Apple to Introduce Ads in Apple Maps as Part of Services Revenue Push
Apple is planning to include ads in Apple Maps search results as soon as this summer, reports Bloomberg. Apple is aiming to earn more money from its services division, and it could announce plans for Maps ads as early as this month. Ads in ‌Apple Maps‌ will be similar to ads in Google Maps. Retailers and brands will be able to bid for ads associated with search categories. Starbucks, for example, might display an ad when someone searches for coffee. Restaurants will be able to bid for search terms, and the highest bidder's ads will appear at the top of the results for a given term. Apple plans to display ads in the iPhone app, Mac app, iPad app, and on the web. We first started hearing about ads in the Maps app last year, but now the feature is nearing completion. Revenue from ads could make up for current and future changes to the App Store that could limit the money that Apple earns, or from the loss of any search deals with Google due to ongoing regulatory issues. In January, Apple said that it would show additional ads in ‌App Store‌ search results starting on March 3, expanding the number of ad slots in search. ‌App Store‌ searches previously showed just one ad, but Apple is rolling out multiple ad slots. Apple expanded ‌App Store‌ ads in the UK and Japan first, and will bring them to other markets like the U.S. by the end of March. Apple also rebranded its ad business from "Search Ads" to "Apple Ads" last year as part of its plan to show ads in more places.Tag: Apple MapsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Mexico is Seemingly Getting a Third Apple Store
Apple plans to open a store at the Mítikah shopping mall in the south of Mexico City, according to a since-deleted page on real estate company Allux's website. Apple Vía Santa Fe in Mexico City The page listed Apple as a future tenant in the mall, which is set to expand into an adjacent area previously occupied by the older Centro Coyoacán shopping mall. It is unclear when Apple's store would open, and the plans could change. It is unclear why the page was deleted, but Apple has a culture of secrecy. Apple has two other stores in Mexico City — one is inside the Vía Santa Fe shopping mall, and the other is at the Antara open-air shopping center. Apple Vía Santa Fe opened in 2016, and Apple Antara followed in 2019. (Thanks, José!)Tags: Apple Store, MexicoThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Review: Govee's New Chromatic String Lights Work With HomeKit and Display Multiple Colors Per Bulb
Govee today introduced its newest lighting product, Matter-enabled string lights with chromatic bulbs that have multiple LEDs inside. The Govee Chromatic String Lights feature large, pill-shaped bulbs that can display multiple colors at once, creating unique lighting effects. Priced starting at $170, the Chromatic String Lights come in a 32.8-foot strand with 10 bulbs or a 65.6-foot strand with 20 bulbs. I was able to test out the lights ahead of launch, and I haven't seen string lights quite like them before. Govee put 55 RGB LEDs inside each bulb, and the LEDs can be controlled semi-individually, with combinations of colors, shadows, and patterns able to make visually attractive scenes. The lights support millions of colors, and three layered cycling effects can be added per bulb. Patterns control how the lights change, and there are a lot of different options to choose from. Govee has tons of pre-installed scenes to select from, but there are also options to create your own with custom colors and patterns, or use AI to come up with something based on a text-based suggestion. The lights have rich colors and the multi-color effect works well, but some colored LED lights struggle with certain shades. Govee's orange colors are more yellow than orange, and purple is more pink. I can get a truer orange by choosing a shade of red or setting a gradient that shifts between different colors, but most of the "orange" shades in Govee's app aren't true orange. The same goes for purple. It's not easy to photograph colored lights, so I don't have an example, but purple in particular is a color some RGB lights often struggle with. The bulbs are large for string lights, and I'd say they're similar to a large egg. The top is black, the cord is black, and the bottom is a dual-layer shell with a diffusing layer covered by clear plastic. The shape and the multi-layer shell produce some aesthetic lighting combinations, though I didn't like how much cord there is to deal with. 10 bulbs spread across 33 feet is around one bulb per three feet (or 20 for 65 feet). I would have liked a shorter strand with more closely situated bulbs, or more bulbs on the longer strand. That said, these are large bulbs, and just 10 can put off enough light for a small patio. At full brightness in a shade of white, they put off a surprising amount of light. Govee says they're 240 lumens, which sounds about right. With the diffusion layer, they aren't hard to look at even at max brightness. I did test these at night and during the day. They look great at night, but the colors are visible during the day, and indoors with other lights on. Outdoors at night, it'd be the perfect amount of light for eating dinner or just chilling on a deck. I don't have these permanently outside because I'm not sure how to arrange 10 lights over my deck without it looking unusual. The 20 bulb strand is probably the better fit for most outdoor spaces, unless the area is small. You can connect multiple strands together, but that would get expensive quickly. Govee added T-shaped clips for each light, so you can decide how far you want them to hang down. You can clip the strands between two of the lights together to establish the length, and if you make them long, it can eat up some of the cord so there's less to deal with. I tested them at about three inches, but they can be longer or shorter. It was a hassle getting the clips on, but worth it for the length customization. I wish I had a more sophisticated way to say this, but with the 55 LEDs in each bulb, Govee's lights have effects that are just plain cool. There's a "bubbles" effect that combines bubbles of one color with another base color, "ghost" that uses shadow to make it look like something is moving in the bulbs, and a whole range of gradients in different colors. Each bulb can have a gradient of colors, or colors can be set to shift between bulbs. Govee goes above and beyond with pre-set scenes. There are around 120 scene options, and most of those have a dozen color palettes to choose from. There are scenes for every holiday, plus some that are nature or planet-themed or aimed at waking up or going to sleep. The Govee app has so much going on that I find it confusing. There's too much to choose from, and too many different tools to experiment with. You can choose a Scene from the Scene tab, but there's also a color tab where you can pick one color or paint colors on each bulb, and the DIY section is separate from the color section, even though it has a somewhat similar purpose. I'm still not entirely sure what Finger Sketch does, and AI is also its own tab. Govee also has a random color feature, an Effects lab, and a Color Slider that's distinct from the Color section. Some of these options could be combined into something that's more user-friendly to use and less chaotic. Since there are so many scenes, it's easiest to use those, but I did like choosing colors for each bulb. I think most people will get used to the app interface after using the lights for a short period of time, but it takes experimentation. Kids will love playing with these lights, since there are so many colors and patterns to play with. I don't think these are the lights that are appropriate for a sophisticated outdoor dinner party, but they'd be ideal for a night time pool party. You can do soft, elegant scenes with fewer colors, or choose nice white light effects, but if you're not planning to go all out taking advantage of the multi-color ability, there are better lights to get. I haven't had these lights long enough to test how they hold up over time, but they do have IP67 waterproofing and Govee says they can be used outdoors year-round. They're supposed to last for "more than 10 years" under typical outdoor conditions. You can use the Chromatic String Lights with HomeKit, because they're Matter-enabled. You can turn the lights on, turn them off, or set them to a single color with the Home app or with Siri, but for most color options, you're going to need the Govee app. ‌HomeKit‌ is useful for automations with other ‌HomeKit‌ devices, so you can have the Govee lights come on with other HomeKit-enabled lights or when motion is detected, but I otherwise haven't used ‌HomeKit‌ for much. You can also connect them to other Matter platforms, including Amazon Alexa and Google Home. The lights are priced at $169.99 for the 33-foot strand or $299.99 for the 66-foot strand, and they can be purchased from Amazon or the Govee website as of today. Note: Govee provided MacRumors with the 33-foot Chromatic String Lights for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.Tag: HomeKitThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple to Announce 2026 Swift Student Challenge Winners on March 26
As part of its WWDC 2026 announcement, Apple said that it plans to announce this year's Swift Student Challenge Winners on Thursday, March 26. Apple's Swift Student Challenge tasks students with creating an original coding project using Swift Playgrounds or Xcode. This year's event began on February 6, and Apple accepted submissions through Saturday, February 28 before judging began. Apple plans to choose winners based on submissions that demonstrate "excellence in innovation, creativity, social impact, or inclusivity." All Swift Student Challenge Winners in 2026 will be eligible to enter the lottery process to attend Apple's June 8 WWDC Special Event at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. Apple will also recognize Distinguished Winners whose submissions are "truly exceptional." Distinguished Winners will be invited to Cupertino for a three-day experience that will include the Special Event keynote viewing along with other activities, and these winners will not need to enter the lottery to visit ‌Apple Park‌. Students who entered the challenge can expect to receive an email notifying them about their status later this week.Related Roundup: WWDC 2026Related Forum: Apple, Inc and Tech IndustryThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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WWDC 2026 to Showcase Apple's 'AI Advancements'
WWDC 2026 is set to begin on Monday, June 8, and the event will highlight Apple's "AI advancements." Apple included the tidbit in its WWDC 2026 announcement. WWDC26 will spotlight incredible updates for Apple platforms, including AI advancements and exciting new software and developer tools. Since iOS 18, we've been waiting for Apple to introduce a more intelligent version of Siri, and that might finally happen with iOS 27. We are expecting the Apple Intelligence version of ‌Siri‌ that includes personal context with support for new, deeper search capabilities, onscreen awareness so ‌Siri‌ can answer questions about what you're looking at, and the ability to do more in and between apps. Apple is also working on a chatbot version of ‌Siri‌ that will rival ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, and we could potentially get a chatbot ‌Siri‌ preview at WWDC. Apple's AI advancements wording hints at the inclusion of new ‌Siri‌ features, plus it suggests we could get other new AI capabilities as well. We have a full iOS 27 roundup on all of the ‌iOS 27‌ rumors we've heard so far, which is worth checking out if you want a refresh on what could be coming.Related Roundup: WWDC 2026Related Forum: Apple, Inc and Tech IndustryThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Announces WWDC 2026 Will Take Place June 8 to 12
Apple today said that its 37th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to begin on Monday, June 8 and end on Friday, June 12. Like WWDC 2025, WWDC 2026 will be a primarily online event open to all developers, with no associated cost. WWDC always begins with a keynote that happens on the first day of the event, and this year's keynote will take place on June 8 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Apple will unveil iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, tvOS 27, watchOS 27 and visionOS 27. Apple does plan to hold an in-person component for select developers and students, with the event set to take place on June 8 at the Apple Park Campus in Cupertino, California. Attendees will be invited to watch the keynote and State of the Union at ‌Apple Park‌, as well as meet with Apple employees and tour the campus. Current Apple Developer Program members, Apple Entrepreneur Camp alumni, prior Swift Student Challenge winners, and current Apple Developer Enterprise Program members can enter to attend the June 8 Apple Park event, and Apple will choose participants through a random lottery. Submissions will be accepted will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. PT on Monday, March 30. Apple accepted submissions for its Swift Student Challenge in February, and winners will be announced soon. Those who are named Distinguished Winners will be invited to Cupertino for a multi-day experience. ‌WWDC 2026‌ will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about all of the new software features and how to incorporate new capabilities into their apps. The keynote and online sessions will be available on the Apple Developer app, Apple website, and YouTube. Apple will provide more information about ‌WWDC 2026‌ through the Apple Developer app and the Apple Developer website as June approaches.Related Roundup: WWDC 2026Related Forum: Apple, Inc and Tech IndustryThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Gurman: Many of Apple's Latest Products Are 'as Incremental as Ever'
In his Power On newsletter over the weekend, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman opined that most of Apple's product announcements this month "were as incremental as ever." For example, he said the latest AirPods Max being named "AirPods Max 2" is a "massive stretch" given the headphones received the H2 chip and little else. AirPods Max 2 did gain many new features overall, including increased active noise cancellation, improved sound quality, Adaptive Audio, Personalized Volume, Conversation Awareness, Voice Isolation, and Live Translation, but many of these capabilities were enabled as a result of the headphones finally getting the H2 chip from 2022. "The real issue is putting a '2' in the name," he argued. "It means that Apple is treating a maintenance update as if it were a new generation. Historically, this branding would signal meaningful hardware changes." With the AirPods Max 2 name, however, he said it "implies a leap forward that isn't present." "Like the earlier USB-C refresh, this update feels designed to sustain sales rather than push the product forward," he added. While the MacBook Neo is impressive in the sense that it is easily Apple's most affordable new MacBook ever, and the Studio Display XDR checks a lot of boxes, many other products unveiled this month received faster chips and little else, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iPad Air, and the regular Studio Display. Nevertheless, Gurman acknowledged that customers continue to purchase Apple products, with the company reporting an all-time revenue record last quarter. "Imagine if the recent product updates themselves were as impressive as the advertising," he concluded.Tag: Mark GurmanThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Reportedly Working on 'Small Sensor for Managing Home Security'
Here's an interesting tidbit from Mark Gurman's profile of John Ternus for Bloomberg: Apple is apparently working on a smart home sensor. The article said Ternus is leading development of a trio of new home products, including a tabletop robot with a swiveling screen, a smart home hub with Apple Intelligence and facial recognition, and "a small sensor for managing home security." The sensor has an internal codename of J450, according to Gurman. In his previous reporting, he has referred to this J450 product as a security camera, but in his Ternus profile he opted to describe the accessory as a "small sensor." Ultimately, it sounds like it will be both a HomeKit camera and a sensor. Last August, Gurman reported that the camera was "designed for home security" and "has facial recognition and infrared sensors to determine who is in a room." It will be powered by a battery, he added, so it will probably be wireless. In addition to security, Gurman said the accessory will be designed for "automating tasks." "Apple believes users will place cameras throughout their home to help with automation," wrote Gurman. "That could mean turning lights off when someone leaves a room or automatically playing music liked by a particular family member." Indeed, many third-party HomeKit sensors offer all-in-one functionality for motion and people detection, indoor temperature and humidity measurement, the level of light in a room, and more. These sensors are typically part of a home's broader HomeKit ecosystem, working in unison with smart lightbulbs, door locks, thermostats, and more. Apple is planning to develop an entire lineup of smart home cameras and security products, according to that August report, and that might even include a video doorbell with Face ID. These accessories will likely be sold as optional add-ons to the company's long-rumored smart home hub, which is currently expected to launch in September.Tags: Apple Smart Home Camera, Bloomberg, Mark GurmanThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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iPhone Air Said to Be Roughly Twice as Popular as iPhone 16 Plus
While it certainly has its critics, the iPhone Air appears to have validated Apple's decision to retire the iPhone Plus, if new results from an independent analysis are anything to go by. Crowdsourced Speedtest data published by Ookla suggests the iPhone Air captured 6.8 percent of iPhone 17 generation samples in the U.S. during the fourth quarter of 2025, up from the 2.9 percent share the iPhone 16 Plus managed in the same launch window a year earlier. However, the gains seem to have come at the iPhone 17 Pro's expense. The latter model's share fell from 34.9 percent to 30.6 percent year over year, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max remained essentially flat at 55.5 percent. The figures suggest that roughly 4 percent of buyers were willing to trade the better camera and processing power of the smaller iPhone 17 Pro model for the Air's thinner chassis. Apple has had several attempts at making a differentiated fourth iPhone model work. The iPhone mini under-performed over two iterations, while the iPhone 14/15/16 Plus – with its larger screen but without the Pro Max's premium features – fared worse, and neither carved out anything more than a niche fan base. In contrast, the iPhone Air has done what those models couldn't, at least in its opening months of availability. Based on Ookla's data, adoption of Apple's ultra-thin device was even stronger abroad, with the Air taking 11.2 percent share in South Korea, 8.9 percent in Japan, and 8.4 percent in Singapore. Separately, Ookla's testing found that Apple's in-house C1X modem in the iPhone Air has reached effective download parity with the Qualcomm X80 in the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and beat it on latency in 19 of 22 analyzed markets. Upload speeds are still Qualcomm's advantage, however, with the X80 holding up to a 32 percent lead in some regions – a gap Ookla attributes to more mature Uplink Carrier Aggregation (UL-CA). For all the details, check out Ookla's full report.Related Roundups: iPhone 16, iPhone AirTag: OoklaBuyer's Guide: iPhone Air (Buy Now)Related Forum: iPhoneThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Sports App on iPhone Receives Three Improvements
Apple's free Sports app received another update today with three improvements: probable starting pitchers for MLB games, car numbers in NASCAR leaderboards, and the ability to turn off sports betting odds directly within the app. These enhancements were added in version 3.9 of the app, available now in the App Store. Turning off betting odds previously required using the Settings app. Launched in 2024, the Apple Sports app is available on the iPhone in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and many countries in Europe, the Caribbean, and Latin America. The app shows scores, stats, standings, and more for a variety of leagues and events, including the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NASCAR, F1, Premier League, PGA TOUR, and more.Tag: Apple SportsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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AirTag 1 Gets Major Amazon Discount With 4-Pack at $59.99
Apple's first-generation AirTag 4-Pack has dropped to $59.99 this week on Amazon, down from the original price of $99.00. Free shipping options have a delivery estimate around March 28, while Prime members should be able to get it delivered a few days sooner. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. Overall, this is a new all-time low price on the AirTag 4-pack. Amazon's stock on the first generation AirTag 1-Pack has begun dwindling now that the new second generation models are here, so anyone interested in this low price on the first gen 4-Pack should pick it up while it's still around. $39 OFFAirTag 4-Pack for $59.99 Apple recently debuted the all-new AirTag, featuring longer range for tracking items and a louder speaker. We haven't tracked any notable discounts on the new second generation models as of yet, so anyone who wants to save money should keep looking into the original models. If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week. Deals Newsletter Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season! Related Roundup: Apple DealsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Steve Jobs Talks iBook, AirPort, and More in Newly Surfaced 1999 Video
A newly surfaced internal 1999 Apple campus video of Steve Jobs provides a rare, unfiltered look at the company's post-turnaround strategy. The video is a recording of a July 27, 1999 employee gathering at Apple's Cupertino campus, uploaded by former Apple software engineer Akira Nonaka, who worked at Apple from 1991 to 2000. The 15-minute talk appears to have been recorded informally, likely by an employee present at the event, and has apparently not previously been shared online. The remarks come just two years after Jobs returned to Apple in 1997, when the company was struggling financially and had a fragmented product lineup. The speech directly followed Apple's Macworld New York 1999 appearance, where it unveiled the iBook G3, its first consumer laptop in years. Jobs said the event drew nearly 50,000 attendees and received extensive media coverage, and he credited teams across the company for delivering the product. We introduced our iBook and everybody loved it and the show was amazing. It was the biggest New York Macworld ever... you should be really proud of this. Everybody's just going nuts over it, including our competitors. The talk outlines Apple's product strategy at the time, centered on its four-quadrant lineup of consumer and professional desktops and portables. With the iBook, Jobs said the matrix was complete alongside the iMac, Power Mac G3, and PowerBook G3, and noted that several of these products were already on their second or third iterations. A significant part of the talk focuses on AirPort, Apple's then-new wireless networking system developed with Lucent. Jobs described it as a long-awaited breakthrough, especially for education, and emphasized Apple's role in making it affordable and easy to use through integration with its other products. This is something that people have been dreaming about for over a decade... we were able to work with Lucent... to make it a very low-cost product... and do all of the software work to make it all transparent... it just works. Jobs said Apple could bring technologies like wireless networking and FireWire to market more effectively because it controlled the whole product, unlike competitors such as Dell and Compaq that had to coordinate across multiple companies. And the reason now, the strategic reason that we have that shot is because we're the last company in this business to make the whole widget... let's go for it and align behind that and bring innovation to the marketplace in a way that when you have to convince five companies, it's very hard. [...] We can break through those things and bring innovation to customers because we control enough. [...] ... we're the last people in this business who give a shit about making great computers. The talk also includes commentary on Apple's financial performance and internal transformation, but he rejected the idea that the company's primary goal had been financial recovery. The reason I came back here had nothing to do with turning Apple around... what we love even more is putting these great products out into the world and seeing people use them... the reason I came back... is to make Apple great again, right? This reflects a broader shift at Apple during the period, as the company moved beyond crisis management and began focusing on long-term product development and growth. Jobs said the previous two years had been spent rebuilding key capabilities across the business, from operations to engineering and design, adding that Apple had achieved "the best operational excellence in the business now, even better than Dell." Jobs' successor, Tim Cook, joined Apple just a year earlier as Senior Vice President of Worldwide Operations. The video also shows Jobs deliberately avoiding direct competition in enterprise markets, which were dominated by Windows systems and large corporate IT deployments, with Jobs instead reaffirming the company's focus on creative professionals, education, and consumers. We're not going to go make a frontal assault on the enterprise... we're going to go and sell to creative professionals... regain our leadership position in education... and come back in the consumer market with a vengeance. He also expressed confidence in Apple's future product pipeline, stating that the company had multiple upcoming releases that he described as "the best stuff I've ever seen in my life." This likely alluded to the introduction of Mac OS X and the iPod just two years later.Tag: Steve JobsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Reportedly Preparing 'Biggest Set of iPhone Revamps' Ever
Apple is working on "the biggest set of iPhone revamps in the product's history," according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Specifically, he is referring to the long-rumored foldable iPhone, as well as an ambitious 20th-anniversary iPhone with a truly "edge-to-edge" design. In an in-depth profile of Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus, who is widely considered to be the leading candidate to become Apple's next CEO whenever Tim Cook steps down, Gurman said Ternus is "overseeing the biggest set of iPhone revamps in the product's history, including a foldable model this year and a version with an edge-to-edge screen that could arrive as early as 2027, for the device's 20th anniversary." Apple is expected to unveil the foldable iPhone in September this year, while the 20th-anniversary iPhone would debut next year, if such a device materializes. Apple unveiled the original iPhone in January 2007, so the iconic device turns 20 next year. Given the article was focused on Ternus, it did not provide any further details about these iPhone models, but there are already plenty of rumors. Like Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7, the foldable iPhone will open up like a book, providing users with a large screen for watching videos, playing games, and multitasking. iOS 27 is expected to be optimized for the foldable iPhone, allowing for side-by-side apps. A few months ago, a report said the foldable iPhone will be equipped with a 7.7-inch inner display, and a 5.3-inch outer display. It was initially rumored that the device would have a virtually "crease-free" inner display, but it was later reported that Apple is using technology that "reduces the crease without eliminating it entirely." Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects the foldable iPhone to have two rear cameras, one front camera, and a Touch ID power button instead of Face ID. As for the 20th-anniversary iPhone, previous reports have indicated that the device will have a seamless design, with a curved glass enclosure and no cutouts in the display. To achieve this, the front camera would be located under the screen. It is unclear if Apple will be able to pull off such a device by next year, but if it does, then it truly would be a big two years ahead for the iPhone.Related Roundup: iPhone FoldTags: 20th-Anniversary iPhone, Bloomberg, Foldable iPhone, Mark GurmanThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Considered Adding a Camera to the HomePod Years Ago
Apple considered launching a HomePod with a camera and additional sensors years before the upcoming "HomePad" device, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. In a detailed profile of Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus, Gurman revealed that Apple considered adding a camera and a more advanced array of sensors to the original ‌HomePod‌, which was announced in 2017. Ternus apparently believed that the additional capabilities would push up development costs and decided to cancel the features as a result. Ternus was said to be reluctant to invest deeply in smart home devices when the first leading products from Amazon and Google arrived on the market around a decade ago. He subsequently took "some responsibility" for Apple falling behind in the smart home category. Now, Ternus is leading Apple's efforts to re-establish itself in the smart home market with three new products, including an AI-powered smart home hub with facial recognition (J490), a small sensor for managing home security (J450), and a robotic device (J595). The smart home hub, dubbed "HomePad" in some reports, is expected to launch in the fall of 2026. Related Roundup: HomePodTags: Bloomberg, John Ternus, Mark GurmanBuyer's Guide: HomePod (Neutral)This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Store External Storage Prices Spike Amid AI-Driven Shortage
Apple last week hiked the prices of external hard drives sold through its online store and retail locations, as noted by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said that Apple updated the pricing on several external drive offerings recently, and the increases are steep. For example, a SanDisk 4TB solid-state external drive that previously sold for around $500 now costs $1,200, while a 1TB model has jumped from $120 to $360. The price hikes are said to be indirectly caused by the AI-fueled demand for memory and storage chips, which is continuing to squeeze the consumer market. Gurman noted that it is vendors who set the pricing on third-party accessories, rather than Apple. However, the impact on buyers is the same regardless. It's not just a pricing issue either. External drives on Apple's online store are largely sold out, with most models showing no availability for delivery or in-store pickup. Shoppers at physical Apple Store locations may still find stock, but at the same inflated prices. Similar shortages and hikes can be found at Best Buy, Amazon, and other retailers. The shortage stems from the same supply crunch that forced Apple to raise MacBook Air and MacBook Pro prices by $100 earlier this month. Its removal of the Mac Studio's top 512GB RAM memory upgrade was also likely related. As things stand, AI data center build-outs are consuming enormous quantities of NAND flash and memory chips, and manufacturers are prioritizing those lucrative enterprise contracts over consumer products. As Gurman notes, the situation is likely to get worse throughout 2026 – and possible beyond.Tags: Apple Store, Mark GurmanThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Foldable iPhone Uses Layered Glass to Reduce Display Crease
Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone will use a dual-layer ultra-thin glass structure to reduce display crease visibility, a new supply chain rumor suggests. According to Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station, Apple's first book-style foldable will feature two layers of ultra-thin glass (UTG) or ultra-thin flexible glass (UFG), with the display sandwiched between them, isolating it from direct contact with the hinge. The arrangement is designed to spread mechanical stress across multiple layers rather than concentrating it on a single sheet, which could improve durability and reduce visible creasing over time. The approach would be a departure from most current foldables, which typically use a single UTG layer that must simultaneously handle bending forces and protect the display underneath. Decoupling the display from the hinge mechanism could also help Apple meet its reported goal of making the crease almost imperceptible – though more recent reports have pushed back on past "crease-free" claims. As we reported in December, Apple has been testing next-generation UFG with variable thickness, with a thinner layer at the fold for flexibility, and a thicker layer elsewhere for rigidity. The latest rumor suggests Apple has developed a composite glass stack rather than relying on a single panel alone. The foldable iPhone is expected to launch later in September alongside the iPhone 18 Pro lineup, although recently one analyst claimed the device could be released closer to December. The device is expected to feature an approximately 5.3- to 5.5-inch outer display and a 7.8-inch inner screen. It will reportedly use liquid metal hinges to achieve a virtually crease-free display and is expected to be priced between $2,000 and $2,500, making it Apple's most expensive iPhone ever.Tags: Digital Chat Station, Foldable iPhoneThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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AirDrop Support Rolling Out to Samsung Galaxy S26 Devices This Week
AirDrop support is coming to Samsung's Quick Share feature on Galaxy S26 devices this week, allowing owners to directly share files and media with iPhones and Macs. In a Sunday newsroom announcement, Samsung said the rollout is starting today in Korea, with devices in the U.S. to follow later this week. The feature will expand to more regions and on more Galaxy devices at a later date, including Canada, Latin America, Europe, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Japan, and Taiwan. Owners of Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra devices will need to enable the feature in their phone's Quick Share settings menu, using a new Share with Apple devices toggle. Last November, Google announced Quick Share compatibility with AirDrop on Pixel phones. The feature was initially limited to the newest Pixel 10 devices, but has since been expanded to the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold.Tags: AirDrop, SamsungThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple CEO Candidate John Ternus is 'Well-Liked' and Helped Reverse 'Declining Product Quality'
In an in-depth article for Bloomberg Businessweek today, Mark Gurman profiled Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus, who is widely viewed as the leading candidate to become Apple's next CEO whenever Tim Cook decides to step down. The article is very long, so we recommend reading it in full, but a few of the key takeaways are that Ternus is apparently "well-liked among Apple's leadership" and helped with "reversing a trend of declining product quality" at the company. "Since getting the top hardware engineering role in 2021, he's overseen an expansion in Apple's product lineup, improving quality and focusing on functional improvements around battery life, performance and connectivity," wrote Gurman. Cook reportedly gave oversight of Apple's design teams to Ternus at the end of last year, and Ternus has been making a lot more public appearances in interviews and in product introduction videos over the past few years. The profile provides a closer look at how Ternus has risen to become the frontrunner to succeed Cook eventually. Cook has not shared his retirement plans with even some of his closest lieutenants, according to the report, so it is unclear when he plans to step down. Cook has served as Apple's CEO since 2011, and he reached the common retirement age of 65 last year. In a recent interview, he vaguely said he "I can't imagine life without Apple." The full Bloomberg Businessweek article is titled "Apple's 'Nice Guy' Heir Apparent."Tags: Bloomberg, John Ternus, Mark Gurman, Tim CookThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple to Celebrate 50th Anniversary With 'Elaborate' Party at Apple Park
Apple has been celebrating its upcoming 50th anniversary by hosting events around the world, and a grand finale will likely take place in California. In an in-depth profile of Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus, who is widely viewed as the leading candidate to become Apple's next CEO, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the company is planning "an elaborate 50th birthday party" at its Apple Park headquarters in Cupertino, California, and he expects Ternus to be "center stage." The report did not offer any further details about the celebration, but our best guess is that it will take place under the rainbow arches in the middle of Apple Park. Apple turns 50 on April 1, so the party will likely take place soon. It is unclear if the celebration will be limited to Apple's employees, or if there will be a public component involving the Apple Park Visitor Center. In any case, selected members of the press may be invited. Apple kicked off its 50th anniversary celebrations with a surprise Alicia Keys performance at its Grand Central store in New York earlier this month, and it has since hosted similar events in China and South Korea. Apple is planning to host additional celebrations in Australia, Canada, France, Thailand, and the UK over the coming days. MacRumors has been invited to attend one of Apple's 50th-anniversary celebrations in London this week, but we are keeping specific details under wraps in order to avoid spoiling Apple's surprise. Stay tuned for our coverage of the event.Tags: Apple 50th Anniversary, Bloomberg, Mark GurmanThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Get the New Book 'Apple: The First 50 Years' for 30% Off on Amazon
Last week, tech columnist David Pogue launched a new book called "Apple: The First 50 Years." On Amazon, you can get the new book for $34.78 in hardcover, down from $50.00, the best price we've seen so far on the book. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. The book explores the first five decades of Apple's history, including interviews with 150 key people who shaped Apple into what it is today, like Steve Wozniak, John Sculley, Jony Ive, and more. The book is launching to coincide with Apple's upcoming 50th anniversary on April 1, 2026. 30% OFFApple: The First 50 Years for $34.78 Amazon's sale is on the hardcover version of the book, and provides an estimated March 27 delivery date for free delivery. 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

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Workers Assets increased upload failure
Mar 30, 11:51 UTCInvestigating - Cloudflare is aware of and investigating an issue impacting Workers Assets uploads. Customers may be seeing an increase in Workers Assets upload failures.This issues does not affect the serving of Workers Assets traffic. We are working to mitigate this problem. More updates to follow shortly.

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GRU (São Paulo) on 2026-04-02
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Apr 2, 05:00 - 12:00 UTCMar 30, 08:28 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in GRU (São Paulo) datacenter on 2026-04-02 between 05:00 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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EWR (Newark) on 2026-03-31
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Mar 31, 06:00 - 12:00 UTCMar 30, 08:32 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in EWR (Newark) datacenter on 2026-03-31 between 06:00 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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JNB (Johannesburg) on 2026-03-30
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Mar 30, 23:30 UTC  -  Mar 31, 06:30 UTCMar 30, 05:22 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in JNB (Johannesburg) datacenter between 2026-03-30 23:30 and 2026-03-31 06:30 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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ICN (Seoul) on 2026-03-31
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Mar 31, 19:00 - 23:00 UTCMar 30, 04:04 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in ICN (Seoul) datacenter on 2026-03-31 between 19:00 and 23:00 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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LHR (London) on 2026-03-30
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Mar 30, 01:00 - 07:00 UTCMar 30, 00:06 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in LHR (London) datacenter on 2026-03-30 between 01:00 and 07:00 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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DME (Moscow) on 2026-03-30
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Mar 30, 23:30 UTC  -  Mar 31, 04:00 UTCMar 29, 23:10 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in DME (Moscow) datacenter between 2026-03-30 23:30 and 2026-03-31 04:00 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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JNB (Johannesburg) on 2026-03-29
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Mar 29, 23:00 UTC  -  Mar 30, 06:00 UTCMar 29, 22:22 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in JNB (Johannesburg) datacenter between 2026-03-29 23:00 and 2026-03-30 06:00 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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Database Upgrade
Status: InvestigatingTLDR: A production upgrade for Monolithdb from version 8.0.40 to 8.4.8 is currently in progress

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Intermittent 500s on RealtimeKit API
Mar 27, 23:57 UTCInvestigating - Cloudflare is investigating issues with Cloudflare Realtime APIs. RealtimeKit meetings are unaffected.These issues do not affect the serving of cached files via the Cloudflare CDN or other security features at the Cloudflare Edge.

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Cloudflare Pages – Custom Domain Management Degraded
Mar 27, 22:37 UTCIdentified - The issue has been identified and a fix is being implemented.Mar 27, 22:36 UTCInvestigating - Cloudflare has identified an issue impacting the API for managing and adding custom domains in Cloudflare Pages. Customers may experience failures or errors when attempting to add or manage custom domains via the Pages API or dashboard.Additionally, the SSL for SaaS Custom Hostnames API is experiencing high latency and intermittent errors, which may be contributing to the impact on custom domain management.Deployed Workers and Pages projects continue to serve traffic normally. Only custom domain management is affected.

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United Kingdom Account Security Carrier Partner Maintenance – Vodafone
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Mar 30, 14:30 PDT  -  Mar 31, 00:35 PDTMar 27, 12:47 PDTScheduled - Our carrier partner Vodafone United Kingdom is conducting a planned maintenance from 30 March 2026 at 14:30 PDT until 31 March 2026 at 00:35 PDT. During the maintenance window, there could be intermittent API request failures for Vodafone United Kingdom customers.Impacted Products: Verify Silent Network Auth, Lookup Identity Match, Lookup SIM Swap, Legacy Identity MatchAndAttributes

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United States SMS and MMS Carrier Maintenance – T-Mobile
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Mar 30, 19:00 PDT  -  Mar 31, 05:00 PDTMar 27, 12:46 PDTScheduled - The T-Mobile network in the United States is conducting a planned maintenance from 30 March 2026 at 19:00 PDT until 31 March 2026 at 05:00 PDT. During the maintenance window, there could be intermittent delays delivering SMS and MMS to and from T-Mobile United States handsets when sending via long codes and short codes.

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France SMS Carrier Partner Maintenance
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Apr 8, 13:00 - 16:00 PDTMar 27, 12:47 PDTScheduled - Our SMS carrier partner in France is conducting a planned maintenance from 08 April 2026 at 13:00 PDT until 08 April 2026 at 16:00 PDT. During the maintenance window, there could be intermittent delays delivering SMS to France handsets via France long codes.

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Network Performance Issues in Minneapolis, US datacenter (MSP)
Mar 27, 19:00 UTCResolved - Cloudflare identified issues with network performance in Minneapolis, US datacenter (MSP) datacenter between 19:12 and 19:35 UTC on March 27, 2026.

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