MacRumors

Apple's upcoming high-end 6.7-inch iPhone 15 model may be called the "‌iPhone 15‌ Ultra" after all, replacing the "Pro Max" title, a new rumor claims.

iPhone 15 Ultra Rumors Thumb
In a September 2022 edition of his weekly "Power On" newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said there was "potential" for an iPhone 15 Ultra to replace the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max this year. While the name change was prevalent in several rumors from influential sources like Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in late 2022 and early 2023, the idea has since faded and emphasis has shifted to Apple releasing such a model as a new high-end device next year instead. Now, AppleInsider's Andrew O'Hara claims that the "‌iPhone 15‌ Ultra" name is back:

O'Hara does not have much of a track record for Apple rumors, but he did share accurate renders of the second-generation AirPods Pro before they launched last year. With its larger display, longer battery life, and periscope telephoto camera with 6x optical zoom, the top-tier iPhone could justify the "Ultra" moniker.

Apple's naming choices are subject to change throughout a product's development process, often explaining why new devices are titled differently to what rumors have come to suggest. For example, the AirPods Max were largely expected to be called the "AirPods Studio." Most recently, visionOS was widely expected to be called "xrOS." The rumored name was found littered throughout Apple's materials following WWDC, indicating that visionOS was a last-minute switch. Whether Apple will change the name of its "Pro Max" model this year is unknown, but the idea was likely under consideration at minimum and could still be on the table.

B&H Photo today has discounts on a few of Apple's Mac computers, this time focusing on the 13.6-inch M2 MacBook Air. As of writing, these all-time low prices are only available from B&H Photo.

m2 macbook air pinkNote: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with B&H Photo. 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 256GB M2 13.6-inch MacBook Air, B&H Photo has this model for $949.00 in all four colors, down from $1,099.00. This is a match for the all-time low price on this version of the MacBook Air, and B&H Photo remains one of the only retailers we've seen host this deal in 2023.

B&H Photo also has the 512GB M2 13.6-inch MacBook Air at the record low price of $1,249.00, down from $1,399.00. This one is available in Midnight, Silver, and Starlight, and B&H Photo offers free two-day shipping in the contiguous United States.

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

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

References to what are believed to be the "A19" and "M5" Apple silicon chips have been discovered in official Apple code.

Apple Silicon Teal Feature
The references, found by Twitter user "@_orangera1n," indicate the existence of a large number of unreleased Apple chips. Following the trends of Apple's chip identifiers, the latest discoveries are believed to correspond to the "A19," "M5 Pro," "M5 Max," and "M5 Ultra" chips, suggesting that work on these processors is underway.

Apple's Tatsu Signing Server (TSS) verifies firmware files by issuing unique certificates called APTickets, which contain specific details, with no third-party logs. In an effort to identify unreleased ApChipIDs, TSS requests were made for every possible identifier. Those that did not return an invalid identifier seemingly point to an unreleased chip.

Among the discovered ApChipIDs, the identifier 0x8150 is believed to correspond to the A19, while 0x6050, 0x6051, and 0x6052 are believed to represent the M5 Pro, M5 Max, and M5 Ultra, respectively. This inference is made based on the logical sequence and patterns of previously released chips.

Assuming that Apple continues to release new iPhone models every year, the A19 could debut in 2025's iPhone 17 Pro models. For now, Apple's first 3nm chip, the A17 Bionic, is believed to be just weeks away from announcement in the iPhone 15 Pro models, sporting major performance and efficiency improvements over all of the Apple silicon chips from recent years that are based on TSMC's 5nm process.

The Tesla app for iOS gains official support for Apple Shortcuts with its latest update, version 4.24.

tesla red orange bg feature
The update to the Tesla app brings support for over 20 Shortcuts actions, allowing users to get quick access to many of their vehicle's functions, issue commands with Siri, create automations, and combine actions into complex workflows. For example, users can simply command ‌Siri‌ to lock their vehicle and set up an automation to turn on the climate control at a specific time every day under certain conditions. The full list of the Shortcuts actions that the Tesla app now supports (via Not a Tesla App) is as follows:

  • Bioweapon Defense Mode
  • Camp Mode
  • Defrost
  • Dog Mode
  • Precondition Vehicle
  • Set Seat Heater (seat position and heat level)
  • Set Temperature (choose climate temperature)
  • Vent Windows
  • Set Media Volume
  • Emissions Test
  • Close All Windows
  • Flash Lights
  • Honk Horn
  • Lock/Unlock
  • Open Frunk
  • Open/Close Charge Port
  • Open/Close Door (Model X)
  • Open/Close Rear Trunk
  • Sentry Mode
  • Set Charge Limit
  • Start/Stop Charging

Each of the actions are automatically added to the Shortcuts app so users can access them with a tap, via a widget, or a ‌Siri‌ command, without needing to create them. Version 4.24 of the Tesla app is available now.

The iPhone 15 and ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus could come with color-matched braided USB-C to USB-C cables, according to a rumor coming out of Asia.

iphone 15 color matched cables
Twitter user "Majin Bu" first shared the information over the weekend, but was unable to verify the source of the rumor circulating on Chinese social media. Now, Apple device prototype collector "Kosutami" has affirmed that they have seen design validation test (DVT) samples of the color-matched braided USB-C cables and they are apparently destined to come alongside the ‌iPhone 15‌ and ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus.

With the exception of the black version, each of the cables has a glossy white plastic shell at either end. Unlike the Apple Watch magnetic charging cable and MagSafe 3, the braided USB-C cables feature strain relief tubes.

Kosutami told MacRumors that they are anticipating that these cables will at least come in white, black, yellow, purple, and orange color options. It seems that this orange shade will be closer to a pink, perhaps like the iPhone XR's Coral color option. Each of these cable colors should match up with a corresponding ‌iPhone 15‌ color option. A single rumor from February suggested that the ‌iPhone 15‌ will be available in Pink and Blue, but it is otherwise unknown what specific color options the new devices could come in.

To date, all ‌iPhone‌ models have come with a white cable featuring a white rubber jacket, regardless of the color option chosen for the device itself. Apple has gradually been moving to braided cables across most of its devices, and all MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models with ‌MagSafe‌ 3 come with a color-matched braided cable, so doing the same for the ‌iPhone‌ seems plausible amid its transition to USB-C.

Update: The ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max will also apparently come with color-matched braided USB-C to USB-C cables, MacRumors has been told.

Related Roundup: iPhone 15
Related Forum: iPhone

Apple this week filed a listing for a 2023 watchOS subsystem in the Bluetooth product database. While not surprising, the listing suggests that Apple is gearing up to launch new Apple Watch models in September, as it does every year.

Apple Watch Faces watchOS 10 Feature Blue
The listing does not reveal any specific details. The current Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch SE, and Apple Watch Ultra support Bluetooth 5.3.

This year's new Apple Watch models will include the Series 9 and a second-generation Ultra, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He expects both models to be equipped with an S9 chip for faster performance, and new color options are also rumored, including pink for the Series 9 and a darker titanium finish for the next Ultra. A third-generation Apple Watch SE is not expected to be released until September 2024.

2023 Apple Watch Bluetooth Database
Overall, this year's new Apple Watches are expected to be minor upgrades compared to the current-generation models. Bigger changes are expected in 2024 or 2025, as Gurman said Apple is planning to launch a so-called "Apple Watch X" with a thinner design, and potentially a new magnetic band attachment system.

Apple should unveil the Series 9 and the second-generation Ultra alongside the iPhone 15 series during an event that is currently expected to be held on Tuesday, September 12. Apple has yet to formally announce the event.

Related Forum: Apple Watch

If you're on the go and want to play your Nintendo Switch on a larger display than the tiny 6-inch to 7-inch screen that is built into the console, you're in luck if you have a USB-C iPad. With an app and a couple of accessories, you can use your ‌iPad‌ as your Switch display, as MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera demonstrates in his latest video.


Using an ‌iPad‌ for a Nintendo Switch was shown off on TikTok recently, and we thought it was a neat idea going under the radar. Though people have mostly demoed a Switch, it works with any console.

You'll need a USB-C ‌iPad‌ running iPadOS 17 for this to work. The Lightning models can't support the feature because of a specific dongle required. iPadOS 17 is expected to launch to the public next month, but there is a public beta available if you want to test it out right now.

Along with a USB-C ‌iPad‌, you're also going to need a USB-C video capture card, which is around $20. It's basically an HDMI to USB-C adapter for the ‌iPad‌ that allows it to hook up to the Switch. After that, you need to install an app. Since this is new iPadOS 17 functionality, few apps are available, but Capture Pro is available via TestFlight and it's what we used for the video. From there, you just need the Switch and an HDMI cable, and Dan demos the whole setup process in the video.

Have you tried using an ‌iPad‌ as a display for a console? Let us know in the comments below.

Twitter or "X" owner Elon Musk today said that the option to block people on Twitter is going to be "deleted as a feature" in the future, as it "makes no sense."

Twitter Feature
Musk made the comment in response to a tweet asking whether there was a reason to block someone instead of muting someone on the social network. Mute and block are two fundamentally different features on Twitter. Mute prevents you from seeing content from Twitter users, while block prevents other people from seeing your content, following you, and interacting with you.

According to Musk, muting will be the sole way to filter content on Twitter in the future, though there will still be a blocking feature for direct messages. Removing block will allow spam accounts and harassers to interact with people that would have otherwise blocked them as muting is far less restrictive.

If you mute an account, for example, that account can still follow you, see your content, reply to it, and favorite, retweet, and quote your tweets. Their replies to tweets won't be visible to you, but they'll still be able to reply. You won't get notifications for their replies unless you follow them, but if someone replies to the reply from the muted person, you will see that notification and be alerted to the conversation. For many users, the loss of the block function would be detrimental.

It is not clear if Musk will follow through on plans to remove the blocking feature, especially with the backlash that Musk's announcement has created. As with many of Musk's announcements, there is no word on when blocking might be removed.

Tag: Twitter

The best deals of the week include all-time low prices on the 9th generation iPad and M1 MacBook Air, as well as solid discounts on Samsung monitors and Anker accessories.

Hero0000Note: 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.

9th Gen iPad

ipad blue image

  • What's the deal? Take up to $89 off iPad
  • Where can I get it? Amazon
  • Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Note: You won't see the deal price until checkout.


One of the most notable deals of the week focused on the 9th generation of Apple's iPad. You can get the 64GB Wi-Fi iPad for $249.99 on Amazon, which is $79 off and the best price we've ever tracked on the tablet.

Samsung

samsung blue image m8

  • What's the deal? Save on Samsung monitors
  • Where can I get it? Samsung
  • Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Samsung is still discounting the new model of its 32-inch Smart Monitor M8, available for $599.99, down from $699.99. This monitor launched in June with updates including HDR10+ support and a portrait orientation option, and this sale price is the lowest we've seen to date. You can also save on a few other monitors, listed below.

Anker

eufy blue image

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


Anker returned this week with notable discounts on its line of Bluetooth trackers, wall chargers, portable batteries, and more. You can find the full list of discounts in our original article.

M1 MacBook Air

macbook air blue image

  • What's the deal? Take $249 off M1 MacBook Air
  • Where can I get it? Amazon
  • Where can I find the original deal? Right here

This week, Amazon continued to provide an all-time low price on the 256GB M1 MacBook Air. You can get this notebook for $749.99 in all three colors, down from $999.00.

AirPods 3

airpods 3 blue image

  • What's the deal? Take $29 off AirPods 3
  • Where can I get it? Amazon
  • Where can I find the original deal? Right here

The AirPods 3 hit $139.99 this week on Amazon, down from $169.00. This is a match for Amazon's all-time low price on the AirPods 3 with Lightning Charging Case.

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.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss two of the most significantly redesigned devices Apple is rumored to have in store: The "Apple Watch X" and the fourth-generation iPhone SE.


Apple is reportedly planning a complete revamp of the Apple Watch for the device's tenth anniversary titled "Apple Watch X," similar to 2017's ‌iPhone‌ X that celebrated ten years of the ‌iPhone‌. Since the original Apple Watch was unveiled in 2014 and launched in 2015, it is not clear whether the Apple Watch X will be released in 2024 or 2025.

Apple is apparently working on a thinner casing for the Apple Watch X, as well as different ways for bands to attach to the device to create more internal space for bigger batteries or other components. The Apple Watch X could coincide with Apple's introduction of microLED display technology, which surpasses the color and clarity of existing OLED screens. It may also be the first Apple Watch to feature blood pressure monitoring, and there are other reports about it sporting a larger display.

In other news, Apple is believed to be planning a major overhaul of its low-cost ‌iPhone‌. The fourth-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE is expected to be based on the ‌iPhone‌ 14, bringing Face ID and an OLED display to the ‌iPhone‌ SE for the first time, but with the same single rear camera setup as the current model.

It is also rumored to feature a USB-C port, Apple's long-rumored custom 5G modem, and an Action Button like the iPhone 15 Pro and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max. This would be a clear differentiator between the ‌iPhone‌ SE and the ‌iPhone 15‌ and ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus, which are not expected to offer the Action Button. The new device is not expected to launch until 2025.

Listen to The MacRumors Show in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castro, Google Podcasts, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player. Watch a video version of the show on the MacRumors YouTube channel.


If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up with our discussion about Apple's next event, which is rumored to see the unveiling of the ‌iPhone 15‌ lineup, Apple Watch Series 9, and second-generation Apple Watch Ultra.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for more episodes, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by exciting guests like Andru Edwards, Kevin Nether, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Mark Gurman, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Jon Prosser, Sam Kohl, Quinn Nelson, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Sara Dietschy, Luke Miani, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, iJustine, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, Jon Rettinger, and Rene Ritchie. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the show, and let us know what subjects you would like the podcast to cover in the future.

WhatsApp has released an update allowing iPhone and Android users to send photos over the messaging platform in high resolution, finally addressing the service's low quality image sharing limitation.

whatsapp hd photos
Previously, WhatsApp users sending photos would see the images automatically compressed and the resolution reduced to 920 x 1280 to save storage space and keep image-sharing fast over low bandwidth data connections.

After updating, they'll have the option to send images to friends and family in "HD quality," which equates to 3024 x 4032 resolution. The rollout of the feature was announced by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg via a Facebook post.

Version 23.16.0 of the app adds a "HD" button at the top of the photo sharing screen, next to the other image editing tools. Tapping the HD button brings up a pop-up allowing users to switch from the default Standard Quality to HD Quality.

Recipients of HD photos will see a HD label in the corner of the image, indicating that they have received a higher quality version, and all high resolution images are protected under WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption.

According to Meta, if a user's internet connection is low bandwidth, they will receive photos in Standard Quality, and will be able to choose to keep the standard version or upgrade it to HD where available.

The new feature is rolling out globally over the next few weeks, and Meta says the ability to send high resolution videos over WhatsApp is set to follow soon.

Apple has joined a coalition of U.S. businesses in protest at India's sudden introduction of tech import restrictions last month, claiming the move will damage New Delhi's ambitions to become a global manufacturing hub and harm consumers (via Bloomberg).

apple india
In a letter sent to U.S. officials this week, eight American trade groups asked the government to urge India to reconsider the policy, which will see the country impose a new license requirement for technology imports from November 1, covering everything from laptops and tablets to servers and datacenter components.

India didn't give a reason for the change in rules, but the move is thought to be an effort to boost local manufacturing, forming another prong in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Made in India" campaign to encourage domestic manufacturing in the tech sector.

The trade groups said the move "could significantly disrupt trade, hamper efforts to more closely integrate India into global supply chains, and harm businesses and consumers in both countries," according to a joint memo seen by Bloomberg. The policy was originally meant to go into immediate effect earlier this month, until authorities granted affected companies a three-month reprieve for them to obtain the required licensing.

U.S. industry groups including the Information Technology Industry Council, the National Association of Manufacturers, and the Semiconductor Industry Association have objected to the planned licensing rules, which they say could impact the shipment of American-made computers and electronics into India, inhibit the free flow of goods, and complicate business operations for all countries involved.

"This potential will only be achieved if businesses have assurance about a predictable regulatory climate," said the letter, which was signed by Apple, Intel, and other U.S. companies involved in technology and manufacturing.

Tag: India

Meta on Thursday announced it is adding reposts to the reverse-chronological Following feed in its Threads app, a decision the company said was made based on user feedback.

instagram threads app
The addition was announced in a Threads post by Instagram head Adam Mosseri, who also revealed that a reposts tab was being rolled out to profile pages, allowing users to more easily view all the threads they have reposted in one place.

The reposts tab hasn't yet appeared for most people using the iOS Threads app, but it can be viewed on the web if you visit your Threads profile page.

The Following tab was added to the fledgling social media platform late last month to make it easier to keep track of the latest posts in real time, and to bring it more in line with its rival Twitter, now known as X.

Meta launched Threads in July as an alternative to X, which has seen several controversial changes since being acquired by billionaire Elon Musk last year.

threads reposts on web

The new reposts tab, currently only viewable in Threads web profiles

Twitter threatened to sue Meta just hours after the Instagram parent company launched Threads, accusing the company of "unlawful misappropriation of Twitter's trade secrets and other intellectual property."

Meta responded to the lawsuit threat, saying that none of the staff working on the app are former Twitter employees.

Tag: Threads

Apple in October 2023 introduced its third-generation Apple silicon chips, the M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max. The chips are Apple's first that are built on the new 3-nanometer process, an upgrade over the 5-nanometer process used for both the M1 series and M2 series chips.

Apple M3 chip series
This guide covers everything that we know about the M3 chips Apple has developed.

M3 Chip Explained

The M3 is Apple's latest System on a Chip (SoC) developed for use in Macs and iPads. As a "System on a Chip," the M3 integrates several different components, including the CPU, GPU, unified memory architecture (RAM), Neural Engine, Secure Enclave, SSD controller, image signal processor, encode/decode engines, Thunderbolt controller with USB 4 support, and more, all of which power the different features in the Mac.

Before Apple silicon, Macs used multiple chips for CPU, I/O, and security, but Apple's effort to integrate these chips is the reason why Apple silicon chips are much faster and more efficient than Intel chips. The unified memory architecture that Apple has included is also a major factor because all of the technologies in the M3 are able to access the same data without having to swap between multiple pools of memory.

Built into the M3 chip, the unified memory architecture means the CPU, GPU, and other processor components don't need to copy data between one another, and are able to access the same data pool. This memory architecture means that the RAM is not user upgradeable, which isn't too much of a surprise because few Macs have user-accessible RAM.

Chip Specifications

The M3 chip has an 8-core CPU and up to a 10-core GPU, while the M3 Pro has up to a 12-core CPU and up to an 18-core GPU. The M3 Max has up to a 16-core CPU and up to a 40-core GPU.

M3 MacBook Pro Specs
The M3 Pro and the M3 Max are also available in variants with fewer CPU and GPU cores in the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, while the M3 in the 24-inch iMac is available in 8-core and 10-core GPU options. There is no M3 Ultra as of yet, but when it comes out, it is likely to feature a 32-core CPU and 80-core GPU as it will be a doubled up version of the M3 Max.

Apple says that the M3 chips are able to deliver 2.5x better GPU speeds than the ‌M1‌ chips while using half the power. The M3 performance cores are up to 30 percent faster than the ‌M1‌ performance cores and up to 15 percent faster than the ‌M2‌ performance cores. The M3 efficiency cores are up to 50 percent faster than the ‌M1‌ efficiency cores, and up to 30 percent faster than the ‌M2‌ efficiency cores.

Chip Comparison

‌M2‌ M3
Standard 8 CPU cores (4 high-performance and 4 energy-efficient)
8 or 10 GPU cores
8 CPU cores (4 high-performance and 4 energy-efficient)
8 or 10 GPU cores
Pro 10 or 12 CPU cores (6 or 8 high-performance and 4 energy-efficient)
16 or 19 GPU cores
11 or 12 CPU cores (5 or 6 high-performance and 6 energy-efficient)
14 or 18 GPU cores
Max 12 CPU cores (8 high-performance and 4 energy-efficient)
30 or 38 core GPU cores
14 or 16 CPU cores (10 or 12 high-performance and 4 energy-efficient)
30 or 40 GPU cores

3-Nanometer Technology

The ‌M1‌ and ‌M2‌ series chips used TSMC's 5-nanometer technology, but the M3 chips are built on TSMC's newest 3-nanometer chip technology. A smaller node size equates to more transistor density, which improves both efficiency and performance. Apple's 3nm chips could offer up to 35 percent better efficiency, allowing for longer battery life for some Mac models.

Apple supplier TSMC is one of the only chip companies that is able to make ‌3nm‌ chips, and rumors suggest that even TSMC's yield rates are just above 55 percent right now because the technology is so new. Apple's shift to ‌3nm‌ marks the first node update since the 5nm ‌M1‌ chip came out in 2020, and it will bring a bigger performance update than we saw with the ‌M2‌.

GPU

Apple says that the M3 chips represent the "biggest leap forward in graphics architecture ever for Apple silicon" with faster and more efficient graphics technology. The M3 GPUs support Dynamic Caching, hardware-accelerated ray tracing, and mesh shading.

Dynamic Caching allocates the use of local memory in hardware in real time, so only the exact amount of memory needed is used for each task. It increases the average utilization of the GPU, thereby increasing performance for demanding pro apps and games.

With hardware-accelerated ray tracing, light looks more realistic as it interacts with a scene, allowing for more physically accurate images. Game developers can use the ray-tracing and mesh shading for more accurate shadows and reflections as well as more efficient geometry processing.

Battery Life

Apple silicon chips are incredibly battery efficient in addition to being faster than most Intel chips. With the M3 chip, the battery in the ‌MacBook Pro‌ can last for up to 22 hours.

M3 Mac Lineup

Macs That Use the M3 Chip

  • 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌
  • 24-inch ‌iMac‌

Macs That Use the M3 Pro Chip

  • 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌
  • 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌

Macs That Use the M3 Max Chip

  • 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌
  • 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌

Macs Expected to Use M3 Ultra Chip

Apple Silicon Mac How-Tos

Since the Apple silicon Macs are using a new type of chip designed by Apple, there are some tips and tricks for doing things like transferring files, entering recovery mode, and finding apps optimized for the new machines. We have several Apple silicon-specific how tos that are worth checking out.

Guide Feedback

Have questions about the M3 chip or want to offer feedback on this guide? Send us an email here.

Nomad today introduced its most powerful charger to date, the 130W USB-C Power Adapter that's equipped with three USB-C PD ports. The 130W adapter joins Nomad's existing 65W, 30W, and 20W adapters.

nomad 130w 1
Priced at $110, the 130W Power Adapter features the same design as Nomad's prior adapters, so if you have one of the smaller varieties, you can have a matching set. It's got a sleek black "carbide" enclosure, and it does use GaN (gallium nitride) technology to ensure a compact size.

I always find myself wishing Nomad made its accessories in white or other colors, but black is the Nomad aesthetic and it works. I can say without hesitation that this is the snazziest charging brick I've used, though I have to admit I don't often think too much about the build quality of the power adapter I'm using since it's out of sight and under the desk. If you have a charging setup on a desk or somewhere that looks matter, you won't be disappointed with the design of Nomad's Power Adapter.

Though the power adapter has three ports, it is smaller in size than the 140W charger from Apple that's designed for the 16-inch MacBook Pro models, and it is close in size to the Apple 96W power adapter. There are flip out prongs so when the charger is not in use, it folds down into a little cube that can be tucked away in a bag or a suitcase. I do want to point out that it has some heft - it's not a lightweight charger.

nomad 130w 2
Each port is capable of 100W charging, but that is the maximum. You won't be able to get the 140W charging you're able to achieve on the 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ with the MagSafe power adapter from Apple, but 100W is plenty for keeping power levels up while the ‌MacBook Pro‌ is in use. I rarely use the ‌MagSafe‌ port on my ‌MacBook Pro‌ for charging, and it's always at full battery when I'm at my desk regardless of what I'm doing. 100W is also enough power to max out all of Apple's other notebooks, and plenty for iPhones, iPads, and other USB-C accessories.

When charging multiple devices, Nomad's power adapter is able to intelligently split power. With two devices, it sends 100W to the top port and 30W to the other port, so you can charge a MacBook at full speed while also having 30W available for an iPhone or an iPad. With all three ports in use, the top port charges at 70W, while the two bottom ports get 30W each.

If you use just the bottom two ports and not the top port, you can get 65W with each port for evenly split power, and it's nice to have so many different charging options with one charger depending on which ports you opt for. With a minimum of 30W going to each port regardless of what's being charged, all three ports can fast charge an ‌iPhone‌.

Bottom Line

Nomad's 130W Power Adapter is a convenient all-in-one power adapter thanks to its three ports and smart charging modes. It's useful for charging several devices at home, and equally helpful when traveling because you only need to pack a single power adapter.

At $110, the only downside is the price. That's a lot for a charger, but it is only $10 more than Apple's 140W charger, and it is not to far off of the price of similar chargers from companies like Anker and Satechi.

How to Buy

The Nomad 130W Power Adapter can be purchased from the Nomad website for $110.

Note: Nomad provided MacRumors with a 130W Power Adapter for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

Tag: Nomad

With the transition to USB-C, the iPhone 15 models could get faster charging speeds up to 35W. 9to5Mac says that it has heard from industry sources that "at least some" of the ‌iPhone 15‌ models are able to charge at this higher wattage.

iPhone 15 Blue Three Quarters Perspective Feature
At the current time, the iPhone 14 models can charge at a maximum of around 27W, with the Pro models able to charge a bit faster. An increase to 35W would speed up charging times.

Apple does not sell a power adapter with the ‌iPhone‌ anymore, but the company recommends a 20W+ charger for fast charging purposes right now. If the ‌iPhone 15‌ models support up to 35W charging, Apple could start recommending its 30W MacBook Air charger or its 35W Dual USB-C charger for maximum charging speed.

Earlier this year, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the ‌iPhone 15‌ models would support faster charging speeds due to the transition to USB-C. He said that the faster speeds would be available with MFi-certified USB-C chargers, including the 20W power adapter.

There have been rumors that Apple will limit faster charging speeds to MFi-certified cables and chargers, and it is also possible that the fastest charging speeds could be reserved for the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro models.

Related Roundup: iPhone 15
Related Forum: iPhone

Apple Card is the "Best Co-Branded Credit Card for Customer Satisfaction with No Annual Fee" in the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study, Apple announced today. This is the third year in a row that Apple and Goldman Sachs have taken the number one spot, and the third year that Apple has highlighted the study.

Apple Card Balance
"Since the start, we've been committed to delivering tools and services that help users live healthier financial lives, and it's been rewarding to see customers using and finding value in the benefits of ‌Apple Card‌. We are honored that ‌Apple Card‌ has been recognized as a leader in customer satisfaction," said Jennifer Bailey, Apple's vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. "In partnership with Goldman Sachs, we are continuously working to expand the value users receive from ‌Apple Card‌, most recently with the launch of Savings, and we look forward to continuing to develop tools and services that put our users and their financial health first."

The ‌Apple Card‌ earned a score of 655 on the J.D. Power scale, beating out the Hilton Honors American Express Card (638), the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card (636), and the PayPal Cashback Mastercard (636).

This year's results come as rumors suggest that Goldman Sachs is looking to get out of its partnership with Apple. Goldman Sachs reportedly wants to exit consumer banking, and is seeking a partner that would take over its ‌Apple Card‌ and Apple Savings offerings. It is not yet clear if Goldman Sachs and Apple will be able to work out a deal to sever their relationship.

Apple today released macOS Ventura 13.5.1, a bug fix update for the macOS Ventura operating system released last October. macOS Ventura 13.5.1 comes three weeks after the launch of macOS Ventura 13.5.

Ventura Macs Feature Red
The ‌‌‌‌macOS Ventura‌‌‌‌ 13.5.1 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Settings.

macOS Ventura 13.5.1 addresses a bug that impacts location services settings on the Mac. Mac users have complained since July of an issue with the location privacy settings, with the bug preventing them from accessing and controling location permissions for first and third-party apps.

macos 13 5 location services
Under System Settings > Privacy and Security > Location Services, macOS Ventura 13.5 had no apps listed, preventing users from accessing location services toggles or seeing apps that have access to their location information. Newly installed apps were also unable to be given access to location.

According to Apple's release notes, the macOS 13.5.1 update fixes the issue, so Location Services should work as expected going forward.

Related Forum: macOS Ventura