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- Tuesday May 28
- 12:02 pmMicrosoft's Copilot PC and the M3 Mac killer myth
Microsoft debuted what it thinks is a MacBook Air killer, but just like every other time it tried to kill Apple in the market this century, it's going to fail, badly. Here's why.Microsoft's Copilot+ PC initiative promotes AIAccording to proponents of this myth, Microsoft is out to kill Apple's Macs with a "new" PC it will design and build on its own. Once it arrives, they expect Microsoft to clean up not only the PC market, but also the market for Edge AI software sales, leaving Apple on the sidelines.They're wrong. Again. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums12:00 pmApple not yet satisfied with iPhone 16 Pro Max screens, as rest enter production
Apple has reportedly given the green light to its three OLED panel suppliers to begin mass production of three of the four iPhone 16 displays. However, the Cupertino company is seemingly not yet satisfied with test production of displays for the iPhone 16 Pro Max … more…11:44 amMacBook Pro with OLED arrival rumor shifts again, this time back to 2026
A new supply chain report is putting yet another date on the calendar for MacBook Pro with OLED displays, with it now again said to arrive in 2026.MacBook Pro with OLED screen delayed to 2027In a supply chain report more focused on OLED demand for laptops, there is a small tidbit about MacBook Pro and when Apple's flagship will get the display tech. The report includes the iPad Pro, which the report says will triple demand for OLED screens in tablets, and going forward, will influence competitors' strategies to compete with Apple in this particular market.What's of more interest in the report is a prediction for when OLED will arrive on the MacBook Pro. Rumor Score: 🤔 Possible Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums11:20 amiPhone discounts led to a 52% rebound in Chinese sales
Falling sales led Apple to offer significant official iPhone discounts in China, and a new report today suggests that this tactic is paying off. Official government data indicates that Apple successfully turned around its declining sales in the country, with shipments bouncing back with a 52% increase last month … more…11:15 amApple’s big AI breakthrough will be something we’ll all use every day
Macworld In less than two weeks, Apple will kick off WWDC with a wide-ranging keynote that previews all of the new features coming in iOS 18 and macOS 15. It’s no surprise that AI will be a big component of the announcements and one of the major new features could be something we all use every day. According to Mark Gurman’s latest Power On newsletter, one of the “standout” features in iOS 18 “will bring generative AI to emojis.” Gurman claims Apple “is developing software that can create custom emojis on the fly, based on what users are texting. That means you’ll suddenly have an all-new emoji for any occasion, beyond the catalog of options that Apple currently offers on the iPhone and other devices.” We reported last week that the Unicode Consortium is considering a handful of new emoji for its next update, including a face with bags under its eyes, a fingerprint, a harp, a leafless tree, and a splatter mark. Apple is certain to include these emojis in one of next year’s iOS 18 updates, but if Gurman’s report is accurate, we won’t need to wait for them—any emoji to express any emotion will be at our fingertips. Generative AI is the same tech behind ChatGPT’s conversational chats and Dall-E’s image creation. Gurman doesn’t get into specifics, but it seems like you’ll be able to type a word or phrase into Messages and a unique emoji will generate an emoji to fit what you want to express. Then we wouldn’t need to wait for Apple to design its own versions of the Unicode Consortium’s annual selections. Also on deck for iOS 18, according to Gurman, is a “revamped” home screen” with the ability to “change the color of app icons and put them wherever they want,” system-wide “smart recaps” that will “provide users with summaries of their missed notifications and individual text messages, as well as of web pages, news articles, documents, notes and other forms of media,” and a partnership with OpenAI to incorporate ChatGPT into the iPhone. Apple will unveil iOS 18 and macOS 15 at a WWDC keynote at 10am PT on June 10. iOS, iPhone, Mac, MacOS10:30 amA thinner iPhone is a step in the wrong direction
Macworld Would you be surprised to learn there’s lots of AI-related news to talk about this week? Probably not. You probably wouldn’t be surprised if the Macalope said it was all AI-generated. First, there was Sam Altman awkwardly trying to coax Scarlett Johansson into being the voice of ChatGPT. Johansson’s response was very much “Who are you again?” Still, things are going very well in the AI world as Gemini is telling users to eat glue and rocks and Humane is for sale. It’s a real mystery why Apple is so late to this awesome party but there are plenty of rumors about what new AI features iOS 18 will have. Anyway, we’re not going to talk about that stuff. Frankly, the Macalope is a little tired of talking about AI. It’s like we’ve spent months talking about someone’s wack-a-doodle uncle who went off the deep end into conspiracy theories during the pandemic. “You can prevent COVID by taking a tablespoon of battery acid every day! I did my own research! Have some of my glue pizza!” Yeah, let’s talk about iPhone rumors instead. Apple made a big splash with the M4 iPad Pros by making them almost unbelievably thin. Sure, some groused “Who wants the iPad to be thinner?!” Well, everyone who wanted it to be lighter, that’s who. Now, if the rumors are true, it’s set to do the same thing for the iPhone 17, making it thinner and probably lighter by ditching the back glass in favor of aluminum. As the world’s foremost advocate of smaller iPhones over the last 10 years (doing a bang-up job, thanks very much for asking), the Macalope is at least intrigued by these changes. Maybe the Macalope is just talking himself into this as, despite his letter-writing campaigns, multiple sit-ins, and subliminal propaganda schemes directed at Apple executives, it doesn’t look like he’s going to get another iPhone mini. What’s a mythical beast to do? The advantages for those of us who prefer a smaller phone are more related to surface area than thickness or weight. Apple implementing Reachability in iOS was far less a panacea than it was evidence that we were right all along about the problem with larger phones. IDG IDG IDG Still, there may be a path forward through software. To forge a usable substitute for what you call a small phone and we call a reasonably-sized phone using one of those ridiculous monstrosities you use, we’d need to think about cobbling together a specific set of interactions, using iOS features that already exist and some that are rumored to be coming in iOS 18. iOS widgets currently give you the ability to put larger icons on your home screen that have the added benefit of providing information. iOS 18 is rumored to be bringing even more customization options, including more flexible icon placement and the ability to have blank spaces. If that spot in the upper corner of the screen is just too hard to reach without risking dropping your phone in hot lava (the Macalope is assuming you’re a vulcanologist here), put a widget there or, once iOS 18 arrives, leave it blank. You can even just configure your screen with widgets down the far side (whichever side that is for you) and icons you want to interact with down the near side. That still leaves Control Center, Apple’s annoyingly out-of-reach incredibly useful tool access utility. Apple engineer #1: “Hmm, where should we put this thing people are going to want to use all the time?” Apple engineer #2: What’s the hardest spot on the phone for most people to reach?” Apple engineer #1: “Who hurt you, Jeff?” Even on his iPhone 13 mini, which has a relatively easy-to-reach upper right corner, the Macalope has taken to using a triple back tap to trigger Control Center. The Action button also makes it easier to trigger the functions you most often use, but it Control Center could still benefit from easier access. Now the Macalope has to inform you that he lied a bit at the beginning. We are going to talk about AI, but just a little. Those aforementioned iOS 18 AI features include several enhancements that could make interacting with your phone easier and faster. The Macalope’s not holding his breath, but if Siri can make a large phone easier to use, that helps. Still, none of this addresses what the Macalope calls “pants feel” (no, don’t close the tab, we’re keeping it SFW). Big phones are simply bigger. The amazing thing about AirPods is how they took advantage of that little jeans pocket no one uses anymore. Apple shipped a product a lot of people already had a place to put. Large phones, on the other hand, have forced a proliferation of tactical phone pants, those pants that have a special phone pocket on the thigh, because if your pants aren’t saying “I have a large phone!” it’s such a missed opportunity. Might as well have been bandoliers. At the end of the day, does the Macalope want a thinner iPhone? Yes, please. And he can probably find a way to make it work. Of course, a thinner and smaller phone would be the real sweet spot. Just saying. iPhone10:17 amApple saw a huge year-over-year iPhone sales recovery in China in April
China's main market research company is out with its latest data, and as the iPhone 16 creeps closer, the iPhone 15 is continuing its recovery in the country.iPhone doing well in China despite shrinking marketThe China Academy of Information and Communications (CAICT) is a research firm closely tied to the Chinese government. Once a month, it publishes data on smartphone sales in the country.The latest round of data is for April. CAICT says that foreign-branded phones in China — which is mostly the iPhone — increased by 52% in April year-over-year, from 2.3 million sales in April 2023 to 3.5 million in April 2024. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums10:00 amApple @ Work Podcast: MSPs are leaning into Apple
Apple @ Work is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the only solution that integrates in a single professional-grade platform all the solutions necessary to seamlessly and automatically deploy, manage & protect Apple devices at work. Over 45,000 organizations trust Mosyle to make millions of Apple devices work-ready with no effort and at an affordable cost. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL today and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple. In this episode of Apple @ Work, I talk with Alcyr Araujo about their new MSP program for Apple MSPs. more…10:00 amLearn how to play piano at home with Skoove Premium’s interactive lessons
Macworld If you’ve ever wanted to learn an instrument, the best one to begin with is the piano. While you might think you need to take traditional piano lessons to learn, we’re here to let you know that there’s an innovative way to learn piano from home. Meet Skoove Premium, an AI-powered app that offers interactive piano lessons. During the Memorial Day savings event, you can get lifetime access at a special price with code ENJOY20. No matter your piano experience, Skoove (4.5-star rated!) is designed to offer a personalized learning experience. It offers over 400 lessons (updated monthly), extra instructional videos, and access to one-on-one piano instructors for additional help. Its AI technology enhances your piano lessons, recognizing the keys you strike to give helpful playing feedback. Skoove also lets you learn tunes and genres you actually want to play. Discover how to play classical pieces by Bach and Beethoven or pop tunes from Adele and John Legend. The app also lets you learn anywhere, as long as you already have a piano or keyboard (acoustic and digital). Pair your piano or keyboard with your iOS or Android tablet, smartphone, or laptop to begin your piano-playing journey. Just enter code ENJOY20 at checkout to get a lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium Piano Lessons for $119.99. You have until May 31 at 11:59 PM Pacific to score this Memorial Day deal! Skoove Premium Piano Lessons: Lifetime Subscription Only $119.99 at Macworld StackSocial prices subject to change. Accessories10:00 am18 new AI features cited for macOS 15, iOS 18, and iPadOS 18
AI will take center stage in Apple’s upcoming operating systems, and per Bloomber’d Mark Gurman, an array of new features will be demoed at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) next month. In his latest “Power On” newsletter, Gurman noted that Apple will apparently use AI to perform the following tasks in the operating systems: Apple […] Source08:00 amMatch paint, fabric, and wallpaper shades like a pro with the Nix Mini 2 sensor, now half off | MacworldMatch paint, fabric, and wallpaper shades like a pro with the Nix Mini 2 sensor, now half off
Macworld Ever tried to repaint a wall without knowing the exact shade? Then you know that “close enough” doesn’t cut it. If you want to get an exact match for a particular color, use what the professionals use: a quality color sensor like the Nix Mini 2. This tiny gadget weighs less than an ounce (just 0.6oz), but it’s outfitted with its own highly calibrated LED to block out ambient lighting. Its ultra-precise sensor will then scan surfaces like walls, vinyl, leather, upholstery, etc. Hold it up against the surface that’s struck your fancy, whether it’s a hallway in your home that needs repainting or a uniquely colored restaurant booth. The Nix can instantly detect the exact shade and match it to one of more than 100,000 paint colors sold by national brands or sRGB, HEX, CMYK, or LAB hues. https://youtube.com/watch?v=5FJlXFuSJkY%3Fsi%3D8_GruDnbMlQQaKXs Once it matches, the Nix Mini 2 will send the results to the companion Nix Toolkit app on your phone. You can save those shade scans on the app for future reference and organize a favorite list of color palettes, which makes this sensor a must-have for any creative or designer. Color match your world with the Nix Mini 2, now just $49.97 until May 31 at 11:59 PM Pacific. Nix Mini 2 Color-Matching Sensor Only $49.97 at Macworld StackSocial prices subject to change. Accessories05:10 amApple's 1TB 14-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro just dropped to the lowest price ever
The month-end special knocks $230 off the latest 14-inch MacBook Pro with an upgrade to 1TB of storage. Grab the exclusive deal for three days only.Save $230 on Apple's latest MacBook Pro 14.To activate the exclusive deal on the current MacBook Pro 14-inch, shop through this special pricing link* from a laptop or desktop computer (the offer cannot be activated in the B&H and AppleInsider apps at this time).Buy for $1,969 Continue Reading on AppleInsider03:47 amHere’s a look at an unreleased Apple Watch silicone band with a metal buckle
Apple experiments with a lot of things inside its laboratories, and many of these experiments never see the light of day. One of these experiments is a quite intriguing silicone band for the that has a metal buckle. And thanks to a leaked prototype, we can now take a look at it. more…03:18 amHow to fill out and sign PDF forms on iPhone and iPad
Sometimes you need to sign or fill out PDF forms while you're away from your Mac. Here's how to get that paperwork done on your iPhone or iPad.Filling out and signing forms using only an iPhone is easier than you think.Having to fill out a form is an inevitable fact of life, and digital forms continue to be based on their paper-oriented cousins. The Mac has long had tools available to help manage, fill and sign forms, but sometimes you only have an iPhone or iPad available where you are.Recent updates to iOS and iPadOS make it much easier to complete these documents on your smaller-device screens, without any requirement for third party apps. If you fill out a lot of forms on a routine basis, one of those apps may be of even more help. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our ForumsMonday May 2710:57 pmVR role-playing game ‘Demeo’ now available for Apple Vision Pro
When Apple Vision Pro was announced last year, some developers demonstrated their apps and games coming to the platform – this was the case with the popular VR role-playing game “Demeo.” The good news is that Demeo is now available on the visionOS App Store. more…09:05 pmResearcher finds iOS exploit that lets developers create animated app icons
It’s been a while since Apple let developers provide alternative icons for their apps, so that users can change them whenever they want. However, except for Apple’s Clock and Calendar apps, the system has no animated or interactive icons – but a researcher has found an exploit that enables just that. more…08:51 pmApple's MacBook Air with 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD drops to record low $1,269
The upgraded M2 MacBook Air featuring 16GB unified memory and 512GB of storage is $260 off, marking the lowest price on record — just in time for graduation and Father's Day gift-giving.Save $260 on a popular MacBook Air spec.AppleInsider readers can take advantage of the all-time low price of $1,239 on the upgraded configuration in the popular Midnight and Space Gray finishes at Apple Authorized Reseller B&H Photo. Continue Reading on AppleInsider08:25 pmKeyboard Maestro 11.0.3
Maintenance release for the the automation and clipboard utility. ($36 new, free update, 37.6 MB, macOS 10.13+)08:22 pmPiezo 1.9.2
Improves the capture of audio played to secondary devices by VoIP applications. ($19 new, free update, 24.5 MB, macOS 14.4+)08:20 pmQuicken 7.7.1
Fixes a crash that could occur on Intel-based Macs. ($59.88/$83.88/$119.88 annual subscription, free update, 3.2 MB, macOS 11+)