After the EU forced Apple to implement major changes to how iOS and the App Store work for European users, other countries have also conducted their own antitrust investigations against the company. Now the Brazilian court has ruled that Apple has 90 days to allow sideloading on iOS for iPhone users in Brazil.Apple may have to enable sideloading for iOS users in BrazilAs reported by Brazilian newspaper Valor Econmico (via O Globo), a federal judge in Brazil ruled on Wednesday that Apple will have to open up the iOS ecosystem to third-party apps in Brazil just like the company did in the EU. The judge considers that the limitations imposed by the company on developers could jeopardize the entry of new competitors in the segment.In November 2024, the Brazilian antitrust regulator Cade ruled thatApple can no longer prevent developers from selling content and distributing apps outside the App Store in Brazil.The company would have 20 days to comply with Brazils antitrust legislation, otherwise it would be fined more than $40,000 a day.Unsurprinsigly, Apple appealed the decisionand a judgeruled that the injunction was unnecessary, giving the company more time to discuss the case. At the time, Apple said that the request to implement changes to the App Store wasnt urgent and that it would also affect the companys business. Last month, Apple had to face a public hearing in Brazil concerning the case.But now Judge Pablo Zuniga has ordered that Apple will have to implement the required changes in Brazil within the next three months. The judge states that, despite Apples claims, the company has already complied with similar obligations in other countries, without demonstrating a significant impact or irreparable damage to its business model.The antitrust investigation against Apple began after Latin American e-commerce giant Mercado Libre accused Apple of forcing developers offering digital goods or services in their apps to use Apples own payment system. Other companies such as Match, which owns Tinder, and Epic Games have also filed complaints against Apple with the Brazilian regulator.An Apple spokesperson told Valor Econmico that the company believes in vibrant and competitive markets and that it faces competition in all segments and jurisdictions where the company operates, reinforcing its commitment to its users. Apple believes the changes will harm the privacy and security of iOS users and says it will appeal the decision.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

If youre a heavy Mastodon user (or were a Twitter user back in the good old days), youre probably familiar with Tapbots the company behind the popular Ivory and Tweetbot apps. The developers now have some good news to share with Bluesky users, as they announced this week that theyve been working on a new app for the platform.New Bluesky app Phoenix coming soon to the App StoreCalled Phoenix, the app will essentially be a Tweetbot or Ivory for Bluesky. The announcement was confirmed through a new page on the official Tapbots website. Unfortunately, there arent many details about the app for now, but presumably it will look just like its sister apps.After Twitter (now X) discontinued its API for third-party apps, Tweetbot was shut down. As a result, Tapbots created Ivory for those who wanted to have the same Tweetbot experience when using Mastodon. The developers note that they have no plans to abandon Ivory, but that their user base is now split between Mastodon and Bluesky.Mastodon is our home on the social web and we will continue to invest our time there. Since the incredible growth of Bluesky in the past year, our customer base has become split between the two services and for us to continue to thrive as a company, we must support both. Unfortunately, we cant survive on Mastodon alone, says a note on the Tapbots website.While some users wanted a single app that supported both Mastodon and Bluesky, developers claim that keeping them separate will be better for the experience. They also say that users shouldnt worry about the development of new features for Ivory.It would be a lie if we said Ivory would be in full development while we are trying to get Phoenix up and running. However, we did not want to start Phoenix development until after we released Ivory v2.3. Once Phoenix is out the door, development will happen concurrently and both apps will get all the huge improvements we have planned throughout the apps.Phoenix for Bluesky will be released this summer, with a limited public beta coming soon. In the meantime, you can try Ivory for Mastodon its available on the App Store and costs $1.99 per month.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

Were still over a year away from Apples first foldable iPhone launching. But per one analysts new report, prior rumors have apparently had a key detail of the foldable wrong. Thanks to the latest reveal, the new iPhone Fold makes a lot more sense than before.Long-rumored foldable iPhone is actually becoming realIn some ways, foldable iPhone rumors remind me of the long-gestating-then-cancelled Apple Car project.For years, leakers have wrongly claimed Apple would be launching a foldable iPhone soon. But its only in the past year that those rumblings have started to carry some weight.Multiple credible sources, such as Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, Ming-Chi Kuo, and The Information, have said Apples first foldable iPhone is actually happening. And Apple is reportedly targeting a fall 2026 launch.As of last summer, however, reporting pointed to a top-down fold design.Like the flip phones of ancient times, this would allow the iPhone to be super compact when not in use, then unfold to offer a taller display.But the latest reporting has taken a big turn.iPhone will reportedly have book-style design, not top-down foldMing Chi-Kuo today posted an overview of what he expects from the 2026 foldable iPhone.Amid a variety of fascinating details, Kuo writes:The foldable iPhone will have a book-style design, featuring an approximately 7.8-inch crease-free inner display and an approximately 5.5-inch outer display.This book-style design is a departure from whats been previously thought. Kuos strength, however, is his supply chain sources. And those are the exact sorts of people who would know details like this.My early reaction, aside from surprise, has been two-fold: Ive experienced relief and excitement.Why? Because a book-style fold makes a lot more sense to me than what we expected before.One of my all-time favorite Apple devices is the iPad mini. I havent used one much in recent years, since all my work is done on the 13-inch iPad Pro. I dont want the mental overhead of managing a second iPad on top of an iPad Pro and iPhone.But a foldable iPhone with the specs Kuo mentions could be like a perfect two-in-one device.It would offer the convenience of an iPhones portability while also boasting an unfolded screen that comes awfully close to the 7.9 inch size of the old iPad minis I always loved.A device like this clearly wouldnt be Apple creating a foldable just for the sake of following a trend. A book-style foldable iPhone would offer a truly new kind of utility not present in Apples current lineup.The top-down folding iPhone didnt make much sense to me, but this new reveal has me eager to learn more about 2026s foldable debut.Are you interested in the iPhone Fold? Why or why 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

This is Rumor Replay, a weekly column at 9to5Mac offering a quick rundown of the most recent Apple product rumors, with analysis and commentary. Today: big developments with Apples first foldable iPhone, plus iOS 19 and Siri rumors. Here are this weeks latest Apple rumors.Ming-Chi Kuo on Apples first foldable iPhoneMing-Chi Kuo, an analyst with sources in the supply chain, has shared his predictions for Apples first foldable iPhone coming in 2026.Heres an overview of what he expects:Book-style design, not the top-down fold previously reported5.5-inch outer display and 7.8-inch inner displayTouch ID in the side button, likely with no Face IDRetail price above $2,000 and $2,500No visible crease or wrinkles from the fold9-9.5mm thick when folded, and only 4.5-4.8mm unfoldedHinge that uses stainless steel and titanium, with casing thats titaniumKuo believes that only about 3-5 million units of the foldable iPhone will ship in 2026. Not for lack of demand, but rather due to production complexities limiting capacity.My takeawaysOne important thing to keep in mind is that Kuo isnt necessarily reporting these as exact details of the foldable iPhone. Rather, hes sharing his predictions and expectations based on what he currently knows.Thats relevant, for example, because while details like the screen size and thickness of the device seem right up his alley of supply chain details, the pricing guess is just that: a guess.That said, this is a fascinating rundown of what might be coming to the foldable iPhone nonetheless.I was intrigued by previous reports that the iPhone would have a top-down fold design. But I didnt necessarily see that offering much value. A book-style fold makes a lot more sense to me. And as a long-time fan of the iPad mini, the chance to get a mini-style tablet built into my pocketable iPhone is very compelling.Lots can still change between now and the expected fall 2026 launch of the foldable iPhone, but these rumors certainly stoked my interest.iOS 19 and Siri updatesOver the weekend, Mark Gurman provided updates on iOS 19s development and a potential delay for select Siri upgrades.Gurman says that the LLM version of Siri is still on track to launch as part of iOS 19, though likely near the end of the release cycle in spring 2026. A key aspect of Siris upgrades, though, is reportedly behind schedule.The more conversational, chatbot-style Siri functionalities in the works will apparently no longer be unveiled as part of iOS 19 this June at WWDC. Instead, theyre expected to slip into iOS 20 next year.My takeawaysIts clear that OpenAI and other competitors have gotten ahead of Apple in the LLM-based assistant race. But that issue aside, I think Gurmans reported Siri delays are being overstated by a lot of people.Apples approach with its new era for Siri has been to gradually offer new improvements over time. It sounds like thats just going to keep happening not only in iOS 18.5 soon, but also iOS 19 and 20.Siri has a giant user base today, so its unsurprising that Apple wont radically change everything about it all at once. While getting too far behind competition is a legitimate concern, its also potentially overblown because of Apples ecosystem and hardware advantages.What are your takeaways from this weeks Apple rumors about the foldable iPhone and more? 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

Whether youre a heavy user of Apple Notes or not, you may have missed that iOS 18 introduced a new feature designed to take lots of the work out of note-taking. Thanks to the addition of audio recordings, bolstered by transcripts and summaries, Apple Notes makes it easier than ever to capture notes on your iPhone, iPad, and more.Audio recordings with transcripts means Apple Notes does the work for youApple Notes has grown tremendously powerful over the years.At one point the Notes app only offered some basic text editing functionality, and not much else. But with more frequent updates its become a versatile, feature-packed powerhouse.Theres one iOS 18 feature in particular thats proven tremendously useful, despite Apple not surfacing it very prominently in the app.Inside a note, if you hit the attachment button in the toolbar, youll see a new Record Audio option.This offers a convenient way to start recording a meeting, lecture, or maybe even your own dictation.Once its complete, the recording lives in-line inside a note alongside other text, photos, sketches, and other content.But where this audio feature really shines is with its support for transcription.In iOS 18, Apple Notes can automatically provide a transcript of your recordingeven doing live transcription while the recordings in progress.It gets better though. If you have an AI-compatible device, youll also get an Apple Intelligence summary of the transcripts contents for your convenience.Essentially, Apple Notes now does all the work of note-taking for you.it records audio of whatever meeting or class youre init creates a transcript you can return to laterand it provides a summary of that transcriptThe days of typing furiously to capture all the notes of a meeting are over.Have you used audio recordings in Apple Notes? What do you think? 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

Apples new M4 MacBook Air just launched, and Ive made no secret of the fact that Im a fan. If youve already ordered or plan to buy the M4 MacBook Air, here are my recommendations for the best accessories to accompany your new laptop.On the go M4 MacBook Air protectionOne of the Airs best featuresits right in the nameis how lightweight and portable it is.When carrying it on the go, I have two recommendations for protective cases.tomtocs MacBook sleeve is water-resistant, durable, and offers solid protection. You can get it in black, gray, or navy blue fabrics. Whats especially nice about tomtocs option is that it comes with a bonus accessory pouch to match the sleeve, all at a solid price.MOSISOs leather MacBook case is my alternative recommendation. It gets you the more premium feel of leather while still offering a nice, cushy interior for your MacBook Air to stay unscathed.Desk use at home or in the officeWherever your main desk setup resides, whether at home or away, here are some desk accessories that will make your MacBook Air fit right in.HumanCentrics vertical stand laptop holder is a great way to prop up your MacBook Air when its not in use, freeing up desk real estate and helping set a minimalist feel.This wood variant of the vertical stand is another great option that could fit better into your existing desk aesthetic.If for ergonomic or multi-display reasons you need to prop up your MacBook Air, Twelve Souths aluminum laptop stand will raise it to eye level while offering a sleek, minimalist look.As for displays, Samsungs ViewFinity S8 is my recommendation when youre on a budget. Its a 4K display at a low price that has all kinds of useful built-in features, including support for a vertical orientation. Heres my full hands-on.Apples 5K Retina Studio Display is of course my recommendation if youre willing to spend more. Its currently $300 off on Amazon, which makes the premium price tag a little easier to swallow.Finally, this applies to basically any Apple product, but AirPods Pro 2 are my go-to accessory for whatever device Im using. Theyre currently discounted to just $199 on Amazon and I can hardly imagine using the MacBook Air or any other Apple product without them.The M4 MacBook Air offers support for fast charging, but youll first need a bigger charging brick than what comes with the machine.Ankers 100W USB-C power brick is far more affordable than Apples first-party options and provides performance thats just as reliable.Longer charging cables can give you more flexibility in a variety of different environments. There are plenty of great options, but I like this 10ft USB-C cable from Baseus as a low-cost way to get extra charging reach.The MacBook Air only comes with two Thunderbolt/USB-C ports plus MagSafe. For more versatility, I recommend Ankers USB-C 8-in-1 hub with Ethernet, HDMI, SD, and more. Its small enough to be easy to throw in a bag for travel, but powerful enough to be your full-time desk USB-C dock too.What are your go-to accessories for the M4 MacBook Air? Let us know in the comments.More Apple accessories to try outAdd 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

Benjamin and Chance recap the newly announced lineup of iPads and Macs. The new iPad Air and base iPad offer even better value for money, while Apple pushes the performance edge with the surprising launch of the M3 Ultra in the Mac Studio, and makes the best MacBook yet with the new M4 MacBook Air. Also, iOS 18.4 beta 2 brings even more new features to discuss.And in Happy Hour Plus, Apple takes a swing at a home run with a trio of baseball content announcements. Subscribe at9to5mac.com/join.Sponsored by Oracle: Learn how to cut your cloud bill in half atoracle.com/HAPPYHOUR.Sponsored by Stash: With Stash, theres no more confusing, frustrating gatekeeping to keep you from investing. Go toget.stash.com/HAPPYHOURto see how you can receive $25 towards your first stock purchase and to view important disclosures.Sponsored by ChargeASAP:Check out the Flash Pro Ultra, featuring a new 275W power bank with an OLED screen that can charge up to 6 devices simultaneously, including your MacBook, phone, smartwatch, and more!Sponsored by Indeed: Get a $75 sponsored job credit and give your jobs more visibility atindeed.com/9to5mac.HostsChance Miller Benjamin MayoSubscribe, Rate, and Review9to5Mac Happy Hour PlusSubscribe to 9to5Mac Happy Hour Plus! Support Benjamin and Chance directly with Happy Hour Plus! 9to5Mac Happy Hour Plus includes:Ad-free versions of every episodePre- and post-show contentBonus episodesJoin for $5 per month or $50 a year at9to5mac.com/join.Feedback Submit #Ask9to5Mac questions on Twitter, Mastodon, or ThreadsEmail us feedback and questions to happyhour@9to5mac.com LinksAdd 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 CardPointers: The best way to maximize your credit card rewards. 9to5Mac Daily listeners can exclusively save 30% and get a $100 Savings Card.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

Reddit posts will be less likely to break the rules of a given subreddit, thanks to a number of changes the company is introducing to its apps.These include the ability to ask an AI to check your post before you submit it Repeatedly posting prohibited content from a subreddit can be a quick way to get banned, and Reddit is now starting to test a new AI check feature in the iOS and Android apps.To save time, you can carry out an initial check after typing the subject line:This feature will first be made available to a small number of users during the testing phase, before a planned rollout to all if the test goes well.Four additional features are available from today in iOS, Android, and desktop apps starting with Post Recovery. If you do find a post removed from a subreddit for breaking the rules, youll now be offered the opportunity to post it to another community. The apps will also save you time when you dont meet the posting requirements for a subreddit for example, your account is too new, or doesnt have enough Karma. This will now be flagged before you start typing.You can also see suggested subreddits based on your subject line.Finally, a new Post Insights feature will allow you to see your post views, upvotes, shares, and more.Reddit may be facing new competition shortly, thanks to the return of Digg.Highlighted accessories9to5Mac composite of images from Reddit and Sincerely MediaonUnsplashAdd 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

DuckDuckGo AI answers were first added to the privacy-focused search engine back in 2023, and have now finally exited beta but you can still switch the feature off.Also out of beta is free, private access to your choice of AI chatbot DuckDuckGo AI search resultsOne of the big changes made by Google was its AI Overview, which appears above search results. DuckDuckGo did the same thing with Assist, initially as a beta feature in 2023.The company says that Assist has now exited beta, and is also now pulling in its information from more sources. The feature was previously limited to using Wikipedia.Recent updates to AI-assisted answers include expanding sources across the web, beyond just Wikipedia; answering English-language queries outside the U.S.; and adding customization that lets you decide how often you want answers to appear: often, sometimes (default), on-demand, or never.You can choose how often AI answers are shown, including the option to completely disable them.Navigate to the AI Features section of yoursearch settings. If you really like our AI-assisted answers, change Assist toOften, which will make them appear over 20% of time. On the other hand, if you never want to see any AI features, turn Chat toOffand Assist toNever.Duck.ai offers free, private access to chatbotsDuck.ai is also now out of beta. This lets you use a variety of AI models anonymously, with no account required, and a guarantee that your chats are never used for AI training.If you want to start with chat, tryDuck.ai(previously called DuckDuckGo AI Chat), a free and account-less way to access popular AI chatbots, privately. Models are periodically updated and currently feature GPT-4o mini and o3-mini from OpenAI, open-source models Meta Llama 3.3 and Mistral Small 3, and Claude 3 Haiku from Anthropic. Chats are anonymized via proxying and never used for AI model training.You can navigate directly tohttps://duck.ai/or via the optional chat icons within our search engine or browsers. (Theres also a widget on iOS for now.) You can also use the !ai or !chatbang search commandsfrom any browser where you have DuckDuckGo search set as the default search engine.Proxying means your identity is protected.When we generate AI-assisted answers, we anonymously call the underlying AI models used to summarize web sources on your behalf, so your personal information is never exposed to third parties. This method is called proxying. Duck.ai chats work similarly. To accomplish this technically, we remove your IP address completely and use our own IP address instead. This way, the proxied requests are coming from us, not you.If you choose to store recent chats, these are stored locally on your device, not on the companys servers.Highlighted accessoriesImage: DuckDuckGoAdd 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, Addigy, an Apple device management vendor, is releasing a new tool aimed at streamlining deploying the Mac for IT teams and MSPs. The company says it offers an Apple-native UI, automated workflows, and real-time updates to create a smoother setup process.Many types of Mac deployments have traditionally involved manual steps, troubleshooting, and a lack of visibility for end users. Addigy Assist aims to address these issues by offering a new device/new employee onboarding experience that integrates with macOS.Most onboarding solutions are either too complex or too rigid, requiring hours of setup, maintenance, and troubleshooting. Meanwhile, end users are left frustrated, confused, and constantly reaching out to IT for help, said Tim Pearson, Partner at CreativeTech. With Addigy Assist, everything is easy. Setup was a one-time event that took less than 10 minutes. We were immediately ready to go, giving employees a smooth, transparent experience from day one. Were no longer wasting time, we have fewer tickets, and were making a better first impression for new hires.Addigy Assist aims to reduce friction in deploying the Mac for IT teams by automating repetitive tasks and providing real-time setup progress updates. The tool also allows for customization, which could be particularly beneficial for MSPs looking to tailor onboarding workflows for different customers or different types of regulatory environments.Addigy has always been focused on creating solutions that make Apple device management simple and familiar for everyone. With Addigy Assist, not only do we streamline Mac setups but also deliver an experience that feels like it was built by Apple, said Jason Dettbarn, Founder & CEO of Addigy.Key features included with Addigy Assist:Apple-native UI: Designed to align with macOS for a familiar experience.Multi-tenant scalability: Allows IT teams and MSPs to manage deployments across multiple clients or locations.Real-time progress updates: Keep end-users informed throughout the setup process.Automated workflows: Reduces manual steps to speed up device rollout.Smart prompts: Handles common device setup issues like low battery or network connectivity problems.Custom branding: Enables organizations to personalize the onboarding experience.Addigy Assist is available now for IT teams and MSPs looking to streamline their Mac deployment processes. 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 first modem, the C1 chip, had one notable omission: theres no support for mmWave 5G, the ultra-fast variant of 5G.While I expressed my view at the time that this was no big deal, given that theres been very limited rollout by carriers, it seems there may be a very specific reason for the decision The C1 chip took many years to developGiven Apples ability to design Mac processors that have left Intel ones in the dust, you might think that designing a radio chip would be a rather trivial exercise. In reality, its very much more complicated than it sounds because mobile data standards are insanely complicated, for three reasons.First, standards vary around the world, and a chip intended to be used globally needs to support all of them.Second, even within one country, different carriers often have their own versions of each mobile data standard, and again Apple needs to support all of them.Finally, in addition to meeting every variation of every current standard in every country, a radio chip also needs to meet all of the previous standards. If 5G isnt available, the chip needs to fall back seamlessly to 4G, for example. So thats every variation of every generation in every country. Thats how you end up with a modem spec list like this:5G NR (Bands n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n20, n25, n26, n28, n30, n38, n40, n41, n48, n53, n66, n70, n75, n76, n77, n78,n79)FDDLTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32,66)TDLTE (Bands 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48,53)UMTS/HSPA+ (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100MHz)GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900MHz)5G (sub-6GHz) with 44 MIMOGigabitLTE with 44MIMOWiFi6 (802.11ax) with 22 MIMOBluetooth5.3NFC with reader modeExpress Cards with Power ReserveApple made two compromisesWe were hearing ahead of time that Apple would be making some compromises with the first version of the chip, and that did indeed turn out to be the case.Specifically, Apple omitted support for mmWave 5G, and also limited Wi-Fi support to Wi-Fi 6 rather than Wi-Fi 7.Kuo says mmWave 5G was omitted for power reasonsOne of the key benefits of the C1 chip touted by Apple is significantly lower power consumption than the Qualcomm modem chips it replaced. This, says Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, is the reason the company had to skip mmWave 5G support for now.While supporting mmWave isnt particularly challenging, achieving stable performance with low power consumption remains a key hurdle.However, he says the company is working on solving this problem, and the standard will be supported in the next version.The C1 refreshed version is under development for mass production next year, aiming to improve power consumption and transmission speed and support for mmWave.Image: AppleAdd 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

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared his expectations for the upcoming Apple foldable iPhone, which is set to launch in 2026. Kuo says the Apple foldable is positioned as a top-tier iPhone, with accompanying eyewatering price tag. It may cost well in excess of $2000. However, customers are expected to get premium hardware specs including a display that does not visibly crease when folded, stainless steel and titanium alloy hinge, in a casing that is just 4.5 mm thick when unfolded. However, the thinness also may come at the price of Face ID, with Kuo predicting that Touch ID will return.Kuo says thickness and internal space constraints appear to prevent Face ID module from being included in the first-generation device. Touch ID biometric authentication will be available instead, through a capacitive side button. This is similar to the Touch ID button in the iPad Air, however it would be the first non-home-button iPhone to use fingerprint recognition. Kuo expects the device to have a folding book design, with an approximately 7.8-inch inner display and a 5.5-inch outer display. This means the iPhone would be similar to an iPad mini screen when unfolded. Apple is also expected to promote the device as one of the first foldables with an invisible crease, which will elevate the devices premium status. Apple is also believed to be developing a foldable MacBook/iPad, featuring a 18-inch display, with the same invisible crease technology.In terms of cameras, the analyst believes the device will feature two cameras, with one front facing camera that is positioned to be available in both folded and unfolded configurations. The rear camera will have two lenses.Kuo says the foldable iPhone will measure about 4.5 mm when unfolded, or 9.5 mm thick when folded. This is not the thinnest foldable we have ever seen, but it is close. The most popular foldables on the market today from the likes of Samsung measure about 12 mm when folded.Final specifications are apparently due to be locked in imminently, with mass production kicking off in the fourth quarter of next year. The first iteration of the foldable iPhone will be relatively low volume, partly due to the devices complex production process. Kuo anticipates shipments in the 3 5 million units range for 2026, with sales of about 20 million through 2027. This estimate includes sales of a second-generation model, expected to go on sale in the second half of 2027.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

The new generation MacBook Air with the M4 chip comes in a new sky blue color, and in keeping with tradition, the laptop comes with a traced charging cable that matches the color chosen by the consumer. However, even if you have no plans to buy the new M4 MacBook Air, you can still get a sky blue USB-C to MagSafe 3 cable.Apples USB-C to MagSafe 3 cable now available in a new colorThe new sky blue cable was added to Apples online store shortly after the launch of the M4 MacBook Air this morning. Although Apple sells it as a replacement in case you lose or damage the cable that ships in the box with your Mac, some people like to buy a new charging cable in a different color to create new combinations.The same USB-C to MagSafe 3 cable can be used not only with the M2 MacBook Air and later, but also with Apple Silicon MacBook Pros that feature the MagSafe port (M1 Pro and later).Unlike midnight, which is considerably darker, sky blue is a much lighter shade of blue. Apple describes the new color as a beautiful, metallic light blue that creates a dynamic gradient when light reflects off of its surface. The first real-world photos of the new M4 MacBook Air in sky blue show that the blue color is quite subtle, even looking grayish depending on the light.Apples USB-C to MagSafe 3 cable is 2 meters long and costs $49. In addition to sky blue, the cable is also available in space gray, midnight, starlight, black, and white. Its worth noting that the cable doesnt come with a power adapter, so youll need to use your own.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

Drivers love Apple CarPlay because it enables safe interaction with iPhone apps through the cars built-in screen. It turns out police in Australia are benefiting from CarPlay for a whole other safety purpose.Law enforcement vehicles in Western Australia are using CarPlay to help identify vehicles of interest without the need for specialized equipment inside the car. Heres how it works:Western Australia Police Force (WA Police Force) is conducting faster and better-informed investigations and road policing throughout the state through the addition of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) capability within Motorola SolutionsPSCoremobile application.The expanded app has been deployed in more than 80 police vehicles and operates ANPR seamlessly via Apple CarPlay, making it simple to use while negating the need for additional equipment including screens and brackets. []Through continued development and innovation, the PSCore mobile app has provided WA Police Force with greater capabilities to respond to a wider variety of incidents including family violence incidents. This capability has since been automated to publish family violence reports in real-time to the Department of Communities, accelerating referrals to support agencies for victims while police are in attendance at the scene.Policing is probably not the first thing that comes to mind when you think of CarPlay, but it makes sense that CarPlay should be a part of a digital policing strategy. You can learn more about PSCore here. Best Apple accessoriesFollow Zac Hall on X, and listen to Runtime with co-host Sophia Tung on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.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 M4 MacBook Air comes with several nice upgrades, but it isnt packed with tons of new features. Yet despite the limited revisions on paper, the new MacBook Air stands out from Apples lineup as a rare product I can heartily recommend to just about anyone. Heres why.Apple has grown significantly as a company since products like the iPhone and iPad first launched. And certainly its a night and day different entity than the Macs early days.There used to be one iPhone, for example. You could configure storage options of your choice, but everyone was still getting the same basic iPhone model.Currently, visiting Apples website youll be greeted by a whopping seven different models to choose from:iPhone 16iPhone 16 PlusiPhone 16 ProiPhone 16 Pro MaxiPhone 16eiPhone 15iPhone 15 PlusThis expanding array of options is meant to better serve Apples massive global user base.It can make product recommendations especially hard, though.Which iPhone should you buy? It depends on what youre looking for.The same problem applies to the iPad. If youre looking for a new iPad, I cant make a recommendation until I hear what your needs are, how you want to use the device, and so on.But with the Mac? Its easy.The new M4 MacBook Air is a no-brainer recommendation for just about anyone.Why the MacBook Air stands alone in Apples lineupThere are several reasons why its easy to recommend the M4 MacBook Air above all other Macs.First, theres the laptop vs. desktop equation.The majority of Mac models Apple sells are desktops. Theres the Mac mini, iMac, Mac Studio, and Mac Proas opposed to just MacBook Air and MacBook Pro on the laptop side.But as you might already know, almost all Mac buyers prefer laptops.Desktops make up a very tiny fraction of Apples Mac sales. Thus, its easy to assume that if someone wants a new Mac, they want a laptop. So four out of six options are immediately ruled out.When it comes to the MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro debate, things are more complicatedbut only slightly.Typically if a MacBook Pro is the best device for someone, they tend to already know that. Either they do the kind of work that really benefits from the Pros extra power, or they really need some of the extra ports it offers.Again, the number of MacBook Pros sold is way smaller than the number of MacBook Airs. Thats because the Pro model serves a relatively niche market.MacBook Air, however, is the computer for everyone. From Apples M4 announcement:MacBook Air is by far the worlds most popular laptopsaid Greg Joswiak, Apples senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.Not that Apples going to say this out loud, but by far includes selling a lot more than the MacBook Pro.So the MacBook Air is an easy recommendation because its one of Apples only products with tremendously broad appeal.With iPhones and iPads, theres no single model that is so universally right for most people.Benefits of the M4 MacBook Air make it more of a no-brainerMuch of what Ive argued so far applied to the MacBook Air even before todays M4 update. But its now even more true thanks to the new model.The M4 MacBook Air starts at just $999, making it easily one of the best value products in Apples lineup.And for $999 you get 16GB of RAM, so its not like Apple achieved a low starting price by making cuts that nobody can live with. Will some want to upgrade the 256GB of storage? Sure, but thats not a necessity for the average person.The M4 also lets you drive two external displays while keeping your MacBook Airs lid open, for three screens total. That feature used to be exclusive to higher end MacBook Pros.Until today, Apple made a MacBook Air recommendation more difficult by keeping two models in the lineup. The M3 started at $1,099 while the M2 stuck around at $999.Both were solid options, but it was tricky sorting out whether the M3 was worth the extra $100.Now, Apple just has one MacBook Air model to choose from, and its an easy choice.If youre looking to buy a Mac, Im going to recommend the new M4 MacBook Air.Do you think the M4 MacBook Air is an easy recommendation? 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

Apple on Wednesday announced a new generation of the MacBook Air, which features the M4 chip inside. Although the new MacBook Air is identical to its predecessor on the outside, Apple surprised everyone with a new sky blue color. And now we have the first photos of this new Mac in the real world.Sky blue M4 MacBook Air in photosThe company didnt hold a special event to announce the new Macs this morning, but it did invite some developers and members of the press to see the products in a brief hands-on session. YouTuber Andru Edwards was one of the first to get his hands on the new laptop and shared many photos showing a closer look at the sky blue color.Apple describes the new color as a beautiful, metallic light blue that creates a dynamic gradient when light reflects off of its surface. Based on photos shared by Andru, the new color actually looks quite discreet, even looking grayish depending on the light.Digital Trends has also posted some photos of the new MacBook Air, which you can see below:Customers buying the new M4 MacBook Air can choose between a 13-inch or 15-inch screen. Thanks to the faster chip, the new MacBook now supports up to two external 6K displays simultaneously. Apart from the new color, everything looks the same. Apple has also added an improved 12-megapixel webcam with Center Stage.The M4 MacBook Air is now available for pre-order, with the official launch set for March 12. Prices start at $999 in the US.What do you think of the new color? 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

Apples new M4 MacBook Air is an easy product to recommend to just about everyoneeven M3 owners. But if youre currently holding on to an M1 MacBook Air, what exactly will the new M4 model get you? Heres what you should know.Design: Modern look will be an advantage for mostThe MacBook Air hasnt changed its design since the M2 model debuted in 2022. Youll get that same modern design with the new M4 model.The M1 MacBook Air, however, features the more classic tapered finish that dates back to the very first Air.Depending on your preferences, the M4s design could either be a pro or con.For me personally, while I appreciate a lot about the new design, Ive always loved that classic MacBook Air look and feel, and the newer models dont hit the same way. Id love to see a next-gen design arrive in the future thats more like the classic 12-inch MacBook: inspired by the original MacBook Air, but significantly thinner and more modern.Display: Bigger and brighter, with one drawbackThere are several key advantages youll get with the M4 MacBook Airs display.For starters, it comes in two sizes: 13.6 inches and 15.3 inches.Both of these are bigger than what the M1 Air offers with its 13.3-inch display.You also get a brighter screen on the new M4 Air, with up to 500 nits of brightness versus only 400 on the M1 Air.Theres one drawback of the new model though: the notch.Most users forget the notch is even there after a short period of use. But your experience may vary.M4 vs M1 processor: All upside for all usersAs you would expect for a chip three generations down the line, the M4 in Apples new MacBook Air offers big performance improvements over the M1.The M4 features a 10-core CPU, versus only 8 in the M1M4 also has an up to 10-core GPU, beating out the M1s 7 coresthe 16-core Neural Engine is also much more powerful, well equipped for AIBased on Apples claims for other M4 products, youre looking at up to 1.7x gains for daily productivity, and up to 2.1x for more demanding tasks like photo editing and gaming.The M4 supports more unified memory too, starting at 16GB of RAM and maxing out at 32GB. The M1 model offered half that at both the low and high end.Hardware-accelerated ray tracing is also supported by the M4, which gamers will care about. And hardware-accelerated ProRes and ProRes RAW is another M4 advantage.Camera, microphone, and speaker improvementsIf video calling is important to you, the M4 MacBook Air has a big upgrade in store. Heres how the cameras compare:M4: 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View and 1080p HD video recordingM1: 720p FaceTime HD cameraMany of us use AirPods Pro or other headphones with our Mac, but its always good to have strong built-in speakers and microphones too.On that front, the M4 MacBook Air has a four-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio support. The M1 Air only has stereo speakers and no Spatial Audio.The M4 also powers some key microphone features not found in the M1 model, like Voice Isolation and Wide Spectrum modes for enhanced clarity.MagSafe charging, external displays, and wireless connectivityCharging: One nice advantage of the M4 MacBook Air is that it supports MagSafe charging. This not only provides a safer way to charge your device, but it also means you get to free up one of the two Thunderbolt 4 ports. Additionally, the M4 Air is fast-charge capable with a 70W or higher USB-C adapter.External displays: The M1 MacBook Air infamously only supports one external display. With the M4 model, you can drive two external monitors plus continue using the MacBook Airs built-in display.Wireless connectivity: Apples new MacBook Air supports more modern wireless standards than the M1.M4: Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3M1: Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0M4 MacBook Air vs M1 MacBook Air: wrap-upIts pretty clear that a lot has changed in the MacBook Air lineup since the M1 model debuted in 2020.The M4 MacBook Air brings advantages in basically every category.The biggest reason not to upgrade? Id say simply: if you dont feel the need (or want) to. Almost five years on, the M1 MacBook Air is still holding up fine. Thanks to Apple Silicon, its a very capable computer even to this day.But if you want a faster computer, with a more modern design, an extra port thanks to MagSafe, a much improved camera, better display capabilities, and morethe M4 MacBook Air is fantastic. Especially at $999.Do you plan to upgrade to an M4 from your M1? 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

Apples new MacBook Air is here, headlined by an M4 chip upgrade and a lower price. There are a few other tidbits you should know. External display supportThe M1 MacBook Air was a step back from its Intel predecessor insofar as it could only power one external display. The same was true for the next-generation M2 MacBook Air. With the M3 MacBook Air last year, Apple added support for two external displays, but only when the laptop lid was closed. The M4 MacBook Air rights these wrongs once and for all. Apple says: MacBook Air can easily power a multi-display setup to make viewing and interacting with content a breeze, for anyone from business professionals at the office multitasking across multiple windows, to students in a dorm room tackling a big project across several apps. For users who like to spread their work out, MacBook Air now supports up to two 6K external displays, in addition to its built-in Liquid Retina display.And here are the details from Apples tech specs page: Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display at 1 billion colors and:Up to two external displays with up to 6K resolution at 60HzThunderbolt 4 digital video outputSupport for native DisplayPort 1.4 output over USB-CWi-Fi 6E supportJust like the M3 MacBook Air, the new M4 model supports Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, not the latest Wi-Fi 7 standard. This means the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max are still the only Apple products to support Wi-Fi 7 connectivity. MagSafe chargerThe M4 MacBook Air comes in a new sky blue color that replaces space gray in the lineup. Youll get a color-matched USB-C to MagSafe cable in the box when you buy the sky blue MacBook Air.Apple has also started selling a USB-C to MagSafe charging cable separately for $49. Whether you need a spare cable for your new MacBook Air or want a sky blue cable to go with your current Mac, this is a nice option. Easier setupWith the release of the macOS 15.4 beta last month, 9to5Mac reported on a new proximity setup feature that lets you set up a new Mac using a nearby iPhone or iPad. In todays press release for the M4 MacBook Air, Apple confirmed this feature: Next month, macOS Sequoia 15.4 will make it easier than ever to set up the new MacBook Air with iPhone. By simply bringing iPhone close to Mac, users can quickly and conveniently sign in to their Apple Account to get their files, photos, messages, passwords, and more on their new MacBook Air.Pricing and availability The new MacBook Air is available to order now, with the first shipments arriving on March 12. You can order from Apples website or via retail partners like Amazon. 13-inch M4 MacBook Air from $99915-inch M4 MacBook Air from $1199Add 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 18.4 has been available in beta for less than two weeks, and following beta 2s arrival earlier this week were still discovering updates and changes. The latest: there are two new App Store additions that should make downloading apps and updates just a little bit nicer of an experience than before.#1: Apple Intelligence-generated review summariesThe number of Apple Intelligence features across Apples devices keeps growing. In iOS 18.4 beta 2, that includes an AI upgrade to app and game reviews.As weve reported was coming, now when browsing an app or games App Store listing, Apple Intelligence offers a summary of all the submitted user reviews.The new Review Summary synthesizes feedback submitted by users into a short, simple paragraph summary of how the app fares among users.Ive enjoyed having a similar feature available inside Amazons shopping app for a while, as its a convenient way to get an overview of what people think of a product. Adding it to apps and games makes a lot of sense and should help users save time reading reviews.#2: Pausing app downloads and updatesMost of the time, if youre downloading a new app or updating an existing one, its not a problem to let that download run until its finished.In some cases thoughwhether due to poor connectivity, network congestion, or some other issueit would be nice to be able to pause a download.Before now, the only way to pause a download was to stop it entirely, thus forcing you to restart from scratch when youre ready to continue.But in iOS 18.4, theres a new pause button to temporarily halt an app or updates download, then resume it without losing your original progress.Its a small change, but a nice one for those times you hit a snag with a download.What do you think of these iOS 18.4 App Store changes? 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

The Apple silicon era has not been kind to the Mac Pro, and the target market for Apples most niche machine shrank even more today. However, its always darkest before the dawn, and that may be the case for this Mac workstation.Table of contentsA brief history of the Mac ProIts hard to be a Mac Pro.The product name dates back to 2006 when the Power Mac G5, equipped with a PowerPC chip, was replaced with a desktop tower of the same design that used an Intel processor. In 2013, Apple released the much smaller cylindrical Mac Pro that proved to be as cursed as it was beautiful.Apple returned to a more machined version of desktop tower design in 2019, throwing away the so-called trash can design for an approach that valued both form and function. Paired with the 6K Retina resolution 32-inch Apple Pro Display XDR, the Mac Pro returned to its throne as the most powerful machine in Apples lineup. Apple even sold storage and GPU upgrades that could be added separately.A year later, the Apple silicon transition began.The Mac Studio strikesApples M1 processor raised the performance floor compared to Intel chips. The first Apple silicon chip that powered the Mac was greatly beneficial for the MacBook Air and iMac. Cooler M1 performance allowed Apple to remove the laptops fan without compromising performance. Meanwhile, the iMac undertook a redesign that more closely resembled a giant iPad than an all-in-one desktop.Apple later introduced M1 Pro and M1 Max chips that powered the redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro notebooks. Each chip introduced a higher performance ceiling for Apple silicon.In 2022, Apple introduced an all-new desktop workstation. The Mac Studio debuted alongside the M1 Ultra chip basically two M1 Max chips combined. While this dramatically raised the performance ceiling for Apple silicon, it also made the three-year-old Intel Mac Pro seem like a forgotten machine once again.Meanwhile, there was hope for an M2 Extreme chip with even higher performance to appear in an Apple silicon Mac Pro. In reality, manufacturing such a chip likely proved too costly for such a niche computer.Apple silicon Mac Pro stumbles onto the sceneIn 2023, the first Apple silicon Mac Pro finally replaced the 2019 Intel Mac Pro. However, this was no return to the glory days of the decade before the previous decade.Instead, the Mac Pro used the same M2 Ultra chip as the second-generation Mac Studio. Apple silicon includes the CPU, GPU, and RAM in a single package, removing the option to throw additional RAM and GPU performance at the Mac Pro over time. With performance literally matched, Mac Pro had only one thing over Mac Studio at this point: ports and PCIe slots.But with Apple silicon, these PCIe slots cant be used to upgrade GPU performance with graphics cards. Like with every other Apple silicon Mac, GPU power is determined at the time of purchase when you configure the number of GPU cores.Apples description of what the Mac Pro PCIe slots can be used for is narrow:You can install many different PCIe cards in your Mac Pro, such as fibre channel cards, fiber networking cards, video and audio I/O cards, storage cards, and ethernet cards.The press release for the M2 Ultra Mac Pro pointed to audio and video professionals with internal expansion needs when explaining the products purchase:The new Mac Pro brings PCIe expansion to Apple silicon for pros who want the performance of M2 Ultra and rely on internal expansion for their workflows. Mac Pro features seven PCle expansion slots, with six open expansion slots that support gen 4, which is 2x faster than before, so users can customize Mac Pro with essential cards. From audio pros who need digital signal processing (DSP) cards, to video pros who need serial digital interface (SDI) I/O cards for connecting to professional cameras and monitors, to users who need additional networking and storage, Mac Pro lets professionals customize and expand their systems, pushing the limits of their most demanding workflows.Nearly two years later, the Mac Pro has managed to slip into even more niche territory. Thats because Apple updated the Mac Studio today with a mildly awkward chip selection.Starting today, you can order a Mac Studio with either an M4 Max chip or an all-new M3 Ultra chip. Yes, M4 sounds newer than M3, but the comparison is really between a single M4 Max chip and two M3 Max chips.The new Mac Studio is the first and only machine with the M3 Ultra chip, once again giving it the title of most powerful Mac ever.The Mac Pro, with its seven PCIe slots, remains on the M2 Ultra chip.Mac Studio versus Mac ProComparing the M3 Ultra to the M2 Ultra is essentially the same as comparing the Mac Studio to the Mac Pro for now. This comparison is really not favorable to the Mac Pro.At a high level, the M3 Ultra Mac Studio can be configured with up to 1.5x faster CPU performance and 2x faster GPU performance than the Mac Pro. RAM, which is crucial with running local AI models, is even more of a dramatic compare. Weve charted the top specs for each machine to compare.Mac StudioMac ProCPU32 cores24 coresGPU80 cores76 coresRAM512GB192GBSSD16TB8TBDisplay8 4K displays, 8 6K displays, or 4 8K displays8 4K displays, 6 6K displays, or 3 8K displaysPorts6 Thunderbolt 5 ports, 2 USB-A ports, HDMI port, 10Gb Ethernet, SDXC card slot8 Thunderbolt 4 ports, 3 USB-A ports, 2 HDMI ports, dual 10Gb Ethernet, 7 PCIe slotsThe Mac Pro is still the champion of ports at least. Mac Pro hopeSo how could the M3 Ultra Mac Studio possibly be good news for the Mac Pro? The answer requires a generous amount of hope for Mac Pro fans. Patience too, but a prerequisite for being a Mac Pro fan is taking the long view.Keeping the Mac Pro on the M2 Ultra chip while updating the Mac Studio to the M3 Ultra chip does set up a future scenario for the Mac Pro to reclaim its throne as the most powerful Mac yet again. Apple could keep the Mac Studio on the M3 Ultra and save the M4 Ultra exclusively for the Mac Pro.One caveat is that Apple seems to indicate that it may not make an Ultra version of each chip generation. Thats at least how Apple explains the Mac Studio having M4 Max and M3 Ultra options. I choose to believe thats just a convenient answer to an awkward marketing issue.Then comes the more philosophical question. Is it actually better for customers to have a more powerful Mac Pro if it means holding back the Mac Studio in the future?Say the Mac Pro does get updated to an M4 Ultra chip in the future. Why wouldnt the Mac Studio also get the M4 Ultra then as well? Mac Pro fans dont argue that the Mac Studio should be less powerful. They argue that the Mac Pro has a case designed to handle higher thermal conditions than the Mac Studio the kind of thermal conditions created by even higher performance output.Best Apple accessoriesFollow Zac Hall on X, and listen to Runtime with co-host Sophia Tung on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.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 CardPointers: The best way to maximize your credit card rewards. 9to5Mac Daily listeners can exclusively save 30% and get a $100 Savings Card.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 unveiled a brand new Mac Studio today with two powerfulyet perplexingchip options. You can get it with an M4 Max or the new high-end M3 Ultra chip. One publication asked Apple about this odd pairing, and its answer hinted that we may not see an M4 Ultra chip in the future.Apple says not every chip generation will get an UltraAndrew Cunningham writes at Ars Technica:When asked why the high-end Mac Studio was getting an M3 Ultra chip instead of an M4 Ultra, Apple told us that not every chip generation will get an Ultra tier. This is, as far as I can recall, the first time that Apple has said anything like this in public.Apple stating that not every chip generation will get an Ultra, on its own, doesnt necessarily imply it will skip the M4 Ultra.However, the timing and context of the statement absolutely point that direction.It was certainly confusing that the new Mac Studio came with an M3 Ultra alongside the M4 Max. Some have argued that this change may be an intentional way to differentiate the Mac Studio from Apples upcoming M4 Mac Pro offering.The thinking goes: if the M4 Ultra is exclusive to the Mac Pro, there will be a clearer reason for both the Mac Pro and Mac Studio to continue co-existing.However, Apples statement today strongly hints thats not the plan. Instead, it sounds like the M4 generation simply wont get an Ultra chip at all.If that proves true, it will be the first chip family since Apple Silicon emerged that lacks an Ultra variant.M1, M2, and now M3 have all eventually offered an Ultra version. But that streak may be about to end.Do you think its a problem if theres no M4 Ultra? Why or why 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

iOS 18.4 is currently in beta testing, and with the recent beta 2 debut, it brought long-awaited RCS messaging support to not only Google Fi users, but also customers of some other big US carrier holdouts: Mint Mobile, Boost Mobile, and more. Here are the details.Mint Mobile and Boost Mobile now support RCS, alongside Google Fi and moreRCS messaging is a newly supported feature in iOS 18 that makes texting between iPhones and Androids perform way better than before.Thats because RCS is a more modern messaging protocol than SMSthe previous standard for non-iMessages.But due to the way the technology works, Apple adding RCS support in iOS 18 did not automatically bring the feature to all iPhone users. Instead, each carrier had to implement its own RCS support.All of the biggest US carriers have supported RCS on iPhone for a while, including AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile.Plenty of smaller carriers have also enabled RCS messaging. But some of the main holdouts to this point have been T-Mobile MVNOs like Mint Mobile and Google Fi.Now, with iOS 18.4, theres full RCS support for all T-Mobile MVNOs such as:Metro by T-MobileMint MobileBoost MobileGoogle Fiand moreRCS compatibility and features in iOS 18.4If youre running iOS 18.4 beta 2or when you install the public release of iOS 18.4 next monthyoull be able to start using RCS in the Messages app immediately.You can verify that your carrier is now supported in one of two ways:Go to Settings Apps Messages then scroll down to the RCS Messaging sectionOr to go Settings General About and tap the Carrier row to see if RCS is listedSome of the benefits of RCS over SMS is that it supports several iMessage-like features, such as:tapback reactionssending higher quality photos and videosread receiptstyping indicatorsiOS still displays green bubbles for RCS conversations rather than blue ones, but generally you shouldnt experience some of the same issues with RCS that SMS tends to cause.Are you excited for RCS to come to Mint Mobile and Google Fi? 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

Image: PolarPro/Ryan CantyPolarPro has announced its new LiteChaser 16 Slim case for the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max. PolarPro was kind enough to send over both a case and a full set of their filters to check it out. While Im normally a no-case kind of guy, the added filter attachments might just switch me over for when Im around town and need to scratch my photography itch.If you dont know who PolarPro is, theyre best known for their professional camera filters and matte boxes. However, they have brought those filters to the iPhone, giving you all the same quality but in a small enough package to equip onto your phone.In the past, PolarPro has tailored its phone cases to the ultra video-focused users who want the ease of just using their iPhone, but the perks of a fully modular system youd find on a professional kit. The LiteChaser 16 Pro features 1/4 inch threads for tripods or other attachments, a hand grip, and the SlideLock mount for your camera filters. The Slim version of this case changes the market up a bit.What is the PolarPro LiteChaser 16 Pro Slim?Ditching the bulk of its BaseCase and ProCase siblings, the LiteChaser 16 Pro Slim removes the grip and 1/4 inch threads, slimming the case down as a whole. Rather than looking or feeling like a case designed for the harshest conditions, it feels more like a traditional MagSafe case from Apple. Perfect for walks around town or as an everyday case.If it actually werent for the SlideLock mount on the front, you would probably just think it was a normal iPhone case.However, the SlideLock is a crucial part of the case as it offers you access to PolarPros wide option of camera filters to easily slide in front of your camera. The extra locking feature and button release help ensure the filter wont come loose while youre capturing your shot.What filters are supported?PolarPro brings its filter experience to the iPhone with high quality and easy-to-use variable ND, mist, and FX filters.The most useful for my sort of content has been the large variable neutral density filter, which goes from a 2ND to a 5ND. This helps block out bright lights that could overexpose your shot. Perfect for the summer months when you might spend more days outside in the bright sun.While the FX lenses, which are fun to use, only allow use of the main camera, the VND, mist, UV, and circular polarizer filters support all three lenses at once. Below is a full list of filters you can purchase from PolarPro:Filters that support all three camerasUV FilterCircular PolarizerBlack MistGold MistShortStache Everyday Filter (Combo of the polarizer and black mist)ShortStache Mist-PLVND 2-5VND 2-5 Black MistFX Lenses that only support the main cameraWarp 1x (Adds halo rings around the edges of the photo)Warp 2xSplit WarpRefract (Adds a kaleidoscope effect)Shifty (Mirrors center of image on either side)All the filters are extremely fun to use in creative ways and are super high quality as you would expect from PolarPro. The SlideLock attachment point makes changing out filters super easy and quick.Full MagSafe support, moreThe case itself feels like a cross between a hard plastic case and soft silicone. So while it might not keep it safe in extreme circumstances, it will likely do the job for short drops and regular wear and tear.While the camera filters are the main selling point of the LiteChaser 16 Slim, it is also a full-featured iPhone case. This includes full MagSafe compatibility with added magnets for increased strength. The case fully encloses all of the buttons of the iPhone 16 but excludes the touch-sensitive Camera Control bar and the charging port.The LiteChaser 16 Slim also comes in multiple colors: Black, Ocean Blue, Seafoam Green, and Purple. I received the black option, but DroneDJs Jared Sanders received the green, and the vibrant colors look amazing.Is the PolarPro LiteChaser 16 Slim worth buying?PolarPros LiteChaser lineup of cases has always been designed for the creative iPhone owners. Those who could use a full camera but instead choose the simplicity of making their iPhone their camera. The array of filters brings the versatility you can only get with a full-size camera down to your phone.So if thats you, and you dont want or need the extra accessories that come with its BaseCase or ProCase options, then the LiteChaser 16 Slim is perfect for you. The slimmed-down design makes it pass as an everyday case, but when you need the filters, its just an easy add.The PolarPro LiteChaser 16 Slim case starts at $49.99 for both the Pro and Pro Max. You can also get the Cinematic Kit that includes the VND 2-5 for $99.99.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 has just launched two new Macs, the M4 MacBook Air and a new Mac Studio. The Mac Studio comes with two chip options: M4 Max or M3 Ultra. Heres everything you should know about the new M3 Ultra chip.M3 Ultra chip in Mac Studio hits new standard for performanceFrom Apples press release:Apple today announced M3 Ultra, the highest-performing chip it has ever created, offering the most powerful CPU and GPU in a Mac, double the Neural Engine cores, and the most unified memory ever in a personal computer. M3 Ultra also features Thunderbolt 5 with more than 2x the bandwidth per port for faster connectivity and robust expansion. M3 Ultra is built using Apples innovative UltraFusion packaging architecture, which links two M3 Max dies over 10,000 high-speed connections that offer low latency and high bandwidth. This allows the system to treat the combined dies as a single, unified chip for massive performance while maintaining Apples industry-leading power efficiency. UltraFusion brings together a total of 184 billion transistors to take the industry-leading capabilities of the newMac Studioto new heightsM3 Ultra offers a ton of power and flexibility in Apples new highest-end chip.Here are some of the highlights:up to 32-core CPU, with 24 performance and 8 efficiency cores80-core GPU32-core Neural Engine96GB starting RAM, but configurable up to 512GBThunderbolt 5 support for up to 120 Gb/s data transfer speedsM3 Ultra also can drive a whopping eight Pro Display XDRs thanks to its display engine. Thats more than 160 million pixels being driven.Apples M3 Ultra chip uses a custom UltraFusion packaging technology to connect two M3 Max dies across more than 10,000 signals. This process results in making M3 Ultra appear as a single chip to software.Heres how the new M3 Ultra stacks up against its predecessors, per Apple:up to 1.5x better CPU performance than M2 Ultra, and 1.8x over M1 Ultraup to 2x faster GPU performance over M2 Ultra, and 2.6x over M1 Ultra9to5Macs TakeIt seems very odd that Apple would launch a new Mac Studio with the M4 Max and M3 Ultra.Its been suggested that this is a way Apple will differentiate the Mac Studio from the upcoming Mac Pro revision, as the Mac Pro may offer an M4 Ultra.In any case, the new M3 Ultra remains a beast of a chip. With big gains over the M2 and M1 Ultra, the most RAM ever supported, Thunderbolt 5 support, and more, users shouldnt feel like theyre missing out because its an M3 rather than M4.What do you think of the new M3 Ultra chip? 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

As expected, Apple today announced the M4 MacBook Air. Its a spec-bump update, with unchanged design aside from a new color, so its not a compelling upgrade for existing owners of any Apple Silicon model.However, if youve been considering a MacBook Air purchase as either your first model or a replacement for an older Intel one, this is a really good time to press the button The default MacThe MacBook Air has been one of Apples most popular Macs since its launch back in 2008. Indeed, its been the default Mac purchase for most of that time, combining the all-in-one convenience of an iMac with a portable form factor that has seen it dominate coffee shops around the world.The vast majority of computer users spend most of their time doing undemanding tasks like email, web-browsing, writing, and perhaps a little light photo editing. A base model MacBook Air has always been more than good enough for this kind of casual use.Given the irrelevance of processor power and even RAM for this kind of use, Ive always said that an older model is a good bet if your budget doesnt stretch to a new one. Its not unusual for people to continue using the same model for a decade or more. Indeed, until very recently, I had a 2011 model that was still going strong as a secondary machine.The M1 model was a strong upgradeThe M1 MacBook Air did, however, make a reasonably strong argument for upgrading from an Intel model, if only for the vastly improved battery life.The first Apple Silicon model also dramatically closed the difference between the Air and the Pro machines. For the first time, a MacBook Air didnt seem an unreasonable choice even for some tasks where a MacBook Pro would have been the obvious purchase up to and including video editing in Final Cut Pro for anyone other than pros with complex projects.While the M2 and M3 models built on this, the M1 MacBook Air remained a compelling option given the discounted pricing commonly available.The M4 is another step changeBut for anyone who hasnt yet seen the need to upgrade from an Intel model, or has been holding out for their first MacBook Air purchase, the M4 model is a really good buy.Even with the least demanding tasks, youre getting a 50% increase in claimed battery power (up to 18 hours), and the real-world difference will be greater than that.The base model gets you 16GB RAM with Apple Intelligence support for $999. Provided youre mostly using cloud storage (as it still comes with just a 256GB SSD), thats a spec that will likely keep many people going for a decade or more.In addition to longevity, the M4 model is also reasonably future-proof for those whose computing needs may increase over time. It offers two Thunderbolt 4 ports for high-speed data transfer and support for two external 6K monitors. The new 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View support also means it could meet the needs of many non-pro YouTubers.If you want a larger screen, the base model 15-inch M4 MacBook Air is stunning value at $1,199.So yep, Im sure the reviews will describe it as a relatively minor update, and thats certainly true when compared to an M1 to M3 model. But if youre coming from an Intel machine, the M4 MacBook Air is a great buy.Highlighted 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 yesterday released the latest iOS 18.4 beta and it enables support for RCS on Google Fi. iPhone users on the Google MVNO have been waiting for this improvement to Android-iOS messaging since September.With iOS 18.4 beta 2, the RCS Messaging toggle appears in Settings > Apps > Messages for Google Fi subscribers. The Waiting for activation process might take a moment.More broadly, iOS 18.4 appears to enable support for MVNOs that use T-Mobiles network in the US.When iOS 18 launched in September, RCS was just enabled for the big US carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon). Support for other providers rolled out with successive point releases. Apple maintains a Wireless carrier support and features for iPhone in the United States and Canada support article that lists RCS messaging status.Expect iOS 18.4 to go stable in April. There are a few more betas in the coming weeks with some notable changes already appearing. Alternatively, you can join the beta program now.Add 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

Apples Advanced Data Protection (ADP) is a privacy feature very few people have been using. Non-techies had never heard of it, and even some geeks hadnt enabled it.So Apple standing up to the UK governments attack on ADP might not seem a big deal but Id argue that its way more important than it might seem, for three reasons The British governments worldwide attack on ADPWe previously outlined what ADP is, and why it matters, but the executive summary is that it extends end-to-end encryption to almost all your iCloud data. That means that Apple has no access, and therefore cannot grant access to any government agencies who come knocking on its door.ADP was introduced in 2022, and its fair to say that it didnt make much of a splash. It remains off by default, so about the only people who enabled it were security-conscious geeks. Until now.Apple effectively revealed a secret orderThe repressive legislation used states that companies that receive one of these orders cannot reveal this fact. The idea is that tech companies can be forced to expose their customers personal data without being able to warn them of this fact.It would have been illegal for Apple to tell the world that it has been ordered to create backdoor access to ADP. What the company cleverly did instead was announce that it was withdrawing ADP from the UK, without explaining its reason. Apple can no longer offer Advanced Data Protection (ADP) in the United Kingdom to new users and current UK users will eventually need to disable this security feature. ADP protects iCloud data with end-to-end encryption, which means the data can only be decrypted by the user who owns it, and only on their trusted devices. We are gravely disappointed that the protections provided by ADP will not be available to our customers in the UK [] As we have said many times before, we have never built a backdoor or master key to any of our products or services and we never will.This message was crystal clear. Essentially we cannot tell you that the British government ordered us to build a backdoor into ADP, nor that we refused.Additionally, we now know that Apple has appealed the secret order its not allowed to tell us about.The iPhone maker has made its appeal to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, an independent judicial body that examines complaints against the UK security services, according to people familiar with the matter.Its of course not Apple who leaked information only Apple would have because that would be illegal.The UK and US are two members of a key international intelligence alliance known as the Five Eyes. This is the agency which told the tech industry back in 2018 that privacy is not absolute and end-to-end encryption should be rare. These are countries who keep each others secrets.But because the British government over-reached by demanding access not just to accounts owned by its own citizens, but by iCloud users worldwide, and because Apple effectively revealed the secret order without revealing the secret order, that led the US government to speak up and to do so publicly.Trumps Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard wrote in a letter responding to Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon and Representative Andy Biggs of Arizona that she was not made aware of the UKs secret demand by her UK counterparts. However, she suggested, the UK government may have broken a bilateral privacy and surveillance agreement in making the demand.A combination of the British governments stupidity and Apples strong stance means that what was previously a niche featured used by a tiny proportion of iCloud users is now headline news.Thats important for three reasonsFirst, the saga has dramatically increased public awareness of end-to-end encryption in general, and Advanced Data Protection in particular.Second, governments around the world now know that this type of secret order even with gagging clauses wont protect them from public disclosure, because Apple can be counted on to make the matter very public.Third, its put the US government in a very awkward position if it too wanted to issue one of these secret orders under similar legislation of its own. It not only knows that Apple would tell us about the order without telling us about the order, but that it would be attacked for hypocrisy after criticizing the British governments action.Apple isnt just standing up to the UK government, its standing up to all governments worldwide who might like to follow the British example.Photo byPeter ForsteronUnsplashAdd 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

An M4 MacBook Air may not be the only new Mac coming this week. Mark Gurman shared that Apple may actually be planning to release an updated Mac Studio this week, and the company may not be done introducing new M3 chips after all.Its not an Air but the new Mac Studio, codenamed J575, appears to be imminent, Gurman says. It could be announced as early as this week along with the new MacBook Airs.But when it comes to which chip powers the updated standalone desktop Mac, the answer may be surprising.There are signs these will come with an M4 Max but that its new Ultra chip will actually be an M3 Ultra, Gurman says. Apple currently sells two versions of the Mac Studio. The M2 Max version costs $1999, and the M2 Ultra model costs $3999.Apples M2 Ultra is basically two M2 Max chips connected together. Apple has not released an M3 Ultra or M4 Ultra. For now, the M3 and M4 line only includes Pro and Max versions.Replacing the M2-generation Mac Studio models with an M4 Max and M3 Ultra would certainly be weird and confusing, which makes it seem all the more plausible.To recap, the M4 Max already exists, but there are no M3 Ultra or M4 Ultra chips yet.The M4 Max would certainly exceed at single-threaded workloads, but the theoretical M3 Ultra would have a higher performance ceiling for multi-core workloads.The now two-year-old Mac workstation originally launched with M1 Max and M1 Ultra chip options during a time when the Mac Pro tower still ran on Intel Xeon chips. As Mark points out, the current Mac Studio and Mac Pro each include M2 Ultra configurations.Best Apple accessoriesFollow Zac Hall on X, and listen to Runtime with co-host Sophia Tung on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.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