Apple today plans to release an Apple Immersive Video that features the best of the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs. It is the first-ever sports film captured in Apple Immersive Video, and it will be available on the Vision Pro headset.

Apple MLS partnership June 2022
Apple in February said that the MLS Playoffs were recorded in 8K 3D with a 180-degree field of view and Spatial Audio, giving viewers the opportunity to feel "every heart-pounding moment" of the playoffs.

As Jason Snell from Six Colors points out, Apple's video is being released 110 days after the 2023 MLS Cup Final, which is quite the wait. The video is also just five minutes long.

The MLS documentary is set to premiere on the Vision Pro at 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time or 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time tonight.

Related Roundup: Apple Vision Pro
Buyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro

The company behind the new "Clicks" physical keyboard accessory for the iPhone says it will soon start shipping for a few more models.

Clicks Keyboard iPhone Yellow
In an email shared by Parker Ortolani on Threads this week, the company said the iPhone 15 Pro version of the keyboard will begin shipping to customers worldwide by April 15. And on the Clicks website, the iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 14 Pro Max versions of the keyboard are estimated to ship by April 30 and in May, respectively.

Clicks started shipping the iPhone 14 Pro version of the keyboard in February, and this is the only model that has arrived to customers so far. The keyboard was first announced in early January, ahead of the annual CES tech conference.

Inspired by the once-popular BlackBerry smartphone, Clicks is both a physical keyboard and a case for the iPhone. The keyboard connects to the iPhone's USB-C or Lightning port, and it features dedicated keys for emoji and dictation, backlit keys, and a pass-through charging port. Wireless charging is still supported through the case.

Clicks Keyboard iPhone
One advantage of using a physical keyboard with an iPhone is a full-screen experience, as the on-screen keyboard does not appear. There are also keyboard shortcuts, such as CMD-H to return to the Home Screen and CMD-Space to open Spotlight.

The obvious downsides of the keyboard are the added size and weight, but there is a niche market of physical keyboard fans who are willing to put up with these compromises to have an old-school BlackBerry-like typing experience.

Clicks was co-founded by well-known tech personalities "MrMobile" and "CrackBerry Kevin." The keyboard starts at $139 in the U.S., and it is offered in London Sky and BumbleBee color options. It has silicone on the front, and vegan leather on the back. The keyboard is currently sold out, with the company accepting reservations for future availability.

Apple's M3 Ultra chip may be designed as its own, standalone chip, rather than be made up of two M3 Max dies, according to a plausible new theory.

apple silicon 1 feature
The theory comes from Max Tech's Vadim Yuryev, who outlined his thinking in a post on X earlier today. Citing a post from @techanalye1 which suggests the M3 Max chip no longer features the UltraFusion interconnect, Yuryev postulated that the as-yet-unreleased "M3 Ultra" chip will not be able to comprise two Max chips in a single package. This means that the M3 Ultra is likely to be a standalone chip for the first time.

This would enable Apple to make specific customizations to the M3 Ultra to make it more suitable for intense workflows. For example, the company could omit efficiency cores entirely in favor of an all-performance core design, as well as add even more GPU cores. At minimum, a single M3 Ultra chip designed in this way would be almost certain to offer better performance scaling than the M2 Ultra did compared to the ‌M2‌ Max, since there would no longer be efficiency losses over the UltraFusion interconnect.

Furthermore, Yuryev speculated that the M3 Ultra could feature its own UltraFusion interconnect, allowing two M3 Ultra dies to be combined in a single package for double the performance in a hypothetical "M3 Extreme" chip. This would enable superior performance scaling compared to packaging four M3 Max dies and open the possibility of even higher amounts of unified memory.

Little is currently known about the M3 Ultra chip, but a report in January suggested that it will be fabricated using TSMC's N3E node, just like the A18 chip that is expected to debut in the iPhone 16 lineup later in the year. This means it would be Apple's first N3E chip. The M3 Ultra is rumored to launch in a refreshed Mac Studio model in mid-2024.

Apple's AirTag 4-Pack has dropped to $74.99 today on Amazon, down from $99.00. This deal brings the AirTag 4-Pack back down to its all-time low price, which is a price that we haven't tracked since the holiday season.

AirTag and Lavender iPhoneNote: 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.

If you only need one AirTag, Amazon has the 1-Pack for $24.00, which is a solid second-best price on the Bluetooth tracker. Delivery dates for the AirTag 4-Pack are estimated between this Saturday, March 30 and Tuesday, April 2, while the 1-Pack dates have stretched into mid-April.

AirTag provides a way to keep track of your items in the iOS Find My app, allowing you to play a sound on the built-in speaker to find something locally or with precision finding when it's farther away. Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

iOS 17.4 brings support for 15W wireless charging with Qi2 to the iPhone 12, according to Macworld.

iphone 12 preorder purple
Qi2 is a next-generation wireless charging technology designed by the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) and based on MagSafe. ‌MagSafe‌ was first introduced on the ‌iPhone‌ 12 and offers speeds of up to 15W. Third-party wireless chargers without ‌MagSafe‌ certification have been limited to maximum speeds of 7.5W, but Qi2 can reach the full 15W.

Last year, Apple enabled 15W speeds with Qi2 wireless chargers on the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 via iOS 17.2. The iPhone 15 lineup already supported Qi2 upon launch, leaving the ‌iPhone‌ 12 as the only ‌iPhone‌ model with ‌MagSafe‌ without the faster charging capability when using Qi2 accessories.

Citing reader reports and its own tests, Macworld claims that the ‌iPhone‌ 12 is able to charge at 15W when using a Qi2 wireless charger after an update to iOS 17.4. When using a Qi2 charger, the device now displays the animation that only appears when 15W charging is active and tests with the Anker Qi2 MagGo Wireless Charger demonstrated charging speeds in line with ‌MagSafe‌.

Apple openly stated that iOS 17.2 brought Qi2 support to the ‌iPhone 13‌ and ‌iPhone 14‌, but it did not make any such claim about iOS 17.4 and the ‌iPhone‌ 12. This may be because the ‌iPhone‌ 12's wireless charging technology was built around the original Qi standard and ‌MagSafe‌ before Qi2 was finalized.

Tag: Qi2
Related Forum: iPhone

Apple's proposed launch schedule for its first foldable iPhone has been delayed until 2027 due to technical challenges, claims a report out of Korea.

foldable iphone
According to Alpha Biz (via DigiTimes), Apple executives have adjusted the launch schedule for the foldable ‌iPhone‌ from the fourth quarter of 2026 to the first quarter of 2027 following issues with the acquisition of parts, including foldable displays that meet its high standards.

Apple is still in the early stages of developing two foldable smartphones, according to The Information. The report said that the two ‌iPhone‌ prototypes fold widthwise like a clamshell. More recently, Samsung Securities claimed that Apple's first foldable ‌iPhone‌ will feature a 6-inch external display and an 8-inch main display.

Meanwhile, Korean outlet The Elec last month reported that Apple is also considering launching a 7- to 8-inch device that could ultimately replace the 8.3-inch iPad mini.

Despite the rumors, however, there is increasing skepticism among analysts over whether Apple will abandon its foldable phone in the near term because the company is concerned that existing foldable technology has not yet matured in such a way that would enable it to realize the kind of next-generation application its engineers and designers have in mind.

Only last month a Chinese rumor claimed that Apple had suspended its development of a foldable ‌iPhone‌ after supplier displays failed to pass the company's own stringent testing standards. Apple is said to have been testing rival foldable phones since 2016 as part of its research and development process into foldable devices.

In one cited case, one of the latest folding panels made by Samsung reportedly "broke down after a few days" under Apple's rigorous internal testing, which allegedly caused Apple to put the entire project on ice for the foreseeable future.

The company is seemingly struggling to eliminate the crease that forms in the middle of a display due to repeated folding, and is still working out a design for a hinge that allows the display to lie totally flat, without a bump or dip in the middle. Apple has also been looking at filling panels with polymer materials such as silicone or acrylate to reduce light reflection issues.

Google today announced several changes that it is making to the Google Maps platform, including an AI update. Google Maps now provides better at-a-glance information on locations, with the details powered by Google AI.

Google maps feaure purple
Maps shows photo highlights and reviews that summarize what people like about a location. A restaurant's food items can be identified using AI, and Google Maps will also provide cost, potential availability, and whether or not it caters to dietary restrictions.

Google says that it will now be easier to discover helpful recommendation lists from top sites and the Google Maps community in select cities in the U.S. and Canada. To use the feature, search for a city and swipe to see curated lists of recommendations from people familiar with the city. There are also Trending, Top, and Gems lists that highlight popular locations to visit when traveling. The feature is available in 40 cities this week, with more coming in the future.

To go along with the change to recommendations, Google is adding new customization tools for creating lists in Maps. Google Maps users can choose the order that places appear in their created lists to rank them, and there are options to link content from social channels. Google says that the list updates will be rolling out on Android and iOS later this month.

Finally, Google Maps users can expect to see a refreshed design that includes a cleaner home screen with fewer tabs and new pin colors that make it easier to find places on the map.

With the App Store and app ecosystem undergoing major changes in the European Union, The Wall Street Journal today shared a profile on ‌App Store‌ chief Phil Schiller, who is responsible for the ‌App Store‌.

Phil Schiller
Though Schiller transitioned from marketing chief to "Apple Fellow" in 2020 to take a step back from Apple and spend more time on personal projects and friends, he is reportedly working close to 80 hours a week.

Schiller is known for responding to emails almost immediately, and answering phone calls at all hours. He testified during the Epic v. Apple lawsuit to ardently defend the ‌App Store‌, and he is involved in Apple's EU messaging as well. Schiller joined in on Apple PR calls with members of the media when the iOS 17.4 changes were announced, and he spent time explaining how the DMA will impact user privacy and security in Europe.

When Apple terminated the Epic Games developer account in March to prevent it from creating an alternate app marketplace, it was Schiller who sent an email to Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney to suggest that the account had been shut down because of Epic's criticism of Apple's DMA compliance. Schiller's email did not go over well with the European Commission, and Apple ultimately reversed its decision.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple CEO Tim Cook defers to Schiller when it comes to ‌App Store‌ matters. Schiller joined Apple back in 1987, left in 1993, and returned in 1997 when Steve Jobs came back to Apple. He has been at the forefront of some of Apple's biggest product launches, developing marketing strategies for everything from the iPod to the Mac.

He was one of the main supporters of adding third-party apps to the iPhone, working to convince Jobs to launch the ‌App Store‌ in 2008. Known as a Jobs "mini-me," Schiller has reportedly kept Jobs' philosophy alive at Apple. Under his watch, human review has remained a key part of the ‌App Store‌, and the ‌App Store‌ has grown into a major revenue stream for Apple.

More on Schiller can be read in The Wall Street Journal's full profile.

At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone.

Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple
"The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone's software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade," wrote Gurman, in a report focused on WWDC 2024. Apple recently said that its annual developers conference will run from June 10 through June 14, and iOS 18 will be a key announcement.

iOS 18 is rumored to include new generative AI features for Siri and many apps, and Apple plans to add RCS support to the Messages app for an improved texting experience between iPhones and Android devices. The update is also expected to introduce a more customizable Home Screen and other user interface design changes, new features in apps like Apple Maps and Freeform, additional accessibility features, and more.

Smarter Siri and Generative AI

hey siri banner apple
iOS 18 is rumored to have new generative AI features for Siri, Spotlight, Shortcuts, Apple Music, Messages, Health, Numbers, Pages, Keynote, and more, according to sources such as Gurman and The Information's Wayne Ma.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has repeatedly teased that the company is working on generative AI, and plans to share details "later this year," and Apple's marketing chief Greg Joswiak also hinted at AI this week in a social media post about WWDC 2024.

Generative AI surged in popularity in late 2022, when OpenAI released ChatGPT, a chatbot that can respond to questions and other text prompts. The company has also expanded into generative AI tools for images and videos. Other companies like Google and Microsoft have also pushed into the generative AI space, and the technology is quickly evolving.

iOS 18 is not expected to include Apple's own ChatGPT-like chatbot. Instead, Apple has reportedly held discussions with companies such as OpenAI, Google, and China's Baidu about potential generative AI partnerships, which could lead to other chatbots being integrated into iOS 18, although Apple's exact plans are unclear.

Some generative AI features might be exclusive to iPhone 16 Pro models, which are rumored to have a Neural Engine with "significantly" more cores.

More Customizable Home Screen

iPhone Home Screen Gradient Blank Spaces 1
iOS 18 will feature a "more customizable" Home Screen, according to Gurman.

MacRumors exclusively reported that iOS 18 will finally allow users to place app icons anywhere on the Home Screen grid. This means that users will be able to create blank spaces, columns, and rows between app icons. This basic feature has long been available on Android smartphones, and now Apple is bringing it to the iPhone.

iPhone users can already customize the Home Screen with apps such as Shortcuts and Widgetsmith, which can be used to create "blank" app icons and widgets, but Apple's official solution will be much more convenient.

We expect iOS 18 to include additional customization options beyond icon arrangement, as part of the biggest Home Screen revamp in years.

New Apple Maps Features

apple maps 3d feature
MacRumors recently revealed two potential new Apple Maps features coming with iOS 18: custom routes and topographic maps.

With the custom routes feature, Apple Maps users would be able to choose specific roads to travel on while navigating, for reasons such as familiarity or scenic views. This feature is expected to be available in the U.S. only at launch. Google Maps already allows users to create custom routes on the web, and then view them on an iPhone.

Topographic maps first debuted on the Apple Watch last year with watchOS 10, and code suggests that the feature will be expanded to the iPhone, Mac, and Vision Pro with iOS 18, macOS 15, and visionOS 2. These maps include details such as trails, contour lines, elevation, and points of interest for hiking and other outdoor uses.

RCS Support in Messages App

General Apps Messages
In November, Apple announced that it would support the cross-platform messaging standard RCS in the Messages app on the iPhone starting "later" in 2024, so it will likely be an iOS 18 feature based on that timeframe.

RCS support should result in the following improvements to the default messaging experience between iPhones and Android devices:

  • Higher-resolution photos and videos
  • Audio messages
  • Typing indicators
  • Read receipts
  • Wi-Fi messaging between iPhones and Android devices
  • Improved group chats, including the ability for iPhone users to leave a conversation that includes Android users

These modern features are already available for iPhone-to-iPhone conversations with blue bubbles, via iMessage, and many of the features are also available in third-party messaging apps, such as WhatsApp and Telegram. RCS support on the iPhone will extend the features to green bubbles in the Messages app.

Design Changes

iOS Design 1
Apple plans to update the design of the iOS user interface as "early as this year," according to Gurman. He previously said that iOS 18 would have "major new features and designs," but he has yet to provide any specific details.

More Rumors

For additional information, read our iOS 18 roundup.

Related Roundup: iOS 18

Popular accessory brand Mophie today announced the launch of new iPhone charging products that use the new Qi2 wireless charging standard. Qi2 is similar to MagSafe in that it is able to charge compatible ‌iPhone‌ models at up to 15W rather than being limited to 7.5W.

Mophie Qi2 accessories
The $70 Snap+ Wireless Charging Vent Mount is designed for use in the car. It is able to attach to a vehicle's vents, and it comes with a 30W USB-C car adapter and USB-C cable. A MagSafe-compatible ‌iPhone‌ is able to attach to the charger magnetically, and it will charge at 15W.

Mophie's Snap+ Wireless Charging Vent Mount is available today, and two other products are coming in April. The $130 Snap+ 3-in-1 Wireless Charge Stand has an upright 15W Qi2 charging pad that works in landscape or portrait mode, plus it can be tilted to an ideal viewing angle.

There's also an Apple Watch charging puck that can fast charge compatible Apple Watch models at 7.5W, and a 5W charging platform at the bottom that is designed to work with AirPods. All three devices can charge at one time.

Mophie's $70 Snap+ Powerstation Mini with Stand is a charging stand that comes with a 5,000mAh internal battery for charging the ‌iPhone‌ while on the go. Like Mophie's other Qi2 products, it is able to charge an ‌iPhone‌ at up to 15W. The Powerstation Mini and 3-in-1 Charge Stand will launch on April 30.

Qi2 products from Mophie and other manufacturers are compatible with the iPhone 13 models, iPhone 14 models, and iPhone 15 models. Older iPhones do not support Qi2 charging speeds.

Tags: Mophie, Qi2

Apple appears to be gearing up to add topographic maps to the Apple Maps apps in iOS 18, macOS 15, and visionOS 2, according to code reviewed by MacRumors.

watchos 10 maps app
First introduced with watchOS 10, topographic maps include trails, contour lines, elevation, and points of interest, features that are of use for hiking and other outdoor activities where accurate navigation is essential.

Since debuting topographic maps, Apple has been expanding support throughout the United States, and this year, Apple may be ready to bring it to iOS, macOS, and ‌visionOS‌.

Backend topographic maps code was introduced last year, but only ‌watchOS 10‌ had the feature. The code was dormant on iOS and macOS at that time, but in the backend files for ‌iOS 18‌, macOS 15, and ‌visionOS‌ 2, the code is active, suggesting an expansion.

The possibility of topographic maps follows our report yesterday on another possible ‌Apple Maps‌ feature, support for custom routes. With custom routes, users will presumably be able to create their own routes without being limited to Apple's pre-selected options.

‌‌iOS 18‌‌ will be introduced at the Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday, June 10, and it appears there will be quite a few new features for ‌Apple Maps‌. For more details about the update, check out our iOS 18 roundup.

(Thanks, Nicolás!)

Related Roundup: iOS 18

Apple today announced that three more Apple Arcade games will be available on the Vision Pro headset starting this Thursday, March 28.

Altos Odyssey The Lost City Vision ProAlto's Odyssey: The Lost City on Apple Vision Pro

The titles coming to the Vision Pro tomorrow include popular endless runner game Alto's Odyssey: The Lost City, hand-drawn adventure game Gibbon: Beyond the Trees, and physics-based puzzler Spire Blast. All three games are already available on Apple Arcade on other devices, including the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV.

"On March 28, players can soar above windswept dunes in a fantastical place far from home in Alto's Odyssey: The Lost City, dive into an immersive jungle with a family of gibbons in the 2022 Apple Design Award winning Gibbon: Beyond the Trees, and collapse vibrant towers of all shapes and sizes that appear in their physical space in the fun physics-based puzzle game Spire Blast," said Apple, in an email about the games.

Accessible through the App Store, Apple Arcade is a subscription-based service that provides access to hundreds of games across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Vision Pro, all free of ads and in-app purchases. The service received its first price increase last year, with U.S. pricing rising from $4.99 to $6.99 per month.

Related Roundup: Apple Vision Pro
Buyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro

Apple's brand new 13-inch 256GB M3 MacBook Air has hit $999.00 today on Amazon, down from $1,099.00. This sale is available in Midnight, but you might be able to get in Space Gray depending on stock, which has been fluctuating today. B&H Photo is matching this sale.

macbook air new blueNote: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

This is a new all-time low price on the 13-inch M3 MacBook Air, and it accompanies a similarly steep discount on the 15-inch model that we started tracking last week. In that sale, you can get the 15-inch 256GB M3 MacBook Air for $1,204.00, a $95 discount.

These MacBook Air models just launched earlier in the month, coming in both 13-inch and 15-inch sizes. Both of the new MacBook Air machines include the M3 chip and focus on internal upgrades. Apple did not change the design of the MacBook Air with the 2024 update, using the same design that was first introduced in 2022.

Because of these new MacBook Air models, we're also tracking record low prices on previous generation models. Best Buy currently has both the 13-inch and 15-inch M2 MacBook Air at all-time low prices, with up to $300 off select computers.

Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

Apple Pay's Express Mode has rolled out to all TTC subway stations in Toronto, allowing riders to simply hold their iPhone or Apple Watch near the reader at the turnstile to pay for their fare. With Express Mode, payment can be completed without waking or unlocking the device, or authenticating with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode. Express Mode even works for up to five hours after an iPhone has run out of battery power.

Apple Pay Canada
As noted by Toronto resident Andrew Escobar, it is still not possible to add a PRESTO card to the Apple Wallet app, so Express Mode is limited to credit and debit cards added to the Wallet app for now. Public documents related to recent TTC meetings suggest that the PRESTO card will gain Apple Wallet support later this year.

To set up a credit or debit card for use with Apple Pay, open the Wallet app on the iPhone, tap the plus sign in the top-right corner, and follow the on-screen instructions. To set a payment card as the default option for Express Mode, open the Settings app on the iPhone, tap Wallet & Apple Pay, tap Express Transit Card, and select a card.

Some payment readers elsewhere in the TTC system already worked with Apple Pay's Express Mode. Apple periodically updates a list of locations where Apple Pay's Express Mode is available for transit on its iOS feature availability page.

Related Roundup: Apple Pay

Apple retail stores are now receiving information about the company's new system for wirelessly updating iPhone software prior to sale, iGen reports.

Apple Store Vancouver Canada
Last week, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that the new proprietary system, called "Presto," will begin operation across the U.S. in April. Gurman first reported on the wireless system in October, describing it as a "proprietary pad-like device" upon which retail store staff can place a sealed ‌‌iPhone‌‌ box. The system wirelessly turns on the ‌iPhone‌ inside, updates its software to the latest available version, and then powers it off.

Presto features small lockers that can accommodate six ‌iPhone‌ boxes simultaneously. There are markings to ensure that boxes are correctly positioned for NFC depending on their size. Once correctly positioned, the ‌iPhone‌ will update within 15 to 30 minutes. iGen has now shared a still from a video showing two of the machines stacked one on top of the other:

apple presto
Presto was developed by Apple's Backstage Operations team, which designs tools for technicians and retail store employees. The company developed "Presto" as a way to avoid selling iPhones in retail stores with outdated software. For example, the iPhone 15 series shipped with iOS 17, but Apple subsequently released iOS 17.0.1 before the devices launched. The update was required to fix an issue that prevented the transfer of data directly from another ‌iPhone‌ during the initial setup process.

Apple apparently intends to have the technology in all U.S. retail stores by early summer. Retail locations outside the U.S. are also now receiving information about how Presto works.

Tag: Retail

The Apple Vision Pro has received its first discount today at Woot, now available for $3,299.00, down from $3,499.00. The headset is in new condition and it comes with a one year Apple manufacturer limited warranty.

Apple Vision Pro Dual Loop Band Teal Feature 2Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Woot. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

This model comes with a 21W light seal, small solo knit band, and small dual loop band. You can use Apple's website to determine if this size is right for you, but if it doesn't match your sizing recommendation you won't be able to take advantage of this discount.

Despite the murkiness with the sizes, Woot's discount today is notable as the very first sale we've ever seen from any major retailer for the Apple Vision Pro, which launched back in February. Woot says that this sale will last until it sells out, and there's an estimated delivery date between April 8 and April 10.

Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.

Updated: Woot has further discounted the Apple Vision Pro, and provided more details about sizing on the headset.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

Apple on late Tuesday released revised versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 with an updated build number of 21E237, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The updates previously had a build number of 21E236.

General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple
The revised updates are available for all iPhone and iPad models that are compatible with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, but they can only be installed via the Finder app on macOS and the Apple Devices or iTunes apps on Windows at this time. Apple has not made the new builds available over the air in the Settings app on the iPhone and iPad.

It is unclear what changed between the builds, if anything, but any potential differences are likely very minor. For those curious, we have confirmed that the new builds do not contain any references to unreleased iPad models.

There have been sporadic reports on social media about iOS 17.4 and iOS 17.4.1 causing some iPhones to get stuck in a boot loop, so perhaps the new build will allow those devices to be properly restored, but this is merely speculation.

iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 were first released last week with bug fixes and security patches.

Related Roundups: iOS 17, iPadOS 17
Related Forums: iOS 17, iPadOS 17

Apple's iPhone shipments in China dropped by 33% in February compared to the same month last year, according to governement figures (via Bloomberg).

iphone 15 china
A report from China's Academy of Information and Communications Technology showed that foreign brands shipped around 2.4 million smartphones last month. Given that Apple is the only overseas vendor with a meaningful market share, the company accounts for the vast majority of those shipments.

The decline in February marks the third consecutive month of lower iPhone shipments. Apple in January shipped some 5.5 million units in China, which is around 39% fewer handsets than the same time last year. In December, the company suffered a 30% year-on-year decline in the country.

Apple appears to be facing an uphill battle to reverse falling iPhone sales in China, with a 24% year-on-year decline in 2023 projected to deepen through 2024. Apple resellers in China have been increasingly dependent on discounts to shift ‌iPhone 15‌ stock. The discounts followed Apple's own rare price reductions on its website ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday in February.

Apple's efforts to counter the slump are also likely to be hampered by China's decision last year to ban iPhones from the offices of multiple government agencies and state companies. China has a huge number of state-owned enterprises in power generation, seaport construction, mining, manufacturing, education, and investment markets.

Apple is also having to contend with strong interest in Huawei's latest home-grown Mate 60 lineup, which was released in September just weeks before the iPhone 15 launched. Huawei's Mate 60 Pro uses a new China-made 7-nanometer processor tailored for the local market, showcasing the kind of advanced semiconductor manufacturing capabilities that US sanctions were originally designed to prevent.

The overall Chinese smartphone market contracted by almost a third in February, according to research firm Canalys. Analysts still predict growth over the course of the year, but expect iPhone 15 sales to keep falling while local rivals continue to aggressively promote AI features in device marketing. CEO Tim Cook visited China earlier this month to Apple's newest store in Shanghai and attend the China Development Forum in Beijing, where he said the country was "critical" to Apple.

Tag: China