Spring MacBook deals with up to $300 in savings. We are also still tracking as much as $300 off Apple Watch models and Big Spring iPad deals from $299. There are also loads of accessories and much more waiting below in today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break. more…03:35 pmAmazon's Big Spring Sale ends today, grab best deals on 2026 MacBooks, AirPods Max 2, iPads & more | AppleInsiderAmazon's Big Spring Sale ends today, grab best deals on 2026 MacBooks, AirPods Max 2, iPads & more
Amazon's Big Spring Sale ends today, and new MacBooks, AirPods Max 2, iPads, MagSafe chargers, and even storage solutions for World Backup Day are on sale.Save up to 40 percent on Apple gear during the Big Spring Sale - Image credit: AmazonAmazon's Big Spring Sale ends today and numerous Apple deals are likely to end as the month comes to a close. Grab steeper discounts on new M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pros, along with AirPods Max 2 that officially release on April 1. We've broken down our top picks by category, but you can jump straight to the sale via the button below or compare prices on Apple products in our Apple Price Guides.Shop Amazon's Big Spring Sale Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums03:25 pmHow would you build habit-forming triggers into an app with basically no budget? | Reddit on iOS ProgrammingHow would you build habit-forming triggers into an app with basically no budget?
I’m a solo founder working on a small Apple Watch app that tracks everyday movement (not traditional workouts). One thing I’m realizing quickly is that the core challenge isn’t features, it’s behavior. I need to create a habit loop for users. People download it, they like the idea, but they don’t naturally come back every […]03:22 pmToday in Apple history: First iPad reviews hail a true game-changer
On March 31, 2010, the world got its first sense of how the original iPad measured up. With the first iPad reviews, a star was born. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)03:01 pmApple Music gains new live concert integration, unlocking fresh growth opportunities | Mac Daily NewsApple Music gains new live concert integration, unlocking fresh growth opportunities
Apple is rolling out a significant new feature that brings live concert discovery directly into Apple Music. Through a partnership with… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.02:57 pmAT&T launches new all-in-one plan for wireless and home internet
AT&T has announced a new ‘OneConnect’ plan today that combines wireless service across your various devices plus home internet. Here are the details. more…02:54 pmFantastical can now trigger alarms for events and tasks
Apple introduced a new developer tool in iOS 26 called AlarmKit. The latest version of Fantastical for iPhone and iPad adopts it. more…02:53 pmRussia SMS Carrier Maintenance – Tele2
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Apr 29, 13:00 - 17:00 PDTMar 31, 07:43 PDTScheduled - The Tele2 network in Russia is conducting a planned maintenance from 29 April 2026 at 13:00 PDT until 29 April 2026 at 17:00 PDT. During the maintenance window, there could be intermittent delays delivering SMS to Tele2 Russia handsets.02:53 pmRussia SMS Carrier Maintenance – Tele2
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Apr 8, 13:00 - 17:00 PDTMar 31, 07:40 PDTScheduled - The Tele2 network in Russia is conducting a planned maintenance from 08 April 2026 at 13:00 PDT until 08 April 2026 at 17:00 PDT. During the maintenance window, there could be intermittent delays delivering SMS to Tele2 Russia handsets.02:53 pmRussia SMS Carrier Maintenance – Tele2
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Apr 6, 13:00 - 17:00 PDTMar 31, 07:39 PDTScheduled - The Tele2 network in Russia is conducting a planned maintenance from 06 April 2026 at 13:00 PDT until 06 April 2026 at 17:00 PDT. During the maintenance window, there could be intermittent delays delivering SMS to Tele2 Russia handsets.02:37 pmThe M5 Pro MacBook Pro is $150 off for the first time
Macworld When Apple released the M5 Pro MacBook Pro earlier this month, they also raised the price of entry. Instead of a $1,999 for 512GB, the least-expensive model you can buy has 1TB of storage for $2,199. Now, thanks to Amazon’s spring sale, you can get that 14-inch MacBook Pro for $2,049, a savings of $150. Other than 1TB of storage, you’re also getting 24GB of RAM to go along with the speedy M5 Pro chip that delivers an impressive performance boost over the previous generation. You’ll also get up to 2x faster read/write performance compared to the M4 model. You can also hook up a pair of high-resolution external displays. Of course, you’ll also get a brilliant Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion, tons of expansion, including Thunderbolt 5, HDMI, and an SDXC card slot, and Wi-Fi 7. And it all comes wrapped in Apple’s iconic MacBook Pro design that’s simply gorgeous in either silver or space black. So go save $150 and get one of the best laptops around before Amazon’s spring sale ends.02:31 pmDon't Like Your Gmail Email Address? You Can Finally Change It
Google today announced that you can finally change the Google Account email address that you use for Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Photos, Google Drive, and more, but this ability is only rolling out to U.S. accounts for now. The company did not indicate if or when this functionality will be available in other countries. You can switch to any available @gmail.com address, and your previous address will become an alias, ensuring that you retain ownership of your original email address. You can still sign in and send and receive emails with both addresses. You can change your Google Account's email address once per year, up to three times total, and Google says all emails and other account data and history are preserved. If you change your mind, you can revert to your old email address. This new ability will be especially useful for longtime Gmail users who may have chosen a casual email address when they were younger. For example, maybe 13-year-old you signed up for sk8erboi2006@gmail.com, but as an adult you would prefer to have a more professional johnsmith@gmail.com address. It was already possible to set up other email addresses as aliases in Gmail, but now you can change your account's main email address entirely. Google provides more details in a support document.Tags: Gmail, GoogleThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums02:29 pmWhere can I find an Uber Eats clone tutorial/course/mentor for Swift?
Hi everyone. I’m a complete programming newbie but super excited to create my first iOS app. I’m taking a very current iOS bootcamp course on Udemy. But I already know exactly what app I want to make. It’s basically a niche Uber Eats clone. I have scoured the entire internet and all I can find […]02:23 pmInternal Server Errors (HTTP 500) affecting Zaps
Status: InvestigatingWe are currently investigating intermittent . Some customers may experience errors when editing their Zaps, and we understand how disruptive this is to your workflows. Our engineering teams are actively working to identify and resolve the root cause. We have identified the Gargoyle service as the likely source of the issue and are conducting a thorough investigation with our workflow capabilities team. We will provide updates as we learn more. Thank you for your patience.02:17 pmApple details AirPods Max 2 ANC upgrades, more in new interview
The first reviews of AirPods Max 2 dropped today, and I’m a big fan of the improved ANC, Adaptive Audio support, and sound quality. In a new interview, Apple has shed more light on the engineering work behind AirPods Max, including the H2 chip and upgraded ANC. more…02:09 pmRounded chassis, tiny Dynamic Island expected for 20th anniversary iPhone
The 20th-anniversary iPhone will have a curved metal casing matching the glass as well as an even smaller Dynamic Island than the iPhone 18 Pro, a questionable leaker has claimed.The 20th-anniversary iPhone has sometimes been referred to as the iPhone XXApple has long been rumored to be bringing out a revamped iPhone for its 20th anniversary in 2027. When it comes to how that revamp will happen, it seems that a curved design is the strongest rumor about its appearance.In a pair of tweets on March 30 and March 31, leaked @phonefuturist posted to X about the anniversary smartphone. In the first post, they said it will have a 1.1mm frame with a rounded design that will seamlessly-match the "quad curve design" of the display. Rumor Score: 🤔 Possible Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums02:02 pmApple Watch competitor brings blood pressure feature to the US after many years
Seven years ago, Samsung announced plans to bring blood pressure monitoring to smartwatches. This week, the feature has been cleared for users in the United States for the first time. Apple Watch has since added its own blood pressure monitoring capabilities, but the two approaches differ in scope. more…02:00 pmBest retro Apple accessories for tapping that vintage vibe
As Apple marks 50 years in business, these are some of the best vintage Apple accessories. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)02:00 pmApple TV unveils teaser trailer for new psychological horror thriller ‘Cape Fear’
Apple TV on Tuesday released the teaser for “Cape Fear,” the new psychological horror thriller showrun and executive produced by… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.01:53 pmiOS 27 could give Apple’s Shortcuts app a powerful new capability
iOS 27 will be unveiled this June, and a new rumor indicates it could give the Shortcuts app a powerful new capability: creating all-new actions using AI prompts. more…01:51 pmNew Apple Studio Display Gets $100 Discounts During Amazon's Big Spring Sale
Apple just launched the new line of Studio Displays this month, and Amazon already has a few $100 discounts on select models during its Big Spring Sale. You can get the Standard Glass Studio Display with Tilt-Adjustable Stand for $1,499.00, down from $1,599.00, an 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. Additionally, we're tracking $100 discounts on a few other 2026 Studio Display models on Amazon this week, including Nano-Texture, VESA Mount, and Tilt- and Height-Adjustable Stand options. Some models are seeing delivery dates slip into late April, but otherwise you'll find April 6 dates for free delivery options. $100 OFFApple Studio Display (Standard/Tilt) for $1,499.00 $100 OFFApple Studio Display (Standard/VESA) for $1,499.00 $100 OFFApple Studio Display (Nano-Texture/VESA) for $1,799.00 $100 OFFApple Studio Display (Standard/Tilt and Height) for $1,899.00 Additionally, Amazon has the Studio Display XDR (Standard Glass with VESA Mount) on sale at $100 off this week. You can get this model for $3,199.00, down from $3,299.00, another new record low price. $100 OFFApple Studio Display XDR (Standard/VESA) for $3,199.00 If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week. Deals Newsletter Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season! Related Roundup: Apple DealsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums01:31 pmApple TV Teases New 'Highly Anticipated' Psychological Thriller Series
Apple today released a teaser trailer for Cape Fear, a new "highly anticipated" psychological thriller series starring Amy Adams, Patrick Wilson, and Javier Bardem. The first two episodes of the 10-episode limited series will premiere on Apple TV on Friday, June 5, and one new episode will follow every Friday through July 31. In the series, Apple says a storm is coming for happily married attorneys Anna (Adams) and Tom Bowden (Wilson) when the notorious killer Max Cady (Bardem) they are responsible for putting behind bars is let out of prison and wants vengeance. There is a 70-year history behind this series. The upcoming Apple TV show was inspired by the 1991 film Cape Fear, directed by Martin Scorsese and produced by Steven Spielberg. That film was itself a remake of the 1962 film of the same name, which was based on the 1957 novel The Executioners by John D. MacDonald. This latest remake was created by Nick Antosca, who serves as showrunner. Scorsese and Spielberg serve as executive producers alongside Antosca. In the U.S., Apple TV is priced at $12.99 per month or $129 per year, with a free one-week trial available for new subscribers. Apple TV is also included in Apple One and Peacock bundles, with all of the options outlined on Apple's website. You can stream Apple TV in the Apple TV app, which is available on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV 4K, Apple Vision Pro, Android, PlayStation, Xbox, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, select smart TVs, on the web at tv.apple.com, and more.Related Roundup: Apple TVTags: Apple TV Service, Apple TV ShowsBuyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)Related Forum: Apple TV and Home TheaterThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums01:30 pmApple TV unveils new thriller from Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese
Apple TV’s Cape Fear is a new thriller series coming this summer from producers Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg, and the first trailer has just debuted. more…01:30 pmThis $20 bundle teaches you the career skills you need to succeed
The Job-Ready Advantage: Career Prep & Soft Skills Bundle courses teach you to communicate better, interview smarter and land jobs. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)01:22 pmiOS 27 Shortcuts App May Write Custom Actions for You Using AI
Apple continues to develop a new feature for its Shortcuts app that will let users generate unique actions using Apple Intelligence models, based on backend code discovered by Nicolás Alvarez and confirmed by MacRumors. For those unfamiliar with the Shortcuts app, the tool lets users create custom workflows or actions – called shortcuts – to perform tasks automatically or with minimal interaction. Actions can include anything from sending messages to controlling smart home devices. The app emerged out of Apple's 2017 acquisition of Workflow, which was rebranded as Shortcuts the following year. As part of iOS 26, Apple added Apple Intelligence support to the Shortcuts app, allowing AI models to be incorporated into shortcuts. In contrast, the new version that Apple is working on will let users create actions using Apple Intelligence models – by issuing voice commands in natural language, for example. Last June, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple was working on the AI-driven feature for release in 2025, but he said that delays could see it launch in 2026. For iOS 27, Apple is expected to include a revamped Siri that functions like a genuine conversational chatbot and can interact with apps, so it's likely that the shortcuts generator will be part of its skill set.Related Roundup: iOS 27Tag: ShortcutsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums01:11 pmConsequences come calling for Cooper in season 2 of Apple TV’s ‘Your Friends and Neighbors’ | Mac Daily NewsConsequences come calling for Cooper in season 2 of Apple TV’s ‘Your Friends and Neighbors’
In season two of Apple TV's critically acclaimed series, "Your Friends and Neighbors," which already landed an early season three… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.01:09 pmiPhone 18 Pro smaller Dynamic Island claims are from unknown sources
Two new claims that the iPhone 18 Pro will be getting a smaller Dynamic Island are getting a lot of attention at present. However, all may not be as it appears … more…01:06 pmso yeah… i tried to launch my app on reddit and got absolutely roasted 😅 | Reddit on iOS Programmingso yeah… i tried to launch my app on reddit and got absolutely roasted 😅
first the link was broken. then apple sign-in didn’t work. peak indie dev moment. this happened while launching a small app i’ve been building (nothing fancy, just a existential binary life tracker) the funny part? apple auth itself was completely fine. i broke user creation with my own db trigger. i had a trigger on […]01:00 pmApp Store expands support to 11 new languages
To help your apps and games reach more people worldwide — especially in India — App Store Connect now supports localized metadata for 11 new languages, bringing the total number of supported localizations to 50. The new languages include Bangla, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Slovenian, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.You can now provide localized metadata — such as your app name, description, screenshots, and more — in App Store Connect. When you localize your metadata, it helps make your app relevant to potential users across languages and cultures, and provides an opportunity to grow your business. You can add localized metadata with your next version submission for each platform you support and use new localized App Store badges in your marketing communications.Learn how to localize your app informationLearn about expanding your app to new marketsDownload the new localized App Store badges01:00 pm50 years of the most important Apple products
Apple produces plenty of hits, but you don't know them all. These are the most important Apple products of the company's first 50 years. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)01:00 pmAirPods Max 2 review: Familiar features & design, but needs more
AirPods Max 2 finally got an actual update. They're still excellent, but the added features aren't really anything new.AirPods Max 2 review: What's old is new againApple half-heartedly updated the AirPods Max in September of 2024. It was such a meager update that it removed a prior feature — wired lossless — and didn't get a new name.Thankfully, Apple at least brought back wired lossless audio via a software update. That update delivered nothing else, and was months later just to restore a feature that the Lightning version had. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums01:00 pmAirPods Max 2 review: High-end adds modern features at last
After a five-year wait, AirPods Max 2 have officially arrived. They aren’t a dramatic rethink of the product or the form factor, but they bring some much-needed modernization courtesy of the new H2 chip inside. I’ve been wearing AirPods Max for the last 6 days, here’s what I think. Buy AirPods Max 2: $529 (Reg. $549) more…01:00 pmAirPods Max 2 Review: Better Sound and ANC, Same Design Frustrations
The $549 AirPods Max 2 are set to launch tomorrow, and ahead of the debut of the new over-ear headphones, Apple sent a pair for MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera to check out. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. With the new H2 chip in the AirPods Max, Apple says Active Noise Cancellation is 1.5x better than the ANC in the prior-generation model, and ANC is indeed clearly improved. More exterior noise is eliminated than before, plus audio quality has changed. There's a new digital signal processing algorithm and a high dynamic range amplifier, and when comparing the AirPods Max USB-C to the AirPods Max 2, you can hear the difference. There's more separation between highs, mids, and lows, and there's more bass than before, but it doesn't feel overdone. Audiophiles who pay attention to how music is mixed will appreciate the quality boost in the AirPods Max 2. You're getting sound similar to the AirPods Pro 3, but with the over-ear form factor, which provides a wider soundstage and richer audio. Individual instruments are easier to pick out with spatial audio, and spatial audio feels more immersive. The AirPods Max 2 are some of the best over-ear headphones you can get right now. You'll get the clearest sound over USB-C, since the AirPods Max 2 support 24-bit 48kHz lossless audio. The USB-C AirPods Max had lossless audio support too, but the updated sound adds more depth. When you're using a wireless connection, there is a small difference between the AirPods Max 2 and the prior version, since the AirPods Max 2 are using Bluetooth 5.3. Unfortunately, Apple didn't update the AirPods Max form factor at all, and that's a major downside. These are still some of the heaviest headphones on the market at 385 grams, and Apple hasn't addressed any design complaints. There's been no change in weight, the headband is the same, and even the minimal case that no one likes is still around. Battery life hasn't changed at 20 hours of listening time, there continues to be no power button to turn the AirPods Max off, and there aren't even any new colors. The H2 chip brings several features that the AirPods Max should have gotten some time ago, so Apple is just bringing the headphones on par with the AirPods Pro 3 and the AirPods 4. Adaptive Audio blends ANC and Transparency to adjust sound on the fly based on where you are, and Conversation Awareness pauses audio if you start to speak to someone. Real-time Live Translation is available on the AirPods Max 2, and there are other nice-to-have features like Personalized Volume for customizing volume based on listening habits and Loud Sound Reduction to cut down on exterior noise. Phone calls sound better with Voice Isolation and improved microphones, and you can activate Siri without the need to say "Hey." Siri also supports interactions, so you can do things like nod to accept a call or shake your head to decline. Like the AirPods Pro 3, the AirPods Max 2 can be used as a camera shutter for the iPhone or iPad. The AirPods Max 2 sound fantastic and are great at cutting down on noise, but it is a somewhat disappointing update because Apple didn't refine the design of the headphones. If you have the original AirPods Max from 2020, not much has changed except for the sound profile. Whether it's worth $549 to upgrade to the AirPods Max 2 will depend on the person. Sound quality is up, but no new design makes the headphones feel dated. If you're new to the AirPods and want the best sound you can get via Apple-designed headphones, you won't go wrong with the AirPods Max 2 as long as you don't mind the weight or the case. The AirPods Max 2 will be available starting tomorrow.Related Roundup: AirPods Max 2Buyer's Guide: AirPods Max (Buy Now)Related Forum: AirPodsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums12:35 pmThe new adaptive Apple Music design draws complaints from dark mode users
The new Apple Music album and playlist design introduced with iOS 26.4 has a lot of fans, but is drawing the ire of some hardcore dark mode users. Now that the colors of the interface adapt to match the album art, screens can be very bright at night if you tap on an album that features mostly white or other light-colored backgrounds. For users that rely on dark mode to keep the phone screen dark at night time, these interface ‘flash bangs’ are triggering frustrations. more…12:31 pmApple continues to roll out age verification around the world; more UK methods
Tech trends aren’t always easy to spot at an early stage, but there’s a very clear exception right now: the age verification requirement a growing number of countries and US states are introducing. Apple is impacted by at least some of this legislation as certain apps are rated as suitable only for adults, and the company has so far introduced age verification in three countries … more…12:30 pmMacs last nearly twice as long in the enterprise as Windows PCs
A new analysis of computers used in the enterprise finds that Macs and iPhones last much longer and have far fewer problems. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)12:28 pmiPhone 20 Rumored to Feature Radical Curved Design
Apple's 20th anniversary iPhone will feature a radical new curved design with slimmer bezels, according to a new report. The X user "@phonefuturist" shared the claims across two posts yesterday and today. The first suggested that the device, referred to as the "anniversary" iPhone, will feature a 1.1mm bezel around the display, along with a seamlessly curved design. The post included a mock-up image showing convex display glass curving down at the edges to meet a slim, iPhone X-like polished frame. The iPhone 17 Pro has a bezel size of approximately 1.44mm. In a follow-up post today, the same account today referred to the device as the iPhone "XX" for iPhone 20 and claimed Apple has been evaluating Samsung's under-panel camera (UPC) technology as an alternative to the under-display camera (UDC) approach more commonly discussed in rumors, but found the image quality insufficient. As a result, the post claims the iPhone 20 may ship with either a smaller Dynamic Island than the current iPhone 17 Pro or a punch-hole cutout, paired with Samsung's "Polar ID" face authentication system. The claims should be taken with a considerable pinch of salt given the source's unknown credibility. That said, the information is being widely circulated on social media, and parts of it broadly align with the direction more established leakers and analysts have been pointing toward for the 20th anniversary iPhone. In addition to this information, Apple tried using Samsung's UPC instead of UDC to achieve full screen but the camera quality is still not good better than UDC. So the XX might come with a smaller dynamic island than even the 18 Pro or a punch hole and Samsung's polar ID. https://t.co/tuEer5uieF— Schrödinger (@phonefuturist) March 31, 2026 Apple is reportedly still targeting an all-screen design for the iPhone 20, though as recently as January, reports suggested the all-screen ambition may be in doubt due to the technical difficulty of hiding a front-facing camera beneath the display without degrading photo quality. The under-display camera problem is well documented. Current UDC implementations, including those used by some Android manufacturers, have struggled to match the image quality of conventionally positioned sensors. With UPC, the camera sits behind the panel but uses a perforated pixel structure rather than a fully transparent region. This means it can theoretically reduce the visual footprint of a cutout, though it has its own quality trade-offs. If Apple cannot resolve the camera quality issue before the device launches, a smaller Dynamic Island or a conventional punch-hole may represent the fallback position. The iPhone 18 Pro is already expected to be the first iPhone with a smaller Dynamic Island, so the iPhone 20 could take that reduction further still. Apple's 20th anniversary iPhone is expected to arrive in the fall of 2027. Tag: 20th-Anniversary iPhoneThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums12:10 pmOllama is supercharged by MLX's unified memory use on Apple Silicon
Machine learning researchers using Ollama will enjoy a speed boost to LLM processing, as the open-source tool now uses MLX on Apple Silicon to fully take advantage of unified memory.Ollama has been boosted by MLX on Apple SiliconAnyone working with large language models (LLMs) wants results as quickly as possible. There are techniques to do this using multiple Macs, working in a cluster to increase the amount of processing at hand, but one method made by Apple also provides an extra bit of assistance.This has been undertaken by the developers working on the open-source model management and execution tool Ollama. In a March 30 update, it announced that it is previewing a version of the tool for Apple Silicon that takes advantage of MLX. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums12:01 pmAmazon Leo Satellite Internet Coming to Delta Flights in 2028
Amazon today announced that it is bringing more high-speed Wi-Fi to Delta Air Lines customers via its Amazon Leo technology, which is powered by a constellation of thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit – roughly 370 miles above the planet's surface. Under the multi-year agreement, Delta will begin rolling out Amazon Leo in 2028 with an initial installation on 500 aircraft, "providing customers with high-speed, low-latency Wi-Fi from gate-to-gate." Each Delta aircraft will be equipped with a single purpose-built phased array antenna that supports download speeds up to 1 Gbps and upload speeds up to 400 Mbps. "We've designed Leo to provide high-speed internet to the billions of people on Earth without reliable connectivity, and this agreement with Delta is a great example of the impact and scale of the technology – bringing even faster in-flight Wi-Fi to tens of millions of passengers who fly Delta every year," said Andy Jassy, President and CEO of Amazon. "People increasingly want to stay connected wherever they are in the world, and Leo's speed and reliability is going to have a big impact for businesses, governments, and consumers. It's going to make the in-flight experience so much better, and it's going to change what's possible while traveling."Like Delta's existing commitment to passengers, Leo-powered in-flight Wi-Fi will be free for all Delta SkyMiles members.Tag: Delta AirlinesThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums11:49 amLast Day: All of the best Big Spring Sale Apple deals – AirPods Pro 3, MacBook, iPad, accessories, more | 9 to 5 MacLast Day: All of the best Big Spring Sale Apple deals – AirPods Pro 3, MacBook, iPad, accessories, more
The final 24 hours of Amazon’s 2026 Big Spring Sale is now well underway. Alongside the ongoing holiday pricing AirPods Pro 3 at $50 off, we are also tracking gigantic lineup of discounts on M5 MacBook models at new Amazon all-time lows, M4 and M5 MacBook Air configs, the new AirPods Max 2, the new M4 iPad Air, official Apple accessories, and much more. Those deals join a massive collection of price drops on smartphone and Mac accessories, smart home gear, power stations, and much more. Scope it all out down below before the sale ends tonight. more…11:41 amApple Sets Privacy Rules for Third-Party Access to Live Activities and Notifications
As part of its interoperability compliance in the EU, Apple has been working on changes to iOS that allow AirPods-like pairing and notification forwarding for third-party wearables on iPhone. In the iOS 26.5 beta released on Monday, Apple added Live Activities forwarding, and the company has now revised its Developer Program License Agreement with new rules on how the forwarding features should be accessed. In a new section titled "3.3.3 (J), Accessory Notifications Framework and Accessory Live Activities Framework," Apple says that third parties "may not use Forwarding Information for advertising, profiling, training models, or monitoring location." It also states that they "may not disseminate the Forwarding Information to any other Application, or any other device besides Your Authorized Target Accessory." The new section goes on to state that developers can't store forwarded notification data on servers, in the cloud, or on any remote device, and the data can only be decrypted on the accessory itself, not on a server or anywhere else along the way. Besides formatting adjustments, the forwarded information can't be altered in any way that changes its meaning, while the accessory that receives the notification can't share that data or its encryption keys with any other device, including the user's own iPhone. In other words, the data must be locked to the device it was sent to. Even if a developer's app doesn't use these frameworks at all, Apple says it reserves the right to forward that app's notifications to a third-party accessory if the user enables it. Last September, Apple complained that its obligations under the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) would cause feature rollout delays in the bloc, but it also warned of new privacy and security threats. Apple based these threats on companies' submitted requests, which included the complete content of a user's notifications, as well as the full history of Wi-Fi networks a user has joined. Apple said it had explained the risks of such requests to the European Commission, but the concerns had not been accepted as valid reasons to turn them down. The new developer rules appear to be Apple's best effort to mitigate the risks regardless. Taken together, they make it clear that Apple wants no tracking, no profiling, no cloud copies, and no sharing between devices, with developers bearing full responsibility for their app's compliance with the new rules. Tag: European UnionThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums11:40 amHere’s how to backup your Apple devices on World Backup Day
There’s a saying that there are two types of people in the world: those who have experienced major data loss and those who will experience major data loss. World Backup Day is a good time to ensure that you’re protected against falling into the second category. Fortunately, Apple devices make it very simple to keep them automatically backed up, but it is still worrying how many people fail to do so … more…11:16 am6 months solo building a relationship engine for an AI companion – absolute bastard of a build that ended up being the most fun project I’ve ever worked on | Reddit on iOS Programming6 months solo building a relationship engine for an AI companion – absolute bastard of a build that ended up being the most fun project I’ve ever worked on
Been building heyEvie for about 6 months, wanted to share some of the architecture because honestly I haven't seen many AI apps go this deep on the personality/relationship side and I think it's interesting (also partly because I need to talk to someone about this who isn't an AI companion) The problem I was trying […]11:00 amThe top 50 people who built Apple, ranked
Macworld April 1 marks Apple’s 50th anniversary, a milestone it couldn’t reach without the help of some very talented people. So we decided to put together a list of the 50 people who made Apple the company it is today. Some worked there for just a year or two; others for almost the entire half-century, while others never actually worked for the company at all. But all influenced Apple’s journey in some profound way. This is all, of course, deeply subjective. It is very unlikely that every reader will agree with the author’s selections, far less with his rankings. Which is fine, we welcome the conversation. Our only rule is that if you complain about someone’s exclusion, tell us who you would cut to make room. The list is presented in reverse order and will be expanded with 10 new names each day across this week. Who do you think will make the top 10? Drop us a message on Bluesky or Threads. 50-41 50. Katie Cotton Apple PR legend Katie Cotton joined Apple in 1996, shortly before the return of Steve Jobs, and worked closely with him for the next 15 years. For better or worse, she was instrumental in shaping the company’s communications strategy and famous culture of secrecy, fiercely controlling Apple’s portrayal in the press. As we wrote upon her retirement in 2014, she “largely turned public relations on its head.” Cotton sadly passed away in 2023, but like Jobs himself, her legacy lives on in Apple Park.11:00 amBest Apple Watch chargers, stands, power banks & docks 2026
Macworld Apple ships a simple but effective charging cable with the Apple Watch that will fast-charge an Apple Watch Series 7 or later (Watch 8/9/10/11, Watch Ultra 1/2/3). You won’t find a faster charging accessory but you can also choose from a wide range of stylish and practical charging stands, docks and power banks for your Apple Watch—including some that can also charge other Apple devices such as your iPhone and AirPods. Here, we round up the best Apple Watch chargers, docks and charging stands—some of which can charge your other Apple devices at the same time. Most should be compatible with all generations of the Watch, but be sure to check compatibility before buying. See below the product chart for more on Apple Watch fast-charging, including the expected charging times of each Apple Watch. There are simple charging cables, multi-device chargers that can power up your Apple Watch plus your iPhone and AirPods, chargers that are built for portability and travel, designer models that look great at home or in the office, and handy Apple Watch power banks. While battery life has improved with the most recent Watch launches, particularly the Apple Watch 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3, you will still find yourself in need of recharging between one and two days. We’ve tested a lot and selected our favorite Apple Watch chargers here. Best simple Apple Watch chargers Best 2-in-1 Apple Watch/iPhone chargers Best 3-in-1 Apple Watch/iPhone/AirPod chargers Best 3-in-1 Apple Watch travel chargers Best Apple Watch power banks Simple Apple Watch stands Best simple Apple Watch chargers Every Apple Watch comes with the company’s Watch Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C Cable. At $29 / £29 it’s not overly expensive to buy a spare or replacement, but there are more able multifunction Watch chargers available, as well as much cheaper simple cables that we would steer clear of but which we have investigated to see if we can find one we can recommend. First we start our best Apple Watch charger roundup with these simple models, and then we test the more functional and better-designed alternatives. Apple Watch Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C Cable – Best Apple Watch charging cable Pros Fast charge Watch Simple Price When Reviewed: $29 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check on Amazon Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Watch fast charge: Yes Size: 3.3ft (1m) cable Weight: 2.6oz (73g) Colors: White USB-C charger: Not included (20W charger required) Apple ships its Watch Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C Cable with its Watch Series 7 and later models, including the Watch Series 8/9/10/11, SE 3 and Watch Ultra. (Earlier Apple Watch SE models and Series 6 and earlier Watches shipped with the Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Cable that lacks the fast-charging function.) Both charging cables are Apple white and a meter long. The latest version features an enhanced charging puck that also works with the case of the AirPods Pro 2 & 3 and AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. The 7.5W Fast Charger Cable can charge 33% faster than the older 5W cable—charging a compatible Watch battery from 0-80% in just 45 minutes. An eight-minute charge will support eight hours of sleep tracking. Without fast charge, it takes about 1.5 hours to charge an Apple Watch to 80%, and about 2.5 hours to 100%. Fast charging requires at least a 20W USB-C charger, like you’d use to charge an iPhone; find our recommended best iPhone chargers for a wider choice that the plain Apple 20W charger. While you can still buy the older Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Cable, there’s little benefit as the newer Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C Cable is backwards compatible with older Watch models, looks the same, and is the same price. You can use the old cable on a later Watch but obviously without fast charging.10:50 ammacOS Tahoe 26.4 breaks Time Machine network backups
macOS 26.4 appears to break Time Machine backups over NAS, leaving users unable to complete backups. A workaround exists, but it’s not a simple fix. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)10:45 amDear Apple, I have two wishes for World Backup Day
Macworld Happy World Backup Day! Wait, you didn’t know it’s World Backup Day? Well, it is! And you know how you can celebrate? By making a backup copy of your important files. That’s all you need to do! So easy! But don’t keep them on the same storage device as the original, because that’s defeating the purpose. Put it somewhere like an external drive or in cloud storage, such as your iCloud account. I’m sorry, what did you say? Your iCloud storage is full? Well, of course it is! Because Apple hands out a measly 5GB of iCloud storage free with each Apple account. 5GB was a lot in, say, 2011, when iCloud was introduced. It’s now 15 years later, and the free allocation is still at a 2011 level. I’m not the only one: We’ve been calling for Apple to raise the free allocation for too long now. Times have changed, and it’s extremely easy to fill 5GBs. How easy? Well, my own 60-minute 4K video track for the recent Macworld Podcast is 3GB–you can add another 10GB for the tracks of my podcast colleagues. I can’t store these tracks in a free iCloud account, so I need to pay for extra storage or find another way to move the files. That’s a hassle for just one project. Now, you’re probably thinking that a person working with 4K video is already going to shell out for more cloud storage, and that’s probably true. But think about the MacBook Neo user, someone who might not be working on long-form 4K videos, but is dabbling in high-resolution video production and learning the ropes with their iPhone 17. This is their first experience with a Mac, and it should all just work without being nickel-and-dimed. After all, these are the type of people Apple is targeting with the Neo–just look at the concerted effort in Apple’s newly populated TikTok channel. Video, as prevalent as it is now, is just one example of why 5GB in 2026 is too small. Photos are another. Lossless music files. Be a hero, Apple, and bump the free iCloud tier to 50GB. It only costs a buck a month anyway–Apple’s iCloud pricing is surprisingly affordable–so why not just give everyone a free boost. While you’re at it, how about granting the other Mac wish I’ve longed for: iCloud Mac backups. A lot of users would love to select iCloud as their Time Machine destination. Then I could even back up my laptop when I’m on the road in my hotel room, sleeping. That would be awesome. Make it happen, Apple. Announce it at WWDC26–the cheer from the audience might be the loudest you’ll ever hear (probably because I’ll be screaming at the top of my lungs in joy). If you’re ready to turn to a non-Apple solution for backups, check out the Macworld guide to best Mac backup software.10:31 amAutomate your App Store screenshot production with this open source CLI + Gemini AI | Reddit on iOS ProgrammingAutomate your App Store screenshot production with this open source CLI + Gemini AI
App Store screenshots are one of the highest-leverage ASO assets, but producing them is tedious — especially when you need multiple languages. I wrote a tool that does the whole pipeline: compose.py — lays out device frame + headline text on a brand-coloured canvas (outputs exact 1320×2868 for iPhone 6.9" and 2064×2752 for iPad Pro […]10:30 amSuccess has changed you, Apple
Macworld Happy birthday, Apple! You don’t look a day over 49. As with any big birthday, it’s time to take a look back and marvel at how far you’ve come. The Apple of today is not even the Apple of 15 years ago, let alone 50. If anyone still harbored any illusions about it, it is way past time to ditch two long-held ideas about Apple. First, the company is not beleaguered, doomed, or in danger of going out of business in any conceivable way. Mercifully, pundits seem to have finally accepted the fact that Apple is doing just fine, thank you, and is not going away anytime soon, so the Macalope no longer has to rail against this weird idea. It only took a decade. He’s not bitter about it. He’s just glad we’re all on the same page that Apple is and has for some time been doing better than almost any company in history. Second, and relatedly, Apple isn’t the scrappy underdog anymore. Sorry. Last week, you may have seen a video of Steve Jobs addressing Apple employees in the summer of 1999 making the rounds that shows the company’s attitude after his return. How does it compare to other things that aired in 1999, such as “Strange World,” “Harsh Realm,” “Seven Days,” or “The Magnificent Seven”, the TV show?! What the heck even are these shows? Was the Macalope off-world in 1999? Was he in a medically-induced coma? He has no recollection of these at all. Anyway, like these shows, the video of Jobs is not necessarily must-see TV, but it sure does present a different Apple than we see today. It’s about 13 minutes of Jobs being Jobs, talking about Apple’s great products, who the company’s customers are, and taking fun pot shots at Microsoft and the other companies Apple goes on to sprint past in the next 15 years. The nut graph of the talk is this: We’re the last people in this business who give a sh*t about making great computers. Jobs’ evidence of that was that Apple was the only one who made the whole computer, software and hardware. And, regardless of what you think about Apple’s software quality of late or its ability to come up with new designs that surprise and delight, what Jobs said is still true. Apple Silicon is one of the greatest innovations in hardware design of the last 10 years. Are they the most powerful chips out there? Not necessarily. But their performance per watt not only sets an industry standard, it enhances the user experience immeasurably. This is what Jobs was talking about. That said, it’s hard to look at some of Apple’s software and think the company is executing at the same level it used to. Sometimes it’s hard to look at Liquid Glass at all. It’s a cruel irony that as long-time Apple fans are approaching an age where they might have to start worrying about glaucoma, Apple has delivered Glaucoma, The Operating System. If you’d like to receive regular news and updates to your inbox, sign up for our newsletters, including The Macalope and Apple Breakfast, David Price’s weekly, bite-sized roundup of all the latest Apple news and rumors.Foundry It’s become a bit of a running joke to post an error in an Apple product and comment, “It just works.” The truth of the matter is it never just always worked. Maybe things worked a little better back when we were plugging iPods into Macs to sync things physically, but what really happened was that when it worked, it worked so magically that you were more willing to forgive the times when it didn’t. That seems less the case these days. (Some are also less willing to forgive the company when some of its corporate decisions seem so unforgivable.) Like an aging rocker who only wants to play his edgy new synth techno material at a concert, Apple also sometimes seems less attuned to what people want these days. The Vision Pro, for example, is a nice product that few could afford. And when was the last time you used Image Playground? The day after it came out? Same. The one thing people do want, a more conversational Siri, is the one thing the company hasn’t been able to deliver. The Macalope still believes the company’s big mistake was joining the chorus of people declaring AI the next big thing rather than working on more tangible products people actually want. Apple seems less like a company that is ready to murder its darlings than it used to be, too, unless you count murdering them by neglect. It’s matured (not said as a compliment), and Grandpa Tim would rather be on a fixed income generated by Services revenue. This is the company that can’t even bring itself to push apps that create non-consensual sexual material off the App Store. Apple is not the same company it used to be. That said, it still makes a better product than any of its competitors and just in the way Jobs described back in 1999. Some other company will have to answer the question of whether it’s possible to be fabulously successful and still a scrappy underdog.10:30 amApple’s trailblazing years without Steve Jobs: 1986 to 1995
Macworld With Apple turning 50 years old, there’s been plenty of reminiscing about all the great things people are doing with Apple products around the world. But the times haven’t always been so rosy at Apple. Just 10 years after the company’s founding, in fact, founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak were out of the picture as the company struggled and nearly slipped into bankruptcy. Yet despite its troubles, Apple still launched some incredible products that had a lasting impact on the company and the PC landscape. Take a look at some of the innovative new products Apple launched between 1986 and 1995. January 1986: Macintosh Plus Apple The original Macintosh changed the face of computing when it touched down in 1984, and Apple knew it had its work cut out to follow it up. But before a true successor arrived, the company rolled out the Macintosh Plus in early 1986. It wasn’t as flashy as the original Macintosh, but the Macintosh Plus left a lasting legacy of innovation. It was the first Mac to come with wide range of features that later became mainstays among Apple’s computers: a SCSI port that paved the way for CD drives and hard disks; a double-sided 800KB 3.5-inch floppy drive and user-upgradeable SIMM memory; and an expanded keyboard with a number pad and directional arrows. It was such a consequential Mac that it stuck around unchanged until October 1990, a total of 1,734 days, one of the longest-running Macs ever. Combined with frequent discounts, it remained a favorite of Mac users for years. March 1987: Macintosh II Apple While the Macintosh Plus was something of a stopgap product, the Macintosh II was the true heir to 1984’s Macintosh. It marked a radical departure from its predecessor, both in form and function, and was intended to address key complaints with the first-gen model. While the original Macintosh was a compact all-in-one, the Macintosh II separated its computer and display into modular elements, the first Mac to do this, in fact. That modular design allowed users to supply their own screen, but to entice users to stick with Apple, the Macintosh II offered a color display, as well as internal slots for extra hard drives, a feature originally opposed by Jobs. But with him out of the picture, Apple was free to take new risks. January 1988: LaserWriter II Apple In the mid-1980s, printing documents at home was well out of reach of most people. Apple’s LaserWriter helped kickstart the desktop publishing revolution. The original LaserWriter launched in 1985 and was an immediate success. The LaserWriter II followed in 1988, and it was intended to expand upon its predecessor and cement Apple’s advantage in this area. It did just that by offering more models at a variety of price points, helping to expand desktop publishing to a wider audience. The LaserWriter IISC, for example, saved on costs by omitting PostScript compatibility, meaning Apple didn’t have to pay a license fee to Adobe. The premium LaserWriter IINTX, meanwhile, added a SCSI controller for users who wanted to store printer fonts. These products ensured Apple could continue to ride the printer wave and closely link itself to creative individuals and companies – an association that continues today. September 1989: Macintosh Portable RR Auctions These days, Apple excels at packing high-end power into thin and light laptops, but that wasn’t always the case. After all, back in the late 1980s, the technology simply didn’t exist to make desktop computers truly portable, but that didn’t mean Apple wasn’t willing to try. The result was the Macintosh Portable, and it proudly took its place as one of the industry’s first-ever laptops. Its name might have been a little misleading, though, at least by modern standards – this “portable” product tipped the scales at 16lbs, almost six times the weight of the latest M5 MacBook Air. As the first battery-powered Mac, Apple claimed it would last about 10 hours before needing to be charged, but it drew so much power, it needed the battery to start up even when plugged in. Still, it was an undeniably ambitious machine. The Macintosh Portable came with a built-in trackball for mouse usage on the go, a high-end active-matrix fold-down display, and a low-power hard drive in an attempt to save battery life. Yet its big, bulky, heavy battery – coupled with its eye-watering price tag that topped $7,000 – doomed it to poor sales and ignominy. October 1991: PowerBook 100 series Apple The failure of the Macintosh Portable only proved that there was a market for on-the-go Macs. Really, the company was just getting started, and it followed up with the PowerBook 100 series in October 1991. Comprising entry-level, mid-range and high-end models, the PowerBook 100 learned the lessons of the Macintosh Portable and got Apple’s laptop range on the right track. Indeed, the PowerBook range was everything the Macintosh Portable was not. The PowerBook came in a sleek new dark gray color scheme and clocked in at around a third of the weight of the Macintosh Portable. It also sweated the small stuff: one of its well-received innovations was the fact that it included a built-in palm rest below the keyboard, something that’s standard on almost every laptop today. The initial selection of PowerBooks was an incredible success for Apple and reportedly captured around 40 percent of the laptop market in its first year. The PowerBook 100 was innovative and groundbreaking, and is still hailed as one of its most influential PC laptops ever. May 1992: Newton MessagePad 100 RR Auctions The Newton MessagePad doesn’t have the greatest reputation. However, while Apple’s first PDA was far from perfect, it paved the road for many of Apple’s iconic products. For instance, it was considered one of the most exciting products on show at Apple’s August 1993 Macworld Expo and sold 50,000 units in its first three months of availability. In the burgeoning world of PDA devices, the Newton MessagePad 100 was a visionary product that introduced many of the tools we use today, including handwriting recognition, screen rotation, and adaptive virtual keyboards. Still, Newton’s initial handwriting system drew criticism for its inaccurate interpretations of users’ words (although later updates vastly improved its abilities), while the MessagePad 100’s use of AAA batteries was also sub-optimal. But it remains that it had a sizable impact on the tech landscape. February 1994: QuickTake 100 Apple During the 1980s and 1990s, Apple was more than just a Mac maker, as evidenced bt the LaserWriter II and Newton MessagePad 100. Another product to take Apple’s interests outside the Mac was the QuickTake 100, one of the first consumer-oriented digital cameras and a trailblazer in the field. As is still typical for Apple products today, the QuickTake 100 was focused on ease of use as a key selling point, and early reviewers commended its strides in this area. By today’s standards, though, the QuickTake 100 feels somewhat primitive. It could store up to eight photos at 640×480 resolution, had no focus or zoom controls, and didn’t even offer a way to preview or delete individual images after capture. Despite its early promise and positive reception, the QuickTake range was discontinued – along with other product lines such as the LaserWriter and Newton ranges – when Steve Jobs returned to the company in 1997. However, its brief outing showed what was possible when Apple ventured into the world of portable consumer gadgets. March 1994: Power Macintosh 6100 Apple Since its inception, Apple had long collaborated with Motorola as its main chip supplier for Apple’s computing lineup. But by the early 1990s, however, Apple was getting frustrated at Motorola’s inability to keep up with Intel. To address the situation, the Apple-Motorola pairing enlisted the help of IBM, with the resulting AIM partnership birthing the PowerPC processor and the first Mac to feature these chips: the Power Macintosh 6100. Named for its 60MHz PowerPC 601 CPU, it dramatically boosted performance over the Quadra. As Macworld wrote at the time: “Not only has Apple finally regained the performance lead it lost about eight years ago when PCs appeared using Intel’s 80386 CPU, but it has pushed far ahead.” A year after launching, the Power Macintosh line had almost completely replaced all other Mac offerings, while the market for add-in “accelerator” cards was made redundant due to the reasonable pricing of Apple’s own booster card. It was, in other words, a revelatory product. The Power Macintosh’s success underlined Apple’s confidence in its decision to shift to PowerPC processors. It was just the first of several major architecture shakeups to come, but the Power Macintosh and its PowerPC chips showed that change—and chip transitions—didn’t have to be painful.10:22 amOllama Now Runs Faster on Macs Thanks to Apple's MLX Framework
Ollama, the popular app for running AI models locally on a computer, has released an update that takes advantage of Apple's own machine learning framework, MLX. The result is a hefty speed boost on Macs with Apple silicon. According to Ollama, the new version processes prompts around 1.6 times faster (prefill speed) and nearly doubles the speed at which it generates responses (decode speed). Macs with M5-series chips are said to see the largest improvements, thanks to Apple's new GPU Neural Accelerators. The update also includes smarter memory management, which should make AI-powered coding tools and chat assistants feel noticeably more responsive during extended use. Ollama says the new performance boost should especially benefit macOS users who run personal assistants like OpenClaw or coding agents like Claude Code, OpenCode, or Codex. The preview release is available to download as Ollama 0.19 – just make sure you have a Mac with more than 32GB of unified memory to run it. Support is currently limited to Alibaba's Qwen3.5, but Ollama says support for more AI models is planned.This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forumsFirehose II – Jobs, Deals, Apps
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