The first major Black Friday discounts have arrived for Apple Watch Series 10 on Amazon, with $50 off both 42mm GPS and 46mm GPS models. All of these deals have been applied automatically and do not require any coupon codes.
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.
You can get the 42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 10 for $349.00, down from $399.00. This one is available in multiple case colors and band styles, and it's a new record low price for the 2024 wearable.
Similarly, the 46mm GPS Apple Watch Series 10 is available for $379.00 on Amazon, down from $429.00. This one is also available in multiple case colors, band styles, and sizes at this all-time low price.
You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2024.
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Interested in hearing more about top deals as we head into the holidays? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Apple today seeded the third betas of upcoming iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 updates to developers for testing purposes, a week after releasing the second betas. Alongside the third betas of the iPhone, iPad, and Mac operating system updates, Apple has also seeded the second betas of watchOS 11.2, tvOS 18.2, and HomePod Software 18.2.
With today's updates, Apple is continuing to test the next phase of Apple Intelligence, with these features available for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS:
Image Playground
Image Playground is Apple's image generation app, and it can create images based on prompts. You can enter a description of what you want or use the built-in suggestions and concepts that Apple provides. Apple will suggest costumes, locations, items, and more to add to an image, and these concepts are intelligent and can draw inspiration from a Messages thread or content in the Notes app.
There are options to create characters that resemble your friends and family, and you can choose a photo for Image Playground to use as inspiration to create a related image. Elements added to Image Playground creations are previewed, and there is a preview history so you can undo a change and go back to a prior version.
While Image Playground is a standalone app, it is also integrated into Messages. Image Playground does not make photorealistic images and is instead limited to animation or illustration styles.
Image Wand
Image Wand is an Image Playground-related feature that's available in the Notes app on iPad. You can draw a rough sketch with the Apple Pencil or circle a blank space or a key phrase in a note to have Image Wand generate an appropriate image.
Genmoji
Genmoji are custom emoji characters that you can create based on descriptions and phrases. Like Image Playground creations, you can base them on your friends and family, with the data pulled from the People album in Photos. You can also make characters using basic elements, and you'll get multiple Genmoji suggestions to choose from. You can create Genmoji using the emoji keyboard.
Genmoji were limited to iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2 as of the second betas, but will be coming to macOS Sequoia.
Siri ChatGPT Integration
Siri can integrate with ChatGPT for certain requests, but only with user approval. If Siri is unable to provide an answer to a query, Siri will hand the request over to ChatGPT. ChatGPT's answer will then be provided by Siri.
ChatGPT can be used to create content from scratch, including text and images. No account is required to use ChatGPT integration, and Apple and OpenAI do not store requests.
Visual Intelligence
iPhone 16 users have access to Visual Intelligence, a feature that provides information about what's around you. If you open the camera and point it at a restaurant, for example, you'll see opening hours and reviews.
Some other Visual Intelligence capabilities include reading text out loud, detecting phone numbers and addresses to add them to Contacts, copying text, and summarizing text. There is an option to search Google for where to buy a specific item that you see, and you can also point the camera at something and then get more information about it from ChatGPT.
Apple plans to expand this feature to include more functionality over time.
Writing Tools
Apple is enhancing the Writing Tools feature to add an option to make more open-ended changes. In iOS 18.1 and its sister updates, Writing Tools can only be used to change the tone to friendly, professional, and a more simplified version. In iOS 18.2, you can describe the tone or content change that you want to make, such as adding more action words, or turning an email into a poem.
More Languages
Apple Intelligence has gained support for localized English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, and the U.K., in addition to U.S. English.
Wait List
If you've already been testing Apple Intelligence and are opted in, you will have access to Writing Tools, ChatGPT integration, and Visual Intelligence automatically.
There is a secondary waiting list for early access to use Genmoji, Image Playground, and Image Wand. You can sign up to get access in Image Playground or in the areas where you access Genmoji or Image Wand.
When you request access, you are added to a wait list for all three capabilities and you'll get a notification when the features are available for you to use. Apple is rolling out access to the new image generation features over the coming weeks.
Availability and Compatibility
The second and third betas of iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 are available on all devices, but the Apple Intelligence features require a device capable of Apple Intelligence. Apple is still working on refining the new Apple Intelligence tools, and the company warns that Genmoji, Image Wand, and Image Playground can sometimes give you results you weren't expecting. Apple is collecting feedback on these experiences and will refine them over time.
Apple Intelligence requires an iPhone 15 Pro or any iPhone 16 model, an iPad with an M-series chip or an A17 Pro chip, or a Mac with an M-series chip.
tvOS 18.2
tvOS 18.2 includes support for projectors, adding a 21:9 aspect ratio and several other aspect ratios. The Apple TV can automatically detect the aspect ratio of your device and choose the right setting. Apple is also preparing to add new screen savers for Snoopy and more.
Release Date
Apple is expected to release the iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, macOS Sequoia 15.2, watchOS 11.2, tvOS 18.2, and visionOS 2.2 updates in early December.
Apple today said an "immersive music experience" from singer The Weeknd will be available to watch on the Vision Pro headset this Thursday, November 14.
Based on Apple's trailer, it appears that the experience will feature The Weeknd's unreleased song "Open Hearts," which he previewed during a concert in Australia last month. The singer is preparing to release a new album called "Hurry Up Tomorrow."
If you do not own a Vision Pro, you will still be able to watch the experience by requesting a free demo of the headset at Apple Stores where it is available, starting Friday, November 15. Vision Pro launches in South Korea and the United Arab Emirates on the same day.
Today we're tracking a new all-time low price on Apple's AirTag 4-Pack, which has hit $69.99 on Amazon, down from $99.00. This sale beats the previous record low price by a few dollars, and it's one of the best overall early Black Friday deals that we've seen so far this season.
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.
If you're shopping for a single AirTag, Amazon also has the AirTag 1-Pack for just $19.00, down from $29.00.
You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2024.
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Walmart's Black Friday sale has officially kicked off today, with an online shopping event that will expand to retail locations on Friday, November 15. There are quite a few major discounts in this sale, including all-time low prices on AirTag and Apple Watch Series 10.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Walmart. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Walmart's Black Friday Schedule
Walmart's Black Friday sale has begun online for Walmart+ members, and this exclusivity window will last until 5 p.m. ET. After this time, anyone will be able to shop the sale on Walmart's website for the next three days, and then in stores on Friday.
This same pattern will repeat during Black Friday week as well. New deals will appear online at 12 p.m. ET Monday, November 25, only for Walmart+ members. Then the sale will open up to everyone that afternoon, followed by in stores on Friday, November 29 - Black Friday.
Monday 11/11: First event begins online (12 p.m. ET for Walmart+ members/5 p.m. ET for all customers)
Monday 11/25: Second event begins online (12 p.m. ET for Walmart+ members/5 p.m. ET for all customers)
Friday 11/29: Black Friday begins in stores at 6 a.m. local time
Sunday 12/1: Cyber Monday begins (5 p.m. ET for Walmart+ members/8 p.m. ET for all customers)
Walmart+ Membership
If you aren't a Walmart+ member, you can get 50 percent off a membership for a limited time during this event. You'll pay $49 for one year of Walmart+, and this offer will run through December 2 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Like many retailers, Walmart's Black Friday offerings are wide and varied. You'll find major markdowns on video games, appliances, TVs, smart home products, speakers, headphones, and more. We've divided up some of the major discount categories in the sections below, and remember that while many of these sales are live now, some won't appear until later in the day if you aren't a Walmart+ member.
Walmart is coming out of the gate with some heavy-hitter Apple deals, including a new record low price on the Apple Watch Series 10. You can get the 42mm GPS device for $349.00 and the 46mm GPS device for $379.00, both $50 discounts and best-ever prices.
Next, Walmart has the AirTag 1-Pack for just $19.00 during its early Black Friday event, down from $29.00. This is another new all-time low price, and it beats the previous deal tracked at Amazon by about $4.
Finally, Walmart has the AirPods 3 with Lightning Charging Case for $94.00, down from $169.00. Although these are now an older model of AirPods, this is a great low price and should work perfectly for anyone who doesn't care about owning the newest AirPods 4.
You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2024.
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Interested in hearing more about top deals as we head into the holidays? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Last week, we reported on a new feature in the Find My app on the iOS 18.2 beta that allows you to temporarily share an AirTag's location with a trusted person, and soon with airlines. Apple today announced the feature, providing more details.
Apple said more than 15 airlines will offer the feature "in the coming months," including Delta, United, Air Canada, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, KLM, Lufthansa, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand, Austrian Airlines, Aer Lingus, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Iberia, SWISS, Turkish Airlines, and Vueling. More airlines will follow "over time."
United is aiming to implement the feature systemwide in "early 2025," according to a quote the airline provided in Apple's press release.
The feature will be integrated into each airline's customer service process for locating mishandled or delayed baggage, according to Apple. This will make it easier for the airline to help find lost bags with an AirTag attached to them.
iPhone, iPad, and Mac users running iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 can generate a "Share Item Location" link in the Find My app. Anyone they share the link with can then view a website with a location of the item on a map. The website will automatically update with the item's latest known location.
Apple said it worked directly with airlines to put systems in place to "privately and securely" accept the "Share Item Location" links. Access to each link will be "limited to a small number of people," and recipients will be required to "authenticate" to view the link through either their Apple Account or partner email address. The item's location will stop being shared "as soon as a user is reunited with their item," or at any time that the item's owner decides. An item's shared location will automatically expire after seven days.
"The Find My network and AirTag have proven to be a powerful combination for users while traveling, providing invaluable location information when bags have been misplaced or mishandled," said Apple's services chief Eddy Cue. "With Share Item Location, we're excited to give users a new way to easily share this information directly with third parties like airlines, all while protecting their privacy."
In addition to items equipped with an AirTag, the feature also works with third-party accessories and item trackers that support the Find My network.
Black Friday is getting closer, and prices on MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, and Mac mini computers have started to drop as the shopping holiday nears. These deals include the latest models of the M4 MacBook Pro and iMac.
Note: 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.
Of course, there is a chance that we could see better deals on these Macs arrive as Black Friday gets closer. This is a risk anyone has to take while shopping during the holidays, so with that in mind, many of the deals shared below are currently the best prices we've ever seen. More information on these sales can be found in our Black Friday Roundup.
Best Buy and Amazon have huge discounts on Apple's 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air this November, with a consistent $200 off nearly every 2024 M3 model of the computer.
For MacBook Pro Black Friday deals, you'll again find all of the best discounts mixed between Best Buy and Amazon. This includes both the previous generation M3 models at up to $500 off, as well as the new M4 MacBook Pro.
Amazon has the best all-around deals on the new M4 iMacs, with as much as $149 off select models of the computer. This includes the 10-core/16GB RAM/256GB M4 iMac with the Nano-texture display at $1,499.00, down from $1,699.00.
You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2024.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about top deals as we head into the holidays? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Next year's iPhone 17 "Air" model may not be as thin as Apple planned, according to a rumor originating in Korea.
According to the news aggregator account "yeux1122" on Naver, citing industry sources, Apple has run into problems making the new iPhone 17 model sufficiently thin. The device's reduced thickness is apparently dependent on manufacturing a battery with a thinner substrate, but Apple is now facing technical compromises. One of the main problems is cost and Apple is now reportedly falling back on its existing battery technology.
As a result, the iPhone 17 Air's battery will not be able to be as thin as Apple first intended for the device's new design. Now, the iPhone 17 Air battery will purportedly be around 6mm thick, suggesting that the device itself will be thicker than this. Apple's thinnest ever iPhone was the iPhone 6 at 6.9mm, meaning that the iPhone 17 "Slim" is unlikely to be much thinner than the 2014 flagship.
Likewise, the 13-inch iPad Pro and seventh-generation iPod nano could continue to lead as Apple's thinnest ever devices at 5.1mm and 5.4mm thick, respectively. The iPhone 16 Plus, the device that the iPhone 17 Air will apparently replace in the lineup, is 7.8mm thick.
The iPhone 17 Air is expected to launch in the fall of 2025 with the "A19" chip, a single rear camera, a ProMotion display for refresh rates up to 120Hz.
Apple's second-generation Vision Pro headset with the M5 chip could launch as late as 2026, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that the second-generation Vision Pro headset will focus on internal changes such as an upgrade to the as-yet-unannounced M5 chip. This device is now reportedly in active development and Gurman expects it to arrive "between the fall of 2025 and spring of 2026." Earlier this month, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuosimilarly said that Apple is planning to release an updated Vision Pro with the M5 chip and Apple Intelligence support in 2025.
The current, first-generation Vision Pro headset contains the M2 chip, which launched in 2022. By 2026, Apple's "M6" chips will likely already be on the horizon. A recent report from The Information suggested that the second-generation Vision Pro will largely re-use stockpiled parts from the first-generation model with "limited changes to its physical design."
Gurman added that Apple has signed up its employees to help evaluate the smart glasses market and how consumers feel about it. This includes devices such as Snapchat Spectacles and Meta Ray-Bans, which let users record video, make phone calls, and listen to music. Gurman speculated that Apple could create a version of its AirPods in a glasses form factor.
In its announcement video for the new Mac mini last month, Apple teased an "upcoming" version of Final Cut Pro for the Mac. Apple will likely announce the update during the annual Final Cut Pro Creative Summit, which begins this Wednesday. The conference is held in association with Apple, and attendees will be visiting Apple Park on the first day.
Apple already teased four new features coming to Final Cut Pro for the Mac later this year:
In its visionOS 2 press release in June, Apple said an update to Final Cut Pro for the Mac will add the ability to edit spatial videos recorded with devices like iPhone 15 Pro models, any iPhone 16 model, or the Canon EOS R7 mirrorless camera with a spatial video lens that recently became available for pre-order. Spatial videos have 3D depth and can be viewed on Apple's Vision Pro headset.
In the Mac mini announcement video, Apple said the Final Cut Pro update will enable users to instantly apply AI-generated effects to videos. In the visionOS 2 press release from June, Apple similarly mentioned the upcoming ability to add "immersive titles and effects" to videos. It seems plausible that the new AI features in Final Cut Pro could have Apple Intelligence branding, but this is not certain.
In the Mac mini video, Apple also previewed automatic AI-generated captions for videos in Final Cut Pro, eliminating the need to use caption plugins or other software. This feature has been long awaited amid the rise of short-form videos with captions across TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels.
An image of Final Cut Pro in the Mac mini video showed an unreleased "Magnetic Mask" feature. While no details are known about this feature, it will likely allow users to isolate moving objects in the foreground to remove them, add text behind them, apply color grading, or so on. This feature will likely be similar to MotionVFX's mRotoAI plugin for Final Cut Pro, and DaVinci Resolve's Magic Mask feature.
At least some of these features will likely extend to an updated version of the Final Cut Pro app for iPad. There could also be updates to the Final Cut Pro companion apps Compressor and Motion for the Mac, and to the Final Cut Camera app for the iPhone.
Final Cut Pro's upcoming auto-caption feature
Final Cut Pro received its most recent feature update to version 10.8 in June. New features included an Enhance Light and Color effect, a Smooth Slo-Mo option for slow-motion visuals, advanced search and filtering in the timeline index, and more. It is unclear if the next update to Final Cut Pro will be considered version 10.9, or if Apple will finally introduce Final Cut Pro 11, which would likely be a major new version with several additional features. In addition to auto-generated captions, many Final Cut Pro users have hoped for features such as text-based editing and the ability to open video libraries stored in iCloud.
In the U.S., Final Cut Pro costs $299.99 on the Mac, while the iPad version is a subscription-based app priced at $4.99 per month or $49 per year.
Apple uses a variety of test devices and prototypes when it is considering new iPhone features, and one such test device was recently discovered by AppleDemoYT, who shared a video today. This rare prototype iPhone was originally sourced from a facility that recycles electronics.
The "Vesica Piscis" iPhone is unique because it doesn't have an Apple logo, and it instead a symbol that looks like two crescent moon shapes. It's a symbol that has been seen on prototype Apple devices before, specifically an early version of the AirTag. The shape that Apple is using is a mathematical shape formed when two disks with the same radius intersect, called vesica piscis in latin. It's a symbol that has influenced everything from architecture to art.
It appears to use components from the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro, though it also has parts that belong to neither of those iPhones. There are volume and power buttons that do not click when pressed. Apple is known to have worked on buttons with haptic feedback for the iPhone 15, but it's not a feature that ever materialized.
There is a single, combined volume button rather than separate buttons, and a modified SIM tray that is shorter than normal and secured with screws. Engraving on the volume button side suggests that the device was at a "Ranger" prototype stage and was used for field testing.
Some of the internal components, such as the camera, are non-functional and appear to be placeholders, and there are a minimal number of internal cables connecting to the logic board. One cable connects to the charging port and another connects to the buttons on the device. The logic board itself has a unique layout that is a cross between the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro.
When turned on, the iPhone displays a message about microcontroller initialization being completed, and when connected to a Mac, it is labeled as "Bender," which seems to be a Futurama reference. It does not respond to input.
Based on the serial number, it appears the device was manufactured in May 2021, which predates the iPhone 13 Pro. It does not seem to be an iPhone 13 Pro prototype, though, because the iPhone 13 Pro would have already been finalized. The camera bump is similar to the iPhone 14 Pro, so it could be a 14 Pro, but the mix of components makes it difficult to identify.
AppleDemoYT speculates that it is a test device for experimental features rather than a prototype for a specific iPhone model, and it may have been designed to test haptic button technology.
Whatever it was used for, the Frankenstein iPhone provides an interesting look at some of the testing that Apple does when considering new features.
Amazon today introduced a new price drop on the M2 MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM, specifically for the 13-inch model with 256GB of storage. You can get this computer for $749.99 in two colors, down from $999.00.
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.
This deal beats the previous low price by about $50, and it requires you to clip an on-page coupon in order to see the final sale price. Amazon has the MacBook Air in Space Gray and Midnight at this price, and right now they're the only retailer offering it.
Note: You won't see the deal price until checkout.
Apple updated the MacBook Air lineup last week to start with 16GB of RAM, up from 8GB, and otherwise there have been no changes to the computer.
You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2024.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about top deals as we head into the holidays? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Quinn Nelson has shared a super informative teardown video for the new Mac mini on his YouTube channel Snazzy Labs, offering the most comprehensive look inside Apple's smallest computer ever that we have seen so far. Give it a watch below.
Yesterday, we reported that the new Mac mini features modular storage, and YouTube channel dosdude1 has already opened up the base model and upgraded its storage capacity from 256GB to 1TB. The steps included removing the original NAND storage chips from the board with a heat gun, preparing the new NAND chips by reballing them, soldering the new NAND chips to the board, and restoring the Mac mini in DFU Mode.
While those steps are impractical for the average customer, the video proves that storage in the new Mac mini can technically be upgraded without having to pay for Apple's overpriced storage upgrade options when ordering the computer.
There's been a lot to catch up since last week's introduction of the M4 MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac models, and we've learned more about the new machines as they've made their way into the hands of reviewers and now regular customers.
Apple is also rolling along on iOS 18.2 development with additional Apple Intelligence features, and it's now in public beta as well as developer beta ahead of an expected early December release. Read on below for all the details on these stories and more!
M4 Pro Chip Benchmark Results Reveal an Extremely Impressive Performance Feat
Ahead of the official launch of the M4 Macs, we began seeing some impressive benchmarks for the new chips. While we had some idea of the raw performance of the base M4 chip given its inclusion in the iPad Pro released earlier this year, the M4 Pro and M4 Max are brand-new higher-end chips with correspondingly better performance.
The M4 Pro tops even the M2 Ultra in multi-core CPU performance, with the M4 Max pushing things even further with two additional CPU cores compared to the M4 Pro in their highest configurations. On the graphics side, the new M4 Max can't quite match the M2 Ultra with its 76-core GPU at the high end, but it comes pretty close and blows past the M3 Max.
Mac Mini With M4 and M4 Pro Reviews: Smaller Design and Pro Performance Make for Major Upgrade
With the new M4 Macs being announced around a week and a half of ahead of their public launch, media and YouTubers were able to get some early hands-on time with the new machines.
We've had a brief chance to go hands-on with the Mac mini ourselves, and it's definitely an impressive upgrade in nearly every way.
Apple Silicon Unified Memory: How Much Mac RAM Do You Need?
With all Macs now starting with at least 16GB of unified memory, it's worth considering how much you should opt for when choosing or configuring a new Mac for purchase. After all, memory can't be upgraded after purchase, so you need to get it right the first time.
One of our latest guides walks through the various memory options ranging from 16GB on consumer machines all the way up to a maximum of 192GB on the Mac Pro, so see where you fall based on the tasks you need your Mac to be able to accomplish.
Everything New in iOS 18.2 Beta 2
Apple is continuing work on iOS 18.2 and related updates that are expected to officially launch in early December, and the latest beta seeded to developers and public beta testers this week includes a number of changes.
While there will be no immediate changes to the existing apps, the move could eventually see Pixelmator become an advanced image editing app for Apple, which previously offered Aperture in that role but ceased development on it a decade ago and it eventually stopped working on machines running macOS Catalina and later.
The Best Early Black Friday Apple Deals
Yes, it's that time of year again! Holiday shopping deals are already kicking into high gear with several weeks still to go before the main shopping blitz.
We're seeing solid deals on Apple products like AirPods, iPads, MacBooks, and more, so make sure to keep tabs on all of our coverage to help save some money on all of those holiday gifts!
MacRumors Newsletter
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.
If you're looking for the perfect tech or tech-adjacent holiday present for someone who loves Apple products or just uses them daily, we've come up with useful suggestions that might be helpful to you.
These are some of our favorite products, many of which we use personally or have gifted to our friends and family members in the past. We'll be adding to the list throughout November, so check back in for more ideas.
Apple recently announced a partnership with the luxury book company Assouline for the Apple Music: 100 Best Albums coffee table book, priced at $450. The book features gold-edged pages encased in a linen hardcover, and it highlights Apple Music's list of the 100 best albums ever made across 208 pages.
Although expensive, the Apple Music: 100 Best Albums book is guaranteed to be a beautiful addition to anyone's coffee table book collection. Pre-orders for the book are up now and it's expected to begin shipping in late November for the first batch of orders, and January for everyone else.
Apple's recent AirPods Max "refresh" was disappointing and only added a USB-C port, and there are several other noise cancelling headphones on the market that are a better investment in 2024, like the Sonos Ace. Normally priced at $449 but available for $349 in a Black Friday sale at Best Buy, the Sonos Ace are cheaper than the AirPods Max and offer a more comfortable fit thanks to a lighter weight. There isn't as much pressure on the head with the Sonos Ace, and the ear cups are a comfortable memory foam that can fit a wide range of ear shapes and sizes.
When we tested out the Sonos Ace earlier this year, and we were impressed with the sound quality. Sonos added support for Dolby Atmos and spatial audio, and there's a TrueCinema feature that maps the space around you for the best surround sound. ANC blocks out irritating noise around you as well as the AirPods Max do, but if you need to hear sounds from the surroundings, there's an Aware Mode.
You can also pair the Sonos Ace with the Arc and the Arc Ultra Soundbars, which makes them a solid gift for someone in the Sonos ecosystem or someone looking for comfortable, premium over-ear headphones.
Priced starting at $149, Aura digital frames make a good gift for anyone who has digital photos, which is most of us these days. You can load photos on the frame using the Aura iPhone app, and since images are stored in the cloud, there's no limit.
Multiple people can upload images to a single frame, so it's a great way to share photos with friends and family members. If you know someone that's not technically savvy, like a grandparent, it's still the perfect gift because you can load photos for them remotely. The $149 10.1-inch Carver is Aura's most affordable option, but there are sizes up to 15 inches, like the $299 Walden. Aura also makes higher resolution options, including the $199 Mason, and all the frames come in multiple colors to match any decor.
Everyone I've gifted an Aura frame to has loved it, and it's my go-to for people that are hard to shop for.
Nanoleaf recently came out with some of its most useful light panels to date, the Blocks. Priced starting at $225 for the combo kit, the Blocks come with different options like a pegboard you can hang things on, a shelf for knick knacks, and a texture panel that adds visual interest. There are smaller and larger squares, and all of the pieces are interchangeable for creating a unique setup.
Like all Nanoleaf products, the Blocks can be controlled with the Nanoleaf app or with HomeKit, and can be set to multi-colored patterns in a range of shades. These lights are bright enough to serve as a replacement for a standard light, which makes them extra versatile. Any gamer would appreciate these panels for a gaming setup, but they also work around TVs, in offices, and more.
If you know someone that has collectibles, Nanoleaf also has the $250 EXPO Smart LED Display Case. This is the perfect gift for someone that collects high-end sneakers, anime figures, or anything in that vein. It can be set to 16 million colors or shades of white, and colors can change in time with music.
For those that already have a Nanoleaf setup, the $27 Sense+ Smart Wireless Switch is a sensible and inexpensive add-on that's super useful. It provides a physical control option for HomeKit lights, and there are built-in motion and daylight sensors for automating scenes. The Sense+ can be used for turning lights on or off, dimming lights, and swapping scenes.
You'll never go wrong with AirPods as a gift, and this year there are three solid options to choose from. For the best noise cancelling, Apple sells the $249 AirPods Pro 2, but you can probably find a pre-holiday sale to get them even cheaper.
The AirPods Pro 2 have silicone tips that fit snugly in the ears to drown out sound, and with hearing aid support, these are the best bet if you have a family member that has mild hearing loss but doesn't wear hearing aids.
People with hearing loss that have tested this out have been impressed with how well the hearing aid capability works, and AirPods Pro are much, much cheaper than traditional hearing aids. Hearing aid capabilities aren't yet available everywhere, including Canada and Australia, but support is available in Europe, the U.S., and 90+ other countries and regions.
If you're purchasing for someone who doesn't like silicone ear tips, the AirPods 4 are an option. You can get them with or without Active Noise Cancellation. The ANC version doesn't cut out quite as much noise as the AirPods Pro 2, but it's enough to make a difference.
With ANC, the AirPods 4 cost $179, and without ANC, they're $129, which is the cheapest price Apple offers for AirPods. You might see some minor sales around Black Friday, but deep discounts are unlikely because the AirPods 4 are newer.
It's probably a little weird to gift someone a Smart Lock for the holidays, but it's a genuinely useful home product that a lot of people probably don't have already.
I've tested a few different smart locks, and I'm a fan of Aqara's options. The $200 U300 is the newest model, and it's for doors that only have a handle and not a deadbolt, like a door into a garage.
The $270 U200 is designed for doors that have a deadbolt, so your standard front or back door, plus there's the more affordable $190 U100 version. I like Aqara locks because there are so many ways to unlock them. They have support for Home Keys so you can use NFC with your iPhone or Apple Watch Wallet app, but there are also passcodes you can enter with the keypad, NFC cards, and even a fingerprint sensor that works surprisingly well. You can let in guests, have the door autolock after it's closed, and set alarms.
Aqara does recommend a hub with its locks so you can control them away from home, but it's not entirely necessary. I also like a hub, because it ensures my locks are always connected to Wi-Fi and I don't run into connectivity issues. Aqara has some other useful sensors like its Presence Sensor for motion detection and activating HomeKit scenes, but I haven't tried them out. They're worth looking at if you're considering an Aqara lock and hub, since they also connect to the hub.
I think I've tried every HomeKit smart bulb and light available at this point, and Philips Hue lights are unquestionably the best you can get. I have no patience for lights that constantly disconnect or have connectivity issues, and the Hue bulbs don't. Yes, there is a $60 Bridge, but it's worth it, and not all lights require it.
The $200 White and Color Starter Kit comes with four Hue bulbs that can go in any lamp that supports E26 bulbs, and it comes with the hub. It's one of the best bets if you're buying a gift for someone who is new to smart home products. The bulbs can be controlled with the Home app or the Hue app, and they can be set to 16 million colors. Hue has great light effects and scenes that really shine when you have multiple bulbs.
For a cheaper option, there's the $70 Starter Kit that comes with a hub and two E26 white bulbs. There's no color with these, but they can be set to different shades of white.
For computer or media setups, the Gradient Light Strips priced starting at $70 are excellent. Some other options:
Lightguide bulbs - These would be perfect paired with a simple lamp base, because the bulb is meant to be the star. I have two of the ellipse bulbs, and they're enormous and look great.
String lights - For holiday fans or those with patio setups crying out for lighting, the Hue Festavia String Lights would make a good gift.
Signe floor lamp - The Signe floor lamp isn't the most practical light because it doesn't have a wide radius and is meant to face the wall, but it makes for great accent lighting.
Hue Go - The Hue Go is a portable lamp that you can use plugged in or with the built-in battery, and it supports all of the same features as Hue bulbs. It's a nice accent light and good to have around for power outages.
Hue Go Portable Table Lamp - This is a lot like the Hue Go, but it's a more traditional looking lamp. It's water resistant, so it can go outdoors, too.
For something beyond the boring black and brown computer bags you see everywhere, Mokuyobi has a range of multicolored bags in multiple styles. Most of them come with padded laptop compartments that are ideal for Macs and iPads, along with tons of other pockets.
I have several Mokuyobi bags that I have used for years and they still look brand new, and I get compliments on them all the time. This is a solid option if you're shopping for someone who likes color. I especially like the mega backpack because it holds a laptop and an absolute ton of other stuff, so it makes a useful carry-on for flights.
Bambu Lab makes a range of 3D printers that you can print to using just an app on your iPhone or your Mac. The A1 Mini is just $200, or $349 with the AMS Lite that lets you print with up to four filament colors. Bambu's printers are sort of the iPhone of 3D printers in that they're relatively easy to operate and have a lot of bells and whistles to streamline printing and cut down on issues. Models like the X1C come with an enclosure.
I've had the $999 X1C for over a year now and do not hesitate to recommend it for those interested in getting into 3D printing. It's easy to use, there are thousands of STLs out there for making everything you can think of, and you can even make your own using software like Tinkercad or Fusion 360.
I haven't personally used the A1 Mini, but it's a much more affordable way to try 3D printing, and it could make a great gift for an older teen or a partner who likes to tinker.
Ugreen wasn't a company I was familiar with until this year, but the "Uno" line of products caught my eye. Uno is a range of charging accessories that Ugreen cleverly outfitted with little digital faces, and I love them.
I'm reviewing Ugreen's Uno products later this month, but I wanted to include them here because I think they make for a fun gift that's not too expensive and that stands out from other charging products on the market.
There's a $47 100W charger with four ports and a $36 65W charger with three ports, both of which have legs and digital panels with face emoji that change based on charging state. When a device is fast charging, for example, there's a face that looks like it has its mouth full, and when charging is finished, there's a little face with sunglasses.
There are also two power banks that have the little emoji faces, one that's 10,000mAh with Qi2 for $50, and one that's 5,000mAh with USB-C and 7.5W Qi charging for $33. They come with built-in stands that look like little headphones, which is a nice touch because you can use the stand for watching videos or FaceTiming.
There's also a $49 desktop charger that can charge an iPhone and AirPods, a $17 6-port USB-C hub, and even a $13 USB-C cable with a little face. Of the bunch, I think the power banks will make the best gift, because who can't use another power bank?
As an adult, I'm a fan of the little robot chargers, and I'm sure I'm not alone, but these are also fun for kids.
Available starting at $189, the Bird Buddy is the kind of gift that almost anyone will like, which makes it great for the person that has everything. It is a Wi-Fi connected smart bird feeder that sends you pictures of the birds that come to visit.
You'll need to fill it with seed regularly and charge it up when necessary, but other than that, it operates on its own. To do away with charging, I recommend the solar version, which starts at $239.
There's a Bird Buddy Pro now that can capture 2K video in HDR and with slow motion for even better snapshots, or if you like hummingbirds, there's a model just for feeding them. I've gifted the Bird Buddy and it's been a huge hit, with adults and kids too.
Gift Suggestions
Have a great product suggestion we don't have in our list? Let us know in the comments below.
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OpenAI's ChatGPT service is experiencing an outage at the current time, which means the ChatGPT website and app are not available, and the Siri ChatGPT feature in iOS 18.2 is non-functional at the current time.
According to OpenAI's website, the company is aware of an issue that has caused ChatGPT to be unavailable and it is investigating the issue. Functionality will be restored as soon as possible.
With the launch of iOS 18, Apple added support for RCS, or Rich Communication Services. RCS replaces SMS/MMS as the default messaging standard for any "green bubble" conversations, and because it's more modern, it supports features like read receipts and typing indicators.
RCS is also supposed to support emoji reactions from Android users, but it wasn't working properly when iOS 18 launched. It's not clear what changed, but The Verge says that something that Google or Apple tweaked made it work as of this week.
When an Android user uses an emoji reaction to a message that you've sent over RCS, the emoji will now show up in line with the message bubble, just like it does on with iOS Tapback reactions.
Prior to now, if an Android user used an emoji reaction to a message in a conversation with an iPhone user, the emoji would show up on a separate line, which was confusing and not how the feature was meant to work.
The Verge says it tested emoji reactions between iPhones running iOS 18.1 and several different Android phones, and reactions display both ways as intended.
Apple this week made parts and tools for the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max available to order through its self-service repair store in the U.S. and many European countries, seven weeks after the devices launched.
There are parts and tools available for repairing or replacing an iPhone 16's display, battery, rear camera system, TrueDepth camera for Face ID, back glass, bottom and top speakers, main microphone, and more. Tool kits are available to rent for seven days for all four iPhone 16 models, with U.S. pricing set at $49 for each kit.
Launched in 2022, Apple's self-service program provides customers with access to genuine parts, tools, and manuals to repair select iPhones and Macs, as well as the Studio Display. The company has said the program is "intended for individuals who are experienced with the complexities of repairing electronic devices." Some of the repair manuals on Apple's website have warnings outlining important information, such as safety risks.
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Final Cut Pro's upcoming auto-caption feature
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