MacRumors

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through all of the major features and improvements rumored for Apple's upcoming iPhone 16 Pro models.

With the iPhone 16 lineup likely just seven months away and after over a year of rumors, we discuss the tentpole features expected on the upcoming devices, such as a 5x tetraprism telephoto camera, an all-new "Capture" button, a new thermal design, exclusive AI features, and larger displays, as well as denser, larger batteries and faster charging. For a full breakdown of all of the differences the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max are expected to bring to the table compared to the current models, see our detailed guide:

• iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 16 Pro: 25+ Rumored Upgrades Compared

What do you think about how the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ is shaping up according to rumors? Let us know in the comments.

The MacRumors Show is now on its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips going forward:

You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player.

If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up for our discussion with Snazzy Labs' Quinn Nelson about the first week using Apple's long-awaited Vision Pro headset.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests like Kevin Nether, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Luke Miani, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Jon Prosser, Sam Kohl, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.

iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 will include a "slew of new AI features," according to a report this week from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

The report claims that Apple is training both Siri and the iPhone's built-in Spotlight search tool on large language models, with a goal of improving each feature's ability to answer more complex questions accurately. The revamped version of Spotlight could also offer deeper integration with "specific" functions and features in apps.

Apple has also explored AI-powered features that would allow users to automatically generate playlists in Apple Music and presentation slides in the Keynote app, the report said. Other apps that are rumored to gain deeper AI integration in iOS 18 include Health, Messages, Numbers, Pages, and Shortcuts, and there will likely be more.

On an earnings call this month, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company was working on generative AI and would share details "later this year." Apple is expected to announce iOS 18 at its annual developers conference WWDC in June, and the update should be released in September. Some new AI features announced later could be exclusive to iPhone 16 models, which are rumored to get a "significantly" upgraded Neural Engine.

Beyond iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, Gurman said Apple is planning to add some new AI features to macOS 15, and to its app development tool Xcode.

Apple's AirPods Max hit their lowest price since Black Friday this week, accompanied by great discounts all around on nearly every other AirPods model. We're also tracking a big sale on the Apple Studio Display at $300 off, as well as sales on AirTags, iPads, Apple Watches, and more.

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.

Studio Display

• What's the deal? Get $300 off the Apple Studio Display
• Where can I get it? Amazon

This week we saw the first major discount on the Apple Studio Display in months, with prices starting at $1,299.99 for the standard glass model with a tilt-adjustable stand. You can also find deals on the tilt- and height-adjustable stand, as well as the nano-texture glass model.

AirPods

• What's the deal? Get up to $99 off AirPods models
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Big savings can be found this week on every current model of the AirPods, including all-time low prices on the AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C and AirPods 3. These sales can all be found on Amazon, and also include great discounts on the AirPods 2 as well as a rare $99 markdown on the AirPods Max.

AirTag

• What's the deal? Get up to $20 off AirTag
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

One of the best discounts since the holidays arrived this week for Apple's AirTag 4 Pack, available for $78.99, down from $99.00. You can also get the AirTag 1 Pack for $24.00, down from $29.00.

iPad Air

• What's the deal? Get $150 off 5th gen iPad Air
• Where can I get it? Best Buy
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Best Buy introduced a notable sale on 5th generation iPad Air tablets this week, knocking every model down by $150. You'll find all-time low prices across the board in this sale, starting at $449.99 for the 64GB Wi-Fi tablet.

iPad

• What's the deal? Get $100 off 10th gen iPad
• Where can I get it? Best Buy
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Similar to the iPad Air, Best Buy this week also introduced big markdowns on the 10th generation iPad, with $100 off every model. Every one of these is an all-time low price, starting at $349.00 for the 64GB Wi-Fi model.

MacBook Air

• What's the deal? Get up to $300 off MacBook Air
• Where can I get it? Best Buy
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Apple's 15-inch M2 MacBook Air and 13-inch M1 MacBook Air both hit record low prices this week, with up to $300 off select models at Best Buy.

MacBook Pro

• What's the deal? Get up to $250 off MacBook Pro
• Where can I get it? Best Buy
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

My Best Buy Plus and Total members can get record low discounts on Apple's newest M3 MacBook Pro notebooks right now. If you don't have a membership, you can still get solid second-best prices on these computers.

Apple Watch SE

• What's the deal? Get $60 off Apple Watch SE
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Lastly, we're highlighting one of the best ongoing Apple Watch deals at Amazon. You can get the second generation Apple Watch SE for $60 off, starting at just $189.00 for the 40mm GPS model.

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

Newly established luxury airline Beond has announced it will offer Apple Vision Pro headsets to select passengers for "an immersive inflight entertainment experience."

The premium leisure airline said it will provide the Apple devices to passengers on its flights to the Maldives, where the airline is based. From the press release:

Beond's Chairman and CEO, Tero Taskila, said: "The Apple Vision Pro will transform the inflight entertainment experience, and we will be first to offer it to select passengers. In addition to our existing and ever-growing library of inflight content such as movies and games, Beond will showcase stunning resort destinations and activities in the Maldives. We are working now with partners in the Maldives to prepare truly amazing footage. The inflight experience will build anticipation for passengers before they arrive in the Maldives. Offering the Apple Vision Pro is another step in our vision of delivering a premium travel experience to our customers, from the start to finish of their journey. We're proud to be the first airline to deploy the technology."

The overall response to ‌Apple Vision Pro‌ from users, critics, and the broader public has been varied. However, the consensus is that wearing the headset during flights stands out as one of its most widely appreciated applications.

Acknowledging the headset's potential to make long-haul flights more private and liberating, Apple has included a Travel mode in visionOS that stabilizes visuals for users on an airplane, allowing them to, for example, watch movies on a massive virtual screen.

Beond said it will offer "Apple's ground-breaking content experience" beginning in July 2024. The news follows Beond's launch of commercial passenger services in 2023 from Munich, Zurich, and Riyadh to Malé, Maldives. Beond says it plans to debut flights from Milan, Dubai, and Bangkok to the Maldives in mid-2024, in an all-lay flat seating configuration.

Apple has suspended its development of a foldable iPhone after supplier displays failed to pass the company's own stringent testing standards, claims a new rumor coming out of China.

According to Fixed Focus Digital, a Weibo-based tech video blogger from Guangdong with a huge Chinese following, Apple has been testing rival foldable phones as part of its research and development process into foldable devices, which is believed to have been going on since 2016.

At least one of the foldables that Apple is said to have been testing uses a display made by Samsung. Samsung is a major supplier of display panels used in Apple devices, and is known to have provided foldable display samples to Apple in the past. A recent report also claimed that Samsung has been attempting to strengthen its operational efficiency in anticipation of Apple's first foldable products by integrating the expertise it has gained making foldable devices since 2019.

However, the source of today's rumor claims that Samsung's latest folding panels "broke down after a few days" under Apple's rigorous internal testing, which has caused Apple to put the entire project on ice for the foreseeable future, or at least until a display that can meet its high standards can be developed.

According to a report from The Information earlier this month, Apple has been actively building prototypes of at least two foldable iPhones following over five years of research and development. The two iPhone prototypes are said to fold widthwise like a clamshell, but do not feature in Apple's product roadmap for 2024 or 2025. The report noted that the foldable iPhones could still be canceled if they do not meet Apple's standards.

The Weibo account purporting to have received information about the foldable project's suspension at Apple is a largely unknown quantity, having no previous track record for Apple rumors to our knowledge, therefore skepticism about its accuracy is warranted.

It's also unclear whether the claim impacts Apple's continuing work on a foldable iPad. Apple is rumored to be more interested in such a device, which could be thicker than a foldable ‌iPhone‌ since users would not expect to carry it in their pocket and it would not need to pass the high durability requirements of an ‌iPhone‌.

Earlier this month, Korean outlet The Elec reported that Apple is considering launching its first foldable in the next few years in the form of a 7- to 8-inch device that could ultimately replace the 8.3-inch iPad mini.

Several of Apple's display suppliers have proposed their prices for supplying OLED displays for the fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Elec reports.

Samsung Display, BOE, and Tianma are all said to have entered their proposed prices for OLED panels for the iPhone SE 4, which is expected to launch next year. Previous iPhone SE models have all used LCD displays.

The report's sources said Samsung offered the lowest unit price of $30, BOE offered $35, and Tianma $40. Apple is reportedly haggling for $20, and negotiations are ongoing. Display manufacturers are believed to have been bidding to supply the panels since at least last August.

The panel prices are said to be a lot lower than suppliers charge for the OLED displays used in the iPhone 15, because the panels for the SE will use legacy parts identical to those used in the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14, so the suppliers won't need to make new investments in R&D.

In that respect, Samsung is said to have an advantage over its rivals since the Korean company can use its existing iPhone 14 OLED inventory.

According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the fourth-generation ‌iPhone SE‌ will feature a 6.1-inch OLED display with a design similar to the iPhone 14. The ‌iPhone SE‌ 4 is also expected to use the exact same battery found in the base model iPhone 14.

In addition, the new model is likely to be equipped with an Action button and USB-C port, which we've covered extensively in previous reports. As things stand, it could be one of the first devices to feature an Apple-designed modem chip, too.

Microsoft does not plan to bring an Xbox Cloud Gaming app to iOS at this time because there's no opportunity for monetization, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said in an interview with The Verge. When asked whether Apple's recent app ecosystem changes in the European Union make "room" for Xbox Cloud Gaming on iOS, Spencer said that monetization was an issue, and that the Digital Markets Act forcing Apple's updates does not "go far enough to open up competition."

There's not room for us to monetize Xbox Cloud Gaming on iOS. I think the proposal that Apple put forward -- and I thought Sarah Bond's comments on this were right on -- doesn't go far enough to open up. In fact, you might even say they go the opposite direction in some way, but they definitely don't go far enough to open up competition on the world's largest gaming platform.

We will continue to work with regulators, and Apple and Google, to create a space for alternative storefronts. I'm a big fan of how Windows works, and you've got a Microsoft Store on Windows, you've got Steam, you've got the Epic Games Store, you've got GOG. You have alternatives, and I think alternative ways for people to buy things creates goodness for consumers and creators. I think the largest platform for gamers, which is mobile, should have the same.

Spencer said that earlier comments from Xbox President Sarah Bond were "right on." Back in January, Bond said that Apple's policy is a "step in the wrong direction." According to Spencer, Microsoft plans to continue to work with regulators to "create a space for alternative storefronts."

In the European Union, the Digital Markets Act requires Apple to allow for alternative app marketplaces and alternative payment methods, but Apple is requiring developers who opt to use an alternative app marketplace to agree to new business terms that include a Core Development Fee of .50 euros per user. Companies like Spotify and Epic Games have criticized Apple's implementation of the DMA's requirements. Spotify CEO Daniel Ek said that Apple's plan is a "complete and total farce," while Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said Apple's implementation is a "devious new instance of malicious compliance."

Alongside the changes in the European Union under the DMA, Apple also changed its App Store policies around cloud gaming apps. Apple now allows streaming game apps on the ‌App Store‌ worldwide, with the apps able to offer a selection of games from within a single app. Previously, cloud gaming services were only available via a web interface.

Apple today stopped signing iOS 17.3, preventing iPhone users from downgrading to that version of iOS. iOS 17.3 is no longer being signed following the February 8 release of iOS 17.3.1, an update that added a fix for a text-related bug.

Apple routinely stops signing older versions of iOS, so it is not unusual that the iOS 17.3 update is no longer available. Apple prevents users from installing older versions of iOS to encourage customers to keep their operating systems up to date and to prevent downgrading to older, less secure versions of the ‌iPhone‌ operating system.

iOS 17.3.1 is now the only publicly released version of iOS available, but Apple is also beta testing iOS 17.4. Both developers and public beta testers can download and install iOS 17.4, with the update adding a number of App Store-related changes in the EU, new emoji, transcripts in the Podcasts app, and more.

Apple is working on an updated version of Xcode that will include an AI tool for generating code, reports Bloomberg. The AI tool will be similar to GitHub Copilot from Microsoft, which can generate code based on natural language requests and convert code from one programming language to another.

The Xcode AI tool will be able to predict and finish blocks of code, allowing developers to streamline their app creation process. Apple is now testing the functionality internally and plans to release it to third-party software developers "as early as this year."

Apple is also testing AI-generated code for testing apps, and has asked some engineers to try these features out internally.

The artificial intelligence capabilities added to Xcode will join several other AI features that Apple plans to add to Siri and other built-in apps. Some new features could include the option to generate playlists in Apple Music and create slideshows in Keynote, with Apple also working on improved Spotlight search capabilities. Search could encompass specific features in apps and might also provide responses to complex questions, with the feature built using large language models.

According to Bloomberg, Apple software chief Craig Federighi has asked employees to create as many new AI features as possible for iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15. Apple plans to introduce "a slew of new AI features," and ‌iOS 18‌ will be marketed as one of the biggest updates to the iPhone since it launched. Some of the AI features will come to macOS, but Apple plans to "take a gradual approach to AI development" with some features not coming "for years."

After several months of beta testing, Astropad is today officially launching its Astropad Slate app for the iPad. Slate turns an ‌iPad‌ into a large trackpad for a Mac, complete with Apple Pencil control.

With Slate, you can use an ‌iPad‌ and ‌Apple Pencil‌ to perform several useful tasks. The ‌Apple Pencil‌ serves as a cursor for controlling the desktop mouse, and a tap on the screen is used as a click.

When you write on the ‌iPad‌, it is translated into typed text on the Mac, and there are two-finger gestures for actions like scrolling and zoom. If you have a newer ‌iPad‌ that supports ‌Apple Pencil‌ hover, you can use the hover gestures. For older iPads, Astropad added a simulated hover option.

In Mac apps that support drawing, sketching, and other creative work, you can use the ‌iPad‌ as a drawing tablet. It essentially serves as a no-screen interface for drawing, with the focus on the Mac.

You'll need an ‌iPad‌ that runs iPadOS 15 or later and a Mac that runs macOS 11 or later to use Astropad Slate. The devices can be connected over Wi-Fi, Peer-to-Peer networking, or an appropriate USB cable.

The Astropad Slate app is priced at $19.99 and can be purchased from the App Store. [Direct Link]

With the second beta of iOS 17.4, Apple disabled much of the functionality of Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) in the European Union. There was some speculation that it could be a temporary change or a bug related to some of the updates to the app ecosystem in Europe, but Apple has confirmed that PWAs were intentionally removed and won't be returning.

In an update on the Developer website (via 9to5Mac), Apple explains that users in the EU will not have access to Home Screen web apps due to the support for alternative browser engines and the accompanying security risks and work required to implement a new solution.

According to Apple, ‌Home Screen‌ web apps are built on WebKit and its security architecture, and are designed to "align with the privacy and security model for native apps on iOS." Storage isolation and system prompts to access privacy functions on a per-site basis are crucial.

Without isolation, Apple claims that malicious web apps could read data from other web apps and gain access to a user's camera, microphone, and location without user consent. To fix these security issues, Apple would need to build a new integration architecture, which it says is not practical because of the other Digital Markets Act requirements and because ‌Home Screen‌ web apps aren't used by many people.

The iOS system has traditionally provided support for Home Screen web apps by building directly on WebKit and its security architecture. That integration means Home Screen web apps are managed to align with the security and privacy model for native apps on iOS, including isolation of storage and enforcement of system prompts to access privacy impacting capabilities on a per-site basis.

Without this type of isolation and enforcement, malicious web apps could read data from other web apps and recapture their permissions to gain access to a user's camera, microphone or location without a user's consent. Browsers also could install web apps on the system without a user's awareness and consent. Addressing the complex security and privacy concerns associated with web apps using alternative browser engines would require building an entirely new integration architecture that does not currently exist in iOS and was not practical to undertake given the other demands of the DMA and the very low user adoption of Home Screen web apps. And so, to comply with the DMA's requirements, we had to remove the Home Screen web apps feature in the EU.

iPhone users in the European Union can access websites directly from the ‌Home Screen‌ through a bookmark, but PWA features won't be available. Web apps on the ‌Home Screen‌ will be forced to open in Safari (or another default browser) rather than in a dedicated window, there isn't support for long-term local storage, and notifications won't work.

Apple says that the changes are a direct result of DMA compliance, and will affect only a "small number of users." The company also says that it regrets the impact the change will have on developers of ‌Home Screen‌ web apps and ‌iPhone‌ users.

The update to ‌Home Screen‌ web apps comes alongside many other changes to the App Store in the European Union, with Apple allowing alternative app marketplaces, alternative payment methods, different browser engines, and more.

In October 2022, Apple updated its App Store Review Guidelines to clarify that sales of "boosted" posts in social media apps must use the App Store's in-app purchase system. Apple thereby receives up to a 30% cut of these sales.

As a result of that clarification, Meta today announced that it will soon charge advertisers a 30% fee when they purchase boosted posts through the Facebook and Instagram apps for iOS. This policy will allow Meta to offset the amount that it will owe Apple for each sale — it is essentially passing on the added cost to its customers. Advertisers who purchase boosted posts through the iOS apps will also now be required to pay in advance, whereas Meta typically collects payment for boosted posts after they are shown.

Meta said this change will take effect in the U.S. later this month, and in additional countries later this year. Advertisers can avoid the 30% fee and prepayment by purchasing boosted posts on the web at Facebook.com and Instagram.com.

"We are required to either comply with Apple's guidelines, or remove boosted posts from our apps," said Meta, in a press release today. "We do not want to remove the ability to boost posts, as this would hurt small businesses by making the feature less discoverable and potentially deprive them of a valuable way to promote their business."

Meta previously said that "Apple continues to evolve its policies to grow their own business while undercutting others in the digital economy."

Millions of small businesses use boosted posts on Facebook and Instagram, according to Meta. A boosted post is a key advertising tool for businesses, allowing them to reach larger audiences on Facebook and Instagram in exchange for payment.

Apple Responds

In response to Meta's announcement, Apple said App Store apps have always been required to use its in-app purchase system for the sale of digital goods and services.

"We have always required that purchases of digital goods and services within apps must use In-App Purchase," said Apple, in a statement shared with MacRumors today. "Boosting, which allows an individual or organization to pay to increase the reach of a post or profile, is a digital service — so of course In-App Purchase is required. This has always been the case and there are many examples of apps that do it successfully."

If boosted posts have always been considered a digital service, it is unclear why Apple has allowed Meta to directly charge advertisers for many years, and it did not respond when we asked for an explanation. At a minimum, it appears that Apple has allowed Meta to circumvent the App Store's in-app purchase system for boosted posts since clarifying its App Store Review Guidelines in October 2022. That grace period is clearly ending now.

As part of its response, Apple said it has indeed given Meta ample opportunity to comply with the App Store Review Guidelines as they are currently written.

Apple added that businesses have the option to use the Meta Ads Manager app on iOS to set up and pay for their ad campaigns without using the App Store's in-app purchase system, as this app complies with the App Store Review Guidelines, which permit apps designed for the sole purpose of managing ad campaigns to offer direct payment options.

Update: In response to our inquiry, Apple said when it finds that an app is out of compliance with the App Store Review Guidelines, its general approach is to work with the developer to help bring them into compliance with the rules.

iOS 18 is still months away from being unveiled, but there are already rumors and expectations for the software update, as outlined below.

iOS 18 is rumored to include new ChatGPT-like generative AI features for Siri and several built-in Apple apps. The update is expected to add RCS support to the Messages app for an improved texting experience with Android users. A sketchy rumor claimed that iOS 18 will also have some visionOS-inspired design changes.

iOS 18 will be announced at Apple's annual developers conference WWDC in June, and the update will be released to all users in September.

Generative AI and Smarter Siri

iOS 18 is rumored to have new generative AI features for Siri, Shortcuts, Messages, Apple Music, Pages, and more. On a February 2024 earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company was working on generative AI and would share details "later this year."

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said generative AI "should improve how both Siri and the Messages app can field questions and auto-complete sentences." The Information's Wayne Ma said Apple would incorporate large language models into Siri to let users automate complex tasks, a feature that would involve deeper integration with the Shortcuts app.

Generative AI surged in popularity in 2022 after OpenAI released ChatGPT, a chatbot that can respond to questions and other prompts. Google, Microsoft, and other companies have also released similar chatbots and tools, including ones that can automatically generate images, respond to voice queries, and more.

Some generative AI features might be exclusive to iPhone 16 models, which are rumored to have a Neural Engine with "significantly" more cores.

RCS Support in Messages App

In November 2023, Apple announced that it would support the cross-platform messaging standard RCS in the Messages app on the iPhone starting "later" in 2024, so it will likely be an iOS 18 feature based on that timeframe.

RCS support should result in the following improvements to the default messaging experience between iPhones and Android devices:

• Higher-resolution photos and videos
• Audio messages
• Typing indicators
• Read receipts
• Wi-Fi messaging between iPhones and Android devices
• Improved group chats, including the ability for iPhone users to leave a conversation that includes Android users
• Improved encryption compared to SMS

These modern features are already available for iPhone-to-iPhone conversations with blue bubbles, via iMessage, and many of the features are also available in third-party messaging apps, such as WhatsApp and Telegram. RCS support on the iPhone will extend the features to green bubbles in the Messages app.

Biggest iOS Update Ever?

Apple believes iOS 18 has the potential to be the "biggest" software update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

"I'm told that the new operating system is seen within the company as one of the biggest iOS updates — if not the biggest — in the company's history," he wrote, in a January 2024 edition of his Power On newsletter.

visionOS-Inspired Design Changes?

iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 will feature visionOS-inspired design elements, according to a rumor shared by Israeli website The Verifier.

For example, the report claimed that the Apple TV app on iPadOS 18 will feature the same translucent navigation bar that was introduced in the tvOS 17.2 version of the app in 2023. The design of this menu draws similarities to visionOS, the operating system that runs on Apple's new Vision Pro mixed reality headset.

Apple also plans to redesign various other system menus and built-in apps on iOS 18, including Safari, according to the report.

The Verifier has a mixed track record with Apple rumors over the years, so this latest rumor should be treated with some skepticism.

More Details

For additional information, read our iOS 18 roundup.

Amazon is hosting record low discounts on two AirPods models, including the AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C and the AirPods 3 with Lightning Charging Case. You can also find a solid discount on the AirPods 2 in 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.

The AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C are available for $189.99, down from $249.00. This is a match of the record low price on these AirPods, which feature a new USB-C port as well as improved dust resistance and 20-bit 48kHz lossless audio when paired with the Apple Vision Pro.

The AirPods 3 are on sale for $139.99, down from $169.00. This is another match of an all-time low price, and for the AirPods 3 this is only the second time in 2024 that we're tracking a best-ever price on the model.

Finally, Amazon has the AirPods 2 for $89.99, down from $129.00. Although we've tracked this model lower in the past, particularly during the holidays, this is the lowest price we've seen in weeks and overall the best deal so far in 2024.

Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.

Apple today highlighted spatial gaming experiences on the Vision Pro headset, claiming that it is "the beginning of a new era in gaming."

While over 250 games are available on the Vision Pro via Apple Arcade, the company drew particular attention to 12 "unique spatial games" offered exclusively via the gaming subscription service.

Spatial games built specifically for Arcade on Apple Vision Pro unlock amazing new gameplay opportunities by blending digital content with the physical world. visionOS delivers powerful spatial experiences with a brand-new three-dimensional user interface and input system controlled entirely by a user's eyes, hands, and voice. Players are able to slice apples with their hands as their living room transforms into their very own dojo in Super Fruit Ninja, tee up the perfect shot as they move freely around a quirky golf course right in their home in WHAT THE GOLF?, escape into a mesmerizing audiovisual experience in Synth Riders, and so much more.

The featured spatial games on ‌Apple Arcade‌ include:

• Game Room
• WHAT THE GOLF?
• Cut the Rope 3
• Jetpack Joyride 2
• Patterned
• Illustrated
• Wylde Flowers
• stitch.
• Synth Riders
• LEGO Builder's Journey
• Bloons TD 6+
• Super Fruit Ninja

Apple added that "even more magical spatial gaming experiences" are coming soon to ‌Apple Arcade‌, listing three upcoming titles:

• Alto's Odyssey: The Lost City
• Gibbon: Beyond the Trees
• Spire Blast

‌Apple Arcade‌ launched in 2019 and is available for $6.99 per month, providing access to hundreds of ad-free games across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Vision Pro. The service is also included as part of the Apple One subscription bundle, which starts at $19.95 per month.

TikTok today announced that it has released an app for Apple's Vision Pro headset. The app is optimized for visionOS's spatial design style, with TikTok promising a more "immersive" viewing experience for its short-form videos.

"Experience your For You feed in an entirely new way through this immersive content view," said TikTok, in a post on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

The app has a familiar layout on the Vision Pro, with a main "For You" video feed, along with profiles, comments, search, and more. TikTok is available now on the Vision Pro's App Store, and additional images of the app can be found below.

There are still a handful of major social media, streaming video, and streaming music apps that are entirely unavailable on the Vision Pro, including Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Netflix, Spotify, and WhatsApp. In the meantime, developer Christian Selig created an app called Juno for watching YouTube videos on the Vision Pro.

Samsung is preparing to join Apple's OLED display supply chain for future MacBook models, Korea's The Elec reports.

Apple's plans to switch the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air from mini-LED and LCD display technology to OLED have been widely rumored for several years. The latest report explains that Samsung is currently assembling an eighth-generation OLED panel production line focused on supplying Apple with OLED displays for future MacBook models. Panels from the production line will not reach new MacBook models until 2027, The Elec adds.

Late last year, ETNews said that Apple plans to bring OLED display technology to nine new devices by 2027, starting with two new iPad Pro models in March. The company is then expected to shift focus to an OLED 16-inch MacBook Pro in 2025, before launching new 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌, 13- and 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌, 10.9-inch iPad Air, and 8.7-inch iPad mini models with OLED displays the following year. As a result, the The Elec's report seems to suggest that panels from the new production line will not be used in the first wave of OLED MacBooks in 2025. In 2027, Apple is expected to bring OLED to the rumored 12.9-inch iPad Air model.

Benefits of OLED displays include increased brightness, higher contrast ratio, greater color accuracy, and lower power consumption compared to existing models with LCDs. OLED panels are also thinner and lighter than LCDs. Apple already uses OLED displays for all iPhone and Apple Watch models, with the exception of the iPhone SE.

Juno, developer Christian Selig's YouTube app for Apple Vision Pro, has received its first update since launching earlier this month, introducing several user-requested features like the ability to select video quality.

Juno automatically selects the quality of videos based on its "best guess," says Selig, but previously provided no manual control. As of Juno 1.1, however, the UI includes a playback quality option, allowing users to select the resolution of the videos they watch.

The video player has also gained quick-access volume controls, allowing users to tweak Juno's playback volume without affecting the volume level of the whole system. Selig says that he's looking into ways to link the player's audio volume to the system volume, which hopefully comes as an option.

Another handy addition is the ability to open a video in Juno via Shortcuts or another app. To do so, users can simply replace "http://" in the URL with "juno://" (for example, juno://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7I0vHIWyO4). In addition, when Juno's video playback controls fade out, the system "grab bar" now also fades out to increase viewer immersion.

Elsewhere, the app's code has been improved to increase load time speed, an improved video scrubbing control has been added with a new custom view that expands on selection, and it's now easier to jump between playback speeds. Several bugs have also been squashed based on user feedback, and the player will no longer pause the video if the middle of the screen is tapped.

One of the reasons for Juno's popularity is that YouTube initially said it did not plan to offer a dedicated app on Apple's Vision Pro headset. While ‌iPad‌ apps are available on Vision Pro by default, developers can opt out of having their apps appear on the device, and YouTube opted out.

That was before Vision Pro launched. YouTube has since changed its tune and now claims that it is "excited" by the Vision Pro launch and that an app is on the company's roadmap, but it gave no hint of timing.

Juno for YouTube is priced at $4.99 and the app is available on the visionOS App Store.