MacBook Neo makes us swoon [Cult of Mac podcast No. 10] This week on the "Cult of Mac" podcast: The MacBook Neo stands out in a tsunami of new Apple products, but there's plenty more to talk about!
(via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)
I built a native macOS Mastodon client (AppKit + SwiftUI) I’ve just released Oliphaunt, a Mastodon client built specifically for macOS. For context, Mastodon is a decentralised social network similar to X (Twitter) or Bluesky, built on the ActivityPub protocol where independent servers (“instances”) interoperate. The motivation behind the project was simple: build a Mastodon client that behaves like a well-behaved macOS application rather than […]
HealthKit workouts are immutable, so I had to build around that Built and shipped a small iPhone app called Fix My Treadmill. It solves one narrow problem: Apple Watch indoor run / walk distance can be pretty wrong on treadmill, so the app lets user enter the real distance and save corrected workout back to Apple Health. Tech Stack – SwiftUI – HealthKit – StoreKit 2 […]
9to5Mac Overtime 062: MacBook Neo lets the iPad be an iPad Episode 062: First thoughts on MacBook Neo, including advantages, compromises, and how it fits into the Apple ecosystem. Fernando and Jeff argue that the MacBook Neo could be the best budget laptop of all time.
9to5Mac Overtime is a weekly video-first podcast exploring fun and interesting observations in the Apple ecosystem, featuring 9to5Mac’s Fernando Silva & Jeff Benjamin. Subscribe to Overtime via Apple Podcasts and our YouTube channel for more.
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This folding 3-way charger keeps your Apple EDC gear juiced The Mag 3 Ultra 3-in-1 Foldable Charger can power your iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch at the same time, and it’s on sale for $87.
(via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)
Hands-on: This Magsafe battery has one feature I’ve been looking for [Video] I have been on the search for a thin MagSafe battery for years. I’ve tested dozens of these battery packs, and some have been fantastic, but they all share the same compromise, which is bulk. This year’s iPhone Air made me want a thin MagSafe battery solution even more. So when I saw that BMX released their SolidSafe Air, with a 5,000 mAh capacity and a thickness of less than 6.8mm, I knew I needed to give this one a shot. After spending a little over a week with it, here is what you need to know.
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In-app purchases got rejected. Here’s every reason Apple blocks IAP and how to fix each one. I Got my first IAP rejection on a Tuesday afternoon. Revenue got blocked, review clock reset, and Apple's rejection message was kinda vague. After going through this more times than I'd like to admit and digging through the actual guidelines, here are the real reasons Apple rejects IAP and what to do about each one. […]
Today in Apple history: Macintosh Portrait Display goes large (and vertical) On March 7, 1989, Apple introduced the Macintosh Portrait Display, an impressive, 15-inch vertical grayscale monitor for desktop publishing.
(via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)
Best Apple Deals of the Week: First Discounts Hit All of Apple's New Products, Including MacBook Neo and More It's Apple pre-order week, and we're already tracking solid discounts across every new product that was announced this week. This includes free Best Buy gift cards when ordering the new MacBook Neo, Air, and Pro, plus the first cash discounts on M4 iPad Air on Amazon.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Pre-Order Discounts
What's the deal? Save on pre-orders for iPhone 17e, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, MacBook Neo, and iPad Air
Where can I get it? Amazon, Best Buy, and more
Where can I find the original deal? Right here
$40 OFFM4 iPad Air at Amazon
$25 GIFT CARDMacBook Neo at Best Buy
$50 GIFT CARDM5 MacBook Air at Best Buy
$100 GIFT CARDM5 Pro/M5 Max MacBook Pro at Best Buy
$5.99/MONTHiPhone 17e at AT&T
Pre-orders are live on all of Apple's newest products, including the MacBook Neo, M5 MacBook Air, M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro, iPhone 17e, and M4 iPad Air. You'll find free gift cards when pre-ordering select products at Best Buy, while Amazon has straight cash discounts on numerous M4 iPad Air tablets.
AirPods
What's the deal? Take $60 off AirPods 4 with ANC
Where can I get it? Amazon
Where can I find the original deal? Right here
$60 OFFAirPods 4 for $119.00
Amazon this week is back with a notable discount on the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, available for $119.00, down from $179.00.
Apple Watch Series 11
What's the deal? Take $100 off Apple Watch Series 11
Where can I get it? Amazon
Where can I find the original deal? Right here
$100 OFFApple Watch Series 11 (42mm GPS) for $299.00
$100 OFFApple Watch Series 11 (46mm GPS) for $329.00
$100 OFFApple Watch Series 11 (42mm Cell) for $399.00
Amazon this week has all-time low prices on the Apple Watch Series 11, with $100 discounts across numerous models of the smartwatch. We first started tracking the return of these deals about a week ago, but this sale has now expanded with many more options on both 42mm and 46mm GPS models.
AirTag
What's the deal? Take $35 off AirTag gen 1
Where can I get it? Amazon
Where can I find the original deal? Right here
$34 OFFAirTag 4-Pack for $64.99
Apple's first-generation AirTag 4-Pack has dropped to $64.00 this week on Amazon, down from the original price of $99.00. Free shipping options have a delivery estimate around March 11, while Prime members should be able to get it delivered a few days sooner.
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 forums
3 reasons why you shouldn’t wait for the M6 MacBook Pro But before you commit to sitting this generation out, you should know the M6 models will likely come with some caveats.
(via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)
Apple @ Work: ABMate gives Apple Business Manager the native Mac app it deserves Apple @ Work is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the only solution that integrates in a single professional-grade platform all the solutions necessary to seamlessly and automatically deploy, manage, and protect Apple devices at work. Over 45,000 organizations trust Mosyle to make millions of Apple devices work-ready with no effort and at an affordable cost. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL today and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple.
Apple Business Manager (and Apple School Manager) is the source of truth for Apple device management. If a device isn’t in ABM, it doesn’t really exist for your fleet is concerned. While the web portal has improved over the years, it is still a web portal. It generally takes me longer to log in, approve 2FA, etc., than it does to actually search. This is why I was excited to come across ABMate recently.
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Top Stories: MacBook Neo, iPhone 17e, Studio Display XDR, and More What a week for Apple news! Across Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of this week, Apple unveiled a total of seven new products, including low-cost iPhone and MacBook options, new displays, and refreshes for the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and iPad Air.
Check out our recap with links to all of our coverage from the three days, and read on below for details on each of the new products!
Top Stories
Apple Announces $599 'MacBook Neo' With A18 Pro Chip
Apple's budget MacBook is finally here, with Apple itself leaking the computer's "MacBook Neo" name a day ahead of the official announcement.
The MacBook Neo is the first consumer Mac to be powered by an iPhone chip: the A18 Pro that debuted in 2024's iPhone 16 Pro models. Apple says it is up to 50% faster for everyday tasks than the bestselling PC with the latest shipping Intel Core Ultra 5, up to 3× faster for on-device AI workloads, and up to 2× faster for tasks like photo editing.
The MacBook Neo comes in four fun colors and features a 13-inch Liquid Retina display with a 2408-by-1506 resolution, 500 nits of brightness, and an anti-reflective coating. The display does not have a notch, instead featuring uniform, iPad-style bezels.
The $599 price tag does result in some compromises compared to more expensive Mac laptops, but the MacBook Neo is likely to be a hit with students, those new to Mac, and others shopping on a budget who are just looking for basic capabilities.
Apple Announces iPhone 17e With A19 Chip, MagSafe, and More
Apple this week announced the iPhone 17e, featuring the A19 chip, MagSafe connectivity, faster charging, and more.
The iPhone 17e contains the A19 chip introduced in iPhone 17, featuring a 6-core CPU and a 4-core GPU that make it up to 2× faster than the iPhone 11 that many prospective buyers may be upgrading from. The new 16-core Neural Engine is optimized for large generative models, and the iPhone 17e contains Apple's latest-generation C1X modem from the iPhone Air, delivering up to 2× faster cellular performance than the iPhone 16e.
The iPhone 17e starts at $599 and comes in black, white, and a new soft pink color.
Apple Unveils MacBook Pro Featuring M5 Pro and M5 Max Chips With New Fusion Architecture
Turning back to the Mac side of things, this week saw Apple announce new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models featuring M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, both built on a new Fusion Architecture that bonds two third-generation 3nm dies into a single chip using advanced packaging.
The Fusion Architecture is a first for Apple silicon, since previous chips used a single-die design. The two bonded dies house the CPU, GPU, Media Engine, Neural Engine, unified memory controller, and Thunderbolt 5 capabilities together.
The new MacBook Pro models also get memory and storage improvements, Apple's N1 networking chip for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 support, and more.
Apple Introduces All-New Studio Display XDR: 120Hz, Mini-LED, and More
Alongside the new Mac laptops, Apple introduced not just one but two new external displays: a minor revision of the Studio Display and a higher-end Studio Display XDR that replaces the Pro Display XDR.
Both new displays measure in at 27 inches and 5K resolution, but the Studio Display XDR features mini-LED backlighting with 120Hz refresh rate and Adaptive Sync, among other upgrades.
The Studio Display is priced starting at $1,599, while the Studio Display XDR starts at $3,299.
Apple Unveils iPad Air With M4 Chip, Increased RAM, Wi-Fi 7, and More
Apple's tablet lineup also got an update this week thanks to a new iPad Air, with key upgrades including Apple's M4 chip for faster performance, an increased 12GB of RAM, Apple's N1 wireless networking chip with Wi-Fi 7 support, and Apple's custom C1X modem in cellular models.
The new iPad Air has the same overall design as the previous-generation model, which was equipped with the M3 chip, 8GB of RAM, and Wi-Fi 6E support.
The new iPad Air is available in the same blue, purple, starlight, and space gray colors as the previous generation, and it still starts at $599 for the 11-inch model and $799 for the 13-inch model.
Apple Announces MacBook Air With M5 Chip and 512GB Base Storage
Last but not least is the MacBook Air, which was refreshed this week with the M5 chip and a higher base SSD capacity.
The M5 chip in the MacBook Air features a 10-core CPU, with what Apple calls the world's fastest CPU cores. It offers configurations with up to 10 GPU cores with Neural Accelerators in each core, delivering up to 4× faster performance for AI tasks than the MacBook Air with the M4 chip.
Starting prices for the MacBook Air have increased by $100 to $1,099 for the 13-inch model and $1,299 for the 15-inch model, but that also gets you double the amount of base storage at 512GB as the previous generation. The SSD also has 2× faster read and write performance compared to the previous generation.
MacRumors Newsletter
Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.
So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!Tag: Top StoriesThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Real-Time App Store IAP Notifications via Telegram (Vercel Webhook) Hi everyone, It’s been a little over a year since I built my first macOS app. I probably can’t call myself a beginner anymore, but I’ve kept one bad habit. In the beginning, I would occasionally refresh App Store Connect to check my sales. Over time it got worse — now I find myself checking […]
2022 Apple Studio Display vs 2026 Apple Studio Display: A lackluster upgrade The new 2026 Apple Studio Display is here, boasting minor upgrades over the previous generation that leave existing owners with little reason to upgrade.2022 Studio Display vs 2026 Studio Display: Minor upgrades make for a difficult recommendationApple announced the second-generation Studio Display on March 3, 2026, with the monitor going on sale a week later. But its thunder was stolen by the arrival of the all-new Studio Display XDR, with its mini-LED backlight and 120Hz refresh rate.Predictably, the Studio Display XDR is an expensive beast, starting at $3,299. That leaves the refreshed Studio Display as the more affordable option — it matches the same $1,599 starting price of its predecessor. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
An audiobook player that also can convert EPUBs to audiobooks with on-device and cloud TTS Been working on TTS feature for a while and shipped it. It's a SwiftUI audiobook player. It also can take an EPUB file and turn it into an audiobook using text-to-speech. Two modes. Free on-device voices using Apple's TTS. And paid cloud voices with more natural sound (one-time purchase per book, priced by duration). Took […]
Save $100 on the iPad mini Macworld
There are rumors aplenty about a new iPad mini arriving in 2026, but we don’t expect it anytime soon. In the meantime, however, the current model is quite good, especially when you can save a bundle on one. Right now, you can get your hands on an A17 Pro Apple iPad for a mere $499 thanks to a $100 discount at Amazon.
Smaller than other iPads, this 8.3-inch tablet is everything you could want in a portable device. The gorgeous Liquid Retina display will make playing on this tablet an absolute joy, it will make creating new designs so much more fun, and streaming movies a whole event. It’s an ideal tablet for daily productivity.
With 256GB internal storage, the tablet gives you ample room to keep all the essential apps, documents, and photos. The A17 Pro chip is speedy and delivers the performance you need. We gave the tablet a 4-star rating and appreciated its speed and the graphics, as well as the fact that you get access to Apple Intelligence.
If you’ve been waiting for the right time to get the iPad mini A17 Pro, now’s the time to do it because it could be months before we even see a better price, so get it now for $499.
Buy now at Amazon
Service Issue – Object Storage Osaka Mar 7, 12:02 UTCInvestigating - Our team is investigating an issue affecting the Object Storage service in Osaka, JP. During this time, users may experience connection timeouts and errors with this service. We will share additional updates as we have more information.
This week’s top stories: MacBook Neo, iPhone 17e, and much more Welcome to 9to5Mac’s top stories of the week, where we recap the biggest news in the Apple world every Saturday. This week, we have all of Apple’s announcements, including the MacBook Neo, iPhone 17e, and more. Plus, our usual slate of new podcast episodes, opinion pieces, and much more. Read on for all of this week’s top stories.
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Concept: Completely JSON Based rendering for Onboarding Been tinkering around with onboarding flow and made a concept where instead of using MP4s for onboarding demos, ship a single JSON data package and render it in-app at runtime. Total file size from the JSON is 1MB, so significantly smaller than any video since the workout is technically 30 minutes long . In short: […]
From idea to App Store in ~450 days: building my first Swift gym tracking app This is my first iOS app, and I wanted to share some reflections now that it's been live for a bit. I'm posting this more as a retrospective than an announcement: what I built, why I built it this way, what went wrong, and what I'd do differently next time. Disclosure: – I posted a […]
Stop letting random newsletters eat your email storage — End them now Macworld
TL;DR: The Leave Me Alone Lifetime Plan is $39.99 (regularly $179) and helps you mass unsubscribe from newsletters, block unwanted senders, and reclaim your inbox.
Most inboxes are filled with emails you never really asked for in the first place. Store promotions from years ago, newsletters you opened once, and marketing blasts that somehow show up every day can quietly eat up storage space and bury important messages. The Leave Me Alone Lifetime Plan, currently $39.99 (regularly $179), is designed to clear out that clutter quickly.
Instead of digging through old emails one by one, looking for unsubscribe links, the tool scans your inbox and gathers all your subscriptions into a single dashboard. From there, you can unsubscribe from mailing lists with just a few clicks or block senders entirely so they never reach your inbox again.
Here’s what it helps you do:
Mass unsubscribe from newsletters and marketing lists in seconds
Automatically follow unsubscribe links, so senders stop emailing you
Block cold emails and bulk senders that slip through filters
Manage multiple accounts at once, including Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, iCloud, and more
Mark priority senders, so important emails always get through
Use do-not-disturb mode to pause incoming emails during focused work time
The result is a cleaner inbox and less wasted storage space filled with emails you never wanted in the first place. Instead of constantly deleting messages, you simply stop them from arriving.
Leave Me Alone Lifetime Plan is available now for $39.99 (regularly $179).
Leave Me Alone Unlimited Plan: Lifetime SubscriptionSee Deal
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Ditch the Adobe subscription: This lifetime PDF editor is just $39.99 Macworld
TL;DR: PDF Agile Premium is a full-featured PDF editor and converter for Mac and Windows, now just $39.99 (reg. $119) for a lifetime license.
If you’re still paying Adobe’s monthly ransom just to edit a PDF, it’s time to reconsider. PDF Agile Premium gives you a comprehensive, one-time-purchase alternative that handles everything Acrobat does without the ongoing fees.
The software covers all the essentials: editing and annotating PDFs, converting to and from Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, merging, splitting, compressing, and even OCR for scanned documents.
It works natively on both Mac and Windows, and your lifetime license covers two devices simultaneously, useful if you’re bouncing between a MacBook and a desktop setup.
This helpful PDF-editing tool is also industry-approved with 4.9/5 stars on G2 and 4.8/5 stars on Software Advice. Verified buyers also back it up, with one noting it does “everything I was able to do with Adobe” and another praising the UI and value without hesitation. For casual-to-moderate PDF work, it’s a genuinely strong alternative at a fraction of the cost.
At 66% off, the math is simple. Don’t miss this limited-time opportunity to save on PDF Agile Premium, and get it for just $39.99 (reg. $119).
PDF Agile Premium: All-in-One Lifetime Subscription (Windows & Mac)See Deal
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Round 2: $0 icon made in 1 hour vs $2000 icon Original Post The first two app icons I've posted did not receive good feedback xD. Is this one better ? It's a P combined with a checkmark. (my app name starts with the letter "P") Some of you said the old icon looks like a tire replacement icon. I paid $2k for that shit xD […]
Will App Store reject my app for breathing animations similar to Apple Watch? Hello, I incorporated breathing animations, made by the talented William Candillon, that recreate the ones found on Apple Watch. And it's honestly a very faithful recreation, so I'm wondering if this violates App Store's review guidelines. I'd really appreciate if anyone can share their knowledge on this. The app is not even particularly focused on […]
Early Geekbench results hint at the performance of the A19-powered iPhone 17e Following early tests of the M4 iPad Air, the M5 Max chip, and the MacBook Neo, the first purported tests of the iPhone 17e’s A19 chip are now up on Geekbench. Here’s how it did.
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Swift Concurrency Question Hello all, I’m trying to get better at Swift Concurrency and put together a demo project based on the WWDC videos. The goal is to have a view where you press a button, and it calculates the average of an array of Int. I want the heavy computation to run off the MainActor. I think […]
Apple ran a test on the App Store to see if AI could improve search result rankings Apple researchers ran an A/B test to measure how AI-generated relevance labels would affect App Store search rankings and app downloads. Here’s what they found.
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9to5Rewards: MacBook Pro and 4K Nano Gloss Monitor Giveaway from BenQ We’re giving away Apple’s latest MacBook Pro to one lucky reader this month courtesy of our friends at BenQ to celebrate the company’s MA series of monitors for Mac. The winner will also receive the new BenQ 27″ 4K Nano Gloss Monitor for MacBook! Head below to enter the giveaway and learn more about the new monitors.
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Apple adds Steve Lemay and Molly Anderson to its leadership page Apple has updated its leadership page to reflect several recent changes to its executive team. Here’s what changed.
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After MacBook Neo reveal, Gene Munster forecasts Apple growth of 10% YoY in June quarter Longtime Apple analyst Gene Munster now forecasts the company to post June growth of 10% YoY (Street at 8%) alongside slight…
The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Apple Blocks US Users From Downloading ByteDance's Chinese Apps An anonymous reader quotes a report from Wired: While TikTok operates in the United States under new ownership, Apple has deployed technical restrictions to block iOS users in the United States from downloading other apps made by the video platform's Chinese parent organization ByteDance. ByteDance owns a vast array of different apps spanning social media, entertainment, artificial intelligence, and other sectors. The leading one is Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, which has over 1 billion monthly active users. While most of those users reside in China, iPhone owners around the world have traditionally been able to download these apps from anywhere without using a VPN, as long as they have a valid App Store account registered in China.
That's not true anymore. Starting in late January, iPhone users in the U.S. with Chinese App Store accounts began reporting that they were encountering new obstacles when they tried to download apps developed by ByteDance. WIRED has confirmed that even with a valid Chinese App Store account, downloading or updating a ByteDance-owned Chinese app is blocked on Apple devices located in the United States. Instead, a pop-up window appears that says, "This app is unavailable in the country or region you're in." The restriction appears to apply only to ByteDance-owned apps and not those developed by other Chinese companies.
The timing and technical specifics suggest the restriction is related to the deal TikTok agreed to in January to divest Chinese ownership of its U.S. operations. The agreement was the result of the so-called TikTok ban law passed by Congress in 2024, which also barred companies like Apple and Google from distributing other apps majority-owned by ByteDance. The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act states that no company can "distribute, maintain, or update" any app majority-controlled by ByteDance "within the land or maritime borders of the United States."
The law was primarily aimed at TikTok, which has more than 100 million users in the U.S. and had been the subject of years of debate in Washington over whether its Chinese ownership posed a national security risk. But ByteDance also has dozens of other apps that at some point were also removed from Apple's and Google's app stores in the U.S.. Now it seems like the scope of impact has reached even more apps that are not technically designed for U.S. audiences, such as Douyin, the AI chatbot Doubao, and the fiction reading platform Fanqie Novel.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Advice for model change in SwiftData I have a new app launched about a month ago, <40 downloads. I'm working on an update to add a few features and make it more attractive. I didn't plan ahead and now the new features require slight model change, which I believe should render any user data obsolete and require a fresh download. My […]
How long does TestFlight approval take? https://preview.redd.it/8btv8qlnuhng1.png?width=326&format=png&auto=webp&s=a6d120a5cf23cb8c699c67f7b6053f821620e576 submitted by /u/pussydestroyerSPY [link] [comments]
Audiobook player that also can convert EPUBs to audiobooks with on-device and cloud TTS Been building this one for a while. Shipped it recently with TTS support. It's a SwiftUI audiobook player. Just listen to your own audiobooks or hand it an EPUB, get back an audiobook. Two modes. Free on-device voices via Apple's TTS. Paid cloud voices if you want something that doesn't sound like your GPS arguing […]
Apple TV has two new sci-fi series coming as spinoffs to beloved hits Apple TV keeps proving itself a destination for sci-fi fans, and now two of the streamer’s beloved hits have inspired spinoff series that are coming.
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Timing 2026.2 Time and productivity tracking app adds integration with the Linear planning tool. ($108/$132/$192 annual subscriptions, free update, 33.8 MB, macOS 11+)
BusyContacts 2026.1.2 Brings an assortment of major performance and user interface improvements to the calendar app. ($49.99 new, free update, 44.1 MB, macOS 12+)
iPhone 17e Benchmarks Reveal A19 Chip Performance With a Tiny Catch The first benchmarks for the iPhone 17e surfaced in the Geekbench 6 database today, offering a closer look at the A19 chip's performance.
For multi-core CPU performance, the highest score the iPhone 17e achieved so far is 9,241. As expected, this is nearly identical to the standard iPhone 17 model with the A19 chip, which has an average multi-core score of 9,249.
There is one tiny catch, as the iPhone 17e has a 4-core GPU, whereas the iPhone 17 has a 5-core GPU. With one fewer GPU core, the iPhone 17e obviously has slightly lower graphics performance, with the device achieving Metal scores of around 31,000 to 31,500 in early Geekbench results, compared to around 37,000 for the iPhone 17.
In our view, most customers are unlikely to notice a significant difference in graphics performance between the iPhone 17e and iPhone 17.
The previous-generation iPhone 16e with an A18 chip also has a 4-core GPU.
The table below provides a comparison of multi-core CPU scores for some iPhones.
iPhone Model
Multi-Core CPU Score
iPhone 17 Pro (A19 Pro)9,805
iPhone 17 (A19)9,249
iPhone 17e (A19)9,241
iPhone 16 Pro (A18 Pro)8,625
iPhone 16e (A18)7,977
iPhone 15 Pro (A17 Pro)7,199
iPhone 17e features the same overall design as the iPhone 16e, but it gains Apple's A19 chip, MagSafe for magnetic wireless charging and magnetic accessories, Apple's second-generation C1X modem for faster 5G, and a doubled 256GB of base storage. In the U.S., the iPhone 17e starts at $599, just like the iPhone 16e did.
iPhone 17e pre-orders began March 4, and the device launches March 11.Related Roundup: iPhone 17eTags: Benchmarks, Geekbench, iPhoneBuyer's Guide: iPhone 17e (Buy Now)Related Forum: iPhoneThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple Extends Australian Emergency Calling Fix to iOS 18.7.6 Apple’s release notes for iOS 18.7.6 simply say “bug fixes,” but the Australian support page tells a different story: the update fixes a Telstra network issue that could interfere with emergency services calls on certain older iPhones.
Revenue cat design system is trash I’m attempting to make edits to a custom payroll that I imported from Sigma into Revenue Card. It’s incredibly challenging to move a specific item without inadvertently moving the entire canvas. The difficulty is so overwhelming that I’ve been stuck on this issue for the past seven hours. What kind of terrible tool is this? […]
AI-powered coding platform Bitrig gets a Mac app for building iPhone apps Built by a group of ex-Apple employees who co-created SwiftUI, Bitrig now lets you build iPhone apps right from your Mac through prompts. Here are the details.
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AI-powered coding platform Bitrig gets a Mac app for building iPhone apps Built by a group of ex-Apple employees who co-created SwiftUI, Bitrig now lets you build iPhone apps right from your Mac through prompts. Here are the details.
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$2000 vs $1 App Icon. Which one os better xD Hey guys, Im building a todo app and wanted to know if you could tell which of these icons was made by a professional designer and which one was made by me (I'll reveal it later on). How would you rate both icons on a scale from 1 to 10 ? submitted by […]
OS 26.3.1 Adds Studio Display Support, Fixes Bugs The 26.3.1 updates for macOS Tahoe, iOS, and iPadOS add support for the new Studio Display models and fix a few bugs, while visionOS 26.3.1 fixes a flicker issue in the Apple TV app.
MacBook Neo is great news for high-end Mac users, here’s why MacBook Neo is an exciting addition to Apple’s product lineup, and even though the product isn’t meant for high-end Mac users, it should still prove good news for future models of MacBook Pro and MacBook Air.
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MacBook Neo is great news for high-end Mac users, here’s why MacBook Neo is an exciting addition to Apple’s product lineup, and even though the product isn’t meant for high-end Mac users, it should still prove good news for future models of MacBook Pro and MacBook Air.
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Apple blocks U.S. users from downloading ByteDance’s Chinese apps Apple has implemented restrictions that prevent iOS users in the U.S. from downloading or updating other ByteDance apps…
The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Apple thinks it can lure in the 'Apple curious' for $599 Apple has made it pretty clear that it wants to siphon off Android and Windows users, and it's doing it by adopting an aggressive, "budget-friendlier" model across nearly its entire ecosystem.Apple is using $599 devices to grow its ecosystemWhen I first entered the Apple ecosystem, it was when I bought an iPhone 4 in 2011 — I got it right after the 4s made its debut. I don't remember exactly what I paid, but I know it was less than the initial $199 price tag.And back then, I thought that was a completely asinine amount of money to pay for a phone. Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, I had more money in my pocket than brains in my head, so I bought it just the same. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
Apple thinks it can lure in the 'Apple curious' for $599 Apple has made it pretty clear that it wants to siphon off Android and Windows users, and it's doing it by adopting an aggressive, "budget-friendlier" model across nearly its entire ecosystem.Apple is using $599 devices to grow its ecosystemWhen I first entered the Apple ecosystem, it was when I bought an iPhone 4 in 2011 — I got it right after the 4s made its debut. I don't remember exactly what I paid, but I know it was less than the initial $199 price tag.And back then, I thought that was a completely asinine amount of money to pay for a phone. Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, I had more money in my pocket than brains in my head, so I bought it just the same. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
Molly Anderson on the ‘special equation’ that halved MacBook Neo materials use Molly Anderson, Apple’s Industrial Design Leader, discusses the process behind creating the MacBook Neo in a new interview today.
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Access Configuration Updates Delayed Mar 6, 19:30 UTCInvestigating - Access configuration changes are experiencing delays propagating to the edge. Existing configurations and logins are not impacted.
SwiftUI agent skill for people using Codex, Claude Code, and other agents Hello! I just released a new SwiftUI agent skill for people using agentic coding tools like Codex, Claude Code, Gemini, and Cursor. I've packed it with all sorts of specific tips and advice so that agents can write better code, review existing code more effectively, and hopefully help all of us build better apps. It's […]
M5 14-inch MacBook Pro vs M5 13-inch MacBook Air: What’s the $600 difference? The arrival of the M5 MacBook Air means that Apple once again has two laptops with the standard M5 chip inside. Apple first put the plain M5 chip inside a laptop with the 14-inch MacBook Pro.
Both machines occupy the “under $2000” space in Apple’s laptop lineup. Here’s how the two MacBooks with the same chip compare.
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Apple on MacBook Neo Design: 'We're Certainly Not Making Any Compromises' While the MacBook Neo starts at just $599, or an even lower $499 for college students, Apple has insisted that it did not make any design compromises.
"It's undeniably a MacBook, we're certainly not making any compromises on the design and that's really important," said Apple's vice president of industrial design Molly Anderson, in an interview with architecture and design publication Dezeen.
Anderson added that "it was important" for the MacBook Neo "to be quintessentially a MacBook."
Chiefly, the MacBook Neo is made from aluminum, not plastic.
"It wasn't just a redesign, it was starting from the beginning, and we're not using cheaper materials, it's incredible aluminium," she said.
Available in fun colors like Blush and Citrus, the MacBook Neo is meant to be distinguished from the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, according to Anderson.
"It was important to make it feel part of the family, but with its own personality," she said.
Even though the MacBook Neo is designed with premium materials, Apple did have to make compromises in other areas. For example, the MacBook Neo has only 8GB of RAM, and a Touch ID button is limited to the $699 model. Plus, there is no MagSafe, one of the USB-C ports is limited to USB 2 speeds of just 480 MB/s, and the keys are not backlit.
Despite its limitations, the MacBook Neo will likely be a hit with students and customers who need a Mac mainly for everyday tasks, like web browsing and document editing. Pre-orders began on March 4, ahead of a March 11 launch.Related Roundup: MacBook NeoThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
HomeKit Weekly: Tired of ugly air purifiers? Smartmi E1 is best looking Apple Home solution Air purifiers are one of my favorite HomeKit accessories. Even though I live in an area with pretty decent air quality, I keep them running in our home to help clean the air for my family, especially in the spring. The problem is that most of them look like medical equipment. I love the Smartmi E1, and it effectively ends the era of ugly appliances. It is hands-down the best-looking HomeKit/Apple Home air purifier on the market.
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Apple TV’s dystopian series ‘Silo’ season 4 wraps filming ahead of expected season 3 premiere this year Apple TV's dystopian series "Silo" is the story of the last ten thousand people on Earth, their mile-deep home protecting them from the…
The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.
iOS 26’s Messages app got a big upgrade for an essential feature iOS 26 adds a lot to the Messages app, like new group chat features, spam prevention tools, and more. Joining those improvements, Messages also got a big AI upgrade in iOS 26 for an essential feature: search.
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United States SMS and MMS Carrier Maintenance – AT&T THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Mar 10, 19:00 - 22:00 PDTMar 6, 10:31 PSTScheduled - The AT&T network in the United States is conducting a planned maintenance from 10 March 2026 at 19:00 PDT until 10 March 2026 at 22:00 PDT. During the maintenance window, there could be intermittent delays delivering SMS and MMS to and from AT&T United States handsets when sending via subset of long codes and short codes.
I built a tool that makes Apple’s developer docs readable by AI (using mcp tools or skills) Apple's developer documentation pages are client-side rendered — if you try to curl them or pass them to an LLM, you just get empty HTML. The actual content loads via JavaScript after the page renders. I built swift-developer-docs-mcp to solve this. It fetches the underlying JSON data from developer.apple.com and converts it to clean, structured […]
Parallels shares status update on MacBook Neo compatibility Does Parallels virtualization software work with MacBook Neo? The short answer for now is that the company isn’t sure yet. The official line as of March 5 is that support has not actually been confirmed yet:
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Tech bros are lying to you about the MacBook Neo Macworld
Before Apple unveiled the MacBook Neo on Wednesday, the consensus online was that it would cost too much. Following the shuffling of the MacBook Air lineup on Tuesday, it became clear that the Neo would slide under the Air’s previous $999 slot, maybe $700, but probably $800. It was already declared DOA.
Apple instead released a $599 laptop ($499 for students) with 256GB of storage, 8GB of RAM, Magic Keyboard, multi-touch trackpad, 1080p webcam, Spatial Audio speakers, and a gorgeous aluminum design. It comes in colors we haven’t seen on a Mac in decades and is aimed at people who are otherwise comfortable using a budget Chromebook or Windows PC. Apple is going to sell a ton of them, and the people who buy one are probably going to love it.
But to read through social media feeds since the announcement, you’d think Apple was charging $1,299 for an entry-level iPad. Scroll through the timeline on your social network of choice, and you’ll read all kinds of advice from experts proclaiming that the MacBook Neo is underpowered, overpriced, and underwhelming compared to similarly priced Windows laptops.
It’s all lies.
MacBook misinformation
This post from Sankew on X sums up the general criticism of the MacBook Neo:
i don't care what anyone says, but the MacBook Neo is not worth it-Only 8GB RAM-No Touch ID on the base model-No Backlit keys-No force touch trackpad, it's a diving board trackpad-Weak I/Oyou should probably get a M2, M3 or M4 MacBook Air at a discount instead. pic.twitter.com/0rld2WUHAk— Sankew (@Sankew06) March 4, 2026
I’ve read countless posts suggesting that getting an older Air is a better option. It’s terrible advice for someone looking for a budget MacBook. For one, any M2 or M3 Air is likely to be refurbished, and any M4 you find will be several hundred dollars more than the Neo.
Mind you, the M2 MacBook Air is the same machine people criticized for starting at $1,099 with 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM. And now tech influencers are recommending buying one four years later because they don’t want to admit that the MacBook Neo got everything right.
Would Neo be a better machine with an A19 Pro with 12GB of RAM and a P3 display? Of course, but that’s not what the MacBook Neo is and not who it’s made for. And the tech bros on X and other platforms advising people to buy something else are simply spreading misinformation.
There are real reasons to criticize the MacBook Neo. Tying Touch ID to the $699 model effectively forces people to compromise on security. The trackpad misses out on Quick Look and other Force Touch features. It’s the first MacBook since 2011 that doesn’t feature a backlit keyboard. The Indigo color should be brighter.
But instead of appreciating the MacBook Neo for what it is, social media is filled with terrible advice:
Foundry
Any used M-series MacBook Air you can find in this price range will still have 256GB of storage, 8GB of RAM, and a 13-inch display, and it won’t be under Apple’s warranty anymore. You won’t be able to get AppleCare, and it’ll likely stop getting updates a year or two before the Neo. It might be scratched and dented. It’s a lie—there isn’t a used $600 MacBook Air on the planet that will be better than a Neo.
Looking through the wrong Windows
The MacBook Neo is obviously targeted at Windows and Chromebook users, particularly students. Apple has built a machine with low-end specs that performs well enough, but stands out for its design, camera, speakers, and display. There are plenty of similarly priced PCs to compare against the Neo, but few of the comparisons will be flattering. Still, you’ll find them all over your feeds.
Take Windows Latest, which has 50,000 followers and nearly 500,000 views on the following tweet:
This is the ASUS A14 with an OLED display, 60Hz refresh rate, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, and all-day battery life thanks to Snapdragon.Oh, and it also has five physical ports. How many do you have on the MacBook Neo?Sure, the MacBook Neo is a big deal for the price in the Apple… https://t.co/CQGEtl6cL6 pic.twitter.com/21GGwKYBMp— Windows Latest (@WindowsLatest) March 4, 2026
It sounds like a well-researched, informed takedown of the MacBook Neo. They argue that there are Windows laptops, specifically the ASUS Zenbook A14 and Galaxy Book4 Edge, with twice the RAM, better displays, more storage, and more ports for the same price. The only problem is it’s completely false—the A14 retails for $999, while the Galaxy Book 4 in question is a year old and still $900 on clearance.
Here’s another one, posted as a quote-reply to a post about an HP laptop from an Apple account:
more RAM, more storage, larger screen, touch screen, more pixels, numpad, more ports https://t.co/BZXiaZDp0d— Gregor 🌹🇪🇺🇦🇹 (@salingergregor) March 4, 2026
This machine with “more RAM, more storage, larger screen, touch screen, more pixels, numpad, more ports” is actually one of the best-selling Windows PCs at the MacBook Neo’s price range. It’s such a valid comparison; there was a similar one on hand at Apple’s experience event in New York. But it wasn’t to test performance; it was to show off Neo’s design, display, webcam, and audio advantages.
Yes, 16GB of RAM is more than 8GB. Yes, 15.6 inches is bigger than 13 inches. But Apple didn’t build the MacBook Neo to compete spec-for-spec. The fact is, Windows laptops have had better specs than their MacBook counterparts forever. 32GB of RAM standard, 4K displays, and discrete graphics. The same influencers calling out specs on social media understand this, but they’re choosing to bend the truth for engagement.
Take the bait
If you were considering buying a MacBook Neo until you saw one of these posts, then it’s almost definitely the right machine for you. It wasn’t made for influencers. It’s an affordable MacBook built from the ground up for K-12 students, college kids, grandparents, and anyone who doesn’t know USB 2.0 from USB 3.2.
Apple got it right. And anyone who starts breaking down specs and ports to convince you otherwise is wrong. Or just lying.
AirPods Pro 3 long-term review: Apple's latest earbuds are great with one asterisk It's been roughly half a year since Apple released the AirPods Pro 3 to the world, and I'm revisiting them to see how they've held up after months of near-daily use.AirPods Pro 3 long-term review: Holding the newest AirPods ProIn my original review of Apple's latest earbuds, I largely praised them for improving audio quality, ANC, as well as adding new features. Now that the initial excitement has subsided, let's examine the changes that have stood out.I went from the AirPods Pro 2 to the AirPods Pro 3. This wasn't a major jump by any means, but I felt it was worth it, especially since the battery life on my years-old pair had deteriorated, and I was able to pass them down to my partner. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
First benchmarks confirm MacBook Neo delivers the speed we hoped for The first MacBook Neo benchmark scores confirm that it offers all the performance needed by entry-level computer users.
(via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)
Meta smart glasses said to be sending footage of ‘bathroom visits, sex, and other intimate moments’ to human reviewers in Kenya Meta’s AI-powered smart glasses (Ray-Ban Meta) may be sending sensitive user footage to human reviewers in Nairobi, Kenya…
The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Silo gets exciting update ahead of season 3’s release Silo season 3 is expected to premiere later this year, but the show just got a big season 4 update too.
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MacBook Neo proves Apple can build a $599 laptop without cheapening the Mac Apple's industrial design chief says the MacBook Neo was created to bring the Mac into a much lower price tier without sacrificing the materials and design language associated with Apple laptops.MacBook NeoApple vice president of industrial design Molly Anderson said in a rare March 6 solo interview that the MacBook Neo retains its MacBook identity despite its $599 starting price. Apple introduced the MacBook Neo on March 4 as its most affordable Mac laptop.The MacBook Neo uses the A18 Pro processor instead of the Apple Silicon M-series chips found in other Macs. Apple is targeting students and first-time Mac buyers who might otherwise choose inexpensive Windows laptops or Chromebooks. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
Apple drops 512GB M3 Ultra Mac Studio option, ups 256GB memory upgrade by $400 Apple has quietly removed the 512GB RAM configuration option for the Mac Studio this week. As of yesterday, the maximum available…
The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Save up to $100 on Apple's new M4 iPad Air at Amazon Apple's brand-new M4 iPad Air is already discounted, with Amazon launching preorder deals on both 11-inch and 13-inch models for the weekend.Save up to $100 on iPad Air M4 preorders.Despite being announced mere days ago, Amazon is already issuing preorder deals on the 2026 iPad Air with M4. Save up to $100 on preorders ahead of the official March 11 release.Save up to $100 on M4 iPad Air Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
The MacRumors Show: Apple Announces MacBook Neo and More On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Apple's concentrated week of announcements that saw the introduction of 10 new products.
Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos
The most significant announcement of the week was the MacBook Neo, an all-new entry-level Apple laptop that starts at $599. The MacBook Neo is designed to compete with lower-cost Windows laptops and Chromebooks, while expanding the Mac lineup with a substantially more affordable option.
Unlike every other Apple silicon Mac, the MacBook Neo is powered by the A18 Pro chip originally developed for the iPhone 16 Pro, making it the first Mac to use an iPhone-class processor instead of an M-series chip.
The machine features a rounded, colorful design available in Silver, Indigo, Blush, and Citrus finishes, with matching keyboards and wallpapers that give it a more playful appearance than Apple's existing notebooks. At 2.7 pounds, it weighs the same as a MacBook Air.
It offers a 13-inch Liquid Retina display with uniform, iPad-style bezels rather than a notch, a Magic Keyboard, a mechanical trackpad, two USB-C ports, 8GB of memory, a headphone jack, a 1080p camera, dual mics, dual speakers with Spatial Audio, and a battery life rated for up to 16 hours.
Apple also updated several existing devices with modest specification improvements. The iPhone 17e retains the same design and price as the iPhone 16e but adds the A19 chip, MagSafe support, Apple's second-generation C1X modem, and 256GB of base storage.
The 11- and 13-inch iPad Air gained the M4 chip, 12GB of RAM, Wi-Fi 7 support via Apple's N1 wireless chip, and the same C1X modem in cellular models. Meanwhile, the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air were upgraded with the M5 chip and a higher base storage capacity of 512GB, though the removal of the 256GB option increased the starting price to $1,099.
At the high end of the Mac lineup, Apple refreshed the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with the new M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, introducing a "Fusion Architecture" that bonds two 3nm dies together into a single processor. These models also gained faster SSD speeds, higher base storage, and Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 via the N1 chip. Battery life increased slightly across the lineup, while GPU cores now include dedicated Neural Accelerators intended to improve AI workloads.
Apple also expanded its display lineup with a new Studio Display XDR model, replacing the Pro Display XDR. The new model offers a 27-inch 5K mini-LED panel with up to a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR brightness up to 2,000 nits, and Thunderbolt 5 connectivity. The standard Studio Display was updated at the same time with two Thunderbolt 5 ports, improved speakers, and a camera that now supports Desk View, but retains its 60Hz panel and 600-nit brightness.
All of the newly announced devices became available to pre-order on Wednesday, March 4, with the entire lineup scheduled to launch and begin arriving to customers on Wednesday, March 11. The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.
Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel!
You can also listen to The MacRumors Show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or other podcast apps. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your player.
If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about what we expected from Apple's announcements this week to see what we got right and wrong.
Subscribe to The MacRumors Show for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.
The MacRumors Show is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also email us at podcast@macrumors.com or head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.Related Roundup: MacBook NeoTag: The MacRumors ShowThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
The MacBook Neo may cannibalize more iPads than MacBook Airs Apple finally unveiled the long-awaited entry-level MacBook, the MacBook Neo – and it was certainly worth the wait. The shiny new machine hit the most optimistic of price estimates, with a starting price of just $599.
There’s little doubt that the Neo will cannibalize some sales of the MacBook Air. Although it certainly involves compromises, it will be the right choice for many. However, my suspicion is that it will actually end up cannibalizing even more iPad sales …
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MacBook Neo is selling out fast — these are the hottest models The standout feature of the new MacBook Neo is its low price, but it seems a great many buyers are willing to pay extra.
(via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)
Apple Discontinued These 15 Products This Week Amid its introduction of 10 new devices this week, Apple discontinued over a dozen of its products dating back to 2019.
Apple this week announced the iPhone 17e, refreshed iPad Air models with the M4 chip, MacBook Air models with the M5 chip, MacBook Pro models with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, two new Studio Display models, and the all-new MacBook Neo. Simultaneously, these 15 products were removed from Apple's lineup to make way for the new additions:
iPhone 16e with A18 (2025)
11-inch iPad Air with M3 (2025)
13-inch iPad Air with M3 (2025)
13-inch MacBook Air with M4 (2025)
15-inch MacBook Air with M4 (2025)
13-inch MacBook Pro with M5 and 512GB storage (2025)
13-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro (2024)
15-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro (2024)
13-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Max (2024)
15-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Max (2024)
Mac Studio with M3 Max and 512GB memory (2025)
Studio Display with A13 Bionic (2022)
Pro Display XDR (2019)
Pro Stand for Pro Display XDR (2019)
Pro Display XDR VESA Mount Adapter (2019)
Many of these devices are already seeing substantial discounts with third-party retailers. All of the newly announced devices became available to pre-order on Wednesday, March 4, with the entire lineup scheduled to launch and begin arriving to customers on Wednesday, March 11. This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Deals: First cash deal on most affordable new M4 iPad Air, MacBook Air, Trail Loop, more Today’s 9to5Mac Lunch Break is headlined by the first cash deal on the most affordable new M4 iPad Air (or as low as $249 with trade), as well as a chance to land the M4 MacBook Air with the same RAM/storage specs as new M5 model at $200 less. Those offers join the ongoing M5 Pro MacBook Pro and MacBook Neo pre-order deals as well as all Apple Watch Series 11 models at $100 off, the best price yet on this Blue/Bright Blue Apple Trail Loop at 35% off, and a solid deal on Apple’s latest Neon Green Ocean Band. Everything awaits below.
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iOS 26.4: Here are all the new features for your iPhone iOS 26.4 is currently in beta testing with developers and public beta users. The update adds a range of new features to iPhone, including upgrades to Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, Messages, and more.
Here are all of the new iPhone features in iOS 26.4, plus everything else you need to know.
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Intermittent connectivity issues in Ashburn, VA Mar 6, 16:31 UTCMonitoring - Cloudflare investigated intermittent connectivity issues in Ashburn, VA. A fix for this issue was implemented and we are currently monitoring the results. We will update the status once the issue is resolved.
M5 13-inch MacBook Air vs M5 14-inch MacBook Pro — compared Apple's M5 MacBook Air and 14-inch MacBook Pro share the same core chip, but there are big differences in the display, cooling, and more. Here's how the specs compare.MacBook Air M5Both notebooks use the standard M5 chip with a 10-core CPU, integrated graphics, and Apple's unified memory architecture. The MacBook Air uses a fanless chassis with passive cooling, while the MacBook Pro uses active cooling to sustain higher performance during longer workloads.For everyday tasks like web browsing, document editing, and light creative work, the two machines are very similar in short bursts. Heavier tasks such as compiling code, exporting video, or rendering graphics are where MacBook Pro's thermal design begins to matter. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
M6 MacBook Pro could have four innovations new to the Mac Apple launched the MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max just this week. But rumors indicate an M6 MacBook Pro is coming this year too, with several innovations that are new to the Mac.
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Best Apple Deals of the Week: First Discounts Hit All of Apple's New Products, Including MacBook Neo and More It's Apple pre-order week, and we're already tracking solid discounts across every new product that was announced this week. This includes free Best Buy gift cards when ordering the new MacBook Neo, Air, and Pro, plus the first cash discounts on M4 iPad Air on Amazon.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Pre-Order Discounts
What's the deal? Save on pre-orders for iPhone 17e, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, MacBook Neo, and iPad Air
Where can I get it? Amazon, Best Buy, and more
Where can I find the original deal? Right here
$40 OFFM4 iPad Air at Amazon
$25 GIFT CARDMacBook Neo at Best Buy
$50 GIFT CARDM5 MacBook Air at Best Buy
$100 GIFT CARDM5 Pro/M5 Max MacBook Pro at Best Buy
$5.99/MONTHiPhone 17e at AT&T
Pre-orders are live on all of Apple's newest products, including the MacBook Neo, M5 MacBook Air, M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro, iPhone 17e, and M4 iPad Air. You'll find free gift cards when pre-ordering select products at Best Buy, while Amazon has straight cash discounts on numerous M4 iPad Air tablets.
AirPods
What's the deal? Take $60 off AirPods 4 with ANC
Where can I get it? Amazon
Where can I find the original deal? Right here
$60 OFFAirPods 4 for $119.00
Amazon this week is back with a notable discount on the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, available for $119.00, down from $179.00.
Apple Watch Series 11
What's the deal? Take $100 off Apple Watch Series 11
Where can I get it? Amazon
Where can I find the original deal? Right here
$100 OFFApple Watch Series 11 (42mm GPS) for $299.00
$100 OFFApple Watch Series 11 (46mm GPS) for $329.00
$100 OFFApple Watch Series 11 (42mm Cell) for $399.00
Amazon this week has all-time low prices on the Apple Watch Series 11, with $100 discounts across numerous models of the smartwatch. We first started tracking the return of these deals about a week ago, but this sale has now expanded with many more options on both 42mm and 46mm GPS models.
AirTag
What's the deal? Take $35 off AirTag gen 1
Where can I get it? Amazon
Where can I find the original deal? Right here
$34 OFFAirTag 4-Pack for $64.99
Apple's first-generation AirTag 4-Pack has dropped to $64.00 this week on Amazon, down from the original price of $99.00. Free shipping options have a delivery estimate around March 11, while Prime members should be able to get it delivered a few days sooner.
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 forums
Here's How Much Faster MacBook Air Gets With M5 Chip vs. M4 Chip We now know how much faster the new MacBook Air with the M5 chip is compared to the previous model with an M4 chip, courtesy of a Geekbench 6 result shared by TechRadar's Lance Ulanoff. However, given the 14-inch MacBook Pro and the iPad Pro were already updated with the M5 chip last year, the result is not too surprising.
Ulanoff ran Geekbench on a MacBook Air with an M5 chip, which has a 10-core CPU. The laptop achieved a score of 17,073 for multi-core CPU performance, whereas the MacBook Air with an M4 chip has an average multi-core score of 14,731, so the new model is up to 15% faster than the previous generation. This is in line with what Apple advertised when it announced the M5 chip back in October, so it was entirely expected.
With the M5 chip, the Geekbench database shows that the MacBook Air is up to 16% faster than the MacBook Pro with the M3 Pro chip from a few years ago, but it is still slower than MacBook Pro models with the M4 Pro chip and newer.
The new MacBook Air is available to pre-order now and launches on Wednesday, March 11.
For additional benchmarks, see our coverage of Geekbench results for the MacBook Pro with the M5 Max chip and the MacBook Neo with the A18 Pro chip.Related Roundup: MacBook AirTags: Benchmarks, GeekbenchBuyer's Guide: MacBook Air (Buy Now)Related Forum: MacBook AirThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple's 512GB Mac Studio vanishes, a quiet acknowledgment of the RAM shortage Announcements this week were mostly business as usual, but Apple isn't immune.
MacBook Neo is Apple’s first product with these three unique technologies MacBook Neo is an all-new kind of laptop for the $599 price, making it worthy of being Apple’s first-ever “Neo” product. The new computer is also Apple’s first product to use three distinct technologies.
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Need advice, on an age old problem: creating a good UX design You've all heard this before. Some of you are probably exactly where I am now. The features work great on my (now second) app, but it's not delightful. Kinda like when I cook – it's edible, hits the macros, but there's no 'WOW' factor. I've learned from my first app that I'm not a designer […]
Any Chrome extension to auto-localize App Store IAP prices? Is there any Chrome extension or tool that automatically adjusts App Store in-app purchase price localizations when setting up IAPs in App Store Connect? I don't want to give an app store account permission or key to any tool? is there a extension that automatically does this on the app store iap price page ? […]
MacBook Neo shipping delays emerge for Blush and Citrus colors amid strong demand Just two days after pre-orders opened for Apple's budget-friendly MacBook Neo, the product is seeing shipping delays for certain colors…
The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Apple teases Ted Lasso season 4 plot in new clip Ted Lasso season 4 is coming this August, and Apple TV just shared a brief clip that teases the plot of the new season.
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Why Apple named its new budget MacBook ‘Neo’ The name Neo surprised everyone. It turns out the reasoning behind it is just as vivid as the laptop's eye-popping color palette.
(via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)
∞ The Dalrymple Report: Wow, Apple hardware! This show is all about the hardware Apple released this week and what a week it was. MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, MacBook Neo, iPhone 17e, Studio Display, iPad Air, and the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. A crazy week for Apple's hardware team.
Follow this podcast
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Squarespace: Check out squarespace.com/DALRYMPLE for a free trial, and when you’re ready to launch, use OFFER CODE: DALRYMPLE to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.
Show Notes:
Apple accelerates U.S. manufacturing with Mac mini production
Apple unveils new Studio Display and all-new Studio Display XDR
New Apple Studio Display and Studio Display XDR Don't Work With Intel Macs
Apple introduces iPhone 17e
Side-by-side of the 16, 17, 17e
Difference between 17e and 17
Apple introduces the new iPad Air, powered by M4
Apple introduces MacBook Pro with all-new M5 Pro and M5 Max
With the latest chips, the MacBook Pro now maxes out at $7,349
Apple debuts M5 Pro and M5 Max
Apple introduces the new MacBook Air with M5
Say hello to MacBook Neo
Intro video for the MacBook Neo
MacBook Neo vs. MacBook Air
20+ MacBook Neo Compromises
MacBook Neo Features Two Different USB-C Ports
Shows and movies we're watching
Vanished, MGM+
HBO Max and Paramount+ to merge
Big Bang Theory, HBO
Just get a new iPhone? Here are my favorite MagSafe accessories Apple announced the iPhone 17e this week, and it corrects one of the biggest problems with its predecessor by adding support for MagSafe.
There’s a robust ecosystem of MagSafe accessories for iPhone on the market, and these are some of my favorites.
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Ultra-slim Qi2 power bank ends battery anxiety for your iPhone The versatile Vionta Q10 power bank delivers ultra-slim Qi2 magnetic charging, 30W USB-C output and airline-approved travel safety.
(via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)
9to5Mac Daily: March 6, 2026 – More on MacBook Neo 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 BenQ: Check out BenQ’s smarter displays made for how Mac users actually work. Sign up for the giveaway here.
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Apple’s ‘HomePad’ gets launch timing update via leaker One of my most anticipated Apple products is ‘HomePad,’ a new HomePod-type device with a display. But per leaker Kosutami, the wait may be longer than expected.
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Issues with 1.1.1.1 public resolver in North America Mar 6, 14:43 UTCResolved - This incident has been resolved.Mar 6, 14:24 UTCInvestigating - Cloudflare is aware of, and investigating, an issue which potentially impacts multiple users in North America that use 1.1.1.1 public resolver. Further detail will be provided as more information becomes available.
New iPads mean new accessories & ESR has productivity-boosting options The iPad Air has been upgraded with the M4, so pair it or Apple's other tablets with accessories that enhance your workflows. ESR's magnetic keyboard cases are a great place to start.ESR has accessories ready for your new iPad. Image source: ESRESR's iPad accessory line combines form and function to ensure your devices look great while keeping you productive. Choose one of the cases with a removable magnetic keyboard, a strong screen protector, and a digital stylus with Find My support, all from ESR.Having a thin and light iPad that works great as a handheld tablet or a sturdy laptop doesn't have to be an either/or choice. ESR's cases let users have it all in a convenient form factor. Continue Reading on AppleInsider
Get Up to $100 Off the New M4 iPad Air When Pre-Ordering on Amazon Amazon today is joining in on the pre-order discounts for the M4 iPad Air, introducing up to $100 off these brand new models. These exceed the discounts we tracked at Best Buy earlier in the week, with discounts available on every model of the M4 iPad Air at Amazon without the need of a membership.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Specifically, Amazon has up to $80 off the 11-inch M4 iPad Air and up to $100 off the 13-inch M4 iPad Air. All of these discounts have been automatically applied and do not require a coupon code or a Prime membership. The M4 iPad Air will officially launch on March 11.
$40 OFF11-inch M4 iPad Air for $559.00
$50 OFF13-inch M4 iPad Air for $749.00
The new iPad Air features the M4 chip, C1X modem, and N1 networking chip, which brings support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. In terms of design, the 2026 models are identical to the 2025 iPad Air tablets, with an edge-to-edge display, slim bezels, and aluminum chassis.
11-inch M4 iPad Air
128GB Wi-Fi - $559.00 ($40 off)
256GB Wi-Fi - $649.00 ($50 off)
512GB Wi-Fi - $839.00 ($60 off)
1TB Wi-Fi - $1,019.00 ($80 off)
13-inch M4 iPad Air
128GB Wi-Fi - $749.00 ($50 off)
256GB Wi-Fi - $839.00 ($60 off)
512GB Wi-Fi - $1,019.00 ($80 off)
1TB Wi-Fi - $1,199.00 ($100 off)
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 forums
Power to burn: Top 10 Mac Studio setups Apple's powerful and compact desktop machine has wowed users since it came out in 2022. Behold the top 10 Mac Studio setups we've seen.
(via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)
MacBook Neo: Here's Which Models Are Selling Out If you want a MacBook Neo delivered on launch day next week, you might want to act fast, as the laptop is beginning to sell out for March 11 delivery.
A spot check of Apple's online store in the U.S. reveals that some MacBook Neo configurations are now estimated to be delivered between March 16 and March 30.
Here are the estimated delivery dates for each configuration as of 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time:
256GB/Blush: March 16 — March 23
256GB/Citrus: March 11
256GB/Indigo: March 11
256GB/Silver: March 11
512GB/Blush: March 23 — March 30
512GB/Citrus: March 23 — March 30
512GB/Indigo: March 16 — March 23
512GB/Silver: March 11MacBook Neo pre-orders began March 4.
Without knowing how much supply there is for each configuration, it is hard to draw any conclusions from the delivery dates listed above. If we assume that supply is equal across all configurations, then Blush and 512GB configurations appear to be the most popular options in the U.S. so far during the pre-order window.
With a starting price of $599 in the U.S., or just $499 for college students, the MacBook Neo is likely to be a hit with both students and average customers who need a Mac for everyday tasks such as web browsing and document editing.
Apple does not release Mac sales figures on a model-by-model basis, but the company's next quarterly earnings report might provide some broader insight.Related Roundup: MacBook NeoThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
MacBook Neo pre-order configurations slip to after release date Apple unveiled the all-new MacBook Neo on Wednesday, and several configurations have already sold out for day one deliveries.
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Apple’s MacBook Neo is a true game-changer Apple doesn’t need AI to disrupt the market, and the company’s competitors know this. The launch of the MacBook Neo will prove it…
The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Apple's 'HomePad' Now Rumored to Launch Even Later Than Expected Apple's long-rumored smart home hub device will launch in the fall of 2026, according to the leaker and prototype collector known as "Kosutami."
In a new post on X, Kosutami said that the device, colloquially dubbed the "HomePad," is now set to arrive in the fall of 2026. The fall runs from September to December, and usually coincides with Apple's busiest release period of the year.
Apple has reportedly been working on the device for several years, with the aim for it to serve as a centralized location for controlling smart home products, listening to music and podcasts, making video calls, and getting glanceable information like the weather and calendar events.
The device is expected to have a 7-inch square display and a front-facing camera. There may be two versions, with one designed to be mounted on a wall and the other featuring a speaker base that apparently looks similar to a HomePod mini and can be placed on a desktop or countertop.
Built-in sensors will be able to determine when someone is near the home hub, and the displayed content will change based on who is present. It will be heavily reliant on Siri voice commands, and Siri could even have a new personified look on the hub, with one design described as a version of the Mac Finder icon.
Apple could price the home hub somewhere around $350. The device was originally rumored to launch in early 2025, but due to delays with Apple Intelligence, its apparent release date moved to early 2026, and now to the fall. The rumored release timing means the HomePad could arrive alongside products like the iPhone 18 Pro in September or redesigned MacBook Pro models in October. Tag: Apple Command CenterThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums