Epic Games vs Apple — The continuing six-year App Store saga
The Epic Games "Fortnite" versus Apple's AppStore antitrust trial has completed its last week. Here's what you need to know about the saga, with closing arguments left to go. Between Epic CEO Tim Sweeney's ongoing complaints, the trial, Apple's lies, and the Supreme Court, the Epic vs. Apple App Store lawsuit continues to roll on years later. Here's all you need to know about the long-running courtroom drama, updated on April 17, 2026.Within the space of a few weeks in 2020, a disagreement between the ambitions of Epic Games and the intention to maintain the App Store status quo by Apple courted considerable controversy. The affair commenced with little warning to consumers but quickly led to international interest as the battle sought to change one of the fundamental elements of the App Store: how much Apple earns.Apple's dominance has previously led to an antitrust probe by the U.S. Justice Department into the App Store's fees and policies. Still, the disagreement between Apple and Epic was being made more public and directly affected younger customers. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Epic Games vs Apple — The continuing six-year App Store saga
The Epic Games "Fortnite" versus Apple's AppStore antitrust trial has completed its last week. Here's what you need to know about the saga, with closing arguments left to go. Between Epic CEO Tim Sweeney's ongoing complaints, the trial, Apple's lies, and the Supreme Court, the Epic vs. Apple App Store lawsuit continues to roll on years later. Here's all you need to know about the long-running courtroom drama, updated on April 17, 2026.Within the space of a few weeks in 2020, a disagreement between the ambitions of Epic Games and the intention to maintain the App Store status quo by Apple courted considerable controversy. The affair commenced with little warning to consumers but quickly led to international interest as the battle sought to change one of the fundamental elements of the App Store: how much Apple earns.Apple's dominance has previously led to an antitrust probe by the U.S. Justice Department into the App Store's fees and policies. Still, the disagreement between Apple and Epic was being made more public and directly affected younger customers. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple’s CarPlay feature now supports multiple AI chatbot apps from iPhone
Starting with iOS 26.4, Apple supports using AI chatbot apps on the iPhone through CarPlay. ChatGPT was the first AI app to arrive shortly after iOS 26.4’s release. Now a second AI chatbot has added support: Perplexity. more…

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Aqua Voice – the best dictation app I’ve ever used – is now available on iPhone
Back in the summer of last year, I started using Aqua Voice as a replacement for the built-in dictation feature on my Mac. I said then that it showed just how good Mac dictation could be if Apple really tried. Ever since then, I’ve really wished I could use Aqua Voice on my iPhone, and the company recently granted my wish … more…

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Apple marketing veteran Stan Ng retires after 31 years leading Apple Watch, AirPods, Home, and Health initiatives
Apple is bidding farewell to Stan Ng, a long-time marketing leader who played a pivotal role in shaping some of the company’s most… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Today in Apple history: Apple II brings color computing to the masses
On April 17, 1977, Apple made a splash at the West Coast Computer Faire. With the Apple II launch, the company led the computer revolution. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Sonos Play review: Big, bold sound in a portable speaker at a premium price
Macworld At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Compact, portable design Strong sound, with firm bass Wireless charging dock included Supports Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and AirPlay 2 Cons No mains adaptor included Wired input requires optional adaptor Weighs 1.3kg Our Verdict There are cheaper Bluetooth speakers available, but the use of Wi-Fi and AirPlay makes the Sonos Play a great choice for Apple users, frequent travellers, and those who want Wi-Fi music at home. Few portable speakers sound this good, combining power, detail and a strong bass sound, while still being able to fit into a backpack. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Price When Reviewed$299 Best Prices Today: Sonos Play Retailer Price $299 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who is the Sonos Play for? Apple users who care about sound quality and want the flexibility of AirPlay at home, while still being able to stream from other devices and apps. It’s also a good fit if you want a single speaker that works both indoors and outdoors. However, it comes at a premium price. We really liked the compact Sonos Roam speaker – and its Roam 2 update last year – which provides impressive sound quality for a highly compact speaker that can easily be carried around in a backpack or travelling bag. Sonos also makes a larger battery-powered speaker called the Move 2, but that’s too big and heavy to carry around in a backpack and is more likely to stay at home most of the time. However, the company has now released a third portable speaker, called the Sonos Play, which sits right between the Roam and Move. Priced at $299/£299 and available in black or white, the new Sonos Play aims to offer the best of both worlds, combining the more powerful sound and longer battery life of the Move 2 with a portable design that is still small and light enough to carry around when you’re travelling. Sonos fans will also notice that it revives the name of the original Play range of speakers, which gave the company its big breakthrough 15 years ago. That’s clearly an attempt to put its recent problems behind it and get the company back on track following the widely criticised update to the Sonos app back in 2024. The Play is twice the size of the Sonos Roam, but provides more power, deeper bass and longer battery life. Sonos Inc. How portable is the Sonos Play? The design of the new Play is fairly innocuous, simply consisting of an upright slab of plastic and metal, but it gets all the basics right. It’s about twice the size of the Roam, standing 192mm high, 112mm wide and 77mm deep, but you can still slip it into a bag when you’re out and about. It’s a little heavier than it looks, weighing in at 1.3kg – slightly heavier than the new MacBook Neo at 1.23kg – so you’ll notice the weight when you’re carrying it around. What’s inside the Sonos Play? It packs a lot into that compact design, though, with a large central woofer to handle the mid-range and bass, and two high-frequency tweeters that are angled out to the sides to create a greater sense of space. There are also two bass radiators on the sides of the speaker that help to enhance the bass, and a larger battery that lasts for 24 hours on a full charge, compared to 10 hours for the smaller Roam. The battery is replaceable too, with a battery kit costing $69/£49. There’s also a built-in microphone for using the Sonos Voice assistant – although you can turn off the mic using a switch on the back of the speaker if you prefer. There’s a lot packed into the compact Play speaker, including a woofer, two tweeters, and two radiators to boost the bass sound. Sonos Inc. How portable and durable is the Sonos Play? The Play boasts a rugged IP67 rating for water and dust-resistance, so it’ll be able to survive a beach holiday or a muddy music festival, and there’s a small strap on the back of the speaker so that you can just grab it and go whenever you want. We were pleased to find that the Play includes a wireless charging dock in the box, whereas the charging dock for the Roam is an optional extra that costs $49/£49. However, the charging dock only comes with a USB-C cable, with no mains adaptor included, so you’ll need to supply that yourself or buy the official Sonos power adaptor for $29/£29. I was able to use the Play’s charging dock with the mains adaptor that came with my HomePod Mini, although the mains adaptor for my Sonos Roam didn’t seem to be powerful enough for the Play. How does the Sonos Play connect? Like most Sonos speakers, the Play turns its back on wired connections, although it is possible to buy an optional 3.5mm adaptor for $19/£19. However, the Play does well with its wireless audio features, supporting both Bluetooth (5.3) and dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz and 5.0GHz) with support for AirPlay 2 for Apple devices. For more AirPlay speakers see: Best AirPlay speakers for iPhones and Apple Music. Is the Sonos app still a problem? The AirPlay support means that Apple users weren’t too badly affected by the botched update to the Sonos app, since AirPlay allows Apple devices to directly control Sonos speakers without really needing to use the app very often. The app still seems a little awkward though – it seemed to get confused when I had both the Play and my own Roam speaker connected to the app, and it was actually easier to switch between the two speakers, or even to use them together for multi-room music, by using the AirPlay controls on my iPad. There’s a carrying strap on the back of the Play, along with a USB-C charging port and a Mute switch for the internal microphone. Sonos Inc. What’s the sound quality like? The app still needs a little work then, but I can’t criticise the sound quality of the new Play. Compact portable speakers often suffer from weak bass, but the first thing I notice as I fire up Bad Guy by Billlie Eilish on Apple Music is the bouncing electronic bass that gets you dancing straight away. The Sonos Play has a deeper, more full-bodied bass sound than the smaller Sonos Roam, and it’s quite a bit louder too, so it’ll be a good option for listening to dance music when you’re on holiday or at a music festival with friends. There’s also a nice rumbling sound to the slinky bass guitar riff on Leonard Cohen’s You Want It Darker, and the Sonos Play really captures the gritty, gravelly sound of Cohen’s own voice as well. The bass isn’t overwhelming though, and the Play can pick out lighter details, such as the sharp tap on the snare and the smooth, multi-layered harmonies on the chorus. Switching to something more delicate, the Play works wonderfully well with the strings on Max Richter’s On The Nature Of Daylight (check it out at the end of The Last Of Us, episode 3, but grab some tissues first). It captures the bittersweet tone of the violins and violas as they weave around each other, while still finding room for the deeper tone of the melancholy cello that underpins the piece. Should you buy the Sonos Play? If you just want a portable Bluetooth speaker for outdoor use then you may not need the additional Wi-Fi and AirPlay features provided by the Sonos Play. However, AirPlay is a real bonus for Apple users when you’re at home, and the excellent sound quality and sturdy IP67 rating make the new Sonos Play a great option for listening to music both indoors and outdoors.

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iOS 27 rumored to bring new design changes in two key areas
The next major iPhone software update, iOS 27, will be unveiled on June 8, and rumors indicate it will bring at least two changes for the Liquid Glass design. more…

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Apple at 50: Gil Amelio, the CEO who brought back Steve Jobs
Gil Amelio had the shortest reign of all Apple CEOs, but maybe the greatest impact as, practically despite himself, he set the stage for how the company would survive.Steve Jobs (left) and Gil Amelio (right), failing to see eye to eye - image credit: AppleGil Amelio is yet another Apple CEO who has never had the profile of Tim Cook, Steve Jobs, or John Sculley. If he's remembered for his time running Apple, it is because he had the firm acquire NeXT and so was responsible for Steve Jobs returning to Apple.Long time AppleInsider readers may also remember that Jobs successfully worked to oust Amelio from the role. But what's not even that well known is that Jobs may even have been taking revenge. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Top 10: Best use of docks and hubs in Mac setups
Scouring Cult of Mac's Setups archive, we found the 10 best uses of docks and hubs in Mac setups. Learn a thing or two for your workstation! (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Apple iPhone surges 20% in China in Q1 as rivals stumble, strongest growth among major vendors
Apple's iPhone has once again proved its enduring appeal in the world's largest smartphone market.China's overall smartphone shipments… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Mac Neo, iPhone Fold, and stealing from your iPhone, on the AppleInsider Podcast
More rumors of the iPhone Fold, speculation about a Mac Neo, and why you shouldn't be concerned at claims people can steal money from your iPhone, on the AppleInsider Podcast.There's no Mac Neo yet, but there should be.Maybe Apple will never make a tiny desktop Mac Neo, but it should and it has everything it needs to do it, from processors to the massive success of the MacBook Neo. True, the company does seem to be a little busy with the iPhone Fold, though.Speaking of which, the on again, off again rumors about when the iPhone Fold will be released continue. Sorting out the new leaks from the rest of the echo chamber-like reports is becoming a full-time job. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Plugable 10-in-1 USB-C Hub review: Portable dock alternative with 2.5Gb Ethernet
Macworld At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros 10 ports in portable form 125W PD 3.1 to host laptop 8K/30Hz or 4K/144Hz video support 2.5Gb Ethernet Cons Slow card readers Our Verdict With 125W passthrough PD 3.1 power, 2.5Gb Ethernet, and 8K video, it’s closer in firepower to bigger, bulkier docking stations but in a far more portable and convenient slim form. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Price When Reviewed$74.95 Best Prices Today: Plugable 10-in-1 USB-C Hub (USBC-10IN1E) Retailer Price $74.95 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who is the Plugable 10-in-1 USB-C Hub for? This portable, high-power USB-C hub with near-dock capabilities is ideal for Mac users who want more power and faster Ethernet without a full dock. The key trade-offs are limited 10Gbps bandwidth and slower card readers. Unless you own the Mac Studio, there simply aren’t enough ports on your machine if you are building a pro system. The Mac Studio hosts 12 top-end ports including six Thunderbolt 5 (or four TB5 and two 10Gbps USB-C), two 5Gbps USB-A, super-fast 10Gb Ethernet, HDMI 2.1, card reader, and headphone jack. Compared, the 16-inch MacBook Pro comes with three Thunderbolt 5, card reader, HDMI 2.1, MagSafe 3 charging port and headphone jack. Use one of those Thunderbolt ports to add a USB-C/TB hub or docking station and many more ports can be at your disposal. We’ve tested the best USB-C hubs and best Thunderbolt docks. If you want the very top-end of the port brigade you must go full-in with a docking station, but these are rarely portable and often costs hundreds. The newly released Plugable 10-in-1 USB-C Hub (USBC-10IN1E) bucks that trend by putting 10 pro ports on a long, slim hub with built-in cable. Passthrough charging is impressive at 125W. The Ethernet port is rated at 2.5Gb rather than the standard Gigabit Ethernet found on every other network-ready hub. The HDMI port supports 8K on a connected display. Simon Jary Design: How portable is it compared to a dock? As a hub, the Plugable 10-in-1 is super portable, especially compared to larger docking stations that require their own bulky power supply. It’s long and slim, measuring just 8.5 x 1.3 x 0.6 inches (216 x 34 x 15mm) – about the same length as the side of a 14-inch MacBook – with a built-in 8-inch (203mm) cable. It weighs under 4oz (112g), and will slip easily into any backpack, tech organizer bag or desk drawer. Specs in full 10Gbps USB-C to host 2x USB-C (10Gbps, 7.5W) 1x USB-A (10Gbps, 7.5W) 2x USB-A (5Gbps, 4.5W) HDMI 2.1 2.5Gb Ethernet SD card reader (UHS-I, 104MBps) MicroSD card reader (UHS-I, 104MBps) You can buy hubs with more USB ports, but the six available here are still generous, with three at 10Gbps. Simon Jary Bandwidth: Is 10Gbps a limitation for Mac users? Data-transfer speed to the Mac is 10Gbps, where most Macs these days boast 40Gbps to 80Gbps Thunderbolt connections. There are no Thunderbolt hubs—for that you’ll need to step up to a docking station—but USB4 hubs are available if you need 40Gbps bandwidth. The 7-port Satechi Pro Hub Max Adapter ($69.99) offers 40Gbps but takes up two of the connected Mac’s TB ports, as does Plugable’s own 5-in-1 USB-C hub (AMS-5IN1E). Only the Satechi USB4 Multiport Adapter uses just one of the Mac’s ports for 40Gbps, and this hub is a close rival to the new Plugable USBC-10IN1E as it boasts nine ports, although the 2.5Gb Ethernet port it once sported has been downgraded to 1GbE. Bandwidth may be a deal breaker for some pro users, but if 10Gbps is acceptable you can save money and bulk investing in Plugable’s 10-in-1 hub. Power: Can it fully charge a MacBook Pro? While the 10Gbps Plugable USBC-10IN1E has a lower data-transfer speed than the 40Gbps Satechi, it wins on passthrough power to the host MacBook—supporting Power Delivery (PD) 3.1 Extended Power Range (EPR). Few other USB-C hubs offer as much power. While you can supply the hub with PD 3.1’s 140W of power, it uses 15W for its own operation so the maximum your laptop will receive is 125W. The company’s 9-port USBC-9IN1E hub matches the 10-port at 140W in and 125W to the connected laptop. The 16-inch MacBook Pro requires 140W for full fast-charging, so this hub falls just short, but it’s still outputting more power than the 100W promised by other hubs—and those are also probably pegged back from their maximum by using up some of the power themselves. It should certainly keep even the top-end MacBook Pro powered at full speed even under a heavy workload. 125W should charge the top-end MacBook faster than 100W, if not reaching maximum speed, and it is easily enough to fast-charge the 14-inch MacBook Pro and below. The USB ports aren’t going to win any prizes on power output, with three supporting 7.5W but that leaves more for the MacBook. If your setup requires more power to connected devices, look to a dock with its own meatier power adapter. What you gain in power, you lose on portability. Simon Jary Network: Is 2.5Gb Ethernet worth it on a USB-C hub? Most pro docking stations now offer faster 2.5GbE wired network access, and the USBC-10IN1E joins them in a much more portable form. Satechi has a USB-C Hub With 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet, but a mere four ports in total—paltry compared to Plugable’s ten. It used to have a Multiport Adapter with more ports and 2.5GbE but has discontinued that product, leaving Plugable to nip in and fill the gap. Video: What display support do you actually get? The Plugable USBC-10IN1E supports a single connected 8K display at 30Hz. If that refresh rate isn’t fast enough for you, you can ‘drop’ to a 4K display at a 144Hz refresh rate, which will please video pros and gamers demanding crisper video with lower latency and smoother motion. That 144Hz refresh rate is possible if the connected Mac has at least an M3, Pro or Max chip and is running macOS 26 or later. Base M1, M2, MacBook Neo, or Macs running macOS 15 or below, have max support for a 4K at 60Hz. The 40Gbps Satechi USB4 Multiport Adapter matches the Plugable on 8K/30Hz but maxes at 60Hz when connected to a 4K display. The only hub we’ve tested that beats the Plugable on refresh rate is the $65 Baseus 9-in-1 that can reach 120Hz on a 4K display, although it can’t reach 5K or 8K like the Plugable. While that hub’s two HDMI ports look appealing, you can’t use them both for Extended Mode monitors on a Mac. If you need more than one external display via a hub, look at the other options we’ve tested and reviewed in our best USB-C hub roundup. Storage: Are the card readers fast enough? Although it hosts both an SD and MicroSD card reader slot, the Plugable USBC-10IN1E’s portable storage speeds are not the fastest at 104MBps. Apple’s own SDXC card reader is rated at 250MBps and other hubs boast 312MBps UHS-II card readers. The similar Satechi USB4 Multiport Adapter features the same slow card readers. This probably isn’t a deal breaker for most users, and there’s plenty of choice if you need faster, such as Plugable’s own 9-in-1 USB-C Hub Multiport Adapter (USBC-9IN1E). Simon Jary Price The Plugable USBC-10IN1E sells for $74.95 or CA$99.99. At the time of writing it was available only in North America. The 9-in-1 Plugable hub—priced at $49.95—matches the new 10-in-1 with 10Gbps bandwidth and 125W passthrough power but falls short on the 8K video and 2.5Gb Ethernet. If neither is vital to you, the cheaper Plugable may appeal, but there’s future-proofing built into the new 10-in-1. For faster data-transfer, look to the 40Gbps Satechi USB4 Multiport Adapter (also supporting 8K), although you’d need further adapter for the faster network connection, and it will set you back $149.99. For more options read our reviews of the best USB-C hubs for Mac or consider a fuller set of connection and charging options with one of the best Thunderbolt docking stations. Should you buy the Plugable USBC-10IN1E? It doesn’t have a pretty name but the 10-port Plugable USBC-10IN1E offers a lot of top-end goodies not found together on any other USB-C hub: 125W passthrough PD 3.1 power, 2.5Gb Ethernet, and 8K video. As such it’s closer in firepower to bigger, bulkier docking stations but in a far more portable and convenient slim form.

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These are the four new iPhone 18 Pro colors, per rumor
A new rumor today adds more details to Apple’s alleged plans for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max color lineup. Here are the four colors reportedly in development for this year’s phones… more…

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Google’s Merkle Certificate Push Signals a Rethink of Digital Trust
As post-quantum security moves closer to reality, efforts like Google’s Merkle Tree Certificates highlight the need to rethink how trust is delivered across the internet at scale. The post appeared first on TechNewsWorld.

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iPhone's 20% Chinese sales boost beat out Huawei and others
Apple experienced a massive 20% increase in Chinese iPhone sales during the first quarter of 2026, marking the strongest performance of all vendors in the country.Apple's iPhone 17 series has proven popular in ChinaThe quarter, ending March 2026, saw Apple's iPhone sales increase by the biggest percentage since the final quarter of 2020. With a 20% increase in iPhone sales when compared to the previous year, there are thought to be multiple reasons for Apple's strong performance.At the very top of the list, per Counterpoint Research's report, is strong sales of the newly released iPhone 17 series of devices. Apple made the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air available in September 2025. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple Watch, AirPods, smart home, and health marketing lead announces retirement
As spotted by Bloomberg, longtime Apple executive Stan Ng is retiring after more than three decades at the company, according to a post on his LinkedIn profile. Here are the details. more…

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Apple Watch chief posts loving farewell to Apple Park on his retirement
Stan Ng, known for presenting about the Apple Watch on Apple's keynotes, has retired after 31 years at the company, and spent his last day ticking off bucket list items.Stan Ng in a video presentation for the Apple Watch Ultra - image credit: AppleStan Ng was Apple's vice president, Apple Watch and Health Product Marketing, where he was involved with the whole design philosophy of the smart watch. But his three decades at the company extend back to the original iPod, and to before the return of Steve Jobs.Now Ng has retired and in a post on LinkedIn, has described his final day at Apple Park working for the company. It includes watching the sunrise while listening to his original iPod, and then taking that iPod with him for a last workout in the gym. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Cosmic Orange is out, Dark Cherry rumored to be new hot iPhone 18 Pro color
A new report claims to have details of the colors for the forthcoming iPhone 18 Pro, including that the signature one will be Dark Cherry.Mockup of a Dark Cherry iPhone - original image credit: Wesley Hilliard, recoloring by William GallagherApple did already go some way to getting rid of the horrible Cosmic Orange color, by making some iPhones turn pink instead. But reportedly, it's now discarding the color entirely, in favor of a more appealing Deep Cherry.Macworld claims to have a source that has provided the complete list of colors for the new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. That list is not very much different to previous rumors, especially concerning reports of Apple considering various shades of red. Rumor Score: 🤔 Possible Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple and John Giannandrea Part Ways
Former head of artificial intelligence at Apple, John Giannandrea, is leaving the company this week. With the final stock vesting date approaching, Apple has moved to reduce the role of Giannandrea in March of last year after the Apple Intelligence launch that proved to be disappointing. Other than that, the current delays that keep pushing […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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