MacRumors

Chinese brand LeEco has launched a new smartphone that can only be described as a shameless knockoff of the iPhone 14 Pro series, right down to the triple-lens rear camera design and Dynamic Island. But look closer and there are some unwelcome hidden surprises.

Called the LeEco S1 Pro and costing 899 Yuan ($135), the copycat device is certainly more affordable than Apple's ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro models starting at $999, but as you might imagine, the makers have cut several corners when it comes to the specifications.

For starters, the 6.5-inch display uses an LCD panel rather than OLED, while the resolution is 1600 x 728 with a 60Hz refresh rate. Compare that to the 2556 x 1179 resolution and variable 120Hz refresh rate on the ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro, and it's already clear that we're comparing apples and oranges.

The Dynamic Island-like pill shape at the top of the display houses a 5MP selfie camera, but alas, no Face ID (there's a fingerprint sensor on the side of the handset) although the cutout is said to be fully interactive. But any remaining hope that this could work as a like-for-like substitute for Apple's premium offering falls flat when you consider the rear of the device, which comes with a whopping functionality caveat.

The triple-lens housing on the back actually contains only a single working 13MP camera – the other two holes are entirely redundant. Still, onlookers would be none the wiser, and clearly that's the point: Owners get to show off the premium aesthetic of an ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro, just without the costly hardware or features that underpin its premium status.

The handset comes in titanium black and blue. Powered by a Zhanrui T7510 chipset, the LeEco S1 Pro comes in a single configuration featuring 8GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage, and support for 5G connectivity, courtesy of Huawei Mobile Services.

Apple has acknowledged that iPhone 14 Pro Max users may see flashing horizontal lines on their display when the device is being turned on.

Last month, MacRumors reported that a growing number of ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro customers described seeing green and yellow horizontal lines flash on their iPhone display when the device is being turned on. The exact details at the time, including whether or not Apple was looking into the issue or whether it was a hardware or software problem, were unknown.

Now, in a new memo, Apple has acknowledged the issue and put at ease concerns it stems from a hardware defect, confirming it's being investigated and an iOS update to address it will be released soon. ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro customers may "report that when they power on or unlock their phone, they briefly see horizontal lines flash across the screen," the memo seen by MacRumors says. "Apple is aware of the issue and a software update is coming soon that will resolve the issue," the memo adds.

iOS 16.3 is currently undergoing testing with developers and members of the public beta program, but that update is not expected to launch for at least several more weeks. More imminently, Apple could release iOS 16.2.1, following the release of iOS 16.2 last month, to address this and other bugs being experienced by users.

Apple CEO Tim Cook's total compensation was $99.4 million in 2022, according to the company's proxy statement released today. His compensation included a $3 million salary, roughly $83 million in stock awards, and $13.4 million in other forms of compensation. Cook's total compensation in 2021 was $98.7 million.

Cook will be taking a substantial pay cut in 2023, as noted by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Based on shareholder feedback and Cook's recommendation to adjust his compensation in light of the feedback, the filing indicates that his target compensation for 2023 will be $49 million, which is over 40% less than his target compensation in 2022.

Despite the pay cut, Apple's Compensation Committee said the company had "exceptional performance" in 2022 under the leadership of Cook, who has served as CEO since 2011. The proxy statement indicates that the percentage of performance-based RSUs granted to Cook was increased from 50% to 75% of his 2023 target equity award.

Ahead of Apple's annual shareholders meeting on March 10, Cook shared a message to shareholders reflecting on the past year, with an excerpt below:

The global challenges with us all today — from inflation, to war in Eastern Europe, to the enduring impacts of the pandemic — make this a time for deliberate and thoughtful action. But it is not a time to retreat from the future. We’ve always run Apple for the long-term, and that means continuing to invest in innovation, in people, and in the positive difference we can make in the world.

Today, we have the strongest lineup of products and services we’ve ever had, and our technology has never shown up for our users in more ways. And our latest innovations are helping so many of us harness our creativity, connect with loved ones, find entertainment and joy, and live safer, healthier lives.

The full letter can be found on page six of the proxy statement linked above.

Apple's annual shareholders meeting is set to take place Friday, March 10 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time, according to an SEC filing released today.

Those who want to attend, vote, and submit questions during the annual meeting can visit the virtual meeting website and enter a control number included in the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials provided to shareholders. Apple states online access will open approximately 15 minutes before the start of the meeting, but questions can be submitted in advance through Thursday, March 9 at 8:59 p.m. Pacific Time. Voting is open to shareholders of record at the close of business on January 9, 2023.

Items of business will include voting to re-elect the Board of Directors, ratifying Ernst & Young LLP as Apple's public accounting firm, approving executive compensation, voting on shareholder proposals, and more.

Apple's shareholders meetings are typically not very interesting to the public, as the company's executives often give vague answers and avoid discussing future products. However, the meetings can occasionally reveal a few interesting tidbits. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the meetings were held in person at Steve Jobs Theater.

A future version of the Apple Store app will offer an augmented reality feature that allows customers to point their iPhone toward a product like a Mac in an Apple Store and instantly receive more information about pricing and specifications in an overlay on their screen, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

In his newsletter this week, Gurman said Apple has been working on the feature since at least 2020 and has been testing it at stores in recent months, but it's unclear when it will be made available to the public. He said Apple plans to release an accompanying API for developers so that other retail stores could use the feature too.

"If the service debuts in the near future, it would be one of Apple's most significant AR-related launches to date — and a taste of what's to come with the headset," wrote Gurman, in reference to Apple's long-awaited AR/VR headset expected to launch this year.

Earlier this week we shared deals on nearly every model of Apple's 2021 MacBook Pro, with the exception of the 10-Core M1 Max, 1TB 16-inch MacBook Pro. Today, Amazon has introduced a new all-time low price on this model.

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.

You can get the M1 Max 16-inch MacBook Pro for $2,999.99, down from $3,499.00. At $499 off, this is the best price we've ever tracked on this high-end model of the 2021 MacBook Pro, and only Amazon is offering this deal in Silver.

For more MacBook Pro deals, be sure to visit our article form earlier in the week, but note that some of these sales have since expired. Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

Mass shipments of second-generation AirPods Max and more affordable AirPods will likely begin in the second half of 2024 or the first half of 2025, according to the latest information shared by Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

In a series of tweets today, Kuo said Apple is aiming for a $99 price for the more affordable standard AirPods. Currently, the $129 second-generation AirPods are the cheapest option from Apple, while the third-generation AirPods are priced at $169 with a Lightning charging case and at $179 with a MagSafe case. This is the second time lower-priced AirPods have been rumored in as many weeks following a prediction from analyst Jeff Pu.

Kuo did not offer any additional details about the new AirPods Max. Apple's premium over-ear noise canceling headphones were first released in December 2020 for $549, and we've previously outlined new features that would make sense for the next-generation pair, such as a USB-C port instead of Lightning, improved noise cancelation, longer battery life, new color options, a U1 chip for Precision Finding in the Find My app, and more.

Apple's next-generation 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips were slated to hit the market in "early 2023," but the laptops are now expected to be "delayed once again," according to Taiwanese publication DigiTimes.

The report does not offer a revised launch timeframe for the new MacBook Pros. In his newsletter last weekend, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple planned to release the laptops in the first half of this year and said they will have the same designs and features as the current models, but with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips. Gurman said those chips will offer only marginal performance improvements over the current M1 Pro and M1 Max.

In late October, Gurman said Apple planned to release the new MacBook Pros in the first quarter of 2023 and had tied the launches to an upcoming macOS 13.3 release, but it's unclear if those plans have changed since then. Based on Gurman's latest timeframe of the first half of 2023, the new MacBook Pros should finally be released by Apple's annual developers conference WWDC in June at the latest, but hopefully sooner.

Apple's chipmaking partner TSMC started mass production of 3nm chips in late December, but reports have conflicted as to whether the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips will be 3nm or remain 5nm like the M1 Pro and M1 Max.

The rest of the report is focused on how MacBook shipments will likely decline 40% to 50% sequentially in the first quarter of 2023, citing unnamed supply chain sources. The report claims that Apple "adjusting its shipment ratios" by adding Wingtech as a MacBook assembler is the primary reason for the substantial decline.

A short time ago, preview versions of Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Devices apps for Windows were discovered in the Microsoft Store, and it turns out one of those apps is hiding references to Apple's upcoming mixed-reality headset operating system.

The Apple Devices app is intended to allow users to manage various Apple devices on Windows machines, functionality that was traditionally handled in iTunes but which has migrated to Finder on macOS. Windows users continue to use iTunes to manage Apple devices if needed, but with Apple working on standalone apps like ‌Apple Music‌ for Windows, it appears iTunes for Windows is nearing the end of its life and a replacement for device management functions is needed.

Upon investigating the new Apple Devices Preview app for Windows, Twitter user @aaronp613 discovered references to both "Reality OS" and "xrOS," two names that have appeared in repeated rumors as being in reference to Apple's upcoming mixed-reality headset.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman had reported for quite some time that Apple was planning to call its headset platform "realityOS" or "rOS," but last month he revealed that Apple has updated its plans and will call the platform "xrOS". The name refers to "extended reality" to encompass both virtual reality and augmented reality experiences.

Over the weekend, Gurman reported that while Apple had been aiming to introduce the headset this month, the company is now planning for an introduction around its traditional spring media event time. A more complete introduction for developers will then come at WWDC in June ahead of the actual product launch later in the year.

With that introduction time frame rapidly approaching, it's no surprise that Apple is preparing its other apps and platforms to integrate with the headset and ‌xrOS‌, but the references in the new Apple Devices Preview app for Windows are likely an accidental slip-up by Apple.

Despite years of resistance, Apple is now working on adding touchscreens to Macs, according to a report today from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The report claims that a new MacBook Pro with an OLED display could be the first touchscreen Mac in 2025.

Gurman said Apple engineers are "actively engaged in the project," indicating that the company is "seriously considering" producing touchscreen Macs. The first MacBook Pro with a touchscreen would retain a traditional laptop design with a trackpad and a keyboard, but the display would gain support for touch input like an iPhone or iPad.

The first touchscreen Macs are likely to use macOS, as Apple is not actively working to combine iPadOS and macOS, according to the report. iPhone and iPad apps are available on Macs with Apple silicon chips, though, unless a developer opts out.

Apple has repeatedly dismissed the idea of a touchscreen Mac over the years, so this would be a major reversal in philosophy for the company if it moves forward with these plans. In 2010, for example, Steve Jobs said that "touch surfaces don't want to be vertical" due to arm fatigue associated with holding up a finger to the screen. And in 2021, Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus said the Mac was "totally optimized for indirect input" and said the company did not feel there was a good reason to change that at the time.

Last October, Microsoft announced that Apple Music and Apple TV apps would be coming to the Microsoft Store in 2023 for installation on Windows devices, providing significant improvements for users on those platforms who have had to access ‌Apple Music‌ via the web or Apple's outdated iTunes for Windows app and Apple TV+ via the web.

Preview versions of the two apps, as well as an Apple Devices app for managing devices such as iPhones, iPads, and iPods from Windows machines have now appeared in the Microsoft Store, as noted by The Verifier [Google Translate].

• Apple Music Preview
• Apple TV Preview
• Apple Devices Preview

In the app descriptions, Apple highlights that, as preview versions of these apps, "not all features may work as expected." The company also warns that installing any of these apps will prevent iTunes for Windows from opening. As a result, other content types such as audiobooks and podcasts will be inaccessible until Apple releases a compatible version of iTunes or the user uninstalls the preview apps.

All three of the new Apple apps require Windows 11 version 22621.0 or higher.

Update: Users are currently unable to install the preview apps on their machines, but will likely be able to do so soon.

Apple is testing a new version of the Mac Pro running macOS 13.3, according to a tweet shared by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today.

Given that macOS 12.3 was released in March 2022 and macOS 11.3 was released in April 2021, it's likely that macOS 13.3 will be released in the spring as well. This timeframe could set the stage for Apple to introduce the Mac Pro at a spring event, shortly before releasing macOS 13.3 with support for the computer. The new Mac Pro is expected to feature Apple's new M2 Ultra chip, but a higher-end "M2 Extreme" chip was reportedly canceled.

Earlier this week, Gurman said the new Mac Pro will have the same design as the 2019 model, but lack user-upgradeable RAM.

In an October edition of his newsletter, Gurman said the long-awaited 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips would also be tied to macOS 13.3, suggesting that the notebooks could be announced this spring as well.

Gurman has previously claimed that a new Mac mini is in the works with M2 and M2 Pro chip options, but he hasn't commented on the Mac mini recently. It's certainly possible that it gets announced alongside the new Mac Pro and MacBook Pro models. In the meantime, Apple continues to sell Intel-based Mac Pro and Mac mini configurations.

Apple has not released any new Macs since the MacBook Air with the M2 chip in July.

Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 16.3 and iPadOS 16.3 updates to public beta testers, providing the new software to the general public. The public betas come one day after Apple provided the beta to developers, and nearly a month after the first public betas.

Public beta testers who have signed up for Apple's free beta testing program can download the ‌iOS 16.3 and iPadOS 16.3‌ betas over the air after installing the proper certificate from the Public Beta website.

So far, iOS 16.3 and iPadOS 16.3 appear to be more minor updates than the iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 releases. The software includes support for physical Security Keys for adding an additional layer of protection to an Apple ID.

With this feature, a physical FIDO certified security key can be used in lieu of device authentication when signing into an ‌Apple ID‌ on iCloud or a new device.

The update also includes a more streamlined process for transferring a song to a HomePod from an iPhone and vice versa, with Apple providing additional detail on how it works. No other major changes have been found in the beta as of yet.

Apple today seeded the second beta of macOS Ventura 13.2 to its public beta testing group, letting the general public try out the new features ahead of the software's release. The public beta comes one day after Apple provided the beta to developers and nearly a month after the first public beta.

Public beta testers can download the macOS 13.2 Ventura update from the Software Update section of the System Preferences app after installing the proper profile from Apple's beta software website.

macOS Ventura 13.2 introduces support for protecting an Apple ID with a physical security key, such as a Yubikey. The physical security key is used for two-factor authentication when signing into your ‌Apple ID‌ on a new device, on iCloud, or on other Apple websites, and it replaces device codes.

Apple says that physical security keys offer an additional layer of protection for those who are concerned about their Apple IDs being accessed.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today reiterated that iPhone 15 Pro models will be equipped with solid-state volume and power buttons, and he added that other high-end devices could follow suit in the future if the change is well received. Presumably, this would include the iPad Pro, and perhaps the Apple Watch Ultra.

Kuo previously said iPhone 15 Pro models will be equipped with two additional Taptic Engines that provide haptic feedback when the buttons are pressed, without the buttons actually moving. This would be similar to the solid-state Home button introduced on the iPhone 7 and the Force Touch trackpad on recent MacBooks.

In a series of tweets today, Kuo noted that Cirrus Logic will benefit from the change as the supplier of Taptic Engine chips for iPhones.

Solid-state buttons on iPhones could allow for even better water resistance and would eliminate moving parts that can wear out or break over time. The standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are still expected to have mechanical buttons.

Apple is expected to unveil the entire iPhone 15 lineup in September as usual, so the devices are still around eight months away from launching.

A free Business Connect tool announced by Apple today allows businesses to customize their location card in the Maps app with a brand logo, images, and other key information, such as special promotions or seasonal menu items at a restaurant. Businesses can also highlight various actions, such as ordering groceries via Instacart, making a dinner reservation via OpenTable, booking a hotel at Booking.com, and more.

Apple says these new capabilities are available to businesses in the U.S. starting today, and will be available to businesses globally in the coming months, so it will take some time for businesses to update their information. Businesses can also customize the way key information appears across the Messages app, Wallet app, and Siri interface.

Once a business has logged in to Business Connect with a new or existing Apple ID and Apple has verified the business, they can claim their location(s) and begin updating and personalizing their place card using the self-service website, free of charge.

"We created Business Connect to provide Apple users around the world with the most accurate information for places to eat, shop, travel, and more," said Apple's services chief Eddy Cue. "Apple Business Connect gives every business owner the tools they need to connect with customers more directly, and take more control over the way billions of people see and engage with their products and services every day."

More information is available on the Apple Business Connect website.

Amazon today has Apple's 2021 11-inch iPad Pro (2TB Wi-Fi) for $1,299.97, down from its original price of $1,899.00. This is the lowest price we've ever tracked for this previous-generation M1 model of the iPad Pro.

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.

You can get this price in both Space Gray and Silver on Amazon, and we are seeing stock dwindle on the latter option. Fastest delivery options are set for as soon as Saturday, January 14, while free delivery will arrive on January 18.

The M1 and M2 iPad Pro models share a majority of their features, with the biggest advantages of the newer models coming with the performance boost from the M2 chip. If you prioritize saving money over owning the newest Apple accessories, Amazon's $599 markdown today is a solid offer on the previous-generation iPad Pro.

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