MacRumors

Apple today released the second beta of an upcoming visionOS 2 update to developers, with the second beta coming two weeks after the first beta.

Registered developers are able to opt into the betas by opening up the Settings app on their device, going to the Software Update Section, tapping on the "Beta Updates" option, and toggling on the Developer Beta. Note that an Apple ID associated with a developer account is required to download and install the beta.

visionOS 2 is able to take the depth information from 2D photos and turn them into 3D photos using advanced machine learning. Apple says that the feature is meant to add depth to photos to make memories more immersive.

There are new hand gestures for activating the Home View and Control Center, and the Home View is also now customizable with apps able to be rearranged. Travel Mode now includes support for trains, and Guest User profiles are now saved for 30 days so guests don't have to do the setup process every time they try out the headset.

Later in the year, Mac Virtual Display will support higher resolution and larger sized virtual displays, which Apple says will be equivalent to two 4K monitors side by side. With an AirPlay update, the Vision Pro can serve as an ‌AirPlay‌ receiver, so content from the iPhone, iPad, or Mac can be shared to the headset.

The Mindfulness app can track and respond to breathing patterns using the camera for an improved meditation experience, and the Vision Pro supports Bluetooth mice with visionOS 2.

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming watchOS 11 update to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming two weeks after the first beta was released following the WWDC 2024 keynote.

To install the ‌watchOS 11 update, developers need to open the Apple Watch app, go to the Software Update section under "General" in Settings, and toggle on the watchOS 11 Developer Beta. An Apple ID linked to a developer account is required.

Once beta updates have been activated, watchOS 11 can be downloaded under the same Software Update section. To install software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life and it must be placed on an Apple Watch charger.

watchOS 11 introduces a new Vitals app that aggregates health metrics collected during sleep like heart rate and respiratory rate, providing day-to-day health insights to track whether something has changed. There's also a Training Load feature for monitoring the intensity of workouts and how that impacts the body over time.

The Smart Stack has been updated with new widgets and support for Live Activities and Translate, plus it is better able to suggest widgets based on time and daily routine. The Photos watch face includes suggestions for the best images to use, and the Check In safety feature now works with Workouts.

Activity Rings can be customized to change the goals for each day, and there is an option to pause for rest days or when ill without losing an activity streak. Double Tap now works for navigating through apps with one hand, and Apple Maps lets users create their own walking and hiking routes.

Apple today seeded the second beta of the upcoming tvOS 18 refresh to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming two weeks after the first beta came out following the WWDC 2024 keynote event.

Registered developers are able to download the tvOS 18 update by opting in to the beta through the Settings app on the Apple TV. A registered developer account is required.

tvOS 18 adds an InSight feature to the TV app, and it is able to provide real-time information about actors, music, and more in ‌Apple TV‌+ shows and music. Enhanced Dialogue has been refined with machine learning and computational audio so it is better able to boost vocal clarity over background noise and music, plus it is now available on built-in TV speakers, AirPods, and other Bluetooth devices.

Subtitles will now show up automatically when relevant, such as when the TV's volume is muted, a show or movie is rewound, or when the language of a show doesn't match the device language.

Other new features include 21:9 aspect ratio support for projectors, new screen savers and improved controls for swapping screen savers, and support for Live Captions during FaceTime calls through an iPhone or iPad.

Amazon today has a large collection of discounts from Anker, Belkin, Eufy, and Jackery, including a wide array of wall chargers, Bluetooth trackers, and other USB-C accessories. Some of these deals will require you to clip an on-page coupon then head to the checkout screen before you see the final sale price, and some require a Prime membership.

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.

Eufy's main discount is on the SmartTrack Card for $19.99, down from $29.99. This accessory is shaped like a credit card so it can fit in your wallet and allows you to track it when it goes missing. It's also compatible with Apple's Find My app, so you can get left behind notifications and many other Find My features when you add it to the app.

Switching to the Anker deals, you can get the 24,000 mAh Prime Power Bank with Smart Digital Display for $109.99, down from $129.99. If you need a bigger battery, you can get the Portable Power Station with Smart Display + Retractable Light for $129.99 with an on-page coupon, down from $149.99. Additionally, below you'll find more Anker accessories including speakers and USB-C products.

Finally, for the Jackery deals you'll find an array of portable power stations on sale this week, including the Explorer 100 Plus with Solar Panel for $199.99 with an on-page coupon, down from $229.99. This is a miniature-sized portable power station that can fit in the palm of your hand and weighs just 2.13 lbs, while featuring a 31,000 mAh capacity and 128W output.

Belkin

• Auto-Tracking Stand Pro with DockKit - $134.99 with coupon, down from $179.99

Eufy

• SmartTrack Card - $19.99, down from $29.99

Anker

Audio

• Soundcore Motion 300 Wireless Bluetooth Speaker - $64.99, down from $79.99

Portable Batteries

• MagGo Power Bank 10,000 mAh - $69.99 with on-page coupon, down from $89.99
• Nano Power Bank with Built-In USB-C Cable - $38.24 with on-page coupon, down from $49.99
• Prime Power Bank 20,000 mAh with 100W Charging Base - $164.99 with on-page coupon, down from $184.99

Power Stations

• MagGo 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station - $84.99, down from $99.99
• MagGo 3-in-1 Folding Charging Station - $93.49 for Prime members, down from $109.99
• Portable Power Station with Smart Display + Retractable Light - $129.99 with on-page coupon, down from $149.99
• 3-in-1 MagSafe Charging Cube - $129.99, down from $149.99
• SOLIX F2000 Portable Power Station - $1,299.00 with on-page coupon, down from $1,999.00

Wall Chargers

• 20W USB-C Charger - $13.99, down from $16.99
• 100W 3-Port USB-C Charger - $59.99, down from $74.99
• 6-in-1 Nano Charging Station - $49.49 with on-page coupon, down from $65.99
• Prime 67W 3-Port Charger - $59.99, down from $65.99

Hubs

• 4-Port USB-C Hub - $12.99 with on-page coupon, down from $19.99
• 10-in-1 USB-C Hub - $59.99, down from $149.99

Jackery

• Explorer 100 Plus with Solar Panel - $199.99 with on-page coupon, down from $229.99
• Solar Generator 300 Plus - $499.00, down from $579.00
• Expansion Battery Pack 1000 Plus - $549.00 with on-page coupon, down from $799.00
• Expansion Battery Pack 2000 Plus - $1,259.00 with on-page coupon, down from $1,599.00
• Explorer 2000 Pro - $1,299.00 with on-page coupon, down from $1,899.00
• Explorer 3000 Pro - $2,499.00, down from $2,799.00
• Solar Generator 2000 Plus + Explorer 2000 Plus + Battery - $3,599.00 with on-page coupon, down from $4,999.00

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.

Apple has held discussions with Meta about integrating the Facebook owner's AI model into iOS 18 as part of its Apple Intelligence feature set, according to a report over the weekend.

Meta launched Llama 2, its large language model, in July 2023, and in April, the company released the latest versions of its AI models, called Llama 3. The Wall Street Journal reports that the two longtime rivals have held talks about offering Meta's model as an additional option to OpenAI's ChatGPT. The paywalled report notes that the discussions haven't been finalized and could fall through.

As part of Apple Intelligence, Apple has announced a partnership with OpenAI that will allow Siri to access ChatGPT directly in iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia to provide better responses in relevant situations. Using ChatGPT will be optional, so users with concerns about the technology can abstain and still make use of Apple's own new AI features.

Speaking at WWDC 2024, Apple's senior VP of software engineering Craig Federighi said that the company eventually wants to give its users a choice between different AI models. Federighi also suggested that Google Gemini could be an option in the future.

Apple isn't paying OpenAI as part of the partnership, and WSJ reports that discussions with other AI companies have similarly taken place with the understanding that neither party will pay each other. Rather, pushing an AI model to hundreds of millions of Apple devices is considered to be of equal or greater value: AI companies get to sell premium subscriptions to their services through Apple Intelligence, while Apple is in a position to take a commission on sales.

However, it's still not clear how much of a financial windfall such deals will be for AI companies in the long term, given that a surge of users from Apple devices will undoubtedly require more of the companies' own compute power and budget.

Apple could offer a cheaper version of its Apple Vision Pro headset by making the device reliant on a tethered iPhone or Mac, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Last week, a report claimed that Apple had suspended work on the second-generation Apple Vision Pro in order to focus on bringing a cheaper model to market. However, Gurman claims Apple shifted resources to developing a cheaper model even before the Vision Pro was released, and he has now offered some more details on how Apple plans to build a more affordable spatial computing unit.

Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says that a prototype lower-cost headset, codenamed N107, has a narrower field of view compared to Vision Pro.

Apple is also considering making this version more reliant on a tethered Mac or iPhone. "That would let Apple save money on the processing power and components needed to make the Vision Pro a fully standalone product," he argues.

Gurman says that Apple is still struggling to bring the cost down while retaining key features. But if it can, Apple plans to launch the cheaper headset as early as the end of 2025. Indeed, this has been the plan "since before the Vision Pro was unveiled last year," he adds.

Gurman doubled down on his reaction to last week's report by noting that Apple has no plans to abandon the high end of the headset market, and while it's "less of a priority," Apple is still working on a second-generation Vision Pro, codenamed N109.

This model is said to look similar to the current Vision Pro, but has a faster processor and improvements to the external cameras. The company reportedly plans to release the Apple Vision Pro 2 by the end of 2026 at the earliest.

Apple wants iPhone and iPad users to be able to format external drives connected to their device, without the need for a Mac, based on the latest find in the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 developer betas (via MacStories).

Writing in his ByteBits substack, Kaleb Cadle said he made the discovery of new file format options while tinkering with the Files app:

Now in the Files app on iPadOS 18, when we right click or hold press on an external drive and select "Erase", new options appear for reformatting the drive. Currently, the format options here are APFS (with options for Case Sensitive or Encrypted), ExFAT, and MS-DOS (FAT), the same format options available in Disc Utility (with the exception of macOS extension formats which wouldn't make much sense for this feature on iPadOS). This is a major improvement for iPad power users and it will be interesting to keep an eye out for new improvements to this functionality and others within the Files app over the course of the iPadOS 18 beta cycle. It seems Apple may be taking a similar tact to the way they incorporated much of the functionality of the Preview app into the Files app via Quick Look, but now with functionality from Disc Utility.

iPadOS 18 and iOS 18 are currently in beta. Apple plans to release the second betas to developers on Monday.

Update: Added iOS 18 beta references after confirmation that the formatting options are present on iPhones as well as iPads.

The European Commission has formally announced its preliminary view that Apple's App Store policies are in breach of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), specifically in relation to anti-steering rules.

Under the DMA, developers distributing their apps via Apple's ‌App Store‌ should be able, free of charge, to inform their customers of alternative cheaper purchasing possibilities, steer them to those offers, and allow them to make purchases. The Commission says that Apple's "business terms" with developers prevent that.

"Developers cannot provide pricing information within the app or communicate in any other way with their customers to promote offers available on alternative distribution channels," said the Commission in its press release.

The Commission also said that Apple's link-out process for steering customers is "subject to several restrictions imposed by Apple that prevent app developers from communicating, promoting offers and concluding contracts through the distribution channel of their choice."

In addition, the Commission believes that the fees charged by Apple for facilitating new customer acquisition via the ‌App Store‌ "go beyond what is strictly necessary for such remuneration." For example, Apple charges developers a fee for every purchase of digital goods or services a user makes within seven days after a link-out from the app, and the Commission sees this as excessive.

The Commission also said it was opening a new non-compliance procedure against Apple over concerns that its new contractual requirements for third-party app developers and app marketplaces, including its €0.50 Core Technology Fee, "fall short of ensuring effective compliance with Apple's obligations under the DMA."

Responding to the Commission's announcement, Apple provided MacRumors with the following statement:

"Throughout the past several months, Apple has made a number of changes to comply with the DMA in response to feedback from developers and the European Commission. We are confident our plan complies with the law, and estimate more than 99% of developers would pay the same or less in fees to Apple under the new business terms we created. All developers doing business in the EU on the App Store have the opportunity to utilize the capabilities that we have introduced, including the ability to direct app users to the web to complete purchases at a very competitive rate. As we have done routinely, we will continue to listen and engage with the European Commission."

Now that the Commission has informed Apple of its preliminary view, Apple can exercise its defence by examining the documents in the Commission's investigation file and replying in writing to the Commission's preliminary findings. If Apple was found to be in breach of the DMA, the company could face fines up to 10% of its worldwide revenue. The Commission's final decision is due by March 2025.

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.

Amazon today has a big sale on the 24-inch M3 iMac, including both 256GB and 512GB models. All of these deals require you to clip an on-page coupon in order to see the final deal price at the checkout screen, and in every case these are all-time low prices.

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 8-core GPU/256GB M3 iMac, this model is available for $1,149.99 in three colors with the on-page coupon, down from $1,299.00. Amazon also has the 10-core GPU/256GB M3 iMac on sale for $1,349.99 with a coupon, down from $1,499.00. This one is also available in three colors.

Lastly, the 10-core GPU/512GB M3 iMac has hit $1,549.99 in two colors, down from $1,699.00. All of Amazon's deals today are record low prices on the M3 iMac, and right now only Amazon is offering these steep discounts.

Apple launched the M3 iMac back in October 2023, bringing significant speed and efficiency improvements with the upgrade from the M1 to the M3 chip. Otherwise, there are no major design changes to the newest iMac model. Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.

The avalanche of news coming out of WWDC earlier this month is finally starting to slow, but that doesn't mean there wasn't still lots to talk about in Apple news and rumors this week.

This week saw some additional rumors about the upcoming Apple Watch models, the release of major Final Cut Pro updates, the launch of Apple's annual Back to School promo in the U.S. and Canada, new budget-friendly Beats earbuds, and more, so read on below for all the details!

Apple Watch Series 10 Rumored to Feature Larger Screen and Thinner Design

2024 could be a big year for the Apple Watch, with rumors suggesting that Apple plans to unveil a special tenth-anniversary model with a major redesign, just like it did with the iPhone X.

Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo this week said the tentatively-named "Apple Watch Series 10" (which could end up being named the Apple Watch X or something else) will feature larger 45mm and 49mm screen size options, along with a thinner design.

Kuo also believes the Apple Watch Ultra 3 could be available in a black or dark finish if production is successful. The devices should be unveiled in September alongside the iPhone 16 series.

Final Cut Pro Gets Major Update, New Camera App for iPhone

Major new versions of Apple's professional video creation app Final Cut Pro were released this week for compatible Mac and iPad models. Read our coverage to learn about all of the new features included.

Notably, Apple has released an all-new Final Cut Camera companion app for the iPhone. The app powers the new Live Multicam feature in Final Cut Pro for iPad, and it also works as a standalone video recording app.

Apple's Back to School Sale Launches in U.S. and Canada

Apple's annual Back to School promotion has returned in the U.S. and Canada, offering students and select educational staff a free Apple gift card with the purchase of an eligible new Mac or iPad.

We have outlined the exact gift card values in our coverage of the sale, which runs through September 30. As usual, the Back to School promotion is on top of Apple's regular educational discounts for students.

These iOS 18 Features Aren't Coming to iPhones Until iOS 18.1 or Later

iOS 18 includes many new features for the iPhone, but not all of them will be available when the update is initially released to the public in September.

In an article this week, we listed all of the new features and changes that will not be available until a later version of iOS 18, according to Apple's website. These features should begin rolling out with iOS 18.1 in October, followed by iOS 18.2 in December, with more to come next year.

Beats Solo Buds Now Available: 18-Hour Battery and a Tiny Case for $79.99

The new Beats Solo Buds wireless earbuds are now available to order on Apple's online store for delivery, and they can also be purchased in person at select Apple retail stores and resellers around the world.

Beats Solo Buds feature an affordable $79.99 price, up to 18 hours of battery life, and a compact USB-C carrying case. However, they lack active noise cancellation, and the carrying case does not have a built-in battery.

Apple Seeds First Beta of iOS 17.6

The first betas of iOS 17.6, macOS 14.6, tvOS 17.6, visionOS 1.3, and other software updates are now available for testing.

There is not a whole lot new in the iOS 17.6 beta so far for the iPhone, with only minor changes discovered within the update's code. Apple has already shifted its focus towards iOS 18, which is currently in beta for developers and will be released to the public later this year.

MacRumors Newsletter

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

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

Spotify today announced the launch of a new Basic paid plan that offers a small discount for dropping access to audiobooks. Priced at $10.99 per month, the Basic option includes all of the music benefits of Spotify like ad-free playback, but without added monthly audiobook listening time.

The $11.99 standard Premium Individual plan that Spotify offers includes ad-free playback and 15 hours of audiobook listening time per month from a catalog of more than 250,000 titles. Until now, Spotify did not let customers opt for a cheaper plan that did not include audiobook access, as it was automatically bundled in the lowest-tier plan.

Spotify in June raised its base price from $10.99 to $11.99 to "bring users the best experience," but with the new Basic plan, customers who don't want to use the audiobook feature can get the prior $10.99/month price.

Spotify's new $10.99 per month option is on par with the $10.99 price of Apple Music, so Spotify is no longer $1 more expensive than ‌Apple Music‌ for base music subscription service.

There have been no changes to the prices of other plans. Duo is priced at $16.99, and Family is priced at $19.99. Spotify also has a $9.99 per month plan that offers 15 hours of audiobook listening with ad-supported music.

With iOS 18, Apple is working with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into the iPhone, where ChatGPT will work alongside Siri to handle requests for AI-generated content. ChatGPT and other similar AI services are not available in China, so Apple needs to find an alternative.

Apple is actively looking for a Chinese company to partner with for its AI features in China, reports The Wall Street Journal. Apple has held talks with Baidu, Alibaba Group, and Beijing startup Baichuan AI, but no deal has emerged.

Apple Intelligence features are going to be limited to an increasingly small number of customers when iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia launch this fall. Apple today said that it would not bring these features to countries in the European Union, and without a deal with a Chinese AI company, China could be out too.

China requires companies to get government approval before rolling out chatbots powered by large language models, and to date, has not approved any AI products that were developed outside of the country. Apple did look into the possibility of getting approval for its own large language model, but found that Chinese regulators were not likely to allow it. To bring ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features to China, Apple has to sign a deal with a Chinese AI company.

It is not clear if Apple would have time to prepare a Chinese version of ‌Apple Intelligence‌ for September even if it did manage to secure a deal in the near future, so ‌Apple Intelligence‌ is not likely to come to China until a later date. Even if Apple did make it happen, ‌Apple Intelligence‌ will only be available in U.S. English at launch, with support for additional languages coming in 2025.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple is falling behind competing smartphone companies in China because AI features are already available on devices from top-selling Chinese brands like Vivo, Huawei, Xiaomi, and Honor. Even Samsung has a smartphone with AI integrations in China, as it has partnered with Baidu and Meitu.

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.

Apple competitor Amazon is working on a revamp of its Alexa assistant, and the new version could cost up to $10 per month, according to a report from Reuters. The upcoming version of Alexa will support conversational generative AI, and Amazon is planning for two tiers of service.

There will be a free tier and a second, premium tier that is priced at $5 at a minimum, with Amazon considering price points ranging from $5 to $10. Amazon does not plan to include the premium Alexa tier with its $139 per year Prime subscription.

Amazon has not made significant updates to Alexa in the last decade, and it has fallen behind other AI products that have started to adopt large language models. Alexa is free and built into Amazon devices, so Amazon does not make money directly from it as of now. Some employees that spoke to Reuters said the revamp is a "desperate attempt" to revitalize Alexa, and Amazon executives have suggested it is imperative Alexa demonstrate it can generate "meaningful" sales.

The updated version of Alexa, which Amazon calls "Remarkable Alexa" internally, is expected to be able to do things like craft emails, give shopping advice, and order delivery from Uber Eats. Amazon also wants to improve the way that Alexa controls smart home products, with Alexa able to learn how to automate routines.

Amazon is aiming to have the updated version of Alexa finished by August, which would see it launch later this year. Apple is working on a similarly updated version of Siri that also incorporates large language models, though many of the new ‌Siri‌ functions won't be coming until 2025.

The Apple Watch has a hidden feature for activating Night Shift on the device, a Reddit user discovered recently. If you ask Siri on the Apple Watch to turn on ‌Night Shift‌, ‌Siri‌ will do so, and the display will take on the dimmer, yellow hue that lowers blue light exposure.

It is not clear how long ‌Siri‌ has been able to activate ‌Night Shift‌ on the Apple Watch, but it seems to be recent. Apple has no documentation on ‌Night Shift‌ on Apple Watch, and it was not previously a watchOS 10 option. It's possible ‌Night Shift‌ is tied to watchOS 11, but it is not limited to devices running watchOS 11. We were able to use the feature on an Apple Watch Series 9 with watchOS 10 installed.

Activating ‌Night Shift‌ can only be done through ‌Siri‌, and there is no toggle in the Apple Watch Settings app or elsewhere on the device. ‌Siri‌ mentions scheduling ‌Night Shift‌ in the Settings app, but that's not an option at the current time in watchOS 10 or watchOS 11.

‌Night Shift‌ does not appear to be available on all Apple Watch models, with Reddit users unable to activate it on a Series 5 and lower.

The option to suddenly turn on ‌Night Shift‌ without an accompanying setting suggests that it is a feature that has been accidentally introduced, and the toggle could be introduced in a future version of watchOS 11 or an upcoming watchOS 10 update.

Apple plans to release the second beta of iOS 18 to developers on Monday, Apple spokesperson Fred Sainz told The Verge. The information was provided as part of a statement on certain new iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia features that will be delayed in the European Union.

Two of the features that will not be coming to the EU this fall are set to debut in next week's iOS 18 developer beta, with Apple introducing support for iPhone Mirroring in macOS Sequoia and expanded SharePlay screen sharing across iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia.

‌iPhone‌ Mirroring allows an ‌iPhone‌ to be controlled via a Mac, with full functionality for accessing apps, interacting with notifications, and more. SharePlay screen sharing will let Apple users take over the screen of another Apple user to provide technical support and other help.

Neither of these options are available in the current iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia betas, as Apple is rolling out features during the beta testing period. Apple Intelligence, which also won't be coming in the European Union, is set to come out later this summer. Apple will likely time it to the public beta, which is coming in July.

Apple says that it needs to delay some features in the European Union because of the complexities of making sure they adhere to the regulations mandated in the Digital Markets Act.

This week's best Apple deals include a new record low price on the Apple Pencil Pro, plus steep discounts on M3 MacBook Pro and M1 iPad Air. You'll also find a few solid deals on Apple-related accessories from Beats, Eufy, and Anker.

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

AirPods and Beats

• What's the deal? Save on AirPods and Beats headphones
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon still has a few discounts across Apple's AirPods and Beats headphones, with up to $170 off these accessories. The best overall deal is on the Beats Studio Pro at their all-time low price of $179.95, down from $349.95.

Apple Pencil Pro

• What's the deal? Take $10 off Apple Pencil Pro
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

This week we saw the Apple Pencil Pro drop to a new record low price of $119.00 on Amazon, down from $129.00. Although only a $10 discount, this is still the best deal we've seen to date on the newest Apple Pencil.

Bluetooth Trackers

• What's the deal? Save on AirTag and Eufy SmartTrack Card
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Bluetooth Tracker discounts were in abundance this week, and you can still get some of the best discounts today on Amazon. The AirTag 4 Pack is available for $79.99, down from $99.00, and the Eufy SmartTrack Card is on sale for $19.99, down from $29.99.

Anker

• What's the deal? Save on Anker accessories
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Moving to Anker's charging accessories, you can get multiple MagSafe-compatible devices at a discount this week on Amazon, like a portable battery and a wireless charging station. The highlight of the sale is Anker's 24,000 mAh Power Bank with Smart Digital Display for $109.99, down from $149.99. Many of these will require you to clip an on-page coupon before you head to the checkout screen in order to see the sales.

• 10,000 mAh Power Bank With Built-in USB-C Cable - $35.99 with on-page coupon, down from $44.99
• MagGo 10,000 mAh Power Bank with Foldable Stand - $69.99 with on-page coupon, down from $89.99
• MagGo 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station - $69.99 with on-page coupon, down from $99.99
• 24,000 mAh Power Bank with Smart Digital Display - $109.99, down from $149.99
• MagGo 3-in-1 Foldable Charging Stand - $93.49, down from $109.99

M1 iPad Air

• What's the deal? Take $200 off M1 iPad Air
• Where can I get it? Best Buy
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Best Buy has every M1 iPad Air at $200 off this week, starting at $399.99 for the 64GB Wi-Fi tablet and also including both cellular models. You don't need to be a My Best Buy Plus or Total member to see these deals.

M3 MacBook Pro

• What's the deal? Take $350 off M3 MacBook Pro
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon is taking up to $350 off the M3 MacBook Pro this week, including both 14-inch and 16-inch models. We started tracking these deals earlier in the week and many of them are still live, so be sure to check out our original article for every MacBook Pro sale.

Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

Apple today said that European customers will not get access to the Apple Intelligence, iPhone Mirroring, and SharePlay Screen Sharing features that are coming to the ‌iPhone‌, iPad, and Mac this September due to regulatory issues related to the Digital Markets Act.

In a statement to Financial Times, Apple said that there will be a delay as it works to figure out how to make the new functionality compatible with the European Union's competition rules.

Due to the regulatory uncertainties brought about by the Digital Markets Act, we do not believe that we will be able to roll out three of these [new] features -- iPhone Mirroring, SharePlay Screen Sharing enhancements, and Apple Intelligence -- to our EU users this year.

‌Apple Intelligence‌ includes a wide range of additions that overhaul everything from Siri to apps, while ‌iPhone‌ Mirroring is a feature that allows the ‌iPhone‌ to be controlled on a connected Mac. SharePlay Screen Sharing lets users take control of another person's screen while using the SharePlay feature, with the aim of providing assistance.

Some of the Siri-related ‌Apple Intelligence‌ capabilities will not be launching until 2025, but Genmoji, Image Playground, Writing Tools, and many new in-app capabilities are set to be available starting in September, and these are what ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, and Mac users in the European Union will miss out on. It is not clear how long it will take Apple to expand this features to the EU, nor what changes Apple might have to make to introduce them under the DMA.

Apple's warning comes as the European Commission prepares to make a ruling on whether prior changes to allow for app marketplaces meet the terms of the DMA. Regulators have said that there are "very serious" issues with Apple's implementation, likely related to the Core Technology Fee that Apple is charging.

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.

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Apple Intelligence, the apparent suspension of work on the second-generation Vision Pro headset, and Apple's rumored plans to move to thinner device designs.

‌Apple Intelligence‌ is Apple's upcoming personalized AI experience for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. We look at the device limitations around the feature and address speculation that older models could have utilized the cloud processing to offer ‌Apple Intelligence‌. While cloud computing is an important part of Apple's AI solution, on-device processing plays a crucial role in making ‌Apple Intelligence‌ functional, private, and efficient. We discuss these device requirements, including the necessity for M1 or later chips in Macs and iPads, and how these specifications should ensure a good user experience. We also explore the gradual rollout of ‌Apple Intelligence‌ and its implications and consider the potential workflows with ‌Apple Intelligence‌, contemplating what might be possible with advanced AI integration across apps.

Next, we discuss the suspension of work on the second-generation Apple Vision Pro headset. Although Apple had reportedly been focusing on developing a lower-cost headset for some time, the news of Apple's decision to halt work the second-generation Vision Pro still comes as a surprise. We examine what this means for the future of the Apple Vision product line, including the potential benefits and drawbacks of prioritizing a less expensive model.

Lastly, we turn our attention to the future of Apple's devices, particularly the company's recently reported decision to again move toward thinner and lighter products. We delve into the ongoing debate between the benefits of thinner, more portable devices versus thicker ones with larger batteries. The M4 iPad Pro models and the upcoming "iPhone 17 Slim" demonstrate this trend, touting redesigns that aim to offer a more streamlined form factor without sacrificing battery life. We also discuss the anticipated MacBook Pro models with M4 series chips that are now expected to launch later this year. The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips:

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

If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up for our discussion recorded at Apple Park about all of the major updates coming to Apple's operating systems later this year and ‌Apple Intelligence‌.

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

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