Apple Fellow Phil Schiller testified in court on Monday that he initially opposed the 27% commission Apple now charges on purchases made outside the App Store, citing compliance risks and potential developer backlash (via AP News).
Schiller, who oversees the App Store, said he had concerns that the fee would create an "antagonistic relationship" between Apple and developers, and worried about Apple becoming "some kind of collection agency" that might need to audit developers who didn't pay.
"I had great concerns about the collections of funds from developers," Schiller said during his three-hour testimony in the ongoing legal battle with Epic Games. He specifically worried about "the change in the role of the App Store to now an organization that needs to collect money from developers."
Despite his reservations, an Apple pricing committee that included CEO Tim Cook, former CFO Luca Maestri, and Apple's legal team ultimately decided to implement the commission structure.
The reduced 27% fee (down from Apple's standard 30%) was established after the 2021 Epic Games lawsuit ruling. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers rejected claims that Apple operated a monopoly. However, she ruled that Apple's anti-steering conduct was anti-competitive, and ordered the company to allow developers to link to alternative payment methods outside the App Store.
Apple complied by creating a system where developers can apply for a "StoreKit External Purchase Link Entitlement" to direct users to external payment options. However, Apple still demands a 27% commission on these transactions made within seven days of clicking the link. For developers in Apple's Small Business Program, the rate is 12% instead of the usual 15%.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney previously criticized Apple's approach as "bad-faith" compliance with the court order, arguing the minimal commission reduction and other restrictions undermined the ruling's intent to foster more competition.
The current hearings are scheduled to continue until Wednesday, and are focused on determining whether Apple has violated the original court order. Judge Gonzalez Rogers has expressed frustration with Apple witnesses' hazy recollections about how they developed rules for the alternative payment system.
According to court documents, Apple extensively analyzed how the "less seamless experience" of external purchases would affect transaction completion rates, which helped the company work out when developers would likely return to using Apple's in-app purchase system.
The dispute between Apple and Epic dates back to 2020 with Epic seeking to overturn Apple's App Store rules requiring content purchases within iOS apps to go through Apple, which takes a 15% to 30% cut of the revenue.
Apple is making significant headway on its long-rumored foldable iPhone, with a new report suggesting the company has achieved a major breakthrough by effectively eliminating the screen crease that plagues current foldable devices.
According to Korean publication ETNews, Apple is finalizing its component suppliers for the foldable iPhone, with the selection process expected to be completed by April. The timeline suggests Apple is moving closer to production, with large-scale component manufacturing likely to begin in the second half of this year.
"Apple has decided to eliminate the crease at all costs, regardless of price, to differentiate its foldable phone from existing models," an industry insider told ETNews. "It is believed that a new material property has been developed to make the crease disappear."
The display crease has been one of the biggest challenges in foldable technology. Devices from Samsung, Huawei, and other manufacturers have all unsuccessfully tried to make it invisible. Apple's apparent solution could hand the company a major competitive advantage.
Samsung Display is reportedly set to be the exclusive supplier of the OLED panels for Apple's foldable device. The Korean company has been developing the display specifically for Apple since last year, using its experience as the first manufacturer to mass-produce foldable OLED screens.
The foldable iPhone is expected to feature an in-folding design similar to a book, with US-based Corning likely providing the ultra-thin glass (UTG) covering the display. Meanwhile, US-based Amphenol, which has previously supplied hinges for MacBook Pro models, is the frontrunner to provide the crucial hinge mechanism.
Based on Apple's typical product development timeline, ETNews reports that the foldable iPhone is expected to launch in the second half of 2026. Over the weekend, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple is "focused on finishing up development of its first foldable device for 2026." Previous reports from analysts Ming-Chi Kuo and Jeff Pu, as well as publications like The Information and The Wall Street Journal, have all pointed to a late 2026 or early 2027 release.
Recent rumors from Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station suggest the device may feature a 5.49-inch outer display and a 7.74-inch inner screen when unfolded, and both are said to have "unprecedented aspect ratios." The outer display is reportedly shorter and wider than Oppo's new Find N5, which launched globally last week.
Apple and Indonesia have agreed on terms to lift the country's five-month ban on iPhone 16 sales, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke to Bloomberg. The deal concludes a battle that began in October, when Indonesia refused to issue permits for Apple's flagship iPhone lineup over Apple's failure to comply with domestic manufacturing requirements.
Under the agreement, Apple will invest $1 billion in Indonesia, a significant increase from its previous commitments of $10 million and $100 million that were rejected by the government. The deal is expected to be formalized through a memorandum of agreement to be signed as early as this week, with the Ministry for Industry issuing permits allowing iPhone 16 sales "as soon as possible."
Beyond the monetary investment, Apple has reportedly committed to training local talent in research and development, so that Indonesians can develop software and design their own products. The pledge addresses one of the government's key demands for Apple to establish R&D facilities in the country.
The agreement also includes plans for a manufacturing plant on Batam island that will produce AirTags, Apple's device tracking accessories. This facility will be operated by Apple supplier Luxshare Precision Industry, and is expected to eventually account for 20% of global AirTag production.
Another manufacturing facility is planned for Bandung, about three hours from Jakarta, which will produce other types of accessories. Part of the investment will also fund Apple academies to equip Indonesian students with tech skills like coding.
Despite the substantial concessions, Bloomberg's sources indicated that Apple has no immediate plans to manufacture iPhones in Indonesia.
The deal is a victory for Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, who directed his ministers to accept Apple's $1 billion investment offer. However, the Ministry of Industry unexpectedly upheld the ban last month while seeking better terms, which have apparently now been agreed.
Indonesia's hardball approach seems to have paid off, securing significant investment from a major foreign company and supporting the government's goal of boosting local manufacturing rather than simply using the nation as a sales market.
For Apple, regaining access to Indonesia's market of 278 million people — over half of whom are under 44 and tech-savvy — comes at a crucial time as its sales in China have slowed. Apple may not be among the top five smartphone brands in Indonesia, but the market offers the company a lucrative growth opportunity.
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.
OpenAI today updated the ChatGPT app to add a new Safari Extension that allows ChatGPT to be used as the default search engine for searches made through the Safari search bar.
After updating to the latest version of the ChatGPT app, the ChatGPT Search Extension can be enabled in the Safari section of the Settings app. Turning it on directs all queries typed in to the Safari search bar to ChatGPT Search instead of Google or whatever your default search engine is set to.
Turning on this extension will direct queries you type into the Safari search bar to ChatGPT Search, making ChatGPT Search your default search engine in Safari. The same policies that govern your use of ChatGPT apply.
The extension needs permission to access Google.com or the site for your default search engine, but when granted, any search you type in is redirected to ChatGPT's search feature rather than going through the default in your Safari settings.
You can now use ChatGPT search as your default search engine in Safari on iOS by updating to the latest version of ChatGPT and enabling the Safari extension! pic.twitter.com/yvyINPN9yv
— Aaron (@aaronp613) February 25, 2025
There is no option to set ChatGPT as a preferred search engine, but the extension serves as a workaround.
Apple is beta testing iOS 18.4 at the current time, and while the update doesn't have the Apple IntelligenceSiri features we were hoping for, there are a number of new additions that are worth knowing about.
Priority Notifications - Apple Intelligence
There is a new Priority Notifications feature that can show you your most important notifications first. Priority Notifications is disabled by default, but it can be turned on by going to Settings > Notifications > Prioritize Notifications and tapping the toggle.
Priority Notifications can also be set up on a per-app basis, with toggles available in the same sections of the Settings app.
With the feature enabled, Apple Intelligence will show notifications that may be important in a dedicated section of the Lock Screen.
Since the iPhone 15 Pro models do not have a Camera Control button, Visual Intelligence can be activated via the Control Center or with the Action Button.
Visual Intelligence Action Button
Apple added a new Action Button option that activates Visual Intelligence, and it can be used as an alternative to the Camera Control button for Visual Intelligence on the iPhone 16 models.
Control Center Apple Intelligence Section
In the Control Center, there's now an Apple Intelligence section. It includes the Type to Siri option that was in the now-removed Siri section, along with new options for activating Siri and using Visual Intelligence.
Image Playground Sketch Style
Image Playground now includes a Sketch style that joins the Animation and Illustration styles. Sketch was previously available for Image Wand, but now it is a third style that can be used in Image Playground.
Swap styles by tapping on the "+" button in the Image Playground app.
Apple also replaced the "Winter Holidays" theme with a new "Spring" theme.
New Apple Intelligence Languages
French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese (simplified), along with localized English for Singapore and India.
New Emoji
There are new emoji characters in iOS 18.4, including bags under eyes, fingerprint, leafless tree, root vegetable, harp, shovel, and splatter.
Vision Pro App
If you have a Vision Pro headset, you'll see a Vision Pro app on your iPhone after installing iOS 18.4. The Vision Pro app helps you discover and download content on the Vision Pro.
There are dedicated sections for Immersive Video, 3D movies, and more, with options to download apps directly to the Vision Pro without having to use the headset. Apple also added a dedicated My Vision Pro section with a user guide and tips for using the device.
Guest setup can now be managed on an iPhone or iPad linked to a Vision Pro, making it easier for Vision Pro owners to let others test their headset. There are controls for limiting what apps a guest is able to use, and an AirPlay mode for guiding the guest through Vision Pro experiences. When a guest user puts on the Vision Pro, a prompt to enable Guest Mode will appear on the headset owner's device.
Apple News+ Food
iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 include a new Apple News Food section for Apple News+ subscribers. The Food section features tens of thousands of recipes, stories about restaurants, tips for healthy eating, kitchen essentials, and more.
Content will come from top food publishers such as Allrecipes, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Good Food, and Serious Eats.Apple News editors will curate food-related stories, and there will be a dedicated Recipe Catalog section where new recipes are added regularly. An included cook mode provides step-by-step instructions, and users can save favorite recipes for offline access.
Ambient Music
iOS 18.4 includes a new Ambient Music option that can be added to Control Center. There are four different sound categories, including Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing.
Each category can be added to Control Center separately, and tapping one plays a random selection of sounds or music from that particular category.
You can't choose what's playing from Control Center, but if you play a category and then tap into the Dynamic Island at the top or access the Now Playing widget, you can skip songs and see the name of what's currently playing.
Mail Categorization for iPadOS 18.4
With iPadOS 18.4, an updated Mail app is available with categorization. The new Mail app organizes incoming emails into different sections. Important emails are displayed in the Primary category, with other emails organized into sections highlighting product orders, newsletters, deals, and social notifications.
Mail categorization was previously introduced for the iPhone in iOS 18.2.
Privacy Indication Dots
The small dots that show up on the iPhone's menu bar when the camera or microphone is in use have been moved to the left and are now more apparent thanks to a black background.
Siri Voices
There are two new Australian voices for Siri.
Genmoji
The Genmoji icon for the Emoji keyboard now says "Genmoji" instead of just featuring a multi-colored smiley face. The change should make it more obvious where users go to create a Genmoji character.
Photos
In the Photos app, there are now options to filter your library by images that were shared with you by others or by those that are not included in an album, which is useful for separating out content that you've organized into albums.
Apple also added an option to view your album list by key photo.
The Recently Deleted section of the Photos app now has one-tap options to delete all photos and to recover all photos.
In the Photos Settings, there is a new Show Recently Viewed & Shared toggle that will show or hide the Recently Viewed and Recently Shared albums from the Utilities list.
Type to Siri
When you use Type to Siri to ask Siri a question, the keyboard is now collapsed down when Siri answers. To type another request, you need to tap on the Siri bar to bring it back up. There is also a toggle to activate Type to Siri with the side button, which would normally cause Siri to listen for a voice command. This feature is not working as intended in beta 1.
Back Tap
If you have the Back Tap Accessibility option turned on, there is now a notification when a double tap or triple tap action is performed.
App Store Review Summaries
Apple now provides summaries of an app's customer reviews to get a quicker overview of what people think of it.
Pause App Store Downloads
When you download an app from the App Store, you can now pause the download right from the update list in the App Store rather than having to do it from the Home Screen icon for the app. Before now, you could only stop and restart an installation entirely from the App Store, with no option for stopping it entirely.
Pausing and resuming works for both new downloads and app updates.
Apple Maps
In the Apple Maps Settings, there is a new option to set a Preferred Language.
Passwords
In the Passwords app, verification codes for two-factor authentication have a countdown circle so you can tell when a new code is going to be generated.
Podcasts Widget
There are new Library and Shows widgets that can be added to the Home Screen on an iPhone or iPad. The Library widget features saved content, while the Shows option displays shows that you are subscribed to.
In the Podcasts app, if you tap on your profile picture, there are new options for Podcasts Settings and Notification Settings.
Mac Setup
There is a new feature that allows a nearby iPhone or iPad to be used to sign into a Mac with an Apple Account for setting up a new Mac. macOS Sequoia 15.4 is also required.
Control Center Toggles
The Cellular toggle and the Wi-Fi toggle in the Control Center now show your cellular or Wi-Fi signal strength represented in bars.
The Brightness and Sound toggles in Control Center have been tweaked slightly and will now change color when the sliders are lowered below the position of the icons.
The Focus option in Control Center now has two small arrows that serve as a visual indicator that there are more options that can be accessed.
Shortcuts Actions
There are multiple new actions for Apple apps in the Shortcuts app, most of which are for changing app settings.
In Maps, for example, there are actions for things like avoid busy roads, avoid tolls, volume level, directions on radio, and more. In Safari, you can use AutoFill information, toggle on pop-up blocking, close tabs, change search engine, and change the tab bar configuration, among other options.
There are Settings actions for Maps, Safari, Reminders, Calendar, Apple TV, Books, Notes, Voice Memos, and Weather.
Apple also added a new Shortcuts action to open a specific conversation in the Messages app.
Safari
When you long press on an App Store link in Safari, there is a new design for App Store link previews.
When you open up a new Safari tab and then tap the address bar, Safari shows a list of your recent searches. In the current public version of iOS, iOS 18.3.1, search history is not displayed. There is an option to disable recent searches by opening the Settings app, going to Safari, and toggling off Show Recent Searches.
CarPlay
Some CarPlay users are seeing a third row of CarPlay icons on the Home Screen rather than just two rows.
There is a new option to set a different Translation app as the default in the Default Apps section of the Settings app. In the EU, there is also an option to choose a different Navigation app.
Notification Center
The animation when swiping out of the Notification Center is now smoother.
Camera Control
Additional camera apps that can be selected for the Camera Control feature on iPhone 16 models are now listed in a Camera App section rather than directly in the main Camera Control menu.
Safari Connection Security
In Safari, you can tap into the details on a website to see the certificate through a new Connection Security Details interface to ensure the site is secure.
Wi-Fi Calling Issue
Apple's developer notes for the update say that Wi-Fi Calling might not work for US Cellular customers in iOS 18.4. Apple says that users should revert to iOS 18.3 to enable Wi-Fi Calling. Note that this is applicable to those who have US Cellular as their carrier, it does not mean all cellular users in the United States.
Robot Vacuum HomeKit Support
In iOS 18.4, HomeKit supports robot vacuums, a feature that Apple promised would come in iOS 18. Adding a vacuum to the Home app requires a vacuum with Matter support, and that requires robot vacuum manufacturers to implement Matter. Not all Matter-enabled robot vacuums will be able to be added to HomeKit right away.
Wallet
In the Wallet app, there is a new menu that includes Orders, Settings, and Subscriptions and Payments. It can be accessed by tapping on the three dots in the upper right corner, which used to be just for package tracking.
The iOS 18.4 beta appears to include integration for Japanese "My Number Card" Digital IDs in the Wallet app. Apple said last year that it would be adding support for the ID cards in spring 2025. More than 100 million Japanese residents have My Number Card IDs.
MDM Changes
For enterprise and education users, Apple made some updates to Mobile Device Management. MDM can disable Apple Intelligence reports, Mail smart replies, Safari summarize content, and the Idle Reboot feature that causes iPhones to restart after inactivity. There are also options for preventing the modification of default calling and messaging apps.
It's a milestone day for MacRumors, as today marks our 25th birthday. MacRumors was coincidentally founded on Steve Jobs' birthday of February 24, 2000, with articles starting just a few days later.
MacRumors was founded by medical student Arnold Kim, and it remained a side project for over eight years until he decided to give up medicine to focus on MacRumors as a full-time career. That backstory and additional perspective were shared in a July 2008 New York Times profile.
Through the years, MacRumors grew along with Apple's popularity and added additional writers, editors, and other staff members, with the team now numbering roughly a dozen dedicated folks who live and breathe Apple news and rumors.
MacRumors as it appeared in May 2000
For those of us who have been around MacRumors since nearly the beginning, the past quarter century has somehow simultaneously felt like both a lifetime and a blink of an eye, and we certainly couldn't have done it without our loyal readers and forum members. For 25 years now, MacRumors has been known for its active and passionate community that has reached over a million registered members and over 32 million forum posts. If you're not a member, we invite you to register for our forums and add your voice to our community.
To all who have helped make MacRumors the best place on the internet to learn about and discuss all things Apple, thank you, and here's to another 25 years.
Apple last week seeded the first iOS 18.4 beta to developers for testing, but the software update has been pulled for some devices due to issues.
According to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris, the first iOS 18.4 beta is no longer available for installation on any of the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, or iPhone 12 Pro Max models, along with select older iPad Air and entry-level iPad models.
The first iOS 18.4 beta was causing some iPhone 12 models and other affected devices to experience a "boot loop," rendering the device unusable. This is one reason why Apple always stresses backing up your iPhone before installing iOS betas, as pre-release software can experience critical bugs and issues from time to time.
iOS 18.4 beta 1 is now unsigned for the following devices:
iPhone 12 Pro iPhone 12 Pro Max iPhone 12 Mini iPad 8 (Cellular) iPad Air 4th Gen (Wi-Fi and Cellular) iPad Air 11-inch (M2) (Cellular) iPad Air 13-inch (M2) (Cellular)
(h/t @dhinakg) https://t.co/esVqZ13cdy
— Aaron (@aaronp613) February 22, 2025
There may have been other issues affecting some of the cellular iPad Air models in particular, rather than the boot loop problem.
Apple today seeded the first public betas of upcoming iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, macOS Sequoia 15.4, watchOS 11.4, and tvOS 15.4 updates, allowing public beta testers to try out the new features in the software ahead of its public launch. The public betas come a few days after Apple provided the beta updates to developers.
Public beta testers can download the updates from the Settings app on each device after opting into the beta through Apple's public beta testing website.
The new software for iPhone, iPad, and Mac includes Priority Notifications, an Apple Intelligence feature designed to show you your most important notifications first, plus it adds a new Sketch style for Image Playground.
There is a new Apple News+ Food section for Apple News+ subscribers that aggregates recipes, food stories, and tips for healthy eating, plus an Ambient Music feature for playing chill music from Control Center.
iOS 18.4 will include a Vision Pro app that will allow Vision Pro owners to manage the headset. It will support content discovery and acquisition, letting new apps, games, and TV content to be downloaded on the Vision Pro with the iPhone. The iPhone and iPad will also support managing Vision Pro Guest Mode, making it easier for people to try out someone's headset.
On the iPad and Mac, the new updates introduce Mail Categorization, a feature that was previously limited to the iPhone.
Apple's chip factory planned for Houston, Texas will manufacture AI servers that are equipped with high-end M5 chips, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuosaid today.
Apple is working with Foxconn to open a 250,000 square foot server manufacturing facility in Houston in 2026, with the hardware produced at the location set to be used for AI. While Apple did not provide any insight into the servers that it will be making, Kuo says that the servers will be equipped with TSMC's high-end M5 chips, which are set to enter mass production as soon as the second half of 2025.
Foxconn already has a facility in Houston, and it bought additional land for new projects last year. Servers will be produced at existing facilities starting in the second half of 2025, with assembly expanding to the new facility when it launches in 2026.
Back in December, Kuo said that Apple would accelerate its Private Cloud Compute infrastructure for Apple Intelligence when the mass production of M5 Pro, M5 Max, and M5 Ultra chips started. Kuo expects the M5 Pro and M5 Max to enter mass production this year, with M5 Ultra chips to be mass produced starting in 2026.
After switching to Apple silicon by adopting the M2 Ultra chip in 2022, the Mac Pro is widely expected to receive an upgrade to the as-yet-unannounced M4 Ultra chip this year.
Apple last updated the Mac Pro in June 2023, adding an M2 Ultra chip and officially completing the transition away from Intel chips. Apple will refresh the Mac Pro in the summer of 2025, according to Mark Gurman. Like the Mac Studio, the next Mac Pro will skip the M3 series. Instead it will be equipped with the highest-end version of the M4 chip, codenamed "Hidra." Based on the description of the chip, it could be positioned as an "Ultra" or "Extreme" chip. Gurman has said the M4 Ultra chip in the next Mac Pro will "probably" have up to a 32-core CPU and up to an 80-core GPU, which would be double the M4 Max's up to 16-core CPU and up to 40-core GPU. It could also support up to 512GB of memory, a notable increase over the current 192GB limit.
By the time the M4 Ultra Mac Pro is released, the current Mac Pro design will be over five years old. While there was a strong case for extensive PCIe expansion with the Intel-based Mac Pro in 2019, because it supported MPX modules and third-party graphics cards, that is no longer the case since the transition to Apple silicon. Likewise, though reviewers praised the Apple silicon Mac Pro's performance, questions have been raised about the device's purpose and high price point. It is also noticeable that by the summer of 2025, the current Mac Pro will be three years old.
Throughout 2022, there were rumors about Apple developing an "M2 Extreme" chip that doubled the capabilities of the M2 Ultra chip for superlative performance. The chip option was apparently cancelled because "[b]ased on Apple's current pricing structure, an M2 Extreme version of a Mac Pro would probably cost at least $10,000—without any other upgrades—making it an extraordinarily niche product that likely isn't worth the development costs, engineering resources and production bandwidth it would require." Considering that Apple was weighing up an all-new top-tier Apple silicon chip prior to the release of the current model, it isn't out of the question that the company could revisit the idea in 2026 or beyond.
Likewise, before the release of the Apple silicon Mac Pro, there were a multitude of rumors about the company redesigning the Mac Pro to feature a similar but more compact enclosure that was "about half the size." This smaller, redesigned Apple silicon model that was once believed to be in development could move forward after the release of the M4 Ultra version in 2025.
Apple could also revitalize the Mac Pro by offering new optional MPX modules that integrate with the Apple silicon architecture, such as a next-generation Afterburner accelerator card. Of course, it is also possible that the product line could ultimately merge with the Mac Studio. For now, Mac Pro rumors center on the long-awaited upgrade to the M4 Ultra chip later this year.
While the iPhone 17 lineup is still around seven months away from launching, rumors about the devices continue to surface.
The latest word comes from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter over the weekend, he said that Apple plans to emphasize the iPhone 17 Pro's improved video recording capabilities when it unveils the device later this year, although he did not reveal any specific new features that may be coming.
Here is what he said:
In past years, Apple has focused more heavily on the camera's photo-taking abilities. This year it will stress improvements to video recording. One of the goals for 2025's iPhone line is to get the vlogging community and other video creators to move away from standalone cameras and use the iPhone for even more of their work. Look for Apple to more heavily than ever tout these video recording capabilities when the new iPhones debut in September.
Video recording capabilities already added to iPhones over the years include an Action mode for stabilization, Cinematic mode for shallow depth-of-field, and more.
Multiple sources have claimed that the iPhone 17 Pro models will feature a redesigned rear camera system. An alleged render of the iPhone 17 Pro revealed that the back of the device will supposedly have a large rectangular camera bar with rounded corners. The device is expected to have three 48-megapixel rear cameras.
Gurman's newsletter also reiterated that Apple plans to launch its first foldable iPhone in 2026.
Graphics benchmarks for Apple's yet-to-be announced MacBook Air models with M4 processors have popped up on Geekbench, giving us an idea of how much faster the GPU component of Apple's second-generation 3-nanometer chips are compared to the existing M3 models.
A Geekbench 6 result listing for a "Mac16,12" was recorded on February 23 whose specs include a 10-core chip and 24GB of RAM. Notably, the machine is running a special 24C2101 build of macOS Sequoia 15.2 – the same version that Apple accidentally released back in December that originally confirmed the existence of next-generation 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models. This strongly suggests the benchmark is legit.
As for the result, the machine recorded a Metal score of 55,516. Scores for the existing 13-inch M4 iPad Pro are in the same ballpark, which we would expect. For added context, the existing M3 MacBook Air averages a Metal score of around 48-49,000.
Both the MacBook Air and iPad Pro lack fans for thermal management, so it makes sense that there would be little if any difference between the chips' graphics performance. For comparison, an M4 MacBook Pro with fans can average around ~57,000 on the same benchmark.
According to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman's latest report, Apple is preparing its marketing, sales, and retail teams for a March launch of new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models. Gurman has previously said the new models will be released "within weeks." Apart from the new M4 chip, no other significant revisions are expected.
Apple plans to launch a second-generation AirTag in May or June this year, according to a post today from a leaker known as Kosutami.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported that a new AirTag would be released in mid-2025. May or June would align with that timeframe.
Below, we recap three new features rumored for the AirTag 2:
With a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, the AirTag 2 is expected to have up to 3× longer range compared to the current AirTag. The chip debuted in the iPhone 15 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2. On the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 models, there is a Precision Finding for People feature that can help you to find your friends in crowded places, and it offers a range of up to 200 feet/60 meters.
The new AirTag's built-in speaker is expected to be more difficult to remove or tamper with, as an anti-stalking safety measure.
The original AirTag was announced during an Apple Event in April 2021. In the U.S., an individual AirTag costs $29, and a set of four costs $99.
Kosutami is best known as a collector of prototype Apple products, but they have occasionally shared accurate information about Apple's future plans. For example, they accurately revealed that the iPhone 16 Pro would be equipped with a metal-enclosed battery many months before the device launched. However, their August 2024 claim that new AirPods Pro would be coming "soon" did not pan out, as AirPods Pro 3 have yet to launch.
In another post today, Kosutami seems to be once again implying that new AirPods Pro are on the horizon, along with new Apple smart home accessories. Apple is expected to unveil an all-new smart home hub this year, and it is also rumored to be working on a Face ID doorbell and a smart home camera for release in 2026 or later.
Apple plans to eventually integrate the modem component in its devices into the main processor, making the electronics more power-efficient and less costly to produce, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
"I'd expect this in 2028 at the earliest," said the reporter in his Power On newsletter. Funnily enough, that's the same year that Apple could begin building its own custom modem into cellular MacBook models, as previously reported by Gurman. However, in his latest report, Gurman did not mention Macs in the same sentence as modems.
Apple has explored the possibility of developing MacBooks with cellular connectivity in the past. Indeed, the company reportedly considered launching a MacBook Air with 3G connectivity, but former CEO Steve Jobs said in 2008 that Apple decided against it, since it would take up too much room in the case. An integrated SoC would solve that problem.
Apple debuted its first custom modem, the C1, in the new iPhone 16e, which the company unveiled last week. According to Apple, the C1 is the most power efficient modem that's been included in an iPhone to date. The iPhone 16e has the longest battery life of an iPhone with a 6.1-inch form factor, and it lasts for up to 26 hours when watching video. Apple says the C1 is "just the start."
Gurman said that Apple is already testing the so-called C2 modem as well as its successor, the C3, which is expected to arrive in 2027, by which time Apple hopes it will "outdo Qualcomm's modem capabilities." MacRumors has previously reported that Apple is testing a C2 modem, which is said to be debuting in Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models next year, according to Gurman.
Apple has reportedly been working on its own modem since 2018, as it seeks to move away from Qualcomm's component currently used in iPhones. Apple's transition away from Qualcomm modems is a logical step, given their turbulent history. Despite recent tensions, the two companies recently extended their modem patent licensing agreement through March 2027, allowing Apple ample time to perfect its own solution.
Former Apple design chief Sir Jony Ive says he still frequently asks himself "What would Steve do?" – despite Jobs specifically requesting that he shouldn't.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, Ive shared that Jobs had directly told him before his death in 2011: "I really don't want you to be thinking 'Well, what would Steve do?'"
The legendary designer, who helped craft iconic products like the iMac, iPhone, and Apple Watch, spoke warmly of his collaboration with Jobs, defending the Apple co-founder's reputation for being demanding. "If you have such a clear, pure view of creating something new... if you are serious about actually wanting to develop and make it, you can't just say 'well, here's an idea,'" Ive explained. "Because if that's how you're going to behave, it will remain an idea."
The British-born designer, who moved from Essex to San Francisco in 1992 to join Apple, noted that Jobs immediately understood his vision when he returned to the then-struggling company five years later. "It was remarkable that, despite the limitations of my ability to communicate, Steve understood what I thought and how I felt," Ive said.
Ive said he fears that the technology he has helped to create could now be interfering with human creativity, adding that he finds it difficult to monitor his own use of technology. Ive also expressed both his excitement and concern about the threat posed by AI and its unchecked speed of development: "We need time to understand and react," he said.
Steve Jobs died in 2011 from pancreatic cancer. Today would have been his 70th birthday. The emotional impact of Jobs' passing was evident in Ive's admission that he couldn't bring himself to read anything about his former colleague and friend for a decade after his death in 2011.
After leaving his role as chief design officer, Ive continued to work with Apple as a consultant through LoveFrom until 2022, when the partnership officially concluded. Ive has since officially confirmed his involvement in an AI hardware project with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
Among Ive's musical choices on the long-running BBC radio show were "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds and part of the soundtrack from the Disney Pixar robot movie Wall-E. (Via The Guardian.)
Apple's next-generation C2 modem is expected to arrive in 2026, debuting in Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said that Apple is already testing the so-called C2 modem as well as its successor, the C3, which is expected to arrive in 2027, by which time Apple hopes it will "outdo Qualcomm's modem capabilities." MacRumors has previously reported that Apple is testing a C2 modem.
Apple's C1 modem debuted in the iPhone 16e, which the company unveiled last week. Apple says its first custom modem chip is the most power-efficient iPhone modem ever, contributing to the device having the longest battery life of any 6.1-inch iPhone ever, including the more expensive regular iPhone 16.
Gurman previously reported that Apple's second-generation 5G modem will debut in the iPhone 18 lineup in 2026 and in iPad Pro models by 2027. He said this modem will better compete with Qualcomm's modems in current iPhones by adding support for the ultra-fast 5G standard known as mmWave, a feature the C1 modem lacks.
Apple's rumored all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air is expected to be next in line to use the new C1 modem. The new slimmer device is expected to replace the Plus model in the upcoming iPhone 17 lineup, which is expected to arrive in mid-September.
Apple has announced plans to invest $500 billion in the United States over the next four years, including a significant expansion of its domestic manufacturing and research capabilities, according to Bloomberg. The commitment comes following a recent meeting between CEO Tim Cook and President Donald Trump.
The tech giant's plans include the construction of a new server manufacturing facility in Houston, where Apple and Foxconn will produce servers for Apple's Private Cloud Compute system. The 250,000-square-foot facility is scheduled to open next year.
Apple will also establish a supplier academy in Michigan, "to train the next generation of US manufacturers," and will expand its data center presence across multiple states, including Arizona, Oregon, Iowa, Nevada, and North Carolina. The company confirmed that chip production has already begun at TSMC's Arizona facility, which is currently manufacturing components for some Apple Watch and iPad models.
The 20,000 new jobs Apple plans to create will focus primarily on research and development, silicon engineering, and artificial intelligence. This matches the company's previous hiring wave, which added 20,000 R&D positions over the last five years.
In Detroit, Apple plans to double down on manufacturing education by opening a dedicated academy to support smaller companies. The tech giant is also doubling its US manufacturing fund to $10 billion.
"We are bullish on the future of American innovation, and we're proud to build on our long-standing US investments with this $500 billion commitment to our country’s future," Cook said in a statement. "We'll keep working with people and companies across this country to help write an extraordinary new chapter in the history of American innovation."
The announcement is likely to have been strategically timed, given that Trump has threatened to impose an additional 10% tax on Chinese imports. Cook previously succeeded in protecting the iPhone from tariffs during Trump's first term by arguing that such measures would end up benefiting competitors like Samsung.
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Apple co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs was born on February 24, 1955, so today would have marked his 70th birthday if he hadn't passed away in 2011 at the age of 56.
In 1976, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak co-founded Apple Computer Company to market Wozniak's Apple I, a pioneering personal computer. Their collaboration led to the introduction of the Apple II in 1977, which significantly influenced the personal computing industry.
In 1984, Apple launched the Macintosh, notable for its graphical user interface and the iconic "1984" Super Bowl commercial directed by Ridley Scott. However, internal conflicts led to Jobs' departure from Apple in 1985. He then founded NeXT Inc., focusing on advanced computer platforms.
In 1997, Apple acquired NeXT, bringing Jobs back to the company as interim CEO. Under his leadership, Apple revitalized its product line and introduced groundbreaking products like the iMac, iPod, and iPhone. Apple Computer Company was renamed Apple Inc. in 2007 as the company expanded its focus from computers to consumer electronics.
Jobs remained at the helm until his death in 2011, during which time Apple transformed into one of the world's leading technology companies.
As expected, Apple CEO Tim Cook has shared his thoughts about Steve on X (Twitter):
Steve saw the world not just as it was, but as it could be. His vision continues to inspire us to push boundaries and create the future. Today, on his 70th birthday, we honor his legacy and his enduring impact. pic.twitter.com/0q1JUl4UJw
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) February 24, 2025
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MacRumors as it appeared in May 2000
