Apple chip plants can’t be moved, despite China’s war games, says TSMC
TSMC’s Apple chip plants cannot be moved off the island, the company has said, despite ever-growing fears of a Chinese invasion. The chipmaker’s chairman C.C. Wei said that it had held talks with “some customers” about the idea following China carrying out war-game exercises around the island, but that it simply isn’t practical … more…

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Apple TV+ and Netflix are neck-and-neck for viewer satisfaction
Subscribers are just satisfied with Apple TV+ as they are with Netflix, and more satisfied than Disney+ subscribers. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Balance, Not Mandates, Needed To Keep Kids Safe Online: Report
An effective approach to children’s online safety needs to strike a balance between protecting kids' user privacy and free speech, as well as distributing responsibility to the government, online services, and parents, according to a new ITIF report. The post appeared first on TechNewsWorld.

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Apple TV+ customer satisfaction continues to rise, according to latest survey
The latest telecoms customer survey from ASCI has been published and — despite rising prices and industry pullbacks — the bottom line is streaming services are still hot. Almost every video streaming service tracked by ASCI grew its customer satisfaction score compared to the previous year, with Apple one of the biggest risers. The 2024 score for Apple TV+ came in at 79, up from 76 in the year-ago survey. more…

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Aptoide iOS game store launches this week; wait list of 20,000
An Aptoide iOS game store launches in Europe on Thursday, the third, uh, third-party app store to be announced after Setapp and AltStore. All three companies are taking advantage of the changes Apple was forced to make in the EU by the Digital Markets Act, which opens up the App Store to competition for the first time … more…

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13-inch iPad Pro review: hardware of the future running software of the past
Apple's 13-inch iPad Pro is a testament to the power and efficiency of Apple Silicon, but WWDC has to address at least some of the shortcomings of iPadOS for those hardware upgrades to mean anything.13-inch iPad Pro reviewAs Apple shaves away every millimeter from the iPad, it gets closer to realizing the dream of offering information on a sheet of glass. At 5.1 millimeters, there's not much else Apple can do to the hardware without physics getting in the way.However, the only thing in the way of improving iPad software is Apple and its philosophy surrounding the tablet. While iPad is the perfect work device for some, there are obvious limitations and shortcomings that need to be addressed. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple’s iPhone recycling robot no longer unscrews phones: It rips them apart
The latest version of Apple’s iPhone recycling robot no longer unscrews devices in order to access the innards; instead, it rips them apart. The change is one of many that have seen the practicality of Apple’s recycling robots grow from something which took 12 minutes per phone – which the company admits was really just a research project – to 18 seconds … more…

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WWDC AI announcements will spark iPhone 16 upgrade cycle — eventually
Investment bank JP Morgan believes that Apple's combination of AI and privacy will mean a large swathe of users will upgrade to the new iPhone 16 throughout 2025, and that should reassure investors that are worried about the company's future.A Siri icon superimposed on Apple ParkAhead of the WWDC announcements on June 10, 2024, analysts at JP Morgan have told investors to expect Apple to concentrate on AI on-device features. It says that there will be cloud and data-center elements, but Apple will stress the on-device privacy and showcase improvements to existing apps.In a note seen by AppleInsider, the analysts predict that WWDC will be what they call a "tick all the boxes" announcement, that is specifically aimed at showing investors Apple has not fallen behind on AI. They say that investors will look particularly for any deals between Apple and OpenAI or Google, but that regardless of how it's done, Apple's AI implementation will be across all its native apps. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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TicketMaster hack sees personal data of 560M for sale [U: Snowflake statement]
Update: After reports that cloud storage provider Snowflake may have been compromised, the company said there is no evidence of this. Reading between the lines, the attack may have been made via Snowflake, but it appears to have been TicketMaster credentials that were compromised. A TicketMaster hack has been confirmed by the company in an SEC security filing, stating that personal data of its users has been offered for sale on the dark web. The agency has not confirmed the scale of what appears to have been a massive breach … more…

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ChatGPT is down for many; recovery underway; Mac app may be best bet
ChatGPT is down for many, with OpenAI acknowledging on its status page that the chatbot is “unavailable for some users.” The partial outage appears to be global, though recovery does now appear to be in progress, with DownDetector showing a decline in the number of reports … more…

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So Apple really made a great iPad Pro feature and just didn’t tell anyone?
Macworld Apple’s obsession with secrecy has struck again but this time in an unusual way. Yes, the company that is only able to sell devices by tricking people with that icky “marketing” that no other company does actually forgot to market a feature! What is this feature? Well, according to developer Guilherme Rambo the M4 iPad Pro is: …the first device to support and use Apple’s new Secure Indicator Light (SIL) mechanism. When using the microphone or camera, the corresponding indicator dot is effectively rendered in hardware (using the display), making it a lot less likely that any malware or user space app would be able to access those sensors without the user’s knowledge. Guilherme Rambo Apple implemented this without fanfare. Or any kind of fare at all. In fact, it implemented it without even mentioning it when the product was rolled out. This is very odd behavior for a company that (according to many) only uses privacy as a marketing tool. You made the privacy, and you forgot to market it? What’s that about? Now, you may be saying to yourself, please, Mr. Macalope, sir. (Why so formal?) Your strawmen do burn oh so very prettily, but spare us your concocted arguments from fabricated Apple foes! But this is not a strawman argument at all! As it turns out, you are the only strawman here, fictional reader who purports not to think anyone says this about Apple. Ironic, right? One entity that suggests privacy is a marketing smokescreen for Apple is a little outfit known as… let’s see here, lemme just pretend to be looking this up… oh, yes! The U.S. Department of Justice. Apple’s emphasis on privacy was brought up multiple times in the DOJ’s suit against the company. The DOJ suggested that by not allowing third-party app stores, the company was reducing privacy options by not allowing a more privacy-focused store to set up shop on iOS. Yeaaah. Because that’s gonna happen. The horny one is sure there’s a long line of privacy-focused would-be app store overlords out there. It’s definitely not outfits like Meta that have tried for years to slip various privacy-hoovering apps into the App Store. Nope. Nuh-uh. The DOJ argued: By contrast, Apple allows certain enterprise and public sector customers to offer versions of app stores with more curated apps to better protect privacy and security. U.S. Department of Justice Like much of the DOJ’s filing, this is a poor explanation of the situation. These enterprise app stores are for employees and are designed to protect the privacy and security of the entity running the store, not the end user. In fact, many of them, because they’re run by companies that want to spy on their employees (or, to be fair, have to if they’re regulated industries) are absolutely terrible for privacy. The only privacy argument the DOJ makes that actually makes sense is that Apple degrades privacy by making Google the default search engine. And Apple does do it because Google pays them a ridiculous amount of money to do it, but most people were probably going to use Google anyway. (Still, they should stop.) IDG IDG IDG There are many good reasons to force Apple to loosen restrictions on the App Store. So many, really. Privacy isn’t in the top 20. Privacy doesn’t even know the items in the top 20. It never gets invited to their parties. Does Apple use privacy to market its products? Of course it does. It does so because privacy is an advantage of its products. These are not mutually exclusive things. But you can also make a pretty good case based on the above that privacy is so engrained at Apple that it defaults to that (unless someone wants to give them billions of dollars a year to kind of forget it for a bit). Is it perfect? No. But it’s still better than pretty much anyone else. iOS, iPad

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5 reasons why I prefer Sonos Ace to AirPods Max (but you shouldn’t buy them)
Macworld Sonos has been a beloved brand for years, especially among Apple fans. It’s easy to see why: from the slick product design to the thoughtful eco-friendly packaging, Sonos offers a very Apple-like experience. Their home speakers and sound bars have a very “it just works” quality that may not satisfy the kind of audio nerds that demand extreme control via a big ‘ol receiver, but for everyone else simply looks and sounds great. One audio area Sonos hasn’t even attempted, in almost 20 years on the market, is headphones. Sonos Ace changes all that. The first headphones from the Sonos brand, the Ace are direct competitors to the likes of AirPods Max, Bose QuietComfort Ultra, Sony WH-1000XM5, et al. In other words, they’re over-the-ear wireless headphones with active noise cancelling and a transparency mode and are priced on the “premium” end of the market at $449. I’ve been using them for a couple of weeks now and if I’m honest, I’d reach for these over my AirPods Max any day, despite not having the tight integration that Apple-brand products enjoy (there’s no hands-free “Hey Siri” support, for example–you have to press a button to invoke Siri). There are a number of things Sonos gets right that Apple could learn from. And despite this, I can’t recommend anyone buy them just yet. If you’re intrigued by Sonos Ace, you might want to wait a few months. Sonos Ace Price When Reviewed: $449 Best Prices Today: $449 at Sonos | Not Available at Adorama | Not Available at Best Buy Better fit and comfort AirPods Max are comfortable in many ways, but they don’t quite fit my head. This isn’t uncommon—I have a small head, and the smallest size setting for many over-ear headphones is just a tiny bit too big to fit comfortably. AirPods Max are like that, Sony’s WH-1000XM5 are not. And neither are the Sonos Ace. At the smallest settings, they fit just right. But there’s a weight issue, too. AirPods Max weighs 385 grams, way more than something like those Sony XM5s (250g). Sonos’ are heavy as well at 312 grams, due in part to the steel bars in the headband and overall sturdy construction. The top headband is soft and flexible, the removable earcups are soft and plush. They simply feel comfortable and steady on your head even during long listening sessions. It would definitely be nice if they shed a few grams more, but I would much rather wear these for a few hours than AirPods Max. A better TV streaming solution If you use an Apple TV, you can switch the audio over to your AirPods Max (if you’re on the same Apple ID) by opening the Apple TV control center and changing the audio output. It works pretty well, and it’s very convenient. Unless you want to listen to something that is not coming from your Apple TV. If you’re streaming video through your smart TV, or playing a console game, that AirPods Max integration won’t do anything for you. It’s going to be super annoying to some Sonos users that the Sonos Ace are not Wi-Fi connected like all other Sonos speakers. You can’t just join into any Sonos speaker group and directly stream from audio sources that you’ve linked to in the Sonos app. These are Bluetooth only (to extend battery life), so they have to stream audio from a linked source like your iPhone, iPad, Mac, etc. The Sonos soundbar/headphone handoff feature is excellent, even though it only works with their most expensive soundbar right now. The Sonos soundbar/headphone handoff feature is excellent, even though it only works with their most expensive soundbar right now.Sonos The Sonos soundbar/headphone handoff feature is excellent, even though it only works with their most expensive soundbar right now.Sonos Sonos However, they can pull off a pretty neat trick where you can link them to a Sonos soundbar, and then with a long press of the “content button” on the right earpiece swap audio from the soundbar to your headphones. It happens quickly, it’s reliable, it passes through Dolby Atmos for spatial audio, and the latency is low enough to be a viable solution for gaming. Right now it’s only compatible with the Sonos Arc soundbar (others are coming in a software update soon) but it works with everything because it’s the sound that your soundbar would play. I really like switching with just a press-and-hold of the content button, too. Apple should make the AirPods Max’s Digital Crown work that way. Multi-point Bluetooth AirPods Max pair with one device at a time, but they also support Apple’s fast-switching wherein they will be paired automatically with other Apple stuff that uses your same Apple ID, so you can quickly switch to them. Sonos Ace supports dual Bluetooth connections, so you can be simultaneously connected to Bluetooth sources (not just Apple products) and quickly switch between them. It’s essentially the same idea, only more flexible. They work great over the USB-C connection, too. Just plug in and you’re good to go. You can even plug the USB-C into your PS5 DualSense controller and they’ll work as a gaming headset straight away, and you can still use noise canceling and such. You can turn them off! You can’t turn off AirPods Max. There’s no manual way to do it. They just use some combination of the on-ear sensors and accelerometer to determine if you’re not using them, and eventually time out. Look, a power button! It feels so silly to count that as a “feature” but the AirPods Max don’t have one. Look, a power button! It feels so silly to count that as a “feature” but the AirPods Max don’t have one.Foundry Look, a power button! It feels so silly to count that as a “feature” but the AirPods Max don’t have one.Foundry Foundry The Sonos Ace will eventually power themselves off as well, but there’s a power button that you press and hold for a couple of seconds to turn on or off. Yes, pretty much every pair of headphones has a power button. Sonos’ entry in the space is not unique, Apple’s are, but it’s worth pointing out what a pain the butt it can be not to have any sort of manual power button. They sound great Bose and Sony have sort of caught up to Apple on noise reduction, and the Sonos Ace is right up there as well. They do an amazing job of reducing repetitive noise like traffic, air conditioners, airplane noise, etc. The transparency mode (Sonos calls it Aware Mode) is maybe tied for the best I’ve ever heard. Until now, nobody has been able to match the natural sound of AirPods Max’s transparency mode, and Sonos may have done it. For other audio, it’s sort of a tie with AirPods Max, and whether you like these better than the comparable headsets from Apple, Sony, or Bose is more a matter of personal taste than technical excellence. I find the high end just a touch thin by default on the Ace, a bumping Treble up a notch or two on the (really anemic) EQ in the Sonos software fixes that right away. Microphone quality and noise reduction during calls are similarly great. In general, it’s safe to say you don’t lose anything in sound quality with Sonos Ace over AirPods Max, and with support for lossless audio over USB (or when connected to the right Android device with apt-X Lossless) they might even be a little better. But don’t buy a pair yet There are a few little things that could be improved on the Sonos Ace. The case feels kind of cheap for a high-priced pair of headphones, for instance. It hardly seems worth focusing on that when AirPods Max have a case that’s worse than useless. But on balance, even at $449 I would rather use these than the $549 AirPods Max. Even with the AirPods Max seemingly perpetually available at a discount…I’d use the Sonos Ace at the same price any day. They sound just as good, are more comfortable, and have more flexible connectivity options. And a power button. Sonos Ace are great—but the app leaves much to be desired. Sonos Ace are great—but the app leaves much to be desired.Sonos Sonos Ace are great—but the app leaves much to be desired.Sonos Sonos But Sonos dropped a huge update to its all-important app recently and it has been a bit of a scandal. It’s a totally new architecture under the hood and a new interface, and while it certainly looks better and more modern, the Sonos users are not happy about it. It’s missing a lot of features the old app had and it’s riddled with bugs. It took me two hours of troubleshooting to add a Sonos Arc soundbar after having previously set up the Sonos Arc headphones. There’s no queue or playing next in the music playback interface. The sleep timer is gone. Playing back local music is missing. Sonos has already pushed out a software update to address some bugs and shortcomings and has a public roadmap for when we can expect the return of other features. If your only Sonos product is to be the Sonos Ace, some of these won’t be an issue for you. If you already have Sonos speakers or plan to get them, the app is a buggy and feature-stripped nightmare right now. Yes, Sonos Ace cost more than the latest from Bose or Sony, but they’re cheaper than AirPods Max by $100. Even with AirPods Max seemingly always on sale somewhere, they may cost you less. If you plan to use your headphones entirely and exclusively with Apple products forever, maybe the convenience of AirPods Max makes them a better choice for you (still, wait for a potential AirPods Max 2 later this year). If you ever want to connect them to anything else, or if you have or want to get a Sonos sound bar, you’ll probably like Sonos Ace better and pay less. My advice is to wait a few months and look for the Sonos Ace to go on sale. Give it a slightly better price and a few months of app updates and the Sonos Ace will be a real winner. Headphones, Mobile Phone Accessories

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Netflix is finally killing off support for 2nd and 3rd generation Apple TVs
It's probably time to get rid of that thin second or third-generation Apple TV set-top box, as even Netflix is abandoning the older gear.Apple TV second and third generationIn an email to customers, Netflix has warning users of old Apple TVs that their days of using the service on the decade-old hardware is coming to an end. In the email, the company says that it is sun-setting support for them on July 31, 2024.It says that it is doing this to "maintain the best possible Netflix experience." It's not clear why the device is getting axed, other than age. Codec support may be an issue as well. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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The everything gift guide for iPhone users
Macworld When they already have the best phone on the planet, what do you buy an iPhone user? We’re going to help you select the best iPhone gifts available—perfect gifts for Fathers Day, Mothers Day, birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, and when you are just feeling generous. If not a brand new iPhone (check out our iPhone Buying Guide if your budget stretches that far), then how about one of the many available iPhone accessories? Throughout the year we have tested and reviewed the best iPhone accessories from Apple and trusted companies, and we can recommend the best ones for the people on your list. We’d be delighted to receive any of these iPhone accessories as a gift. If you want to splash out on another Apple product, take a look at our guides for best Apple Watch, best iPad and best Mac. Here we recommend some of our favorite iPhone cases, power banks, chargers, cables and tech organizers, plus a roundup of some super stocking stuffers for the iPhone user in your thoughts. iPhone Gift Guide: Cases If your loved one doesn’t own a case for their iPhone then this may be the best gift you can get them as it will share a bit of your personality while protecting their precious phone from knocks, drops, and everyday scrapes. if they already have a case, then buy them a new or better one. Just slipping on a new case can transform an old iPhone into something that feels brand new again. It’s even more satisfying than an iOS update! We have tested the best cases for iPhone 15 and most of these are available for older models from the iPhone 11 up. So run through that list to see the widest range of cases you can select as a gift, and get one for yourself while you’re at it. If you’re shopping for someone who has an iPhone 12 or later, look for a MagSafe-compatible case as it won’t interfere with wireless charging. 1. Casely iPhone 15 Classic and Bold Cases – Colorful cases for all iPhones Pros Optional protection levels MagSafe Compatible Design options Price When Reviewed: From $30 plus shipping Best Prices Today: $39 at Amazon Casely has an enormous range of designer and colorful iPhone cases available for the iPhone XR, 11, and later. Most are available in either a flexible glossy Classic version or a more rigid and protective Bold version. There is even a range of festive winter and Christmas cases available. Casetify is another maker of colorful iPhone cases and these can be customized with personalized text, colors, designs, and protection levels. And for wood/pearl/fabric-effect iPhone cases, check out the range at Mous. If you fancy a premium leather iPhone case look at the selection at Dutch design firm Mujjo and Woolnut. The thinnest case we’ve tested is the Thinborne. 2. OtterBox Lumen Passport Case – Iconic city maps for iPhone 15 Pros Iconic city choices Robust protection Price When Reviewed: $59.99 Best Prices Today: $59.99 at OtterBox We love this nostalgic series of iPhone cases (iPhone 15 family only, sadly) that are styled with aerial maps of famous cities such as New York, London, Paris and Tokyo, They feature OtterBox’s usual dop protection and grippy edges, so they are not just for show but offer robust protection. OtterBox’s Lumen range of iPhone cases features different designs for owners of older iPhones, and is well worth checking out. 3. Benks MagClap ArmorPro Protective Case – Slim protective iPhone cases Pros Nice woven kevlar design Extremely protective but slim MagSafe Compatible Price When Reviewed: $39.99 Best Prices Today: $39.99 at Benks$49.99 at Amazon Many protective iPhone cases are big bulky things, but the Benks ArmorPro is deceptively slim, with metal buttons and a tough drop-resistant exterior. Benks makes tough but thin cases for the iPhone 12 and later. Other protective iPhone cases to consider include the Denali Snap from Zagg and the ultra-protective Rokform range. iPhone Gift Guide: Power banks Hands up if your iPhone has never run out of juice during the day when you are far from a convenient power socket. Yeah, right. Apple used to make a special Smart Battery Case for the iPhone but stopped selling these when it added MagSafe magnetic wireless charging to the iPhone 12 and later. It then sold its own MagSafe Battery Case but stopped making these when it launched the iPhone 15. But fear not, as there are some great MagSafe power banks out there that clamp onto the back of your iPhone (12/13/14/15) and can recharge the phone for long enough that you can reach a power source. Of course, Macworld has tested many of them and picked the best MagSafe power banks, but here are a few of our favorites. 1. Baseus Magnetic Power Bank – Wired and wireless iPhone power bank Pros Huge 10000mAh battery capacity Built-in USB-C cable 7.5W wireless or 30W wired charging Price When Reviewed: $45.99 Best Prices Today: $45.99 at Amazon This iPhone power bank uses MagSafe to magnetically stick to the back of your iPhone when you need a power boost. In our tests, it recharged an iPhone twice over with its 10000mAh battery capacity. Better still, it features its own built-in USB-C cable for charging up the battery pack or wired-charging the iPhone 15 family that has a USB-C port rather than Lightning. Using the cable rather than MagSafe will charge an iPhone 15 at an impressive 30W. MagSafe wireless charging is slower at 7.5W but it will still rescue a fading iPhone 12 or later—or you can supply your own Lightning cable (or USB-C for iPhone 15 users) and connect with a wire. Read our full Baseus Magnetic Power Bank with built-in USB-C cable review 2. Anker Nano Power Bank – Wired and wireless iPhone power bank Pros Huge 10000mAh battery capacity Built-in USB-C cable 30W wired charging Color choices Price When Reviewed: $49.99 Best Prices Today: $39.99 at Amazon$49.99 at Anker Similar in charging power to the Baseus Magnetic power bank—30W via the built-in USB-C cable for the iPhone 15 family—but without the wireless charging function. Users of iPhones earlier than the iPhone 15 will need to supply a Lightning cable. What it does boast over the Baseus is its battery-life percentage LED screen so you know how much juice the power bank has left in it before you head out. Available in black, white, green, and blue color options. 3. Casely Power Pod – Fun wireless iPhone power banks Pros Lightweight magnetic battery pack Smallest, lightest magnetic battery pack Best variety of designs Price When Reviewed: From $60 Best Prices Today: $60 at Casely There’s such a wide variety of designs in the Casely Power Pod range that surely there must be one that suits your giftee. The 5000mAh Power Pod from phone-case supremo Casely is the lightest and smallest magnetic battery pack that works with all iPhones from the 12 to the 15. It simply clamps to the back of the phone and offers all the xtra power you need to get you to the next fixed charging point. 4. Belkin BoostCharge Power Bank 5K + Stand – Wireless iPhone power bank with stand Pros Built-in stand 7.5W wireless or 10W wired Color choices Price When Reviewed: $59.99 Best Prices Today: $34.99 at Amazon$59.99 at Belkin This MagSafe power bank charged our nearly drained iPhone to close on a full extra power refill. It also doubles up as a handy kickstand so you can watch a movie while your iPhone is recharging. It is available in pink, purple, black or white. iPhone Gift Guide: USB-C chargers A simple charger sounds like a boring present but we think any iPhone users would be delighted to receive one of these beauties now that Apple no longer includes one in the box with new iPhones. And which iPhone users couldn’t do with at least one more spare charger at home or in the office—or a special one for travel? An iPhone charger should be rated at least 20W, and we’d recommend 30W or better as newer iPhones can accept higher wattages than even Apple admits. A 30W charger can handle an iPad Pro and has just enough to power up even a 13-inch MacBook Air. For more details and options, read our Best Picks roundup of the best iPhone chargers. Further down we recommend some multi-device chargers that might make more of an impact come unwrapping day. 1. Ugreen Nexode RG 30W USB C GaN Charger – cute robot-shaped charger Pros Cute robot-shaped charger Two color options Price When Reviewed: $25.99 Best Prices Today: $25.99 at Amazon$25.99 at Ugreen The latest GaN (Gallium Nitride) chargers are tiny so we’re used them them being labeled “cute” but this small phone charger really is cute, shaped like a friendly robot. Take off its boots and you’ll find the plug prongs that connect straight into a wall power socket. The boots are even magnetic. Why? We don’t know but you can store the plug protector on most metal surfaces when the charger is in use. When plugged in, the LED screen shows different expressions that refer to the charging states. Its 30W power is enough to fast charge even the biggest iPhone. You’ll need a USB-C to USB-C cable to charge an iPhone 15 and USB-C to Lightning cable for older iPhones. It’s even powerful enough to keep a small MacBook charged. 2. Anker 30W Nano Charger – tiny and powerful charger Pros Smallest, lightest 30W charger Foldable plug Multiple color options Price When Reviewed: $19.99 Best Prices Today: $13.99 at Amazon$19.99 at Anker Measuring just 1.12 × 1.12 × 1.39 inches (U.S. model), the 30W Anker USB-C Nano Charger is the smallest 30W USB-C charger we’ve had in our labs for testing, and it weighs just 1.3oz (36g). The U.K. model is larger but also features foldable prongs and is equally incredibly light. It’s available in a range of pastel colors, including Misty Blue, Lilac Purple, Phantom Black, Aurora White, and Natural Green. 3. Ugreen Nexode 30W USB-C GaN Charger – tiny and powerful charger Pros Small, light 30W charger Foldable plug Price When Reviewed: $19.99 Best Prices Today: $11.99 at Walmart$19.99 at Amazon$19.99 at Ugreen The tiny Ugreen Nexode 30W GaN Charger is slightly larger than the Anker Nano, but the difference is barely noticeable. Both U.S. and U.K. models feature foldable prongs. Choosing between this charger and the Anker Nano might come down to color choice and price. We can heartily recommend both. iPhone Gift Guide: MagSafe chargers While charging using a USB-C cable (USB-C to Lightning for older iPhones, and USB-C to USB-C for the iPhone 15 family) from your charger is the fastest way to charge an iPhone, more convenient is wireless charging. Since the iPhone 12, wireless charging has become more efficient and therefore faster with Apple’s MagSafe technology that magnetically clamps the iPhone more securely to the wireless charger. You can buy a simple USB-C to MagSafe charging pad, like Apple’s $39/£39 MagSafe Charger or a third-party alternative, or a multi-device charger that includes a MagSafe charger for iPhone plus a charger for AirPods or Apple Watch. For more details and options, read our Best Picks roundup of the best MagSafe wireless chargers. 1. Twelve South HiRise 3 Deluxe – 3-in-1 wireless MagSafe charger Pros 3-in-1 charging 15W (MagSafe) Fast charge Watch Adjustable pad Price When Reviewed: $149.99 Best Prices Today: $149.95 at Apple$149.99 at Twelve South If the person you are buying for owns an iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods, then a 3-in-1 charging station will tidy a desk or bedside table of cable clutter and keep everything nicely in place. The Twelve South HiRise 3 Deluxe is the best of the bunch, with a small footprint, certified fast iPhone and Watch charging plus a Qi charger for AirPods. The MagSafe charging pad is adjustable unlike most of its rivals. If you prefer a 3-in-1 charging stand in white, consider instead the similarly priced and featured OtterBox 3-in-1 Charging Station. Read our full Twelve South HiRise 3 Deluxe review 2. Belkin Boost Up Charge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless Charger Stand Pros 2-in-1 charging 15W (MagSafe) Price When Reviewed: $99.99 Best Prices Today: $99.99 at Belkin$118.99 at Amazon$148.52 at Walmart If you don’t own an Apple Watch, but you do have some AirPods as well as your iPhone, then this 2-in-1 MagSafe charger is our favorite as it offers 15W MagSafe charging plus a Qi wireless charging pad for AirPods. It takes up very little space on your desk, too. A cheaper option—although you’ll need a separate USB-C charger—is Anker’s $39/£39 PowerWave Magnetic 2-in-1 Stand, a great budget 2-in-1 charger for iPhone 12 and later. Its MagSafe charging is pegged back at 7.5W, compared to the fully certified 15W MagSafe chargers, but it is still highly recommended at the price. 3. Anker PowerWave Magnetic 2-in-1 Stand Pros Charges iPhone and AirPods Adjustable charging pad Price When Reviewed: $39.99 Best Prices Today: $31.99 at Amazon This is a great budget option for a stand that will charge both your iPhone and AirPods. At 7.5W, it’s not quite as fast at charging as the 15W models reviewed above, but it will be fast enough for most of us. If speed is your only priority, charge using a cable! This charger features an adjustable charging pad, so can be angled to your own requirements. 4. Anker 3-in-1 Cube with MagSafe Pros Compact 3-in-1 charging 15W (MagSafe) Fast charge Watch Price When Reviewed: $149.95 Best Prices Today: $112.46 at Amazon$149.95 at Anker$149.95 at Apple A more compact 3-in-1 charger is Anker’s Cube, which can wirelessly charge your iPhone and Apple Watch as fast as Apple allows, plus power up your AirPods at the same time. it’s also so small that you won’t use up too much wrapping paper. 5. Journey SWIV 3-in-1 Foldable Charging Station – 3-in-1 wireless MagSafe travel charger Pros 3-in-1 compact charger Fast charge Watch Foldable for travel Price When Reviewed: $119.99 Best Prices Today: $119.99 at Journey If you want to pick up your 3-in-1 travel charger and slip it into a pocket, the Journey SWIV is the lightest and neatest travel charger we’ve tested. It can fast-charge an Apple Watch but is a little slower at MagSafe charging (7.5W instead of 15W) but its beauty is its foldable portability. Read our full Journey SWIV 3-in-1 Foldable Wireless Charging Station review iPhone Gift Guide: LIghtning and USB-C cables If you thought that chargers might be a boring gift, I hope we’ve persuaded you otherwise. But how would you feel unwrapping a charging cable? I’d be delighted as you can’t own enough charging cables, can you? They are always handy. Sure, it’s not a pony or a new TV but it’s easier to wrap. Older iPhones will need a USB-C to Lightning cable; check out our roundup of the best Lightning cables. Pair one of these with a USB-C charger, see above, for the fastest charging. An older USB-A to Lightning cable doesn’t support iPhone fast charging. The iPhone 15 family now has a USB-C rather than Lightning port so you can use the same cable as you have for your MacBook. We have tested the best USB-C cables for iPhones and can recommend these as great little gifts. 1. Casetify PowerThru USB-C to USB-C Cable – Fun USB-C cable Pros Color options Robust braided design with rounded head Price When Reviewed: From $28 Best Prices Today: $28 at Casetify$38 at Amazon No wrapping paper is going to look as good as this gift when unwrapped. It’s cute, it’s tough, and it is available in a range of super colors. It can charge up to 60W, which is more than enough for iPhone charging so could also be used for your USB-C iPad or MacBook. 2. Baseus Free2Draw Mini Retractable USB-C Cable 100W – neat USB-C cable Pros Tidily retractable Takes up little space No knots Price When Reviewed: $21.99 Best Prices Today: $16.99 at Amazon$21.99 at Baseus Cables are by definition awkward things to carry around. They get tied up in knots all by themselves, are a unsightly nuisance, and are tricky to store. This thin 3.3-foot (1m) USB-C cable is retractable so will slip into a drawer or pocket without dangling around getting in the way. You can buy it in black, white, purple or blue and is rated to support 100W so it can be used to charge your MacBook, too. An affordable alternative is the Cable Matters Short Retractable USB C Cable available in a two-pack. Its 60W rating is more than enough for an iPhone or iPad (but not a newer MacBook Pro). 3. Anker 643 USB-C to USB-C Cable – Colorful USB-C cables Pros Color options Tough but flexible silicone Price When Reviewed: $19.99 Best Prices Today: $14.22 at Walmart$19.99 at Amazon Another range of colorful USB-C cables is available from Anker. These are also tough and ready to charge anything from an iPhone 15 to a MacBook Pro. iPhone Gift Guide: Stocking stuffers Aside from the gift ideas listed above, there are some great stocking stuffers available for smaller budgets. 1. Pureport Multi-Tool Phone Cleaning Kit Pros Cleans fluff from iPhone charging port Cleans cable connectors Price When Reviewed: $24.99 Best Prices Today: $24.99 at Amazon If your iPhone stops charging via its cable, it’s understandable to think it’s old and broken and you’ll have to rely on wireless charging or just buy a new one. What is more likely the reason that your wired charging isn’t working is a dirty charging port or duff cable (see above). Stick your iPhone in your pocket and it inevitably attracts dust, fluff, and lint. Clear out the port (very gently!) and cable-based wired charging should return. This iPhone cleaning kit has more than you need to keep your iPhone and cables clean, and is available for iPhones with Lightning ports (any iPhone before the 15) and for iPhones (from 15) and iPads with a USB-C port. Quick tip: if you need to clear out the accumulated fluff from your iPhone’s port you can use a small wooden cocktail stick with utmost gentleness. But a cocktail stick does not make much of a gift, does it? And this cleaning kit offers a whole lot more. 2. Belkin AirPods Cleaning Kit Pros Removes dirt and earwax Price When Reviewed: $14.99 Best Prices Today: $14.99 at B&H$14.99 at BelkinNot Available at Amazon Belkin’s AirPods Cleaning Kit is a safer way to clean your AirPods than soap and a cotton bud. There’s no nice way of saying it but AirPods can get messy—that is yellow and waxy after spending time in your ears for a few hours. Follow the gentle cleaning process to safely remove dirt and earwax from your AirPods. 3. Apple AirTag – Bluetooth tracker Pros Easy to set up and track with Find My. Replaceable battery Price When Reviewed: $29 Best Prices Today: $24.99 at B&H$27 at Walmart$29 at Apple$39 at Amazon Apple’s AirTag is a great Bluetooth tracker that is easy to use and syncs wonderfully with the iPhone’s Find My app. You can buy just one or a pack of four. You can add it to a keyring or other accessory: check our Best AirTag Accessories roundup, so there are lots more gift ideas there too. If you want a tracker for your wallet or something that requires a flatter tracker, we like the Chipolo Card Spot. Read our full Apple AirTag review 4. Joby GorillaPod 1K GripTight Mount PRO Kit Pros Keeps iPhone stable for photos and videos Hold it or wrap it Price When Reviewed: $59.95 Best Prices Today: $59.95 at Amazon As good as image stabilization gets, you can’t beat resting your camera in a stable place for taking the best photos and videos. The GorillaPod phone tripod’s articulated legs wrap around to bars, rails, branches and many static objects. It rotates to portrait or landscape for photos or vertical video and with 90° of rotation and 150° of tilt. Alternatives include the more traditional $50 IK Multimedia iKlip Grip Pro Smartphone Stand tripod, which includes an integrated/detachable Bluetooth shutter controller. 5. Mujjo Single-Layered Touchscreen Gloves Pros Five-finger touchscreen experience Optimized grip on fingers and palms Price When Reviewed: $59.99 Best Prices Today: $29.99 at Mujjo Touchscreen phones are modern wonders but are less useful when you are using gloves. And sometimes we humans need gloves or our fingers freeze. The iPhone’s capacitive touchscreen is coated with a material that can store electrical charges and it requires either a finger or a special stylus to make a proper connection. Most normal gloves get in the way of this, but specialized touchscreen gloves include materials that allow a gloved finger to work with the iPhone screen. There are many touchscreen gloves available and our sister site Tech Advisor has tested the best touchscreen gloves. Some of our favorites are from Dutch design firm Mujjo, which also makes some rather lovely leather iPhone cases. At the time of writing, these were on sale at discounted rates. The Single-Layered and Leather Crochet Touchscreen Gloves are for moderately cold climates (30° F/-1C). For colder temperatures, check out the touchscreen gloves with eTip from North Face, such as the North Face Montana Ski Gloves (Men/Women). iPhone Gift Guide: Tech organizer bags Where do you keep all these accessories when not in use? Over at sister site Tech Advisor, we have tested the best tech organizer bags and there should be one that’s a perfect gift, whether as a desk tidy or for travels. 1. Tripped Tech Traveler Pros Multiple compartments Color choices Price When Reviewed: $44.95 Best Prices Today: $34.95 at Amazon Available in a range of colors, the Tripped Tech Traveller is a premium, medium-sized tech bag that’s as happy next to your desk or in your tent as it is in your suitcase or backpack. It boasts multiple compartments and is tough enough for travel—made from tough 900D Polyester with weatherproof YKK zippers, soft protective padding, and a leather handle and zipper pulls. There are two internal pockets (one mesh so you can see what’s inside) for extra security for your most valuable kit, such as SD cards or a mini SSD. One external side pocket is big enough for your phone or whatever else you need fast access to. In the center, there are nine different-sized, divided, tight pockets for cables and small devices. 2. Bellroy Tech Kit Pros Color choices Tough shell Price When Reviewed: $59 Best Prices Today: $59 at Amazon$89.58 at Walmart We also love this tech case that is very well organized and will open flat so you can easily see all your cables and gadgets at a glance. If you know a friend who carries a lot of gear with their iPhone, there’s no better gift. Mobile Phone Accessories

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Leaked documents hint at Apple Vision Pro launch within France in late June
If you’re living in France, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to get your hands on an Apple Vision Pro when it launches in the country on June 29. A series of leaked internal documents has indicated that the wearable device may launch within the country in late June. At present, there have yet […] Source

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Rumor: Apple “unlikely” to launch a foldable iPhone prior to 2027
Per a TrendForce report released in June, a foldable iPhone being released in 2026 seems “unlikely.” The company, which monitors and forecasts demand for components, says that 2027 is the earliest date Apple is likely to launch a folding iPhone … While reports of a foldable iPhone have dated back for many years, and the […] Source

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From A to Ultra: How the M3 stacks up to every other Apple processor
Macworld At the heart of every Apple device is an Apple processor. Apple has been using its own chips in its iPhones and iPads for some time, while the Mac lineup has completed its transition away from Intel chips. Every product Apple makes is powered by a home-grown chip. What’s remarkable about Apple silicon is its performance and power efficiency. But all chips aren’t created equally. Understanding the performance differences between each chip will help with your buying decisions, especially when you’re deciding between iPhone 14 or MacBook models. Knowing how each chip performs gives you a better idea of what products to buy and whether or not it’s worth your money to step up to a higher model. Let’s take a look at how the new processors compare with the rest of the processors in the iPhone, iPad, and Mac lineup and see how each performs and what that means to you. For the sake of consistency, we’ve used Geekbench 6.1 benchmarks. Here’s every chip and how the benchmarks compare with each other. Update 6/3/24: Added benchmarks for the M4 chips in the new iPad Pro and the M2 9-core GPU in the new iPad Air. Every current processor compared

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Gather all your free streaming in one place with $120 off this platform
Macworld There’s a bewildering number of places to find TV, movies, songs, and more, but what they have and where they have it can be frustratingly opaque. The BitMar app offers clarity with a unified search engine that crawls all the services for the content you’re looking for. Built on the same search technology that drives Bing, and enjoying a 4.1- out of five-star rating on Google Play, BitMar is a carefully optimized search tool that brings a wide range of disparate services into one place so you can browse through them. Just search as normal, and it will take you to the content you’re looking for. Instead of crawling through websites, searching through multiple services, or looking for a questionable copy, you can settle in and watch. Fully compatible with all major mobile and desktop platforms, BitMar can be used on tablets, gaming consoles, laptops, smart TVs, and other platforms where you’re looking for streaming. There’s also a web app available, so you can always have it handy. Always have something to watch with BitMar’s powerful media search tools for $29.99, $120 off the $150 MSRP.   BitMar All-in-One Streaming Platform: Lifetime Subscription – $29.99 See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change. Accessories

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