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  • Apple shares new ad promoting Apple TV+ app for Android
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    Apple on Wednesday launched an official Apple TV+ app for Android almost seven years after the platform was launched. To promote the news in style, Apple has just shared a new ad telling the world that Apple TV+ is now on Android.Apple TV+ on AndroidThe 15-second ad features clips from multiple popular Apple TV+ shows like Ted Lasso, Silo, Severance and The Morning Show. Apple says that thrilling dramas, epic sci-fi, heartwarming comedies, and award-winning originals are now on Android.Coincidentally or not, Apple chose a scene from Shrinking with the characters talking about working together.On the official Apple TV Instagram account, the company also shared multiple frames of Apple TV+ shows with the caption Now streaming on Android. The reaction from users in the comments section has been very positive, which suggests that there was a high demand for an Apple TV+ Android app.Previously, the only Apple service to have an Android app was Apple Music. Although anyone can access Apple TV+ via a web browser, the experience is far from ideal compared to a native app. With the app, Android users can now watch content in high resolution and also download movies and shows to watch them offline.Apple TV+ for Android is available on Google Play. The subscription costs $9.99 per month in the US with a 7-day free trial. You can try Apple TV+ for free for 3 months after buying a new iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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  • These iPadOS features are why I love working from an iPad
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    Working from an M4 iPad Pro has its shortcomings, but it also comes with a lot of strengths. Here are some key iPadOS features that have made full-time iPad productivity serve me so well.#1: iPadOS Home ScreenThe iPads Home Screen has long moved past being just a hub for apps.Ever since iPadOS 13 in 2019, the Home Screen has been a versatile dashboard thanks to the addition of widgets. Not long after, those widgets became even more powerful with resizing tools and freeform placement. Today, you can also modify the look of app icons, place objects anywhere on screen, and more.I love filling my iPad Home Screen with exactly the right tools for me: apps I launch often, widgets of varying sizes that provide important data, shortcuts from Apples Shortcuts app, all together in a central hub.This used to be a big advantage of the iPad over the Mac, but fortunately macOS not long ago enabled desktop widgets too. I still prefer iPadOSs greater versatility and customization tools. Also, I love just swiping up from the bottom of the screen to go Home.#2: One app by defaultI understand this can be a negative for some who prefer the Mac. But I absolutely love the iPads one-app-at-a-time design.In iPadOS, opening an app by default fills the whole screen. You work in a single app at a time, and see nothing else.This feature has been a big part of why Ive spent the last 10 years working from an iPad.The mental focus and clarity provided by the iPads app model is something that gets completely lost when I use a Mac. Having various resizable windows filling the screen, or even just the desktop in the background, ruins my ability to focus.#3: Slide Over multitaskingAs much as I prefer keeping one app on screen at a time, the feature only works so well because I also use Slide Over frequently.Slide Over allows me to quickly bring a compact app into view from the edge of the iPads display. Its essentially a mini-iPhone app window that can sit above the main iPad app.Like the iPhones app switcher, Slide Over also lets you quickly switch between a stack of multiple apps, which has made it one of my most prized iPadOS features.Most of my day I have Safari, Ulysses, or NetNewsWire on screen as my main iPad app. Then in Slide Over, Ill bounce between Slack, Messages, Files, Photos, and Reminders.Thanks to Slide Over I can quickly pull another app in as needed without replacing my main workspace, then push it off to the side when I dont need it.iPadOS features for getting things done: wrap-upiPadOS isnt the best platform for everyone to get work done, but its been my go-to for a long time. If youre weighing replacing your laptop with an M4 iPad Pro, I go into more details about why that works for me here.What are your favorite iPadOS features for getting things done? Let us know in the comments.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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  • Telegram adds AI-powered sticker search and improved video player
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    The popular messaging app has just released another update that brings improvements and some new features. The latest version of Telegram brings an AI-powered sticker search, as well as enhancements to the apps video player. Read on as we break down everything thats new in Telegram.Searching for stickers with AI on TelegramAs detailed in a blog post (via MacMagazine), todays update makes it much easier to find a specific sticker to send in a chat. Thanks to AI, users can better describe the sticker theyre looking for, even using more complex keywords like thinking monkey and space dog. Telegram says the feature works in 29 languages, including English, Spanish, Arabic, and Hindi.With this update, the AI model now returns results frommillions of custom stickersand emoji uploaded by Telegram users, the post reads. Telegram also notes that anyone can create their own stickers in just a few simple steps.When it comes to video, the Telegram app now has many new features. This includes the option to copy the link of a video with a specific timestamp. This way, you can share the exact moment of a video with your friends. In addition, Telegram now allows users to set a custom cover photo for videos in channels.Another new feature saves the progress of videos, so you can close the app and then continue watching exactly where you left off. Theres also a new section to find a list of bots similar to the ones you already use and an option to react with Stars on channels to support creators.The updates are now being rolled out to Telegram users on iOS. Telegram for iOS is available for free on the App Store. Make sure you have the latest version of the app installed on your device to get access to all the new features.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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  • The Apple TV app is now available on Android: watch Apple TV+ and MLS Season Pass
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    The Apple TV app is finally making its way to Android users. The app is now available in the Google Play Store for Android phones and tablets. This means Android users can sign up to Apple TV+ and MLS Season Pass directly on their phone for the first time. The app lets users can log in with their existing Apple Account, or create a new account through the app and subscribe using Google Play billing. The app is rolling out now, supporting Android 10 or newer devices The app supports the fundamental Apple TV app features users will be familiar with from the app on Apple devices, including the Continue Watching queue, offline downloads and search. Playback progress syncs across all your devices, so you can start watching a show on your TV and then continue in bed on your Android phone, for instance. However, the app is limited to Apple TV+, MLS Season Pass and MLB Friday Night Baseball content. iTunes Store purchases and rentals are not shown in the app at all, nor can users cannot access their previously purchased library through the Android app.In some ways, though, this makes for a cleaner experience with a simple layout of four tabs on the phone app: Apple TV+, MLS, Downloads and Search. On tablet form factors, this interface is presented in a floating sidebar layout. Rather than a direct port of the iOS app, Apple is using native Android UI components where applicable, such as context menus when long-pressing on an item. However, this is still only a 1.0 release and there are some notably absent features; the Android app does not support notifications or casting for instance.An app for Google TV living room devices has existed for many years, but this is the first time the Apple TV app is natively available for Android phones and tablets. Those customers wishing to enjoy Apple originals on non-Apple mobile devices were previously limited to a mediocre web app experience available in the browser. Additionally starting today, the Google TV Apple TV app will also allow customers to subscribe directly to TV+ and MLS Season Pass using Google Play billing. This solves another pain point as previously the app forced users to first make an account and subscribe on another device.Todays launch is both symbolic and significant, and perhaps the biggest statement yet that Apple cares about Apple TV+ becoming successful as a standalone service, rather than a mere ecosystem add-on.If youve never used Apple TV+ before, you can get started with a seven-day free trial through the Android app and check out our comprehensive guide of everything to stream on the service.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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  • Apple now sells M4 Mac mini and MacBook Pro refurbished with discounts
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    Apples first M4 Macs launched just a few months ago in early November. But now, you can buy two modelsthe Mac mini and MacBook Prorefurbished at a discount from Apple in various configurations.Refurbished Apple product lineup expands with M4 MacsApples online refurbished product store has been updated with two additions:M4 Mac miniM4 MacBook ProEach Mac is available in a variety of configurations that differ in specs like chip (M4 vs. M4 Pro or M4 Max), size (14-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pro), SSD, RAM, and more.Like Apples other refurbished products, the advantage of buying used is that theres a discount included. Discounts will vary based on the specific configuration you choose.However, its worth noting that Apples M4 Macs are regularly discounted on Amazon for brand new machines.For example, right now several M4 Mac mini models and both the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro are available new from Amazon with discounts that are comparable to what Apples refurbished lineup offers.If you buy refurbished from Apple, you get several guarantees and benefits including a one-year limited warranty, and free delivery and returns. Each computer has received the following:Full functional testing, genuine Apple part replacements (if needed), and a thorough cleaningThe original operating system or a more recent versionAll accessories and cables repackaged in a brandnew boxCurrently, the M4 iMac is not available on the refurbished store, only the Mac mini and MacBook Pro.Do you ever buy refurbished products from Apple? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments.Best Mac deals and accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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  • 9to5Mac Daily: February 12, 2025 Apple Maps, AI expansion
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    Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is availableon iTunes and Apples Podcasts app,Stitcher,TuneIn,Google Play, or through ourdedicated RSS feedfor Overcast and other podcast players.Sponsored by Roborock: Roborock takes care of the cleaning, so you can do more of what you love. This February, save $200 on the Saros10 and Saros10R vacuums during the Open Sale12.5% OFF from February 10th to 16th. Dont miss out!New episodes of 9to5Mac Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as theyre available.Stories discussed in this episode:Listen & Subscribe:Subscribe to support Chance directly with 9to5Mac Daily Plus and unlock:Ad-free versions of every episodeBonus contentCatch up on 9to5Mac Daily episodes!Dont miss out on our other daily podcasts:Share your thoughts!Drop us a line at happyhour@9to5mac.com. You can also rate us in Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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  • Apple appears to have found a way to offload unsold Vision Pro headsets
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    Apple is expected to brief the press on some sort of an Apple Vision Pro announcement on Friday. The most likely outcome now seems to be selling Apple Vision Pro through third-party retailers. Thats based on code detective Aaron Ps discovery of an Apple Vision Pro Demo Fit app. Apple currently requires customers to use the Apple Store app to determine Apple Vision Pro accessory sizing. Apple has also only sold AVP directly through its online and in-person stores. Now that the product is a year old and inventory doesnt appear to be moving much, expanding the distribution channel makes sense. This would allow Apple to maintain the current Vision Pro price while a partner like Best Buy or Amazon applies a discount. Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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  • Waze for CarPlay update makes it easier to navigate home, work, or to search
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    A new update to the Waze app on Apple CarPlay is making it much easier to navigate home or to work with just the press of a single button.Rolling out with the latest Waze updates for iOS, the navigation apps CarPlay experience is adding a new shortcut button to the main UI which allows drivers to quickly launch navigation to their home or work addresses. This shortcut lives above a new Search shortcut button, both of which are found alongside the incident reporting option and the speedometer.These new shortcuts make it considerably easier to access these functions more quickly, as they were previously hidden in another menu.As AutoEvolution points out (in over-the-top fashion), this shortcut previously resided within the auto-hiding bar at the top of the Waze app for CarPlay. By moving it to the main screen, its just a lot easier to use which is always a good thing behind the wheel. The Search UI itself is unchanged. These buttons disappear when navigation is active, and the search button returns back to that top bar.Do you use Waze on CarPlay? Let us know if youre seeing this change.More on Waze:Follow Ben:Twitter/X,Threads, Bluesky, andInstagramAdd 9to5Google to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Google experts who break news about Google and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Google on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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  • iPhone users are upgrading devices faster now, likely for Apple Intelligence
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    In the early days of the iPhone, users upgraded their device especially often. But as the product matured, and carrier deals changed, the upgrade cycle started getting longer. Now, it seems, that trend is starting to reverse.iPhone upgrade cycle just got shorter for a lot of usersCIRPs latest report highlights a change in iPhone upgrade patterns seen during the most recent quarter, ending in December 2024.Michael Levin and Josh Lowitz write:There were more iPhone buyers retiring younger phones compared to earlier quarters. Specifically, 36% of iPhone buyers in the December 2024 quarter reported having their previous phone for two years or less, compared to 31% in the December 2023 quarter.Conversely, slightly fewer buyers had a phone for three years or more (33%) or for two to three years (30%) compared to 2023. The shift from 2023 to 2024 was divided evenly between these two categories.For years, investors and analysts have stressed over the question: How often are users upgrading to a new iPhone?Its an important question. If you have a lot of people buying a new iPhone every two years, that will make a huge sales impact. But if users hold on to their iPhone for 3, 4, 5+ years, theres a similar impact in the wrong direction.9to5Macs TakeCIRPs data seems to show what I suspect is an Apple Intelligence impact. Users of the iPhone 15 (non-Pro) and older had AI features as a fresh incentive for upgrading sooner than they might otherwise.This theory is supported by Tim Cooks recent statement that the iPhone 16 was outperforming the iPhone 15, and sales were especially strong in markets where Apple Intelligence had launched.What do you attribute the changing iPhone sales trends to? Do you think its Apple Intelligence, or not? Let us know in the comments.Best iPhone accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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  • Here are the Mac apps and utilities I couldnt live without
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    My colleague Zac Hall yesterday shared the Mac apps he currently uses, and it got me thinking about the Mac apps and utilities I couldnt live without.Some are major apps, like Final Cut Pro, but there are a bunch of utilities I use on a regular basis that Id really miss if I didnt have them My key Mac appsFinal Cut ProMy colleagues Jeff Benjamin and Fernando Silva dash off about seven videos before breakfast each morning. My own video output is, er, slower. Admittedly not quite as slow as my YouTube feed would suggest, as a lot of my videos are unlisted and only produced to share with friends. But it is something I really enjoy, and I took the decision that since I was bound to want to upgrade from iMovie to Final Cut at some point, I might as well just do it from the outset a solid benefit of apps with a one-off cost.Spark MailI re-try Apples own Mail app every few years, but have mostly used third-party apps based on a mix of offering better organization for multiple accounts, and more pleasing aesthetics. (Its always seemed weird to me that Mail doesnt seem to reflect any of the design skills we associate with Apple.) For the last few years, thats been Spark, which combines clean, sleek looks with easy management of accounts and smart mailboxes. I dont bother with the AI subscription stuff.Lightroom ClassicIve used Lightroom for many years, and when Adobe turned it into a subscription app with a very different UI, I was relieved to see that the original version was retained as Lightroom Classic, even if it did now require a subscription. For me, its just a really well thought out app whose workflow mirrors the order in which I typically do things, from culling and prioritizing through editing to output. Ive created a whole bunch of my own presets over the years, so editing is usually a very efficient process.PhotoshopWe use a slot of stock images for our pieces here, and I dont want those cluttering up my photo libraries, so I use Photoshop for editing these. Most edits are simple, so I could probably use a more basic editor, but Adobes subscription packages mean you cant get Lightroom without Photoshop, so I must say, though, that the generative AI features make it super easy to create the 2:1 aspect ratio we use, which often requires generating additional content and Im generally very impressed with the results.ScrivenerI havent written any books for quite some time, but when I do I wouldnt use any other app. In novel-writing, there are planner and pantsers the latter being people who write by the seat of their pants, making it up as they go. Im very definitely a planner, creating a very detailed outline of the structure before I write a single word. Scriveners card-based system is great for that, but it also makes it really easy to refer back to earlier scenes during the writing process. The Billion Dollar Heist was 145,000 words across 204 scenes (I structured it more like a movie than a book), with constantly-switching viewpoints, and Scrivener made it s a breeze to keep track of everything.Final DraftScreenshotFor screenplays, however, Final Draft is my preferred tool. Im still very new to writing scripts, so its great to have an app that takes care of all the formatting for me. I just select Dialog, for example, which can be done with a single key-press, and Im prompted for the character name. Avoid characters whose names begin with the same latter and another single key is enough to autocomplete their name and leave you setup to type the dialog.UtilitiesThe links below are mostly to my reviews, so you can check those out for more details.TextSniperAt 9to5Mac we frequently need to quote from press releases and other source material, and sometimes this isnt as simple as it might seem. Patent documents, for example, have weird formatting which makes it almost impossible to simply copy-and-paste, and dont get me started on companies which make announcements in the form of graphics images posted to X TextSniper is a utility which allows you to copy any text, even from a photo, and is really quick and easy to use.MoomThis is my preferred macOS window management tool, enabling me to quickly switch between different window and desktop layouts on both my MacBook Pro and external monitor.PhraseExpressTextExpander without the subscription. The UI is clunkier for sure, but its not often that I interact with it I have literally dozens of macros I use all the time.Hidden BarA menubar manager, similar to Bartender.iPhone MirroringI love this app. When I have my Mac in front of me, I much prefer to do everything there, so having access to iPhone-only apps right on my Mac is really handy.NordVPNI use a VPN anytime Im accessing potentially sensitive sites on public Wi-Fi networks, including anything used to access my own files (like DropBox). NordVPN is also really handy for getting around geo-blocks, as the company seems to be better than anyone else as keeping ahead in this cat-and-mouse game.What are your must-have Mac apps and utilities? Please share in the comments.Photo: Ben LovejoyAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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  • Apple announces new Apple Health Study that uses iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods
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    Apple is launching a holistic health study that aims to determine how Apple products play a role in advancing and improving physical health, mental health, and overall wellbeing. Enrollment for the brand new Apple Health Study opens today in Apples Research app version 6.0 is out today for participants in the United States. Heres more about Apples most ambitious health study to date.The study is being conducted in collaboration with Brigham and Womens Hospital, a leading research hospital and a major teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. []In medical research, discoveries are often limited by the number of participants who can be recruited, the amount of data that can be captured, and the duration of a given study but Apple devices expand the possibilities. The Apple Health Study builds on learnings from theApple Womens Health Study, theApple Hearing Study, and theApple Heart and Movement Study, which combined have more than 350,000 participants across the U.S.This new longitudinal, virtual study aims to understand how data from technology including Apple and third-party devices can be used to predict, detect, monitor, and manage changes in participants health. Additionally, researchers will explore connections across different areas of health. The study spans a number of health and disease areas, including activity, aging, cardiovascular health, circulatory health, cognition, hearing, menstrual health, mental health, metabolic health, mobility, neurologic health, respiratory health, sleep, and more.Apples Research app launched in 2019 and has allowed participants to voluntarily join medical research studies without doing much more than sharing information. Apple allows participants to leave its studies and stop data sharing at any time.The best part is that Apple regularly publishes insights from its studies, and the Apple Health Study is its widest net to cast yet.Read more about the Apple Health Study here, and sign up in the latest version of the Research app on iPhone. Research 6.0 also includes additional tasks within the Apple Womens Health Study that explore menopause, according to Apple.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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  • Apps sold location data for US military and intelligence personnel serving overseas
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    It was discovered last year that location data for US military and intelligence personnel serving overseas was being sold by a Florida-based data broker, but the source of that sensitive data was unclear at the time.Its now been revealed that the data was captured by a variety of mobile apps with revenue-sharing agreements with a Lithuanian ad-tech company, and then resold by an American company The problem of location data captured by appsA great many apps capture location data. For some apps, this is clearly a necessity, such as map apps, transit navigators, and so on. For others, theres a tangential benefit, like camera apps which can store the location at which a photo was taken. Apples own Camera app does this, for example, so that we can search for photos taken in particular places.But there are also countless examples of apps which collect location data for no clear reason. iOS forces apps to request permission for this, and weve probably all seen apps pop up the request for no apparent reason.This is likely because location data is valuable to advertisers. Developers sign agreements with ad-tech companies which allow ads within their apps to be targeted by country (or even by city) in return for a share of the revenue.The problem is that many of these agreements have vague terms which may allow the location data to be re-sold. Even where the agreement doesnt permit this, rogue companies can re-sell it anyway.Locations sold for US military and intelligence personnelIt last year came to light that that Datastream, a US company, was selling location data for US military and intelligence personnel. An investigation by Wired and others has now revealed how this data was captured.The joint investigation by WIRED, Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR), and Netzpolitik.org analyzed a free sample of location data provided by Datastream. The investigation revealed that Datastream was offering access to precise location data from devices likely belonging to American military and intelligence personnel overseasincluding at German airbases believed to store US nuclear weapons. Datastream is a data broker in the location data history, sourcing data from other providers and then selling it to customers []The data was likely collected through SDKs (software development kits) embedded in mobile apps by developers who knowingly integrate tracking tools in exchange for revenue-sharing agreements with data brokers.Following this reporting, the office of Senator Ron Wyden demanded answers from Datastream Group about its role in trafficking the location data of US military personnel. In response, Datastream identified Eskimi as its source, stating it obtained the data legitimately from a respected third-party provider, Eskimi.com.Eskimi is a Lithuanian ad-tech company, which claimed that the data was not supposed to have been re-sold.Its not known at this stage which apps were the source for the data, but investigations are continuing. Its also unclear whether the agreements signed by the developers actually allowed the location data to be re-sold, rather than used purely to serve ads within their apps.Its not being suggested that anyone specifically set out to capture military data, but filtering by locations of US military bases both at home and overseas would be an exceedingly trivial way to identify people who are likely to be serving personnel.Surveillance companies with better business modelsZach Edwards, senior threat analyst at cybersecurity firm Silent Push, says this is just one example of a growing problem. He says many ad-tech companies are selling location data to both corporations and governments.Advertising companies are merely surveillance companies with better business models, Edwards says.Its not the first time that apps have exposed location data of military personnel serving overseas. There have also been known examples of the military and US law enforcement agencies purchasing location data.9to5Macs TakeEven leaving aside the sensitivity of military data, nobody using an iPhone or Android app expects their location data to be re-sold, no matter what may be buried within the small-print of the privacy policy.Its time for laws to ban the sale of sensitive personal data.Photo byJoel Rivera-CamachoonUnsplashAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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  • Apple could soon address the biggest flaw in its boldest product bet
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    On the eve of potential Apple product announcements, an interesting possibility has crossed my mindespecially regarding Fridays news.Mark Gurman reports that Apple will brief the press on an Apple Vision Pro update that day.Earlier, I speculated on three possibilities:1. M5 chip upgrade Though no M5 products have been announced, production is reportedly underway. Apple might debut it in Vision Pro, just as the M4 launched in the iPad Pro.2. Apple Intelligence support Vision Pro meets the RAM requirement, but all available memory may already be in use. A RAM upgrade could be in the works.3. PSVR controller support Gurman says this is coming, but its not exactly a game-changer.Now, I want to explore a fourth possibility: a price drop. Its the perfect Friday night news dump.Apple often justifies the $3,500 price as paying for tomorrows technology today. But Susan Prescotts recent comment for now, the price is what the price is may not just refer to a cheaper version in the future. Apple rarely cuts prices before launching new models, but Vision Pros cost is its biggest hurdle. Theres precedent, too: Apple slashed the first iPhones price by $200 just months after launch.Would Apple lower the Vision Pros $3,499 starting price enough to make a difference? Probably not, but any amount is a step in the right direction. It could also adjust pricing by doubling storage at current price tiers.Still, inventory isnt constrained, making even that uncertain.Regardless, Im holding onto my prediction: Apple Vision Pro will see some kind of price update on Friday. Speculative, but worth considering.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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  • WhatsApp will let users link social media accounts to their profile
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    Meta has been exploring a new feature in WhatsApp that will soon let users link their social media accounts to their profile in the messaging app. While a similar feature is already available for business accounts, this option under development is aimed at regular accounts.The feature was found by WABetaInfo in a beta version of WhatsApp for iPhone. Although its not yet enabled for users, the report shows a screenshot of how the new option will work. Essentially, WhatsApp users will be able to add links to their profiles on other social media, so that people can access these profiles with just a tap.It seems that WhatsApp is committed to allowing users to further personalize their profile page, with the focus of enhancing user engagement and making profiles even more dynamic and informative. [] A new section will be available directly in the profile settings in the future, where users can choose whether to add links to their social media profiles, the report says.Internally, Instagram is the only option available to be shown on a WhatsApp profile. However, its likely that more options will be added before the feature is made available to the public (at least to link to other Meta platforms such as Threads and Facebook).While adding an Instagram profile to a WhatsApp business account requires signing in for verification, the new beta feature doesnt require any verification. Of course, Meta may implement a similar verification process before the official launch to prevent misuse, such as impersonation. The report also notes that the feature is completely optional and users can choose not to share their social media profiles with their contacts.WhatsApp is available for free on the App Store. However, the beta version is only available to selected users on TestFlight.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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  • These Apple product announcements coming tomorrow through next few weeks
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    It sounds like a variety of new Apple products are preparing to launch. Thats according to Bloombergs Mark Gurman, who has shared more details tonight about what to expect and when.According to Mark Gurman, Apple is expected to make some sort of an announcement tomorrow, Wednesday, February 12, 2025. My guess is iPad 11 with Apple Intelligence, although iOS 18.4 beta with the upgraded version of Siri would be very welcome.Separately, Apple is expected to announce the iPhone SE by next week.And if all that wasnt enough, Apple Vision Pro could have some sort of news coming for it as well. Perhaps an upgrade to the Apple M5 chip? Apple has not announced any products with the M5 chip yet, however, so well have to wait and see.The biggest opportunity for Apple Vision Pro, aside from price and weight, is that it runs on Apples second generation M-series processor and doesnt support Apple Intelligence.Its possible, however, that Apple could bring Apple Intelligence to the existing Apple Vision Pro without refreshing the hardware. The hardware only just turned a year old in the United States, and it has been arriving in markets over the last 12 months.Another possibility is announcing PlayStation VR controller support for Vision Pro. Apple already supports PS5 controllers, and Gurman has reported on planned VR controller support. Then theres the as-of-yet unannounced and unreleased M4 MacBook Air. Gurman expects Apple to ship the fourth generation Apple Silicon MacBook Air sometime over the next few weeks. Skipping the M4 and going straight to the M5 sure would be nice though. Here is how he describes what to expect:New iPhone SE is still imminent and should be announced by next week, when the company is holding product briefings. Tomorrow theres a smaller announcement. For Friday, Apple Vision Pro reps are reaching out to press about an announcement to come. M4 MacBook Air within weeks.Even if an entry-level iPhone SE isnt your thing, there certainly is a lot of Apple product releases expected over the next few weeks.Earlier today, Beats, which is owned by Apple, announced the second generation of Powerbeatsy Pro sports headphones. Check out our review for more information.Top iPhone accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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  • Apple just released new Powerbeats Pro 2 firmware ahead of launch
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    Earlier today, reviews dropped for the new Powerbeats Pro 2 (heres ours). The new Beats headphones are available to order now and ship to users this Thursday. But ahead of launch, Apple has released a firmware update for its latest product.Day one firmware update ready for Powerbeats Pro 2 buyersAs reported by MacRumors, Powerbeats Pro 2 will arrive in users hands with firmware version 7B15.However, Apple just shipped a firmware update for the unreleased headphones. That firmware is build 7B24 and provides a day one update for Powerbeats Pro 2 buyers to install.It is unknown exactly whats contained in the new firmware, but likely Apple became aware of certain bugs or performance issues during expanded product testing that have now been fixed.You can find instructions for how to update Beats headphones across iPhone, Android, and more in this support document.Powerbeats Pro 2 arrive six years after their predecessor and come with a variety of key upgrades, including Apples H2 chip, excellent battery life, an improved fit, and more.If youre considering Powerbeats Pro 2, be sure to check out our in-depth review.What do you think of the new Powerbeats Pro 2? Do you plan to buy them? Let us know in the comments.Best Beats and AirPods productsAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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  • Apple now lets users migrate their purchases between Apple Accounts
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    Apple on Tuesday announced a quiet but important update when it comes to the Apple Account. As of today, the company now allows users to migrate their purchases between different Apple Accounts so that people who have two accounts can consolidate them.Migrating purchases from one Apple Account to anotherYou can choose to migrate apps, music, and other content youve purchased from Apple on a secondary Apple Account to a primary Apple Account. The secondary Apple Account might be an account thats only used for purchases, Apple says.As noted by Stephen Hackett at 512 Pixels, Apple has published a new support article detailing how the process works. Users will have the option of migrating app purchases, music, and other content from one Apple Account to another. Unsurprisingly, the migration only works under multiple conditions.First, users must make sure that theyre signed in with their two Apple Accounts on the same iPhone or iPad. The secondary account with the purchases must be logged into the Media & Purchases settings, while the primary account must be logged into iCloud. Apple notes that the secondary account with purchases cant be part of a different Family Sharing group.In order for the process to work, you also need to turn off Purchase Sharing on the secondary account. Both accounts must be set to the same region and have two-factor authentication enabled. The secondary account cant have any balance remaining, rentals, or pre-orders. You also need to wait 15 days since your last purchase before starting the process.Once youre clear on all the conditions, heres how to migrate your purchases from one Apple Account to another:Open the Settings app on iOS.Tap your name, then tap Media & Purchases.Tap View Account (sign-in if needed).Tap Migrate Purchases.Review the information and follow the steps to complete the migration.When complete, youll see a message saying that Purchases Have Been Migrated.Sign out of the secondary Apple Account in the Media & Purchases settings and sign in with the primary account.After migrating purchases, the secondary account can no longer be used for media and purchases. The process aims to help people who for some reason have different accounts for iCloud and purchases on the App Store and Apple TV.You can find more details on how to migrate your purchases in this support article from Apple.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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  • These are Apples plans for future AirPods models after Powerbeats Pro 2
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    Apple and Beats on Tuesday unveiled the much-anticipated Powerbeats Pro 2 wireless earbuds. Surprisingly, the new version of the Powerbeats Pro comes with features that arent even present in Apples AirPods. Luckily, we already know some of Apples plans for the future of the AirPods.Certainly one of the highlights of the new Powerbeats Pro 2 is the built-in heart rate sensor. This is the first accessory from Apple apart from the Apple Watch to include a health-related sensor and hints at even more health sensors coming to such devices in the future. Of course, Powerbeats Pro are workout-focused earbuds, but its still surprising to see Apple choosing to introduce such technology first in a Beats product.What about AirPods? Will they also get a heart rate sensor in the future? We dont need rumors to assume that they will, but multiple sources have already corroborated that Apple is working on AirPods with health-related sensors.The first and most obvious would be the same heart rate sensor built into the new Powerbeats Pro 2. More specifically, Apple has plans to include the sensor in the next generation AirPods Pro. We dont know when exactly Apple will launch AirPods Pro 3, but given that AirPods Pro 2 were launched in 2022, it probably wont be much longer. Possibly later this year.Bloombergs Mark Gurman reported last year that Apple has also been exploring sensors that can determine body temperature through the ear canal. The company is also working on camera sensors for AirPods, but these technologies wont be ready in time for AirPods Pro 3.What else can we expect? For AirPods Pro 3, a refreshed design, although theres little information about what it will look like. The entry-level AirPods model was recently updated with a new design and ANC, so its unlikely that a new version will be on the way any time soon. Apple also has no meaningful plans for AirPods Max after last years refresh with USB-C.What about you? What do you expect from future AirPods models? Let us know in the comments section below.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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  • 9to5Mac Overtime 040: iPhone SE 4 and Apple Intelligence
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    Skip to main content9to5Mac Overtime9to5Mac Overtime 040: iPhone SE 4 and Apple Intelligence Jeff Benjamin|Feb 11 2025 - 12:57 pm PTThe iPhone SE 4 is coming soon, and just how important is Apple Intelligence? Fernando and Jeff discuss what its success or failure could mean for the future of Apple.9to5Mac Overtimeis a weekly video-first podcast exploring fun and interesting observations in the Apple ecosystem, featuring 9to5Macs Fernando Silva & Jeff Benjamin.Subscribe to Overtime via Apple Podcastsandour YouTube channelfor more.Show linksHostsSubscribeAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel Featuredfrom 9to5Mac9to5Mac Logo Manage push notificationsAllPost
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  • Apple Maps now uses Gulf of America name in US, will roll out globally soon
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    Yesterday, Google Maps updated the Gulf of Mexicos name for US users to read Gulf of America instead. Now, it seems that Apple Maps is quickly following suit.Maps update follows executive order to change Gulf of Mexicos nameOne of the first executive orders signed by President Trump at the start of his second term involved renaming the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America instead.This week, that change has officially been implemented by government officials and filed in the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).Apple Maps has now been updated for US users to reflect the change.While currently, the actual map still reads Gulf of Mexico, if you tap to view location details, the app now shows Gulf of America as the name instead.As an overseas user, why do I have to see changes mandated by a president that only applied to a certain country?It's the same as the UK demanding personal encrypted data from ALL iCloud users around the world, not just the UK. View all commentsIt is expected that shortly, the name change will apply to the actual map itself too.The revised name only applies within the US for now, but Apple told Mark Gurman at Bloomberg it would soon roll out the shift for all users globally.Apple and Google follow local geographic naming standards, such as the NGIS, so its not particularly surprising that the change has been made. But rolling it out globally is an interesting move considering Google intends to retain the Gulf of Mexico label in all non-US countries.Well keep you posted on any new developments to this story.Best iPhone accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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  • Apple officially owns Pixelmator and Photomator
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    In November, Pixelmators team announced an acquisition agreement with Apple. Three months later, Pixelmator has officially confirmed that it is now a part of Apple.The confirmation is delivered through a software update for the Pixelmator and Photomator apps on iPhone and iPad.Pixelmator Pro and Photomator for Mac also include the message in new updates.As per each apps release notes, both updates include an important announcement regarding Pixelmator and Photomator. After updating to the latest versions, each app now features a splash screen announcing that they are now part of Apple.This is followed by a link to Apples privacy policy, which now applies to the photo and image editing apps.Next, well have to watch and see how the update cadence to Pixelmator goes. The Pixelmator team has been a great citizen of the Mac, iPad, and iPhone, regularly using Apples latest platform features and tools.We also dont know if Apple will change the pricing model or integrate either app into future OS updates. For now, the Pixelmator era at Apple is just beginning.Best Mac mini accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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  • Next years MacBook Pro could be Apples biggest Mac upgrade ever
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    Apples MacBook Pro recently received an M4 update, and theres an M5 version expected later this year. But its the model coming late next yearin 2026that sounds especially compelling. This new MacBook Pro could even be the biggest Mac upgrade ever. Heres whats coming.Total redesign thats thinner and lighterThe MacBook Pro last received a big redesign in 2021. That update restored previously-removed ports, fixed longstanding keyboard issues, and was largely seen as Apples apology for prior missteps.According to multiple reports, the MacBook Pro will get its next big revision in 2026. This total redesign will make the device thinner and lighter.Those words may ring alarm bells for MacBook Pro users who lived through the butterfly keyboard era. But with Apple Silicon, Apple has so far proven its able to make devices thinner and lighter without compromising on power.Im curious to see what the port situation is on the new MacBook Pro. My hope, though, is that Apple can slim the device down without sacrificing any ports it recently restored.OLED display with no notchAnother key aspect of the MacBook Pro redesign will be its display, which is expected to ditch the notch as part of a switch to OLED.The new display is expected to feature similar OLED tech to whats found in the M4 iPad Pro. And in place of the notch will be a smaller hole cut.Does that mean well get a Dynamic Island on the Mac? Well have to wait and see, but OLED on the iPad Pro is fantastic, so it will be great to see it come to the Mac too.M6 chip lineThe M4 has been available less than a year, and only just arrived on the Mac a few months ago, so theres nothing concrete known about the M6 yet.However, Apple is expected to ship an M5 MacBook Pro this year with the same basic design available now, which means 2026s big update should come with M6, M6 Pro, and M6 Max configurations.5G cellular connectivityApples new in-house 5G modems are launching soon in select products, and a second version of the modem is set to debut in 2026, with the MacBook Pro a likely recipient.Ive long advocated for adding cellular to the Mac, and identified Apples in-house modems as the next best chance for this to finally happen. Per Mark Gurman, it sounds like thats what Apple is thinking too.Wildcard: Touch supportTouch on the Mac has been rumored off and on for as long as the iPads existed. It hasnt happened yet, and perhaps it never will.However, theres solid evidence that the 2026 MacBook Pro might be Apples target for the first touch-enabled Mac.Back in early 2023, Mark Gurman reported that a touchscreen MacBook Pro was in development. He said at the time that 2025 was the targeted release window. In the same report, Gurman wrote:As part of the MacBook Pro revamp, Apple is also planning to move its displays to organic light-emitting diode, or OLED technology.So touch and OLED were, at least at one point, planned to go together in a new MacBook Pro.The projected 2025 date was also reportedly when Apple wanted to ship OLED in the MacBook Pro, and thats now been pushed to 2026.It seems, then, that Apples plans to ship an OLED touch display in the MacBook Pro havent changedjust the timing.All of this is reiterated by a more recent Gurman hint that Apples near-term plans for the Mac involve faster chips, thinner designs and touch screens.The only touchscreen MacBook we'll ever see is whatever fullscreen iPad/MacBook mix will happen, hence, something that can be used flat on a surface, or slightly reclined.The TouchBar failed because you had to extend the arm too far to press the virtual buttons, let alone the almost vertical Mac's screen. View all commentsI could be reading the tea leaves too closely, but it sounds a lot to me like 2026s big MacBook Pro redesign could finally bring touch support to the Mac.MacBook Pro 2026 upgrade: wrap-upWere still a solid year and a half away from when Apple is expected to launch its big MacBook Pro redesign. As a result, many of the above details could change.That said, lets assume Apple is able to deliver all of these new features in a powerful, redesigned MacBook Pro. That product will undoubtedly be the single best upgrade the device has ever seenand perhaps the best Mac upgrade ever.Do you expect to see these MacBook Pro changes happen next year? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments.Best Mac accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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  • 9to5Mac Daily: February 11, 2025 Powerbeats Pro 2 are official
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    Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is availableon iTunes and Apples Podcasts app,Stitcher,TuneIn,Google Play, or through ourdedicated RSS feedfor Overcast and other podcast players.Sponsored by Roborock: Roborock takes care of the cleaning, so you can do more of what you love. This February, save $200 on the Saros10 and Saros10R vacuums during the Open Sale12.5% OFF from February 10th to 16th. Dont miss out!New episodes of 9to5Mac Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as theyre available.Stories discussed in this episode:Listen & Subscribe:Subscribe to support Chance directly with 9to5Mac Daily Plus and unlock:Ad-free versions of every episodeBonus contentCatch up on 9to5Mac Daily episodes!Dont miss out on our other daily podcasts:Share your thoughts!Drop us a line at happyhour@9to5mac.com. You can also rate us in Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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  • Apple TV+ needs a brand reboot, and this could be the winning formula
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    Apple TV+ is having a moment right now thanks to Severance. But Ted Lasso and Severance aside, the streamer has overall struggled to find mainstream success during its 5+ years on the market. My proposed solution? A full Apple TV+ brand reboot thats inspired by Apples winning Beats formula.Beats is the perfect model of a thriving Apple-owned brandBeats was acquired by Apple more than 10 years ago. The $3 billion purchase brought Beats headphone, speaker, and music streaming business into the Apple fold.At the time, the streaming service Beats Music seemed like the main reason for the acquisition, as it allowed Apple to kickstart what became Apple Music the following year.For more than a decade, however, Apple has continued to let Beats be Beats when it comes to its various headphone and speaker productslike the new Powerbeats Pro 2 (review) or recent Beats Pill update.Beats has continued to cultivate and strengthen its own distinct brand over that time.Apple fully owns Beats, but its name isnt all over it. So Beats is seen as a brand for everyone.It makes products that work great for iPhone users, but are also Android-friendly.Whatever you think of Apple as a company, you can still be a fan of Beats.Apple TV+ would benefit from that level of brand independence.Apple TV+ needs its own brand independence and clarity to thriveIve argued before that, despite its largely strong content slate, Apple TV+ has all kinds of branding issues.Try explaining to the average consumer that Apple TV+ is a separate product from the Apple TV app and the Apple TV 4K. Oh, but it lives inside that Apple TV appright alongside TV shows and movies from all your other streaming services and Apples digital content store.These confusing barriers are enough of a reason to rebrand. But Apple would also benefit from TV+ being a distinct brand like Beats for other reasons.The name Apple TV+ implies that only Apple users can watch the streamer. Which to some degree is truewhile TV+ is available on countless smart TVs, it still doesnt offer an Android app.Apple TV+ also means the streamer has to carry all the baggage associated with Apple as a whole.Antitrust legislation? Privacy battles? iOS updates that slow down your phone? Green bubble bullying? All of these can tarnish Apples reputation among prospective streaming customers.Beats, however, gets to avoid all these associations. No one views Beats as responsible for these various Apple issues.Apple TV+ needs the same brand protection.Rebooting the Apple TV+ brand to make it accessible for allImagine if Apple TV+ rebranded to some simple, generic, but catchy new name that had nothing to do with Apple.The newly branded service would gain its own unique brand identity, colors, logo, and a standalone app (including for Android).Many of the current barriers to Apple TV+ going mainstream would be taken care of. No more confusion about what the product is: its a streaming service, not a TV aggregator app or streaming box.No more confusion about who its for: its for everyone, not just Apple users.No more negative association with Apple: the streamer can build its own reputation and maybe even be seen as cool or fun (not words Apple evokes these days).Apples premium TV and movie content could get the attention it deserves, as the tech and brand issues faded out of view.Like Beats, this streaming service could continue to be run mostly independentlyas Apple TV+ already is. And truly forge its own path for the long haul.Apple can still flex its strengths: bundling the streamer into Apple One, pre-installing the new app on all iPhones, iPads, and Macs, throwing marketing money behind it, and any other moves that would benefit the newly branded service.But otherwise, it can let the TV streamer be its own thing, and potentially thrive like never before.Do you think Apple TV+ could use a brand reboot? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments.Apple TV+ isavailable for $9.99 per monthand features hit TV shows and movies likeTed Lasso,Severance,The Morning Show,Silo, andShrinking.Best iPhone accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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  • Review: Powerbeats Pro 2 tick all the boxes with heart rate monitoring, slimmer design, H2 chip, more
    9to5mac.com
    When Powerbeats Pro were first released in 2019, we described them as the ultimate sport earphones. They set a new standard for workout-focused headphones with a truly wireless design, an ultra-secure ear-hook fit, and impressive durability.Now, Beats has officially unveiled Powerbeats Pro 2 and theyre better in every way. Plus, they have a first-of-its-kind fitness feature: built-in heart rate monitoring.Ive been using Powerbeats Pro 2 for the past two weeks, and heres everything you need to know.Table of contentsPowerbeats Pro 2 highlightsApple H2 chip with ANC, Transparency mode, Personalized Spatial Audio and moreCase is 33% smaller with USB-C and Qi chargingBuilt-in heart rate monitoring featuresBattery life: Up to 45 hours with the caseColors: Jet Black, Quick Sand, Hyper Purple, and Electric OrangeIPX4 sweat and water resistantPrice: $249.99Availability: Order starting today for arrival on February 13Powerbeats Pro 2 design and fitPowerbeats Pro (L) vs Powerbeats Pro 2 (R)The new Powerbeats Pro hold true to the much-loved design language set by the first generation, while simultaneously making several major improvements. The first thing youll notice is that Powerbeats Pro 2 are significantly slimmer than their predecessors. The buds themselves are slimmer, while the ear hooks feature a much more compact design.At first glance, I was concerned that the smaller and more angular design of the Powerbeats Pro 2 earhooks would make them less comfortable. After testing them for hours upon hours for two weeks, Im happy to confirm thats not the case. Beats also says Powerbeats Pro 2 are 20% lighter something I noticed right off the bat.Not only are they comfortable, but Powerbeats Pro 2 are by far the most snug-fitting and secure earbuds Ive ever used. The earhooks and in-ear tips do an incredible job at anchoring the buds to my ears. In my first few days with Powerbeats Pro 2, it took me a few tries to get that perfect fit, but since finding that sweet spot, Ive had no complaints.Theres a lot to be said for the peace of mind provided by the Powerbeats Pro 2 design. AirPods Pro fit me well, but theyve fallen out of my ears multiple times when Im sweating or walking in the rain. With Powerbeats Pro 2, my mind is at ease knowing they wont fall out of my earsPowerbeats Pro vs Powerbeats Pro 2 vs Beats Fit ProPowerbeats Pro 2 are significantly slimmer, but Beats hasnt compromised on the built-in controls. Both buds feature a multi-function button on the b logo that allows you to change listening modes, play/pause music, and more. You can customize the different button actions in the Settings app on your iPhone. Theres also a tactile volume rocker on each earbud. Ive found the volume rocker to be a tad bit finicky to use while Im on the move, but its nice to have it as an option when needed.Powerbeats Pro 2 caseThe smaller design of the Powerbeats Pro 2 also enabled Beats to dramatically shrink the size of the charging case. The new case is 33% smaller than its predecessor, which addresses one of the most common complaints about the original Powerbeats Pro. Beats emphasizes that a lot of engineering work went into making the new case as small as it is. It was a true labor of love to get the charging case down to this size. Our teams conducted literally thousands of experiments to ensure that the ear hook positioning, usability and bud presentation was aligned in the smallest possible form factor for the charging case, Matthew Costello, Apple VP of Hardware Engineering, told 9to5Mac.The Powerbeats Pro 2 case is still bigger than the cases for AirPods 4, AirPods Pro, and other Beats earbuds, but thats to be expected given the earhook design. Given the popularity of the original Powerbeats Pro, thats a tradeoff many people are willing to make. Over the past two weeks, Ive found the smaller and lighter charging case to be one of the most notable quality-of-life upgrades with Powerbeats Pro 2.In addition to the smaller footprint, however, the Powerbeats Pro 2 case also packs two key upgrades. First, it switches from Lightning to USB-C for charging. More exciting, however, is that the Powerbeats Pro 2 case is Beats first-ever case to have support for wireless charging. Ive complained about this limitation in pretty much all of my Beats reviews over the years, and Im thrilled that its finally been addressed.From L-R: Beats Solo Buds, Beats Studio Buds+, AirPods 3, AirPods Pro 2, Beats Fit Pro, Powerbeats Pro 2, Powerbeats Pro 1Connectivity featuresIm happy to report that the Powerbeats Pro 2 are the first Beats product since the Beats Fit Pro in 2019 to use an Apple audio chip.The last several releases from Beats, such as the Studio Buds Plus and Solo 4 headphones, have been powered by a custom Beats chip rather than an Apple-designed chip like whats used in AirPods. For Beats, this has enabled better cross-platform support for Android users, but its also come at the cost of several popular features for Apple fans. For example, the Studio Buds Plus lack support for automatic in-ear detection, iCloud pairing, automatic device switching, personalized spatial audio, and more.With the Powerbeats Pro 2, Beats has gone back to its roots and opted for an Apple-designed chip. The Powerbeats Pro 2 are powered by Apples H2 chip, the same chip used by the latest-generation AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4. This means you get the full suite of Apple-focused audio features, including:One-Touch pairingAudio Sharing: Share audio for music or movies with another set of compatible Beats headphones or AirPodsFind My: Locate your lost headphones on a map based on the last known connected locationPersonalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head trackingiCloud pairing: Instantly pair with every device in your iCloud accountSiri integration: Simply say Hey Siri or Siri to activate Apples voice assistantUltra-low latency: Lossless Audio with indiscernible audio latency for Apple Vision ProIn-ear detection to automatically play and pause musicEar-tip fit test available in the Settings app on iPhoneI cant underscore how pleased I am to see Powerbeats Pro 2 use Apples H2 chip, offering nearly the same slate of features as AirPods Pro 2 for Apple users. In my testing, all of these features have been rock solid. Powerbeats Pro 2 are quick to pair and connect to my devices, automatic device switching is fast and reliable, and Vision Pro integration is a nice touch.This product would not have been possible to achieve without leveraging the amazing technology and teams of Apple, Costello told me when asked about using the H2 chip in Powerbeats Pro 2.Sound qualityPowerbeats Pro 2 offer Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode as listening modes. The former is meant to block out all the noise around you, while the latter lets you hear the noise around you.Heres what Beats says about the sound architecture of Powerbeats Pro 2:Powerbeats Pro 2 features a redesigned acoustic architecture and Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking to deliver powerful, immersive sound, with clear highs, rich mid-range tones and deep bass.To ensure the best listening experience when training, Beats leveraged Apples best-performing Active Noise Cancelling technology and added Transparency mode to allow athletes to hear the world around them. Adaptive EQ tunes sound in real time based on how Powerbeats Pro 2 fits in the users ear. An inward facing microphone monitors for sound, and then Adaptive EQ, powered by computational audio, tunes the low and mid frequencies to account for what may be lost due to variances in fit.Im not an audiophile, but I have tested a lot of AirPods and Beats headphones over the years. Powerbeats Pro 2 have a very bass-driven sound profile, more so than any other recent Beats product Ive tested.Its up to you to decide whether this bass-heavy soundstage is good or bad. I tend to prefer it most of the time, but there are cases where I think a more balanced approach would sound better (think piano-led ballads like The Scientist by Coldplay).Ive been very impressed with Active Noise Cancellation on the Powerbeats Pro 2. It might just be the best ANC experience Ive had with a pair of earbuds. Yes, even better than AirPods Pro 2. I think this can be attributed to the incredibly secure and precise in-ear fit of Powerbeats Pro 2. While the AirPods Pro 2 also feature an in-ear design, the addition of the earhook on the Powerbeats Pro 2 gives another layer of security to make sure that fit is as snug as possible.Powerbeats Pro 2 also come with five sizes of ear tips in the box (XS, S, M, L, XL), compared to the four sizes you get with AirPods Pro 2.Battery lifeYou might think that the smaller Powerbeats Pro 2 form factor means battery life has taken a hit. Quite the opposite, actually.45 hours of battery life with the charging case (Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode turned off)10 hours of playback per bud per charge36 hours of battery life with the charging case (Active Noise Cancellation or Transparency Mode turned on)8 hours of playback per bud per chargeFor comparisons sake, the original Powerbeats Pro provided up to 9 hours of listening time per bud and up to 24 hours of battery life with the charging case. AirPods Pro 2, meanwhile, offer up to 6 hours on a single charge and up to 30 hours with the charging case. The new Powerbeats Pro 2 also offer Fast Fuel support, which gives up to 90 minutes of playback with a quick five-minute charge. Im still waiting on Apple to copy that feature for AirPods.Ive always found Beats to be true to its word when it comes to battery life claims, and the Powerbeats Pro are no different.Heart rate monitoringAll of the aforementioned features and improvements make Powerbeats Pro 2 an incredibly compelling product, but Beats has one more thing: Powerbeats Pro 2 feature built-in heart rate monitoring.Each Powerbeats Pro 2 earbud has a built-in heart rate monitor comprised of four components. First, theres an LED sensor that emits green LED light at a rate of over 100 pulses per second. This light is emitted through the skin and hits your red blood cells. The photodiode then receives the reflected light from the red blood cells that is modulated by the red blood flow. Theres an optical lens that helps direct and separate the transmitted and received light, along with an accelerometer to ensure accuracy and consistency in data collection.Beats adds that the Powerbeats Pro 2s heart rate sensor technology is derived from Apples work on the Apple Watch.So how does the heart rate monitoring feature on Powerbeats Pro 2 actually work?On iPhone, Beats has teamed up with some of the key fitness apps to integrate heart rate data from Powerbeats Pro 2:PelotonNike Run ClubRunnaLadderSlopesOpenYaoYaoWhile those are the apps that Beats is touting as its partners, the Powerbeats Pro 2 should integrate with any app that supports accessing and recording data from the Health app using Apples HealthKit API. Everything is managed through Apples Health app. For example, you need to ensure that the Peloton app has permission to read heart rate data from the Health app. Then, when you start a workout in the Peloton app, your Powerbeats Pro 2 will record your heart rate during that workout. The data is saved to the Peloton app and the Health app.One thing thats missing for iPhone users, however, is integration with Apple Fitness+. You can use Apple Fitness+ without an Apple Watch, but the service doesnt have the ability to tap into heart rate data from devices other than an Apple Watch for its on-screen metrics. However, if you wear your Powerbeats Pro 2 during an Apple Fitness+ workout, you can view your heart rate data in the Health app and on the post-workout summary screen in the Fitness app. Additionally, the Powerbeats Pro 2 will take continuously take background measurements of your heart rate when youre wearing them. This data can be found in the Health app.This brings me to my next point: if you already have an Apple Watch, you likely wont find much use for the heart rate sensors in the Powerbeats Pro 2. You cant connect the Powerbeats Pro 2 as a health device to your Apple Watch and use the earbuds as the heart rate source instead of the watch. If you dont have an Apple Watch, however, the Powerbeats Pro 2 give you an excellent way to monitor your heart rate during workouts. In my testing, accuracy seems to be on par with the Apple Watchs heart rate sensor. If you want to work out without anything attached to your body other than headphones, the Powerbeats Pro 2 let you do just that while still getting that valuable heart rate data.Other Powerbeats Pro 2 tidbitsPowerbeats Pro 2 incorporate upgraded digital voice microphones and a voice accelerometer while also leveraging advanced computational audio.Support for Voice Isolation with beam-forming microphone technology and targeted voice uplink with wind-noise mitigation system.Powerbeats Pro 2 are the first Beats product to deliver Lossless Audio with ultra-low latency for Apples Vision Pro, for an unprecedented sound experiencePowerbeats Pro 2 packaging is made from 100% plant-based material sourced from recycled fiber and sustainable forests.9to5Macs TakeWhat fascinates me most about the Powerbeats Pro 2 is the clear collaboration between Apple and Beats. Apple, of course, owns Beats and weve seen Beats use Apples audio chips in the past. But for Beats to specifically call out the work with Apple on the H2 chip and heart rate monitoring features is a notable sign of the evolving relationship between the two companies. Customers benefit most from this kind of collaboration, and the Powerbeats Pro 2 are a prime example of that. The Powerbeats brand has been a staple in the Beats product lineup since 2010, but the Powerbeats Pro in 2019 really took things up a notch. An Apple-backed chip design with stellar battery life, durability, and the iconic earhook form factor made Powerbeats Pro stand out among the increasingly-crowded world of truly wireless earbuds.Powerbeats Pro 2 are the perfect iteration of the product line. They maintain the fan-favorite design while simultaneously making key improvements to the form factor, like the slimmer earbuds and smaller charging case. Battery life is stellar and performance is excellent thanks to the H2 chip. The secure fit is still unmatched.If you set aside the heart rate monitoring features, those upgrades alone would make for an excellent Powerbeats Pro 2 revision.I personally dont think Ill find myself using the Powerbeats Pro 2s heart rate monitoring features very often. I wear an Apple Watch all day, every day, and as far as I can tell, there arent any situations where it would make more sense to use Powerbeats Pro 2 for heart tracking instead of my watch.But in our Apple blog bubble, its easy to assume everyone has an Apple Watch. In the real world, thats not the case. Theres undoubtedly a crowd of people that will find it incredibly useful to have heart rate monitoring features built into their earbuds. For certain types of workouts, its not always feasible or comfortable to wear an Apple Watch. For those people and those situations, Powerbeats Pro 2 offer an excellent experience.I do, however, wish Beats and Apple had taken the Apple Watch into consideration when developing these heart rate sensors for Powerbeats Pro 2. For example, ideally you would be able to pair the Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds to your Apple Watch and use their heart rate data instead of the watchs. The Apple Watch supports third-party heart rate monitors, like the popular Polar H10 Chest Strap. The Powerbeats Pro 2 just dont support that integration. The Powerbeats Pro 2 are clearly designed and marketed towards fitness enthusiasts. Even if you dont think you fall into that category, I recommend giving them a shot if youre in the market for a new pair of earphones. Again, the peace of mind offered by having truly wireless earbuds that you know wont fall out of your ears cant be overstated.Finally, the Powerbeats Pro 2 release is the latest piece of evidence that Beats is firing on all cylinders right now. They represent the companys most ambitious product yet, combining a significant form factor revamp and first-of-its-kind heart rate monitoring technology. Plus, Beats continues to give us the form factors, colors, and features that Apples AirPods are missing. Powerbeats Pro 2 are available to order today for $249, with in-store availability starting on Thursday.The full Beats lineupBeats Solo BudsBeats Studio Buds+Beats Fit ProPowerbeats Pro 2Beats PillBeats Solo 4Beats Studio ProAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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  • Apple Watch Series 10 may have a defective speaker issue, some users report
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    The Apple Watch Series 10 launched in September as Apples latest flagship model, and theres a lot to love about it. Since then, however, a growing number of reports have highlighted a potential hardware issue with some units that affects the built-in speaker. Heres what you should know.Users report Series 10 speaker volume is unusually lowAs outlined by various Reddit and Apple Support threads, some Apple Watch Series 10 users have discovered they have a defective speaker.Affected users say that they will set their Apple Watch to max volume and can still barely hear whats coming from the built-in speaker.In some cases, the issue seems to have come on graduallytheir Series 10 speaker started off fine, but degraded over time. Others, however, seem to have had issues right from the start.The speaker issue affects volume across all Watch functions, such as playing music or podcasts, making phone calls, and more.You can find reports on Apples Support Community here and here, plus in various Reddit posts. For example, this Apple Support thread includes the following replies to the original poster:Im having the same problem with my Apple Watch 10. It is my 4th apple watch and I never had a volume problem with the others.I have had an Apple Watch for YEARS and have had NO problems. Then I got a new Apple Watch Series 10 in November 2024 and by December the sound was so low you couldnt hear it when it was on full volume.Same problem: My new Apple Watch 10 at maximum volume is nearly inaudible.Same here. Speaker is low playing back voice memos, too. I have the volume cranked. Its insane how I cant hear it at that setting.Apple has not yet officially acknowledged a hardware issue with the Apple Watch Series 10. But well keep you posted on any further developments in this space.Have you had issues with your Apple Watch Series 10s speaker? Let us know in the comments.Best Apple Watch accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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  • Trump may renege on CHIPS Act, jeopardizing plans for Apple chips in the US
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    TSMC agreed to build a series of chip plants in the US, with Apple a key customer, using subsidies provided by the bipartisan CHIPS Act. Trump has now called the Act ridiculous and wants to renege on the promised funding.If he followed through on the threat, it could throw into doubt the viability of the US chipmaking plants, and lead to cancellation of TSMCs expansion plans Made in America Apple chipsApple first announced its planfor Made in America chips back in 2022, with the news hailed as one of the success stories of the US CHIPS Act. This is a government subsidy program intended to free the US from dependence on China for advanced chip supplies and to generate jobs for US workers.The initiative will see a series of TSMC chipmaking plants built in Arizona, with some of the production reserved for Apple chips for older devices.A report last month suggested that test production is well underway at the first plant, with mass production not far away. A sizeable chunk of the subsidies are set to be used to establish production of smaller-process 2nm chips, starting from 2028.Trump may renege on CHIPS ActHowever, these plans have now been thrown into doubt by comments made by Trump. The Financial Times reports on his remarks.Trump wants to tax imported semiconductors and dismantle an incentive scheme under which Washington agreed to subsidise TSMCs pledged $65bn investment in US production capacity with grants worth $6.6bn []We dont want to give them billions of dollars like this ridiculous programme that Biden has, he said, adding that foreign chipmakers didnt need money, they needed an incentive, and the incentive is going to be, theyre not going to want to pay a 25, 50 or even 100 per cent tax []TSMC has to convince Trump to honour the Biden administrations subsidies deal, which it needs to make its Arizona investment plans feasible.9to5Macs TakeTrumps comments clearly make no sense. Hes saying he wants to force foreign chipmakers to establish production in the US, while threatening to remove funding from one which is about to start doing just that.The kindest interpretation would be that its a negotiating tactic, with Trump hoping to extract further concessions from TSMC after the deal was done. But at this point it would be hard for TSMC to trust anything the current administration offers in return, and the safest bet would be to cancel plans for expansion.The existing plant is a sunk cost, so production will almost certainly proceed there, but the chipmaker will likely reduce the volume commitments it made in return for the subsidies if they are reduced or withdrawn.Photo byLaura OckelonUnsplashAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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  • Bug in macOS and iOS updates re-enables Apple Intelligence for some whod opted out
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    While most of us are have welcomed Apple Intelligence and are impatiently waiting for it to do more, there are some whove opted out. Some of these users are reporting that the latest macOS and iOS updates have re-enabled the feature.While its clearly a bug, its not clear at this point what causes the unintended behavior, nor how widespread it is Apple Intelligence is an optional feature, and users should be asked whether or not they want to enable it when first updating to a supported version of macOS, iOS, or iPadOS.Some who had been offered the feature in a previous update and declined are reporting that macOS 15.3.1 and iOS 18.3.1 are re-enabling it, without the usual Skip For Now option. Developer Jeff Johnson was one of those to experience it.Some people who had previously disabled Apple Intelligence in macOS 15.3 and iOS 18.3 saw it re-enabled after updating to macOS 15.3.1 and iOS 18.3.1 today. In fact I personally have two different Apple silicon Macs running macOS Sequoia, and after I updated both Macs to 15.3.1, Apple Intelligence was re-enabled on my MacBook Pro but not on my Mac mini.The difference in behavior appears to depend on whether the Setup Assistant and welcome screen is displayed after the update. On my MacBook Pro, but not my Mac mini, I saw the Setup Assistant.He notes that security researcherWill Dormannexperienced the same issue on iOS.People who updated to iOS 18.3.1 today: Did you see a Welcome screen on reboot, and subsequently also an Apple Intelligence screen that automatically turns it on?Out of my two iPhone devices (on two different Apple accounts), both of them got the multiple-language welcome screen. The one that was new enough to support Apple Intelligence also got the Apple Intelligence screen, which turned it on.How to disable Apple IntelligenceIf this has happened to you, you can of course easily disable it.On Mac, go to > System Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri and flip the Apple Intelligence toggle to off.On iPhone, open the Settings app then Apple Intelligence & Siri and flip the Apple Intelligence toggle to off.Wed expect the issue to be resolved in the next updates.Image: 9to5MacAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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  • Apple @ Work Podcast: Catching up with Tailscale CEO Avery Pennarun
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    Skip to main contentApple @ Work Podcast: Catching up with Tailscale CEO Avery Pennarun Bradley C|Feb 11 2025 - 3:00 am PTApple @ 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 TRIALtoday and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple.In this episode of Apple @ Work, I talk with Avery Pennarun, CEO and Co-Founder of Tailscale, about the benefits of their VPN implementation, MDM integration, and more.Show NotesHow our free plan stays freeConnect with BradleyListen and subscribeListen to Past EpisodesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel Featuredfrom 9to5Mac9to5Mac Logo Manage push notificationsAllPost
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  • Samsung report confirms timings for OLED MacBook Pro; MacBook Air further delayed
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    A supply chain report on Samsung Display confirms expectations that the first OLED MacBook Pro models will launch in 2026. It says that the company is current working on the first samples of the displays, and expects to be in full production in 2026.The report also suggests that well have to wait even longer than expected for the first MacBook Air models with OLED screens OLED MacBook Pro launchCurrent MacBook Pro screens are IPS LCD with mini-LED backlighting an older display technology given a refresh by more precisely-controllable backlights.There had initially been some disagreement between Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and display analyst Ross Young on when we could expect MacBook Pro screens to switch to OLED. Kuo suggested 2025, while Young said 2026. Last year, however, Kuo deferred to Ross, agreeing that 2026 was the date.A supply-chain report in TheElec provides sufficient detail to essentially confirm this. It says that Samsung Display is currently working on sample OLED panels for the MacBook Pro, and will enter full production next year, with Apple as the primary customer.Samsung Display IT 8th generation organic light-emitting diode (OLED) line (A6) will be completed in the first half of the year. The first depositioner (unione 1) is expected to be OLED for Apples MacBook Pro []Using the first plant, it plans to make a panel for Apple OLED MacBook Pro, which is expected to be released in 2026 [] OLED MacBook Pro shipment forecast is 3 million to 5 million units per year.Were expecting a total redesign of the MacBook Pro as part of its switch to OLED, with the notch replaced by a punch-hole for the webcam and a thinner and lighter form factor.OLED MacBook Air postponed to 2029 or laterEarly reports indicated that Apple was planning to transition the MacBook Air to OLED in 2027, with subsequent ones suggesting this had been pushed back to 2028.However, todays report is even more pessimistic, saying that Apple has pushed back the date to after 2029. Machine translation is often flakey with it comes to these things, so its likely this refers to no earlier than 2029.Even when it does arrive, were expecting the MacBook Air to get an older and less sophisticated OLED panel than the MacBook Pro. The OLED MacBook Air is also expected to get a standard single-stack display, rather than the more sophisticated Two-Stack Tandem displayswe reported on for the MacBook Pro.Single-stack displays have one red, green and blue layer, while two-stack tandem OLED has a second RGB layer. Two layers stacked in tandem increases the brightness of the screen, while also increasing longevity.Photo byJn VlauhaonUnsplashAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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