MacRumors

Now that Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days event has ended, many of the week's best sales have expired. However, we're tracking a few Apple products that remain at their best-ever prices even after the end of the sale, including the AirPods 2, 15-inch MacBook Air, and 9th generation iPad.

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.

15-Inch MacBook Air

An overall highlight of Prime Day has been a $250 discount across the entire 15-inch M2 MacBook Air lineup, and all of these sales are still around. The 256GB model is down to $1,049.00 and the 512GB model is down to $1,249.00, and both are record low prices.

AirPods

There were quite a few AirPods deals earlier in the week, but the only notable deal that has stuck around is on the AirPods 2. You can get these earbuds for $89.00, down from $129.00, which is one of the lowest prices of the year and an overall second-bet price.

If you're still shopping for the newest model of the AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C, there is a sale on this model, it's just not at its all-time low Prime Day price. You can pick up these earbuds for $199.99, down from $249.00, which is still a good deal on the newest model of AirPods.

iPad

The major iPad deal that has stuck around post-Prime Day is on the 9th generation iPad (64GB Wi-Fi), which is available for $249.00, down from $329.00. This is a match of the best price we've ever tracked on the tablet, and the 256GB Wi-Fi option is on sale too, just not at a record low price.

Anker

Anker deals remain abundant in the wake of Prime Day, with steep savings on USB-C wall chargers, portable batteries, and power strips. All of the discounts below require you to clip an on-page coupon in order to see the deal price at the checkout screen.

• Nano Power Bank with Foldable USB-C Connector - $25.49 with on-page coupon, down from $29.99
• 67W 3-Port USB-C Wall Charger - $47.99 with on-page coupon, down from $59.99
• 67W 6-in-1 USB-C Power Strip - $52.79 with on-page coupon, down from $65.99
• 140W 6-in-1 USB-C Power Strip - $87.99 with on-page coupon, down from $109.99
• Prime 20,000 mAh Power Bank with Smart Digital Display - $109.99 with on-page coupon, down from $129.99

AirTag

Apple's Bluetooth tracker accessory hit $88.99 during Prime Day, and that $10 off discount is still available on Amazon today. This is for the 4-pack of the AirTag, and it's a solid second-best price on the device.

Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.

Apple this week published a new support document with some valuable tips for buying a preowned iPhone online or in person.

Apple starts off by touting that the iPhone "lasts longer than other smartphones," making a preowned iPhone a "great way to own an iPhone." Apple says it provides "industry-leading device support for software updates," although Google recently announced that its latest Pixel 8 phones will receive full Android updates for seven years, whereas iOS 17 only supports iPhone models released up to five years ago.

When buying a preowned iPhone online, it is very important to choose a trusted seller, as the device cannot be physically inspected at the time of purchase. If possible, make sure the iPhone is not Activation Locked, as this would prevent you from using the device unless you know the previous owner's Apple ID and password.

For in-person purchases, Apple shared a helpful checklist for inspecting a preowned iPhone. Apple explains how to check for damage, how to find out if parts have been replaced, how to view the battery's health, how to find out if the iPhone is locked to a carrier, how to ensure hardware like the camera and microphone are functional, and more.

While some of the tips are obvious, Apple's support document might be worth bookmarking if you plan to buy a used iPhone in the future.

There are a few Beats deals that remain available on Amazon following Prime Day, including the new Beats Studio Pro headphones at an all-time low price of $179.00, down from $349.99. This is an incredibly steep discount on these headphones, which just launched in July.

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 Beats Studio Pro headphones at this price in Deep Brown, Navy, and Sandstone on Amazon. The headphones come with improved sound quality, voice performance, comfort and durability, and connectivity compared to previous generation Beats.

There are a few other Beats devices on sale today, starting with the Beats Studio Buds at $89.99, down from $149.95. Amazon has four colors on sale at this price, which is an all-time low price on the earbuds.

Lastly, the Beats Fit Pro are down to $159.99 in seven colors, down from $199.95. These earbuds include the Apple H1 chip, making them easy to pair with iOS devices, and they're built for workouts with flexible wingtips.

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.

Apple will release its first MacBooks based on TSMC's 3nm fabrication process in 2024, not this year as some rumors have suggested. That's according to a new five-year global notebook shipments forecast published by DigiTimes.

Predicting an end to a two-year decline in the notebook market, the report forecasts a 4.7% shipment growth in 2024 driven by the easing of inflation and the introduction of new products, including new MacBooks powered by 3nm-based chips. From the report:

In 2023, the share of notebooks built using Arm-based processors will likely decrease rather than increase because Apple, which adopts in-house designed Arm-based CPUs for most of its notebook lineups, is expected to experience a significant decline in shipments in 2023 as the US brand vendor plans to transit to CPUs built by a 3nm node at TSMC for performance upgrading in 2024.

In July, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said October of this year could see the announcement of the first Macs with the M3 chip. Given that Apple launched new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models in January, and more recently new 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌, ‌Mac Studio‌, and ‌Mac Pro‌ models in June, Gurman said the first beneficiaries of the new M3 chip would likely be the next ‌iMac‌, 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌, and 13-inch MacBook Pro.

However, more recently in September, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that it seemed Apple will not launch new MacBook models with M3 series chips before the end of this year. Kuo only ruled out new MacBooks though, which appears to leave open the possibility of a new iMac coming this year. The current model featuring the M1 chip has now been on sale for over two and a half years.

DigiTimes itself recently suggested Apple would make a MacBook Pro announcement before the holidays. The Taiwan-based outlet earlier this month claimed Apple is preparing to ship new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with more power-efficient mini-LED displays before the year is out. That report did not mention the processor the models would be based on, but Gurman has previously said the next version of these two machines will feature M3 Pro and M3 Max chips, and that they will "probably" launch by the middle of 2024 at the latest.

• Will Apple Release New Macs Soon? Here's What the Latest Rumors Say

The as-yet-unannounced M3 chip is widely expected to be fabricated with TSMC's 3nm process for performance and power efficiency improvements compared to the current 5nm-based ‌M2‌ chip, which debuted in June 2022. It will also likely feature an all new GPU with hardware ray-tracing, first introduced on the iPhone 15 Pro's A17 Pro chip last month.

There appears to be a curious phenomenon that is causing some iPhone models to turn off temporarily at night, which can interrupt alarms and other ‌iPhone‌ features.

In a thread on Reddit, a user complains that two separate ‌iPhone‌ alarms in his home failed to go off. Several other users also chimed in with similar issues, and it turns out that some of the issues could be linked to the ‌iPhone‌ turning off at night. From Reddit:

Hijacking top comment. Check your battery settings and see if there is a gap during the night. Yesterday a lot of iPhones turned off for a few hours during the night. In my case the phone turned back on 1 minute before the alarm

Some other people noted having to put in their passcodes in the morning, an indication that the ‌iPhone‌ restarted or shut off during the night. 9to5Mac highlighted these issues earlier this week, and we've also experienced the problem here at MacRumors, as have multiple users on the MacRumors forums. From MacRumors:

So my iPhone 15 Pro Max with iOS 17.0.3 spontaneously rebooted last night (10. October around 01:00 AM CET). The same happened to 3 of my friends with the same iPhone and same iOS, and to someone else with an iPhone 13 Mini, also on the same iOS.

You can tell if your ‌iPhone‌ turned off at night by opening up the Settings app, navigating to Battery, and checking the charging status over the past 24 hours. If there's a gap, the ‌iPhone‌ was turned off for a period of time.

The problem affects iPhone 15 models, but it is also impacting other devices, suggesting that it's something in iOS 17. Not all users are experiencing the shutdown issues, nor does it appear to be happening every night.

It is not yet clear what is going on, and Apple has not commented.

California this week officially adopted new right to repair legislation, with California Governor Gavin Newsom this week signing SB 244 into law.

The Right to Repair law requires companies to provide customers with the tools to diagnose and repair consumer electronics and appliances. Apple in August sent a letter urging California to adopt the bill, despite the fact that Apple has lobbied against other Right to Repair legislation.

Apple has already launched a Self Service Repair program for iPhones and Macs, with the repair program providing customers with repair kits, repair manuals, and components for repairs. Apple also has repair programs for independent repair shops, such as the Apple Authorized Service Provider option and the Independent Repair Provider program.

California's law requires service and repair facilities that are not authorized repair providers to disclose whether they're using replacement parts that are not from the device manufacturer, which would prevent Apple repair stores from using non-Apple parts without making that explicitly clear. As legitimate repair parts must come from Apple, the repair law in California is to Apple's benefit.

Manufacturers are also not required to make tools, parts, and documentation available for any component that would disable or override antitheft security measures, which encompasses Apple features like Face ID.

Independent repair shops have in the past complained that Apple forces them to sign invasive contracts, and the kits that Apple sells for self-service repair are not much more affordable than simply getting a repair direct from Apple, but California's law does ensure that customers have options other than the Apple Store.

SB 244 requires that Apple and other companies provide components, repair manuals, and other repair information to be available for seven years after the sale of any product that costs more than $99.99. It is applicable to products sold after July 1, 2021.

T-Mobile will be forcing customers on older smartphone plans to move to newer, more expensive plans, according to information that has been shared on Reddit. The migration will be automatic, but customers can contact support to ask to opt out of the migration.

Those who had the prior Magenta and One plans will be upgraded to Go5G, while those on the Magenta 55+ plan will be upgraded to Go5G+. Simple Choice and Select Choice users will be moved to Magenta or Essentials Select.

With these migrations to new plans, customers will see price increases of $5 to $10 per line depending on current plan. Those on the Simple/Select Choice plans, for example, will see a $10 per line price increase.

Customers who miss the notification about the upcoming plan changes can still ask to revert back for a short period, though customer service will attempt to push customers to new plans with one-time credits.

As noted by The Mobile Report, customer support representatives will attempt to convince users about the benefits of the new plan. "We are not raising the price of any of your plans; we are moving you to a newer plan with more benefits at a different cost," T-Mobile instructs employees to say.

Customers will begin receiving notifications about the upcoming plan changes on October 17, both through text messages and emails. Migration timing will vary based on bill cycle.

Both Apple and Google came out with new high-end flagship smartphones this autumn, debuting the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Pixel 8 Pro, respectively. As with any expensive smartphone, the cameras in both produce amazing images, but there are some notable differences that can be seen in our comparison video and article.

The ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ Max has a triple-lens camera system with 48-megapixel Main (wide) camera that can be set to three focal lengths, a 12-megapixel Ultra Wide camera, and a 12-megapixel Telephoto lens that supports up to 5x optical zoom. The Pixel 8 Pro also has a triple-lens camera system with 50-megapixel Wide camera, a 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera, and a 48-megapixel Telephoto camera also with 5x optical zoom.

The Google and Apple camera systems have similarities in available lenses and technologies like portrait mode, night mode, HDR, and more, but there are different software algorithms that are at work under the hood, and that's what brings in some of the biggest differences that we're seeing.

When it comes to landscape images that show a lot of sky, the ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ Max looks more natural. The colors are more accurate and the differences between sky and cloud are more pronounced for an overall better looking image. The Pixel 8 Pro trends toward a more blue tint for sky images, and it also has a tendency to overexpose in some shots. You'll also notice that the Pixel photos tend to be brighter, while the iPhone photos are downright moody.

There are definite themes to color temperature, saturation, exposure, and other factors. Several of the ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ Max images feel oversaturated compared to the Pixel 8 Pro, with Apple giving deeper blacks and more vibrant colors, while Google's images have a brighter feel with contrast bumped down. In the taxi image, for example, the cars were not that shade of yellow that Apple produced, but both images look good and choosing a favorite will depend on whether you prefer images that are more saturated or brighter.

Apple's 5x Telephoto lens is limited to 12 megapixels and it does not have the wide aperture of the Main lens, so it should not be a surprise that the images that come out of it look different in terms of sharpness and saturation. 5x images from the ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ Max and the Pixel 8 Pro look similar in most instances, but the Pixel 8 Pro seems to have more pronounced textures because the images are brighter with the contrast bumped up a bit more than what we're getting with the ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ Max.

Apple's 5x zoom lens has an edge when it comes to portrait mode because it can capture 5x portraits, while the Pixel is limited to 2x portraits. The ‌iPhone‌ really wins out in terms of background blur, and even in portraits with other lenses, Apple is doing better with color, skin tone, and blur. The Pixel's portrait images sometimes come out better in situations with lower light.

As for night shots, iPhones have always been a bit ahead in terms of a natural look, and that hasn't changed. The nighttime images from the ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ Max are more true to life, while the Pixel 8 Pro is much brighter and doesn't have the same nighttime mood.

Apple's video stabilization has always been tough to beat, and the ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ Max produces better video than you get with the Pixel 8 Pro. Google has caught up somewhat with its latest smartphones, but Apple remains a step ahead. For pros, Apple also has an option for ProRes Log recording, so you can record a flat image that can be used with custom LUTs in post-processing.

Google has added some fun AI features to its camera that Apple can't compete with. Best Take, for example, sorts through multiple group photos that have been captured and finds the best shot. You can go change each person's face, swapping in from another in the series so that each person is smiling and looking at the camera. Magic Editor lets you erase objects in an image and uses generative AI to fill in the blank spot, and the Audio Magic Eraser can pull out unwanted sounds.

Which images do you prefer? ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ Max or Pixel 8 Pro? Let us know in the comments below.

Apple's first MacBook Pro models with OLED displays are still at least three years away from launching, according to information shared today by Ross Young, CEO of research firm Display Supply Chain Consultants.

On a display-related webinar with Bloomberg Intelligence's Woo Jin Ho, Young said it will take a few years for Apple's supply chain partners to build out manufacturing lines for mass production of laptop-sized OLED panels, so he does not expect MacBook Pro models with OLED displays to launch until 2026 or 2027. He has shared this timeframe previously.

Compared to current MacBook Pro models with LCD screens, benefits of OLED technology would include increased brightness, higher contrast ratio with deeper blacks, improved power efficiency for longer battery life, and more.

As widely rumored, Young reiterated that the next-generation iPad Pro models launching in 2024 will also be equipped with OLED displays. The first iPad Air and iPad mini models with OLED displays are not expected to launch until 2026; accordingly, Young confirmed that these devices will remain equipped with LCD screens next year.

Young has been a dependable source of display-related information for future Apple products for several years, with a highly-accurate track record.

Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days event is coming to a close later today, so we're quickly recapping all of the best Apple-related deals that are still live right now. Shipping on some may be slightly delayed, but all of the products listed below remain at some of the lowest prices we've ever seen.

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.

You will need an active Amazon Prime subscription to see these deals. You can get one month of Amazon Prime for free when signing up this week, and afterwards the service will renew at $14.99 per month or $139 per year.

Best Overall Deals

• AirPods 2 for $89.00, down from $129.00
• AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C for $189.00, down from $249.00
• Beats Studio Pro for $179.00, down from $349.99
• Apple Watch SE for $199.00, down from $249.00
• Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $749.00, down from $799.00
• 9th Gen iPad for $249.00, down from $329.00
• 15-inch MacBook Air for $1,049.00, down from $1,299.00
• Anker MagSafe 3-in-1 Charger Stand for $112.46, down from $149.95

The standout deal this season is Apple's new AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C/MagSafe Charging Case at its new all-time low price of $189.00. Apple Watch shoppers are in luck as well, with the best prices we've ever seen on the Apple Watch SE (2nd gen) and new Apple Watch Ultra 2.

Best AirPods and Headphones Deals

• AirPods 2 for $89.00, down from $129.00
• AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C for $189.00, down from $249.00
• AirPods Max for $479.99, down from $549.00
• Beats Studio Buds for $89.95, down from $149.95
• Beats Fit Pro for $159.99, down from $199.95
• Beats Studio Pro for $179.00, down from $349.99

Along with the AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C deal, you'll find sales on AirPods 2 and AirPods Max during Prime Day. We're also tracking a few Beats deals with all-time low prices on Beats Studio Buds, Beats Fit Pro, and Beats Studio Pro.

For the Beats Studio Pro, you can get these brand new headphones for $179.00, which is $170 off their regular price and the best price we've ever seen. They're available in all four colors at this price tag.

Best Apple Watch Deals

• Apple Watch SE (40mm GPS) for $199.00, down from $249.00
• Apple Watch SE (44mm GPS) for $229.00, down from $279.00
• Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $749.00, down from $799.00

The best Apple Watch deals this season focus on the Apple Watch SE and the Apple Watch Ultra 2, both of which have hit record low prices during Prime Day. For the Apple Watch SE, you'll find discounts on both Wi-Fi and cellular models, so be sure to check out our full article on Apple Watch SE deals for even more details.

Best MacBook Deals

• 13-inch MacBook Air (M1, 256GB) for $749.99, down from $999.00
• 13-inch MacBook Pro (M2, 256GB) for $1,049.00, down from $1,299.00
• 15-inch MacBook Air (M2, 256GB) for $1,049.00, down from $1,299.00
• 15-inch MacBook Air (M2, 512GB) for $1,249.00, down from $1,499.00

MacBook Pro and MacBook Air deals are abundant this Prime Day, with the standout sale focused on the new 15-inch MacBook Air. You can get both the 256GB and 512GB models for $250 off and all-time low prices on Amazon. If you're buying for someone who doesn't need the latest and greatest computer, the 13-inch M1 MacBook Air at $749.99 remains one of the best deals in 2023 on an Apple notebook.

Best iPad Deals

• 9th Gen iPad for $249.00, down from $329.00
• 10th Gen iPad for $399.00, down from $449.00
• iPad mini 6 for $399.99, down from $499.00
• iPad Air for $499.99, down from $599.00

In terms of the best iPad deals, you'll find record low prices on Apple's 9th and 10th generation iPads, priced at $249.00 and $399.00, respectively. The 9th generation device is a great entry-level tablet for anyone looking for a simple internet browsing device who doesn't need the faster A14 Bionic chip and redesigned format of the 10th generation iPad.

Best Tech Accessory Deals

• Anker Nano Power Bank with Foldable USB-C Connector - $22.99, down from $29.99
• Anker 67W USB-C 3-Port Wall Charger for $37.99, down from $59.99
• Anker USB-C 6-in-1 Nano Charging Station for $52.79, down from $65.99
• Anker 100W Compact Power Strip (2x Outlets, 2x USB-A, 2x USB-C) for $63.99, down from $99.99
• Anker USB-C 6-in-1 Compact Power Strip for $76.99, down from $109.99
• Anker 20,000 mAh Power Bank with Smart Digital Display for $89.99, down form $129.99
• Anker MagSafe 3-in-1 Charger Stand for $112.46, down from $149.95
• Jackery Explorer 1000 for $899.00, down from $1,199.00
• Jackery Solar Generator 1000 - $889.00, down from $1,289.00

There are many Apple-related tech accessory discounts happening during Prime Day in October. We've highlighted the best above, including the Anker MagSafe 3-in-1 Charger Stand for $112.46, which is $38 off of this brand new accessory that can simultaneously charge your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods.

Otherwise, you'll find great USB-C accessories for your new iPhone 15 and portable power stations from Jackery. If you want an extensive look at tech accessory deals during Prime Day, be sure to check out our full article.

Best Apple Accessory Deals

• AirTag 4-Pack for $88.99, down from $99.00
• MagSafe Charger - $33.00, down from $39.00
• MagSafe Battery Pack - $83.99, down from $99.00
• MagSafe Duo Charger - $108.99, down from $129.00

Apple's MagSafe accessories and AirTags haven't seen as steep discounts as previous sale events earlier in 2023, but you can still find decent deals during Prime Day. The AirTag 4-Pack at $88.99 is a good second-best price for the tracking accessory, and the MagSafe Charger at $33.00 is just about $3 higher than its most common sale price.

We will continue to track Prime Day deals as the event continues, so be sure to keep an eye on our front page for more news. We'll also be regularly updating this article as prices have been fluctuating and several products have gone in and out of stock throughout the event. Remember that you can sign up for Amazon Prime for free for one month to take advantage of the deals.

Apple today shared a new "Study With Me" Mac-focused video on its YouTube channel, providing a 1.5-hour guided study session for Apple device users.

Hosted by Storm Reid, Euphoria actress and University of Southern California student, the video uses the Pomodoro technique for three 25-minute study sessions with three five minute breaks.

90-minute Study With Me video featuring Storm Reid that's designed to keep you focused on studying and away from distractions. Storm uses the Pomodoro technique, with three 25-minute study sessions followed by fun 5-minute breaks that you can follow along with or use as inspiration for your own break time. She studies using the MacBook Air 15", chill lo-fi music to stay focused, and some of her favorite relaxation techniques.

The video has a series of lo-fi songs provided by Platoon Beats, which users can listen to while they work. The video is meant to highlight the 15-inch MacBook Air, which is the machine that Storm is using in the video. Apple promotes the M2 chip, multitasking capabilities, and 18-hour battery life.

Apple plans to bring OLED displays to the iPad mini and iPad Air, according to a post on the Korean social media site Naver from a user with a track record for posting Apple rumors.

The post cites supply chain sources and claims that Apple has now begun negotiations with Chinese suppliers, as well as Samsung and LG, related to OLED displays for future ‌iPad mini‌ and ‌iPad Air‌ models. Apple reportedly seeks for the components to be mass produced from the end of 2025, suggesting that launch could follow in early 2026.

The information lines up with a report from technology research firm Omdia that was published earlier this week, which forecasted Apple's iPad display panel purchase plans. The potential transition to OLED on Apple's two mid-range tablets is said to be part of its OLED strategy from 2026 onwards.

Apple has apparently not yet fully committed to bringing the more advanced display technology to its mid-range tablets, and may be planning to review how the market responds to the first iPad Pro models that feature OLED displays, which are expected to launch next year, before locking in new panels for the 2026 ‌iPad mini‌ and ‌iPad Air‌.

The report also corroborated details about the rumored iPad Pro models with OLED displays that are widely anticipated to launch next year, with the panels due to be supplied by LG and Samsung. Apple was said to be seeking more suppliers for OLED displays designed for the ‌iPad‌, which aligns with the Naver post's mention of additional Chinese suppliers.

Reports suggest that the seventh-generation ‌iPad mini‌ and sixth-generation ‌iPad Air‌, which are expected to launch relatively soon, will be minor specification upgrades that focus on newer processors, rather than major updates like more advanced display technology.

It's widely known that Apple and Google have a considerable monetary agreement that ensures Google's position as the default search engine on Apple's iOS devices, but neither company reveals the amounts involved. In 2021, financial advisor Bernstein suggested Google was paying Apple as much as $10 billion a year to maintain the status quo. However, in a new investor note, the analyst claims Google's payment to Apple is now between $18 billion and $20 billion.

First reported by The Register, Bernstein published a report assessing the potential implications for Apple of the US government's ongoing antitrust trial against Google, with the Department of Justice considering Google's Information Services Agreement (ISA) with Apple as evidence that it has a search engine monopoly.

"We believe there is a possibility that federal courts rule against Google and force it to terminate its search deal with Apple," said Bernstein in the report seen by The Register. "We estimate that the ISA is worth $18B-20B in annual payments from Google to Apple, accounting for 14-16 percent of Apple's annual operating profits."

Bernstein says Google pays out 22 percent of total ad revenue under its traffic acquisition costs (TAC) and estimates Apple likely receives around 40 percent of this. Bernstein bases its numbers on Apple's public filings as well as a bottom-up analysis of Google's traffic acquisition costs. The DoJ has said in the trial that it thinks Apple receives around $10 billion from the ISA with Google, although its information comes from external sources.

"Importantly, Google is on trial, not Apple, and Apple could (in theory) partner with another search engine to be the default (and/or retain the agreement with Google outside the US)," the report states. "One more likely scenario is that Apple offers a choice screen. We note that Apple controls access to its installed base, which generates ~$60B + in advertising revenues, and accordingly, we believe that Apple would continue to command a commission (in the 25-30 percent range) for providing access to those search advertising revenues.

"Moreover, introduction of a choice screen could offer Apple the opportunity to potentially launch its own search engine as an option – something it could likely not do today without raising the eyebrows of regulators," the Bernstein report adds.

Last month, the trial revealed that Microsoft considered selling its Bing search engine to Apple. Had the acquisition happened, Bing would have replaced Google as the default search engine on Apple devices.

Experts say there is a chance Google could lose the case, which would put Apple's lucrative agreement, which has been in place for a decade, in significant jeopardy. However, a ruling in the case isn't expected before next year, and the likelihood is that proceedings will be extended by the lengthy appeals process.

Qualcomm today outlined its plans for its next-generation chips designed for PCs. The Snapdragon X series is set to come out in 2024, and Qualcomm claims that it will mark an "inflection point for the PC industry" thanks to the "next-level performance" brought by the new chips.

Snapdragon X chips will use the Qualcomm Oryon CPU, which is built on the chip technology that it got when it purchased Nuvia. Founded by ex-Apple chip designers, Nuvia designed custom Arm-based chips that are expected to bring Apple silicon-like performance to PCs with improved power and efficiency.

In addition to improved efficiency, Qualcomm's upcoming PC chips include on-device AI processing and 5G connectivity.

As noted by The Verge, Arm has sued Qualcomm and Nuvia for violating the licensing agreements for Arm processor designs and architecture. Arm claims that licenses provided to Nuvia are not valid now that the company has been sold to Qualcomm.

Apple's iPhone continues to be the most popular smartphone among teens, according to data shared today by investment firm Piper Sandler in its biannual teen survey. 87 percent of teens surveyed own an ‌iPhone‌, while 88 percent expect the ‌iPhone‌ to be their next phone.

Teen ‌iPhone‌ ownership numbers have not shifted since last year, but over the last decade, interest in the ‌iPhone‌ among teenagers has soared. Back in October 2013, 55 percent of teenagers reported owning an ‌iPhone‌, while 24 percent had an Android device.

Apple Watch ownership is also growing, albeit more slowly. 34 percent of teens surveyed own an Apple Watch, up from 31 percent last year. 10 percent of teens said they plan to buy an Apple Watch in the next six months, down from 16 percent in fall 2022. Apple was the favorite watch brand, beating out Rolex, Casio, Garmin, and Cartier.

Apple Pay was the top payment app for teens, with 42 percent reporting using the service in the last month. ‌Apple Pay‌ beat out Cash App (27 percent), Venmo (20 percent), and PayPal (10 percent).

Apple did not dominate in the streaming music category, coming second to Spotify. 70 percent of teens surveyed said they use Spotify as their music service, while just over 30 percent use Apple Music. 46 percent of teens that pay for a service pay for Spotify, while just 30 percent pay for ‌Apple Music‌.

Piper Sandler has also been asking teens about iCloud Private Relay, and usage has jumped in the second half of 2023. 37 percent of teens said they use ‌iCloud‌ Private Relay, while another 17 percent said they're interested in using it in the next six months. Earlier this year, just 24 percent of teens were using ‌iCloud‌ Private Relay, which does require an ‌iCloud‌ subscription fee.

Teen surveys are conducted twice per year, with Piper Sandler putting out these reports for over 10 years. For this fall's report, 9,193 teens with an average age of 15.7 were surveyed across 49 states.

At its annual MAX conference, Adobe today provided insight into its plans for generative AI technology in Photoshop, Illustrator, and other popular design apps.

Adobe has iterated on Firefly, its AI image generation model, with the Firefly Image 2 Model. Improved Text to Image capabilities can be used on the Firefly web app, and a Generative Match option lets users generate content in user-specified styles. Photo Settings allows for photography-style image adjustments, and Prompt Guidance helps users refine their suggestions for better end results.

As for quality, Firefly Image renders better skin, hair, eyes, hands, and body structure, plus it offers better colors and improved dynamic range. The generative AI model is used for generative fill in Adobe Photoshop, allowing users to add, expand, and remove content with text prompts.

There's now a Firefly Vector Model, which Adobe says is the world's first generative AI model for creating vector graphics. Integrated into Adobe Illustrator, Firefly Vector Model can be used to create all manner of vector graphics, including logos, website designs, and product packaging.

According to Adobe, the Firefly Vector Model can create "human quality" vector and pattern outputs with a Text to Vector graphic feature. Generated graphics are organized into groups and fully editable, with options to match an artboard's existing style.

Adobe Express also has a new Firefly Design model for generating templates for social media posts and marketing assets. Firefly Design Model can generate templates in popular aspect ratios that are editable in Express.

More information about Adobe's new AI features can be found on the Adobe website.

Apple in the third beta of iOS 17.1 tweaked the functionality of the Action Button to prevent certain actions from being triggered while the iPhone is in a pocket or a bag. The Camera, Flashlight, Voice Memo, Focus, and Magnifier functions will no longer activate when the Action Button is pressed if the ‌iPhone‌ is tucked away in a pocket.

Actions that make sense to trigger in a pocket like the mute function and a shortcut can still be activated while the ‌iPhone‌ is inside of a pocket by long pressing on the Action Button, but other features are disabled.

In earlier versions of iOS 17 and iOS 17.1, all of the Action Button functions can be accidentally activated in a pocket, draining ‌iPhone‌ battery and causing unwanted recordings and images.

Though the Action Button requires a long press to activate, there have still been complaints about it triggering unintentionally while in a pocket, which this change will prevent for functions that cannot be used when the ‌iPhone‌ is in a pocket.

Note that these changes apply only to the Action Button, so it is still possible to accidentally trigger the Camera or the Flashlight from the Lock Screen while the ‌iPhone‌ is in a pocket.