The MacRumors Show: Your Tech Questions Answered
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we answer your listener questions about the future of Apple's product lineup, the software and services shaping the ecosystem, and our own personal histories with the company and its devices. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Some questions center on the iPhone Air and its future direction, including whether Apple might adopt silicon-carbon battery technology for a second-generation model, or prioritize adding a second camera lens instead. There is also interest in how ‌iPhone Air‌ might evolve with features like a vibrating surface speaker. The foldable iPhone generates a lot of discussion, with questions touching on whether listeners would choose it over an ‌iPhone Air‌, whether it could replace both an iPhone and iPad mini, and whether its arrival signals the end of the dedicated compact tablet. Broader hardware questions include when the 11th-generation iPad will be updated, when Apple plans to complete the OLED with ProMotion rollout across its entire laptop lineup, whether the MacBook Neo risks cannibalizing ‌iPad‌ sales, and what the future holds for Apple Vision Pro given its underwhelming reception. On the software side, questions cover what visionOS might look like several years down the line, Photomator's future and whether Apple intends to develop it into a proper Lightroom alternative, and whether Apple is falling behind competitors like Alexa on basic smart home automation, pointing out that HomePod still relies on Shortcuts for many routines that Alexa handles natively. The general tech questions are the most varied, asking which Apple device would cause the biggest bottleneck if swapped for an entry-level version, whether we would attempt an Apple Watch-only week without an iPhone, and what device combinations we actually rely on day to day. There is also curiosity about Nothing as a brand and whether it is worth taking seriously, as well as concerns about the escalating cost of MacBook Pro models and where the ceiling might be. A number of questions are more personal, asking about our first Apple products, what originally drew us to the ecosystem, our favorite and oldest devices, and whether family members using non-Apple products causes any friction. ‌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 Apple's bombshell announcement that Tim Cook will step down as CEO on September 1, 2026, with hardware engineering chief John Ternus set to succeed him. 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.Tag: The MacRumors ShowThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Was Caught Off Guard by MacBook Neo's 'Off the Charts' Demand
Apple's most affordable MacBook ever appears to be a resounding hit with customers, based on comments shared by CEO Tim Cook this week. On an earnings call on Thursday, Cook said that customer response to the MacBook Neo has been "off the charts" since the laptop was unveiled in March. "We could not be happier with how things are going at the moment," he said. Apple was very optimistic about the MacBook Neo before announcing it, but the company still "undercalled" the level of enthusiasm that the laptop would generate, according to Cook. He said that MacBook Neo demand has exceeded Apple's expectations and helped to drive a record number of first-time Mac buyers last quarter. "We're very focused on customers new to the Mac and customers that have been holding on to their Mac a very long period of time," said Cook. As a result of high demand, Cook added that the MacBook Neo is currently "supply constrained." For orders placed today, Apple's online store in the U.S. currently shows a 2-3 week delivery estimate for all configurations of the laptop. Apple released the MacBook Neo on March 11, following a week of pre-orders. In the U.S., pricing starts at just $599 for the general public and an even lower $499 for college students and qualifying educational staff. Powered by a version of the iPhone 16 Pro's A18 Pro chip, the laptop is available in Citrus, Blush, Indigo, and Silver finishes.Related Roundup: MacBook NeoTag: Tim CookBuyer's Guide: MacBook Neo (Buy Now)Related Forum: MacBook NeoThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Here's When to Expect an iPad 12 With Apple Intelligence
A new entry-level iPad 12 with Apple Intelligence support likely remains months away, based on a comment shared by an Apple executive this week. On an earnings call on Thursday, Apple's CFO Kevan Parekh said that the company's iPad revenue in the March-June quarter will face a "difficult compare" due to the the launch of the entry-level iPad 11 with the A16 chip in March 2025. Parekh is essentially saying that Apple's year-over-year iPad revenue growth might be impacted in the current quarter, as a result of the company having no plans to update the entry-level iPad this quarter like it did in the year-ago quarter. If an iPad 12 were to be coming this quarter, this "difficult compare" remark would have been unlikely. In short, do not expect an iPad 12 to be released during Apple's current fiscal quarter, which runs through June 27. That seemingly rules out a product announcement at the WWDC 2026 conference taking place from June 8 through June 12. Here is Parekh's full comment:We expect our June quarter total company revenue to grow by 14 to 17 percent year-over-year, which comprehends our best view of constrained supply. On iPad, keep in mind, we face a difficult compare driven by the launch of the A16-powered iPad in the prior year. While it appears that an iPad 12 will not be released through June, a launch later this year is still possible. In March, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said an entry-level iPad with an A18 chip was "ready to go" and "still coming this year." An earlier report from Macworld's Filipe Espósito claimed that the iPad 12 will actually have an A19 chip, so we will have to see which report turns out to be accurate. In any case, both the A18 and A19 chips are compatible with Apple Intelligence, which is something that the current iPad base model with an A16 chip lacks. Apple Intelligence is already available on all other current-generation iPad models, including the iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro. No other major changes have been rumored so far for the iPad 12, so we expect the device to have the same overall design as the current model. In the U.S., the device currently starts at $349 and is available in pink, yellow, blue, and silver.Related Roundup: iPadTag: Apple IntelligenceBuyer's Guide: iPad (Don't Buy)Related Forum: iPadThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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iPhone Air's Poor Sales Spook Rivals Into Ditching Ultra-Thin Phone Plans
A Weibo leaker today suggested that Apple's iPhone Air 2 may be the only next-generation ultra-thin flagship smartphone from a major brand, after the original model's poor sales performance appears to have led competing manufacturers to abandon plans for their own follow-up products. The leaker known as "Digital Chat Station" today posted on Weibo, claiming that the ‌iPhone Air‌ barely surpassed 700,000 unit activations even after multiple rounds of price reductions. The post also noted that an unspecified domestic Chinese ultra-thin device managed only 50,000 activations, and that the rival's planned follow-up now looks "highly precarious" and is in all likelihood going to be scrapped. The leaker concluded that the ‌iPhone Air‌ 2 may end up as the sole ultra-thin flagship of the next generation. The ‌iPhone Air‌ has struggled commercially since its September 2025 launch. A KeyBanc Capital Markets survey found "virtually no demand" for the device, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that suppliers had been asked to cut capacity by more than 80% between launch and early 2026, and the ‌iPhone Air‌ is now widely believed to be entirely out of production. The device's poor reception has reverberated across the industry. Xiaomi reportedly planned a "true Air model" to rival Apple's offering, while Vivo targeted thinness within its mid-range S series. Both companies are said to have halted related projects. Samsung similarly cancelled the Galaxy S26 Edge after the Galaxy S25 Edge sold poorly. Despite all of this, a separate leaker claimed last month that Apple will push ahead with at least two generations of the device regardless of sales performance. Reports are now aligned around a spring 2027 launch, with the delay attributed both to poor sales of the original and to Apple's new split launch strategy, which moves the standard iPhone 18, iPhone 18e, and ‌iPhone Air‌ 2 to a spring window while reserving fall 2026 for the iPhone 18 Pro, ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, and foldable iPhone. Reports from Nikkei Asia, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, and The Information all point to an early 2027 release. Apple is said to be significantly revising the ‌iPhone Air‌ 2 to address the main criticisms of the original. The Information reported that Apple is considering adding a second rear camera, likely an Ultra Wide lens to complement the existing 48-megapixel Fusion camera, along with lower pricing. Other rumored changes include reduced weight, vapor chamber cooling, and increased battery capacity. Apple is believed to have requested an ultra-thin Face ID module from suppliers to free up internal space for the additional camera. According to The Elec, Apple also plans to bring a thinner, brighter Samsung OLED technology called CoE (Color Filter on Encapsulation) to the ‌iPhone Air‌ 2, after debuting it first on the foldable iPhone.Related Roundup: iPhone AirTag: Digital Chat StationBuyer's Guide: iPhone Air (Buy Now)This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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MacRumors 2026 Blood Drive
MacRumors is pleased to announce our Seventeenth Annual MacRumors Blood Drive, throughout the month of May 2026. Let's save lives together by encouraging donations of blood, platelets, and plasma, and signing up as bone marrow and organ donors. While most blood drives are specific to a geographic location, our blood drive is online and worldwide. Anyone can participate. Over the past 16 years, MacRumors Blood Drives have recorded donations of 1,795 units of blood, platelets, and plasma, cheered for donors, and celebrated new signups for the bone marrow and organ donor registries. We've heard from hundreds of forum members who donate or whose lives were saved by the donations of strangers. This year's featured donor is user m53rd. Not only is he a blood donor, registered as an organ donor, and registered as a bone marrow donor, but he's already been an organ donor, having donated a kidney and then 60% of his liver to people in need. It's a magnificent example how a single person can save many lives. Whether you're a regular donor or someone overcoming apprehension to donate for the very first time, we welcome and congratulate you. How to participate in the MacRumors Blood Drive If you are an eligible donor, schedule a blood, platelet, or plasma donation (FAQ) at any donation center near you. Post in the ! thread to tell us about it. Also post if you sign up for the bone marrow registry (FAQ) or register as an organ donor. We'll add all registrants to our Honor Roll. Not everyone is eligible to donate blood, due to their health status or based on risk factors that result in deferrals (see LGBTQ+ donor information). If you aren't eligible to donate blood, please encourage a friend or relative to make a donation, and let us know. If they donate, you'll both be added to our Honor Roll. Share our #MacRumorsBloodDrive message with friends, relatives, and followers. Help us thank the forum members who post in the ! thread. After the MacRumors Blood Drive ends on May 31, continue recording your blood, platelet, and plasma donations, from June 2026 through next April 2027, on our Team MacRumors 2026-2027 page (instructions). We'll tally your donations and count them for the MacRumors 2027 Blood Drive next May.Tag: MacRumors Blood DriveThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple's Q2 2026 Earnings Call: 11 Key Takeaways
Apple held its earnings call for the second fiscal quarter (first calendar quarter) of 2026 today after announcing its best March quarter ever. Apple saw revenue of $111.2 billion with double-digit growth across every geographic segment and across every product category. Apple CEO Tim Cook and Apple CFO Kevan Parekh provided insight into iPhone sales, Mac sales, RAM supply issues, and more. We've rounded up the most interesting takeaways from the call. iPhone 17 Sales Apple attributed its success to the new iPhone models. Cook said "demand was off the charts," but Apple was facing supply constraints that impacted revenue. Had there not been supply issues, Apple would have seen higher revenue. The A19 and A19 Pro chips from TSMC proved to be a bottleneck because TSMC uses the same 3nm process for AI chips that are in high demand. Cook said iPhone constraints were "primarily driven" by the availability of the advanced nodes Apple's SoCs are produced on. According to Parekh, the iPhone 17 family is Apple's best-selling iPhone lineup to date. "The ‌iPhone 17‌ family is now the most popular lineup in our history... we believe we gained market share during the quarter," he said. iPhone revenue was $57 billion, up 22 percent year-over-year, which is a new March quarter record. Apple saw strong demand from upgraders and customers choosing an iPhone for the first time. Cook said Apple is "enormously pleased" with how the ‌iPhone 17‌ lineup has been received. Memory Costs Apple had higher memory costs during the March quarter, and the impact is expected to get worse as the year goes on. Apple CEO ‌Tim Cook‌ said that Apple is expecting "significantly higher memory costs" in the June quarter, and beyond June, memory costs will "drive an increasing impact" on Apple's business. Mac Sales Mac revenue was $8.4 billion, up six percent year-over-year. Cook said sales were impacted by supply constraints "driven by higher than expected levels of demand." The MacBook Neo that was introduced during the quarter was a hit, and Apple sold out. Shipping times for new machines reached several weeks. Apple also saw high demand for the Mac mini and the Mac Studio from people buying the machines for use with AI. Apple set March quarter records for upgraders and customers new to the Mac, leading to a new all-time record for the overall Mac install base. Apple is focused on customers new to the Mac and customers who have been holding onto their Mac for a long period of time, and the Neo is selling well to those customers. Apple expects Macs to face supply constraints in the June quarter due to continued high demand and "less flexibility in the supply chain." Mac Studio and Mac mini Supplies Apple expects it to take months to reach supply/demand balance on the ‌Mac Studio‌ and ‌Mac mini‌, suggesting they are going to be hard to get for months to come. Apple underestimated demand for the ‌Mac mini‌ and the ‌Mac Studio‌. "Both of these are amazing platforms for AI and agentic tools and the customer recognition of that is happening faster than what we had predicted, and so we saw higher than expected demand," Cook said. John Ternus Cook addressed John Ternus, who will take over as Apple's CEO on September 1, 2026. As I have said, there is no one on this planet I trust more to lead Apple into the future than John Ternus. John is a brilliant engineer, a deep thinker, a person of remarkable character, and a born leader. I know he will push us to go further than we think is possible in order to deliver the greatest products and services for our users. I have been so proud to call him a colleague and a friend, and I will be even more proud to call him Apple's CEO. Ternus also spoke on the call, where he teased Apple's upcoming product lineup. As Tim mentioned, we have an incredible roadmap ahead. And while you're not going to get me to talk about the details of that roadmap, suffice it to say this is the most exciting time in my 25-year career at Apple to be building products and services. There are so many opportunities before us, and I couldn't be more optimistic about what's to come. For now, let me simply say I am deeply grateful to Tim, to the executive team and to everyone at Apple, and I look forward to all of the important work ahead with that. Wearables Wearables revenue was $7.9 billion, an increase of five percent year-over-year. Apple's wearables install base hit a new all-time high, and more than half of customers who purchased an Apple Watch during the quarter were new to the product. Services Apple's services revenue reached $31 billion, a new all-time revenue record. Apple has an install base of over 2.5 billion active devices, a new all-time high across all major product categories. Both transacting and paid accounts hit new all-time highs in the quarter. Retail Apple had a March quarter revenue record for retail, with "very high levels of store traffic throughout the quarter." AI Parekh said that AI is a "really important investment area" for Apple, and the company plans to continue to invest in AI "incrementally on top of" what it normally invests in its product roadmap. Apple's R&D spending accelerated during the quarter, and Cook said that Apple is investing in products and services. "We see opportunities in both of those," he said. "We could not be more excited about how the future is playing out." On the collaboration with Google, Cook said things are going well. "We're happy with where things are, and we're happy with the work that we're doing independently as well," he said. Tariffs From Q1 to Q2, Apple saw less impact from tariffs due to the reduction in IEEPA tariff rates, and the reduced global tariff rate under Section 122. Cook said Apple is following the established processes of applying for a refund of tariffs paid, and any amount received will be invested back into U.S. innovation and advanced manufacturing. Any investment of refunded tariff fees will be in addition to Apple's prior commitments in the U.S. Next Quarter Parekh said June quarter total revenue is expected to grow 14 to 17 percent year-over-year. Services revenue is expected to grow at a similar rate to what was reported in the March quarter. Parekh warned investors about iPad revenue because last year, Apple released the A16 ‌iPad‌. "Keep in mind, we face a difficult compare driven by the launch of the A16-powered ‌iPad‌ in the prior year," Parekh said. Apple's guidance for the June quarter relies on global tariff rates and policies remaining as they are today.This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Says Mac Studio and Mac Mini Will Be in Short Supply for Months
During today's earnings call for the second fiscal quarter of 2026, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that the Mac mini and Mac Studio could be hard to get for months to come. "We think, looking forward, that the ‌Mac mini‌ and ‌Mac Studio‌ may take several months to reach supply demand balance," Cook said. Apple underestimated demand for the ‌Mac mini‌ and the ‌Mac Studio‌. "Both of these are amazing platforms for AI and agentic tools and the customer recognition of that is happening faster than what we had predicted, and so we saw higher than expected demand," Cook said. Shipping delays for the ‌Mac mini‌ and the ‌Mac Studio‌ have been increasing over the last few months, and the waits for some models stretch into months. Apple stopped selling the ‌Mac Studio‌ with 512GB RAM entirely, and it stopped accepting orders for some models with higher amounts of RAM. As of last week, the base ‌Mac mini‌ was listed as "Currently Unavailable" from Apple's online store because it is out of stock.Related Roundups: Mac Studio, Mac miniBuyer's Guide: Mac Studio (Caution), Mac Mini (Caution)Related Forums: Mac Studio, Mac miniThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Expects 'Significantly Higher Memory Costs' in June Quarter and Beyond
Apple had higher memory costs during the March quarter, and the impact is expected to get worse as the year goes on. Apple CEO Tim Cook said that Apple is expecting "significantly higher memory costs" in the June quarter, and beyond June, memory costs will "drive an increasing impact" on Apple's business. Cook said the higher memory costs have been partially offset because the company is selling existing inventory that it has stockpiled. As those supplies dwindle, Apple's costs will go up. According to Cook, Apple is going to look at a "range of options" and the company is "continuing to evaluate" the situation. Cook declined to provide more insight into how Apple plans to deal with the problem. Memory costs have been soaring due to global supply constraints caused by AI server demand. Chip makers are prioritizing memory for AI servers rather than consumer devices, causing prices to go up.This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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iPhone 17 Is Apple's Most Popular Lineup Ever
Apple's iPhone 17 models are its most popular iPhones to date, Apple CFO Kevan Parekh told the Financial Times. Both Parekh and Apple CEO Tim Cook attributed Apple's stellar Q2 2026 performance to iPhone sales. "The ‌iPhone 17‌ family is now the most popular line-up in our history... we believe we gained market share during the quarter," said Parekh. Cook told Reuters that iPhone demand was "off the charts," and that supply was constrained despite the impressive sales. "And there's just a little less flexibility in the supply chain at the moment for getting more parts," Cook said. Apple's iPhone sales were held back by the A19 and A19 Pro chips that it gets from TSMC, as TSMC also manufactures AI chips. Parekh said that memory had an "increasing impact" between the first and second quarters of 2026. Issues with chip supply and increasing problems acquiring RAM could potentially have an impact on the iPhone 18 lineup that Apple is expected to introduce this September. The lineup will include Apple's first foldable iPhone. The current ‌iPhone 17‌ family includes the ‌iPhone 17‌, iPhone 17 Pro, ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max, iPhone 17e, and iPhone Air.Related Roundups: iPhone 17, iPhone 17 ProTag: EarningsBuyer's Guide: iPhone 17 (Neutral), iPhone 17 Pro (Neutral)Related Forum: iPhoneThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Reports Record-Breaking 2Q 2026 Results: $29.6B Profit on $111.2B Revenue
Apple today announced financial results for the second fiscal quarter of 2026, which corresponds to the first calendar quarter of the year. For the quarter, Apple posted revenue of $111.2 billion and net quarterly profit of $29.6 billion, or $2.01 per diluted share, compared to revenue of $95.4 billion and net quarterly profit of $24.8 billion, or $1.65 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Services revenue again reached an all-time high during the quarter, while company revenue, earnings per share, and iPhone revenue all set March quarter records. Gross margin for the quarter was 49.3 percent, compared to 47.1 percent in the year-ago quarter. Apple's board of directors also authorized an additional $100 billion for share repurchases and declared an increased dividend payment of $0.27 per share, up from $0.26 per share. The dividend is payable May 14 to shareholders of record as of May 11."Today Apple is proud to report our best March quarter ever, with revenue of $111.2 billion and double-digit growth across every geographic segment," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "iPhone achieved a March quarter revenue record, fueled by such extraordinary demand for the iPhone 17 lineup. During the quarter, Services achieved yet another all-time record, and we were excited to introduce remarkable new products to our strongest lineup ever. That included the addition of the iPhone 17e and the M4-powered iPad Air, along with the launch of MacBook Neo, which is captivating customers all around the world." Apple will provide live streaming of its fiscal Q2 2026 financial results conference call at 2:00 pm Pacific, and MacRumors will update this story with coverage of the conference call highlights. Conference call starts at 2:00 p.m. Pacific - No need to refresh Loading live updates... var reportinglive = new reportinglive_module;reportinglive.init();Tag: EarningsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Discover Dropping Two Apple Wallet Features
Discover is planning to eliminate some of the Apple Wallet integrations that it introduced in 2023, according to letters that cardholders are receiving. As of June 4, 2026, Discover users will no longer be able to see their total card balance and transaction history in the iPhone's Wallet app, or use the Pay with Rewards feature in Apple Pay. Apple has a Connected Cards feature that allows credit cards from participating companies to display balances and recent transactions when they're added to the Wallet app. Discover has supported the feature for nearly three years, as have many UK banks, but other credit card companies in the U.S. did not add support. Pay with Rewards, which is also being eliminated, allows Discover cardholders use their cashback bonuses toward ‌Apple Pay‌ purchases. Discover says that while several ‌Apple Pay‌ features are being eliminated, Discover users will still be able to use the Discover card to make ‌Apple Pay‌ purchases in retail locations and online. Here's a full list of the changes Discover is making: Enrollment Cancellation - If applicable, your enrollment in Connected Account and Pay with Rewards with ‌Apple Pay‌ from Discover will be canceled on June 4, 2026. Access to Information - You will continue to have full access to your account, rewards, balances, transactions and payments on Discover.com, the Discover mobile app, and on your monthly statements. Starting June 4, 2026, you will no longer have access to such details within your Apple Wallet. You will continue to see your ‌Apple Pay‌ transactions in your wallet. Pay with Rewards - Starting June 4, 2026, you will no longer be able to use rewards to cover an ‌Apple Pay‌ purchase directly at digital checkout. Your options for redeeming your Discover rewards otherwise remain the same. Terms - Connected Accounts and Pay with Rewards with ‌Apple Pay‌ cancellation does not affect any other terms of your Discover accounts and agreements. Eligibility, service, and cancellation are subject to the ‌Apple Pay‌ terms. It is not clear if these features are being eliminated because Apple is ending the integrations, or because Discover is opting out. The changes will go into effect on June 4, 2026.Tags: Apple Wallet, DiscoverThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 3
Apple today released new firmware for the AirPods Pro 3. The firmware has a version number of 8B40, up from 8B39. There is no word on what's included in the new firmware, but Apple has a support document with limited notes. Most updates are limited to bug fixes and performance improvements. To get the updated firmware, make sure your AirPods Pro are in range of your iPhone, iPad, or Mac and are connected via Bluetooth. From there, connect your Apple device to Wi-Fi, put your AirPods in the Charging Case, and connect the Charging Case to power. Keep the case closed and wait at least 30 minutes for the firmware update to install. After that, check the version number and repeat the process if the update hasn't been installed.Related Roundup: AirPods Pro 3Tag: AirPods Pro 3Buyer's Guide: AirPods Pro (Buy Now)Related Forum: AirPodsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Porsche Celebrates Apple's 50th Anniversary With Throwback Race Car Livery
Porsche today announced a new collaboration with Apple that will see two Porsche 963 vehicles outfitted with an Apple Computer-inspired wrap in round four of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Laguna Seca. The event is set to take place on Sunday, May 3. Porsche says that the one-time design is meant to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Porsche Motorsport and the 50th anniversary of Apple's founding. The wrap pays homage to the Porsche 935 K3, which competed in the 1980 season and raced at Le Mans. In a statement, Apple Music, Sports, and Beats Vice President Oliver Schusser said that Apple is proud to once again partner with Porsche. We've enjoyed a longstanding relationship with Porsche, going back to 1980 when a Porsche race car first carried the Apple logo. That moment marked the beginning of a shared passion for innovation and creativity that continues to define our collaboration today. As Apple celebrates its 50th anniversary, we're proud to once again partner with Porsche on a design that pays tribute to that original 1980 livery. Porsche Motorsport Vice President Thomas Laudenbach said Porsche and Apple are both "icons that stand for innovation and continuous development by experts in Zuffenhausen, Weissach and Cupertino." The Laguna Seca Raceway is located 80 miles south of the Apple Park campus, and the fourth round is set to last for two hours and 40 minutes. The No. 6 Porsche 963 will be shared by France's Kévin Estre and Belgium's Laurens Vanthoor, while the No. 7 car will be shared by France's Julien Andlauer and Brazil's Felipe Nasr. The No. 7 vehicle currently leads the IMSA championship standings after winning the opening two rounds at Daytona and Sebring. Earlier this year, Porsche featured an Apple Music-themed livery for the third round of the IMSA Championship at Long Beach. (Thanks, Greg!)Tag: PorscheThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Pay Users Can Get $20 Off Flowers for Mother's Day
Mother's Day is coming up on Sunday, May 10, and for those who want to order flowers, Apple has a $20 discount available. Apple Pay users in the U.S. can get $20 off a purchase from 1-800-Flowers when spending $49.99 or more on a Mother's Day flower bouquet and other select merchandise. The discount is available through May 9 with the promo code APPLEPAY. To get the deal, iPhone users will need to make a purchase on the 1-800-Flowers website and pay with ‌Apple Pay‌. Apple also has a Mother's Day gift guide on its website with suggestions for those who want to get their mom a Mac, iPhone, iPad, or AirPods.Related Roundup: Apple PayTag: Apple Pay PromoRelated Forum: Apple Music, Apple Pay/Card, iCloud, Fitness+This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Some iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air Users Experiencing a Charging Issue
Earlier this week, 9to5Mac's Benjamin Mayo reported on an apparent charging issue affecting at least some of Apple's latest iPhone models. In short, Mayo said that when he attempted to charge his iPhone Air with a USB-C cable just seconds after the device ran out of battery, it failed to turn on and did not display the usual red battery icon that indicates charging is occurring. Mayo subsequently realized that several users have posted about this issue across websites such as Reddit and iFixit Answers, but it is unclear what the root cause is or how widespread it is. Apple has yet to publicly comment on the matter, and the issue does not appear to be fixed in the latest iOS 26.4.1 and iOS 26.4.2 software releases. As far as I can tell, I also experienced this issue with my iPhone 17 Pro Max earlier this month. While staying at a hotel, I accidentally forgot to charge the device one night, leading it to shut off on me when I woke up the next morning. Naturally, I plugged in a USB-C cable, but the screen remained black with no battery icon for many minutes. At the time, I thought that maybe the hotel's outlets were not working correctly, but I knew something was up after I tried a variety of different outlets and chargers without success. Just like Mayo, I was eventually able to get my iPhone to turn on by placing it on a MagSafe charger and waiting about 10 to 15 minutes. In my case, it was a MagSafe battery pack from Anker that I carry with me while traveling. A few Reddit users said the standard iPhone 17 model is also impacted. All in all, it would appear that the new iPhones have a hit-or-miss charging problem when they fully run out of battery, but there is no guarantee that everyone will experience it. With the issue now receiving attention on 9to5Mac and MacRumors, hopefully Apple is made aware and provides a fix in an upcoming iOS version.Related Roundups: iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone AirBuyer's Guide: iPhone 17 Pro (Neutral), iPhone Air (Buy Now)Related Forum: iPhoneThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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'AirPods Ultra' Rumored to Feature a Major Upgrade Over AirPods Pro
In a social media post this week, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reiterated that Apple is planning to release new AirPods with cameras "for Siri." Last month, Gurman said these AirPods will likely be priced above the current AirPods Pro 3, which Apple sells for $249. As a result, he said Apple is likely considering using "AirPods Ultra" branding for the camera-equipped AirPods. "AirPods Ultra" would not have typical cameras for capturing photos and videos. Instead, Gurman previously reported that the earbuds will be equipped with infrared cameras that use computer vision to feed data about a user's surroundings to Siri. The cameras should help to enhance the Visual Intelligence feature on the iPhone 15 Pro and newer. This would be similar to the infrared camera built into the Face ID system on iPhones. In June 2024, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said AirPods with cameras would potentially enable "in-air gesture control." In his post this week, however, Gurman said he does not expect the AirPods to support hand gestures. It was initially rumored that the camera-equipped AirPods would be a higher-end AirPods Pro 3 configuration, much like the AirPods 4 are available in variants with or without active noise cancellation. However, it is increasingly sounding like the earbuds will instead be "AirPods Ultra" positioned above the AirPods Pro entirely. Macworld's Filipe Espósito recently reported that Apple plans to release an "iPhone Ultra" and a "MacBook Ultra" within the next year, so "AirPods Ultra" would be part of a trio of new "Ultra" devices. Apple already uses "Ultra" branding for the Apple Watch Ultra, CarPlay Ultra, and the M1 Ultra to M3 Ultra series of chips. It is not entirely clear when the "AirPods Ultra" will arrive, but September of this year is a possibility if Apple plans to announce them alongside the "iPhone Ultra," its long-rumored foldable iPhone. A redesigned "MacBook Ultra" with an OLED display and touch-screen capabilities is expected to follow by early 2027.Related Roundup: AirPods Pro 3Tags: AirPods Ultra, Mark GurmanBuyer's Guide: AirPods Pro (Buy Now)Related Forum: AirPodsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Leads Global Market for Satellite-Connected Smartphones
Apple remains the top manufacturer of satellite-capable smartphones globally, with such devices projected to reach 46% of all smartphone shipments by 2030, according to a new report from Counterpoint Research. The firm's Smartphone Satellite Connection Report finds that Apple kickstarted the satellite phone trend when it partnered with Globalstar to bring Emergency SOS via satellite to the iPhone 14 in 2022 and has maintained a clear lead since. Samsung leads the Android ecosystem, while Huawei and Google also follow a proprietary approach. Other Android players, including Xiaomi, OPPO, HONOR, and vivo, have aligned with the 3GPP non-terrestrial network (NTN) standard to enable broader scalability and interoperability. The market is currently dominated by the premium segment, with the lack of compelling everyday use cases limiting broader adoption. 3GPP Release 17 supports only SOS messaging and basic location sharing. Release 18 is expected to expand adoption further across premium brands, but mass-market penetration in the mid-price segment is not anticipated until Release 19. Qualcomm leads among Android vendors with its Snapdragon X80 and X85 modems, with MediaTek, Samsung, Google, and Huawei all increasing competition. North America is the leading region for adoption, driven by carrier partnerships including T-Mobile with SpaceX, AT&T with AST Mobile, and Rogers with SpaceX, alongside Apple's Globalstar arrangement. Amazon's acquisition of Globalstar is seen as a notable development, potentially opening new connectivity-as-a-service revenue streams. Counterpoint expects Apple, Google, and Samsung to lead in overall market penetration toward 2030, with Android brands targeting entry-level and mid-range price points seeing slower uptake. Apple recently agreed a new satellite deal with Amazon following its acquisition of Globalstar, and has several new satellite features in development, including Maps via satellite, photos in Messages via satellite, and a satellite API for third-party apps.Tags: Counterpoint, Emergency SOS via Satellite, iPhone Satellite FeaturesThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Watch Series 11 Hits $100 Off Nearly Every GPS Aluminum Model, Plus $130 Off Cellular
Amazon this week has all-time low prices on the Apple Watch Series 11, with up to $130 off numerous models of the smartwatch. This sale includes nearly every aluminum model of the Series 11 on sale at a record low price, plus new steep markdowns on cellular models. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. You can get the 42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 11 for $299.00, down from $399.00, and the 46mm GPS model for $329.00, down from $429.00. On Amazon, you'll find four of both the 42mm and 46mm GPS models on sale at these all-time low prices. $100 OFFApple Watch Series 11 (42mm GPS) for $299.00 $100 OFFApple Watch Series 11 (46mm GPS) for $329.00 A new highlight of Series 11 deals is on the 46mm cellular model, which has hit $399.00, down from $529.00. This is a big $130 discount on the cellular Apple Watch, and it's available in three colors. You'll also find $100 off the 42mm cellular model right now. $100 OFFApple Watch Series 11 (42mm Cell) for $399.00 $130 OFFApple Watch Series 11 (46mm Cell) for $399.00 Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over 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

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Apple Launched AirTag 5 Years Ago Today
Apple's AirTag item tracker turns five years old today, with the $29 accessory having spent half a decade as the best-selling item tracker in the world. The ‌AirTag‌ launched on April 30, 2021, alongside the M1 iMac, a new iPad Pro, and a new Apple TV 4K. The coin-shaped accessory has a polished stainless steel back, IP67 water resistance, and a U1 Ultra Wideband chip that powers Precision Finding, a feature that combines haptic, visual, and audio feedback to guide users to a lost item's precise location with the iPhone 11 and later. Setup works by bringing the tag close to an iPhone, with each ‌AirTag‌ appearing in the Items tab of the Find My app. The ‌Find My‌ network, which relies on Bluetooth signals from nearby Apple devices to relay location data, allows a lost item to be tracked even when out of direct range. The ‌AirTag‌ is priced at $29 for a single tag or $99 for a four-pack, with free engraving available. Reports of the AirTag being misused for stalking and vehicle theft surfaced within months of launch, with its small size, low price, and the breadth of the ‌Find My‌ network making it an attractive tool for bad actors. Apple released a statement in February 2022 saying incidents of misuse were "rare; however, each instance is one too many," and introduced setup warnings making clear that using an ‌AirTag‌ to track people without consent is a crime in many regions. A class-action lawsuit filed in California in December 2022, later expanded to include more than three dozen plaintiffs, alleged that the product's accuracy and affordability made it well-suited for misuse, and a federal judge allowed certain claims to move forward in March 2024. Apple and Google later aligned on cross-platform specifications so that Android users receive automatic unwanted tracking alerts alongside iPhone users. Despite the controversy, Apple says the ‌AirTag‌ became its best-selling item tracking accessory, citing user stories of recovering lost luggage, bicycles, and bags in the years since launch. Apple released the second-generation AirTag in January 2026. The updated model features a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip with Precision Finding working from up to 50% farther away, an upgraded Bluetooth chip, and a speaker 50% louder than the original. For the first time, Precision Finding also works with Apple Watch Series 9 models and later. A teardown revealed that the speaker magnet is more firmly secured in the second-generation model, making it harder to remove, a modification that had previously been used to silence unwanted tracking alerts. Pricing remains $29 for a single tag and $99 for a four-pack.Related Roundup: AirTagBuyer's Guide: AirTag (Buy Now)This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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YouTube Bringing Free Picture-in-Picture to iPhone Users Outside the U.S.
YouTube's picture-in-picture mode on the iPhone and iPad is expanding to more users worldwide, YouTube said today. Picture-in-picture (PiP) will be rolling out globally, so it will no longer be limited to those in the U.S. and Premium subscribers. Non-Premium users worldwide will be able to use PiP for longform, non-music content on iOS and Android. This has already been available in the U.S. and to Premium subscribers globally, so there will be no change for those users. Premium Lite members can still use PiP for longform, non-music content, and Premium members can use PiP for music and non-music content. Picture-in-picture shrinks a video into a small player that can be used alongside other apps. To use PiP, swipe up to exit the YouTube app, and the video will continue to play in a small window that can be moved anywhere on the display. The PiP changes are rolling out "in the coming months," according to YouTube.Tag: YouTubeThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Errors adding R2 custom domains
May 5, 11:33 UTCInvestigating - Cloudflare is aware of and investigating an issue with adding R2 custom domains which potentially impacts multiple customers. This does not impact serving or uploading R2 objects.We are working to analyse and mitigate this problem. More updates to follow shortly.

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Bot Management Issues
May 5, 08:04 UTCInvestigating - Cloudflare is investigating issues with our Bot Management feature. Customers may experience an unexpected increase in Bot Management rules matching detection IDs 50331648 and 50331649.We are working to mitigate this problem. More updates to follow shortly.

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Network Performance Issues in Ashburn
May 5, 05:51 UTCUpdate - This incident affects a subset of Cloudflare Network Interconnects (CNI) 2.0 only.May 5, 05:44 UTCIdentified - The issue has been identified and a fix is being implemented.May 5, 05:38 UTCInvestigating - Cloudflare is investigating issues with network performance in Ashburn.We are working to analyse and mitigate this problem. More updates to follow shortly.

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Durable Objects startup errors in Eastern North America (ENAM) region
May 5, 03:00 UTCResolved - Between 03:15:50 and 03:21:06 UTC, we experienced a brief period of startup errors affecting Durable Objects and D1 databases within the Eastern North America (ENAM) region.

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Network hardware failure in Hong Kong
May 4, 22:00 UTCInvestigating - Reduced redundancy due to network hardware failure in Hong Kong

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Increased build dequeue duration in Workers Builds
May 4, 20:20 UTCInvestigating - Some Workers Builds users may experience increased build dequeue times, or builds that are stuck in a queued state indefinitely.

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Maintenance: Scheduled platform upgrade
Status: ScheduledWe will perform a routine framework upgrade to keep the Zapier platform secure and up to date. No downtime is expected. You may notice brief disruption while trying to log in to Zapier for up to a minute. Affected components Login (Under maintenance)

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YUL (Montréal) on 2026-05-06
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT May 6, 08:00 - 12:00 UTCMay 4, 17:18 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in YUL (Montréal) datacenter on 2026-05-06 between 08:00 and 12:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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Workers Analytics increased query failures
May 4, 14:19 UTCIdentified - Cloudflare has identified an issue impacting a subset of Workers Analytics queries returning a 403 error. This does not impact writing Analytics Engine events.We are working to mitigate this problem. More updates to follow shortly.

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Turnstile Challenge Issues
May 4, 09:04 UTCInvestigating - Cloudflare is investigating a potential issue with the Turnstile challenge platform. Users may experience failed challenges solve attempts.Further details will be provided as more information becomes available.

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France SMS Carrier Maintenance – Bouygues Telecom
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT May 18, 16:00 - 23:00 PDTMay 3, 22:29 PDTScheduled - The Bouygues Telecom network in France is conducting a planned maintenance from 18 May 2026 at 16:00 PDT until 18 May 2026 at 23:00 PDT. During the maintenance window, there could be intermittent delays delivering SMS to Bouygues Telecom France handsets.

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CDG (Paris) on 2026-05-06
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT May 6, 00:00 - 08:00 UTCMay 3, 22:59 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in CDG (Paris) datacenter on 2026-05-06 between 00:00 and 08:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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Elevated Error rate for R2 in Western North America
May 1, 22:47 UTCInvestigating - Customers with R2 Buckets in Western North America may experience elevated error rates.

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Cloudflare One client connectivity issues in Turkey (IST) while using the Masque protocol
May 1, 22:06 UTCInvestigating - Clouldflare is currently investigating connectivity issues affecting Cloudflare One users in the Turkey (IST) region specifically when utilizing the MASQUE protocol. While this may result in intermittent connectivity or a degraded experience, users can restore stable service by temporarily switching their client profile settings to the Wireguard protocol as a workaround while our team works toward a full resolution.

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Germany SMS Carrier Partner Maintenance
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT May 21, 15:00 - 19:00 PDTMay 1, 12:53 PDTScheduled - Our SMS carrier partner in Germany is conducting a planned maintenance from 21 May 2026 at 15:00 PDT until 21 May 2026 at 19:00 PDT. During the maintenance window, there could be intermittent delays delivering SMS to and from Germany handsets via Germany long codes and short codes.

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