iPhone Air flop proves Apple should make fewer phone models
The iPhone Air is Apple’s latest attempt to make a fourth iPhone variant. It’s bombing, just like previous similar efforts. It’s clear that the vast majority of customers are happy with the other versions and have no interest in another, no matter what design it uses. Apple should drop the whole idea. Too many options […] (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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When will your state let you add your ID to Apple Wallet?
When will you be able to add your driver’s license or state ID to Apple Wallet on your iPhone? It varies by where you live. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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iOS 26 gave AirPods Pro a new setting you might want to turn on
iOS 26 arrived last month with a variety of new features for AirPods, including a new setting that you may want to turn on if you ever fall asleep wearing your AirPods. more…

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Apple Black Friday 2025: What Apple’s doing for Black Friday
Macworld The biggest shopping day of the year is Black Friday, which this year falls on Friday, November 28, 2025. Apple’s 2025 Black Friday deal has not officially been announced yet, but based on what Apple does every single year, you can expect the company to give away vouchers with sales of certain products. In November 2024 the company gave away gift cards with values up to $200/£160 with select purchases made in the Apple Store (online and in person) on Black Friday as well as on the Saturday, Sunday and on Cyber Monday. While it’s nice that Apple offers an incentive to shoppers to buy new Apple products, we find that the best deals are from resellers rather than Apple itself, and we will track them all so we can help you find the best Black Friday Apple deals on Apple products including the Apple Watch, MacBooks, AirPods, and iPads. Peruse our individual round-ups of the best deals this Black Friday to find a bargain. Does Apple do a Black Friday sale? Does Apple hold a Black Friday sale? We wish it would but, unfortunately, Apple’s Black Friday offer is usually a giveaway of Apple Gift Cards with certain purchases made during the Black Friday period. It gave away gift cards with select purchases in 2024 from November 29 to December 2, and we expect the same between November 28 and December 1 in 2025. If you want to know how much you might be able to ‘save’, you can see how much Apple gave away in 2024, 2023 and 2022 below. As for which products will be included in Apple’s Black Friday gift voucher deal, there are always lots of products left out of Apple’s deal. Don’t expect any of the newest Apple products to be included: back in 2024 Apple didn’t offer vouchers with products that had recently launched, including iPhone 16 or Apple Watch Series 10. Here’s what Apple left out of the Black Friday deal in 2024. Luckily Apple isn’t the only place you can buy Apple products and there will be lots of other resellers discounting Apple Products for Black Friday. You will be able to get some great discounts at Amazon, Best Buy, B&H, and Walmart in the U.S. and in the U.K. Amazon, KRCS, Argos, Currys, John Lewis and AO usually have good deals. In 2024 we saw some good deals from Apple resellers including: $200 off the 13-inch MacBook Air and 14-inch MacBook Pro, $265 off the 15-inch MacBook Air, $350 off the 16-inch MacBook Pro, $150 off an iMac, $95 off the AirPods Pro 2, $100 off an Apple Watch SE 2 and $200 off an iPad Pro. We hope to see some similar discounts in 2025. What is Apple’s Black Friday offer? Apple’s offer for 2024 was gift vouchers for the following amounts, we expect something similar for 2025. You will notice that in 2024 the newest products weren’t included, so there were no discounts associated with iPhone 16, MacBook Pro, Mac mini, iMac, or Apple Watch 10, for example. But the AirPods 4 were included. We therefore don’t expect vouchers with the new Apple Watches, iPhone 17 series, M5 MacBook Pro or M5 iPad Pro in 2025. There may be vouchers with AirPods Pro 3, but we think it’s unlikely. Apple’s 2024 vouchers were for the following values: $25/£20 Apple Gift Card: AirPods 4, iPhone SE, Apple TV 4K, Apple Pencil Pro, Apple Pencil (2nd generation), Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro (M4), Magic Keyboard for iPad Air (M2), Magic Keyboard Folio, Smart Folio for iPad Pro, Smart Folio for iPads Pro, Air And 10th gen, Beats Solo Buds, Beats Pill, or Beats Flex $50/£40 Apple Gift Card: iPhone 14, HomePod, AirPods Pro 2, Apple Watch SE, iPad 10th gen, Beats Studio Pro, Beats Solo 4 Wireless, Beats Fit Pro, Beats Studio Buds + $75/£60 Apple Gift Card: iPhone 15, AirPods Max, iPad Air (M2) $100/£80 Apple Gift Card: iPad Pro (M4) $150/£120 Apple Gift Card: 13-inch MacBook Air (M2) $175/£140 Apple Gift Card: 13-inch MacBook Air (M3) $200/£160 Apple Gift Card: 15-inch MacBook Air (M3) Get Apple's Black Friday offer (U.S.) Get Apple's Black Friday offer (U.K.) Apple’s 2024 Black Friday gift card giveaway.Foundry In 2023 this is what Apple gave away over the Black Friday weekend: $25/£20 Apple Gift Card: iPhone SE, AirPods (2nd-gen), AirPods (3rd-gen), Beats Flex, Apple Pencil (2nd-gen), Smart Keyboard Folio, Apple TV $50/£40 Apple Gift Card: Apple Watch SE, Apple Watch Series 9, HomePod, Beats Studio Pro, Beats Solo3 Wireless, Powerbeats Pro, Beats Fit Pro, Beats Studio Buds +, Beats Studio Buds, Magic Keyboard, Magic Keyboard Folio, iPhone 13, AirPods Pro (2nd-gen) $75/£60 Apple Gift Card: iPhone 14, AirPods Max $100/£80 Apple Gift Card: iPad mini, iPad Air, iPad 10th gen, iPad Pro, Mac mini $150/£120 Apple Gift Card: 13-inch MacBook Air (M1) $175/£140 Apple Gift Card: 13-inch MacBook Air (M2) $200/£160 Apple Gift Card: 15-inch MacBook Air Because the iPhone 15, M3 iMac, and M3-series MacBook Pro were all introduced in November 2023 Apple wasn’t offering any vouchers with those purchases that year. But the company did offer gift cards with Apple Watch 9 purchases. In 2024 the Apple Watch 10 is not included in the offer. How good was Apple’s 2024 Black Friday deal? The 2024 deal was pretty similar to the 2023 deal, the main difference being that the Apple Watch Series 10 was not included, where the Apple Watch Series 9 was. The deal was even better in 2022 when Apple offered up to $250/£250 in Apple Gift Cards with the MacBook Pro 14-inch and MacBook Pro 16-inch. The biggest disappointment in 2024 was that the MacBook Pro, Mac mini, iMac, iPhone 16 and other new products weren’t included, Apple rarely includes the newest items and these products were only just updated. One change was that the AirPods 4 did get a gift card accompaniment despite being launched in September, so we are hopeful that the same could be true for the AirPods Pro 4. 202420232022iPhone 15$75–n/aiPhone 14$50$75–iPhone 13n/a$50$50iPhone SE$25$25$50iPad Pro$100$50n/aiPad Air$75$75$50iPad mini –$50$50iPad (10th gen.)$50$50n/aiPad (9th gen.)n/an/a$3015-inch MacBook Air$200$200n/a13-inch MacBook Air$175$175$15013-inch MacBook Air (M2)$150$150$150Mac mini–$100$100MacBook Pro 14-inch & 16-inch––$250iMac 24-inch––$150Apple Watch Series 10–n/an/aApple Watch Series 9 n/a$50n/aApple Watch SE$50$50$50AirPods (2nd generation) n/a$25$25AirPods (3rd generation)n/a$25$25AirPods 4$25n/an/aAirPods Pro (2nd generation)$50$50$50AirPods Max$75$75$75Apple Pencil (2nd generation) $25$25 $25 HomePod$50$50n/aApple TV 4K$25$25 n/a 2022’s deal actually went a little further than Apple’s 2021 Black Friday offer. Although that depends on your perspective – you could also think that Apple’s Black Friday shopping event was worse in 2022. In 2021 the biggest Apple Gift Card on offer was for $200/£160, which was the saving offered with the sale of the 27-inch iMac (which was discontinued in 2022). Black Friday 2025: Best deals for Apple products Nearer the time you will be able to check out these roundups for the best Apple deals: Apple Black Friday 2024 sale Best Black Friday 2024 Apple deals Best Black Friday 2024 Mac Deals Best Black Friday 2024 MacBook deals Best Black Friday 2024 AirPods deals Best Black Friday 2024 Apple Watch deals Best Black Friday 2024 iPad deals Best Black Friday 2024 iPhone deals Best Black Friday 2024 Mac monitor deals Best Black Friday 2024 SSD and external hard drive deals Best Black Friday 2024 Apple accessory deals Best Black Friday deals on Mac Thunderbolt and USB-C docks and hubs Black Friday 2025: When do the sales begin? Black Friday officially begins at 12:01 am on the day after Thanksgiving, which in 2025 is Friday, November 28. However, the sales begin well before that–we saw deals starting at the beginning of November. The main event runs through the weekend and concludes on Cyber Monday, which is December 1. Black Friday 2025: Where to get the best deals Spotting a good Black Friday deal takes a bit of work but we’ll be doing most of it for you. Throughout Black Friday weekend, we’ll be posting deal roundups and calling out specific sales that are worth checking out. Stay tuned to Macworld as we call out the best—and worst—deals all throughout the weekend. These are the retailers that are most likely to have the best prices: Stay tuned to Macworld to find the best deals as they arrive. But if you’re looking for a specific color or capacity, you can check out the following retailers. In the U.S., here are the best stores to shop for Black Friday deals: Apple Amazon Best Buy Costco Target Walmart If you’re based in the U.K., you’ll find deals at the following shops: Apple AO.com Amazon Argos Carphone Warehouse Currys eBuyer John Lewis KRCS Laptops Direct Very Black Friday: Should I wait for Cyber Monday to purchase? While it’s always possible that a better deal is waiting around the corner, if you see a good deal, don’t wait. While Cyber Monday promises impressive deals, prices are usually lowest on Black Friday. Plus there’s always the risk that the Apple device you want sells out and you miss out on the great deal everyone else got.

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How to add your driver’s license or state ID to Apple Wallet
Macworld Apple added the capability to add digital state IDs or driver’s licenses to Apple Wallet years ago, with the very first supporting states announced back in 2021. There are currently ten states/territories in the U.S. that support this capability, with another 8 having announced support in the future. There’s also news that the feature may soon come to the U.K. Here’s how you add your Driver’s License and state ID to the Apple Wallet app on your iPhone and Apple Watch, and why you might want to. It’s a standards-based approach (ISO 18013-5) that is meant to be more secure and private than physical identification, as well as finally closing one of the last loopholes that make people unable to leave the house without their wallet. Update October 23 2025: West Virginia is the latest state to have digital driver’s licenses available in Apple Wallet. How to add your driver’s license of ID to Apple Wallet Adding your driver’s license or ID to Apple Wallet is simple, just follow these steps: Open Wallet Tap the “Add” (+) button in the upper-right corner. Tap Driver’s License or State ID and select your state. Now follow the on-screen instructions: First you’ll be asked if you want to add your ID to just your iPhone or your Apple Watch as well if you have a paired Apple Watch. Next you will be asked to take photos of your current ID, likely the front and back. You will then need to take some matching images of yourself. The phone will direct you to be in a well-lit area with a plain dark background and put your head in the frame. Then you’ll turn your head or make facial expressions (closing your eyes, opening your mouth) as directed by your phone. This information will be used to help match your appearance with your photo on record with the state. Think of it like a human making sure you look like the photo on your ID. Foundry Which states support Apple Wallet driver’s license and ID The states that currently support digital IDs in Apple Wallet are: Arizona California Colorado Georgia Hawaii Iowa Maryland Montana New Mexico Ohio Puerto Rico West Virginia The states and territories that have promised future support are: Connecticut Illinois Kentucky Mississippi Oklahoma Utah When will the U.K. support Apple Wallet driving licences? The U.K. government has announced plans to launch a GOV.UK Wallet and App in which licenced drivers will be able to store a digital copy of their driver’s licence. The new app is coming this summer and the ability to store digital drivers licences, later in 2025. The digital driver’s licence will be piloted later in 2025, with plans to offer a digital alternative, alongside paper or card credentials, by the end of 2027. More here: U.K. iPhone users will soon be able to store digital licenses and IDs. Why add ID and driver’s license to Apple Wallet? Your ID in Apple Wallet is more secure than carrying around a physical card that could be lost or could reveal personal information to someone you may not wish to have it. Digital IDs in Apple Wallet do not display any personal information other than your name. If you tap the (i) button to get more info, and then tap Driver’s License Info, your iPhone requires a Face ID or Touch ID login to see things like your address, date of birth, height, eye color, ID number, and so on. Information is ONLY ever transferred via NFC (which begins a secure Bluetooth LE data connection), not via barcode or anything else that can be easily copied. So, you never have to hand your phone over to a police officer, TSA agent, or anyone else, and even if you do, they can’t get your personal info without your authentication. Using your digital ID works a lot like Apple Pay. You hold your iPhone near the reader (which may be another iPhone), and a screen will pop up saying exactly which information you’re going to share. Double-tap the side button to approve it, just like approving a payment. Currently, police agencies do not accept digital IDs as driver’s licenses, so you’ll have to carry your physical card with you when you drive. But the TSA has implemented readers at checkpoints in some airports (see a map here), and some age-restricted venues have implemented readers, too. What’s more, apps that require age identification (like renting a car or ordering alcohol) can use the info stored in Wallet to provide proof of age. What’s nice about digital IDs is that they can transfer only the information needed, and nothing more. A bouncer who wants to check ID at the entrance to a venue would have a reader that shows your ID photo and simply confirms if you’re over 21, for example—they wouldn’t get your actual date of birth, ID number, address, or any other info they don’t need. The same goes for apps that need age verification. With the Apple Wallet implementation, nothing is transferred without your authentication, so not only do you not have to hand your phone over to anyone else, it wouldn’t even help to do so. Why won’t Apple Wallet let me add my driving license? If you are in the U.S. it may be that your state doesn’t yet support the feature. If your State is in the list above and you can’t add your license it may be because of an Apple Server outage (check that here). If that’s not the issue then Apple recommends contacting your “issuing authority”. If you are outside the U.S. it’s bad news. The ability to add ID and driving licenses is likely unavailable where you are. It’s not for Apple to implement the feature, but rather a decision on a country level. The U.K. government has announced plans for a digital version of the Driving Licence and other countries are likely to do the same.

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Leaker reveals A20 chip plans for Apple’s foldable iPhone model
It’s turning into a busy week for leaks around Apple’s new A20 chip line for next year’s iPhones. Yesterday brought word of much higher costs associated with the new 2nm process, and today a leaker has revealed what chip to expect for Apple’s first foldable iPhone. more…

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How to add your ID to Apple Wallet
In several states, iPhone and Apple Watch users can add their ID to the Apple Wallet app, just like a credit card. Here's how. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Shades of Epic vs. Apple: UK App Store users win $2 billion lawsuit
A professor heading a class action has won a $2 billion award versus Apple's App Store in a landmark UK case that's a match for the Epic Games fight in terms of what it means for the future.The UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal has ruled against Apple — image credit: UK ParliamentThe case, originally filed in 2021, finally went to trial in January 2025. The UK does not have class action lawsuits per se, but a case can be brought by someone representing a group of claimants.In this case, digital economy specialist and lecturer at King's College Dr. Rachael Kent, brought the complaint specifically against Apple's 30% App Store fees. According to a spokesperson for Dr Kent, the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) have voted unanimously in favor of the complaint and the complainant. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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The Baseus Nomos 8-in-1 Charging Station is $27 Off
Amazon has the Baseus Qi2 Nomos 8-in-1 Ultra Slim Charging Station at $27 Off. The charging station supports 15W of wireless charging for iPhones and 67W PD USB-C to fast charge your devices. The charging station features an ultra-slim foldable design at only .67 inches thick, with a foldable magnetic pad allowing you to seamlessly […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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The 18-inch Foldable iPad Will Be Delayed 
Mark Gurman from Bloomberg reports that due to problems encountered in development regarding the display technology and weight, the foldable iPad could be delayed up to 2029. Many rumors have suggested the company is developing a big foldable device, but it was uncertain if it will be presented as a Mac or an iPad. A […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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HBO Max Plan Prices Are Increasing Again
For the third consecutive year, HBO will be raising their monthly streaming prices by $1 to $2 depending on the plan you are subscribed to. The Basic plan with ads has increased by $1, which brings it to $10.99 a month. The Standard increased by $1.50, bringing the cost of the monthly plan to $18.49, […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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AI Detection Tool for Likeness Released By YouTube
YouTube has distributed a new feature called AI likeness detection allowing creators to request, manage and detect unauthorized videos made by AI that alters or creates the facial likeness of a content creator on the platform. The feature was rolled out to protect the audience from being deceived by deepfakes along with the identity of […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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West Virginia is the latest state to allow driver’s licenses in Apple Wallet
West Virginia has just become the thirteenth U.S. state or territory to support digital driver’s licenses and IDs stored in the Wallet app. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Blowout deal: M3 MacBook Air 13-inch 24GB RAM plunges to $999 ($500 off)
B&H Photo is blowing out M3 MacBook Air inventory with a $500 discount on an upgraded configuration with 24GB of memory.Save $500 on Apple's M3 MacBook Air 24GB with this blowout deal - Image credit: AppleThe $999 special on the M3 13-inch MacBook Air is available in Silver or Space Gray. What's great about this model is that it's equipped with 24GB of memory, a $400 upgrade on the M3 line.Buy M3 MacBook Air 24GB for $999 Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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If your Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pro is turning pink, you might be cleaning it wrong
Macworld Just when we thought Scratchgate was over, now there’s a new iPhone scandal involving the Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pro turning pink. The hubbub began over a week ago with a Reddit post by DakAttack316, who shared pictures of the iPhone 17 Pro in a shade of “Rose Gold,” as they described it. As things like this do on the internet, it picked up steam, and other people began posting images and videos of their Cosmic Orange phone turning a shade of pink. While some videos like connordavis0808’s on TikTok below seem to be legit on the surface, there are a lot of people “remixing” videos, or taking the Reddit pics and making a video of their own, making the issue seem more widespread. @connordavis0808 Didn’t know @apple was planning on making a color-changing phone this year… 🫠 #iphone #iphone17 #iphone17promax #problem #techtok ♬ Pink – Lizzo I’ve had the Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pro, reviewed it, and have been using it daily for about a month. It’s still orange, and it doesn’t have any signs of changing color. I have had a case on it for almost the whole time; first the TechWoven case, then I switched to a thinner, clear case that I bought on Amazon for $16. The only time I cleaned the phone was when I switched cases, and it still looks good to me. However, an obsession with wiping down your new iPhone could be the root of the issue. Apple recently updated its support page about cleaning your iPhone. The update mainly concerns the handling of the iPhone’s Ceramic Shield; the previous version of the document didn’t have that. While the document doesn’t specifically address the aluminum Cosmic Orange frame turning pink, it does highlight a portion that has been part of Apple’s guidance as far back as 2023 but seems relevant now: “Don’t use products containing bleach or hydrogen peroxide” to disinfect your iPhone. Apple also added the statement, “Avoid getting moisture in any openings, and don’t submerge your iPhone in any cleaning agents,” in the recent update to the document. It’s possible that bleach or hydrogen peroxide can react with the iPhone’s coating, causing discoloration. If you need to disinfect your iPhone (people drop them in the toilet, it happens, that’s what I’ve heard), follow Apple’s advice and use a 70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipe, 75 percent ethyl alcohol wipe, or Clorox Disinfecting Wipes and “gently wipe the exterior surfaces of your iPhone.” Apple has not specifically commented on the issue. The iPhone 17 Pro is also available in Deep Blue and Silver, and we haven’t seen any reports of discoloration with those phones. If you want to go orange without the risk of it turning pink, you can always go with an orange iPhone case. Apple iPhone 17 Pro Price When Reviewed: $1,099 (256GB) | $1,299 (512GB) | $1,499 (1TB) | $1,999 (2TB) Best Prices Today: $1099 at Apple Read our full Apple iPhone 17 Pro review Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max Price When Reviewed: $1,199 (256GB) | $1,399 (512GB) | $1,599 (1TB) | $1,999 (2TB) Best Prices Today: $1199 at Apple Read our full Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max review

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OpenAI’s new ChatGPT Atlas browser – Mac-only for now – shows the future of the internet, but it’s not fully baked, yet
Open AI's ChatGPT Atlas is a new web browser built with ChatGPT at its core. Open AI says the browser is meant to take users closer to a… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Deals: M3 MacBook Air $500 off, 24GB M4 Pro MacBook Pro $310 off, new low on titanium Apple Watch, more
Today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break deals are now ready to roll. We are starting off with a particularly notable and rare discount on the M3 MacBook Air for folks looking to save a ton over going with the M4 model – the 24GB 13-inch is now $500 off the original list price. We are also tracking a solid $310 drop on this 24GB M4 Pro MacBook Pro model at Amazon to join the 48GB setup at $364 off. We also have a new all-time low on this Titanium Apple Watch Series 10 Milanese model at $196 off as well as deep deals on iPhone 15 Pro and some sweet leather Apple Watch bands. Scope it all out below.  more…

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A Steve Jobs threat is the main reason Corning agreed to make iPhone screens
The new iPhone 17 comes with a Ceramic Shield 2 screen, built by Corning. But it only exists because a Steve Jobs masterclass convinced the company's CEO to take a giant risk way back in 2007.Corning has been making screens for iPhones since 2007 That's according to Wendell Weeks, who is still the Corning CEO almost two decades later. Speaking to Fortune, Weeks told the story of how his company got involved with the iPhone — and it includes a typical Steve Jobs anecdote.The way Weeks tells it, he'd tried to pitch Jobs on a technology that would turn a smartphone into a projector. Jobs wasn't sold, saying that it was the "dumbest idea [I've] ever effing heard." But he did take note of Corning itself. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Today in Apple history: Apple puts 1,000 songs in your pocket with first-gen iPod
On this day in 2001, Steve Jobs introduced the first iPod, a portable device capable of storing an entire music library. A look at the iPod launch. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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No one, even Apple, may be able to resist Elon Musk's Starlink
After years of ignoring Elon Musk's Starlink service, there are signs that Apple may have to give in if its iPhone satellite ambitions are to succeed.Starlink satellites are now supported on iPhoneApple and Elon Musk do not have the best or most consistent relationship, but all's fair in business. Just as Apple continued to work with Samsung even as the two sued each other, so it's possible that it might make a deal with Musk's Starlink.That is according to The Information, which posits that an Apple/Starlink deal might be on the cards because of certain factors. None of this has been confirmed by Apple, Starlink, or Apple's current satellite provider Globalstar, but reportedly: Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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