Today Apple pushed out the release candidate for iOS 18.3, this comes on the heels of last Thursdays release of iOS 18.3 developer beta 3. In its release notes, Apple states that the update brings improvements to Visual Intelligence, along with the boilerplate other enhancements, bug fixes, and security updates.But theres much more than meets the eye when it comes to this iOS 18.3 release candidate. Beneath the surface, theres new evidence of the upcoming iOS 18.4 Siri updates, future changes with screen recording/streaming, and new animations for Shortcuts and Messages. In this hands-on video, we take a look at whats new in iOS 18.3 RC. Be sure to subscribe to us on YouTube for more iOS Decoded.Whats new in iOS 18.3 Release CandidateiOS 18.3 RC ships with build number22D60and wasreleased to developers and public beta testers on January 21, 2025.On the outside, iOS 18.3 isnt as feature laden as previous releases, like iOS 18.1 and iOS 18.2, but this is historically par for the course when it comes to x.3 iOS releases. That all being said, there are quite a few changes underneath the hood in iOS 18.3, and a fair share of user-facing updates as well.Visual IntelligenceA new feature for iPhone 16 users lets you add an event to the Calendar from a poster or flyer, and easily identify plants and animals. I tested both, and they both worked as expected.Notification SummaryArguably the biggest feature in iOS 18.3 was revealed last week with the updated Notification Summaries. Apple is now making it super-clear that the feature is a beta, and in order to avoid issues with so-called AI hallucinations, it disabled summaries for the entire News & Entertainment app category. Thats a pretty drastic step, but its necessary given the type of false headlines that the feature was generating for prominent news services like BBC News and the New York Times. For more details, be sure to watch our full roundup on iOS 18.3 beta 3:Calculator repeats the last mathematical operationThis feature appeared in previous iOS 18.3 betas, but its sure to be a hit once iOS 18.3 goes live to the public. Like you could with iOS releases prior to iOS 18, you can now continuously press the equals sign to repeat mathematic operations.New zoom transition in Shortcuts also being worked on for MessagesiOS 18.3 hints at new transition animations for Shortcuts and the Messages app. Watch the video embedded at the top of the page for a hands-on look at the new Zoom animation in action. Its a small, but nice change.Hints at Apple Intelligence in ShortcutsSo far Apple Intelligence has not been integrated with Shortcuts, but it look as if Apple is working on this integration according to new strings found in iOS 18.3 code.Upcoming screen recording / streaming featuresIts not yet live in iOS 18.3, but weve seen new details on upcoming screen recording and streaming features. In a future update users will be able to do the following:Record using stereo microphone audioDisplay a live camera overlay using picture-in-picture UIHave HDR support for screen recording9to5Macs TakeiOS 18.3, while not sporting headline features like the two previous big iOS updates, has quite a few significant changes. These include both user-facing features, and under-the-hood updates that hint at future iOS updates and hardware. Well be back next week with a full roundup of everything new once iOS 18.3 goes live to the public. In the meantime, share your thoughts 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

Apple TV+ just wrapped up Silo season 2, but the series has already been picked up for seasons 3 and 4. Now, the shows creator has revealed a big visual change to expect in the next season.Showrunner on Silo season 3: there will be sunshineModern TV shows can at times be poorly lit.Call it the Game of Thrones problem, since some of that shows most expensive and anticipated episodes famously were too dark for lots of viewers to see what was happening on-screendespite the big budgets.Silos first two seasons have similarly been pretty dark, with season 2 being especially problematic.But Silos creator and showrunner, Graham Yost, shared in a new interview that things are changing in season 3. **minor spoilers ahead**Yost was asked if that season 2 finale cliffhanger was any indication of changes of scenery coming next season. He confirmed it was.Matt Webb Mitovich writes at TVLine with Yosts reply:So yes, we will be outdoors, and we will be in the world, and there will be sunshine, Yost said, speaking to the parts of Season 3 that will be brighter.That said. We do go back to Silo 17 in Season 3, he noted. And remember, theyve got a very big power issue there, so they dont have a lot of light.So theres hope for season 3 yet.The new season is expected to bounce between book 2 in the Silo trilogywhich follows the characters introduced upon season 2s endand book 3, interweaving the two stories similar to how this past season followed separate silos.Thus, good chunks of the show should be much brighter and easier to see than ever. But well still be due for some dark Silo 17 scenes too.Did you have trouble seeing Silo season 2 because of it was too dark? Let us know in the comments.Best Apple TV and Home 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

Apple Watch Ultra, outside of a very nice new titanium black, hasnt been meaningfully upgraded since 2023. But later this year thats going to change when the Apple Watch Ultra 3 arrives. Here are three new features coming to the Apple Watch Ultra 3.High blood pressure detectionNew health features are one thing you can consistently expect from Apple Watch upgrades. According to Mark Gurman, this year Apple is planning to introduce high blood pressure detection:The blood-pressure featureis designed to work in a similar way to Apples sleep apnea detector. It wont give users specific readings such as diastolic or systolic levels but it will inform them that they may be in a state of hypertension.Gurman notes that this project has been years in the making, and has faced delays before, but a launch this year is currently planned.Satellite messaging sans iPhoneApple Watch Ultra has always been geared toward adventurers and explorers, despite the product gaining plenty of fans with more casual needs. With the Ultra 3, Apple will add a new capability designed especially for those who enjoy going off the grid.Messaging over satellite is coming to the Apple Watch Ultra 3.Heres Gurman again:The technology will let smartwatch users send off-the-grid text messages via Globalstar Inc.s fleet of satellites when they dont have a cellular or Wi-Fi connection.iPhone users have had this technology for a few years, and it got even better with a critical iOS 18 update. The Apple Watch, however, has never gotten its own satellite connectivity. With the new Ultra 3 it will be easier than ever for users to leave their iPhone behind to truly embrace the outdoors.5G cellular for the first timebetter battery life that's the biggest factor to upgrade, let the watch go all the way to 72h at least. if they can do that I will definitely buy it. if they can do that plus something else I would like a more conformable form factor. on the software side they should let you use the watch buttons only when you are working out. View all commentsThis third upgrade also focuses on connectivity. Whereas previous Apple Watch Ultra models have been limited to 4G LTE connectivity, Apple plans to bring 5G to the Ultra 3 this year.This upgrade will reportedly take the form of 5G Redcap, a less power-hungry version of 5G. Redcap cant hit the same max speeds as your iPhones 5G, but it will ensure your Watch doesnt take a big battery hit either.Apple Watch Ultra 3 wrap-upThe new Apple Watch Ultra 3 isnt expected to arrive until the fall, so theres still plenty of time for additional feature leaks to happen. Perhaps well get even better battery performance this time around, for example. But for now at least, it sounds like Apple is doubling down on the Ultra 3 as the ultimate Watch for adventurers.What new features do you want to see in the Apple Watch Ultra 3? 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

Netflix is hiking its prices once again. Starting today, the cheapest Netflix plan will cost $7.99 per month, while the top-of-the-line plan with 4K streaming will cost you a cool $24.99 monthly. Netflixs latest price increaseHere are the details of the impending Netflix price increase, which impacts all three of its plans: Standard with ads: $7.99 (up from $6.99) per monthStandard without ads: $17.99 (up from $15.49) per monthPremium: $24.99 (up from $22.99) per month The price increases affect users in the United States, Canada, Portugal and Argentina. In a letter to shareholders today, Netflix said the price increase will let it continue to invest in programming: As we continue to invest in programming and deliver more value for our members, we will occasionally ask our members to pay a little more so that we can re-invest to further improve Netflix. To that end, we are adjusting prices today across most plans in the US, Canada, Portugal and Argentina. Netflixs latest price increase comes the same day the company reported monster earnings for Q4 2024. The streaming service added 18.9 million new subscribers in the quarter, beating analyst expectations of 9.6 million additions. It now has a whopping 302 million paid subscribers around the world. Netflix also reported revenue of $10.25 billion, beating estimates of $10.11 billion. Earnings-per-share came in at $4.28, compared to estimates of $4.20. It also declared a $15 billion share buyback program. Netflix last increased its prices in October 2023, when the Premium tier increased from $19.99 to $22.99 monthly. Shortly thereafter, Netflix discontinued its popular ad-free Basic subscription. This served as an effective price increase for anyone wanting an ad-free Netflix experience, raising the ad-free floor from $11.99 to $15.49 per month (now $17.99 with todays price hike). As a refresher, heres what you get with each Netflix plan. Standard with ads: Ad-supported, all mobile games and most movies and TV shows are available. A lock icon will appear on unavailable titles.Watch on 2 supported devices at a timeWatch in 1080p (Full HD)Download on 2 supported devices at a timeStandard without ads: Unlimited ad-free movies, TV shows, and mobile gamesWatch on 2 supported devices at a timeWatch in 1080p (Full HD)Download on 2 supported devices at a timeOption to add 1 extra member who doesnt live with youPremium: Unlimited ad-free movies, TV shows, and mobile gamesWatch on 4 supported devices at a timeWatch in 4K (Ultra HD) + HDRDownload on 6 supported devices at a timeOption to add up to 2 extra members who dont live with youNetflix spatial audioAre you still a Netflix subscriber? How much are you willing to pay for the service? Let us know down 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

A new survey of game developers shows significant interest in the Vision Pro for gaming, with big growth expected from soon-to-be made visionOS games. Here are the details.Game developer survey reveals plans for new visionOS gamesAs published by GamesBeat, a recent Game Developers Conference survey sought to gauge engagement from developers with Apples new spatial computing platform.The data points to big growth coming soon. Heres what it says:Although only 8% of VR/AR developers are currently making games for Apple vision OS, the platform looks to be growing its foothold. Almost one-fifth (18%) of respondents say their next games will be on the platform, and one-fourth are interested in Apples VR headset.These three data points are all interesting in their own ways.First, its a bit surprising that 8% of VR/AR game developers are currently working on a visionOS project. We certainly havent seen much from their efforts yet, as Vision Pro gaming options have been scarce so far. That number is encouraging to hear.Second, the fact that 18% of respondents confirmed their next game would be on Vision Pro shows how much growth we should see soon.The final question is especially relevant too, especially when comparing visionOS interest to that of other platforms.Notably, 26% of respondents said that visionOS was of high interest to them as a game developer, while only 25% said the same for PlayStation VR2a platform that might be about to bolster Apples Vision Pro efforts.The survey involved over 3,000 game developers in total, a sizable group that provides a solid glimpse into what creatives in the gaming community are planning.What do you think of the Vision Pro gaming survey results? Let us know in the comments.Best Vision Pro 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

Apple released the RC (release candidate) beta for macOS Sequoia 15.3 earlier today. As such, we now have access to the full release notes for the update.macOS Sequoia 15.3: Apples full release notesThis update introduces Genmoji, powered by Apple Intelligence, and also includes other enhancements, bug fixes, and security updates for your Mac.Genmoji creation in Messages and other appsCalculator repeats the last mathematical operation when you click the equals sign againEasily manage settings for notification summaries from the Lock Screen (Mac with Apple silicon)Updated style for summarized notifications better distinguishes them from other notifications by using italicized text as well as the glyph (Mac with Apple silicon)Notification summaries for News & Entertainment apps are temporarily unavailable, and users who opt-in will see them again when the feature becomes available (Mac with Apple silicon)Some features may not be available for all regions, or on all Apple devices.When to expect macOS 15.3s launchNow that macOS 15.3 has received its RC beta, the full public launch will likely take place within about a week.Its always possible Apple will ship a new RC later this week with additional bug fixes and improvements. However, we should still see the public launch of 15.3 happen around the start of next weekperhaps Monday, January 27.Its one of the smaller macOS updates of late, but still brings some nice improvements, especially with Genmoji now arriving on the Mac.Are you looking forward to using macOS 15.3? 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

iOS 18.3 is launching soon, as todays RC beta confirms. Alongside updates to notification summaries, the release will also automatically enable Apple Intelligence for iPhone users, and the Mac and iPad will follow suit.Apple Intelligence becomes opt-out in iOS 18.3Up until now, Apple Intelligence has been an opt-in set of features for users.When installing iOS 18.1 or 18.2, users would be asked if they wanted to enable the AI upgrades, and only after confirming would the features become available.But in iOS 18.3, thats going to change.Per Apples just-published beta release notes, iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, and macOS 15.3 will all automatically enable Apple Intelligence upon installation.Here are the official details on the change:For users new or upgrading to iOS 18.3, Apple Intelligence will be enabled automatically during iPhone onboarding. Users will have access to Apple Intelligence features after setting up their devices. To disable Apple Intelligence, users will need to navigate to the Apple Intelligence & Siri Settings pane and turn off the Apple Intelligence toggle. This will disable Apple Intelligence features on their device.Similar notes are included for the iPadOS and macOS updates.Change follows months of public Apple Intelligence availabilityFor users with a supported AI device, the vast majority have likely already enabled Apple Intelligence.However, for those who havent yet, Apple is going to flip the switch on those AI features when the update arrives.Whats unclear is what will happen for users who at one point enabled Apple Intelligence, then later decided to disable it in Settings.Hopefully, iOS 18.3 and its companion updates wont re-enable the features, but well have to wait and see what happens after the public release arrives.iOS 18.3 is overall a feature-light release, but notably it does include several changes to AI notification summariesthe most controversial AI feature so far.It seems that Apple feels like, with those changes, and a couple months with Apple Intelligence available publicly, now is the right time to activate its AI features by default.What do you think about this change? Is it surprising at all? 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

Apple has just released a lineup of new beta software. The RC (release candidate) beta is rolling out now for tvOS 18.3, visionOS 2.3, HomePod 18.3, and more.Public launch expected soon for x.3 updatesApples upcoming slate of software updates is gearing up for public launch very soon.Todays RC updates confirm that, as public releases should follow in the next week or so.Developers can download and install the RC across a variety of platforms, including:iOS 18.3iPadOS 18.3macOS Sequoia 15.3tvOS 18.3visionOS 2.3watchOS 11.3and HomePod 18.3Public betas have been released for compatible platforms too.Overall these updates have been relatively light on features.The biggest changes have been on AI-supported platforms like iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, all of which have gained enhancements for the controversial AI notification summary feature.On tvOS 18.3, visionOS 2.3, and watchOS 11.3, the main beta feature worth noting is the addition of robot vacuum support coming to the Home app.Have you installed Apples RC updates? Noticed anything new? Let us know in the comments.Best accessories for Vision Pro, Apple TV, and WatchAdd 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

As we reported earlier, the iOS 18.3 Release Candidate is now available to developers and public beta users. This likely represents the final beta for iOS 18.3 before the update is released to the general public. As such, Apple has now shared its official release notes for iOS 18.3 for the first time. Head below for the full details. Here are the full release notes for iOS 18.3 straight from Apple: Visual intelligence with Camera Control (All iPhone 16 models)Add an event to Calendar from a poster or flyerEasily identify plants and animalsNotification summaries (All iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max)Easily manage settings for notification summaries from the Lock ScreenUpdated style for summarized notifications better distinguishes them from other notifications by using italicized text as well as the glyphNotification summaries for News & Entertainment apps are temporarily unavailable, and users who opt-in will see them again when the feature becomes availableThis update includes the following enhancements and bug fixes:Calculator repeats the last mathematical operation when you tap the equals sign againFixes an issue where the keyboard might disappear when initiating a typed Siri requestResolves an issue where audio playback continues until the song ends even after closing Apple MusicIf Apple follows its usual pattern, which is not a guarantee, iOS 18.3 will be released to the general public next week. WHat are you most looking forward to trying with iOS 18.3? Let us know down in the comments. My favorite iPhone 16 accessories: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

Apples services division keeps growing, but the company doesnt break out individual services like TV+ to show how each is performing financially. Filling that gap, new reporting shows how much revenue the biggest Apple TV+ hits have been estimated to generate for the company.Top Apple TV+ shows driving revenue include The Morning Show, Severance, moreParrot Analytics is a leading player in TV streaming data. In an age where streaming service performance is largely kept close to the chest, customers like Disney, Max, Amazon, and Google hire Parrot to get key insights on how their own streamers and competition is doing.Today, new Parrot data has been shared through a Deadline report that focuses on Apple TV+.Specifically, the piece highlights how much revenue the biggest Apple TV+ hits have generated for the company.Parrots data is based on its Content Valuation methodology, which uses a formula to correlate audience demand with subscribers and therefore revenue.Heres what the findings reveal:Severance season 1 generated more than $200 million for AppleSlow Horses, in a similar timeframe, generated $184.8 millionThe Morning Show brought in $299.4 million, but over a much longer period of timeWhat about Ted Lasso, the indisputable biggest Apple TV+ hit? It has generated a massive $609.4 million for Apple from Q3 2020 to Q3 2024.Who knows? Maybe the upcoming season 4 could push that Ted Lasso number close to a billion.9to5Macs TakeTodays Deadline report is very selective in whats shared by Parrot, including comparing four different TV+ shows across varying timelines of performance. So there are only so many conclusions that should be drawn from whats been shared.That said, its still interesting to get a glimpse into the potential financial impact Apple is seeing from its biggest TV+ hits. Even though Apple regularly operates more in the billions than millions, these are still significant numbers. Severances success specifically points to the unique opportunity Apple has with season 2 to enjoy its next Ted Lasso-type moment.What do you make of Parrots Apple TV+ revenue reporting? Let us know in the comments.Best Apple TV and Home 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

iPad photography and videography have long been the subject of ridicule. But a new app trend is giving fresh value to the iPads rear camera. Heres why.Cameras have long been essential components of the iPhone.Not so much on iPad.While the front-facing camera is great for video calls, Apple has regularly upgraded the iPads rear camera toofor seemingly little reason.Using an iPad to take photos and video is largely seen as silly. It happens, sure, but few of us know why.Recently though, a new app trend has started emerging that makes the iPads camera more valuable than ever.Multi-cam apps are a growing domain on the App Store.Final Cut Camera launched last fall as Apples free flagship offeringBlackmagic Camera offers similar functionality with additional pro toolsand yesterday, Canon debuted Live Switcher Mobile with a special focus on livestreamersSpare iPads provide new video possibilities with multi-camAt their core, these apps provide the option of shooting simultaneous, synced video across multiple iOS and iPadOS devices.Few of us own multiple iPhones, but its not uncommon to own both an iPhone and iPad.These new multi-cam apps, therefore, benefit a lot from the iPad having a decent camera.If youre livestreaming, recording a home video, or even shooting a big-budget blockbuster like the forthcoming 28 Years Later, having a spare iPad lying around provides expanded possibilities. With an app like Final Cut Camera, you can setup multi-angle shoots that make your little amateur project all of a sudden seem more professional. Multi-cam apps are a key step toward upgrading the bar of what non-pros can accomplish.Maybe the iPads camera can finally prove itself worth having.Do you think multi-cam apps will make the iPads camera more important? Why or why not? 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

Two of the worlds leading market intelligence firms report that the iPhone has lost its place as the best-selling phone in China, dropping from 1st to 3rd place in the final quarter of last year.Increased competition from local brands is cited as one factor, the second being Apples inability to offer AI features in the country Canalys report last weekCanalys was first to report on Apples changing fortunes in China.Canalysreports that iPhone shipments in China fell by 25% year-on-year in the final quarter of the year.That means Apples market share fell from a chart-topping 19% in 2023 to joint-third with Oppo and Honor in 2024, each with a 15% share.Counterpoint corroboratesWhile the exact estimates differ, Counterpoint Research now reaches the same conclusion.Huawei took the top spot, followed by Xiaomi and Apple [] In Q4 2024, Huawei climbed to the top spot with an 18.1% share. This is the first time since the US ban that Huawei regained the leading position []Xiaomi secured the second spot in Q4 2024 with a 17.2% market share, driven by strong growth from Q3 into Q4. This growth was fueled by the popularity of its flagship Mi 15 series, launched in October. Xiaomi has made significant progress in premiumization this year []Amid intensifying market competition from Huawei and other Chinese OEMs expanding into the premium market, Apple ranked third during the quarter, capturing a 17.1% market share.AI features a significant factorWhile smartphones from Chinese brands now have AI features, Apple Intelligence is not yet available in the country. Apple wanted to be able to use its own generative AI model there, but the Chinese government essentially said that wouldnt be permitted.The government last month said that launching Apple Intelligence in China would bea difficult and long processunless the iPhone maker partners with a local AI company. Working with a Chinese company would instead be simple and straightforward.Apple is believed to be negotiating with Tencent and ByteDance, but with nothing to show for it as yet.Photo byChristian LueonUnsplashAdd 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

Skip to main contentApple @ Work PodcastApple @ Work Podcast: The Mac @ Work report Bradley C|Jan 21 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 Tim Lydon from Wipro about their recent Mac @ Work report.Connect 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

The TikTok ban which came into effect on Sunday has been suspended for 75 days by an executive order signed by President Trump on his inauguration day. He has also said that US companies who provide services to TikTok during this time will not be prosecuted.However, legal scholars note that Trumps order does not appear to comply with the law, and say that companies who make TikTok available remain liable for hundreds of billions of dollars of fines, so Apple is unlikely to return the app to the App Store A four-day roller-coaster rideOn Friday, the US Supreme Courtupheld the law imposing a ban on TikTokin the US. That meant the ban would take effect on January 19.The Biden administrationissued a statementsaying that it didnt intend to try to enforce the law in its last 24 hours in the White House, and it would therefore be a matter for Trump to decide. Trump initially said he needed time to consider the matter, andTikTok went offline in the USon Sunday.Apple issued a statementsaying it was obliged to follow the law by removing the app from the App Store.Later on Sunday, Trump made a social media post saying that he would suspend the ban as soon as he took office the next day, and that there would be no liability for ignoring the law in the meantime. Access to the app was restored by Bytedance, as US host Oracle apparently decided it could trust Trumps promise on liability.However, Apple and other app store providers were unwilling to return the app to their app stores on the basis of a social media post. TikTok ban suspended for 75 daysTrump has signed an executive order suspending the ban for 75 days, and stating that US companies who support TikToks return will be shielded from liability.As NPR notes, the law allows for the TikTok ban to be suspended for up to 90 days, provided that there is evidence of a deal in progress.The law does allow one exception: TikTok can continue to operate if Trump certifies to Congress that significant progress has been made toward TikTok breaking away from ByteDances ownership.The law requires that Trump show Congress there are legally binding agreements in motion over ownership changes at TikTok.Executive order likely invalidTrump has not provided any evidence that the requirements of the law have been met, so lawyers continue to express doubt that the promised liability shield would have any effect.Given this, it seems unlikely that Apple, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft will risk restoring TikTok to their app stores until the legal requirements are met.China slightly softens its stanceThe Chinese government has so far rejected the idea of any sale to a US company, but a senior official yesterday suggested that it might be softening its stance.Trump had suggested that perhaps a 50/50 joint venture between China and the US might be a solution. Reuters asked for a response to this, and was given a non-committal answer.We hope the US will earnestly listen to the voice of reason and provide an open, fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment for market entities from all countries. When it comes to actions such as the operation and acquisition of businesses, we believe they should be independently decided by companies in accordance with market principles. If it involves Chinese companies, Chinas laws and regulations should be observed.While thats not exactly a ringing endorsement of the idea, it is a change from the previous outright rejection.TikTok is back in the US, but its not on the App Store: Heres what you need to knowPhoto byTabrez SyedonUnsplashAdd 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

I have an AirTag on my keychain to keep track of my keys, but obviously an AirTag is too big and bulky to fit inside a wallet. Thats what the SwitchBot Wallet Finder is for. Disguised inside a thin, credit-card form factor, the SwitchBot Wallet Finder connects to the Find My app on your iPhone, so you can follow its location, and it even houses a speaker so you can make it beep to help you find your wallet when it inevitably gets lost somewhere in your home.Read on for my review SetupSetup is super simple. Although it ostensibly supports its own app and Android, I have used it solely through the Apple Find My app built into the phone. I didnt even download the SwitchBot app at all. To set up, you open Find My, tap Add Item, and press and hold the button on the Wallet Finder card for a couple of seconds. You then choose a name and emoji icon to identify it later. By default, it suggested Benjamins Keys, but I renamed it to Benjamins Wallet, selected one of the wallet-adjacent available emojis, and pressed Continue and I was done. Then, it just slips into one of the empty card pockets in my wallet.How it tracks locationAs a reminder, Find My accessories do not have GPS. Instead, they broadcast a low-energy Bluetooth signal that nearby Apple devices like iPhones, iPads and Macs pick up on. The location is then transmitted securely and privately to the Find My network, so you can hopefully locate and retrieve your lost item.Even if you are miles away, as long as someone with an Apple device is nearby, the wallet will be locatable on the map in the Find My app.Theres also no ongoing subscription or other costs to worry about (unlike some competitors).As demonstrated by the success of AirTags, the Find My network works really well and the SwitchBot Wallet Finder is just as effective. If your item is stationary, and nearby one of the billion iOS devices in the world, it wont take too long for its location to appear in Find My. If the item is moving, location updates are slightly delayed behind real-time, however.You can also use the Find My app to mark your item as explicitly lost. Then, if someone else finds your wallet and wants to help give it back to its rightful owner, they can use the Identify Found Item feature in Find My which will present your contact information to help arrange returning it to you. The upcoming iOS 18.2 update even adds the ability to make a shareable link to send to others to help assist in tracking down your lost items.Finding nearby using the speakerUnlike an AirTag, the Wallet Finder does not incorporate an ultra-wide band radio. That means it lacks the Precision Finding feature that the AirTag offers when in close proximity.However, the integrated speaker in the Wallet Finder more than suffices for the job of finding your lost wallet. When in Bluetooth range, the card emits a reasonably loud tone. It is slightly less loud than the sound an AirTag makes, and naturally gets a bit muffed when ensconced inside a closed wallet, but it is still audible, more than enough for you to hear it from a good distance away.For the (embarrassingly common) case of when Ive misplaced my wallet somewhere inside my house, I can now just open the Find My app, press Play Sound, and instantly hear which room it is in.Find My also works with the Siri voice assistant, as an added convenience. For example, I can shout wheres my wallet? at my HomePod, and it will start pinging it for me.Safety and trackingIve been using Pebblebee Card for the last couple of years and I love it! They released a new version recently that has even longer battery life. Rechargeable also! View all commentsJust like AirTags, the Wallet Finder is marketed as a device to help recover lost items. It is not designed to address problems of theft or nefariously track other people. If the card is separated from its owner for a period of time, the speaker will emit a noise to make people aware of its presence. It will also trigger Unknown Item Moving With You alerts on any nearby iPhones in the vicinity.Its also worth pointing out that someone else with the card in their possession can deactivate the Find My connection, by pressing the button in a particular shutdown sequence.ConclusionIf used for its intended purpose, the SwitchBot Wallet Finder is a very effective and great value for money. While obviously designed to be kept inside a wallet, it even has a built-in hole cutout if you did want to slip it on some kind of lanyard or keychain. I highly recommend it.Perhaps the only drawback to be aware of is that the Wallet Finder card has no means of replacing the battery. It is a single use consumable, rated for about 3 years of usage. But the contents of your wallet are valuable enough that it probably makes financial sense to simply buy another when it eventually dies. You just have to be okay with yourself regarding the environmental waste.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

Apples AirTag has long been a great option for tracking your vehicles location, and now one Colorado police department has caught on and started giving them away free to help deter auto theft.CBS Colorado shared a story on its YouTube channel yesterday about the recent Arvada, Colorado AirTag distribution (via AppleInsider).The report says that police are trying to decrease the number of auto thefts by distributing free AirTags and Tile trackers to members of the community. The first such giveaway just took place, and another is planned.A key part of the giveaway is an included sticker that can be placed on a vehicle to warn off potential criminals.The sticker declares that police will be able to track the vehicle if its stolen, since its Tracker Equipped.Of course, that would require the AirTag owner to share the location with authorities. There are no strings attached to the AirTag giveaway that give police special tracking privileges. But in the case of a theft, yes, the AirTag would help police track down the stolen vehicle.It will be interesting to see if this program leads to a noticeable drop in auto thefts in the Arvada area, in which case perhaps well start to see AirTag giveaways become more common.Do you think more cities should give away free AirTags for vehicles? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments.Best AirTag deals and accessoriesAirTag 1-pack for only $24 (down from $30)AirTag 4-pack for only $79(down from $100)TimeCapsule AirTag 10-year battery caseTimeCapsule AirTag 10-year battery case (2-pack)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

Apple CEO Tim Cook was in attendance at President Trumps inauguration today in Washington, D.C., and has taken to social media to promise continued innovation and jobs for the United States. According to Trump, Apple is planning a massive investment in the United States now that he has taken office. In his post on social media today, Cook said: Congratulations to President @realDonaldTrump and Vice President @JDVance on Inauguration Day. We look forward to working with the administration to drive continued innovation and jobs for future growth across our great nation.Cook sat directly behind the podium at Trumps inauguration today. He was seated next to Google co-founder Sergey Brin, three rows behind President Trump and Vice President JD Vance. Other tech moguls, including Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Sundar Pichai, and Jeff Bezos, were in attendance. Perhaps notably, Cook was seated separately from those four big tech billionaires.Cook donated $1 million to President Trumps inauguration, as did Meta, Microsoft, Google, and others. Cooks donation was made personally. Apple as a company did not donate to the fund. In addition to attending todays inauguration, Cook took part in the traditional pre-inauguration service at St. Johns Church in Washington, D.C. He also attended the post-inauguration luncheon, where he was seated with Donald Trump Jr. and Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. During his so-called victory rally in Washington, D.C on Sunday night, Trump said that Cook has promised him that Apple is going tomake a massive investment in the United States because of our big election win. Who knows what exactly that investment will entail. During his first term, Trump traveled to Austin, Texas, alongside Cook to visit Apples Mac Pro factory. Embed from Getty ImagesFollow Chance:Threads,Bluesky,Instagram, andMastodon.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

Traveling with your Apple devices can quickly become a juggling act of chargers, cables, and adapters. Thats where MagSafe hits home for mesimplifying charging without needing a bunch of cables in my travel bag. Since its release with the iPhone 12, its been my go-to way to charge everything. Whether heading out for a weekend getaway or a quick work trip, building a MagSafe go-bag travel kit guarantees your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods are charged up and ready to go. Lets look at what you need in your travel bag for MagSafe.MagSafe Monday:Every Monday, Bradley Chambers looks at the latest and greatest in the MagSafe and wireless charging industry to help you get the most out of your Apple devices that support wireless charging.Mobile MagSafe battery packsWhen youre on the go, a great MagSafe battery pack is table-stakes for your travel kit. These snap-on chargers keep your iPhone powered up without the hassle of extra cables. The best ones have a slim profile (depending on how big you want it to be), fast charging, and bonus features like Qi2 support, LED displays, or kickstands. MagSafe battery pack ensures youre always ready to snap photos, navigate, or stay connected. Here are some of my favorite MagSafe battery packs:Travel MagSafe nightstand chargersA good nights sleep in a hotel should also result in a charged iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch, and a travel-friendly MagSafe nightstand charger makes it easy. Compact, foldable designs are awesome for traveling, and MagSafe compatibility eliminates the need for a bunch of different cables and chargers. Here are some good options:MagSafe charging cablesSometimes, simple is what you need. A reliable MagSafe charging cable is the perfect solution when you all need a straightforward way to charge your iPhone and AirPods without any extra charge. Theyre great when you want to keep your setup light and uncomplicated. Dont forget the USB-C wall adapter! Of course, this wont charge the Apple Watch, though.Wrap upTraveling shouldnt bring the hassle of dead Apple devices. The Delta app and Uber app are pretty useless if your iPhone is dead. MagSafe is the perfect technology to keep it simple (not needing to carry around chargers for all of your devices) while making it easy to grab a quick charge in the car, at the airport, etc).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

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 Ulysses: The ultimate writing app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Learn more and get started today for free.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

Apple is launching a brand new Home product soon. Ive been calling it HomePad, and these are five of the core features it will bring with it.7-inch square displayOriginally, Mark Gurman reported that the HomePad would have a roughly 6-inch screen. More recently though, in his big overview of 2025 products, Gurman bumped the expected size to 7 inches.The device reportedly looks a lot like a square iPad, and is somewhat equivalent to two iPhone 16 Pro Max models placed side by side. Smaller than some might want, but that should help keep the cost lower.Brand new OSApples HomePad will come with a brand new operating system, likely dubbed homeOS.Gurman says the interface looks like a blend of the Apple Watch operating system and the iPhones recently launched StandBy mode.It will also dynamically adjust based on how close or far away you are. For example, from far away it might display status update-type info, but if you get close it would change to offer controls.Unsurprisingly, based on Gurmans StandBy reference, the HomePad is expected to support widgets. Youll reportedly be able to add these to the Home Screen, just like you can on iPhone and iPad.Its unclear yet if third-party widgets will be supported, but theres a good chance they will be. Apple has already built tech into macOS that lets you run iPhone widgets there, so extending that feature to the HomePad seems like a no-brainer.Accessories for fitting in anywhereOn its own, the HomePad will look like a simple smart display. But Apple is building various bases and attachments that will make it fit into the different spaces of your home.Gurman writes:Apple has designed different attachments for the device, including ones that affix the screens onto walls like a classic home-security panel. There will be bases with additional speakers that can be placed in the kitchen, on a nightstand or on a desk.These additional accessories seem like another attempt at keeping the HomePads cost from ballooning (assuming theyre separate purchases). Importantly though, they also acknowledge the reality that different home spaces will require different HomePad setups.AI-infused SiriApples current Home products, the HomePod, HomePod mini, and Apple TV 4K, dont support any Apple Intelligence features. This means theyre all stuck with the old Siri.But HomePad will offer the new, AI-infused Siri thats more powerful already (mainly thanks to ChatGPT) but will get substantially more so with iOS 18.4.Siri will be able to perform hundreds of new in-app and cross-app actions, understand your personal context, and more. If it works as expected, there should be far fewer times Siri has to say, Im sorry on the HomePada too-frequent occurrence on HomePod.Apples HomePad is expected to offer a lot more functionality than whats outlined above, including serving as a smart home controller, FaceTime device, and more. But the five features Ive mentioned provide a solid overview of what to expect from HomePads core functionality.Are you interested in buying the HomePad? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments.Best HomeKit smart home 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

Its been a tumultuous several days for TikTok in the United States. The app went offline on Saturday night and was removed from the App Store by Apple. On Sunday afternoon, however, TikTok restored service in the United States thanks to necessary clarity provided by President Trump. Despite TikTok being online once again in the United States, however, the app remains unavailable from the App Store. Heres what you need to know about that ever-evolving situation. A brief timeline of the TikTok dramaIn April of 2024, President Biden signed a ban that gave TikToks China-linked parent company to divest the app within the next nine months or else face a ban in the United States. That timeline expired on January 19. TikTok subsequently went dark in the United States on January 18 at 10:30 p.m. ET. The company was under no obligation to go dark, but chose to do so anyway. Instead, TikToks partners like web host Oracle, app store providers like Apple and Google, were tasked with enforcing the ban under the federal law. Moments later, Apple removed TikTok from the App Store in the United States and said it is obligated to follow the laws in the jurisdictions where it operates.At around 12:30 p.m. on January 19, TikTok announced it was in the process of restoring service in the United States. The company said that President Trump had provided the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing. Even as TikTok came back online in the United States, Apple has not added TikTok back to the App Store. Google, Microsoft, and Amazon have also not added the app back to their respective app stores. This is because Oracle and its partners have decided to take the risk of hundreds of billions of dollars in fines under the assurance provided by Trump that he will not enforce the ban. Apple, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft, however, are seemingly not willing to take that risk, as we explained this morning. What does this mean for TikTok users? If youre an iPhone user, this means a few different things. First, if you already have TikTok on your iPhone, you can access the service. Apple did not remove the TikTok app from anyones device, nor did Apple play any role in blocking access to the service for existing users. TikTok is still unavailable on the App Store, preventing new users from downloading it. Previous TikTok users who deleted the app also cant re-download it. Moreover, TikTok cant receive updates through the App Store. The last update was released last week. Most of the normal functionality is available in the TikTok app for iPhone now that TikTok itself has restored access to the service. For example, TikToks physical goods storefront, known as TikTok Shop, is fully functional via the iPhone app and Apple Pay is a payment option. However, the situation around digital purchases made with Apples In-App Purchase system is slightly different.In-App Purchases made before the TikTok federal ban went into effect on Saturday night are fully accessible. You cannot, however, make new In-App Purchases in the TikTok app for iPhone. This is because Apple cannot legally enable this functionality under the rules of the federal ban. You can make digital purchases via the TikTok website and those purchases can be accessed via the TikTok app on iPhone. What happens next for TikTok remains to be seen. As I was writing this story, President Trump was officially sworn into office. Trump has suggested he will delay enforcement of the TikTok ban by 90 days. Trump also said he would like the United States to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture for TikTok. Whether that is something ByteDance is willing to accept remains to be seen. My favorite iPhone accessories: 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

Apple is facing criminal complaints by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which accuses the company of illegally using conflict minerals, also known as blood minerals. The terms refer to minerals sourced from illegal sources who employ child labor and use the proceeds to buy weapons for armed conflicts.The charges have been filed in Belgium and France because those countries have a strong judicial record in corporate accountability cases. Update: Belgium has now opened an investigation see the end of the piece Apple and conflict mineralsThe main minerals associated with human rights abuses are tin, tantalum, and tungsten collectively known a 3T and gold. The term 3TG is used to encompass all four of the metals.Apple does not directly purchase minerals; these are bought further down the supply chain, by companies using them to manufacture components later sold to the iPhone maker. However, the company does commission audits intended to ensure that its supply-chain is free from the problem.Back in 2019, for example, Apple instructed its suppliers toexclude five smelters and refinerswho failed to pass this audit. The company said it had no concerns about the remaining companies.Evidence sent to Tim Cook in AprilInternational lawyers representing the government of the DRC say that they passed evidence to Apple earlier this year, showing that the companys supply chain could still include conflict minerals.Congos lawyers notified Apple CEO Tim Cook on April 22 of a series of concerns about its supply chain, and also wrote to Apple subsidiaries in France, demanding answers within three weeks. The Amsterdam & Partners LLP law firm has been investigating allegations that minerals mined in Congo by several companies and armed groups are being smuggled out through Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi.The Cupertino company did not comment publicly on this at the time, but last year told the US Securities and Exchange Commission that none of the smelters or refiners in its 3TG supply chain used conflict minerals.Criminal complaints now filedReuters reports that the DRC has now filed criminal complaints in both France and Belgium.International lawyers representing Congo argue that Apple uses minerals pillaged from Congo and laundered through international supply chains, which they say renders the firm complicit in crimes taking place in Congo.In parallel complaints filed to the Paris prosecutors office and to a Belgian investigating magistrates office on Monday, Congo accuses local subsidiaries Apple France, Apple Retail France and Apple Retail Belgium of a range of offences.These include covering up war crimes and the laundering of tainted minerals, handling stolen goods, and carrying out deceptive commercial practices to assure consumers supply chains are clean.Courts in both countries will now assess the evidence and decide whether criminal charges are warranted.Belgium has opened an investigationCongo told the Financial Times that Belgian prosecutors have now opened an investigation.Lawyers acting for DRC said prosecutors in Belgium had last week appointed an investigative judge who oversees the investigation and is in charge of issuing arrest warrants, wiretaps and raids to probe the case. They were still awaiting a decision from France, where the process was slower.This is the first step which shows that the prosecutor takes the case very seriously, said Christophe Marchand, the lawyer who prepared the case in Belgium, which colonised Congo with catastrophic consequences in the early 20th century.Stock photo of mining vehicle byArno van RensburgonUnsplashAdd 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

Simply put, Tailscale provides secure VPN access to people who hate VPN tools. Ive said previously that their team looked at everything that was wrong, complex to configure, and challenging to use and said, What if we just made all of that better?. Today, the company is announcing a new integration with Jamf Pro for deploying Tailscale across macOS, iPadOS, and iOS devices while leveraging Jamfs device compliance capabilities to dynamically inform user access and enforce Zero Trust principles.The best networking solutions are the ones you dont even notice because they just work. Thats what this partnership with Jamf is all aboutmaking secure networking invisible for IT teams and users alike. With this integration, IT admins get a straightforward way to deploy Tailscale, and end users can keep doing their work without ever worrying about complicated setups or weird VPN errors. Avery Pennarun, CEO and Co-Founder of Tailscale.This new Tailscale integration leverages Jamf Pros device compliance features to check for disk encryption, active firewalls, and up-to-date versions of Apples OS to enforce Tailscales Zero Trust networking principles. The end result creates a solution that combines simplicity with security, eliminating headaches for IT teams managing large fleets of Apple devices while needing secure remote access/VPN technology.Key features of the integration:Easily enable Zero Trust security: IT admins can use Jamf Pros compliance tools to make that only verified devices with active firewalls, disk encryption, and updated macOS/iOS can connect to the remote network.Automating setup and configuration: Tailscale can be deployed automatically via Jamf Pro, eliminating needing a manual setup and ensuring consistent security policies across the organization with zero-touchImproving access control: Dynamic policy enforcement ensures that only compliant devices can connect to sensitive IT systems, reducing your overall infosec risk.Wrap up on Jamf Pro and TailscaleAs Apples footprint in the enterprise continues to grow, so do the demands on IT teams to maintain secure access while keeping deployment processes simple and easy to manage. Simply put, most VPN solutions are terrible for IT and terrible for the end user. Tailscales new Jamf integration makes its solution even easier to deploy.The Tailscale and Jamf Pro integration is available on the Jamf Marketplace. For step-by-step instructions on deployment, take a look at Tailscales documentation or read the announcement blog post here.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

Today, Meta is announcing Edits: a new mobile video editing platform. This comes just hours after TikTok (and as a result, CapCut) were banned in the US though TikTok is currently being restored, at least temporarily. Meta has a history of sitting on new features until theyre forced to move, and this is yet another example of that. With a surprise mid-day Sunday announcement, the company announced Edits, a new mobile-first editing tool, meant to serve as an alternative to popular editing tool CapCut.Adam Moserri, head of Instagram, announced the new Edits app today on Threads, describing it as a tool for those of you who are passionate about making videos on your phone. He also stated that Theres a lot going on right now, but no matter what happens its our job to provide the best possible tools for creators, likely in reference to the TikTok and CapCut ban.In terms of features, Edits is going to offer the following, per Moserris post:A dedicated inspiration tabAnother tab to keep track of your ideasA much higher quality camera for shooting videosAll the editing tools youd expectAbility to share drafts with friends and other creatorsEasy export to Instagram, and powerful insights for Reels contentOther than these details, we dont have much to go off of. Hopefully, Meta will share more in the coming weeks. The company says its been testing this out with creators in recent past.Edits is available for pre-order on the App Store starting today, and will be available on iOS sometime in February, according to Meta. However, the App Store pre-order page has the launch listed as March.No timeline is specified for an Android launch, other than the fact that itll come soon.Follow Michael:X/Twitter,Bluesky,InstagramAdd 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

After being offline in the United States for 14 hours, TikTok now says it is in the process of restoring service. In a statement posted to social media, the company said: In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service. We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive.Its a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States.TikTok ban: the latest newsTikTok went offline at 10:30 p.m. ET in the United States on Saturday as a federal ban was enacted. Apple subsequently removed the app from the App Store, saying it is obligated to follow the laws in the jurisdictions where it operates. As weve explained before, the burden of enforcing the federal TikTok ban falls to TikToks partners like Apple, Google, Oracle, and more. In todays statement, TikTok says it has reached an agreement with service providers to effectively ignore the law due to lack of enforcement. TikTok also thanks President Trump for providing the necessary clarity to those partners to ensure they will face no penalties for restoring access to the service.The Biden administration had previously indicated it would not enforce the ban, passing that responsibility to the Trump administration. Despite the Biden administrations comments, TikTok still chose to go dark on Saturday night a move that the Biden team ruled a stunt. Todays announcement from TikTok comes after President-elect Trump posted on social media that he will issue an executive order to extend the period of time before the laws prohibitions take effect. Presumably, this is the necessary clarity referenced by TikToks statement today. What happens next is just as unclear as ever. In his social media post today, Trump floated the possibility of the United States having a 50% ownership position in a joint venture for TikTok: Im asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark! I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the laws prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security. The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order.Americans deserve to see our exciting Inauguration on Monday, as well as other events and conversations.I would like the United States to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture. By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands and allow it to say up. Without U.S. approval, there is no Tik Tok. With our approval, it is worth hundreds of billions of dollars maybe trillions.Therefore, my initial thought is a joint venture between the current owners and/or new owners whereby the U.S. gets a 50% ownership in a joint venture set up between the U.S. and whichever purchase we so choose. In a post on Bluesky, NPR reporter Bobby Allyn cites a person close to TikTok and says the Biden administrations statements about non-enforcement did not reassure web-host providers Oracle and Akamai. Todays Truth Social post from Trump, however, won them over.Allyn says that Apple and Google are not part of this. This would suggest that TikTok will not return to the App Store or Play Store today.As written, the law allows a president to delay the TikTok ban by 90 days, but only if there is evidence that significant progress has been made toward a potential sale. The law originally gave China-linked parent company ByteDance nine months to sell TikTok, but that timeline expired today. There is no evidence TikTok has made significant progress toward a sale. Apple has not commented on todays announcement from TikTok. As of 12:45 p.m. ET on Sunday, the app is still unavailable in the App Store. Follow Chance:Threads,Bluesky,Instagram, andMastodon.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

According to Bloombergs Mark Gurman, Apples new Mail app is going to make its way to the Mac very soon, with macOS 15.4. Apple introduced the new Mail app to the iPhone back in December with iOS 18.2, but it hasnt made its way to any other platform since.Surprisingly, weve already seen what the new Mail app will look like on macOS. Back when Apple introduced the new M4 Macs in October, we got a small look at the new Mail app for macOS in one of the unveilings. This wasnt some groundbreaking leak, since the design had already been unveiled on the iPhone back at WWDC, but it was interesting, since there werent any signs of the new Mail app coming to macOS quite yet.Then, in December, iOS 18.3 and macOS 15.3 beta started rolling out. While macOS 15.3 did bring Genmoji to macOS, it didnt bring the new Mail app to the Mac, leaving many wondering when itd debut.However, according to Gurman, this will be changing very soon with the upcoming macOS 15.4 release, which will likely enter beta in the coming weeks, and debut in April:But theres another, more under-the-radar feature coming in April as well: The Mac will get the upgraded Mail app that uses AI to prioritize messages and sort content into different inboxes. Right now, iPad and iPhone users are able to tap into the feature which is terrific but Mac customershave been left behind. That changes with macOS 15.4, Im told. For those not familiar with the feature:It sorts mail into aprimary category, as well as ones for transactions, promotions, updates and all mail.Gurman states that the new Mail app is currently available for iPad users, though that isnt actually the case quite yet, neither in iPadOS 18.2 nor iPadOS 18.3. Hopefully, we see the new Mail app debut for iPad users soon, with the release of iPadOS 18.4. Only time will tell.Are you excited for the new Mail app to expand to other Apple platforms? Let us know in the comments.Some great Apple accessories on Amazon:Follow Michael:X/Twitter,Bluesky,InstagramAdd 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

According to Mark Gurmans Power On newsletter, supply of the current generation iPhone SE, which debuted in 2022, is quickly shrinking. This is unsurprising, given the fact that were all expecting a new iPhone SE to debut in just a couple months. However, it is uniquely interesting, as it indicates that Apple likely has no plans to keep the current generation model around.iPhone SE 4 recapThis spring, likely around April, Apple is going to release a new iPhone SE. Some suggest that it might be called iPhone 16E instead. Its going to be the biggest redesign in the history of iPhone SE, with an all new design, a 6.1 OLED display, an upgrade to Face ID, USB-C, and much more. The new iPhone SE model is also going to gain support for Apple Intelligence, bringing features like Genmoji and Notification Summaries to Apples entire smartphone lineup. However, with all of those upgrades, the new iPhone SE is going to cost more. Rumors suggest the new model will have a higher price tag of at least $499.Typically, when Apple introduces new models at a higher price, they keep around an older model at a reduced price, to better serve markets. For example, Apple kept around the M1 MacBook Air model for a couple years at a lower price, as the redesigned M2 MacBook Air started at a $200 higher price tag.Current Apple Store inventoryFor better or for worse though, that probably wont be the case with iPhone SE 3. As appealing as itd be for Apple to sell a ~$300 iPhone to attract new buyers, that likely wont be the case, given the fact that iPhone SE 3 production has seemingly already ramped down:The drawing down of inventory is a reliable sign that a new model is coming. But it also suggests that Apple probably wont keep the current version around at a reduced price after the update is here. That seems like a missed opportunity, since a cheap iPhone couldve helped Apple make inroads in some markets. The current SE costs $429, and the new one might be more than that given its enhanced features.Personally, this news doesnt really disappoint me. Even though a brand-new sub-$400 iPhone would be appealing, its important to remember that Apple based the current generation iPhone SE on the 2017 iPhone 8. The iPhone SE 3 is dated technology, stacked with a good chipset and good cameras. Other than that, it doesnt hold up to Android competition in the $300-400 price range.Apple also stopped selling the iPhone SE 3 within the European Union late last year. The new USB-C regulation law went into effect, and Apple could no longer sell any lightning iPhones, including iPhone 14 and iPhone SE 3, in the European Union.If you want an iPhone SE 3 currently, for whatever reason you can still order it online and receive it within a few days. Its just that in-person Apple Store inventory is running shy.Follow Michael:X/Twitter,Bluesky,InstagramAdd 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

Last night, TikTok officially went dark in the United States. In addition to TikTok itself going offline, Apple also removed the app from the App Store. Apple has now addressed the TikTok ban for the first time, saying it is obligated to follow the laws in the jurisdictions where it operates. Apple explains TikTok banIn a statement posted to its website, Apple says: Apple is obligated to follow the laws in the jurisdictions where it operates. Pursuant to the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, apps developed by ByteDance Ltd. and its subsidiaries including TikTok, CapCut, Lemon8, and others will no longer be available for download or updates on the App Store for users in the United States starting January 19, 2025.Apple also shared the following list of apps that are developed by ByteDance and have been removed from the App Store: TikTokTikTok StudioTikTok Shop Seller CenterCapCutLemon8HypicLark Team CollaborationLark Rooms DisplayLark Rooms ControllerGauth: AI Study CompanionMARVEL SNAP The company explains that if you live in the United States and already have those apps installed, they will remain on your device. If you delete the apps or move to a new device, however, the apps cant be deleted or restored. Additionally, Apple confirms that users in the United States wont receive updates for these apps, which could impact performance, security, and compatibility with future versions of iOS and iPadOS. Finally, Apple says that the apps remain available for download in all other countries and regions where they are available. Heres what to know if you are visiting the United States: Users visiting from outside the United States with their Apple Account set to a country or region that is not the United States are unable to download, update, or make in-app purchases and new subscriptions inside ByteDance Ltd. apps while within the land or maritime borders of the United States.After leaving the United States, youll have access to all functionality.Learn more about the TikTok ban in our full coverage. 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

In a new notification sent to users, TIkTok has confirmed it is shutting down in the United States effective as of January 19. The company says it is working to restore its service in the U.S. as soon as possible. Heres the full text of the notification that youll see when you open TikTok this evening: Important update from TikTokWe regret that a U.S. law banning TikTok will take effect on January 19 and force us to make our services temporarily unavailable. Were working to restore our service in the U.S. as soon as possible, and we appreciate your support. Please stay tuned. As of 9 p.m. ET on January 18, TikTok is still accessible in the United States. That is expected to change once the clock strikes midnight and the calendar flips to January 19. 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

Welcome toIndie App Spotlight. This is a weekly 9to5Mac series where we showcase the latest apps in the indie app world. If youre a developer and would like your app featured, getin contact.PostPocket is a simple tool, aiming to help users keep track of various links, posts, articles, videos, or anything from across the internet. It allows you to save everything in one centralized place. The app also has categorization, allowing you to keep all of your links sorted. The app is available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.Why PostPocketObviously, many social media platforms have their own bookmarking features, allowing users to save posts they like for later. Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube all have their own version of a bookmarking feature.However, some platforms make it easier than others. Instagram, for example, requires you to crawl through a couple of menus to find your saved posts. Additionally, with all of the varying Twitter alternatives on the market, you might come across a post on one platform that you want to save, but cant. Threads doesnt offer a bookmarks feature, so it can be hard to find something later, especially if youre liking a ton of posts.With all of that being said, theres obviously a lot of fragmentation when it comes to saving things to view later, especially within apps. PostPocket aims to simplify things a bit.How it worksPostPocket integrates within the share sheet of iOS, allowing you to quickly hit the share button in any app, then with just the tap of a button you can start adding it to PostPocket.Once youre in PostPocket (from within the share sheet), you can just save the post as is, or you can choose to apply a category, tag, or custom title in the moment. Categories give you an easy way to sort from within PostPocket, and tags allow for additional granularity within a category. PostPocket offers a ton to help keep your varying links organized. All of your data is also stored on iCloud, allowing it to easily sync across all Apple devices. That also means all of your links are kept private.PostPocket is available for free on the App Store in a limited capacity, and you can purchase PostPocket+ for just $8.99 lifetime. Theres also a monthly plan for $0.99/month, if that interests you. PostPocket+ is ad free, enables tags, and allows you to import/export your data.Follow Michael:X/Twitter,Bluesky,InstagramAdd 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