Apple introduced satellite connectivity for iPhones back in 2022, and since then, satellite messaging options have become the new must-have feature for carriers and other smartphone manufacturers.
Verizon today announced the launch of its satellite-based text service, which is available for select Android smartphone users through a partnership with Skylo. Skylo uses licensed mobile satellite spectrum that avoids interference with terrestrial signals to provide coverage in remote areas where there isn't traditional cellular signal.
Satellite texting through Verizon is only available for Galaxy S25 and Google Pixel 9 smartphones, and unlike T-Mobile's Starlink integration, Verizon isn't able to expand the Skylo satellite texting option to iPhone users because it requires specific smartphone hardware.
iPhone users with an iPhone 14 or later already have access to satellite-based texting as of iOS 18 using the iPhone's built-in satellite connectivity available through Globalstar, but the option to connect to satellites from a second satellite company could increase the chance of being able to communicate in remote and rural areas.
Apple added Starlink support to T-Mobile iPhones with iOS 18.3, and T-Mobile subscribers are able to connect to Starlink for satellite-based texting thanks to a public beta test that T-Mobile is offering. Compared to Apple's built-in satellite option, Starlink has more available satellites and smartphones can connect automatically without needing to hold a device up to the sky.
While Verizon's Skylo satellite texting isn't available on the iPhone right now, Verizon is working on other satellite technology. The company is partnering with AST SpaceMobile to offer customers direct-to-cellular AST SpaceMobile service when terrestrial mobile networks are unavailable. When Verizon's AST SpaceMobile satellite partnership is ready, Verizon will likely be able to offer satellite texting for both iPhone and Android users.
AST SpaceMobile and Verizon plan to provide satellite connectivity that supports text, voice, and video calling capabilities. AST SpaceMobile currently has FCC approval to test five commercial BlueBird satellites with smartphones.
iOS 18.4 includes a new Safari feature that puts your searches front and center, showing your recent search history whenever you open up a new Safari tab and tap into the search field.
When the feature first came out in the iOS 18.4 beta, there was no option to disable it, but Apple rectified that with the fourth beta update. In the Safari section of the Settings app, there is now a "Show Recent Searches" option that can be toggled off.
Disabling Show Recent Searches returns the Safari search interface to its iOS 18.3.2 behavior, where recent searches are not shown when tapping into the search window of a new tab.
Apple appears to have added the option to toggle off the search feature after receiving feedback during the iOS 18.4 beta testing period.
While some users may like the option to have recent searches readily available when opening up a new Safari tab, having searches so visible may not be desirable for those who sometimes need to hand over their iPhones and iPads to someone else.
iOS 18.4 is still being beta tested, with Apple aiming for an early April launch date. The update also includes new emoji characters, Apple Intelligence Priority Notifications, Visual Intelligence for the iPhone 15 Pro, a Vision Pro app, and more. All of the features in the update are listed in our iOS 18.4 beta guide.
Media platform Plex today announced that it is raising prices for the Plex Pass subscription service, marking the first price increase that Plex has introduced in a decade.
Starting on April 29, the Plex Pass will cost $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year, with a lifetime purchase option available for $249.99. Right now, the lifetime Plex Pass costs $120, while the monthly option is $4.99 and the annual option is $39.99.
Plex says that it needs to raise prices to keep up with rising costs, and that the added funds will ensure that Plex is able to keep developing new features.
Along with increasing prices, Plex is no longer going to offer remote playback for personal media as a free service. Plex users who want to be able to stream content that's not on the same local network as the server will have two options.
A Plex Pass will allow server owners to provide remote media streaming to friends and family members without an additional charge, so only the server owner needs the Plex Pass, not the users streaming the content. Alternatively, if the server owner does not have a Plex Pass, remote streaming will still be available if the person accessing the server has a Plex Pass or a new Remote Watch Pass.
Plex is introducing a new Remote Watch Pass subscription option aimed at those who want to stream media without hosting a server. It allows individual users to remotely stream media from any personal media server they have access to, even if the owner of that server does not have a Plex Pass.
The Remote Watch Pass is priced at $1.99 per month or $19.99 per year, and it will be available starting on April 29.
Plex users who have a Plex Pass already will continue to be able to use remote playback from any Plex Media Server after the changes are implemented, as will users who have access to their servers. Plex Pass lifetime subscribers will see no change, but monthly and yearly subscribers will see prices go up in April.
As remote streaming is becoming a paid feature on Plex, Plex is removing the one-time activation fee that removes playback limitations in the Plex iOS and Android apps, and there will no longer be a one-minute playback limitation.
The changes to personal media streaming do not impact viewing on the same local network. Free, ad-supported streaming of movies, shows, and live TV on Plex will also remain free.
While Anker is known for a broad array of charging accessories, the Anker Prime family features some of the company's most advanced technology and feature sets to deliver a premium experience.
I've been testing out a few Anker Prime travel accessories over the past few months, including some of Anker's most compact yet powerful multi-port wall chargers, a multi-port power bank, and a high-end USB-C charging cable to help keep even Apple's most power-hungry products charged up.
Anker Prime Wall Chargers
First up are a pair of triple USB wall chargers in 67-watt and 100-watt varieties optimized for travel with folding prongs and GaN technology to ensure the most compact size possible. And while these chargers are surprisingly hefty for their size due to the density of the GaN technology packed inside, they definitely slip easily into a bag or even a large pocket.
Each of these chargers offers a pair of USB-C ports and a USB-A port to help keep all of your devices charged up, and they have nearly identical designs, with the main differences being their output power and thus their overall sizes.
The 67W version is 51% smaller than Apple's 67-watt adapter that has come with some MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models in recent years, measuring in at around 1.5 inches (~40 mm) square by 1.9 inches (50 mm) deep and weighing 4.78 ounces (135.7 grams).
It can deliver up to 67 watts of charging power when either of its two USB-C ports is used alone, while the USB-A port can deliver up to 22.5 watts on its own. When using two ports simultaneously in any combination, the charger will intelligently divide up to 65 watts of power between the two ports, and if all three ports are in use it will divide up to 64.5 watts accordingly. Of the two USB-C ports, the upper one is labeled with a computer icon while the lower one is labeled with a phone icon, indicating that the upper port will be prioritized for heavier loads when multiple ports are in use.
While 67 watts is enough for most Apple laptops other than the 16-inch MacBook Pro, the fact that this is a multi-port charger means you're probably buying it to charge multiple devices at the same time. That works if you're only trying to charge something like an iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch, but anything more and you may start to bump up against the charger's wattage ceiling.
A MacBook Air drawing up to 35 watts is fine if you want to also charge an iPhone, for example, but if you're trying to charge a MacBook Pro and other devices simultaneously, you're going to need more power and that's where Anker's 100W model comes in.
The 100W model is unsurprisingly a bit larger and heavier than its sibling, measuring about 1.5 inches (39 mm) by 1.7 inches (44 mm) and about 2.3 inches (60 mm) deep and weighing 6.4 ounces (183.3 grams).
As with the 67W model, the 100W model includes two USB-C ports that are each capable of delivering the full wattage to a connected device if used in solo mode. The USB-A port can similarly deliver up to 22.5 watts on its own. In a two-device charging configuration involving both USB-C ports, the upper one will deliver up to 65 watts, while the lower one will deliver up to 35 watts, ideal for charging something like a MacBook and an iPad or iPhone simultaneously. Using either of the USB-C ports with the USB-A port will split the power 76 watts and 22.5 watts respectively.
If you need to charge three devices simultaneously, the upper USB-C port will provide up to 46 watts and the lower USB-C port will support up to 30 watts, with the USB-A port offering up to 22.5 watts.
None of these configurations will allow you to fast charge a 16-inch MacBook Pro, even if it's being charged on its own, but it should be largely sufficient for most users. Only if you're looking to charge multiple power-hungry devices will you likely want to look for something a bit more powerful, and therefore bulkier and probably more expensive. With the wide variety of chargers available on the market, it's always a balance of size/weight, power, and cost, so it's important to carefully weigh your priorities when considering a purchase.
The 67W model is normally priced at $59.99, but a $20 on-page coupon on Anker's site currently brings it down to $39.99, a deal that is also available at Amazon. The beefier 100W version is currently priced at $84.99 with no discounts available either on Anker's site or at Amazon, so you may want to keep your eye out for a sale if that's the one you're interested in.
Anker Prime 9.6K Power Bank
As a lower-power and cheaper alternative to the Alogic Ark Pro I recently reviewed, Anker's 9.6K Prime Power Bank is a handy multi-device charging solution for on the go. Its 9,600 mAh internal battery is only about a third the size of the Ark Pro's, so you won't be able to come close to fully charging something like a MacBook Pro and it can only deliver 65 watts of total charging power, but for smaller devices it could be a solid option for many users.
While the power bank is rated for 9,600 mAh of capacity, Anker notes that users should only expect about 65% of that to end up in the device being charged, due to various battery and circuitry inefficiencies. As a result, Anker says users should expect about 5,200 to 6,700 mAh to be delivered to a connected device, and that's about what I found in my testing. The power bank was able to fully charge an iPhone 16 Pro Max equipped with a 4,685 mAh battery and still have around 20% of the power bank's capacity remaining.
One of the most notable features of the Anker Prime 9.6K Power Bank is its folding prongs, allowing it to be plugged directly into a wall to recharge its internal battery, act as a wall charger by providing passthrough power to devices connected to its USB ports, or both. It's a simpler, travel-friendly solution than having to use one of the power bank's USB ports, a separate cable, and potentially another power adapter to charge up the power bank.
The Anker Prime 9.6K Power Bank features two USB-C ports, with either of them able to deliver up to 65 watts when used on its own. If both ports are used, the lower port will deliver up to 45 watts while the upper port will deliver up to 20 watts.
The power bank includes a handy display to keep an eye on charging state with a button on the side to activate the display only when you need it, thus saving power. When charging up the power bank, the display reports the current battery level and the estimated time remaining until it's fully charged, and if it's being used to charge other devices either while plugged in or not, it reports the output currently going to each of the USB-C ports.
The display also lets you access a stats page with information like battery health, the number of charge cycles, and current battery temperature. A long press on the side button lets you cycle through several settings for the power bank including how long the display should stay on for once activated with the button (30 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes, or 30 minutes), low and high options for the display brightness, and whether the lower C1 USB-C port can be used solely for output or if you can also recharge the power bank through it in addition to through the folding prongs.
Measuring around 1.7 inches (43 mm) square by 4.5 in chess (115 mm) high and weighing 10.76 ounces (305 grams), the Anker Prime 9.6K Power Bank is plenty small and light enough to toss in a bag for travel, and it gives you peace of mind to be able to charge up your devices either from a wall outlet or while on the go. A small lanyard gives you a little something extra to grip or the ability to hang it on a carabiner or clip to keep it accessible in or on a larger bag, but it's not large enough to fit around a wrist. The power bank also comes with a 1-meter Anker 333 USB-C to USB-C cable and a soft carrying pouch with a drawstring closure.
The brick-like profile of the power bank means it won't fit easily in a pocket unless you have a bulky coat, so that's something worth considering if you're planning on carrying it on your body. If all you're looking for is something to charge up a phone, you might look to another option like the much slimmer and lighter Anker MagGo Power Bank (10K, Slim) that can easily slide into even a pants or shirt pocket. Or for a similar but slightly thicker and heavier form factor but with a display, Qi2 support, and a kickstand, there's Anker's latest 10K MagGo Power Bank. But if you need something with a little more versatility and dual USB-C ports, the Anker Prime 9.6K Power Bank is a solid option.
The Anker Prime 9.6K Power Bank is normally priced at $89.99, but a $15 on-page coupon at Anker currently brings the price down to $74.99. It's also available at Amazon for the same discounted price.
Anker Prime 240W Braided USB-C to USB-C Cable
As a companion to these various charging options, I've also been testing out Anker's 3-foot Prime USB-C to USB-C braided cable with support for 240-watt charging, which offers premium specs to ensure you're charging at the fastest possible speeds. With devices like the last couple of generations of the 16-inch MacBook Pro now supporting fast charging over USB-C, you'll need to make sure you have a 240-watt cable if you want to take advantage of those speeds, and this Anker cable fits the bill.
The cable has a premium feel with an attractive braided design that offers excellent durability. Anker says it's tested the cable to survive over 300,000 bends and stand up to 220 pounds of force, while being made of recycled nylon. Anker also includes a handy silicone cable wrap to keep things tidy when you're not using the cable.
Importantly, this cable prioritizes charging speed with its ability to deliver up to 240 watts of power for supported devices, and thus it only supports 480 Mbps USB 2.0 speeds for data transfer. That's enough for lower-end needs, but if you're looking to move large amounts of data quickly such as for backups or screen mirroring/video output, you'll need to look at other options supporting flavors of USB 3, USB 4, or Thunderbolt.
The 240W Anker Prime USB-C to USB-C cable is available in a 3-foot length for $29.99 or a 6-foot length for $34.99, although an on-page coupon currently available on Anker's site brings those prices down to $25.99 and $29.99 respectively. Amazon also currently has them available at the discounted prices.
Note: Anker provided MacRumors with the Anker Prime charging accessories for the purposes of this review. No other compensation was received. MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker and Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Android smartphone maker Nothing recently came out with the Phone 3a and Phone 3a Pro, just a little after Apple launched the iPhone 16e. Since Nothing's smartphone is targeting roughly the same group of smartphone buyers as the iPhone 16e, we thought we'd do a comparison.
The iPhone 16e is priced at $599, which is higher than any other budget smartphone that Apple has released to date, while the 3a Pro is quite a bit more affordable at $459. The 3a Pro has some bells and whistles you won't get with the iPhone 16e like extra cameras and a larger display, but the Qualcomm chip in the 3a Pro really can't compete with the A18 in the iPhone 16e. It's not even close.
While the iPhone 16e has a 6.1-inch display, the 3a Pro has a larger 6.8-inch display, and it's notably larger and heavier. It has a brighter OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, while the 16e display is limited to 60Hz. In terms of design, the 16e has a classic, understated iPhone look with a single camera, while the 3a Pro has a large rear camera circle, a stylized mechanical look, and a ring of LED lights at the back that serve as notification alerts.
The Nothing Phone 3a Pro has an eye-catching design for sure, but it might also be a bit much for some people. There's a single 48-megapixel Wide camera in the iPhone 16e, but the 3a Pro has a trio of cameras, including a 50-megapixel main camera, a 50-megapixel Telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, and an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera.
Battery life is about the same between the two, and the 3a Pro has no wireless charging feature while the 16e supports slow Qi-based wireless charging. The 3a Pro does charge faster though, because it supports up to 50W wired charging.
Nothing hasn't gone all in on AI like Apple, but there is a dedicated AI button that opens up the Essential Space, which is an AI-powered hub for notes, ideas, and inspirations. There are no image generation features or custom emoji, but it is a truly useful feature.
Of course, the major difference between the two is iOS vs. Android, so while the 3a Pro is a solid value with a good feature set, it's probably not going to lure iPhone users out of Apple's ecosystem.
What do you think of the Nothing Phone 3a Pro? Let us know in the comments below.
The European Commission today announced a long list of changes that Apple is legally required to implement in future iOS 19 and iOS 20 updates.
The announcement clarifies interoperability requirements that Apple is required to adhere to in the EU, under the Digital Markets Act, which has been fully enforced since March 2024. The changes will further open up the iPhone and its technologies to competing companies and devices, and Apple is really unhappy about it.
We will be publishing an in-depth overview of all of the requirements, but in the meantime we have highlighted some key items below.
Third-party smartwatches must be able to display and interact with iOS notifications by the end of 2025, which likely means iOS 19.2 or earlier.
Apple must make its automatic audio switching feature available to third-party headphones by June 1, 2026, which likely means iOS 19.4 or earlier. This is the feature that allows most AirPods and select Beats to automatically switch connection between Apple devices, such as a Mac and an iPhone.
Apple must make changes to iOS that allow for third parties to offer equivalent AirDrop alternatives by June 1, 2026.
Apple must make changes to iOS that allow for third parties to offer equivalent AirPlay alternatives by iOS 20, or the end of 2026. iOS 20 is expected to be released to the general public in September 2026.
Apple has until iOS 20 to meet specific aspects of some of the requirements.
"Today's decisions wrap us in red tape, slowing down Apple's ability to innovate for users in Europe and forcing us to give away our new features for free to companies who don't have to play by the same rules," said Apple, in a statement.
iOS 19 will be announced at WWDC 2025 this June, and iOS 20 will follow a year later.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
The iPhone 16e includes Apple's first custom-designed C1 modem, and since it's a new chip category for Apple, there have been questions about how the C1 measures up to the Qualcomm modems that Apple has been using for years. As it turns out, the iPhone 16e performs almost as well or better than the iPhone 16 in many speed tests that compare sub-6GHz performance, but it does vary by network.
According to cellular performance data shared by Ookla, Verizon and AT&T iPhone 16e users saw better median download speeds than iPhone 16 users, but T-Mobile users saw slightly higher median download speeds with the iPhone 16 than the iPhone 16e.
When looking at the highest speeds across carriers, the iPhone 16 wins out over the iPhone 16e because the iPhone 16e does not have mmWave 5G support. The iPhone 16e cannot connect to the fastest mmWave 5G networks, and it is limited to sub-6GHz connectivity. mmWave is found in urban areas and is less widespread than sub-6GHz.
In situations where connectivity was poor, the iPhone 16e outperformed the iPhone 16.
Ookla's test revealed that T-Mobile users with an iPhone 16e saw median download speeds of 264.71 Mb/s, while users with an iPhone 16 saw median download speeds of 357.47, a 24 percent increase in speed. According to Ookla, the iPhone 16e's underperformance on the T-Mobile network could be due to T-Mobile's 5G standalone network and advanced features like carrier aggregation.
For Verizon users, download speeds were low for both the iPhone 16e and the iPhone 16, which seems to be a network issue. iPhone 16e users saw median download speeds of 140.77 Mb/s on Verizon. iPhone 16 download speeds were even lower at 124.4 Mb/s.
As for AT&T users, median download speeds for the iPhone 16e were at 226.9 Mb/s, and 146.49 for the iPhone 16.
The iPhone 16e outperformed the iPhone 16 in upload speeds across all carriers, with the most notable difference on the Verizon and AT&T networks. T-Mobile was the fastest network overall for both the iPhone 16e and the iPhone 16 in download and upload speeds.
With the C1 modem, Apple was able to increase efficiency, and it draws less power than Qualcomm modems. Apple says the C1 is the most efficient modem that's ever been used in an iPhone, and the iPhone 16e does indeed have longer battery life than the iPhone 16.
The C1 modem is Apple's first step toward independence from Qualcomm, and Apple has long been aiming to reduce its reliance on Qualcomm technology. Apple is already working on the C2 modem for future devices, and it is expected to include mmWave 5G support.
Amazon has introduced a new all-time low price on the Apple Studio Display, available for $1,249.00, down from $1,599.00. This is the standard glass version of the Studio Display with the tilt adjustable stand, and right now it's the only model on Amazon at a record low price.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Compared to past sales, this is $50 under the previous all-time low price and as of writing only Amazon has the deal. There's an estimated delivery window of late March for most residences in the United States.
The Studio Display features a 27-inch 5K Retina display with a 5120 x 2880 resolution and up to 600 nits of brightness. Apple says that the standard display is engineered for "extremely low reflectivity," but for rooms where there is a lot of glare, Apple suggests the nano-texture glass option with even less reflectivity.
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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Google today introduced the Pixel 9a, its latest lower-priced smartphone. The device is launching in April, and it will compete with Apple's new iPhone 16e.
In terms of specs and pricing, the Pixel 9a tops the iPhone 16e in at least four ways.
First, the Pixel 9a's 6.3-inch OLED display is larger than the iPhone 16e's 6.1-inch screen.
Second, the Pixel 9a's display supports up to a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling and content, while the iPhone 16e is limited to 60Hz.
Third, while both the Pixel 9a and the iPhone 16e are equipped with a 48-megapixel main rear camera, the Pixel 9a also has an Ultra Wide camera.
Fourth, the Pixel 9a starts at $499 in the U.S., while the iPhone 16e starts at $599.
Of course, the Pixel 9a runs Android, which is simply a dealbreaker for many iPhone users who prefer the Apple ecosystem or feel too locked in to bother switching platforms. But, increased competition is always good to see.
The European Commission today announced the decisions of its interoperability proceedings to assist Apple in complying with its obligations under the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA), but Apple has come out swinging, calling them "bad for our products and bad for our European users."
The Commission's first proceeding focused on iOS connectivity features for third-party connected devices like smartwatches, headphones, and virtual reality headsets. The decisions specify how Apple will provide effective interoperability for functionalities such as notifications, device pairing, and connectivity and data transfer functions like AirDrop and AirPlay.
The measures will grant device manufacturers and app developers improved access to iPhone features that interact with such devices (e.g. displaying notifications on smartwatches), faster data transfers (e.g. peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connections, and near-field communication) and easier device set-up (e.g. pairing).
The second proceeding focused on the process Apple has set up to address interoperability requests submitted by developers and third parties for iOS and iPadOS.
Developers will benefit from a fast and fair handling of their interoperability requests. The measures will accelerate their ability to offer a wider choice to European consumers of innovative services and hardware that interoperate with iPhones and iPads.
The final measures set out in the two specification decisions follow an extensive engagement with Apple and input by third parties as part of the public consultation launched in December 2024.
However, according to Apple, the DMA effectively requires it to hand over intellectual property to competitors, including companies whose business model relies on copying others. This intervention, argues the company, allows officials or third parties to influence iPhone development to the point of micromanagement, making it harder to introduce new technologies in Europe.
Apple also expressed its concern that some data-driven companies are exploiting the DMA to bypass EU data protection standards, and seeking unfettered access to user devices and data, including unencrypted access to user notifications and details on connected Wi-Fi networks — amongst other privacy and security risks Apple flagged in its December 2024 report, which specifically calls out Meta.
To comply with the DMA, Apple launched a portal for EU developers to request additional interoperability with iOS and iPadOS. With over 250,000 APIs, the company believes it already provides third-party developers with robust tools for interoperability while protecting user data.
"Today's decisions wrap us in red tape, slowing down Apple's ability to innovate for users in Europe and forcing us to give away our new features for free to companies who don't have to play by the same rules," said Apple in a statement given to MacRumors. "It's bad for our products and for our European users. We will continue to work with the European Commission to help them understand our concerns on behalf of our users."
Apple said it has worked extensively with the Commission to comply with the DMA, and dedicated up to 500 engineers to the effort. The company believes it has met all requirements, and will continue engaging with regulators. But it's unconvinced the current demands will foster competition or innovation as intended.
Today's decisions mark the first time the Commission outlines concrete measures for a gatekeeper to comply with the Digital Markets Act," said Teresa Ribera, executive VP for clean, just and competitive transition. "Companies operating in the EU, irrespective of their place of incorporation, must comply with EU rules, including the Digital Markets Act. With these decision, we are simply implementing the law, and providing regulatory certainty both to Apple and to developers. Effective interoperability for third-party connected devices is an important step towards opening Apple's ecosystem. This will lead to a better choice for consumers in the fast-growing market for innovative connected devices. Also, from now on, developers will enjoy more transparency as to how their interoperability requests are handled by Apple. Today moves us closer to ensuring a level playing field in Europe, thanks to the rule of law.
The DMA's specification decisions are legally binding and Apple is required to implement the specified measures. However, the Commission says the decisions "fully respect Apple's rights of defense" and remain subject to independent judicial scrutiny.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Amazon this week is providing record low prices on multiple models of the iPad mini 7, starting at $399.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi tablet, down from $499.00. Best Buy is also matching many of these deals.
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 all four colors of the 128GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 on sale at this price, and it's a match of the best price we've ever tracked on the tablet. You can also get the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 for $499.00 and the 512GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 for $699.99, both $100 discounts and available in multiple colors.
Deals on cellular models are a bit rarer on Amazon, with a few colors of the 256GB cellular iPad mini 7 on sale for $649.00, down from $749.00. If you prefer shopping at Best Buy, remember that the retailer is matching all of these sales on the iPad mini 7, and it has more options for deals on cellular models.
Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.
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In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps.
Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly. It has been three and a half years since Apple first announced the feature in September 2021, and only nine U.S. states and the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico offer it.
Serial leaker Sonny Dickson today shared an image of what he claims is a first look at a third-party case for Apple's iPhone 17 Air. "If you didn’t know an Air was coming, you'd swear it was a Google Pixel case," he said.
Case manufacturers often obtain design specifications of upcoming iPhone models before their release by collaborating with Apple through official partnerships or conducting on-site investigations in production facilities. Observing production trends and prototypes in these areas helps them anticipate design changes.
The upcoming iPhone 17 Air is expected to feature a distinctive camera module design characterized by a horizontal "camera bar" that spans the width of the device's upper rear section. The design is reminiscent of Google's Pixel series and represents a departure from previous iPhone camera layouts.
Leaked renders suggest that the camera bar will house a single rear camera lens, positioned on the left side, with the flash located on the far right. The overall aesthetic is sleek and minimalist, in line with the iPhone 17 Air's ultra-thin profile, which is reported to be approximately 5.5mm thick.
iPhone 17 Air case (Image: Sonny Dickson)
Despite its minimalism, the device is expected to feature MagSafe, an Action button, and a Camera Control button – as indicated by the cutout on the lower left side of the case shown in the above image. A report at the weekend said the iPhone 17 Air will have a Camera Control button, and dummy models previously shared by Dickson reflect this.
The iPhone 17 Air is expected to feature a 6.6-inch display with 120Hz ProMotion support, a Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a 48-megapixel rear camera, Apple's custom-made C1 modem, and no physical SIM card slot worldwide. As usual, Apple should announce its new iPhone lineup around mid-September.
In macOS, you can easily convert the format of images using a Quick Action in Finder or you can achieve the same thing via the Preview app, but if your daily workflow requires you to repeatedly convert images – for uploading to a blog, for example – then using a Folder Action can be a much faster way of getting the job done.
In this article, we'll show you how to use the macOS Automator app to create a very simple Folder Action that will automatically convert images dropped into a specific folder, without you having to manually apply a Quick Action or open an image editing app. Keep reading to learn how it's done.
How to Create an Image Converting Folder in Automator
Launch Automator from the Applications folder.
Click New Document.
Choose Folder Action as the type of your document.
At the top of the workflow area, click the dropdown next to Folder Action receives files and folders added to: then select Other....
Select the folder that you'd like to attribute the image conversion action to. In our example, we're choosing the Downloads folder.
From the Library sidebar on the far left, select Photos.
From the Actions column, drag Change Type of Images (the one with the Preview icon) to the workflow area.
A dialog prompt will appear. If you want your action to convert copies of images placed in the folder and preserve the originals, select Add. If you want it to convert the original images, select Don't Add.
In the Change Type of Images action panel, choose the type of format that you want images to be converted to. We're selecting JPG.
In the Automator menu bar, select File -> Save... or press Command-S, call your new file action "Convert Image," then click Save.
That's all there is to it. Next time you want to convert an image into your preferred format, simply drag it into the folder that you assigned the action to.
Now that you know how to create the image conversion workflow in Automator, you may want to turn it into a standalone "Application," the option for which you can find in Automator's document menu. An "Application" is a self-running workflow that acts as a droplet – any files or folders dropped onto it are used as input to the workflow. In other words, you could add an "Application" to your Dock and drop images onto it for conversion.
You can also import Automator workflows into the Shortcuts app. Shortcuts can convert most Automator workflows into shortcuts that carry out the same functions, events and automations — you simply drag a workflow file into Shortcuts and the conversion happens automatically.
Apple fixed a bug in its Passwords app with December's iOS 18.2 update that had left users vulnerable to phishing attacks in the three months since the launch of iOS 18.
According to an Apple security update spotted by 9to5Mac, the Passwords app was sending unencrypted requests for the logos and icons associated with users' stored passwords.
Without protections of encryption, an attacker on the same Wi-Fi network could redirect a user's browser to a clone phishing site where login details could be stolen. The vulnerability was first discovered by developer Mysk's security researchers and reported in September.
Apple's iOS 18.2 security release notes described the bug like so:
Impact: A user in a privileged network position may be able to leak sensitive information
Description: This issue was addressed by using HTTPS when sending information over the network.
Apple lists the bug in security content updates for the Mac, iPad, and Vision Pro, indicating that this issue was fixed across multiple OSes.
Along with a foldable iPhone, Apple is working on a larger foldable device that's somewhere around 19 inches, but rumors have been split on whether it's an iPad or a Mac. Some reports refer to the device as an iPad, while some call it a Mac, and the split seems to come down to the operating system on the device.
Is it a Mac?
Some rumors have suggested that Apple is developing a foldable MacBook with an all-display design. The MacBook already has a foldable design, of course, but the difference here would be a single display without an included keyboard and trackpad.
A foldable Mac would be able to be folded in half and used like a traditional MacBook with a virtual keyboard, or it could be unfolded and used as a display when paired with an external keyboard.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has referred to Apple's larger foldable device as a MacBook, and he thinks it's going to have an 18.8 to 20.2-inch display. Display analyst Ross Young has also written about Apple's work on a notebook with an 18.8-inch display.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has referred to Apple's large-screened foldable device as an iPad, and he says it's going to have a display that's around 20 inches in size.
The Elec said in 2022 that Apple was developing a foldable device around 20 inches in size that folds down to 15.3 inches, and research firm Omdia believes that Apple is working on a 20.3-inch foldable OLED iPad that will be positioned as an iPad Pro.
While Kuo has also mainly referred to Apple's foldable as a MacBook, in 2023, he called it an iPad and said that it would come with a carbon fiber kickstand. Of course, Kuo initially said that such a foldable would come in 2024, something that did not happen.
Or both?
When thinking of a foldable with an all-display design, it's easier to picture an iPad, which is already a single screen. It makes sense for Apple to create an iPad that's able to fold down for portability and then unfold into a larger workspace, but what if it runs macOS?
We don't have much of a reference for an all-display Mac since it's not a form factor we're familiar with, but a 20-inch device that's all display and folds in half would definitely be something of a hybrid iPad and Mac device.
Analyst Jeff Pu recently said that Apple's large-screened foldable will be a MacBook-iPad hybrid that's likely to run macOS, rather than iPadOS. Such a device would presumably have a touchscreen, and would require notable changes to the Mac operating system as it does not support touch input. Gurman also claimed that some of the design updates that Apple is making in iOS 19 and macOS 16 to unify the operating systems will pave the way for foldable devices and touchscreen Macs, so a hybrid is a possibility.
Whether the large-screened foldable is ultimately an iPad or a Mac will come down to the operating system that Apple is planning to use. If the device runs macOS, it'll be in the Mac family, and if it runs iPadOS, it'll be in the iPad family.
Launch Date
Rumors about the release date for Apple's foldable iPad/Mac have targeted as early as 2026 to as late as 2028, so it's not quite clear when we'll see the device. It's possible that Apple is planning a launch for as soon as next year, and if that's the case, rumors should really start picking up in the next couple of months.
If we don't start hearing more soon, we can assume that Apple is aiming for a later launch date in 2027 or beyond.
Apple today stopped signing iOS 18.3.1, so iPhone users who have upgraded to iOS 18.3.2 are no longer able to downgrade to the prior version of iOS 18. Apple released iOS 18.3.2 on March 10.
It is not unusual for Apple to stop signing older versions of iOS after releasing an update. Software that is not signed cannot be installed on an iPhone due to a server-side verification check, and it keeps iPhone users from installing outdated versions of iOS. iPhone models compatible with iOS 18 are only eligible to download and run iOS 18.3.2 at this time.
By preventing customers from installing older versions of iOS or downgrading, Apple ensures that devices have the latest security improvements.
Nanoleaf today announced the launch of the PC Screen Mirror Lightstrip, a new desktop lighting option that is designed to make desktop gaming and entertainment more immersive with rainbow lighting effects.
The Screen Mirror Lightstrip connects to a computer using USB-C, and it is able to provide real-time dynamic mirroring that matches whatever is on your screen. It can match the output of a game or a movie, or it can sync to music, with the lights changing to match the rhythm of a song. There is also an Orchestrator mode that provides access to different moods for music experience customization. One mood is included, with more available through a Nanoleaf Premium subscription.
Nanoleaf designed the Screen Mirror Lightstrip for displays up to 32 inches in size, and it features a flexible zigzag design for simple and precise installation.
The Lightstrip pairs to a display using the Nanoleaf Desktop app, which is available for both PCs and Macs. More than 16 million colors are supported for dynamic lighting animations and visual effects.
The PC Screen Mirror Lightstrip from Nanoleaf is priced at $50 and it can be pre-ordered from the Nanoleaf website. It is set to ship at the end of March.
Update: This article was updated to clarify that Nanoleaf Orchestrator is an included feature in the Nanoleaf Desktop app and does not require a subscription to use, but a Nanoleaf subscription is necessary for unlocking the full range of moods.
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