MacRumors

Apple CEO Tim Cook has praised the artificial intelligence models developed by Chinese start-up DeepSeek, as the company moves closer to launching Apple Intelligence on the Chinese mainland pending regulatory approval, the South China Morning Post reports.

Speaking at the China Development Forum in Beijing, a state-organized annual event designed to attract global investment, Cook reportedly referred to DeepSeek's AI models as "excellent." He did not elaborate on whether Apple would pursue a partnership with the company. Cook previously commented during Apple's January earnings call that "innovation that drives efficiency is a good thing," in reference to AI companies like DeepSeek, which have been able to deliver impressive performance with lower cost and compute requirements.

DeepSeek has been praised for developing large language models that achieve comparable results to those from U.S. firms such as OpenAI, while requiring significantly fewer resources. The firm claims that its R1 model was developed in just two months with a total cost of $5.6 million.

In February, it was reported that Apple had reached an agreement with Alibaba Group to integrate the Chinese conglomerate's Qwen models into ‌Apple Intelligence‌ for mainland users. The company is also believed to be in talks with Baidu to serve as an additional provider of large language models for the Chinese market.

In addition to his comments on AI, Cook announced plans to expand Apple's cooperation with the China Development Research Foundation, alongside continued investments in clean energy development. Throughout his visit, Cook posted updates on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, showcasing a range of Apple products being used in classrooms, creative environments, and more.

Cook's comments mark a continuation of Apple's intensified focus on the Chinese market at a time when the company is facing declining iPhone shipments and heightened competition from domestic brands. Apple's smartphone shipments in China are believed to have fallen by 25% year-over-year in the fourth quarter of 2024, while annual shipments dropped 17% to 42.9 million units, placing Apple behind local competitors Vivo and Huawei.

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.

Apple's AirPods 4 and second-generation AirPods Pro have an Adaptive Audio feature that includes Adaptive Noise Control, Personalized Volume, and Conversation Awareness, which are all features that adjust sound and Active Noise Cancellation in response to the environment around you. If you haven't used Adaptive Audio, it could be worth a look – especially since iOS 18 allows you more control over the feature.

What is Adaptive Audio?

Adaptive Audio on AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 combines three powerful features. Adaptive Noise Control intelligently blends Transparency and Active Noise Cancellation based on your environment. Personalized Volume automatically adjusts audio levels according to your preferences and surroundings. Meanwhile, Conversation Awareness lowers volume and enhances voices when you're speaking with someone.

Prior to iOS 18, Adaptive Audio was an all-or-nothing setting, but with an iPhone or iPad with up-to-date software, you can customize how aggressively these features respond to your environment.

How to Customize Adaptive Audio

1. Connect your AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods 4 to your iPhone running iOS 18 or later.
2. Open the Settings app.
3. Tap your AirPods at the top of the Settings menu.
4. Tap Adaptive in the "Noise Control" menu, then scroll down to the "Audio" menu sub-section and tap Adaptive Audio.
5. Use the slider to adjust between Less Noise and More Noise.

Moving the slider toward "Less Noise" will strengthen noise cancellation, while moving it toward "More Noise" will allow more ambient sound to filter through when Adaptive Noise Control is active.

When Would You Use This?

This customization is particularly useful in varying environments. If you commute on noisy public transport but still want to hear announcements, you might prefer a middle setting. If you work in an open office and need to focus while still being able to hear your desk phone, you could slide toward "More Noise." If you're studying in a coffee shop but find even small distractions pull your focus, you might try "Less Noise."

Apple has been tying AirPods updates to iOS updates in recent years. In iOS 18, for example, Apple added a suite of hearing health capabilities that test for hearing issues and allow AirPods Pro 2 to be used as a hearing aid if problems are detected. Looking ahead, Apple says that AirPods will gain a new live translation feature later this year.

Apple today announced that AirPods Max with a USB-C port will be gaining support for lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio with a firmware update next month, alongside the release of iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS 15.4.

For context, audio files are typically compressed to keep file sizes smaller. There are lossy compression standards like MP3 and AAC (Advanced Audio Codec), which result in some data loss. Then, there are lossless compression standards like Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC), which preserve all of the original data. The entire Apple Music catalog of more than 100 million songs is encoded in both AAC and ALAC.

In a post on X today, Apple's marketing chief Greg Joswiak said lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio are the "ultimate" audio upgrades for the AirPods Max, promising "mind-blowing sound quality." However, this marketing claim appears to be at odds with what Apple states in a support document on its website.

In the document, Apple says AAC already delivers audio that is "virtually indistinguishable" from an original studio recording. Accordingly, the company also says "the difference between AAC and lossless audio is virtually indistinguishable."

If lossless audio offers no major improvement over AAC, according to Apple, then calling it an "ultimate" upgrade is unjustified marketing hype.

As for lower latency, that does not directly impact sound quality.

All in all, lossless audio is far less significant of an upgrade than Joswiak is making it out to be, as Apple admits on its very own website.

Update — March 25: While the increased sound quality of lossless audio is not perceptible to everyone, it is worth keeping in mind that the upgrade will unlock another benefit when paired with ultra-low latency. According to Apple's announcement, these two upgrades combined will make the AirPods Max with a USB-C port the only headphones that enable musicians to both create and mix in Personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking.

Some Mac users who have an M4 MacBook Air or M4 Max/M3 Ultra Mac Studio are unable to update to the latest macOS 15.4 beta that came out today, according to complaints on Reddit.

Multiple people have reported that attempting to download and install the macOS 15.4 release candidate results in an error message. "macOS could not be downloaded. Make sure you're connected to the internet and try again, or contact Apple support for assistance," reads the error.

It turns out that Apple failed to provide the appropriate decryption key for the M4 ‌MacBook Air‌ and ‌Mac Studio‌ models to install the update. Apple encrypts its software updates and a server-side decryption key is required for installation. The key for new Macs is not available from Apple's software server at this time.

If you have one of the new Macs that's running the software that it came with when it arrived, you won't be able to update to the macOS Sequoia 15.4 release candidate until Apple fixes the issue.

This problem will not affect new ‌MacBook Air‌ and ‌Mac Studio‌ models that were previously running macOS 15.4 beta 4, as these machines can install the release candidate.

With the watchOS 11.4 update that's set to be released soon, Apple is making a small but useful change to the way that alarms work on the Apple Watch.

The update includes an option to allow the Wake Up alarm you set up for Sleep mode to break through when Silent Mode is activated on your watch, which means you'll be less likely to sleep through your alarm going off.

Right now, if you have Silent Mode turned on, your Apple Watch alarm will use haptic feedback vibrations to tap you on the wrist to wake you, but it won't make noise. Some people are able to easily sleep through the gentle tapping of the alarm, but a loud noise is harder to ignore.

The Break Through Silent Mode option can be found by going to the Sleep app on Apple Watch, tapping on Sounds & Haptics, and toggling on the setting. From there, wearing the Apple Watch to bed will cause the Apple Watch alarm to use both sound and haptic feedback to wake you up.

You can also turn on the Break Through Silent Mode option by opening up the Alarm app and tapping any active alarm you have set up.

watchOS 11.4 also includes support for Matter-compatible robot vacuum cleaners, and it solves an issue where face selection could become unresponsive when switching faces.

Apple provided developers with the watchOS 11.4 release candidate version today, and that represents the final version of watchOS 11.4 that will go out to the public should no additional issues be found. We're expecting watchOS 11.4 to launch in early April, as soon as next week.

In a blog post this week, software engineer Andrew Rossignol (my brother!) detailed how he managed to run generative AI on an old PowerBook G4.

While hardware requirements for large language models (LLMs) are typically high, this particular PowerBook G4 model from 2005 is equipped with a mere 1.5GHz PowerPC G4 processor and 1GB of RAM. Despite this 20-year-old hardware, my brother was able to achieve inference with Meta's LLM model Llama 2 on the laptop.

The experiment involved porting the open-source llama2.c project, and then accelerating performance with a PowerPC vector extension called AltiVec.

His full blog post offers more technical details about the project.

Similar examples of generative AI models running on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and other old devices have surfaced in the news from time to time.

Apple today provided developers with the release candidate version of an upcoming macOS Sequoia 15.4 update for testing purposes. The new beta is available a week after Apple released the fourth beta.

Registered developers can opt-in to the ‌macOS Sequoia‌ beta through the Software Update section of the System Settings app. An Apple ID associated with an Apple Developer account is required to get the beta.

‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.4 brings Mail Categorization to the Mac for the first time, reorganizing the Mail app into dedicated categories like transactions, updates, promotions, and primary, a category that surfaces the most important emails first. The update brings a range of new emoji characters to the Mac.

For Apple News+ subscribers, there is a dedicated News+ Food section with recipes, articles about restaurants, and other related content. There's a new Sketch style in Image Playground, the option to create Memory Movies in the Photos app, and Apple Intelligence is expanding to new languages.

Apple plans to release ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.4 in early April, and the RC represents the finalized version of the software that will be launched to the public as long as no issues are found.

Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after Apple released the fourth betas.

iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update.

With iOS 18.4, Apple is adding the Priority Notifications Apple Intelligence feature, which is designed to determine which of your notifications are the most important, highlighting them in an easy-to-see dedicated section on the Lock Screen.

The update includes a new Apple News+ Food section for ‌Apple News‌+ subscribers, plus it adds the Sketch style to Image Playground so you can generate images that look hand drawn. ‌Apple Intelligence‌ is also available in more languages, including French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese (simplified), along with localized English for Singapore and India.

There are new emoji characters, and a dedicated Vision Pro app that allows Vision Pro owners to find and download content, manage the headset, control guest experiences, and more, right from the iPhone.

Mail Categorization has expanded to the iPad, and there's a new Ambient Music feature for playing relaxing music from Control Center. There are a number of other smaller features too, with details available in our iOS 18.4 features guide.

Apple plans to release iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 in early April, and the RC represents the final version of the software that will be provided to the public should no issues be found.

Apple today provided developers with the release candidate versions of upcoming visionOS 2.4, tvOS 18.4, and watchOS 11.4 updates for testing purposes. The software is available a week after Apple seeded the fourth betas.

The betas are available to registered developers, and can be downloaded from the Settings app on each device.

Of the three new software betas, the visionOS 2.4 update is the most notable because it brings Apple Intelligence to the Vision Pro for the first time. ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features available in visionOS include Writing Tools, Genmoji, Memory Movie, Image Playground, Priority Notifications, and ChatGPT integration.

The update will include a dedicated Spatial Gallery app, which will offer a curated selection of spatial videos, photos, and panoramas from artists, filmmakers, and photographers. Apple is also bringing a Vision Pro app to the iPhone for Vision Pro management, and it will let users find and download apps, add content to a watch list, and more. There are also notable improvements to Guest Mode, which can now be controlled through an ‌iPhone‌. Apple's notes for the update are below.

Apple Intelligence
- Use Writing Tools to rewrite, proofread, and summarize text right in the app you’re working in, and compose text from scratch using ChatGPT
- Quickly respond to messages with Smart Reply in Mail and Messages with suggested responses
- Create unique images in multiple styles using concepts, descriptions, and people from your photo library with Image Playground
- Create custom emoji right from the keyboard and use your Genmoji across the system in your sticker drawer
- Use Image Wand to turn sketches into images in Notes
- Find photos and videos simply by describing what you’re looking for in Photos
- Create a Memory Movie by describing the story you want to see in Photos
- Use priority messages in Mail which understand the content of your messages and prioritize those that require your attention, displaying them at the top of your inbox
- Catch up on your notifications with Priority Notification to make it easy to see a glanceable summary of the most important information

Guest User
- Start a Guest User session with your nearby iPhone or iPad and guide the guest using View Mirroring

Spatial Gallery app
- Discover a curated collection of spatial photos, spatial videos and panoramas, updated regularly

Apple Vision Pro app
- Discover new content, spatial experiences, and quickly access information about your device using Apple Vision Pro app for iPhone when you upgrade to iOS 18.4

This release also includes other features and improvements.
- Use dictation to edit text like replacing or deleting a word
- Activate Travel Mode using the Digital Crown when you see a “tracking fail” notification.

Some features may not be available for all regions. For more information, please visit this website:
https://www.apple.com/visionos/visionos-2

According to Apple's release notes for watchOS 11.4, the update adds an option to allow a Sleep Wake Up alarm to break through silent mode, and it includes support for Matter-compatible robot vacuum cleaners. Apple's release notes are below:

This update includes new features, improvements, and bug fixes, including:
- Matter-compatible robot vacuum cleaners can be added to the Home app as well as used in scenes, automations, or simply say "Siri, clean the living room."
- An option to allow Sleep Wake Up alarm to break through Silent Mode
- An issue where face selection may become unresponsive when switching faces
For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/100100

Apple plans to release visionOS 2.4, tvOS 18.4, and watchOS 11.4 in early April.

Earlier this month, Bloomberg reported that Apple is planning "one of the most dramatic software overhauls in the company's history" – an update that aims to bring iOS, iPadOS, and macOS into closer visual alignment. The redesign is said to be "loosely based" on visionOS, the software behind Apple's Vision Pro headset, and will reportedly update the look of icons, menus, apps, windows, and system buttons.

These changes are expected to arrive later this year with iOS 19, iPadOS 19, and macOS 16, and are said to go "well beyond a new design language and aesthetic tweaks." More specific details are scarce, but it's supposedly the biggest update to iOS since iOS 7, and the biggest update to macOS since Big Sur.

In the report, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman highlights some of visionOS's key visual elements: circular app icons, simplified windows, translucent navigation panels, and a deeper emphasis on 3D layering and shadows. While he stops short of confirming circular icons for iOS and macOS, the implication is there. (The careful wording hints at strategic ambiguity: if the icons do go circular, the report is validated. If not, Bloomberg retains editorial deniability.)

Gurman does acknowledge that "some elements won't apply to the 2D world of iOS and macOS," given visionOS's immersive, spatial interface. He leaves it at that. But even icons in visionOS aren't just circular – they're layered for a 3D world. They feature a background base, one or two foreground layers, and a subtle expansion effect when looked at. Shadows further enhance the sense of depth, making each icon feel like a tactile, dimensional object.

If Apple's next-generation platforms are loosely based on visionOS, how far will the redesign go?

• Are circular icons on the way? After all, watchOS has them already.
• Will the UI gain "glassy" translucency and layered shadows?
• Are the new Apple Sports and Apple Invites apps early indicators?
• What about the reported iOS 19 Camera app revamp, with its visionOS-style translucent controls?

All signs point to a shift in this general direction. But how deep will the transformation be? And more importantly – is this a welcome direction for macOS and iOS users?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments. Apple will preview iOS 19, iPadOS 19, and macOS 16 this June at WWDC, with a public release expected in September.

Apple just announced a notable firmware update for the AirPods Max with USB-C as part of iOS 18.4, so how does the new model now compare to the original Lightning version of ‌AirPods Max‌?

In late 2020, Apple announced the ‌AirPods Max‌, a whole new AirPods variant with an over-ear design. In September 2024, the company refreshed the ‌AirPods Max‌'s selection of color options and swapped the Lightning port for USB-C.

There were no other differences between the devices, but the USB-C version did not support wired audio input. This meant that you could not connect the headphones to in-flight entertainment systems, games consoles, or other devices, or benefit from the enhanced audio and reduced latency that comes with a wired connection. iOS 18.4 restores this functionality to the ‌AirPods Max‌ with USB-C and Apple is now selling a USB-C to 3.5mm audio cable.

However, the firmware update also brings some additional features to the ‌AirPods Max‌ with USB-C that the Lightning version will not gain. Back in 2021, Apple said that when a 24-bit, 48 kHz Apple Music lossless track is played from an iPhone into the ‌‌AirPods Max‌‌ using a Lightning cable and a Lightning-to-3.5mm dongle, the audio is converted to analog and then re-digitized to 24-bit, 48 kHz. The re-digitization is not an identical match to the source and Apple was not able to say that it is true lossless audio, but it is better than Bluetooth.

Now, Apple is confidently touting that the ‌AirPods Max‌ with USB-C support "24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio" via a USB-C to USB-C cable. This makes for a clear point of difference between the ‌AirPods Max‌ with Lightning and ‌AirPods Max‌ with USB-C.

In addition, Apple seems to be making a distinction between the implicit reduced latency audio offered by the Lightning version and "ultra-low" latency audio on the USB-C version. Following the recent announcement, all of the differences between the ‌AirPods Max‌ with Lightning and ‌AirPods Max‌ with USB-C are as follows:

‌AirPods Max‌ (Lightning)	‌AirPods Max‌ (USB-C)
Lightning port	USB-C port
Enhanced audio via Lightning to 3.5mm audio cable	"24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio" via USB-C to USB-C cable
	Lossless Personalized Spatial Audio via USB-C to USB-C cable
Reduced latency audio via Lightning to 3.5mm audio cable	"Ultra-low" latency audio via USB-C to USB-C cable or USB-C to 3.5mm audio cable
	Create and mix audio in Personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking via USB-C to USB-C cable
Available in Silver, Space Gray, Sky Blue, Pink, and Green	Available in Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Purple, and Orange
Released December 2020	Released September 2024
Now discontinued	$549

The original ‌AirPods Max‌ with Lightning are still widely available through third-party retailers and often at significantly lower prices than the $549 USB-C model. For many people, especially those looking for premium over-ear headphones without the steep cost, the Lightning version remains a good choice. They offer the same design, exceptional build quality, active noise cancellation, Transparency mode, and Spatial Audio support as the newer model. If you primarily use ‌AirPods Max‌ wirelessly for music, videos, or casual listening, and have no interest in wired lossless audio or creator-focused features, the Lightning version offers much of the same experience at a better value.

On the other hand, the USB-C ‌AirPods Max‌ are now the clear choice for audiophiles, creators, or anyone who wants the best possible wired audio quality and future-facing functionality. Thanks to iOS 18.4, the USB-C model can deliver 24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio when used with a USB-C to USB-C cable, a capability the Lightning version can't match. It also unlocks unique features like Lossless Personalized Spatial Audio and the ability to create or mix content with Spatial Audio and head tracking—something that will appeal to musicians, producers, or advanced users working in Apple's ecosystem.

AirPods frequently see hefty discounts on Amazon and other third-party retailers, so stepping up to the USB-C version may be more worth it if you can take advantage of one of those deals. Both sets of ‌AirPods Max‌ often see solid discounts, so it is always worth seeking the best price using our Deals roundup.

Apple today announced it has committed up to 720 million yuan (nearly $100 million) towards accelerating the development of clean energy sources in China, as part of the company's goal of transitioning its supply chain to 100% renewable energy by 2030.

The investment will go towards the second phase of the China Clean Energy Fund, which aims to add approximately 550,000 megawatt-hours of wind and solar capacity to China's grid each year, according to Apple. The first phase added more than a gigawatt of new wind and solar projects across the country, the company said.

Apple's overall goal is to become completely carbon neutral across its entire business, manufacturing supply chain, and product life cycle by 2030. More details about this plan are available on Apple's environment page.

In related news, Apple CEO Tim Cook is currently visiting China, and he has been sharing some photos from his trip on his Weibo account. Cook is once again attending the annual China Development Forum in Beijing, and reports said he described Chinese artificial intelligence platform DeepSeek as "excellent" while there.

As part of this pro-China campaign, Apple also announced it is donating to help expand rural teacher training programs in China.

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 is offering numerous all-time low prices on Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch SE, including both GPS and cellular models. You'll find all-time low prices for both watches, and in regards to the Series 10, we're tracking $100 discounts on numerous models.

Apple Watch Series 10

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Amazon has the 42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 10 for $299.00, down from $399.00, as well as the 46mm GPS model for $329.00, down from $429.00. Both of these are record low prices on the Apple Watch Series 10, and they're available in numerous case colors and band styles, all of which you can find in the lists below.

42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 10

• Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band (S/M) - $299.00, down from $399.00
• Jet Black Aluminum Case with Ink Sport Loop - $299.00, down from $399.00
• Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Plum Sport Loop - $299.00, down from $399.00
• Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Light Blush Sport Loop - $299.00, down from $399.00
• Silver Aluminum Case with Blue Cloud Sport Loop - $299.00, down from $399.00
• Silver Aluminum Case with Denim Sport Band (S/M) - $299.00, down from $399.00

46mm GPS Apple Watch Series 10

• Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band (M/L) - $329.00, down from $429.00
• Jet Black Aluminum Case with Ink Sport Loop - $329.00, down from $429.00
• Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Light Blush Sport Band (M/L) - $329.00, down from $429.00
• Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Plum Sport Loop - $329.00, down from $429.00
• Silver Aluminum Case with Blue Cloud Sport Loop - $329.00, down from $429.00
• Silver Aluminum Case with Denim Sport Band (M/L) - $329.00, down from $429.00

Apple Watch SE

In addition to Series 10 deals, Amazon is discounting the 40mm GPS Apple Watch SE to $169.00 today, down from $249.00. This is the best price we've tracked so far in 2025, and it's available in Starlight, Silver, and Midnight Aluminum color options.

Amazon has nearly every 40mm GPS Apple Watch SE at this price, including multiple sizes of the Sport Band model and many Sport Loop models. Most are in stock and available to be delivered by the end of March.

Additionally, you can get the 44mm GPS Apple Watch SE at an all-time low price of $199.00 today on Amazon, down from $279.00. This one is also available in Midnight, Silver, and Starlight Aluminum colors, and multiple band sizes.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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The iPhone 16e is now Apple's lowest-cost iPhone at $599. However, 2023's iPhone 15 Pro is now available for very similar approximate prices from third parties. There are at least 50 differences between the two devices, so which should you choose?

The ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro launched in September 2023 for $999, and was discontinued upon the launch of the iPhone 16 Pro one year later. It continues to be available from third-party retailers, as well as used or refurbished, for prices around $600 to $750 depending on the configuration.

Our guide helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these two ‌iPhone‌ models is best for you, and serves as a way to clearly see what additional features the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro brings to the table. The ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro is a much more feature-rich device than the ‌iPhone 16e‌, but the latter has a small number of advantages:

• Better chip: The A18 chip is made with TSMC's latest fabrication technology and sports a higher CPU clock speed, making it more powerful and efficient than the A17 Pro.
• Audio: The ‌iPhone 16e‌ features wind noise reduction and audio mix for better quality audio capture.
• Thinner and lighter design: With an aluminum frame, the ‌iPhone 16e‌ is 0.45mm thinner and 20 grams lighter than the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro.
• Longer battery life: Thanks to the custom-designed Apple C1 model, the efficiency of the A18 chip, and a 22% bigger battery, the ‌iPhone 16e‌ boasts battery life that's at least three hours longer than the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro.

As a device that's 18 months newer with a more powerful chip, the ‌iPhone 16e‌ may be more likely to be supported by the latest version of iOS for longer than the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro. It is also likely to be useable for longer through battery degradation, especially if you're comparing it to a used ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro.

In every other respect, the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro is superior. Here is every difference between the two models:

‌iPhone 16e‌	‌iPhone 15‌ Pro
Aluminum and glass design	Titanium and glass design
"Notch" housing TrueDepth camera array	Dynamic Island housing TrueDepth camera array
800 nits max brightness (typical)	1,000 nits max brightness (typical)
1,200 nits peak brightness (HDR)	1,600 nits peak brightness (HDR)
	2,000 nits peak brightness (outdoor)
	ProMotion with adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz
	Always-on display
	Slightly smaller due to slimmer borders around the display
A18 chip (made with enhanced 3nm N3E process)	A17 Pro chip (made with base ‌3nm‌ N3B process)
4.04 GHz CPU clock speed	3.78 GHz CPU clock speed
4-core GPU	6-core GPU
LPDDR5X-7500 memory with a bandwidth of 60 GB/s	LPDDR5-6400 memory with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s
Apple C1 modem	Qualcomm X70 modem
	mmWave 5G connectivity
Wi‑Fi 6 connectivity	Wi‑Fi 6E connectivity
	Thread networking technology
	Second-generation Ultra Wideband chip
"Advanced" 2-in-1 camera	"Pro" triple camera system
48-megapixel Main camera with ƒ/1.6 aperture	48-megapixel Main camera with ƒ/1.78 aperture and larger sensor
	12-megapixel Ultra Wide camera with ƒ/2.2 aperture
	12-megapixel Telephoto camera with ƒ/2.8 aperture
1x and 2x optical zoom	0.5x, 1x, 2x, and 3x optical zoom
Optical image stabilization	Second-generation sensor-shift image stabilization
True Tone flash	Adaptive True Tone flash
	LiDAR scanner
Portrait mode with Depth Control	Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control
	Night mode portraits
	Macro photography
	Apple ProRAW
Wind noise reduction
Audio Mix
	Shoot and instantly transfer 48-megapixel ProRAW images to Mac via USB 3
	Record video directly to an external drive
	ProRes video recording up to 4K at 30 fps (60 fps with external recording)
	Macro video recording, including slo‑mo and time‑lapse
	Log video recording
	Academy Color Encoding System
	Capture spatial photos and videos for Apple Vision Pro
USB 2 transfer speeds (up to 480Mb/s)	USB 3 transfer speeds (up to 10Gb/s, 20x faster)
	DisplayPort support for up to 4K HDR video output
	Compatible with MagSafe cases, wallets, wireless chargers and more
Qi wireless charging up to 7.5W	Qi wireless charging up to 7.5W and ‌MagSafe‌ wireless charging up to 15W with 20W adapter or higher
4,005mAh battery	3,274mAh battery
26-hour battery life	23-hour battery life
Weighs 167g	Weighs 187g
7.80mm thick (0.31 inches)	8.25mm thick (0.32 inches)
128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage options	128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage options
White and Black color options	Natural Titanium, Blue Titanium, White Titanium, and Black Titanium color options
Released March 2025	Released September 2023
Starts at $599	Started at $999 but now discontinued; available for ~$599

The ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro offers a large number of upgrades over the ‌iPhone 16e‌. With little to no price difference to obtain a display with ProMotion and always-on functionality, ‌MagSafe‌, ‌Dynamic Island‌, and a brighter display, many customers will easily be able to justify getting the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro over the ‌iPhone 16e‌. Perhaps most noticeably, the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro unlocks a wealth of additional camera software features and boasts multiple additional pieces of camera hardware, such as the LiDAR scanner, telephoto camera, and ultra wide camera.

The ‌iPhone 16e‌ still offers many of the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro's most compelling capabilities, such as Apple Intelligence support, USB-C, the Action Button, and a 48-megapixel main camera, so the average user will miss out on few meaningful features. As a result, there are some scenarios where it is worth choosing the ‌iPhone 16e‌ over the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro. For example, if battery life or device longevity is your top priority, it remains the superior option.

Similarly, if you have only basic needs and do not care for the "Pro" rear camera setup or features like ProMotion and the always-on display, the ‌iPhone 16e‌ is likely the better choice. In this instance, you will still benefit from the device's generous roster of features. The ‌iPhone 16e‌ is still a very well designed and balanced device, especially for casual ‌iPhone‌ users and those coming from a much older model.

Following today's announcement of Lossless audio and Personalized Spatial Audio for the AirPods Max, Apple today released a USB-C to 3.5mm audio cable.

The cable is designed for the ‌AirPods Max‌ with USB-C and Beats Studio Pro headphones, allowing them to be connected directly to the audio-out port of a Mac, in-flight entertainment system, or other device.

This bidirectional cable can be used with both 3.5 mm audio-out and audio-in ports, allowing you to connect your AirPods Max or Beats Studio Pro headphones to 3.5 mm audio sources, or to connect your iPhone or iPad to speakers with 3.5 mm audio ports. When connected to AirPods Max, this cable enables ultra-low latency on par with the device's built-in speakers for an optimal experience when gaming or creating content.

Apple used to sell a similar Lightning to 3.5mm audio cable, but it has now been discontinued. Apple's USB-C to 3.5mm audio cable is available now for $39.00.

Apple will bring lossless audio and ulta-low latency audio to AirPods Max in its upcoming iOS 18.4 software update arriving in April, according to the company.

From Apple's press release:

With this update, AirPods Max will unlock 24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio, preserving the integrity of original recordings and allowing listeners to experience music the way the artist created it in the studio. Lossless audio also extends to Personalized Spatial Audio to deliver a more sonically accurate, uncompressed, and immersive experience, and users can enjoy more than 100 million songs in lossless audio with Apple Music.

[...]

Lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio enable music creators to fully utilize AirPods Max throughout their entire professional workflow on Logic Pro and other music creation apps. Using the USB-C cable, AirPods Max will become the only headphones that enable musicians to both create and mix in Personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking.1 By delivering lossless, high-resolution digital audio with low latency, artists can seamlessly record and mix with AirPods Max without compromising fidelity.

Introduced in December 2020 and updated in September 2024, the AirPods Max have now been in Apple's product lineup for four years now, but the company does not release new AirPods models on a regular basis, so this update should be a welcome change for fans of the over-ear noise-canceling headphones.

Apple says lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio will be available in April as a free firmware update with iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS Sequoia 15.4 for AirPods Max with USB-C.

Apple also said that today it is making a USB-C to 3.5mm audio cable available to buy for $39 from its online store, Apple Store app, and authorized resellers. The cable lets users connect AirPods Max to 3.5mm audio sources like airplane audio ports or connect their iPhone or iPad to speakers or car stereos with 3.5mm inputs.

This year's upcoming Apple Watch Ultra 3 will feature satellite connectivity and a new 5G cellular modem, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Apple first introduced satellite connectivity for off-grid texting with the iPhone 14, and the feature has been included in the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16, but no Apple Watch models so far.

Support for satellite messaging on the Apple Watch Ultra would allow users to send texts when out of range of cellular and Wi-Fi networks, similar to how it works on iPhone. Initially limited to emergency use, satellite texting expanded in iOS 18 to support messages to any contact.

Gurman says Apple aims to make this feature a key selling point for the third-generation Ultra, expected in September 2025. It also positions the device to better compete with brands like Garmin, which offer satellite-equipped gear for remote and rugged environments. Gurman first reported on the upcoming features last December.

Designed for adventurers, divers, and hikers, the Ultra will gain a new safety edge with off-grid communication capabilities. Satellite access remains free for now on supporting iPhones, which include two years of coverage. Apple is expected to offer the same for the Ultra.

Gurman also reports that Apple plans to move away from Intel cellular modems in future Watch models, shifting to MediaTek. MediaTek's chip supports 5G RedCap – a low-power, mid-speed version of 5G tailored for wearables. Current Apple Watch models still use 4G LTE, despite iPhones having adopted 5G years ago.

Apple will launch its long-rumored foldable iPhone next year with a ~$2,000 premium price tag attached, expects well-connected Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman.

Gurman's comments on Apple's launch plans for its first foldable device appeared in the Q&A section of his latest Power On newsletter. Earlier this month, the reporter said Apple's foldable iPhone could be arriving "as early as 2026," so his latest comments suggest his conviction has strengthened that 2026 will indeed be the year of the foldable iPhone, based on his sources.

According to analyst Jeff Pu, the device recently entered the New Product Introduction (NPI) phase at Foxconn, with mass production slated to begin in the second half of 2026.

Apple's foldable iPhone is said to be similar in style to Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold, which uses a book-style folding mechanism, rather than the clamshell design of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. Gurman says Apple's version will have "less of a screen crease" when it's open. Notably, recent reports have suggested that the display on Apple's first foldable will look virtually crease-free to the human eye.

According to Gurman, the device will take advantage of the display, battery, modem, and chip advances that Apple has made in its development of the iPhone 17 Air, which is expected to replace the "Plus" model in Apple's smartphone lineup this year.

As for pricing, Gurman expects the device to be around $2,000. According to a recent Barclays Bank investor research note, Apple's first foldable iPhone could have a starting price in the $2,300 range in the United States, which would make it the most expensive iPhone model ever. This lines up with a previous report by supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, in which he predicted that the first foldable iPhone would be priced between $2,000 and $2,500.