Amazon's steep discount on the AirPods Pro 2 is still available this weekend, with the earbuds available for $169.00, down from $249.00. Free delivery options provide an estimated delivery date of around May 15, while Prime members should get the headphones sooner in most cases.
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.
Compared to past sales, this is a match of the best price we've tracked so far in 2025 and it's an overall solid second-best price on the AirPods Pro 2. Amazon also has the AirPods 4 available for $99.00 during this sale, an all-time low price.
In addition to AirPods discounts on Amazon, this weekend there's a big sale at Best Buy with notable discounts on iPad mini 7, M3 iPad Air, M4 MacBook Air, Apple Pencil Pro, Powerbeats Pro 2, and much more. If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
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With Apple's developer conference where it will show off iOS 19 just a month away, the company is wrapping up work on iOS 18.5 ahead of an imminent release to deliver a few new features and updates.
This week also saw a number of iPhone-related rumors, encompassing not only this year's iPhone 17 lineup but also Apple's plans for 2026 and 2027, even as Apple's Eddy Cue suggested AI could make the iPhone obsolete within a decade, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!
Here Are Apple's Full iOS 18.5 Release Notes
The release of iOS 18.5 and related operating system updates appears imminent, as Apple this week seeded release candidate versions of them for final testing.
We've still got months to go before the new iPhone 17 models come out, but a combination of dummy models and leaks have given us some insight into what we can expect in terms of camera changes, so be sure to check out what we're expecting with the iPhone 17, "iPhone 17 Air," iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Apple Plans Split iPhone Launch Strategy: Pro and Foldable in Fall 2026, Standard in Spring 2027
Apple's traditional September iPhone launch will reportedly see a shakeup in 2026 when a foldable device is added to the lineup, with Apple reportedly aiming to release the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, iPhone 18 Air, and a new foldable iPhone at that time while holding the cheaper iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e models for a spring 2027 debut.
It's been nearly two months since the M4 MacBook Air launched, so we thought we'd take another look at the machine now that it's been out long enough to do some serious testing with it.
Introduced in March, the MacBook Air is equipped with Apple's latest and greatest M4 chip, so it's more than capable of handling day-to-day tasks from web browsing and watching videos to getting work done. It's even powerful enough for photo editing and some light video editing work.
That late 2027 iPhone release cycle may also see an "iPhone 19 Air" with a larger screen size than the 6.6-inch display we're expecting with the first Air model coming later this year.
Apple's Eddy Cue: AI Could Replace iPhone in 10 Years
As part of his testimony in the ongoing Google antitrust trial, Apple's Eddy Cue acknowledged that AI is advancing so rapidly that it could lead to the iPhone becoming obsolete within ten years. With AI making its way into wearables and other devices, we'll be able to do more and more without the need for a traditional smartphone.
Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.
Apple is known for its privacy policies that keep user data collected to a minimum, but the company has also worked to incorporate many safety features into its devices. From summoning help when you can't to making sure you're not being tracked or followed, the iPhone has tools that are meant to keep you safe.
We've rounded up some of the most important options that everyone should be reminded about.
Emergency SOS
If you're in danger or there's a medical emergency, the iPhone has ways to quickly summon help by automatically calling emergency services. The Emergency SOS feature will dial the local emergency helpline based on your location, so it's available even when you're traveling.
In the United States, for example, activating it dials 911. In the UK, it dials 999, and in Europe, 112. With Emergency SOS, you don't need to know the emergency number for the country you're in, which can be a relief when you just need help as soon as possible.
There are several setup options for Emergency SOS, so you can choose the one that works best for you. There are two automatic calling options where you can dial immediately by either holding the side button and a volume button together or pressing the side button five times in rapid succession.
There's also an option where you'll need to use a swipe to place the call, which eliminates accidental activations. Emergency SOS can be set up in the Emergency SOS section of the Settings app. Toggle on one of the two activation options if you want auto calling.
If you don't want auto calling, turn off both toggles. The gestures still work the same way, but using them will bring you to the iPhone shut down screen where you can use a single swipe to place an emergency call. Emergency SOS is always on and available even if you don't have the automatic options enabled.
Note: This screen for emergency services has another important function that's worth knowing about. It will lock your iPhone so that it won't unlock with Face ID, and your passcode will be needed to access your data. If you're ever asked to hand over your phone to someone, you can quickly use one of the two gestures to disable Face ID. In the U.S., you can't be compelled to provide your passcode to law enforcement. You can, however, be required to unlock your iPhone with a facial scan or fingerprint.
Emergency SOS will work over a cellular connection, Wi-Fi, and on the iPhone 14 or later, satellite if a standard connection is not available. Emergency SOS via Satellite will also work on a phone that does not have cellular service, but the auto calling features require a SIM. If you have emergency contacts set, they will be notified with a text message if you need to use Emergency SOS.
Medical ID
Medical ID provides your relevant medical information and emergency contacts to first responders if you're in an accident, so it's useful to keep it up to date and available.
It includes your name, age, allergies, and emergency contact numbers, along with a photo, language spoken, height, weight, blood type, medications, and medical conditions including pregnancy.
You can set up your own Medical ID in the Health app settings. Open up the Settings app, scroll down to Apps, look for the Health app, and tap into it. From there, tap into each category to add data. Alternatively, open the Health app, tap on your profile picture, and tap Medical ID.
If you're in an emergency situation and there's an unresponsive iPhone user, it's also good to know how to get to the Medical ID information. From the Lock Screen, swipe up to the Passcode interface, tap on Emergency, and then tap on Medical ID in the bottom left of the display. You can also press the side button five times, or hold the side button and the volume button together to get to the Medical ID interface.
Crash Detection
With the iPhone 14 or later, the gyroscope and accelerometer in the iPhone can detect a car crash, alerting emergency services. Crash Detection can have some false alarms and early on, there were problems when people were skiing or on rollercoasters, but Apple has worked to refine it.
Crash Detection is enabled automatically on the iPhone 14 or later, but you can double check that it's on by going to Emergency SOS in the Settings app and scrolling down to the "Call After Severe Crash" option.
If Crash Detection is activated, the iPhone will play an alarm and start a countdown before the call is placed, so there is time to cancel it if there's movement that causes the feature to detect a crash when there hasn't been one.
Location Sharing
With the Find My app and location sharing, you can share your location with trusted friends and family members. Location sharing can be good for peace of mind, because it ensures that someone always knows where you are. This isn't always desirable because you're not going to want to share your whereabouts with someone unsafe, but it's good to know about.
You can share your location for different lengths of time, including for an hour, until the end of the day, or indefinitely. One of the easiest ways to share your location with someone is to open up the Find My app, tap on the People tab, and then tap the "+" button to select a contact. You can also share from the Messages app and the Contacts app.
The Find My app's People tab will show you who you're sharing your location with so you can turn it off, but you can also go to the Privacy and Security section of the iPhone Settings app, tap on Location Services, and then select Share My Location to see who can view your location.
Check In
If you don't want to permanently share your location with someone, or you just want extra oversight when you're using a ride share service or taking a late night walk, you can use the Check In feature.
With Check In, you can choose a person that will see your current location, your intended destination, and the approximate time that it will take you to get there. Check In can also be tied to a workout, so that it's active while the workout is in progress, or it can be a simple timer that's not linked to a specific route.
If you're using Check In with a destination, it ends when you arrive. With a timer, it prompts you to respond within 15 minutes of when the timer ends to make sure you're okay, and with a workout, it sends a notification when the workout ends. If you do not arrive at your destination or tap a prompt when a timer ends, the person on the other end of the Check In procedure will get an alert.
From there, the person can see your starting location, the route you took, your current or most recent location, when you last unlocked your iPhone, or, if you have an Apple Watch, when it was removed. It also includes the connectivity status of your devices and battery level. Data is only shared if you do not respond to Check In prompts, and you can also choose to share a more limited amount of data that includes only your most recent location.
Check In is a Messages feature, and you can use it by choosing a conversation in the Messages app, tapping on the "+" button, and selecting Check In. To change the parameters, tap on the Edit button.
Safety Check
Safety Check is an important feature that walks you through all of the privacy settings on your iPhone, and it's worth using every now and then. It lets you know which people, apps, and devices can see your personal information like location.
Safety Check can be initiated by opening the Settings app, selecting Privacy and Security, and scrolling down to Safety Check. There is an Emergency Reset option, and a Manage Sharing and Access option.
Emergency Reset immediately resets the data sharing permissions of all of your apps, and it stops sharing your location both with people and apps. It's good in situations where a disgruntled partner or friend might be able to track you. Manage Sharing and Access is the option most people will want to use.
In this interface, the iPhone walks through what you are sharing with people, including location, photos, calendars, passwords, activity, home devices, notes, and more. You can see these settings on a person by person basis, or an overview of how many people have access to each category by tapping on the "Information" button.
You'll also be able to see what information you're sharing publicly through shared albums or notes, and which apps have access to your data.
As promised, Epic Gamestoday submitted Fortnite to the U.S. App Store, and if approved by Apple, it will mark the first time that the Fortnite app has been available in the United States since 2020.
Fortnite will include options to purchase in-app currency from the web rather than through in-app purchase, which is what got the game banned to begin with. This time, though, Apple has been ordered to allow all developers, including Epic Games, to direct customers to purchase options that are available outside of the App Store.
Epic Games' U.S. developer account has been banned since the initial Apple vs. Epic Games battle in 2020, so Epic Games is using the developer account that it established in Sweden to submit Fortnite to the App Store. Epic Games created a Swedish App Store account last year in order to create an Epic Games app marketplace in the European Union, as allowed by the Digital Markets Act.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said that the company has "conversed" with Apple about the plan, and that Apple is aware that Epic Games is submitting Fortnite using the Epic Games Sweden subsidiary that it established for the EU. Sweeney has not confirmed whether Apple said that's okay, and it's not clear if Apple will approve the App Store submission. In an interview this week, Sweeney said he would be "very surprised" if Apple "decided to brave the geopolitical storm of blocking a major app from iOS."
When Epic Games first made a new developer account in the EU, Apple shut it down due to Epic's pattern of untrustworthy behavior. Epic Games complained to EU regulators, and regulators in turn started questioning Apple. At that point, Apple decided to reinstate the account after Epic Games pledged to follow the alternative marketplace rules.
During the Apple vs. Epic Games legal battle, Apple was at no point ordered to allow Fortnite to return to the App Store, and the case in fact suggested that Apple was well within its rights to terminate Epic's account, and under no obligation to allow Fortnite in the App Store at all.
It's possible Apple will not allow Epic Games to use its European developer account to submit Fortnite given that the U.S. account is still banned, but Apple might not want to further anger the judge overseeing the case. Apple has also already approved external purchase links in Spotify, Kindle, Patreon, and other apps.
As of now, Apple is required to allow developers to add links and buttons to their apps directing customers to digital purchase options available outside of the App Store, and more importantly, Apple is not allowed to collect a commission on these purchases.
Apple has filed an emergency motion with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to pause the "extraordinary" ruling that it argues requires it to give up "core aspects of its business operations." Apple has specifically asked the appeals court to allow it to charge fees for purchases made using external links while the appeals process is playing out, with the company also requesting control over how those links are displayed.
Apple asked the appeals court to issue a ruling by May 28, but until Apple hears back, the App Store link changes that are in place will stand.
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through how the iPhone lineup is rumored to change after the release of the iPhone 17 lineup later this year, looking at what to expect in 2026, 2027, and beyond.
Apple's recently rumored iPhone roadmap beyond the iPhone 17 reveals a significant strategic shift in both release cadence and product positioning. With increasing competition, an expanding lineup, and evolving manufacturing logistics—particularly the move away from China toward production in India—Apple is exploring a staggered release schedule designed to avoid marketing fatigue and maintain focus across the six main iPhone models that are expected to be on sale by the end of next year.
In spring 2026, Apple may introduce the "iPhone 17e" as a refresh of the lower-cost model introduced this year. The major wave of change begins in fall 2026, with the launch of the "iPhone 18 Air," "iPhone 18 Pro," and "iPhone 18 Pro Max." The Pro models are expected to introduce under-display Face ID for the first time, reducing the need for a visible sensor array and leaving only a small camera hole at the top-left corner of the display. It remains unclear how this change will affect the presence or function of the Dynamic Island.
Camera upgrades are also expected, including a variable aperture 48MP main lens and a likely new Samsung sensor for the ultra-wide camera. Other enhancements include Apple's in-house "C2" modem and an "A20" chip made with TSMC's upcoming 2nm process.
Fall 2026 is also expected to mark the debut of Apple's first foldable iPhone. Featuring a book-style design, the device will offer a 5.7-inch outer display and a 7.8-inch inner display. Apple reportedly aims to beat competitors with a superior hinge mechanism crafted from titanium and stainless steel, and a display with a nearly invisible crease. Unlike other flagship iPhones, the foldable model will use Touch ID embedded in the power button instead of Face ID, likely due to internal space constraints. It will also purportedly include just two rear cameras, a high-density battery, and an impressively slim profile: 4.5mm when open, and 9–9.5mm when closed.
In spring 2027, the base "iPhone 18" and "iPhone 18e" models will follow. In fall 2027, Apple is expected to introduce the "iPhone 19 Air" with a larger display, exceeding the 6.6 inches of the previous two Air models. The "iPhone 19 Pro" and "iPhone 19 Pro Max"—possibly branded to mark the 20th anniversary of the iPhone—will feature a "bold" redesign, incorporating more glass and, for the first time, an under-display front camera. The result will likely be a true edge-to-edge screen without notches or cutouts, fulfilling a long-standing vision for a seamless all-display iPhone.
The second-generation foldable iPhone is also scheduled for fall 2027, building on the first model with further refinements and enhanced durability. While plans for spring 2028 are less concrete, it's likely that the standard "iPhone 19" and potentially "iPhone 19e" models will arrive then, continuing the new spring/fall rollout rhythm.
Looking even further ahead, Apple's ambitions may go beyond smartphones altogether. According to remarks from Apple executive Eddy Cue this week, the iPhone could be obsolete within a decade, replaced by AI-powered wearables and ambient computing experiences.
If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about the updated Apple Watch lineup coming later this year.
The MacRumors Show is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
Apple is legally required to report certain acquisitions to the European Commission, under the terms of the EU's Digital Markets Act.
Mayday Labs founder Jeremy Bell confirmed that his company had been acquired in a since-deleted April 2024 blog post, but he did not mention Apple at that time. Apple acquired the startup's intellectual property, and the rights to make employment offers to certain employees, according to the European Commission.
Mayday Labs had developed an AI-powered calendar, task manager, and scheduling assistant for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The all-in-one app used AI to automatically schedule your events and tasks at ideal times, and it could learn your scheduling preferences and daily patterns over time to further optimize your calendar.
Mayday's website says its app worked best when you used it with others. For example, it could automatically schedule a meeting at a time where both you and a co-worker were available. It also offered automatic rescheduling for flexibility.
The app was shut down shortly after the acquisition.
It would be reasonable to assume that some of Mayday's features and technologies could be added to Apple's Calendar app across the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, under the Apple Intelligence umbrella. More than a year has passed since the acquisition, so perhaps some of these changes will debut as early as iOS 19, iPadOS 19, and macOS 16, which will be unveiled at Apple's annual developers conference WWDC next month.
The European Commission's website lists six other companies that Apple has acquired since September 2023, including Pointable, Betteromics, Drishti, DarwinAI, Datakalab, and Blueye. Many of these companies were working on AI technologies, for the enterprise, manufacturing, life sciences, and more. Some of the acquisitions were well publicized, but Mayday Labs and a few others went somewhat under the radar on a relative basis.
Losing your Apple Account password can make your digital life a misery, as it can leave you locked out of the account that you use to manage your Apple devices, unable to access your iCloud data and manage your app and service subscriptions.
In this scenario, Apple can't just reset your password for you, especially if your have two-factor authentication enabled. Setting up a recovery key is one alternative solution, but in such cases you can't change your password unless you have a trusted second device as well as the recovery key.
In an effort to make things easier, Apple allows you to set up an account recovery contact that can help make sure you always have access to your account, even if you forget your Apple Account password or device passcode. Your recovery contact is someone who can verify your identity and help you regain access to your account and all of your data if you ever get locked out.
Who Should Be My Recovery Contact?
Your recovery contact should be a person you know and trust, such as a family member or a close friend. They will need an iOS device of their own running iOS 15 or iPadOS 15 or later, or a Mac running macOS Monterey or later, and they must be over the age of 13. They'll also need two-factor authentication turned on for their own account and a passcode set up on their device.
Invite Someone to Be Your Recovery Contact
Note: If you're on a Mac, you can find the same options as above in System Settings ➝ Apple Account.
Open the Settings app on your iOS device and tap your Apple Account banner at the top of the main menu.
Tap Sign In & Security.
Under "Recovery Methods," tap Recovery Contacts.
Read the onscreen information, then tap Add Recovery Contact... and authenticate.
Choose a recovery contact. If you're part of a Family Sharing group, eligible contacts will appear in the options. Alternately, tap Choose Someone Else to search your contacts.
Tap Next, and the following screen lets you send your chosen contact a message letting them know you've added them as your recovery contact. You can send the default message or edit it before sending. Tap Send when you're ready, then tap Done.
Remember to save the person's phone number so that you can contact them if you need help with account recovery.
Help Someone Regain Access to Their Account
If you are someone's designated recovery contact, here's how you can help them. They'll first have to verify some of their Apple Account account information, and then they'll contact you over the phone or in person. The following steps show how you go about generating and sharing a recovery code that they can then enter on their device. On Mac, the same options can be found in System Settings ➝ Apple Account.
Open the Settings app on your iOS device and tap your Apple Account banner at the top of the main menu.
Tap Sign In & Security ➝ Account Recovery.
Tap your contact's name, then tap Get Recovery Code.
When your friend is ready, read them their recovery code. Once they've entered it on their device, they'll be able to reset their password and regain access to their Apple Account.
Remove Yourself As a Recovery Contact
If you no longer want to be someone's recovery contact, follow these steps on your iOS device. On Mac, the same options can be found in System Settings ➝ Apple Account.
Open the Settings app on your iOS device and tap your Apple Account banner at the top of the main menu.
Tap Sign In & Security ➝ Account Recovery.
Under "Account Recovery For," tap the person's name.
Tap Remove Contact.
After completing these steps, the contact will automatically receive a message explaining that you're no longer their account recovery contact.
Note: To set up the recovery contact feature, all of the Apple devices associated with your account must be upgraded to iOS 15/iPadOS 15 or later, or macOS Monterey or later. Apple Watch models must be upgraded to watchOS 8 or later. You will not be able to use the recovery contact feature until you upgrade all of your devices or remove them from your Apple Account.
The new 11th generation iPad has continued to drop in price all week, and Amazon today has introduced a new record low price on the tablet. You can get the 128GB Wi-Fi iPad for $277.78 in Pink, down from $349.00, which beats the previous low price by about $10.
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.
Prices have been fluctuating on the 128GB Wi-Fi iPad throughout the day, so if you're interested be sure to place your order soon before they expire. If it does disappear, the other colors are still available at solid second-best prices of $299.00.
There are also numerous discounts on cellular models, starting at $449.00 for the 128GB model. Amazon is providing an estimated delivery of mid-to-late May for free shipping, while Prime members should be able to get the tablets a bit sooner.
The 11th generation iPad is mainly a spec bump for the tablet line, now featuring the A16 chip and more storage, with the same design as the 10th generation iPad. The new iPad starts with 128GB of storage, and is also available in 256GB and a new 512GB configuration. The previous model was only available in 64GB and 256GB configurations.
If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
Update: This sale has expired, but the iPad is still available at $299.00.
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Best Buy has introduced major discounts across a number of Apple products this week, including MacBook Air, iPad Air, iPad mini, iPad, and Apple Watch. These discounts coincide with Best Buy's Mother's Day sale, which features savings on a collection of tech categories like headphones, wearables, photography, and more.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Starting with the 13-inch models, Best Buy has $150 off all three of the new configurations of the M4 MacBook Air. Prices start at $849.00 for the 256GB model, then raise to $1,049.00 for the 16GB/512GB model and $1,249.00 for the 24GB/512GB model. The latter two deals are solid second-best prices on the computer, while the 256GB is a match of the best price we've ever tracked.
Moving to the larger display models, Best Buy is matching the all-time low prices on two 15-inch models of the M4 MacBook Air, but Amazon has the best prices around on the 24GB/512GB model.
Best Buy is providing record low prices on every model of the iPad mini 7, starting at $399.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi tablet, down from $499.00. Colors on sale at this price include Blue, Purple, Space Gray, and Starlight.
You can also get the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 for $499.00 and the 512GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 for $699.00, both $100 discounts and available in multiple colors.
Of course, you'll also find every cellular iPad mini 7 on sale at Best Buy, including the 128GB cellular iPad mini 7 available for $549.00 and the 256GB cellular iPad mini 7 available for $649.00, both $100 off.
11th Gen iPad
In terms of deals on the 11th generation iPad, Best Buy has every model on sale at $50 off. You'll find the 128GB Wi-Fi iPad on sale for $299.00 and the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad on sale for $399.00. Both of these are $50 discounts and solid second-best prices on the iPad.
For the M3 iPad Air, Best Buy has $100 off every model of the 2025 tablet. Our list below focuses on Wi-Fi models, but you'll also find many cellular models on sale at $100 off right now.
Best Buy has a match of the all-time low prices on nearly every Apple Watch Series 10 model, starting at $299.00 for the 42mm GPS device. You'll find both GPS and cellular watches on sale at Best Buy, with multiple band styles available as well.
In addition to Series 10 deals, Best Buy is discounting the 40mm GPS Apple Watch SE to $169.00 today, down from $249.00. This is the best price we've tracked so far in 2025, and it's available in Starlight, Silver, and Midnight Aluminum color options.
Additionally, you can get the 44mm GPS Apple Watch SE at an all-time low price of $199.00 today on Best Buy, down from $279.00. This one is also available in Midnight, Silver, and Starlight Aluminum colors, and multiple band sizes.
If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
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Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2025? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
The widely-rumored iPhone 17 Air is expected to be the thinnest iPhone ever, but will that significantly impact the device's battery life?
Below, we recap rumors about the iPhone 17 Air's battery life.
Last week, The Information's Wayne Ma said the iPhone 17 Air will have "worse" battery life compared to previous iPhone models. In internal testing, Apple determined that the percentage of users who will be able to use the iPhone 17 Air for a full day on a single charge will be between 60% and 70%, according to his reporting. For other iPhone models, the report said that this metric falls between 80% and 90%.
The report said the lesser battery life is due in part to the iPhone 17 Air's ultra-thin design. According to Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the device will measure just 5.5mm at its thinnest point, but the rear camera bar will be thicker.
To mitigate this problem, the report said that Apple is planning to release a battery case as an optional accessory for the iPhone 17 Air.
Not everyone agrees that the iPhone 17 Air will have worse battery life, though.
In March, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the iPhone 17 Air's battery life would be "on par with current iPhones." He said Apple made hardware and software optimizations to make the device more power efficient, but he did not elaborate.
There are three rumored features for the iPhone 17 Air that could aid battery life, including a higher-density battery, Apple's power-efficient C1 modem, and the lack of an Ultra Wide camera providing more internal space for a larger battery. The lower-end iPhone 16e with the C1 modem has the longest battery life of any 6.1-inch iPhone model ever, although that device is obviously not as thin as the iPhone 17 Air is expected to be.
All in all, there is a still a lack of certainty about the iPhone 17 Air's battery life, with rumors currently conflicting. The device is not expected to be released until September, so hopefully some additional reports will help to paint a clearer picture.
Apple's former Chief Design Officer Jony Ive has given a rare and wide-ranging interview at Stripe Sessions 2025, offering new insights into his design philosophy, his time at Apple, and his current work at his design collective, LoveFrom.
In a one-hour conversation with Stripe co-founder Patrick Collison, Ive reflected on the personal and professional experiences that have shaped his career, beginning with his early exposure to Apple products as a student in the UK. Recalling his first encounter with the original Macintosh, Ive described it as a transformative moment that revealed the values of its creators.
"What we make stands testament to who we are," he said. He characterized the Mac as a "bicycle for the mind," a phrase popularized by Steve Jobs, and noted how it inspired his eventual relocation to California in the early 1990s.
Ive joined Apple in 1992 after a brief period of consulting and quickly rose through the company's ranks to lead the Industrial Design Group, where he oversaw the development of many of Apple's most iconic products, including the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and Apple Watch. He emphasized that the work of design at Apple was deeply rooted in its culture; describing a variety of internal practices intended to cultivate empathy and collaboration among the design team, including weekly shared meals.
One of the things I thought was great was that every Friday morning, I asked that one person on the design team would make breakfast for the whole team. And we took it in turns.
He also described working from each other's homes and creating informal settings where designers could build personal relationships, which he said translated directly into the care embedded in the company's products. According to Ive, these rituals were foundational to Apple's approach to creating user experiences. "Make things for each other," he said.
Ive continued to emphasize attention to detail and the belief that seemingly minor aspects of product design carry significant weight. He referenced the design of Apple's packaging an as example of how everyday experiences could convey respect and consideration for the user.
I had such a clear awareness that in designing a certain solution — for example, how we managed a cable that's in a box — I knew that millions of people would engage with this little tab.
Ive said that such design choices were not arbitrary, but instead formed part of a broader ethic of care. He quoted Jobs, saying, "You can express gratitude to the species through what you make."
Now nearly six years removed from Apple, Ive leads LoveFrom, an independent design collective he co-founded in 2019 with longtime collaborator Marc Newson. The group remains largely private in its operations but has gradually expanded its public profile. The studio's work includes product design, architecture, software, and branding. One of its most prominent recent contributions was the official coronation identity for King Charles III.
According to Ive, LoveFrom is guided by the same principles that shaped his career at Apple, but the collective's mission has evolved. Ive sees each project as an opportunity to "sincerely elevate the species." The LoveFrom team includes not only designers but also musicians and typographers.
Ive warned that designers and technologists today must remain vigilant about the unintended consequences of their work. He argued that positive intentions do not absolve creators from the outcomes of their products and stressed the importance of accountability.
Even if you're innocent in your intention, if you're involved in something that has poor consequences, you need to own it.
Ive also addressed broader concerns about the technology industry, including the rapid pace of innovation and the social implications of modern devices and platforms.
I actually think that something that I feel conscious of is that I think generally in the valley and generally in our... industry, I think joy in humans has been missing. And the products that we're all developing, they're complicated, aren't they? And sometimes joy gets confused with being trivial.
The interview marked a rare public appearance by Ive, who has typically maintained a low profile since his departure from Apple in 2019. He did not address collaboration with OpenAI on a new AI-focused hardware project.
The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) has released Bluetooth 6.1 as part of its new bi-annual update schedule. The update introduces Randomized Resolvable Private Address (RPA), a feature designed to enhance both privacy and power efficiency.
This new feature makes tracking Bluetooth devices a lot more difficult because it randomizes the timing of device address changes, instead of just using predictable intervals. It also offloads address change operations to the controller device, which should help extend the battery life of the accessory device.
The specification follows Bluetooth 6.0, which arrived in September 2024. That update brought Channel Sounding for centimeter-level location accuracy, lower latency, and faster scanning capabilities, all of which could theoretically enhance the iPhone's Precision Finding feature.
For iPhone users, the upcoming iPhone 17 series expected to be released in September will likely support Bluetooth 6.0 and possibly incorporate the new 6.1 features. All in all, it should bring improved privacy protections and better battery performance when using Bluetooth accessories.
With Bluetooth now on a twice-yearly release schedule, the next update, Bluetooth 6.2, is expected to arrive by the end of 2025 with additional refinements and features.
Apple's chip team is working on new processors for more powerful Macs and future artificial intelligence features that will power Apple Intelligence, reports Bloomberg.
Chips codenamed "Komodo" will likely be M6 chips that will follow this year's M5 chips, while chips codenamed "Borneo" will be Apple's future M7 processors. Another more advanced Mac chip that will debut in the future is codenamed "Sotra."
Apple is designing chips that will be used for AI servers as well, and they are Apple's first processors made specifically for that purpose. The server chips will process Apple Intelligence requests and will be used in Apple servers, serving the same purpose as the high-end Mac chips that Apple uses for servers now now.
The server chips that Apple is working on are part of its "Baltra" project, and the chips are expected to be finished by 2027. Apple is working on multiple types of chips, including those with double, quadruple, and eight times the number of CPUs and GPUs as the current M3 Ultra.
Apple has partnered with multiple merchants to provide three percent Daily Cash back for Apple Card purchases, and T-Mobile has participated in the program since 2019. That's going to end in July, though, and Daily Cash back from T-Mobile will revert to the standard two percent when using Apple Pay.
In its Daily Cash support document, Apple says that starting on July 1, 2025, using Apple Card with Apple Pay at T-Mobile will provide only two percent cash back, instead of the bonus three percent cash back.
Apple Card users get two percent cash back for all purchases made with Apple Pay, so there will no longer be any extra cash back beyond the two percent when transacting with T-Mobile, including for monthly bills.
Apple is still offering three percent cash for Apple Pay purchases from Ace Hardware, Booking.com, ChargePoint, Duane Read, Exxon and Mobil gas stations, Nike, Uber, and Walgreens.
Apple Card holders are now eligible for a six-month free trial of the Uber One service, according to emails that Apple began sending out today.
Uber One is a subscription service that includes $0 delivery fees for Uber Eats orders, up to 10 percent off eligible deliveries and pickup orders, and six percent Uber One credits for Uber rides. Apple says that the Uber One benefit for Apple Card is worth $9.99 per month, so the free trial is a $60 value.
The six-month free trial will auto-renew at $9.99 per month after the trial period if the subscription is not canceled. A membership can be canceled in the Uber One section of the Uber app by going to Manage Membership and selecting the End Membership option. Apple Card owners can cancel before the six month trial ends and still get the full six months free.
To get the deal, Apple Card holders need to use the exclusive link provided in the email about the promotion to sign up for an Uber One monthly subscription, using an Apple Card and Apple Pay as the payment method. Ensuring that the Apple Card is associated with the account and using Apple Pay to check out when purchasing a subscription are key to getting the free trial.
The offer is valid for new or returning Uber One subscribers, but it is not available for existing Uber One subscribers.
The Uber One trial is available in addition to the three percent Daily Cash back that Apple Card owners get for Uber and Uber Eats purchases. More information is available on Apple's Daily Cash support page.
Google today shared details on some of the new ways that it is incorporating artificial intelligence into its search products in order to combat online scams.
In Chrome for the desktop, the Enhanced Protection mode for safer browsing now incorporates Gemini Nano, an on-device large language model. Gemini Nano is able to provide instant insight to users about websites that might be risky, even if it's a scam that hasn't been seen before.
Google says that Gemini Nano is able to distill the varied, complex nature of websites, making it quicker for Google to adapt to new scam tactics. Specifically, Gemini Nano is used to protect users from remote tech support scams, but Google plans to expand it to more types of scams in the future.
Google is using AI to cut down on specific scams in Chrome for Android. Google delivers AI-powered warnings for spammy or misleading notifications, prompting users to unsubscribe. This isn't a feature available on the desktop or iOS devices as of yet, but Google could expand it in the future.
Amazon is offering numerous all-time low prices on Apple Watch Series 10 devices today, including both GPS and cellular models at $100 off original prices. If you want to build your band collection to match your new Apple Watch, be sure to check out Woot's BOGO free sale on Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop bands.
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.
Amazon has the 42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 10 for $299.00, down from $399.00, as well as the 46mm GPS model for $329.00, down from $429.00. Both of these are record low prices on the Apple Watch Series 10, and they're available in numerous case colors and band styles, all of which you can find in the lists below.
If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
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Apple is working on versions of the AirPods and Apple Watch that incorporate a camera, and the devices could be ready to launch sometime around 2027, reports Bloomberg.
Apple has developed a chip codenamed "Nevis" that will be used for its camera-equipped Apple Watch, while a chip codenamed "Glennie" will be incorporated into the AirPods. Apple is aiming to have the chips ready "by around 2027," and if the chips are available early enough in the year, we could see a launch that same year.
Last year, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that Apple wants to incorporate infrared cameras into the AirPods to provide an enhanced spatial audio experience with the Vision Pro and future devices, plus cameras could also potentially support in-air gesture control, identifying hand movements. Gurman has suggested that Apple is considering cameras that would "feed data to AI."
As for the Apple Watch, a future model could incorporate a camera in the screen area, while an upcoming version of the Apple Watch Ultra could have a camera near the Digital Crown. The cameras would enable Visual Intelligence features to allow users to get information about their surroundings and more tailored directions.
The cameras destined for the Apple Watch and AirPods won't likely be used for things like capturing photos or FaceTime, but would instead provide visual data for on-device AI features.
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 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 Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
