Apple today shared a new iPhone ad called "Goodbye Leather" on its YouTube channel in the U.K., months after the company controversially switched from leather to a much-criticized "FineWoven" fabric material for accessories.
Apple discontinuing leather accessories for environmental benefits was a noble aspiration, but FineWoven accessories have been very poorly received. Just days after the first FineWoven cases were released for the iPhone, some customers and media outlets complained about the fabric exterior being prone to scratches and stains. A photo also surfaced of a FineWoven case with a misaligned USB-C port cutout.
Image Credit: Joanna Stern/The Wall Street Journal
"The edges are peeling, the fabric is scratched up like an old CD and it's browning like a rotten banana," she wrote, in her Tech Things newsletter. "I've been waiting for the CDC to show up at my house to declare it a biomedical concern."
Apple has yet to comment on FineWoven criticism, and it remains to be seen if the company discontinues the line or improves the material in any way.
Last September, Apple's iPhone 15 Pro models debuted with a new customizable Action button, offering faster access to a handful of functions, as well as the ability to assign Shortcuts. Apple is poised to include the feature on all upcoming iPhone 16 models, so we asked iPhone 15 Pro users what their experience has been with the additional button so far.
The Action button replaces the switch that activates Ring and Silent on Apple's iPhone 15 Pro models, while the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models retain the traditional Ring/Silent switch. By default, the Action button still activates these two functions via a long press, but users can also make it activate a range of other functions, including quickly opening the camera app or enabling the flashlight, activating Voice Memos, Focus modes, Translate, and accessibility features like Magnifier.
Of around 7,000 MacRumors readers who responded to our poll on social media, just over half (50.6%) said they often forgot the Action button is even there, while over a quarter of respondents (26.8%) said they use the Action button "occasionally." Based on readers who commented, most occasional users assigned the camera or flashlight to the Action button – functions that are also easily accessible via the Lock screen. A subsection of users in the same category said they have the Action button set to activate/deactivate Mute, to mimic the physical Mute switch it replaced.
Some respondents (12.6%) agreed with the description that the Action button is a "game changer." Most users in this category used it to activate custom Shortcuts, which allowed for novel uses like skipping forward in podcasts, adding to-dos, prompting ChatGPT, activating smart lights, or opening a folder. Some in this category simply appreciated the fact that it saved them time accessing more standard functions that would otherwise involve navigating through onscreen menus.
The rest of our poll respondents (10%) agreed that the Action button was something of a "volume decoy," implying that they often pressed it by accident when they intended to adjust audio levels via the volume buttons, usually when their iPhone was in a pocket or purse.
With the Action button introduced on the iPhone 15 Pro set to expand to all models later this year, we want to hear from current users: Does it make your iPhone life easier?
— MacRumors.com (@MacRumors) April 15, 2024
Our social media poll represents a small, self-selecting cohort of iPhone 15 Pro users. It is also an example of convenience sampling, and by no means statistically sound. Even so, it seems the case could be made that many people have had trouble finding a dedicated use case for the Action button.
Assigning the button to the camera appears to be the most popular way to increase the likelihood that it gets used. Launching the camera app like this avoids having to press or swipe the Lock Screen or select the Camera app from the Home screen. However, Apple is rumored to be adding a "Capture button" to the iPhone 16 for video recording, so the Action button might get less useful for those who use it for this purpose.
Meanwhile, anecdotal evidence suggests there is a fair amount of frustration among "power users" that Apple has not added more flexibility to the way the Action button works. Currently the button only responds to a long press, but more sophisticated iPhone users want a built-in ability to set different customizations for short presses, double-presses, and triple presses.
Ahead of Earth Day on April 22, Apple has added a banner to its website that reminds customers they can recycle their Apple devices "for free" with the company's recycling partners. The process can be initiated on Apple's trade-in page in many countries, with customers able to submit a form to receive a prepaid shipping label for their devices.
"We'll recycle your Apple devices, cables, cases, accessories, and other similar electronics for free," says Apple. "You'll help protect the earth's precious resources and reduce waste as we work toward a better future for the planet."
On a related note, Apple today shared a new "Recycling Robots" video on its YouTube channel in the U.K. that says Apple's recycling robots are now able to recover recyclable materials from a total of 23 different iPhone models.
"Our custom recycling robot Daisy can disassemble 23 different iPhone models to recover crucial materials like gold and rare earth elements," says Apple. "Robot Dave extracts tungsten from Taptic Engines, while robot Taz takes care of audio modules. Together, they're leading the way in recovering recycled materials for the next generation of products."
Apple will likely release its 2024 Environmental Progress Report soon, and share other Earth Day announcements over the coming days.
Spotify's elusive lossless music experience is being teased again, this time based on code uncovered by The Verge in recent builds of the Spotify app for Android.
More than three years have elapsed since Spotify announced its intention to offer a "HiFi" premium option that would give users access to a catalog of CD-quality music tracks. Originally the company said the tier would go live by the end of 2021, but a shift in the wider streaming market upended that idea.
Apple Music has since rolled lossless listening into its standard subscription price, while Amazon stopped charging extra for its lossless music library. The moves effectively kiboshed Spotify's original strategy of marketing an exclusively lossless HiFi tier.
That said, it doesn't sound as if lossless is coming as a free perk. The latest rumors suggest that Spotify now aims to offer lossless audio playback in an optional "Music Pro" add-on that will also include new DJ remix features, which let subscribers "speed up, mash-up, and otherwise edit" tracks from their favorite artists, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Spotify will likely make some basic remixing tools available as part of its Premium subscription (currently $10.99 a month, or $5.99 for students), but more powerful tools will be part of its "Music Pro" add-on. Where recent rumors of a new top "Supremium" tier fit in is unclear.
The intended price of the premium add-on has not been revealed, but given that major rivals include lossless in their standard plans, expecting subscribers to pay anything more than a nominal fee may be a big ask.
Apple will allegedly offer both the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max with a minimum 256GB of storage, doing away with the 128GB starting option on its smaller Pro model for the first time.
Currently, Apple's 6.1-inch iPhone 15 Pro starts at $999 and comes with the minimum 128GB of storage, while the 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Pro Max starts at $1,199 with a minimum 256GB of storage.
However, according to The Mac Observer, Apple will bump up the base storage of the upcoming iPhone 16 Pro to 256GB to match the minimum capacity of the larger iPhone 16 Pro Max, while the starting price of Apple's smaller Pro model will remain at $999.
The source of the alleged "leak" has no recent track record for accurate Apple rumors, so we are filing this one under sketchy. Having said that, the claim is not outside the realm of possibility. If Apple drops 128GB as the base on the iPhone 16 Pro, that will leave three Pro storage options across the board: 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB.
In 2018, Apple's iPhone X came with 64GB, an entry-level storage tier that persisted in successive premium device generations until the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020, when Apple adopted 128GB as the new baseline. The next year saw all iPhone 13 models offered with a minimum 128GB. If Apple makes 256GB the new minimum across its premium devices this year, we could well see it reach all models in 2025.
At the other end of the scale, a rumor in January out of Korea claimed that both iPhone 16 Pro models will be available with double the maximum storage capacity as the iPhone 15 Pro devices, increasing from 1TB to 2TB.
The maximum storage increase is said to be a result of Apple's switch to higher-density Quad-Level Cell (QLC) NAND flash for higher storage models. Apple's use of QLC NAND could allow Apple to fit more storage into a smaller space and it is less expensive than Triple-Level Cell (TLC) NAND, which current iPhones use.
This year's iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are rumored to be getting bigger display sizes, increasing to 6.27- and 6.86-inches, respectively. For comparison, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are equipped with 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch displays, respectively. The new display sizes will be the largest ever for the iPhone, and should also increase the physical space for internal components and parts.
Article corrected to reflect iPhone 12 Pro jump to 128GB base storage. Apologies for the original error.
Adobe today debuted several new AI features for Premiere Pro, software designed for professional video editing. Adobe's Premiere Pro is set to gain useful editing functions powered by generative AI, which will let video editors do more with less work.
With a Generative Extend feature, Premiere Pro will be able to add frames to make video clips longer, allowing for properly timed edits and smooth transitions by extending a scene.
Objects in videos will also be able to be added or removed through smart selection and tracking tools. Adobe says that video editors can do things like remove an unwanted item, change an actor's wardrobe, or add set dressings like paintings on the wall or plants on a desk.
Perhaps the most interesting new feature is an option to create new video footage directly within Premiere Pro using a text to video feature. Users will be able to type text into a prompt or upload images to create video, and the resulting clips can be used for B-roll, creating storyboards, and more.
Adobe plans to introduce these generative AI tools later in 2024.
Apple has its own professional video editing software, Final Cut Pro. Final Cut Pro is a Premiere Pro competitor, and as of now, it is lacking in the AI department. Apple has not announced any AI features for Final Cut Pro, but with AI capabilities rumored to be coming to multiple apps in iOS 18 and macOS 15, we could perhaps see some new AI feature additions for Final Cut Pro.
Social media platform X (formerly Twitter) will soon begin charging new users "a small fee" for posting content and liking, replying, and bookmarking tweets, according to Elon Musk.
X Daily News, a feed that posts X updates, today noticed that text strings on the website have been updated to mention a small annual fee that new users will need to pay in order to access the social network.
Musk said in response that the fee for new users is "the only way to curb the relentless onslaught of bots."
The fee has previously been tested in New Zealand and the Philippines, and Musk says that it is applicable only to those who are new to Twitter. When a new user signs up, the user will need to pay the fee, or wait for three months to be able to engage on the network. The updated language on the Twitter site:
New accounts are required to pay a small annual fee before you're able to post, like, bookmark, and reply. This is to reduce spam and create a better experience for everyone. You can still follow accounts and browse X for free.
The text does not mention being able to post for free after three months, but Musk confirmed that "write actions" would be free after that time period.
It is unclear how the policy will stop spam accounts and bots, as spammers will be able to pay the fee or simply create multiple accounts and wait to be able to post. Regular users, meanwhile, could be discouraged from using X due to the extra step and the fact that other social networks are free.
The fee appears to be around $1, as it costs $1.75 NZD in New Zealand. The pay-for-access policy has not yet been implemented outside of New Zealand and the Philippines.
Musk said that fake accounts also use up "the available namespace" limiting the "good handles." X has freed up over a million usernames so far, and will "free up tens of millions in the coming weeks."
Dock accessory company iVANKY recently launched its most powerful Thunderbolt dock yet, the FusionDock Max 1, which takes advantage of dual Thunderbolt chips and connections to offer the greatest amount of versatility I've seen in a Mac-focused dock. I've spent some time testing out the FusionDock Max 1 in my daily workflow, and I think I've found my new daily driver.
What sets the FusionDock Max 1 apart from other Thunderbolt docks on the market is the inclusion of dual Thunderbolt 4 chips, which essentially doubles the capacity of the dock, allowing you to run all sorts of displays and other peripherals at maximum speed. We'll dig into what that means for connectivity in just a minute, but let's start with an overview of the design and setup. Note that the FusionDock Max 1 is only compatible with Apple silicon Macs, so it won't work with older Intel Macs, Windows PCs, or Chromebooks.
The FusionDock Max 1 offers an eye-catching design in something of a midnight-colored aluminum housing. Rather than just featuring a simple brick shape, the FusionDock Max 1 has a unique "floating" design with a thin metal frame on the left side and bottom of the dock and the main body of the dock elevated on small legs. The design might help ensure some airflow around the dock, though I'm not sure just how much it actually assists in that regard. The dock can definitely get fairly warm during use, but I've never found it to get so hot that it's uncomfortable to leave a hand on it.
Similar to the Satechi USB-C Dual Dock Stand that I recently reviewed, the FusionDock Max 1 uses a dual-cable connection to your Mac, but this is Thunderbolt rather than the slower USB, so the greater bandwidth opens up a lot more possibilities for connectivity. The custom cable includes rather bulky housing on each end with a fixed arrangement of the two Thunderbolt connectors to match the port spacing on the dock and Apple's laptops. This makes it super easy to plug in and unplug the cable in one motion with very little fiddling required to get the connectors lined up properly.
The dock measures in at around 6.7 inches (17 cm) wide, 3.7 inches (9.4 cm) deep, and a little under 2 inches (5 cm) high, and there's a separate 180-watt power brick. The brick does have a fairly bright green light on it that could be distracting in dark rooms, but most users should be able to tuck it away on the floor or elsewhere where it won't be bothersome.
The dock itself has smooth surfaces on all sides, and it can tend to slide around on surfaces if it's bumped or even just under any sort of tension from the attached cables. Fortunately, iVANKY includes some sticky rubber pads you can install for either horizontal or vertical orientation of your dock, and those go a long way toward making sure the dock stays where you want it.
The dock's 20 ports are clearly labeled, which is great simply because there are so many that it's tricky to keep track of all of them. Aside from the DC-in barrel plug connection for power, everything is driven through a pair of 40 Gbps Thunderbolt USB-C ports stacked vertically on the rear on panel of the dock. iVANKY provides a custom cable with a vertically arranged dual connector on one end to fit these ports and a horizontally arranged dual connector on the other end to fit the exact spacing of adjacent Thunderbolt ports on your Mac.
Once you've hooked the dock up to power and your computer, your Mac will recognize the dock and you'll need to grant a couple privacy-related permissions, and then you'll be ready to go. The dock can deliver up to 96 watts of power to a connected computer, so you won't need a separate power connection for your Mac.
In addition to the DC-in and upstream Thunderbolt ports, the rear of the dock features two additional 40 Gbps USB-C ports that can drive up to 6K displays at 60Hz, and they can each provide up to 15 watts of power. For other types of displays, there are two HDMI ports supporting up to 4K displays at 60Hz, and while the ports officially support HDMI 2.1, iVANKY is only advertising them as supporting HDMI 2.0 due to Apple's limitations on docking stations connecting over USB-C/Thunderbolt. There are also three 10 Gbps USB-A ports delivering up to 7.5 watts of power each, a 2.5 Gb Ethernet port, a 3.5 mm audio out port, and a Toslink optical audio out port. A Kensington lock slot is also included to help physically secure the dock if desired.
On the front of the dock, you'll find another pair of 40 Gbps Thunderbolt USB-C ports capable of driving up to 6K displays at 60Hz, a pair of 10 Gbps USB-C ports (one with 20-watt Power Delivery capabilities and one offering 7.5 watts), another pair of 10 Gbps USB-A ports with 7.5 watts of power, plus a 3.5 mm combo headphone/mic audio port and SD and TF/microSD slots supporting the UHS-II standard. There is a white LED on the front to indicate whether the dock has power, but it's dim enough that it's not bothersome in a dark room.
With this array of ports, the FusionDock Max 1 can support up to four external displays, but it depends on which Mac you have, as that's where the graphics horsepower is ultimately coming from. If you've got a Mac with the base M1, or M2 chip such as a MacBook Air, Mac mini, or entry-level MacBook Pro, you can only drive a single external display at up to 6K resolution. M3-based machines like the latest MacBook Air and entry-level MacBook Pro models should be able to drive a pair of displays as long as your Mac is in clamshell mode with the display off.
If you've got a Mac with an M1 Pro, M2 Pro, or M3 Pro chip such as a higher-end Mac mini or a mid-level MacBook Pro, you'll be able to drive dual displays at up to 6K via the dock in additional to an internal display for the MacBook Pro, and if you've got a Max or Ultra chip from any of those families, you can drive a total of four external displays at up to 6K resolution.
It's important to keep in mind that only the USB-C ports support 6K resolution, but there are four downstream ones available for display connections, two on the front and two on the back. The HDMI ports on the back can only support a maximum of 4K resolution.
I don't have any machines in my possession equipped with Max-level chips, so I wasn't able to push the FusionDock Max 1 to its limit when it comes to displays, but it had no trouble driving a pair of 5K displays from my 16-inch MacBook Pro with an M1 Pro chip. I tried several other combinations of displays over Thunderbolt/USB and HDMI, including Alogic's 32-inch 4K display with touchscreen support, and everything worked without a hitch.
Other peripherals also worked well with the dock, from my USB-A Stream Deck to a fast external SSD that was able to achieve speeds of up to 2,800 MB/s read and 1,950 MB/s write when connected to one of the 40 Gbps USB-C ports. Connecting that drive directly to my MacBook Pro yields read speeds of around 3,000 MB/s and write speeds of around 3,100 MB/s, so there's only a small penalty to read speeds for going through the dock, while write speeds take a bit bigger hit but remain speedy. Read and write speeds will ultimately depend on what else is connected to the dock and thus what that SSD is sharing its connection with.
SD card speeds came in at around 90 MB/s read and 90–160 MB/s write depending on file size for the reasonably fast card I had available for testing, which is below both the theoretical specs of the card and the up to ~200 MB/s speeds I see in some testing when inserting it directly into my MacBook Pro, but still satisfactory in my opinion.
Wrap-up
I've been a loyal CalDigit TS3 Plus user for many years, but the iVANKY FusionDock Max 1 is likely to take its place in my permanent desk setup. With a single-cable connection (yes, it has dual connectors, but just one thing to plug and unplug), it's the most convenient way to quickly and easily convert my MacBook Pro from a large desk setup to a convenient on-the-go machine.
With the FusionDock Max 1's vast array of ports, everything from my dual 5K displays to external drives, a Stream Deck, and more can all be connected and disconnected with almost no effort, and there's essentially no compromise in performance or speed.
All of this convenience and technology packed into the FusionDock Max 1 doesn't come cheap, however, as it carries a normal price of $549.99, so this dock definitely won't be everyone, but for power users this may be well worth the price tag. Fortunately, iVANKY is currently offering $150 off when you use our exclusive promo code MACRUMOURS on iVANKY's site, bringing the price to $399.99.
Note: iVANKY provided MacRumors with the FusionDock Max 1 for the purposes of this review. No other compensation was received. MacRumors is an affiliate partner with iVANKY. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
iGBA was a copycat version of developer Riley Testut's open-source GBA4iOS app, with the addition of ads on top. While it did not explicitly name GBA4iOS, Apple told us it removed iGBA from the App Store after learning that it was a knockoff app that copied another developer's work and attempted to pass it off as its own.
Notably, Apple confirmed to us that emulators on the App Store are permitted to load ROMs downloaded from the web, so long as the app is emulating retro console games only. Apple also said it had approved iGBA's functionality, before learning that it was a knockoff app, suggesting that Game Boy emulation is permitted on the App Store, but the company has yet to share any other examples of retro game consoles.
All in all, it appears that iGBA was removed from the App Store entirely because it was a ripoff of GBA4iOS, rather than due to piracy concerns resulting from users being able to load any ROM downloaded from the web. However, exactly which consoles Apple considers to be retro, and if there will be any other restrictions, remains to be seen.
It also remains to be seen how Nintendo reacts to Apple approving Game Boy emulators for distribution through the App Store on the iPhone. On its U.S. customer support website, Nintendo says downloading pirated copies of its games is illegal:
Pirate copies of game files are often referred to as "ROMs".
The uploading and downloading of pirate copies of Nintendo games is illegal.
We have reached out to Nintendo for comment.
Apple updated its App Review Guidelines to permit retro game console emulators earlier this month. Apple says developers of emulators are "responsible for all such software" offered in the app, including compliance with "all applicable laws."
All of the changes the iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to feature compared to their direct forerunners are listed below, using information from reliable sources that we have previously covered. We will update this article as more rumors emerge in the coming months.
Displays
Both iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to feature larger displays than their predecessors, pushing the iPhone 16 Pro Max to be the biggest iPhone ever offered. There are also reportedly improvements to the underlying OLED technology in store.
More efficient OLED display with brighter micro-lens technology
Chip, Thermals, and Connectivity
Under the hood, the iPhone 16 Pro models are rumored to bring notable improvements in processing power, thermal management, and connectivity. From a more powerful "A18 Pro" chip to advanced thermal designs and enhanced connectivity options including the latest Wi-Fi standards, these changes promise to further update the iPhone's basic specifications.
A18 Pro chip (TSMC's "N3E" enhanced 3nm process)
16-core Neural Engine
Enhanced neural Engine with "significantly" more cores to support new AI features
Thermal design with copper heatsink and black foil battery casing
New thermal design with graphene heatsink and metal battery casing
Snapdragon X70 5G modem
Snapdragon X75 5G modem
Wi-Fi 6E connectivity
Wi-Fi 7 connectivity
Cameras
The iPhone 16 Pro models are slated to receive a range of substantial camera enhancements, such as a larger main camera sensor, a 48-megapixel sensor on the ultra wide camera, and a dedicated hardware button for photography and videography on the side of the device.
iPhone 15 Pro
iPhone 16 Pro
"Capture Button" to trigger photography and videography features
1/1.28-inch main camera sensor
iPhone 16 Pro Max: 1/1.14-inch main camera sensor (12% larger)
Sony IMX-803 main camera sensor
iPhone 16 Pro Max: Sony IMX-903 main camera sensor with stacked design for better performance, a 14-bit Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) for high-quality image data conversion, and Digital Gain Control (DCG) for better dynamic range and noise control
7P main camera lens
8P main camera lens
iPhone 15 Pro: Telephoto camera with second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization iPhone 15 Pro Max: Telephoto camera with larger sensor, folded tetraprism design, optical image stabilization, and autofocus 3D sensor-shift module
Telephoto camera with larger sensor, folded tetraprism design, optical image stabilization, and autofocus 3D sensor-shift module
iPhone 15 Pro: 77mm maximum focal length iPhone 15 Pro Max: 120mm maximum focal length
iPhone 16 Pro: 120mm maximum focal length iPhone 16 Pro Max: "Super" telephoto camera with focal length above 300mm
iPhone 15 Pro: 0.5x, 1x, 2x, and 3x optical zoom iPhone 15 Pro Max: 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 3x, and 5x optical zoom (5x on Pro Max only)
0.5x, 1x, 2x, and 5x optical zoom
4P telephoto camera lens
5P telephoto camera lens
12-megapixel ultra wide camera
48-megapixel ultra wide camera
5P ultra wide camera lens
6P ultra wide camera lens
Batteries and Charging
The iPhone 16 Pro models could receive some major improvements in battery technology and charging, sporting bigger, denser batteries and faster charging capabilities.
iPhone 15 Pro
iPhone 16 Pro
Single-layer battery technology
Stacked battery technology for increased energy density and prolonged lifespan
iPhone 15 Pro: 3,274 mAh battery iPhone 15 Pro Max: 4,422 mAh battery
iPhone 16 Pro: 3,355 mAh mAh battery (+2.5%) iPhone 16 Pro Max: 4,676 mAh battery (+5%)
While many of Apple's devices are rumored to receive a series of new AI-based features via software updates later this year, the iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to take these further with exclusive capabilities and an upgraded microphone.
Support for new AI features in iOS 18, plus a suite of device-exclusive AI features
Microphone
Upgraded microphone with improved signal-to-noise ratio and water resistance, designed to support new AI features
Up to 1TB of storage
Up to 2TB of storage
Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, and Natural Titanium color options
Black Titanium/Space Black, White Titanium, Desert Titanium, Titanium Gray, and potentially Rose Gold color options
Brushed titanium frame
Glossy titanium frame
Dimensions
To accommodate the devices' larger displays, both iPhone 16 Pro models are rumored to grow in height and width, but no changes to the depth are anticipated.
The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are expected to launch in the fall. Apple usually hosts an event every September to unveil new iPhone models, with launch following just over a week later. For more information about the iPhone 16 Pro models, see our comprehensive roundup.
Will It Be Worth Upgrading?
The iPhone 15 Pro was a fairly significant upgrade over the iPhone 14 Pro in 2023, introducing a new design with a titanium frame, slimmer bezels, the Action button, a USB-C port, and more. The iPhone 16 Pro's upgrades will likely not be as substantial as those offered by its predecessor. As a result, most iPhone 15 Pro users will have little reason to upgrade, but some who would appreciate a larger display, better cameras, and a dedicated button for photography and videography features may find it worthwhile.
Today we're tracking a few deals offered by Anker and Jackery, including a wide array of wall chargers and other USB-C accessories. All of the products in this sale can be found on Amazon, and some will require you to clip an on-page coupon then head to the checkout screen before you see the final sale price.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Highlights of Jackery's deals include the Explorer 100 Plus Portable Power Station, available for just $99.99, down from $149.00. This is a miniature-sized portable power station that can fit in the palm of your hand and weighs just 2.13 lbs, while featuring a 31,000 mAh capacity and 128W output.
Apple's recently-launched Sports app for the iPhone was updated today ahead of the NBA and NHL playoffs, which both begin this weekend.
Apple says fans will be able to "follow every matchup with added details on each series and more," but we have not noticed any immediate changes in the app after updating to the new version. The first NBA and NHL playoff series begin on Saturday, April 20, so the extra details will presumably become visible then. Some info like playoff matchups and conference standings was already available in the previous version of the app.
Released in February, the Apple Sports app shows scores, schedules, stats, and more for a variety of leagues, such as the NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS, and Premier League. The app also displays real-time play-by-play information for ongoing games.
Apple's iPhone shipments decreased by nearly 10% globally in the first quarter of 2024, hit by rapid growth in shipments by rival Chinese vendors, based on data provided by the International Data Corporation (IDC).
According to the IDC report, Apple's shipments fell 9.6% to 50.1 million units in the first quarter, down from 55.4 million units in the same quarter the previous year. Apple experienced the most significant annual decline among the top five smartphone brands covered in the report.
Samsung reclaimed its position as the market leader, which it had lost to Apple the previous year, by capturing a 20.8% market share with shipments of about 60.1 million units, roughly the same as last year. In 2023, its market share was 22.5% during the same period.
In contrast, after having last year overtaken Samsung to become the top smartphone manufacturer for the first time, Apple experienced a decline in market share from 20.7% to 17.3%.
"While IDC expects these two companies to maintain their hold on the high end of the market, the resurgence of Huawei in China, as well as notable gains from Xiaomi, Transsion, OPPO/OnePlus, and vivo will likely have both OEMs looking for areas to expand and diversify," said Ryan Reith, group vice president at IDC Worldwide Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers.
Apple has struggled to sustain interest in its flagship smartphone lineup in China since the company released its iPhone 15 series in September, which came just weeks after Huawei debuted its highly popular Mate 60 series. Interest in iPhones has also been impacted by a Beijing-backed ban from the offices of a huge number of state-owned enterprises in power generation, seaport construction, mining, manufacturing, education, and investment markets.
Apple's drop in shipments came during a time when global first-quarter smartphone shipments actually rose 7.8% year-on-year to 289.4 million units. It was the third consecutive quarter of shipment growth across the worldwide market, according to IDC.
Apple is testing a new anti-reflective optical coating technology for future iPhone cameras that could improve the quality of photos by reducing artifacts like lens flare and ghosting, claims a rumor out of Korea.
According to the news aggregator account "yeux1122" on the Naver blog, citing a company source within Apple's supply chain, Apple is looking at introducing new atomic layer deposition (ALD) equipment into the iPhone camera lens manufacturing process.
ALD involves depositing materials one atomic layer at a time onto a substrate, allowing for extremely precise control over thickness and composition. Its use allows manufacturers to apply very thin layers of materials onto semiconductor devices, including camera components.
In terms of camera lenses, ALD can be used to apply anti-reflective coatings, which can help to reduce photographic artifacts like streaks of light and halos that can occur in the final image when a bright light source such as the sun shines directly into the lens.
ALD can also reduce ghosting, a type of image distortion where faint, secondary images appear in the photo, typically opposite a bright light source. This happens when light reflects back and forth between the surfaces of the lens elements and the camera sensor.
In addition, ALD-applied materials can protect against environmental damage to the camera lens system without affecting the sensor's ability to capture light effectively.
The Naver blog claims that the manufacturing process will be applied to a "Pro model" in Apple's "next-generation" iPhone lineup, which sounds like a reference to one or both premium models in the iPhone 16 series, although given the timing of the rumor, the possibility that this method is being tested for next year's iPhone 17 Pro models should not be discounted.
Both upcoming iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to include a tetraprism lens with up to 5x optical zoom – a feature that is currently exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro Max in Apple's smartphone lineup. Apple usually launches its new-generation iPhones around mid-September.
Apple today said it removed Game Boy emulator iGBA from the App Store for violating the company's App Review Guidelines related to spam (section 4.3) and copyright (section 5.2), but it did not provide any specific details.
iGBA was a copycat version of developer Riley Testut's open-source GBA4iOS app. The emulator rose to the top of the App Store charts following its release this weekend, but some people complained that the app was a blatant ripoff overlaid with ads.
"So apparently Apple approved a knock-off of GBA4iOS," said Testut, in a Threads post on Saturday. "I did not give anyone permission to do this, yet it's now sitting at the top of the charts (despite being filled with ads + tracking)." He quipped that he was "so glad App Review exists to protect consumers from scams and rip-offs like this."
An excerpt from section 5.2 of the App Review Guidelines, related to intellectual property:
Make sure your app only includes content that you created or that you have a license to use. Your app may be removed if you've stepped over the line and used content without permission. Of course, this also means someone else's app may be removed if they've "borrowed" from your work.
It is unclear if Apple removed iGBA because it felt the app ripped off GBA4iOS, or for other reasons. We have asked Apple for clarification about the app's removal, and we will update this article if we receive any additional information.
Notably, iGBA allows iPhone users to load any Game Boy game ROMs downloaded from the web, but the app's removal makes it unclear if Apple will allow ROM-loading apps on the App Store. On its customer support website in the U.S., Nintendo says downloading pirated copies of its games is illegal. It is unclear if Nintendo contacted Apple.
iGBA appeared in the App Store just over a week after Apple allowed "retro game console emulators" on the App Store, but the guidelines are somewhat vague, so hopefully Apple will clarify exactly what is and is not permitted. iGBA can continue to be used by anyone who installed it on their iPhone before it was removed from the App Store.
Testut has not said whether he will make his newer Nintendo game emulator Delta available on the App Store, should it be permitted, but he does plan to distribute it through his alternative app marketplace AltStore on iPhones in the EU.
Update: Apple says that while iGBA's functionality was approved, it removed the app from the App Store after learning that it was a knockoff app that copied another developer's submission, which presumably refers to GBA4iOS.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman recently reported that the first Macs with M4 series chips will be released later this year, with more models to follow next year. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman shared a more specific roadmap for these Macs.
1. A low-end 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4, coming around the end of 2024. 2. A 24-inch iMac with the M4, also expected around the end of the year. 3. New 14-inch and 16-inch high-end MacBook Pros with M4 Pro/Max chips, due between the end of 2024 and early 2025. 4. A Mac mini in both M4 and M4 Pro configurations, coming between the end of 2024 and early 2025. 5. New 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Airs, slated for around spring 2025. 6. A Mac Studio with a high-end M4 chip, coming around the middle of 2025. 7. A Mac Pro with an M4 Ultra chip, due in the second half of 2025.
Gurman reiterated that Apple has internally tested an M3 Ultra chip, which would be suitable for the Mac Studio and the Mac Pro, but he said it is "all but assured that at least some of Apple's high-end desktops" will skip the M3 chip series.
Gurman said that Apple will emphasize the artificial intelligence capabilities of the M4 chip series.
"As the world awaits Apple's big AI unveiling on June 10, it looks like the initial wave of features will work entirely on device," said Gurman, in the Q&A section of his Power On newsletter today. "That means there's no cloud processing component to the company's large language model, the software that powers the new capabilities."
Apple will probably still offer some cloud-based AI features powered by Google's Gemini or another provider, according to Gurman. Apple has reportedly held discussions with companies such as Google, OpenAI, and China's Baidu about potential generative AI partnerships. iOS 18 is not expected to include Apple's own ChatGPT-like chatbot, but it is unclear if Gemini or other chatbot will be directly integrated into iOS 18.
It is possible that Apple could offer some of its own cloud-based generative AI features in the future, as Apple supply chain analysts like Ming-Chi Kuo and Jeff Pu have said that the company is actively purchasing AI servers.
iOS 18 is rumored to have new generative AI features for the iPhone's Spotlight search tool, Siri, Safari, Shortcuts, Apple Music, Messages, Health, Numbers, Pages, Keynote, and more. Gurman previously reported that generative AI will improve Siri's ability to answer more complex questions, and allow the Messages app to auto-complete sentences.
Apple is expected to unveil iOS 18 and other software updates at its annual developers conference WWDC, which runs from June 10 through June 14.
Samsung this weekend has the 27-inch ViewFinity S9 5K Smart Monitor at a steep discount, available for $899.99, down from $1,599.99. In addition to this $700 discount, you'll find deals on 4K and 5K Samsung monitors, including the Smart Monitor M8, as well as storage, audio, TVs, smartphones, and home appliances.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Samsung. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Overall, the ViewFinity S9 5K Smart Monitor is at a very solid second-best price this weekend, just $50 higher compared to the previous record low price. This monitor has a matte display, modular 4K SlimFit camera, and support for Thunderbolt 4.
Samsung's 27-inch Smart Monitor M8 is also being discounted during this sale, available for $399.99 in Warm White, down from $699.99. This is a 4K smart monitor with a design that looks similar to the iMac line, and it's at another great second-best price during Samsung's monitor sale.
Additionally, Samsung has quite a few more monitor and TV deals, which we've rounded up below. Anyone shopping for a Samsung smartphone or tablet can also find a few offers on the Galaxy AI-powered Galaxy Z Flip5, Galaxy Z Fold5, and Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra.
Image Credit: Joanna Stern/The Wall Street Journal
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Samsung. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
