Apple drops price of Studio Display XDR without stand option by $400
The Studio Display XDR has gotten a rare Apple price drop, if you pick the option without the stand included. The Studio Display XDR launched last month with a starting price of $3299, whether you opted for the model with VESA mount or the model with Apple’s tilt-adjustable stand. The company has quietly updated the pricing to make the VESA mount option $400 cheaper, so the entry price for the display is now $2899. The Studio Display XDR with stand still starts at $3299. more…

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Thunderbolt 5 vs Thunderbolt 4 and 3 vs USB4
Macworld Apple has changed its MacBook connection standard from Thunderbolt 4 to Thunderbolt 5. Macs that boast an M4/M5 Pro, M4/M5 Max or M3 Ultra now come armed with at least three Thunderbolt 5 ports, while Macs with plain M4/M5 processors remain on Thunderbolt 4. Some earlier MacBook Air models had their ports listed as “Thunderbolt / USB 4” and “Thunderbolt 4 and USB 4” on its Pro and Max models. What does all this mean? What is the difference between Thunderbolt 5, Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 3? And then what is USB4? We thought that USB and Thunderbolt couldn’t get any more confusing with many different speeds (from 5Gbps to 120Gbps) and functions possible using the same “Type-C” connection. From an Apple user’s point of view, there isn’t a great deal in Thunderbolt 4 that was new or different from Thunderbolt 3, with which it is backwards compatible. The big changes have arrived with Thunderbolt 5. (While, Apple will likely roll out TB5 across the range over the next year, for Windows users Thunderbolt 5 remains for premium computers only and probbaly won’t hit the mainstream for some years yet.) Indeed, in its M1 and M2 MacBooks tech specs, to add to the confusion Apple didn’t even call it Thunderbolt 4, listing it as “Thunderbolt / USB 4” including Thunderbolt 3. For the superior M1 Pro and M1 Max MacBook Pro models, Apple listed the ports as full Thunderbolt 4—this is because the Pro/Max versions can support multiple external screens, unlike the limited plain M1 or M2 MacBooks. Without the ability to connect to two external displays, it can’t be labelled as certified Thunderbolt 4. There is a software workaround, however, to enable M1 and M2 MacBiooks to connect to two or more displays. What is the difference between Thunderbolt 4 and Thunderbolt 5? After much teasing in 2022 and a demo in October 2022, Intel officially announced Thunderbolt 5 on September 12, 2023, and Apple started introducing it into its MacBook Pro, Mac Studio and some Mac mini models from 2024. Thunderbolt 5 is a real step up from Thunderbolt 4—unlike Thunderbolt 4’s minor (Mac) enhancements on Thunderbolt 3. • Bandwidth is doubled from 40Gbps to 80Gbps, and display connections go as fast as 120Gbps—so up to three times more bandwidth than previous existing connectivity solutions. Bandwidth Boost uses some of the bidirectional downstream bandwidth to create the higher unidirectional 120Gbps data rate. • Thunderbolt 5 supplies up to 240W of charging power downstream to the connected Mac. Apple’s 16-inch MacBook Pro supports 140W PD 3.1 through its MagSafe 3 port and now via its Thunderbolt 5 ports; Thunderbolt 4 ports are rated PD 3.0 and limited to 100W. That means the Thunderbolt 5 MacBooks can fast-charge via either the MagSafe 3 connection or Thunderbolt 5 ports (using either 240W-rated Thunderbolt or USB-C cables). • Thunderbolt 5 also supports DisplayPort 2.1—compared to today’s DisplayPort 1.4. DisplayPort 2.1 supports a max 10K resolution (10240-×-4320 pixels at 60Hz) on a single display, compared to the 8K resolution supported by DisplayPort 1.4. It also includes improved version of Display Stream Compression (DSC 1.2a) that improves bandwidth management. • Depending on the computer’s processor, Thunderbolt 5 allows up to four external displays to run from the single upstream connection. Before that, even Apple’s M4 Max chip was stuck at two. Now Macs with an M5 Pro or M5 Max can connect to three (M5 Pro) or four (M5 Max) external displays. For more details read “M5 Pro/Max MacBooks finally break Apple’s multi-monitor shackles“. • Thunderbolt 5 allows for a longer “passive” cable length before requiring “active” assistance that increases the cost. With Thunderbolt 4 this was between 0.8 and 1 meter. With TB5, a passive cable can stretch to 1.2m. • While Thunderbolt 5 sticks with the 6-device daisy-chaining limit per Thunderbolt bus, a dual-port configuration could allow for a total of 10 devices across both ports. It can dynamically adjust bandwidth, prioritizing one direction over the other based on usage. Thunderbolt 5 is backward compatible with Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, and USB4 devices, so you can upgrade without having to replace existing peripherals. Intel Who needs Thunderbolt 5? While we all like to have the best technologies in our equipment, the benefits of Thunderbolt 5 over Thunderbolt 4 are in reality more for studio professionals who push their hardware to the limits rather than mere Mac mortals who rely less on the very fastest external SSD storage and super high-resolution and refresh-rate monitors. That majority of Mac users needn’t rush to Thunderbolt 5, but it’s a nice-to-have when you upgrade your Mac. What is the difference between USB4 and Thunderbolt 4? Intel didn’t want there to be a confusing USB 4.1, 4.2, etc, so it jammed the 4 right next to the USB. Apple ignores this and insists, in its Apple-like way, on calling it “USB 4”. Both use the same Type-C connector, just like Thunderbolt 3, too. Thunderbolt 4 is based on the same underlying protocol as USB4—the two are tightly connected, with all Thunderbolt 4 devices supporting USB4. If someone has a USB4 laptop, they can use a TB4 device and the other way around. In fact, Thunderbolt 4 is USB4 with all the trimmings. Not all USB4 devices will be as powerful as the fully certified Thunderbolt 4, however. Just like Apple’s version of Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4 will always have a full 40Gbps bandwidth. USB4, however, starts at 20Gbps but can also reach Thunderbolt 4’s 40Gbps. Look out for USB 20 or USB 40 in product marketing. A USB4 port can only support one display. Thunderbolt 4 can support two 4K displays. The good thing about USB4 is that it will mean that manufacturers can release more powerful hubs and docks that are not Thunderbolt, at a cheaper cost. However, since Thunderbolt products are certified, it means that they are of the highest standard. USB4 devices don’t need to be certified and so eventually we will see many USB4 devices flooding the market with varying degrees of quality, as we see with USB-C hubs today. What is Thunderbolt hubbing? Thunderbolt 4 is, in some ways, just a software upgrade for Mac users. You need at least Apple’s Big Sur operating system (macOS 11) to get its new hubbing functionality. Hubbing does away with the risks of Thunderbolt device daisy-chaining. You’ve always been able to connect multiple Thunderbolt devices but in a potentially long chain, which meant that if you removed any one of them (except the last one in the chain) all the others became unusable until the chain was re-established. Now, with Thunderbolt hubbing, you can have up to four Thunderbolt ports in a hub or dock—each a separate ”branch” that can be disconnected without affecting any other Thunderbolt devices connected in the other ports. Up to six Thunderbolt 4 devices can be smartly daisy-chained. What is the difference between Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4? Thunderbolt 4 is only significantly different for Windows PCs, whose Thunderbolt 3 variations were often limited in features—where Apple always gave its users the full Thunderbolt 3 feature set. Thunderbolt 3 on a Windows laptop could lack the full 40Gbps bandwidth, or maybe not support multiple displays or power delivery. Poor PC users, you’ve got to feel for them. Thunderbolt 4 requires mandatory certification for all computers, which means Windows users finally get all the great features Apple users got with Thunderbolt 3. So Thunderbolt 4 standardizes Thunderbolt 3 for all computer users. It’s backwards compatible, but buying Thunderbolt 4 or 5 devices will also future-proof your setup. So if your Mac has “just” Thunderbolt 3, don’t worry. It’s just that Windows PCs can now join in the fun without limitations, where in the past PC manufacturers could claim theoretical specs but not deliver the best they could by being merely “compatible” rather than “certified”. It should be noted that the MacBooks with Apple’s own M1 or M2 chips had a significant limitation: they can’t run more than one external display natively. However, there is a workaround that allows M1 and M2 MacBooks to run more than one external display. In fact, Thunderbolt 3 was required to support only one external 4K monitor, whereas every Thunderbolt 4 laptop has to support two 4K displays or one 8K display. Thunderbolt 4 and 5 ensure that you can wake a computer with the shake of a mouse or the tap of a keyboard on Thunderbolt 4 or 5 docks. This wasn’t always the case with Thunderbolt 3. This is maybe why Apple isn’t specifically calling its Thunderbolt version 4, due to the M1/M2 display limitation. TB4 and TB5 are also a more data-safe technology, as they requires Intel VT-d-based direct memory access (DMA) protection, also known as DMA remapping. What else? Well, Thunderbolt 5 supports PCIe (peripheral component interconnect express) at 64Gbps for faster storage speeds than TB4’s 32Gbps and TB3’s 16Gbps. Some of the early Thunderbolt 3 MacBooks had less bandwidth available on the right-hand-side Thunderbolt ports. Faster PCIe is important if you frequently transfer very large files between storage devices. Here we are talking about the portion of total Thunderbolt bandwidth allocated for PCI Express data transfer. With Thunderbolt 4 and 5, you’re assured to have all four lanes of PCI Express available—so PCIe can consume up to 32 or 64Gbps of the total 40Gbps/80Gbps Thunderbolt bandwidth. With Thunderbolt 3, depending on your laptop manufacturer and model, some implementations offer only 16Gbps of PCIe bandwidth.  Other advantages of Thunderbolt 4 and 5 include that hubs and docks can now have more than two Thunderbolt ports (up to four) and that TB4 and TB5 cables can be up to 2 meters long and still handle the 40Gbps bandwidth. Previously, passive TB3 cables had to be 0.7m or under to handle full bandwidth. Thunderbolt 4 and (most) USB4 support the latest USB PD 3.1 standard that allows for maximum charging of 240W compared to USB PD 3.0 and Thunderbolt 3’s 100W. Remember that you need the correct type of cable for the higher charging rates: read our roundup of the best Thunderbolt 4 cables. Thunderbolt docks We have tested the best Thunderbolt hubs and docking stations.  The TB4 and TB5 hubs generally feature four Thunderbolt ports (one upstream to connect to the computer, and three downstream to external devices). Docks sometimes swap out one or two downstream Thunderbolt ports for more traditional display connectors (such as HDMI and DisplayPort). You can learn more about the most fully featured hub we’ve tested in our Caldigit Thunderbolt 5 Element 5 Hub review. This hub features four Thunderbolt 5, two 10Gbps USB-C and three 10Gbps USB-A ports. Foundry The CalDigit Thunderbolt 4 Element hub features four Thunderbolt 4 and four 10Gbps USB-A ports. Intel Who owns Thunderbolt? Intel or Apple? Apple and Intel have collaborated on Thunderbolt technology since 2010, releasing its first Thunderbolt MacBook in 2011. Apple even registered the trademark “Thunderbolt” although it passed this on to Intel, in return for “unrestricted use of the technology”. But Intel is the official owner of the Thunderbolt technology. Before this agreement, the technology was known by Intel as “Light Peak”.

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Thunderbolt 5 vs Thunderbolt 4 and 3 vs USB4
Macworld Apple has changed its MacBook connection standard from Thunderbolt 4 to Thunderbolt 5. Macs that boast an M4/M5 Pro, M4/M5 Max or M3 Ultra now come armed with at least three Thunderbolt 5 ports, while Macs with plain M4/M5 processors remain on Thunderbolt 4. Some earlier MacBook Air models had their ports listed as “Thunderbolt / USB 4” and “Thunderbolt 4 and USB 4” on its Pro and Max models. What does all this mean? What is the difference between Thunderbolt 5, Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 3? And then what is USB4? We thought that USB and Thunderbolt couldn’t get any more confusing with many different speeds (from 5Gbps to 120Gbps) and functions possible using the same “Type-C” connection. From an Apple user’s point of view, there isn’t a great deal in Thunderbolt 4 that was new or different from Thunderbolt 3, with which it is backwards compatible. The big changes have arrived with Thunderbolt 5. (While, Apple will likely roll out TB5 across the range over the next year, for Windows users Thunderbolt 5 remains for premium computers only and probbaly won’t hit the mainstream for some years yet.) Indeed, in its M1 and M2 MacBooks tech specs, to add to the confusion Apple didn’t even call it Thunderbolt 4, listing it as “Thunderbolt / USB 4” including Thunderbolt 3. For the superior M1 Pro and M1 Max MacBook Pro models, Apple listed the ports as full Thunderbolt 4—this is because the Pro/Max versions can support multiple external screens, unlike the limited plain M1 or M2 MacBooks. Without the ability to connect to two external displays, it can’t be labelled as certified Thunderbolt 4. There is a software workaround, however, to enable M1 and M2 MacBiooks to connect to two or more displays. What is the difference between Thunderbolt 4 and Thunderbolt 5? After much teasing in 2022 and a demo in October 2022, Intel officially announced Thunderbolt 5 on September 12, 2023, and Apple started introducing it into its MacBook Pro, Mac Studio and some Mac mini models from 2024. Thunderbolt 5 is a real step up from Thunderbolt 4—unlike Thunderbolt 4’s minor (Mac) enhancements on Thunderbolt 3. • Bandwidth is doubled from 40Gbps to 80Gbps, and display connections go as fast as 120Gbps—so up to three times more bandwidth than previous existing connectivity solutions. Bandwidth Boost uses some of the bidirectional downstream bandwidth to create the higher unidirectional 120Gbps data rate. • Thunderbolt 5 supplies up to 240W of charging power downstream to the connected Mac. Apple’s 16-inch MacBook Pro supports 140W PD 3.1 through its MagSafe 3 port and now via its Thunderbolt 5 ports; Thunderbolt 4 ports are rated PD 3.0 and limited to 100W. That means the Thunderbolt 5 MacBooks can fast-charge via either the MagSafe 3 connection or Thunderbolt 5 ports (using either 240W-rated Thunderbolt or USB-C cables). • Thunderbolt 5 also supports DisplayPort 2.1—compared to today’s DisplayPort 1.4. DisplayPort 2.1 supports a max 10K resolution (10240-×-4320 pixels at 60Hz) on a single display, compared to the 8K resolution supported by DisplayPort 1.4. It also includes improved version of Display Stream Compression (DSC 1.2a) that improves bandwidth management. • Depending on the computer’s processor, Thunderbolt 5 allows up to four external displays to run from the single upstream connection. Before that, even Apple’s M4 Max chip was stuck at two. Now Macs with an M5 Pro or M5 Max can connect to three (M5 Pro) or four (M5 Max) external displays. For more details read “M5 Pro/Max MacBooks finally break Apple’s multi-monitor shackles“. • Thunderbolt 5 allows for a longer “passive” cable length before requiring “active” assistance that increases the cost. With Thunderbolt 4 this was between 0.8 and 1 meter. With TB5, a passive cable can stretch to 1.2m. • While Thunderbolt 5 sticks with the 6-device daisy-chaining limit per Thunderbolt bus, a dual-port configuration could allow for a total of 10 devices across both ports. It can dynamically adjust bandwidth, prioritizing one direction over the other based on usage. Thunderbolt 5 is backward compatible with Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, and USB4 devices, so you can upgrade without having to replace existing peripherals. Intel Who needs Thunderbolt 5? While we all like to have the best technologies in our equipment, the benefits of Thunderbolt 5 over Thunderbolt 4 are in reality more for studio professionals who push their hardware to the limits rather than mere Mac mortals who rely less on the very fastest external SSD storage and super high-resolution and refresh-rate monitors. That majority of Mac users needn’t rush to Thunderbolt 5, but it’s a nice-to-have when you upgrade your Mac. What is the difference between USB4 and Thunderbolt 4? Intel didn’t want there to be a confusing USB 4.1, 4.2, etc, so it jammed the 4 right next to the USB. Apple ignores this and insists, in its Apple-like way, on calling it “USB 4”. Both use the same Type-C connector, just like Thunderbolt 3, too. Thunderbolt 4 is based on the same underlying protocol as USB4—the two are tightly connected, with all Thunderbolt 4 devices supporting USB4. If someone has a USB4 laptop, they can use a TB4 device and the other way around. In fact, Thunderbolt 4 is USB4 with all the trimmings. Not all USB4 devices will be as powerful as the fully certified Thunderbolt 4, however. Just like Apple’s version of Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4 will always have a full 40Gbps bandwidth. USB4, however, starts at 20Gbps but can also reach Thunderbolt 4’s 40Gbps. Look out for USB 20 or USB 40 in product marketing. A USB4 port can only support one display. Thunderbolt 4 can support two 4K displays. The good thing about USB4 is that it will mean that manufacturers can release more powerful hubs and docks that are not Thunderbolt, at a cheaper cost. However, since Thunderbolt products are certified, it means that they are of the highest standard. USB4 devices don’t need to be certified and so eventually we will see many USB4 devices flooding the market with varying degrees of quality, as we see with USB-C hubs today. What is Thunderbolt hubbing? Thunderbolt 4 is, in some ways, just a software upgrade for Mac users. You need at least Apple’s Big Sur operating system (macOS 11) to get its new hubbing functionality. Hubbing does away with the risks of Thunderbolt device daisy-chaining. You’ve always been able to connect multiple Thunderbolt devices but in a potentially long chain, which meant that if you removed any one of them (except the last one in the chain) all the others became unusable until the chain was re-established. Now, with Thunderbolt hubbing, you can have up to four Thunderbolt ports in a hub or dock—each a separate ”branch” that can be disconnected without affecting any other Thunderbolt devices connected in the other ports. Up to six Thunderbolt 4 devices can be smartly daisy-chained. What is the difference between Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4? Thunderbolt 4 is only significantly different for Windows PCs, whose Thunderbolt 3 variations were often limited in features—where Apple always gave its users the full Thunderbolt 3 feature set. Thunderbolt 3 on a Windows laptop could lack the full 40Gbps bandwidth, or maybe not support multiple displays or power delivery. Poor PC users, you’ve got to feel for them. Thunderbolt 4 requires mandatory certification for all computers, which means Windows users finally get all the great features Apple users got with Thunderbolt 3. So Thunderbolt 4 standardizes Thunderbolt 3 for all computer users. It’s backwards compatible, but buying Thunderbolt 4 or 5 devices will also future-proof your setup. So if your Mac has “just” Thunderbolt 3, don’t worry. It’s just that Windows PCs can now join in the fun without limitations, where in the past PC manufacturers could claim theoretical specs but not deliver the best they could by being merely “compatible” rather than “certified”. It should be noted that the MacBooks with Apple’s own M1 or M2 chips had a significant limitation: they can’t run more than one external display natively. However, there is a workaround that allows M1 and M2 MacBooks to run more than one external display. In fact, Thunderbolt 3 was required to support only one external 4K monitor, whereas every Thunderbolt 4 laptop has to support two 4K displays or one 8K display. Thunderbolt 4 and 5 ensure that you can wake a computer with the shake of a mouse or the tap of a keyboard on Thunderbolt 4 or 5 docks. This wasn’t always the case with Thunderbolt 3. This is maybe why Apple isn’t specifically calling its Thunderbolt version 4, due to the M1/M2 display limitation. TB4 and TB5 are also a more data-safe technology, as they requires Intel VT-d-based direct memory access (DMA) protection, also known as DMA remapping. What else? Well, Thunderbolt 5 supports PCIe (peripheral component interconnect express) at 64Gbps for faster storage speeds than TB4’s 32Gbps and TB3’s 16Gbps. Some of the early Thunderbolt 3 MacBooks had less bandwidth available on the right-hand-side Thunderbolt ports. Faster PCIe is important if you frequently transfer very large files between storage devices. Here we are talking about the portion of total Thunderbolt bandwidth allocated for PCI Express data transfer. With Thunderbolt 4 and 5, you’re assured to have all four lanes of PCI Express available—so PCIe can consume up to 32 or 64Gbps of the total 40Gbps/80Gbps Thunderbolt bandwidth. With Thunderbolt 3, depending on your laptop manufacturer and model, some implementations offer only 16Gbps of PCIe bandwidth.  Other advantages of Thunderbolt 4 and 5 include that hubs and docks can now have more than two Thunderbolt ports (up to four) and that TB4 and TB5 cables can be up to 2 meters long and still handle the 40Gbps bandwidth. Previously, passive TB3 cables had to be 0.7m or under to handle full bandwidth. Thunderbolt 4 and (most) USB4 support the latest USB PD 3.1 standard that allows for maximum charging of 240W compared to USB PD 3.0 and Thunderbolt 3’s 100W. Remember that you need the correct type of cable for the higher charging rates: read our roundup of the best Thunderbolt 4 cables. Thunderbolt docks We have tested the best Thunderbolt hubs and docking stations.  The TB4 and TB5 hubs generally feature four Thunderbolt ports (one upstream to connect to the computer, and three downstream to external devices). Docks sometimes swap out one or two downstream Thunderbolt ports for more traditional display connectors (such as HDMI and DisplayPort). You can learn more about the most fully featured hub we’ve tested in our Caldigit Thunderbolt 5 Element 5 Hub review. This hub features four Thunderbolt 5, two 10Gbps USB-C and three 10Gbps USB-A ports. Foundry The CalDigit Thunderbolt 4 Element hub features four Thunderbolt 4 and four 10Gbps USB-A ports. Intel Who owns Thunderbolt? Intel or Apple? Apple and Intel have collaborated on Thunderbolt technology since 2010, releasing its first Thunderbolt MacBook in 2011. Apple even registered the trademark “Thunderbolt” although it passed this on to Intel, in return for “unrestricted use of the technology”. But Intel is the official owner of the Thunderbolt technology. Before this agreement, the technology was known by Intel as “Light Peak”.

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Apple to roll out critical iOS 18 update for iPhones that didn’t upgrade
Apple will push a rare iOS 18 update to patch a critical security flaw — DarkSword — on iPhones that haven’t upgraded to iOS 26. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Apple celebrates its 50th anniversary with special animated homepage
As part of its 50th anniversary celebrations, Apple has updated its website homepage today with a special animation video that features some of the company’s most iconic creations. The sketch art animation depicts the original Mac, the iMac, the iPod, the App Store, the Watch, iPhone 17 Pro, Vision Pro and more in a sketch art illustrative style. more…

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Apple confirms iOS 18 update to patch DarkSword exploit for users who haven’t upgraded to iOS 26
According to Wired, Apple will release an iOS 18 update on Wednesday morning to patch vulnerabilities exploited by the DarkSword hack. Here’s what that means. more…

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Computing would be totally different had Apple not been formed 50 years ago, today
The Apple of 1976 is unrecognizable compared to today's gigantic corporation, and yet key early decisions by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and more, are still having their effect today, half a century later.Steve Jobs with the original Macintosh, made eight years after Apple's foundingApple has long had a reputation for never looking back, and it's usually justified. "Let's go invent tomorrow rather than worrying about what happened yesterday," said Steve Jobs in an interview that has long been lost, but is forever quoted in motivational speeches.He was consistent about this even when talking about himself and his work, though. "[Technology] is not a field where one paints a painting that will be looked at for centuries," he said in 1994, "or where one builds a church that will be looked at, admired, and looked at in astonishment for centuries." Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple TV: Brandon Sanderson reveals Mistborn pre-production details
In a video released today to his YouTube channel, Brandon Sanderson shared an exciting update on the progress of the Mistborn adaptation for Apple TV. Here are the details. more…

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Report: Apple less exposed as Iran war threatens India’s smartphone exports
Nikkei Asia reports that while Apple is less exposed to potential export disruptions out of India, shipments that rely on Middle East trade hubs could face significant declines in the coming weeks. Here are the details. more…

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Audit your subscriptions this April Fool's and stop wasting money
It's April Fool's Day, so it's a great time to make sure you're not getting tricked out of your hard-earned cash and cancel those subscriptions you've forgotten about. Here's how to do it.Why and how you should audit your subscriptionsDigital hygiene, the practice of keeping a clean, safe digital footprint, is critical for anyone who uses the internet — which is pretty much everyone. Many things fall under the digital hygiene umbrella, from responsible email management to removing your data from data brokerage companies' websites.There are many digital hygiene tasks you should do at least twice a year. For instance, you're probably going to want to check to make sure none of your passwords have wound up in a data breach. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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G-Raid Project 2 review: High-quality enterprise storage
The 52TB G-Raid Project 2 is costly, yes, but it provides a large amount of reliable and well-supported storage for your Mac, plus fast access speeds for serious data warehousing needs.G-Raid Project 2 reviewIt's been interesting watching storage trends over the last two decades. In that span, we've gone from 250GB hard drives being enough, to multi-terabyte drives a few years later.Then we all went back down to lower capacity, but very high speed SSDs being the order of the day. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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AirTag 2 gets its first firmware update since January launch
In addition to a firmware update for the new AirPods Max 2, which are set to hit the shelves tomorrow (and we have already reviewed), Apple also rolled out a firmware update to the AirTag 2 earlier today. Here are the details. more…

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Ollama adopts MLX for faster AI performance on Apple silicon Macs
One of the best tools to run AI models locally on a Mac just got even better. Here’s why, and how to run it. more…

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Running local models on Macs gets faster with Ollama's MLX support
Apple Silicon Macs get a performance boost thanks to better unified memory usage.

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Apple among US firms Iran labels ‘terrorist companies’ as it threatens attacks
As reported by CBS News, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) vowed to start attacking US-based tech and finance companies in the Mideast starting tomorrow. Here are the details. more…

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Apple CEO Tim Cook delivered speech & rung Nasdaq Opening Bell Tuesday
As a part of the ongoing 50th anniversary celebration, Apple was invited to remotely ring in the Nasdaq Opening Bell. CEO Tim Cook did the honors and gave a speech from Apple Park.Apple's executive team gathered for the opening bell. Image source: NasdaqApple has spent the previous week celebrating its 50th anniversary with concerts at Apple stores around the world. Paul McCartney will conclude Apple's 50th anniversary celebrations Wednesday evening.In the meantime, Apple CEO Tim Cook, surrounded by his top executives, rung in the Nasdaq Opening Bell Wednesday from Apple Park. He was presented with an award and plaque after giving a brief speech. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Report: Apple set to outperform broader notebook market amid worsening shipment outlook
TrendForce has revised its 2026 notebook shipment forecast downward, with Apple standing out as the exception. Here are the details. more…

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Report: Apple set to outperform broader notebook market amid worsening shipment outlook
TrendForce has revised its 2026 notebook shipment forecast downward, with Apple standing out as the exception. Here are the details. more…

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Report: Apple set to outperform broader notebook market amid worsening shipment outlook
TrendForce has revised its 2026 notebook shipment forecast downward, with Apple standing out as the exception. Here are the details. more…

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Get PDF Expert for Mac at 42% off: The Apple Editors’ Choice PDF editor you need
PDF Expert will streamline your PDF editing and management. Get a lifetime subscription to this PDF editor for Mac for just $79.97 (42% off). (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Oscar nominee Stellan Skarsgård to star in untitled Apple TV thriller series
Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård (Sentimental Value) is set to star alongside Dakota Fanning (All Her Fault) in an upcoming untitled international thriller series for Apple TV. Here’s what we know about it so far. more…

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OpenAI's ChatGPT now available hands-free via CarPlay with iOS 26.4
Apple CarPlay users will now be able to communicate with ChatGPT on-the-go, using only their voice. An app update and iOS 26.4 are required.ChatGPT can now be used via Apple CarPlay on iOS 26.4 or later.With the release of the iOS 26.4 update on March 24, Apple introduced support for AI agents within CarPlay. To be more specific, the iPhone maker released a new CarPlay entitlement category for voice-driven conversational apps.The move effectively enabled third-party AI to function within CarPlay, reducing users' reliance on Siri. OpenAI's ChatGPT has now become one of the first AI-related applications to take advantage of the new CarPlay entitlement, which is only delivered with Apple's approval. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Watch Tim Cook ring the Nasdaq Opening Bell as part of Apple’s 50th anniversary celebrations
Earlier today, Tim Cook remotely rang the Nasdaq Opening Bell from Apple Park, where he also gave a short speech. Here’s what he said. more…

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Apple tests Siri feature that could finally let it handle multiple commands at once
Apple is quietly working on a significant upgrade to Siri that could make the long-serving digital assistant feel considerably more capable… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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iOS 26.4 has convenient change for iPhone personal hotspot users
iOS 26.4 launched last week, packing a wide array of new features, including a change for personal hotspot that makes it easy to see who’s using your data. more…

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9to5Mac Daily: March 31, 2026 – iOS 26.5 beta 1 changes, more
Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players. Sponsored by Backblaze: Backup you can rely on. Save 20% with code 9to5daily.  more…

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Apple employee 50th schwag includes T-shirt, pin, poster, and Paul McCartney
Macworld Apple’s 50th anniversary is officially on Wednesday, and the company has been holding several events to commemorate the occasion. This week, however, Apple also gave out special anniversary schwag to its employees, according to several posts on X. Employees got a limited edition T-shirt, pin, and poster “inspired by our heritage rainbow colors and crafted by hand.” Apple 50th Anniversary employee gifts!🎁Each employee gets a 50th T-shirt, limited edition poster and enamel pin! pic.twitter.com/EpvT9no3Yh— Mr. Macintosh (@ClassicII_MrMac) March 31, 2026 If you’re reading this thinking, “That’s it? That’s all the employees of a trillion-dollar company get?” C’mon, do you really expect them to hand out solid-gold Apple Watches? (I bet you do.) It’s not like Apple has trillions of dollars just lying around. Well, there is one more thing: Apple is throwing a huge party on Wednesday, with Sir Paul McCartney performing an exclusive show at Apple Park. It’s so exclusive that employees allegedly are not allowed to bring a guest, which is more probably about the capacity of the Apple Park inner courtyard than about the company being cheap. No word on if Apple will be posting the show on Apple Music, but it hasn’t posted any of the other performances by Alicia Keys and Mumford & Sons, so don’t count on it. We expect Apple’s 50th celebration to wrap up this week, but you never know what Apple has planned for the rest of the month. After all, we’re still waiting for a new Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini.

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Save over 30% on David Pogue’s new ‘Apple: The First 50 years’ book
Update March 31, 2026: Ahead of Apple’s 50th anniversary tomorrow, David Pogue’s new book is on sale on Amazon for $34.09 (Reg. $50). This is a great way to save on one of the best modern Apple books there is. Original post below. Apple celebrates its 50th birthday this year, having originally been founded on April 1, 1976. Coinciding with that anniversary, veteran technology reporter “CBS Sunday Morning” correspondent David Pogue is out with a new book that goes in-depth on the company’s history, Apple: The First 50 Years. more…

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Apple at 50: Paul McCartney sound check and the employee gift bag
Apple's conclusion to its 50th anniversary celebration at Apple Park is confirmed to include a performance by Paul McCartney, as well as a small selection of employee gifts to mark the occasion.Paul McCartney's soundcheck at Apple Park - Image Credit: u/Live_Football2343 on Reddit R/PaulMcCartneyApple has been holding a series of events around the world, as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations. The grand finale will take place at Apple Park on Wednesday, while it will be a big party for Apple employees, some more details about the event have been unearthed.A photograph shared to Reddit by user u/Live_Football2343 shows the soundcheck for Wednesday's performance within the rainbow arch at the middle of Apple Park. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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App Store Connect adds 11 new languages for localized app metadata
Apple has expanded App Store Connect’s localization support, allowing developers to localize their app metadata in a total of 50 languages. Here are the details. more…

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