MacRumors

Best Buy is hosting an Apple Watch sale this week, offering all-time low prices on the Apple Watch Series 9 and a great deal on the Apple Watch Ultra 2. These deals are available to everyone and do not require you to have a My Best Buy Plus or Total membership.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Prices start at $329.00 for the 41mm GPS Apple Watch Series 9, down from $399.00, and increase to $359.00 for the 45mm GPS Apple Watch Series 9, down from $429.00. Best Buy has every aluminum model of the GPS Apple Watch Series 9 on sale, so you can get the Starlight, Pink, Midnight, Silver, and PRODUCT(RED) colors on sale at these record low prices.

Best Buy also has the Apple Watch Ultra 2 on sale, available for $749.00, down from $799.00. This one is a second-best price, and it's also available in every configuration on Best Buy. This means you can get the Ocean Band, Alpine Loop, and Trail Loop configurations (all in multiple sizes) at this solid discounted price.

As of last week, a sales ban was reenacted in the United States on any Apple Watch model sold by Apple that has blood oxygen sensing. While Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 models purchased directly from Apple currently come with blood oxygen sensing disabled, retailers like Best Buy are able to continue selling through their existing stocks that include the feature.

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.

Developers who offer the ability to sideload their apps in the European Union will still face restrictions and fees imposed by Apple, The Wall Street Journal reports.

App sideloading capabilities will allow users to download apps from outside the App Store for the first time, but only in the EU. The change is necessitated by the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA), which seeks to rein in the apparent anticompetitive conduct of big tech companies.

Apple reportedly plans to comply with EU law in a way that retains close control over the apps downloaded outside the ‌App Store‌. Apple has not yet revealed its final plans to comply with this aspect of the DMA, but the WSJ today provided new details citing people familiar with the company's plans. Specifically, Apple will apparently retain the ability to review each app offered outside the app store, as well as take a fee from developers that offer them.

Exact details of the fee structure are unknown, but Apple charges a 27% commission on in-app purchases made through alternative payment systems in the Netherlands, a capability that was initially triggered by a Dutch regulatory ruling. This is just three percent lower than its default fee, but unlike Apple's commission, it does not include tax, making the net total more than Apple's fee for most developers.

Apple has reportedly been working on the plan for offering sideloading for over a year and the company has held meetings with EU officials in recent months to discuss the new rules. The deadline to enact the changes is Thursday, March 7.

Companies are already said to be lining up to take advantage of the impending changes. For example, Spotify is mulling offering its app via its website to skirt the ‌App Store‌, Microsoft has considered launching its own third-party app store specifically for games, and Meta is planning to launch a system to download apps directly from ads.

Spotify has shared its vision for bringing in-app payments back to its iOS app, once Apple is forced to comply with Europe's looming digital market regulations.

The streaming service shared mockups of what it expects its app to look like, including information about pricing, subscription offers and in-app audiobook purchases. Spotify has not allowed customers to sign up for a Spotify Premium subscription or make other in-app payments in order to avoid paying Apple's fees, but that is likely to change soon, in the EU at least.

The European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA), which went into effect on November 1, 2022, requires "gatekeeper" companies to open up their services and platforms to other companies and developers. The DMA will have a big impact on Apple's platforms, and is likely to result in Apple making major changes to the ‌App Store‌, Messages, FaceTime, Siri, and possibly more.

For example, the law will prevent the ‌App Store‌ from charging a fee for apps to promote their own products and services, or force apps to use a specific payments mechanism. The act is due to roll out on March 7.

Writing in a newsroom blog post, Spotify laid out its ideal scenario ahead of the act:

For years, even in our own app, Apple had these rules where we couldn't tell you about offers, how much something costs, or even where or how to buy it. We know, pretty nuts. The DMA means that we'll finally be able to share details about deals, promotions, and better-value payment options in the EU. And an easier experience for you means good things for artists, authors, and creators looking to build their audiences of listeners, concert-goers, and audiobook-loving fans. What's more? All of this can now come without the burden of a mandatory ~30% tax imposed by Apple, which is prohibited under the DMA. 

We'll soon be able to give you information in the Spotify app about prices for things like Premium subscriptions and audiobooks. And we will be able to communicate clearly with you in the Spotify app about new products for sale, promotional campaigns, superfan clubs, and upcoming events, including when items like audiobooks are going on sale.

Soon we expect that if you want to buy a Premium subscription or an audiobook, or are looking to seamlessly upgrade from Individual to a Duo or Family plan to save money, you will be able to do so with just a couple of easy clicks.

MacRumors found code strings in a recent Spotify beta indicating that the company was testing bringing back in-app purchases. However, a lot of what Spotify envisions remains theoretical, given that Apple may have evasive strategies to comply more loosely with the requirements, like how it responded to the anti-steering rule handed down by a U.S. court in the Apple vs. Epic Games legal battle.

Over the years, Apple and Spotify have had a long running dispute over Apple's ‌‌App Store‌‌ policies, with multiple public conflicts over app and subscription fees and app rejections due to Spotify's attempts to skirt the up to 30 percent cut that Apple takes from purchases.

Apple offers no alternative billing from the ‌‌App Store‌‌. There are two exceptions, however, including South Korea and the Netherlands. Regulators in these countries have forced Apple to allow some apps to use third-party payment providers.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max will feature a bigger, more advanced main camera sensor to deliver improved photography and videography capabilities, according to new information coming out of Asia.

The claim comes from "Digital Chat Station," a Weibo user responsible for a range of details about the camera technology of upcoming iPhone models. According to the latest post on the matter, the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max will be an "image flagship," suggesting that it will be heavily focused on its camera capabilities.

The device's main camera will apparently feature a customized 48-megapixel Sony IMX903 sensor with advanced features like a stacked design for better performance, a 14-bit Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) for high-quality image data conversion, and Digital Gain Control (DCG) for better dynamic range and noise control.

The Weibo user also reiterated their previous claim that the ‌‌iPhone 16 Pro‌‌ Max will feature a 12% larger camera sensor that is 1/1.14-inches in size. The ‌‌iPhone‌ 14‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 15 Pro models currently feature a 1/1.28-inch sensor. A larger sensor could improve the main ‌iPhone‌ camera's dynamic range and background blur, as well as substantially enhance low-light photography capabilities since a bigger surface area can capture more light with the same shutter speed and aperture.

The leaker also mentioned in passing that the next-generation high-end iPhones will feature a slightly more curved screen design, iterating on the design introduced with the ‌iPhone 15‌ lineup last year. Corroborating information shared by MacRumors last year, the post added that the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ models will have virtually the same thickness as their predecessors.

Digital Chat Station accurately revealed that the ‌iPhone 15‌ and ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus would feature a slightly smaller 48-megapixel sensor than the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max last year, as well as the display panel design of the ‌iPhone‌ 12 back in 2020. The iPhone 16 lineup is expected to debut in the fall.

Apple has dealt a blow against spyware maker NSO Group and the Israeli firm's efforts to move Apple's lawsuit against it to its home country. Apple in November 2021 sued the group and its parent company with the aim of holding it accountable for targeting Apple users with spyware used for surveillance purposes.

Judge Donato denied NSO's motion to dismiss Apple's case "in all respects," and rejected the group's arguments that Apple should be required to bring its lawsuit to Israel, deciding instead that the case will proceed in the United States.

The court also ruled that Apple had adequately alleged that NSO violated the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) and California’s Unfair Competition Law, breached its contract with Apple, and that NSO unjustly enriched itself at the expense of Apple and its users.

In the lawsuit, Apple offers up information on how NSO Group infiltrated the devices of iPhone owners and how it utilized the Pegasus spyware to do so. Apple is asking for a permanent injunction that would ban NSO Group from using Apple software, services, or devices.

An Apple spokesperson said the victory meant that Apple could proceed in U.S. court to hold NSO accountable and continue to protect Apple's users, products, and infrastructure from hacker groups like NSO.

NSO Group created invasive spyware known as "Pegasus" that was sold to various world governments and was used to access the devices of journalists, lawyers, and human rights activists.

Apple has been working on fixing exploits and has addressed major Pegasus-related hacks in updates to its software since iOS 14.6. In addition to filing a lawsuit against NSO Group, Apple plans to contribute $10 million to organizations pursuing cybersurveillance research and advocacy.

"State-sponsored actors like the NSO Group spend millions of dollars on sophisticated surveillance technologies without effective accountability," said Apple's software engineering chief Craig Federighi in 2021. "That needs to change."

NSO will have to answer Apple's complaint in a U.S. court by February 14, 2024.

Apple Music Classical is now available in China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao, fulfilling a rollout promise to the regions that Apple made earlier this month.

Apple Music Classical first launched in most other countries in March 2023. The ‌Apple Music‌ Classical app offers ‌Apple Music‌ subscribers access to over five million classical music tracks, including new high-quality releases, in addition to hundreds of curated playlists, thousands of exclusive albums, and other features like composer bios and deep dives on key works.

The app offers a simpler interface for interacting with classical music specifically. Unlike the existing ‌Apple Music‌ app, ‌Apple Music‌ Classical allows users to search by composer, work, conductor, catalog number, and more. Users can get more detailed information from editorial notes and descriptions.

The app can be pre-ordered now on the App Store in the above regions. In the U.S., a standard Apple Music subscription costs $10.99 per month.

In 2021, Apple announced that it had purchased the classical music streaming service Primephonic and would be folding it into ‌Apple Music‌ via a new app dedicated to the genre.

X, formerly Twitter, now supports passkeys as a login option for iOS users in the United States, the company has announced.

Passkeys are both easier to use and more secure than passwords because they let users sign in to apps and sites the same way they unlock their devices: With Face ID, Touch ID, or a device passcode. Passkeys are also resistant to online attacks like phishing, making them more secure than things like SMS one-time codes.

Apple integrated passkeys into iOS in 2022 with the launch of iOS 16, and it is also available in iPadOS 16.1 and later as well as macOS Ventura and later.

To set up passkeys in X, follow these steps:

1. Log in to the X app.
2. Click Your account in the navigation bar.
3. Select Settings and privacy, then click Security and account access, then Security.
4. Under Additional password protection, click Passkey.
5. Enter your password when prompted.
6. Select Add a passkey and follow the prompts.

X says passkeys are currently only rolling out to iPhone users in the U.S., and hasn't said when the feature will be extended to other platforms and countries.

X is just one of several companies to implement support for passkeys over the past year, with other supporting apps and websites including Google, PayPal, Best Buy, eBay, Dashlane, and Microsoft.

Apple has been quietly making a series of artificial intelligence related acquisitions and staff hires in a bid to bring on-device AI to its next-generation iPhones, claims a new report by the Financial Times.

According to the report, indications suggest Apple has been focusing on "tackling the technological problem of running AI through mobile devices." To that end, it has acquired several AI-related startups, the last one occurring early last year when it purchased California-based WaveOne, which offers AI-powered video compression.

According to a recent research note from Morgan Stanley, almost half of Apple's AI job posts have included the term "Deep learning," which relates to the algorithms used to power generative AI.

Previous reports have suggested Apple has been testing its "Ajax" large language model (LLM) since early 2023, but in contrast to LLMs like OpenAI's ChatGPT, Apple's primary goal is to develop generative AI that works locally on-device, rather than being powered by cloud services in data centers.

The challenge in achieving that aim involves optimizing the LLM while reducing its size, as well as heavier reliance on high-performance mobile hardware and faster Apple silicon chips. For example, Apple is said to be planning a significant upgrade to the iPhone 16 microphone to improve a new AI-enhanced Siri experience.

Just last month, Apple AI researchers said they have made a key breakthrough in deploying large language models (LLMs) on iPhones and other Apple devices with limited memory by inventing an innovative flash memory utilization technique.

Apple is said to be on schedule to announce a series of generative AI-based tools at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, when iOS 18 will be previewed. Morgan Stanley analysts expect the mobile software will be geared towards enabling generative AI and could include its voice assistant Siri being powered by an LLM.

While the Vision Pro does not launch until February 2, Apple today released visionOS 1.0.1 for the headset, according to developer Nicolás Álvarez. It's unclear what's new in the software update, as Apple has yet to start publicly sharing visionOS release notes, but the version number suggests that it's likely a minor update with bug fixes.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that Apple would start shipping Vision Pro review units to selected media personnel following a January 23 meeting, so visionOS 1.0.1 should be available on those headsets as an immediate update out of the box. It could also be a day-one update for the public if initial Vision Pro units ship with visionOS 1.0 installed.

visionOS 1.0.1 is the first-ever software update for the Vision Pro, and it has a build number of 21N311, according to Álvarez. Apple will likely unveil a larger visionOS 2.0 update with new features at WWDC in June.

(Thanks, Aaron!)

Apple scored 13 Academy Award nominations for Apple TV+ movies Killers of the Flower Moon and Napoleon, doubling its record for Academy Award nominations in a single year.

Directed by Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon has been nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress in a Leading Role (Lily Gladstone), Best Supporting Actor (Robert De Niro), Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Original Score, Best Original Song, Best Film Editing, and Best Cinematography.

Scorsese has now received 10 total lifetime Academy Award nominations for Best Director, making him the most-nominated living director.

Napoleon, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Joaquin Phoenix, received Academy Award nominations for Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, and Best Visual Effects.

Killers of the Flower Moon will compete against movies that include Barbie, Oppenheimer, Past Lives, Poor Things, and Maestro for Best Picture. It was previously nominated for nine BAFTA awards, and was named Best Film of the Year by the National Board of Review.

Apple won a 2022 Academy Award for CODA and short film The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse.

Killers of the Flower Moon is available on ‌Apple TV‌+ now, while Napoleon will be available to stream on ‌Apple TV‌+ in the future.

Apple today introduced a new firmware update for the first-generation AirPods Pro and second-generation AirPods. The new firmware is the same 6A321 version that was released for the third-generation AirPods last week and is up from the 6A300 firmware introduced last September.

Apple's AirPods firmware updates often do not come with details on new features, so it is unclear what might be included in the software. For last week's AirPods 3 update with this firmware version, Apple listed only "bug fixes and other improvements."

Apple also does not offer instructions on how to upgrade AirPods software, but firmware is generally installed over-the-air while the ‌‌AirPods‌‌ are connected to an iOS device. Putting the ‌‌‌‌‌AirPods‌‌‌‌‌ in the case, connecting the ‌‌‌‌‌AirPods‌‌‌‌‌ to a power source, and then pairing the ‌‌‌‌‌AirPods‌‌‌‌‌ to an iOS device or Mac should force the update.

You can check your AirPods or ‌‌‌‌AirPods Pro‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌ firmware version by following these steps:

• Connect your ‌‌‌‌‌‌AirPods to your iOS device.
• Open the Settings app.
• Tap General.
• Tap About.
• Tap ‌‌‌‌‌AirPods‌‌‌‌‌.
• Look at the number next to "Firmware Version."

If we learn more about what's new in the AirPods firmware release, we'll update this article.

Update 1:50 pm: This article has been updated to note the 6A321 update has also been released for the second-generation AirPods.

Apple has pivoted to simpler, less ambitious design for the Apple Car in order to actually bring the vehicle to market, reports Bloomberg. Apple initially wanted a driverless car with full autonomous capabilities, but it is now developing an electric vehicle with fewer features.

After abandoning the driverless plans, Apple aimed for a car with Level 4 autonomous functionality that would have allowed the car's system to take over driving in limited circumstances such as on highways, but even that was too ambitious. Apple is said to be focusing on driver-assistance features that are closer to how Tesla vehicles operate, and it will have a Level 2+ system. Level 2 autonomous driving includes steering and brake/acceleration support, but the driver remains in control of the car and must pay attention on the road.

Despite the scaling back of the project, Apple's launch timeline for the Apple Car has been adjusted. Apple wanted to introduce the car sometime around 2026, but Apple is now targeting a 2028 release at the earliest. According to Bloomberg, this marks a "pivotal moment" for the Apple Car. If the company is not able to deliver an electric vehicle with this feature set, executives may "seriously reconsider the project's existence."

Since the Apple Car was unveiled in 2014, the project has shifted and evolved several times. Rumors have at times suggested that Apple had scrapped a car altogether, focusing instead on an autonomous system, but it appears that Apple is sticking with plans to debut a full Apple-branded vehicle.

The Apple Car project has been riddled with leadership changes and internal strife over the direction of development. Apple Watch chief Kevin Lynch took over the project, and he worked with Tim Cook to adopt a new strategy after pressure from Apple's board. Apple is now meeting with potential partners in Europe to discuss the new plan.

Apple will begin accepting submissions for its next Swift Student Challenge on Monday, February 5, Apple said today in news provided to developers. Apple first announced plans for an early 2024 launch in November, giving students plenty of time to prepare.

The Swift Student Challenge tasks students with creating an innovative coding project using the Swift Playgrounds app. Apple plans to select 350 winners for this year's challenge, and there will be a category that recognizes a total of 50 Distinguished Winners for standout submissions.

Distinguished Winners will be invited to Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California, where they will be able to connect with their peers and the Apple team, while all winners will be granted a free one-year membership in the Apple Developer program.

Apple has been holding an annual Swift Student Challenge for several years now, but it is typically announced when the dates for WWDC are announced, and past winners have been invited to attend the Worldwide Developers Conference. Apple says that this year's 50 Distinguished Winners will be invited to Cupertino "next summer."

When February 5 rolls around, students will have three weeks to submit their app playgrounds to Apple. Apple judges entries on technical accomplishment, creativity of ideas, and content of written responses explaining the project.

Kojima Productions and 505 Games today announced that Death Stranding Director's Cut will be launching on select Apple devices on Tuesday, January 30. The popular game will be available on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max with the A17 Pro chip, along with all iPad and Mac models equipped with M-series chips.

The game can be pre-ordered now on the App Store for a discounted price of $19.99 in the U.S. for a limited time. Regular pricing will be $39.99.

Directed by Hideo Kojima, and starring Norman Reedus of The Walking Dead fame, Death Stranding Director's Cut is a post-apocalyptic open world adventure game that tasks players with exploring and completing missions in a fictional sci-fi wasteland. The game was first released for the PlayStation 5 in 2021, and for Windows in 2022.

Both the A17 Pro chip for iPhone 15 Pro models and the M3 chip for Macs support hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading for improved graphics rendering, including more accurate lighting, reflections, and shadows.

Google today announced plans to add experimental generative AI features to the latest version of Chrome for Mac (M121), helping users organize tabs, create themes, and draft content.

The Tab Organizer is able to suggest and create tab groups based on the tabs that are open, an option that can be accessed by right-clicking on a tab and choosing the Organize Similar Tabs option.

With a text-to-image diffusion model, Chrome users can generate custom themes based on a subject, mood, visual style, and color. The "Create with AI" theme option is available under the Customize Chrome side panel.

When writing something on the web, such as on a forum, Chrome will be able to help users generate content. The feature will let users right-click in any text box or field to access a "Help me write" option.

The Tab Organizer and theme creator will be coming to U.S. Chrome users over the next few days, while the writing assistant will be available in next month's Chrome update. The experimental features can be enabled in the Settings section of Chrome by clicking on the three-dot menu and navigating to the Experimental AI page.

January 24 marks the 40th anniversary of Steve Jobs unveiling the Macintosh, the first successful mass-marketed computer with a graphical user interface.

The original Macintosh popularized the computer mouse, allowing users to control an on-screen pointer. This point-and-click method of computer navigation was still a novel concept to most people at the time, as personal computers in this era typically had text-based command-line interfaces controlled with a keyboard.

An excerpt from Apple's press release in 1984:

Users tell Macintosh what to do simply by moving a "mouse" — a small pointing device — to select among functions listed in menus and represented by pictorial symbols on the screen. Users are no longer forced to memorize the numerous and confusing keyboard commands of conventional computers. The result is radical ease of use and a significant reduction in learning time. In effect, the Macintosh is a desk-top appliance offering users increased utility and creativity with simplicity.

Apple said the Macintosh typically took "only a few hours to learn," and it touted what are now basic computer features, such as a desktop with icons, the ability to use multiple programs in windows, drop-down menus, and copy and paste.

A quote from Jobs in Apple's press release:

Macintosh easily fits on a desk, both in terms of its style of operation and its physical design. It takes up about the same amount of desk space as a piece of paper. With Macintosh, the computer is an aid to spontaneity and originality, not an obstacle. It allows ideas and relationships to be viewed in new ways. Macintosh enhances not just productivity, but also creativity.

Pricing for the original Macintosh started at $2,495, equivalent to over $7,000 today. Key specs and features included an 8 MHz processor, 128 KB of RAM, a 400 KB floppy disk drive for storage, and serial ports for connecting a printer and other accessories.

Apple's full press release for the Macintosh can be found on Stanford University's website.

Amazon today has Apple's M2 Mac mini on sale in all three configurations, starting at $499.99 for the 256GB model, down from $599.00. You'll need to clip an on-page coupon for all of these deals, and after you do you'll find the final discounted prices at the checkout screen.

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.

Apple updated the Mac mini one year ago this month, introducing the M2 and M2 Pro chips to the lineup. Unless you have Prime, delivery estimates have begun slipping into late January for these computers, but all models still have plenty of stock available on Amazon at these discounted prices.

You can also get the 512GB M2 Mac mini on sale for $675.99 with the on-page coupon, down from $799.00. This is a new all-time low price on this model of the Mac mini, and there's an estimated January 30 delivery date if ordered today.

Lastly, Amazon has the higher-end M2 Pro Mac mini for $1,149.99 with the on-page coupon, down from $1,299.00. This model doesn't go on sale as often as the M2 models, and this is a solid second-best price on the computer.

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

Today we're tracking a couple of deals on iPhone accessories that you can find on Amazon, including low prices on official iPhone cases, AirTags, and the MagSafe Duo Charger.

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.

Starting with the AirTag 4-Pack, Amazon has this accessory for $84.99, down from $99.00. This isn't as low as we saw over the holiday season, but it's a solid second-best price on the Bluetooth trackers.

Amazon also has the MagSafe Duo Charger for $98.50, down from $129.00. This is about $1 higher than the previous all-time low price for the accessory on Amazon, so it's still a great deal. The MagSafe Duo Charger can simultaneously charge an iPhone via MagSafe and an Apple Watch.

Finally, Amazon has a collection of Apple's FineWoven and Silicone Cases for the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max. You can find these for as low as $21.70 right now on Amazon, and no coupon codes are required to get these deals.

• iPhone 15 FineWoven Case - $22.90, down from $59.00
• iPhone 15 Silicone Case - $21.70, down from $49.00
• iPhone 15 Plus FineWoven Case - $33.09, down from $59.00
• iPhone 15 Plus Silicone Case - $21.17, down from $49.00
• iPhone 15 Pro Silicone Case - $34.36, down from $49.00
• iPhone 15 Pro Max FineWoven Case - $51.99, down from $59.00
• iPhone 15 Pro Max Silicone Case - $34.23, down from $49.00

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