Top Stories: Apple Sports App, iMessage Security Upgrade, and More

This week saw the surprise release of a new Apple Sports app for tracking sports scores across a number of leagues, while we learned more about features coming soon in iOS 17.4.

top stories 24feb2024
We also saw more rumors about AirPods updates coming later this year, and Apple's latest MacBook Pro models have hit Apple's refurbished products store at a nice discount, so read on for all the details on these stories and more!

'Apple Sports' App Announced With Personalized Scoreboards and More

Apple this week released a new Apple Sports app for the iPhone that shows scores, stats, standings, upcoming games, betting odds, and more for a variety of leagues, such as the MLB, MLS, NBA, NHL, Premier League, and the NFL when its next season begins. For ongoing games, the app also displays real-time play-by-play information.

Apple Sports App Preview Feature
We went hands-on with the app, which has a very basic interface with scoreboards you can personalize by following your favorite teams and leagues. In an interview, Apple's services chief and noted sports enthusiast Eddy Cue said the app's simple design is intentional.

Apple Sports is available for free on the App Store in the U.S., the U.K., and Canada, and is compatible with iOS 17.2 and later.

Apple Announces 'Groundbreaking' New Security Protocol for iMessage

Apple this week announced a new post-quantum cryptographic protocol for iMessage called PQ3. Apple says this "groundbreaking" and "state-of-the-art" protocol provides "extensive defenses against even highly sophisticated quantum attacks."

General Apps Messages
PQ3 will be gradually rolling out for supported iMessage conversations starting with iOS 17.4, iPadOS 17.4, macOS 14.4, and watchOS 10.4. Apple believes this new protocol's protections "surpass those in all other widely deployed messaging apps."

iOS 17.4 Lets You See Your iPhone 15 Battery Health at a Glance

The fourth beta of iOS 17.4 seeded to developers and public beta testers this week includes some changes to the battery menu in the Settings app.

ios 17 4 battery health optimization iphone 15
The menu now shows you whether your iPhone's battery health is "normal" at a glance, and shows the battery's cycle count. This information was already accessible elsewhere in iOS, but now it is in one convenient place starting with iOS 17.4, which will be released in March.

Apple also increased the advertised battery lifespans of all iPhone 15 models.

10 Hidden Messages Features in iOS 17

iOS 17 was released around five months ago, but there are some hidden features and functions in the Messages app that you still might not be familiar with.

iOS 17 Messages Feature
We recently shared a list of 10 hidden Messages app features on iOS 17. For example, did you know that you can hold the plus sign next to the typing field to quickly access your iPhone's photo library?

Apple Now Selling Refurbished M3 Pro and M3 Max MacBook Pro Models

Apple this week began selling certified refurbished models of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Pro and M3 Max chips for the first time since the laptops launched in November.

m3 macbook pro 14 16
As usual for Apple's refurbished products, prices are discounted by approximately 15% compared to the equivalent brand new models. In our view, Apple's refurbished products are virtually indistinguishable from its brand new products, providing a good opportunity for savings.

Check out our Apple Deals roundup for more discounts on Macs and other devices.

AirPods 4 and AirPods Max With USB-C Still Expected Later This Year

Apple plans to release fourth-generation AirPods and updated AirPods Max later this year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Airpods Max Feature Red Triad
Gurman said there will be two types of fourth-generation AirPods, with the higher-end ones to feature active noise cancellation and a speaker built into the USB-C charging case for Find My sounds.

As for the AirPods Max, the only notable change expected is a USB-C charging port.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

Popular Stories

iOS 19 Mock WWDC25 Feature

iOS 19 Expected to Run on These iPhones

Monday March 31, 2025 5:28 pm PDT by
iOS 19 will not be available on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or the iPhone XS Max, according a private account on social media site X that has accurately provided information on device compatibility in the past. The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max all have an A12 Bionic chip, so it looks like iOS 19 will discontinue support for that chip. All other iPhones that run iOS 18 are expected...
maxresdefault

Apple Releases iOS 18.4 With Priority Notifications, Ambient Music, New Emoji and More

Monday March 31, 2025 10:03 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, the fourth major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating system updates that came out last year. iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 come two months after Apple released iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to...
iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4

Monday March 31, 2025 11:27 am PDT by
Apple today released new firmware updates for all AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 models. The new firmware is version 7E93, up from the 7B21 firmware that was installed on the AirPods Pro 2 and the 7B20 firmware available on the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC. It is not immediately clear what new features or changes are included in the new firmware, but we'll update this article should we find ...
watchOS 11 Thumb 2 1

Apple Releases watchOS 11.4 With Sleep Alarm Update

Tuesday April 1, 2025 10:34 am PDT by
Apple today released watchOS 11.4, the fourth major update to the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 11.4 is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, all Apple Watch Ultra models, and the Apple Watch SE 2. watchOS 11.4 can be downloaded on a connected iPhone by opening up the Apple Watch app and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software,...
macOS Sequoia Feature

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.4 With Mail Categorization and More

Monday March 31, 2025 10:04 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.4, the fourth major update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that launched in September. macOS Sequoia 15.4 comes two months after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.3. Mac users can download the ‌‌macOS Sequoia‌‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. It is available for free on all Macs able to run macOS 15. With...
top stories 2025 03 29

Top Stories: WWDC 2025 Announced, iPhone 17 Pro and iOS 19 Rumors, and More

Saturday March 29, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
Apple's big developer event is a little over two months away, and rumors about what we can expect to see in Apple's next major operating system updates are becoming increasingly frequent. A public release of iOS 18.4 is also imminent with a number of updates and improvements, although we won't be getting the major Apple Intelligence Siri upgrades that had reportedly been planned for this...
iOS 19 visionOS UI Elements

Apple Codename Provides Clue About iOS 19's Rumored New Design

Sunday March 30, 2025 6:40 am PDT by
Multiple sources have claimed that iOS 19 will introduce a new design with more translucent buttons, menus, notification banners, and more, and there is now another clue that points towards this glass-like appearance. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said the new design project is codenamed "Solarium" internally. A solarium is a room with glass walls that allow in plenty of sunlight, so this...